Burning corpses naturally provide fire power.
Of course, while the special effects could be controlled, the resulting abilities would be rather abstract.
Dalun Li was somewhat surprised and delighted.
“A double win!”
Lesser magic grade magical artifacts usually only had one special effect, but this time, two had appeared.
It was an exceptional performance.
As for how useless the other effect might be, he didn't care much; Dalun Li believed that there were beings in this world capable of drinking lava like wine.
Dalun Li picked up the Lava Cup and placed it upon the copper plate as well.
This way, once the Forbidden Fire scorched and melted the ore, the resulting solution would drip into the Lava Cup.
To prevent the Lava Cup from overflowing, Dalun Li took out a treasure grade magical artifact, the Collapsed Atmosphere, and opened a small space inside the cup, roughly two meters in dimensions.
Now he wouldn't have to worry about the Lava Cup getting full.
Looking at his self-made automated Forbidden Fire ore melter, Dalun Li felt a strange sense of accomplishment.
If an adventurer were to walk in and see this, they would surely be awestruck and invent some grand backstory in their mind.
As for what to call this ore...
Found at the bottom of a subordinate floor, it was nearly indestructible, as if it bore the weight of the entire floor.
I'll call it the Stratum Bottom Core, or just the Stratum Core.
I should give Tongmu a good praise.
...Could it be that Tongmu is luckier than me? Finding two such good things in the first "blind box."
Impossible, absolutely impossible.
He'd had his own highlight moments and found plenty of good items too.
After confirming that his automated Stratum Core melter was running stably without any issues, Dalun Li teleported away from the hidden floor.
As for Tongmu, the exploration of the subordinate floor wasn't over yet, so the creature remained behind to survey the remaining areas.
However, since these were the only two major mana fluctuations on the entire floor, any other discoveries would likely be insignificant resources.
Meanwhile, on the adventurers' side...
Dalun Li turned his gaze toward the various factions on the tenth floor.
Caiman's power had been crippled, and Claude was dead; among the current factions, none posed a threat to him anymore.
Furthermore, the adventurers' constant fighting had provided him with a significant amount of Earth Vein Power.
It wasn't just the battles in the deepest layers.
Because of the Forbidden Fire and various treasures, adventurers throughout the entire dungeon were fighting, leading to a considerable number of deaths.
Thus, his Earth Vein Power income was quite substantial, and it wouldn't be long before he could open the sixteenth floor.
“But is the palace labyrinth still too small? Even with its constant changes, it can't stall the adventurers for very long.”
“Claude's self-destruction also had an impact.”
Dalun Li summarized the strengths and weaknesses of his labyrinth.
However, as a barrier for the tenth floor, it was more than enough to filter out some adventurers while harvesting others.
“Next, I'll leave it to the Cinderguard.”
“I left a little surprise with the Cinderguard, after all.”
Thinking of the little surprise he'd left, Dalun Li couldn't help but hum a tune.
He then urged the Earth Vein Power learning group to study Holy Light and holy arts from Claude's soul.
Meanwhile, he watched every move of the adventurers in the palace labyrinth like he was observing ants.
He wished someone could place a bet with him on which ant would reach the end where the Forbidden Fire was kept.
Since he could create Forbidden Fire, Dalun Li didn't mind granting its true power to the lone ant who endured countless hardships to reach the end.
...
Caiman was awakened from his slumber by a surge of pain.
Opening his eyes, he saw several undead lizardmen attacking him.
However, thanks to the effects of the greater magic grade magical artifact, Forgotten Hero, the attacks were blocked by his Sword Qi.
Seeing this, Caiman snapped awake and immediately summoned his Sword Qi, slicing the surrounding undead lizardmen to pieces.
“Damn it, I actually passed out.”
Caiman pushed himself off the ground, using his scabbard for support. He reached into his bag and pulled out a healing alchemical potion, drinking it down.
He had barely survived the shockwave of Claude's self-destruction, but his injuries were unavoidable.
