From Master Assassin to a Random Extra: OP in a Dating Sim
Chapter 73: Marcus and Cynthia (7)

Chapter 73: Marcus and Cynthia (7)

Without warning, Trearch laughed—a sound that echoed like crackling thunder across the cavern—as he raised his staff and pointed it straight at the wyrm’s glistening crystalline head.

"A crystalline wyrm located this close to the city...?" he muttered, voice tinged with curiosity and faint amusement.

Suddenly, the massive wyrm slammed into the ground with an earth-shaking crash, its serpentine body pinned as if invisible hands had forced it down, every inch of its shimmering form straining against a gravity far heavier than natural.

"Looks like Oswald was right..." Trearch said calmly, watching the beast writhe, its limbs scraping against the ground in vain. "This is no normal dungeon..."

The roses beneath it, impossibly soft moments ago, now prickled its armored scales like acidic needles, slicing into its supposedly impervious hide as if it were mere butter. The wyrm let out a guttural growl, low and guttural—a sound that made even the stone walls tremble.

Trearch laughed again, louder this time, pure confidence radiating from him. He lowered his staff slightly, the glow intensifying with each passing second.

"No wonder why they only assigned me..." he sighed, as if burdened by the very task he was effortlessly accomplishing. With a flick of his wrist, he aimed again.

"Looks like the others owe me an explanation..."

Then—like a divine sentence being passed—the wyrm’s body suddenly pancaked, flattened by an unseen force with such overwhelming pressure that blood erupted across the floor like a crimson tide. The magical roses greedily drank the spreading fluid, their petals shifting subtly, as if feeding.

Marcus and Cynthia stared in stunned silence, the monster that had nearly killed them obliterated in a single instant. So anticlimactic, so absurd—it almost felt unreal.

Trearch slowly turned toward them, his expression unreadable beneath the blindfold that covered his eyes.

"Now for those two..." he muttered.

Cynthia’s breath hitched as Trearch’s gaze—though blind—seemed to pierce straight through them.

"Since Marcus’ wristband was destroyed, you both fai—"

"Not so fast!" Marcus shouted, forcing himself upright, his grin wide and defiant now that the searing pain from earlier had faded.

"No way you’re failing us for not being able to fight that thing, right? I don’t even think the entire student body in this damn cave could’ve taken it down."

Cynthia, kneeling beside him, silently healed his injured ear with a faint glow of magic. Her hands trembled slightly, but her eyes were sharp. "Give us another chance. We just got unlucky, that’s all."

Trearch tilted his head slightly, his hand rising to cradle his forehead as he chuckled again, slow and deliberate. "While I would agree under normal circumstances, you two were presented with a choice."

"There were two paths..." he said, his voice growing heavier, filled with quiet gravity. "And you two chose the one that led to the wyrm."

He stepped forward, vanishing without a flicker of light or sound—blinking through space itself—and reappeared directly before them, towering above where they sat, exhausted and drenched on the flower-strewn ground.

"Even if you didn’t know what lay at the end..." Trearch paused, a subtle smirk forming. "It was still your decision. No?"

The staff in his hand shimmered before vanishing entirely, dissolving like mist as he folded his arms neatly behind his back.

"Or do you have anything else to argue me with?"

Marcus tilted his head, amused, one brow rising. "You didn’t really specify the conditions for failure, did you?"

This bastard.

He obviously didn’t explain anything to see how creative the students can get.

Good thing he made it painfully obvious what his intentions are.

"And as far as you can see, I’m still standing. Mana reserves full. I’m not done yet."

Marcus had no idea if he was right. Trearch might smite him on the spot. But he’d already jumped into a wyrm’s mouth today—what was one more coin toss?

Trearch’s grin stretched slightly wider, clearly entertained by the boy’s refusal to back down.

"And what about your blue-haired partner here?" he said, glancing at Cynthia. "She barely has enough mana to kee—"

"I’ll take care of her," Marcus cut in sharply, his hand resting firmly on her shoulder.

Cynthia flinched, surprised by the sudden warmth of his touch. "I can’t just be a burden to you..."

Marcus raised a finger to her lips, silencing her.

"This is what you wanted to see, right?" he said, turning his gaze back to Trearch. "You want to see if we spoiled brats will turn on each other when things go bad in a dungeon."

"Well, I’m here to disappoint you." His voice rose, conviction etched into every word.

This is just a baseless accusation on my part...

But what’s the fun in not trying?

Trearch crouched slightly, his mouth twitching.

Then—

Laughter.

Loud, wild, and unrestrained. A manic, almost unhinged glee that reverberated across the cavern, like the breaking of a dam. He clutched his sides, his entire body trembling with mirth as tears slipped from the edges of his blindfolded eyes.

"Oh my... you’re an interesting student!" he gasped between fits of laughter. "You assumed that much just based on my actions?"

He doubled over, shaking.

"But you’re right..." The laughter died in an instant, replaced by a smile far more dangerous than any roar from the wyrm. "I didn’t specify at all what I consider a failure."

Marcus’s inner thoughts buzzed like an alarm.

This man’s an actual psychopath. How in the hell did someone like him get a job at an academy?

Trearch slowly stood back up, brushing aside the petals and stems that clung to his robe. "You managed to see through my words. While it wasn’t that difficult... I’ll admit, I’m impressed."

"Fine. I’ll allow you two to continue," he said at last, almost lazily.

But then—his body froze.

His left ear twitched slightly, the faintest flicker of tension appearing.

"Looks like another pair of students are in need of me..." he said, smiling casually.

He clapped his hands once, and in that instant, the surreal bed of flowers dissolved back into water. The subterranean lake returned, flooding over Marcus and Cynthia in a wave that drenched them from head to toe once more.

Trearch, however, stood perfectly still—on top of the water as if it were solid marble, unshaken and dry.

"I’ll see you two again soon..." he said, his voice echoing ominously. "Hopefully, at the end of this dungeon."

Then, just like before—he vanished.

Gone. Not even a ripple remained where he had stood.

Marcus blinked.

Then, as if the weight of the entire encounter finally caught up with him, he collapsed forward into Cynthia’s arms.

"Marcus?! No—stay with me!" she cried, panic overtaking her voice as she caught him.

Looks like she was unaffected by Trearch’s presence...

But me?

I was too aware. Too hyper-attuned to danger. My body knew what my mind was still struggling to comprehend.

That man alone was enough to make my entire body tremble.

Adrenaline had flooded me so fast—so hard—that my nervous system went into overdrive.

I wasn’t hurt.

I was shutting down.

Just from being near him.

Heh...

Well... I guess Cynthia can take care of me for a little while.

While my body recovers from the sheer stress of standing in the presence of a monster who wears the skin of a man.