Chapter 139
Chapter 139
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: Warning (3)
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“…….”
Miya, who had come outside, turned to look at Demian. Her large eyes were filled with resentment.
“Why are you like that?”
“Kyaang! Kyaaang! Kyaang!”
Miya pointed at the bag and vented her anger. She seemed thoroughly pissed off from being stuffed in the bag all this time.
“People are watching. I couldn’t let you out.”
Unlike her human-like appearance, Miya was a flesh golem—an undead.
As a masterpiece created by Corpse Play, Miya harbored extremely pure dark magic power. Even ordinary people could sense it if they got too close.
“Kyaang!”
Even after hearing Demian’s explanation, Miya didn’t seem convinced at all.
Ziiing!
At that moment, Dawn at his waist let out a hum.
“Kya?”
Ziiing.
“Kyaang! Kyaaang!”
Ziiing! Ziiing!
Every time Dawn emitted its sword cry, Miya got angry.
Demian wore an incredulous expression. How on earth were they communicating?
“Stop chattering and deal with those things.”
Demian grabbed Miya’s shoulder and turned her around. He pointed at the three ancient golems.
“They’re not undead, but you can fight them, right?”
“Kyaang!”
Miya nodded with a confident look and charged toward the ancient golems.
She dashed out lightly like a cat and swung her fist at the ancient golem.
“Kyaang!”
Her cute little fist smashed into the ancient golem’s head. The head exploded, and the ancient golem crumpled into a gooey heap.
The remaining two ancient golems swung their weapons at Miya. Two blades aimed to slice her neck.
At that instant, Miya raised her forearm. Her seemingly fragile arm suddenly grew enormous.
Miya had the ability to mimic the body and powers of monsters by absorbing their blood.
Previously, after absorbing troll blood, she had been able to transform her arm into that of a troll.
The blades slashed across the troll forearm. Thanks to the thick muscles, they couldn’t cut down to the bone.
Miya hammered her fists down on the ancient golems. Their bodies shattered and crumbled.
‘She’s gotten stronger than before.’
She was a masterpiece crafted by the infamous black mage Corpse Play.
Her special ability to manifest monster powers was impressive, but her base physical output was incredibly high—surpassing mid-class levels.
Her only flaw was a lack of experience, which left many openings.
That’s why, when Demian had pulled her out in Yulan’s annex, she had been cornered fighting the guard flesh golem.
‘She fixed most of her openings after just that one fight.’
It was astonishing learning ability. She had greatly overcome her weaknesses from a single battle.
“Kyaang!”
Miya approached Demian. Her forearm bore a long gash from blocking the ancient golem’s attack.
The wound began regenerating immediately. The torn muscles knit back together, and the skin returned to normal.
Super-regeneration was one of Miya’s special abilities.
“Excellent job.”
“Kyaang!”
Miya beamed with joy at Demian’s praise. Then he held out an item to her.
“Now take this and follow me.”
Miya gave him a look that said, What’s this?
“It’s a yoke. Useful for carrying heavy loads.”
“……Kya?”
Miya stared at him as if to ask why he was giving it to her.
“We have a lot to carry from here. I can’t shoulder it myself.”
“Kya…….”
Miya looked reluctant.
“Don’t want to? Well, can’t be helped then.”
Demian set the yoke down and pulled a travel bag from his subspace.
The moment she saw the bag, Miya’s face stiffened.
“Kyaang! Kyaang!”
Miya hurriedly slung the yoke over her shoulders. She took the lead as if urging him to hurry.
“Kyaang!”
* * *
Demian headed deeper into the sixth floor with Miya.
Even though it was nearly the final level of the ruins, the sixth floor seemed barren. All the rooms were empty.
It looked like others wouldn’t find anything worthwhile even if they reached here.
‘At least on the surface.’
Demian entered an empty room and channeled mana into the ancient script carved on the wall.
The entire room vibrated faintly, then the floor and walls split open, revealing desks and strange devices.
He had seen this before in his previous life while exploring ruins with Dorgo. The ancients hid rooms in such bizarre ways.
‘No idea why they went to such lengths.’
Demian examined the papers on the desk.
‘Semi-permanent light source…… So it’s an artifact that generates light.’
Demian picked up the fist-sized orb next to the desk.
When he infused it with mana, it emitted light. Quite bright light.
‘Mages would love this.’
Demian handed the artifact to Miya and moved to another room.
“New material alloy? It returns to its original shape even after deformation? Looks useful.”
