Chapter 98 : Chapter 98

Chapter 98 - A New Power (2)

‘I didn’t know.’

Collie silently watched Artier, who had started to run wild.

The one who had told him to support him was now simultaneously fighting five Living Armors without any help from Collie.

The remaining fifteen were waiting for their turn, standing in the narrow corridor.

‘I am not the master’s weapon, but his companion.’

In fact, Collie had not only received a mana supplement from the First Beast.

All the first summons of the Wild Summoners that had existed in the past were Spirit Creatures, and they had left behind memories of the way they served their masters.

You must protect your companion.

Become your companion’s spear and shield.

The pain is only for a moment, but the memories will last forever.

Even now, if Collie concentrated, he could read their thoughts.

At the same time, he could feel the infinite affection they held in their hearts for their masters.

‘But… if the master rejects that, what should I do?’

Crack!

Another Living Armor collapses, becoming scrap metal.

Collie unconsciously infused regeneration magic into Artier.

It was a meaningless act. Not a single wound could be seen on Artier’s body.

‘The master fights well even without me.’

Artier’s fighting was always marvelous.

He was a master of combat using speed.

In fact, it was the common opinion that swordsmanship using speed like Artier’s was only useful in one-on-one combat. This was because such swordsmanship could not pierce the hides of monsters, which were several times thicker than humans.

It was a common case for humans to self-destruct due to the absolute difference in stamina while only dodging the enemy’s attacks.

But Artier solved that with something called Parrying. If he perfectly deflected or deflected an attack, the enemy’s power would be contained in the counterattack.

The enemies were essentially pierced by their own power.

Thud! Thud!

“Hmm, the weapon breaks when the Living Armor dies.”

Artier, who was swinging the staff, muttered these words and sent a regretful look.

It seemed he had some leeway.

‘Perhaps the master would be fine even without me…’

Collie slowly lowered the staff he was holding.

It was clearly a perfect fight, but the boy’s whole body was filled with a sense of helplessness.

Thump!

It was then. Something got caught in Artier’s leg as he was running around, swinging the staff with familiarity.

“Ugh?!”

It was the wreckage of a Living Armor that Artier himself had knocked down.

‘That’s right!’

In the game days, it would have disappeared automatically, but not anymore.

A Living Armor’s halberd flew towards the head of the unbalanced Artier.

“M-master!”

Collie hastily reached out his hand.

[Collie uses a skill.]

Shockwave (Lv.1): Emits a shockwave that deals minor damage, pushing away everything around it. Can be used even while silenced and has a fast casting speed.

BOOM!

Artier’s body was lightly pushed back, moving out of the halberd’s attack range.

He got a small scratch on his cheek, but he didn't care at all.

“Thanks, Collie.”

“Th-that… It’s nothing.”

Crack!

And that was the last one.

The last Living Armor was shattered by the vigorously swung rebar.

“Phew, this thing is really sturdy.”

Artier, who was smirking at the rebar without a single scratch, finally approached Collie.

“Collie, if what I said is bothering you…”

“I still don’t know.”

“Huh?”

Collie shook his head and asked with an unconfident expression.

“What exactly is the way I want? How can I find it.”

“That is…”

“The first button was fastened wrong. I thought I was accompanying you to help you…”

As Collie’s words continued, Artier’s smile also gradually faded.

He too could now sense that the situation was unusual.

“I have not learned any skills for myself.”

“Collie, that’s not what I meant.”

“Even if I start learning from now, it’s a problem. What if I act on my own and learn unnecessary skills.”

“Even so, you won’t become unnecessary.”

Artier patted Collie’s shoulder.

However, Collie’s expression did not brighten much.

“You may say that, but you will feel it! A skill that is never used and is left neglected… A moment will surely come when you wish you had learned another skill.”

“Collie!”

Artier grabbed Collie’s shoulders with both hands.

“I wouldn’t even think of such a thing, but in the first place, there is no such skill.”

“…Pardon?”

“We live in different conditions and environments every time. There are definitely differences between yesterday and today. That skill just hasn't met its conditions yet.”

“Of course… such situations exist. But I am talking about reality.”

“Even in reality, it’s no different. There will always be a use for a skill. Even if it’s useless for now, it might change as it grows.”

A prime example was Artier’s Wild Protection.

In the early stages, it was a useless skill that gave a strength-enhancing buff to a mage, but now, hadn't it become possible to selectively grant the desired buff?

No matter how useless a skill may seem, in the end, it is the player who distinguishes it.

Artier knew. If you just set your mind to using it, there was no skill that couldn’t be used!

“How to utilize it is my role.”

“Master…”

Collie was staring at Artier with a dazed expression.

At that sight, Artier took a moment to reflect.

‘I made a mistake. It was a very important value.’

Superior and subordinate.

Artier did not like such relationships.

Whenever he saw a master treating a summon like a slave in a novel or movie, Artier always felt a sense of repulsion.

