HOT NOVEL UPDATES



Hint: To Play after pausing the player, use this button

Chapter 16

DEEP BELOW the specialized studies building, the trio stood before a giant door sealed with iron bars.

“We came here to train back when you were starting out, didn’t we? Good times,” Mira commented, looking up at the entrance to the Fools’ Wunderkammer.

“No, I don’t think that was for training, actually. It seemed a bit more…perilous than that.” Cleos’s cheek twitched as he stared vacantly ahead. Those times with Danblf had been…well, they’d been a lot.

Hinata wasn’t sure what the two were talking about, but she could tell that Cleos might not share Mira’s nostalgia.

“Now then, Mistress Mira, if you’ll take the right-hand mechanism?” Cleos shook off the past long enough to move to the left side of the door and withdraw a silver key from his breast pocket.

“Hrmm, very well.” Mira took up a position on the opposite side. 

“All right, get ready to turn the key…now.”

Following his instructions, she turned the key, and they heard a heavy metallic clank. Cleos turned his a moment later, and a sound of gears moving filled the chamber as the iron bars slowly retreated.

“Ladies first,” he said. Grabbing the handle of the now-exposed door, Cleos eased it open, and cold air from the dungeon spilled out over their feet. Hinata shivered.

Past the door was a gently descending tunnel. There were small patches of light here and there, but visibility was generally very poor.

“Cleos, light the way,” Mira said, giving him a wink. It was exactly what she used to say when the two went adventuring together.

“As you wish.” Reveling in the memory, he smiled and created a small sphere of light in his palm before releasing it softly into the air. The orb melted away like sugar in hot tea, its luminescence spreading to fill the space with a growing light that illuminated every nook and cranny in the cave.

“Wow… It’s so bright,” Hinata said as the tunnel took on a midday glow. Though she had known Cleos for many years and knew he was half elf and half light spirit, she’d never seen him actually use any of his light spirit skills.

Now they could see shelves along either side. They were crammed with research materials and collection samples, and they ran all the way down to the end. Hinata gawked as she took in the dungeon, but Mira and Cleos didn’t seem to be terribly impressed. They steadily made their way deeper and deeper into the room.

The first level of the dungeon was simply a straight path forward with occasional alcoves off to the sides. The alcoves were also lined with shelves, and their floors were littered with decaying samples. Some elements of the Wunderkammer founders’ research had weathered the years better than others, it seemed. Chairs and tables were no longer usable—but the shelves had been enchanted to stay in perfect condition, and any item lucky enough to have been filed away remained pristine. They protected the collection against both decay and theft.

If I remember correctly, the Department of the Ethereal was researching this, Hinata thought as she scanned the cave.

“Looks like we’ve got a bunch up ahead,” Mira told them, looking at the far end of the cave.

“So we do,” Cleos said. 

A bunch of what? Hinata wondered, then looked ahead to find her answer. She saw an area about twenty-five meters wide and twenty meters long—and it was currently home to a group of monsters: three doglike Vorax Hounds, three blobby Ragged Oozes, and four treelike Ruffian Woodmen. A fight was incoming, but the monsters hadn’t yet noticed the party.

“Basic mobs. Let’s take care of them and move on.” Mira began to step forward, but Hinata jumped ahead.

“Um, maybe I could show you my summoning techniques?” She didn’t mind watching the other two fight, but she was hoping this adventure would earn her some experience and feedback.

Mira turned to Cleos, and the pair shared a nod.

Taken in by Hinata’s enthusiasm, Mira said, “All right, then.”

“It’s a perfect opportunity,” Cleos agreed. This would be a great opportunity to receive constructive criticism from the Elder of the Tower of Evocation herself.

“Thank you. I’ll do my best!”


Considering she was being watched by a Wise Man’s pupil and an acting Elder, Hinata was feeling nervous but motivated. Then she remembered Mira’s spells at the symposium, and her desire to improve ignited. Thus fired up, she concentrated on casting her spell.

“Okay, I’ll start with this!”

First, she affixed the summoning location. Then, she selected her summon. She carefully progressed through the steps, making sure not to lose her visualization. Then she applied the necessary mana to the spell, letting it soak in slowly. A magic circle appeared at the designated point. It gradually grew brighter until it flashed red, and she cast the summoning spell.

[Evocation: Salamander]

The magic circle burst open, and flames scattered into the air, revealing a long, stout lizard nearly two meters in length.

“Oho, a salamander! You did mention that before, didn’t you? So you’ve climbed Mount Symbios and found the Dragon’s Ember?”

