SSS Hypnosis: I Made the Heroines Beg for Forgiveness-Chapter 16: Crystal Shard

Benedict and the goblin—whom he'd named Garbuc—walked through the silent tunnels of the cave.

The only sounds echoing through the darkness were the occasional drip of water and the steady rhythm of their footsteps.

Before long, the tunnel split.

Two paths stretched out in front of them: one to the left, darker and more ominous, and the other to the right, wider and seemingly more traveled.

"Garbuc, which path leads out of here?" Benedict asked, glancing toward the goblin.

"Garbuc!" Garbuc pointed confidently to the right.

Benedict nodded slightly, following the direction with his gaze, until a robotic female voice echoed in his head.

[Go left, Master. The left path is the correct one.]

His brow furrowed. Now he was confused.

"Garbuc, are you sure? You better not be directionally challenged," Benedict muttered, narrowing his eyes at the goblin.

Garbuc shook his head and pointed to the right again with even more conviction.

[Go left, Master.]

The uncertainty gnawed at him. The left path looked downright terrifying.

You sure about this, System?

[Absolutely. 100%.]

Benedict swallowed hard, then took a step toward the left path.

"Garbuc?" The goblin tilted his head in confusion, clearly not understanding his master's sudden change of course.

But Benedict kept walking, heading straight into the darkness without hesitation.

"Garbuc!" the goblin shouted behind him, as if telling him to wait.

Then Garbuc scrambled after him, his tiny feet slapping the stone floor.

---

The path grew darker with every step. Benedict could barely see his own hand in front of him.

Behind him, Garbuc clutched his hatchet tightly, trembling from head to toe.

They walked for what felt like forever. Benedict had no watch, no sense of time. But finally, a faint glow appeared in the distance.

"There it is, Garbuc," Benedict said with a grin, flashing his white teeth.

"Garbuc!" The goblin raised both arms in celebration.

They hurried toward the light, but what Benedict found wasn't the exit. It wasn't the forest, or a sky full of stars.

No.

It was something far more beautiful.

A vast cavern glittered with countless crystals of every imaginable color.

They hung from the ceiling like frozen droplets, dripping water that echoed through the chamber. Others jutted out from the walls and lined the pathway like a trail of treasure.

Benedict's heart raced. His hands trembled. His lips curled into a grin.

"T-This... These are crystal shards?!" His voice echoed across the cave as his eyes darted from crystal to crystal in disbelief.

"Garbuc?" The goblin tilted his head, clueless.

Crystal Shards—rare materials needed to upgrade skill tiers! Incredibly valuable. How could they be in a place like this?!

"Garbuc! Smash the pale green crystal over there!" Benedict pointed excitedly.

"Garbuc!" The goblin tightened his grip on his hatchet and walked up to the glowing shard embedded near the path.

With a quick, solid swing.

CRACK

the crystal shattered.

Benedict rushed over just as the crystal split into three small shards.

He held out his hand and whispered, "Absorb."

Immediately, a stream of blue energy flowed from his palm, pulling the shards in and absorbing them.

(Congratulations, Host! You've absorbed 3x Common Shards. unlocked.)

Benedict opened his system screen to check.

(Inventory)

He smiled in satisfaction, then looked around again, and spotted a golden glow.

"A Rare Shard!" he gasped, moving toward it quickly.

He motioned for Garbuc to smash it. This time, it took three swings, but eventually, the crystal gave way.

Benedict absorbed the fragments.

(You've obtained 3x Rare Shard. Stored in inventory.)

He opened his skill list.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"Tch. Damn it. I forgot upgrades need Ep too."

Benedict and Garbuc kept mining, smashing pale green, brown, and golden crystals.

They worked for what felt like hours, harvesting everything they could reach. Only the crystals on the ceiling remained untouched.

Eventually, Benedict collapsed onto the ground, drenched in sweat. Garbuc was lying flat beside him, equally exhausted.

Benedict checked his inventory.

(Inventory)

Now all that was left... was to find the way out.

System, where's the exit?! You lied to me!

[Forgive me, Master. I had to do it, for your own growth.]

Benedict sighed. As much as he wanted to be mad, if he had known there were this many crystals in here... he probably would've chosen the left path anyway.

He glanced at Garbuc, who was lying on the floor, staring at his master with a look that said, "Seriously? You're the one tired? I'm the one who's been swinging a hatchet like a lunatic."

Benedict chuckled inwardly.

What can I say? I've only got 30% HP left...

Just as he was about to thank Garbuc—

Garbuc suddenly jolted, as if something had startled him.

Benedict felt it too, a tremor.

THUD. THUD.

Heavy footsteps. Deep and thunderous. The entire cave shook.

Shit.

"Garbuc, run!" Benedict yelled.

They both scrambled to their feet and bolted toward the tunnel entrance.

But the footsteps were getting faster, closer, louder.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!

Don't look back, Benedict. Don't you dare look back!

They had gone too far into the cavern. The way out was a long way back.

Still, curiosity clawed at him.

Benedict turned his head.

What he saw made his blood run cold.

A massive Cyclops, towering. One eye blazing red. And in its hand, a spiked mace.

A Fang-tier monster.

"SYSTEM, YOU BASTARDDD!"