Therefore, when dealing with Collie, he always tried to treat him as an equal and with respect.

However, it seemed that had a negative effect on the relationship between Collie and Artier.

‘Unconsidered goodwill might only cause trouble.’

His values were different from the residents here.

So he was planning to proceed slowly.

“So don’t worry. Got it?”

“I… I…”

You don't need to think so hard.

Utilizing you is your companion’s role. And the same goes for you.

Focus on each other. That will be the key.

Various voices that he hadn't heard before were flowing through Collie’s head.

The boy hastily wiped the corners of his eyes, which were welling up with moisture.

Could it be that, absurdly, he himself had been devaluing his own usefulness?

“I’m sorry, master…”

“What are you sorry for.”

Artier lightly rubbed Collie’s head.

Then, an information window appeared above Collie’s head.

[You have calmed the summon's anxiety and reaffirmed your bond.]

[You have acquired Ichi Summon (Lv.1).]

Ichi Summon (Lv.1): Instantly teleports to a location within a 5m radius of the summon.

***

“How long do we have to go?”

“It’s not a place where space is distorted, so we should arrive soon.”

Artier and Collie continued to advance through the palace.

Just when they thought they could forget, Living Armors appeared, and sometimes traps like bars shooting out or slimes falling from the void popped out.

“Hmm. Is it around here?”

Clatter.

But they were no hindrance to the two of them.

When Collie put his hand in the place where Artier had removed a brick and fumbled around a few times, he couldn't hide his astonishment as the bars smoothly retracted.

“When did you learn the skills of a thief?”

“Huh? Oh, this is different from that.”

“What’s different about it. Didn’t you just disarm a trap with your bare hands?”

Artier wore an embarrassed expression.

“The types of traps that appear in the Gostera ruins are obvious. That’s why I know.”

“You seem to know a lot about the ruins.”

“I guess so.”

12,000 times. That was the number of times he had cleared the Gostera ruins as a player.

And that was the lowest estimate.

“They probably placed defensive troops around here.”

Clank!

As soon as Artier opened his mouth, armors frighteningly popped out from nearby.

“Now the slimes will come out.”

“Couldn't something else come out?”

“No. There are only three types of traps that come out in one ruin.”

Splat!

His predictions were never wrong.

At some point, even Collie stopped questioning Artier’s words.

“It’s truly frightening. Anyone would think the master designed the ruins.”

“That’s right.”

“Pardon…?”

“Just kidding. It’s a ruin built 2,000 years ago.”

Clank!

Artier pressed a wall and opened a large chest placed in the room that appeared.

Inside, along with a small amount of gold coins, was a ring of a form he had never seen before.

[Stealthy Assassin (Rare)]

Defense: 7

Options: Strength +1, Agility +2

Special Option: Can create an illusionary dagger once a day. An enemy stabbed by the blade suffers mental damage. The dagger lasts for four hours.

“Hmm…”

Artier’s eyes narrowed as he read the options.

‘The stats are pretty good, but the built-in skill is…’

A dagger of all things.

From an objective perspective, it wasn't a very good skill.

You have to stab with the blade for it to be effective, so why a dagger with a short reach?

In reality, it was a ring that only a thief who ambushes while hidden could use positively.

‘I should at least enjoy the stat-boosting effect.’

Artier put on the ring.

Then he came out of the room and looked at the large gate erected on the far right.

“Collie, is this the place?”

“That’s right. The energy of the curse is felt most strongly beyond this point.”

At Collie’s words, Artier nodded his head.

The door in front of them was larger than any they had seen so far.

“I’m going in. Watch our rear.”

“Understood.”

Creeeak!

The door, which probably hadn't been opened for thousands of years, opened, and Artier and Collie stepped into the empty audience chamber.

On the front of the throne visible in the distance, the symbol of Gostera was drawn.

Sculptures carved from ice boasted their beautiful forms on all sides.

“…Why is no one here?”

Artier went further inside.

But in the chilly space, not a single presence could be felt.

“The source of the curse is still here. I will check again…”

“No.”

Artier knew what to do at times like this.

[Using Detection.]

Flash!

The moment the mana spread out like a wave, a fierce repulsion was suddenly felt from a corner where there was nothing.

Kwoooosh…!

Artier immediately dodged the black sewage flying towards him.

“I see. It’s not a person.”

[Lv.40 Encroached Spirit (Large)]

It was a giant black crystal that spewed black water in all directions.

The creature, which seemed to dislike Artier’s mana quite a bit, was spewing out curses from the cracks that had formed in various places.

“Collie, don’t leave my back.”

“You must be careful.”

“Hmm, well.”

“Pardon?”

A new dungeon and a new boss.

…It should have been.

“I don’t think that will be necessary.”

Artier couldn't hide his hollow smile.

‘How can you reuse a boss! You crappy game!’

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