[Vol. 7] Chapter 149: The Shadow of Devouring
It sounded incredibly unbelievable, but at the time, that team did showcase to the outside world a significant amount of extremely rare, priceless, and clearly freshly harvested high-level materials. They even included a high-tier piece of equipment found beyond the 40th floor, surpassing the purple-tier treasures and said to be second only to true Divine Artifacts. This proved the veracity of their claims, and only then was their achievement finally acknowledged.
Before their expedition, no one had ever ventured beyond the 30th floor of the [Morst Underground Labyrinth]. But after that mysterious group of adventurers appeared, the eye-popping and envy-inducing profits they obtained quickly ignited a fiery wave of underground labyrinth exploration.
Soon, countless renowned warriors and veteran adventurers flocked to the labyrinth, forming teams and diving into the depths in search of treasure. Their efforts greatly expanded the world’s understanding of the labyrinth, uncovering new discoveries. However, no one ever managed to break the 43rd-floor record.
That mysterious adventurer team also vanished soon after their achievement. Their legendary 43rd-floor run remained unmatched, forever an untouchable milestone in dungeon exploration.
After analyzing the labyrinth’s increasing difficulty on each floor, scholars later theorized that this legendary group was composed of multiple Mythical being powerhouses, individuals of unfathomable strength who had trained together for years, achieving a level of teamwork and mastery nearly impossible to replicate today.
Because of this, no one knows how deep the [Morst] Labyrinth truly goes or what lies at its very bottom. It has remained one of the world’s greatest unsolved mysteries, sparking endless theories, but no real answers.
Today, however, a special guest has arrived.
With a soft whoosh, a mystical card, marked with a door symbol, silently materialized in midair. From the gate projected by the card, a man clad in a black magician’s outfit, complete with a tall, pointed hat, gracefully stepped out into the damp, dimly lit cavern.
“Oh my, oh my~ It’s been quite a while since I was last here. So much time has passed, yet this place hasn’t changed much at all. How fascinating~”
This man, known as the Immortal Magician, swept his gaze across the cavern, as if carefully confirming his surroundings.
A cold, damp breeze slowly drifted in from the distance. From the ceiling, countless sharp stalactites hung down, their tips dripping an unknown liquid onto the stone floor below. The soft and rhythmic sound of water dripping echoed through the enclosed space, where only a single passage seemed to lead out. Everywhere the eye could see, traces of time’s passage were etched into the ancient walls.
This was a hidden section of the 29th floor of the [Morst Underground Labyrinth]. Timos Young had been here before, leaving behind a teleportation marker as a precaution. Thanks to this, he was able to skip past the upper floors and directly appear deep within the dungeon.
However, this wasn’t because the 29th floor was his limit. The real reason for choosing this entry point was that starting from the 30th floor, not only did the difficulty increase dramatically, but an extremely powerful spatial barrier also prevented any teleportation. No matter how strong someone was, they had to start from the 30th floor if they wanted to explore deeper.
“Hmm… yeah, this should be about right. Let’s get to work. If I remember correctly, the direction should be—”
Before he could finish his sentence, a massive white web suddenly dropped down from above, completely catching him off guard. In an instant, the sticky silk wrapped tightly around him, coiling and constricting rapidly!
“Zzzzzzzzzz!”
A harsh, corrosive sizzling sound erupted as the web tightened around its prey. Moments later, from the darkness above, the monster finally emerged. A massive black spider, its legs spanning over two meters, its body camouflaged perfectly against the cavern walls. The creature gracefully descended, stopping near the motionless cocoon lying on the ground.
"......"
The spider’s keen predatory eyes scanned its captured prey, as if surprised by how easy the hunt had been. One strike, and it was already secured.
Lifting one of its sharp, slender legs, the spider prepared to slice open its silk web and feast on the paralyzed victim inside.
But just then, a soft chuckle echoed from behind it. A voice that had no business being there spoke up casually.
“Oh, so it’s a Rock Wall Mimic Spider? No wonder you managed to find this spot. Looks like you’ve made it your nest.”
