Chapter 45: Legend

Translator: StarveCleric  Editor: StarveCleric

The luminescent algae quietly hang eternally on the walls of the underground world, giving the descendants of those exiled the right to light.

This kind of plant has once been analyzed and discussed about in another world. The theory in question here is probably the assimilation of the DNA of a firefly into the DNA of an algae, allowing the fluorescence of the firefly and the light of a plant collaborate together to create an energy cycle flow with minimum loss of energy, effectively creating a self-sufficient system that provides continuous light for the underground.

It can be planted in mines to prevent it from collapsing and one of its derivatives, Algae Bulb, can be used for illumination in public. Using the luminescent algae source to improve society’s energy structure… It may seem wonderful, but the technology hurdle for it is simply too great. Even if we can resolve the gaps in technology, if we forcefully put together the DNA of a plant and animal together, who knows what kind of abomination would be created. In the end, it terminated at its theoretical stage.

I didn’t expect that the purely theoretical discussion that I saw in the Science magazine then actually became something real in a foreign world. Indeed, compared to the limitations of magic and science, the potential of natural evolution is boundless.

Going by records and research of the scholars on the surface, this kind of bizarre plant that can give out both light and heat would probably have a bunch of prefix and technical jargon that would make one’s head spin. But in the underground world, it has a beautiful name that is contrary to its ugly outer appearance — Sunflower.

TL: Literally Flower of the Sun.

Every underground city is destined to be constructed on grounds where the luminescent algae clusters. If a cluster of luminescent algae is found outside an underground city, this kind of natural light zone will attract countless beasts who would engage in a bloodfest for its ownership.

In recent times, a Great Druid had discovered a way to cultivate the luminescent algae, allowing the scale of the underground city to not be limited by the luminescent algae. However, the primary condition is that one must be able to find an extremely powerful flying beast that is able to fly to the top of the ceiling of the underground world and a Great Druid to ride on the beast to plant the seeds. Thus, the cost for expansion is still quite high.

Maybe, only an important city like the Platinum City would be willing to spare large amount of money to breed more luminescent algae to expand the territory of the city.

At this moment, looking at the radiance gradually growing brighter at the horizon, the luminescent algae here will start radiating light very soon too. A new day is about to dawn.

All physical body requires sleep to recover their fatigue and give their brain a rest. On the contrary, normal undead do not have the concept of fatigue and do not require sleep. Thus, I half-jokingly came up with the name The Indefatigable One (Wumianzhe).

But, at the level of the Undead Lords, a large portion of Undead Lords began picking up the habit of sleeping again. Some say that it is to recover from their mental fatigue while others say that temporarily stopping the machinations of their body can allow them to recover mana faster. But, from my research that I did when I was bored, there are much better methods to recover from mental fatigue and recharge mana. There is totally no need to go into deep sleep, make one lose their consciousness and putting oneself in danger.

After several experiments, my final conclusion that there are many Undead Lord who work and rest just like living people. Those with a more complete physical body can even regain their taste buds. Sleeping, to a larger extent, is just a spontaneous habit inside one’s soul and effects of the physical body instinctively imitating those functions.

That’s why Abominations, Gargoyle, Skeleton Colossus and other kind of man-made undead beings do not develop little habits that makes them operate like living people, even if they became the intelligent high-tier undead. But then, being curious, I did a little experiment.

“The reason why an unnatural being like an undead could exist in this world is often because of the crystallization of resentment and hatred. If so, ‘unwilling to pass on like this’ can also be thought to be a source of power. Then, what if a purely man-made were to start having desires? Will they become strong solely based on their desires? If so, then let me first start with ‘gluttony’ which represents the endless appetite.”

My initial plans were to create the Seven Deadly Sins and make 7 samples of the experiment. However, I didn’t manage to complete the Seven Deadly Sins, neither did I manage to mass produce them. It isn’t because the results of the experiments were unsatisfactory. Rather, it is because the results are too satisfactory.

