“Limitless?” I repeated after the Lich Lord.

I looked to Fissyah for some help, but she looked like she was just as lost as me. Bob shook his head, taking his hand off the Dungeon Core.

“Your entire being is made of the arcane, Violet,” he explained. “People like Fissyah— and myself before my undeath— are inherently born without Arcane Essence.

“It is something they have to attain through evolution. Through attuning yourself with the world around you. Before that happens, magic as a means is possible only thanks to the Drasel. But once you have unlocked your Arcane Essence, magic becomes something inherent to you. Your soul unleashed.

“Monsters are dangerous for the precise reason that they are born with Arcane Essence. They aren’t separated from nature as we are. They are one with it— they thrive in it. Mage scholars in the Dark Empire pride themselves as students of magic, but they are not creatures of magic as monsters are. Yet even still, monsters are inhibited by their Physical Essence. They still need to eat, to sleep, to drink— all to survive.”

I listened on as the Lich Lord spoke. He took on a lecturing tone— like a university professor who was impassioned about the topic at hand. Shaking his head, he glanced over at Fissyah.

“I’m sure Fissyah can attest to how her biology has changed since evolving into a Gremlin.”

“Right,” the girl said, nodding. “I wasn’t really sure at first, but each time I level and gain more Arcane Essence, I feel as though I don’t need as much sleep as before I became a Gremlin. That I can go a whole day without sleep, and still feel refreshed.”

So, there was a direct correlation between attaining Arcane Essence and lessening physical needs. “But I still don’t understand how that makes my potential limitless?” I stared at Bob.

He chuckled. “It is quite simple. Without any restrictions of having a Physical Essence, you can harness the power of the arcane without limits. Each level you gain, your Arcane Essence shall grow far more exorbitantly than it does for us. Just look at the Combat Power discrepancy between you and Fissyah.”

“That is true. My Combat Power is quite high for my level.” I was pretty sure I could take on a weaker Ravinecrawler now, even without Fissyah’s help through [Arc Symbiosis]. It would definitely be a hard battle, though.

“And I believe that your nature as a pure arcane being is the very reason why you are able to… combine your power with her.” Bob glanced between myself and Fissyah.

She narrowed her eyes. “Are you saying I’m using Violet’s power like a magical artifact?”

“That is correct,” he said.

“Wait, are you saying that I’m a weapon?” If that was the case, I guess I was quite the effective weapon. Maybe next time we saw a monster, Fissyah could try bludgeoning it to death with me.

“The only downside to this is that you, yourself, cannot use artifacts,” Bob continued. “Just as you cannot use the power of a Dungeon Core. And just as you cannot use the Drasel’s magic.”

“That doesn’t seem very fair.” I crossed my appendages like they were arms.

“It is a balance. There are upsides and downsides. The upsides are as I said, your ability to harness the power of individuals. Your natural resistance to both magical and physical attacks alongside your natural regeneration. And, of course, your potential to surpass each and every one of us.”

“But the downsides are that I can’t use anything but arcane magic, I can’t use artifacts, and I can’t become a Dungeon boss like you?”

“It is only speculation and observation. I could be wrong, but I believe that is the case.”

“Well, it’s not like I wanted to be a Dungeon boss, anyways! Like, what do you even get from being holed up in a stupid cave?” I harrumphed— mostly in good fun.

“Being a Dungeon Master has its benefits,” the Lich Lord corrected me. “For one thing, the Dungeon Core grants you power you otherwise wouldn’t have.”

Fissyah raised a brow, and I gave him a curious look. Bob stepped back, spreading his arms wide. Behind him, the Skeleton Juggernauts rose to their feet. They stood in attention, and he laughed.

“I am a Lich Lord, but I was never a master of necromancy. In my life, I specialized in other schools of magic. But thanks to the power granted to me by the Dungeon Core, I am able to raise my own minions by the hundreds. And they are not mere frivol, either. If the Dark Empire ever finds my Dungeon, I assure you, they will have more than a little trouble exterminating me.”

