Chapter 412
Chapter 412
Chapter 412
WHISTLE!
Zeke looked back while running through the forest.
There were three shadows chasing after him.
Zeke took out a dagger from his chest, infused it with soul energy, and threw it toward the shadows.
THUD!
The daggers struck the shadows precisely.
SCREECH!
A beast that resembled an ogre fell from the tree and rolled on the ground with a dagger lodged between its eyes.
Zeke spread his shadow and absorbed the dead beasts.
BZZT! BZZT!
His depleted mental and physical energy recovered, but there were no new blood abilities.
'Even though I sold most of the blood abilities I absorbed since they were mostly useless, I kind of miss them now.'
Zeke clicked his tongue and looked around. He had been searching the forest for days looking for traces of the sealed earth god.
Since it was an endless task from the beginning, he couldn't search the entire Forest of the Forgotten, so he was focusing on the unique locations he had heard about from Nigel.
She said some places were known from records left by Bahamut, while others were newly discovered during patrols.
As he wandered through the forest hunting pursuing beasts, his karma had accumulated considerably without him realizing it.
'Let's see. 23,278 points.'
Since the forest was filled with beasts and monsters, karma increased naturally with just a little movement.
"Since it's come to this, might as well increase some points before leaving."
Of course, there was a clear limit to just hunting monsters and beasts.
As Zeke grew stronger, the karma points gained from hunting beasts decreased.
In the past, he could get 5 points just for killing a goblin, but nowadays it was hard to get even 3 points for killing powerful beasts.
At least he could get decent point values from selling skills acquired by absorbing blood abilities.
However, ancient species and special species that could provide blood abilities were very sharp and cunning, so they rarely showed themselves before powerful beings like Zeke.
Zeke first considered unlocking the next level of dragon skills.
'It took 8,000 points to unlock dragon skill level 5. With the 30% discount from removing the level 2 restriction, that's 5,600 points. I could unlock level 5 and activate one skill.'
After soul energy training, his spiritual power had increased enough that he could now use level 4 skills.
Although summoning dragon species still consumed a lot of spiritual power, it seemed usable enough for battle.
It was time to unlock level 5.
Zeke opened the system window to check his dragon skills.
Dragon Skills (Level 4 Unlocked): Absorption (Skilled) / Drai Speech (Expert) / Dragon's Breath (Skilled) / Dragon Warrior (Skilled+) / Dragon Wings (Beginner) / Dragon kind Summoning (Beginner)
'Dragon skills don't level up as fast as I thought.'
Even Dragon Wings, which he used quite frequently, was still at beginner level.
It seemed there were other conditions needed to increase proficiency.
After examining the dragon skills, Zeke made his decision.
'Alright, I'll unlock level 5.'
After using 5,600 points to unlock dragon skill level 5, a message appeared.
[Dragon Skill Level 5 has been unlocked.]
Zeke examined the unlocked level 5 dragon skills.
―Dragon Skills Level 5―
Dragon's Wisdom (Locked) / Polymorph (Locked)
20,000 karma points needed to unlock skill level 6
"Dragon's Wisdom and Polymorph?"
Since they were different types of skills than expected, Zeke first checked the information for both skills.
―Dragon Skill Introduction―
Dragon's Wisdom: Can read karma data related to contacted beings and obtain hidden information. (8,000 points needed to unlock)
Polymorph: Can transform into the form of desired species. Required spiritual power varies by species. (7,500 points needed to unlock)
Zeke read the information written for Dragon's Wisdom carefully.
"I've seen dragons use Polymorph so I know what that is. But karma data acquisition..."
Zeke recalled when he received the Sage's Eye from the divine dragon Hermes, he couldn't use it because he didn't have access rights to karma data yet.
'I don't know exactly what it is, but it seems like quite an important ability.'
It didn't seem to be an ability that could be used immediately in battle, but it appeared to be necessary for preparing for future battlefields.
After contemplating, Zeke made his decision.
"Then let's activate the 'Dragon's Wisdom' skill first."
Zeke immediately used points to activate the Dragon's Wisdom skill.
'12,078 points left. Let me think more about Polymorph.'
In the case of dragons, they used Polymorph to move freely without karma restrictions, but since Zeke was human and didn't have such dragon inconveniences, he had to consider whether to activate it at the cost of large amounts of karma.
Putting aside thoughts about Polymorph, Zeke pondered how to try using the activated Dragon's Wisdom skill.
"Hmm, should I just try using it once?"
Since it was mentioned that karma data could be read from contacted beings and it didn't necessarily have to be a sentient being, Zeke immediately placed his hand on a nearby tree and used the Dragon's Wisdom skill.
WHIRR!
Suddenly, messages appeared before Zeke's eyes.
[Dragon's Wisdom skill activates.]
[Dragon senses included in dragon divine body activate in conjunction.]
[Accessing karma data for this area.]
BZZT! BZZT! BZZT!
As Dragon's Wisdom activated, an enormous amount of information began flowing into Zeke's mind.
‘UGH!'
The karma data about the area known as the 'Forest of the Forgotten' had been converted into information and was flowing into Zeke's mind.
Zeke could finally understand what kind of skill Dragon's Wisdom was.
'My head feels like it might explode if I'm not careful.'
Then another message appeared.
