Chapter 19 - Atram and the Heart of Eden (2)
For several minutes, we listened to the extremely agitated Atram's rambling.
We were barely able to understand the words he was saying.
“So, you're saying that you and Diopina were absolutely not in a relationship like lovers?”
“Yes. On the contrary, she's a crazy woman who imprisoned me and conducted human experiments.”
How could this be?
In every regression, I had heard the beautiful love story of Diopina and Atram from Dorn.
Dorn particularly loved their story, to the point of compiling it into a novel and publishing it.
I glanced at Dorn.
Dorn's pupils were trembling minutely.
His face was stiff with shock and fear.
Well, he had been wiping away tears over what he called a beautiful love story just a moment ago, and now suddenly one of the parties involved appears and says it was all a lie, and that this was a story about a vile stalker and cruel human experiments.
The shock was too much for the softy.
Look at that. Just look at his trembling hands.
“Yes. That's right. No, that's not it. More importantly, she's coming. We have to get out of this dungeon quickly.”
There was one more confused person here.
I smiled and replied to Atram in a kind and gentle manner.
“Don't worry. The dungeon entrance is blocked. We have to meet Diopina to get out anyway. It's a relief that she's coming.”
Atram's expression twisted bizarrely.
“Sh-she's a 6th Circle magician!”
“……There's no other way but to fight and win.”
Since the Winds of Fate have blown, we can only get out of here by killing Diopina anyway.
In the end, she was an opponent we had to fight.
Of course, it would be difficult to face her in a normal way, but I have a few tricks for dealing with archmages prepared.
If we can meet her quickly, defeat her, and explore the dungeon safely, then I should be grateful.
She would be an opponent we could overcome if all our comrades joined forces.
As an apostle of fate, I can assure you that fate only presents trials that can be overcome.
“Right now, Diopina is furious. I can vividly feel her rampaging, wanting to kill all of you for finding me, whom she had hidden away so carefully.”
“How do you know that?”
Bob asked back doubtfully.
“Diopina magically linked my spirit to hers. So, although I really hate it, I can still feel her emotions and location in real time.”
“How much time is left until Diopina arrives?
Atram closed his eyes and cupped his hands to concentrate.
“I don't know why, but her speed is very slow. But she is definitely getting closer. It's strange. It's like she's plowing through the ground. At least 30 minutes…… Cough.”
Just then, Atram threw up blood.
Etiang and I rushed to Atram's side and checked his condition once more.
“Why? The Heart of Eden is definitely working normally.”
I found the answer in Atram's chest.
“Ms. Etiang, would you check Atram's right chest here? This is too different from how we predicted the Heart of Eden would work. Judging from the contents of the old book, it seems to be a prototype version from before the Heart of Eden was made…….”
Etiang, befitting a magician who researches life, instantly grasped the principle of how the Heart of Eden prototype functioned.
“Mr. Savior is right. It's amplifying mana to maximize self-healing abilities. It's a completely different operating method from what was written in the documents I found.”
Etiang frowned.
“He's maintaining his vitality for now because of the amplified mana, but his body's resources are being consumed too quickly. This is just…….”
“Just pulling forward his future life force.”
The cells in our body endlessly die and are generated to maintain the body's functions.
And there is a limit to the number of cells a living being can generate from birth until death.
When that limit is reached, cell regeneration gradually slows down, and aging begins, and when regeneration is no longer possible, one reaches death.
In other words, the more this prototype operates, the more Atram's lifespan is just shortened.
“For the sake of saving Atram, and also for obtaining the completed Heart of Eden, we will need the structure of this prototype. So, please record it for now.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Etiang answered without taking her eyes off Atram.
In my previous lives, even if I obtained the Heart of Eden, I couldn't use it right away.
Because just as the prototype had a fatal flaw, the Heart of Eden I had obtained also had a fatal flaw.
‘The amount of mana needed to heal the body was so great that the moment even a small scratch appeared, I would die from mana exhaustion.’
The Heart of Eden I had obtained was the result of Diopina, who had frozen Atram, approaching it in a completely different way.
‘The Heart of Eden, an artifact that can grant eternal regenerative ability without reducing one's lifespan, if only the mana exhaustion phenomenon is solved.’
And that mana exhaustion phenomenon was the very reason I brought Etiang along on this exploration.
Because when I entrusted the first Heart of Eden I obtained to Etiang, she solved the problem after a few months of research and brought it back.
‘But wouldn't combining the characteristics of the prototype and the Heart of Eden solve everything? If I amplify mana with the prototype and heal the body's wounds with the Heart of Eden……?’
Just as my thoughts reached that point, a loud noise was heard from the cavern entrance.
“Sh-she's coming. She's coming.”
Atram warned of the danger even as he coughed up blood.
“Everyone, prepare for battle. We don't know what will happen, so Ms. Etiang, please conserve as much mana as possible. Mr. Kevin. Please protect Ms. Etiang and Mr. Dorn.”
“Understood.”
Dudududududu.
The sound of footsteps, as if a huge number of Chimeras were swarming in, echoed through the cavern.
Kevin quickly ran to the entrance.
