Chapter 127 Race Against Time [1]

"I..it's fine, really."

I patted the baby golem to reassure it.

Though seeing how it was stuck to my body and wasn't leaving me, it didn't seem it was reassured.

"Here you go"

-Gru!

The baby golem shouted when I tried to pry it off my leg and keep it inside my robe.

-Gru!

"You want to stay outside to protect me?"

The baby golem nodded.

A small smile leaked on my face and was about to tell it that it wasn't strong enough to do that when I remembered its stats.

The baby golem had higher stats than me in Strength, Stamina, Constitution, and Intelligence.

"Stay here then"

I placed the baby golem on top of my head.

It was stronger than me. The baby golem, despite being Lvl.1, was stronger than me.

-Gru

It happily agreed and grabbed my hair for support.

I groaned slightly when I tried to stand up. My bones were creaking, telling me to let it rest before moving.

However, I didn't have time to let my body heal.

Almost 10 minutes had already passed since the bomb exploded. I had to start moving.

I took one last glance at the stadium before moving toward the path to the prize room.

The only people who survived in the top-16 seating area were Leon, Isabell, and me.

I already knew I was going to survive thanks to the black diary, but I have to admit it.

That freaking hurt!

My body was hurting all over. Even though I hadn't broken any bones, it didn't feel like all my internal organs were the same.

If not for the fact that seeing me half-dead will remove any type of suspicion of me being behind the bombs, I wouldn't have stayed here.

Though, I can't deny that pain helps.

"At least I can think more clearly with pain."

I don't know if it was because of the time I spent in the memory world, but now whenever I was in pain, I could think more clearly.

Vupp-

I brought out the boots and gloves I brought from the headmaster's shop and wore them.

Next, I wrapped a thick layer of [Zero] around my core to stop any energy fluctuation from leaving it.

"I should look like an unawakened now."

This should also reduce my presence.

The last thing I did was use my stigma.

I, using my stigma, colored myself pitch-black to match the surrounding darkness. Then, I wore the night-vision goggles I brought alongside the explosives.

Since the Underworld was underground, without a power supply, the entire Underworld had been plunged into darkness.

My stigma will help to camouflage myself in the darkness.

-BOOOM!

Suddenly, the ground shook furiously, and a loud booming sound echoed.

"Looks like Huntress also started. I should hurry."

It seemed Huntress has also begun attacking to draw the attention of sentries.

"Huuuu…Let's go"

-Gru!

*

"Hurry, we are under attack!"

"Watch your steps!"

Several sentries shouted to each other as they hurried outside. A few of them were carrying primitive torches made of burning cloth on a piece of wood.

The torches were crudely made and barely produced light, but they were made in a hurry, so nobody complained.

Chaos ensued when the power supply of the whole Underworld was cut-short.

It was already hard enough to get the sentries together, but now an attack had started outside.

-BOOOM! –BOOOM!

The building shook whenever the sound of explosions echoed.

A few of them shivered.

They knew the fight happening outside produced these explosions.

Gulp-

And they were going there to provide support.

"Who is crazy enough to attack when he has Sword Maiden on our side?"

The sentry carrying the torch irritably muttered.

They were a group of 6 guards, where 2 were carrying torches as they walked down the corridor.

For some reason, even devices with batteries were not working.

Unable to get in contact with their security captain, these 6 were a ragtag bunch of guards that had somehow managed to reach each other.

Phzzzt-

Suddenly, the guard who had spoken earlier perked his ears.

"Did you hear something?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"..Static?"

"It must have been the sound of the clashes."

-BOOOM!

Right on cue, the building again shook.

"Look out!"

Bam-!

The guard at the front pushed the one behind him away. At that moment, debris fell from the ceiling and crashed at the previous location of the second guard.

The second guard thanked him and looked up.

"Can't they repair this building? The ceiling is breaking without even being attc-!"

However, his eyes widened when he saw a black creature with four limbs clinging to the ceiling upside down.

"What is th-?"

Swish-

Puchi-!

He tried to shout when a dagger pierced his head at high speed.

"We are under attack!"

Swish- Swish-

Clank-! Clank-! Puchi-!

Five more daggers attacked the others, but with the warning, they were able to block them.

"W-what is that?!"

The creature was coated in pitch-black darkness and it wasn't even releasing energy fluctuations.

They would've thought that it wasn't even Lvl.1 but it had killed one of them so easily!

"Get in formation!"

The guard at the front, Seth, shouted.

Clank-!

Clank-!

Seth was using his rapier to block the dagger.

Blocking daggers raining on them, he looked at others.

The mage in their group had a cut on his sleeve, however, the injury wasn't fatal. He was chanting a spell, while the other three were protecting him.

Suddenly, the shadow of the creature turned into two arms and launched at them.

Watching the two shadow arms slithering on the walls, Seth felt a sense of emergency.

"[Thrust]"

He used his skill to attack.

The blade of his rapier shined and a ray of light shot out.

"[Golden Turtle]"

'It can speak?!'

The creature spoke, and a golden shell materialized around it.

Bam-!

The ray of light collided against the shield.

The shield blocked the attack, but the ceiling couldn't bear the impact of the collision.

-Bam!

The piece of ceiling under the creature's foot broke and fell. The creature also fell to the ground.

The shadow hands suddenly vanished.

At the same time, the mage's spell was completed.

"..<Ice Spikes>"

A magic circle shined, and ice appeared above it.

The pieces of ice quickly turned into a dozen icicles and shot at the creature.

Seth was still shocked, seeing the creature speak human language, and couldn't do a follow-up attack.

Splitter-

The icicles suddenly froze in the air and turned into dust.

All the sentries were shocked when the creature spoke again.

"sigh…this isn't working."

It stood on two legs and….

Phzzzt-

..five greatswords materialized behind it.

Swish-

Clank-! Clank-!

They tried to block the barrage but, unlike the daggers; the greatswords were too heavy.

"Urgh..what is this?!"

The sentries shouted in panic as not only greatswords but even spears and hammers were being shot at them.

The creature, Nathan, who was using his stigma to coat himself as a disguise, grimaced.

"My ether reserves are already at only 70% and now this too, ugh."

Crack- Crack-

Suddenly, five cracks appeared above behind the guards' heads.

Puchi-! Puchi-! Swish-!

Spears shot out from the cracks and killed almost everyone.

"Who..ar-e you?"

Seth, who had barely dodged the spear at the last second by turning his head, and the only one alive, spoke.

10 cracks appeared around Seth, and spears shot out from them.

Seth twisted his body at an extreme angle and tried to dodge. However, the number of attacks was too many and too close.

Puchi-!

His chest was pierced along with his throat.

With his fading consciousness, he heard the creature's answer.

"Someone who you won't meet again."