LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 29 - The Landlord Has Changed
< Chapter 29: The Landlord Has Changed >
In a basin within the Verdant Grove.
Thick, acrid smoke surrounded the area.
Cigarette smoke rose like mist in the round basin.
If a person from the Continent of Aiden saw this scene, they would think a war had broken out. A modern person would think of a chemical warfare drill.
Eryllion couldn’t approach the vile toxicity and flew around the perimeter, focusing his mind.
-Boom! Crack, rumble!
As befitting the Ellafae of Earth, he sensed the events unfolding in the basin through the power of the earth. Beyond the hazy toxic smoke, a gigantic centipede monster roared, wriggling its hundreds of legs.
-Screeech!!
With each strike of its legs against the ground, the sound of flesh being crushed echoed, and the monsters died in heaps.
“Fer…!”
Eryllion searched for a presence in the midst of the gruesome battlefield. Soon enough,
Dangling.
He found his friend clinging desperately to the back of the gigantic centipede monster’s head.
“Fer!”
Ludeus seemed to be in relatively good condition. How is that possible? Still, he couldn’t afford to be optimistic about the situation yet. The toxic smoke affected not only the giant centipede but also Ludeus adversely. Moreover, there were monsters targeting Ludeus as well.
“Fer…!”
Eryllion instinctively reached for his necklace. Feeling its touch, memories of that day flashed through his mind.
[We will seal your power.]
[No longer shall you use that cursed ability!]
Old wounds resurfaced in his mind.
He knew he was no longer royalty. If he used this power, the army of fairies would not leave him alone. Therefore, he didn’t want to use this power unless absolutely necessary.
Eryllion believed in Ludeus. He had said he would win, so surely he would be victorious.
-Growl!
“……”
Eryllion recalled Ludeus’ confident smile. Simultaneously, he also remembered how Ludeus struggled to sleep each night, as if plagued by nightmares. Eryllion had seen the words Ludeus scratched with his claws that night.
[Home, chicken, cola.]
He didn’t know the meaning of two words, but he recognized the first one. Was Ludeus also longing for home like himself? Come to think of it, Ludeus had never talked about his family. Was he also exiled? Or had he lost his parents? Even so…
-Growl!
Ludeus always smiled, led the way, and said he was fine. Watching his stalwart back, Eryllion couldn’t help but recall someone else.
[Eryllion, it’s okay. Trust in this father.]
That was his father’s final words.
“Fer…!”
Using his power scared him. But doing nothing meant he couldn’t move forward.
Eryllion felt many things while following Lu-deus around.
Lu-deus laughed even after being branded with the Mark of the Demon.
He devised a strategy to hunt Teravore using his authority.
‘How is that even possible?’
It was a mindset that Eryllion couldn’t understand with his common sense.
[That’s what men are like.]
He recalled his father’s words.
Is that so?
Eryllion’s eyes, gripping his necklace tightly, sparkled resolutely.
He couldn’t just stay still.
If Lu-deus were in danger…
‘I will help him.’
Eryllion firmly resolved.
***
“Ugh! Ugh!”
I frowned, tears streaming down my face from the acrid smoke.
‘Oh, damn! Did I burn too much?’
But considering Teravore’s size, this much had to be endured.
「The level of ‘Venom Resistance’ has increased!」
「You have consumed an antidote herb.」
It was pure luck that I encountered that spider. I never thought the skills and herbs I learned then would be used like this.
‘Still, the situation isn’t too bad.’
I focused my gaze on the monsters visible through the hazy smoke.
【Undead Skeleton Warrior Lv.35】
-Characteristics: [Darkness], [Sturdy], [Undead]
-Skills: [Swing Lv.1], [Metallization Lv.3]
【Hell Hound Lv.39】
-Characteristics: [Fire], [Madness]
-Skills: [Bite Lv.4], [Self-Destruct Lv.1]
The ones that appeared this time were over 15 levels higher than the Imps and Gargoyles from before. The Skeleton Warriors solidified their bodies and pressed forward in numbers, with a rabid dog occasionally launching a frenzied attack before disappearing.
‘How disgustingly underhanded!’
