Chapter 288
Chapter 288
WHEEEEEE!
Blade-like cold wind and a freezing chill that seemed to freeze the entire body wrapped around Zeke's group.
Zeros also sensed something was amiss and tensed up, gripping his staff.
Zeke gripped the Giant Hunter and spoke.
"Mr. Zeros, please prepare earth-attribute magic."
Zeros was taken aback by this.
"What? Not fire-attribute?"
"Fire is useless against him anyway. It's more effective to create a protective barrier when the attack comes to block the cutting wind."
In his past life, Zeke had tried using fire-element scrolls against ice-type monsters, but they had been completely ineffective.
CRACKLE!
Between the Ice Bones, the Monster slowly revealed itself.
Zeke tensed up and drew his sword.
'Here it comes. The Ice King.'
The boss-level monster controlling the Ice Bones was different from ordinary Ice Bones. It stood on two legs, walking while surrounded by cutting wind and cold air.
CRACKLING!
Where the Ice King stepped, the ground froze.
Its face and body exposed bone, with dried flesh clinging to it, looking like a frozen mummy. In its withered hand, it held a staff made of solid ice.
The Ice King raised its staff and opened its mouth wide.
SCREEEEECH!
A bone-chilling screech echoed out.
Simultaneously, the Ice Bones charged towards Zeke's group.
Zeke shouted to Zeros.
"Now!"
Instantly, when Zeros cast his spell, sharp pillars erupted from the solid ground.
ROAR!
The Ice Bones were impaled on the sharp pillars, struggling.
Zeke passed between the pillars and rushed towards the Ice King.
WHOOSH!
He swung the Giant Hunter, wrapped in aura, towards the Ice King.
CLANG!
The ice crystals created by the Ice King blocked the attack.
CRACKLE!
White frost began spreading from the point of contact with the ice crystals.
Zeke injected aura to shake off the frost and swung the Giant Hunter again.
Then the Ice King stretched out its staff and emitted a strong light.
WHOOOOSH!
Tremendous cutting wind and cold air flew towards Zeke.
SLICE―!
Blade-like wind tore through Zeke's body.
An ordinary knight would have been completely frozen and unable to move.
The massive wind swept towards where Zeros and Michel were.
Zeros, proving his genius, created a barrier as Zeke suggested, blocking the wind.
Simultaneously, he bound the Ice Bones with binding magic to prevent them from reaching Zeke and attacked with energy balls.
Zeke, satisfied with Zeros' capabilities, equipped Hersion.
SWOOSH!
The cutting wind was now ineffective against Zeke wearing Hersion.
Inside the helmet, Zeke's eyes glowed golden.
He slowly approached the Ice King.
The panicked Ice King raised its staff and summoned an even stronger ice storm.
It was comparable to the high-tier ice magic 'Blizzard'.
However, it was useless before Hersion's great magic defense. And Zeke's response wasn't finished there.
Zeke extended his hand and deployed a mana reflection technique adapted from Luther's skill.
ZINNNNG!
As the mana reflection technique spread, the light on the Ice King's ice staff flickered.
The ice storm's power gradually diminished.
The bewildered Ice King screamed again.
Dozens of Ice Bones then rushed from behind.
Zeke, holding the Giant Hunter, swung it at the charging Ice Bones.
BOOM!
Striking with the Giant Hunter filled with aura, the Ice Bones couldn't withstand the force and shattered completely.
Zeke had already approached the Ice King again.
As the Ice King tried to cast another spell, Zeke's attack was faster.
WHOOSH!
The Giant Hunter he swung completely severed the Ice King's arm.
SCREEEECH!
The Ice King, letting out a horrifying scream, tried to retreat from Zeke, but Zeke threw the Giant Hunter at him.
CRASH! CRASH!
Filled with force, the Giant Hunter completely sliced off the Ice King's upper body.
FIZZLE!
The Ice King dissolved into ice crystals and disappeared.
With the Ice King's disappearance, the charging Ice Bones also turned to ice crystals and scattered, and the raging ice storm vanished without a trace.
Zeke released Hersion and approached the barrier.
Michel, with icicles hanging from his mustache, was huddled and shivering, and Zeros was preparing a hand sign with a cautious expression.
"Since I've eliminated the Ice King, you can come out now."
At Zeke's words, Zeros finally relaxed and slumped down.
Both were in a dungeon for the first time, and it being a high-level dungeon, their mental fatigue seemed considerable.
Observing them, Zeke decided to light a fire in one corner of the dungeon and take a short rest before their strength depleted further.
As Zeke skillfully started a fire and prepared food from his inventory, Zeros was surprised.
"Is that a spatial bag? I've never seen one that can hold so many items."
"I discovered it in an ancient ruin."
The lie now flowed very naturally.
Zeros and Michel nodded and warmed themselves by drinking the warm beverage Zeke provided.
Drinking warm tea beside them, Zeke looked at Michel eating dried provisions and asked,
"Michel, what kind of item are we supposed to find in such a high-level dungeon?"
Michel flinched at Zeke's words, his eyes darting around.
"Th-that is..."
"If you don't tell me, I'll just turn back. By the way, to clear a high-level dungeon like this, you'd need at least one knight order. And even if they succeed, all items found here would belong to them."
