So after racking my brain for a way to bring the Golems with me because, well, I still wasn't quite comfortable going through the dungeon alone, I had the idea of stuffing them into my inventory. After all, they're not really alive, and last I checked I can stuff corpses in it, so it's not really about how whether they're humanoid or whatever, right?
Spoiler alert! It didn't work.
Mysterious God laughed at my misfortune and remarked something along the lines of "trying to cheat the system", but I'm seriously not in the mood for her shit, so instead of simply leaving them there or only getting a few through, I did what most would call tedious, but I'd rather be bored for a while than risk dying out there.
So I swam through the pond, left a few Golems near the exit, then returned to do that shit again, three times. I should be annoyed at having to, but you know? The view of that huge city is just… it's breathtaking. I've never seen such a beautiful sight, and even though it might be a "Fallen Empire", the state of the walls and buildings were pristine.
How the hell did this empire fall then? Seriously, there's gotta be a story behind that or something. These dungeons are really well-designed.
And turns out, there is a story. Near the large gate, there were the skeletal remains of someone that held a journal of some kind. I took the book, read what was written in it, and was honestly disappointed that there had barely been anything important-sounding aside from the strange translation notes, but this is proof that there's a reason why the empire fell, and not just "because dungeon".
So the man who died, Andrei Amore, was an explorer and a historian who ventured here in hopes of finding magical artifacts or more history about Poseidra. The cause of exactly how it fell wasn't documented in his journal, so I couldn't make out everything, unfortunately.
I only discovered what Eero is. A Leviathan, or "scientifically" known as a Royal Sea Serpent. The normal Sea Serpents were the guards and civilians like what you'd expect, so they're not really Leviathans.
That and Eero apparently had a son that died not even a year after his birth named Alaric. Heartbreaking, but eh, it's just a dungeon. All of it is essentially just flavor text anyway.
Ah well, it's interesting for sure, but I doubt it'll help me later on anyway so whatever. But I guess I'll avoid using Water magic since they're water creatures, which is kinda sad since I wanted to level it up, but the quest rewards should do enough anyway.
And, by the way, the city itself is shielded by this huge magical bubble that keeps the seawater out, so my Golems can actually move around properly. Sad how I won't get my stat bonuses from the Natural Habitat thingy, but it's not a big deal. I think the Golems will be a greater benefit anyway.
But how to get inside… that's easy for me, but not for my Golems. I have my Phantom Body potions to pass through the closed gate, but then I'd need to open the gate for them. That's fine though because I see a lever up there over the walls, or in a watchtower, I should say. One that looks like it opens the gate.
Hell, I don't think I even need to use a potion for this. I can just launch myself over with fire magic.
I issue a mental order to the Golems to stand guard as both of my hands explode in fire, launching me high up over the wall and onto the watchtower. I kick the lever and the huge gate starts creaking up. I smirk slightly as I sense an attack coming a mile away and tilt my head to avoid an arrow, then turn my glare on what I assume is a Sea Serpent. It was a humanoid covered in scales up to its chest as a part of it resembles a human. The face was very human-like aside from the scales over its cheeks and the… very insane looking snarl.
Serpent Guard
Level: 45
HP: 8500
MP: 5000
I blink as it growls in rage, pulling back the string of its bow again as it aims at me, but was interrupted as one of my Ranger Golems shot it in the chest. It grunts in pain, then one of the Brawler Golems rushes it and begins to pummel it to death, the Lightning Dust frying it with each punch.
Yeesh, the poor bastard didn't stand a chance, did he?
I hop down and lead my Golems further into the city, pursing my lips as I see the streets so… empty. It's like a ghost city instead of a fallen empire. What the hell even happened here? There are no bodies, not even any rubble – it's as if everyone just disappeared.
Creepy…
So all I gotta do is just beat the Emperor of this place, and I know, using my genius intellect, that emperors are usually found in palaces, and the palace is… that way, straight north, on top of that hill. But I also need to defeat the advisors and all Serpent Guards for the extra rewards, on top of the extra level-ups before I go for the big boss.
But I'm not really sure where I can them…
Maybe that tower over there, to the far west? It looks important judging by how different it looks to everything else. Most of the buildings here are built from normal stone and even coral, but that tower is made of something different entirely. It looks like, hell it probably is, marble.
Maybe I'll find something there that could help.
My Golems and I head over there while I keep my guard up. I really don't like this place, as beautiful as it is. It gives off an eerie air as if something's about to jump out at us any second. I know I have Observation Haki for that kind of thing, and it's even at level 7, but still…
I stop as I notice something in the distance. More Serpent Guards, two with swords and one with a spear. They growl and grunt, their eyes completely white as I feel rage, grief, and agony roll off of them. That other Serpent Guard was too far away, so I couldn't properly sense his emotions, but this…
Jesus Christ, they're fucked up.
As I activate the Sharingan, the one with the spear leads the charge and rushes me, making me pull out Goldbrand and sidestep. I grab the haft of the spear and pull the Guard towards me, delivering an elbow to its face before disarming it. Without giving any chance for them to retaliate, my blade cuts through it like butter, slicing it in half and killing them. My Golems deal with the other Sea Guards quite easily too, making me grin in pride.
Stance Copied
Sword Mastery leveled up x2
Stance Copied
Mastery Skill Gained
[Spear Mastery] (LV 5/100]
Your skill in the spear is that of a novice
Increase Spear Damage by 5%
Goddamn, I knew they were strong, but this is even better than I'd expected. In terms of intelligence, Golems are pretty simple creatures, but in battle, they're pretty coordinated. They know how to work together and fight.
