The water reaches my throat. I'm starting to feel the cold, while Sylviette doesn't bat an eyelid even though her stats are decreasing. Now and then I check with [Scan] to make sure they don't drop close to zero.
The roof is seething with crystals that bloom among the corals. The roof sags and goes underwater. From this point, there is no turning back.
I don't like water. It makes me anxious. Scares.
I think back to the story of that diver who died due to underground currents. Lost in the darkness and solitude of those tunnels that led to an immense ocean.
“Sylv…” My teeth are chattering and my extremities are numb.
“We must advance.”
“What if it's a trap?”
Sylviette dives up to her mouth and watches the corals bloom. They have typical shapes that they reproduce, halfway between butterflies and flowers. Greens, blues, and violets. A few flashes of orange and yellow, where the concentration of mass is greater, evoke a confusing glass window and hurt the eyes.
Sylviette has completely immersed herself and I feel compelled to follow her. Forced and scared.
I take a breath of air and immerse myself completely.
The underwater coral is luminescent and I can see Sylviette swimming. All the moaning has disappeared and my ears are blocked.
Problem!
Huge problem!!
I cannot swim!!!
I try to imitate the movements of my arms and legs, I feel my body clumsy and Sylviette pulls me away in a few strokes.
“…!” I try to scream the name, but no sound comes out.
[Dungeon path]
[Dungeon path]
Using the [skills] I keep up with Sylviette.
[Shadow wall] and I notice that I move more easily on the encrusted surface.
Let's continue like this for some time. On walls with [Shadow wall], I don't need air and I can hold the longest apnea of my life.
The side streets are wasted and lead only to dark depths. The currents are sudden and, on several occasions, Sylviette finds herself sucked away or thrown against the walls.
Luckily nothing unsolvable thanks to the combination of [Dungeon path] to reach her and [Shadow wall] to take her with me to safety.
The tunnels are dangerous and if it weren't for the trail of error corals, I would doubt the [Devil]'s path. It wouldn't be at all absurd that it was sucked into some infinite hole.
We emerge into a corridor similar to the one from which we dived.
After a few minutes, my head is completely out of the water and Sylviette brushes her hair out of her face.
The stench of sulfur is intolerable and the heartbreaking moans are accompanied by organ notes.
“Sylv, can you hear that!?”
“Yes, it cries like hell.”
“I say the organ!”
Rush.
Anxiety.
These moods overflow from my body but Sylviette also rolls her eyes and accelerates her pace, as much as possible in high waters.
[Dungeon path]
[Dungeon path]
Seeing the turns in the corridors, I precede her this time too. I don't want to expose her to the battle if Mircalla couldn't do anything with the Atmosphere-eater—and then there's the question of the [Evil shield].
Sylviette better comes later. She already does too much as support and guidance.
Ci-cin, Ci-cin!
As soon as the water drops to my ankles I run.
[Dungeon path]
[Dungeon path]
This time I have a different plan of attack ready.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
[Dungeon path]
I find myself dry on the steps of a pool. The smell and the moans make the direction clear and I run under a pointed vault, emerging into a sort of sanctuary.
The benches, the naves, the statues, and the stained-glass windows are similar to the cathedral in the mountain. A stream of water flowed from the altar.
The dark mass of the [Devil] writhes and wreaks havoc among the benches, but it pays no attention to me. Its head roars and its limbs scratch and strike.
Ci-cin, Ci-cin, Ci-cin…
I shake myself to dry myself and to attract attention.
“Here you are. Your work is in vain, Empress of the dungeon.”
“I would like to judge you but not now.” My voice doesn't tremble, this time I'm sure of my abilities and…
…of my plan.
I raise a hand.
[Poison cloud]
A cloud darkens the room, opaque even to the luminescence of the drool.
[Dungeon path]
I take advantage of the induced blindness and appear on the balcony.
As assumed, I am high enough not to be reached by the cloud. The music is continuing and I run towards its source. It is a different theme from the previous one, but it is played on the organ. I have no doubts about it.
The [Devil] screams and I hear infernal roars. Flames cast strange shadows and lights and I fear I'll be hit from behind. I don't turn around. I don't want to know what it's attacking. It definitely won't destroy the area before the theme finishes.
I hope!
I arrive at a staircase. Perfect. The notes arrive full and without echo from its top.
[Dungeon path]
♦
The music stops. Not on the fundamental, as the cadence of Sylviette's theories would have it, as I would feel natural. It just stops on a dissonant chord.
The room is dark so I can't see anything.
I'm sure the interruption was caused by my arrival.
Ci-cin.
«Fsss!» The barbed tail hands me the umbrella.
