I heard a loud pop as my right shoulder got dislocated, accompanied by a sharp pain. I tried to keep my balance as the explosion pushed me several steps back, my feet carving lines as I got dragged several meters. The booming in my ears made it hard to focus as rocks and goo rained down upon me.
“Gökbörü.”
I whispered without hearing what I said. Gökbörü popped his head from my chest plate. Focusing on him, I could feel that he was fine. He probably avoided the effects of the explosion by hiding in the shadows. Good.
I felt Regeneration kick in, healing all the overworked muscles, joints, and ligaments. I tried to move my right arm but the only response it gave to me was pain. Unlike other injuries, I couldn’t rely on Rapid Healing and Regeneration to heal it. I had to push my shoulder back to its place.
“Well, not like it is the first time.”
With the help of an ice wall Gökbörü created I fixed my shoulder in a single groan. I flexed my right arm cautiously, testing the range of motion to ensure everything was back in order. Gökbörü popped his head once again and nuzzled against me as if to reassure himself of my well-being. I patted his fur in gratitude, acknowledging his silent support.
“Okay, the break is over.”
I shook my head and started to move. Most of the grey goo’s mass was blown away by my double-edged attack. My attack must had enough blunt force trauma as most of the parts on the ground were unmoving. Only some drops tried to crawl back to their original body. Elandris was trying to damage the now smaller main body. Despite my not fully healed muscles screaming to me I started to run, my steps leaving marks on the ground as I passed.
Whatever it was because it took too much damage or if a smaller size made it easy to coordinate, the creature’s movements were now much more refined. It used my shield to block our Elandris’s shots and absorbed the arrows back when they ran out of momentum before shooting them back at him.
“Oi, you not so friendly slime! That’s my shield you are using!”
Catching the arrows it fired toward me with my hand, I channeled my mana into my sword. As I moved closer creature backed away like a startled animal. It knew that I actually had the power to blow it away.
“Woof!”
Gökbörü jumped off my shoulder to my shadow before disappearing. I saw him exist out of a shadow cast by the creature. I was puzzled by his action but I quickly noticed him freezing the still moving parts of the creature. The grey goo wasn’t just backing away because of me, it was also trying to unite with its parts! Good catch, Gökbörü!
With the Grey Goo on the defensive, I continued my assault, swinging my empowered sword with precision. The mana infused in the blade resonated with the creature's gelatinous form, causing significant damage. Elandris, too, seized the opportunity, firing arrows with increased power to focus on causing as much damage as possible.
The battlefield became a dance of strategic maneuvers, with Gökbörü freezing and disrupting the creature's attempts to reform, while Elandris and I coordinated our attacks to keep it on the back foot. The combined efforts of the war beast, the elven archer, and myself created a synergistic dynamic that posed a formidable challenge to the adaptable Grey Goo.
As the battle raged on, it became clear that our coordinated tactics were wearing down the creature's resilience. The once-threatening opponent gradually lost its cohesion, and its attempts at countering our assaults became increasingly feeble. In its desperation, it tried to use my shield to smash me but I was able to parry it and tear it apart from the creature’s sticky grasp. Its most effective defense was gone, and its red light moved along its body but we kept attacking, not caring about it.
With a final surge of determination, we pressed on, each attack hastening the creature's demise. The battlefield became a tableau of destruction, with remnants of the Grey Goo scattered across the fractured landscape.
(You cleared the fourth floor of the Chimera Garden.)
As the last echoes of battle subsided, the red light within the creature flickered and faded. The once-adaptable and formidable opponent had been defeated through our coordinated efforts and strategic thinking. Its parts lay defeated, a testament to the power of teamwork and the resilience of those who faced the challenges of the fractured fourth floor.
“Well, that was easy.”
I said as I breathed rapidly with one knee on the ground. My mana was close to zero and I could feel that it was the same for Gökbörü too. I close my eyes to stop myself from throwing up. While the physical damage I took was close to zero except self-inflicted ones, I wasn’t sure if I could have defeated this boss without Elandris. The mana required to do meaningful damage was insane and if I was alone I would have to do twice as much to kill it. My mana reserve wasn’t that big even with Gökbörü’s help. Even if I tried to use hit-and-run tactics, it could fuse together with its still “alive” blown parts to heal. We needed to both attack and freeze in short amounts of time.
“Guess I am still far from invincible.”
I already knew that but facing one’s mortality was still a grim feeling. I took a deep breath and stood up. At that moment, I felt something beneath me shift. My grip around my sword’s handle tightened but I relaxed when I saw the same roots Elandris summoned before. While I was still cautious, my grip loosened.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
I asked Elandris. He told me that using this ability was risky here. Not to mention that he used it without warning me. Was he aiming to attack me while I was weakened? I would be really disappointed if he were to attack me after we fought together. I slowly raised my sword, just in case. However, it turned out that I was just being a worrywat as flowers bloomed on the roots. One of them was just in front of me and a liquid oozed from it. I recognized that it was the same liquid Elandris used to heal himself. I opened my hands and a large drop fell into them.
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“Since those creatures are gone, I don’t think it will be a problem. We also need to get you healed up. You did most of the work.”
Elandris explained.
