190. Sion Likes Arson

“You filthy scum.”

Maximus seethed with anger as soon as he entered the snake nest, his eyes scanning the sludge smeared across every inch of the walls.

The coagulated remnants of bodily fluids and oils secreted by the snakes. These residues provided beneficial effects to the monsters born in the nest while simultaneously inflicting all sorts of unpleasant consequences on intruders.

“What the hell is all this?”

“It seems to be hardened snake secretions. You could call it sludge.”

“Sludge… So snake fluids harden into something this sticky.”

Rozie also grimaced as she observed the slimy sludge coating the nest.

Not only did it reek of the snakes’ distinctive fishy stench, but it was also visually and hygienically revolting.

“The composition resembles snake oil. If you set it on fire, it’ll burn fiercely.”

“With sludge covering every surface, one misplaced spark and this place will turn into an inferno.”

Meanwhile, Male, driven by curiosity, scraped off some of the greenish sludge clinging to the wall and collected it into a small glass vial.

True to his nature as an elite mage of the Magic Tower, Male had a habit of collecting anything new or intriguing. To him, everything was a subject of research.

“First, let’s clear out all this sludge.”

“Is that even possible? To clean this up thoroughly, you’d have to set it on fire. And if we do that, we’ll all get roasted along with it.”

At Shion’s words, Ulysses startled and tried to dissuade him.

There was no other way to completely remove the pervasive sludge in the snake nest besides burning it.

“You’re not expecting me to control the flames, are you? Unfortunately, my affinity is the polar opposite of fire, so that’d be difficult.”

Worried that the task might fall to him, Male shook his head while summoning his shadows.

Even though mages could control flames, Male was closer to a dark mage who had delved deep into a single element rather than a pure elementalist.

The mana cost of manipulating flames, which were antithetical to shadows, would be far too excessive.

“There’s a way.”

Shion reassured the uneasy Ulysses and Male.

At the same time, he pulled out fireproof cloaks he had prepared in advance and handed them to the group.

“These are extremely expensive, so return them after use.”

“Understood.”

“These must cost at least 20 gold each. You’re really planning to set this place ablaze.”

“Yes. It’s the best method.”

Once everyone had donned their cloaks, Shion raised his arm toward the path ahead. His heart had been pounding the entire time they’d been navigating the nest-he had wanted to burn this place down and purge the sludge from the very beginning.

“What I’m about to summon is the greatest mage I know.”

The presence of a mage makes an immense difference in dungeon exploration.

When a party has a proper mage, situations that would otherwise be grueling can be resolved swiftly.

A mage is akin to a universal tool.

Just as crucial as the vanguard protecting the party at the front, the presence of a mage is invaluable.

And right now, Shion’s party included the strongest mage in all of humanity.

“Helena, I’m counting on you.”

Shion called forth Helena, who had been waiting within the Bracelet of Growth.

From the flower-woven bracelet, a tiny sprout emerged, quickly growing into the form of a dragon.

“A dragon…”

“To think she’s grown this big.”

The group held their breath at the sight of Helena.

Her jet-black scales writhed as though each one were a living creature.

Her vertically slit pupils exuded an oppressive aura that prickled the skin.

And then there were her claws, capable of rending steel with ease, and teeth that looked like they could crush anything between them.

A monstrous black figure rose from the darkness.

It was a calamity-despair incarnate, born from Shion’s hands.

The storm-like surge of mana forced Ulysses and Male to step back instinctively.

They realized in their bones:

This was the master of all mana.

Magic itself, given life.

“H-Helena-nim… It’s an honor.”

“Hmph.”

Male bowed deeply, while Ulysses inhaled sharply, unable to tear his eyes away.

Soon, Male’s shadows trembled.

They screamed at him to submit to the being before him.

Ulysses’ thorn vines were no different.

Their will to fight shattered entirely.

It wasn’t that they lacked courage-it was simply that no mage could stand before a dragon and remain unshaken.

This was something that existed far above the concept of a mage itself.

“Shall I burn it all away?”

“Yes. Please incinerate everything in our path to the core.”

“Very well. I shall ensure your journey to the center is unimpeded.”

Helena’s heart pounded as she began unleashing her mana in earnest, her breath laced with heat.

“Huuuh!”

“W-what the-?!”

As Helena gathered her power, Shion’s party panicked.

Even with fireproof cloaks, could they really survive those flames?

No matter how skilled Helena was as a mage-no matter that she was a dragon-could she truly control such an inferno?

She was a dragon nearly the size of a human. She had long since outgrown the hatchling stage.

Hatchlings are weak. So weak that their survival is never guaranteed.

But once they surpass that stage, their growth becomes explosive.

