"The Palace of Gluttony, huh?" Spark muttered behind his mask. "Let's see what await us here."
He took a step forward. Surveying the colossal, decaying structure. This wasn't merely a ruin. If the legend was true, it was a monument to excess and its consequences.
The sheer scale of the place was baffling. It spoke of a civilization that had collapsed. Leaving behind nothing but a colossal, poisoned husk. This was exactly the kind of place to find unique treasures.
"Alright, formation!" Spark's command cut through the oppressive silence. He didn't need to elaborate. His team knew the drill. They were no longer amateur. They had been honed by many dangerous excursions in the previous two labyrinths.
Lilith pulled out her [Life Observing Spyglass]. She put it to her eye. Sweeping the vast, crumbling expanse. Her blonde hair was tucked under a hood. Her slight movements were all fluid and silent.
"No immediate danger for creatures around us, Master. However, every single creature I saw here is poisonous." Her tone was professional now. Devoid of the earlier awe.
Scarlett knelt briefly. Her dark-red hair was a striking contrast to the shades of grey and green colors around there.
She opened a small, ornate cylinder. A swarm of her gu-insects buzzed out. Green, chitinous, and unsettling. Insects she especially prepared for poisonous area like that place.
They spread rapidly. Tiny scouts darting into cracks and crevices. Sensing the hidden dangers.
She activated her [Celestial Treasure Radar]. It hummed faintly in her hand. "Passive readings, Master. No treasure nearby. But the radar is picking up faint energy signatures. The direction and distance are still indeterminable."
Melody held the [Witch Doll of Fortune]. Its tiny cotton hand slowly swiveled. Pointing east. Deeper into the ruins. A faint, golden glow emanated from its button eyes.
"Fortune points that way, Master. A strong pull." She said and pointed to the same direction.
Not far from her, Serenade held the [Witch Doll of Misfortune]. It vibrated subtly. Its arm twitching towards a jagged, collapsed section of wall to the north. A sickly, reddish glow pulsed around its button eyes.
"Misfortune warns against the northern sector, Master. I assume it is related to the high probability of collapse. Or other unknown danger." Serenade stated. Her tone was measured. Her movements were graceful even in this desolate place.
Ivy, the smallest in size among them, was hunched over a tablet-like object. The [Labyrinth Chart]. Her eyes meticulously checked the automatically generated map. Adding notes and data for unrecorded things there.
"I'm logging our entry point, Master. The map is updated. We'll have a clear path back, no matter how deep we go." Her short brunette hair framed her face. Her concentration was absolute.
Spark grunted approval. "Let's follow Fortune's direction then. Maintain vigilance. This place feels a trap waiting to spring."
He preferred direct, uncomplicated confrontation. But caution was prudent, especially in an environment so inherently hostile.
They moved deeper. Following the Fortune doll's persistent direction. The ruins twisted and turned. Sometimes, they were outside. Next moment, they were inside. Broken parts of the building were everywhere.
Their exploration revealed corridors of grotesque statues. Depicting bloated figures gorging themselves. Vast dining halls with tables of petrified, decaying food. And strange, bubbling fountains of green-black fluid.
The air grew thicker with the scent of decay. The masks still filtered the poison. But it could only barely filter the stench.
Then, just as the golden glow on the Fortune doll's button eyes intensified, they entered a vast, cavernous chamber. It was less a room. And more a natural grotto. Carved out of the stones of the palace.
Lush, alien plants were glowing with phosphorescent green light. They clung to the damp walls.
In the center, there was a crystal sphere. Resting on a pedestal of twisted roots. It shimmered with an inner light, depicting a miniature, vibrant landscape within. Definitely a treasure.
But the treasure was not unguarded.
From the shadows, amorphous blobs of greenish-black slime oozed forth. They pulsed and shifted. Leaving trails of corrosive residue on the stone. Corrosive Slimes.
"Slimes!" Ivy's voice was sharp. "Stay clear! Their touch is highly corrosive. And their only weakness is their cores… They're tiny, just a bit bigger than a marble. Located deep within their mass."
Spark saw them. Dozens of them. Ranging from the size of a cow to that of a small rat. Their forms were indistinct. Constantly flowing. Making them difficult targets.
And if an attack hit anywhere but the core, the slime would merely split. Duplicating both the problem and the danger. Melee was a death sentence here.
"Ranged engagement!" Spark bellowed. His command echoing in the chamber. He pulled out his Hellfire Rifle from his technomind space. "Target the cores! Melody! Serenade! Use the Lantern and the Flag! Keep the support!"
Melody took a lantern and lit it with her soulcraft energy. A soft, warm light emanated from it. Expanding into a sphere around the group. It was the [Lantern of Freedom].
Within the radius of its light, the negative status effect of the ruins seemed to lessen. Any de-buffs and lingering toxic effects from the general environment were instantly purged.
Serenade took out the [Flag of Victory] and a black bamboo pole. And planted it. The banner unfurled. Shimmering with dim light.
