Ch. 131..140
Chapter 131 The Ghoul Beast Of Leaf Village Cemetery
"Grandma, I'm going."
"Take care."
"Manma!"
"Take care as well, Eiko," Vera said as she lightly patted the baby Slime, who was on top of Lux's head, while looking at the latter with tender eyes.
"Iris, I'm going," Lux said to the blue-haired beauty who couldn't look at him straight in the eye.
"Un. Be careful, Big Brother," Iris said as she raised her head to look at Lux. Her face was beet-red, which made the Half-Elf wonder if she were having a fever.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes. I'm just sad because Big Brother is going away."
Lux thought that Iris was feeling lonely so she moved towards her and gave her a hug, which made the young beauty's face turn a shade redder.
"Ma!" Eiko said as she slid down from Lux's head and kissed her Mama's forehead to say goodbye.
"Be safe, Eiko," Iris replied as she kissed Eiko back. "Make sure your papa doesn't cheat on me."
"Ma?"
The red-headed teenager lightly pinched Iris' cheeks before taking a few steps back.
"Don't worry, Iris," Lux said as he placed his closed fist over his chest. "Just trust me."
Iris smiled as she nodded her head. "I trust you, Big Brother."
"Let's go, Eiko," Lux lightly patted the slime on his head to tell her that they were about to leave for Elysium.
As if understanding what his Papa was trying to say, Eiko smiled before readying herself for departure.
"Open! Heaven's Gate!"
A brief flash of light enveloped Lux's and Eiko's body before they disappeared completely, leaving only Vera and Iris behind.
Vera then rested her hand on Iris' shoulder and gave her a smile.
"Don't worry, Lux never breaks a promise," Vera said. "If he said that he will win the tournament, he will win the tournament."
"I know, Grandma," Iris replied. "I trust him."
—----
When Lux appeared in Leaf Village, the first thing he did was look for his Master, Randolph, before stopping by at Grandma Annie's candy shop. He left both elders a message to tell Colette and the others, if they looked for him, that he would be waiting for them at the Bronze Crypt at the promised time.
Since Lux had returned a day early in Elysium, he planned to go to the Bronze Crypt to check what Hell Mode was like, so he could prepare a detailed plan for how he and his friends could challenge it a second time.
Since he had returned early, he arrived an hour just before the sun was about to set. The Bronze Crypt would only open at night due to the peculiarities of the dungeon.
As Lux made his way towards the graveyard, he saw a three-meter tall monster prowling the area. Its blue eyes glowed eerily in the darkness as it walked on its hind legs. The long tail coming from its backside was similar to that of a scorpion's that was always posed to strike.
It was none other than the Rank 2 Alpha Monster of the Leaf Village Cemetery that went by the name, Ghoul Beast.
Lux didn't move from his spot because he noticed a group of Dwarves approaching the Alpha Beast. They were the same group that had fought alongside them against the Mutated Golden-Eyed Crimson Mantis back in the Figaro Gardens.
'This must be part of their graduation ceremony,' Lux thought as he rubbed his chin. 'I guess I'll just watch. I'm also curious to see how they are going to challenge this monster together.'
—-
< Ghoul Beast >
– Leaf Village Cemetery Apex Creature
– Rank 2 Alpha Monster
Health: 60,000 / 60,000
Mana: 8,000 / 8,000
Strength: 150
Intelligence: 40
Vitality: 150
Agility: 150
Dexterity: 100
Active Skills: Venomous Leap, Terror Howl, Ghoul Frenzy, Summon Draugr
Passive Skills: Lifesteal, Stoneskin.
—--
Lux knew that even though the Ghoul Beast was weaker when compared to the Mutated Golden-Eyed Crimson Mantis that they had fought in the Figaro Garden, that didn't mean that the former was any less threatening.
He knew that one small mishap could wipe out the entire party and their bodies would remain here in the graveyard of Leaf Village for eternity.
Of course, that would only happen if the Ghoul Beast didn't feast on their corpses after killing them.
"Everyone, get ready!"
The Shield Warrior, who was also the leader of the party, slapped his sword over his shield, activating his defensive buffs. "No matter what happens, stay behind me. If it summons Draugrs, the swordsmen will engage them separately. Mages, just focus fire on the Ghoul Beast, the heal should be focused on me!"
""Yes!""
Lux watched as the party of one Shield Warrior, two Swordsmen, two Mages, and one Healer engaged the Ghoul Beast in combat.
"A balanced team," Lux muttered as he eyed the battle that was about to happen. "Pazuzu, come."
The Demonic Defender appeared beside Lux and waited for his orders.
"Interfere if you deem that they are in mortal danger," Lux ordered. "If not, don't do anything."
Pazuzu nodded as it narrowed its eyes to look at the Ghoul Beast that had now engaged the Dwarf party that challenged it.
With a furious roar, the Ghoul Beast summoned two Draugr's to fight by his side as it leaped at the Shield Warrior with its razor sharp claws extended.
The Shield Warrior didn't back away and used his Shield Charge, to meet the enemy head-on. This was a standard opener for Shield Warriors in order for them to close the distance and keep the opponent at bay.
When the two collided, a screeching sound similar to metal clashing against each other reverberated in the night.
The two swordsmen engaged the Draugrs in one-on-one combat, preventing them from attacking the Shield Warrior, as well as their magicians and healer who were at the rear.
Their teamwork was good and Lux couldn't stop himself from admiring their battle style, which seemed to be specially designed to fight against the Ghoul Beast. After defeating the Draugrs, the two swordsmen drank a bottle of health potion to recover their health before helping their Shield Warrior engage the Alpha Monster.
'They made the necessary preparations and arrangements for this battle,' Lux nodded his head in admiration. 'If nothing goes wrong, they should be able to defeat the Ghoul Beast without any problems.'
Spells constantly flew towards the Ghoul Beast, which pushed it back whenever it was about to overpower the three vanguards, who were preventing the monster from attacking their ranged attackers. Little by little, its health declined.
However, the Ghoul Beast was still an Alpha Beast, so there were a few occasions when it managed to send one of the vanguards flying with its powerful attacks.
The Healer did his job well and helped his allies recover as fast as they could so that the Ghoul Beast wouldn't be able to get the upper hand.
Lux observed the battle with a serious expression on his face as he memorized the Ghoul Beast's attack patterns. If the Apostle Grade Party was able to defeat it, he and his friends would have to wait until it respawned again.
It was very common for those that had reached the Apostle Grade to challenge the Carbuncle, Red-Eyed Terror Mantis, as well as the Ghoul Beast as their Last Hurrah before leaving the Beginner's Zone.
They left the Forest Wolf King alone, since it was something that none of them could defeat, unless several Apostle Grade Parties worked together to challenge it.
According to Lux's estimate, it would take at least a fifty-men team of Apostle Grades to defeat the Field Boss of the Heartwood Forest. Anything lower than that was just plain suicide.
The battle lasted for half an hour and the Apostle Grade Party emerged victorious. Lux smiled as he watched the Dwarves share high-fives with each other with big smiles on their faces.
"I'm really gonna miss them," Lux muttered as he thought of Colette and the others. He knew that when he finally passed the qualification to go to Elysium in the Wildgarde Stronghold, he would be teleported to the Human Territories, where their faction belonged.
It was tens of thousands of miles away from Leaf Village, and Lux didn't know if he would ever see his friends again after he chose to transfer to the Human lands.
'I'll cross that bridge when I get there,' Lux thought as he walked towards the Bronze Crypt, which was his original destination. 'In any case, I still have the Arondight Ring with me, so I can look for them when I have the time.'
Lux understood that everyone had their own paths in life. If they were fated to meet, then he and his Dwarf friends would definitely cross paths again, one way or the other.
Chapter 132 Bronze Crypt Hell Mode [Part 1]
Lux stopped in front of the familiar bronze gate and looked at the name that shone in bold gold letters at the very top of the ranking list.
"Aina Van Goldenslayer," Lux said softly. "Colette is always urging me to marry her so that I can officially become her Big Brother. I wonder, is she the same as Colette?"