Five seconds later, and the two Serpent Guards are down, one taking a bullet to the heart while the other had its throat slit by a fire blade. They're not strong, the Guards I mean, but fucking hell they creep me out. Not them specifically, but what they're feeling.
Whatever, I'll just turn off my Empathy whenever I face them. They're not hard to beat anyway.
We continue moving, me summoning Gwyn to both level him up and take care of any Serpent Guards coming our way, which he does easily enough. Archers were taken down by the Ranger Golems' greater accuracy and range, with the Spearmen and Swordsmen being defeated by me, Brawlers, Sabers, and Gwyn. We encountered some mages as well, but a few spears of fire from me or wind bullets from my Golems dealt with them fairly simply.
The mages were squishier, but they had this annoying spell that generates a barrier. Granted, it was destroyed easily, but as insane as they looked, they knew how to use them. Just as I counterattack a normal swordsman, for example, the shield appears right in front of me and stops me, letting the Guard back away to attack again.
So I ordered my Rangers to focus on Mages before anything else, and that strategy has worked so far. There were a couple of healers here and there, but they too were easily taken care of as they have the lowest health.
It took us around an hour, deliberately walking slowly so more and more Serpent Guards attack us, but we finally arrived at the tower. There was a sign, but I couldn't read whatever language it was written in, and while I have the translation notes with me I don't think I have enough time to properly decipher it before more Serpent Guards arrive.
They are weak, yes, but they always arrive in greater numbers every… "Wave" I guess. It's getting slightly concerning.
I enter the tower, and almost immediately, I see three mages casting spells with their staves. I quickly rush towards the closest one and I behead it as my Ranger Golems kill one of the other mages before it shoots. The second it falls dead, I blow a hole in the last one's chest with a light beam, then smile in satisfaction.
I look around, identifying the place as some kind of library. There were many shelves filled with hundreds, possibly thousands of books. I couldn't read any of them, but my eyes shine when I see a section written in English. "Human Section".
I jog towards the place, grinning as I was able to read the titles of every single book there. I'm not really a book person, but I might be able to find something about magic here. Even if my magic isn't compatible with whatever magic system this dungeon has, I can still benefit from it.
Turns out I was correct. "Beginner's Guide to Magic Control Vol.1", "Magical Theory, by Thomas Magi", and most importantly, "Rituals and Complex Magic Circles"
But those were only three books. There are hundreds here, in this section alone, so why the hell wouldn't I take everything? Even if I don't really use them, they can just stay there as decoration in my Research Room. At least I'll actually feel like a real wizard with these everywhere.
So I stored every single book that's written in English inside my inventory, grinning all the while. I gonna learn how to do everything and see if I can improve my rituals, spells, and every other magical experiment. There are even some books about alchemy too.
And this right here is enough to make this trip worth it, because you know what they say. "Knowledge is Power",
I can just leave now, but there are still a few floors to go through, so I'm gonna explore and see if there are any more books I can read before leaving.
So I take the stairs, my companions all following after me. Throughout the upper floors, there was unfortunately nothing. Only Serpent Guards and mages, but we dealt with them very easily. At the top of the tower, there's only one door. With my confidence high, but cautiousness still tugging, I slowly open the door to see a Serpent wearing a lab coat. I couldn't see his face, but it looks like he's reading a book.
I narrow my eyes slightly as I feel it. This isn't an ordinary Serpent Guard, no. Its magical power is far above that, and from what Haki tells me, it's powerful.
Name: Adrian Poseidra
Title: Magic Royal Advisor
Age: 431
Race: Sea Serpent
Level: 125
HP: 20,500
MP: 110,000
AP: [Locked]
STR: 215
VIT: 102
DEX: 295
INT: 631
WIS: 654
CHA: 124
LUK: 30
Damn, that MP though…
"What brings you here?" The now named Adrain asks softly. "A thief perhaps? Or what you call a 'treasure hunter'?"
I blink as I enter the room, my Golems behind me, then answer. "I don't know. How can I be a thief if I'm just looting an empty city?"
"Would you plunder graves under the justification of "looting an empty city" as well?" He turns to me, a look of intelligence on his face. "After all, a graveyard may as well be an empty city for the dead."
…Okay, he got me.
Fuck.
Gwyn, I'll take care of this, alright?
Obedience.
He disappears into my soul as I get closer to Adrian.
"I don't suppose you'll leave even if I ask nicely?" He says.
"Sorry," I reply, getting into a stance.
He sighs and closes the book before he starts floating. "I don't appreciate the fake tone, you know."
I sense the attack coming and roll to the left as a gust of wind cuts through the room. My Golems were pushed back, but the Ranger ones already have good resistance to wind as they start shooting. A barrier of magic easily shrugs off the wind bullets, and I quickly formulate a plan to defeat the guy.
Keep him busy with me and the wind Golems might be able to land a surprise attack. I prefer if I kill him myself, but I can't get too greedy now.
He aims his hand at me and shoots another gust of wind at me and at the Golems, and I dodge it quite easily while they take it head-on. This place is a very closed space, I have the advantage. I take a deep breath as I reign in my Battle Maniac tendencies, then rush towards him. His eyes widen, probably surprised by my speed, then he creates and launches a large boulder my way.
I narrow my eyes and Triple-Strike it instead of dodging it. He's trying to break through the tower and escape for an advantage. I can't let him do this.
I flip over a wind blade as my Golems keep shooting him, the Sabers and Brawlers leaving the place since they're at a heavy disadvantage. I cut through more boulders, then launch myself with a new spell I call "Rocket Boots". Basically Fireburst, but used through my feet as a way of temporary flight or just for extra speed.
Adrian gasps as my blade cut through the magical barrier, but he manages to get back before Goldbrand cuts through his flesh. My Haki warns me of an attack, but then a gust of wind shreds a chunk of my Aura as I was sent flying. I quickly flip and land on my feet, noticing that I only lost 1500 AP.
