Who designed this underworld dungeon?.

Chapter 706 This is a question of superior and inferior horses.

When I saw something like "biomimetic teardrop" suddenly pop up.

Maru was utterly terrified!
I was terrified, absolutely terrified!
The last time I saw the Imitation Tear was when I encountered the first powerful boss in the Sien Dungeon, whose number of challengers exceeded the norm—[The Imitation Tear of the Full Moon Queen]!
The monster that initially looked round and cute, but which transformed into the Full Moon Queen and became quite ferocious, left a very deep impression on her and all the adventurers who had seen it.

Moreover, the Tear of Imitation has only appeared once, once here and once in Farron Keep, simulating a giant bear. Both times, it left adventurers with the impression that the monsters transformed from the Tear of Imitation were extremely ferocious.

The Queen of the Full Moon's Imitation Tear also achieved an excellent result, ranking among the top five in the Sien Dungeon Monster Popularity Poll.

The main reason is that the contrast it left on people was too strong, and it also combined the beauty of strength with the beauty of special effects. In the Sien Dungeon at that time, the magical effects it used in battle were among the best.

Furthermore, Topus's stance is almost indispensable for conquering this guy. The combination of a popular monster and a popular character has greatly increased the popularity of both sides.

The Tear-like Monster has also entered the field of vision of monster researchers thanks to this momentum.

It also left a deep impression on the researchers.

Monsters that can mimic other creatures are a classic type of monster. However, every monster with the ability to mimic has some kind of flaw. For example, it can only mimic appearance, sound, aura, or combat power. There has never been a monster that can do all of these.

Researchers believe this phenomenon is a divine restriction placed on monsters, limiting their ability to mimic too much.

As a result, not long after this theory was established, the bionic teardrop appeared.

This thing, apart from the color being a bit off, is exactly the same as the creature it imitates!
Whether it's combat power, appearance, or duration, it has reached a perfect level.

Some even discovered that the rune bear created by the teardrop imitation seemed to be several times more resilient than the normal rune bear, and could even survive fatal wounds that would kill a normal giant bear, running around wildly and taking away adventurers.

Aside from color, its mimicry ability is flawless, and its fighting power is even stronger than the original. This research result left the researchers sweating profusely.

However, due to the scarcity of observable bionic teardrops, researchers have not yet expressed much doubt about whether it is possible to create an enhanced version of the original through bionic teardrop imitation.

Even with an uncertain conclusion, the danger level of this monster is enough to rise steadily in the monster encyclopedia that every adventurer has, making it the type that you should absolutely avoid if you encounter it.

Now, Maru and her friends have encountered a total of five bio-teardrops.

Even worse, mist began to rise from the ruins they had just jumped from.

This is clearly a setup to lock someone up and beat them up!

"Bam—"

The lifelike teardrops that surrounded the people suddenly burst forth with thick white mist, obscuring all vision.

The next moment, Dru used wind magic to dissipate the smoke, but at that moment, the shape of the teardrop also changed.

"Wait, is that me?!"

Maru let out a scream, and the people around her showed the same surprised expression, because the group of android teardrops had transformed into their very appearance!
broken!

If the researchers' speculations are true, these bionic teardrops could take on our likeness, meaning they could replicate all our abilities and even enhance them to some extent.
No one feels safe fighting against themselves, after all, they all know just how weak they really are...
How chivalrous he is!

What if the cloned teardrop also copies all of those?
One very fortunate thing is that the venue here isn't very big, so it's not suitable for a marathon.

One rather unfortunate thing is that the venue here looks a bit small, not suitable for a marathon.

Moreover, there's a heavyweight among these bionic teardrops!

It's a clone of Japal!

Compared to the clones of other strategy groups, Japal's clone teardrop is the most overpowered enemy!
“You copied me?” Japal asked with interest. “That’s really exciting.”

"Don't make that kind of battle-maniac sound at a time like this, teacher," the sarcastic thought flashed through Leon's mind at the speed of High-Speed ​​Divine Word EX.

At that moment, Maru screamed again:
"Why aren't they wearing any clothes?!"