The first sample ‘Carnivore’ Ah Dang, the eldest brother of the Seven Deadly Sins, is already the most fearsome monster in the entire history of undead. Then, as my expertise in Necromancy improves, the few Deadly Sin that I created afterwards became more and more scary. In fact, I was starting to lose control of them.

Thus, I felt that if I went on like that, I might end up back returning back to my starting point. Sooner or later, I would combine my knowledge of both worlds to create a monster that destroys everything. Considering this, I stopped the experiments.

TL: Starting point as in becoming a Demon King and destroy the world.

“Hmph, I admit that I don’t have much of a talent towards Elemental Magic. I am also totally unable to comprehend Magic Resonance and that kind of shit. But, I am able to grasp the feel of Necromancy and learn it swiftly. My talent in creating beings is to the extent that I am afraid of it myself. Indeed, crazy scientists are meant to destroy the world.”

Waking up from a rare dream of the past, I was attracted to the sounds coming from below.

The usual ruckus created by the Town Security army as they head out and their orderly chants couldn’t be heard. It seems that they have all followed my order to enforce the law on the streets. But, there were still some people sparring on the usual training grounds.

The narrow space is filled with the marks of ice and fire. But, the people who are involved in the sparring this time weren’t just Elisa and Annie.

“Ice Creation: Ballista Formation!”

Under Elisa’s orders, dozens of Ice Ballistas all shot their arrows. The spinning Ice Arrows were all focused on the target in midair.

Annie, equipped with a sword, summons Wings of Flame and swoops down like an enraged Fire Angel, trying her best to keep her opponent’s attention to her.

But, even when she made use of the force accumulated from the momentum of her downward motion, her opponent only had to use a finger to lightly deflect her blow to direct the sword to the other side.

Due to the massive difference in strength, the God Sword can’t even scrape the skin. This is the strength difference of between her and her opponent that is a minimum of 2 ranks apart.

At this point, the Ice Arrows are already in the face of Little Red. But, as though not seeing it at all, she simply shakes her head, unsatisfied with the performance of her juniors.

“Ha!” With a loud roar, Annie and Elisa’s movements suddenly stop. In the next instant, they started feeling faint from the blast of air.

“Too slow, too powerless and too weak. Your elements are unrefined and impure and your fighting techniques aren’t precise enough. Your movements in attack aren’t sharp and your reactions in dodging are slow. There is not a single move you all made that is up to standard and you all still wish to fight on the same stage as me? Dream on!”

Little Red seems to be really enraged. With a heavy stomp with her long legs, the entire ground trembles and Elisa and Annie, who have yet stabilized their footing, immediately falls down.

The Ice Arrow is now in the face of Little Red. With just a glare, she dissipates the spell midair before it could even touch her skin.

Alright, the 3rd sparring, or should I say a one-sided crushing, it didn’t even take 2 minutes before it ended.

“Looks like they have been provoked.”

That day, there were more than 20 Legend-rank and a few Saint-rank of the other party on the negotiation table. On our side, there were only 2 young gold-ranks. Despite being future city lords, their power difference is too massive. No matter how open-minded they are, they would still be provoked by such a massive power difference.

This is also one of my motive for sending them to negotiate the deal with themselves. Cruel reality is the most direct motivation. If the both of them can really break through like this, we will have 2 more Legend-ranks on hand and this disadvantageous battle would be much easier to fight.

“The one watching the show from the window, since you already saw it all, why don’t you come down to offer some guidance? I really can’t get used to the way you human-shaped beings fight. In this form, I can’t even exert half of my battle strength and your rank break throughs are really baffling to me, so it is better for you to do the job.”

TL: Dragons don’t go by the same route as humans like forming Soul Imprint

Little Red’s nudge made me unable to continue watching the show leisurely. Little Red is an expert at fighting, her experience in battles are plentiful and the effects in her passing on her fighting knowledge is apparent. But, if she is teaching a human… The Dragon Tribe’s growth depends 90% on their talent. She didn’t even cultivate her strength to break through before, so how can she become a human’s teacher.

