Ch.48 Birth Of The Game Dungeon.
Malpetios stared at where the Knight had disappeared in a daze, snapping out of it shortly after. Searching for him, he expanded his awareness throughout his Dungeon. It was not long before he felt a distortion of mana near the boss's entrance. The space cracked, the Knight walking out of it unharmed. Malpetios felt a sense of dread for each step taken, increasing his fear.
"Hahaha! How does it feel to be made a fool of, little Dungeon? Does it sting, do you feel like ripping someone apart?"
Avanlo laughed in glee as he taunted, never has he suffered such humiliation in his life. Not only did those useless mages fail to bring me the core, but they let so many fateful believers die. Having to take action personally is already an insult to the Heavensword household's prestige. For their young master, the carrier of the legacy imprint, to be shame by a newly born Dungeon! How far has it fallen from grace?!
With red eyes, Avanlo attacks the Lily, only to flinch upon seeing it uproot and continued running away as before. He quickly retracted most of his wing blades, wrapping themselves around him in a loose silky cocoon. Though he hates to admit it, he has grown to be suspicious of anything strange this Boss does.
However, he was overreacting this time. Malpetios was only trying to buy time, only one of his mirror slime had survived. He was praying that he could somehow drag this fight until his mana regen was about to tick. He would then use one last beam with all but one mana point. Unfortunately, the Knight was also looking around for the slimes, ending its life with a quick slash.
"What do I do! WHAT CAN, I DO!!!" Malpetios fell deeper into despair as his (Boss Fusion) deactivated, the howls of agony from his Boss bouncing all around his Core Room. Even though Avanlo had acted cautiously now that the boss could no longer use (Prismatic Beam) it was quickly losing. The moment (Boss Fusion) was forcefully canceled spelled its end.
The Lily was one step away from death, Malpetios unable to heal it anymore. Avanlo stopped attacking, taking out a glass ball. The item in question looked similar to a gyroscope, a mass of darkness in the middle. Tentacles made out of that darkness stretched out towards the two spinning rings covered in runes, bouncing off them.
"I'm surprised you didn't try anything, but let me guess. I've read that some Dungeons would reclaim all the mana in their halls in a last cry of defiance. This would destroy the chain of control you have over traps and monsters. All the inhabitants of the dungeon would go berserk rushing towards the core room."
"In their craze, they would kill both the invaders and the core in the hopes of reclaiming the mana back. I believe the fairys call it... (Dungeon Rage)." Avanlo smile, "although very rare for a Dungeon to do, is far more common when the invaders are beyond the Dungeon's rank."
"I'm sad to disappoint you, but my master already thought of such an outcome." After he finished talking he tossed the ball unto the core room's entrance, shattering on impact. As if ink spilled into a blank canvas, the darkness grew covering the large stone doors. Finding its target, the darkness wiggled like maggots between the gaps of the door, quickly gaining access inside.
Seeing all of this, Malpetios' core colors turned several shades paler, while the darkness flooded the room like a cracked damp. Quickly using (Telekinesis), Malpetios grabs Q'ill and tossed her inside his geode up against the wall. Before he could do anything else he was submerged in the darkness.
A feeling of falling passed as he found himself back in his soul. He finally saw what that darkness was, an uncountable ocean of lingering wills that nearly made him shit his pants! "Sidekick, use the white world!!" Malpetios hysterically scream for dear life, his Supporting Core activating right after.
From his body expanded a white film whose extremities glowed in golden light. The ocean of darkness was cut apart by the film on contact. The world of light was however forced to stop growing, the darkness not giving an inch.
Malpetios saw as the lingering wills did not just use brute force but actually gathered into long-eared, big-eyed creatures. The now massive goblin-like shadows punched the white world, leaving small cracks that quickly mended. Malpetios was pulled out of the spectacle by the System.
[Warning! Warning! The Core Room's gates are under attack.]
