As Thorian and his team followed Alacritas, they finally reached a part of the forest where the dirt had turned black. Enraged Rabarians and Thri-keens rushed at them, but their powers made these monsters no issue.
Delving deeper into the forest, Thorian and his company found the three chasms specified in the quest.
"Good luck to all of you," Thorian announced as he prepared to enter the largest one.
"This will be no trouble," Zogarth laughed. "We'll finish our work quickly before joining you."
With a nod, Thorian, Nox, and William walked into the largest chasm.
"This place certainly looks ominous," William commented, observing the walls around them. They were covered in a mixture of gore and blood, trapped within a silky substance.
"Keep your eyes wide open for any dark cracks or crevices," Thorian warned. "These spiders might be waiting to trap us."
Simultaneously, Thorian activated both his Elemental Sight and Predator’s Gaze. As he looked around, he could see dark green trails of mana all around them.
However, just as he noticed a suspicious clump of mana, Nox unsheathed his sword. "I will take care of this," he announced before rushing with blinding speed toward the source of danger.
In less than a second, he reached a dark crevice and struck it with his sword. A terrifying screech emanated as a large spider fell to the ground dead. However, it was not alone. A large swarm of spiders followed right after.
Nevertheless, using his shadow manipulation, Nox impaled the incoming spiders with his shadow tentacles. The monsters fell one after another to Nox's onslaught.
In less than twenty seconds, all the spiders lying in wait had been slain by Nox.
"Good work," Thorian approached Nox. "I didn't know you had a tracking spell."
"I got it alongside my weapon when I first woke up," Nox explained. "It's called Beastly Senses."
It must be similar to my Predator’s Gaze, Thorian mused. But instead of enhancing his sight, it enhanced his overall senses.
"Your skills are truly astonishing," William approached Nox with surprise in his eyes. "I didn't even sense that such disgusting creatures were hiding so close to us. I understand now why you told me to be so cautious."
"High-level tracking skills are paramount for such excursions," Thorian explained. "Without them, you wouldn’t even know what killed you."
"Is it possible to gain such abilities?" William asked curiously. "Even my assassins don't have access to them."
Thinking for a second, Thorian explained, "Certain class advancements, especially for assassins, provide access to them. Otherwise, the easiest way currently available is through dungeon rewards. Sometimes, they give very powerful skill scrolls that you could use."
William nodded in understanding. "I can't wait to clear these dungeons then; they will immensely bolster our strength."
Smiling at William's eagerness, Thorian turned to face the deeper parts of the chasm. "Nox, stay close to William. The spiders below must have noticed our presence, and they will most certainly try to ambush us with larger forces."
"I will," Nox nodded, grinning. "And don't worry, with me next to William, nothing will happen to him."
"Thank you," William smiled as Nox walked next to him. "Having the world’s strongest bodyguard by my side is truly heartening."
Hearing this, Nox chuckled, “World strongest bodyguard? Now that’s a title I would love to have.”
As they delved deeper, they faced more attacks from large spiders. However, with Thorian at the frontline, he easily incinerated them using his fire manipulation. He refrained from using his higher-level fire skills too early, as the smoke they produced would make breathing difficult. While both he and Nox would be fine due to their evolved bodies, William would struggle to maintain consciousness without proper air to breathe.
Finally, the group descended far enough to see the lowest level of the chasm. However, Thorian immediately noticed something strange. Using his elemental sight, he saw that the entire lower floor was filled with green mana.
"We have a problem," Thorian warned, looking back at his teammates. "Nox, take William back up a couple of levels." He then addressed William, "Once I activate my spell, do not breathe. The air will be filled with smoke, and you might faint."
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"I understand, but don't worry," William shook his head. "I can hold my breath for a very long time."
"Then start the moment Nox puts you down," Thorian nodded.
Following Thorian’s order, Nox ascended the chasm with William, ensuring his safety. Upon his return, Thorian peered down to the chamber below. With a flick of his wrist, he conjured a medium-sized fireball, illuminating the depths to reveal a horde of large spiders lying in wait, poised to attack upon their descent.
Tornado.
With the Elemental Scepter in hand, he summoned his spell, the stale air of the chasm transforming as winds gathered force, swirling into a formidable vortex. The multitude of spiders below, caught in the tempest's grip, were wrenched from their positions, their cries melding with the howl of the wind as they were tossed helplessly.
Fire Pillar.
At his command, flames engulfed the whirlwind, creating a blazing inferno that consumed the airborne spiders. The lethal dance of fire and wind left nothing but ashes in its wake.
