Chapter 34 - An undesired path
The scientist’s sudden action startled Adam, as he didn't immediately understand what Thaddeus wanted to discuss so urgently. Noticing his reaction, Thaddeus quickly released his arm and began speaking, lowering his voice to ensure no one else could overhear.
"Forgive me for this, but I can't help but be astonished—not only by the fact that you're immune to the energy emitted by a disciple of the 'Seven Lights,' but also that it seems to have the opposite effect on you compared to what it should. So I have to ask again... why?"
Thaddeus observed that the curses used here carried an energy remarkably similar to what he had seen radiating from the strange page the boy possessed. However, there was a significant difference between merely having some resistance to this energy and completely neutralizing it—even harnessing it to one's advantage. Such a feat seemed impossible, except for someone whose body was already attuned to that kind of energy.
Adam, however, was at a loss for how to respond. Sharing information about a useful skill was one thing, but revealing details about his bizarre race change due to the system was another matter entirely. He wasn't even sure if he would be censored again if he tried, just like in the first scenario when he attempted to explain his origins to one of the characters.
Seeing Adam's hesitation and how long it took him to respond, Thaddeus decided to soften his tone and focus on what was truly important.
"It doesn't matter; I understand if you don't know either. I was just curious. I really need to tell you that I'll need your help more than anyone else's during this expedition."
Adam sighed in relief, grateful that his agitation had been mistaken for ignorance. However, what Thaddeus said next left him completely speechless; he couldn’t understand why this was being brought up so suddenly. Before Adam could ask or say anything more, the scientist continued.
"The original mission for this expedition was just to find the path to the inner vault and map it for a more serious and properly prepared exploration later. However, with you here, I'm starting to think that might not be necessary, perhaps we could make it through to the final level of the citadel."
That only led to more questions than answers in Adam's mind. Wasn't the mission of this expedition to directly recover the 'Atomica Arcanum'? No, now that he thought about it, that was the description of the subplot they had received, while Volta's request had been solely to explore the ruins of Necrogear Citadel. Could that be why the system itself had made it clear that the rewards would be based on the subplot's progress rather than completing it? It seemed like he was starting to understand. Not only were these subplots optional, but by default, they seemed quite difficult to fulfill.
Thaddeus's words hinted that it might indeed be possible to complete the subplot fully—an opportunity Adam couldn't afford to miss if it meant more rewards and progress in that infernal system. This wasn't just about moving closer to understanding his current state; it might also lead to a potential way out.
"How could my help make that possible?"
Adam asked then, his voice also low.
Thaddeus hesitated for a moment but eventually decided to share exactly what was on his mind.
"If the path is correct, we might reach one of the 'Seven Lights' chambers. Even if we don't, the oldest tales about this place describe a 'treasure room' guarded by a powerful curse that reflects the darkness of the human soul. As always, there is some truth in these stories, and considering the presence of the disciples, the final chamber might be constantly exposed to the energy of the ‘Seven Lights’. That’s where you come in—if you can withstand that energy, we might have a chance to succeed."
Adam had been ignoring the connection between the curses and 'Stratos Technology' due to Li's words, but now the link was too significant to continue dismissing.
"Thaddeus... How do you have so much knowledge about this place? I also searched for information about it and found nothing but fantastic tales and legends, nothing that could be considered real information."
Adam finally said, without stopping his pace, a question that made the young scientist beside him lose his smile and calm demeanor.
"What are you insinuating?"
But before Adam could respond, a shout from Augustus up ahead interrupted him.
“Ambush!”
It was only then that both Adam and Thaddeus realized their surroundings. An excessive number of Skull Sentinels and Skull Trappers emerged from every possible direction—behind them, ahead, and even from the ceiling, like swarms of vermin. This time, the admiral didn't give the enemies a chance to react. Seeing several hooded figures in the distance, he charged at them like a cannonball. However, this did not prevent the other members of the group from being attacked.
Chaos was about to engulf everyone present. However, Li managed to shout the order for everyone to group just in time. They obeyed almost instinctively, forming a circle around Sebastian, who was the only one without a means to defend himself. Unfortunately, this did not apply to Adam and Thaddeus, as they had been at the back of the group. They were cut off by several golden creatures that intervened, blocking their path.
