I Shall Pervert the Heavens

Meanwhile, somewhere within the Ratking dungeon.

The teenagers, each holding their own weapon, walked in a clearly awkward formation they had copied from the internet, trying to look calm as they moved through the tunnel.

Their group had seven members: five Rank E and two Rank D. The Rank D were Harry and Wendy—the same Wendy who once wanted to approach Zach, convinced he might be strong, only to give up after realizing how ruthless he seemed.

Harry, an ice wizard, stayed in the rear alongside Wendy, who served as their cleric. The group also had two archers and four melee fighters. Among them was Amy, the one who had told Wendy that Zach was weak.

For a few minutes, the sewer remained quiet, no monsters showing up. Because they were young and restless, impatience gnawed at them until they finally let their guard down and started talking.

"Where are the monsters?" Amy muttered nervously, gripping her sword.

"I don't know. Just because I wanted to kill some of them, did they all decide to hide?" said the boy with the large shield.

"They probably sensed our strength, especially Harry's," added the girl who had flattered Harry before they entered the portal. She held her bow loosely in one hand.

"They're just Rank F rats. Did you really think they'd dare show themselves? Why don't we just go straight to the King of Rats' room and finish him? I can't stand the smell anymore!" Harry complained, nearly retching for the fifth time.

"Isn't that too dangerous? Did anyone even research the King of Rats?" Wendy asked, concern edging her voice.

"Bah, why research? It's just a Rank F dungeon. We head straight to the King's room and end this," said the boy carrying a heavy axe.

"So, let's g—" Amy started, but froze mid-sentence.

Three rats surfaced from the filthy water, each glaring at them with glowing eyes.

The creatures weren't normal vermin. Each rat was the size of a fully grown ox, their eyes like two lanterns burning in the dark. Wendy swallowed hard, imagining the monstrous size of their jaws.

The rats took advantage of the hesitation. With perfect coordination, they lunged at the teenagers. Though outnumbered, the beasts moved as if they were one, their attacks steady and relentless. Wounds began piling up on the children, little by little.

One rat clamped its enormous teeth into a boy's leg, and no matter how much he screamed or struck at it, the jaws didn't budge. Flesh tore slowly, blood splattering the stones beneath them.

Harry's pulse spiked. Desperate, he hurled a massive block of ice at the rat. The attack connected, but it only made things worse. The rat, still locked on the boy's leg, was hurled into the sewage, dragging the boy with it. A bloody trail of flesh and skin marked the path as the boy's shrieks echoed in the tunnel.

The cries continued for a few moments, growing fainter until silence drowned them completely.

The remaining six teenagers froze, horrified. It was only then they realized the cruel truth—they had underestimated the fortress. Rank E and D Blessings didn't make them invincible. They weren't guaranteed to return alive. The only thing guaranteed in life was death, and today, one of them had been taken by it.

Driven by fear and rage, the others unleashed everything they had on the remaining two rats, using their Blessings in a frenzy until the beasts finally collapsed, lifeless.

Afterward, the group slumped against the wall of the sewer. The stench no longer mattered; exhaustion and grief weighed heavier than the air itself. All they wanted was a soft bed and escape from this nightmare. But escape wasn't an option. The contract they signed with the government demanded they continue until success—or until the mission became truly impossible.

"Roy… I can't believe I'll never see Roy again…" Amy whispered, holding back tears for the boy the rats had dragged away.

"My dad told me to expect losses… I just didn't think it would be this soon," said the shield-bearer grimly.

While they mourned, Wendy moved from one to another, using her cleric's Blessing to patch their wounds. Tears streaked her face as guilt gnawed at her for failing to save Roy.

Amy's words from earlier came back to her: He is a demon and strong enough to fight.

Wendy's eyes darted around, hoping to see him, but he wasn't there. She knew that for someone to be praised and feared showed just how strong he is to deter others without even saying a word. This might have been the reason she was subconsciously attracted to him to talk. If she'd stayed near him, maybe Roy wouldn't have died, and maybe she wouldn't be sitting here now wondering if she'd make it out at all.

If I had gone to him, maybe he would've taught me something useful. Now I don't even know if I'll survive, much less bring someone else with me, she thought bitterly, glaring at Amy, who remained clueless about the reason for her anger.

Not far away, the adults finally caught up. They had followed Zach's plan and their leader's orders to stay hidden, simply watching as the children struggled. Even when Roy died, not one of them intervened. Years of bloodshed had hardened them; watching arrogant children taste reality didn't move them. Many even felt satisfaction. Zach's bait strategy had worked—the children were humbled, and two monsters were killed without costing the veterans a drop of blood.

Seeing that the kids were finally subdued, the scarred man decided it was time to unite both groups. Facing the King of Rats with only his eight fighters would be tough. And he had noticed something odd about the rats this time… though he couldn't quite place it yet.

But as his group approached, while most of the children lit up with relief, Harry stood up and shouted furiously, "Why didn't you come help us?!"

The scarred man only raised an eyebrow. "Why should we?"

Harry froze. They had no obligation, he knew that, but guilt and anger churned inside him when Roy's face came to mind.

"We came in here together—you had to help us!" he yelled back.

Seeing that the boy was already ignoring reason just to blame someone, the man who was not obliged to put up with it walked forward towards Harry until his hand grabbed the boy's throat and lifted him off the floor. "Who do you think you're talking to, boy? If you're feeling bad that your little friend died, do you want me to send you to hell with him? We came here to invite you to join us so that we have a better chance of surviving inside here and killing the King of Rats. As we already have 13 people, you will not be missed if an accident were to happen. Do you understand me?" the man asked, as he tightened his grip on the boy's throat.

Looking at the man who held him off the floor by the throat, Harry finally felt the fear of death for the second time since entering the fortress. He looked into that man's eyes and knew that if he did anything wrong, that man would kill him right there and then. Fearing for his life, Harry nodded desperately in agreement and begged the man to let go of his throat.

Upon falling to the ground, Harry felt completely humiliated while he had to breathe heavily the stinky sewage air. Inside his heart, Harry vowed to take revenge on everyone who was forcing him to go through this.