"Fascinating…" He utters. "You're using your very soul as a set of armor…"
I smirk. "Nifty trick, ain't it?"
"Most definitely…" He smiles. "I would've offered you some tea for a discussion, but I'm afraid I can't do that."
"Eh, it's alright." I shrug. "We're kinda sorta killing each other right now, so I understand."
"Indeed." He nods as he floats, his magic suddenly getting a lot more violent. "And I suppose I'll have to end it now. Farewell."
My senses scream at me to run, but I was too slow as Adrian creates a large hurricane that pulls me in, destroying the ceiling and shredding my Aura at a very fast pace as it pushes me upwards. I grunt in pain as the wind blades dig into my skin, slowly whittle down my armor, and sends my mask flying, and as I see three of the Ranger Golems shattering in the hurricane, I growl in annoyance.
I quickly look around my surroundings and come up with a plan. It seems that he can't keep up the barrier magic when he's doing this, so I need to use this to my advantage. Unfortunately, I don't think Rocket Boots will be able to send me close to him since the hurricane is pretty fucking powerful.
...Unless…
I store Goldbrand in my inventory as I use all four limbs to propel myself towards him with the power and force of four Firebursts. His eyes widen, but he couldn't defend himself as I bring my feet at his head, a fiery Axe-Kick that disabled his spell and sent him flying down through all the floors.
He tries to get up quickly, but one of my Brawler Golems brings him in a bear hug then electrocutes him. His HP drops to 6300, and I quickly rush down at him, pulling out my sword as the Golem keeps him in place.
Just as he pushes the Golem away, as I was directly above him, slicing him from his left shoulder to his right hip, bisecting his heart and practically cutting him in half.
I take a deep breath as the two parts of his corpse flop down, his eyes wide as he vomits blood. I stare him down in his last moments, but then something takes my attention as his wide eyes widen even further. I can feel a multitude of emotions from him. There's the obvious fear of death, but there's also surprise, shock… and relief?
"A….l…." He mutters before simply dying.
Level up 3x
O...kaayyy.? Weird, but whatever.
Welp, two of my Golems are dead, 80% of my Aura is gone, my armor is damaged – kinda annoying that I can't see the durability by the way – and even some of my HP is gone. His magic was able to pierce my Aura apparently. But you know, that was fun.
I spot my mask near the counter of the room, and I pick it up and put it on again, frowning to myself. I really need to find a way to keep the mask stuck...
Just then, my Haki warns me once again, and I duck under a black dagger, then quickly counterattack with my sword, but the katana goes through my opponent as they turn to smoke. I narrow my eyes and leap away, the opponent seemingly invisible. Just then, the Brawler that caught Adrian was destroyed, making me squint my eyes.
Whatever that dagger was, it's dangerous. Poison of sorts? I didn't see it dripping, but maybe the poison was dried or something.
I quickly evade another strike, then quickly attack back, but once again, Goldbrand goes through them, making me click my tongue before smirking widely. Fine, I don't even need my sword for this.
I dismiss the blade as my arms turn pitch-black, activating my Armament.
"Come on, fight fairly…" I say. "Or are you too scared?"
"There's no such thing as a fair fight." A feminine voice echoes through the room. "Only victory and death."
I hum, activating my Sharingan. "Really now?"
I see the tiniest movement of a small rock, making me step back and dodge the attack before delivering a powerful punch to what I assume is her gut as I hear her gasp loudly. Without wasting any time, I grab her by the head and slam her onto the counter near me, then drag her through it before throwing her to the wall.
Stance Copied
Mastery Skill Gained
[Dagger Mastery] (LV 10/100)
Your skill in the dagger is that of a novice
Increase Dagger Damage by 10%
For a split second, the invisibility turns off as I see her slump down, and I cast observe- and holy hell she's hot.
Golden hair, green eyes, and even the scales on her cheeks make her look exotic. As cute as she is though, she gotta die, because aside from her attacking me first, I want those sweet, sweet rewards.
Name: Cordelia Poseidra
Title: Shadow Royal Advisor
Age: 119
Race: Sea Serpent
Level: 114
HP: 10,126/16,500
MP: 40,000
AP: [Locked]
STR: 278
VIT: 99
DEX: 482
INT: 245
WIS: 221
CHA: 344
LUK: 30
Alright then, she's weaker than Adrian, and I guess her gimmick is that invisibility and intangibility stuff, but I already have a counter to those. Haki is seriously overpowered, isn't it? Literally the best perk I've gotten, and I doubt anything can top it. So versatile…
"H-how…" She mutters, then I hear her trying to run away.
I quickly follow after her as she runs on the roofs, grinning as the Haki sense does its job and makes her glow blue. I mentally order the Golems to stay where they are as I take out an All-stats potion, injecting myself as my speed doubles.
"You're not getting away..."
I jump and get in front of her, slamming my fire-engulfed fist in her cheek as she's sent flying back to the streets of the city. She cries out in pain, and before she could do anything else, I stomp on her back, hearing a "crack" most likely indicating that I broke her spine.
Level up x2
There ya go! Level 117 baby!
Also, she was kinda easy, but I guess I literally counter everything she could throw at me, so eh. Stronger stats don't always mean more powerful. Gotta account for the abilities too. I probably wouldn't be here without my Haki after all.
So two down, one to go.
"You there!" A voice calls out, and looking behind me, I see a… different looking Sea Serpent. This one is taller, much taller, and his entire face is covered in scales. He looks like a lizardman more than the other Serpents I've seen, and behind him are three more Sea Serpents like him.