Lux tried to imagine a more mature version of Colette and ended up laughing. He just picture the blonde and adorable little Dwarf with an elegant and dignified expression on her face.
"I promised her that I'll meet her sister, so I guess I'll do that before I go to the Human territories," Lux muttered. "I'm sure that after Colette brings up the possibility of marriage, her sister will immediately reject me, leaving her perfect plan in tatters. But, this is for the best. I do not belong in the Dwarven lands of the Gweliven Kingdom."
Lux sighed as he shifted his attention to the entrance of the Dungeon. He then chose Hell Mode and disappeared from where he stood.
The next time Lux opened his eyes, he found himself in what seemed like a creepy forest, illuminated by a red full moon.
"This is a good place to shoot a horror film," Lux commented as he scanned his surroundings.
"Pa?" Eiko tilted her head in confusion because she didn't understand what Lux had just said.
"Don't mind, Eiko. Just keep your eyes peeled for trouble."
"Pa!"
The Elysium Compendium had already activated its exploration mode, showing the map at the upper right corner of Lux's vision.
Lux waved his hand and summoned Diablo, Ishtar, Pazuzu, as well as all of his Skeleton Warriors.
Eiko also summoned her Skeleton warriors, as well as Blackie and Whitey, who hovered beside Lux and were looking at their surroundings with vigilance.
The baby Slime was feeling scared because of the ambiance of the place, so she hid inside Lux's robes, and only peeked out to look at the path they were walking. Although she was already used to having skeletons and the scary Pazuzu around her, she was still afraid of foreign undead monsters, which amused Lux.
The path was quite narrow, and the sides were blocked by towering ash-colored trees that forced the group to move in a tight formation.
Diablo and Pazuzu were at the front, serving as the vanguard, while the Skeletal Fighters were behind them. Lux and Eiko were at the center. Ishtar and the Skeleton Grand Archers were right behind them.
After experiencing the Hell-Mode of the Orc Dominion, Lux no longer underestimated anything with the Hell Mode label. Even though the Bronze Crypt was only an E-Ranked Dungeon and merely served as a training ground for newbies, he still took it seriously.
When Lux took his hundredth step. The ground that was several meters away from him rose up, toppling the Skeletal Fighters that were standing in that position.
Soon, Six Elder Ghouls emerged from the ground and attacked the nearest monster beside them. All of them were peak Rank 1 Monsters, and were only a step away from Rank 2. However, Lux's skeletons were not pushovers either. All of them were Rank 1 Monsters, and they had the advantage when it came to numbers.
Although the surprise attack managed to damage a few of them, the moment the Elder Ghouls appeared, all the Skeleton Fighters dealt with them as if they were in a gang fight.
The pitiful ghouls were immediately neutralized until they collapsed into a pile of dirt, leaving nothing else behind.
The Skeleton Fighters used their sword to disperse the dirt, but they found nothing inside it.
"So stingy," Lux muttered. "Not even leaving a Beast Core behind."
"Pa!" Eiko was also dissatisfied as she looked at the dirt on the ground with beady eyes.
Clearly, she was in the mood to eat some Beast Cores, even if they came from a bunch of zombies.
After the first clash against the monster inside the dungeon, everyone became more alert as they headed deeper in the creepy forest.
Suddenly, the trees around them started to shake, which made Eiko scream in fright before burying herself inside her Papa's robes.
The trees around them suddenly unearthed their roots from the ground and attacked Lux, who was the only living creature inside the dungeon.
'Corrupted Treants,' Lux thought as his Summons formed a defensive encirclement with Lux at the center. "And one Hungering Treant. This dungeon really doesn't pull any punches for newbies."
Corrupted treants were similar to Elder Ghouls, but were more sturdy than them. They were Rank 1 Monsters that were weak against elemental attacks, especially fire, which dealt great damage to them.
The Hungering Treant, on the other hand, was a Rank 2 Monster that was almost as strong as an Orc Berserker. If it was alone, it would take an entire party to bring it down, but with seven Corrupted Treants backing it, it definitely spelles trouble to those who had just stepped into the Apostle Rank.
However, just like the Corrupted Treants were weakest against fire, the Hungering Treant was weak to elemental attacks, making it vulnerable against mages.
Airon, the Nightmare Horse, hurled several fire lances at the Hungering Treant that was trying to reach out to Lux, setting it ablaze.
Blackie and Whitey also unleashed their elemental attacks, dealing significant damage, especially Whitey whose Holy Attacks were very deadly against undead and corrupted creatures.
Once again, the monsters were easily dealt with, as they collapsed in a pile of rotting wood, leaving nothing behind.
"Again?" Lux scratched his head after finding out that no Beast Cores were found from the monsters' remains. "Is this just a coincidence or does my luck just suck?"
,m Just as Lux was wondering if Iris absorbed all of his luck when they slept together, a terrifying roar echoed through the creepy forest, making the baby Slime inside his robes shudder.
Lux narrowed his eyes as he stared at the North, where a giant black tree was located. It was the place where he needed to go, and the location of the Boss of the Dungeon that was waiting for them.
Chapter 133 Bronze Crypt Hell Mode [Part 2]
"This place is like a maze," Lux thought as he gazed at the map in front of him.
After exploring the dungeon for nearly an hour, he ended up in several dead-ends, which only confirmed his suspicion.
'There's only one path that leads to the boss and it is hidden inside this maze.' Lux rubbed his chin as he looked at the places that they had already explored. More than half of the map was now visible to him, and it was only a matter of time before he had it completely mapped.
Sounds of explosions sounded around him, but he didn't bother looking at his surroundings, putting all his attention on the map in front of him.
Six Bone Wraiths that were Rank 2 Monsters were currently engaging in close combat with Lux's forces, but after encountering them on more than one occasion, he and his Summons had already memorized their fight patterns, making them easier to deal with.
'Colette's sister managed to beat this dungeon within 39 minutes,' Lux mused. 'But, I've already been here for three hours…'
The corner of Lux's lips raised after finally knowing the reason why Colette's sister managed to set the record for the fastest run in the Bronze Crypt.
'There's no doubt about it, she challenged this dungeon several times with her party and memorized the maze.' Lux concluded. 'Only after knowing the right path can you clear this dungeon without wasting any time. Even so, I admit that she is indeed quite capable of setting that record.'
Lux gave the monsters that were attacking him with a side-long glance. The monsters that he had encountered inside the dungeon were all Rank 1 and Rank 2 Monsters. Even for an Apostle Grade Party, they would have to be strong enough to fight against such a lineup.
Another hour passed, and after several more monster battles, Lux finally arrived at his destination.
"So, you are the Last Boss of this dungeon," Lux muttered as he gazed at the three-meter tall zombie with bone spikes protruding from its back and arms.
—-
< Plague Monstrosity >
–Final Boss of Bronze Crypt (Hell Mode)
– Rank 3 Boss Monster (Initial Stages)
Health: 90,000 / 90,000
Mana: 6,000 / 6,000
Strength: 150
Intelligence: 20
Vitality: 150
Agility: 100
Dexterity: 100
Skills: Poison Smog, Jackhammer, Rampage,
Passive Skills: Heavy Handed
Title: Plague Bearer
—
< Poison Smog >
– Unleash a breath of Poisonous Smog at your enemies.
– Have a medium chance to inflict poison or disease.
< Jackhammer >
– unleash a full powered punch at your target dealing 300% melee damage.
– Has a knockback effect.
< Rampage >
– Go on a rampage and deal a flurry of deadly blows to your enemies that become stronger with each strike.
– Deals five blows with each blow increasing melee damage by 50%, 100%, 150%, 200%, and 250% respectively.
< Heavy Handed >
– Raise your Melee attacks by 20%
< Plague Bearer >
– All attacks of the Plague Bearer have a chance to inflict poison or diseases.
—--
"This is one tough cookie," Lux thought as he looked at the stats of his enemy. "It is almost as strong as the Alpha Monster, Ghoul Beast."
For the first time, Lux decided to take the battle seriously. Eiko also prepared herself for battle.
