Chapter 1108: Polkentin's Secret Underwater Base
"That much will be left up to the respective section leaders. However, I suggest making haste. Sleeping Gardenia's reinforcements are on their way. Also, if I'm not mistaken, these coordinates for the vicinity quest are located somewhere in Blue Oasis' territory." Umi stated. She then continued, "There is a chance that Blue Oasis is working with Palace Master Izroth." Everyone knew that Blue Oasis and Izroth had some kind of unpleasant interaction with one another after the events that occurred at the Great Sea Palace Raid. While many guilds did not know the specifics, considering that one of Blue Oasis' captains, Niflheim left after the raid ended and the fact that Izroth joined Sleeping Gardenia's raiding party, there were definitely some rumors floating around.
"Still, it's strange. Even if Blue Oasis wanted to get on that guy's good side, would they be willing to look the other way when it comes to the rewards for an S-ranked quest unless they were promised something worthwhile? Well, either way, it's fine. If Blue Oasis does get in our way, they will just have to be dealt with accordingly." Umi thought to herself as a cold look flashed through her eyes.
Whatever the case, Umi understood that even if Izroth and Blue Oasis were working together, it did not truly matter.
As for which side Umi and those present decided to choose, it was not even something to ponder about. The rewards and failure penalty for aiding the Mad Alchemist Polkentin were clearly better than what was listed under the obstructing portion of the quest. Not to mention, at least four of the top guilds led by her Broken Exile were joining the same side. One would have to be a fool to go against such unfavorable odds.
"It's time to make your choice, everyone." Umi declared.
...
Meanwhile...
In a cold, dark, and damp underwater cave, the whistling sounds of a breeze could be heard. Of course, it was difficult to believe that such a breeze could find its way into an underwater cave like this; however, it was accompanied by a sinister aura.
"This place is more dreary than I anticipated.'
At the moment, Izroth was walking through this underwater cave. Thanks to his natural heightened senses, he was able to navigate the darkness as if there was light present.
Ten minutes ago, after locating and entering Polkentin's Secret Underwater Base, Izroth found himself in an unusual place for someone who had just been underwater. A few seconds after he swam into the opening, the water levels in the entire Ancient Karst Spring lowered and the opening became visible with the naked eye. Additionally, a set of spiraling floating staircases formed that led directly to the entrance of Polkentin's Secret Underwater Base, which had grown a stone-like platform roughly twenty meters wide and ten meters in length. Although the system warned Izroth that it would announce the area's coordinates in ten minutes, it did not wait to make it easier to enter the actual place in question.
"The coordinates were just sent out not long ago. All the players in Kifa Karsts should be rushing toward this area. Before they swarm here and disturb things, I have to find out if Empyrean and Selene were drawn into this place as well as a way to destroy it.'
Izroth had been exploring deeper into Polkentin's Secret Underwater Base for a while now; however, to say the place was a maze was an understatement. Even though there was only one entrance, there were three paths at the end to choose from. From those three paths, there were six more that branched out. And, from those six, nine more paths were formed.
Izroth believed that it was like this for every path, making the total number of possible routes in this place well over one hundred. Any player setting foot into here without a way of mapping out its interior was begging to get lost.
Fortunately, although Izroth had some issues with his Energy Vision Sense reading through the infected mana spread throughout Polkentin's Secret Underwater Base, he could still grasp a rough layout of what lay ahead. Additionally, he used the Imitation: Law of Wind and experience to make up for the blurry spots in his Energy Vision Sense.
Due to this, Izroth was able to avoid the monsters and traps that were riddled throughout the numerous entangled pathways.
"To create a place like... Is it a representation of its mind?'
The layout of the underwater cave was twisted and chaotic while also being orderly and a work of art in a maddening sense. When he first started to scan the layout, Izroth thought the title of Mad Alchemist suited the owner of this place quite well.
Grrrr...
Suddenly, Izroth heard a low growl coming from a few meters up ahead through an opening of dim lights.
'Oh? I was certain that there were no monsters along this path. I suppose all good things must come to an end.'
Izroth did not hesitate as he kicked off his back foot and rushed forward with a burst of speed. At the same time, Izroth unsheathed his Sword of the Storm as he dashed through the opening
of dim lights ahead.
Woosh! Graaaaah!
Izroth swept forward with his Sword of the Storm as he arrived in a spacious room with tens of paths ahead of him. However, at the moment, all the paths were sealed off by a transparent magic barrier.
With a glance, Izroth realized that the barriers in place were not from your typical magic. 'As I thought, this individual... Has quite the twisted sense of humor.'
GRAAAAAAH!
Towering behind Izroth near the entrance of the opening he just sped through was a creature that stood roughly four meters high. It had the body of a beast and the head of three creatures, a dog, an eagle, and a serpent. It had strange dark red scales with blood-tinted fur and a level of bloodlust that weighed down its surroundings.
Located on the side of its body was a small sword mark left behind by Izroth's attack just now.
Name: Polkentin's Failed Chimera #395(Epic Boss)
Level: 70
HP: 25,079,281/25,095,205 (99.94%)
The paths all seemed to lead to this one room. But, more than that, for the first monster he ran into to be a level 70 epic boss monster-how could Izroth not call the owner of this place
twisted?
Graaaaaah!
The Failed Chimera unleashed a ghastly roared battle cry as it pounced toward Izroth without hesitation. Its rage seemed to grow in spades as a result of Izroth attacking it first when it was the one waiting in ambush.
BANG!
The paws of the Failed Chimera crashed into the ground, sending a shockwave in every direction as Izroth managed to dodge it without issue.
Due to his Gift of Divine Speed, Izroth's current agility was currently over 6,000 points. Although this Failed Chimera was fast, Izroth knew that such a straightforward attack would
not be enough to hit him.
Crrrrack!
'Hm?'
Izroth saw the ground beneath his feet forming cracks. The moment he witnessed this, Izroth quickly jumped into the air as a large spike of earth erupted from below.
'Earth magic? I see, then...'
A powerful aura encompassed Izroth's Sword of the Storm as he was still mid-air.
'Ninth Sword Form...'
Izroth landed on the ground several meters away from the Failed Chimera as the tip of his Sword of the Storm made contact with the ground and a wave of ripples materialized.
'World Quelling Ripple.'
-10,000
In the blink of an eye, the entire ground in the room was covered in ripples filled with sword intent as the ground trembled violently.
As soon as the ripples made contact with it, the large spike of earth crumbled into dust.
'That should disrupt its ability to use magic for a bit.'
Izroth kicked off his back foot as he activated Light Feather Footwork to gain a small burst of movement and position himself next to the Failed Chimera.
"Tenth Sword Form: Life Closing Raze.'
A monstrous sword intent erupted from Izroth's Sword of the Storm as a powerful aura of destruction penetrated through the Failed Chimera's defenses, causing it to cry out in pain.
Graaaaaaaah!
-298,571
-250,952
-501,904
...
-2,509,520
The growing pure damage from Izroth's Tenth Sword Form: Life Closing Raze shaved off
more than 14,000,000 of the Failed Chimera's health in one go!
Name: Polkentin's Failed Chimera #395(Epic Boss)
Level: 70
HP: 10,983,350/25,095,205 (43.77%)