Chapter: 250
Nakrad was, as usual, right next to Duke Burrow. The deed of darkening the Duke’s mind had already been done.
It wasn’t a difficult task. While Duke Burrow was a martial figure beyond what Nakrad could handle now, his mental state was different.
How strong could a father’s mind be, still haunted by nightmares of a son who died a decade ago?
The saying “the son resembles the father” fits perfectly here. That foolish brat’s antics have made everything so much easier for me.
I still can’t control this guy at will, but that’s fine. Just having the supreme decision-maker of the territory sitting idle opens up a world of possibilities.
The priests of Tallyki are gathering in the territory, and I plan to use them to enlighten the ignorant about Tallyki’s greatness.
By doing so, we’ll bolster Tallyki’s power and influence.
Ah, and I must also bestow Tallyki’s blessings upon the foolish Prince Burrow, who remains trapped in the shadow of his deceased kin.
So much has been made possible because of that idiot’s stupidity.
In the end, I must bring down that massive academy, just as the Evil God wishes.
– Child.
“Yes, O Great Tallyki.”
It was a sudden voice, but Nakrad’s reaction was immediate. He knelt, as if he had been waiting, ready to hear the voice of the deity.
– The ears of all that are cursed have perked up.
At that moment, a certain wretched Apostle of the God flickered through Nakrad’s mind.
It’s her.
Only her.
There’s no way those other nobodies uncovered what was hidden by Tallyki’s power.
I should have killed her back then. I should have watched her scream for mercy at my feet.
That old hag possessing that weapon should have been made to weep blood.
Even if it meant going overboard, I should have done it.
– Do not worry. This is not meant as a rebuke.
“Oh, merciful Tallyki. What must I do?”
– Do your job. I expect no more than that from you.
“Oh, understood. I will trust you and do my duty!”
*
The dungeons created by the Evil God often possess traits fitting their deity’s power.
Of course, a dungeon spawned by the God of Darkness will have suitable characteristics, and those traits should be found the hard way.
Traps you can never discover through normal means.
Paths hidden by the power of Darkness.
Unique mechanics that can’t be found in any other dungeon.
Numerous monsters lurking in shadows, aiming for the players’ necks.
In addition, the dungeons touched by his power carry an eerie and sinister nature, just like darkness itself.
It’s no wonder that community players advise against entering dungeons related to the God of Darkness unless absolutely necessary—when they do, they suggest following guides posted on the community or XTube.
But guides? Who needs those? Going in with just my bare body is the best! That’s the moment I’d likely break something, whether it be mouse, keyboard, or monitor.
I remember when I first entered the Evil God’s dungeon, I swore out loud multiple times, “What kind of trash dungeon is this?!”
However, that was back when I wasn’t used to the Soul Academy yet.
Years later, I’ve become someone who can tackle any dungeon, no matter the perilous gimmicks, after conquering the user-created dungeons.
Wow. Thinking back gives me déjà vu.
The sheer malice underlying human nature is grotesque.
The God of Darkness is nothing compared to humanity.
At least he doesn’t shout, “You failed once! So go hang yourself in a box!”
Well, nothing compared to human malice, but the dungeons of the God of Darkness have a steep difficulty cap.
It’s definitely not something I can take lightly.
I can’t adopt the survival mentality I had during the game; if I fail here, I won’t just die.
Death here means real death.
The horror and pain are extreme, leading to an excruciating end.
To avoid that, I need to prep thoroughly for a flawless strategy.
The starting point of that meticulous preparation is the semi-final shield I want—‘Anquir.’
Finding clues through the extremely rare slab.
Using one of those slabs to access a hidden location.
Through one of those slabs, navigate the maze.
Only after conquering the so-called dungeon of trials can I obtain Anquir.
Anquir is a difficult item to obtain but has excellent performance.
Infinite durability and automatic recovery options are standard, and it has significant shock resistance along with various additional effects.
Among these useful functions, the one I consider crucial right now is the ability to remove corruption.
This shield, which was directly passed on from an angel who descended from the heavens to a hero in the distant past, drives away various unclean forces.
In other words, it’s capable of detecting numerous traps concealed by Tallyki’s power.
So, it’s no coincidence that the moment I sensed my opponent was the God of Darkness, I resolved to seek this shield.
“What brings you here at this late hour, Young Lady?”