The Skeleton Warriors had low attack power but were literally undead. Even with their bodies shattered and only one arm remaining, they swung their swords. Unbelievable.
“Kihaaa!”
Teravore’s claws mercilessly shattered the Skeleton Warriors with Metallization Level 3, but there were just too many. And when he tried to blow up the pesky hounds…
Boom!
“Kiiek!”
The Hell Hounds exploded in flames, burning Teravore. Seeing that, only one thought came to mind.
‘You damn Demon, do you really want to kill me? But what will you do about this?’
Are you watching, Demon?
This is the power of the Necro Tiger!
Go, Teravore!!
“Kiheeek!”
Whoa, almost fell.
「Your level has increased!」
「Your level has increased!」
Sure enough, using the smoke from the tobacco leaves and Teravore to slay the monsters didn’t raise my level much. But since I was hunting safely without lifting a finger, it wasn’t a problem at all.
‘Oh! Well done! Impressive! Teravore!’
Puhwaak!!
“Kiheeek!!”
With the combined attacks of the Skeleton Warriors and Hell Hounds, Teravore’s legs began to be cut off one by one. Even if it was a boss mob, it wasn’t invincible.
「‘Master of the Underground Mine’ is writhing in agony, poisoned by the tobacco leaves!」
Aha! It was because the neurotoxin was causing respiratory distress.
“Kihek, heeek!”
By now, Teravore was panting heavily, yellow liquid dripping from its mouth. But our relentless Skeleton Warrior brothers didn’t care about Teravore’s predicament.
Smack! Smack!
Even the sturdiest armor would eventually crack if struck repeatedly. The Skeleton Warriors gnawed at Teravore’s body and legs with their bones if their swords broke, and with their teeth if their arms shattered.
“Grr, grr.”
Wow, just watching their tenacity gave me the chills.
Crunch!
“Kihek, kihek, kiheeek!!”
「Your level has increased!」
While Teravore and the monsters were engaged in a mutual struggle, an unexpected event occurred.
Grind, grind, grind.
“Grr?”
Now completely exhausted, Teravore moved sluggishly, so I didn’t attack it further. This was to maintain the balance between the monsters and Teravore. Suddenly, I noticed its carapace swelling and its color fading.
“Grr?!”
Startled, I observed Teravore closely.
【Teravore, Master of the Underground Mine Lv.47】
-Status: [Molting]
For some reason, I could see its status, and there was a chilling phrase written there.
‘What? Molting?’
A scene from a certain Japanese manga came to mind, where the centipede elder molted in a critical moment and revived energetically.
“Grr!”
Sensing danger, I quickly withdrew the claws I had embedded into Teravore’s joint. My plan was to pierce through to its flesh.
But before my wild-infused claws could sink in, intense heat emanated from Teravore’s body, and I had to leap away from it.
“Kiheeek!!”
Teravore, having thrown me off, let out a ghastly scream and shot out a burst of fear before proceeding with its molting.
Crack, crack, crack!
Smoke rose from its outer shell as the now-whitened carapace crumbled away. Emerging from the molt was a new Teravore with shiny skin. Its severed legs were fully restored, and its size had increased slightly.
I frowned as I looked at it.
【Teravore, Master of the Underground Mine Lv.49】
-Status: [Molting], [New Flesh], [Soft], [Exhausted]
Damn, its level had increased by 2.
Judging by its condition, its shell and claws hadn’t fully matured yet. However, it didn’t seem like I had a significant advantage either.
Despite the state of exhaustion it was supposedly in, the creature opened its vicious maw wide and targeted me.
To make matters worse, the skeletal warriors were staggering towards me, putting me in a real predicament.
‘Damn it, did this creature notice that I was waiting for an opportunity?’
“Khehek, khehehek!”
Teravore, although not in perfect condition, approached me while drooling yellow saliva and staggering.
‘What should I do?’
In an instant, the situation had reversed. Could I handle Teravore and the monsters simultaneously?
“Kheheeeek!”
While I hesitated for a moment, Teravore lunged at me with its jaws wide open, aiming to tear me apart.
