Chapter 291: Out of the Blue
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 291: Out of the Blue
“Finally, I can breathe again.”
Since the teleportation coordinates had been set to the 60th floor, a biting chill had assaulted them the moment they used the artifact. Thanks to that, Iris’s activity level had plummeted to about half of what it usually was.
“She won’t even open her eyes now.”
“It’s cold.”
“We already passed through the cold area, though.”
“It’s still cold.”
The surroundings weren't as chaotic as I’d expected. Perhaps because the '7th Stratum' sounded so high up, I had imagined a perilous environment where you’d die just by breathing.
“It wasn't night on the surface, but it’s night here.”
“It’s night, so I’m sleepy.”
“This vampire is useless.”
Come to think of it, aren't vampires supposed to sleep during the day and be active at night? What was the deal with this one? Well, since sunlight wasn't her weakness, I suppose she didn't strictly need to be a night owl.
Regardless, the area felt like a quiet forest. The hooting of owls and the chirping of grass insects drifted through the air in a gentle rhythm. It felt even more peaceful than a night in the 1st Stratum’s forest.
“What kind of things show up here?”
“There are many kinds. But if you’re asking about the majority, it’s the Spirit Species.”
“Spirit Species? That’s a first.”
“There’s one at the inn.”
“At the inn? Sera does seem like a spirit... Ah, are you talking about Sola?”
Iris, who had been lying down with her lips pouted, suddenly bolted upright. Was she sulking because I praised Sera?
“But what exactly are Spirit Species? Are they different from Necro Species?”
As far as I knew, I couldn't really tell the difference, other than the fact that both were complete spirit-body monsters. If you put an Instagram filter on a Necro Species, they’d probably look just like a Spirit Species.
“If you’re born as a spirit, you’re a Spirit Species. If you’re born with a body and then become a spirit, you’re a Necro Species.”
“So that’s how it works.”
If the beginning is a spirit, it’s a Spirit Species. But those who were born with flesh and became spirits after death are called Necro Species. So, in the end, the only difference was their origin. Wisp-types like Sola belonged to the Spirit Species. A Lich, naturally, was a Necro Species.
“So, who’s the boss here? Since you said Spirit Species are the majority... is it something like a Spirit King?”
“That would be one of the Demon King’s Legion Commanders.”
“Ah. That Demon King really gets around, doesn't he?”
It seemed like he had the Monarch-class entities of every single race serving as his Legion Commanders. He must have been incredibly powerful. Still, the word 'spirit' gave off a somewhat friendly vibe.
Wisps might harm people by conjuring Ents, but from what I’d heard, they usually had a reason for it. Compared to a Direwolf that goes on a rampage just because it’s hungry and wants to eat you, Wisps were much more gentlemanly.
And when you think of High Spirits, you imagine something like a beautiful female form or a majestic animal.
“I can detect life forms nearby, but they keep appearing and disappearing.”
“Because they’re Spirit Species.”
“They’re mysterious, aren't they?”
When I scanned the wide surroundings through Horus’s miraculous vision, I could indeed see the forms of those Spirit Species. However, they all seemed to be made of translucent mist, and surprisingly, their shapes were similar to the monsters of the 1st Stratum.
Deer, wolves, even owls... wait, is that a Kobold?
They weren't exactly the same, but there were plenty of monsters with a similar feel. And above all, as if they could sense they were being watched, they vanished the moment they were spotted.
“Let’s move forward for now.”
“Okay.”
When I channeled mana into the Orichalcum-grade Explorer’s Plate hanging around my neck, it gave a clinking sound and pulled taut in one direction before dropping back onto my chest.
“Looks like there’s a portal that way.”
* * *
“How is your body?”
“Fine, of course. I used my skill, so I’m back to exactly how I was before.”
The highest-grade treatment room of the Guild Headquarters, located in the capital, Veritas. A week had passed, and Adelaide Margarita, whose usage limit on Prime Legacy had finally reset, had restored her heavily injured body to its original state.
“Sir Margarita, you still have about a week of leave left. You should rest a bit more...”
“I shall do so.”
“Ah, then... Oh? Ah, I see. Understood. Then I shall take my leave...”
Adelaide, lying on the spacious bed, had perfectly healed her body using her skill, but for some reason, she felt drained of energy and lacked the strength to get up.
“Sigh.”
Being an Orichalcum-grade explorer didn't mean everyone had similar combat power. In the lower grades, the range between the top and bottom was narrow, so those in the same grade usually possessed somewhat comparable strength.
But for Orichalcum-grade explorers, who had no higher rank to climb to, the grade was merely a collection of the few 'unmeasurable' or 'out-of-spec' individuals on the surface. They were not equals in combat power.
