Supreme Warlock System : From Zero to Ultimate With My Wives

Warlock Ch 277. The Abyssal Labyrinth [Part 2]

Selena turned, panting lightly. "Almost done."

Damian cracked his knuckles. "Let's wrap this up."

The last two Reapers—one still bound in vines, the other restrained by chains—let out unholy screeches as they struggled.

Damian casually walked toward the one he had captured. He reached forward, placing his hand against its forehead.

"Shh," he whispered mockingly. "Just go to sleep."

With a sharp twist of his wrist, [Curse of Agony] activated.

The Reaper convulsed violently as blackened veins spread across its body. It let out one final shriek before collapsing into dust.

Selena turned toward the final Reaper, still bound by her vines. Her eyes gleamed. "My turn."

She raised her hand high, and the vines tightened like a noose. The Reaper struggled, but the thorns embedded themselves deeper.

Selena whispered a single word. "Perish."

A pulse of light erupted from her palm. The vines exploded, ripping the Reaper apart.

The battlefield fell silent.

Damian let out a long breath, rolling his shoulders. "Well, that was fun."

Selena shot him an incredulous look. "You enjoyed that?"

He grinned. "You didn't?"

She huffed, shaking her head as she collected herself. Then, floating above the defeated Reapers, five sigils appeared.

Damian smirked. "Would you look at that. Free loot."

Selena reached out and plucked one from the air. "Don't get cocky. We're far from done." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Damian grabbed the remaining sigils, tucking them away. "Oh, I know. But let's be real—none of the other participants are going to have as much fun as we are."

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Let's just move."

Damian chuckled as they continued deeper into the abyss, the shadows shifting hungrily around them. The air was thick with an eerie silence, broken only by the occasional distant echo of battle somewhere deeper in the labyrinth. He moved with an effortless ease, hands tucked into his pockets as if he was taking a casual stroll through a garden instead of a death trap filled with monsters and desperate participants.

Selena, on the other hand, was deep in thought. Her golden eyes flickered to the warlock beside her, watching as he whistled a nameless tune, completely unbothered by the carnage that had just unfolded behind them.

She had chosen to ally with him based on instinct, something in her gut told her he was the right choice. But now, walking beside him, she was beginning to question whether she made the right decision. He resembled the warlock she had been looking for—the same dark, unruly hair, the same air of effortless confidence, the same damn smirk. But there was something else, something unsettling.

The masked warlock from her past—if he were here, he'd be doing the same thing. Walking carelessly, as if none of this mattered. As if danger itself was nothing but a minor inconvenience.

Damian suddenly tilted his head toward her, catching her staring. "You're awfully quiet, princess," he mused, his smirk widening. "What's the matter? Missing your knight already?"

Selena blinked, pulled out of her thoughts. "No," she answered smoothly, shaking her head. "I just feel like… we've met before."

Damian raised an eyebrow, his pace slowing slightly. "Have we?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "You seem… familiar."

He let out a short laugh. "I get that a lot."

She tilted her head, scrutinizing him. "What's your name?"

"Damian," he answered simply, then smirked. "Damian Blackthorn."

"Nice to meet you, Damian," she said, her voice smooth but her eyes still studying him. "I assume you already know my name, since you keep calling me 'princess'?"

"Yeah," he admitted with a shrug. "Hard not to. A royal fae taking the S-rank exam? That's not something you see every day."

Selena's expression didn't change. "And I don't understand why you're taking this exam," he continued. "Why not take the royal route? It's safer."

She hesitated for a second, then smirked. "And here I thought you'd be the last person to question someone about making reckless choices."

"Touché," Damian said with a grin, kicking a loose stone out of his way. "But seriously. This isn't the kind of place for someone like you."

"And what kind of place is it?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

"The kind where people will do anything to win. The kind where alliances mean nothing when survival is on the line. The kind where a single mistake gets you killed," he said casually, as if he were talking about the weather.

Selena didn't flinch. Instead, she held his gaze and said, "Then why are you here?"

Damian chuckled. "Fair question. I guess I like a challenge."

"Liar," she said bluntly.

His grin widened. "Maybe."

Selena studied him for a moment longer before finally looking away. "And what about you?" Damian asked. "What's your reason?"

She hesitated, her fingers brushing the hilt of the hidden dagger strapped to her thigh. "I have my reasons."

"That's not an answer, princess."

"It's the only one you're getting."

Damian let out an exaggerated sigh. "Fine. Be all mysterious about it."

"You're one to talk," she muttered.

Damian smirked. "Fair."

The silence returned, but this time it wasn't as heavy. Selena still seemed lost in thought, but at least she was engaging with him now. And as much as she tried to hide it, Damian could tell she was watching him, still trying to figure him out.

She wouldn't be the first.

They continued walking, the path twisting and shifting ahead of them like a living thing. The deeper they went, the more the air thickened with dark mana, pressing against their skin like an unseen force.

Selena finally broke the silence again. "You fight like someone who's been through this before."

Damian chuckled. "What gave it away?"

"You don't hesitate. You don't even look surprised when things go south. And you never take a fight seriously unless you have to."

Damian shrugged. "Some people fight to survive. I fight because it's fun."

Selena frowned. "That's a dangerous mindset."

"Is it?" He grinned. "Or is it the best one to have in a place like this?"

She sighed, shaking her head. "You're reckless."

"You're observant."