A thin needle of fire seeps through the exoskeleton of a monster and explodes from within.
*BOOOOOM!*
Guts and blood flood the cave.
"Huff huff..." Lena stares at the massacre of insect gore beneath her feet.
Lena is learning very quickly. Over time, she notices that each exoskeleton monster has a slight gap between its shells. She would compress the magic into thin strands and bombard a majestic display.
We've been fighting non-stop for three hours and Lena is at her last breath.
She glances at me. Not a drop of sweat is seen.
"Don't look at me like that. You did all the work with the physique of a mage."
---------------------
Lena Grande
Title: Lost One
Class: Mage Fighter
Lvl: 122
Hp: 178000/178000
Mana: 120000/120000
Atk: 91
Def: 101
Dex: 371
Mag: 572
Luck: 10
Skills:
-Quick Cast(lvl 3)
-Mana Overload(lvl 1)
-Acceleration(lvl 2)
Passive:
-Noble Soul(lvl max)
(Samuel)Favourability: 100
(Arsto)Favourability: 20
---------------------
A good build for a close-combat mage.
We are currently at the seventh level at a surprisingly decent pace. The large majestic metal double door before us stands out in this crumbling cavern. It is the entrance to the boss room of the floor and the gateway to the lower floors.
I push the door open with ease. Behind the door reveals a grand and big cathedral-like cavern hidden beneath the earth. Huge glowing crystal stalactites cast radiant beams across the rocky terrain. Since the floor is conquered there are no bosses here.
"Let's go." I walk towards the second door further in the cavern that leads to the floor below.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
But I don't hear any footsteps behind me.
Lena stops to stare at the wall.
??
"Lena?"
She points at the rocky wall. "What's this?"
"A...wall?" I reply.
She raises her brow. "What?"
??????
"I don't see anything there except the wall," I say.
She turns back to the wall and touches it.
---------------------
The hidden conditions have been fulfilled.
---------------------
*GRRRRRRRR*
Tremors rumble abruptly in the cavern, dispensing clouds of dust. The ground beneath ripples and cracks.
"AHHHH?!"
I jump for Lena as the floor collapses into a mysterious void.
A grotesque stench sweeps through the air rushing up my skin.
I attempt to break our fall by gathering mana but to no avail. Something is disrupting the mana flow here.
I shoot several rocks about to crush us from above. Lena tries to cast something but no mana connects.
In the end, my last resort is to unleash mana from my body, throwing a powerful slash that propels us back. The momentum sends us to the wall and I dig my sword deep into the rocks.
*TCHTCHSICHCUIIICHCICHI*
The haphazard violent clashes between my sword and rocks send sparks flying and one starts to worry about the sword's durability. My best effort of mitigation is wrapping the sword with mana.
*BOOOOOOOOOOM!*
The rock remnants explode upon contact into a blinding fog.
"Haah...we...somehow made it," I say. Our fall stops directly above the fog.
After the fog clears up, I pull the sword and we land on messy piles of crumbles.
Around us are many large holes that lead to uncharted territory.
---------------------
Welcome to the 101st floor.
Defeat the dungeon architect.
---------------------
A hidden dungeon below the lowest floor?!!
T-This...is new content!
Lena pulls my sleeve and points ahead. A mysterious rocky human figure surrounded by a sinister dark mist stands before us.
---------------------
Dungeon Architect
Strength: ????
Weakness: None
Status: ????
Tribe: Celestial
Lvl: None
Hp: ????
Mana: ????
Atk: 700
Def: 500
Dex: 200
Mag: 9999
Luck: -
---------------------
---------------------
A side mission has been created.
Escape or defeat the Dungeon Architect
Reward: ????
Failure: Death
---------------------
What kind of statistics are those?!
"None" level?
I attempted to use Weakness Finder and indeed found no weakness.
How am I supposed to defeat this?
The monster steps closer, in sync with our steps back.
I grab Lena and run through the hole behind us.
First, I need information about this new dungeon. I thought that I'd seen everything but there were still things I hadn't encountered.
I send mana throughout the labyrinth of paths around us. Some paths lead to dead ends and some to more complicated junctions. We are in a maze of some sort.
"Lena save your strength. The mana composition in this area is weird." I say when Lena attempts to cast magic again.
The moment we turn a corner, a sudden slab of rock spikes between us, separating my hold on Lena's hand.
?!
A smooth rock wall immediately drops down to divide me and Lena.
*BAM!!!*
"*cough* *cough* Lena! Are you okay?" I scream and bang on the wall.
*BOOOOM!*
A sudden burst of energy rushes behind. I quickly turn to find the walls of the maze scrambling and diverging into new pathways.
Dungeon "Architect"...this is one of its abilities, of course.
The change of paths brings a horde of insect monsters with it. They rush and ram their hard body at me but my sword cuts through very easily.
"I need to find Lena," I mumble and turn to the wall. With every ounce of strength, I punch through with ease but Lena is gone.
"Shit..."
Wait...
Even though it's faint, I can feel something to my left...movements?
With no other clues, I decided to follow my instinct.
=======================================
Lena awakes on the lap of the mysterious architect monster.
...
Odd. Panic and confusion should take control yet Lena feels calm and comfortable like a baby in their mother's arms.
"Lena...poor child."
A voice echoes in the cavern. She realises the Dungeon Architect is leaning against an altar.
"Where am I...?" Lena asks.
The figure touches Lena's forehead. At that moment, countless memories flood her consciousness.
Pictorial fragments of celestial battle in an ethereal realm erupt her train of thoughts. She can see an army of gods fighting a single man. From her perspective, Lena seems to be the commander. "What is going on?"
"That man is Bestolo, a traitor." the figure replies.
!!
"W-What?"
The Grande household has ancient records of historic times and celestial beings. The archives greatly praised Bestolo and stated that all things originated from him. He is the creator of Bestokia.
Or at least that's what was written.
In addition, they only mentioned five gods alongside Bestolo that created the universe. Yet an unknown realm and countless gods in the memories strike contradiction.
"Bestolo rewrote history and imprinted his name in Bestokia along with five other traitors. Confusion is inevitable." The rocky figure says.
"Then you...are a fragment of a God's consciousness?"
The figure nods.
Lena feels something burning within her soul, crying. She is compelled to ask "Who am I?"
Despite having no facial features, Lena felt the figure smile.
"You are the reincarnation of The Empress of Envy. Parts of her soul reside within you."
The words felt foreign yet close to home.
"I am a mere fragment of a servant that serves you and this is my task assigned by you." The figure says.
It helps Lena up to the altar and places her hand on it. "With this, you will retain most of your knowledge. You simply have to accept."
...
She nods.
Light pink mana shoots from the altar and spreads. It flows up into the air and draws an enchanting outline of a delicate flower. Petals sprout one by one, each layer adding a vibrant fragrance, shaking the atmosphere.
Once complete, the flower dives into Lena's body and fuses.
*BOOOOM!!*
A shockwave erupts from Lena, her eyes glowing immensely.
"Huff huff huff..." She grasps her eye. A crack taints her skin around her left eye with her iris turning red.
Lena turns to the figure. Her first reaction is to ask it about the God of Death.
"Is there any way I can communicate with him?" Lena asks.
...The figure scratches its head. "Not one your current vessel is capable of."
Lena clicks her tongue.
"Besides, the man you seek is still alive." the figure turns to its left.
...
...
I reveal myself behind the wall.
"Uh...what's going on?" I say.