“Incredible. I was completely overwhelmed.”
Even so, it was unheard of for one Orichalcum-grade explorer to utterly overwhelm another. They were beings who had reached the absolute limit of human potential; who would have thought they could be so thoroughly dominated?
During the week-long cooldown of Prime Legacy, Adelaide Margarita had vividly experienced the aftereffects of that battle. It was an amount of impact that would have killed an ordinary human a hundred times over.
A toxicity so lethal that even most monsters would find it hard to detoxify. While Prime Legacy was a skill that restored residual mana, muscle tension, and mental fatigue to their peak states, it wasn't a miracle skill that could bring back lost motivation.
Slowly...
Adelaide raised a hand to touch her neck, closing her eyes as she recalled the memory of that day.
To subdue an Orichalcum-grade explorer simply by choking them. It wasn't that she couldn't have escaped, but it was a quite novel experience.
Despite her long life, she couldn't easily recall anyone among the successive generations of Orichalcum-grade explorers who had shown such a display of power.
“That couldn't be it.”
Who is the strongest being on the surface? This primal question, which naturally piques human curiosity, had been a favorite topic for a long time.
Surprisingly, Orichalcum-grade explorers didn't easily top the list in response to that question. This was because there were other 'out-of-spec' entities on this earth who were not explorers.
Adelaide, who had personally witnessed one of them in combat, felt a slight furrow in her brow as she compared the memory of that person with Yoo Eon, who had overwhelmed her.
What kind of defeat would Aven suffer?
Imagination is a wonderful canvas for painting what doesn't exist, but one cannot create something from absolutely nothing.
What form would Yoo Eon’s defeat even take? Adelaide, trying to find a small shred of comfort in the thought, let out a deep sigh and stopped thinking about it.
Creeeak...
An unscheduled visitor entered the highest-grade treatment room on the top floor of the Guild Headquarters, a place few could easily approach.
“Speak of the devil.”
“Hmm? What does that mean?”
“It means you appear when spoken of. Though I didn't actually say it out loud.”
“Heh, so you were thinking about me?”
“I was.”
The visitor chuckled softly at the brief exchange and approached Adelaide.
“How’s the body?”
“It’s fine. I have my skill.”
“I figured as much.”
Flump...
The visitor sat on the edge of the wide bed and smiled brightly while looking at Adelaide’s face.
“I came because I was curious. I wondered who on earth could leave an Orichalcum Grade in this state.”
“If you’ve come to mock me, please have mercy.”
“No, I’m serious. I was worried about you, too.”
Adelaide slowly tried to sit up and lean against the headboard, but the visitor stopped her.
“Stay lying down. It’s fine.”
“Then I won't refuse.”
“How bold. You’ve lost your charm.”
“I’m well past the age of being charming.”
“I suppose so. The Adel in my memory was so young.”
Memories of a childhood she herself couldn't properly remember. Adelaide tried to recall those days for a moment but gave up. It was obvious she wouldn't remember anyway.
“You have a much younger disciple now, so be satisfied with that.”
“He’s so cute that it’s almost hard to tease him.”
“Pfft... So, what is your business?”
Adelaide brushed aside the visitor’s idle chatter and got to the point. The visitor didn't hesitate to state their purpose.
“Hollow Breeze. Can you go?”
“...I can.”
“Do you want to say you can’t?”
“Why is that?”
Adelaide tilted her head slightly at the visitor’s response.
“This upcoming Hollow Breeze. I just have a strange feeling about it.”
“A strange feeling...?”
“I feel like someone is going to die.”
“Are you saying that someone will be me?”
Even though Adelaide had been overwhelmed by Yoo Eon, it didn't mean she was weak. In fact, among the six Orichalcum-grade explorers excluding Yoo Eon, her combat stats placed her in the middle tier.
“The timing is bad.”
“In what sense?”
“You lost, didn't you? In this last battle.”
“...Yes. I did.”
“There will be aftereffects. Even if it’s only a slight margin, that error could kill you.”
“Didn't you also say that Prime Legacy’s healing ability is perfect?”
“It is, but... this is a bit different.”
The visitor spoke while looking toward Adelaide’s chest.
“Because you’ve learned what fear is. That won't do.”
* * *
“Iris. I have a question.”
“Yeah?”
“Why do you like me?”
“....”
When there was no answer for several minutes after the question, I looked at Iris’s face. Her expression was completely unreadable.
“I-I don’t like you.”
“You’re stuttering. What’s with this person?”
When I stepped closer to see what was going on, Iris flinched and started backing away.
“What? Why are you acting like this?”
“Stay away.”
“What is it all of a sudden?”
On the 62nd floor of the Labyrinth, an abrupt chase began.