(Walson)
The scene before my eyes was filled with glowing red magma and burning rocks.
The scorching hot air distorted my vision... Everything was in a world of blocks...
This sight was all too familiar. This place... It's the Nether in Minecraft?!
Wasn't I just in the Waterlogged Purgatory?
At that moment, a chill ran down my spine. I turned my head and saw a figure.
His limbs were bound by iron chains, nailed to the wall in a kneeling position.
As I looked at him, he sensed my gaze and lifted his head.
It was... brown hair, 1.6 meters tall... It's... me?
Immediately, I knew what caused the discomfort I felt.
That "me" had no pupils, only a pair of eyes emitting white light, staring at me without any expression.
"I found you."
The voice sounded just like mine, but it sent a chilling sensation through me.
"Wow!"
...What appeared before my eyes was flowing, beautiful white hair... a worried expression on Derisha's face, with the polluted walls of the Waterlogged Purgatory in the background.
The back of my head felt warm and soft... Oh! A headrest! A beautiful big sister's headrest! Oh, how wonderful!
What did I just dream about... I can't remember. Probably just a normal nightmare.
"You've finally woken up... Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Why am I lying on your lap?"
"After we finished the battle, you fainted. Derisha found you like that." Derisha looked me up and down with her gaze, checking if I was injured. Although it was concern, it made me feel a bit uncomfortable.
As she said that, I remembered. I didn't die, even though I lost my right arm... but it has already grown back now.
Watching Derisha kill that thing and even pick up some materials... my occupational disease acted up again.
It seems that due to the extreme tension, I quickly passed out, floating on the water's surface like a lifeless corpse. Later, Derisha found me and brought me here.
"...How long have I been asleep?"
"For an hour, and... you, are you really willing to risk your life like that?" Her gaze... seemed angry.
"It's not like I died, right?" I laughed and said, reaching out to take off the necklace hanging around my neck.
Where there should have been a sparkling gem on the necklace, there was now a dull stone with cracks.
This is the Guardian Stone necklace Grace gave me for my coming-of-age ceremony. After infusing it with magic, it can nullify a single lethal attack, ensuring that I will have at least a little HP left. It's a consumable item.
If it weren't for this, I probably would have died when I blocked that attack for Derisha.
The battle with the Ancient Guardian... Derisha seemed completely clueless at the beginning.
Attacking randomly and having the attacks bounced back... ah, I have to mention this.
At the start of the battle, Derisha seemed weak... activating her "Dragon Soul Possession" but still unable to do anything. I couldn't believe it... but after I despairingly fell into the water, she suddenly went on the offensive.
That scene was spectacular! If I had to describe it in words, it would be that she became the wind!
A storm stirred up the water's surface, forming a huge water tornado. At the same time as the electric currents, the high-speed spinning pressure of the wind deflected and entangled the attacks of the Ancient Guardian. In the end, wind, water, and lightning, along with the Ancient Guardian's attacks, merged into a massive water dragon. It entered from the eyes and came out from the front!
The gaps in its hard armor were filled with water, and its entire body disintegrated from the inside out!
Ah... never mind. Let's look around... Huh? Why are we on a platform now?
"I'm glad you're finally awake, brave soul who broke through the Waterlogged Purgatory."
A young female voice resonated in my mind.
I looked around in astonishment, almost scared to death.
"But... brave one, even with my remaining power, I can't transport you out or bestow blessings... on this world..."
What? Could it be...
"Wait a moment, drink this now." I took out a Milk Potion and approached the gigantic dragon head that was staring at us.
"This is... ugh!"
I didn't feel like communicating, so I just threw the milk into her mouth.
The effect was immediate.
If she couldn't send us away due to her weakness, it would have been a headache for me.
The black curse patterns dissipated and gathered in the air, forming a rather familiar shape.
As expected, it was the "Wither Skull."
Who on earth... keeps leaving these things everywhere? And the worst part is, I always end up encountering them! I tried investigating, but couldn't find any answers!
Immediately store it in the [Inventory] and seal it! Along with the remnants from that idiot after the escape from the Water Golem, there are a total of three items now stuffed in my [Inventory].
What is the meaning behind all this...
"You actually possess such a potion! A warrior who holds such an item has managed to conquer this labyrinth... This generation is truly extraordinary."
Alright, she's as annoyingly chatty as Miss Dryad.
"Do you happen to have encountered the Dryad? Have you seen her?" she says, reading my mind just like her.
Yes, I have seen her, and I even received her blessing.
Derisha, who is standing nearby, looks at me with confusion.
Seems like she can't understand my conversation with Miss Azure Draon... Let's call her Miss Ryulong for now. She can't comprehend our dialogue.
"To think that you've become an ally of that wretched witch!? That... that despicable bitch!!!"
