Chapter 7 Pure demon and the four mighty Heroes

“OI you bastard we missed you man, how come you didn’t even say hi after you arrived…”

Said Shiki smiling as always.

“Hah I was distracted with the dungeon over there I totally forgot to pass by.” I said.

“Well you really did disappear, I mean even for training you should have at least came to the school Kaori over here was ‘dying’ to see you again.” Said Shiki in a teasing tone.

Blushing in a cute way Kaori said

“I-I was not dying to see anyone…it is nice to see you again Asura-san…it’s been a long time”

“Nice to meet you again Kaori-san. Well I still need some explaining Shiki. How did you manage to score a place in the tournament?”

Shiki puffed his chest and in a prideful tone he started recalling what happened.

It seems that he challenged all five of the best seniors at Albion. And because of his status they could not refuse. I mean he is the heir to the thunder beast clan.

Although he was beaten to a pulp by four of them. He still managed to score a win against a water user. Due to the counter effect and advantage a lightening user has over the other guy. He managed to score a hard earned victory. Although he still suffered for a while due to the fact that the water user started using pure water that does not conduct electricity. But pure water needs massive amounts of mana and it became a war of attrition before the other 'guy' lost all his power and abandoned the fight.

We were walking toward an open ground where there were multiple tables with students sitting at and food was being served. I first taught this was a survival camp and the students were needed to bring their own food. But it appears that the school only accounts survival for the ability to fight monsters and not securing basic needs…

Sitting at an empty table there was me and Shiki and Kaori who said that Nassi will be joining us shortly.

Before I could sit I noticed that shorty was looking for something. Right when our eyes met he started walking toward us. It seems that we were what he was looking for.

Before he could get to us a blond girl sat down right next to me. I know this girl, she is the one that visited me at the hospital and if I remembered correctly she is the one who I somehow managed to share the same dressing room with her…now that I think of it, I should have checked for the sign that said that this was a girl dressing room…embarrassing.

Isn’t she Shiki’ sister?

Shiki then said.

“Oh Haruka don’t you want sit next to Onii-chan?”

“S-shut up who would want to sit next to you idiot (Baka)…”said the fidgeting Haruka.

Teasingly said Shiki

“Oh that hurts my feelings…I didn’t think that you preferred Asura that mush over me I feel lonely…”

“W-what…”

Before she could finish Nassi was standing next to the table with his hands behind his back starring intensely at Shiki. Then said.

“Hello everyone ah hello Haruka-san good to see you again…Hey Asura... Say Shiki…you don’t happen know what happened to Manamia-sensei’s bra do you?”

What a shocking question right next to both the girls and shamelessly stated…this guy is rude beyond reason…still the same

“w-what…why would you be asking me …” said Shiki with a bit of sweat hanging from his forehead….guilty.

“Don’t fool around you are the only one (idiot) who could do something like that… and I think she is on to you. You better prepare for what is coming.”

“You are the worst Onii-chan…” said the cute sister…

“The worst…”coldly said by Kaori who lifelessly stared at Shiki.

I was going to ask if it was worth it…but seeing the look on the girls I refrained and with my past records… I should probably stay out of this.

Then Shiki said.

“Common you have to trust me on this…and how come you said that she was on to me …”

Nassi interjected furiously

“Because this whole god dammed place is monitored if you remember we are close to the borders and if by chance something wrong happened here the crystals keep record of the incidents…”

“Ah dam...it’s going to be hard getting around this … but if push comes to shove it was god dam worth it. You know she is a G-cup I mean where can u ever see a size that large…”

Right after he finished his sentence everyone on the table looked at him with even more disgust and pushed their chairs a bit further away from Shiki as if avoiding a sickly person with a contagious disease.

Clapping his hands a teacher came to the gathering .saying that food will be served and that students will have 30 minutes before getting back to their training. I believe that the schedule of the training camp begins afternoon and students are free to do whatever they want the morning.

