A world-ending explosion shakes everything and even Sabrina’s barrier, made of incredibly thick Mana, almost gets pulverized by the explosion.
The flash of light covered whatever happened to the boss, but as the curtain of smoke and debris dissipates, everyone looks at a crater that is at least ten ters deep, with absolutely no trace of the Boss anywhere.
Zibrek looks at the result of the explosion and then removes her own goggles.
If Jacob had Boomgar throw the bomb in any other way, the Regional Boss would have survived. Even if it had blasted half of its body away, there would have been a chance that the Boss would have simply regenerated. The fact that Jacob, instead, had made such a good decision, and, more importantly, had used all casters instead of lee fighters… He had deprived himself of Vyrrak and Asterion in favor of using the other Champions.
I wouldn’t have done the sa. Not only I wouldn’t have been able to see the Curse, but it would have been too tempting to see the Great Races at work… together.
Zibrek has been trained by so of the very best of her race. She’s the envy of everyone—soone with the kind of capabilities that appear once in a millennia, a genius beyond comparison.
Yet, she has to admit that she does not have whatever eyes Jacob has. In fact, this exchange has just demonstrated to her that, while she’s still clearly much stronger than him in every other aspect, as a Guide, the Fake Champion is indeed the most capable of their group.
* * *
We take a small break and I send Vyrrak ahead this ti to scout whether there are other major threats in this basin. I told him not to cross bridges or touch anything that looks suspicious. In any case, I can still easily analyze whether he’s affected by a Curse or not, which ans we’d be able to retreat if we needed to.
I briefly look at the kill notifications and then I skip to my updated status.
I was using Heavenly Intuition during the fight to get as much levels and insights in my Skills as possible.
Na: Jacob Cloud
Class: Infernal Architect - Lv. 127 > 142
Core Skills:
Hellbane’s Sword - Lv. 34 > 40 (Platinum - Offensive)
Fla Slash - Lv. 37 > Lv. 42 (Gold - Offensive)
Fla Shield - Lv. 31 > 32 (Gold - Defensive)
Fla Armor - Lv. 23 > 26 (Gold - Defensive)
Fla Walk - Lv. 14 > 20 (Gold - Movent)
Infernal Veins - Lv. 28 > 34 (Platinum - Constitution)
The Grimoire Extraordinaire (Rainbow - Support)
Class Skills:
Furnace Core (Passive) - Lv. 100
Flaform Blueprint (Active) - Lv. 100
Infernal Thread (Passive) - Lv. 100
Ember Keystone (Active) - Lv. 1
Architect’s Insight (Passive) - Lv. 100
Hellspire (Active) - Lv. 100
Ignition Array (Active) - Lv. 2
Attributes:
Strength (STR): 300 → 315
Dexterity (DEX): 314 → 344
Endurance (END): 200 → 215
Vitality (VIT): 314 → 344
Intelligence (INT): 600 → 660
Spirit (SPI): 600 → 660
Wisdom (WIS): 500 → 545
Charisma (CHA): 18 → 18
Luck (LCK): 10 → 10
Unassigned Points: 35 → 110
Other Skills:
Minor Cookery Lv. 34 (Iron)
Minor Night Vision Lv. 32 (Iron)
Light Lv. 67 (Bronze)
Pickaxe Mastery Lv. 81 (Bronze)
Minor Mineral Sense Lv. 72 (Bronze)
Mana Well Lv. 24 (Gold)
Echolocation Lv. 78 > 84 (Silver)
Heavenly Intuition Lv. 52 > 53 (Platinum)
Silver Grip Lv. 42 (Silver)
Advanced Endurance Lv. 87 (Silver)
Advanced Strength Lv. 52 > 56(Gold)
Stolen novel; please report.
Infernal Wings of Ash Lv. 78 > 80(Gold)
Dark Lattice Lv. 78 > 79 (Gold)
Diavolo Draw Lv. 51 > 53 (Gold)
Dark Blade Lv. 38 > 40 (Gold)
Black Fla Lv. 15 (Fusion Skill - Platinum)
Blood of the Ancients Lv. 1 (Platinum)
“Zibrek?” I ask, after getting a good view of my Skills.
The Goblin girl, who’s examining her surroundings, turns toward .
“A question?” I say with a smile.
She walks over with a slight frown on her face.
Jacob Cloud, she was supposed to lead this group of Champions. She’s a true Guide. Goblins are more reasonable than Infernals, but careful what you might say. She might want to stab your back in order to lead the pack of Champions. The benefits of being a leader of such a group are incomnsurable in the long term. Imagine being a King and having long-ti allies among the best of the Great Races and every Kingdom in the world.
Don’t worry, I tell King Baalrek. I’m not going to humiliate her. In fact, quite the opposite.
“Yes?” Zibrek says as she cos to stand in front of .
“I am not an expert on Colossal Dungeons at all. I know Vyrrak wants
to lead the battles, but after seeing that Regional Boss, I think I need soone else at the front with . Would you like to split the role of a Guide… if that’s even possible.”
Zibrek raises an eyebrow and nods.
“It’s not uncommon in large groups to have more than one Guide, Jacob.”