"Let's finish this quickly before Colette and the others show up," Lux ordered. "Everyone, battle formations!"
—--
Lux came out of the dungeon with his clothes torn in different places. His face was a bit pale due to the effect of poison and diseases that he was infected with during the battle.
Fortunately, Eiko had the skill "Cure-All", which removed these status effects in her Papa's body.
Unfortunately, after repeatedly being subjected to debilitating status ailments, Lux still felt sick even after his body had been cured from any kinds of poisons and diseases.
For some reason, Eiko was completely immune to poison and negative status effects, which surprised Lux.
Since his minions were also Undead, they were not affected by poison and diseases, so they ended up being a perfect counter to their enemy.
'Whenever the Plague Monstrosity unleashes its Poisonous Smog, the entire battlefield is covered by it,' Lux mused as he walked towards Leaf Village. 'There's no escape, so we should bring Panaceas to counter the negative buffs.
'Rampage and Jackhammer are also very annoying skills. If Colette tanked either of these attacks, she would definitely be sent flying by that monster.'
Colette was a Paladin, so she was always at the front during battle. Although her profession wasn't a Shield Warrior, her class was still an all-rounder that functioned well in a party. Capable of tanking damage, healing, and casting spells, Paladins were well received in any party.
Some Paladins focused purely on defense, which made them as strong as Shield Warriors. Colette's fighting style was balanced, so she could attack and defend at the same time.
Lux's plan was to let the Dwarf children experience the difficulty of the Bronze Crypt Hell mode in the first run, without using any of his Summons. He also didn't plan to contend with Colette for the position as the leader of the group, so he would just listen to her commands during their Dungeon expedition.
"Eiko, when we are with Colette and the others later, you can summon Blackie and Whitey, but don't summon anyone else, okay?"
"Pa!"
As Lux entered Leaf Village, he immediately headed to his room in the inn to rest. His dungeon expedition was a very traumatic one, and the boss was pretty stingy with its loot.
He only got its Rank 3 Beast Core after defeating it and nothing else, which almost made Lux curse out loud. It turned out that the suffering he had experienced when fighting against it was just worth that much.
Although the Half-Elf's dungeon experience wasn't the best, he didn't regret it. Now, he had the information he needed in order to help his friends clear the dungeon, and beat Colette's sister's record.
Of course, Lux didn't plan to break Colette's sister's record with their group's first attempt to challenge it.
He planned to do a speedrun after his friends experienced what the dungeon had to offer. This was to ensure that they would also be able to experience the suffering he had.
'I'm doing this for your own good, guys,' Lux mused as he closed his eyes to sleep. 'I'm sure this experience will help you in the future after you leave Leaf Village.'
Eiko snuck inside Lux's shirt, because she was still feeling the after effects of fighting scary monsters. She also liked to sleep hearing her Papa's heart, because it put her at ease.
Soon, the Half-Elf and the baby slime were sound asleep.
They knew that when morning came, their friends would once again be in Elysium, and they would be able to continue their journey together, even if it was only for a little while longer.
Chapter 134 The Journey Itself Has Meaning
"Good morning, Big Brother!"
"Good morning, Colette. Have you eaten?"
"I ate before I came here, so I'm good."
The adorable blonde Dwarf sat beside Lux as the latter ate the ham and eggs that were served to him inside the tavern.
Eiko, on the other hand, was munching on bacon.
Since Colette had nothing to do, she decided to hand feed the baby Slime who liked to be spoiled by the people she knew and cared about.
Half an hour later, Helen arrived at the inn and also sat at the table to join her friends. She was wearing a golden pin on her head, which was an artifact that her family gave her as a reward after becoming an Apostle in Elysium.
"Big Brother, I bragged about our achievements to my Big Sister, and she was very surprised about it," Colette said with a smug expression on her face. "Also, I told her that our party will beat the record she had set in the Bronze Crypt and she only smiled and told me 'Good luck!'
"It seems like she doesn't believe that we can beat her. Big Brother, you better help me prove that we beat her record, okay? I even bought a recording crystal just to show her the change in the rankings."
Lux chuckled but he firmly nodded his head. Although he admired Aina's strategy when she set the fastest record in clearing the Hell Mode of the Bronze Crypt, their group had something that her group didn't have when they were still in Leaf Village.
"Don't worry, we will leave your sister in the dust and she will have no choice but to acknowledge that you had surpassed her record." Lux gave Colette a reassuring smile, which made the latter feel giddy.
Colette was a very competitive person, and her sister was her idol. Aina was someone who was considered a top prodigy in Solais as well as in Elysium. Her achievements were such that when she created a guild separate from her family's main guild, many dwarfs still gathered under her banner.
This was proof that she was capable enough to stand on her own, and Colette had long considered her sister as the perfect role model to aspire to.
Colette knew that beating her sister's record was a daunting task, but as long as there was a possibility, she would use everything in her power to make it happen.
"Big Brother, it is still morning, and the Bronze Crypt only opens at night," said as she rested her chin over the palm of her hands. "What are we going to do while we wait for sunset?"
"Let's visit Grandma Annie's place and buy some Panaceas, Healing potion, and Mana Potion," Lus replied. "Even if we have Eiko, Helen, as well as your pet Clover (Mutated Carbuncle), we still need those things just in case they are not in the right state to cure us from status ailments."
Colette and Helen nodded in understanding.
Fifteen minutes later, the group of three were having tea, and snacks in Grandma Annie's candy shop as she prepared the things that they needed for their dungeon expedition.
"So, you girls will be leaving soon," Grandma Annie said as she sat beside Colette and Helen. "Time surely flies. I can't remember the number of times I've seen Foreigners come and leave this place. Of course, there are some people who have stood out from among the crowd, and left a very good impression on me."
Lux lightly coughed and said "Ahem Ahem" several times, but Grandma Annie, as well as the two Dwarven girls, ignored him.
"Grandma, do you know any outstanding Dwarves that appeared here several years ago?" Colette asked. "Do you know someone named Aina?"
"Aina? Of course I know her." Grandma Annie looked in the distance as if remembering a very good memory. "Not only is she a wonderful Dwarf, she's also very strong, and kind. Although her face always looked cold on the surface, she was a very warm person. If I only had a grandson, I would have definitely urged him to approach her and ask her hand for marriage."
Colette puffed up her chest with pride as she gave Lux a side-long glance that said, "Isn't my sister awesome?".
The adorable dwarf then told Grandma Annie that she was Aina's sister, but the latter didn't express any shock after this revelation.
"I know," Grandma Annie said.
Colette blinked her eyes in confusion. "You know?"
"Yes. Before your sister left, she told me that a few years from now, her sister will also come to Leaf Village, and asked me to look after you," Grandma Annie said with a mischievous smile on her face. "Perhaps this is also fate. Who would think that the one and only Half-Elf to appear in this village arrived at the same time as you did?"
The old Dwarf chuckled and sipped some tea before she continued her narration.
"Then, all of you went through all sorts of trouble." Grandma Annie lightly patted Colette's and Helen's heads. "Getting caught up in a Monster Outbreak, Kidnapped by Kobold Bandits, and clearing a Hidden Dungeon.
"When all of you leave Leaf Village, and set off on your journey once again, you must remember that the journey itself has meaning. The songs of the cities, the smiles of the people, and the Monsters you face, all of them are part of your journey.
"Although the destination is good, it is not everything. So, before you reach the end, keep your eyes open and use those chances to take in the world around you. I'm sure that you will fondly remember these things when you sit back and reminisce about how your journey started."
Grandma Annie sighed as she pulled the two Dwarves into her embrace and gave both of them a hug.
"It is such a pity that Foreigners can't return to the place where they started." Grandma Annie sighed. "I would love to hear your stories after you have all traveled the world, and seen places I have never seen before."
Colette, and Helen became teary-eyed as they hugged back Grandma Annie who had always been kind to them.
Lux no longer sulked and simply stared at this sad parting with a solemn gaze.
Just like Grandma Annie said, those who stepped into the Apostle Rank are fated to leave Leaf Village and never step foot in it again. Such were the rules of the world, and there was nothing they could do about it.
