Mystery: When the Fool Meets the Masked Fool

Chapter 27 Preservation (23)

As everyone went deeper, the surrounding darkness gradually began to erode the safe zone illuminated by the torches.

Along the way, they saw towering, stout pillars, intricately carved with patterns, still standing for countless years. They also saw walls washed away by time, the murals on them no longer clearly visible.

Chief Colin Iliad remained composed throughout the entire process, trying his best to give his team members more confidence.

Along the way, Anis and Anthony found a few more things that looked useful. After a tedious identification process, a small number of them were still usable, but many were no longer usable.

Some of those that could not be used were because their extraordinary characteristics had been released and they were taken away by unknown monsters, while others had too strong negative effects and were difficult for the team to take away.

They rested for a few rounds in between, because there was no clear distinction between day and night here, and they had no idea how much time had passed. The deeper they went, the more complete the scene became, and the more luxurious the surrounding decorations became.

"Giant buildings are usually built downwards, with the lower you go, the higher the status. This is because tall towers can't support their massive bodies," Annis explained to the others. Although everyone present knew this, it was always good to mention it to prevent anyone from forgetting. "Giants who own six floors below belong to the noble class. We are currently on our way to the sixth floor, which means the previous owner of this ruin was at least a Sequence Five noble."

"Of course, this doesn't mean there will definitely be materials above Sequence 5 in it. Don't hold your hopes too high," Anthony added.

We came to an underground corridor, which was well preserved. On both sides were exquisite murals depicting giants fighting dragons.

"Is there a trap ahead?" Colin asked Berg.

Berg observed carefully for a moment: "Probably not. The spirit didn't give any warning."

Colin nodded, and the team continued on their way.

Berg suddenly said, "Stop." This short command had the highest priority in the team after Colin.

Everyone, including Colin, froze in place, their raised feet hanging in the air.

"My spiritual intuition tells me that there are a lot of dangerous areas ahead, and I guess they are something like traps." Berg explained.

"How should we evacuate now?" Colin did not retreat rashly, but asked for advice from professionals.

Berg pulled Anis back a bit and said, "I, Anis, and the Chief can retreat. It seems that the ones ahead have been set up as a trap."

Everyone remained silent, waiting for his next explanation.

"The trap will probably be triggered when Sidiak retreats. I don't know the exact effect."

Because there are more traps ahead, most prey will choose to retreat when they sense danger. A skilled hunter will turn their "retreat" into the final link in their trap. This is the situation now.

Colin stepped forward: "Tell me when it's time to stop."

"Okay... stop." Colin walked around Anthony and the mouse and came to Stuart.

Colin stuck the heavy sword into the ground, and a golden glow like the dawn light spread from the sword onto the ground, extending past the three people in front and extending to Berg's side.

"Follow my command." Colin gave the order calmly.

"Run!" Stuyak and the others immediately turned and ran. At the same time, the floor cracked. However, because the ground was covered with a layer of golden light, the three people did not fall.

Colin dodged behind Anthony, the slowest of the group. The torch had passed from his hand to Mouse's, replaced by his second heavy sword, a deep crimson one. With his back to Anthony, he kicked backward, simultaneously bringing down the second sword with a powerful blow. Anthony was instantly sent flying, tumbling twice over Steak and Mouse to reach Berg's side, where he was helped up by the two men who had caught up.

Colin's sword collided with the massive meteor hammer that sprang out from the ground, and a crimson light exploded with sparks. The golden light on the ground was shattered, and Colin was sent flying into the air.

He stretched out his hand, and the first heavy sword spun back into his hand. He slashed down again, using the reaction force to leap up a distance again.

But Colin soon realized something was amiss. A small wind field formed between him and the meteor hammer, and the immense pulling force sucked him, who had no support in mid-air, towards the meteor hammer.

The mouse tossed the torch to Stiak and reached out with both hands. His left hand clawed, stealing the distance between him and Colin. With his right hand, he grabbed a thick, protruding spike on Colin's armor and pulled back. Colin instantly slipped above the crack, out of range of the meteor hammer's upward attack.

The meteor hammer immediately changed direction and smashed down from top to bottom.

The mouse shouted "Left." Everyone except Colin immediately dodged to the left.

The mouse returned the stolen distance, moving back between the meteor hammer and the left wall. The meteor hammer was immediately forced to move right, and Colin took a step forward, striking the meteor hammer with his heavy sword on its left side.

With a clang, the meteor hammer was pulled out and hit the right wall, smashing the exquisite mural.

Leaning against the wall, Berg suddenly felt something grab him. He summoned flames that covered his entire body, protecting him like a suit of armor. The feeling of restraint immediately disappeared, and he threw himself forward, rolled on the ground, and looked back.

His own shadow had suddenly come to life, detaching from the wall. The pure black shadow, Berg, was also burning with black flames.

The corridor had somehow turned into a mixture of black and scarlet flesh, wriggling flesh and rotting flesh.

Eyes oozing pus opened from the flesh and blood, the crack in the front turned into a big mouth full of sharp teeth, and more than a dozen tongues grew on the meteor hammer.

No wonder Berg didn't sense the danger at first. It turned out that the entire corridor had long been integrated and contaminated by the original owner's demigod-level Beyonder characteristics.

As incomprehensible, insane mutterings echoed from the depths, a massive head with its back facing downwards emerged like a spider. It was so massive that it filled the corridor, with dozens of arms trailing from its neck.

It tilted its head back to look at the crowd. It had a single eye, centered between a normal person's, and quite large, nearly filling the upper half of its face. Instead of an eyeball, a dense mass of tentacles grew where the eye would be.

It opened its mouth and began to mutter insanely.

"Close your eyes!" Colin's voice was no longer calm, he roared.

Several people, their bodies deformed by the sight of the incomplete mythical creature, immediately forced their eyes shut and huddled together. The guardian, the closest thing to a demigod, cast a layer of armor of protection over them, while Anthony desperately released soothing energy around them.

They had made a mistake. This underground structure did belong to the royal family, and indeed to a demigod. But it did not belong to a Sequence 4 demon hunter.

It belonged to a Black Knight.

　Wait, listen! The hammer is about to strike! Let the bells of preservation ring long and long, and listen to the grand and heroic hymn. All dedicated to the Amber King!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)