[Partial access rights to karma data confirmed.]
[Authority Sage's Eye activates in conjunction. Search and selective viewing of karma data is now possible.]
The previously inactive Sage's Eye opened, making it possible to search and selectively view the enormous amount of karma data.
Zeke used the Sage's Eye to select necessary information from the vast karma data about the 'Forest of the Forgotten'.
'Select information about the earth god.'
As he thought, related information began to appear.
After acquiring the information, Zeke immediately closed the skill.
WHIRR!
Instantly, Zeke's consciousness returned to his original body.
"Ha!"
After catching his breath for a moment, he finally regained his senses.
His head was dizzy from rapidly taking in so much information.
'To think Dragon's Wisdom was this kind of skill.'
With this skill and the Sage's Eye, it was possible to find out any information.
Of course, only within the range that Zeke could process.
Even though he only accessed the karma data briefly, the impact wasn't easily dismissed.
'What I saw was just a tiny fraction of the data. If even that had such an impact... if one were to access all the data of an entire dimension, a human mind might not be able to handle it...'
Zeke thought it was incredibly fortunate that he received the Sage's Eye from Hermes.
Without this authority, he would have been overwhelmed in the vast sea of information, unable to properly select the content he actually needed.
Zeke recalled the selected information and identified the likely location where the earth god might be sealed in the Forest of the Forgotten.
Comparing it with the locations Nigel had told him about, he could find the most likely spot.
'Traces of a giant tree located at the forest's center. That's where the earth god must be sealed.'
As he thought this, information about the path to the forest's center appeared in his mind.
'So this plane isn't necessarily endlessly sprawling. It only appears that way because the paths change over time like a maze.'
Thanks to acquiring the area information, he could now find the way to the plane's center.
Once he knew the location, finding it wasn't a problem.
Zeke held his sword, looked at the pathless forest, and immediately launched himself inside.
Strong winds arose, shaking the forest trees.
* * *
'Is this it?'
Zeke had been running through the pathless forest for quite a while, heading toward the plane's center.
He continued forward through the forest that was so dense he could barely see ahead.
Then suddenly, as if by magic, the scenery full of trees disappeared, revealing a basin with a massive withered tree in the center.
Zeke could sense that this was the sealing ground where the earth god was sealed.
'It's very faint, but I can sense dragon energy from over there.'
He tried to approach the withered tree by going down into the basin.
But then.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Something began rising from beneath the basin.
'What's that?'
ROAR!
A horrifying roar rose from underground, as if refusing to allow the intruder's approach.
Zeke looked at the monstrous being enveloping the entire basin.
'A beast?'
Though he couldn't see its exact form through the dust cloud, he could tell that something massive existed underground with hostile intent.
But then.
THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!
The ground Zeke was standing on shook, and something burst out from below.
SCREECH!
Snake-like tentacles with sharp fangs burst from the ground and tried to wrap around Zeke's body.
Zeke stepped back while swinging his sword at the tentacles.
SWOOSH!
The tentacles' heads were cut off by his casual sword swing, and green viscous liquid spurted from the cut surfaces.
HISS!
As if it was acidic, smoke rose where the green liquid touched the ground.
Zeke recalled similar memories.
'It was like this when I fought the Swamp Master in Dorta and the Hydra.'
Perhaps a dragon species corrupted by demonic energy was guarding the earth god's seal.
Zeke gripped his sword and steadied his breathing.
'A chance to test my newly learned soul energy power.'
Zeke held his sword and called upon the river's will.
RUMBLE!
The river's will enveloped Zeke's body like bronze, protecting him.
Zeke gripped his sword and leaped toward the basin with the tree.
"Haah!"
Dozens of giant tentacles burst from the ground.
SCREECH!
The tentacles' fangs shattered upon contact with Zeke's body.
SCREECH!
While charging, Zeke unleashed holy light energy at the tentacles.
CRACKLE!
The tentacles writhed in pain as white lightning enveloped them, burning them to black ash.
Zeke glided down into the basin using the Dragon Wings skill.
Protected by the river's will, he moved toward the tree while unleashing holy light.
CRACKLE!
Lightning spread everywhere, burning all the emerging tentacles.
SCREECH!
The area filled with monster screams and scattered black ash.
As Zeke approached the withered tree at the basin's center:
RUMBLE!
Something underground slowly revealed itself.
Zeke pointed his sword at the emerging beast.
Then:
SCREECH!
A horrifying roar unlike any living creature burst from deep underground.
He couldn't help but be shocked at the beast's appearance.
'What is that?'
Its form was unbelievable for a being of this plane.
A massive flesh mass like a tower oozed viscous fluid, with centipede and spider-like legs beneath. Hundreds of eyes were buried in the flesh mass.
SLITHER!
Eyes buried in the flesh mass extended out on long tentacles like snakes.
Looking at this ominous, grotesque creature, Zeke gripped Bahamut and steadied his breathing.
'An special species or ancient beast perhaps.'
While considering how to strike this unsettling creature, it moved first.
SCREECH!
The flesh-like body surface bubbled, and formless duplicates began flowing out.
SCREECH!
The duplicates grew spider-like legs, with hideous eyeballs and sharp-toothed mouths but no fixed form.
SCREECH!
With chilling screams, the duplicates charged rapidly at Zeke.