[🎉 Shoutout to Glib for joining patreon. Thank you very much.🤗]
[Event Successfully Resolved]
[Disaster Level Assessment: E++]
[Perfect Rating Reward: Dim Skill Essence x68]
[Your store has been updated with new items.]
As these notifications flashed across his vision, Homelander felt pleased. Taking care of the incident by simply standing there? Who wouldn't feel good about that?
However, he quickly noticed a downside to using Self-Replication.
While the clones had fired heat rays with abandon, he realized those attacks didn't count toward his own skill proficiency. His Heat Vision Mastery hadn't improved at all.
"So, whatever my clones do doesn't apply to me?"
"They were copied from me, weren't they? How can it have nothing to do with me?"
Homelander sighed, rubbing his face. He'd been hoping he could use his clones to grind skill points. Well, so much for that plan.
Putting aside the store update for now, he reached out and lifted the lid of the stone coffin. Homelander floated into the air, eyes glowing as he readied himself to fire if any ancient elder corpse decided to spring to life.
But, to his surprise, the coffin was empty.
Nothing inside.
Homelander raised an eyebrow, momentarily taken aback. He had expected some kind of boss fight after clearing out the guards, yet it seemed the boss had skipped town long ago.
So what were these robed figures even guarding?
He looked around, noting that the walls were covered in ancient Egyptian text. Not that it made any sense to him.
Then, he smacked his forehead.
"If I don't get it, I should call in the expert, right?"
"Professor Nick—that old archeology guy—he'd understand this stuff."
Immediately, Homelander scanned the pyramid to locate the professor.
---
Meanwhile, on the pyramid's upper level.
Professor Nick and his assistant, Amy, had barely made it outside the main entrance. The professor, well past his prime, was panting like a bellows, feeling as though his chest was on fire. Sweat drenched his face as he gasped for air, his hair plastered to his forehead. His clothes were torn, and he looked more disheveled than he ever had in his career.
Glancing back at the pyramid entrance, he asked, "That… thing isn't coming after us, right, Amy?"
Amy, the professor's student and assistant, peered back, spotting flashes of fire and hearing chilling screams echoing from inside.
Things did not look good.
Behind them, the two guards hired to protect the professor exchanged glances before bolting, abandoning the two of them.
Amy shouted after them, "Hey! Where are you going?"
"Stop! You're supposed to protect us!"
But the men weren't stopping. For all the money they were getting, it was useless if they didn't live to spend it.
As they disappeared into the distance, Amy let out a startled gasp, and one of the fleeing men felt a rush of hot breath on the back of his neck.
Turning, he found himself almost nose-to-nose with a pale face—a black-robed demon was clinging to his back!
The creature opened its mouth, extending a red, snake-like tongue that licked the man's neck, peeling away a strip of flesh as blood gushed out, and he collapsed on the spot.
The black-robed figure didn't linger. Like a wisp of dark smoke, it flitted toward the second man, tearing off his head with a swift, brutal swipe.
In the flashlight's glow, Amy saw the man's headless body continue to run for several steps before finally crumpling to the ground. The black-robed demon then turned back to the first fallen guard, crouching down with a grin, before plunging in.
Amy heard the sickening sound of slurping, like someone drinking a cold soda through a straw on a hot summer's day.
The horrid noise made her stumble back until she bumped into the professor.
The next moment, she bit her lip and whispered, "Professor, I'll draw the creature's attention. You… you have to run."
Professor Nick shook his head immediately. "Absolutely not. Sacrificing a student just to save myself—no, I can't do that."
But Amy didn't hesitate. "Professor, your research, your knowledge—it needs to live on. It's worth more than my life."
Before he could protest further, Amy turned to draw the creature's attention, but froze at the sight before her. The black-robed demon, face smeared with fresh blood, had already silently positioned itself just a few steps away.
The thick stench of blood hung in the air, and Amy almost screamed.
Hopelessness washed over her. The speed at which the demon moved made her plan look absurd, even laughable. Even if she sacrificed herself, the black-robed demon would simply kill her and then go after the professor.
It was over.
All hope was gone.
We're going to die here…
As if sensing her despair, the black-robed figure sneered, exposing a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth. A high-pitched, bone-chilling laugh echoed, like countless bats screeching at once.
The creature lunged, fangs bared.
Suddenly, two golden beams shot from above, striking the creature's face.
The black-robed demon screamed, but the sound was cut short as its head exploded in a brilliant burst of gold. Fire erupted from within, consuming the shreds of flesh and bone in a searing blaze.
The blast wave swept over Amy and Professor Nick, knocking them to the ground. Shielding their faces, they looked up to see the once-terrifying demon now reduced to ashes, vanishing in the holy, golden fire.
In shock, the two glanced at each other, alive and unharmed.
Then, they turned to see who had saved them.
In the bright spotlight stood a figure dressed in blue, his golden hair and calm smile giving him an aura of strength and reassurance.
Tears began to stream down Amy's face as she gasped, "Homelander!"
"Professor, we're saved!"
"It's Homelander!"
Homelander was just about to say hello when the tearful girl threw herself at him, clinging to him tightly, covering his suit with tears and snot.
Ugh!
Can you at least have some respect for personal hygiene?
After a moment, Amy finally composed herself and quickly stepped back, her face red with embarrassment at her emotional outburst.
Homelander glanced down at the mess left on his uniform with a sigh, before turning to the professor. "Professor Nick, I need your help translating some text."
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥰 Support the translation and help me grow.🤓
Read upto 20 Extra chapter in Patreon