Chapter 2 | Survival Guide for a Doomed Villain in the Academy Dungeon

“WTF, what on earth is going on right now?!”

Greg couldn't fathom why the Secondary Heroine was suddenly caught in a life-or-death crisis, but he knew one thing for certain: he couldn't let Silvia die here.

Otherwise, the worldline might collapse before he even had a chance to survive his way out of this godforsaken place.

Without hesitation, he dived straight into the surging underground river beside him. The icy water enveloped his entire body, but under the enhancement of [Underwater Adaptation LV3], the darkness and turbulent currents became familiar domain.

Like a fish slicing through the current, he sped toward the pink figure slowly sinking into the deep.

About five meters underwater, he saw the situation clearly.

An octopus-type monster had wrapped its tentacles around Silvia's ankle. She was clearly at her limit, consciousness fading, her long pink hair drifting loosely in the water.

“So it's a Blackwater Octopus. No wonder it tops the must-taste list for dungeon newbies.”

Knowing what he was up against, Greg closed the distance quickly. The instant his hand touched her shoulder, Silvia's eyes fluttered open slightly, though her pupils were completely unfocused.

“No other way around it. Guess I'll have to share some air with her first.”

Greg cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers.

So soft.

That was the very first thought that flashed through his mind.

In the next second, he exhaled a breath of air directly into her lungs.

Silvia's body shuddered slightly, her eyes opening wide in bewilderment as if unable to process what was happening.

Greg gave her no time to react. He turned to the octopus monster and raised his right hand.

[Water Gun].

A jet of compressed water blasted from his palm, striking the monster's head dead-on and killing it instantly.

[Experience Gained: 70]

[Bonus Experience Gained: 7]

[Level Up: LV16]

[Skill Acquired: Tentacle Entanglement LV1]

What kind of bullshit skill is Tentacle Entanglement?!

Besides, I don't even have tentacles!

Glancing at the prompts flashing across his panel, his attention quickly snapped back to reality.

After its tentacles loosened their grip on Silvia, Greg immediately pulled her along... and dove toward the deeper riverbed.

The reason was that the Shadow Octopus from just now had actually dropped a Basic Magic Gem! After surviving in this dungeon for several days, this was the first item drop he had ever seen!

Only after scooping up the gem did Greg carry Silvia—who had already lost consciousness again along the way—up toward the surface.

“Phaah!”

Breaking through the water's surface, Greg greedily drew a deep breath of fresh air. Just as his vision cleared, an intensely striking scene collided with his gaze.

Just a few paces away on the riverbank, a gray-haired girl was slipping off the last layer of her outer robe.

Pure white undergarments clung tightly to her slender, well-proportioned curves, glistening with a soft, pearlescent luster in the dim glow.

The rising heat and moisture formed a hazy veil of mist, accentuating the breathtaking inward taper of her waist and the long, shapely silhouette of her legs.

She was none other than the original game's protagonist, and the very entity that had slain him the most times in this world—Victoria.

Water dripped from Greg's chin, landing on the river's surface with a faint tap. The two stared at each other in silence.

Greg: “Nice body...?”

Victoria: “...”

The atmosphere grew exceedingly awkward.

Still, Greg quickly realized that she might not necessarily recognize him right now, given that his drenched, brilliant golden hair was completely plastered over his face.

In order to keep the protagonist who had killed him the most from inventing a 1,381st brand-new death for him, Greg disguised his voice and spoke up:

“I'm merely a passing river god. Please pay me no mind.”

With that, he set the unconscious Silvia down on the bank and prepared to dive back into the water to make his getaway.

However, the voice that rang out from behind him made his entire body stiffen.

It was a tone both freezing and razor-sharp:

“Hey, Greg.”

Victoria crossed her arms, her gray eyes reflecting not an ounce of warmth across the water.

“Just how long do you intend to keep up this act?”

Victoria couldn't understand why this man—who detested her so much, and whom she despised just as deeply—would step forward to save her companion.

Yet judging by his past behavior, this guy definitely harbored an ulterior motive!

“Tch, saw right through me after all, huh?”

Seeing this, Greg simply dropped the act.

Placing one hand on the slick riverbank rock, he vaulted cleanly out of the water. With his other hand, he swept his soaked golden hair back, revealing a face whose handsome features remained undeniable even dripping with water.

“Look, lady, I haven't done anything to provoke you, and I just saved your companion's life.”

He flicked the droplets from his hair, his tone laced with exasperation. “Is there really any need to be so aggressive?”

Had they been on the surface, Greg naturally wouldn't have dared speak so candidly. But this was the dungeon—his home turf.

With a slew of buffs active, he wouldn't necessarily be at a disadvantage against Victoria if they actually came to blows right now.

Most importantly, down here, he wouldn't fall victim to a bunch of bizarre, maliciously scripted plot deaths.

“You haven't provoked me?”

Victoria sneered.

“During the entrance exam, who tampered with my magic conduit, trying to make me lose control and get expelled?”

“On the very first day of school, who publicly proclaimed that ‘a mere commoner isn't worthy of stepping into Glory Cael Magic Academy’?”

She took a step forward, keeping her voice low, yet every word landed with crystal clarity:

“Don't think that just because your family cast you out and you hid in the dungeon, everything you've done is wiped clean.”

Damn it, looks like by the time I transmigrated, the events of the prologue had already taken place after all.

No wonder she's so hostile toward me.

Although Greg wasn't afraid of trouble, he didn't want to go looking for it either.

Having finally transmigrated into a fantasy world, the last thing he wanted was to become genuine mortal enemies with the protagonist over the foolish stunts the original host had pulled.

Since he had just saved her companion, easing tensions between them shouldn't be an impossible feat.

Greg thought it over and decided to play on Victoria's secret identity as the Hero—known to only a select few—as well as his own family's treachery, being humans whose loyalties secretly lay with the Demons.