Dungeon Diver: Stealing A Monster’s Power

I touch down in front of the High Orc tower, and the black doors open slowly, just as they did days ago when I walked in for the first time. Large blue eyes gaze down on me with indifference as I walk inside.

Now that I am capable of using this suppression technique at its most basic state, I'm also able to instinctively understand that Seraphel is using this technique right now, despite the waves of Noble Vibrations coming off of him.

Even when he showed off the intensity of what he called High Noble Vibrations, I believed back then they were immeasurably intense. However, the release I just pulled off after a few days of training far surpassed anything he showed me.

Before, I couldn't tell. Now, I'm certain he's still suppressing his true strength. By his comments as the doors close behind me, it's clear he knows I'm aware of this fact too.

"Very good. It appears you've tested out your new limits, and understand you have a very long way to go. I can sense you've already begun altering your frequency."

I raise an eyebrow and release my suppression technique, allowing the raw vibrations to be unleashed in a chaotic state again.

Though in a few seconds, I'm able to match them with my breathing and heart rate. In the silence of this room, I do feel as though they've been ever so slightly altered. It feels like they're yearning to be used in another large-scale craft.

The desire to build, manipulate, and understand complex structures grows stronger the longer I think about it.

The frequency of these vibrations has shifted slightly, though they still feel malleable, as though they can be overridden and molded into mastering any skill set if I were to practice now.

Seraphel can see that this is the first time I'm realizing this fact too, and he nods.

"It is perfect timing. Though, to gain more progress, we're going to have to leave Ellipsis for this next stage of training. Without full control over your physical and mental state, you could easily damage the Citadel... plus, more open space will be necessary to let loose and reach your full potential."

My eyebrows are still raised from the last words this wyvern spoke to me, but considering my Noble Form's mental clarity makes my mind process information thousands of times faster than normal, I quickly understand.

"You're right. Even inside the Central Tower, I did feel cramped. Where are we headed?"

Seraphel turns his head to one of the black walls, but as I was just outside, I know that his gaze is pointed toward the edge of the Citadel, far off into the exile zones.

"An old training ground... I have faith it is still standing. It is far enough away that any chaotic outbreak won't send interference to the Fortress of the Mensa Citadels. We're only a few million kilometers away now. It is best to be as careful as possible."

I nod slowly but respond with one last thing that's on my mind, looking upward to reference the higher floors of this tower.

"Right, but before we go... I need some data on soul weapons. I take it Torvak and Asic would be the best in the Citadel to ask?"

Seraphel looks up, tracking my gaze.

"Indeed, there is no one better to ask. I believe they are in the middle of a crafting session. What is it in particular you would like to ask?"

I shrug, and while I reply, Seraphel activates an ether command inside the tower.

"Nothing for me exactly. I'm looking to send data down to the Lower Realm. A craftsman in my inner circle has just obtained a large number of originator artifacts. I told her I'd send her everything I can find on them."

My enhanced gaze picks up on streams of white light fluctuating through the floors and walls, then up to the higher floors. Seconds later, another fluctuation sends streams of white light back.

Seraphel stares down at the ground in front of me, which glows with a light white circle of ether, and I feel a familiar pull similar to the black box vault I opened in the Central Tower.

I place a hand forward and receive the transfer, which lands in my storage as a small black rectangle.

"Asic says he'd be honored to share his findings with the bonded partner of Ember. He says that's about 90% of the High Orcs' common knowledge on Soul Weapons, but the last 10% can only be learned through one-on-one study with him alone."

I nod and turn to the door as it opens up again.

"This should be perfect. A great start."

I shut down the Citadel's surveillance systems one last time, and my unsuppressed chaotic vibrations render everyone nearby unconscious again as both of us fly out from the tower and off the edge of the Citadel over the endless green clouds.

I continue triggering Citadel commands to disable surveillance as we fly through the air, as there are very intricate systems that accept fast travel orbs very far from the city.

This time, we fly side by side instead of having me stand on his back like the performance we pulled off flying up into Ellipsia.

The enormous Blue Wyvern spreads its wings and flies freely through the sky as I take long strides through the open air to keep up.

Meanwhile in my mind, I create another transfer to Bri, sending the data Asic provided along with a message.

"Here is the Soul Weapon data I promised. In addition, I've created the structure that can handle the general's ascension, but I have another stage of training myself to get through. Let's aim for them to be ready in 10 days. That leaves just over a week for the actual assimilation."

After pressing send, Seraphel senses my mind is less occupied and speaks through a link.

"Are you fully prepared? As I said before, this will be far more difficult and risky than the first stage. You must be ready with a clear mind."

I nod as the green clouds rush by and demonic energy still trails off behind me from my Demon Form.

"Almost ready. There is just one more question I wish to have answered. What is your connection with a planet from the Lower Realm named Kelfar?"

–

[About 3 hours ago.]

On this massive Demonic World, Kelfar, in the Lower Realm, the three generals that set out to kill the Kings all look down at identical system messages.