Huh? Suddenly, her image collapsed?
"Well then, since you're not suitable, I'll let your companion receive the blessing instead," Miss Ryulong turns her head and looks at Derisha.
Can't you say a little more? She's going straight to the point, huh?
"Oh? No, no, I'm not his companion."
"Well, whatever. Little girl, what's your name?" she asks.
"...Shouldn't you introduce yourself first before asking for someone's name?" Derisha replies.
"Oh! The little girl is quite fearless!" Miss Ryulong exclaims.
"I'm not afraid of you," Derisha retorts.
"I'm not afraid of you either... Fine, my name was Teigitan when I was human, and here, I bless the nation established by my descendants," Miss Ryulong says.
"...My name is Derisha Teigitan, the second princess of the Teigitan Kingdom. I've heard that the first queen became a god, so... you're my ancestor?" Derisha says, her voice tinged with surprise.
"Hah... To think that after a millennium, it would be my descendant who will inherit my legacy..." Miss Ryulong remarks.
Having seen the status bar earlier, I already had a rough idea of the situation, but in terms of ancestors and descendants, Miss Ryulong and Derisha do look very similar, especially in the way they speak.
I sit down on the side, feeling a strange sensation in my right hand.
Ah, right, it was blown off just now... It's my first time losing a limb... Although it grew back thanks to Minecraft abilities.
...
...Farewell, my ex-wife who was with me for fifteen years. Hello, my new girlfriend.
While lost in my thoughts, there was a commotion ahead, and I looked up at Derisha.
I saw a faint blue light emanating from her body. After a few seconds, the light disappeared, but Derisha indeed seemed somewhat different.
I can't quite put my finger on what's changed, perhaps her aura?
"I bestow upon you my blessing. After your death, you will become the next Azure Dragon, just like that wretched Dryad ally," Miss Ryulong announces.
Wait, did I hear some crucial keywords?
"Don't you know? Or did that wretched witch not tell you?" Miss Ryulong turns to me.
Don't know what?
"As the next generation of the Dryad, after you grow old and die, you will also become a tree."
...That's truly shocking news.
...I've been completely tricked by Miss Dryad, aaaaahhhh!!!
"It's not a surprise she tricked you, life as a tree is extremely dull. if she were to told you, you wouldn't have wanted it," she remarks.
Damn damn damn damn damn damn!!!
I don't want to turn into a plant in the future, aaaaahhh—I want to commit suicide! I want to commit suicide! I refuse to die of old age!!
"Even if you commit suicide, you'll still become a tree, you know," she says.
Damn it!!! I overturn the small coffee table in my mind.
In the midst of the commotion, I proceeded to exchange information with Miss Ryulong. One of the things I was most interested in was the matter concerning "Withering."
According to her, she was attacked by an unknown entity from outside the labyrinth when she least expected it. This is quite peculiar because as the creator of the labyrinth, Miss Ryulong should be able to sense all lifeforms entering the maze and should not be susceptible to surprise attacks.
She was deep in the 75th floor when she was suddenly attacked by something from outside the labyrinth, and when she regained consciousness, she found herself in her current state.
She couldn't get a clear look at the attacker's appearance, but the only clue was the overwhelming aura of death and corruption.
The original boss of the 74th floor was the Water Golem that nearly destroyed the capital city. According to Miss Ryulong, she had set up safety measures for the Water Golem, preventing it from endlessly growing in power.
However, the creature that was summoned was able to defeat and steal the Water Golem... and then the entire Water Dungeon started undergoing a transformation, becoming a deep-sea ruin.
Another item that was stolen was the entrance barrier device. This is also baffling because such items exist at the entrance of each floor and are not particularly rare. Their purpose is to create a barrier that allows entry but prevents exit, which is why we cannot find an entrance leading upward.
What could be the reason for stealing this?
...I have absolutely no idea. The information that i got so far is too little to make a solid guess.
"Before I send you away, let me give you a reminder," echoed a voice in my mind as I bid farewell to Miss Ryulong. Derisha seemed completely oblivious to it. Was it directed specifically at me?
"We, the Azure Dragon and the Dryad, are the guardians of water and wood respectively... I sense a transcendent being from another world harboring ill intent, attempting to invade this world but being hindered by the rules of this world."
"The seven attributes, the blessings of the seven attributes, as long as they disappear from this world... the 'rules' that obstruct that entity will also vanish..."
"The curse previously placed on me can reverse our magic, eliminating the blessings residing in the water of this world... Now, the blessings of water and wood will not recover for a short time..."
"I am worried, but I don't know where the other guardians are and can't help you."
"And there are five other guardians of the remaining five attributes... Be vigilant young hero... Fate has already begun to turn again..."
After the final words, my vision was consumed by a dazzling light.
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