It was still not really complete due to the missing 'real pole'. However, its presence immediately invigorated the team. Giving significant boost to their speed, accuracy, and mental clarity.
Ivy had already produced her grenade launcher. Its barrel was loaded with specialized alchemical grenades.
Bang! Her first shot whistled and detonated in a burst of arcane energy. One that splattered a large slime. Disrupting its form. And producing luminous light that shined bright. Illuminating the slimes' body all around it.
"My illumination grenade could make the cores more visible. But we still need core hits!" She said.
Lilith drew her Tri-Element Handgun. Nimble and quick. She began firing rapid, precise shots.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
One moment it was a blast of freezing ice bullet. The next was a searing flame bullet. And then it was a bullet imbued with crackling jolt of lightning. Each shot was aimed with deadly accuracy. Seeking out the elusive cores.
She moved with effortless grace. Dashing a few feet to the left with [Light Speed] to gain a better angle. Shooting the slimes. Then reappearing on the right with [Blackhole Blink] magic. Peppering the other slimes.
Bullet types didn't seem to matter for the slimes. As long as the core got hit, they died.
Scarlett used her eldritch handgun. Joining the volley. Her shots were less about speed and raw power. But more about unsettling precision.
Her gu-insects was buzzing with a low hum of anticipation. They weren't that useful in this battle. Unless she was willing to sacrifice them by sending then to attack the cores. Which she didn't feel it was that necessary.
Spark also methodically fired his Hellfire Rifle. Each shot was a concentrated bullet of explosive black fire. He targeted the larger slimes first. Aiming for their more protected cores. Which glowed faintly within their gelatinous bodies.
BANG! BANG!
His shots were devastating. Sometimes vaporizing the entire slimes if he hit the core precisely. But the slimes were tricky. Their constant shifting made hitting the small cores a challenge.
One of his shots missed a core by an inch. Hitting the slime's side. The creature jiggled violently. Then split into two smaller, identical versions of itself. Each now had its own core.
"Damn it!" Spark muttered. Reloading. This was going to be a long grind.
The slimes were slow, however. They oozed towards the team with agonizing sluggishness. Giving Spark and his women time to reposition. And line up more accurate shots.
Melody's music kept them sharp. Increasing their focus and accuracy. Serenade's part produced a deeper, more resonant harmony. Subtly slowing down the slimes even further. And weakening their resilience. Making their cores slightly easier to damage.
The air filled with the smells of burnt slime and the acrid stench of their corrosive essence. The collective firepower of the team was high.
They rapidly whittled down the horde. Each successful core hit resulted in a satisfying pop. And a shower of green goo.
It took time to clear off the whole slimes. Patience was key. They stood their ground. Maintaining distance. Constantly firing. Constantly tracking.
The numbers of slimes dwindled. Finally, the last, tiny, splitting slime was obliterated. Its core was bursting into a puff of noxious vapor. The chamber was silent once more. Save for the dripping of corrosive residue and their breathing.
"Cleared, Master." Lilith announced the status. Placing her handgun back to her technomind space.
"Good work!" Spark replied. Nodding in satisfaction. He scanned the chamber again. Ensuring no hidden slimes remained.
Ivy immediately moved towards the residual slime puddles. She pulled out a set of specialized vials and scoops the corrosive liquid.
"This mucus… it's highly potent. Excellent for enhanced poisons, or even anti-corrosion agents if properly refined." She whistled. Already envisioning the possibilities.
Scarlett, too, collected samples.
"I want to run some tests, Master. See if I can imbue my gu-insects with this resistance. Imagine an army of insects that can ignore acid or produce one." Her eyes gleamed with a morbid curiosity.
Spark let them do what they want. He, instead, approached the pedestal. The crystal ball on it pulsed with soft light. It was beautiful. Exquisite. Quite an anomaly in this decaying place.
He pulled out his [Goggles of Appraisal]. The lenses whirred. Focusing on the artifact. A data window popped into his vision.
[Object: Garden Globe]
[Type: Artifact Fragment (1/5)]
[Quality: Legendary (incomplete)]
[Characteristics: Super Tough]
[Characteristics: Expanded Space (sealed)]
[Characteristics: Life Support (sealed)]
[Characteristics: Environmental Adjustment (sealed)]
[Characteristics: Temporal Adjustment (sealed)]
Spark grunted. "Legendary, but incomplete. Five pieces were needed, it seems."
He wasn't disappointed. An incomplete legendary artifact suggested immense potential once fully assembled. The characteristics listed, even when sealed, were intriguing.
Expanded Space, Life Support, Environmental Adjustment, Temporal Adjustment... These were powerful capabilities. He wondered how they would manifest once the object was completed. Hopefully, all fragments could be collected from the ruins.
The Palace of Gluttony seemed to hold far greater treasures than he imagined. His lips curved into a faint, predatory smile.
This Ruined Palace of Gluttony was about to give up its secrets. And its wealth.