[Craft Soul Weapon]

[YES] [NO]

Arie and Raven see extremely detailed prompts, giving them warnings about necessary materials and optimal settings for making the soul bonds with these artifacts.

This is because their bodies are artificially boosted with shared stats, and the echoes of Noble Vibrations and the strange red aura from the Berserker are far too powerful to be merged with by a 3rd Class human on a whim.

Even staying in the presence of these artifacts for more than a few seconds makes the two generals begin to build up fatigue.

Raven is already quite spent after using up 10% of her stored divine threads to trigger an explosion with her blood-bonded blades, while Arie is having issues of his own.

While the absorption of hundreds of monsters' concentrated essence felt seamless in the moment—especially the Dark Elf Lich's Ether stores—the unique method of filtering through Arie's Demon Core and storing the excess in his body is very burdensome on his mind, muscles, and bones.

Expelling large amounts of the essence while battling, in addition to the massive adrenaline rush, kept him sane and moving. But now that his life is no longer in danger, the archer's body feels extremely hot, and he is dizzy and nauseous.

In the center of the bow artifact, he sits down and holds his head with both hands, closing his eyes and sending a message back to Bri that he needs immediate access to a cultivation room. But he is not leaving this planet without that bow.

Raven's breaths are heavy, and her body feels covered in pins and needles, becoming frail as her fight adrenaline wears off too. Though, her gaze is locked on the two black swords that have dimmed from red as the aura has seeped inside them.

She sends a very similar distress message to Bri, and one is sent right back to both of them.

"Already on it. Three of the commanders have teleported down to aid you with direct crystals to the moon bases and the resources necessary to transport those artifacts."

–

However, Abby's reaction to the system messages is very different.

The bright green soul energy that has been flowing through the massive Wyvern skeleton's bones continues to circulate through her body as well.

The overwhelming cold sensation from the Noble Vibrations of this dead ancient being suddenly shifted their perceived potency the moment the telepathic connection with the Wyvern's restored mind ended.

It accepted Abby as a rightful inheritor.

While this isn't a living mind, the intentions and will of the old being are still very strongly imbued in its bones that stood the test of time while the planet aged for millennia around it.

Instead of feeling cold and suppressive, the waves of radiation feel warm and inviting.

The bones of the Wyvern shake and pulse with green light, and the outline of a green energy form, creating what used to be a majestic monster, becomes visible in the center of the Restoration Circle.

Then, the bones start moving toward Abby's palm that rests on its nose.

It isn't in a rigid fashion as one might expect; it looks more like it is flowing like water.

The bones look as though they're melting, becoming one with the soul energy flowing through them.

The skeleton shrinks in size as it melts and drifts toward Abby's palm.

Its luminosity increases even more, showing off a bright white glow beneath the green, as ancient stored Qi within its bones is being compressed and refined.

The enormous pillar of green light gets brighter and brighter, lighting up half the world, making even the ground tremble lightly where Arie and Raven still sit, waiting for support.

It gets even brighter the more the bones liquefy and compress, drifting closer to her open palm.

So bright and full of intense radiation, even the monitoring devices Alveron is using to collect data are overworked and cannot see through the final flash.

It's like a star is shining light on the entire world for a full second as a burst completes the craft, and in the moments that follow, the world feels dull again.

The bright light completely ceases, and the ground stops trembling. Even the demonic clouds that had parted start to seep back into the massive desert region Abby cleared out with her display.

Now, a beautiful glistening staff is held tight in Abby's hand.

Its base is obsidian black, with white energy flowing through it. Intricate runes and ancient texts are carved into the staff all over, glowing yellow, green, and white.

While each symbol gives off their own unique auras, the majority of its power, where the essence of the Wyvern lies, is in an orb that floats at its top.

The orb is bright green, glistening with a profound light and aura that matches Abby's eyes staring deep into it.

It looks and feels like another True Core, synced perfectly with Abby's.

Around the orb, three rings of varying sizes slowly rotate in different directions. They shift in colors as well, turning yellow, black, white, and green.

Abby can feel each of them spinning with different unique abilities, all able to be manipulated and unlocked with her mind.

The intentions, mainly the strong desire to save all lower lifeforms from the domination of demons, emanate from the staff as though the massive Wyvern skeleton still stands before her.

She can feel its presence, will, and wisdom while looking deep into the orb at the top of the staff.

The healer closes her eyes and channels a wave of perception into the Soul Weapon, and all of the flowing energy within it is stimulated and amplified to her will.

An enormous burst of power comes out from the green energy orb and surrounds the entire planet in an instant, fading with a sparkling yellow shimmer moments later after all of the perception data from this pulse is registered in her mind.

Abby's eyes open again, and she grins while looking up to the sky where five moons rotate around the globe, linking her telepathy to Bri.

"The Kings are dead and the Wyvern's inheritance has been claimed. Now all that's left is to explore the throne..."