Michel's face turned pale at Zeke's words.
Hesitating, he spoke in a trembling voice,
"W-we need an Elixir."
Zeros frowned at Michel's words.
"An Elixir? Isn't that something only found in legends?"
The legendary medicine that could cure all illnesses and grant immortality. It was a unique item as rare as the Philosopher's Stone.
'An Elixir...'
Unlike Zeros, who didn't believe in the Elixir's existence, Zeke knew this medicine existed.
'It's on the list of items that can be created through the system.'
The problem was that the ingredients were nearly impossible to obtain, and it required 50,000 karma points.
Zeke asked Michel,
"What do you want to do with the Elixir?"
Michel looked at Zeke with a trembling voice,
"I h-have someone who m-must be saved."
"Is someone sick?"
"N-not exactly sick... but s-something similar."
With his Dragon senses, Zeke could detect the truth in words through his sensitive senses. Surprisingly, this was the most truthful statement Michel had made so far.
Zeke then told Michel,
"Unfortunately, you can't cure an illness with an Elixir."
Michel was shocked.
"Wh-what do you mean?"
"The Elixir isn't the cure-all known in legends. It's a type of alchemy ingredient."
"Th-that can't be..."
"The Elixir is a miraculous drug that allows phenomena beyond the laws of the current world, enabling reactions between normally incompatible substances. It might be the ultimate reagent for alchemists and magicians, but consuming it won't grant immortality or heal the body."
This was the information Zeke had confirmed through the system.
While he knew it was a precious reagent, he hadn't felt the need to spend 50,000 karma points to create it.
Michel slumped down.
Then Zeke sent a telepathic message to Michel.
―Is the person needing treatment in the Druid village?
Michel looked up and stared at him.
―I can read thoughts, so speak to me mentally.
Michel thought back.
―Yes, they are in the village.
―Alright, I'll cure that person. In exchange, guide me to the Fairy Lake.
Michel's eyes trembled.
―H-how do you know about the Fairy Lake?
―I don't think I need to explain that.
Michel's eyes darted around as he thought.
―H-how will you cure them?
―I'm of the Lubern bloodline. I can use healing.
―A Healer! The power of miracles!
As a Druid, Michel knew about the Healer class.
Though his eyes were darting around, Michel had no choice.
Even if Zeke's explanation about the Elixir might not be entirely true, he was still the only way to potentially obtain the Elixir.
―A-alright. I'll guide you to the village for treatment and then to the Fairy Lake.
―Understood.
The deal with Michel was settled, and having confirmed Zeros' abilities, Zeke no longer needed to risk taking them along.
Zeke told Zeros,
"Mr. Zeros, stronger demons are likely to appear ahead. At that point, I'll find it difficult to protect you both."
Zeros understood the implication.
"Are you planning to explore the dungeon alone?"
"Exploration might be possible, though clearing it will be challenging. But with you both together, it would be difficult for me to escape in an emergency."
Zeros felt dejected, realizing he wasn't helpful. However, he thought leaving with Michel would be better for Zeke.
Zeros nodded.
"Understood, Sir Zeke. We'll head back to the surface."
Normally Michel would have protested, but seeming exhausted, he quietly followed Zeros.
After confirming they'd left, Zeke drew Roland.
"These oncoming monsters might be more effectively handled with a sacred weapon."
He hadn't used sacred weapons earlier to avoid revealing his skills to Zeros, a Nirvana member. But the dungeon's difficulty meant continuing to hide his abilities could risk serious injury.
Zeke assumed Zeros might report about the dungeon to Nirvana, so he intended to complete exploration before other mages could arrive.
He first summoned Richmond.
WHOOSH!
Richmond appeared from the shadows.
"Ugh. Why is it so cold here?"
"This is Aten."
"Hmm, not a place with good memories."
"Stop talking and prepare for battle. Mainly ice-attribute monsters inhabit this place, which should advantage the undead."
Richmond grumbled while summoning Durahan and Dragon warriors.
Zeke summoned ghost warriors for reconnaissance and led the undead forces forward.
Occasional ice golems appeared but were destroyed by Durahan.
'How convenient that I don't need to move.'
Zeke had been feeling constrained, having to hide his strength while protecting the group.
Methodically clearing smaller monsters, he encountered a massive door.
'Doesn't look like a 9th Circle mage’s laboratory.'
The mages's lab from his previous life seemed to be on the opposite side.
'I'll handle this area first, then collect artifacts from the laboratory.'
Zeke manually adjusted the system to open the door.
Durahan forcefully opened it.
RUMBLE!
Cold air burst forth as the huge door opened.
Inside was a world entirely of frozen ice.
Richmond looked around curiously.
"Wow, master. So many ice statues!"
Various ice statues surrounded the area, with a mysterious statue standing centrally.
Zeke was startled.
'An angel?'
But upon closer inspection, it differed from typical church angel statues.
It had two pairs of wings, six arms, and eyes covered by cloth.
Zeke slowly approached the intricately carved statue that seemed ready to move.
'Why is this ice statue here?'
Suddenly, a message appeared:
[Discovered the Avatar of a Sealed Constellation]
[Security system activating, breaking the avatar's seal]
[The Avatar Body Queen of Ice of the Constellation Promise of Eternity awakens from its seal]