"It's useless," said Reina.
"Explain," said Zane.
"The description says it's meant to give you 'insights into Law,' whatever that means. But we looked. There's nothing there. Just a few old scratches on the walls."
Zane perked up. "Law, you said?"
Yeah. He was definitely checking this out.
They agreed to meet back before evening.
"So it'll just be you two going up to fight that boss? You two together?" said another one of Reyna's lackeysโhusky dude with a grizzled stubble, squinting eyes, and a few strands of hair desperately clinging to an otherwise bald pate. He seemed upset at the thought.
ย
๐๐๐๐๐ช โ๐ฆ๐๐ (โ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐)
โ๐๐๐ค๐ค: โ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ
๐ผ๐ค๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐
ย
"I don't like it either. We can fight too, you know," Trent grumbled. Zane was taken aback. Did they really think they could stand against a Level 48 boss? You'd think this world would've given them a reality checkโฆ then again. Most of the workers edged away from them, looking awkwardly at one another. They didn't say a peep. So they weren't all silly; it was just that the silly ones were the loudest.
"No," said Reina firmly. "All of you will stay here where you're safe. Let us take care of it."
He could tell they weren't happy about it, but they didn't dare say more. They settled for glaring at Zane. Zane sighed. Another thing he noticed post-Integrationโthere was this weird sense he got that some men felt very uncomfortable when he came around. They had a hard time meeting his eyes. Whatever it was, he didn't care to entertain it.
***
He made his way west, just as Reina said, and it wasn't long until they came across the Cavern entrance. It was a cave mouth burrowed into the side of a hill, and nothing would have marked it special except for the faint mist pouring out from it; it reminded him of the early morning mist he'd see so often around these parts.
โ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ค๐๐๐๐ฅ
โ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐ค ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ค๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ช ๐ค๐ก๐๐จ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ค. ๐ผ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฅ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ค๐, ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐๐ค ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐จ. ๐๐๐๐ค๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ค ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ค: ๐ ๐ค๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ, ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฃ, ๐ก๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐ค, ๐๐๐จ ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ค, ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ ๐.
As he stepped in, the air took on a dawn chill.
He was used to monsters guarding places like these, but they weren't here. They must've been cleared out before he came. His steps echoed down the dim, craggy tunnel. He couldn't tell outside, but here, against the gloom, he could see the mist was faintly glowing, spreading a corona of pale light.
Soon the tunnel opened up into a cavern.
At its center was a marble daisโother than the mist, it was the only thing there. Then he glanced at the walls and frowned.
Reina was right. There were only lines here. And they were just lines, lines running the length of the wall, one after another, seeming identical. At first. But the more he stared at them, the more his eyes started to unfocus.
He could feel it here, that tear in the fabric of the world. These scars had Laws etched in them.
He came up close, squinting at them, studying them one by one. They weren't the same; now he really paid attention he saw gradients. Each new line flowed a little sharper, a little cleanerโa little more effortlessly. Each line had a little more Law. He could imagine some old master sitting on that dais, alone, meditating on his Lawโthen practicing one by one, carving them until he made a full loop of the room.
At first glance, the last line was nearly identical to the first. But look deeper, past the surface, and it blazed with Law where the first twinkled. Look was the wrong term; it was just the closest thing he had. He felt it there with a sense he couldn't explain, a sixth sense, a sense of the soul.
Gently, he lifted a finger and touched that scar. Then pulled it away, hissing. Where he touched, his finger let out a stream of blood. Nothing had touched him physically. The lingering Law was so sharp it cut him anyways.
How long ago had this mysterious master sat here contemplating? Whoever it was, their Law was at a level he couldn't comprehend. When he came near those scars he felt the gravity of them, felt the way the universe bent to themโฆ this Law was nothing Minor, like the one he had.
How'd this even get in the dungeon? He thought everything was freshly generated. Maybe not.
He paced the room, just admiring, like they were trippy sculptures at some modern art museum. He couldn't fully understand them. It wasn't like with Ignition or Burningโthis Law, whatever it was, felt too far away. He could kind of-ish see how it manifested in the world, but he felt that wasn't enough to claim a Law. You had to find it within yourself too.
He'd known Ignition. Every time he fought, he ignited. And his Chains were Prometheus Chains: they were made to carry fire. But he didn't wield a sword or an axe. He had no sense of Sharpness. This must have something to do with cutting, but it just wasn't his style. It was somewhat frustrating seeing it right there but missing what he needed to grasp it.
Maybe if he got something to do with cutting in the future, he could come back to this. He made a note of it.
***
He met back up with Reina at the entrance. "You ready?" she said.
"Yes," he said.
That was it. No fuss, no frills with her. They were off.
There was a ladder near the back of the warehouse, stretching all the way to the ceiling and beyond. She threw her buffs on himโamong them, her new skill, Essence Cloak, which dampened the effects essence of based attacks. He had a feeling it would come in handy very soon.
He went first.
They climbed fifty feet up rusted, clattering steel toward a square of black. Every so often it flickered blue-white, like lightning flickering the night. The closer they got, the more they heard this deep-throated humming, like generators working overtime.