The lunch was rather …simple if not ordinary. Few roasted vegetables with a meat portion nothing to satiate hunger but it’s better than nothing…I believe that this is the reason why I saw kids cooking food this morning it seems that school encourages the students to prepare themselves but will help in a minimal way those who cant.

Eating and chatting at the table I passed a good time getting to know the others. Some bickering and teasing from everyone around the table only further strengthened their bond.

The teacher came back after 30 minutes and clapped his hands again. This time the servants took all the food from the tables and another teacher came by and guided everyone to their training ground. I was heading that way when I was stopped by Sraam-sensei… it seems he likes creeping behind people.

He said that I needed not to concern myself with this and I should further dive into the dungeon. I gladly accepted after knowing that the training will only be some running and rock climbing which I can manage with extreme ease.

It seems that only Shiki is exempted from the training because he is already qualified for the tournament and he too has access to the dungeon he told me that he couldn’t break through the arena floor because it seems that he loses a lot of energy before getting to the arena floor and ends up losing before opening the right door.

It appears that once you lost you will have to repeat the entire thing. Then the exhaustion takes its toll on the body and one cannot do the dungeon more than few times because of fatigue. Shiki took time from his try in the morning to recuperate and retry again after lunch.

I was teleported this time with the help of Sraam-sensei and instantly appeared in front of the already opened door to the third floor. Sraam-sensei wished me luck and the door closed behind me.

…

The hallway was the same as before with bluish stones. Walking further down, I noticed a spiral staircase leading downwards. I rushed downwards until I got to the bottom of it. There a corridor extended with multiple knight like statues at the sides. They looked like they would come to life if I move forward.

And like I feared (expected) they did. Their eyes flickered and shone in deep red. They grabbed their weapons and started chasing me.

Wrecking trough them I made my way. Nothing to hard just few metal heads easily taken down with one hit. But it appears that a mage would find this difficult as I have tried the same freezing spell that the white haired girl uses trying to freeze them and pass without fighting was rather ineffective. They managed to brake trough the layer of glass and kept chasing. I had to use the third form of my sword and thoroughly destroy them.

After that there were some puzzles and few traps that were easily bypassed.

The problem was the fourth floor. The door had no teacher guarding it. Neither did it have a guardian of any type. I pressed forward pushing the door up from a handle it had on its bottom.

The door squeaked while getting raised.

Only to find another corridor leading downwards. This dungeon is rather big as I am sure that at least a couple hours were spent moving from floor to floor.

This time I started hearing water moving. It seems that there is a waterfall in this floor probably the water from the lake is passing through here.

The room I entered was wide with a dark roof and a stone circular platform in the middle. Around the stone platform was a small water current. The platform had two bridges. One linked to where I came from the other was linked to probably the exit or the passage to another floor.

And there it was… a reason to go back. One giant snake sleeping next to the waterfall that poured water to reinforce the current around the platform. It was easily 30 meters long and with a 3 meter diameter.

The snake somehow picked up at my presence and readied itself to fight.

With a gaze of its golden eyes my body almost froze.

"WARRIOR ART, Control RELEASE” I used this skill to enhance my willpower and remove all de-buffs. It worked unlike last time against Osfor-sensei’s paralyze magic.

This snake is troublesome, it gave me a hard time dealing with it. Whenever I tried to engage in combat it would just jump down the stream and hide attacking only from the other side.

Its main attack was a water bullet that could blow a hole in the stone platform. Why didn’t the teachers at least have one to guard the entrance? This monster is clearly dangerous.

I once managed to land a hit on it. But its scales are covered in a slime like substance the sword completely deflected from it.

Then I used the white girl’s magic, Ice magic and froze the entire stream. Tis put a stop to the snake as half its body was submerged and the other half was still above water level. Making things easier this way I activated the special ability of my sword’s desert snake form.

The sword after it turned into a chain with a needle tip was sent to coil around the body of the snake.

Activating the special ability of that form the linked shards started to spin fast enough that the wailing and screaming of the snake was only translating how damaging that attack has been.

