Chapter 109 Reinforcing Chaos

[Staff of the Lost Shade]

One of the weapons that the Constellation, 'Lady of Shaded Spade' grants to 'Her' disciple.

It's made from unknown and sinister materials and was forged by the Constellation, 'One Who Eats Fire For Breakfast' for an unknown period of time.

Rank: Normal (Growth)

Classification: Weapon (Dark Shade exclusive weapon)

Enchantment:

Noclip Enhancement

- During Shade Transformation, Agility stat increased by two times (capped at 4999), allowing the Dark Shade to move through walls at a faster pace.

[Sealed]...

Intrinsic Effects:

Spade Cross of Penitence (Unholy)

- An offensive skill that the Dark Shade could use whether in Shade Transformation or not.

- Through the use of this skill, the Dark Shade would be able to summon a huge, dark cross through a horizontal portal and it would attach itself to the ground like an incoming projectile.

- Upon the landing of the huge, dark cross, an effect called Dark Shockwave would start to permeate from it through the surroundings, then it would 'Curse' anyone without a Chaos Trait or at least 200% (20 points) Dark Resistance. The Dark Shockwave could be turn on or off upon the Dark Shade's will.

- The Spade Cross of Penitence's size, as well as the potency, and area that the Dark Shockwave could reach would grow and expand respectively as the Staff of the Lost Shade rises in rank.

- Condition of Use: 500 Chaos Mana per initial usage, then 250 Chaos Mana per minute of Dark Shockwave.

[Sealed]...

...

Amelie recalled the description of the weapon, that had she received from the mysterious Egg that Russell takes care of after they ate the slice of the Fruit of Chaos. It's a growth item exclusive for her having a Dark Shade profession, it also has four [Sealed] Enchantments and four [Sealed] Intrinsic Effects which Amelie didn't know what rank would these be unsealed.

Amelie traversed the wide hallway made from sturdy metals after some random thoughts to come at Russell's side who might need an assistant at this given moment.

Then after an unknown period of time, she heard a voice in her head.

<Amelie, if you're done taking care of those who ran away, prepare to take a piece of my body in case I die.>

<Don't mind me. The wardens split into two groups, first those who chased after you, and the last one took care of the carts of Urum mineral.>

<Chase after them and secure the Urum, as well as Maya who left to go inside the Strayed Dungeon.>

After digesting the command that Russell has given, she replied firmly without questioning anything, especially Russell's first sentence about getting a piece of his body back. Amelie knew that Markim, the Branch Manager of this underground secret facility of the Shadow Guild, was a strong player, and Russell wouldn't be able to stand a chance if he fights head-on and takes longer.

<Yes, I'm done. Alright then, take care.>

[Activating Unique Skill: Shade Transformation]

Amelie used her Unique Skill and started to phase through the metallic walls and quickly surveyed the areas.

...

"Who do you think are those intruders? They're freaking young-looking and yet they seem strong."

One of the five wardens that secured the carts of Urum, a black-colored mineral that's extremely potent upon contact which was the reason why the cart used in storing it was made from rare materials that are somewhat costly and has less to no Mana Conductivity, causing the Urum mineral to behave smoothly.

"It ain't matter, it's a mistake that they barged here out of nowhere. We don't even know how they managed to get into this place, but based on one of the intruders, they seem to be looking at her parents."

Another one of the five wardens who heard the previous warden said with certainty, then he added in delight...

"...Hahaha, those people would die in a year or two; months if there's no provision of needs for them. Some of them even contracted Mana Poisoning through mining Urum without proper mining equipment aside from those pickaxes.

"Poor them..."

"Poor you."

As soon as one of the wardens finished speaking in delight as if he achieved safety already inside the Storage Room, he heard a womanly voice just near his left ear, causing his hair to stand on end, but it was already too late.

Spurt-! Spurt-!

The spade-shaped tip of the long Staff of the Lost Spade pierced horizontally into the man's neck, then Amelie slashed through it as if drawing an arc beautifully, completely cutting off the man's neck, causing blood to gush out of it like a fountain.

