(Vol3)100. The Bottomless Mountain(2)
At the northwest of Clamore lies a wide and big mountain. The mountain has an entrance at the base. However, it is protected by many manpower. Watch towers, walls, and barriers are all erected around the mountain. Several infrastructures are constructed around the mountain, either as dormitories for the workers or research laboratories.
However, using the time lag during the change in shifts, I was able to sneak past all defences and reach the entrance of the mountain, it is spacious and tall.
As I walk deeper into the mountain, the rocky path narrows into a small platform. A warning sign protrudes from the ground. It reads: "Further exploration is prohibited for all personnel. Any infringement will be dealt with harshly."
The rocky platform extends to the other end of the mountain as a bridge. An orb artifact for surveillance is attached to the wall. I disable the artifact by cutting its flow of mana; My mana control once again improved from a year ago. That's how I was able to get past the barriers and detection spells.
From this point on, I enter a large space within the mountain. Above me is an infinite void of darkness, below me, a single lonely golden shrine lies on a pillar of stone. Around the shrine are bouquets and shards of red, green, and yellow crystal. Within the shrine is a small box wrapped in a talisman that lies on a small table. That is what I need.
Everything else below is a void again.
Unable to gauge how deep this hole is, the name of the mountain came about.
At the end of the bridge are fragments of descending staircase to the shrine, extending from the walls of the mountains.
Broken and old, the staircases engulf in dust.
I jump from one piece of stairs to another while partially lifting myself with mana as it is about to crumble.
The more I descend, the clearer an eerie deep echo becomes. It is breathing from a creature below.
Mana circulates my eyes to see better in the dark. The creature reveals itself: a long giant black centipede wrapping itself around the shrine pillar. The pace of breathing suggests it is sleeping.
-----------------
An enemy mini-boss has appeared!
Centipede Guardian
Strength:????
Weakness:???
Tribe: Ancient Gods
Level: 600
Hp: 5,000,000/5,000,000
Mana: -
Atk: 400
Def: 3000
Dex: 100
Mag: -
Luck: -
-----------------
-----------------
A Side Mission has been created!
Kill the Centipede Guardian.
Reward:
1x High Origin pill
5,000,000 exp
-----------------
Good. The side mission showed up as expected.
Although the Centipede Guardian has a higher level than General Arctius, that is only due to its age and General Arctius can easily kill it. This creature has been around for many millennia according to what I read and is the last of its kind. Many theories stated that this centipede is tasked with protecting the shrine by a god and has been doing it ever since.
...
Unfortunately, due to limitations, I cannot kill it. At my current level, I will need a lot of time and space to kill it and I cannot let the local authorities know of my presence here.
Clamore is part of a land ruled by a viscount with strong manpower. I can agitate and lure the centipede out of the mountain for the viscount's army to kill but...many will die. (The quest did not specify who must kill the centipede)
...
The pros outweigh the cons and I decided to execute the plan.
I've done this in the past as Rena. There is one platform of stairs located directly above the head of the Centipede Guardian.
I draw a broken sword out of a sheath, the Blade of Eternity, and raise my arm.
The blade faces down with a reverse grip. Pulses of black and blue mana extend from the sword. I did not slack for the past year and learnt efficient aura swordsmanship, a clean long translucent glowing aura shoots to form a longer blade.
Albeit simple-looking, the presence of it trembles the atmosphere, cutting through air and mana.
With a leap off the stair, I zap down like lightning.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!*
The momentum and impact burst the centipede down, piercing through the skin into the head.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" The Centipede Guardian screams. Its high-pitched voice reverberates through the mountain, sending earthquake after earthquake of tremors.
The wounded Centipede wiggles its body frantically, slamming its head against the walls of the mountain.
*BAM!!*
-----------------
-10,000 hp
-----------------
"UGH!!!?" I grit my teeth as the centipede throws his head against a wall, crushing my body. But this is not enough to force me off.
I tighten my grip on the sword. Ever since I returned from that "Elvis Arcane" dungeon, I've been trying to reenact Arsto's aura technique and I achieved something similar.
The blade within the centipede glows immensely, ejecting a powerful eruption of demonic mana into the body.
"KYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Its screams grow in intensity.
Desperate, it jerks and pushes and slams its body rapidly, sending many fragments of the mountain down the bottomless void. Finally, it digs its head into the wall and completely sweeps a circle, breaking the foundation of the mountain and the pillar of the shrine.
-----------------
-15,000 hp
"Broken Ribcage" Body status has been applied.
-----------------
It hurts but I did not let go. I pull the sword out of the centipede and leap off the wall. Using mana as flooring, I jump across the air and catch the small box in the shrine as it breaks and collapses into the darkness.
Afterwards, I make my hasty escape to the entrance of the mountain before witnessing the extraordinary sight of a long giant centipede zapping up and breaking through the mountaintop to the outside world.
A burst of explosion followed by a fountain of dust, stone and debris litter around The Bottomless Mountain.
"KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!" The Centipede Guardian screams in rage. It immediately sweeps the infrastructures around the mountains, killing thousands and casting a catastrophic wave of destruction.
I escape from the chaos to a far place.
I only stop when the centipede is the size of a thumb from my perspective.
"Huff huff huff..." I pant.
Mana rapidly circulates my legs and slowly diminishes.
Now then...
I open the box. Inside is nothing but a gleaming fracture of a blade.
I smile at the treasure and take out my Blade of Eternity.
-----------------
The Blade of Eternity resonates with its long-lost brother.
It has begun to reunite its destiny.
-----------------
The broken blade glows brightly and condenses into a liquid. The blinding bright liquid flows in the air and fuses with The Blade of Eternity.
By the time the light disappears, I have with me a full complete weapon.
-----------------
The grade of the weapon has increased.
Rare->Legendary
The stats provided increased.
Special effects unlocked:
-Eternity Lasting
-Slash of Faith
Blade of Eternity(Legendary)
Type: Sword, Dagger
Durability: Infinite
Lvl: 98
+298 Atk
+101 Dex
+217 Mag
Special effects:
(Eternity Lasting)(Active Buff Skill)
+500% stats and -100% cooldown for all skills for 1 minute.
Cooldown: 10 days
(Slash of Faith)
Unleashes an explosive power that scales according to the user's attack stats. This effect can be activated manually or automatically. It has a cooldown of 20 minutes.
[Skill will only activate under hidden conditions.]
(Eternal Potential)
Feed the sword and it will grow.
(Two-sided blade)
The sword can change into a dagger or vice versa.
The rarity of the sword can be changed*
The Hero was revered for his unyielding nature and piercing justice. He was a beacon of hope in the dark future.
The two symbols that represented The Hero were his dual blades, The Sword of Fortitude and The Blade of Eternity.
And now, a new hero takes up the legacy.
-----------------