After few agonizing moments the snake was torn in half. The upper part struggled and wiggled a bit then laid lifelessly on the ground as the snake’s eyes lost all signs of life.

This monster unlike the ‘test ‘creatures is not a summon monster. This is an actual living beast that somehow found its way down here. Beasts and sacred beasts usually have a core inside their body that they normally use to gather mana in it.

An animal that is influenced by natural mana for long periods of time will become a beast. Beasts are the evolution of the same type of animal like this snake here it must have been a grass snake before et evolved into something like this. Sacred beast however are beasts that have managed to survive thousands of years they evolve into their ultimate form. Even then these sacred beasts have ranks.

King rank and emperor rank and god rank. Like Osfor sensei’s pet it must have been a king rank. As for this snake it haven’t passed the threshold of a normal sacred beast. To climb from a king rank to an emperor rank is unimaginably hard. Although I knew from Master that a god rank sacred beast was never spotted he said that he believed that they do exist. They only didn’t need to mingle with petty humans. I wonder if that guy from beyond the void is a sacred beast and if he is…what rank?

Ripping away its body I found its core an ocher looking bead which was rather large sized. About two fist sized.

I believe if this snake was able to live few more centuries it would have undoubtedly became an Imoogi. A king ranked sacred beast. Probably a low ranked one due to its weak foundation as it only evolved from a grass snake that are considered harmless compared to its other more dangerous family members.

Continuing away and walking through the exit. I was welcomed with another door. Opening it the passage this time was pitch black.

Using a flame spell I illuminated the way down. It started to get creepy as I have yet to meet another teacher.

The way this time was rough and not easy to traverse with stones and derbies everywhere. I would not be surprised if I find the exit of this tunnel to be caved in.

Well that was not the case as the exit was rather cleared. My right eye flickered and a feint glow illuminated for a second a small statue next to me. I closed my distance to it to find a kneeling looking woman. Her hand was raised and palm was open.

There was an incomplete magic circle drawn on her palm. It was small and complex. But I somehow managed to see the complete formula as the incomplete parts started to be filled with golden writings.

Weird… the problem was that only the statue was visible to me as the light from my flame failed to illuminate the entire area.

Looking back at the statue I noticed that the golden writings disappeared. And only an incomplete bluish colored Mahojin was left.

Still remembering the magic text and symbol that was written there I decided to attempt and fill in the blank with my own mana. Rewriting all the missing words finished in a surprise.

The statue’s eyes shone and a flame ignited from its palm. Right after that the entire hall was illuminated with multiple torches hanged to the walls flaming simultaneously.

At first I noticed that the hall was a big empty square. With nothing but random broken statues and nothing of interest. It seemed that this was the last floor of the dungeon.

But then few tills on the floor started spreading away opening a passage and showing a staircase leading downward. It seems that my adventure has yet to end.

The pathway lost the small amount of light that it received once I walked deep enough but surprisingly some runic writings on the walls were emitting a feint glow of different colors making the path a bit easier to see. But nothing with magical power as if to say that they have lost their power a long time ago.

Arriving at another small door I heard the dragging of stones behind me. It appears that the entrance to this tunnel closed…troublesome.

The door had the same mechanism as the kneeling woman. Without a handle but an incomplete Mahojin at its center. I finished it with my own mana then the door opened in haste.

This time I was met with an already illuminated hall. But I felt a feint presence down here. Something old and probably not friendly…why would the administration let people go down here…I know it is for training purposes but what if someone gets hurt…like me…

The hall was long and large enough to fit three classrooms in it. At the sides there were four gigantic statues reaching 15 meters in height almost touching the ceiling. These statues were greatly made. There were details on them that cannot be found in modern day artwork and the passing of time seemed to not have caused them to decay. They were probably made with magic as to not lose their complexity and keep their excellence.

All four of them were knight looking humanoids the first to my right was holding a tower shield with a broad sword wearing a full plat armor covering his features from head to toe. The other one further away from the right was holding a mace with a chime on his other hand like a cleric wearing a leather like chest armor and a robe underneath it. The one on my left was holding a two handed Steel sword that he placed both his hands on top of its hilt and the tip of the sword was struck to the ground he was…shirtless his torso filled with scares and had bulging muscles all over it with a bald head. Barbarian looking...

