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The Paper User: Exiled for a ‘Trash Skill,’ Awakens True Power and Rises with Two Unique Skills ,Volume 2 - Chapter 17

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Chapter: Cave (Part 2)

After walking for over an hour, the passage suddenly opened up before us.

The space was circular, with more than thirty holes carved into the walls.

These holes… I can’t see the end of them. Checking each one will take forever.

“Looks like it’s finally time for my ability to shine!” Piln announced proudly.

He pulled out a colorful hammer—his Magical Hammer—and stood it on the ground. The hammer wobbled for a moment and then fell over. Piln pointed toward the hole in the wall that the hammer’s head was facing.

“That hole leads to the Dolls Cult’s temple!”

“Again with that?” I sighed.

“You’re just deciding based on luck, aren’t you?”

“Piln’s luck is incredible, so it’s fine!”

“Yeah, you do seem lucky, but still…”

And then—
A loud boom shook the ground violently.

“What the—?!”

Rocks started falling from above. I grabbed Piln’s arm and pulled him out of the way just in time. The other adventurers scrambled to dodge as well.

After several tense seconds, the shaking stopped.

“Almene! Kinako!” I called out.

“We’re fine!” Almene replied quickly.

“But… the entrance…” she added, pointing.

The passage we came through was now completely blocked by a pile of massive boulders.

“There’s no way we’re getting out through that.”

“Talk about bad luck. The entrance is sealed tight,” someone muttered.

“No…” Kinako spoke up, her expression grim.

“This collapse looks too deliberate. Someone rigged it to block the exit.”

“You mean… the Dolls Cult?” I asked.

Kinako nodded.

And then—
A massive, semi-transparent board appeared overhead.

A magic attack?!

I quickly stepped in front of Almene, shielding her, while the other adventurers drew their weapons, ready for battle.

But no attack came. Instead, the board shimmered, and an image formed on its surface: a man in a black robe, with stark white hair and a red-and-black necklace. He looked to be in his fifties.

A projection spell… for communication.

“Heh… heheheh…” The man’s laughter echoed from the board.

“Foolish adventurers. Thank you for walking right into our trap.”

“A trap?” Melt shouted at the image.

“Who the hell are you?!”

“I am Lugal, Bishop of the Dolls Cult,” the man replied, curling his lips into a sinister grin.

“Melt, let me tell you the truth—there is no temple in this cave.”

“What?! No temple?”

“That’s right. We planted that rumor on purpose. We had our followers stage conversations about a temple in front of gullible adventurers like you.”

Hearing this, Dazzle’s eyes and mouth widened in shock.

“And so, here you are—marching straight to your death.”

“Don’t underestimate us!” Melt roared, glaring at Lugal.

“You think blocking an exit is enough to kill us?”

“The entrance was sealed only to make sure you couldn’t run,” Lugal said smoothly, his eyes narrowing as he smiled.

“Melt… your Flame Dragon party has captured and killed many of our followers. Now you will pay for that.”

“You’re calling us murderers? You’re the fanatics who’ve killed countless people for your own twisted desires!”

“That is our divine right. Lord Dolls permits it. All non-believers may be slaughtered at will. Heheheh…”

“Ghh…”

Melt’s body trembled with rage.

Lugal’s grin widened, as if savoring Melt’s fury.

“The real terror begins now. I hope you enjoy it.”

He spread his arms wide and intertwined his fingers into a strange shape over his chest.

“Lord Dolls, accept the lives of these foolish adventurers as an offering!”

As he chanted, the board above us vanished.

“…We’ve been played,” Kinako muttered, scratching her head with her white claws.

“They knew our movements—probably for a long time.”

“Yeah. A trap like this isn’t something you can set up overnight,” I agreed, glancing at the boulders blocking the entrance.

The Flame Dragon party had taken countless jobs from the Leste Kingdom to capture Dolls Cult followers. That’s why they were targeted. The cult spread fake intel about a hidden temple in Gahorn Forest and lured us here.

“Flame Dragon’s reputation is well-earned, but this time, you’re on the back foot. Thanks to your ex-party member’s mistake,” Kinako said, her gaze falling on Dazzle, who was trembling.

“Plenty of adventurers fall for traps like this. You’d better watch yourself too.”

“…Yeah.” I bit down hard on my lip.

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