Not to mention the intimacy between them, so close that only one step remained to cross the line, even just based on Fron's strength, insight, and analytical ability, if he said so… then there was definitely some abnormal situation occurring.
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Fron looked suspiciously at the short sword in his hand. After clenching and unclenching his fist, he showed slight surprise.
"The feeling of cutting monsters… it's a bit off. Their armor feels harder. Maybe it's just because I've gotten too strong. If it weren't for my powerful mental strength, I might not have noticed it at all!"
"Pfft." , The atmosphere, originally one of serious combat, was instantly broken by Fron's words.
Ryu's beautiful face twisted slightly, and Asfi stifled a laugh with an odd look in her eyes.
For him to say something so shameless in such a calm tone, wasn't he afraid of angering everyone?'
Didn't he notice Goddess Artemis glancing back at him again and again?
Only Hermes found Fron not just powerful but also humorous, his kind of person, indeed.
Unaware of the impression he had left on the others, Fron maintained steady breathing and hung quietly at the rear of the group, stroking his chin in thought.
'The monsters' armor hardness has increased by at least one-fifth compared to yesterday. And this is after just one night. What exactly happened? Could it be… "Antares," after absorbing the forest's life force, is really capable of self-evolution while mass-breeding monsters?'
His gaze flickered, and an urgent feeling welled up in his heart.
The ceiling may be low, but evolution is still evolution. For adventurers from Orario like them, it was trivial, but… if the surrounding villages or ordinary people encountered these monsters, it would be catastrophic!
Thinking of such terrible consequences, Fron's expression darkened.
"Let's speed up. We must eliminate Antares quickly. We absolutely cannot allow it to spread disaster any further."
"Understood!" With Artemis leading the way, the group ran lightly across the stone bridge and arrived at the gate of the ruins.
The ruins as a whole resembled a pyramid-like temple structure. Weathered by time, the stone surfaces were covered with moss and climbing vines. A heavy aura seeped faintly from within, proving the weight of ages.
"This emblem…"
On the temple's gate was engraved the mark of a bow pointing diagonally toward the sky.
"This is…" God Hermes lifted the brim of his hat with his finger, staring at the emblem that couldn't be more familiar, then glanced at the goddess beside him.
"From the ancient era… the scar left behind by the great spirits who sealed Antares."
Speaking softly, Artemis stepped forward, raising her hand to caress the lines on the stone gate. It was as though she could feel, across time, the tragic determination of the great spirits who sacrificed themselves to seal Antares.
"Artemis, now isn't the time to be sentimental. Monsters are still chasing us from behind." Hermes, also a god, quickly reminded her. From the far end of the stone bridge came a dense "rustle rustle" sound, making his scalp tingle.
"I know." With that, Artemis closed her eyes, releasing the solemn majesty of a goddess.
That instant of dignity and sacred gravity caused Fron's expression to shift slightly. His golden eyes narrowed, and within his heart it was as if a stone had been dropped into still water, rippling outwards.
'The domain of the gods, huh…' He longed to see that scenery, his ambition burning.
Click, click, click…
The temple's mechanisms resonated with the goddess's presence, and the heavy stone gate slowly opened.
Then, in the next moment, a horrifying scene shocked all of them, including Fron.
The once wide stone passage had been entirely transformed into a breeding nest of monsters. The revolting sight was enough to make even the most experienced first-class adventurers frown.
"So this is the truth of their infinite propagation? After breaking its seal, it didn't rush to break out of the temple. Instead, it secretly gathered strength, using the life force it absorbed from the outside world to mass-produce its spawns. This scene… must be the truth."
Asfi's and Ryu's pupils shrank to needle points, while Artemis's beautiful face also grew grim.
"It parasitized an entire temple? To birth monsters like this…"
The grotesque idea of monsters birthing more monsters brought to Asfi's mind the horrors of the 24th floor, the Evilus, Violas, Jewel Fetus… She quickly turned to the silent Fron, her gaze demanding an answer.
"No, this isn't the work of that thing. Unfortunately, though it's not her, as an ancient monster, Antares shares certain traits with her, namely, proliferation. What's even worse… it has a subtle mechanism of self-evolution."
"What do you mean?"
Fron shrugged.
"What I mean is, if you attack it with fire, then attack it with fire again, you'll find its resistance to fire has increased. Unless your attack is powerful enough to exceed its endurance limit, repeating the same type of attack will gradually become ineffective."
"That's what I meant earlier when I said something felt off on the way here."
"You're saying it selectively evolves based on our attack patterns?"
"Exactly. But don't worry, its evolution has limits. It will never surpass Level 3."
[T/N: No, I just found this odd, he's saying it won't exceed Lv.3, but it required great spirits to sacrifice themselves to seal this monster.]
With keen insight, analytical skills, and vast experience, Fron spoke with certainty.
"Level 3, huh… With you here, that's not an insurmountable disaster."
Gurgle, gurgle…
Just then, a strange, squirming sound came from behind.
Everyone turned quickly, just in time to see the temple's surface, covered in living red flesh, rapidly sealing off the passageway.
Fron raised an eyebrow, completely unfazed, even showing a faint smirk.
"Interesting. This ability to alter the environment and create a domain… it feels strangely familiar."
Hermes lowered his hat brim, eyes narrowing.
"You mean the 24th floor being transformed into a Violas breeding ground, the 'pantry' incident?"
"Exactly. Which means… the monster's goal is now clear. For some reason, it doesn't want us to approach its true body."
Ryu's blue eyes fixed on the monster eggs hanging from the ceiling. She spoke sharply, cutting to the heart of it.
"Then all we need to do is fight our way through."
So simple, yet it returned to the essence.
Fron smiled. As expected of an elf. Even when facing such bizarre battlefield conditions, she remained calm and unshaken.
As expected of Gale!
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T/N: First bonus chapter for crossing 450 power stones; will post the second bonus chapter in some time~