After succeeding in retrieving the slab from Isabel, instead of returning to the dorm, I sought out Luca.
I needed his cooperation to use this slab. Plus, I needed someone to tackle the front lines during our dungeon raid.
“The academy’s old building?”
‘Yeah, that’s right. Can we go right now?’
“Sure. It’s the same place that was a total rundown when this pathetic academy was still pathetic. We can go whenever!”
“Of course we can, but why there?”
‘Just follow me, and you’ll find out.’
“You’re saying that a pervy professor like you is giving me, a cute girl, a chance to help you? Shouldn’t I be grateful? Or do you just want to get insulted? Gosh, that’s disgusting.”
“…Yes. I’ll be quiet and guide you.”
The Soul Academy has both a main building and an old building.
The old building is where the Soul Academy was established and is still used by the students conducting research.
In modern terms, it could be likened to a prison for grad students.
Even in the time of the sun snoozing under the blanket of the earth, the shining building makes it clear that this place does not treat grad students any differently.
Actually, considering that people in this world generally have better physical abilities than those from the mundane world, they might treat them even worse.
“Please stop for a moment.”
Because the old building is a place where various researchers of the Soul Academy store their findings, any unauthorized access is strictly forbidden.
Even with Professor Karl, it wouldn’t make a difference. He hasn’t even been here a year, so he doesn’t have many privileges.
“It’s me, Luca.”
“Oh! Professor Luca! My apologies. Please pass through.”
But Luca was different. Having worked for the Soul Academy for a long time and built up achievements, he can do whatever he wants inside.
Usually, Luca uses this authority for strange things, but if used well, it can be quite useful.
Thanks to that, I easily entered the old building and headed to the archive.
“You say you have business in this rundown place?”
Luca tilted his head at the old door of the archive.
This place, where the history of the Soul Academy is kept, has historical significance, although it doesn’t contain anything particularly useful.
The same goes for the game. There are minor items or various Easter eggs, but no crucial items.
However, that was when I stepped inside. To see the real appearance of this archive, a special item must be prepared outside the door.
As I took the slab from my inventory and held it out, the door of the archive transformed before my eyes.
From a dilapidated wooden door to a grand and ancient marble door.
“…What on earth is this?”
It appeared that Luca never expected for something like this to be hidden in a place he had seen many times, as his eyes blinked in astonishment.
As I quietly observed him, Karl hugged Luca’s shoulders and said, “I see you, clueless junior. You shouldn’t be surprised over little things like this. The path the Young Lady walks is always filled with wonders.”
What? Is that some kind of subtle intimidation? He’s trying to show off on the clueless junior?
Look at that proud expression he has.
Why does he take pride in being called clueless first?
I just can’t wrap my head around it, whether it’s Frey or him. Why do they all act giddy when they get insulted?
Since I figured he would only escalate from here, I took it upon myself to open the door.
“Come on, let’s go, Karl.”
“Hey, clueless! I want to go back before morning, okay? Everyone knows you’re a big perv, so quit bragging and just follow me.”
“Haha. Sorry. Even if everyone knows, I just want to brag once more.”
Despite being insulted with that Mesugaki skill, I couldn’t help but sigh at the sight of Karl flinching away from me.
…This is exactly why I can’t give him the gift I had prepared. With how he acts, who knows what he would do if I gave him a present?
I figured it would just be a headache to keep talking, so I stepped inside the archive.
As soon as we three entered, the door closed behind us automatically.
Hmm? Did this door close by itself?
Of course.
“This place exists? What a wonderful discovery! Your words hold true, Clueless Senior. It seems I’ll have a tough time if I don’t acclimate.”
“Already realizing that? As expected of Professor Luca.”
…Wait.
Hey, is that a jab at me? Are you mocking me right now?!
Why is he grinning over being called a Clueless Senior?
Sigh. Where on earth did things go wrong?
He seems to have a good reputation among the knights in the territory.
And when I consult Joina and Arthur, they always speak highly of him, saying he’s cool and kind to the academy students.
But why does he turn into this regretful person when he’s right beside me?
Now that I think about it, he’s not the only one.
Benedict too.
The Clumsy Fox.
Phoebe.
Even Isabel, who I met not too long ago…
Oh?
Could it be that I’m the problem?
Is it possible?!
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