The remaining four wardens including one of the wardens who thought about the strength of the intruders looked at Amelie, who quickly undid her transformation, and the dead body with shock and disbelief, extreme chills ran down their spines at the sight of horror.

"Y-you! Aren't you being chased?!"

The four wardens took out their weapons inside each of their Dimensional Inventory, it's all the same, causing Amelie to chuckle and said with a seem-like innocent smile on her face.

"They had a change of heart and repented of their sins.

"Anyway, what's with you all wardens? You all seemed to have a tanker-related profession."

Amelie said, but one of the wardens didn't bother in answering her nonsensical question and quickly lunged at her at a considerably fast speed.

Bam-!

Holding a sturdy, metallic shield in his left hand, one of the wardens slammed the ground with it, causing the entire Storage Room to be thrown into disarray.

'These guys have no chill... They're C to B-

rank.'

Amelie analyzed thoroughly the information of the four remaining wardens' stats.

'It's too much for me to handle this head-on.'

Amelie judged that it was a gnarly situation, but she wanted to fight head-on... to challenge herself, but considering the ranks and possibly battle experiences of the four wardens, she retracted the thought of something similar to suicide.

Bam-!

Without even properly arriving at what her next move should be, the four wardens simultaneously attacked her from four sides, it's a normal attack that contains much power, but activating her Shade Transformation at just the right time, she vanished from their vision as they didn't possess any special eyes that could see through her during her Shade form, and their swords or shields hit the air and pass through her body. Amelie didn't dodge them by pacing away, but rather let them hit her body while in Shade form to see what it would look like somehow.

"Be alert! She's a demon!"

Although with the existence of the System, there were only a handful of people that knew about the Spirit Realm, Soul Realm, Nether Realm, Demon World, and Mirror Dimension, thus the existence of something new to them might be considered as demonic or came from Evil Constellation.

Just a few seconds after one of the four remaining wardens said those words, a gigantic, dark portal horizontally opened above them, prompting them to take a four-man circle formation, as the air vibrated and later on caused an earthquake. Then a huge, dark cross, at least 30 meters high, propelled itself downward, crushing the four bodies of the warden...

[Activating Skill: Aura Shield (C)]

"Argh~!!!"

The four wardens collectively screamed their lungs out as they tried to defend themselves from the unexpectedly huge, dark cross that contained a sinister aura. Their shields seemed to form a dome that surrounds them where the huge, dark cross collided, causing the earthquake to intensify.

Amelie — who was watching from a distance — admired the willpower and strength of the wardens, then she proceeded to approach them with a grin carved on her lips.

As she was approaching, Amelie used the spade-shaped tip of the staff to cut her left palm, then she drenched her blood into it.

She slashed her staff... but this time, Amelie targeted the feet of the four wardens who were occupied in defending themselves from the crashing huge, dark cross

Spurt-! Spurt-!

Boom-!

Their feet were cut off, then the Spade Cross of Penitence came crashing down on their bodies, causing their deaths before even the Dark Shockwave releases itself.

[Cancelling the Dark Shockwave.]

"Ha... people with the same ranks are really hard to fight with... Maybe I should have consoled them by saying that it's not that they're weak, it's just that they're not compatible matchup against me."

She mumbled randomly while looking at the crushed bodies of the four wardens who desperately attempted to defend her attack, some blood and flesh were painted on the lower end of the huge, dark cross.

After some moment, she then recalled Russell who was probably in a dire situation fighting against someone whose rank was leagues higher.

Then after a few seconds, she curtsied in the front of wardens' bodies buried under the dark cross, even though she was not wearing a dress as a noble should, she then said in a low but cold voice.

"That's what you get from blaspheming my Lady."

She didn't hesitate to use the Spade Cross of Penitence as soon as she heard one of them say that she was a demon because Amelie thought that it was indirectly saying that her Constellation was something like a Demon King.

"Phew, I guess I needed to stay at the Chaos Training Grounds for some time to recover."

