Chapter 12 - Growth of the Heroes 4 (1/2)
Chapter 12 - Growth of the Heroes (4)
[I’ve already acknowledged….Kuhk!]
[We’ll back off for now, and the others will test….!]
“I told you I won't let you guys run awayyyyyyyyy!”
Artpe’s Mana was being shared with Maetel, and she was like a predator that didn’t get tired.
The Skeletons couldn’t gauge Maetel’s ability using her level.Still,they managed to come to the right decision.They expressed their intent on giving up on the battle.However, it was way too late to do so.Maetel’s rage refused to diminish when she saw their shameless behavior.It actually increased it.
“You guys originally planned on killing Artpe!Now you want to admit defeat and retreat?You guys are mean.You are all very mean!I almost lost Artpe!You guys want to end this with just a single speech!You guys are really really mean!”
[There’s no point.We told you there is no point in going further than this!]
[The hero’s rage…Your rage will put you on a path of no return…..]
“You guys are the one, who will be put on a path of no return!Eeyahhhh!”
When one saw Maetel’s outer appearance, one would assume she’ll have a hard time lifting the huge bastard sword.However, the sword was moving freely in the hands of Maetel.
The white blade didn’t discriminate between vertical and horizontal swings.She was like a salmon wading up a fierce current.She mercilessly sliced and crushed the bodies of the Skeletons.
Fortunately, she still had enough awareness to realize that she must not kill any of them.She was basically holding onto a single thread of her reason.
It was something very hard to do even for Berserkers, who lived many years alongside their rage.However, Maetel was doing it.
“You are running around wildly like an idiot…...”
Artpe recovered his Mana, and he focused on sharing it with Maetel.Of course, Artpe’s Mana was on a different class compared to Maetel’s Mana.Even after supplying Mana required to sustain Maetel’s Berserk state, he was still overflowing with Mana.
After he became somewhat confident in maintaining the link, he gathered the sharp bone fragments in his surrounding.As he maintained the Mana link with her, he strengthened the bone fragments with Mana.Then he started attacking them from distance.Each throw incapacitated a Skeleton.
The two heroes once again started an airtight attack.They were facing a group of enemies that had increased in size by several dozen magnitude!
[I have no idea what is going on.]
[Why are there two heroes?Did these two really show up in the same era?]
[Our role is to conduct the test.That is it.It is our duty to guide them to the next location then we will back off.]
[However, at this rate….]
She dismantled the limbs of the most talkative Skeleton first.Maetel’s bastard sword was swung like a club, and she sent the disabled Skeletons into the corner of the hallway.
There was a pile consisting of 90 Skeletons.
Artpe made sure the Skeletons couldn't recover.He mainly used his shield to dice them up.The shield was connected to Artpe by a strap reinforced by Mana, and it freely sliced through the air.It was like a boomerang.
[This is like….]
As the two heroes continued their dominance, a particular Skeleton was hit by Maetel’s sword on its cheek bone.It let out a groan that wasn’t actually a groan.
[It is as if we are the ones being tested.]
[This runs contrary to the point of this test.]
[Thus.]
[We will make changes.]
“Oh man.What is it again….Huh?”
At that moment, the Mana density within the Dungeon suddenly increased.
The hallway rolled as it widened.It became unfathomably large.Then he felt the Undead Mana from the other side increase in an uncontrolled manner.The walls kept contracting than expanding, and the flow of Mana within the Dungeon quickened.
“Kyahhh!”
An enormous change was occurring to the entire Dungeon.Maetel was taken aback.She broke out of the effects of her Berserk skill, and she turned to look at Artpe.
“What is going on, Artpe…..?”
“...I get it now.I’ve been firmly under a delusion.”
He wasn't like Maetel.He wasn’t afraid of the unknown.Before one knew it, a smile had appeared on Artpe’s lips.
If a Demon, who was much more proficient in magic than him was here, this Demon would have realized it much earlier.However, it couldn’t be helped, since he was the weakest amongst the Four Heavenly Kings.
Still, he had realized it before it was too late.That would be enough.He could straighten this out.This was what the power possessed by Artpe was for.
“The change of the Dungeon is ongoing.No, the Dungeon itself is trapped within a magic spell.”
Who labeled this as a beginner’s Dungeon?This Dungeon had been made to look sloppy on purpose.This was a genuine Dungeon.This couldn’t have been formed naturally, and it wasn’t something a regular person could make.
[We give the test.]
[If they are better…If they are more extraordinary…If they are overpowered…If they are geniuses...]
[We will send out everyone.We just have to test them again.]
The sound of marching could be heard.Several dozen level 50 Skeletons appeared from down the hallway.There were countless number of Skeletons readied behind them.
They came from the front, back, left and right.The hallway kept expanding, and it broke down the walls and stairways.The dead sleeping below were all awoken.
Every one of them were connected through the Record Link.
This was a very severe ordeal for beginner hero, who barely eclipsed level 30.However, she just fixed the grip on her bastard sword.
“It’ll be alright, Artpe.I'll protect you.I’ll crush them all.”
Her emerald colored eyes didn't shake at all.She was too brilliant and strong to be seen as a mere 12 year old girl.
Ah ah.Maybe this was the point where she would open her eyes as a true hero.Artpe grinned when he saw this, and he raised his gaze.
“Yes.Someone had planned all of this.I don’t know which era this person was from…...”
The Skeletons kept bringing up the subject of heroes.At this point, they were acting in a brutal and annoying manner as if they were bullies.Aside from their actions, he was sure they wanted to check the qualification of the heroes.This gave him a good idea, who might have designed this Dungeon.
“I’ll crush you all so thoroughly that you won't be able to be recycled.I’ll take everything that is yours.”
His purple eyes contained the power of the Read All Creation ability.His eyes let out a light as he surveyed his surrounding.
A large scale ancient magic was protecting the entirety of the Dungeon.Their level of power wouldn’t be able to do anything against it.It was a magic spell that changed depending on the situation.It changed to put the challengers up against a wall.
This was why it was time for Artpe to step forward.This was why they stood a chance of succeeding.
“Every magic has a structure, and all structures have weaknesses.Of course, it’ll be difficult to instantaneously drive a wedge between the magic spell to break it…..”
This magic continuously acted on a large space, and if even one thing went out of whack, the spell would come crumbling down.
Of course, it was known amongst mages that it was impossible to find the structure and the cracks within an ever changing magic spell. This widely accepted idea was turned on its head when Artpe Hirtana Kelduke of the Four Heavenly Kings appeared.
However, Artpe’s name wasn’t known to those in this era.
This was why no magic had yet been prepared to counteract against Artpe!
‘Huh?Wait a moment.What happened to the me that should exist right now in this era?Am I absent or was I swapped with someone else?If that isn’t the case, then….’
In a flash, he had a terrifying idea, but this wasn’t the time to mull over those thoughts.He shook his head to expel all thoughts unrelated to their survival.Afterwards, he checked up on Maetel.
“Ooh-ohhhhhhhhhhhh!I can do this!I can do this!”
[Koo-gah-ahhhhhhhk!]
Maetel didn’t back down from the Skeletons coming from all sides.She ran wild.Artpe’s reserve of Mana was too vast compared to his level, so her Mana usage didn’t even make a dent in his Mana supply.