Chapter: 494
Arthur had read the dungeon conquering book Lucy had handed him countless times.
At first, he was simply curious about how a person named Lucy Alrn could be so astonishingly skilled at dungeon conquering.
Then, he marveled at the immense knowledge contained within the book.
After a while, he started thinking about getting back at Lucy for looking down on him.
Recently, he vowed to score at least one victory to finally get the answer he wanted from Lucy Alrn.
He kept reading that book.
What he realized was that Lucy Alrn’s knowledge wasn’t just something handed down by the God.
While her beginning might have been the blessing from the God, it was Lucy who internalized it and made it her own.
Every trace of effort Lucy had put in up to that point was contained in that book.
Perfect strategies for dealing with petty monsters that shouldn’t have mattered to him.
Methods for bypassing traps that he could have just charged through.
Ways to find paths in existing dungeons, and even when entering completely new ones.
Within all those words lay the truth of how deeply invested Lucy Alrn was in dungeons, and just how much effort she put in to become so.
Because of that, Arthur didn’t doubt anything written in the book.
It might have appeared that the book was penned in Lucy’s playful tone to mock someone, but deep down it was definitely her sincere intention.
Embracing that sincerity, Arthur now felt a sense of achievement.
“There’s a trap on the right. Something obvious hiding something less obvious behind it.”
“Looks like the trap will activate the moment I try to move forward, blocking my path.”
“A barrier in the passage, designed to catch those trying to flee.”
“That path isn’t the right one.”
“Guess I’ll have to take another route.”
“Hm. The monsters waiting over there look similar to what Lucy Alrn described.”
“Those pathetic little pups are sensitive to sound. If I make a loud noise, they’ll wet themselves and crawl away like babies.”
“Looks like that’s true. I should be able to pass through easily now.”
“Now, is this a puzzle? If I think based on the clues I’ve memorized, the answer should come to me quickly.”
As Arthur advanced through the dungeon without much of a hitch, he gradually began to understand why the little girl had seemed stern earlier.
Can a trial really be this easy?
If the trial is directly involving the pieces of the progenitor, then surely something much harder should exist. That’s how one proves their qualifications, right?
Something’s off. This is way too easy. I’d think that the dungeon Lucy had presented during last year’s finals was way tougher.
No, objectively, that one felt more like hell.
If I had been given a single chance to conquer that place, would there ever be anyone who could do it in one go?
Arthur let out a hollow laugh and quickened his pace.
If I keep wasting time here, I might hear something from Lucy Alrn that I’ll regret.
Just the thought of being fodder for teasing is evident enough, but if I take too long, who knows how badly my dignity will be shattered.
Just recently, I saw Karl lying around, turned into a seat. I shivered at the thought of taking his place.
That can’t happen. If it comes to that, I’d rather bite my tongue and die.
“Damn it.”
Sweating coldly as he moved forward, Arthur suddenly frowned upon spotting the little girl appear next to him.
“Has the trial ended already?”
“Would be nice, but no. It’s the worst scenario. The Evil God’s aura is interfering with this place.”
“…What?”
“I’m doing my best to keep it at bay, but it looks like I’ve gotten too old for this.”
The little girl’s bitter smile made Arthur’s expression turn serious.
Now that I think about it, Erginius had also mentioned that the time to reinforce the barriers was approaching.
A magic circle that has been here for hundreds of years can’t maintain its initial power.
I can understand that intellectually, but emotionally it’s hard to accept. Damn it.
“That means the intervention of the void is about to begin.”
“If it keeps going like this, we’ll be in big trouble. Look. The monsters in front of us. Can’t you see it’s getting harder to distinguish their appearances?”
The little girl’s words were an undeniable truth. Truth and falsehood were blending within Arthur’s sight.
“We need to break through the trial before they completely take over. Is that possible?”
“Now that we’ve come this far, it’s not really about possibility or not.”
Since he’s made it this far, Arthur had no other choice. In the end, it’s a race against time.
Which will finish the process of void’s power completely first? Or will Arthur be able to surpass this trial faster?
“I have to do it.”
If it’s a fight against time, Arthur is confident in that. The opponents he struggled to beat so far have been utterly dominant in this field.
Arthur who desperately grappled for victory against Lucy did not think he would lose in this battle.
“If I lose at a place entrusted to me by that girl, how can I lift my head?”
*
– You killed us.
No, it was you who pushed yourselves into death.
If you had succeeded in the trial, you could have become a star, but you failed because you lacked the ability.
– You dedicated us to a dream that was unattainable.
Wrong. The reason my dream seemed distant was that your talent was inadequate.
Look at the star named Lucy Alrn.
See that star shining brighter than the sun in the sky? If you had shone as brightly as that, my dream would have been realized long ago.
