Chapter 278 The women squad moves on?
White Dragon Labyrinth Exploration Arc.
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(POV: Akashic Records)
The group of women continued along their path in the labyrinth, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls.
As they turned a corner, they were met with a formidable sight - a group of rock, metal, and crystal golems, each ranging in height from twelve to fifteen feet.
Ruri surveyed the golems and spoke. "Again?" she questioned.
This indicated that this wasn't the first time they'd encountered a monster within the labyrinth since they started moving.
Without wasting a moment, Fanatio and Genevieve sprang into action.
They charged forward, their weapons raised high.
"No time to waste," they echoed in unison.
With a powerful swing of her sword, Genevieve effortlessly demolished four golems, the impact from her horizontal slash reducing them to nothing more than particles in seconds.
Her mastery over the blade was evident as she moved with a swift and fluid motion.
Not one to be outdone, Fanatio stepped forward.
"Pendragon Style, 5th form: Slash Barrage!" she said.
In an instant, Fanatio's sword moved with unimaginable speed, seemingly defying the laws of nature. Her slashes were precise and deadly, alternating from different angles with each strike. The sheer velocity of her movements allowed her to perform about fifty slashes in less than ten seconds, leaving a trail of destruction in her wake.
But what truly astonished the group was not the sheer number of slashes, but the simultaneous precision with which each strike landed. It was as if time had slowed down, blurring the line between reality and illusion.
As Fanatio came to a halt, the remaining golems, though damaged, still stood defiantly.
"Nothing happened?" said Ruri.
Ophelia however remained calm. "Wait," she said.
With an air of nonchalance, Fanatio sheathed her sword, a clicking sound resonating through the air. And in an instant, all the golems crumbled to dust, collapsing on the ground in piles of sand.
"Woah, that was..." Luna's voice trailed off, her eyes wide with astonishment.
Anastasia chimed in, completing Luna's sentence. "Impressive," she said.
"Yeah," said Ruri.
"You know, Fanatio, you really didn't have to be so flashy with it," Genevieve teased, her brown eyes narrowing at Fanatio.
Fanatio, with a raised eyebrow, responded, "Flashy? That was merely a parlor trick compared to the sixth to tenth forms of the Pendragon Style."
"Jeez, take a joke will ya?" said Genevieve.
Stellaria still completely had her gaze fixed on Fanatio.
"Is there something bothering you?" Fanatio asked.
Stellaria nonchalantly yawned and replied, "Oh, it's nothing. It's just that you being a Pendragon makes perfect sense to me now."
Intrigued, Fanatio pressed further. "I don't follow."
Stellaria smirked lazily and dismissed the request.
"You don't need to. I'm too lazy to explain anyways."
Ruri arched an inquisitive eyebrow and focused her gaze on Stellaria.
"Are your eyes alright, Professor Stellaria? They seem... off."
Stellaria responded with a rhetorical question.
"Why, is there something wrong with them? Or are they too magnificent for you to comprehend?"
Ruri shook her head and clarified, "No, it's not that. Your left eye has been closed for quite some time now."
Stellaria merely waved off the concern.
"Oh, that? I'm just a little sleepy, that's all."
Accepting the explanation, Ruri nodded in understanding.
Anastasia couldn't help but interject, "So, where do we go from here?"
As if on cue, their attention turned to Genevieve, who was discreetly packing golem dust into a small pouch.
"What're you doing?" Anastasia questioned.
Her tone suggested that now was not the opportune time for such activities.
And then out of nowhere, Fanatio chimed in.
"Actually, now's the perfect time," she declared as she swiftly grabbed her own pouch and began packing golem dust as well.
"I can't believe you didn't even remind me," Fanatio chided Genevieve.
With an unrepentant grin, Genevieve quipped, "Well, you snooze, you lose."
"How honorable." Fanatio remained ambivalent.
Luna couldn't believe her eyes as she witnessed two supposedly seasoned adventurers packing golem dust like it was gold.
"I can't believe they're doing that right now, right Professor?"
Her eyes trailed to the side in search of her professor.
"Professor Ophelia?"
But to her surprise, after a tap on her shoulder from Anastasia who then pointed forward made her to freeze in shock.
They both saw Ophelia joining Genevieve and Fanatio in packing some of the dust.
"You too?" said Anastasia and Luna.
Ophelia, not missing a beat, nodded in agreement.
"Indeed, students. Crystal golem dust is worth a fortune in the market. Selling some from a high-grade labyrinth like this one would fetch me a hefty sum."
"Sure," said Luna and Anastasia.
They were completely underwhelmed.
Crystal golem dust could be used to make powerful enchantments for weapons and armor, as well as potent potions that enhanced magical abilities. It was also a key ingredient in the creation of crystal golem constructs, which were formidable guardians and companions. Additionally, crystal golem dust could be used in alchemical experiments to create unique and rare potions with various effects.
Its versatility and magical properties make it highly sought after by mages, adventurers, and craftsmen alike.
A few seconds more and they finished packing up the important items.
Fanatio elegantly dusted off her hands, the sound of her light greaves gently clinking together as she did so. She adjusted her sword on her waist before turning to the seated Stellaria, who had been quietly observing the commotion.
"Stellaria, where are we now?" Fanatio inquired.
Genevieve, always eager for progress, chimed in. "Any closer?" she asked eagerly.
Stellaria stretched her arms with a yawn and replied, "We're still a bit far from our destination, but considering the number of monsters we've encountered, we're making good time."
"True, there's been an increasing number of monsters lurking in our path," said Ophelia.
Anastasia folded her arms, a thoughtful expression crossing her face.
"Those monsters really did delay us, didn't they? I hope they don't continue to pose a significant obstacle."
Luna gently rubbed her chin as she listened to the group discuss their progress.
"Hm, delay," she murmured, lost in thought.
Ruri, sensing Luna's musings, called out to her.
"Luna, is something bothering you?"
Luna snapped out of her reverie.
Luna recalled the moment when they first ventured into the labyrinth.
To their surprise, not a single monster had crossed their path.
"When we first got into the labyrinth, we didn't come across any monster... Not one... It was almost like the monsters never existed to begin with..."
Fanatio nodded, a flicker of recognition on her face.
"Yes, the same thing happened to us," she confirmed.
Genevieve chimed in.
"That's normal. Some monsters don't appear unless you've gone deep into the dungeon, well deep enough. But that depends on the grade of the dungeon I suppose," she explained matter-of-factly.
Luna's eyes lit up, her excitement palpable.
"Exactly my point!" she exclaimed.
"Hm?" Fanatio calmly uttered.
"These monsters seem to follow a pattern. They only attack when we're close to a new level or entry point."
Fanatio, rubbing her chin in contemplation, suddenly realized the significance of Luna's observation.
"That's actually smart. Perhaps these monsters only appear when they know we're getting close to something important," she proposed.
Genevieve eagerly added, "So all we have to do is head in the direction where there're monsters, and we'll technically be heading on the right path!"
Ophelia interjected, her curiosity piqued.
"But what're these monsters trying to keep us away from?" she questioned.
Stellaria, seemingly unbothered by the discussion, yawned nonchalantly. "Probably this," she answered, pushing a small brick inward.
The labyrinth rumbled ominously in response.
Ophelia's voice filled with alarm as she shouted, "Stellaria, what did you do?!"
But it was too late.
A hidden wall shifted open, revealing the hulking figure of a stone statue. The woman portrayed an elven-like appearance, holding a massive sword in her hands.
Ophelia turned to Stellaria.
"Who is that?" she asked, her eyes wide open.
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