To be precise, these humanoid teardrops aren't naked, but rather unequipped; they're covered in tattered, ragged clothes, which are, of course, simulated.

The android teardrops looked exactly like everyone else, and even had the same weapons, but they were completely unequipped, and their eyes looked blank.

While they may not possess the same charisma as the Full Moon Queen, they still exude a certain level of strength.

In other words, these bio-teardrops might not be as powerful as the Queen of the Full Moon's bio-teardrops?
Just as Leon had this thought, his clone on the other side lowered its body and launched a vicious swift slash straight at him.

A quick, decisive strike indicates low skill level!
"spread!"

He shouted, and the crowd that had been gathered together immediately spotted the gap and scattered outside the range of the swift sword energy, dodging the attack with a speed so fast that it left afterimages.

It's not surprising that Maru can achieve this level of speed, but it's truly frightening that even a heavyweight berserker like Tel can reach this level.

The burst of sword energy from the swift slash became the starting salute for the battle, and the other clone teardrops also came to life at this moment, wielding their weapons and attacking their original owners.

The clone tear attacking Leon kept repeating Swift Slash, the clone tear attacking Maru kept using Mercenary Sword Jump Slash, the one attacking Drew was repeating Broom Star like the ignorant version of Sir Hundred Wisdom, while Japal's attacks were more varied and fiercer than the others.

The moment they clashed, even Leon felt a moment of pressure. He could tell that this thing was just like him, with almost identical attack habits and power.

The others were also surprised when they discovered this situation. Fighting someone like themselves was a completely new experience for them. Only Japal was able to laugh heartily.

However, these replica teardrops differ from the original in some ways.

Suddenly, Leon kicked the replica teardrop in the gap between his sword strikes, and the replica countered with the same move, both striking at the same time.

Leon took a step back and then immediately regained his balance, while the imitation teardrop was kicked so hard that it almost fell to the ground and took some effort to stand up.

The spot where he was kicked even developed a dent.

Leon's eyes lit up.

These bio-teardrops are unarmed—perhaps because they lack the ability to replicate—and therefore their ability to withstand attacks is greatly reduced.

Moreover, judging from the feedback from the attack just now, these bio-teardrops seem to have very fragile physical attributes!

This is a different type from the incredibly strong bionic teardrops they encountered before!
That's great, if that's the case.
"Let's switch opponents, teacher, please come this way!"

Although it is not impossible for everyone to defeat the cloned teardrop after discovering its flaws, it would be best to minimize the damage.

So Leon adopted a tactic where the moment he shouted, the others understood what he meant.

Japal pretended not to hear, but Leon pulled him aside with a pleading look, and he reluctantly went to deal with Maru's imitation teardrop.

Leon faced off against the fake Drew, Drew against the fake Tel, and Tel against the fake Leon – everyone swapped opponents.

Yes, the tactic he came up with was the Tian Ji horse racing strategy!
We just need to use our superior horses to take down the enemy's inferior horses. Once the inferior horses are dealt with, our superior horses will come to support us!
Great, this tactic works really well when you have a stat-focused player like Japal on your team! But the only problem is...
"Ah, ah wah wah"

Maru watched as the replica teardrop Japal slowly walked towards her, her hands gripping the mercenary sword trembling slightly.

"Me? Me ...

In the application of the Tian Ji horse racing problem.

The inferior horses are often the ones that die the most heroically.

"Can I change my opponent?"

"Let the fight begin!"

Before she could even let out a pitiful wail, the battle resumed!
After switching opponents, everyone except Maru played very well. Well, Japal must have had a pretty boring time.

But as people age, when faced with his outstanding apprentice looking at him with those pleading, pitiful eyes, he also became a doting master, abandoning his own imitation teardrop to fight the fake Maru.

There's not much to say about the battle itself. Fake Drew, a magician, was completely helpless once Leon got close. Fake Tel, whose intelligence had dropped and who couldn't dodge, was controlled to death by Drew's repeated Broom Star combo. Tel and Fake Leon fought back and forth, while Japal...