The last one was a female looking warrior with pointy ears like an elf holding a bow…typical.

Her ‘features’ were carved rather nicely showing feminine charm that every girl would envy. She had a light leather looking armor protecting her body but strangely she had no quiver for the arrows.

They all had an incomplete magic circle on their chests. Thinking that they might come back to life and start attacking me I considered destroying them first but then I gave up the idea once I remembered that they will only activate if I write the magic circle myself. Leaving them there I cautiously continued my way down the hall.

There was a throne of some sorts at the end of the room made of stone without much decoration…whoever was owner did not seem to have any desire for material lavishness . It was empty and devoid from all signs of life.

What was that feeling that I got earlier…

At the right of the throne laid a 1 meter cone like crystal, it had a multitude of mana signs placed all over it.

One of them had the ‘smell’ of Osfor sensei. I believe that this is the capture point of the dungeon. If you insert your mana inside it you can safely teleport inside the dungeon floors. Handy.

Just like that I tried to reach the crystal when I heard the frightened voice of Osfor-sensei in my head.

“Asura-kun, ASURA-kun answer…”

“What, what telepathy?? What happened sensei, why are you screaming in my head?”

“No time to explain. Where are you right now?”

“Ah I believe that I am at the last floor of the dungeon I found the teleportation crystal and I’ll try to place my sign here to get back to surface why what is wrong?.”

“What the last floor? How come? No student is supposed to pass by the fourth floor…anyway you do that and hurry! It seems that the barrier has been breached and hordes of Gores are invading the school camp… the teachers are fanatically running trying to reduce the damage we requested an emergency transportation air ship to evacuate the students make sure you get here in time. I have a lot on my hands…and here I taught that I could get a day rest…”

“Ok I will be there I will try and get to you once I am out.”

“…”

What the hell is going on…?

***

‘Weird why did Osfor say that no student was allowed beyond the fourth floor …there was no teacher there anyway…well I’ll just have to leave this place putting my magic signal here will let the dungeon acknowledge me as a conqueror and let me teleport away from it.’

Right before I touched the crystal it crumbled and broke.

‘Well this is not good…it seems that I am hated by expensive looking crystals…’

Before I could finish that thought a black magic circle appeared beneath the empty throne.

Then a hand appeared…big burly and red…it was large and with claws to make it seem even scarier.

It grabbed the floor and pulled itself up.

What was next to appear were two long horns curving at the end Placed on top of an ugly looking face

The face looked intimidating with sharp fangs instead of teeth and long pointy ears…red eyes and a sharp nose. It looks like a monster of nightmares.

The creature pulled itself completely up from the black Mahojin.

It stood 4 meter tall and was ridiculously fit. With muscles bulging everywhere. On his left hand was a long and heavy looking spear that seemed to have been made from an unknown metal. An eerie aura seeped from it further increasing the pressure from this thing…it was undoubtedly demonic. And it gave the exact same feeling that my sword gave.

‘Good. a lesser pure demon.’

The creature spoke with an incomprehensible tong.

But I clearly understood what happened…it seems that this entire dungeon was made ages ago with the control of the teachers it was tamed. However when the crystal broke it seems that the dungeon regained its freedom and recalled its former guardian…why did this thing have to happen is for me to find out after I defeat this thing.

The creature seemed to have lost its patience because I failed to answer whatever gibberish he was spouting and decided to go for the offense.

The demon took a pose where he moved the spear with his right hand horizontally behind his side and taking a forwarded step with his left leg aiming with his left hand toward me and preparing to lunge himself toward me.

Time slowed down. With a speed far surpassing anything I ever witnessed the spear was in front of me.

Immediately using Shunpo to move away from the piercing blow the demon seemed perplexed because I dodged its initial charge. Repositioning itself it took the same stance.

