Divine Luck: SSS-Rank Battle Maid Harem

In a way, Yanael and the others were lucky that an underworlder had come to retrieve the artificial life heart from the Basilisk's corpse while the dolls kept Soara distracted. If she had detected him, he would have died, and they wouldn't have had anyone to guide them through the spacious tunnels of the Underworld.

It would have been the same if he didn't come at all.

The tunnels weren't winding or unnecessarily complex like in a maze, but the maids and students didn't know where to go. Eventually, they might be able to map out the place and find something that could help Alzara concoct a potion that would work on even Zach's petrification.

But the Underworld was vast. It could take them weeks or maybe even months before they found anything useful. It wasn't even worth considering since they would not be allowed to roam around freely, and there was no telling how long Zach could last with the petrification trying to swallow him.

Even now, they didn't have so much as a second to spare.

Yanael, Alzara, Mandra, and the underworlder ran hurried through the tunnels. They couldn't use any light or magic that might reveal them, so everything they had went into stealth. More important than getting to their destination quickly was getting there undiscovered.

Fortunately, the immediate area around the Basilisk's tomb was deserted. It had been like that ever since Zach dropped that potion.

Underworld energy had started seeping back into the halls and tunnels, but there was no telling when the surface dwellers would grow bored and toss down another one. The spy had destroyed most of them, but it would be foolish to assume that was all, especially now that more than enough time to make more had passed.

There were almost no underworlders nearby to discover the group. But there were dolls. It also meant that their destination was further away than the maids would have liked. Their destination was also located in an area with more underworlders.

The beginning of their expedition into the Underworld was smooth, but it would only grow more rugged the closer they got to their destination.

Yanael and the others were ready for whatever might stand in their way. This was the fastest way to save Zach. That was their priority over anything else. All of their secondary priorities like ensuring a smooth graduation or the safety of his friends would all be meaningless if Zach himself was no longer alive.

Besides, saving the other students or prioritizing their safety would only be short-term. Without Zach and his familiars, how were they supposed to get out of the Underworld?

The answer was simple. They wouldn't.

That was why Yanael, Alzara, and Mandra couldn't allow a single mistake. Even just by panting too loudly, the underworlder felt a chill surround the base of his skull. Just by trying to do anything suspicious, he would lose his head.

He didn't have anything planned, but the constant reminder helped him keep his focus. Even accidentally alerting the other underworlders, who were most likely on high alert following the Basilisk's crash, would cost him his life.

So, he led the maids and the stone statue to an out-of-the-way storage room that hopefully had enough materials to satisfy Alzara. It was only the fourth layer and not one of the main storages connected to any of the important projects. However, it was an emergency storage facility with important resources that were far better than anything in the upper three layers.

The underworlder put his hand on the handle.

Yanael, who was carrying Zach, stopped. She froze.

The door opened.

"Well, well, well, who do we have here?" Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire

***

Back at the Basilisk's corpse, Soara stood between the students at the corpse and the pumped-up doll who had returned after arming himself. It was evident it ran away because it didn't think it could handle Soara, even with the strength of five thousand dolls.

It was right. The mere fact that it considered the possibility of losing made it weaker than Soara.

But it hadn't just come back with armor, a helmet, a sword, and a shield. It had also returned with two underworlders who, based on their colorful and unique appearances were Named.

Without turning to look at the students, Soara spoke,

"You guys handle the underworlders. They're weaker than the doll. If you work together, you should be able to hold out until I'm done."

She tried to encourage them, but Soara is a deity of Death, not of Encouragement.

Dukiel, Anerias, Violina, and Nessa gulped.

The doll looked scarier with its size, but its helmet was facing the wrong direction, which gave it a goofy impression.

The two underworlders, however, looked menacing with sharp glares and weapons that weren't comically large. A spear and a bow. The underworlders also had more humanoid appearances than they had seen of other underworlders.

They looked like real enemies.

But Soara wouldn't feed them to the dogs just because she wanted an easy fight. The students trusted her judgment and split up.

Violina and Dukiel targeted the bowman and Nessa and Anerias chose the spearwoman.

Violina was better at close range than she was at long range, but she was better at handling attacks from a distance than Nessa and especially Anerias. She also had ways to attack at a distance, thanks to her familiars.

She could hound the bowman while Dukiel's familiars tried to snipe him from a distance. Nessa and Anerias could fight up close with the spearwoman and overwhelm her with their skills and familiars.

With Soara fighting the doll, the battlefield split into three sections, sometimes overlapping. Fortunately, the students were more than used to fighting each other. Whenever they got a chance or an opening, they slipped attacks toward the other underworlder.

Soara was wrong in her assessment.

The students didn't need to hold out. They could just defeat the underworlders outright and help her finish off the doll.

It was a perfectly executed battle.

It would have had a perfect ending as well if they could have returned to their meal afterward.

Instead, the figure that had been watching from the shadows stopped watching.

Large fists flashed, knocking the students' heads into the solid floor.