“An artifact that stimulates muscles to make them grow automatically…… Suspicious, but I’ll take it anyway.”
“A bracelet that deploys a force field…… This seems pretty practical.”
After that, Demian visited lab after lab, collecting artifacts.
“Kyaaang…….”
Miya, following behind, let out a tired sound.
The yoke on her shoulders was now piled high with items.
“Don’t whine. With your strength, this should be easy.”
“Kya…….”
With that, he entered yet another lab.
Unlike the others, this one didn’t require activating the wall mechanism.
“Looks like a place where they conducted experiments.”
Several glass flasks sat on the wide desk. Inside them were only scorch marks from something burned black.
Not all the flasks were like that.
One held a red liquid. It was so vivid it seemed freshly poured.
“What’s this?”
Demian picked up some papers in the lab and checked them.
“An experiment analyzing familiar abilities through their blood?”
The beakers had probably contained blood from familiars.
But too much time had passed, and they had all dried up.
“Then why is this one fine?”
Demian lifted the remaining flask and examined it. Wiping the surface with his finger revealed ancient script.
“Phoenix?”
As far as Demian knew, phoenixes were familiars that had gone extinct long ago.
No one had ever sighted one; they survived only in historical records and artifacts containing phoenix feathers, barely confirming their existence.
“Guess that’s why it’s preserved in these ruins.”
As Demian inspected the flask with fascination, Miya’s eyes sparkled.
“Kyaang!”
“You want this? It’s old—might kill you if you drink it.”
“Kyaang! Kyaang!”
Miya insisted it didn’t matter. Demian pondered briefly before handing it over.
“Well, technically it’s already from a dead one. Won’t die twice.”
Miya uncorked the flask and downed it in one gulp. She looked deeply satisfied.
“Now that I gave you that, work hard.”
“Kya?”
Miya’s face soured at that.
“Let’s go. Still more places to check.”
Miya drooped again and trailed weakly after Demian. As they exited the lab—
Someone stood at the entrance.
A luxurious black suit. A somber bowler hat. A wooden cane with a glossy sheen.
He looked like a noble who had slipped away from a party.
But despite the noble appearance, an intense malice emanated from the man.
“Strange.”
The man spoke. His bowler hat was pulled low, hiding his face.
“For a human to reach this deep. I made sure to warn them thoroughly not to.”
The man lifted his bowler hat slightly with his cane.
Pale skin and slicked-back hair with pomade came into view.
‘Found you.’
Gasdal the Selector.
The target he had been searching for stood right before him.
* * *
Gasdal the Selector.
In his previous life, the man who had racked up great achievements as Dorgo’s confidant.
As Demian had predicted, Dorgo was hiding in the depths of the ruins.
Was it because he had finally found him?
He was glad. So glad it was driving him mad. Mad enough to want to jam a knife into that skinny neck right now.
“I have a question for you.”
Gasdal pointed behind Demian.
“How did you activate the ruin mechanisms? Can you read ancient script?”
Only Dorgo and Demian knew about the ancient script. It was natural for Gasdal to be surprised.
“Why so quiet? Afraid of me? Don’t worry. Answer well, and I’ll let you live.”
Demian didn’t believe him. He knew how little black mages valued promises.
“Grrrrr!”
Miya bristled all over, glaring at Gasdal.
Though created by Corpse Play, Miya was a flesh golem infused with hatred for black mages.
“Hold back. He’s beyond you.”
Demian said in a low voice.
Corpse Play, Miya’s creator, had been a high black mage. Gasdal, however, had reached grand black mage status.
If high black mages rivaled mid-class, grand black mages rivaled master-class.
They were on different levels.
“Flesh golem?”
Gasdal identified Miya at a glance.
“A well-made one. Doesn’t seem like a black mage’s work, though. How are you controlling a flesh golem…….”
“Gasdal.”
Abruptly, Demian spoke.
Hearing his name, Gasdal’s eyes widened slightly.
“How do you know my name? Not many know my face.”
“Thanks for showing up right in front of me.”
Demian drew Dawn. The blade gleamed coldly.
Seeing it, Gasdal sneered.
“So you’re a hunter after my head. That explains how you recognized me.”
Gasdal struck the ground with his cane.
The shadow at his feet spread wide. Skeletons began crawling out from within.
Not just one or two. Dozens, maybe hundreds.
In an instant, the entire sixth floor filled with a skeleton legion.
“I don’t run from fights that come to me.”
Gasdal struck the ground once more with his cane.
The bone legion howled monstrously and charged.