Chapter 579: Utmost Harvest (5k)
The glowing moss in the dungeon adjusts its brightness over time. By six to eight o’clock in the evening, the light gradually weakens, and after eight o’clock, it becomes extremely dim.
Students who enter the dungeon generally refer to this period as the twilight and night of the dungeon.
As twilight approaches, some nocturnal monsters begin to become active, significantly increasing the danger within the dungeon.
Professor Nina repeatedly mentioned in her “Beast Mastery” class that one must return to the safety zone before nightfall.
Even though the safety zone is not entirely safe, the mana markers release mana fluctuations that can drive away most monsters. Cooking here would not attract a monster attack.
Of course, she always read from her textbook each time.
Following the path he took before, Dak reached the third level and finally found the entrance to the fourth level just before twilight.
Due to the approaching twilight, more people were returning to the safety zone.
At the entrance to the fourth level, several small groups sat around, some eating and chatting loudly, others setting up campfires with branches they had collected.
Regardless of whether they were preparing for night travel, everyone needed to eat at mealtime to replenish their energy.
In the middle of the field was a mana marker in the form of a statue holding a candelabra. The candles on the candelabra burned continuously, casting a soft glow that elongated the shadows of those around.
…
The atmosphere inside and outside the entrance was completely different.
Dak stepped in, and his entire body relaxed instantly.
Although he knew he still needed to be cautious within the safety zone, he couldn’t help but let his guard down slightly.
The students who arrived earlier turned their heads to look at the newcomer and then resumed their quiet discussions.
Today was the first time the second-year students entered the dungeon for an adventure, making someone like Dak, who adventured alone, relatively rare.
But his appearance was well-known throughout the academy, so seeing him would evoke a sense of familiarity. After a moment’s thought, they recognized him.
A person who could win the mana duel championship from first to third year naturally didn’t need others to worry about him.
This was only the fourth level of the dungeon.
Dak’s mood eased as he brought his golems closer to the mana marker and sat down after completing his collection nearby.
In the third level, he had gained quite a lot.
Although he still hadn’t found any trace of the “Holy Sword,” he successfully found two treasure chests.
If this were known, it would make anyone envious.
The first treasure hunt still relied on the “Treasure Olfaction” of the “Greed Slime I,” but he didn’t find a chest; instead, he discovered a special crystal ore unique to the dungeon.
The powder made from this crystal ore is essential material for crafting “Dungeon Storage Boxes,” but due to its abundance, it can be bought cheaply in Traveler’s Street.
After careful consideration, Dak confirmed that it wasn’t worth wasting his storage space and discarded it.
Then, relying again on the “Greed Avarice” of the “Greed Slime II,” he found another treasure chest.
This chest was hidden in a very concealed L-shaped alley, guarded by a five-star monster.
However, after the Lion Beast killed the monster, Dak managed to obtain the chest.
Inside the chest was a fist-sized pearl.
The pearl was crystal clear, containing something tiny, akin to a biological embryo inside.
After careful observation, Dak confirmed that this was a special item called a “Bio Pearl.”
Its structure resembled amber fossils, with the biological embryo-like substance inside potentially carrying all the genetic information of a specific species.
Bio Pearls were extremely rare.
Their value varied greatly depending on the species contained within them.
To ordinary people, they were merely expensive collectibles, but in the hands of a Magus, they were “Life Codes.”
Magi could use bio pearls to recreate the species inside through research and by conjuring golems.
Some directional conjure formulas for extinct ancient species were developed using this method.
Dak felt like he had hit the jackpot and immediately activated his “Eye of Truth” to inspect it. He was even more delighted to discover that the bio pearl in his hand was actually worth more than a “Mana Dropper”!
So he promptly placed it in the center of his bag, carefully concealing it.
Afterwards, he did not stop and pulled out another “Greed II”—he had two “Greed II” cards.
Under the influence of the second “Greed II,” the “Trash Slime” evolved again into “Greed Slime I,” triggering its “Treasure Olfaction.”
As a result, near the first chest, there was actually a hidden door.
After solving the puzzle, Dak found the second chest inside the hidden room!
This second chest was enormous, measuring two meters high and three meters wide. It took the Lion Beast wielding the Holy Sword to successfully split it open.
Dak almost thought it contained a giant Treasure Box Monster.
In reality, the chest contained only a wooden carving.
The carving was about twenty centimeters tall, depicting a seated human figure with a hint of a divine statue. However, Dak did not sense any divine aura similar to that of the Moon Statue.
He knew he had encountered a knowledge barrier and used his “Eye of Truth” directly for evaluation.
In the perspective of the “Door to Truth,” the wooden carving was valued somewhere between the Worm Tree and the Grass Cat Plant.
That meant it was slightly more valuable than the crescent pendant.
…
Dak sat down
Afterwards, he took out a palm-sized notebook from his bag to summarize the gains of the afternoon.
Excluding the materials obtained from hunting monsters and the special herbs found and collected along the way.
