episode_0094

29. The Tower of Darkness and Archlich (3)

When we showed strong hostility towards him, he tilted his head and made a look of incomprehension.

You might think it’s odd that a skeleton would make facial expressions, but it’s funny how it felt that way.

[ I don’t understand. What the hell is the problem? ]

” What? Hey! You say your hobby is stealing women who have lovers and making them your brides! ”

As Yeonseo shouted and shouted, Arch Richie seemed to realize that there had been a misunderstanding and began to move his lower jaw bone.

The hostility I had towards him began to subside a little at the sight of his bizarre yet slightly amusing appearance.

A skeleton moves with a click. Arch Lich stands up and lifts his long robes, showing only bones left in his arms, as if he has no hostility towards us.

[ There seems to be some misunderstanding. The hobby I mentioned is dressing up those who can handle my knowledge… ]

” Are you… crazy?! What kind of hobby is that!!! ”

Yeonseo, who had been listening quietly, blushed and hurled several ice spears at him, but they disappeared into the air before they could reach Arkrich.

Archrich, who raised both arms and spoke as if he had no more hostility, blocked Yeonseo’s attack without even moving an inch.

[ Who cares what other people’s hobbies are? Wasn’t that what you wanted to ask about the top? ]

” Yeonseo, let’s listen to the story first. It’s not too late to talk about it later.

As Hyunseok spoke to Yeonseo to calm her down, she glared at Archrich as if she was upset, then closed the book and walked forward. We followed her and headed towards Archrich.

As we approached, Arch Rich made an identical chair he had been sitting on, sat down again, motioned for us to sit down, and when we did, he started moving his chin.

[ Okay, where did we get to? Oh, right. That’s the part where I said I was from another dimension.

The tower seems to be different from the labyrinths and dungeons that I’ve been to.

” What do you mean by the true form of the tower you mentioned? ”

Hyunseok, who had been listening calmly, asked him to get to the point quickly, and Arch Rich opened his mouth, saying, “Okay.”

[ The first thing I did after being called here was to find out who had summoned me. So I investigated the tower to some extent and discovered something quite curious.

I saw a part that looked like it was covered with something. Perhaps someone other than the one who created the tower system had touched it. Do you know anything about it?

At those words, I remembered what Patruna had said. That the evil god Thanatos had touched the tower and distorted the existing system.

Perhaps, the part that Arkrich mentioned that seemed to be covered up is referring to that.

As if he had read my expression, Archrich nodded and then moved his chin again with a click.

[ Indeed, you seem to know something about that. Well, then the story will be easy. I see that you said that the tower’s original function was to cycle the world, right?

But looking at what’s written on it… it seems like it’s leading to destruction rather than the world’s cycle. Take a look around here. ]

As he spoke, spreading his arms, we looked around the tower again.

Rotten and rotten trees, blackened mud and swamps, and stinking green pools of water.

A different landscape from the one seen around the existing tower is reflected in your eyes.

” So? So the appearance around here now is because the tower’s function has changed? It was originally because of the tower’s devastation… ”

Yeonseo, who had a lot of accumulated information, responded to his question with a blunt tone and said,

[ Can you say that this is a scenery you always see? It seems to me that you are not familiar with this scenery.

A great wizard like me has reached a certain level of truth about the world. In my view, this is not how the world cycles.

In the first place, the cycle of the world is not like this, but is a slow repetition of birth and death.

Don’t let the world be devastated like this.]

At those words, Yeonseo glared at him without saying a word, and Hyunseok asked him a question.

” So, do you think that the devastation is happening because of that cover? ”

[ Yes, I think it leads to destruction rather than a cycle. At the same time, it calls in beings from other dimensions to guard the tower.

Do you think it makes sense that such monsters would appear in a world where there is no such thing as a demon?

The being that overwrote the function is a fairly high-ranking being… and… his power… extends to me as well… ]

The mood of Arch Rich, who began to stutter more and more, began to change.

Until he spoke to us, he was definitely… a bit eccentric, but he had the air of a great wizard who had realized the truth of the world and reached a higher level…

Now, it was the aura of a demon who was exuding hostility and murderous intent, just like when we first met.

