[Vol. 7] Chapter 173: A Victory of Pure Luck
In the [Morst Underground Labyrinth], each floor has a clear limit on the type and level of monsters that appear. Just like a class system, the first ten floors, known as the Abandoned Zone, rarely contain any creature comparable to an Obsidian steel-level adventurer.
It was like an unbreakable rule, no matter how the monsters at each level were killed and new ones appeared, the ninth floor was the same.
Because of this, the [Magic-Devouring Ant Swarm] are, in essence, merely weak mithril level creatures. Their size doesn't exceed the palm of an average adult human, huge compared to normal ants, but still easily slain by most adventurers. A single basic Fireball spell can burn through a handful of them. Even the stronger Ant Kings never surpass the Obsidian steel level, making them only a minor threat at best.
But that’s only if you’re facing them one by one.
When one ant becomes a swarm, everything changes.
This particular species of magical beast has only one ability, to devour anything infused with magic, especially magical constructs and enchanted objects. A single ant can barely digest even the weakest Tier 1 spell, but when thousands, or even millions, link together, their power stacks indefinitely.
In truth, [Magic-Devouring Ant Swarm] is dangerous enough to consume even young Mythical Beasts. While they aren’t classified as a full-scale catastrophe, that’s only because they can’t fly, move particularly fast, and have specific weaknesses that can be exploited. However, if you try to block their path alone, there’s only one outcome, you’ll be devoured to the bone.
Lowering her observation device, Rosie, the team's strategist, fell into deep thought.
"Your Highness, while the [Magic-Devouring Ant Swarm] is beyond our ability to fight, they leave their nest roughly once every two days to hunt for high-density magic sources. If we time it right, we can slip past and reach the lower floor while they’re away."
Princess Carinvega, who had also done her research beforehand, nodded slightly.
"That was my plan as well. From what I’ve heard, this is how most adventurers travel between the Abandoned Zone and the Jungle Zone. But the problem is... we have no idea when this swarm last left to hunt. If they just returned, we might have to wait an entire day before they leave again. And if that’s the case..."
"Huh? Doesn't that mean all the progress we worked so hard for will be wasted? And with the hidden points on the line, Your Highness could end up falling way behind the others!"
Hearing Noelle’s concern, Rosie could only give a helpless smile.
"It’s obvious that Sainz Academy designed this so-called speed challenge to create situations like this. The first teams to reach the Jungle Zone or even the Cavern Zone will gain a huge advantage and extra hidden points. But because of the [Magic-Devouring Ant Swarm], what was originally a simple speed race now depends on luck as well. No matter how hard we try, if we're unlucky, we’ll inevitably start at a disadvantage."
The usually quiet and reserved girl, Orluk, furrowed her brows slightly.
"I don’t get it. What’s the point of designing it this way? Sure, luck is part of strength, but winning like this won’t bring true honor to the academy. Instead, it’ll cause disputes and frustration."
"Maybe they just want to provoke the competitors' fighting spirit?"
"But how is that even fair competition..."
"Idiot, when has the world ever been completely fair? People aren’t even born equal to begin with."
As the group debated, unable to come to a definite conclusion, Carinvega suddenly murmured to herself.
"Maybe... Sainz is encouraging the teams to find alternative ways to break through the ant swarm’s defense?"
"Huh?"
Everyone froze for a moment, then exchanged confused and slightly uneasy looks.
"Your Highness, are you serious? That’s a [Magic-Devouring Ant Swarm] we’re talking about. Even Mythical Beasts have to avoid them. How could a bunch of academy students like us possibly—"
Before the team member could finish voicing their doubts, a blinding golden light suddenly shot up from the ruins in the distance, followed by an earth-shaking explosion that echoed through the underground city!
"BOOM!!!!"
"W-what just happened?!"
"That kind of destructive power... Is there really someone this strong in the Abandoned Zone?!"
The ground trembled violently, shaking everyone off balance. Even the huge groups of [Magic-Devouring Ant Swarm] below, which were scary to look at, suddenly got restless and chaotic.
Noelle, struggling to stay steady, quickly crouched down, covering her head. Her triangular feline ears flattened completely against her head out of sheer fright.
"M-meow! D-don’t tell me..."
"It's exactly like what Her Highness said! Someone actually dared to do something this reckless?! This is insane… Your Highness, do you already know who’s behind this?"
"Huh?"
Carinvega, who had almost fallen over from shock herself, blinked in surprise. Feeling the weight of everyone’s expectant gazes, she quickly rubbed her nose and forced a nervous laugh.
"O-of course I do! But it wouldn’t be any fun if I just told you. Why don’t you all try and guess for yourselves? Haha…"
It was a terrible excuse, one that sounded completely unconvincing. But instead of questioning her, the rest of the team took her words at face value. Without noticing the slight shift in her expression, they all furrowed their brows and began seriously trying to figure out the answer.
Before they could come to a conclusion, Noelle's ears twitched, and she suddenly pointed down below, her voice filled with shock.
"Look! The [Magic-Devouring Ant Swarm]… they’re leaving their nest!"
"Huh? You're right!"
"Wait… does this mean we just so happened to pick a nest that was about to go out hunting? And now, thanks to that huge burst of magic power, they’ve left even sooner?! This luck is unreal!"
Luck... huh.
Floating in the air, her form hidden by a [Chameleon Cloak], Violet was watching the team closely the entire time. Her eyebrows arched slightly in thought. Then, she lifted her gaze, looking toward the chaotic battle raging in the distance, a sight all too familiar to her.
Without a doubt, given Xiao Guang's personality, she would never leave her fate to some invisible hand spinning the wheel of fortune. She might not care much about the so-called hidden points, but she would never accept having her future decided purely by luck.
Whether the previous or the current Xiao Guang, there was no real difference between them. That’s why Violet could say with almost absolute certainty what that child would choose to do.
But Carinvega Frederick couldn't possibly know these things. No matter how much research Violet had done on her, or how closely she had observed her over time, everything pointed to the same conclusion.
Earlier, when Carinvega mentioned that someone might force their way through the [Magic-Devouring Ant Swarm], her followers seemed to believe it was because their princess had foreseen this through sheer intelligence. But from Violet's objective perspective as a priestess, it seemed more like... a coincidence.
Just like that one team member had said, luck.
She had casually said a single sentence, and by pure chance, it had come true as if she had predicted the future. This kind of coincidence could happen to anyone. But to have it happen repeatedly, to the point that it formed a pattern, seemed far too unrealistic.
Or rather… was Carinvega Frederick just too lucky?
She had randomly picked a [Magic-Devouring Ant] nest, and it just happened to be the perfect one that was about to move out for hunting. She casually mentioned something, and the very next moment, it miraculously became reality. And not just this time, Violet had been watching. Every step of their journey so far had somehow unfolded in a way that always favored this princess.
One or two instances could be explained as good fortune or coincidence. But if these things kept happening, again and again, wouldn’t people start to wonder, was it really just luck? Or was this noblewoman simply so intelligent, so perceptive, that she could predict most events long before they even happened?
Violet felt like she was beginning to understand.
She now knew why the [Empire’s Two-Colored Lotus] had earned such astonishing support and prestige. Why that person was hailed as the greatest royal figure in the history of the empire. Why everyone either respected, adored, or feared her.
Such profound wisdom, as deep and unfathomable as an abyss, truly makes her a ruler worthy of trust and loyalty. Compared to Carinvega, that fellow imperial royalty, Xiluo Frederick, seems as childish as an infant who has yet to develop any intellect.