Then, he sorted them according to their value as determined by the “Eye of Truth,” from lowest to highest:
① Magic Drill (20);
—
[Insect Tree]
② Crescent Pendant;
③ Bottled Potion;
④ Wooden Carving;
[Grass Cat Plant]
[Mana Dropper]
⑤ Bio Pearl;
“Should I say that it’s truly befitting of a treasure drawn from a treasure chest?”
A hint of joy appeared on Dark’s face.
Was there anything more refreshing than tallying up one’s spoils?
Just in the first three layers of the dungeon, he had found five treasure chests, and among these chests was even a rare item like the “Bio Pearl.”
He could hardly wait to find out what kind of monster’s genetic information was recorded in this bio pearl.
“Is it the classic Minotaur, or perhaps the Cocksnake or Sucking Spirit? Or maybe something even deeper within the dungeon?”
The dungeon was a whole, so it wasn’t entirely impossible for a “Bio Pearl” obtained from the third layer to contain genetic information of monsters from deeper levels.
More importantly, its value surpassing that of the “Mana Dropper” fueled Dark’s fantasies.
After completing his阶段性总结, Dark took out some dry rations to share with the golems.
This time, he did not spend much time on food research and simply purchased compressed biscuits from the cafeteria.
A compressed biscuit, about an inch thick and an inch wide, contained all the nutrients needed for a day.
Although the taste was rather ordinary, the key advantage was its portability.
Adventure was not a picnic; there were no luxuries.
Of course, if one had a “Dungeon Storage Box,” they might bring food to cook inside the dungeon.
For example, the trio near the campfire…
Dark took a bite of the biscuit and couldn’t help but look over.
It was a trio consisting of two women and one man. The man was responsible for tending the fire and adding wood, while the women managed the pots, simmering various ingredients as if cooking a hot pot.
The aroma emanating from the pots was mouthwatering.
Dark sniffed the fragrance and secretly decided that he must create a large “Dungeon Storage Box” someday!
Then, he could set up a paradise in the safe zone and have a grand celebration with the golems.
How delightful would that be?
—
An hour later, Dark regrouped and set off from the safe zone.
To ensure safe nighttime adventuring, he specially summoned the “Spiritual Illusionary Worm.”
“Break Illusion Pupil” and “Morning Dies at Night” were the ultimate skills of the “Illusionary Worm,” but it also served as a lighting device!
With only two stars, the “Illusionary Worm” consumed limited mana, was small in size, could fly, emit light, and occasionally break illusions and concealment, making it a household necessity for magi.
One could say that the professors’ choice of it as the first directed formulation for students was not without reason.
When Dark set out again, it was already past seven o’clock. The light inside the labyrinth dimmed, becoming hazy like twilight, with visibility dropping sharply.
If he hadn’t opened three chakras during the summer vacation, gaining a certain level of combat power, he certainly wouldn’t venture deep into the darkness alone.
About five minutes after he left, two students exchanged a glance and also left the safe zone.
These two were none other than Bobby and Simon.
Bobby summoned his own “Phantom Worm” for illumination, while Simon summoned a canine golem—a “Scabby Dog”—that was knee-high.
The skin on the Scabby Dog’s back was covered with warts similar to those of a toad, each capable of releasing different types of mucus.
Natural Scabby Dogs used these sticky substances to navigate, constructing a large-scale map in their brains.
They could easily locate prey and intruders within their territory, making them quite troublesome.
Simon’s “Scabby Dog” had another ultimate skill called “Hide Odor for Miles.”
When its keen sense of smell formed into a skill, its effectiveness needed no explanation.
From the first layer, Simon had been using this “Scabby Dog” for ultra-long-distance tracking.
He maintained caution, never getting too close to Dark.
The death of the “Hidden Sparrow” had clearly shown him that mere invisibility and aura masking were insufficient to deceive Dark’s magus senses.
Only by trailing from afar could he勉强 maintain the appearance of tracking.
In short, he and Bobby had followed Dark all this way, witnessing four treasure chests being opened, and felt numb from the experience.
By now, even if they didn’t want to believe it, they had to admit that Dark Demon indeed possessed the ability to find treasure chests.
Such ability made him seem like a fish in water within the dungeon, enviable and envious to the point of jealousy.
Simon and Bobby continued following Dark not to confirm this fact anymore, but to see how many more treasure chests he could find…
Dark was unaware that two people were following him. Even if he knew, he wouldn’t care much.
As long as they didn’t disturb him in his search, the exposure of the Trash Slime’s abilities would be exposed.
Perhaps he might even earn the title of “King Dork” someday.
After setting out, he still used the “Greed Slime I”’s “Treasure Olfaction” for treasure hunting.
This was mainly to warm up, so that the next treasure chest could yield better items.
But his luck was simply too good;
He directly found a treasure chest!
After Dark had Lion Beast slay the “Cockatrice” guarding the treasure chest, he began collecting the “Cockatrice’s” crest while instructing Lion Beast to open the chest.