If she teaches you Wing Smack, Claws and Fang Rip, Tail Sweep and blasting a Dragon Breath from the sky, can you learn them? Un? It seems that Elisa can really learn some of it, at least she can try learning the Tail Sweep. But, thinking about the increasingly elusive and violent half-demon maid, I think I better not shoot my own foot.

Actually, I can already see the root of the problem of the 2 gold-rank pinnacles. Their basics are already there, all that is left is for them to form their Soul Imprint. That Imprint is the crystallization of a mortal breaking into the realm of Legend, the accumulation of their experiences and strength of this life to form a stepping stone for their entry to higher grounds. Simply said, they are trying to confirm the path for their future development.

But it is different when it gets to the specifics. Elisa has too many potential route, making her extremely indecisive in choosing just one of them.

“Elisa, Race: Half-Demon Blessed by the Abyss, Strength: 22/ Agility: 20/ Stamina: 20/ Intelligence: 24/ Charm: 18/ Will: / Job: LV60 Mage/LV1 Law Incantationer/LV12 Ice Treader/LV 10 Sacred Pugilist (A Battle Monk’s advancement that specializes in destroying undead)/LV5 Assassin. Total Level: 88 (Due to lack of Soul Imprint, total level evaluation is LV79 Gold-rank Pinnacle.

TL: Pugilist = Boxer, but Sacred Boxer sounds like sounds like the name of some dog so

In the span of a decade, the things she learnt is too scattered. There is the Ice Magic that I imparted to her, her talents as a Half-Demon that originates from the Abyss, the classical magic that Margaret taught her, her self-created Wire Magic and the Thief skills and Pugilist techniques that I have no idea where she learnt them from (When I saw that her Sacred Pugilist job, which is well-reputed to be an undead killer, actually had 10 levels, my feet immediately lost its strength). Since her basic strength and stats are up to the mark, she could choose any one of the route to enter the realm of Legends… But sometimes, having too much choices makes one indecisive. Choosing one would mean giving up the rest, so she is still hesitating.

As for Annie, it is because her accumulation is too thin. The Phoenix Inheritance made her strength soar at a rate way beyond her accumulation of experience. Find a path that has unlimited potential and suited to her at the same time is quite a difficult hurdle for her who isn’t even 20 yet.

This is a choice that affects their development in the future, so it is hard for outsiders to assist them. After all, only you would know the path suited for you. This is also the reason why Little Red is at a loss. After all, she can’t make a decision for these two.

But for me, it isn’t that there isn’t any way to help them. While we can’t help them make their decision, but we can provide them the experiences of other people when making their choices so that they can analyze other people’s path and their experience. This could help them to mature quicker.

Going by logic, I, who have entered the Legend-rank 4 times and formed 4 Soul Imprints, should have the biggest say. In reality, other than the Power of Law represented by the Mark of Justice, the other 3 are exchanged through the cheat-like system using EXP and points… And the appearance of the Mark of Justice was even more inconceivable, it is like a complimentary gift by the Origin of Order after inventing the Power of Law, thus it cannot serve as a case study.

“Little Red, tell them the experiences of Adam and Margaret when they broke through into the Legend-rank. It should quite useful to them.”

“Hey, you were there yourself. Why don’t you tell them personally?”

“I forgot and I am lazy to flip my diaries to check it.” In order to prevent the loss of memory from death, I have a habit of jotting things down on my diary. To present date, my diaries have filled an entire underground library and this thing has obviously occurred too far back, so it would be troublesome checking it up.

“…Fine, fine, I will say.” A voice that is transmitted through Telepathic Voice Spell felt crestfallen somehow.

Shaking her head, she pulls up her spirit and Little Red claps.

TL: Can’t find a word for it, anyway the idea should be ‘trying not to be depressed’ ‘pulls herself together’ along those line.

“…Margaret’s experience in breaking through the Legend realm is a little special, so it might not be serve as a good case study. Back then, when we were at Creus Elf Kingdom, we went through much difficulty to gain permission to enter their National Library for 3 days. Margaret stayed in there to browse through the books, not wanting to come out at all. In the end, she managed to finished reading through the entire collections of the library within 3 days. By the time she walked out of the library, she was already a Legend-rank. The reason why she formed the Corridor of Time Imprint is just because she purely wants to read more book.”