She looked at her Chaos Mana value which was about a thousand left as she mumbled. Amelie — who didn't have a decent Chaos Mana regeneration would take a while for her to completely recover it, but with Chaos Training Grounds benefits, her Chaos Mana would recover faster.

After resting for a short time, she left the cryptic scene that looked as though a sacrificial ritual took place, and started to go to the gigantic door, the entrance to the Strayed Dungeon where the Urum could be mined, and where a thousand slaves were being forced to work including Maya's parents.

It's also in the center area of the underground facility where Russell's fighting.

...

Seven minutes 'before' Amelie uses the Spade Cross of Penitence for the second time.

"That's an ugly-looking monster. Where did you tame such monstrosity?"

The burly man with brown hair and brown eyes, Markim, asked Russell who was looking at Ceru's body with cold eyes, cut in half by Markim himself using his greatsword, he didn't even use a skill.

Markim didn't even have a reaction of disgust unlike when Russell initially saw the Alien Slime whom he named Ceru, mainly due to his experience as an A- rank player.

"It doesn't matter, anyway."

Markim didn't give Russell a considerable amount of time to process what just happened to his summon as Markim lunged forward, his greatsword brimming with fire.

Boom-!

But with Russell's Agility stat being higher than Markim, he dodged the direct cleave by going through the side, but the blazing fire that scattered slightly caught him, distracting him for a moment.

Spurt-!

Soon, a mouthful of blood came out of Russell's mouth as he looked at the spear that pierced him from behind through his lower abdomen, and then he heard a deep voice behind him.

"This is for Dan!"

Bam-!

Russell's face, being held through his deep black hair by a large hand, was slammed through the ground while the spear that was attached to his lower abdomen wasn't even pulled out, causing him to grunt and cry in pain.

"This is for Rad!"

Spurt-!

"And this is for Murock!"

After the spear on his lower abdomen was pulled out, leaving him to cry in excruciating pain. Russell was stabbed in his stomach, causing more blood to be spat out of his mouth.

...

After a few seconds, Markim's voice praised the deed of the remaining warden.

"Great job, Harold, although I can take care of it."

Harold, the remaining warden who was the first to initiate the battle, gradually recovered and waited for his chance to attack Russell and avenge Dan, Rad, and Murock, the three men who were suggested by Ruina, then assigned by Reinhardt, and was sent to Russell to warn him about deepening his connection with Samantha.

"Don't kill him yet, I have a few questions. Pour some lowest-grade health potion into his wounds just to let him recover from bleeding."

Markim ordered, which Harold obeyed as he felt that his revenge was already certain and that he didn't need to rush this young man's death.

Harold took out some lowest-grade health potions from his Dimensional Inventory and approached the bloodied body of Russell who fell to his knees, his eyes were tired as they darted around, seemingly feeling that he would lose consciousness at any given moment, but he maintained his lucidity, and his arms and hands were of no strength anymore as though it's a hanging vegetable, waiting to rot.

Then, as Harold opened one lowest-grade health potion, Markim spoke in curiosity.

"You see... the normal response when someone's intruding is to report it quickly to the higher-ups, but for some reason, the connections were cut off...

"Did you use some artifact that cut off digital connections?"

It's the reason that Markim ordered the employees to report it after leaving the underground facility. Although he has many questions, he started with something that triggers his curiosity the most.

"..."

Russell opened his mouth, but words were inaudible, prompting Markim to approach and squat down in front of Russell, leaning his right ear to listen while Harold was splashing the second bottle of the lowest-grade health potion.

Rumble-! Rumble-!

At that moment, another unusual earthquake occurred inside the underground facility, but this earthquake seemed stronger than the first one, and at the same time, Russell's words became clear.

"You should have stabbed me through the heart."

His weakened, seemed vegetable arms and hands regained some strength as he quickly wrapped them around Markim, who was leaning his right ear, and Harold, who was splashing the potion.

[Activating Skill: Reinforcing Chaos]