The wild, bio-tear-like creature used a leaping slash on Japal!

Japal dodged! Japal used a serious basic attack!

The wild, lifelike teardrop fell!
It was a complete stomp, like Taro vs. Tyson.

As for Maru's side...

The wild, bio-tear-like creature used Ongi's Star Strike, Fierce Lion Slash, and Storm Attack on Maru.
Maru has fallen!
"Pfft-"

Accompanied by comical sounds, the last Japar's clone teardrop fell under the onslaught, and the Fog Gate and the clone teardrop disappeared simultaneously, announcing that the battle had finally come to a victory.

"What a fierce battle."

Leon picked a small lily of the valley from the nearby cemetery and placed it on a blood-stained open space, his face full of mourning. The others followed suit.

When Maru, after being resurrected, finally managed to jump down from above, she saw the crowd bowing their heads in mourning, all facing her direction.

She laughed angrily.

"Leon!" This time she didn't even call him "boss," and jumped over to tear Leon's beautiful blond hair into a mess.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch." Leon stood still and let her torment him without flinching.

Japar stood there watching the "playful" strategy team, and couldn't help but sigh, "This is youth."

As the teardrop-like figures disappeared, they left behind several purple dots of light.

[A remnant body resembling a teardrop]

[Infusing it with magic can activate its remaining power, allowing it to mimic your appearance and participate in battle. However, since it is an incomplete part, it will be damaged after one use.]

The silver teardrop can mimic other creatures, and it is said that at the end of its mimicry, it will be reborn, and one day it will become a king.

If the imitations all achieve the same level of quality, then this prop is indeed extremely valuable.

It would be great if there were a version with unlimited usage.

"Rumble"

As the commotion subsided, Leon pushed open the stone gate as expected. If all went as planned, those humanoid teardrops would be the final obstacle. Overcoming their obstruction would mean gaining the right to enter the mysterious city.

As the heavy, dusty stone door was slowly pushed open, a beam of dark light pierced through the crack and fell upon Leon.

He draped himself in a scarf made of starlight and mustered all his strength to push the door open!

At that moment, starlight descended upon everyone's eyes.

【Eternal City - Nokron】

What appeared before people's eyes was a galaxy shimmering in the deepest part of the earth.

The pale purple night sky, studded with countless stars, is a sight rarely seen even on Earth; only in the land of elves could such a beautiful scene exist.

The starry sky looked so real that it was hard to believe this was inside an underground city, let alone underground.

The magnificent and unique landscapes are an important part of a fantasy adventure; an adventure without scenery is like one that has lost its soul.

Beneath the glittering Milky Way, a somber building stood silently, connected to Leon and his companions only by a long bridge.

The city is beautifully built, and it has a unique charm under the night sky, making people want to explore its wonders.

However, the scene before them gave everyone a strong sense of déjà vu.

“Leon,” Maru tugged at his sleeve, “after we go down, won’t some monster that looks like a crocodile and a dog suddenly jump out from the bridge?”

“I think the chances are pretty high.” Drew’s eyebrows twitched.

Although the scenery is different, this bridge connecting the city gives people a sense of déjà vu, similar to Irithyll in the Boreal Valley.

"No matter what, we still have to get through this."

Leon made up his mind. The same trick wouldn't work on the adventurer a second time. Even if another Crocodile King of Cinder appeared on the bridge, he wouldn't be scared!
At most, I'll think about that little boy in Irithyll of the Valley whose fate was sealed, which will make my head feel a little uneasy!

Japar took the lead and jumped onto the top of the bridge first.

Good. The bridge didn't suddenly break, there were no enemies climbing up from the side of the bridge to ambush, no giant iron ball was dropped from the sky, and the Crocodile King didn't jump out. Everything seemed normal.

This, in turn, made people even more uncertain.

Just then, they suddenly noticed a person lying not far away, whose body had been pierced by numerous extremely long arrows, but who was still breathing.

Just as Leon was about to go up and check the situation.

"Ow—"

From the depths of Noklonn came a loud wolf howl.

(End of this chapter)