Chapter 135 Playing Dirty [Part 1]
"Are all of you ready?" Colette asked as she looked at her party members who were raring to challenge the Hell Mode of the Bronze Crypt.
""Yes!""
"Okay. Let's go."
The little blonde Dwarf decisively chose the Hell Mode of the Bronze Crypt, teleporting them inside the Dungeon.
The Dwarves found themselves standing in front of a creepy forest. It even made Helen subconsciously shudder.
Lux and Eiko stood behind the Dwarves as they looked at the familiar scene with confident expressions on their faces.
After a good night's sleep, Eiko was no longer afraid of challenging the Bronze Crypt again. The fact that she was now perched on top of Lux's head showed that she had already overcome her fears after eating a plate full of bacon.
"Vanguards at the front, Mages flank our healer," Colette ordered as she, Lux, and Matty stood at the front of the formation.
Lux had already informed his friends that he didn't plan on summoning any of his minions to fight inside the Bronze Crypt. To his surprise, the Dwarves liked this idea and even asked him not to summon Diablo, Ishtar, and Pazuzu, no matter how the expedition fared.
Although the Dwarf children didn't want to admit it, they had become accustomed to being surrounded by Lux's skeletons, which had given them a sense of security. This was something bad for their development, so they supported their Big Brother's request with a unanimous vote.
Only Eiko was allowed to summon her Devil Slime and Angel Slime to battle.
Lux held the sword Oathbreaker, as well as the shield Dawne, in his hands. Because he had become so accustomed to standing in the rear with the protection of his Summons, his close combat abilities had not been used for a long time.
Now that the tournament in Barbatos Academy was drawing near, the red-headed teenager decided to get serious and once again refine his sword and melee combat techniques in order to prepare for the battle that was to come.
His current role in the party was a Magic Swordsman, so he walked two meters away from Colette's left side, giving them some space to maneuver, just in case something unexpected happened.
Matty kept the same distance as well while he walked on Colette's right side. He had his guard raised to its peak as he warily scanned his surroundings for any surprise attacks.
Eiko, on the other hand, was perched on top of Helen's head. Her Papa had told her that he planned to fight solo for the time being, and ordered Eiko to act as Support for Helen, Andy, and Axel, just in case they were attacked by monsters.
Blackie and Whitey hovered above the mages, ready to fight at any given moment.
Just as Lux predicted, after moving a hundred steps inside the dungeon, several Elder Ghoul rose from the ground and attacked their party.
Helen let out an ear-piercing scream as her legs were grabbed by a pair of rotting hands that had come up from beneath the earth.
Andy and Axel hurriedly swatted the rotting hands with their staff, forgetting the fact that they were mages.
Fortunately, Whitey reacted in time and cast Holy Blast on the Zombie's hands, making them let go of the Cleric's legs, who had almost peed herself from fright.
Andy fired two consecutive fire bullets at the ground, forcing the Elder Ghoul to surface. Axel, on the other hand, cast a water blade to slice off the Zombie's hands, preventing it from using its hands against them again.
Although they had been caught by surprise by the Zombie's ambush, all of them had been baptized by the Nightmare Mode of Orc Dominion. Fighting against Rank 1 Monsters was no longer an issue for them.
Lux battled the Elder Ghoul in front of him, while paying close attention to his friends behind him. When Helen had been freed from the ghoul's clutches, he focused all of his attention on the enemy that was in front of him.
The Half-Elf unleashed the techniques that Vera had taught him when he was still a child. He had practiced these movements thousands of time in the past, until he fainted.
As Lux executed move after move, he realized just how strong his body had become. Now that fainting was no longer an issue, he can exert all his strength in his attacks. Lux's blade cleanly hacked the Elder Ghoul's limbs from their sockets, rendering it helpless.
"Kaizer Sword Art First Form," Lux said as he thrust his sword forward. "Piercing the Heavens!"
The sword instantly pierced through the Elder Ghoul's head, killing it instantly. Soon, the monster crumbled into pieces, leaving only dirt behind.
Colette and Matty had also finished dealing with the monsters in front of them. The little blonde Dwarf looked at her friends with a critical gaze. After seeing that no one was seriously hurt during the skirmish, she ordered the group to advance deeper into the maze.
With every battle they fought, the Dwarves were slowly getting the hang of fighting the monsters that would sneak attack them from the side, under the ground, and in the air above them.
The Half-Elf chuckled internally as he watched Colette's frustrated expression deepen whenever they came to a dead end. He had no intention of guiding them towards the Boss Monster's location this time though.
For him, this was an experience that his friends needed to experience so that when they encountered a similar incident in the future, they would be able to deal with it calmly and keep their wits about them.
One and a half hours later, Colette's group finally arrived at the end of the maze where the Final Boss was waiting for them.
Lux sneakily placed a pill inside his mouth, but he didn't bite on it. He only planned to use it once he had been affected by the Poison Cloud of the Plague Monstrosity.
Having a pill in his mouth would save him precious seconds of experiencing excruciating pain from the effect of the poison cloud, which the Plague Monstrosity unleash whenever it was cornered.
This was a very painful experience that would soon be experienced by his friends, who were fighting the boss for the very first time.
Lux hoped that after this boss fight, his friends would not overly rely on their healer when they needed to be cured from negative status effects. Why? The answer was very simple. Although Clerics and other healing classes were able to cure these negative buffs on their comrades, things would be different when they were also subjected to the same negative buffs.
'Fortunately, Eiko is immune to poison and diseases,' Lux thought as he held his weapon, and shield firmly as the boss Monster roared at them. 'She'll take care of Helen and the others, while Colette, Matty, and I deal with this monster.'
As soon as Lux took a fighting stance, Colette's determined voice reverberated in the surroundings.
"Shield Charge!" Colette shouted as the round shield in her hand glowed brightly.
The little blonde Dwarf, charged forward, followed by Lux and Matty, who were only a few steps behind her.
The Plague Monstrosity summoned two Elder Ghouls to fight with it, as it gave another resounding roar of outrage.
Soon the sounds of weapons clashing, and spells exploding, spread across the Boss Room as Colette and her friends fought with everything they had against a monster that took the meaning of "playing dirty" to the next level.
Chapter 136 Playing Dirty [Part 2]
Five minutes had passed since Colette's group started to engage the Boss Monster, Plague Monstrosity.
The Monster was being pushed back by the group's teamwork, as well as Colette's outstanding commands. However, when Lux saw the monster jump backwards, he knew that it was about to start "Playing Dirty", and he looked forward to his friends' suffering.
'I'm not doing this because I want to see you guys suffer,' Lux thought as he readied to bite the pill (Panacea) inside his mouth. 'I just want you guys to experience this kind of hardship, so that it won't bite you guys back in the future.'
Just like Lux expected, the Boss Monster unleashed its Poisonous Smog which immediately incapacicated the Dwarves that were fighting against it.
The Plague Monstrosity bore the title "Plague Bearer", which meant that 10 out of 10, the effect of its Poisonous Smog would activate, dealing poison or disease status to everyone in the vicinity.
"Gah!"
"D-dammit!"
"It hurts!"
"Urk…"
"Blergh!"
Lux had immediately bitten the Panacea in his mouth, preventing any status effects from affecting him.
Eiko, on the other hand, was immune to the status effect from the Plague Monstrosity, so she was still feeling peppy after the Boss Monster's attack. The baby Slime calmly healed Blackie's and Whitey's status, allowing the two Summoned Slimes to resume their attacks on the Boss Monster, who just used its skill, Jackhammer, to send the poisoned Colette flying to the back of their formation.
Just as the Boss was about to unleash its other skill, Rampage, on Matty, Lux used the skill, Shield Bash, to cancel the Boss Monster's attack.
Since the Half-Elf had equipped Dawne, he was able to use the shield's two abilities, which were Shield Bash and Shield Throw.
"H-Helen, quickly, use Cure!" Colette ordered as she shakily propped herself off from the ground.
When the Plague Monstrosity attacked her, she still had enough wits in her to use her shield to block the attack, which mitigated the damage she received from it.