She just looks at
after saying that with a very intense gaze.
“Alright? Would you be my co-Guide, then?”
A smirk pops onto her face, “I shall do that.”
“Would you mind teaching , too?” I say, slightly bowing my head, trying to show as much deference as I can. “I have so much to learn. My eyes are very good, but… I’m not really great at being a Guide for anything else.”
“I don’t like ruffians,” Zibrek says. “I’m not your Infernal Princess, Jacob. You don’t have to perform for . We will fight alongside each other for at least five years. It’s in everyone’s best interest to make sure we’re all as competent as possible.”
“Right. Sorry.”
“Do not be. Did you know that there are Generations of Legends that were destroyed by their hubris and selfishness? But we were lucky.”
“Oh. How so?”
Zibrek steps closer and lowers her voice.
“We have an extrely weak, but also wickedly sharp Champion, who makes everyone feel better and more competent. Having such a catalyst in our group has actually achieved the goal of smoothing over the differences between everyone. Even prickly people like Vyrrak and Sabrina are brought together by their spite for you. And now, they’re even taking orders. You are a marvel, Jacob. If I could, I would open you up and study every single inch of your brain.”
Zibrek takes a step back and then smiles at
innocently.
I swallow and nod, a bit freaked out.
Never forget that Champions are not plucked from the common stock of their people, Cloud. She’s dangerous and she serves her and her people’s interests. Never let your guard down just because she seems less of a threat than the Dragonkin and the Margrave Princess.
Aw, are you saying that I’m special, too? I ask King Baalrek.
Yeah, I’ve seen few people being idiotic as you. Congratulations.
* * *
Once Vyrrak ca back and I told everyone I wanted them to listen to Zibrek, she started explaining our next moves.
“We are here to clear up as many monsters as possible and to investigate what’s happening. We should slaughter every single monster that cos our way, but I’d advise not to waste too much ti. The Tomb of Fate has six areas and they might take a few days to walk through each and every one of them. Without the Regional Boss, I suggest we set camp for the mont and have the weaker mbers of our party, not Champions, go get the kills. In the anwhile, we let those who fought the Regional Boss rest.”
“What if the Cultists co our way and attack everyone else?”
“As long as they can’t single out a Champion, everything is good. That is why the Champion should never split. If it is the Cult of Asmodeus, they might try to abduct our people, but then, you don’t negotiate with the Cultists. Plus… I could see them if they ca anywhere near us.”
“Really? So everyone would be safe going on their own?” I ask.
Zibrek taps her goggles and the belt at her waist.
“No one is coming close to us without
knowing. And no one’s getting Vyrrak.”
That’s how we spend the next half a day just sitting around, waiting for the Squires to clear up the basin. It’s not a bad plan… I’m happy that Lancelot and the Elves can get so more Levels, but I’m also quite jealous. I haven’t had the ti to properly train my Skills after getting Heavenly Intuition, which is the reason why I try and make up for it now.
I focus on my Class Skills and I managed to get several levels in all of them.
The Class with Professor Veythra and upgrading ditation twice really made a big difference.
Fla Slash (Gold - Offensive) - Lv. 42 > 61
Fla Shield (Gold - Defensive) - Lv. 32 > 65
Fla Armor (Gold - Defensive) - Lv. 26 > 70
Fla Walk (Gold - Movent) - Lv. 20 > 66
Then, I take a look at Infernal Veins and this ti I really take my ti.
[Infernal Veins - Analyzed]
[36 Skill Flaws]
List the largest Flaws.
[Two Critical Main Flaws Found.]
[Loop of the Burning Gate - The main circulation passes through Intercostal Ashen Veins in a clockwise pattern, but the return flow at the diaphragm, through the Great Wind vein should be circulated first through the following Heart Veins…]
I start reading the description which goes on for an entire page.
This is a very complex loop, I frown. I rember reading this and giving up even before trying. It was too much before. But now…
I activate Heavenly Intuition and, looking at the Grimoire’s instructions, I start circulating the Mana through the individual veins. I’m chopping up the entire loop, practicing every single part individually, but even then, it’s so hard. It requires an extre level of concentration. This is the kind of Skill that I have never imagined I would have been able to practice, honestly. Before attending Professor Veythra’s Class and getting Heavenly Intuition, I would have never even dread of being able to accomplish sothing like this.
After several hours like this, I take a long deep exhale, finally feeling ready.
I start the real loop, putting everything together, shifting the kind of veins that I’ve used so far from the ones I’ve practiced just now. I pull on the Infernal Veins Skill, and this ti I can feel the extre strain of trying to fix this massive flaw.
However, as my body strains more and more, I direct the Mana ever so carefully, ever so masterfully, until it’s finally right where I need it.
And then, my next exhale carries a wave of stale air from deep inside my body.
When I open my eyes, I can feel it.
Infernal Veins Lv. 34 > Lv. 74
“There are Stone Wolves coming,” I hear Zibrek say. “There’s a large pack. I think it’s better if we let Asterion take care of it. He can probably kill them all without—“
“No,” I say, slowly rising from my seated position and cracking my neck. “I want to try sothing.”
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