Chapter 80
Daimvu Ergren had already drawn his weapon and raised it above his head, and the mana the war troll commander imbued the large axe with was enough to cleave through solid rock. The troll's eyes widened in fear as he realized the power of his opponent, but it was too late. With a swift and powerful grip, Daimvu Ergren's sharp weapon shattered into pieces. Melgil didn't even give any effort. Her hands were not shaking nor trembling.
Melgil gave out a smile and told the two-headed troll that she is now free from the chains that bind her. Her master gave her a gift and showed her that giving in to one's primal instinct is weak and shows a lack of control over one's own actions.
"If it was the old me, your entire clan would be nourishment for my army."
"But I am bound now to follow my master's command. Killing you will not benefit him, so go ahead and blindly follow your so-called leader."
"How did you know?"
"I can smell his race on your body. Those dark elves are so stubborn and unwilling to change their ways. It's a shame you've chosen to remain loyal to such a selfish leader. Perhaps one day you will see the truth and break free from his control."
"This is not a blessing but a merciful gesture. Those 13 ogres were given the opportunity to be acknowledged by my master, so they are under my care."
"ATTENTION A NEW SCENARIO HAS DEVELOPED…"
"RESTRICTION OF THE 13 OGRE CHARACTERS HAS BEEN REMOVED."
"STATUS AND ATTRIBUTES ARE NOW ACTIVE."
"THE WHITE SPIDER DEMON QUEEN MELGIL VEARA GEHINNOM, BORN UNDER THE ESSENCE OF NAMELESS GOD, HAS BEEN UNBOUND AND ELIGIBLE TO CREATE HER OWN FATE."
Many players were shocked to hear this tower announcement. Many veteran players knew how devastating her powers could be, as they once faced her while exploring the west region after the clearing of the quest in the land of Karion. Many assumed it was related to the Empire of Graves quest in the real world. But many players that reached higher floors in the virtual game knew that it's another system change because the game was designed that way. And the tower being a direct copy was just adapting to its primary main system law.
The announcement could only be heard by players, so Dane and the Velvet Knight heard the announcement. Jin Xifeng just managed to survive death, and facing a known calamity monster was too much for them to handle. The members of the Velvet Knight started to show panic in their eyes. Jin Xifeng asked their remaining team to calm down and said they just needed to find the lotus plant and exit the tower to fulfill their promise to their families, who were waiting for their return from the tower.
The velvet knight player that used rock manipulation was nearing her limit as the goblins and a few orcs were forced to enter the broken wall where Netherborn entered, and because the Alraune plant was in its feeding frenzy stage, the orcs and goblins were overwhelmed by the sheer number of the flesh-eating humanoid plant.
Bai Xifeng was standing a few feet from where Netherborn was standing. As she regained her full vision after the powerful flash of light filled the chamber, she saw the huge turtle head that was trapped under the castle turned to stone. She asked Netherborn what just happened, but Dane never answered but was now concerned about what he heard from Bai Xifeng's brother concerning the lotus plant they needed to recover.
Dane felt the urge to gain information, knowing full well he wasn't like this in the past, so his curiosity was piqued to the point he asked Bai Xifeng about it. Dane fully understood that he had inadvertently put the Velvet Knights in a dangerous situation by involving them, as he saw it was a reasonable request. Netherborn briefly told Bai Xifeng that the huge trap turtle was now free just to avoid additional unwanted explanation, as they were getting attacked by the goblins and orcs that wanted to escape the feeding frenzy outside the locked underground chamber.
The noise of the monster forcing inside the hole he regretfully created to re-enter the chamber, Netherborn walked toward the area where the remaining velvet knights were desperately blocking the monster from fully entering the chamber. Jin Xifeng was diligent and held his promise to protect that area as he sliced at goblins that were able to pass the barricade his teammate had been trying to reinforce. One goblin was able to crawl under the chaos and ran toward Netherborn's feet. As soon as it looked up, a serpent mouth was already waiting for it.
With a swift and powerful bite, the goblin's head instantly vanished, and another serpent swallowed the dead body and slithered back into the Netherborn's armored clothing.
Netherborn asked the velvet knights to move as he closed the hole he made in the wall. In a coordinated move, the velvet knights all ran backwards. As soon as they moved, the wall hole crumbled and grew bigger as the horde of goblins and orcs rushed inside, but they received a very devastating and cruel fate. Dane, in his Netherborn form, cast a continuous fire bullet on the ceiling, and because it wasn't your ordinary 32-caliber-size fire bullet, but instead it was a 50-caliber-size fire bullet, the solid ceiling wall came crashing down, crushing and fully sealing the hole with tons of solid rock.
The blast Dane cast was focused and controlled, making sure the ceiling wouldn't get destroyed. And accidentally bury all of them under the castle. The assessment skill Dae gained by copying
Bai Xifeng's mana detection and evolving it to its highest level allowed him to execute such a precise and powerful attack without causing further harm. This display of skill and control saved them from potential disaster and showcased Dane's mastery of his abilities.