Not falling for the same trick I activated the second form of my sword. He must have felt a connection to the sword because when I changed its form the Demon flinched.

Charging again at me I took note of his speed and sidestepped his lunge. I slashed diagonally from down left to upper right. The slash connected and took down his left arm. Screaming its lungs out the demon jumped backwards and reposition itself. It drew more aura from its spear and started spinning it with one hand. The second he stopped the spinning he slashed with his spear horizontally directing the slash at me.

The aura that was gathering earlier formed a horizontal slash and traversed the distance in a blinding speed. Again taking the easy way out I used Shunpo and closed the distance between me and the demon cutting away at his other arm and fully ignoring the slash that went past my original position and crashed on the door entrance behind me caving it in.

I have to admit that this new technique is almost similar to short distance teleportation it feels too easy to fight using it.

The demon still not believing what just happened. Kept wailing and screaming in the same incomprehensible voice. Kneeling down the demon brought its head close to my eye level. Perhaps giving up. The demon only groaned from pain losing all of his fighting spirit.

Ending its short lived life I brought my sword down on its neck. Where its head rolled a few meters away from its body. The demon took on fire after it was decapitated announcing its departure from this world.

The spear as expected was not vaporized.

‘Good it’s been long since I fed this blade’

“Feast.”

My blade changed its form into its scimitar form then the tip grew and shaped itself like a mouth and fully covered the spear munching and crushing it. My blade ‘ate’ the spear and added its demonic energy to its own.

“A good find. It’s been years since I last fed you. These type of demons are very hard to find. But I wonder why would it be here of all places?”

“Asura-Kun where are you… its getting out of hands here we can’t hold on any longer we need to use stronger spells and if you are still under the dungeon it might crash down on you I can’t seem to find you here tell me did you leave the dungeon yet?.” Osfor said with a concerned tone.

I answered rapidly

“Well some complication happened and the crystal broke before I could leave…a pure demon was summoned here. But don’t worry I took care of him…although the exit is blocked I don’t think I can leave back that way…”

“A pure demon!!? My boy how did you even beat it…well considering you are my and Greetman’s disciple it should be normal ke-ke-ke….well try teleporting out of the dungeon it should work now even if the crystal is destroyed, the dungeon guardian is killed, so it should be no different from a normal cave.”

“Alright I will try teleporting out of here.”

“…”

‘Hmm it seems to be hectic up there… well no time to dawdle around let’s just leave…ah wait…heheh why not try that…”

I walked back to the entrance where the four statues were standing. At first I hesitated to complete their circles fearing that they might attack but now that I can teleport away even if worst come to worst I can just leave.

Finishing the magic circle on the chest of the closest statue the female elf.

At first nothing happened….but after a moment its eyes shone blue and the statue looked at me then knelt.

A link was formed between me and the statue and I was able to immediately understand what they were.

These statues were supposedly sentinels assigned to this dungeon. They are ancient war artifacts that used to guard the life of their benefactor in this case the life of the one that granted them life.

They represent four heroes that have aided a great king in taking down a mighty demon. They lost their lives as to give the others a chance to live…true heroes in my opinion. Yet why elf? Aren’t elves supposed to be a myth…there never was an evidence of them ever existing…perhaps this was just the imagination of the sculptor who made these statues.

Adding features of his own…he must have been smoking some weed.

These statues somehow were placed here in order to keep the demons from leaving the throne room. If a summoned demon ever was to step close to them they will automatically activate and attack it. To keep it from leaving this room.

Activating the other sentinels I telepathically ordered them to get closer to the middle of the hall which they complied with without a problem. But before they could group they stopped working as I noticed that my mana was instantly depleted…they require an enormous amount of mana to move around …

Activating mana flux the sentinels were brought back to ‘life’.

This time however numerous runes were shining on their bodies.

Remembering the teleportation spell that Osfor-sensei usually uses. I added a bit of tweaks and modification to it to make it larger and enable it to teleport greater masses. In an instant we were all teleported away from that dark cave.