"Eem!" Vivi shouted.

Bwern's expression only got more disgusting. "You want this fiend? I hear you two are quite attached."

Vivi's throat was dry. She studied her opponents. Their swords were hidden beneath their clothes. Vivi wouldn't have been surprised if they were equipped with runeswords. The hub was in chaos, after all. Each one of her enemies was clearly maxed out. They were surrounded by nimrods, but Bwern didn't seem to care.

Vivi was strong enough to deal with nimrods, maxed out or not. Three at a time would be problematic, especially if they had traps, but she was still strong enough to defeat any one of her opponents.

But I'm injured… Vivi thought. She barely had the energy to walk. Abusing ether further would probably leave her in a coma.

"Let her go," she said.

Bwern pulled out a dagger with his free hand, placing it on Eem's neck. "This fiend means nothing to me. Do as I say, or she's dead."

Vivi's heart was racing, mind pulsing with ideas, none of which made any sense. "What do you want?"

"Follow me," Bwern said. "This place is too public, don't you think?"

Bwern and his gang headed into a private branch of the dungeon. They didn't wait for Vivi. In seconds, they had disappeared into the dark tunnel.

Goddammit! Vivi thought. She considered her options. Abandon Eem and attempt an escape, or risk her life and do as Bwern asked?

Vivi chose the latter right away. She entered the tunnel. Eem has saved us once and risked her life many times, Vivi thought. I can't just abandon her now.

A part of her expected Lucius to protest. The cat, however, stayed quiet. He was alert, watching their surroundings, ready to protect Vivi with ether if something attacked.

Each step was tender. The wounds from the boss fight ached harder and harder. If Vivi dropped her coating of ether, she knew she would pass out from the pain. She exhausted a wisp every ten seconds just to keep standing.

But she gritted her teeth and moved forward.

"We're being followed," Lucius said. "Bwern intends to end this today."

We walked into a trap, I know, Vivi thought. Perhaps we can trade one of our skills for Eem's life peacefully.

Lucius didn't say anything, but his expression said he doubted it.

Finally, Bwern and the two gang members came to sight. They blocked the way forward. Behind her, another group of three demons, disguised in the black mask's outfits, blocked the way back. Vivi was squeezed into the tight tunnel.

Runeswords were unsheathed. The tall man wielded the same asmite sword Vivi had fought twice before. Behind her, two one-runed swords and one two-runed sword were closing in.

"What do you want from me?" Vivi asked. "I can trade the skill for Eem."

"Oh, we want a lot more than that," Bwern said. "You were hunting in the main dungeon. You have ether. You have bosses. You've bound to have earned more skills than one. And you have that sword."

Vivi summoned Abyss Destroyer. "I'll trade this for Eem's life as well."

"Really?" Lucius asked. "Eem is that valuable?"

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It's just a sword, Vivi thought. I can always make a new one.

Bwern grinned. "We will examine you. You will trade everything."

"Do you think I'll let you do that?" Vivi asked. "I've defeated your gang before. I was weaker then. Today, I have twice the skills I had back then. It doesn't matter how many of you fight. I propose we do this peacefully."

Bwern's men looked like they wanted to consider her offer. They clutched tight to their runeswords. They were ready to fight, though they didn't look confident. They would have probably agreed to a peaceful deal.

"If you trade your sword, you won't win afterward," Lucius said.

Vivi wanted to grit her teeth, but kept a serious face.

"See, this isn't about whether you're strong enough to defeat us or not," Bwern said. He nudged Eem's hair. The fiend let out a scared yelp. "It's about whether she lives or dies. Fight us, and I'll kill her."

Curse the damn gods… Vivi thought.

If only Vivi was crazier, just slightly more threatening, Bwern might have been more hesitant to pull a stupid trick like this. But Vivi knew for a fact that the gang leader was insane enough to bet everything on his gamble.

