Dark Dragon: The Summoned Hero Is A Villain

Noah and Galahad tore through the tunnels, their footsteps pounding against the stone.

The bioluminescent glow of the walls blurred as they passed, their shadows stretching and twisting in their wake.

Behind them, the clicking of countless legs echoed, reminding them that the Bullet Spiders were still in pursuit. That if they stopped for even a moment, the only reward they would receive was death.

Every time the skittering grew louder, Noah would skid half a step, twisting his upper body to throw another Rot.

The compressed beam of decay shrieked through the air, searing across the tunnel and reducing anything it struck to dust.

The blasts were smaller now, and weaker. He was running on fumes.

Each cast made his vision dim and his head light. The mana in his veins felt sluggish, dragging at him with every step.

But they kept going. There was no stopping. No turning back.

Then, finally, it happened.

The sound of pursuit began to fade. The tunnel behind them grew quiet, the only sound now their own ragged breathing.

Noah risked a glance over his shoulder. No shadows moved in the glow, and there was no gleam of countless eyes watching.

The Spiders had stopped following.

Whether it was because they'd reached the edge of their territory or because the swarm had decided the chase wasn't worth it, he didn't know, and didn't care.

He and Galahad exchanged a quick, wordless nod, and they continued on without stopping.

The air began to change as they ran, becoming cooler and fresher. The faint scent of grass and dirt filtered in.

They were close. The tunnels opened up slightly, the darkness no longer pressing in so tightly around them.

Noah could see the faint glimmer of daylight ahead when the shift hit him.

His body suddenly felt heavier, slower. The clarity in his mind dulled. The unnatural strength in his legs and arms drained away like water slipping through his fingers.

Ding!

[Temporary boosts ended.]

His attribute boosts were gone.

Noah stumbled and immediately dropped Arlo and Leo from his shoulders, his muscles screaming in relief.

They hit the ground with soft thuds, both unconscious but breathing.

He bent forward, hands braced on his knees, chest heaving. Sweat rolled down his face in thick beads. His vision swam. His lungs burned.

The fatigue crashed into him all at once, far worse than before.

The strength that had carried him through that fight, that had let him carry two grown men and still run, was gone, leaving only the limits of his normal body.

And he was tired. Bone deep, soul heavy, tired.

Galahad bent over, hands on his knees, panting beside him. His flames were long gone, and his sweat-soaked hair clung to his forehead.

"What… happened?" He asked between breaths, glancing at Noah with a wary frown.

Noah wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, still catching his breath.

"The boost in my strength was temporary," he said hoarsely. "It's gone now."

Galahad let out a sharp exhale, not from annoyance, but relief.

"Good thing it happened after those damn spiders stopped chasing us. Otherwise…" He trailed off, his eyes flicking down to the unconscious forms of Arlo and Leo lying on the ground. "…How the hell are we carrying them now?"

A low groan answered him before Noah could. They both turned to see Leo stirring, his eyes blinking open in confusion.

He sat up slowly, wincing as he moved his newly regenerated arm.

"Wait!" His eyes widened as he realized where he was. "Still alive!" He murmured, staring at his hands in disbelief. An incredulous laugh escaped his mouth as he looked up to see Galahad and Noah staring at him. "I'm fucking alive!"

Then his gaze dropped to the strap across his shoulder, and his eyes widened. "My bag? It's still here?"

That's when the realization sank in.

Leo looked at Noah, then at Arlo lying beside him with his own bag still strapped on. His brows knitted. "Wait… you were carrying both of us? With our bags still on us? While wearing yours?"

Noah blinked, genuinely surprised. "Didn't even notice the weight." He admitted. "Not with the boosts."

He had carried Arlo and Leo plus their bags and his own, with what they had harvested inside them.

Galahad gave a short, humorless laugh. "Well, you're not the only one who didn't notice. I ditched mine back there."

His tone carried a note of humor. He knew those resources were gone for good, but at least, he still had his life. And that was far better in his humble opinion.

They stood there for a moment, catching their breath, before deciding on the obvious arrangement.

Galahad and Leo crouched down, each hooking an arm under Arlo's shoulders and knees to lift him between them. Even with two people, the unconscious Stone-tier felt heavier than they'd expected.

"Let's move before something else shows up." Leo said, his voice more serious now. Then he paused, looking at the others. "And put your hoods back up. We still need to protect our identities from the soldiers."

Noah tugged his hood over his head without a word, the others doing the same.

They were all feeling the exhaustion in their bones as it covered them all like a lead blanket, every step a conscious effort.

But the faint light ahead pulled them forward, the air slowly losing its staleness as they neared the entrance.

Finally, the jagged tunnel walls gave way to the wide, dark stone entrance of the monolith. The oppressive energy of the place seemed to push them out, and the outside air hit them like a cool wave.

Soldiers stood guard in their usual formation, armor gleaming faintly in the sunlight.

Their gazes flickered toward the hooded figures stepping out, but not one made a move to stop them. It was as if they hadn't seen anything at all.

This was exactly what Leo had paid for.

Noah's steps felt heavier on solid ground than they had in the tunnels.

The others moved silently beside him, their fatigue uniting them in a quiet truce. None of them had the energy to talk.

All they wanted now was to get as far away from that cursed place as possible.