"When Emotions, Curses, and Blessings congregate into the word called Risk, the next step is Transcendence."
*
From his research and studies in the last few days, one thing that he had found common was the lack of facts about the Dungeons.
Every Dungeon, every Crawler, and every legend were like an unsolvable mystery. There were books spanning hundreds of pages on Crawlers. But even they had a note at their end, stating the content in the book was a reference only and not to be taken as facts.
That's why, even though the House Venomous Rose was an ancient House, it had no data related to various Skills and Personalities of the Crawlers. It was boldly, cruelly, and undeniably told to the new Drears that one could prepare for ages for a Dungeon, and yet not survive the first Crawler.
All that mattered in the world of RECORD was strength, and at higher Ranks, experience.
Aldrich, though a genius and a practitioner of Laws, lacked this experience. That's why when he found himself trapped and handicapped by the Crawler ingenuity, he beca calr and calr. He knew the truth about the experience; it could only be accumulated and never be learned.
So he wanted to clear the doubts before proceeding further. And one of the major doubts he had was related to the discrepancy in the Crawler's status.
"What about the Elite? Is that a falsehood too?"
Aldrich put his hands behind his back and asked as he walked around the edge of the platform, observing the rest of the pillars. The Crawler didn't mind Aldrich's behavior and gave a low laugh.
"Hahass! No, though far-fetched, but that's true. Outside this platform, I am just another Crawler. After getting these witches, I tried to lure Drears here, but none fell for my words, being an Elite and all. They had the ans to find out my Rank and Status. So I sacrificed two more Skills to beco a regular Crawler down there."
Aldrich applauded the Crawler's bold decision. Even he wouldn't have co here if he had seen the word Elite written over its head. Crawlers at that level needed to be dealt with fast, regardless of the consequences. There was no way he would have just taken its words as a re play and followed it here. But at least he found out not to rely on the Shared Vision alone from now on.
"How does this sacrifice of Skills and level works? Can you tell ?"
Aldrich approached the pillar and put his hand on it. He felt the slight vibrations and Mana in it before looking towards the Crawler and requested to know about sacrifices. The Crawler thrashed its tail on the platform and narrowed its eyes towards Aldrich. It was alright up to the point when it was muttering by itself. But the audacity of the chicken to talk back to the butcher with the knife at its neck was annoying and baffling.
Aldrich knew the thinking process of beings in such a situation. But, as Aldrich had noticed, one thing that Humans or Crawlers shared with each other was that all were subjected to a sense of pleasure and pride. He gave a defeated smile to the Viscount Sugaar and added.
"Haha! My Lord, I have always been curious about the might of Crawlers. I have dedicated my entire life to eting the Ruler of Valencia, El Cid. You have seen how easily I took care of all those snakes. How could it be possible without years of preparation?"
Aldrich's white eyes were like an embodint of a dying wish, the epito of false truth. If it only was a matter of falsehood, then Aldrich knew all the basic concepts to play it out. Throughout history, n had been using the strategy to get less by asking for more.
The Crawler went quiet after hearing Aldrich's pleading and heartfelt words. The way Aldrich had emphasized the na of the Boss Crawler made it impossible for the Crawler to scoff at Aldrich. A low laugh escaped its mouth along with the hissing of its forked tongue.
"Huhss! Your desire to et his lordship is comndable. But it is bound to remain unfulfilled. Hmm! I can tell you a thing or two to ease your nerves."
Aldrich gave a bow to the Viscount as it assented to let him know what he wanted. But the Crawler's next words were totally unexpected.
Hisss!
"I am getting a weird feeling from your mask. Take it off!"
Aldrich was still in his bowing posture when he heard the demand. Taking off the mask wasn't just about losing the use of Skill Change. It also ant to lose the current enhanced Stat, the access to all items, and facing the penalty again. It wasn't an understatent to say that without the Devil's Oldest Change, Aldrich was just Aldrich and not an overpowered Drear.
But as the Crawler had said, Aldrich too believed that one shouldn't be afraid of taking risks.
As Aldrich straightened his posture, his hand went to the mask on his face.
"Daddyyyy NO!"
Despite Sha's ringing screams in his mind, Aldrich took off the mask and threw it towards the Crawler. The mask slid and ca to a stop near the Viscount, whose eyes were focused on Aldrich's face. The light from the stars in the moonless night, combined with the yellow glow of the Disco Light, made Aldrich's white eyes overpower his facial features. Viscount Sugaar picked up the horned mask and rotated it at the tip of its clawed finger. He again gave Aldrich a cursory glance and hissed out.
"Oh, so you are one of them. But you look "
"Ordinary."
"Ah, yes! That's the word. You look ordinary."
Aldrich sat down in a ditative stance, like a disciple from ancient tis waiting for his master to bestow knowledge. The Crawler nodded as it saw Aldrich's submissive attitude and snapped its fingers, shattering the Disco ball above its head. Even the Crawler's attitude had seed to change after seeing Aldrich's face and realizing sothing about him. The Lord of Storms and Thunder clasped its hands and asked.
"What's your na, Blessed One?"
Aldrich clasped his hands in response and replied, "Aldrich Guo."
Who would have known that in a forgotten Dungeon, a lesson on the dark elusive truths about the working of RECORD will be given to a Drear at the door of death?
Given by the pile of Experience Points, who beings of the Galaxy called Crawlers.
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