Chapter 154: I’ll Put This to Good Use
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 154: I’ll Put This to Good Use
“Young man, are you going to be alright?”
“Haha… Father.”
I hadn’t gone to Roanmarie just to loaf around. Originally, I only intended to obtain the Gargoyle’s wings, but I ended up unintentionally putting someone in my debt.
“I’ve been practicing hard in the meantime.”
I pressed the storage artifact—a ring on my left middle finger—against my chest. In an instant, my shirt was sucked into the ring, baring my back. I sprouted the Gargoyle’s wings and wrapped them around my body like a cocoon.
The large, black feathers served as an excellent screen. After storing all the clothes I was wearing underneath, I brought out the ‘combat body’ I had designed previously.
—Crackle!
“What?! That looks incredible!”
“Thank you for the compliment!”
It was Queen Arachne’s Exoskeleton Full-Body Armor, now a deep, obsidian black thanks to Tenebrax’s mana. Beside me, Father, who was busy fighting with his arms thrust into portals, hopped up and down with excitement at the sight of me.
The sword I’d used before was long and well-made, but it was ordinary steel; its weight and durability didn't quite satisfy me. Since I’d already covered my tail’s scales with Arachne’s exoskeleton, I had Cave Drake scales left over that I no longer needed.
It actually works.
Drake scales possessed the property of becoming stronger the more mana was condensed into them. They were resistant to magical attacks, and if I wished, I could pour more of my own mana into them to make them even harder.
I summoned the pitch-black scales and massed them into the shape of a greatsword. In this state, it might be weaker than Arachne’s exoskeleton, but…
—Shhh…
“That’s…!”
“Is that an Aura Blade?! Magnificent!”
Though it was only for a short time, I had grasped the sensation of infusing mana into a blade while using the Haunted Centurion Armor’s mana core. I couldn't replicate that sublime swordsmanship, but I remembered exactly how to do this much.
With this, I could effectively supply mana to the Drake scales even after they were detached from my body. As long as the Aura Blade was active, the sword’s hardness surpassed even Queen Arachne’s exoskeleton.
—Boom!!
The fact that I could adjust the sword’s length and shape at will was a definite advantage. My shield was the full Rare Metal shield—the Dwarf uncle’s early masterwork. Its sheer, monstrous weight made it a lethal weapon just by swinging it.
—Crunch!
With my wings spread, I swung the massive sword, instantly obliterating the skeleton soldiers and ghouls reinforced by the Lich’s mana. A path was cleared through their ranks in the blink of an eye.
The Skeleton Mages were focusing their Fireballs on me, but…
There’s no way I’m getting hit at this speed.
The Umbra Valkyrie’s vision showed me the optimal path, and Queen Arachne’s Future Sight predicted the enemies' movements.
I confirmed the gathering of mana through the Direwolf Alpha’s vision, and the Evil Eye’s pupils paralyzed the targets right on cue.
Crash—!!
The skeleton unit fell into utter chaos. A few Evil Eyes tried to fire their eye beams at me.
—Vroom!!!
But I was currently reinforced by a Dragon Heart and a Stratum Boss’s mana core. There was no reason for me to lose in a contest of raw power.
A dark violet beam swept across the walls, triggering a massive explosion. The resulting aftershock distorted the trajectory of the Evil Eyes' beams, and I quickly flared my wings to close the distance.
—Crunch!
“The more beams, the merrier.”
The Evil Eye’s paralysis attack was an excellent deterrent, but it had the weakness of only being usable on one target at a time since it was gaze-based.
Of course, that was a problem easily solved by having more eyes.
—Skritch.
I briefly retracted the exoskeleton covering my palm and connected the Evil Eye I had just consumed. Since the physical distance was too great, I couldn't quite link it to my brain and optic nerves, but simply flowing mana into it was enough.
—Whirrr!
“Excellent.”
“Amazing!! You’re doing great, just great!!!”
In the distance, Father was hopping around with a delighted face. His companions looked impressed or shocked, but they were veterans for a reason. Their combat prowess was exceptional.
“Head down to the lowest floor first! You can make it while dodging, right?!”