The one that called me out was wearing full-body armor and is glaring at me with intense fury. There is no hatred though, which I find a little strange, but I get into my stance regardless.
"Gwyn…" I summon my companion again, who growls threateningly at the incoming Sea Serpents.
Also, I find it odd that they're called Sea Serpents when there's nothing really… "serpent" about them. I expected something like Lamias or whatever. Well, I guess the head looks serpentine, but that's about it really.
"You… killed them both, haven't you." He asks though it came out as a statement really. "I was wondering what the commotion was about… and it turns out that you killed them both, Adrian and Cordelia."
"I did," I confirm. "And I'll be killing you soon too."
He laughs boisterously. "We'll see about that!"
The Serpent then takes out a large cleaver that was strapped on his back. The blade was blue with strange letters engraved in it while the handle was white, a red gem at the center of it.
"I am Calder Poseidra! The Captain of the Royal Guards!" He introduces himself, getting into a stance as the other guards also do the same. "And I shall avenge my fallen comrades!"
Name: Calder Poseidra
Title: Warrior Royal Advisor
Age: 182
Race: Alpha Sea Serpent
Level: 165
HP: 85,700
MP: 20,500
AP: [Locked]
STR: 864
VIT: 214
DEX: 763
INT: 170
WIS: 125
CHA: 111
Okay, yeah, this dude is strong. I'm guessing his shtick would be just pure physical power, which is kinda annoying because I personally don't have any true counters to that. I can stay back and just bombard him with spells… but that's not my thing.
My Golems finally catch up and stand beside me. Three Rangers, one Brawler, and two Sabers. Six Golems, huh…
I order two Rangers and one Brawler at one of the Royal Guards, while the rest are on another one. Gwyn takes on one Royal Guard on his own as well, while the Captain is all mine.
"One on one." He grins widely. "Just as I like it."
"You and me both." I grin back, still feeling the power of my All-stats potion coursing through me. My Semblance is ready as well, but my Aura is low. I didn't get a chance to restore it after killing Adrian.
As I was about to do that, Calder rushes in and swings his gigantic blade to try and take my head with it. I have lower STR even with the increase, so I duck under the attack instead of trying to parry, then leap back as Gwyn and the Golems get to their own battles.
I quickly take out an Aura potion and inject myself, smirking slightly as I immediately activate my Semblance. I might not be stronger, but I'm certainly faster.
I blur through the streets, appearing behind him, and deliver a triple-strike, though the armor was able to tank it. He grunts and quickly turns around, and I evade his incoming hand, activating my Sharingan to cut the part in his leg his armor doesn't cover.
I quickly back away and cast a Light Beam, damaging his chest armor. He roars and charges significantly faster than before, and I narrow dodge a swing to my neck, but it turns out to be a feint as he grabs my head and slams me into the ground. I grunt in pain, and as I try to counterattack, Calder sends me flying with a throw. I flip over, but Calder was right in my face as he swings his cleaver.
My eyes widen as the strike completely shatters my Aura, and even damages my HP considerably. I cough up blood as I smash into a building, holding my bleeding side in pain. I take out an HP potion and quickly inject myself before Calder gets to attack again, then fall down on my feet.
"Didn't expect that, did you?!" He laughs.
I couldn't help but smile back. "Alright, I'll admit. That did catch me by surprise."
"Hahaha! A good sport, aren't you?" He grins. "It's a shame we're enemies. We could've been the best of friends!"
I crouch and subtly take out an Aura potion as I reply. "Yeah, I think so too."
"Tell me, stranger." He continues. "What is your name?"
I inject myself with the potion and stand up. "Reid Astera."
He suddenly freezes, his eyes widening considerably as he drops his stance. "W-what-"
I see my chance and dash forward, extending my hand towards him as I release my Steam Detention with half of my MP. Mixed with fire, the burst of steam sends the giant serpent flying back, the heat most likely affecting his armor as well.
Can still use Steam Detention even with broken Aura it seems...
I quickly rush at him with Rocket Boots, feeling my blood cool down as I grab him by the face, dragging his head through the street before throwing him against one of his allies. Both of them smash into a building, then I throw as many fire bombs at them as I can.
Calder slowly gets up but then his eyes widen as the fire bombs blow up near him and his friend, engulfing the both of them into a fiery explosion. I smirk widely as I then help out the other Golems, garnering the attention of the Royal Guard with a fire spear. I stop in my place and sheathe my sword, the large Sea Serpent running towards me with its giant cleaver.
I take a deep breath, then quickly draw Goldbrand and sheath it in again in less than a second, internally feeling like the coolest guy in the universe for actually doing a successful quickdraw as the Royal Guard falls over. Dead.
The other Royal Guard that was stuck with Calder in the explosion seems to have died, but Calder himself was still alive from the looks of it, though he took out most of his armor. He was left shirtless and only with his pants.
Although still alive, he looks like he's on the verge of death.
Gwyn leveled up x2
Nice~
I take out my mask and drink an MP potion, Gwyn glaring at the remaining Captain. Feeling my mana return, I put on my mask again before walking towards him. As I was in front of Calder, he falls down on his knees, a content smile on his face.
Relief, happiness, acceptance. Alright, so he's fine with this outcome.
"You're… still alive…" He mutters, making me quirk a brow.
"Well, yes, I am," I reply. "So, any last words?"
"It's been… an honor." He closes his eyes.
"...Riiiiight."
As soon as I say this, I behead him in one single movement, feeling slightly weirded out by how he said that. I mean, he gave off that "honorable warrior" feeling and whatnot, so it's probably nothing. Still weird though.