Dane liked the skill he got; the formless armor is highly effective on tactical maneuvers, allowing him to protect himself and his allies in battle without hindering his movement. The combination of precision in his attacks and the versatility of his defensive abilities made Dane more strategic. In solving any urgent situation, Dane never expected this sudden realization that gaining effective skills that match his personality seems to be more important than raw power or brute force.
Assumption and underestimation of any knowledge can still hinder one's progress, but Dane's dedication to honing his abilities proved that true strength lies in mastering one's skills rather than relying solely on innate power. His journey towards self-improvement was a testament to the fact that true mastery comes from understanding and utilizing one's strengths to their fullest potential.
As the smoke and dust slowly settled down, the noise coming from the other side gradually vanished. The pillars that supported the chamber were well built and were designed to support the entire weight of the Anchorage Castle. As soon as Dane used his assessment skill, it gave him all the necessary information. There were so many ways he could solve the problem, and he chose to block the wall hole he created, and because the divine beast was successfully removed from the prison without activating the scenario related to it, it's now safe to open the main chamber door.
As the notification that the tower gave out was about the demon spider queen's unbounding and the newly created scenario about her. The velvet knights talked among each other with confused reactions, waiting for their leader to give them additional plans to get out from the underground basement. Jin Xifeng didn't want to ask Netherborn for additional help, as he wanted to retain his pride and honor, but the situation was no longer under his control. He was trying to be a dependable leader under the circumstance, but deep down he was struggling with the weight of the responsibility. The fate of his knights and his sister's life rested on his decisions, and he knew he had to set aside everything and just admit the risk they took was foolish in illegally chartering a floating cargo vessel toward Commander Galdir Riad-dûm's watchtower.
Bai Xifeng thanked Netherborn as she explained the reason they foolishly entered the area, knowing the restrictions that most of the kingdoms gave when the evolved drake was still alive, but as soon as they heard the dragonoid was successfully killed, they immediately paid a cargo crew to illegally transport them into the watchtower that was overseeing the gorge activity.
They needed to obtain the lotus plant to save their families from financial and medical ruin, as most of their team members joined them to earn money to support their families, who got sick from mana exposure, as they were all non-awakened. This desperation led them to risk everything to enter the gorge illegally under the guild's attention, as they know the kingdom of Solnara Cererindu manages most of the quests toward the west region, and they felt they were leading the unknown quest because the lotus flower only blooms on the wall of the gorge and nowhere else.
Dane understood the reason these players risk their lives. He asked Jin Xifeng how many they would need to fully set themselves free from their hardships. Jin Xifeng explains that the lotus plant is very expensive and costs about 500 hundred thousand yuan, or 69,779.80 United States dollars, per fully bloomed plant, as it is known to cure acute mana poisoning disease, as many non-players are getting exposed to mana from their own family members.
The illness wasn't that common until recently. Jin Xifeng also mentioned that the lotus flower is a symbol of hope and healing, which is why it holds such high value among players and non-players alike.
While Jin Xifeng was talking, Dan in his Netherborn form raised his hands and took out a bunch of fully bloomed lotus plants. The velvet knights were shocked seeing so many lotus plants that were in good condition; the roots were intact, and most of them still had soil attached to their rhizomes, signs that they were meticulously harvested and stored in a cool, dark place. The sight of the beautiful lotus flowers brought them to tears, as they never expected to see so many of them.
Jin Xifeng and Bai Xifeng could not utter a word; he asked them to take as many as they can and prepare to leave the area, as he has another area to visit. The velvet knight carefully took the lotus plant, but Dane saw they were lacking in equipment to safely secure the plant, so Netherborn asked them if they were willing to wait and asked them if the plant could be processed into a potion rather than taking the plant as is.
Bai Xifeng told Netherborn that was their initial plan, to bring the lotus plant toward the newly established warforge and let the great potion maker named Elaria Syrune, the adopted daughter of Siglorr Bouldergrove, process the plant into a healing potion, as she is the only elven race willing to do so. .
Dane smiled and asked the velvet knight to give him two days after returning back to their guild base, and he will personally have the plant get processed at the war forge. Jin Xifeng and Bai Xifeng could never reject Netherborn's request, as they could not even understand the reason why he was willing to give them the lotus flower freely.
Netherborn simply told Theo it was the right thing to do; as they fulfilled their task in securing the Aspidochelone, it might sound like a silly request to guard a creature. That was a trap under a huge castle; the logic was a bit unconventional. However, the fact they were surrounded by enemies and Dane needed to upgrade a certain skill he copied made it the best decision to follow Netherborn's advice. Despite their confusion, they trusted in his wisdom and believed in the importance of their mission. It was a small price to pay for trusting him; they all agreed to the term he gave them.
Bai Xifeng was a little ashamed, considering Netherborn's action was too much to begin with, as he doesn't need to repay them; saving them from death was already enough, but freely giving them the plant that will save their family from starving and dying from the acute mana poisoning, she could only bow her head and accept the gift with gratitude.
The issue at hand was settling the problem. Now they were escaping the lowest part of the castle basement while they were surrounded by hundreds of flesh-eating humanoid-looking plants.
