Chapter 186 – Floor 19: Part 3

The heavy iron door of the factory closed behind him with a clang, sealing him inside and cutting off the outside world. Mathew stood on a metal staircase that led down into the facility; the distant noise of whirling machinery muffled his footsteps as he descended.

The air smelled like metal and oil mixed with Aether. It grew stronger the further he went, and Mathew could hear screaming in the distance; the shrill cries echoed off the walls, and he couldn’t determine where they were coming from.

Reaching the concrete floor at the bottom of the staircase, Mathew made his way around large metal vats with tubes rising from the top. He could hear something bubbling inside, like fermented beer vats in a brewery.

They ran to the ceiling and down the length of the building. Curious as to what they were for and where they travelled, Mathew followed them until he came to a large, open section.

Rounding a corner, he quickly ducked behind a vat as he saw a long line of people dressed in white gowns and shackled in a row. There were more guards with guns pointed at the prisoners, but it was what Mathew saw at the front of the line that made him hide.

There was a massive creature taking up a large section of the factory. It was so large that Mathew couldn’t see how it could move. It reminded Mathew of a blob made of flesh; its body was grotesque and wet. Multiple limbs protruded from its fat torso, and dozens of arms were gripping the heads of some of the prisoners who were the source of the screaming he had heard.

Its face was inhuman and monstrous; it lacked eyes or a nose, just an enormous mouth sucking in air as it occasionally let out a moan of pleasure. He could hear the wind whistling as it sped toward the monster, and it would occasionally smack its lips wetly.

The tubes that ran from the vats were connected to the rear of the creature, and Mathew saw that a light vapour was rising from the gripped heads of the prisoners.

Aether.

The creature was somehow sucking Aether from the prisoners from their heads and inhaling it through its mouth. He could see blue lines running through its pale flesh as it processed the Aether into a liquid form and expelled it through the tubes where it would be collected in the vats.

Mathew gagged in disgust at the sight of the monster and what it was doing to the prisoners. The air here reeked of Aether; it was cloying and thick. The monster's body dripped with sweat and mucus, and several guards had been assigned to mop it up off the concrete.

Mathew’s wristband began vibrating, and he hid deeper behind the metal vat as he read the message.

Floor 19 – A Devious Plot (Updated)

Summary: You have discovered the source of Liquescent Aether and the means through which it is processed. The creature you have found is an Aberration, an artificially mutated being with the sole purpose of processing Liquescent Aether from the local population.

Those who are subjected to its touch are transformed into ‘Thralls,’ soulless beings incapable of disobeying their master’s commands or recovering their lost humanity.

Liquescent Aether is many times more potent than normally accumulated means of gathering Aether. It was the hope of the locals to purchase potent Blessings and favours from Mischievous Depravity in exchange for such a powerful source of Aether.

Put these pitiful wretches out of their misery and burn the factory to the ground.

Sanctuary Retort is pleased with your discovery. Mischievous Depravity has been temporarily blocked from interfering in this plane of existence.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

Reward: Attribute increase: Body +1, Spirit +1

“Finally, the gods and I agree on something.” Mathew whispered as he closed the message. Anyone who could do this to their own people deserved whatever happened to them. He’d have no trouble sleeping after he murdered the whole lot of them, starting with whatever that monster was.

Walking out from behind the metal vat, Mathew raised his hand and pointed at the massive creature.

“Disintegrate.”

The pendulum made of green mana appeared, and with it returned came the sensation of time halting for Mathew. He could feel it swinging back and forth as it consumed his mana. Each swing of the pendulum would shake reality, sending tremors through his body and soul.

To his surprise, the spirits of the Celestials seemed unaffected by the pendulum's effects. They continued to flit in and out of existence, observing both him and those around him. They seemed to be taking extra interest in the massive monster in front of him for some reason.

It wasn’t that out of the ordinary; he had seen the Celestials take interest in other powerful beings in the past.

The pendulum finally began to slow, and for a moment, Mathew thought it was about to stop in his direction. It creaked and groaned as if a hidden mechanism within were turning, but it eventually swung back and stopped directly in front of the monster.

Time resumed its endless march, and with it came the effects of his ‘Disintegrate’ Blessing. Before the guards could turn to confront him, or the creature could react to his attack, a streak of green light flew from Mathew’s hand and struck the monster.

The green mana quickly engulfed its flesh, leaving nothing but dust behind. In the time it took for Mathew to lower his hand, half of the massive monster was gone, and the guards erupted in shouts and action.

Bullets flew toward him, striking the ground and the metal vats around him as the prisoners tried to hobble away from the fighting, their movements hindered by their shacked legs.

Not willing to let any of the people responsible for this to leave, Mathew cycled the mana in his chest and through his lungs. Pulling in a huge breath of air, he held it for a moment as the Blessing charged it, before breathing out.

‘Breath of Dragons.’ Mathew thought silently as he spewed out acidic air from his lungs. The greenish vapour washed over the ground, etching the concrete and metal of the vats. When it struck the nearest guards, it ate away at their flesh and the guns in their hands.

Taking another breath, Mathew spewed more acidic breath at the cluster of guards, driving them back as the monster disintegrated into dust. Using the moment of freedom from gunfire, Mathew approached the line of prisoners and pointed at the chains linking them together.

“Enlarge!”

The chains doubled in size, and the shackles fell to the ground in multiple, loud clangs.

“Run!” Mathew urged them, grabbing the nearest person and shoving them toward the rear of the factory where he had just entered. Soon, they were all running as the guards finally surged forward through the dissipated acidic air.

“Gods damn it, I really need a shield!” Mathew cursed as he pulled out the Wrathful Blade and ran forward as swiftly as his bad leg would let him. He needed to close the distance and buy time for the prisoners to escape.

Swinging the sword, he drove the guards back while the prisoners ran. After a few moments, they were clear, and he could finally get to work.

‘Breath of Dragons!’ Mathew thought, this time spewing oily flames in every direction. In only a couple of minutes, the entire factory was engulfed in flames. The superheated vat would occasionally explode in a great gout of blue flame as the Liquescent Aether within caught fire and burst.

Job complete, Mathew began to run up the stairs as fast as he could. He stumbled and fell several times as the ground shook from the detonating vats. By the time he dashed through the door leading outside, flames were rushing up the stairwell and out into the exterior of the building.

Panting from exhaustion and pain from his injured leg, Mathew stumbled down the compounds courtyard to the same gate watchhouse he had sheltered behind a little while ago. Leaning against the wooden wall that was punctured by bullet holes, he slid onto the ground and tried to catch his breath.

“I hope you’re happy, Sanctuary Retort.” Mathew muttered, but the only response was another explosion, so strong that one of the factory walls collapsed.

Ding!

Floor 19 – A Devious Plot (Complete)

Summary: You have destroyed the processing center of Liquescent Aether and freed the prisoners within. With their escape, the story of what was happening here will spread, ensuring that nothing like this will happen again.

The god of Sanctuary Retort is incredibly pleased with your actions.

The god of Mischievous Depravity is pleased with your actions.

Reward: Attribute increase: Body +1, Spirit +1

As new strength entered his body from the rewards and his connection with the Tower and its gods grew stronger from his enhanced Spirit, Mathew couldn’t help but think about the notification.

Why would the god of Mischievous Depravity be pleased that he destroyed the factory? Shouldn’t it be pissed that he interfered with its plans and stopped it from gaining such a valuable product like Liquescent Aether?

It was a thought that stuck with him as he was engulfed in white light.