Published at 26th of December 2025 7:42 am

Chapter 519: It's Difficult to Deny the Lies One Has Told Oneself.

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Oh, you made it out, a voice called out.

As I stepped through the glowing, seemingly endless door of light, I found myself in a familiar stonework passage. It opened into a small plaza-like space where two familiar figures were standing. The moment they saw us, they hurried over, their faces filled with relief.

Chuuuuu!? Ed-kun! Lunaritia-kun! Youre both alright?

Nyaa. You two didnt come out for so long, Sensei and I were worried, nyaa.

Ah, sorry about that. We appreciate your concern, I said.

Im sorry for worrying you both. But as you can see, were fine, Tia added with her usual calm demeanor.

You are? Thats good to hear hmm?

As we exchanged greetings, Zurich suddenly tilted his head, a puzzled expression forming on his face.

Whats the matter? I asked.

Well, Nyamcket-kun and I exited from different locations. So why did you and Lunaritia-kun come out from the same place?

Huh!?

Now that he mentioned it, it was strange. We had each entered separate doors, so naturally, we should have exited through separate ones. However, I couldnt just explain what really happened. I needed to come up with a quick excuse

Uh, um well, you see, uh there was this trap thing in the door, and, uh, Tia suddenly appeared, so I guess thats why we ended up together?

Chu-chu!? Is is that so? Thats hmm I see. Well, I suppose such things can happen.

Yes, exactly, I nodded quickly.

I tried to dismiss it with some random speculation, but for some reason, Zurich averted his gaze, looking troubled. What was with that reaction?

So, what happened to you two inside the doors? Tia asked, throwing a lifeline my way.

At her question, Zurich and Nyamcket immediately began explaining what theyd experienced.

Nyaa. On my side, there were a lot of grilled fish, nyaa. They looked so delicious, but eating them alone felt lonely, so I just kept walking, nyaaa, and eventually found the exit.

My side had numerous rare relics and ancient texts written in scripts Id never seen before. Honestly, I wanted to examine them all thoroughly, but research should be conducted methodically, one step at a time. So, I ignored them and moved on, which led me to the exit, Zurich explained.

Wow, so it was like that for both of you, Tia said.

Indeed. Based on those observations, I suspect the doors were designed to present entrants with temptations that would test their desires, compelling them to stop.

Desires?

The moment Zurich said that, I froze as I recalled what Id said earlier. A trap meant to tempt me with my desires and Tia appeared?

Does that mean!?

N-no! Thats, uh

Chu-chu-chu, no need to worry. Im not the sort to pry into other peoples desires with vulgar curiosity, Zurich interrupted.

Nyaa. Its normal for a young man, nyaaa~, Nyamcket added casually.

Urgh W-well

Their warm, knowing smiles left me speechless. I wanted to deny it with all my heart, but having already said it myself, it was difficult to refute my own words.

Hey, Tia?

Fufu, I dont mind. Besides, isnt that what actually happened?

Gah!?

When I looked to her for help, she delivered the final blow with a sweet, victorious smile. Admittedly, there was truth to what she said, but still Grr, this is so embarrassing.

Well then, lets move on, shall we? You both seem to be in good shape now, Zurich said, changing the subject.

Nyaa. Theres no point staying here, nyaa, Namuket added.

Youre right. Lets go, Tia said, setting the pace.

Honestly, I wouldnt have minded going back to those doors to see what kind of trap was originally intended for me instead of the one I got. But I couldnt just act selfishly. Setting my lingering doubts aside, I followed the others as we delved deeper into the ruins.

The path ahead was anything but straightforward. Even though Lukas control had been severed, the ruins themselves were still alive and active.

However, thanks to the four of us working together, no trap was insurmountable.

I see, so this is the inscription!

When it came to knowledge-based traps, this was Zurichs time to shine. He examined the countless ancient characters carved into a massive wall that seemed to stretch ten meters on each side. Deciphering the correct answer from the intricate symbols, he manipulated a nearby mechanism. Cracks immediately spread across the wall as it rumbled and split open, sliding apart to reveal the passage beyond.

Chu-chu-chu. The trap was likely designed to trick us into inputting Kerel, which would have triggered the wrong door. But my eyes are not so easily fooled. The correct phrase was Ketera.'