Helen coughed repeatedly, as she tried to chant the Cure Spell to cure herself from her disoriented state, but she couldn't seem to muster her wits, as if she had entered a confused state of mind.
Fortunately, Andy had remembered that they were carrying Panacea's with them and immediately ate one. After recovering, he made Helen eat one, allowing her to recover from the negative buffs that plagued her.
When Colette saw this, she hurriedly took out a pill from her storage ring and ate it. A few seconds later, the pain in her chest disappeared.
'I had completely forgotten that we brought Panaceas with us,' Colette thought as she ran towards the Boss Monster that was being held at bay by her Big Brother. 'We've relied so much on Helen that we forget this simple fact. I failed as a leader.'
After learning from her mistake, she immediately gave an order to anyone to use the Panaceas they had whenever the boss monster activated its AOE Plague Skill.
Lux smiled after hearing Colette's orders as he continued to attack the Monster, alongside the now recovered Colette.
A few seconds later, Matty once again joined the fight after he, too, used his Panacea, rather than waiting for Helen to cure him.
After a few minutes of intense fighting, the Boss once again jumped back and unleashed its Poisonous Smog. This time, however, everyone was prepared and had already taken out a pill from their storage ring, chewing on it with vengeance.
The Plague Monstrosity would always use its skill, Jackhammer, after using its Poisonous Smog in order to take advantage of its enemies weakened state to deal them devastating damage.
However, since its skill didn't work, it found itself being attacked by an angry Dwarf Paladin who smashed her round shield against its body.
"Shield Charge!" Colette shouted as she jumped after her sprint to smash her shield on the Boss Monster's chest, pushing it back.
Once they had gotten used to the Boss' attack patterns, the rest of the battle went smoothly.
Ten minutes later, the Plague Monstrosity finally died, leaving behind a chest as a reward for defeating it.
Everyone's faces, with the exception of Lux and Eiko, were pale after experiencing such a disgusting enemy.
They had eaten five Panaceas each because the Monster had used its Poisonous Smog five times as well.
Lux watched them with a calm expression on his face. In truth, he was doing his best to prevent himself from chuckling after seeing his friends' nauseous faces.
Matty looked like he had eaten a fly, while the three magic classes were leaning on their staffs and seemed to be on the verge of puking.
Colette was the only one who had a better complexion, but her face was still pale as she gazed at her friends who were suffering in front of her.
"Big Brother, are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?" Colette asked after looking at Lux who looked fine compared to them.
"I'm good," Lux answered. "You did well, Colette."
Lux was quite impressed when he saw how much Colette's leadership and command skills had improved during the battle. If not for the fact that they had been taken by surprise by the Poisonous Smog at the beginning, they would have beaten the boss sooner without fail.
Colette flashed a smile after being praised by Lux before walking towards the treasure chest and opening it with both of her hands.
Lux was also quite curious to see what the treasure box contained because he only got a Beast Core during his dungeon run.
To his surprise, there were three items inside the Treasure Chest.
The first item was a bone shield, which was made from the Plague Monstrosities hard bones.
The second item was a necklace that increased Poison Resistance.
The third item was a Rank 3 Beast Core, which belonged to the Boss Monster.
Overall, it wasn't a bad haul after nearly fifteen minutes of suffering.
Lux wasn't interested in any of the items, so he didn't ask Colette to share them with him. A few minutes later, the group exited the Bronze Crypt and appeared at its entrance.
Their Clear Time was 1 hour and 48 minutes, which was a far cry from Aina's record of 39 minutes.
"Big Sister is truly amazing," Colette said as she looked up at her sister's rank in the Leaderboards. "She was able to beat this dungeon with only that much time. Truly incredible."
Matty and the others nodded their heads, while Lux only smiled with his arms crossed over his chest. Now that the Dwarves had experienced what the Bronze Crypt Hell Mode had to offer, it was now time for him to step in and keep his promise with Colette.
A Promise on which he would help her beat her sister's record before leaving the Leaf Village.
"Are you guys feeling better?" Lux asked.
The Dwarf children all looked at him and nodded their heads.
"Good." Lux smirked. "Let's go challenge it again. I will teach you guys how to do a Speedrun."
"Speedrun?" Colette tilted her head in confusion. "Big Brother, what is a speedrun?"
Lux chuckled as he patted Colette's head with a devilish smile on his face. "The reason why your sister managed to beat this dungeon in that much time is because she focused on killing the boss monster, instead of clearing the dungeon.
"Earlier, you guys focused on clearing the dungeon, instead of trying to beat her record. This time around, we will ignore clearing the dungeon and just focus on getting to the boss in the fastest time possible."
As if the last puzzle had fallen in place, all the Dwarf children's eyes widened in realization. They immediately understood what Lux was trying to tell them.
Seeing their reactions, the Half-Elf grinned as he summoned his mount, Jed in front of his friends.
"Your sister might be good, but she never acquired a mount while she was still here in Leaf Village," Lux said as he mounted his Rank 3 Warg. "Now, are you guys ready for Round 2?"
All the Dwarves nodded their heads with determination. The thought of having their names immortalized in Leaf Village's Bronze Crypt was an honor that they would fight to achieve.
Fifteen minutes later…
—-
Congratulations! You have beaten the current record of Bronze Crypt Hell Mode!
Your names will be added to the Hall of Fame!"
—-
Bronze Crypt Hell Mode
Date: 7th Day of the Month of the Chariot 1648 AD
Clear Time: 14 minutes, 28 seconds.
Challengers:
Lux Von Kaizer
Colette Van Goldenslayer
Eiko
Matty…
Andy…
Axel…
Helen…
—-
The moment they reached the boss room, Lux and Eiko didn't hold back, summoning all of their forces to gangbang the Boss Monster senselessly.
The Boss Monster died a pitiful death in just five minutes, and it wasn't even able to cast its Poisonous Cloud even once due to Diablo's and Pazuzu's Duel [EX], which canceled all of its attempts, making the battle end faster.
Chapter 137 Pinky Promise
"Cheers!"
""Cheers!""
After successfully beating Aina's record, Lux and his friends partied inside the Tavern and ordered a lot of food.
Everyone was in a good mood, including Matty, who even called Lux Big Brother as he exchanged a toast with him.
The red-headed teenager knew well that Matty was just in an incredibly happy mood since the Dwarf boy had done something that he would never have done if he had been sober.
Eiko was being hand fed by Colette and Helen, who took turns feeding the baby Slime. Andy and Axel were also drinking a lot of mead, which made Lux worry for the two Dwarfs, who were bound to have a hangover when they woke up in the morning.
Although he knew that Dwarfs were strong drinkers, that was only true for adults, and not for Dwarf children that were only twelve years old.
The other Dwarves inside the tavern looked at this happy scene with amused expressions on their faces. They didn't know the reason why Lux and his friends were celebrating since the result of their Dungeon expedition wasn't announced like their clear of the Hidden Quest in the Stronghold of Norria had been.
They just thought that the rowdy group had fought an Alpha Monster somewhere and were celebrating a job well done, which was a very common occurrence among Apostle Grade Parties that were about to leave Leaf Village in a few days.
"Big Brother, what are your plans tomorrow?" Colette asked while feeding Eiko a chicken drumstick.
"Good question," Lux answered. "To be honest. I haven't made any plans for tomorrow."
Usually when a Dwarves becomes Grade D Apostles, they would either fight the Alpha Monsters as part of their graduation ceremony, or just leave Leaf Village and transfer to an Intermediate Town.
Colette and her group had already defeated the Mutated Golden-Eyed Crimson Mantis, as well as beat her sister's record in the Bronze Crypt. They had also beaten the Carbuncle, as well as cleared a Hidden Quest in a Rank-C Dungeon.
Truth be told, Colette's group had already done many things, and could leave Leaf Village at any time, but she was reluctant to do so because of her Big Brother, Lux, who had no intention of leaving the Beginner's Zone for the time being.
As if guessing her thoughts, Lux smiled and placed his mug of fruit juice on the table.
