Chapter 20:
Chapter 20:
Phillip soared through the air, wielding his sword with expert precision.
The plummeting object collided with Phillip’s blade, but he couldn’t quite discern its nature.
It seemed like a conglomeration of discarded substances, yet in a split second, Phillip recognized what it truly was – a Dark Slime.
“Dark Slime? Wait, what’s happening?”
One half of the bifurcated Dark Slime lunged at Janice Morrela.
“Kyaaah!”
Janice let out a piercing scream as the sticky mass engulfed her face.
“Gulp! Help! Someone, help!”
As the gelatinous material squirmed its way into her nostrils, mouth, and ears, panic overcame her.
“Miss!”
Stephen and Cheryl cried out in alarm.
Phillip had beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He swiftly swung his sword towards the remaining half of the Dark Slime. In an instant, the divided pieces dissipated, leaving behind a putrid stench.
“This is bad. There must be a core over there.”
Phillip realized that the side of the Dark Slime covering Janice likely housed the core.
“What is this?”
Instructor Perak, who rushed to the scene, inspected Janice’s condition.
“… A slime?”
He quickly recited a healing spell, but before he could take further action, Phillip yelled.
“Stop!”
Perak attempted to block the swordsman’s blow with his staff, but his meager magical power was no match for the force behind Phillip’s strike.
Phillip swiftly conveyed the information to Instructor Perak, who seemed to be seeking an explanation with his curious gaze.
“It’s a creature that absorbs mana.”
Perak’s expression turned to one of surprise. “Really? Then, how do we deal with it?”
“Fire! We need to ignite a fire using pure human strength without relying on magic.”
His sense of anxiety grew.
The Dark Slime was a terrifying demon that only appeared in the latter part of the original tale. It was a race born from the hands of demons, not a natural occurrence. Known as the “Magic Crusher,” it was an unstoppable being, leaving its victims defenseless as they had no means to counter its powers.
If they didn’t eliminate it beforehand, it would consume the victim’s brain, absorbing their knowledge and experiences, and endlessly grow stronger.
This spelled Janice Morrela’s demise.
The optimal approach was to douse it in oil and set it ablaze. However, due to its ability to absorb magic, using fire spells was prohibited, and slashing at it with a sword was mostly ineffective because of its liquid-like form.
In haste, Phillip reached out towards the Dark Slime attacking Janice.
If he couldn’t create an opening for her to breathe, she would succumb to the creature before they could find a solution.
“Well, it seems I have no choice. Everyone, keep your distance from me. This creature doesn’t discriminate,” Phillip warned.
“Understood. Can you handle it?” Instructor Perak inquired and his voice was laced with concern.
Phillip nodded with determination. “I’ll find a way, no matter what.”
As his hand made contact with the Dark Slime’s body, a terribly corrupting energy surged through him.
Pushing himself to the limit, Phillip forced the Dark Slime to writhe in discomfort.
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“Good. Come this way.”
The demons had instilled only one instinct in the Dark Slime – the instinct to survive.
With its instinct driving the desire to survive at all costs and evolve into a better entity, the dark slime began to move relentlessly towards a more enticing energy source.
Had it possessed reason, it might have ended Janice’s life, seeing her as nothing more than captured prey. However, at that moment, it was just an inert mass of matter.
Philip felt the Dark Slime climbing up his arm, its aura more tantalizing than the magic wielded by Janice due to the aura he had accumulated.
A feeling of overwhelming fear and dreadful discomfort made his body tremble involuntarily.
The slightest misstep could mean the Dark Slime devouring his brain instead of Janice’s. Nevertheless, Philip remained steadfast.
“Come on, you little pest.”
He had recently realized the natural transformation of magic, a realization that gave him a chance against the Dark Slime. Ignoring the black liquid approaching his face, Philip focused his mind.
Opposed to the dark and wicked magic that composed the slime, he sought the power symbolizing purification and the end of evil – the direction pursued by the sacred book ‘Moonlight Sword.’
Soon, a faint shimmer emanated from Philip’s body, an ethereal glow akin to moonlight.
Philip sensed the desperate struggle of the Dark Slime, as it attempted to break free from his arm.
“Instructor!”
Just in time, Instructor Perak tossed a robe engulfed in flames – a potent and fiery weapon.
As the Dark Slime tried to fly towards Cheryl, almost instinctively, he caught the robe and rushed towards Phillip.
“Step back. It might target you.”
Maintaining composure, Philip restrained the squirming Dark Slime. With Cheryl taking a few steps back, he thrust his arm into the blazing flames.
The Dark Slime began to melt, emitting black and filthy smoke.
Philip did not withdraw his arm until the creature’s body was completely consumed by the fire.
Even with the aura protecting his arm, the sensation of burning pain lingered. By the time he pulled his arm out of the flames, the sleeve covering his skin had already turned to ashes.
“Phew….”
As soon as Phillip let out a sigh of relief, the dungeon began to tremble violently. It felt like an earthquake was underway.
“Sir… Sir Knight?”
“Everyone, run!”
Phillip urgently shouted. His keen instincts warned him that this place was on the verge of collapse.
Instructor Perak seemed to share the same realization as he looked at Phillip and asked, “You too, Sir Knight, move quickly!”
Without waiting for further instructions, Phillip sprang into action. With one arm, he lifted the unconscious Janice and firmly grasped Cheryl’s hand.
However, their response was just a moment too late.
Phillip sensed the ground beneath his feet cracking and instantly wrapped his arm around Cheryl’s waist.
If they attempted to rush forward, the ground would surely crumble. The foundation seemed too unstable to support the weight of all three of them.
“This is insane. Seriously.”