This place must have housed the electricals once; exposed wiring decorated the walls, made up the ceiling. The ground was all steel and run over with thick black cables. It was humid and dingy and dark as hell.
There was just one source of light in the room, and it was the boss. A metal eldritch monstrosity. Its main body looked like one of those old-timey computers, whirring with gears, strung up with coiled wires and flashing lights. Four thick steel cables snaked out from it, sizzling with blue-white electricity, and they were what caught Zane's attention. They went on and on, looping around themselves, hugging its body. They took up a huge chunk of the room.
ย
๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ (๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฃ)
๐ผ๐ค๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐
๐ผ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ (โ๐๐ค๐ค๐๐ง๐) [๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐]
๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ค๐๐ค ๐๐ฅ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ช. ๐ธ๐๐ช ๐ก๐๐ช๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ ๐๐, ๐ก๐ฆ๐๐๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ค. ๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ช ๐๐๐ค๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค, ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐ช๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ช ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ค๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ค.
๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ (๐ธ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐) [๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐]
โ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ช ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ค๐๐, ๐จ๐๐๐ก-๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐, ๐ค๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐๐๐.
ย
That 'Electrified Aura'โฆ oh, that would be a bitch.
Its weakness lit up redโits main body. To get to it, though, you'd have to get past those cable tentacle things.
The Kraken turned to face him as Reina nimbly hopped through. He nodded to her; she nodded back. And he charged.
As soon as he got up within twenty feet of it he felt static shocks rippling up his body. Reina threw up a shield as he ran, but it still stung. He lashed out at it with a Chain. It tried blocking with its cable tentacles, but it couldn'tโhis Chains were just too heavy. The tentacles collapsed right under.
But the beast was gone before his Chains could catch it. He'd blinked, and it'd vanished. How could something so big just be gone?
He heard Reina cry outโtoo late. He turned; he deduced what was happening, threw up his Chainsโit still wasn't fast enough. The Lightning Lash ripped a molten line down his chest, and his body went rigid, spasming.
It was lucky his Chains could move on their own. The thing tried yanking him in, but he crushed the cords that held him. He wriggled out, panting, twitching all over, but free.
ย
๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐: โ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐%!
ย
Shit that thing's fast. Maybe he should have seen it coming, lightning and all. This time he prowled after it, but he kept his Chains close in a defensive posture. It blinked here and there, back and forth. He could barely keep up. It probed him with Lashes; he fended them off one by oneโ
Then a coil slipped right through his web of parries and lashed him in the chest. And he went down, spasming again, cursing. It kept hold of him, pouring its power into him. It took a tremendous effort to ward that cable away. Thenโ
ย
๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐: โ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐%!
ย
Every time it got hold of him, a massive chunk of his health instantly vanished. It was ridiculous. At least now,
ย
๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐น๐ ๐๐ช ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐!
๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ช ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐%
๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐๐%
๐๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐%
ย
He stopped probing for it. He just stood there panting. It was just too fast, and it had him on the defensive. If he kept on like this, it'd whittle him down to nothing. He needed somethingโa trick to crack it open.
It blinked back and forth, slowly drawing closerโฆ
"It's going to hit me," he said aloud, not taking his eyes off the thing.
"Stop shielding. When it does, I need you to pour as much essence as you can into the healing spells, just keep healing me. Heal me till you're out. Got it?"
"Understood!" said Reina.
This time he saw the lash coming.
This time, he threw out his Chains. And dove to meet it.
It liked hitting him in the chest. Made senseโbig target. So he put his hands right about there, and the chain slapped him right between his arms. He hissed; his whole body contracted at once. Including his arms, which firmed a vice grip around that damned cable.
Yes!
The Kraken seemed confused. Why did he want to eat damage? Until it saw his Chains arching for its main body. It tried throwing cables at it but they were too small, too light. It tried yanking out the tentacle but he had it clamped tight.
ย
๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐! โ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐%!
๐๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ช: โ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐
โ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ: โ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐%
ย
He'd taken a page out of the Mechanical Sentinel's book. If you couldn't grab hold of it, grab hold of what it was attached to. And now the Kraken couldn't run! His Chains made a noose around the base of the tentacle, right where it was attached to the body. And burned.
The Kraken had no mouth, but by how it moved he could tell it was suffering. It poured in more powerโ
ย
๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐! โ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐%!
๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐น๐ ๐๐ช ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐!
๐ป๐๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐ช ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐%
๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐๐%
๐๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐%
ย
He squeezed harder, letting that noose, white with seething Law, saw straight through the joint.
This thing had no Law. His attack did. You had to fight it on even grounds; only Laws could fight Laws. Without themโฆ
He could sense this thing was made of tough stuff. If he tried strangling it normally he'd get nowhere. He certainly couldn't dent it with his fists. But once he'd locked his Chains tight, once he'd poured that fire in, the steel had no choice but to melt. The Universe commanded it to.
ย
๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐! โ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐%!
ย
At almost the same time, the tentacle sloughed off the beast.