"This will not be our last time seeing each other, Colette," Lux said. "Didn't I promise you that I would meet your sister? I don't want to brag, but I am someone that keeps my promise."
"Although it might take a while, I promise that I'll find you, so that you can introduce me to your amazing Big Sister."
Colette looked at Lux with a serious expression on her face before giving a reply. "I still feel anxious, Big Brother. I feel like I really won't see you again once I leave Leaf Village."
"Hahaha, you think too much," Lux stated. "Don't you trust me?"
"I trust you."
"Then, continue to trust me. I will keep my promise. Let's pinky promise on it?"
"P-Pinky promise?" Colette looked at Lux with confusion. "What's a pinky promise?"
Lux raised his right little finger and wiggled it in front of Colette. "This is the pinky finger. Now use your own pinky finger to intertwine with mine."
Colette was still unsure about what Lux was trying to do, but she obeyed until both of their little fingers were intertwined with each other.
"This is how you pinky swear," Lux said. "I promise that I will come to find you and your sister. It may take a while, but I swear that I will look for the two of you. If I break my promise, I will lose all the hair on my head and become bald forever."
Colette and Helen giggled after hearing the contents of Lux's promise. They just couldn't imagine what the Half-Elf would look like if he became bald.
Lux then shook his intertwined finger with Colette, sealing the promise he made to her.
"There," Lux said as he gave Colette a wink. "Now, do you feel any better?"
Colette nodded. Although her Big Brother's way of assuring her was unexpected, she now believed that he wouldn't break his promise to meet her and her sister after they had left Leaf Village.
"Big Brother, I have an idea!" Colette said with sparkling eyes. "Let's fight the Forest Wolf King!"
Matty, who was having a drinking contest with Andy and Axel, spat the mead out of his mouth and coughed repeatedly.
Even the Dwarves who were sitting at the tables near the group turned their heads to look at Colette after hearing her proposal.
"No." Lux shook his head firmly. "That's just suicide."
This thought had already crossed his mind, but he decisively shot it down because it was too dangerous. When they fought against Orobak, he knew back then that they were no match for him.
This was why he decided to fight him using trickery. Although he got the results he wanted, he knew that it wouldn't work against the Forest Wolf King, who was stronger than Orobak. If they really went there to fight it with just their party, there was a high chance that they would suffer casualties, even if they managed to defeat it.
This was something that Lux wanted to avoid at all costs.
Colette was also aware that her proposal was unreasonable, and had gotten carried away because of the drinks that she had earlier. In the end, everyone just treated it as a joke and the discussion about hunting the Forest Wolf King ended.
An hour later, their celebration ended and everyone went back to their own rooms to rest.
Lux, who didn't drink any alcohol, sat beside the window of his room and looked at the full moon in the sky.
The baby Slime on his lap was sleeping peacefully after she'd had her fill of food and drinks from their party. Eiko had grown very fond of Colette and the others, and he was sure that she would miss them once they left Leaf Village to go to the Intermediate Town.
Although Lux could break past the Apostle Grade at any moment if he allocated his free stat points, he didn't do that. Just like he told Colette earlier, he was someone who kept his promises, and until his promise in Leaf Village was kept, he would not leave it anytime soon.
'Aside from the Ghoul Beast, only the Forest Wolf King is left,' Lux thought as he gazed at the moon. 'All the Beginner Villages have a Mythical Quest in them… I need to complete them all before the tournament starts.'
Mythical Ranked Items were extremely rare because they were the highest tier before reaching Legendary Rank.
He already had the Pseudo-Legendary Armor, the Blackrock Legacy Armor Set, but it was currently equipped by Diablo.
His Master, Randolph hadn't even started crafting his Faunus Battle Armor because he was prioritizing Andy's and Axel's armor sets.
In truth, there was a connection between the Mythical Quests of each Village around the Stronghold of Norria.
All of the mythical rewards from each of them comprised the entirety of the Mythical Faunus Battle Regalia Set.
Lux opened his Elysium Compendium as he read the passage that was written there.
"In Leaf Village, a special armor is made, its toughness is as resilient as adamantium.
In Lindow Village, a shield stands proud, waiting for the day its new owner arrives.
In Sunflower Village, where the sun rises in the east, a blade that has slain a dragon is hidden.
Lastly, in Millwood Village, where secrets are kept, a mask with many faces smiles at the ignorant."
Four Villages,
Four Battle Regalias that made up the Mythical Faunus Set.
Once the full set had been gathered, it would forever be bound to its owner. According to the Elysium Compendium, if the right conditions and requirements are met, the Mythical Armor Set could evolve into a Legendary Set.
This was why Lux had no plans of leaving the Beginner's Zone anytime soon. As long as he could acquire the complete Faunus Battle Regalia Set, he was confident that he would be able to win against anyone in the tournament, even if the participants were backed by the Royal Families that supported Barbatos Academy.
Chapter 138 Colette Is Such A Sinful Child
Several Dwarves, who had just arrived in Elysium, were running away from the center of the Aspiration Plains.
They accidentally ventured too far while hunting horned rabbits and didn't notice that they had entered the territory of the Berserked Horned Rabbits, which were Rank 2 Monsters.
One of the Dwarves accidentally tripped over the ground while running away, making the Berserked Horned Rabbits lock onto his small body.
"No! Save me!" The Dwarf boy cried out in fear, but no one paid attention to him.
It was not that the other Dwarves didn't want to help him, but that there was nothing they could do. They were just beginners and they were already hard pressed fighting against Rank 1 Monsters, let alone Rank 2 Monsters, who were known for their speed and mobility.
The Dwarf boy watched in horror as one of the Berserked Horned Rabbits lunged at him with its sharp horn posed to impale his body.
He could only close his eyes and brace himself for the inevitable pain and death that would befall upon him shortly. However, it was at this moment when a metallic ring reached his ears.
When the Dwarf boy opened his eyes, he saw an adorable blonde Dwarf girl, colliding with the Horned Rabbit using her shield.
Time seemed to have stopped at that moment, as the boy looked at his savior with a flushed expression on his face.
"Smite!" Colette shouted as she smashed her mythical mace against the Berserked Horned Rabbit's body, making it take a few steps back.
Before the Dwarf boy could even thank his savior, Colette raised her mace and cried out to her teammates.
"Arrowhead Formation!" Colette ordered before charging at the enemies with Matty and Lux by her side.
There were Four Berserked Horned Rabbits, but the Goldenslayer Party was now more than capable of dealing with them after everything that they had been through.
"Diablo, take care of the fourth one," Lux ordered as he summoned his dependable Firstborn to battle.
Diablo appeared riding Airon, and the two Immediately entangled with the Berserked Horned Rabbit that was planning to attack the mages at the back of the formation.
Colette used her all-rounder abilities to fight the horned rabbit in front of her. Berserked Horned Rabbits were known for their bursts of speed, instead of their strength.
As long as they were stopped from gaining momentum when they started to sprint, their horned attacks were not much of a threat to the little Paladin whose mythical weapon, shield, and armor, could easily defend against its normal attacks.
Matty, on the other hand, was an expert in parrying. Now that he was wearing mythical armor, and wielding two mythical short swords, his counterattacks were deadlier than ever.
As for Lux… he was just like Colette, an all rounder. But, having a baby slime who was a battle junkie, who had no qualms firing a barrage of spells at her target in addition to copying her Papa's Doppelganger skill, was like a magical turret that spits random spells in a span of a few seconds, turning the Berserked Horned Rabbit in front of them into a punching bag.
Because of this, Andy, Axel, and Helen, focused on supporting Colette and Matty. Lux, Eiko, and Diablo obviously didn't need any support.
They even pitied the Berserked Horned Rabbits that were unlucky enough to be targeted by them.
"Eyah!" Eiko ordered Blackie and Whitey, making the Devil and Angel Slime use their combination attack called, Starfire Tempest, which allowed the two slimes to combine the power of Shadow and Holy into a single, concentrated beam of light.
A loud explosion ensued followed by a shriek of pain. A few seconds later the Berserked Horned Rabbit collapsed on the ground, with a charred, basketball-sized hole in its chest.