"Finish off the rest," Thorian directed, his tone leaving no room for dissent.
Nox leaped into action with unparalleled speed, his form a blur as he traversed the chamber. Each movement was precise, each strike lethal, swiftly dispatching the remaining spiders that had either evaded the fiery tornado's wrath or suffered only minor injuries.
With the threat diminished, Nox rejoined Thorian, who then summoned torrents of greater water balls to douse the lingering flames. Manipulating the wind, he dispersed the smoke, cleansing the air of its acrid taint.
Feeling the atmosphere clear and breathable once more, Thorian turned to Nox with a nod of approval. "Bring back William; the threat has been neutralized." His words, firm yet calm, signaled the end of their ordeal, paving the way for their companion's safe return.
Hearing these words, Nox chuckled. "Honestly, every time I see your abilities, I am so surprised. You’re slowly becoming some sort of elemental god, able to change the weather at will."
After saying those words, Nox immediately disappeared, making his way toward William. Meanwhile, Thorian looked down in thought, pondering what Nox had said.
It seems that I got desensitized to the absurdity of the apocalypse after living through it for ten years. But it’s true that for anyone normal, who had just been introduced to it, these abilities are no different from the realms of the gods.
Yet, Thorian knew this was only a matter of relative perspective. To him, the gods stood at a much higher place. They were capable of destroying continents with a single spell. And even without mentioning such exalted beings, a fourth-tier advancement class wielder was strong enough to destroy a well-defended city on their own. As for the awakened, the transcendants, and the gods above them, their powers reached absurd levels.
As Nox brought back William, the latter looked around at the devastation left by Thorian’s spell. His face was a picture of complete shock as he stared at the hundreds of incinerated spider corpses lying all around the lower floor.
“Is this the power you used to defeat Nalia?” William asked Thorian. “When I saw those roaring flames, I thought you had summoned a portal from hell. I almost felt bad for these poor spiders.”
Hearing those words, Thorian chuckled. “If I could have defeated Nalia using only this amount of power, she would not have given me so much trouble. This was merely a combination of two first-advancement skills. My second-advancement ones are much more powerful.”
William’s jaw hanged slightly before he heartily laughed. Without saying another word, the party made their way down to the lower level, where they found a great cave opening. As they stepped inside, a notification appeared in front of Thorian.
Warning: You have entered a dangerous area. This is the lair of the field boss: Shadow Queen’s Royal Guard. Are you sure that you want to continue?
Of course, Thorian responded with a smile.
As they entered the lair, Thorian looked back at William. “We will be fighting the boss monster of this chasm. While I do not expect it to give the two of us much trouble, you should still stand at the back and focus only on defending yourself.”
“Please fight without worrying about me,” William responded. “While I may be weak, I still have quite a few skills in my arsenal. I will be able to defend myself.”
Nodding at William’s words, Thorian activated his Elemental Aegis spell, protecting William with a translucent ocean blue barrier. With these preparations completed, Thorian and Nox made their way deeper into the chamber.
As they reached the chamber's heart, an ear-splitting screech erupted from above. They glanced upward, only to behold a monstrous spider, its size rivaling that of the armored gilded spiketail, plummeting toward them. Its mandibles gaped wide, eager to devour Thorian.
Before the behemoth could land, the duo sprang into action, darting away with supernatural agility. Thorian put some distance between himself and the creature, while Nox flitted about it like an irritating insect. With each rapid movement, Nox unleashed slashes upon the spider’s vast body and its eight limbs, drawing spurts of green ichor at every hit.
In a fierce counter, the Royal Guard spat a barrage of white, silky webs. These weren't ordinary webs; they dissolved the ground and stones upon contact, revealing the deadly corrosive nature of the attack.
Raising its forelegs, the Royal Guard aimed a mana-infused blow at Nox, glowing with a sinister green hue. But Nox was ready; he parried the strike with his sword, now shrouded in a dark aura. Instantly, shadows surged from his form, coiling around the spider’s legs like dark tentacles, rendering them immobile.
Seizing the moment, Thorian summoned his Galeforce Spear, infusing it with the essence of a fire arrow. "Nox, move away!" he shouted.
With immediate understanding, Nox withdrew, clearing the path for Thorian's assault. The spear, now a fiery comet, soared through the chamber and plunged directly into the gaping maw of the giant spider.
BOOM!
With an intense flare, the whole chamber lit up, forcing Thorian to close his eyes momentarily. When he reopened them, fire engulfed the room, melting the spider’s corpse and the ground beneath it.
Congratulations, you have defeated the Shadow Queen’s Royal Guard