Level up 3x
I look back, frowning slightly. Only three Golems remaining. One Saber, one Brawler, and one Ranger. I bite my lower lip as I leave the scene, my Golems and Gwyn following me. I'm pretty sure the boss is a lot stronger than the three mini-bosses I killed, so I don't think three Golems are gonna be of much help, and as for Gwyn…
He barks in annoyance, prompting me to sigh as I scratch his chin. "It's not that you're weak, buddy. I'm just worried you might get yourself killed, alright?"
He grunts, his features softening up.
"I'll… okay, look." I rub my neck. "I'll sic the Golems at him then see how they fare. If they do well, I'll keep you in the fight, but if they don't, you'll return to my soul, and will only come out when I tell you, okay?"
He blinks a few times then licks my face, his tail wagging.
"Good boy." I pull out some firewood and put them on the ground, then ignite them with a simple spell. "As for now, how about we take a small break? My food buff is gone, so might as well have a meal too."
I sit down on the ground, crossed legged as Gwyn sits beside me. The Golems don't need to rest, so they stay up as they scour the place. I take out all the foodstuff I had with me, five grown men worth of food all made by yours truly.
I bring up my stats, smirking slightly at the increase. While only ten levels through all of that, it's still a great leap. I'm not sure how strong the boss would be, but I guess I can see what I'm working with as of now.
Name: Reid Astera
Title: Titan Slayer
Age: 17
Race: Human/? Hybrid
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Level: 120 (6%)
Professions: Gardener, Chef, Teacher
Students: Ruby Rose
HP: 15,500 [Regens 1500 per minute]
MP: 13,500 (20,250) [Regens 1225 per minute]
AP: 30,000 [Regens 3000 per minute]
STR: 300
VIT: 300
DEX: 365
INT: 260
WIS: 245
CHA: 275
LUK: 155
Points: 50
...Uh, "Students"? There's some sort of a teaching system? I mean, I never really checked my stats when I was training Ruby, so I never saw this.
Interesting...
Right, first increase gotta go to WIS for a perk, but I think I'll keep the rest. I'm probably gonna need to use them in the battle against Eero, for a last-ditch effort when I'm really fucked, but I'll see.
245 + 5 = 250 WIS
Perk gained
[Reliable Advisor] – 250 WIS
People are more willing to listen to you, and your advice has a higher chance of helping others
Teaching is 25% more effective
Ah, this should be useful in the long run. Not now, but I'm still confident that I'll survive anyway. I've come a long way to just die now, and I sure as hell ain't dying a virgin again. Fuck that.
I let out a drawn-out sigh as I take off my mask, taking one of the sandwiches to munch on. Gonna take maybe an hour rest then fight the boss. Should at least lift the spirits up as well as give me peace of mind. I went through this place a lot faster than I had to anyway, so I deserve and even need the break.
Even as I remind myself to keep cautious, I can't help but feel the excitement bubbling inside me.
I can't wait to meet this Eero guy…
(Seven hours later…)
When I said I'll go straight to the palace after the break, I might've lied, but for a good reason.
After all, the city is fucking huge. As big as fucking Vale, so what I wanted to do was simple, and it's to completely clear out the place before fighting the boss. I need to get every single advantage I can before getting in a fight with that dude.
I don't know how powerful he is, but those mini-bosses were admittedly strong. I took care of them quickly because of the insane advantage Haki gives, but that's really just it. If I didn't have Haki, I doubt I would've defeated them so easily.
And I'm not sure how strong Eero is. I really doubt he's only as strong as them or weaker, so I want to be prepared for it.
So I went through the whole city, this time running as I left my Golems near the Palace's entrance after taking care of every other Royal Guard there. I took Gwyn with me so he can benefit as well, and ho boy did he get a lot stronger.
Name: Gwyn
Species: Great Wolf
Age: 15
Sex: Male
Level: 98
HP: 15,700
MP: 1780
AP: 24,700
STR: 245
VIT: 322
DEX: 310
INT: 85
WIS: 73
CHA: 76
LUK: 25
Look at him. His level is comparable to a veteran Hunter but his stats are through the roof! And he didn't even learn magic or unlock his Semblance yet. Though, I'm pretty sure his increased stats came from his Aura, so like all hunters or anyone with Aura, as soon as it shatters, he'll be weakened.
Unlike me, whose Aura is literally just a shield and an "Energy Bar" for my Semblance and physical skills.
I fucking love The Gamer.
Anyway, as we were wiping out the Serpent Guards everywhere, we stumbled upon certain interesting places, like the Guard's Barracks, a blacksmith, potion stores, magic stores, and all that good stuff.
The barracks had a couple of interesting weapons made from Aquamarine. Yes, the very same gem. I'm not sure how and why they used it to make weapons, but some were apparently enchanted, so I took a few-
You took them all.
So I took them all. There weren't really that powerful, I'd say only a little over steel in terms of strength, but I really like how they look. Honestly, even if they're not enchanted, I can sell them for a good amount, or even use them as decoration. Yes, I like good decor if that wasn't clear enough.
The blacksmith was a lot emptier but had two suits of armor that were badass. Unfortunately nothing Light, but I took them too anyway. They were made of Blacksteel after all, and I know how strong that stuff is from my bike.
The potion place was completely empty but had a few recipes. One for a paralysis poison, another for a calming potion, and even a pain-numbing recipe.
As for the magic store, they had a couple of books I couldn't read, but I still had that translation note, and I could feel the magic these books gave off, so I took them all. Nine magic books in total.
Once I was done, I returned to the palace entrance, then we all entered.
A couple of Royal Guards here, some Royal Mages there, but all of them were taken care of. I made sure to protect the Golems since I need to test them on the boss, and after around half an hour of clearing out the place, we finally reached the throne room. Killing every single thing here – I think – leveled me up to 125
I glance at the giant door in front of me, then activate my Haki sense, a cold sweat trailing down my cheek. I can't use Observe unless I can see the target in front of me, but holy fuck this dude is strong.