“But weren’t you a part of the Dark Empire?” Fissyah asked, furrowing her brows. “What made you decide to become a Lich Lord?”

“It was when I realized I’d been lied to my whole life,” Bob said simply. “That the arcane is not a corruption. That it is not a descent to depravity. Rather, it is the unlocking of your true potential— of your soul.”

His expression changed. He wore a rather nostalgic look, even on his skull-like— or, just, skull— face.

“My master taught me that. He elucidated me to the truth. That we have been lied to, from the very beginning. That our beliefs were wrong. You see the truth too, don’t you, Fissyah?”

“I… think?” The girl shuffled her feet uncomfortably. “I don’t know if I ever believed anything the Dark Empire ever told me. But my Papa used to say that Gremlins were… monsters. He’d tell me stories about what they’d do. Warn me never to stray into the path of the arcane.”

“Perhaps this aversion to the arcane does not stem from the Dark Empire, but a relic of something even before that. Alas, the truth is suppressed. We will forever be pariahs. Shunned and hunted for what we are.” Bob hung his head, his melancholy evident.

I shrugged and waved an appendage off dismissively. “It’s not like we’re going to hang around the Hollowdark for long. We’re planning on leaving the Dark Empire— get to the surface. So, we don’t have to worry too much, right?”

“On the contrary, your nature as an Arcslime will surely attract unwanted attention, Violet.” The light in his eyes flickered. “I can see why Oblec is so afraid….”

“What’s he afraid of?”

Bob sighed. “Many things. Very many things. I do not know what they are, but ask yourself this: if an Arcslime truly is such an extraordinary creature, where are they now? Why haven’t I heard of them? Just what happened?”

“That’s… yeah, that is pretty ominous,” I agreed.

“It is wise of you to wish to seek refuge in the surface, Violet. However, you should always be on guard, no matter where you are or where you may be going. If not from monsters drawn to your nature as they are drawn to Dungeons, but from individuals who may seek to rid your kind from this world.”

“I see.” I nodded grimly, then paused. “Wait, what did you say about monsters?”

“That they are attracted to your abundance of Arcane Essence?” he repeated himself.

“Seriously? Is that why monsters keep attacking me?” That explained it all! It was no wonder I kept being attacked, even when unprovoked. I’d seen monsters leave each other alone before. But all of them always seemed to want a piece of me!

“I have imparted everything I could to the both of you,” Bob finally said, patting Fissyah on the shoulder before looking over at me. “All I can do now is wish you the best of luck.”

“Thank you, Lich Lord. We are very grateful.” Fissyah bowed her head, and I echoed the sentiment.

“Yeah, uhm, thanks for everything… Bob.” I held myself back from snickering at his name.

The Lich Lord smiled his toothy, faceless smile. “It is no problem. This is the least I could do for a friend.”

Lire bounced up and down before him.

“Alright, I guess it’s time for us to get going?” I started back to the throne room, but the Shrouded Slime stopped me.

She gestured at the Dungeon Core, and Fissyah gave it an inquisitive look. “What’s wrong?”

“Ah, she’s just trying to tell you that there’s an easier way out,” Bob said and placed a hand on the Dungeon Core once again. “Just stand right there, the three of you.”

“Uhm, ok?” I huddled close to Lire and Fissyah. The girl blinked, and the Shrouded Slime beamed.

The ground beneath us shone. A glowing circle appeared at our feet, reminiscent of the symbol etched around the broken altar in the throne room. I stared down at it as the light grew brighter.

Bob the Lich Lord waved at us. “It was nice to meet you both. Send my regards to Oblec, Lire. Farewell.”

“Nn,” Lire replied.

Then the world around us changed. Suddenly, we were no longer standing before the Dungeon Core. I found myself at the entrance of the Dungeon. Words flashed before me, telling me that I was no longer in the Dungeon.