This was the worst possible situation, as neither of them was a fighter. Thaddeus had a pistol, but Adam had no way to defend himself. The only things he had on hand were the strange book without pages and a replica of the Necronomicon’s leaf. However, neither would be of any use, as the information about the enemies indicated they were immune to mental damage.
The others notice it very fast, with Drake and Kazue starting to push their way through the numerous enemies blocking their path. Despite Kazue’s electric technique and Drake’s enhanced strength, they made little headway. There were simply too many enemies, and whenever they seemed to advance slightly, the Trappers would lash out with their spider-like legs, forcing them to retreat.
Looking frustrated but also concerned, Li made his spellbook shine brighter than ever, focusing all his concentration on his next spell.
“Ganzu Metalo!”
He shouted with all his might, summoning three massive spiked metal spheres that shot toward the group of enemies, tearing through several Sentinels and even a couple of Trappers. Yet, it still wasn’t enough; Adam and Thaddeus were barely managing to dodge the incoming attacks, and Thaddeus' shots were far from accurate, a stark contrast to the precision he had displayed just a few minutes earlier.
Li cast his spell two more times, reaching the daily limit of three for that skill. While it cleared a small escape route for the two men to try to flee, it wasn’t enough to get them out of danger entirely. His mind raced with possibilities—none of his other spells would be of any use here; they were either defensive or had an area of effect too large to be used in a narrow corridor. The only option he could think of was casting [Physica Naguru] on himself or Drake to try and at least rescue the scientist... His reward depended on him, after all.
However, before he could make a decision, a voice shouted right in their midst.
“Ganzu Metalo!”
Three more spheres materialized above Li as his spellbook began to glow again... What was that? It was his voice, but it hadn't come from him. When he turned to look, he was utterly astonished to see that the voice had come from Sebastian's little mechanical bird.
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[Skill: Mimic Voice Lv2] [No info available]
“Ganzu Metalo!”
“Ganzu Metalo!”
“Ganzu Metalo!”
This was completely surreal. The Aviatrix Falk only could mimic voices, right? So why was Li's spellbook reacting in such a way? Li himself was the most shocked, fully aware of the usage limit on his spell, a limit now being exceeded without any clear explanation—unless... It was then that the memory of what Adam had read came rushing back to him. He has the debuff due to the "Make it fair!" option, did that mean the treasures themselves were not bound by such constraints?
This was no time to be thinking, yet Li couldn't help but nervously smile as he watched the automaton continuously use his voice, casting the spell over and over again. The enemies began to fall rapidly, allowing Adam and Thaddeus to barely find an opening to move toward the rest of the group. However, a new problem arose after the seventh and eighth castings. Falk simply didn’t seem to want to stop until every enemy threatening his master was down, causing the spheres to crash into the walls and floor as well.
“Hey, make it stop!”
Li shouted toward Sebastian, who seemed just as flustered and confused as everyone else, desperately trying to grab the mechanical bird to make it stop. But it was too late—so many impacts had weakened the already fragile corridor, causing large chunks of rock to fall from the ceiling. Thaddeus and Adam had to cover themselves and halt their advance. This wouldn't have been such a problem if it weren't for the fact that, at that very moment, the ground beneath their feet began to crack.
Without anyone able to do anything to stop it, the cracks spread rapidly, and a massive hole opened beneath the feet of young Volta. Instinctively, he stretched out his arms, trying to grab onto something, but to no avail. Adam was just one step away from him; luckily, the hole hadn't reached him yet, so he wouldn't fall immediately. However, the moment he turned and saw Thaddeus's body descending in slow motion—thanks to the surge of adrenaline—his body reacted instinctively. He reached out and grabbed him tightly, but this only resulted in Adam being pulled into the abyss as well, having no support or enough strength to resist.
“Heeeey!”
A shout echoed from above as both of them plummeted into the abyss.
—————————————
Adam had no real sense of how long they had been falling; he only knew that at some point, they collided with something solid that wasn't the ground. The uneven terrain sent them tumbling down what felt like a cliff shrouded in darkness. They continued to roll for quite some time until they finally came to a stop on the ground, in an area dimly lit by a bluish light.
