William sat with eyes widened open. He could not believe what he was hearing. He had never thought that in all this time, Robert would be the one who had been out to cause them trouble.

Robert saw the look in William’s eyes and then smiled. "Like I said, the one thing that pushes a man the most is greed. I have greed, and so do you, William.

I should have noticed when you mysteriously gained a treasure from the dungeon that no one had found anything useful in for years now.

I should have noticed that the story of your party members who had died was far too suspicious." Robert sat back down.

"Tell me, William, what is in that dungeon? What was it that you went there to ask? Don’t try to lie. I had my best shadow follow you, and she saw you speak to something, and something replied, so tell me what it is," Robert said.

"So it was you." William spoke, not in the way that you ask a question, but rather in solidified reality. He now knew who Robert was and now knew that the person who had trailed them was sent by him.

"William, before you think of refusing, understand this. Whatever is inside that dungeon is far more important than your life right now. I’m guessing that whatever it is, it gave you those treasures.

I want what is there. I want it all to myself, so you can save your life by telling me about it.

Else, your head will fall, and the news will reach your father that you joined hands with the Red Moon Cult and attacked the town.

After all, he already believes his son had left to be wayward. It would not be hard to execute both of you on those grounds. I had kept you here for the simple reason that you were useful, and now you are not, because I want that dungeon."

He laid out what he wanted for them to see and gave them the ultimatum that followed.

William gritted his teeth. His rage was about to burst. He hated this, the fact that he had been used.

His mind flashed back to times when his father had manipulated him for personal gain. It caused his blood to boil.

"I’d rather die than allow you to know it. Someone like you does not deserve to hear the truth from me," William growled in anger.

"So that’s how it will be, huh? Then fine," Robert said and turned his eyes to Violet. "Speak now, or I’ll hand you back over to the cult, and you know what they will have you do. They’ll use you like the slave you are and have always been." His tone was heavy as the words left his mouth.

"Tch, like hell I’d tell you, bastard." As the words left her mouth, a magical formation activated under her, followed by a blast of flames that completely destroyed the runes that had been set up on the chair, allowing her to get up.

The moment she was free, she lunged forward to help William, only for a punch to land straight into her side. She arched, coughed blood, and was hurled back through the air so fast she slammed into the wall.

Robert stood with his fist extended, seething with rage. "You are one persistent bitch, you know that?" He raised his hand, and his sword materialized from thin air. A certain aura exploded from his body and spread through the room. It was sharp as a blade and suffocating at the same time.

"Sword aura," William muttered, his eyes widening as much as possible. He snapped his neck and looked at Violet.

"Violet, run! Run now! Forget about me! He is going to kill you!" he roared with everything that he had.

Violet struggled to her feet. She gritted her teeth.

"I’m not going to leave you. You would never leave me," she replied and got ready to fight back.

"No, Violet, you do not understand. A six-star mage with sword aura means he is at the peak of the six-star rank. There is no surviving it. Run!" William yelled from the bottom of his guts, his eyes pleading with her.

Violet saw the look in his eyes. She gritted her teeth hard.

"I swear I’ll be back," she said before unleashing a fireball. Robert slashed his sword and cut the flame, creating an explosion that traveled and slammed into her, throwing her out of the room. She hit the ground and rolled.

She got on her feet and looked back into the office, her eyes meeting with William one last time before she bolted, running as fast as her feet could carry her.

"Go after her," Robert spoke, and immediately several shadows moved from the room in pursuit of her.

Robert turned his eyes to William, who was seething with rage there. He smiled from ear to ear. "I’m sorry, kid. I really wanted to be a good role model for you, but sadly I can’t. Whatever is in that dungeon is more important.

This dungeon break could not have come at a better time. When people see the death and destruction that the monsters have caused, I can persuade the town to follow me to wage war against the dungeon and raid it to defeat the core.

That way, I can take whatever it is that is in there, and I can become more powerful."

William grew even more shocked when he heard Robert’s plan.

"You are going to let people die for your own gain? Innocent lives?" William said.

Robert walked forward, grabbed his mouth, and pulled his face forward.

"There is no innocent life, just the weak and the strong, and as far as I am concerned, I’ll be the strongest.

And you, you will take the fall. You will be the cult member that somehow triggered the dungeon break from inside the dungeon, and you have been planning it ever since you came here."