NOVEL NEXT Chapter 62
zzzzz-!
Noise crackled on the broadcast screen.
“Ah! It seems there’s a little problem! I’ll fix it right away!”
Clona brought her hand to her ear and communicated with the transmission team.
“Please resolve it quickly! We’re right at the highlight!”
The four artifacts had gathered in one place. Just as the best free-for-all match to cap off this tournament was about to begin, communication went haywire without warning.
“If it absolutely can’t be helped, hurry and pull in a bird from the other side!”
The broadcast utilizes the eyes of specially treated birds for magic. The view from the birds scattered throughout the dungeon is shared and transmitted on the central screen.
“Hurry! Time is of the essence!”
– There’s… a problem!
“Pardon?”
The team member on the other end spoke in a voice full of panic.
– All connections linked to the dungeon are severed!
This isn’t just a simple communication issue. All magic related to sight-sharing, actions, and coordinates has shut down. It means that the magical network connecting here and there has been damaged.
– It seems something has happened in the dungeon…!
“What do you mean?!”
Magic doesn’t operate so easily. Intricately woven spells can retain their efficacy for thousands of years. Yet, to have dozens of spells severed at once?
– First, I’ll contact the emergency response team and the rescue team!
“Then what should I tell them?!”
– Until facts are verified, try to calm the audience as much as possible!
“That’s impossible… Hello? Hey?!”
The call ended there.
“What’s going on?”
“Did something happen?”
“Ah… Just when it was getting interesting.”
“Looks like this year’s lineup has a lot of talent.”
“I wanted to see the tournament through to the end before making recruitment decisions…”
Grumbles!
After a long time without the screen returning, murmurs of discontent erupted from the audience.
“Ugh…! P-professor Karen…!”
Right!
If the continent’s star, Karen, steps in to mediate, perhaps this uproar will quiet down!
Clona turned her head with hope.
“…Professor Karen?”
All that remained was an empty chair. She hadn’t even noticed when she disappeared.
*
Kugugugugu!
“Ahhh?!”
“The ground, suddenly!”
The participants of the tournament screamed in unison.
As if an earthquake had struck, the forest floor shook violently.
Crack!
Waves rippled, the ground quaking as fissures split open. Thick tree roots were torn by this unexplained quake, losing their strength.
Before long.
KABOOM!
The forest collapsed.
.
.
.
“Ugh… ugh.”
In the chaotic surroundings, I brushed off the dirt clinging to my body to assess my condition.
“Whew!”
Thanks to Black Lotus wrapping around my sleeve, I had not a scratch on me or even a speck of dust. Oddly impressive.
“Ran?! Ran!!”
As I regained my senses, I heard a voice searching for me from a short distance.
“I’m over here, Senpai.”
“Ah!”
Elma sprinted towards me, anxiously surveying my condition.
“Are you hurt?!”
“I’m completely fine.”
“Thank goodness…”
Once she confirmed I was safe, her eyes darted around as she tried to assess the situation.
“What on earth is this…?”
While on our way to where the artifact’s waves were transmitting, a sudden earthquake had struck. The ground collapsed, causing a whole floor to sink below.
It was like a huge sinkhole had suddenly appeared.
“I take it this isn’t part of the tournament…”
Elma quickly resigned herself to the situation. No matter how irregular Polaris was, it was unlikely they would destroy an entire floor of the dungeon.
“This is an accident. It definitely is.”
Even as she said that, Elma’s voice was filled with hesitation. The collapse of a dungeon was an unprecedented phenomenon until now.
“I’m at a loss for words. For an entire floor to collapse suddenly…”
“Right?”
“…Isn’t that a bit too calm?”
Seeing my expression, Elma’s mouth twitched in concern.
“Rather, it’s crucial to remain composed in times like this.”
“That’s true, but…”
It wouldn’t hurt to lean on her a little…
She muttered something softly.
“What?”
“Never mind. Anyway, this place is indeed…”
A large space reminiscent of a temple. The white stone structures and pitch-black darkness filled with eerie statues of monsters stood side by side.
The third floor of the dungeon.
White Coffin
“The third floor… This is a big deal.”
Naturally, the deeper the dungeon, the tougher the difficulty. Especially the third floor of the dungeon known as the White Coffin.
Click clack!
Click!
Creek!
A multitude of ‘statue-type’ monsters inhabit this area.
“GAAH!?”
“GRAAAH!”
