10. 'My Gift "Additional Bonus" That Was Treated as the Weakest Was Actually the Strongest Skill That Could Obtain Allies, Weapons, and Rewards' - Chapter 11

Recap of the previous chapter

Asura confronted the assassin who had been threatening the city.
After a desperate battle, he welcomed Zeke the assassin as an ally.
Zeke possessed the ability to erase his presence like a shadow, and despite carrying a past of betrayal, he was guided by Asura's light.
The party of the boy who had been mocked as the weakest began to possess unprecedented power, having gained a swordsman, a witch, a tactician, a spirit, a wolf cub, an angel, and now a shadow.

~Chapter 11~ The Labyrinth of Ancient Ruins

As the dawn mist began to clear, Asura and his companions stood before a stone gate.
It was the ruins of an ancient civilization, opening its mouth deep within the forest.
It is said to be the remains of a kingdom that flourished hundreds of years ago, and it is rumored that most adventurers who challenged it never returned.

"...So this is the ancient ruins."
Asura gripped his black silver dagger.

"The air is different. Rather than the scent of living things... it smells of iron and blood."
Zeke narrowed his eyes and muttered in a low voice.

Sophia said in a trembling voice,
"...I can feel the remnants of so much magic... This place... is not just a simple labyrinth."

Cain carried his twin swords on his shoulders and grinned.
"Labyrinth or not, it's still a stage to test our strength!"

Leon opened a scroll and looked at his companions quietly.
"Don't let your guard down. In ancient ruins, the traps themselves are the enemy. A single word can sometimes save a life."

Phil flickered with flame on Asura's shoulder, and Lyca stomped his front paws.
And Milia quietly spread her wings.
"My Lord... these ruins are a place of trial. If we do not unite our hearts as companions, we will never be able to return."



The interior was filled with a chilling cold.
A corridor lined with countless stone statues.
Their eyes glowed as if following them, further heightening the tension among the companions.

"They're moving, be careful."
Immediately after Asura warned them, the eyes of the stone statues glowed red.
The next moment, arrows were fired from the walls all at once.

"Ugh!"
Cain deflected them with his twin swords, and Zeke grabbed his companions and dove into the shadows.
Leon quickly wove words.
"Arrows, go astray!"

The air trembled, and the incoming arrows veered off course and pierced the walls.

Sophia's light bullets shattered the stone statues, and Lyca pounced and crushed their heads.
However, traps appeared one after another, and their formation threatened to collapse.

Asura swung his dagger and shouted to his companions.
"We can't make it through alone! We must advance all together!"

At those words, his companions nodded and lined up again.



When they reached the deepest part, what awaited them was a giant stone guardian.
A statue of a knight covered in black iron.
But flames lit up in its eyes, and it took a step forward, brandishing its sword and shield.

"...It's coming!"
The moment Asura readied his dagger, heat surged through his chest.

<<Additional Bonus>>

The card that emerged bore the emblem of a "Giant Shield."
Its light deflected the guardian's sword and changed shape to protect his companions.

What appeared was a knight.
Clad in heavy armor and holding a shield with dignity, his figure was truly the embodiment of "protection."

"...My name is Ordo. I shall become your ally and fight alongside you as your shield."

The voice was deep and resonated in the hearts of his companions.

"Ordo...!"
Asura gripped his dagger tightly.
A "shield role"—that was the final piece that had been missing until now.
With the addition of defense, the party finally began to take the form of true adventurers.

Afterword (Chapter 11)

In Chapter 11, a new ally, the shield-bearing knight Ordo, has joined.
With this, the party has now gained a pillar of defense in addition to attack, magic, tactics, and stealth.
The ancient ruins have only just begun.
Further traps and the evolution of the companions await ahead.

Next time, Chapter 12: "The Trial of the Deep Layers."
This is where Lyca's evolution finally arrives. Please look forward to it!