Chapter 11: Five Minutes
Thirty minutes earlier…
"I'm the delivery driver, Serena," Xavier said, pointing down the left corridor. "We go this way."
Serena crossed her arms. "Incorrect. I am optimized at everything. We should go right."
"You're optimized at everything but navigation in dungeons you've never seen."
"I disagree."
Xavier sighed. "Okay. Coin flip. Heads me, tails you."
"I agree," Serena said instantly. "But I want heads."
Xavier stared at her. "That's not how—never mind. Fine."
He reached into his pocket and flicked the coin.
It spun. Clinked. Bounced.
And slid perfectly into a crack between two stone tiles, standing upright.
Xavier blinked. "…You've got to be kidding me."
Serena stared down at it. "Outcome inconclusive."
"Looks like we both lose," Xavier muttered. "So… now what?"
Just then, something moved at the edge of his vision.
Not a creature.
Not a shadow.
Darkness itself—flowing unnaturally, sliding along the floor like liquid ink, drifting deeper into the dungeon.
Xavier and Serena looked at each other.
Then followed it.
Now.
Xavier stood in the open doorway of the boss's chamber, hands on his hips.
"Looks like we're right on time."
Every head in the room snapped toward him.
Weapons wavered. Eyes widened.
Silas froze—then recognition hit.
"Hey!" Silas shouted hoarsely. "You actually came!"
Xavier grinned. "Hey there, kid. Got your order right here."
For a split second, the crushing tension vanished.
A smile spread across Silas' face.
Xavier casually walked forward, completely ignoring the skeletal mage radiating murderous mana from the throne.
"Alright," Xavier said, opening his Infinite-Sized Bag. "Let's see… I've got thirty recovery fish soups, thirty strengthening steaks, thirty bottles of Powerade, and thirty cookies."
He looked up.
"Total comes to forty-five hundred dollars. Cash or card."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Xavier snapped his fingers. "Guys? Hello?"
He turned—and noticed everyone staring past him.
At the skeleton.
"Oh," Xavier said casually. "Don't worry about him. He's a cool skeleton."
The skeleton tilted its skull slightly.
Then laughed.
"Hahaha… you are amusing, human," it said. "Go on. Do what you must. I will wait."
Xavier nodded. "See? Cool."
He turned back. "Now pay me."
The Guild Leader stepped forward, forcing himself upright despite his injuries. He extended a hand.
"Paul Williams," he said. "Guild Leader of Iron Will. Thank you… truly."
Xavier shook his hand. "Xavier. You're welcome. Just doing my job."
Paul's lip twitched at that.
"You take cash?" Paul asked. "It's all we've got right now."
"Yep," Xavier said easily. "Forty-five hundred plus tip. Let's call it five grand."
Money exchanged hands.
Xavier pulled out the food and set it down carefully. "Everything's fresh. Made with top ingredients."
The conscious members gathered around, distributing food to the injured. Slowly—miraculously—color returned to faces. Groans turned into sighs of relief as strength flowed back into their bodies.
Even unconscious members began to stir.
The skeleton's fingers tapped against its throne.
Its patience was thinning.
"What… are you really?" the skeleton demanded.
It froze.
Xavier was suddenly standing right in front of it.
Too close.
A chill ran through the skeleton's spine.
No teleportation.
No mana surge.
The human had walked there—and it hadn't noticed.
"Stay back!" someone shouted. "That monster's dangerous!"
Xavier waved a hand. "Relax. He's friendly. And he's recovering—just like you guys."
The skeleton stiffened.
"…What?"
Paul frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Xavier turned to the guild. "This isn't an A-ranked dungeon."
The words hit like a hammer.
"If it were," Xavier continued calmly, "you'd all be dead long before I arrived."
Silas swallowed.
"Have any of you ever seen an A-ranked Awakened fight?" Xavier asked.
No one answered.
"No offense," Xavier went on, "but you're a fresh mid-ranked guild. Your highest-ranked member is probably C-rank."
Paul clenched his fist.
"This dungeon," Xavier said, pointing around, "is D-ranked. That's why the boss let you rest. He needs time to recover too."
The skeleton said nothing.
"So the person who told us this was A-ranked…" Paul said slowly. "They lied."
"Yes," Xavier replied. "I've met real A-ranks. They're a lot scarier than this skeleton."
The Vice Leader frowned. "Can you prove it?"
Xavier nodded. "One of your support members has a magic reader. If it doesn't read ten thousand or higher, it's not A-ranked."
A support mage shakily pulled out a device and activated it.
Numbers flashed.
100 – 500
Silas exhaled sharply. "He's right, Guild Leader."
Paul closed his eyes.
"…Damn it."
Xavier clapped his hands once. "Alright. Mystery solved. Food delivered. Everyone's alive."
He turned toward the exit.
"With that, I'm heading out."
Serena followed.
As they reached the doorway, her voice cut in.
"I bet you can't defeat the skeleton in five minutes, Xavier."
He snapped his head around. "What?"
She met his gaze evenly.
Xavier thought for a moment.
Then smirked.
"I accept. But when I win, we're going on your first date."
Serena paused.
Processed.
"…Agreed," she said. "If you lose, we go shopping."
Xavier groaned. "That's not fair."
She extended her hand.
"Shake."
He did.
Turning back, Xavier stepped into the chamber, rolling his shoulders.
He looked up at the skeletal mage.
"Sorry, skeleton," Xavier said politely. "Change of plans."
He cracked his knuckles.
"I've got a date riding on beating you in five minutes."
The skeleton's blue flames flared.
"…Very well, human."
The timer had started.