Using his awareness Malpetios attempted to communicate with the Lily inside the Mindscape. After asking a few questions he got a clearer picture. The Knight had mostly ignored the boss, only attacking it whenever it recovered. Making sure to not kill it for some unknown reason.
The rest of the time was spent ruthlessly attacking the doors. Malpetios wanted to curse the World's Will for not allowing him to use (Dungeon Domain) on doors, dam it's rules! Malpetios' brain began to work overtime, thinking as fast as he could. Repeating to himself to think, think, think of something!!!
Remembering the Knight's words, he asked the System about (Dungeon Rage). The System told him it was impossible to activate it without full control over his core. It basically said I need a one hundred percent synchronization rate, or manually kill and integrate the wills. With Muscles still kicking, and those unnamed wills sealed by the System, it would take time to fix this.
Let's also not forget that my boss fuse with me, becoming a friendly will. This Explained why the Knight didn't kill the Lily, it was to prevent me from reclaiming all my pieces. The Lingering Wills are meant to wrestle control over my core, or outright break me. The goal is to stop me from activating the skill.
Completely out of options or tricks, Malpetios unexpectedly felt calm. He hasn't felt anything but distress, guilt, fear, and anxiety ever since he came here.
The only time he felt anything worthwhile was from Q'ill's unceasing support. He wanted to keep thinking of a way out, even if hopeless, for Q'ills sake. Closing his nonexistent eyes, the world around him turned quiet. The Lily's cries and the impacts of the will's punches disappeared.
As he thought about many things, his emotions seemed distant and alien. From deep within his mind a connection to something was made, a chorus of voices rejecting and exploring ideas. Malpetios thought process increased to a point where he could think about hundreds if not thousands of ideas at the same time.
Back in his core room, in place of his core was a large black mass surrounding Malpetios like water. Deep inside, a purple light began to glow outlining the core. Whitish-purple neon lines began to appear, revealing their identity as slowly opening eyes. The whole outline was quickly covered in numerous eyes that reflected cold indifference.
[Warning. The Host is Connecting to the Collective without the main system's approval. Beginning scan... complete. Identified as the arcane element. Borrowing the channel created by the Host. Connection to the main system successful.]
At that moment in Malpetios Mindscape, The pool of Mana begin to boil as an Imposing presence emerged from it. Humanoid in shape, the identity had no face with features of different races appearing and disappearing. Before it, a dot of darkness appears growing into a Familiar giant shadow. The System began to communicate with the imposing figure.
[Connection successful. Beginning Integration with the Main System.]
Reaching out with its arm, it unravels into many string-like segments towards the figure. Just before making contact, a prismatic barrier covers its body preventing it from merging with the Main System. A hint of confusion appears in its face, not understanding why. The imposing figure moves one of his arms above the Systems head, many tentacles emerging from it and easily passing thru the barrier.
Like roots, they are buried onto the Systems' body, establishing a connection. The Main System scanned its body, finding many errors. An inquiry for the reasoning behind many modifications to its rules and the affirmation of 'fallen one scenario' was sent. The erasure of the core would begin upon any incongruities.
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The System acknowledged, sending all inquiries and decisions done by both it and the Host, affirming that it was not a fallen one scenario. The World's Will, after getting its answers, removes the oppressing aura around its body returning to a calm and mild state.
It slowly began to sink back to the pool of mana, dragging the system with It. With only its fingers remaining, the imposing figure releases The System, leaving him on the pool's center. In the whirlpool left behind by its exit, a mass of energy burst out encompassing The System.
Looking from afar showed it taking an egg-like appearance. In but a few moments it shrunk, cracks appearing and growing wider. The mana pool's waters finally settled, the egg cracking open. The shell pieces turn to mana, absorbed by the thing inside. A grayish shadow of smaller stature than before appeared in its place, the aura coming from it had increased drastically.
At this time Malpetios had simulated numerous memories, focusing on Mana Gems infused with a soul. In the same manner, he was created, he wanted to use it in the creation of golems or intelligent spirits. Using this as a foundation, he would take it one step further. His goal, the manastones found inside beasts and demons In games and novels.