“Yes! Understood!”
Even if the enemies were reinforced, these weren't people who would be endangered by mere skeletons. They only needed to defend against the occasional slow Fireball or an Evil Eye’s attack.
It would be a shame if a stray attack damaged my wings. They were a fragile organ, and I didn't have any spares yet. Instead, I had this.
—Crack.
I deployed the long Arachne legs to lift myself off the ground. Keeping my distance from the floor swarming with skeletons, I broke through the area at high speed. At the crossroads, I used the ultrasonic waves of the Labyrinth Bat I’d consumed earlier to find the path efficiently.
“Aaaah!! H-Help me—!!!”
“What’s happening?! Why are there suddenly so many skeletons?!”
I occasionally saw people who had been caught up in the chaos while on the 2nd Stratum. Since it didn't take much effort, I used my tail to sweep away the skeletons and ghouls, which kept the area quiet for a while. The only problem was…
“Sh-Shit…!! It’s a monster!!!”
“Mother…! I’m coming to join you now…!!”
“Urgh!! To think I’d die on the 2nd Stratum!!”
The sight of a horned freak in black armor with spider legs sprouting from his back, obliterating skeletons with a non-human tail and firing beams, tended to cause some misunderstandings.
That hurts my feelings.
It was disheartening that no one thanked me for the help. I had recreated my vocal cords to answer Father, but I’d removed them again as they were unnecessary for combat, so I couldn't even speak. Regardless, getting to the lowest floor as quickly as possible was the priority.
:: O you who are bound to flesh destined to rot…! Answer my call—!!! ::
The Lich’s voice…! Where is it?!
Because I was using a high-grade mana core and a Dragon Heart, I could roughly sense where the mana fluctuations of the Lich’s voice were coming from.
Below. But it’s still far.
It seemed to be at a similar horizontal coordinate, but there was a significant difference in elevation. Mr. Bontes had just demonstrated an easy way to get to the lower floors.
—Whirrr…
I focused my mind and channeled mana, causing a flickering, dark violet blade aura to envelop the obsidian greatsword in my right hand.
Slice—!
I swung the sword in a cross shape toward the floor. After a brief flash, the stone ground was carved away, allowing me to drop to the floor below instantly.
—Rumble…!!
The 2nd Stratum’s labyrinthine structure collapsed through several layers, causing a massive tremor. Most people on the 20th Floor probably sensed the anomaly. Fortunately, no other explorers were caught in the aftermath of the labyrinth’s destruction.
Instead, countless skeleton soldiers, several Minotaurs, and three or four Evil Eyes were crushed by the stones, entering their graves the moment they died.
It was a vast cavern. Geographically, this room was even lower than the portal leading to the next floor. The ceiling was much higher than a typical clearing, and because of a mist-like substance, it was difficult to gauge its true width.
I switched between the various eyes I possessed, detecting the surrounding mana.
There it is.
To my front-left diagonal from where I landed, I spotted a gloomy, green mana in my vision.
“So you’re the Lich.”
It seemed we could communicate, so I figured I should at least try to have a conversation. I intentionally formed vocal organs to speak, and the Lich emerged from the darkness.
:: You are fearless. To dare interfere with the shackles of the dead. ::
It was much larger than the average skeleton. It stood nearly four meters tall, draped in tattered black robes embroidered with luxurious gold, with a hood pulled over its head. Green flames flickered in its eyes, and in its right hand… it held what appeared to be a staff.
It was a custom staff made to its specific tastes. Seeing as it was fashioned from a collection of human bones, this guy wasn't sane either.
“What the hell are you talking about? That Ponzi scheme you mentioned before? The one where you claim you’ll turn them back into living people if they collect enough flesh?”
:: How utterly foolish…! All these warriors entered my contract of their own volition…!! ::
“You’re full of shit. I saw you’d placed some kind of brainwashing on them. You’re even trying to dodge the point. It’s impossible, isn't it?”
The moment I’d consumed and used the Skeleton Mage’s arm bone before, the Lich’s voice had echoed in my brain as if invading it. It had made the Lich’s orders feel like something I truly wanted.