Her voice wasn’t soft. Not only can the people on the ground level can hear her, even I, who was on the second floor, can hear her voice clearly.

“Since you have forgotten, allow me to jot your memory a little. Other than looking for information of magic she needs, records on treasures that Lisa wants, data on fighting techniques that Adam needs and information on God Equipment that I desire, she also checked the entire Elf Kingdom’s record on the destruction of the Mist Country for you. At that time, you even said that you owe her a very big favor. So, if there is a chance, remember to return the favor.”

This time, Little Red’s voice only sounds out by my side. I was stunned. The Mist Country is my country that was destroyed. Back then, one of my main goals in exploring was to investigate the truth behind its betrayal and the reasons for its destruction. I didn’t expect that the information was attained from there. It looks like a person with memory loss will never remember what important memories they have forgot. Death really takes away a lot of things.

Just when I was really getting serious in listening to her story, Little Red starts laughing uncontrollably.

“As for Adam, Puu, that is really a joke.”

Hearing the name of their almighty city lord, the audiences’ interest peak. After all, who wouldn’t want to know that man’s epic adventures in the mortal world. There were many people in the base who were trying their best to stretch their ears to eavesdrop.

“Back then, our Adventuring Team offended a bastard city lord who worships a cult. In the end, he sent his underlings to distract our Holy Knight Team Leader Rolo and Warrior Adam while assaulting our temporary base. He kidnapped our Mage Margaret and Thief Lisa who were recuperating from their wounds then. He even left a note, declaring that if we don’t surrender at some place in some residence, then they will do XX to our hostage before killing them…”

“Then Lord Adam exploded in anger? He suddenly breaks into the realm of Legend and comes with a ‘hero saving the beauty’. It might be rather old-fashioned, but it is indeed classical. Perhaps, that is how Lord Margaret fell in love with him.” The fast-mouthed Momo and Diana are the only 2 members of the Town Security who didn’t go ‘leisurely walking’ on the streets. At the moment, they were also listening into the story by the side.

“Heh, back then, Adam was indeed exploding with anger. He points his sword towards the heavens and howls furiously ‘you shameless and despicable bastard, I will shred you into a thousand pieces just like this paper’. Then, he coolly throws the letter into the air and with a flash of the sword, he cuts it into powder. Then, he allows the wind to blow these pieces of the paper freely, incomparably cool…”

TL: The word used is here means unrestrained and carefree, normally refers to cool people.

“Afterwards, he met with strong opponents and fought them, breaking through to the Legend realm in the middle of the fight?”

“No, the next sentence he said was ‘Shit, I haven’t even copied down the address!! What should we do???’….”

“WHAT!!!?”

At this moment, Little Red was satisfied with the shocked and perhaps, even idiotic face of everyone.

“Wait, then how did they resolve the situation? Did anything happen to Lord Margaret and that female thief?”

“That can’t be. He couldn’t be so foolish. What happens next?”

Shaking her head, her face reminiscent of the past, Little Red continues with her story.

“Yes, without the address, they lost their clue to saving them. Team Leader Rolo was maddened and slapped Adam flying 4 meters away, bumping heavily onto the tree. This was the first time I saw big brother Rolo who was gentle and polite to everyone angered to such a point. After that, Adam that fool runs out searching everywhere, as though possessed…”

“Did he find it? Within 3 days?” As this matter involves her godfather who was known to be perfect, Annie is quite curious.

“No, he only found them on the fifth day.”

“Then…”

At this point, everyone was shocked. They didn’t expect that their city lord Adam would have such a dark history. Doesn’t this mean that the 2 hostages have been…

But Little Red shakes her head and laughs.

