Zeka had just turned his head when he shouted, seeing stones hurtling toward him at terrifying speed.
He quickly shoved Violette aside, taking the brunt of the attack in her place.
However, it was as if Lady Luck had smiled upon him—the stones only grazed him, leaving shallow cuts on his skin before flying past and slamming into the metal gate behind them.
The sound of impact echoed repeatedly, but the gate remained unmoved, not a single scratch on its surface.
Zeka let out a sigh of relief, but his eyes immediately locked onto a figure standing in the corridor about ten meters away.
"It's you…" Zeka remembered what Noan had said.
Even though he didn't like Noan, he had to admit that Noan had been right about one thing—
Now, Valen stood in the distance, gazing at them, his eyes filled with malice and killing intent that sent chills down Zeka's spine.
But when Zeka glanced at Violette, his fear vanished, replaced by courage.
'My goddess… today, you'll witness how brave I truly am.'
Zeka stood up, his face resolute, as though not even death could make him falter.
Valen frowned at Zeka's expression, his cold voice echoing through the hall: "Ah… so you're the rat who stole my key."
"I don't know how you managed to get it, but I'll give you a chance. Return it to me. Swear loyalty to me. Become my subordinate, and I'll let you and that girl live."
Zeka sensed something was wrong, but there was no time to think deeply in such a critical moment.
He frowned and replied, "And if I refuse?"
"Hahahaha…" Valen laughed loudly, then waved his hand.
A stone drill appeared, hovering midair, aimed directly at Zeka.
"Then you die, of course."
Hearing that, Zeka began to panic. After all, both he and Violette were just ordinary Lords.
Violette was a support-type Lord, incapable of fighting, and though he himself possessed an SS+ rank talent, he lacked sufficient buffs.
As a result, his combat ability was practically zero.
The same couldn't be said for Valen.
Valen wasn't just strong—he had control over the Earth element.
He could attack, defend, and was practically the perfect battle-type Lord.
Facing Valen was like two ants standing before a towering beast. That was the stark contrast between Zeka and Violette versus the monster before them.
And yet, Zeka had no intention of handing over the key to Valen.
That key was their only chance—perhaps their only way to complete the mission and escape this cursed place.
If he gave it up, they'd end up like the others: trapped here forever.
Clenching his teeth, Zeka jammed the key into the lock.
The sound of gears turning echoed loudly.
Valen's eyes flared, as if they were about to split open. "No! You bastard!"
He shouted, then hurled the stone drill straight at Zeka.
Zeka panicked and tried to dodge, but the drill was far too fast.
Even with his buffs, he was only slightly stronger than a normal person.
But the brilliance of a 'Fate Holder' seemed capable of bending reality itself.
In that moment of deadly danger, Zeka suddenly followed his instincts—he remained completely still. Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on NoveI[F]ire.net
The drill sliced past his face, flying straight toward the gate behind him.
The drill shattered into countless fragments as it collided with the door.
Valen's eyes widened in shock—he hadn't expected Zeka to stand still.
If Zeka had moved even a single centimeter, that drill would've gone straight through his skull.
Valen had miscalculated. Zeka didn't move.
He might think it was luck—but in truth, it was the power of a 'Fate Holder.'
In moments of crisis, the radiance of a 'Fate Holder' could twist both fate and reality.
Noan, watching from the shadows, wasn't surprised.
If a 'Fate Holder' could be killed so easily, he wouldn't have needed such convoluted plans.
He would've simply killed Zeka outright.
But 'Fate Holders' were mysterious beings. That's why Noan had to resort to such elaborate methods.
Besides, he wanted to see—
If he slowly chipped away at Zeka's destiny and brilliance…
Would he eventually be able to kill him easily?
This was an experiment.
Zeka was nothing more than Noan's lab rat.
Taking a deep breath, Zeka smiled with confidence and declared, "You can't kill me, because I am the one chosen by fate."
"Valen, do you really think you can stop me? Hahahaha… how meaningless. Fate has led me here—there's no way I'll die in a place ."
"You…" Valen gritted his teeth. Though he didn't care much for Zeka's words, what had just happened was far too strange—and it made him uneasy.
'No… he's bluffing,' Valen told himself. 'He's just trying to shake my resolve.'
He raised his hand, summoning countless stones that began to spin like miniature drills, floating in the air.
"You say you're chosen by fate?" Valen sneered. "Fine! Then let's see how long the one chosen by fate can survive."
Zeka's heart trembled at the sight of all those stone drills aimed directly at him.
He had only said that to intimidate Valen, but he hadn't expected it to provoke him into launching an even more frenzied attack.
Zeka glanced at Violette, then clenched his teeth—he didn't want the goddess in his heart to see him cowering in fear.
And so, he shouted with forced resolve, "Huh! No matter how many times you try, you'll never be able to kill me!"
"Foolishness!" Valen roared, flinging his hand forward.
The spinning drills shot toward Zeka like a deadly swarm.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sharp wind howled as they flew.
Zeka couldn't find any cover, so he could only raise his arms and shield his head.
Suddenly, the sound of metal striking echoed in the air.
The excruciating pain Zeka had braced for… never came.
He slowly opened his eyes and looked ahead.
In front of him stood a perfectly beautiful figure—
Long, golden hair cascading to her shoulders, and a pair of long, elegant ears—unmistakably of the Elf race.
Debris and stone fragments flew in every direction around her.
"That's… Monica?" Zeka recognized her immediately—she was too beautiful not to be noticed. He had even asked around about her before.
'Why did she save me?' Zeka wondered. 'Could it be… she likes me?'
'It must be that. Why else would she travel all this way just to rescue me?'
Zeka grew even more excited, believing he had just added another girl to his harem.
'Alright, Violette is still the most important, of course. But even though this girl came later, I'll cherish her just as much.'
If Violette and Monica knew what he was thinking, they'd probably be vomiting nonstop until next year.
But Monica paid no attention to Zeka's delusions.
In her hand, she held a dagger made from the bone of some kind of monster.
Her eyes, filled with steely determination, were locked on Valen.
And within that gaze… there was something else—something like hope, a desperate wish that what she suspected wasn't true.
"Monica?" Valen seemed surprised to see her too, but quickly smiled and said, "Hahaha… You've come at just the right time. Monica, restrain him! He's betrayed us—he wants us all dead."
Monica remained silent, her eyes still fixed on Valen.
A flicker of unease passed through Valen.
He wasn't worried about fighting Monica—
What unsettled him were the words Zeka had spoken earlier.
'Could that bastard really be chosen by fate? No—impossible! I'm the chosen one. I'm the one entrusted with the sacred task by my Master!'
Valen cursed inwardly and snapped, "Monica, do you no longer follow the orders of your Captain?"
Monica sighed and finally spoke.
"Captain Valen… just who are you, really?"