[Your defense has been greatly increased] [Your satiety has been greatly increased] [Your regeneration has been greatly increased]
“...?”
Although Adam hadn't lost consciousness, he had felt the impacts and the sharp pain from the injuries he had likely sustained. However, for some reason, the discomfort began to fade gradually, until he finally regained enough strength to stand up and see the system messages flashing before him. Stat increases? But that could only mean that…
A small groan beside him brought Adam back to reality. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw that Thaddeus was lying next to him, though his body only had scrapes and scratches on his clothes for some reason.
“Thaddeus… Are you okay?”
Without thinking twice, Adam helped Thaddeus to sit up. Thaddeus merely rubbed his head, wincing in pain. It was only then that Adam took a closer look at their surroundings, and his heart sank with horror. A group of no fewer than seven—or possibly even more—hooded figures were only a few steps away from them. They wandered around a vast, semi-destroyed chamber, where a massive rock in the center emitted a strange, eerie glow.
[ Awaken Disciple of Gluttony - Rank C ] ⌠Additional Information⌡ ⌠A mid-tier undead guard made with the mixture of necromancy and technology by followers of the ‘Gluttony Sect’ in the ancient ‘Golden Pavilion’. It wears a black robe made of cursed fiber with the emblem of "Gluttony" on the back, and its body is held together by internal mechanisms within the corpse. Its only function is to cast the hex [Indigo Hex of Gluttony Lv4] on any nearby detected enemies.⌡ ⌠Cursed Vision Knowledge⌡ ⌠Notice: ‘Awaken Disciple of Gluttony’ has lost its masters long ago but it regains its conscience.⌡ ⌠Warning: Conscious undead creatures are particularly hostile to living beings.⌡ ⌠Hint: Undead creatures are immune to any mental attack.⌡
[Fragment of Gluttony - Rank B ] ⌠Additional Information⌡ ⌠It’s a sizable rock that gleams with an eerie indigo light. Once a powerful artifact of the ‘Gluttony Sect’ from the ‘Golden Pavilion’, this relic now lies abandoned amidst the crumbling remnants of the sect's underground ruins. The Fragment passively emanates an aura that dramatically increases the hunger and thirst of those within its influence, causing relentless cravings and dehydration. In addition, its presence weakens the natural defenses and regenerative abilities of those affected, leaving them more vulnerable. The rock's corrupting influence reflects its dark past, a remnant of gluttonous desires that once fueled the sect's insidious rituals.⌡ ⌠Cursed Vision Knowledge⌡ ⌠Warning: Direct contact ■■■ … Consume ■■■… It ■■■ … Consume it ■■■… NOW ■■■⌡
Adam barely managed to finish reading all the information before a sharp, strange pain shot through his head. At the same moment, he noticed that the additional information began glitching again—what was happening? Gradually, his vision started to fade to black, the only thing he could distinguish being the blue glow of the mysterious stone.
"Wake up"
Thaddeus suddenly said, giving Adam a small tap on the head, which jolted him back to reality, though not without gasping a bit from the pressure he had felt. It took him a few seconds to recover, only to realize the situation they were in. Despite the apparent danger, the disciples continued to wander around, seemingly oblivious to their presence even though they were so close. The young scientist remained seated beside him, now wearing an expression of resignation, which he interrupted only when he decided to speak again.
"Just confirmed it—I don’t know what you are, but you’re certainly like me... You’re not truly alive, are you?"
Adam was taken aback by this, especially since it implied that he wasn’t truly alive. Many thoughts and questions rushed through his mind, which Thaddeus noticed. He simply raised his hand to halt Adam’s train of thought.
“I don’t even know if we’ll be able to return to the surface. As I mentioned, we’re in one of the 'Seven Lights' chambers. Judging by the glow, it must be the Chamber of Gluttony… It doesn’t seem like we’re in immediate danger, but I suggest you start talking. You’re even stranger than I thought. No matter how immune you are to this place’s energy, the guardian disciples should attack you just by seeing you. The fact that they haven’t means they don’t even recognize you as human.”
Adam finally gathered his thoughts and was able to respond to Thaddeus’s words.
"Can we trust each other to be honest?"
“What other option do we have?”
Thaddeus simply shrugged.