“What are you all thinking of? Adam may be immature and unreliable, but this doesn’t mean that big brother Rolo was unreliable too. He spent 2 days 1 night picking up 4654 paper fragments… Or should I say, fragmented powder, from the lake and bush, put them together bit by bit stubbornly and managed to find the address. Then, he rushed all the way, tiring 2 war horses on the journey, and managed to save Margaret and Lisa on time. After a very long time, Adam that fellow then managed to follow the trails of the kidnappers to the location.”

“…Isn’t he too unreliable.”

“Indeed, after seeing Margaret and the rest still intact, he cried very loudly, just like a baby. Afterwards, after learning from the lesson, he became more reliable, at least he learnt to think before moving. Alright, end of story. Ladies, are there anything you comprehended from the story?”

The 2 seemingly thinking people nodded their heads and exclaimed at the same time.

“I didn’t expect that godfather/city lord would have such a dark history… Wait, you haven’t told us how did he break through to the Legend-rank.”

“Hehe, back then, as he hugged everyone crying, he swore to never give up his companions and that he will protect everyone properly. Just like that, he formed his ‘Indestructible Phoenix’ Soul Imprint, unable to be killed no matter how you hit him, becoming a cockroach true to its name.

At this moment, Little Red’s face is filled with smiles.

“Probably, this is how Margaret fell in love with him. After all, every girl would have some expectations for a reliable guardian.”

“No.” The one who denied it isn’t the person in question but Annie.

“I once asked Big Sister Margaret why would she fall in love with Godfather. In the end, Big Sister Margaret smiled bitterly and in the end, only left a message ‘back then, he cried too pitifully, I felt like I couldn’t leave him alone just like that, otherwise he would cause his own demise one day.’ Afterwards, when I pressured her on the matter, she refused to tell me more. I guess that ‘cried too pitifully’ should be referring to this incident.”

“…Feels like he can’t be left alone, so she put her eyes on him. Afterwards, she unknowingly fell into the trap? Actually, this is quite romantic too.”

Diana nods her head in agreement, only to see everyone staring at her, surprised.

“Why?

“No. It is just that we didn’t expect Dark Elves to have normal values in love.” Although this is the common understanding of everyone here, no one said it out loud. Instead, they nod their head in unison.

“…This isn’t fair.” A cold voice of objection sounds out from the direction of the wall. It is Elisa who had been silent for quite a while.

“How is it unfair?”

“The reason why they could be saved is obviously because Rolo spent so much effort and energy into it. Then, why did Lord Margaret be thankful to Adam who just made matter worse, and even fell in love with him. Rolo is obviously the one who should be thanked. He stubbornly put together the note and rushed all the way to save his companions, but he didn’t receive the thanks that he deserved. This is so unfair.”

Little Red stuns and stares with a look of shock at Elisa for a long time before being able to squeeze out a word.

“Back then, Lisa also said the same thing. Afterwards, she started pestering Rolo, but Rolo didn’t agree to her.”

TL: Pester as in, trying to get his fancy.

“Then, what happened to Lord Lisa and Lord Rolo?”

“Rolo huh? He went missing. He left behind a letter saying that he is going to look for his enemies to exact vengeance. Afterwards, no one knows where he went. However, his defiled body was found afterwards. He was probably converted into some undead being. As for Lisa… She is dead.”

“Dead?”

At this moment, the eyes Little Red looks at Elisa with was bizarre.

“Yes, she died in the Undead Calamity caused by Lord Yongye, in the hands of one of the Four Heavenly Kings under Lord Yongye, Bone Dragon Queen Gray.Sin.

Elisa’s eyebrows shoot up. She doesn’t know about Rolo and Adam’s past, but she knows who Lord Yongye is. She wanted to say something but since the person in question wasn’t bothered about it, she didn’t feel like she had the right to interfere.

“The reason why you are looking at me like this, is it because you have orders for me?”

“No, I am thinking that having bad memory sometimes might not be a bad thing.”

————

“Ah…. CHOOOOOO.”

“Big Sister Gray.Sin, you caught a cold?”

“It is Gria, Gria. Undead don’t catch cold. It’s probably the same as your case, someone is probably talking about me. Un, perhaps the Emperor is thinking about me! Quick, Ah Dang, we are reaching soon.”

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