Chapter 543
Davey understood that Rinne was not human, so her growth couldn't follow typical human developmental patterns. Unlike humans, she could alter her physical form at will, and her method of growth differed. It wasn't about training and achieving enlightenment. So, what needed to be done?
"Rinne, there are three options," Davey said, and Rinne tilted her head in curiosity. He then added, "The first is the best, but it involves absorbing more of those bead-like things you ate. It's the most efficient and effective method."
Rinne shook her small head.
"Master Davey, the beads I absorbed are very hard to find," she assessed. With the enemy's location still unknown, they had no choice but to consider the second method.
"The second method involves using an amplification magic circle to briefly boost your devil mana," Davey explained.
"Brief amplification?" Rinne asked, looking up at him.
"Yes, we'll briefly amplify the unique devil mana you possess, resonate it, locate their position, and then I'll take them down to recover mana-infused artifacts. Essentially an extension of the first plan, but it might be quite challenging in practice."
Rinne nodded in response.
"Master Davey, Rinne, a highly advanced biogolem, doesn't consider pain an issue," she reported.
"Really?" Davey asked skeptically.
Despite his cold warning, Rinne simply nodded quietly. "Rinne, with a bio-armor, is analyzed to be very sturdy, and the internal components are also robust."
Indeed, Rinne's body was more durable than Davey had anticipated.
"Alright, then let's try the second method," he decided, and with that, Rinne lightly rose and bounced away.
* * *
To amplify Rinne's energy, they had to precisely grasp and envelop her devil mana, linking and activating it with the amplification magic circle. The process was not easy and could be very dangerous if done incorrectly, but Davey had no intention of backing down.
"Don't worry. In theory, it should be possible," he reassured in the midst of a vast plain, repeatedly checking the giant circular magic circle he had drawn, while Rinne playfully bounced on its center.
"Ideally, it should be perfect, but there's a high chance of failure, Davey," Perserque argued, considering the possibility.
After all, it wasn't just simple devil mana; it was the power of a Deathlord. Her unique body and ascension to the singular realm of a Deathlord had caused her to undergo a massive transformation. Consequently, she was able to wield a unique transcendent dark magic. In comparison, it was like the difference between the divine power used by Davey and other humans and the higher divine power of the supreme deity, Goddess Freyja. In this sense, Rho Aias was almost a divine being in a human body. If Davey missed anything, Rinne could be in great danger.
"Rinne, perhaps it's better to give up now," Perserque suggested with feigned concern.
Rinne tilted her head, looking at Perserque.
"Rinne, an exceptional biogolem. Failing to complete such a mission would mean I can't be called a superior golem of Master Davey," she reasoned.
"It's settled then," Davey said after countless recalculations.
Failure was not an option.
Taking a short breath, Davey asked, "Rinne, shall we begin?"
"Rinne, ready and reports full preparedness. Highly appraise thoroughness," she confirmed.
Haaahaaa Gasping for air and kneeling, Davey collapsed.
Rinne quickly rushed over and toppled him, climbing onto his fallen body and gathering particles. "Error! Error! Red signals detected in Master Davey's biometric data! Rinne will operate!"
At her outcry, Davey chuckled and pushed her forehead away with one hand. She fell with a thud, and Davey frowned, slowly getting up. He muttered, "Your owner won't die so easily."
It was absurd to risk his life just for amplifying someone else's mana. It was a brief attempt to glimpse the divine realm with human power, perhaps a natural consequence. But now, there was a more pressing issue.
As the pain gradually subsided, Davey slowly rose. "Found you, you bastards."
* * *
In the dimly lit cave, a girl and a boy were bound in chains, hanging against the wall. Figures in black robes with conical hoods obscured their faces, adding an eerie atmosphere as they proclaimed themselves the saviors of the world.
"Ah... Ahhh..."
The boy, half-naked and slumped with a near-dead look in his eyes, lifted his head.
"This is... a lie..."
His voice was stained with pain, rightfully so for a being who should not have been capable of feeling such torment.
"How fascinating. Even a foreigner, who hardly feels pain, is affected by such powerful magic. Truly, a formidable curse," remarked a man with black hair and a crazed look, emerging from among the robed figures.
"Oh dear, are you still doing alright?" he asked mockingly, then turned his attention to the girl tied next to the boy, roughly touching her unconscious face. "This young lady seems almost in the grasp of the god of death. It's going to be difficult to elicit proper terror from her. It's even challenging to infuse the great Deathlord's power."
At his command, a couple of the robed figures slowly walked over and released the shackles supporting the girl's arms.
Thud!
Her body collapsed, seemingly lifeless.
Ahh ahh ahh! The boy widened his eyes in horror and screamed, though his voice was barely audible after the brutal torture.
"How unexpected, such spirit remains. The mental fortitude of foreigners is impressive indeed," the man said as the boy's eyes, now empty, began to shed tears.
Both the boy and the girl were outsiders, mere gamers who enjoyed playing games. The girl, the boy's older sister and a top player in Alf Online, had brought him into this world to show him its beauty, only for them to be subjected to horrific torture and strange curses by these vile people.
Their ordeal began accidentally during a quest for a new item. But after a series of events, the boy regained consciousness to find them trapped in this dark cave for weeks, unable to log out. The real horror started when their captors realized the siblings wouldn't assist them, subjecting them to terrible torture. The boy couldn't comprehend how pain could be inflicted on a user's body, but the captors claimed to be utilizing the power of a being called the Deathlord. It seemed like a far-fetched tale because mere data affecting the system didn't make sense.
Yet, why was his sister in such agony, and why would she not wake up? Why couldn't they log out of this virtual reality? A chilling thought crept into the boy's mind: had his sister truly died? It was supposed to be just a game. Games couldn't kill people. But why did he feel so unsettled?
Despair filled the boy's face as his tears fell sorrowfully. "No, please tell me it's not true. Sister, please."
The black-haired man cruelly crushed the boy's desperate hope. "Ah, perhaps you believe that as a foreigner, you might live if you return. How quaint."
The boy wanted to kill him but lacked the strength. Instead, he glared at the man with eyes full of anguish.
"Unfortunately, that's impossible. This place you speak of, it's not a game. Surprising, isn't it? Typically, humans can't make you aware of this fact. A transcendental being prevents it," the man continued, prodding the boy's wounded body as if sharing a secret. "This is reality."
It was a horrible and dreadful truth the boy had already begun to suspect.