[The edited files are missing⊠These are last-minute edits done by a less skilled floater. Tomorrowâs batch is done by the usual editor.]
Great Ancient Mage, Destroy (5)
The depths inside the Eternal Glacier felt colder, and the density of the different mana soared, too. Mirole started to think about whether this is a land abandoned by the gods.
âEven the power of the Great Mother Earth canât reach this place. So, you are not completely wrong.â
âMaybe, this is the reason why this place is connected with the Spirit Realm⊠Zero, something else is coming out!â
Evan was walking as if he was strolling, but Mirole wasnât.
She was alerted against all sides like a rookie on her first duty in the guard post, and she maintained her real-time report to Evan.
âAh, nostalgic scene.â
The monster spotted by Mirole is a species from the Spirit Realm that is famous for having a crushed spider body with a giant pair of crab hands.
When that crab hand gets hold of its target, a lot of mouths around that hand open up and tear the target apart, so all the nutrients are focused onto that hand.
ââŠNutrition?â
âIt tastes good.â
âNo! I told you I donât want it!â
However, Evan didnât listen to what she said, and he was already activating his Annihilation.
The monster spotted Evan and his members, and it approached them while rattling its arms, but it got crushed by the Annihilation.
Mirole didnât look pleased, but she shot an arrow to finish it off like Evan directed her, and it disappeared while leaving just a pair of its crab hands.
Not just one but the whole pair.
âWhat will it taste like?â
âAh, aaaaaahâŠâ
In fact, they didnât have a single meal ever since they entered the Eternal Glacier.
They simply werenât sparing any time in order for Mirole to level up.
âFirst, you need to wrap around the crab hand tightly.â
âWhy is that?â
âIf you just cook it, all the mouths will open, and its content will come out.â
If Evan talks about the story of the Great Ancient Mage who had to eat this in the game, Mirole would shed tears on it.
But Evan sealed the hand and cooked it.
A nice smell filled up the space.
âKrgh, why does it smell so goodâŠ?!â
âItâs because these hands ate only creatures with high mana.â
Actually, if these crab hands are cooked well through a recipe, it becomes a magic food that increases the status.
Most of the ancient monsters yield the same result. So, they can be one of the factors that make the Great Ancient Mage gain monstrous powers.
âMirole, wonât you really eat it? Then, Maybell and I will eat each hand, is that all right?â
âMaster, let me peel it off for you.â
ââŠHmm, I will take a bite.â
Mirole couldnât hold herself back at the savory smell from the cooked crab hands, so she took a bite after Evan offered her some meat from it.
âAah, it has a sweet taste that stings the nose, like some spice. Moreover, I can definitely feel its soft yet crunchy textureâŠ!â
âNice narration while eating it off my hand as if youâve waited for it!â
Evan knew she would eat whatever he prepares, so he expected something like this to happen once he cooks the hands.
Especially when the flavor of this monster mostly resembles the king crab among all other ancient monsters, she will be amused by the taste since she hasnât tasted any seafood!
âItâs really delicious⊠why is it so goodâŠ?â
âHave some more.â
Until the status increase effect takes place.
âThis place is really wide, Master. Although we traveled slowly for Mirole to level up⊠this place must have a barrier that distorts space, doesnât it?â
âYup. And it also has a large-scale recognition denial barrier on top of it. These guys donât like people to find out âthe originâ.â
The origin. A giant gate where Middle Earth got connected with the different world for the first time.
A large number of monsters spawned from the gate thatâs called the origin of the Spirit Realm.
The horrible thing about that gate is that monsters that get spawned through it will be recreated into new forms as they will be combined with other monsters.
âThe arrival point is fixed onto Middle Earth, but the starting point isnât. The monsters end up getting twined with each other as they enter the gate from different worlds at the same time.â
Like how a fly-human gets created when a fly and a human get warped together.
Maybell narrowed her eyes as she heard Evanâs explanation.
âThen that gate is like a cradle.â
âYup. Although its recreation is by force.â
âZero, eat first.â
âOh, thanks.â
The members completely ate up the content of the crab hands and threw them away while trying their best not to look at the mouths.
They killed a few more monsters as they started moving after having a meal.
Stronger yet more bizarre monsters started to appear as they entered deep into the center of the Eternal Glacier.
âBut, Zero⊠what will you do once we reach the rift?â
âHmm, I only thought of cleaning up the monsters that were gaining power on this land.â
But if he really finds the rift of the Spirit Realm⊠and if itâs possible for him to close it up at this stage.
There wonât be any serious problems when the monsters of the Spirit Realm are excluded from the future scenario.
âSomething is bothering me.â
âSomething?â
âYeah. Thatâs the reason why Iâve come down to this place firstâŠâ
Yo-Ma Great War Zero, the final chapter.
Some of the Ten Knights who were in hiding make their first appearance at that moment.
Receiving the power of the Spirit Realm, they come in the form of horrendous monsters and not pure Demons.
Their visuals are terrible, and handling them is very tiresome as they cause too many casualties in the scenario, so Evan doesnât want to encounter them if thatâs possible.
âA point of contact between the demons and the Spirit Realm is bound to happen. And Iâd like to find it and cut it out, so Iâve come all the way hereâŠâ
Well, closing the rift in the Eternal Glacier wonât completely cut off the connection with the Spirit Realm.
