Chapter 242: Chapter 240: A Complete Mess
Ding-ling-ling—
Along with the soft laughter, came various sounds of metal clashing.
It was the chandelier on the ceiling swaying in the breeze, causing the sound.
This strange atmosphere, Hilia was witnessing for the first time.
What made her more nervous was that as they gradually reached the center of the living room, no traps had attacked them yet.
This made her feel very uncomfortable.
The more traps failed to appear, the more fearful and anxious she became.
It’s like walking alone at night, knowing there might be a dog ahead; the quieter the dog, the more tense you feel; if the dog barks, you’re rather not afraid.
"This sixth floor is too strange."
Hilia looked around nervously.
Elina was close by, also nervously scanning the surroundings: "I would rather face endless traps and demons than stay in a place like this."
Hilia asked in a whisper: "Can you detect any traps here?"
Elina shook her head: "Can’t see... The owner of this ruin has hidden the traps so deeply that unless triggered, they’re impossible to spot."
Hilia nodded as well, "I can’t see either... Anyway, let’s proceed and search for the way to the next level."
"Okay."
Though the surroundings were bizarre, the fortress made from ice walls and Forest Silk provided them some comfort.
At this moment, Rose appeared quietly without Hilia knowing.
He watched the two advance nervously, casually pushing aside a nearby weapon rack.
Bang!
A long spear fell to the ground, startling the two girls, and Elina immediately directed the Magic Puppet to cast Magic, attacking toward them.
But Rose had already vanished, appearing in another direction.
"The excitement level here is still too low, not qualifying as a scary scene; I have to add some fire to it."
Observing the girls’ accelerated heartbeats in the spooky setting, Rose found it quite amusing.
He didn’t continue to drop things, planning to wait for the scene to start moving before joining in.
"I’m not a devil; just making the girls feel more immersed."
Rose’s figure slowly faded away.
On the other side, when Hilia saw the fallen spear, she thought for a moment, then called Elina to come and inspect it closely.
"The weapons on this rack seem pretty decent—spears, swords, Magic Staffs, bows... all available, though it’s unclear if anyone has left any marks on them..."
Elina eyed the bow on the weapon rack greedily, then shook her head: "Nothing in this ruin comes so easily; I dare not take it."
"Neither do I."
Hilia didn’t take the Magic Staff either.
Because the Magic Staff was embedded with an Intermediate Magic Crystal, and its Magic Power was nearly depleted; despite being kept in a small world, the staff was almost useless now.
Taking it might trigger trap reactions, better not take it.
Hilia glanced around and looked at a door on the left, "Let’s check out that side."
"Okay."
The two hid within the ice blob, slowly approaching the door outside.
An Ice Spike gathered on the ice wall.
Stab, stab, stab.
Squeak!
The door opened.
"It seems the ice wall can’t enter..."
"No problem, I have a solution; just release your control of the forest for a moment."
"Alright."
Hilia took out a Softening Skill scroll and activated it. Under her control, the ice wall quickly changed shape, slowly elongating to fit the door frame size, reverting to its original form after they and the Magic Puppet entered.
Everything around them hinted at oddities, forcing them to remain vigilant.
"Although somewhat troublesome, the sense of security is overwhelming."
Hilia smiled, but the next second her smile vanished.
She saw the front of this room, the fireplace, a painting, the middle-aged noble in the painting, the weapon rack on the right side, and the fallen spear on the rack, all present.
She immediately stepped back, while the ice wall split open a gap, allowing her to extend her hand and grip the door handle.
It wouldn’t budge.
"Hehe..."
The soft laughter echoed again, as if mocking them.
Hilia stared at the smiling portrait and whispered: "Elina, I have a bold idea."
"What?" Elina, frightened, was puzzled.
"How about smashing that annoying portrait?"
Elina was silent for a moment, then nodded firmly.
"I think it’s feasible! But we must be cautious with our defenses."
"Alright, let’s use that move!"
"Okay!"
The Shield of the Earth was swiftly deployed by the two.
Following that, Hilia used the gaps and observation points left, gathered an Ice Bow, stretched the bow, and aimed at the portrait.
The portrait continued to smile.
Hilia let go, the Crystal Arrow flew swiftly, hitting the portrait hard.
Bam!
The portrait was instantly covered in frost, and the frame shattered.
Hilia clenched her fist.
"Shatter!"
The entire portrait was instantly destroyed.
As the portrait was destroyed, the originally gloomy room dimmed instantly.
The chandelier on the ceiling flickered continuously, then with a "pop," it went out.
Fortunately, the darkness didn’t affect their movements and observational senses.
Amidst the encroaching darkness, came waves of icy wind.
The wind blew harder and harder, seeming to want to overturn them along with the Shield of the Earth.
But Elina utilized Steel Wood Spike connecting the forest, firmly locking the floor, and even as the ominous wind turned into a gale, it didn’t waver.
Boom!
A sudden thunderous blast startled them, and the sound of the chandelier’s ringing intensified.
Compared to earlier, the sound of clashing was now very urgent.
The next moment, the chandelier suddenly fell, exploding in mid-air, forming countless metal fragments flying toward the Shield of the Earth.
The fireplace suddenly ignited with flames, a large amount of fog emitted from the chimney above the fireplace, spreading toward them.
Meanwhile, the weapons on the rack, without anyone controlling them, moved on their own, the bow shooting out illusory arrows, the Magic Staff conjuring a tornado, Wind Blade appearing on the sword...
The entire sixth floor descended into chaos.
All the attacks were charging up, attempting to obliterate the intruders in one go.
After the trap was activated, Hilia quickly used Spiritual Power to scan all the moving items, her expression grave: "This entire room is one giant trap."
Elina worried: "One layer of Shield of the Earth might not suffice."
"Then let’s use two layers!"
When the second Shield of the Earth was applied, those gathered attacks were finally unleashed, as the gale carried flames, turning the whole room into a raging sea of fire, illuminating the room.
Massive gusts carried flames, and the flames brought metal fragments from who knows where, violently assaulting the Shield of the Earth.
The first layer of Shield of the Earth began to shake precariously.
Hilia watched in shock.
"This level of attack wouldn’t be stopped even by ten layers of ice walls; this Tier Four magic is nothing compared, right?"
Elina watched in terror as well: "Is this sixth floor really that ominous? If it continues to the seventh, eighth levels, will it reach Tier Four magic strength?"
Rose’s figure appeared beside Hilia.
Hilia hurriedly asked: "Lord Rose, is the trap strength above surpassing Tier Four?"
Rose shook his head: "No, the reason it’s this strong is because you chose not to follow the strategy guide, choosing to smash the portrait instead, once again heading onward."
"If the upper levels choose similarly, will the magic strength reach Tier Four?"
"Definitely."
"...Now I understand why you said what you did when we came."