Vivi scanned her surroundings one last time, running her head through ideas. Could she somehow assassinate Bwern before he had time to slit Eem's throat? She doubted it. Vivi wasn't an assassin. Even with both of her skills and the fastest attack she could muster, it would still give Bwern time to react.

Vivi considered activating Death Sense. Problem was, she didn't know what the hell the skill even did. What if it cast an explosion around her? That could kill Eem just as well.

Anger flowed within her. Eem, the poor fiend, was crying. Eem didn't deserve a life like this. Vivi had to escape with her. Yet, if she got herself captured now, she'd never be strong enough to protect Eem.

"Bwern…" Vivi said. "Do you care for you life? Do you care about escaping this mess?"

The gang leader frowned.

Vivi called forth her full aura and activated her ascension skill. "Forget the deal. I'm not giving you anything. I'm trading Eem's life for yours. Place the fiend down, and I'll spare you."

She pushed as much ether into her surroundings as she could. Hundreds of wisps were being wasted just to cast a misty aura around her. She tried to do just as Andre did. Her aura wasn't nearly as effective, even with an ascension skill active, but the effect was scary enough to make Bwern's men freeze on the spot.

Bwern himself met Vivi's eyes. The mad man grinned.

Vivi pushed more ether, though her confidence wavered. Bwern was mad.

"A zero elevation human is threatening me," Bwern said. "Very interesting. Your aura needs work. So does your confidence. I'll give you one more chance. Give up now, or this fiend is dead."

"She's stronger than she looks," a new voice said behind Bwern.

The gang leader furrowed his brows. He turned his head—

And the air filled with ether, as if a surge had erupted. A blue glow illuminated the tunnel. Vivi heard a slash, and a blade pierced Bwern's heart from behind. The tip of a blue spirit blade poked out.

Bwern's eyes went wide in shock. Slowly, his strength went out. Eem and the dagger fell from his grip. The light disappeared from Bwern's eyes.

Andre pulled back his sword and kicked Bwern's corpse.

"Andre?" Vivi asked, mouth hanging open.

"Hello," Andre said with a smile.

The two remaining demons slashed at him with their runeswords. Andre calmly defended and promptly countered. He killed the one-runed swordsman in one quick exchange. The asmite wielder survived for longer, though it was clear Andre was stronger.

"Go tell your gang that your boss is dead," Andre said.

The asmite wielder scowled. "Scum. You're both scum."

"Gladly," Andre said. "Get out. I'll let you live."

The asmite wielder kept defending for a moment longer. Then he tsked before rushing deeper into the dungeon.

Behind Vivi, the three runesword wielders escaped back up. They hadn't even tried to attack.

"Ivwi!" Eem shouted. She stood and ran for Vivi, hugging her leg.

Vivi's heart was still racing a thousand beats per minute. She grabbed Eem and hugged her, but she kept her focus on Andre. "Why are you here?"

"I've wanted to kill this ass for a long time," Andre said. "Now seemed fitting."

"Are you going to try and kill me again?" Vivi asked.

"No," Andre said. "I was planning on proposing an alliance one more time. Let's escape."

Vivi was lost for words. Andre had saved Eem. This murderous, self-centered ether hunter had actually saved Eem. Could he be an ally?

"Sure," Vivi said. "I'll trust you. Let's escape. But I won't come to the third level with you."

"I'll be a hero back home if I simply survive," Andre said. "I won't force you."

Andre headed up the dungeon. Vivi stepped out of the way, letting him up. I can't believe it… she thought.

She hugged Eem tight, feeling the fiend's warmth. Eem's head smelled like stone and dirt. She'd definitely need a shower. Vivi pushed more ether to her legs to not fall over and followed Andre back up the tunnel.

They didn't get far before Andre paused. The way back up was blocked by bodies. Three runeswords lay on the ground alongside the black-masked demons that just tried to escape. Their throats had been slit.

Uundref stood above them with Vivi's two-runed katana in hand. "Hello, dear humans."

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