And the being inhabiting this black dragon’s body was none other than Helena, the former Dark Moon Witch.

She had perfectly adapted the dragon’s body to her will.

Her Dragon Heart boasted an output 1.5 times greater than that of an ordinary dragon.

By her next molt, it would double-or more.

And now this monster was preparing to unleash her breath. Could a single flimsy cloak really protect them?

Even if they weren’t hit directly, the backlash alone could sear their skin.

Not even the Black Iron Golem’s body could guarantee safety.

Seeing their unease, Shion summoned his second familiar.

“Cough! This foul stench makes it hard to breathe.”

The second creature that emerged from the Bracelet of Growth was a bird with pristine white feathers.

The legendary Ice Bird-a divine avian housing the soul of the former Saintess, Fria.

“Please erect a barrier.”

“Dragged into a place like this just to cast a barrier? How pitiful is my fate, hmm?”

“I’ll treat you to those southern fruits you wanted to try.”

“Really?! Promise?”

“Yes. I promise, so please, the barrier. It’s urgent.”

“Fine, fine! So pushy.”

Pleased with the promised reward, Fria swiftly cast a barrier over the group.

Both Male and Ulysses were awestruck by the instantaneous formation.

“What in the world…”

Ulysses swallowed hard as he observed Fria’s barrier.

The sight of the grown dragon was astonishing enough, but the barrier conjured by this Ice Bird surpassed human comprehension.

‘This isn’t magic. It’s divine prayer. To have not one, but two intelligent familiars is incredible enough-but this bird can wield divine arts?’

He had never seen nor heard of such a creature.

And for good reason.

The Ice Bird was already an exceedingly rare being.

And the soul inhabiting its body was none other than Fria herself.

An Ice Bird capable of divine arts was one of a kind.

“It will be hot.”

Once Fria’s barrier was in place, Helena immediately unleashed her flames forward.

Black fire engulfed the sludge clinging to the nest, incinerating it all.

Helena had imbued her breath with an attribute.

The flames did not die-they advanced with a will of their own, consuming the nest in an inferno.

Monsters that rushed toward the danger were instantly reduced to charred husks.

Witnessing this, Joshua was struck by inspiration, while the gladiator brothers trembled in fear.

“By the heavens…”

“If you had such incredible beings, why didn’t you bring them sooner?!”

“Well… There were circumstances.”

Shion hadn’t wanted to rely on Helena and Fria from the start.

They were powerful weapons-too powerful.

Becoming dependent on overwhelming strength would stunt his growth, and growth was what Shion sought in the snake nest.

But facing monsters too formidable to handle alone, he had decided to sweep them all away first.

Hence, he brought Helena and Fria.

“The flames have subsided. Let us proceed.”

The nest, now cleared of black fire, was filled with the savory aroma of roasted snake.

“It’s absurd that this actually smells delicious.”

Chloe stared in disbelief at the charred nagas and lamias littering the path.

The nest truly was saturated with a mouthwatering scent-though, as occupants of the Black Iron Golem, they couldn’t feel hunger.

Seeing the path they had struggled to clear now wide open, he couldn’t help but marvel at the dragon Shion had brought.

Of course.

The former Dark Moon Witch now inhabited a dragon’s body.

Her strength was only natural.

Among the Platinum Paddles, Helena had been one of the most formidable.

“Can I eat this?”

“Uh… Sure. Go ahead.”

Fria pecked at the well-cooked snake flesh with her beak.

Now in a bird’s body, she lived far more instinctively than before.

She even perched on Rozie’s shoulder whenever she got the chance.

Knowing this bird was Fria, Rozie had no choice but to endure it, despite her discomfort.

“Recovering the corpses will be difficult.”

“That’s fine. There’ll be plenty more at the core.”

“I see. That’s a relief then.”

Helena’s single spell had perfectly cleared the path to the nest’s core.

The ease of their progress had Joshua humming unconsciously, and the party advanced to the rhythm of his tune.

******

“You felt that, right?”

“So it wasn’t just me. That was an intense mana surge.”

“Seems they brought a mage.”

“The stench of burning is unbearable.”

The demons of the 7th Floor, who had been passing the time slaughtering snakes in the nest, sensed the arrival of a mage from the acrid smoke drifting their way.

“Did that human who fled earlier bring them?”

“Perhaps. But even with a mage, it won’t change anything. How amusing.”

“A fire mage capable of wielding flames like that… Their heart would make a fine meal.”

Alaune En sneered, and Chungin Nihil licked his lips in agreement.

“Mage flesh is a delicacy!”

The immortal Imp Modic also flicked his tongue, drooling in anticipation.

They had no idea what kind of monster was approaching.