episode_0062

After meeting with Sylph, Vyrus introduced him to everyone.

“So… a spirit I was with in my past life…”

“Oh. Another one added to the mix!”

“Sir… even such a little child like that…!”

Of course, the women’s reactions were not as affectionate, to say the least.

“Vyrus. But in my memory, it seemed like a larger figure?”

Jenice asked Vyrus.

“In my past life, I had a natural affinity, which allowed Sylph to maintain a higher status. However, now that I lack such abilities, this is the best I can do…”

“Don’t worry about it, Vyrus? I only need you.”

An apologetic Vyrus and Sylph trying to cheer him up.

“I see… If she looks like that little girl, she doesn’t seem threatening at all.”

Jenice glanced at the two before discreetly looking down at her own chest.

“…This should be an easy win for me!”

While Sylph had a mature female form in his past life and a well-proportioned body, the current Sylph appeared much weaker compared to her.

On the other hand, Sylph wasn’t pleased with the presence of other women either.

“Really! Why is Vyrus so popular wherever he goes! A connection from our past lives!”

She had thought that if she met Vyrus again after being reincarnated, she could monopolize him, but that monopoly had been postponed.

“…Still, they’re all human! The bond between Vyrus and me is eternal!”

She had to be the final winner.

—

*Kuuung*

The dungeon door slowly opened.

“Be careful and follow me.”

Vyrus, emitting a bright light with his divine power, led the way into the dungeon.

Four women followed behind him.

Vyrus intended to obtain another elemental stone.

Although they didn’t like the idea of him summoning another spirit by obtaining the stone, they followed him into the dungeon out of concern that Vyrus might get hurt inside without their support.

In the pitch-black dungeon with no source of light, the first trial awaited them.

“Sacred Light!”

Thanks to the divine power emitted by Vyrus and Arthoria, the inside of the dungeon became as bright as daylight.

“Hmm. To easily overcome the trial I prepared. These challengers seem to be quite skilled. However, the second trial won’t be as easy.”

*Thud Thud*

A voice of the dungeon concept echoed from somewhere.

Along with that voice, hundreds of armors fell from the ceiling of the dungeon.

*Wheeeeing*

The armors slightly levitated and, engulfed in blue flames, assumed a combat stance as if there were humans inside.

“I have created these advanced monsters, Living Armors! Show me your skills!”

Living Armors, formidable creatures not easily defeated even by high-level adventurers. They greatly reduce most physical attacks and are immune to all mental attacks. Dozens of these monstrous beings with unbelievable specs threatened Vyrus and his group as they approached.

“Living Armors… This brings back memories.”

“A monster made from wandering souls… I will purify it.”

“I won’t let them get close to you, sir.”

Of course, the individuals facing the Living Armors were far from ordinary themselves.

—

What are those things!

The residual consciousness operating the dungeon pulled out nonexistent hair in frustration.

Once the worst alchemist to have ever shaken the continent, Ellyun’s consciousness.

Although the original Ellyun had perished, he succeeded in leaving behind residual thoughts far into the future by fragmenting a part of his soul and embedding it into objects.

Nevertheless, all that remained in that dungeon was mere remnants.

Trapped within the dungeon, the residual consciousness delved into research after research.

Searching for a way to obtain a proper body from the artifact in which he was sealed.

And finally, he invented it.

A means to seize the bodies of humans entering the dungeon and transmute into them!

The dungeon was not simply created for the trials of future generations.

It was a dungeon designed to select offerings that could become Ellyun’s new body. That was why the dungeon was built beneath the Richten Academy.

When Vises and his companions first entered the dungeon and breezed through the initial trial, scattering divine power, the residual consciousness chuckled.

After a long time, it was refreshing to see challengers enter, especially with such high-quality offerings!

Each one was a skilled individual beyond those who had entered the dungeon before.

Every body piqued the interest of the alchemist.

He pondered which body to choose as his first vessel.

Hence, he activated the second trial, the Living Armor Assault, and needlessly prattled on out of excitement…

The subsequent events unfolded entirely differently from what he had anticipated.

Kwaaaang

With a single swing of a woman’s sword, all the Living Armors in a straight line were effortlessly sliced apart.

“Were Living Armors so easily cut?”

Shuuuuung

Dozens of Living Armors struck by divine swords emanating from the woman’s hand burst into flames.

“Aren’t Living Armors supposed to be immune to divine power?”

Chyarararak

Numerous thorns extending from the woman’s shadow turned the Living Armors into a hive, relentlessly attacking them.

“What in the world…!”

Though their attire suggested they were academy students, the combat prowess of these three women was far from that of students.

