Ranking System

Continuing our journey through the maze, we eventually found the other four prisoners working together. They were locked in a fierce struggle against a monstrous foe. With the addition of the four prisoners, our entire group was reunited.

"Hey, will you lend a hand or just stand by?" Hot Hands remained motionless, observing the prisoners' struggle in the ongoing fight. He appeared unwilling to take action, likely due to his previous encounter with a formidable foe.

"Why should I bother? We might all be prisoners, but I'm not friendly with them. Let them fend for themselves; I couldn't care less." He looked disinterested in what I said.

"You heartless bastard! I heard that! You better pitch in once we're through with this beast, or you'll face the consequences!" One of the prisoners who had overheard us shouted in anger.

The confrontation between the quartet and the monstrous slug was at a stalemate. The slug possessed a remarkable regenerative capability, enabling it to recover from injuries. The slimy entity at the forefront of the battle was the factor that balanced the odds in this ongoing struggle.

Observing the battle, I couldn't suppress a sigh of frustration. It was clear that this conflict was making no progress, and if there were to be a loser, it was likely to be the four individuals. Unlike the other slime creature, the remaining three in their group didn't possess boundless energy reserves.

With a snap of my fingers, I caused the slug creature to vanish into thin air. The three prisoners, each with discernible expressions of relief on their faces, let out audible sighs.

"There, the battle was becoming quite tiresome. You can consider yourselves fortunate that I intervened and made it disappear." The prisoners didn't take my comment lightly.

After all, it was I who had initially brought them here, so it was a bit surprising that none of them vented their frustration towards me.

"Now that the five of you are here, let's change our location."

"What? Move around? Can't we just leave? This place has given me way too many goosebumps. I don't think I can bear it any longer!" One of the female prisoners implored me, to get her out of here.

If I were a more naive and compassionate person, that plea alone might have been enough to make me reconsider my actions.

Regrettably, my disposition wasn't one of compassion. The rest of the prisoners also joined in with their eyes, attempting to appeal to me with their most delicate gazes. However, the effect was somewhat diminished by their rugged, unappealing appearances; none of them could be described as cute, which actually made the situation more unsettling and disconcerting.

"Don't worry, I won't allow any harm to come to you five. We still have the third and final stage to go through," I reassured them with a smile, attempting to alleviate their concerns about the maze.

Only one of them let out a sigh of relief upon hearing my words. Perhaps that prisoner didn't fully grasp my intentions and believed this ordeal was over. I didn't want to shatter their hopes, so I left it be while another prisoner chuckled in amusement.

"The next level is a bit further ahead. If you stick close to me, the monsters won't pose a threat." Now that we were all together, my next objective was to check for any remaining monsters on this floor.

As we departed, I returned the slug monster to its original location. These creatures lacked substantial intelligence and wouldn't question any environmental alterations.

"Ugh, I'm relieved we won't have to face this monster," one of the prisoners remarked as we encountered a different, highly unsettling monster.

This new creature was round and grotesque, resembling a large wart with six organs resembling testicles protruding from its center. Given their appearance, I wouldn't be surprised if those testicle-like growths could discharge a venomous substance.

"Really? I'm curious about this monster's abilities. It seems unlikely this creature could harm you unless you are careless enough to get caught by its attack," I said, commenting on what this monster might do.

The monster we encountered seemed quite limited in mobility, relying on rolling its body to move. From what I observed, its accuracy would likely be compromised if it were to roll around, making it less of a threat.

Although the monsters I summoned were chosen randomly, they hailed from a treacherous realm that few dared to venture into. I couldn't help but wonder how a creature like this managed to survive in such a brutal environment.

None of the prisoners were eager to engage with this creature due to its repulsive appearance. Moreover, while it appeared frail, none of us were willing to underestimate it, given our experiences with the other formidable creatures we had encountered so far.

"If you refuse to engage, I can always summon a far more dangerous monster that will force you to flee," I warned, directing the threat toward everyone except the commander.

The five prisoners exchanged glances and eventually nodded, choosing to confront the creature. Hot Hands, Slime, Barrier Girl, Shock Wave Man, and Strong Woman all adopted battle stances, preparing for the impending clash.

Withdrawing my presence and Commanders, the repulsive monster started to move erratically, adding an element of unpredictability to the upcoming encounter.

"Absolutely revolting," the commander muttered in disgust as the monstrous creature began to emit the repulsive green substance from its testicle-like appendages.

"It certainly lives up to the standards of being a maze monster," I observed, watching the gruesome capabilities of the creature. Content with the outcome, I chose not to intervene in the fight, as the individuals were putting in their utmost effort to avoid the torrent of toxic ooze unleashed by the monster.

"City lord, perhaps we should put an end to this now? I fear that someone might lose their life," one of the group members implored.

I responded with a touch of cynicism, "Since when did you become so compassionate towards prisoners?"

The commander chose to remain silent and withdrew his earlier suggestion. It didn't take much time before Strong Woman inadvertently made contact with the corrosive substance.

What made her fate even more tragic was that she couldn't even utter a scream or express her agony before she began to dissolve. She had been the least noteworthy of the group in any case.