Nyaa. Youre amazing, Sensei, Nyaa!

Truly incredible. Theres no way we couldve solved that, Tia said in admiration.

Yeah, I couldnt tell that apart from random patterns, I added, shrugging.

Chu-chu-chu! Well, I suppose you could say its all in a days work! Zurich said, puffing out his chest with pride.

As we showered Zurich with praise, we pressed onward. The next challenge was a trap designed to test pure physical ability.

Nyaa!

While Tia, Zurich, and I found ourselves trapped inside an iron cage, Nyamcket was the one who managed to escape. She hopped skillfully between the small platforms protruding from the walls, making her way to a lever at the top of the room. Once she pulled the lever, there was a loud clang, and both the cage imprisoning us and the door ahead opened simultaneously.

Well done, Nyamcket-kun! Your moves were fantastic!

You looked so cool! Tia praised.

Nyaa. Leave this kind of thing to me, Nyaa! Namuket replied, her tail swishing shyly at the compliments.

I had been prepared to slash through the iron bars if things took a turn for the worse, but it seemed my concerns were unnecessary.

Of course, we werent just standing around watching the whole time. The next trap, however, proved to be something neither Zurich, Namuket, nor I could handle.

Take this!

With a spirited shout, Tia took charge. She activated the rooms mechanism, prompting all four small windmills, each positioned at different heights and angles, to spin simultaneously. I wasnt sure how anyone would have cleared this room without a mage, but thanks to Tias efforts, the trap was neutralized before it could cause us any harm.

Great work, Tia, I said.

Thanks, Ed. But was it alright to disarm it before we even knew what it did? she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Chu-chu-chu, its no problem. While I admit Im curious, we cant risk the consequences of failure. If it were simply a matter of retrying, thatd be fine, but if it endangered our lives or didnt allow for a second attempt, its better to play it safe and disable it, Zurich explained.

Nyaa. Doing it the easy way is always the best, Nyaa,

Alright then, Tia said, finally convinced by their reasoning.

With everyone contributing their skills, it was finally my turn to step up.

Thoom!

Hahaha! Now this is what Im talking abouta good, straightforward challenge!

Standing in our path was the staple of any ancient ruins: a golem. Unlike rough, natural constructs, this one was sleek and polished, exuding an air of refinement and craftsmanship. Its massive stone body dominated the confined space, radiating an overwhelming sense of power.

It was large, strong and fastnot lightning-quick, but certainly no slouch. This thing was clearly built to reign supreme in an enclosed space with no room to escape.

But to me?

Thoom!

Heh. Too slow.

The golems colossal fist, easily dozens of times my eight, came crashing down. Effortlessly, I parried its blow with the [Dawnbreaker]. Having recently fought opponents far above my level, even punches capable of obliterating an entire battalion felt sluggish to meslower than a turtles crawl.

When fighting something this big, should you go for the legs first? Or maybe the arms?

Thoom! Thoom! Thoom!

Dodging its repeated overhead punches with ease, I darted closer, ignoring the chunks of shattered stone scattering across the floor. Recognizing that fists werent effective against me, the golem raised its foot, planning to stomp me into the ground.

How troublesome. Fine, Ill take both!

CRACK!

I deliberately slid beneath its raised foot and plunged my sword straight into its sole, combining my strength with the weight of its attack. Thanks to my masterfully forged sword and the [Unbreakable Fortress] ability I activated, there was no way some animated pile of rocks could overpower me.

From the point where my sword pierced its foot, cracks spiderwebbed outward. I channeled the stored force from my [Orbit Reflector] ability into the fractures, sending shockwaves rippling through its massive body.

In mere moments, the towering five-meter-tall golem crumbled into a heap of rubble.

Oops. Looks like I didnt just take the legs and arms. I ended up taking the whole thing down at once.

Chhu!? Such strength! Zurich exclaimed.

Nyaa! That was incredible, Nyaa! Nyamcket chimed in.

Amazing, Ed! Tia added enthusiastically.

Heh-heh! Well, I am pretty great, arent I? I said, flashing a cocky grin.

With everyone playing to their strengths, our exploration proceeded smoothly. And finally, we arrived at the deepest chamber of the ruins.

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