Netherborn looked up and stared at the closed feeding hole that the velvet knight closed. Dane scanned the information the grimoire gave him. The thousands of different spell languages in the catalog in his subconscious library mind were enough to fill the magic tower with enough scrolls to last them a century.
This spell can't be used, as the tower's main system rules specifically require that the spell must be written on a parchment scroll. To be activated, Dane, think of a solution without bypassing the tower system laws. Could he write the magic language holographically like in most virtual game spell casts? Converting mana energy into a tangible or visual manifestation in the real world.
He hasn't actually seen any magic user do this; most of the time they just speak an incantation if the player has a skill related to the spell. And because it's the real world, everything that makes a game visually great is the flashy effects when a spell gets to be used or activated. Dane laughs, and these scared the velvet knight, but Dane in his Netherborn form gave a sign, realizing yet another thing that eluded his attention: he has been casting spells mentally, but the spell manifestation was normal; it will just manifest the element connected to the language. .
"But canI castt the spell save in his subconscious library if he projects his mana to become the magic language in reality and integrates his understanding of holographic code into his mana manifestation?"
"Manipulating energy through intention, visualization, and focused awareness is believed to be a way to influence the holographic field and bring about desired changes."
"This often involves techniques like setting clear intentions, feeling the desired outcome, and using affirmations to reprogram the subconscious. "
"This involves understanding how energy interacts with the holographic field and how focused intention can be used to 'encode' specific outcomes onto this field."
"By aligning one's thoughts, emotions, and actions with the desired outcome, individuals can effectively program the holographic field to manifest their intentions."
"Through this I can cast the spell without breaking the tower's main prime law regarding the use and accessibility of any magic base material."
"This ensures that the manifestation process is in alignment with universal laws and principles, increasing the likelihood of success."
The skill scroll and magic artifact relay the heaviness of the written and imbued magic language, whether it's a high- or low-tier spell. It's the base principle in any virtual game. The primary components of a magic spell are the element type, mana, and the formula, or the written and spoken language that it should manifest into.
The skill scroll was created to imbue the skill into the player's body so he or she could use it by saying or mentally mentioning the spell language.
While magic scrolls are created to be a one-use type of spell, tearing the scroll will activate it and use the person's body as a conduit so the spell can be stored until released. Choe Hyun-Jae: She made sure the magic and battle system she created would be fair and balanced for all players, regardless of their level or experience. This way, every player would have an equal opportunity to succeed in the game and enjoy the experience without feeling overwhelmed or disadvantaged.
As Dane prepared to unleash his power, he didn't just cast a spell; he wove a magnificent spectacle. With a mere thought, Netherborn mana surged into his right hand, not as a crude burst, but manifesting into luminous, visually stunning light manifestations. The air around him shimmered as symbols, imbued with the ancient power of his spell language, began to form and float, each glowing character a testament to his unique casting method.
Jin Xifeng, witnessing this ethereal display, felt a jolt of shock, his eyes fixed on the floating, vibrant symbols. The Velvet Knights, though not veteran players, possessed enough experience to recognize the conventional elements of spellcasteffects. Yet, what unfolded before them defied their understanding. This was an unprecedented magical performance, unlike anything they had ever encountered in a game. It was a breathtaking, visually stunning display: a bright, moving halo of energy encircled the spell's origin point, while intricate symbols and unknown letters, crafted from pure energy, swirled within it, moving with the mesmerizing precision of a turbine engine gathering magical force.
It was an amazing sight to witness; they were seeing the birth of a new way of casting high-tier spells. The sound that was created was similar to a wave of vibration in the air; it was pulsating and electrifying, sending shivers down their spines as they watched in awe.
The sound and vibration were getting stronger as they could feel the magnetic pressure around them converging in one point. The energy that was pouring out was being redirected back into a core; it was like a black hole, condensing the energy. The letters and symbols were also changing randomly as Dane continued to visually manifest the magic language and set rules to the gathered energy, giving it a certain formula to follow, until he finalized the spell and gave an activation name.
"Plasma Vortex!"
With a swift motion, Dane released the spell into the air, causing a sudden burst of flames to erupt from his right hand in a swirling vortex form. The energy that created the plasma-like flame was spinning upward, and it smashed the sealed feeding hole and pierced through it like it was paper. The heat was hot enough to melt the rock and create a path going upward. Netherborn just used his large mana capacity to continuously cast the Flame Vortex until it reached the upper ground. Like a volcano erupting, the open castle ground burst upward in a fiery explosion, sending debris flying in all directions. The intense heat radiating from the vortex caused the surrounding air to shimmer and distort, creating a mesmerizing display of power and destruction.
The focused and controlled flame rose upward hundreds of miles above; many saw the light as it illuminated the entire west and east region. The huge gate cast a shadow as the light made the. Night turns into day. Melgil was staring upward looking at the blurry but still illuminated lin of light going up the sky; even with the thick fog covering the gorge like a blanket, the light that Dane Spell had was enough to leave a mark on the sky above..