‘Damn it. Looks like stealth isn’t working.’
It had only taken a single step on the ground, but it precisely targeted my position.
“……!”
Boom! As Teravore’s sharp teeth closed in around me, a light flickered from the sky, and I heard someone’s voice.
“Fer!”
“Grrr…!”
I opened my eyes wide and looked ahead.
Originally, I had planned to use Shadow Leap to create some distance.
But that wasn’t necessary.
Someone had created a ‘platform’ inside Teravore’s open maw.
「The ‘Exiled Prince’ uses the Grasp of Darkness!」
Dark fingers sprang up around me and grabbed Teravore’s maw tightly! I understood Eryllion’s intention when I saw the shadow stretching into Teravore’s mouth like a red carpet.
“Grrr!”
「Using Shadow Leap!」
With a swoosh, Teravore’s jaws closed, splattering blood.
“Fer…!”
But what it bit down on wasn’t my body.
The black hand Eryllion had created disappeared along with the blood.
“Grrrr!”
I dashed across the solid black platform, unleashing all my primal instincts. I felt like I could do it now.
Thanks to its hard shell, I hadn’t dared to attempt this before, but now that it had molted, it was possible.
‘Teravore!’
Maximizing my primal instincts, I extended my claws.
Inside its maw, standing on the shadow, I took my stance, and at that moment, a chilling energy gathered in my pupils.
「Magnification reacts to primal instincts!」
「Steel Claws react to primal instincts!」
In an instant, my body swelled, accumulating massive strength.
My blood-red pupils, filled with primal instincts, turned into those of a wild beast, and a loud roar erupted from my mouth.
“Kehoooong!!”
At that moment, I had only one thought.
To destroy.
I would make it clear to the creature blocking my path what kind of existence I was.
Splat!
An unknown force gathered in my front paw as I swung it, feeling something caught on my claws.
I slashed down with even greater force.
Determined to tear apart everything caught in my grasp.
I can do it!
With its shell and claws still soft, I would crush it here and now!
「…‘Clue of Splitting the Great Mountain’…」
A faint voice echoed in my ears, and my primal-instinct-filled mind began to clear.
What I saw in front of me was,
Splat───!
Teravore’s body, split open from its mouth to its tail.
“Grr, grr…”
Panting, I stared at the carnage I had caused.
Behind Teravore’s shattered body, massive claw marks were visible.
Even the skeletons in a straight line behind it had been reduced to dust.
“Grr.”
What just happened? How did I do that?
I imagined growing my claws huge and slicing it in half.
With a platform in place, I thought I could embed my claws and run through it.
I remembered using magnification and unleashing my primal instincts, but I had no recollection of what happened next.
Pop.
“Grr?!”
Exhausted, my body shrank back to its normal size.
Then I noticed Eryllion lying beside me, gasping for breath.
“Huff, huff…”
He was also overexerted, clutching his chest and panting heavily.
“Grr.”
“Fer?”
We locked eyes and laughed.
I owed a lot to Eryllion this time.
Without his digging, I wouldn’t have been able to set up the tobacco leaf trap.
The timing of the brand, and the amazing magic he displayed at the end.
This kid’s pretty impressive.
Thud.
Our small fist and my front paw met in a fist bump.
We smiled brightly at each other!
“Grr!”
“Fer!!”
Shout it out! We won!!
「You’ve achieved an unbelievable feat!」
「You’ve defeated the ‘Master of the Underground Mine’! Calculating rewards…」
The system, recognizing my efforts, stuttered a bit this time.
And to keep us entertained while we waited for the rewards, it offered something new.
「The master of the underground mine has been replaced.」
「The ‘Underground Mine’ recognizes your existence! Providing the location of the underground mine!」
What?! Really?
The underground mine? It wasn’t just a title, it actually existed?
A memory flashed through my mind.
Skrillzhak’s hideout.
I met Eryllion there and managed to gather numerous rewards.
“Gasp!”
I looked at Eryllion.
“Fer?”
“Gruuung!!”
Eryllion! We have a home now!!
Let’s go treasure hunting!!
…
But first, there’s something we need to do.
“Chop chop chop!!”