Chapter 80

I am truly sorry for the delay in updating!

Overwhelmed by the branch chief's intimidation, I found myself unconsciously stepping back.

In stark contrast, my master remained completely calm.

With a cold gaze, he glared at the branch chief and spoke.

"Are you planning to act like a master now?"

"!"

Realizing that the branch chief's words about my master being his disciple were true, I was taken aback.

My master's silence, not denying his role as a master, was the strongest evidence.

However, it was precisely because I understood that the branch chief had been my master's teacher that a question arose in my mind.

If that's the case, what could have happened for my master to become so hostile towards the branch chief?

"It's quite a sad thing to be called that by a disciple."

As I watched my master, who was still poised to cast a spell and showed no emotion, I thought to myself.

If they were truly master and disciple, it would be unusual for the master to immediately try to cast a spell upon meeting.

Especially considering that for my master, casting a spell meant recognizing the other as an enemy, it was safe to assume that his grudge against the branch chief was deep.

Now that he had cast the spell, it was clear that my master had decided to fight...

"..."

It was at that moment that I noticed something suspicious.

Until now, whenever my master cast a spell, he had always been prepared to fight.

So I had assumed that this time, once he cast the spell, he had given up on negotiation and decided to force the issue.

However, contrary to my expectations, my master had not yet cast the spell, even though he was on the verge of doing so.

My master always negotiated properly and acted cautiously before casting a spell.

Once he cast the spell, his attacks were decisive.

But for some reason, this time, my master had not yet attacked the branch chief.

This was an unprecedented action, and I was left staring at my master in confusion, unable to understand his intentions.

At that moment, my master opened his mouth slightly, as if to tell me something.

"Consider everything that man says to be true."

While glaring at the branch chief with a tense expression, my master spoke in a volume that would not reach the branch chief.

"Don't believe the biased words of someone who knows nothing, Rau斯特. Even without skills, elves are far more adept at handling magic than humans."

The knowledge about elves that my master spoke of was something even I, who had read many books, did not know.

And from my master's words, I realized that the knowledge I had gained from books was completely useless in this situation.

At the very least, the elf in front of me was several times stronger than what I had imagined from the books.

In response to my heightened vigilance, my master added a warning.

"You should be vigilant, but don't show too much hostility. The one you're dealing with is an elf who has lived for 600 years and possesses abnormal magical power. Consider my spell as a means to escape if necessary."

"..."

It was then that I understood why my master had not attacked despite being on the verge of casting the spell.

My master had not cast the spell because he had decided to fight the branch chief.

He had cast the spell because he judged that he could not properly engage in combat unless he was in a position to do so.

As I understood this, the words my master had spoken about a 30% chance of winning came to mind.

Even now, I could not judge whether the branch chief was truly an opponent my master could not defeat.

But from my master's words, it was clear that the branch chief was a monster with a 30% chance of winning, or perhaps even less.

Realizing this, I instinctively suppressed my hostility.

After confirming my reaction, my master spoke to the branch chief.

"Branch Chief Mist, I'll say it again: I didn't come here to waste time."

In response to my master's words, Banzam glared at the branch chief, but Mist, now revealed as an elf, interrupted.

"Then why did you come? Did you come to kill me with the two of you?"

"At first, that was the intention. We can't let a dangerous person who might have caused the labyrinth to go berserk run free. That's why I brought Ronaldo along."

My master's words sounded as if he had given up on negotiation, but I realized that he was not speaking without thought.

While maintaining a high-pressure attitude, my master was desperately trying to find something.

"Indeed, Ronaldo is here as well."

Mist narrowed his eyes slightly at my master's words.

Seeming to gain some satisfaction from Mist's reaction, my master clenched his fist even tighter but maintained his usual demeanor as he spoke.

"Our forces are not limited to just that. There are also inexperienced but skilled swordsmen, excellent martial artists with outstanding skills, and my disciple standing beside me, who has the skills to deal with elves, whether they are in the base or not."

My master, who had been speaking calmly until then, now let a hint of hostility into his voice.

"I won't say we can win. – But now that we know the base, don't you think we can take you down with us?"

Hanzam's face tensed at my master's hostility, the branch chief's smile disappeared, and the air in the room became tense.

"Still, fighting now would only result in mutual loss."

As soon as he confirmed this, my master immediately dispelled his hostility.

However, the air in the room remained tense.

It was at that moment that I realized my master's true intention in the current situation.

Until now, my master had spoken with a high-pressure attitude, ready to fight.

While this attitude could have led to the worst-case scenario of a battle with Branch Chief Mist, it was all a setup to make the other side believe that we were prepared to go to extreme lengths.

After making them believe that we were ready to go down together, my master smiled at the branch chief.

"Given this situation, I think we can avoid conflict if you provide a means to escape from the labyrinth city. What do you think?"

Implied in his words was the threat that if they did not provide a means to escape, we would resort to extreme measures.

I inwardly praised my master's brilliant tactics, thinking that everything would go smoothly from here.

However, it was Branch Chief Mist's confused voice that brought me back to a harsh reality.

"It seems you have two misunderstandings."

Mist spoke with an attitude that seemed almost abnormal in the tense situation, as if a grandfather was dealing with his grandson's tantrum.

"Firstly, we did not cause the labyrinth to go berserk. This time, the labyrinth's berserk was simply bound to happen."

Then, Mist closed his mouth as if it was difficult to say, and smiled apologetically.

"And secondly, we have no means to resolve this situation or to escape from the labyrinth city."

"..."

The air in the room froze at his words.

I am truly sorry for the delay in updating!

I was lost in thought, and before I knew it, so much time had passed...

I will make sure not to delay the next update. I am truly sorry...