Chapter 37: From Discovery To Exploration - Part 4

Through her eccentric eyes, Lynn could perceive the flow of mana in anything—more clearly than even an elf. She could see the extension of a soul better than a dwarf, recognize divine power more keenly than a beastkin, and detect the corruption of curses more sharply than a priestess. With just one look, Lynn could tell something was off about the weapons the Orcs were using—especially the greatsword lying before their group. "It was tainted by one of the Seven Curses, and anyone who channeled mana into it would fall under its corrupting influence." "And how did you know all that, Lynn?" Arezu asked after hearing her analysis of the greatsword. Lynn responded with a playful smile, hinting that the true answer would come at a steep price. She had only just been forgiven for withholding the truth about their orc-hunting quest, and if she was still being evasive, it meant the price was equal to—or perhaps greater than—Arezu's trust. Based on what Arezu had come to understand about Lynn during their time together, he figured the cost would likely involve kneeling and worshiping her forever. Or maybe he could invoke her promise. But somehow, he knew she'd just dodge the question with clever answer. "Sigh..." Realizing he was thinking more about Lynn than the quest at hand, Arezu let out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes, trying to clear his overthinking mind. Lynn, still wearing her teasing grin, seemed quite pleased to realize she was occupying his thoughts. "It's because the guild told me, Mr. Arezu," she finally said. That brought Arezu's attention back. Lynn explained that the Adventurers' Guild had investigated similar weapons—ones she and Arezu had looted from defeated Orcs—and shared their findings as part of the ongoing guild quest. The working theory was that the missing adventurers had fallen victim to the cursed weapons. "According to the report, the Orcs' weapons were actually dungeon artifacts that caused hallucinations in their wielders." Lynn ended her explanation there—a blend of half-truths and half-lies. "Now then, is anyone willing to sacrifice their life for the greater good and become our lab rat to test this greatsword?" No one volunteered, of course. Her words, barely veiling her real motive, didn't inspire confidence. So the weapon was wrapped in cloth and handed off to Minion 1C, who, as a priest, was less susceptible to curses—as long as he didn't channel mana into it. Farther along the Dungeon's underground path, the group encountered more Undead Orcs. Losing a game of rock-paper-scissors, Lynn dealt with the first by riddling its body with holes using her pressurized Waterjet spell. Gwen followed by tearing her opponent limb from limb, while her three Minions worked together to take down the last one. After half a day's travel, just before sunset, the group reached what appeared to be an underground hall. Several of its columns had collapsed, causing part of the ceiling to cave in and revealing a glimpse of the crimson sky above. They decided to rest there since it offered a wide view of their surroundings, useful as night approached. The group prepared for an early dinner. But just as they began enjoying the "Fake Pizza" Arezu had prepared, their meal was rudely interrupted. By the light of Lynn's lantern and the wisp conjured by Minion 1C's divine blessing Light, they could now see the source of rustling sounds. "He's not undead, right?" Arezu muttered, eyeing the figure standing at the tunnel's far entrance. "I'll have you know, Mr. Arezu..." Lynn replied, ready to enlighten him, "...humans don't turn undead unless controlled by a necromancer or a similar type of undead monster." "What about those cursed weapons?" "Well... I guess you have a point." Regardless of the cause, the group instinctively reached for their weapons, ready to deal with the uninvited guest. That is—until Lynn voiced a different plan. "We're leaving that idiot to you, Mr. Arezu. Ms. Haughty." "Eh?.." "Huh?..." Arezu and Gwen echoed each other, though for different reasons—Gwen annoyed by the nickname, Arezu confused by her intent. "So you want to see what happens if I fight him? Without holding back, of course," Lynn asked, with her usual mischievous grin. Arezu quickly pieced it together. Lynn had a vast arsenal of mystic spells, one to bury enemies alive, more to shred them with force. That's the infamous Lady Impaler. "Don't you have a spell to restrain him or something?" Arezu asked, dread in his voice. "Of course I do, Mr. Arezu," Lynn said, already raising her hand. "Iron Chain." With a gesture, chains erupted from the ground and slithered toward their target. But before they could restrain him, the adventurer moved—dodging the chains and charging forward. "See, Mr. Arezu? Even though this spell has a high restraining rate, it's a bit slow..." "Now's not the time for an explanation, Lynn!" Arezu intercepted the adventurer, raising his halberd-axe and swinging it at the enemy's shield. A loud crash echoed through the hall as the adventurer deflected the blow, the halberd-axe embedding into the stone floor. The next moment, a sharp whistle cut the air—his longsword sliced toward Arezu's neck, though it missed its mark. "This guy's using combat skills." Arezu recognized them instantly: Reinforce to strengthen his shield, and Cleave for the high-speed sword strike. If Arezu kept holding back, the enemy would eventually land a lethal hit. He yanked his halberd-axe free and blocked the next shield bash with both hands on the shaft. The impact rattled his arms, but he held firm. With raw strength, Arezu overpowered the attacker, pushing him off balance. The moment the enemy stumbled, Arezu swung again—activating his combat skill just before impact. 'Shatter' His halberd-axe shattered the shield, knocking the adventurer to the ground. "Now, Ms. Gwen!" Gwen leapt into the air and hurled one of her dagger. The moment it struck the ground behind the adventurer, the chain coiled and bound him. With a sharp pull, she yanked the man into the air and slammed him back down, disarming him. The blow was more than enough to knock someone out—or at least break a few bones. "Isn't that a bit overkill?" Lynn commented, echoing Arezu's thought. He shot her an annoyed glance. Still, the group approached to identify their assailant. And to Arezu and Lynn's surprise, it was someone they actually recognized. "My, my... I guess we mistook a gargoyle for a person."