The statues that had been frozen in place screeched and came to life.
Gargoyles.
They had appeared on the first floor, but back then they were merely solitary entities. Now, this sight of them hunting in packs was commonplace in such places.
“GRAAAH!”
Gargoyles swooped down with their wings flapping from all directions just as they reached us.
As their sharp teeth were about to close in on us,
“Watch out!”
Fwooosh!
Elma unsheathed her sword, releasing scattered embers around us.
Hiss!
The gargoyles caught in the embers shrieked as their bodies crumbled into powder.
“I’ll clear a path!”
Elma swung her sword without pause.
With embers swirling chaotically, she shattered the gargoyle’s body.
“Over here!”
Through the gap created, we quickly exchanged information.
“We should assume the tournament is put on hold, right?”
“Indeed. For now, it’s a priority to rescue other students before the rescue team and professors arrive.”
Not everyone can wipe out multiple gargoyles like Elma just did. Most are likely just trying to escape.
‘Before that happens.’
Real chaos hasn’t even begun yet.
I need to evacuate as many other students as possible before ‘that monster’ appears.
*
“…Is it just beginning?”
Pernia observed the scene of the third floor with an indifferent expression.
“No, perhaps it might be the end instead.”
Right before the second floor collapsed, she had cleanly embedded a dagger into Angela’s heart.
– Guh…!
No matter how skilled a master, one cannot survive a dagger to the heart.
Angela’s death will be reported as an accident.
The sudden collapse of the dungeon, coupled with the rampage of an aberrant monster, resulted in the demise of a princess.
It’s a bit too unnatural.
“None of that matters.”
The world will shift its focus somewhere else regardless.
‘Before becoming an emperor, become a hero.’
That’s how she can attain perfection.
A hero, after all, always requires a narrative.
“Now, let the chaos unfold.”
Pernia loosened the knot she held in her hands.
“The aberrant monsters presumed to be the cause of the dungeon’s collapse… have continued their massacre, and among the casualties is the Second Princess.”
Like a playwright reciting a script.
Pernia wore a satisfied smile.
“The remaining survivors will be rescued and the monsters defeated by the student council president and next emperor candidate, Pernia.”
Based on this incident, the phenomenon of ‘twisting’ will rise to the surface.
The world will descend into chaos and seek a strong pillar to lean on.
“And in that moment…”
She’ll engulf the world.
“Kuhuhu…!”
Black desires glimmered in her eyes.
The victor of this game is none other than herself.
Her thoughts, now steeped in conviction, filled her mind with satisfaction.
*
“Cough! Cough!”
Among the dust, someone jolted awake.
“Where is this… ugh!”
Struggling to open her eyes, Angela threw off the artifacts that were constricting her.
Her body felt heavy, like a waterlogged cotton ball, but as the headache and nausea faded, she felt somewhat relieved.
“Ah!”
Once she gained a semblance of calm, she hastily checked her chest.
– Farewell. Little sister.
Just before her memory cut off, she remembered Pernia stabbing her heart with a dagger.
“W-wait? I’m fine…?”
To her surprise, Angela’s heart was intact.
Not even a scratch was on it.
“What on earth is happening…?”
“Swish!”
“Wha?!”
At that moment, a black serpent slithered out from her clothes.
“Swish! Swish!”
“Who… who are you?!”
“Shh!”
The serpent stuck out its tongue and fully emerged.
Attached to its tail was a small dagger.
“This… is the one you used to stab me, isn’t it?”
“Swish~!”
“Did you protect me?”
No matter what had happened, it was clear that the serpent had blocked the dagger for her.
This beautifully formed serpent resembled the night sky.
“Thank you… I owe my life to you.”
“Swish! Swish!”
While expressing her gratitude, the serpent flicked its tail and tugged at her wrist.
“Uh? You want me to go this way?”
“Swish!”
“Oh, got it! Don’t pull so hard!”
Despite its small size, it was surprisingly strong, leaving red marks on her wrist.
‘For now… I should follow it.’
Though the situation had become complicated,
Angela’s goal remained unchanged.
She no longer needed to be bound by trivial emotions.
Pernia wanted her dead.
‘I didn’t want to believe it.’
Without any lingering feelings, as she watched Pernia stab herself with a dagger.
Angela steeled her resolve.
“…Let’s go.”
I will definitely.
‘I will defeat my sister.’
Gathering the artifacts she had discarded, she rose from where she was.