Even if Ellyun were to fight them in his prime with all his abilities, could he emerge victorious?

At least one female student appeared to be an ordinary academy student based on her movements and demeanor, so he attempted to capture her as a hostage.

Kwoong

“Hah!”

However, despite appearing only as a decent sword expert, the female student subtly dodged the attacks of the Living Armors.

“What?”

Her movements seemed clumsy, yet why couldn’t he land a hit?

Kwaaaang

Observing the women effortlessly dispatch not only the Living Armors but also the Golems and Chimeras he had prepared as backups, Ellyun realized that capturing this woman as a hostage was his best hope and struggled to capture her.

Thud

Finally, due to a continued assault, the female student collapsed to the ground.

Got her!

As Ellyun reached out with his Living Armor to grab the fallen student…

Crunch

The Living Armor crumpled beyond recognition.

“Janice! Are you okay?”

Another male student, who had been fighting another Living Armor, intervened to save the fallen student.

“Yeah… Thanks, Vises.”

“Thank goodness. …Janice, stay behind me. I’ll protect you.”

“…Hehe.”

Ellyun witnessed Janice, the girl known as the hidden one hiding behind the male student, smiling slyly, unseen by anyone.

Could it be?!

No, surely not…

The female student stood behind the male student, watching him fight.

She discreetly assisted in the fight from angles unseen by anyone.

Then, she deeply breathed in the scent of the male student from behind.

Eliune felt her last hope crumbling.

The female student wasn’t lacking in skill.

Rather, she pretended to be weak while hiding her true abilities.

Being pushed over by the Living Armors was not due to her lack of skill but a calculated act, knowing the male student would come to her rescue.

Perhaps that female student is as skilled as or even more skilled than other monsters.

It was impossible to hold such a girl hostage.

While Eliune was distracted, Vessus and his group destroyed all the Living Armors, Golems, and Chimeras in the dungeon and advanced to the reward room at the end.

“Hmm? Is this the end here?”

“Looks like we made it!”

In the reward room, Vessus and his group discovered a large staff with a large elemental stone embedded on top.

“A staff made of an elemental stone.”

As the elemental stone itself was a special magic stone, there existed staves with such stones embedded in them.

“This must be a memory from a past life.”

“Well, that’s true.”

Vessus replied to Sophia’s question.

“Sir, who did you come here with?”

To know about a dungeon with a staff embedded with such a high-quality elemental stone at the right moment required prior knowledge. None of the women present seemed familiar with this dungeon.

The women turned their gaze towards Vessus.

So, did he come with another woman?

Another woman added again?

Scratching his head in response to their gazes, Vessus found it extremely awkward to answer.

His difficulty stemmed from memories of this dungeon caused by “Eclipse.” The time he conquered this dungeon in the novel was an event involving himself, the missing Artoria, Sophia, and Jenis, so it wasn’t accurate to say he came with someone.

Yet, it wasn’t appropriate to say, “I didn’t come, but you guys did.”

After much head-scratching and awkwardness, Vessus finally spoke up.

“I came with Jenis, Artoria, and Sophia. It seems like you guys don’t remember.”

“With me?”

“And me?”

Ignoring the questioning women, Vessus gripped the staff in front of him.

“Explaining here will take too long; I’ll explain when we return.”

Taat

“Now’s the time!”

The consciousness of Eliune contained within the staff attempted to invade Vessus’s body.

“You were careless, Eliune!”

It was to seize Vessus’s physical form.

Paat

Eliune’s perspective shifted.

“Is this the male student’s mental world?”

A black, elegantly decorated bedroom could be seen.

“Huh? This looks more like a girl’s room than a boy’s… Quite cute and lovely.”

Eliune tilted her head in confusion.

“…How audacious.”

A shiver ran down Eliune’s spine.

“How dare you sneak into my room?”

Slowly turning her head back, Eliune could see the demon.

“Pl-please spare me… Ahhh!”

Kwajik

“As expected, it works well.”

Vessus could feel Eliune, who had tried to possess his body, being thoroughly crushed by Lucifer inside the bracelet. He could also hear her desperate pleas for forgiveness.

“Lucifer has been bored lately; I should give him a toy like this once in a while.”

Having read about Eliune in the novel, it was a possible course of action.

“However, Lucifer… Why does the atmosphere feel a bit grim? Have you been under a lot of stress lately?”

Bisus couldn’t even imagine that Lucifer would be excessively angry because his bedroom, filled with his secret preferences, had been revealed.

“No matter how cute, a devil is still a devil.”

Bisus extracted an elemental stone from the staff as it was.

“Regardless, it was a success.”

The acquisition of the elemental stone.

Now, with this elemental stone,

he summons Undine.