I unsheath my blade and its light creates a bubble around me.
“Come on, tell me who you are! Are you an undead, a deceased?”
Silence.
My heart beats very fast.
“Who are you, speak! I won't let you play anyway. I interrupted you, didn't I? Well, desolate!”
The light bubble is small and does not illuminate further than one meter from me. I keep my ears perked, ready to spring at the slightest sound.
Anxiety.
Anxiety.
Sweat.
“If you don't talk, I'll have to hunt you down. Again, are you deceased? If you are deceased there is no need to do all this, I can judge you.”
Silence.
Darkness.
My footsteps on the floor and my breathing are the only sounds in the room. The only sounds in the room. The only ones…
One moment!
I no longer feel the [Devil]! So…
Clang!
[Premonition] of the umbrella-sword allows me to parry a treacherous blow. A blade emerged from the darkness, very white and opaque.
No, it's not a blade. It's a piece of wing that puts pressure on the sword and presses me to the ground in a guard pose.
The blue light illuminates only the final part of the limb which is lost in the darkness. But that's enough.
[Dungeon path] to put distance from the opponent and then I raise my hand: [Blue jet]!
The wing retracts quickly into the darkness and an explosion of electric light reveals part of the exploding organ to me.
Darkness falls and Clang!
A wing slash that is intercepted and then disappears into the darkness.
I hold the blade with two hands, legs open, and guard low, trying to understand where the next blow will come from. Aim for the head.
The enemy aims to take off my head.
Ergo, it knows I'm immortal and wants to buy time.
It's silent, it cancels out noises, this is…
HA!
I avoid an uppercut at the last second. I can't block it and it tears my abdomen. Green blood splashes in streams and stains the wing.
[Shadow wall]
I retreat to the floor to go on the counterattack. Among the shadows, I can perceive my rival better.
Not too tall, light in size, it moves with very light pressure on the floor. But it doesn't matter.
I emerge behind it. My tail bites it.
[Blue jet]
[Blue jet]
[Poison cloud]
“Graaaa!!!” Its scream mixed with the explosions.
I dive back in and use [Scan].
[lv: 17] [xp: 5263]
[type: Fiend]
[class: Prophet]
[job: Priest]
[hp: 5555 (4444)]
[c: 5][d: 5][s: 5][i: 5]
[ap: 5555 (4444)]
[a: 5][i: 5][c: 5][s: 5]
[status: Reborn, God blessing]
Removed the effect of the poison...
…what the heck stat am I reading?
This is not a deceased, nor an undead!
This is an intruder! A living being! But then everything [5] at [lv: 17] is terrifying! What aberration am I facing!?
I don't even know these stats and I don't understand anything about them! AND—BOOM!
A shock wave shatters the floor I am immersed in and I fall into the room. HA!
Clang! Chi-chi-chi!
After the parry, I perform two fencing counterattacks but the opponent turns out to be equally skilled in defense. It launches a third blow that deflects it and its wing goes down.
Lunge!
And I nail the bat membrane to the floor with the blade.
I finally see its face.
A horrible face that I would not have wanted to see beyond that white mane that encircles its neck.
[Blue jet]
[Shadow wall]
There is the explosion. I hit it square and on the head. I emerge from the darkness to see its body nailed to the floor and stained with green blood gushing from its burnt and decapitated neck.
“I'll have to welcome you upstairs. Scan.”
[malus: Poisoned]
Is not dead!?
The head grows back and the body tears the wing membrane with a snap in the dark, freeing itself from the nailing.
Damn!
[Dungeon path]
I reach for the sword and hold it.
[Shadow wall] and I dive with it.
No matter how much it tries to escape, it can't. It may have some monstrous stats and [skills], but the difference in experience is working to my advantage.
There it is! It is trying to leave the room by taking the stairs. Foolish albino bat.
I emerge.
I raise my arm.
[Blue jet], [Blue jet], [Blue jet], [Blue jet], [Will-o'-the-wisp]!
A blue storm of electric arcs and shattering masonry hits the being. The blue flame envelops its white figure and it lets out an agonized cry again.
Distressing.
Childish.
I reach down and cover my ears so I don't have to hear it.
I don't want to hear it!
I welcome the dead and console them. I give them a well-deserved rest. I don't want to hear these screams. I don't want to be their cause, I—
…I have never killed anyone. I want to be a beacon for the dead, not their desperation, I…
“Ghaaaaaa-aaaaa!”
“Shut up! SHUT UP!” Bent over, I try not to listen, not to hear. But I don't take away [Will-o'-the-wisp].
I won't take it off until it stops!
Because that's right. It will receive fair judgment once it rains, once…