"Great job, Eiko."
"Pa!"
Lux then glanced at the others and found them almost finished with their respective targets as well. For the time being, the Half-Elf moved towards the Dwarf boy, whose eyes never left Colette.
The red-headed teenager didn't fail to notice the look of admiration in the boy's eyes which made him pray for his poor soul.
'Hah, Colette is such a sinful child,' Lux mused as he stared at the love-struck Dwarf boy who seemed to have fallen in love at first sight. 'It seems that Matty will have a lot of love rivals in the future. Colette is simply too good.'
Lux was looking forward to Matty's future hardships in trying to secure Colette's hand in marriage after their party moved to the Intermediate Town where Apostle Grade Solaians numbered in the thousands.
After all the Berserked Horned Rabbits had been dealt with, the party focused on collecting their Beast Cores, as well as storing the corpses inside their Enchanted Beast Rings.
Horned Rabbit Meat was a delicacy in Leaf Village, especially Rank 2 Horned Rabbits, fetching a good price in the market.
Lux didn't even need to bother taking the Beast Core of the Berserked Horned Rabbit that he had slain because his baby Slime would be the one who would deal with it. After the battle, Eiko jumped off his head and ordered Blackie and Whitey to retrieve the Beast Core from the Horned Rabbit's body, so that she could eat it.
Just as he expected, a series of notifications appeared in front of him after Eiko finished absorbing the Beast Core.
—--
Eiko has learned the skill Sprint
—--
Eiko activated the skill Mimicry [EX]!
– Target Lux Von Kaizer.
– Successfully copied Skill Evolution [EX]!
—--
< Skill Evolution [EX] detected a new Skill. >
Sprint will be upgraded into Mad Sprint once the requirements have been met.
< Mad Sprint >
,m – Increase speed by 100%
– Requirements to upgrade: Use Sprint 20x
– Progress ( 0 / 20 )
—--
Half a minute later, Lux chuckled as he watched his baby Slime run all over the place using her Sprint Skill, followed by Blackie and Whitey as if they were playing tag.
—--
"Are you alright?" Colette asked the Dwarf boy who had fallen on the ground with a smile on her face, making the poor Dwarf have a nosebleed.
"Y-Yes, I am fine," the Dwarf Boy replied as he tried to reach out for Colette's outstretched hand.
However, before he could even touch the rugged hands of his savior, a much rougher hand grabbed him and pulled him off the ground.
"Hi, my name is Matty," Matty said. "I am Colette's future fiance. Nice to meet you," Matty added in an intimidating tone, which made the Dwarf look at Colette with a heartbroken gaze.
Surprisingly, Colette didn't correct Matty's words because she didn't want to entangle herself with a stranger that she had just saved. It would be better to turn a blind eye to Matty's declaration than deal with a Dwarf who was looking at her with puppy eyes.
This was not the first time that this had happened, so she was already used to it.
As the Dwarf boy looked at Colette every ten steps he took away from her, Matty got annoyed so he used his body to block the Dwarf boy's vision, making the latter pout.
Lux just watched this funny scene with his arms crossed over his chest. He could already tell that in a few more years, Colette would grow up to become a very beautiful young lady, which would gather many suitors.
As for whether Matty would be able to win her heart or not, even Lux didn't know. All he wanted for his friends was to find happiness in life.
"Well then, let's go hunt a Carbuncle!" Colette declared as she summoned her Warg Mount.
After their night of celebration, the Dwarf children decided to stay for three more days before leaving for Intermediate Town.
Lux's promise had eased Colette's and the others' hearts, which made them look forward to seeing him again when he traveled to the Intermediate Towns, where they could once again continue their journey together.
Chapter 139 All For The Sake Of The Promises He Made
"I'll miss you, Eiko."
"Eiko, make sure to remember us okay?"
"Sis Colette, Sis Helen!"
The baby Slime cried as she was hugged by Colette and Helen. The two Dwarves were also teary-eyed as they tried to pacify Eiko, who was already bawling her eyes out within their embrace.
Lux could only look at this scene bitterly because he knew that exchanging goodbyes was a difficult thing to do. His friends were about to leave Leaf Village and set out on a new adventure to the Intermediate Towns where Colette's sister, Aina, was waiting for her.
"Take care of yourselves in the intermediate Towns, okay?" Lux smiled as he rested his hands on Andy's and Axel's shoulders. "Things will be more difficult there, so always be on your toes and never let your guard down."
"We will, Big Brother," Andy replied.
"Big Brother, we'll be waiting for you." Axel nodded.
Matty had his arms crossed around his chest, but he was standing right beside Lux. Till the end, he refused to take the initiative to say goodbye, so the Half-Elf decided to do the Simp Dwarf a favor and patted his head.
"Colette will definitely attract many handsome boys," Lux commented. "If you don't step up your game, someone is going to sweep her off her feet."
Matty snorted. "I'd kill them before they could do that."
Surprisingly, he didn't swat Lux's hand away and allowed the red-headed teenager to continue patting his head.
Five minutes later, the two little girls managed to calm Eiko down and returned her to Lux with tears in their eyes.
"Big Brother, come see us soon," Colette said as she hugged Lux's waist. "I'll make sure that you'll get married to my sister as soon as possible."
"Big Brother, don't make us wait too long, okay?" Helen pleaded as she also hugged the Half-Elf, sandwiching him between her and Colette.
Lux smiled as he patted their heads. "Don't worry, I will come to find you guys, and when I do, we will go into an adventure together."
"Okay!"
"Un!"
Colette gestured to Lux as if she wanted to whisper something to him. The Half-Elf thought that she was going to tell her about her sister again, so he lowered his head and waited for Colette to say what she wanted to say.
As if waiting for that moment, Colette and Helen exchanged a glance and kissed Lux's left and right cheeks simultaneously.
Matty immediately reacted and was about to drag Colette away, but Andy and Axel both grabbed his arms, preventing him from ruining Colette's and Helen's goodbye.
"Thank you," Lux said as he held Eiko in his hand and kissed the baby slime's cheeks. "Go on, Eiko, kiss them back for me."
Eiko happily puckered her lips and kissed Colette and Helen, making the two girls giggle. After that farewell ended, all the Dwarves stared at the Half-Elf who gave them all a nod of assurance.
"Goodbyes are not forever," Lux said softly. "Goodbyes are not the end. It simply means Eiko and I will miss all of you until we meet again."
"Yes!" Eiko echoed as she looked at her first friends in Elysium with teary eyes. "Bye bye!"
"Bye bye, Big Brother, Eiko!" Colette said before turning around to summon her Warg.
She immediately climbed on top of it and ordered it to run away, because she was afraid that if she stayed a minute longer, her resolve would shatter like a crystal glass.
Helen sobbed before summoning her own Warg and ordering it to follow Colette.
Unlike her leader, Helen wasn't able to stop the tears from falling from her eyes as her Warg passed through the entrance of Leaf Village.
"I will wait for you, remember that," Matty declared as he also summoned his Warg and followed the two girls who had now put a good distance between them.
Andy and Axel both bowed their heads before summoning their mounts and rejoining their partymates.
Eiko buried her little head into Lux's chest as she cried sadly. She had also tried her best not to cry, but the sadness was too much for a baby like her.
Lux lightly patted the baby Slime on his chest, as his eyes blurred due to the tears that he had held back for so long.
As everyone's Big Brother, he knew that he couldn't cry in front of Colette and the others because it would make their parting more difficult. He resolved himself and forcibly acted like a mature, collected, and dependable Big Brother who was seeing his little brothers and sisters off as they left on their new journey.
Colette and her friends had been Lux's first friends in Elysium and he treasured all of them in his heart. Now that they were no longer here, the Half-Elf stopped holding back his tears and allowed them to fall freely.
The red-headed teenager and the baby Slime cried in each other's arms, until they no longer had tears to shed.
—-
Randolph and Grandma Annie looked at the Half-Elf that was standing by the West Gate of Leaf Village that led to the Heartwood Forest. This was the path that everyone took whenever they left for the Stronghold of Norria, which allowed them to use the teleportation gates to go to the different Intermediate Towns in the Kingdom of Gweliven.