I nodded in acknowledgment, appreciating Elandris's consideration. The healing liquid offered a welcome relief to my depleted state. I applied the fluid to my right shoulder, feeling its soothing effects as it worked to expedite the healing process. The discomfort gradually subsided, and I tested the range of motion in my arm, satisfied to find it restored to its usual functionality. It felt different from the healing potion I drank before.
"Thanks," I said, genuinely grateful for Elandris's timely assistance.
"And you did your fair share. If it wasn’t for your support I wouldn’t be able to last the entire fight. My mana is not infinite, unfortunately.”
Elandris inclined his head, his elven features expressing a humble acknowledgment.
"It was a team effort. We complemented each other well."
His eyes turned to my sword. With Gökbörü’s howl also boosting him and granting the blessing of Aliera, he probably realized that I was more than he initially thought. Even though Requiem for Unfinished Dreams looked mostly normal, I was half sure that someone like Elandris would feel its true power.
“That’s a peculiar sword.”
He said without looking away from it.
“So I have been told.”
While I learned many things about my new world since I came here, the relationships between pantheons weren’t one of them. I knew that beastkin had their Ancestor Spirits and they didn’t follow the Stars at all. Despite that Morrigan and Amaterasu showed quite a bit of respect when they learned that Lily and I were basically apostles of the Stars. However, I wasn’t sure if every race would give the same reaction. What if there were some kind of blood feud between the deities? Even if there was no such thing, I was pretty sure that people used religion to create animosity and unrest. If Aliera’s believers have done something like that before, using her name may bring unwanted trouble. It was better to forge personal trust and relationships before telling him I was the Champion of Aliera.
Despite me not being willing to share any more about the sword, Elandris’s gaze stayed fixated on it. I clenched my fist, turning it into shadows and absorbing it.
“I should grab my shield.”
With my healed shoulder and the lingering echoes of battle behind us, I retrieved my shield, its surface was covered by the remnants of the Grey Goo. I froze the remains before breaking and cleaning it. I put it on my back just like before.
“We should check out the treasure chest before heading out to the next floor.”
I knocked on my shield.
“Even though this thing didn’t help us, it is better to see if it has something good.”
I looked at the chest, which had the same theme as the boss itself with a red core where its lock should be and a surface that constantly shifted like the boss. It was unpleasant to touch.
(Monarch's Eye Amulet)
(Durability: 50\50)
(An artifact steeped in the regal essence of the Gelatinous Monarch, the Monarch's Eye Amulet commands the dignity and power of an otherworldly ruler. Its gem, a shimmering vessel of the boss's might, resonates with the very fabric of the dungeon's mysteries.)
(Arrow Time: Once a day, User may speed up their perception of time to a tenth of what it normally is for 15 seconds in real-time. This ability will activate automatically if the User is in mortal danger. User’s body will not speed up, only their perception of time.)
(Mana Eater: Every clash, every strike becomes a pact with the arcane. With a 10 percent chance, each encounter allows the amulet's gem to devour 1 percent of the adversary's mana. Absorbed mana will be transferred to the User.)
Its chain looked like silver with the same color as the boss. A red gem stood in the center giving a red hue, giving the impression that the eye is alive.
“Creepy but useful.”
I said but Elandris looked disgusted with the amulet. I guess he didn’t want it. Good for me, I supposed.
“The boss’s name was Gelatinous Monarch. Does it ring any bells?”
“It is normal for creatures to mutate and become new things, especially with Mother’s and Nidhogg’s presence.”
Elandris said nonchalantly while inspecting the potions. I kind of felt bad for the biologists of this world. So new creatures could just mutate into existence? Identifying and cataloging every creature must be a pain in the ass.
“I will be taking this if you do not mind.”
Elandris pulled a quiver out of the chest. Its exterior was made of a blend of enchanted leather and ethereal threads made out of solidified Grey Goo. Several arcane symbols were stitched into the quiver. I tilted my head to the side.
(Morphic Arrow Quiver)
(Durability:300\300)
(Capacity:0\50)
(Born out of the record of arrow absorbed by the Gelatinous Monarch, the Morphic Arrow Quiver is a testament to adaptability in the face of ever-changing foes. Its mystical properties infuse arrows with the essence of the defeated creatures, allowing archers to transcend the limitations of conventional ammunition.)
(Adaptive Arrows: Arrows stored within the Morphic Arrow Quiver undergo a subtle metamorphosis, adapting to the target at the archer's will. Whether facing creatures with varying resistances or shifting vulnerabilities, these arrows adjust their properties to maximize effectiveness.)
(Piercing Essence: The arrows will gain up to 30 percent Defense ignoring ability, depending on how much time they are stored at the quiver. To gain 30 percent Defense ignoring ability, an arrow must be stored for a year in this quiver.)
Wow. It was good. Maybe even better than the amulet.
“You don’t feel repulsion from it?”
I asked half-jokingly. He looked at me with serious eyes.
“That amulet absorbs mana, one’s lifeblood. As you are more of a flesh and blood it won’t affect you like it would to me. Since we are half-spirit, absorbing mana from others corrupts us. That’s how one falls from Mother’s grace and becomes a Fatlfilus.”
I tilted my head to the side. Even though my system didn’t translate it I knew that Fatlfilus meant something along the lines of “Fallen Children”. This world’s Dark Elves, perhaps? I didn’t dig further since Elandris looked uncomfortable.
“We should take some time before moving to the last floor and ending this.”
Elandris nodded.