[You have left the Lair of the Lich Lord.]

The three of us stood there in silence. We glanced between each other, surrounded by stalagmites and stalactites.

“He was nice,” I finally broke the silence. “Don’t you think so too, Fissyah?”

“I…” the girl trailed off.

“Is something wrong?” I peered at her.

She pulled something out from her pocket— a shimmering icicle. “I still have the Arctic Wand, Violet.”

“Oh.”

* * *

The Lich Lord sighed in relief as his guests were finally gone. He was glad to have had them— to have given them a tour around his lair which he’d worked so hard to furnish and decorate over the years. However, he also wasn’t the most social person.

He’d rather stay in isolation with his minions who listened to him and did what he wanted.

“That was exhausting,” he muttered as he sank back into his throne. “Now, I did what that annoying Gremlin wanted, he can’t complain about me stealing his Arctic Wand from him.”

Bob reached into his robes, pulling out… nothing.

“Wait, where is the Arctic Wand?”

* * *

“I’m sure it’s fine!” I reassured Fissyah as we headed away from the Dungeon.

Lire led the way. She knew the direction back to Oblec’s little hut, so Fissyah and I just followed her. We spoke casually, even as we walked through the dangerous Karhid Caves.

“Bob seems like he’s smart. He probably meant to give it to you.”

“I don’t know… I feel like he wouldn’t give me such a powerful artifact.” The girl pursed her lips. “Not after what he said about mastering more Skills.”

“Don’t worry about it. Worst case scenario, he’ll ask us to return it with a skeleton messenger.” We reached a tunnel leading away from the massive cave chamber.

Fissyah still didn’t look too sure of herself, but she acquiesced. “...I guess.”

As we continued on, I thought about what the Lich Lord said about me. It all sounded like it made sense. But… I knew something was off about his assessment. I really wasn’t sure what it was, but I knew he wasn’t completely correct. After all, he was making a lot of assumptions based only on our brief interaction.

For example, I wasn’t able to really connect with the Dungeon Core as he was, but I could still feel its magic. That must have meant something, right?

I wasn’t too sure, and I continued to mull over it until a rumbling nearly threw Fissyah to the ground. The earth shook as Lire quickly receded back to us. I looked up to see the ceiling of the tunnel burst open. A familiar undulating creature exploded out of the ceiling, facing us with a hungry look.

[Ravinecrawler - Level 36 (Combat Power: 1713)]

I stared at it for a moment. It let out a terrible roar, clearly focusing its gaze on us. Fissyah stumbled back towards me. I grabbed her, shouting.

“Fissyah, [Arc Symbiosis] now—”

The girl nodded and reached for me as well. We paused when nothing happened.

“Why isn’t it working?” she asked in a panicked voice.

I looked at my Status, and I understood why.

Name: Violet [Level 28]

Species: Arcslime

Combat Power: 1070

Arcane Essence: 520/1070

Skills:

[Appraisal - 10 Arcane Essence]

[Arc Shot - 20 Arcane Essence]

[Detached Body Manipulation - 40 Arcane Essence]

Passive Skills:

[Arcane Restoration - You restore 10 Arcane Essence for every ten minutes of rest.]

[Improved Absorption - You replenish an additional 50% of Arcane Essence from consuming bodies.]

[Morph Shape - Your body can take on complex shapes.]

Special Skills:

[Arc Symbiosis: Fissyah - 50% of Total Arcane Essence]

Titles:

[Destroyer of Fort Erkaed - Arcane Essence +50]

“I… don’t have enough Arcane Essence to cast [Arc Symbiosis],” I said, voice dropping. I had used too much energy fighting against Bob and the Skeleton Juggernaut before him.

Fissyah’s eyes grew wide. Lire squeaked. Our only chance of victory was crushed as the Ravinecrawler charged us, and I screamed.

“Run!”