The “Cockatrice’s” crest originally resembled a rooster’s comb but hardened into something akin to red coral upon its death, making it excellent material for crafting magic potions.
Just as Dark was about to carefully cut off the hardening crest, a sharp screech suddenly erupted from Lion Beast’s direction.
Dark instantly became alert, only to see a white figure dart past him as Deoxys stood ready.
Inside the chest, a monster with a jester’s head and a spring body suddenly lunged out, smashing its red boxing glove, attached to its spring arm, into Lion Beast’s chin.
With a loud “bang,” Lion Beast staggered back several steps from the well-aimed blow.
However, he quickly regained his footing and swiftly drew his ancestral demon sword “Lion Maru” from behind, a hint of crimson flashing in his eyes as the blade came unsheathed.
“Clang—”
An extremely harsh grinding noise echoed through the tunnel.
Lion Beast attempted to sever the “Treasure Box Monster”—”Jester Box’s” spring neck but was instead entangled by the monster’s laughter, which sounded like “jaja.”
Then, the “Jester Box” leaned backward, drawing back its right arm, stretching the spring to its limit. The vibrant red boxing glove struck like lightning, aiming straight for Lion Beast’s vision.
Lion Beast, his expression grave, suddenly stepped back and sidestepped, grabbing the hilt of “Solo Sword Sheath” in his left hand. He swung his sword at the “Jester Box’s” spring right arm.
This time, there was a sharp “snap.” The “Jester Box’s” spring right arm was severed instantly.
Lion Beast then used his right demon sword to clamp down on the “Jester Box’s” left arm, swiftly closing in. His left sword slashed upward, aiming for the monster’s face.
The “Jester Box’s” eyes widened in extreme surprise, but the corners of its mouth curved wider into a grin.
Its body was incredibly flexible, and it ducked just in time to avoid the fatal slash of the “Holy Sword.”
Then it suddenly opened its mouth, letting out a shrill laugh.
Lion Beast felt countless needle pricks in his ears and froze stiff.
The severed right arm of the “Jester Box” then floated up like a cannonball, heading straight for Lion Beast’s head.
Its eyes glinted, and its laughter grew even sharper.
But just as Lion Beast’s head was about to be hit, the boxing glove on the spring right arm abruptly halted.
The spring snapped straight.
Its tail was firmly grabbed by a cat’s paw.
Deoxys, who had unexpectedly appeared, disdainfully glanced at the laughing jester.
Lion Beast, recovering quickly from his brief paralysis, slashed the “Jester Box” with one swift strike.
…
As the “Jester Box” died completely, its jester mask fell off, revealing its true face beneath.
Lion Beast froze, staring at the face in silence.
Dark curiously approached: “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Lion Beast composed himself.
Dark passed by him and took a look.
“Pfft!” He burst out laughing.
The “Jester Box’s” head was actually a very ordinary balloon with a hastily drawn smile on its front, perfectly fitting its clown name.
Even dead, it continued to amuse.
…
After calming down, Dark picked up the jester mask left behind by the “Jester Box” from the chest.
Regardless of whether this mask was useful or not, it held significant sentimental value.
After all, it was the first item he had found from a “Treasure Box Monster” in the dungeon.
Holding the mask up to his face, Dark couldn’t help but recall the costume ball on Halloween night, feeling a surge of anticipation.
Then he activated his “Eye of Truth” and examined the jester mask closely.
After a moment, his pupils dilated, and his expression turned strange.
“The value of this jester mask is actually higher than that of a Mana Dropper?”
…
High-quality materials could serve as core materials for high-star Golems. Given the quality of this jester mask, it might be suitable as core material for a second-tier Golem.
Or perhaps it could be crafted into a special piece of equipment or an Item Card.
Dark felt a slight joy, placing the jester mask in a separate bag and then tucking it into his backpack.
Who would have thought that the drop from a “Treasure Box Monster” would be better than what was inside the chest?
“What a lucky day.”
Dark summoned the “Trash Slime” and used “Gluttony III” to evolve it into “Greed Slime II,” then inserted “Solo Sword Sheath” into its body.
A moment later, “Greed Slime II” shook its head dejectedly.
Clearly, it still couldn’t sense the presence of the “Holy Sword” within the fourth layer.
“I guess we’ll have to keep looking for more chests…”
Dark said with a touch of frustration.
But “Greed Slime II” lifted its head, clearly picking up on the joy in his master’s tone.
After being reinserted with a piece of a treasure chest, “Greed Slime II” closed its eyes and quickly cultivated a strong desire for treasure.
Its greed was its master’s greed.
Whatever its master wanted, it wanted too.
As long as it maintained this mindset, it could trigger the “greedy” trait for any item!
Ten minutes later.
Dark arrived once again at a three-sided enclosed passage.
There was no treasure chest at the end, but a large bronze door handle was embedded in the wall.
As soon as Dark stepped into the passage, the bronze door handle surged to life, and a massive bronze beast emerged from the wall, with the handle serving as its nose ring!