Letting out a deep sigh, he called out to Perak and Priscilla, “Take the students and get out of here right now. I’ll find a way to handle this.”
“Don’t talk nonsense! We must leave together!”
As Instructor Perak shouted with frustration, the ground beneath Phillip collapsed.
“Aaaah!”
Cheryl let out a sharp scream as she clung tightly to Phillip.
* * *
Janice Morrela slowly opened her eyes, feeling an excruciating headache.
‘… Am I still breathing? Am I alive?’
Her body moved, and her thoughts gradually became coherent. Though the surroundings were dim, she could see.
“… Ugh.”
As her consciousness returned, she was overwhelmed by the fear, helplessness, and despair she had experienced before losing consciousness. The terror of death was too heavy a burden for sixteen girls to bear.
“Sob… sniff…”
She wandered around, her voice trembling with sobs, and soon spotted Cheryl, who had been guarding her from nearby.
“Miss?”
“Cheryl?”
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“I-I think I’m okay… *sniffles* … Where are we?”
“We’re in the underground dungeon. The ground collapsed while you were unconscious.”
Suddenly, a sense of unease washed over Janice. Cheryl’s gaze seemed distant, and her voice betrayed an undeniable fear.
“What happened? How did this happen?”
Cheryl hesitated for a moment before answering, “Captain Phillip tried to protect us, but he ended up falling with us. He went to check the surroundings for safety, and then…”
“Well, people will come soon anyway. What’s the problem?”
“It’s not that simple. It seems like all the passages have collapsed. Even if the Academy sends a rescue team, it might not be easy to find this place.”
Janice realized they were not in a dungeon but a cave. Cheryl regained her composure, and on one side, the path was blocked while a passage leading deeper was on the opposite side.
‘Still… as long as the Instructor is here…’
Janice tried to maintain a positive outlook. She knew about Phillip. As an heiress to a prominent family, she couldn’t have remained oblivious to the notorious troublemaker among the nobles.
But she had never taken much interest in him.
Cheryl forced a nod in response to Janice’s words. Without Phillip in this situation, fear might have driven her to the brink of madness.
But Cheryl couldn’t bring herself to say it.
“I need to move. I’m a mage who can be of help to the Instructor. If I assist, the situation might improve.”
Janice stood up as she spoke. At that moment, she couldn’t help but wonder.
‘… Why is it so wet?’
Her lower abdomen felt strangely damp.
Janice couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
‘Me… Could it really be? No way, right? Me? Janice of the Morrela family?’
No matter how hard she tried to deny it, the reality before her remained unchanged. She sniffled, wiping her tears away. For someone who had always carried herself with grace, this situation was an unbearable blow to her pride.
“What’s troubling you, miss?”
“N-No, it’s nothing,” Janice replied, trying to hide her emotions.
Cheryl couldn’t help but notice the peculiar smell in the place. She suspected that Janice was trying to pretend not to know anything.
Appreciating Cheryl’s understanding, Janice nodded and suggested, “Let’s go.”
The two girls followed a short distance behind, trailing the path taken by Philip.
“Look, there’s blood,” Janice said, pointing to some stains in the middle of the place.
“It seems like the instructor shielded us with his body and got hurt. That’s probably why…”
Cheryl’s voice faltered as she struggled to hold back tears.
Janice felt a sense of urgency. While she was skilled in various magical arts, she had never learned healing magic, a specialized talent that was sorely needed at this moment.
Hastening their steps, the two girls soon caught up with Philip, who appeared to be facing something at the end of the cave, where it led into a large hall.
Janice couldn’t help but shiver involuntarily.
“What is that?” Cheryl asked, her voice trembling.
Philip turned to face the girls and urged them to stay back.
“Just stay right there.”
There was a rare solemnness in his voice.
Janice’s hand trembled as she pointed towards the unsettling sight before them.
“Instructor, what… what is that?”
The figure in front of Philip had a humanoid shape with thin, membranous wings and skin paler than any human’s.
Janice gasped in fear.
“A vampire… it’s a demon…”
He was a member of the demons that appeared in legends, a vampire.
Janice’s face turned pale with despair. If that creature truly was a vampire, then Phillip, Cheryl, and she herself were all doomed.
Vampires were held in similar regard as noble entities among the ranks of demons. They were said to be monstrous beings, feared even by the most powerful factions like the Aurum Knights and the Golden Arcanum Tower, who would never dare to confront them alone.
“Keek.”
The vampire grinned, exposing its gleaming white fangs. Janice clutched her staff with trembling hands.
‘This is troublesome.’
Phillip couldn’t help but think that. His body wasn’t in its normal state.
Though his bones remained intact and his organs undamaged, he suffered from various scratches and bleeding. It was as if he had presented all his weak points to the vampire before him.
The vampire’s ability to manipulate blood proved to be immensely potent against a bleeding opponent, earning it the title of a fearsome entity.
For an aura instructor like Phillip, it was less deadly, but the vampire effortlessly accelerated his bleeding using its blood manipulation abilities.
“Janice, Cheryl.”
Phillip called out to his students as he gripped his sword.
If the battle prolonged, he would be defeated. He needed to end it swiftly.
As a pure-blood vampire, he was virtually invulnerable to minor injuries; death was out of the question.
“I understand your desire to help, but please refrain from intervening. Stay still.”
Reluctantly, he had to resort to wielding the Moonlight Sword, a technique he had only recently mastered.
Unlike his usual steel blade, the sword now emitted a pale, moonlit glow instead of its original blue hue.
It marked the moment when the ancient swordmaster’s legacy, who was known as ‘Ottem,’ resurfaced in the world once more.
———-
Translator’s thought:- Hello everyone, Zenith here.
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