:: Ignorant wretch, my power is infinite. If only flesh is gathered, I can even achieve the resurrection of the dead. ::
“Is that true? That sounds a bit tempting.”
:: According to their talents in life, I merely granted them the power to move their bodies even in death…! ::
“So mages become Mages?”
Judging by the difference in numbers between Mages and common soldiers, it seemed mages were indeed the nobility even in death.
“Anyway, I don't need any of that. So… are you actually strong?”
:: I wield power on a different dimension from you who live for but a fleeting moment. For I, a Lich who lives for eternity…! ::
“But aren't you being too stingy? Making such a fuss just because I stole one little spell.”
:: Enough of this pathetic wordplay, mortal. Since you have stepped into the contract of the dead, answer with your death…!! ::
A viscous, deep green mana began to flicker around the Lich’s custom staff. As flames ignited in the hollow, empty eye sockets of the skull mounted on its tip, massive fireballs began to pour out.
—Rumble…!!
The giant green fireballs soared high before falling like meteors. Each one had decent power and impressive visual effects. I suppose one doesn't become a Stratum Boss for nothing.
Compared to the Red Ogre Warchief… this one is slightly better.
Every time I dodged the incoming fireballs, the attacks that slammed uselessly into the ground exploded with a loud bang, accompanied by strange sounds.
—Screeeech!!
—Gwaaaah…!!!
It sounded like necro-type monsters screaming as they died. After the fireballs exploded, green scorched marks were left on the ground, which soon began to bubble, spewing out skeleton soldiers and ghouls.
Wow, the 2nd Stratum boss of a Great Labyrinth really is something.
:: You pathetic gnat…! The games are over—!! ::
Green flames poured from its left hand, which wasn't holding the staff. It wasn't fast enough to catch up to my dodging speed, and rather than a beam like the Evil Eye’s, it felt more like a continuous stream of fire.
Just as I’d heard from Ravi, it summoned several Evil Eyes to use as familiars, and occasionally, some high-ranking Elite Skeletons appeared. The Lich’s attacks destroyed everything regardless of ally or foe, so nearly half of them were being killed by the Lich’s own spells.
“Alright, that’s enough.”
:: Are you prepared to accept death…! ::
I can't tell what a magic spell is like immediately after eating it. I figured I should see how it’s used before I devour him.
“Thanks, Lich. If you ever come back to life, make sure to greet your seniors properly.”
:: Such pathetic provocation…!!! ::
—Whirrr…
The Lich gripped its staff with both hands. A massive amount of mana, greater than anything it had shown before, gathered in one spot as it prepared a powerful attack.
:: Living flesh shall eventually turn to ash and vanish—!!! ::
“Is it because you’re just a pile of bones? You’ve got quite the inferiority complex regarding flesh…!”
I also prepared to meet its attack. I gathered all the mana stored in my horns and channeled it into my blade aura.
—Shhh…!
Soon, a massive mass of phantasms surged toward me.
It was a malevolent attack formed from the condensed screams of dead creatures.
The moment the gloomy green mana and the deep dark-violet mana clashed.
“Urgh…!”
It was definitely stronger than the Red Ogre Warchief. It could be considered on par with the Haunted Centurion Armor.
However, in terms of mana, I was far superior.
—Crack…!!
Cracks began to form in the forcibly massed clump of phantasms. Through the fissures, the sound of agonized screams leaked out, feeling as if they were scrambling my brain.
It was a type of brainwashing or mental destruction. I quickly deleted my auditory organs from my body and split the enemy’s attack in half with a powerful swing of my sword.
:: — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — ::
It’s a shame I can't hear him since I don't have ears.
Even though he was just a bag of bones, his panic was plain to see.
With a flap of my large wings, the distance was closed in an instant.
The moment my sword split his skull in two.
:: How…! You…!! You are—!!!! ::
—Slice.
:: The Emperor of Sinew… ::
I devoured the Lich before its body could dissipate, confirming that its mana core was now in my hand.
“I think he said something just now.”
Regardless.
“I’ll put your mana core to good use.”
I had acquired a useful trophy.