Had that ruby not absorbed the Forbidden Fire, his fate likely would have been worse than severe injury; the fire's frenzied power would have left nothing of him, not even the ashes of his soul.
At that thought, Caiman hurriedly felt his chest. Relieved to find his precious Forbidden Fire gem still there, he finally relaxed.
Only then did he begin to take in his surroundings.
The Holy Light explosion had torn through the floor's barriers. Before he could even react, he had plummeted downward.
The surrounding walls had already finished self-repairing, but it seemed he had fallen into a very deep part of the palace labyrinth.
“Dammit!”
Caiman cursed.
Claude was dead. The Grey family's fourth-rank priest had actually been killed just like that.
And the one who had killed him with his own hands was none other than that insignificant traitor, Manfred.
Caiman suppressed the anger and the strange fear rising within him.
What was done could not be undone. The priority now was to gather the remnants of the knight order.
And then, he had to conquer the floor boss before those elves could.
In a way, his fall had been a blessing in disguise. Having plummeted so deep, the floor boss should logically be in this area.
Caiman turned around and froze.
It had been too dark to see clearly before.
In the darkness before him, a massive stone door stood embedded in the rock wall behind him.
[Cinderguard of the Lava Gate]
“The Cinderguard!”
Inside was the Cinderguard mentioned by that monster merchant prisoner!
After wandering the labyrinth for so long and even being teleported out of the palace once, he had simply passed out and found the final destination?
Was this some kind of joke?
What now? What should he do?
Should he gather his subordinates before attempting the challenge?
No, there was no time.
Claude's self-destruction had blasted open the palace labyrinth's barriers. Although he had fallen the deepest during that brief window before the labyrinth repaired itself...
the elves had likely penetrated deep into the maze as well. If he went back now to gather his men, they might beat him to it.
If it were any other boss, Caiman wouldn't be so anxious.
Losing a boss's first kill only meant missing out on the treasure chest and guaranteed materials.
But this was the Cinderguard. According to the information from Origami, there were only three candelabras capable of holding the Forbidden Fire. One was with Manfred, one was missing, and the last was with the Cinderguard.
The Forbidden Fire could not be surrendered.
Caiman tightened his grip on Forgotten Hero.
He would challenge the Cinderguard alone!
Ultimately, it was just a tenth-floor boss. With his strength as a peak third-rank swordsman and the aid of the greater magic grade magical artifact, Forgotten Hero, he was surely stronger than any boss on this floor.
The Cinderguard likely wielded the power of the Forbidden Fire.
But he had the Forbidden Fire gem to resist it.
For the sake of the Forbidden Fire, Caiman drank two more healing alchemical potions. Once he was sure his body was ready, he resolved himself and walked toward the stone door.
Placing his hands on either side of the seam, he pushed the massive doors open.
A blast of scorching wind hit him, thick with the smell of sulfur.
The glow of lava filled his vision, the extreme heat distorting the air.
He gripped Forgotten Hero tightly and stepped into the searing domain, his skin sensing the burning danger in the high-temperature environment.
Behind him, the great doors slammed shut with a boom. Before him, the vast, scorching space reached out with heat and danger.
Boom!
A massive sound erupted, as if a giant boulder had crashed down, kicking up solidified lava and scorching smoke.
It was the massive form of the Cinderguard, dropping down from the vaulted ceiling.
The impact forced Caiman to quickly deploy his Sword Qi defense. He stared wide-eyed at the massive, hideous figure of the Cinderguard, which resembled a lava demon.
“Yet another who covets the Sinful Fire of Eternal Imprisonment!”
“Sinners who attempt to claim the Forbidden Flame have no right to set foot upon this lava!”
“To crave the forbidden within the Well of Eternal Imprisonment... your end shall be eternal imprisonment!”
A greatsword nearly ten meters long sliced through the air, smashing into the solidified lava.
Amidst the flying lava shards and the sharp, scorching sword-wind, the Cinderguard's voice roared with beast-like rage.
Rate on N.U.