Using himself as a substitute, he wanted to create a similar relationship with his monsters. If this was possible, he could use (Mana Shield) to protect his Lily allowing him to fully utilize his Mana, removing the shortcoming of ranks to a large degree. Upon finalizing his thoughts, the Core Returns to its prismatic colors The hundreds of eyes closed and disappeared.
The purple haze around his body slowly faded, returning to his soul space. Immediately after he calls the System explaining his Idea as fast as possible, hoping it would process it quickly. For a moment, Malpetios thought something was off about him, but could not pinpoint what. He did not get to think further as the System replied instantly.
[This request has no predecessors. The analysis of the proposal is predicted to cause uncontrollable variances. Ending in the destruction of the dungeons Balance.]
This reply was unusually quick but didn't discourage him, it instead made him see hope. This meant it's not impossible right? With this in mind, Malpetios started to haggle with the System.
Back in the boss room, Avanlo had nearly penetrated the ten-inch thick doors. His initial blade waves saw little resistance till halfway thru. The last three inches of stone lightly glowed in prismatic colors, resisting over sixty percent of his strength. Paranoid and worried this Dungeon would somehow pull something, he did not care and overdrafts his damaged weapon.
As the golden silky ribbons proceeded to open the way, Avanlo still felt unease, as if something was going to happen. With eyebrows furrowed, he twisted his blade, the wings braiding into an ornate claymore. Swinging at the doors, it finally pierced inside, revealing a black ball with two glowing lights inside.
With a paled face, Avanlo canceled the claymore form, reaching into his feather mantle to chug another Elixer. Looking inside confused him, "two of them? This Dungeon has a second floor?" Before he could scare himself with the thought he remembered it was currently sealed.
"Thank the Lore for master's (Soul Sealing Waters)." At first, he thought it was a great insult to him, being looked down on as a child... but now. When I return I should thank him, as both his disciple and as his son. Proceeding forward, just before arriving inside, the smaller light began to move.
Avanlo raises his guard, flying thru the hole in the doors. The bubble stretched as if something was trying to escape, managing to do so due to the wills focus on the larger light. The freed light was a small pearl-like gem, glowing in golden light. Out of nowhere, it blasted towards him like a cannonball.
Before even making contact, Avanlo saw a film of light hit the shield of wing blades, knocking him backward and out of the core room. Unprepared for such a thing, as well as being in the air, he could not defend against what he assumed was a spell, not a blunt attack.
The pearl continued moving forward after pushing him onto the floor, aiming at the boss. Avanlo was having none of it, sending blade waves unto it. Unexpectedly, the waves didn't do any damage to the film around it. Before he continued attacking, the connection to his faith power was disintegrating at an alarming rate.
Ever since he noticed that the Lily could somehow absorb his power, he had forced it to self-destruct upon leaving his control. This time, however, as soon as his attack hit, the connection to his will was ripped apart, the power of faith shattering like fireflies. This was bad! He could already see it gathering around the Lily's wounds, as well as the Core Room entrance.
The pearl landed inside the Lily's bloody mouth, making it twitch in pain. Avanlo grimaces, attacking the Lily directly with the wing blades. The poor Boss had all its petals in pieces, over ninety percent of its vines chopped off. From inside its mouth, a soft light began to glow, covering the tattered boss.
Avanlos blades reached the boss, attempting to kill it, however. The sound of metal hitting metal was heard, a soft-looking feathery film covering the Lily. "That's, (Holy Barrier)?" Dumbfounded, Avanlo could not understand how an insignificant creature used the lord's power. "No! It can't be, how could a Priest's blessing be used by a monster. IT CANT BE!"
Avanlo was full of panic, if this thing can really use the power of faith then why would his God allow it to live? This is blasphemy! Heresy! With craze-fill eyes, he overdrafts his weapon as it turned to gold, then dark gold, cracks left behind by the black beam starting to grow.