[ It looks like… time is up… I have one last favor to ask… Make me feel comfortable… ]

” What? What are you talking about! ”

” Yeonseo, step back for now. Hyunseok, you too, quickly! ”

In the suddenly changed atmosphere, I ordered the two to step back behind me, and at that moment, I took out my ‘Curtana’ and unleashed [Region Brittany]!

The poisonous aura emanating from Arkrich poured out towards us.

All the chairs he had made melted and disappeared in the poison, rotted and crumbled, but the old tree that had maintained its shape disappeared as it was.

” Huh, what the heck…! ”

” Hyunseok, can you gather that poison somewhere else? ”

” It might be a little difficult, but it’s okay. You can do it. ”

” Thanks, Yeonseo. Let’s get rid of that guy together. ”

Yeonseo looked flustered at the sudden venomous outburst, but after listening to my words, she opened her grimoire and began summoning her beast.

Hyunseok seemed to have a hard time joining the battle, as he was controlling the wind and gathering poison to help us fight Arkrich within the area.

It’s a shame that he’s changed like this, because I think there’s more information that can be obtained from Arkrich.

I had to defeat him anyway, so I decided to make him comfortable and send him back to his original world, not this one, just like his last words.

He ran towards him, sword in both hands.

*****

Magic swirling from all directions slows your movements.

In front is Flame Dragon, a fire attribute magic. Above is Rain Ray, a water attribute magic. On the left is Icicle Spear, an ice attribute magic.

On the right, Blaster, a wind magic spell. Finally, on the ground, Gigant Needle, an earth magic spell. These are flying towards me.

” Phew, this much is enough…! ”

As I poured divine power into the hauteclairs I held in both hands, an explosion occurred from my kicking feet, and I was able to quickly move forward while avoiding the magic that was targeting me from all directions.

The burden on the body was so great that if I hadn’t moved and simultaneously sent divine power to my body to strengthen and heal it…

It was an ability that could have blown off a leg the moment it hit the ground.

‘ Haa, what the hell are you giving me… ‘

The guy started to aim for Yeonseo, who was leading the summons and attacking, rather than aiming for me, as he was moving at a different speed than before.

” Yeonseo! ”

” I know! ”

It quickly creates a wall of ice to block attacks, and at the same time blocks attacks with its summoned creature Big Dipper, but it starts to fall behind slightly against fire attribute attacks, which it has poor compatibility with.

He again stomped his feet hard on the floor and approached her with a bang! He created [Atlantes] to block the flame dragon created by Archlich and checked her condition.

” Are you hurt anywhere? ”

” I’m fine. Thank you… What about you? Moving like that… isn’t it hard…? ”

” Haha… It’s not something to worry about. What do you think of his magic? ”

” Magic, you know… Strangely enough, if I just look a little closer… I think I can stop it somehow. But how did you know and ask me? ”

” Oh, that’s it? It’s something that’s been bothering me since earlier. It’s like he’s treating you like a successor. ”

” Sigh, I really hate it, but the knowledge about magic that guy planted in my head is starting to come back to me in more detail. ”

” Okay. Then I’ll get more attention. You focus more on interpreting the magic. If it’s dangerous, I’ll help you. ”

” Thank you, but I can take care of myself too, so don’t push yourself too hard. ”

” What the~ Are you worried about me? ”

” Okay! Hurry up and go! ”

I was pushed back towards Archrich by Yeonseo, who blushed in embarrassment and started pushing my back.

In fact, after I got the Hauteclair, there was something I started seeing in Masu.

A black thread… It was extending from the head towards the tower. Perhaps… it was caused by whatever Arkrich had said had called him to this world.

I felt that if I cut that thread, I could quickly defeat the demon, but for now, I decided to buy a little more time, thinking that at least Yeonseo could use the knowledge she had received from Arch Rich.

” Phew, well, it’s not easy to meet an opponent of this level. I also have to get used to this sword. ”

I quickly dodge the various magics flying towards me using the ability I gained from Hauteclair, and begin to attract Archlich’s attention.

I thought again about what he had said.

It was clearly Thanatos’ doing to overwrite the tower’s function of world circulation and lead it to destruction. And the goddess Gaia, who realized this, granted people abilities.

And after conquering the tower, the surrounding environment that had been devastated returned to its original state. I think it was probably because I absorbed the divinity that Thanatos had sprinkled on the tower and returned it to its original function.