“The passage is narrow, so there are no giant Chimeras. Kevin! Please advance to the entrance! It will be disadvantageous if they get in and spread out. You must block the entrance no matter what.”
The moment I also drew my sword and was about to run to the entrance.
“You mustn't kill them! If you kill the Chimeras, Diopina gets stronger! I'm connected to her, so I know for sure. Instead of the power of magic she lost, she's now absorbing the power of creatures that die in the cave and making it her own.”
Atram's shouts continued.
“Don't kill them. Understood.”
Kevin said calmly, as always.
A huge number of Chimeras were swarming in from beyond the passage, but Kevin was unshaken.
He just slammed his shield into the ground like a diligent worker doing his job.
He bent his front leg and extended his back leg straight.
His center of gravity shifted low towards the shield.
Kwaang!
And soon, a tremendous roar was heard from the shield.
It was the sound made by the Chimeras that had been charging with all their might, crashing into Kevin's shield.
“Ugh.”
Even my ears, standing next to him, went numb.
Just hearing the impact sound made my whole body tingle.
However, Kevin only let out a small groan and was pushed back a little, but he defended the entrance splendidly.
Heup.
Kevin took a deep breath.
Then he pulled out the giant square shield he had slammed into the ground and pushed the Chimeras back with all his might.
The veins on Kevin's thick neck and forearms bulged as if they would burst.
The Chimeras that had crashed into him with that tremendous force were actually pushed back.
It was then.
Taking advantage of the gap in the confrontation between the Chimeras and Kevin, a dog-sized Chimera slipped out between his legs.
Tsk.
I immediately swung my sword.
In the blink of an eye, the Chimera's six legs were cut off.
In an instant, the Chimera, with only its torso left, gasped for breath and writhed.
“Atram, you said Diopina gets stronger if the Chimeras die……. Then what should we do?”
I frowned and looked back at Atram.
But Atram didn't seem to be in a state to answer the question.
“She's coming. Diopina is coming! She's going to appear from over there. Please! Mr. Savior, we're all going to die.”
Atram crawled towards me, screaming.
He seemed to have lost his mind with fear.
“Damn it. Kevin, I'm counting on you for the entrance. Brother, hurry over here and cut the legs off the Chimeras that pop out.”
“Uh, uh. Okay.”
Bob, who had been standing guard over Dorn and Etiang, ran to the entrance.
At the same time, I fell back and ran to the place Atram was pointing to.
Just then, something squirmed on the floor right next to Atram.
I felt it instinctively.
That thing is dangerous.
I don't know what it is, but I have to stop it.
The experience accumulated in my body for over several thousand years told me so.
“My love! I've come to get you! My little cutie. You missed me, didn't you?”
At that moment, something shot out of the ground.
The voice was clearly that of a woman, but it was a tremendously bloated mass of flesh.
And that hideous Chimera instantly lunged at Atram.
I threw myself at Atram with all my might.
“Are you Diopina? Looking like this, no wonder Atram ran away screaming.”
“Get out of the way! Don't interfere with our love! If I just kill you, Atram will be all mine. Don't you dare take Atram from me!”
Diopina spouted insane words, drooling purple fluid from her mouth.
I bashed Diopina with my buckler.
Due to Diopina's movements, which were several times larger, it was I who was pushed back instead.
But in any case, a small space was created between Diopina and me.
Through that gap, I immediately thrust my sword.
“Is the reason we can't communicate your sanity? Or your intelligence?”
Purple blood burst out along with the sword strike.
Kiaaaak.
Diopina let out a piercing scream.
And she began to swing dozens of pairs of arms and legs wildly.
“Ugh.”
I had no choice but to retreat from that haphazard attack.
A weight that was several times different was put on her arms and legs every time Diopina moved.
“Atram, get a hold of yourself. We need to fall back for now.”
Atram was still curled up, his body trembling violently.
It was the moment when Etiang and Dorn, unable to watch any longer, tried to support Atram.
“D-don't t-touch Atram!”
Diopina shrieked and sank back into the floor.
“Get out of the way!”
At the same time, I turned towards where Etiang, Dorn, and Atram were.
Whoosh.
As I expected, Diopina shot out from behind Atram.
“I said, let go!”
But it was too late.
Dorn and Etiang, who were holding Atram's arms and lifting him, were hit by the arm Diopina swung as she shot out right behind them and were sent flying far away.
“Atram!”
It didn't end there.
Diopina's trembling form was lunging as if to swallow Atram whole.
I threw myself towards Atram again.
And I barely managed to wrap my body around him right before he was eaten by Diopina.
For a moment, my vision went black.
***
When I opened my eyes, it was a horrifying space where corpses were displayed in specimen jars.
‘Is this Diopina's abode?’
By the light of the torches burning in the darkness, I could see various tools reminiscent of torture instruments scattered about.
At a glance, this was Diopina's laboratory.
Atram, whom I was holding, was still trembling like a rain-soaked puppy.
And Diopina, the most hideous-looking thing in this place, was standing there, glaring at me.
“This is driving me insane.”
It seemed I would have to face the dungeon's final boss, who would clearly be overwhelming even with my comrades, all by myself.