CH 530

Following a long tunnel under the Spring of Life, they reached another open space. There seemed to be air above there, and a figure stared at them with ferocious eyes.

'Grrrrr!!'

It looked like a 10 meter long plesiosaur with a short neck. A mesosaurus was the closest creature Allen could think of from his past life.

[Age] 50125

[Species] Spirit Beast

[Strength] 102000

[Mana] 133000

[Spiritual Power] 131000

[Attack] 115000

[Endurance] 107000

[Agility] 123000

[Intelligence] 144000

[Luck] 128000

[Attack Element] Wood, Critical Chance Increase

[Endurance Element] Wood, Physical Resistance, Magic Resistance, Poison Resistance, Acid Resistance

(What is this thing? These stats are crazy.)

Many stats were above 10000, and it had plenty of resistances too.

"It's incredibly strong! Everyone be careful!!"

It also appeared hostile, so it was impossible to avoid a confrontation.

The Spirit Beast swam side to side 3 times before charging forward at full speed.

'That's nothing!!'

Tonies quickly moved the large bubble to the side, dodging the attack.

"Wait, I thought you said Spirit Beasts wouldn't attack us! Take us to the surface right now!!"

'I'm already working on that, young girl, don't be so impatient. Sophie, I'll take some of your Mana!!'

Cecile grabbed Tonies' head and shook him around to hurry him. He was the only one who could move them around underwater. If anyone else touched the water, it would burn them like a strong acid.

"Please!! Use all of my Mana!!"

Sophie focused and gave all her Mana to Tonies.

'Gha-?! There's so much Mana!!'

Feeling 70000 Mana flowing into him, Tonies gasped a bubble in shock.

Sophie had already maxed out everything at Level 60, the cap of Normal Mode.

All her equipment also raised her Mana, raising it even more.

(That maxed out her Skill Level in an instant. We'll have to find a Wood Great Spirit next.)

While Tonies recovered from the shock, Allen was already thinking of their next step.

'It's coming again, brace everyon!!'

The Spirit Beast was swimming up from below the bubble, so Tonies held his palms forward and made the bubble accelerate with all the Mana he had obtained from Sophie.

'Graaaaaaaaaa!!'

Thanks to all of Sophie's Mana, the Spirit Beast was unable to hit the bubble.

But instead, all the speed made the bubble go hundreds of meters up, above the water surface.

In the air, they quickly lost their momentum and fell to the water again, causing a big splash.

(Hm, is this some sort of giant cave?)

There was a stone ceiling covering everything like a dome. This was probably inside some large mountain, though there had to be a path outside as well, as there was air inside.

There was a shore too, and they could feel many spirits there.

'Hey, something just came!!'

'They found out we're stealing the Dew, we won't let them stop us!!'

'Everyone band together!!'

(Who are these spirits? At least we know they're the thieves now.)

Those spirits seemed to be plotting something, and were channeling Mana into the mosasaurus Spirit Beast.

"What are they? Wait, it's coming again!!"

The Spirit Beast was still after them, gaining speed from a distance away before jumping out of the water and aiming for the top of the bubble, which was exposed on top of the water.

"Leave it to me. Noxious Tsunami!!"

Luck used all his Mana to unleash his Extra Skill [Noxious Tsunami].

The noxious wave flew and collided with the Spirit Beast's stomach.

'Ghahhhhhhh?!'

There was a loud sizzling sound as the wave collided with the Spirit Beast, but once it fell in the water and washed everything away, it only looked like a slight burn.

(It had Acid Resistance after all. There's almost no damage.)

Allen checked his Grimoire to see its Strength had not gone down by a lot.

"We'll fight too! Ice Needle!!"

"Hmph!!"

Cecile's Ice Magic and Formar's magic shot followed the Spirit Beast, but the water dissolved them.

"...We can't defeat it underwater then. I'll try to get it out again. Graham, time for Possession Combination."

(We just have to defeat it in one hit. That should work, right Tonies?)

Allen felt slightly bothered by the sad look with which Tonies looked at the Spirit Beast.

After summoning Graham, he used his Awakened Skill [Possession Combination].

Graham's body began to glow with blue flames, absorbing Allen, who felt Graham's power become his. Even his new orichalcum sword, after Nestiad broke his previous one, began glowing with blue flames.

"Let's go then, it doesn't have Fire Resistance."

Allen raised his sword high, trying to find the correct timing to attack the Spirit Beast.

The Spirit Beast swam in circles, gathering speed before lunging up again a distance away, drawing an arc in the air that would land on the bubble.

'Graaaaahhhhhhh!!'

Allen selected one of Graham's Special Skills that would be most effective there.

His sword was wrapped in red flames, which were shaped like bones, and he held it ready as he waited for the right timing.

"Spectral Explosive Attack!!"

'Gugyaaaaahhh?!'

Allen's sword hit the Spirit Beast on the chin, scorching its flesh while sending its enormous body flying at the spirits conspiring on the shore.

"Incredible…and with just one hit."

Cecile's eyes went round seeing that. That was the power Allen had obtained by hunting ghosts with Graham for so long.

"That was amazing, Master Allen!!"

Cecile and Sophie praised Allen.

"It's all thanks to Graham. Thanks to him I can fight on the frontlines too."

[Effects of Spectral Explosive Attack]

-10000 Mana Cost, 10 minutes cooldown

-Fire and Curse elements

-If the attack lands, then the Curse element slows their Mana and Spiritual Energy regeneration

-Striking multiple times increases the Curse effect

-The damage scales with Intelligence

[Effects of Possession Combination]

-Lasts for 1 hour, 1 day cooldown

-While active, raises Swordsmanship Skill Level by 3

-Half of Graham's Intelligence (including stats from Strengthening) gets added to Allen's

(Stop, don't praise me so much. Dogora and Shea can deal even more damage!!)

Graham's Skills relied on Intelligence to be powerful. Now that Allen was Level 185, his immense Intelligence made Graham's Skills be overwhelmingly powerful.

But then Shea and Dogora had easily restrained him during the Divine Compass Lottery.

(Alright, now what should I do about them.)

Allen focused his attention on the battlefield. The Spirit Beast did not bounce, just striking the spirits on the piece of land there, which caused a lot of noise.

'Lady Elize, are you safe?!'

'Heal her, quick!'

'I know, just give me a moment!'

(Elize? It must be a different Elize from what I thought.)

The mosasaurus Spirit Beast did not look like an Elize. More than a dozen spirits surrounded the body, trying to heal the wounds Allen's sword inflicted.

(So all those Resistances came from the spirits.)

The Spirit Beast's stats had been strange, being more powerful than a Demigod Rank ghost, and with multiple Resistances. It seemed like all the spirits had boosted them.

Allen's group slowly approached the spirits and the Spirit Beast.

"What's up with all of them…"

Luck could not understand what was happening ever since they found that cave.

'Still nothing? I'll go buy time then.'

'Me too, we'll protect Lady Elize!'

The spirits turned their enmity at Allen's group, who also reached for their weapons in response.

'Stop, all of you!!'

'Lord Tonies…'

One of the spirits in the cave muttered that. Tonies was waving his cane while shouting next to Sophie, and once the spirits saw him, they quickly calmed down.

Once they realized that Tonies was with them, they were shocked, but also less hostile.

"What just happened? What the hell is going on!"

Luck shouted at Tonies, who seemed to know more than he let on.

'Hmm…alright, just look at that lake.'

There was another lake inside of the cave. It was filled with glistening Dew of Life, and the small lake inside of the cave was connected to the Spring of Life through the long tunnel.

With Luck still demanding explanations, everyone stood at the shore and looked down.