I open the door, its creaking echoing throughout the entire room. Six pillars made of marble adorned with gold, with three on each side greeted me. A red carpet leads to the boss, who was an old man with shoulder-length white hair and a neatly trimmed beard, wrinkled face, and tan skin. He wore a finely woven blue cloak, with a beautiful black spear, the blade a deep blue as a golden feather hangs at the end of it stabbed into the ground near him.
Eero opens his eyes, deep blues with black slits. He looked more human than the other serpents, but he looked so… old, so tired. Even still, I couldn't help but feel a lot more cautious as he slowly gets up, standing at around 7'5, taking out the spear before walking towards me.
Name: Eero 'Poseidra' Delmar
Title: The Cursed Emperor
Age: 256
Race: True Leviathan
Level: 416
HP: 175,000
MP: 130,000
AP: [Locked]
STR: 1351
VIT: 762
DEX: 963
INT: 934
WIS: 1250
CHA: 640
LUK: 25
...Holy shit.
Good god, this guy is stronger than Fenrir.
I instinctively take a step back as he stops, and without uttering a single word, he throws the cloak away. Silver-colored armor with Aquamarine gems decorating it. The Golems charge quickly, and I've never seen something die so fast in my life before.
With a single wave of his hand, a blade of water erupted and shattered them all in an instant.
Yeah, okay. You're not leaving my soul, Gwyn.
Annoyance. Worry.
I shiver slightly, my slight fear and excitement battling it out from within as I quickly inject myself with an All-stat potion. My blood automatically cools down as I already feel threatened and cornered, but with those boosts along with the meal I've eaten before the battle, I'm faster than him. I have the advantage with Haki as well, but I still can't help but feel weak in his presence.
I growl slightly and let out a burst of Conqueror's, but all that did was make him blink and crack a small smile. Slowly, he begins walking towards me, his steps echoing out through the room.
My grip over Goldbrand tightens, and as he vanishes out of sight, I block the spear that was right above my head. The ground beneath us shatters from the force, and I grit my teeth as I feel a jolt of pain go through my muscles.
Stance copied
Spear mastery has-
Not now!
I push his spear away, then dash forward and strike, but he narrowly moves out of the way. He tries to stab me, and I manage to sidestep as I slash his arm. He doesn't scream or even grunt in pain, merely narrowing his eyes as he goes on the offensive again.
Sparks flew as our weapons met, shockwaves that cracked the pillars and floor. I was faster, but he was stronger. Parrying was out of the question for now, but even he has some sort of a sixth sense as he was able to counter most of my attacks. Getting even a single hit from him could shatter my Aura, and as we kept trying to attack one another, we were stuck in a stalemate.
He strikes, I evade. I attack, he blocks. We were stuck in this circle for what seems to be hours but said circle was broken as I flip over a sweep and cast a powerful Fireburst directly at his face. This made him at least grunt, but my Haki and even my speed did not prepare me as he grabbed my head and slammed it to the ground, then threw me at one of the pillars.
With his strength, I broke through the pillar of marble and smashed into the wall, gasping in pain as he sprinted towards me, throwing the spear. I quickly use a fire spell to dodge the sure-kill strike as my Aura was reduced to 7000 from that throw.
I flip and land on my feet, then use the chance to quickly dash towards him as he was unarmed. He parries the blade out of my hand, but I saw this coming as I already wrapped the handle with a small string of fire. I pull the flying sword back and slash at his arm, then duck under a fist. Extending my hand to his face, I release a Light Beam, blinding him for a few seconds.
My free hand engulfs in fire, then I use all my strength to punch him right in his armored chest, denting the armor as well as sending him flying back. He plants his feet into the ground, then raises his arm up in the air as the spear that was stuck in the wall flies over to him.
"Oh come on!" I complain, injecting myself with an Aura potion. "That's so unfair!"
He ignores me as he charges again, this time significantly faster than before. A quick check through his stats makes my eyes widen. Everything increased by 30%. What the hell?!
I was only slightly fast enough to dodge a fatal blow, but not quite as his spear pierced my Aura and impales my shoulder. I bite down a scream, then overcharge a Fireburst right to his face. He only growls and takes a step back as I take the spear out of my shoulder.
Seeing him slightly stunned, I throw Goldbrand high in the air as I deliver a flurry of punches, faster than the eye could see. His armor gets worse and worse, eventually forming cracks as I give one more powerful jab. I rush back, pulling Goldbrand with the fire string as I quickly take out an Aura potion.
Before I could inject myself, however, he rushes me again, the very earth beneath him cracking with the force of his steps. I gasp as an arrow of water leaving his free hand shatters the injection in my hand, then I feel a sharp pain in my chest as the armor does jack shit to the spear.
He completely destroys my heart, then pulls out the weapon as he watches me slowly bleed out. I choke on my own blood, seeing my HP drop at a terrifying pace.
As a last-ditch effort, I cast Rocket Boots right on his face to distract him and to get away from him while taking out an HP potion, injecting myself mid-air. I feel my heart regenerate as the wound closes, then flip over and land on my feet.
I growl loudly as I take an invisibility potion, making sure I don't make any noise as I slowly walk away from him, healing and restoring my Aura and Mana.
For the first time since the battle, he spoke in a voice full of authority.
"You cannot hide…"
He closes his eyes, making me narrow my own in suspicions. Sensing energy? Most likely. Invisibility won't be all that helpful then...
