Divine Luck: SSS-Rank Battle Maid Harem

Zach, Dukiel, and Julius walked mostly in silence. For some reason, the darkness and knowledge of something existing within the mountain created a tense atmosphere that made it difficult to keep a conversation going. Dukiel and Julius were also focused on their tasks.

Zach was the only one who didn't have to keep track of where they were going or study a map and compass while they walked. He was free to let his mind wander and look at the cavern walls in the Sentinel's dim light.

It was because the light was low and they were constantly moving, which caused weird shadows to crawl along the walls, that Zach was slow to notice it.

"Hey, guys?" Zach slowed down after calling out to the others, and he stepped closer to the cave wall.

"What is it this time, Zach?" Julius didn't look up from his map as he questioned Zach.

"These walls…I don't think they were like it at the entrance, but they are very smooth."

"So? These tunnels have probably been created over countless years by the erosion of water, wind, and dust. I don't think it's strange." Julius didn't entertain Zach's train of thought and quickly dismissed it with a reasonable explanation.

Zach glanced at Julius.

"Dukiel, what do you think?" Zach turned to Dukiel.

"...I don't know much about that. But this cave is very straight, or rather, the floor is flat. It doesn't feel like a random cave. It's more like a tunnel." Dukiel gestured at the floor that, while sloping, wasn't curved like the rest of the cave.

The three young men looked at each other. Julius couldn't ignore what Zach had been trying to bring up anymore now that Dukiel had also made a point.

"This tunnel is man-made."

The other two didn't refute Zach's statement.

"Should we turn back?" Dukiel glanced at the other two, his shoulders slightly slumped in nervousness.

Julius looked at Zach. He was the freshman representative, S-rank summoner, top of the class, and the one who gathered the three to set out without the class and as friends. He had taken upon himself the burden of choice when he did all that.

Zach looked at the other two. He could tell that both of them were both curious and worried. Since it was man-made, they might encounter people. But if it was someone who had spent a lot of effort to dig out this tunnel into the mountainside, would they be happy about visitors?

On the other hand, maybe the rain had stopped, and they could continue looking for the camp, which was, after all, their assignment.

Zach glanced at Yanael. He played it off as looking back up the tunnel when she didn't show any reaction. He turned back toward the depths of the cave.

"I kinda want to continue. But if two are against it, I don't mind getting back on track and trying to look for the camp again if it's stopped raining."

Dukiel and Julius looked at each other before turning to Zach.

"I'll follow you." Dukiel nodded decisively.

"Well, not follow you, but…"

"We get it. Me too. Since you want to continue, let's continue. Who knows? It might be the camp we're looking for. If not that, it could be some secret, underground organization.

Or treasure. If we're lucky, we'll find treasure at the bottom of this tunnel." Julius' eyes shone as he imagined the possibilities.

It was no longer just a long and deep cave leading into a mountain. It was a tunnel someone had made. That meant secrets, intrigue, mystery, and adventure. It stirred a thrill in Julius' heart. And his excitement rubbed off on the other two.

However, they didn't get to enjoy much of their excitement while walking before the ground opened up beneath them. Six holes big enough to swallow each target with relative ease suddenly appeared beneath the feet of every person and familiar.

Yanael reacted quickly, but her backpack weighed her down, and she was already in the hole when she tried to pull out her weapons and bring out her wings. By then, the hole was too narrow, and she could only try to hold herself up with her hands and feet.

She took one hand off the wall so that she could take off the backpack when the stone around her turned soft and slippery, like it was covered in a thick layer of oil. Before she could even get her arm through the strap, she lost her grip and dropped into the darkness.

There wasn't even a need to mention Julius' Mannequin. It fell without being able to put up resistance.

Strangely enough, Dukiel's Sentinel also dropped into the hole, despite its ability to fly. It was like the hole sucked it in with greater power than the Sentinel's propulsive force.

Unlike their familiars, Dukiel, Zach, and Julius were tied together, so they didn't drop further than a couple of steps, regardless of how slippery the hole was or how much it tried to suck them in. It did hurt when they first dropped and their fall yanked on each other's rope, slamming them into the walls, though.

Dukiel even hit his head hard enough to make him hover on the line between consciousness and unconsciousness.

Julius was relatively fine since he ended up in the middle, pulled on by both Dukiel and Zach. And Zach had his Blessed Defense, which he managed to activate just in time to protect his body.

"Guys, hold on! We're going to get out of here! Just stay where you are, and I'll climb out before pulling you guys up, okay?" Zach called out to his friends while grabbing the rope and beginning to pull himself upward.

"It's not like we can go anywhere," Julius answered sarcastically. He was in a bad mood from hanging upside down and being unable to turn around. He didn't even know how he had managed to flip around in the tight space.

"Dukiel?" Zach ignored Julius and shouted since Dukiel hadn't answered.

"..."

"Dukiel!"

Dukiel still didn't answer.

"Julius, is Dukiel's rope still okay?"

"I think so. It feels like it. But it isn't moving like yours is."

"Shit. Come on, pull on my rope and help—"

The holes closed up, cutting off the ropes and sending the three youths plummeting through the bottomless darkness again.