“I did, and it was quite the climb!” Hinata said as she hugged her salamander, who was doing its best to stand at attention before her.

Among the spirits that governed over fire, the salamander was one of the more primordial elementals. Salamanders were born from Fairy Crystals that were cast into the Dragon’s Ember, an area near the volcanic caldera at the top of Mount Symbios.

Fairy Crystals were rare, crystallized souls of ancient spirits buried deep within the earth. The cloudy gray crystals were harder than diamond, making them difficult to process, and their lack of attractive color made them worthless as gemstones. They still fetched a decent price—and returning them to the spirits was a way to earn favor and Fairy Blessings, spirit weaponry, or summoning contracts.

“Hrmm, looks good.”

Hinata glowed at Mira’s praise. In spite of the way she was fawning over her summon, the salamander had clear, sharp eyes and looked strong. The fire spirits emerged from the Dragon’s Ember as babies and had to be hand-reared by their summoners. This made them more like pets than spirits. Based on what Mira could see, it was clear Hinata had done a fine job.

“Okay, hairy go… I mean, here we go!” Despite tripping over her tongue, Hinata kicked off the battle.

She and her salamander took the lead, her summon leaping toward the monsters and unleashing its Fire Breath from just outside their attack range. Crimson flames spilled out toward the foes, catching them off guard. With no chance to evade, they cried out in anger as the flames torched their forms and the air around them.

The three Ragged Oozes—particularly vulnerable to fire—were instantly burnt to a crisp. But the agile Vorax Hounds suffered only minor burns, and the Ruffian Woodmen escaped danger thanks to the flame-resistant moss blanketing their bark. The seven remaining monsters turned their attention to the salamander and looked for an opening to attack.

Hinata’s salamander was the first to move. It spat flame with a bestial roar, and the ground shook as it charged. Not to be outdone, the monsters bellowed and counterattacked as one. The battle quickly devolved into a melee. The monsters besieged the salamander from all sides, clambering onto its back and forcing it to knock them off with a swipe of its tail. When they bit it, it bit back. When they cornered it, bursts of flame kept them at bay. It was like a heavy tank, using its bulk to meet and drive back the enemy.

Through valiant effort, the salamander whittled down the opposing monsters until only one Ruffian Woodman remained. The gnarled, walking tree eyed the salamander warily. Its moss covering made it resistant to fire, but not immune. In a flash, the monster thrust out a wooden arm sharpened to a spearpoint, but before it could land the strike, the salamander lunged. With a dull crash and the sound of snapping limbs, the enemy toppled to the ground. Immediately, the salamander was upon it, snapping away with its flame-wreathed maw.

The monstrous tree struggled, but moments later, the fire bloomed. The salamander’s fangs had pierced the moss, and the Ruffian Woodman was burning to ash from within. Ten foes defeated, the salamander triumphantly trotted back to Hinata’s side.

“What a good job! You did so well!” she said, hugging and petting her summon, which seemed to enjoy the praise. She then dismissed the salamander and turned to Mira and Cleos. “Erm, how was that?”

“The Fire Breath was quite impressive. It was strong enough to pass as an advanced technique. But the sluggishness concerned me somewhat. I think the two of you should work on agility drills a bit more,” Cleos said honestly.

“Quite right,” Mira agreed. “It worked out all right this time, but salamanders don’t have the toughest defenses. They should keep moving to avoid being surrounded.”

“Work on agility. Got it,” Hinata said, pulling out a small notepad and jotting down the advice.

“Also, has your salamander not learned Flame Armor yet? It’s useful both defensively and offensively. Oh, and something else to consider…”

Mira started to ramble on about salamanders, listing key characteristics, advantages, weaknesses, and effective training strategies. Hinata’s eyes sparkled as she copied it all down into her notepad. Even Cleos listened in with a slightly more serious expression than normal.

“Thank you so much. This will be a big help.” Hinata smiled, overjoyed with the wealth of knowledge Mira had shared with her.

“That’s Mast—Mistress Mira to you.” Cleos caught himself just in time, wishing that Danblf would have been so free with his lectures when he had been a young summoner. “Such a wealth of knowledge.”

“I’m still learning myself,” Mira told the two, shooting a glance at Cleos. She realized that this was the first time she was having such in-depth conversations about spells and techniques with former NPCs. “Let’s keep helping each other out, right?”

He’s now the acting Elder on my behalf. It’s quite amazing how times change and people grow.

She smiled like a proud grandparent watching their grandchild grow up.



Share This :


COMMENTS

No Comments Yet

Post a new comment

Register or Login