This time, I take out a poison instead, coating Goldbrand with it. Adds an extra 2000 Damage for five hits, and could inflict [Poisoned] for a minute…
I quickly dash at him, and my suspicions were correct as he swings his spear my way. I saw the attack and was prepared for it, so I flipped over and managed to cut the unarmored part of his neck, dealing critical damage and making him grunt in pain. It wasn't too deep, but I was able to poison him, which deals 250 damage per second.
Before I got away, he grabs my leg and slams me into the ground over and over, before tightening his grip and crushing my leg through my fucking Aura. I couldn't help but cry out but said cry was immediately muted as he grabs me by the head and drags me through the floor. My mask managed to tank most of the damage, but after it flies off my face I took the full brunt of it as he fucking forces me to eat the floor.
He slams my face into the wall over and over, then throws me high up, throwing his spear after me. I roar in rage as I deflect the incoming spear, then propel myself away from him.
I roll on the ground then take out the Demon Serum, activating my Semblance at the same time.
"You know what?" I growl, feeling too heated at the moment. "I've had it with you. I don't care what this does to me anymore."
I inject myself, feeling pure agony going through me for a single second before it disappears. What I feel after that is…
Absolute Euphoria.
"Oh…" I utter, my voice gaining an ethereal tone to it before laughing loudly. "Holy fuck this feels grrrreeaat!"
You've been inflicted with [Bloodlus-
Oh, shut the fuck up, will ya? I feel just fine~
I crack my neck, feeling pure giddiness at the prospect of ripping this guy in half. "You fucked up, buddy. You really did it now~"
I grin almost manically as I see the shock on his face. "What? Scared? I'd be scared too if I pissed me off~"
"A-Alar-"
Without wasting a single second, I blur through the room and deliver a powerful hook to the face, sending him flying to his throne. He breaks said throne and the wall behind it, making me laugh. I quickly charge after him, my blood freezing as my skin heats up.
He tries to get up, but I stomp on his face, then twirl my blade before stabbing his chest. With my newfound strength, the katana goes through the damaged armor easily, and I laugh as I see his HP drop significantly.
Eero roars, the spear heading straight to my throat, but I twist my body and avoid it, flipping over then axe-kick him through the floor.
We both fall down, with me laughing loudly as I punch him over and over, wrapping him in a whip of fire to pull him closer. Eero then roars loudly, in rage from what I feel, then headbutts me and sends me heading straight down.
I land right on my back, gasping in pain as I feel sharp agony going through my head. I shake it off, and as I slowly turn around to glance at my opponent, I couldn't predict or see the spear slashing my right eye, destroying it as blood splatters everywhere.
I scream in pain, wildly swinging my sword as Eero knocks it off my hand, cutting the fire string in the process. I take a few steps back, then start laughing loudly as I see my HP only at 3000. I should be scared that I'm close to death, I should be angry that this fucking mob is killing me… but I can only laugh at how great this feels.
The battle with Fenrir doesn't compare to this~
I feel my companion's concern, but I shut him down and refuse to let him out. This is my fight, and I won't let anyone interfere, no matter what.
The blue fire in my hand slowly turns black as I force darkness into it. As soon as Eero tries to attack, I slam my fist into the ground, an eruption of blue and black fire covering us both. Still laughing, I use his confusion to my advantage as I use every ounce of strength to punch his chest and face over and over, leaving scorch marks from my unholy fire on his cheeks. His chest armor falls down, too brittle from the punishment, then I use all of my mana for a double Unholy Fireburst right at his chest, sending him flying as his HP lowers to 40K.
I feel my strength leave me, my HP too low to keep me in the fight at the moment, then I quickly restore my HP, MP, and AP before he comes back. A check at the all-stat duration and the Demon Serum tells me that I only have 3 minutes and 1 minute respectively, which is more than enough.
I sigh, feeling my eye heal as I cast a fire whip to get my sword back, and as I walk towards Eero, his power suddenly explodes. I should be afraid, but I could only grin in excitement as the boss hits his second phase.
Eero comes out of the rubble, completely covered in scales. He grew a whole foot and a half in height, his hair was longer as it flows in the air, and his muscles became bigger as well. His claws were razor-sharp, and as he was baring his teeth at me, I knew those were stronger than even steel. It was similar to the Alpha Serpents, but his eyes were only white with no sclera or slits. He looked more… feral, angrier, and a whole lot stronger than before.
His HP didn't increase or restore at all, which is sad, In fact, some of his stats were reduced, but this is still good enough.
Name: Eero 'Poseidra' Delmar
Title: The Cursed Emperor
Age: 256
Race: True Leviathan
Level: 416
HP: 41,495/175,000
MP: 23,045/130,000 [Cursed = 39,000]
AP: [Locked]
STR: 1351 [Halfborn = 3377]
VIT: 762 [Cursed = 228]
DEX: 963 [Halfborn =2407]
INT: 934 [Cursed = 280]
WIS: 1250 [Cursed = 375]
CHA: 640
LUK: 25
"Come on, big guy!" I smirk. "Ready for round two?"
He roars in anger, charging at me and blurring through the room with his speed, I was barely able to block his attack, but I was sent soaring through the wall and out of the palace regardless. His strength far exceeds my own, but even still, I was only slightly faster than him.
I fall and roll over the ground, grinning madly as he jumps after me, roaring as he brings his claws down. I laugh in return, throwing fire spear after fire spear at him. He ignores them, even when stabbed in the heart, and slams into the ground. I narrowly evade his attack by leaping back, but then notice that my sword is gone, along with my right arm.
I did not scream in pain nor in rage.
Instead, I laughed even harder.
I charged at him, my whole body engulfing in demonic fire. Eero growls, trying to take my head with his claws. I dodge and weave, uppercutting him with my left fist, then quickly grab his leg to slam him into the ground. I get over him, punching his face over and over before he throws me away. I flip over, but then he tightly grabs my head.