"Although they are foreigners, seeing them go still makes my heart ache," Grandma Annie said softly.
"That is just the cycle of life," Randolph commented from the side. "One of these days, Lux will also leave us, and a new batch of foreigners will arrive to continue the cycle."
Grandma Annie nodded. "Yes. The legacy is passed on from those who come before, to those who come after, letting this Village, that is located in the outskirts of the kingdom, have a breath of fresh air."
Randolph chuckled. "Still, I have high hopes for Lux. The Only Half-Elf that has appeared here for hundreds of years. I'm sure that he will become something great in the future."
"Funny." Grandma Annie smiled. "I feel the same way myself."
The two old people exchanged a knowing glance at each other before returning to their shops.
Back at the gate, Lux wiped the tears from his eyes, as he walked back to the inn, carrying Eiko in his arms. Today, he planned to take it easy, resting his body and mind.
Tomorrow, he would leave Leaf Village, and venture to the other villages in the territory of Norria. All for the sake of the promises he made, and the friends who were now waiting for him beyond the gate.
Chapter 140 But, I’m Only A Half-Elf
Lux and Eiko were abruptly woken up by a series of loud knocks on the door.
The Tavern Owner personally went to his room to wake him up because there was something going on at the entrance of the village, and the village guards had sent someone to his Tavern to have Lux woken up.
The disgruntled Half-Elf, and Baby Slime, looked outside of the window, and realized that it was still dark outside. After doing a few stretches, he walked towards the door to see what the commotion was about.
"The Guard Captain wants to see you at the East Gate of the Village," the Tavern Owner reported. "According to the guard on duty, a Kobold Wyrmling named Cadmus demands your presence."
"Cadmus?" Lux frowned. It took him a few seconds to register the name inside his sleepy brain, but when he did, the drowsiness he felt disappeared completely. "Did the Draconic Kobold say why he is looking for me?"
"No. The guard that came here only told me that you need to go there as soon as possible. He is waiting to escort you outside."
"Give me a few minutes. I'll just wash my face and change my clothes."
The Tavern Owner nodded and left Lux alone. He was also quite annoyed that he was woken up from his sleep, but there was nothing he could do about it.
Five minutes later, Lux left the inn alongside the guard that was ordered to escort him to the East Gate of the village.
As they neared their location, they noticed several armed guards, as well as members of the Riders of Norria gathered near the gate.
Even from a distance, he could see the arrogant Draconic Kobold with his arms crossed over his chest, when he noticed Lux's presence.
"What do you want?" Lux asked in a grumpy tone. "Last time I checked, I didn't do anything bad to the Kobolds for you to personally come here to find me."
The Kobolds and the Dwarves now had a non-aggression pact, which meant that both sides would do their best to avoid stirring up conflicts on both sides. Even now, Lux couldn't think of any reason why Cadmus came to find him.
"What are you talking about?" Cadmus replied. "Are you not one of those that had cleared the Hidden Quest in the Stronghold of Norria?"
"I was one of them, but what does that have to do with you?"
"In regards to the Hidden Mission, it has nothing to do with me. But, since you are one of the people that completed it, you're coming with me."
"Huh?" Lux blinked in confusion. "Excuse me? Why do I need to come with you?"
Cadmus glared at the Half-Elf as he placed both of his hands to the side, as if itching to grab him and take him away by force.
The guards, as well as the Riders of Norria saw this, and immediately stood between the Draconic Kobold and Lux. None of them were afraid of the Rank 5 Alpha Monster because if Cadmus really went to attack them, the Kingdom of Gweliven would send its Rankers to hunt it down, as well as exterminate the Kobold's entire clan.
"Just come with me! I will explain it to you later!"
"Hah? Are you stupid? Why would I come with you if you don't explain anything to me?"
Cadmus growled as his Draconic Eyes locked into Lux's body. He was clenching and unclenching his clawed hands, as if he was fighting an internal battle inside of himself. After a few minutes of tension, the Draconic Kobold sighed as it tossed a leather pouch to Lux.
The Half-Elf subconsciously caught it, but was surprised because the pouch was quite heavy. After checking its contents, he realized that it was filled with gold coins.
After a rough estimate, the red-headed teenager guessed that there were at least five hundred gold coins in the pouch, which made him even more confused.
"I am hiring you for a quest," Cadmus stated. "Isn't this what the Dwarves do in that… Adventure Guild or something."
"Adventurer's Guild," Lux corrected.
"Yes. Now, come! I already paid you!"
"... Dafuk?"
The guards look at the exchange with frowns on their faces, but all of them understood the general gist of what the Draconic Kobold was trying to say. He planned to hire Lux for a quest, so he came to Leaf Village in order to look for him.
"But, why me?" Lux asked. "You're already this strong, and you still need my help?"
"Yes," Cadmus answered. "Because what I am about to face is stronger than me. This is why I need your help!"
Lux was very tempted to spit on the Draconic Kobold for trying to drag him to something troublesome. If a Rank 5 Alpha Monster like Cadmus couldn't do it on his own, adding him would not make much of a difference. At least, that was what Lux thought at the moment.
"Tell me the specifics of the mission," Lux replied. "I need to know the details before I accept this quest of yours."
Cadmus glanced at Lux and the Dwarves that were guarding him.
"Let's talk, just the two of us."
"... Fine."
Looking at how serious Cadmus' expression was, the Half-Elf had a feeling that if he rejected his request, the chances of the Draconic Kobold tearing him to pieces was high.
'At the very least, I should hear him out first,' Lux thought as he followed Cadmus to a spot within a hundred meters away from the gate's entrance. He didn't trust the Draconic Kobold enough to follow him without the guards, as well as the Riders of Norria, looking at him for support.
"Three days ago, we encountered the ruins of what seemed to be an ancient city, buried underground," Cadmus said as he glanced at the Dwarves that were in the distance as if he was afraid that they would hear him. "After doing some investigation, we came to the conclusion that it was built by gnomes, but they weren't the only ones living in the city."
After hearing Cadmus' explanation, he now understood why the Draconic Kobold didn't want to discuss this in front of the Dwarves. There was a high possibility that their discovery would brute force their way into the ruins, and claim that it was something that belonged to the Gweliven Kingdom.
By doing so, they would not be breaking the oath they made with the Kobolds, as they seized the opportunity to study, and perhaps unearth some treasures within the Ancient Ruins buried deep underground.
'I understand why you don't want to involve the Dwarves in this quest of yours, but why do I need to go with you?" Lux asked. "Can't you Kobolds do this on your own?"
"Excavating the ancient city as we look for treasures is fine," Cadmus snorted. "However, we found a Dungeon at the back of the city, and we were unable to access it because there is some kind of restriction."
Lux arched an eyebrow. "What restriction?"
"Only ten individuals may enter it, and among those ten people, there must be an elf."
"But, I'm only a Half-Elf."
Cadmus nodded. "Yes. But, we have no other choice. You are the only Elf-like creature that we know, and I'm hoping that the Elven blood inside you, no matter how diluted, will be enough to open the dungeon's entrance."
Lux rubbed his chin. "What is the grade of this Dungeon?"
The Draconic Kobold looked at Lux long and hard before giving him an answer.
p "According to our Shaman, it is a C-Ranked Dungeon, and there is only one difficulty setting."
"Let me guess, it's Hell Mode?"
Cadmus nodded, which made Lux feel his liver ache.
Right after Cadmus finished his explanation, Lux heard a ringing sound in his head, followed by several rows of text appearing in front of him, which made the Half-Elf pinch the bridge of his nose, and close his eyes. He wanted to confirm if he was just hallucinating things or not because the mission that appeared in front of him made him want to go back to the inn to continue sleeping.
—-
Ding!
– You have received the Hidden Quest "A Touch of Dragons".
– Would you like to accept this quest?
< Yes / No >
—----
Lux had a feeling that if he accepted this quest, he would find himself in a situation that was similar to Barca's Quest, when he entered the Dungeon of the Orc Dominion.