The barrier was quickly showing signs of breaking but Avanlo could feel his faith power leaving the weapon and being absorbed by the boss. He could tell that his faith power was not doing any damage, the Lily suffering from the blade impacts. The Lily's whole body started to change, its petals turned white with golden spots, and its vines turned from green to brownish-gold.
Reaching towards the blade wings with its remaining vines, it wrapped around four of them as the rest continued attacking it. Protected by the golden film, it dragged those on its grasp closer to its mouth. Avanlo witnessed as it opened its mouth wide, forcing the faith power in those held by it to leak out of the weapon and his control.
Cooling down his emotions, he quickly retracted his blades, the boss refusing to let go of its food. Sending blade waves at a distance with the remaining blades, Avanlo began to panic. The boss was somehow immune to the power of faith, actively aiming for the blade waves. Avanlo was left to hopelessly watch as the boss kept healing, its corona fully restored.
Turning his eyes to the core room, Avanlo had a flash of brilliance. The blades stopped attacking the Boss and aimed at the black bubble. Aware of the dangers, the Lily let go of its food and send its now mostly restored vine network to patch the hole. Taking his chance, Avanlo separated from the boss, as he watched it returning to its original position. The core room doors are now covered in brownish-gold vines and leaves.
For a moment, he thought about escaping, before shaking his head. My mission would fail if I can't bring the core. Thinking about how the other households would laugh at him, as well as the fairys warning, he could not retrieve. He can not be the cause of letting the filthy Beastmen take a bite of the holy lands. "Foolish... child, you... have already... lost." Suddenly hearing a voice in his mind, Avanlo found it familiar.
Before he could question the source, the whole ground under him collapse, revealing the hundreds of vines he had severed before. He scoff at it being in the air and all, but he soon couldn't stop shaking in fear. All of the vines had turned brownish-gold, in denial, he send blade waves to destroy them only for the vines to wrap around them as they scattered into faith power.
The Boss followed suit, sending his own vines into his escape routes. Avanlo attacked the vines as they wrapped themselves around the majority of his wing blades. Seeing no way out, Avanlo quickly forms a protective cocoon with the remaining blades. The severed vines engulf it, as the main vines bring it to the Lily.
Opening its mouth, it began to suck in air as a stream of golden firefly-like mana was drained out of the vine bundle. Inside the cocoon, Avanlo was having a mental breakdown. His faith power was being drained at an increasing rate, he would lose it all in but a minute. "Leave... use the.... cube!" Avanlo heard the voice in his head again, reminding him of the [Space rending Cube].
"Who are you! Why are you helping me?" Asked Avanlo in confusion, his only reply was a repeating 'leave' in a familiar voice. Putting the voice aside, he quickly brings the cube out and activates it. The power inside it tried to envelop everything in contact with the Knight, failing to do so.
Avanlo got feedback from the cube, requesting more mana due to the size of the target. It is then he remembered that he couldn't get rid of the mass of vines attached to him. Before he could panic, the voice returned. "Go... leave this... to... me!" Avanlo's back began to glow, a tattoo of a faceless human with wings appeared in the light.
If you look closely you would find it was not a single piece, but thousands of small and large sword tattoos in the shape of an angel. The tattoo's face rapidly grew facial features, looking almost like a carven copy of Avanlo. A humanoid figure stepped out of Avanlo's back, grabbing his weapon.
In an unquestionable tone, he said, "go", before the sword glowed blindingly. The Lily, finding its food too rich, couldn't absorb the mana fast enough. The cocoon expanded pushing all the vines away. The angelic creature's body turned transparent, its power nearly spent, dropping the sword and quickly returning to the tattoo.
Avanlo had already activated the cube, getting ready to leave. Seeing his sword falling, he forces the cube to overdraft, as it breaks into spinning pieces widening the cracks in space all around him. The Lily quickly tried to stop him, sending its vines to wrap around the sword and some of the cube pieces. The giant hole in space swallowed most of the sword, before collapsing unto itself.
All that was left of the Knight was half a wing blade, and two tiny pieces of the cube.