With only seconds away from crushing it, I quickly twist my body to kick him in the face, a stream of fire erupting from my feet as he was pushed back. I use his chest as a springboard to leap away from him, looking around for my sword.
As he charges back, I activate my Sharingan and trap him in an illusion. I spot my golden blade still in my detached arm and bring it over with a fire whip, my Haki finally able to warn of an attack. As soon as my fingers wrap around Goldbrand, I perfectly parry the claws, then stab the boss in the chest.
He was still alive as he roars in rage, but I see his HP only in the four digits. I pull out the blade, but then I was only able to block an attack with my Haki-infused arm, but not without any sacrifice as the gauntlet and very bones shatter from the force. I was sent away a few paces back, but was able to get my sword.
Eero kneels on the ground before quickly standing up again. I was weak as well, feeling my vision darkening as the Demon Serum stops my regeneration. My HP was a little more than 2000, and with me bleeding out, a single hit could end me.
This is it. Both of us are on the verge of death. One mistake and one of us will die…
So to make sure I don't fuck this up…
370 + 70 = 440 DEX
I slowly get up, my legs shaking as I hold my sword with my left hand. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, sharpening my focus as Eero rushes me. I stand completely still, and as I feel him get close, I open my eyes, only barely dodging the killing blow.
I see his other hand coming my way, my eyes widening in fear as I realize that the first attack was a feint.
But for a split-second, I see him hesitate as his blue eyes return. In the same second, I feel a multitude of emotions as well, ranging from fear to pride.
I did not care about that though, as I take this chance to strike him. Goldbrand slits his throat as I was given enough time to dodge his second attack, ducking under it.
Eero stops moving, and after a few more seconds, he falls to the ground.
Level up x24
My arm forcefully regenerates as I level up, making me scream in pain.
Fucking hell, I can never get used to this…
Just as I level up, the Demon Serum goes out of my system as I cough out a black… liquid, forming a small puddle of it. Eugh, this looks disgusting…
That was fucking awesome, and holy shit was it terrifying. The guy could've literally three-shotted me with that form. Hell, two direct attacks with his spear and I could've died.
Too close, but fun as fuck.
Just as I was about to move, something grabs my leg, making me gasp as I see Eero still alive. I was about to stab him, killing him for real, but then he mutters.
"T...h…sp...ea….r…" He struggles to speak, almost gurgling in his own blood. "...T...ak...e… i….t"
How the fuck…
I shake my head as I comprehend what he said.
The spear? His spear?
I was about to respond, but then he lets out his last breath, finally dying. I blink in confusion, then nod to myself. If he wants me to take the spear, then fine.
It was in the vault, right? Then I would've taken it anyway. No way am I gonna leave the gold and shit in there. Hell, I'm pretty sure my mask is still in the throne room.
I propel myself to the giant hole leading to the vault, grinning widely at all the gold and gems inside. Can I turn them into credits?
No.
Damn. What can I do with them then? Turn them to Lien?
Are you sure?
Yeah. I mean, what the hell am I gonna do with all of this anyway? If I'm selling them, then I'm selling them to you. You're probably a lot fairer than anyone on Remnant anyway.
...Very well.
Turned Poseidra's vault to Lien
The entire pool of gold disappears completely, and I fall down on my knees, clutching my heart as I see the amount.
46,536,135,677 Lien added.
T-too much money, too much fucking money.
What the fuck am I gonna do with all of this?! I'm gonna break the fucking economy!
No, I can think about this later, for now though, I need to get that spear.
I jog towards it, marveling at the power it gives off. It's magical as well as powerful it seems. As I hold it, twirling it around before casting Observe to see its stats. What I read made me freeze in shock completely, my heart hammering in my chest as realization slowly dawns on me.
Sea Ruler, Maliq
A legendary spear that served as the weapon for the Delmar family, and as such, only those with Delmar blood can even hold it. Beware, thieves, for any attempt at wielding this might hold dire consequences
It seems Maliq has lost a considerable amount of its power, and it's in your hands to restore it to its former glory.
Deals 700 + STRx6 Physical Damage + 3500 Water Damage
...W-what? If it says only the Delmar family can wield it, then how can I…?
Is this… Nah, it can't be. Dungeons are just pocket dimensions designed by The Game or Mysterious God for me to level up in, right? There's no way...
...Game, t-this is Gamer's Body or the system's doing, right?
No.
...I'm… you're telling me I'm a...
Oh… dear god...
I turn to the direction where Eero's body remains, my eyes wide as I finally understand what's happening.
I'm… a Leviathan.
Quest Complete
[The Fallen Empire of Poseidra]
Objective: Defeat Eero Delmar, The Frail Emperor of Poseidra
Bonus Objective A: Defeat the three advisors
Bonus Objective B: Find the treasure vault
Bonus Objective C: Kill all Serpent Guards in the city
Hidden Objective: Discover your heritage
Rewards: +20 levels in Water Magic, [Kingslayer] Title, 17K EXP, 17K Credits, 1 Gacha Token
Bonus Rewards A: +10 levels in Water Magic, Sea Stone, Tide Necklace, Staff of the Ocean, 15K EXP, 10K Credits
Bonus Rewards B: 2000 EXP, 50K Credits, [Treasure Hunter] Perk
Bonus Rewards C: 10K EXP, 10K Credits, [Only One Remains…] Perk, +5 levels in Water Magic
Hidden Rewards: 5K Credits, [Fury of the Tides] Perk, Delmar Family Photo, 1 Gacha Token
Level up x4
I ignore everything as I take out the family photo, my eyes widening further.
...And I just killed my own father…
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