Chapter 55
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Endless Malice
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Subduing the naked Stonefolk and dressing him wasn't all that difficult.
The difficulty had ramped up as we skipped floors, but we had the numbers advantage.
Lulu and Arin, who treated the tower's lower floors like a casual stroll—were they seriously supposed to struggle against something like this?
With excellent negotiation tactics (overwhelming force), we swiftly convinced (restrained) the guy and got some clothes on him.
"Clothes...! Covering my perfect body with these rags! Inflicting such a grave insult on me... means you're about to do something utterly unforgivable from here on out!"
Well... after we dressed him, he started yammering on about the humiliation.
But for now, this was the best option.
And that was because this Stonefolk bastard...
Splash-!
"Prugururuk-!!!"
(What wicked plans do you have for me, wetting me like this!)
"Daddy... the water can't figure it out..."
Whoosh-!
"Heating me up like this—what wicked plans do you have!!"
"Daddy-nyang... the fire says it doesn't know either-nyang..."
Clang-! Clang-clang-!!!
"Clothes...?!! Stimulating me with an axe—what wicked plans do you have!!!"
'Lavris' shakes her head, noting that her blade is just dulling without inflicting proper damage.
"What the hell is this thing made of? So damn tough?"
...Is it because the guy's literally made of stone?
We could overpower him with our strength, but he was way tougher than expected, making it impossible to take him down.
This was our first real roadblock—not the usual instant clears with brute force we'd grown used to on climbs.
'Lavris' says it looks like we need a method beyond physical force.
"Yeah, probably."
This didn't seem like a floor we could brute-force. More like one with some rule or condition.
'Come to think of it, wasn't this guy's name something like "The Smallest but Toughest Fragment of the Giant Stone"?'
Up until now, no monster had survived a single hit from us, so I hadn't bothered much with names.
But this time, I'd use it as a clue to figure out how to take him down.
As I racked my brain for a way to beat the bastard...
Lulu, frustrated that her attacks weren't landing, approached the Stonefolk and demanded,
"Answer me-nyang! How do we take down rock-nyang?!"
"You want to defeat this body?"
"Yeah, I wanna burn you to ashes-nyang!"
"Nu-hu-hut... Fine spirit. Very well! I'll tell you!"
The guy smirked faintly at Lulu's words, then began explaining how to defeat him.
"You must prove whether you're raw gems destined to become heroes or just another pebble to be embedded in the ceiling above! Succeed, and this body will crumble to dust, granting you rewards befitting heroes!"
And right as he finished speaking...
A new objective has been added.
Objective: Pass the Giant Stone's Trial and prove you're a raw gem destined to become a hero.
⏰ Success: Acquire the Giant Stone's gift for raw hero gems.
🎁 Failure: Deemed mere pebbles and embedded in the ceiling.
"...A new objective?"
Whoa... this was a first.
#####
My surprise at the new objective was short-lived.
I asked Lavris, who seemed to know something, but...
'Lavris' says her restrictions prevent detailed explanations, but in short, it's a floor tied to a specific transcendent being approved by the tower.
That damn restriction held her back again, so no real details.
'Always that restriction, restriction... Fine, maybe I should whip up a restriction-removal elixir.'
'Lavris' sweats bullets but insists it's not a bad situation—clearing this floor will definitely yield great rewards.
Anyway.
Enough nagging Lavris for now.
I approached the tied-up Stonefolk to focus on the new objective.
"How do we prove the Giant Stone's trial?"
"Nu-hu-hut... Simple! Clash your talents against me, and I'll feel them with my body, then score you accordingly!"
"Clash my talents...?"
"In other words, hit me with your absolute best attack! Then I can judge if you're hero material and score you!"
...What the hell is this guy on about?
He'd just endured water-and-fire torture from Lulu and Arin without flinching.
Then took full-force axe swings like it was nothing.
Now he's telling us to go all-out? Which beat should we dance to?
'Maybe damage below a threshold doesn't count as an attack?'
If so, should I go for my max-output nuke, the "All-Out Qi Explosion," willing to wreck myself in the process? As I pondered...
[Daddy! I have something I'd like to try!]
Tabula, who'd been quiet, spoke up.
"Something to try?"
[Yes! Analyzing the Stonefolk's words, I've deduced Daddy's true best attack!]
"You mean the All-Out Qi Explosion?"
[No. That's Daddy's **highest-damage attack**. But it's not the **best attack** leveraging Daddy's talents as the Stonefolk described!]
An attack that best utilizes my talents?
No clue what that meant, but I let Tabula handle it.
[Tabula will prepare the best attack to take down the Stonefolk!]
Synthesis skill activated. Selecting optimal recipe...
Confirming materials needed for synthesis. Purchasing shortages from auction house...
Probability correction initiated. Synthesizing 'Misfortune Potion'...
Synthesizing 'Amplifier' for amplified penalty boost...
Preparation complete. Attempting 'Universal Recovery Potion' synthesis...
Added effect (penalty) applied successfully...
Verifying completed potion...
Side effect probability: 100%...
[Daddy! Tabula finished the potion!]
[Here's a concise summary of the completed potion's info!]
[What do you think, Daddy?]
[I even tweaked the name to fit—do you like it?]
...Like it or not...
'I can feel the endless malice bent on killing the target no matter what... it's kinda scary...'
'Tabula, you weren't like this before! Please go back to the old you!'
...was all I could think.
But I didn't voice it.
Because...
[...Do you not like the effects?]
[If you want, Tabula can try even harsher penalties!]
Her tone dropped for a split second, sending chills down my spine.
My alchemist instincts screamed: Don't let her add more malice.
Do that, and I might get corrupted into something terrifyingly different.
'...Lavris. Was Tabula always like this?'
'Lavris' says it might be natural—consider the original being whose fragment became the transcendent shard.
'The original being of the transcendent shard...?'
Come to think of it, the vanished transcendent's true name was the ominous "Aggregate of Impurities."
If Tabula's influenced by materials like when I brew potions, and now by the upgraded shard...
'...Isn't this a bit dangerous?'
'Lavris' says as long as that malice isn't aimed at you, it's no big deal—the Stonefolk who has to drink it is the pitiful one.
'Well... true.'
Anyway.
As Lavris said, the malice wasn't targeted at me right now.
So I'd just have to handle Tabula carefully, avoiding any lines not to cross.
For now...
"Incredible, Tabula! No potion could be more perfect. Let's feed it to the Stonefolk right away!"
[Really? Tabula's so happy you say that!]
I stuffed her full of "praise carrots" to smoothly defuse the moment.
'Lavris' sighs, noting there isn't a single normal being around her master.
'I'm not either, so shut it?'
And if we're splitting hairs, you're not normal either.