“I must apologize for intruding~ But to run into a nearly sky-level beast right at the 29th floor… does that mean I’m lucky? Or… has ‘that thing’ started moving again?”
“?”
The giant spider instantly turned around, its many gleaming eyes filled with confusion and wariness as it stared at the strange human, who somehow was now standing in a different spot.
Even more unsettling, the man's appearance hadn't changed in the slightest. His clothes were untouched, his expression remained calm, and he was still muttering nonsense to himself, as if he hadn’t just been caught in a lethal ambush.
As a magical beast, the spider couldn’t understand human speech, let alone respond. But its near-legendary level strength gave it a sharp intelligence, enough to realize its attack had completely failed. The prey was totally unharmed.
A seasoned predator knows when to strike and when to back down. This particular species of spider excelled at ambushes, using the labyrinth’s complex terrain to set traps. But in direct combat, it wasn’t as dominant. Even against weaker earth-level beasts, victory wasn’t always guaranteed. So…
“Screeeeech!”
The giant spider let out a shrill cry, and in the next instant, another massive web shot from its mouth, aiming directly at the motionless "Immortal Magician".
But at the same time, its long, powerful legs tensed up, and with a sudden leap, it shot toward the cavern ceiling, intending to flee immediately!
However…
“Oh? Smart move~ But no can do.”
The man grinned, lifting a hand.
“I’ve got an important mission this time, and I can’t let that thing notice me just yet. So… go.”
“Ah—!”
With a flick of his wrist, he drew a card from his deck. The image on it was blurry and indistinct, but the moment he flashed it forward, a massive shadow erupted from within!
The dark figure surged forward, devouring the incoming web in an instant. Then, in the blink of an eye, it expanded unnaturally, twisting through the air at an impossible angle.
And before the spider could react, the shadow completely engulfed it.
“Screeeeeech!!!”
The shadow writhed violently, like a ravenous beast feasting without restraint. The giant spider, now trapped within its grasp, struggled desperately, its silhouette thrashing wildly against the dim glow of the cavern’s luminescent crystals. Its eight venomous, needle-like legs stabbed and slashed frantically, but it was useless.
No matter how fiercely it resisted, the shadow remained unshaken, devouring everything in its path.
Before long, its agonized screeches began to fade, signaling the inevitable outcome.
“Heh… How incredible.”
A quiet chuckle escaped from Timos Young, his voice tinged with both awe and amusement.
“Even the weakest of divine artifacts can reach a realm that countless beings dream of attaining. If one cannot surpass their limits, then what difference is there between man and insect? I suppose… that is the true meaning of ‘trials’.”
He spoke as if all this were nothing more than a casual errand, barely sparing the scene another glance before continuing his solitary journey deeper into the labyrinth.
………………………………………
Seventh District of the Sainz Academy, Violet’s residence.
"A nighttime social gathering… on the eve of the World Academy Joint Exchange Conference?"
A certain priestess sat across from Miss Yulia, the academy Headmaster’s secretary, who she hadn't seen in several days. Hearing the news, she couldn’t help but make a strange expression.
“Look, I don’t really care if you all want to host something like this, but why drag me into it?”
She crossed her arms, frowning.
“You call it a ‘social gathering,’ but we both know it’s just another political battlefield where those big-shot delegates from different nations will be scheming against each other. Ugh, it sounds like a total hassle. No thanks, I’m out.”
The vampire maid, who had personally come to deliver the invitation, let out a helpless sigh.
“It’s really not as complicated as you’re imagining, Lady Violet.”
“At the end of the day, this is still an inter-academy exchange event. Sure, each nation’s higher-ups might send one or two representatives, but most of the attendees will just be students, young ones, without any of that political scheming.”
She paused for a moment before adding.
“Besides, we’re not asking you to represent Sainz or any particular faction. You’d simply be attending as a special guest, just to enjoy yourself.”
“The [Fantasy Sky Courtyard] will also be opening for the occasion, and Lady Lucine herself will be making an appearance. You haven’t met her yet, have you?”
The vampire maid’s lips curved into a knowing smile.
“And… some of your friends and acquaintances will be attending too. Aren’t you even a little curious about who they might be, Lady Violet?”