– In the end, you’re a useless failure who can’t do anything alone.
Correct. I gave up shining brightly on my own.
Is this wrong? Is it a sin to choose reality over floundering in vain dreams?
Why is romance called romance? It’s because it cannot be realized, thus it is romantic.
I vowed to achieve my dreams within reality rather than being an idiot lost in romance.
Ruka answered every single voice he heard as he turned the corner.
There was no hesitation. Nor guilt.
Had he been the kind to be stopped by conscience, he wouldn’t have walked this far.
In the process, Ruka felt something filthy spreading, breaking his vow.
Faster than anything that had spread before.
He didn’t quite understand what was happening, but he ignored it and looked ahead.
Coldly rationalizing, the actions of the Alrn Young Lady were merely about buying time.
Even if these specters surround him, they won’t inflict any decisive wounds.
Surely one or two might be lost, but that’s all.
Looking at it another way, it’s strange.
Where’s the advantage in buying time like this?
The stronger the erosion from the void, the more beneficial it should be for him, right?
He doesn’t know exactly what the other side is aiming for, but he doesn’t need to cater to their intentions.
By now the erosion must have progressed to a certain extent, so it’s time to make them sweat a little.
“Remnus. Can you contact the outside? I want to know how far the erosion has progressed.”
“More than half has been consumed. However, resistance from the outside is also getting increasingly fierce.”
“Then let’s start using what we’ve prepared.”
Those many golems that were brought in under the pretense of using them when creating the academy dungeon.
Once the erosion by the void’s power is complete, those items will become powerful enough to create chaos inside the barrier the moment the void’s followers feed them energy.
“Alrn Young Lady. Just so you know, the golems are about to start a massacre. Those sleeping inside the barrier will die powerless. All because you were incompetent and ineffective.”
Now, will the tough but fragile you remain silent upon hearing this?
Will you be able to conveniently ignore their deaths?
I assure you, you won’t. If you were able to overlook others’ sacrifices to fulfill your own wishes, the God would have never chosen you.
“Pwahaha♡”
As expected.
A girl’s laughter resounded from beyond the darkness of the corridor. A distinct and beautiful sound, utterly impossible to ignore.
“Chit-chatting all day long, huh~?♡”
Her red hair danced in the air.
“Don’t you feel a wave of self-pity after acting all strong?♡”
Her blood-red eyes gleamed even in darkness.
“When it comes to your real pitiful self, you must feel like you want to commit suicide, huh?♡”
Every twist of her sneering lips made her appear to be standing on a high ground.
“Is it possible you can’t even distinguish between your imagination and reality?♡ Hehe♡ Oh, poor thing♡ Just how ugly must you have felt in reality to become mentally ill?♡”
Undeniably stunning, the little girl stood proudly before Luka and the crowd of void followers.
“What reality’s denial were you so desperate to avoid?♡ Was it that you were impotent?♡ Or that your talent is as useless as your ornamented hair?♡ Or perhaps your lifelong unrealized dreams?♡”
Luka felt the veins on his forehead throb with every word Lucy pierced his ears with, but he calmly tried to hold back his emotions.
If he falls for her words for one second, it would play right into her hands.
That must not happen. The initiative must remain with him. It has to be the artisan, Ruka.
“Haha. Do you have time to be spouting nonsense?”
“…”
The moment Luka spoke, Lucy closed her mouth. Even trying to appear steady, she looked rushed.
“By now, the people above are dying one by one, you know? Weak…”
“Pwahaha♡”
Just as Luka was about to speak, Lucy’s laugh interrupted him.
The first time he heard that laughter, Luka thought Lucy was acting. She was intentionally laughing to keep up a facade of calmness.
“Trying to cover your confusion with laughter doesn’t hold any meaning.”
“Pff♡ Hehe♡ You really are dull, aren’t you?♡ Do I look like I’m laughing falsely?♡”
“Go ahead, keep kidding yourself.”
“Pffh♡ You’re the one kidding yourself! You’re impotent in talent and passion, just like your silly plan!♡”
…Not a facade?
No way?
That can’t be.
If something variable had come up, I should have known by now!
“Ah♡ You can’t possibly think that what you’re saying is true right now?♡ Do you really believe your pathetic plan won’t be interrupted?♡”
“Ha. Go ahead and speak your nonsense. It really won’t change anything.”
“…Professor Ruka! Above!”
At the moment the voice of the void’s follower crackled with bewilderment, Ruka glanced passionately towards Lucy.
“Ugh♡ I’m so pathetic having to deal with such idiots like this!♡ I feel so sorry for myself!♡ Don’t you think?♡”
Her laughter was laced with carefree joy.
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