As the rifts are opening everywhere, even at this moment, Evan and his members will have to see the ugly appearances of the monsters.
âIâm weighing on all possibilities, though, and Iâm certain that things will be beneficial for Middle Earth if we take care of this place. Ah, another monster.â
âIâll take care of it.â
Maybe it was due to numerous repetitions that Miroleâs combination with Evan in cleanly finishing off the monsters was becoming better.
But as Mirole killed it off, she suddenly flapped her eyes while she experienced a level up.
âWhy didnât I recognize this until now?â
âMirole?â
âZero, this way.â
Mirole held Evanâs hand and led the way. Evan was bewildered, but he followed her.
There are too many barriers in the Eternal Glacier, which made it impossible even for Evan and Maybell to detect the entire area, but Maybell may have acquired a method to do a deep search through spirits as she leveled up.
It wasnât the rift of the Spirit Realm when Evan arrived with Mirole after breaking through several layers of barriers.
A familiar yet strong aura kept on leaking out from the door. It was dark-reddish mana.
âIs this⊠a joke?â
âAs expected.â
Mirole gritted her teeth as she spoke.
âIt has the most energy in Middle Earth, so it is the best place to hide the gate of the Demon Realm.â
âDemon King, you bastardâŠâ
Evan mumbled in astonishment.
âI didnât expect you to play games.â
* * *
Elizabeth was told that Evan wouldnât be coming back soon, so she didnât seem so well.
âFake Oppa? A doll? I wish I had that, too.â
âApologies, my lady. There were no other reports aside from them.â
Maybe itâs because Belois killed it on the spot after finding it, but Shine explained that she was fully into finding Evanâs fragments, so Elizabethâs encounter will be unlikely.
âAnyways, did you really clear the dungeon? In just two months? By yourself?â
âOppa said that itâs a reasonable thing to do when you are not bothered by peopleâs judgment.â
âWell, thatâs true.â
When Evan was clearing dungeons with the dungeon knights, including Shine, Shine knew that he was adjusting his pace as he was conscious of how people would take it, and it was not that Evan had a hard time in clearing them.
âWell, I guess things were different for the Junior group, though.â
That means Elizabeth, who spent a shorter time in training than the Junior group, has a higher potential than everyone in the Junior group⊠Soon, Shine shook his head.
âWell, she is Masterâs little sister.â
âFamily lines donât matter! The eldest Oppa is weak.â
âHe is very conscious about it anyway, so please refrain from talking about it in front of him, my lady.â
âYou know, Evan Oppa made me strong. I was born again when he took my hand and let me defeat those slimes.â
âIs that so? Ah, do you want some juice?â
âYup!â
She isnât possibly recalling the time during her childhood. Shine smiled and offered her a juice. At that moment, the Marquis of Sherden and his second wife, Miriam, arrived at the Astray HQ.
âL-Liz!?â
âAh, Mom!â
Elizabeth, who became at least 20 centimeters taller before entering the dungeon, welcomed her mother and hugged her while smiling.
ââŠLiz, can you let me go since itâs difficult to breathe?â
âOh my. I failed to watch my daughter grow at her sideâŠâ
âI donât think that is a problem, my lord.â
The Marquis couple was taken aback by their daughter, who grew up so fast. And they were at a loss for words when they heard that she solely cleared the 100th floor of the dungeon.
âHoney, this matterâŠâ
âMust be confidential. Thank goodness Arisha took care of the report beforehand.â
âShe is really admirable. Such a smart girl.â
Shine, who becomes somber whenever Arisha comes up in the conversation, quietly looked the other way. The Marquis couple doesnât know the pregnancy news of Evanâs wives yet.
âLiz, why were you in the dungeon?â
âI thought that I needed to become strong in order to find Oppa.â
Miriam spoke while acting like she was blacking out when Elizabeth spoke more confidently than anyone in the dungeon knighthood.
âLiz! A fine lady shouldnât talk like that!â
âMiriam, I think we should give up on our plans for her.â
âHoneeeeeyâŠâ
âOur daughter is destined for the dungeon. There is quite a number of similar people in Sherden lately, but she is the strongest in the world who stands on the apex of all humanity. Thereâs no need for us to cling onto the ânoble ladyâ that appears in fairy tales.â
Itâs definitely true. But for Miriam, who dreamed of her daughter becoming the queen of the high society, her heart was falling apart.
âHaaa, I shouldnât have let Evan take charge of her educationâŠâ
âSheâs well in terms of that part, too, so no need to worry, my lady.â
âBe quiet!â
âWhy is it just meâŠ?â
Shine pouted. At that moment, Elizabeth stood up as if she had a great idea.
âI want to see grandpa first!â
âGrandpa?â
âGrandpa Bernard!â
Elizabethâs eyes were glaring like the Milky Way.
âIâll meet with Eir, and weâll look for Evan Oppa together!â
âI believe even Bernard has a plan for that, Liz.â
âBut I am strong now with my power!â
Liz smiled brightly,
And leaped.
ââŠHuh?â
ââŠLiz? Liz? Liz!?â
The three were bewildered and looked for her everywhere in Sherden, but they failed to find her trace.
And they barely manage to calm down after Belois searched for her location and informed them that she is in the ancient forest.