Chapter 430: The Monster Lord Full of Anticipation |
Gauss was slightly taken aback for a moment.
Leaving aside the fact that they were still in the midst of combat, that Slime had vanished and launched its attack with such decisive swiftness just moments ago. Was it only now, halfway through the fight, that it decided to introduce itself?
Was there some error in the sequence of events?
He could only interpret this as a significant difference between monster and human thought processes. Even if their intelligence was no less than that of a normal human, it remained so because they lacked certain human concepts of honor, disgrace, and shame. Their thinking was more straightforward and direct in style.
Gauss's gaze locked onto the surrounding environment.
Through the probing exchanges of the past few rounds, he had deduced the pattern: disrupting the surrounding mana environment would force the Slime Lord, hiding within it, to reveal traces.
Right now, what needed to be done was to roughly pinpoint its general area, and then he could use similar methods to make it manifest again.
Thinking this, he simultaneously used his mental energy to send out a message and communicate with the Slime, exchanging his own name.
"My name is Gauss."
Just like how he actually had no idea what the meaning was behind that Slime suddenly spouting that long, cumbersome full name. Perhaps it was also just trying to distract his attention, secretly preparing some kind of move?
Suddenly, Gauss's sixth sense detected something abnormal again in an area not far in front of him.
Immediately after, the White Wand clenched tightly in his hand once more spat out a torrential storm of Magic Missiles.
"Boom! Boom!"
The terrifying mana effects once again inundated that area.
A figure vaguely surfaced within it once more.
However, this time, the stream of Magic Missiles released from Gauss's hand did not stop. They continued to fire out in an unbroken stream.
After the opponent exposed that faint trace, Gauss, relying on that tiny fragment of World Rule power, [Precision], within his body, completed a temporary lock on it.
The subsequent missiles, like a violent storm, continuously assaulted a specific point in the air.
Once that entity was locked on, it also swiftly moved, but the missiles persistently followed, altering their trajectories behind it.
Although a portion of the missiles were ultimately dodged, another portion still managed to strike the mass of energy it had merged with the ambient mana.
"!!"
The Slime was forced out from the environmental mana.
Its soft, jelly-like body now underwent a new transformation. Four energy arms extended from its torso, their surfaces wrapped in a layer of hardened mana plating. Relying on its agile bodily control, it continuously batted away the unavoidable missiles in all directions.
For a moment, Magic Missiles flew in all directions like stray bullets on a battlefield.
Perhaps because this Slime's essence was already extremely close to a mana form, Gauss could sense its application of mana was exceptionally formidable. It wasn't that its technique was particularly outstanding; more accurately, it was an instinctual use of mana.
Just like how most animals are born knowing how to breathe.
What constitutes extremely intricate mana manipulation for conventional creatures might just be an innate, instinctual reaction for that Bigby.
That is the cruelty of talent. Some high-level techniques that certain geniuses might struggle a lifetime to master are merely innate gifts for other creatures.
"Human, you are very strong."
While dealing with Gauss's onslaught, which surged like a tidal wave, the Slime could even spare the mental effort to offer praise.
"Thank you."
The mana in Gauss's hand was still intensifying.
Using the Magic Missiles as cover, a powerful spell completed its charge-up preparation.
"Dawnbreak!"
This was one of only two 5th-circle spells Gauss currently mastered.
Unlike the large, sweeping, and dominating Bigby's Hand, Dawnbreak's attack range and flexibility were not as impressive. But in return, enemies within its attack range would suffer stronger, omnipresent damage.
From beginning to end, the Magic Missiles were merely a feint. Gauss did not expect a spell fundamentally at the 1st-circle level to pose much of a threat to the abnormal creature before him. Even though in his hands, its power far exceeded ordinary Magic Missiles, its foundation was what it was. Faced with an overly powerful enemy, it could only serve as a supplementary means.
A brilliant golden light pillar descended from the sky, instantly swallowing the vaguely, rapidly wriggling figure completely.
"Hum!"
At this moment, time itself seemed to have been put on pause.
Blinding light began radiating outwards in all directions from the light pillar. All creatures directly exposed to this wash of holy-light-like energy were simultaneously blinded.
Especially the monsters were affected more severely.
The light energy of "Dawnbreak" inherently carried a degree of suppressive effect against dark energies. Gauss's White Wand could further amplify this effect as much as possible. Additionally, the members of the Red Dragon Guild already knew their Guild Leader possessed a blinding spell akin to a flashbang. So, the moment the light appeared, they instinctively lowered their heads or hid behind cover.
"Kill!"
Seizing the rare opportunity while numerous monsters were scorched and blinded, the Red Dragon Guild members swarmed forward, cutting down the many mushroom creatures.
Meanwhile, at the very center of the light pillar, the light that seemed capable of purifying everything continued unabated.
A vast number of particles surged within it; even microorganisms would find it difficult to escape unscathed, and that Slime was naturally no exception.
Upon contact with that extremely potent light-attribute mana, its mana-essence body, after a very brief resistance, finally began to fall into an unstoppable process of annihilation.
Large amounts of its bodily fluids were vaporized into their most fundamental particles, and its mana collapsed within.
Clearly, even the most powerful mechanic-based monster fears raw numbers. If you cannot overcome it, it just means the numbers aren't high enough.
But Gauss's carefully prepared, perfectly targeted 5th-circle Dawnbreak was sufficiently qualified in terms of numbers.
"!!"
Perhaps the Slime Lord's mana was simply too powerful, as an explosion even occurred within the light pillar.
"Not right!"
Gauss narrowed his eyes slightly.
From the intense explosive disturbance, he caught a few abnormal traces of something leaking out.
Due to his cautious nature, he would not dismiss this as inconsequential rustling in the wind.
Sure enough, several puddles of liquid, having used the mana explosion to escape the light pillar's area of effect, rapidly combined with the ambient natural mana around them. Subsequently, their aura visibly began to swell.
"Is it some combination of division and high-speed regeneration?"
Gauss couldn't help but feel a touch of admiration. Even as an enemy, he had to acknowledge this Slime's strength.
To be honest, the oppressive pressure it gave Gauss was completely incomparable to that mutated Transcendent centaur leader encountered in the center of Blackwater Town. But its survival methods and various abilities were simply endless, one after another, leaving one in awe.
Superb concealment, elemental transformation, mana hardening, division, high-speed regeneration...
Each ability, taken alone, could serve as the signature skill of a Commander-level Monster. Yet at this moment, they were all concentrated within its single body.
Moreover, even now, Gauss could not be certain if these were all its abilities. After all, from the start of the battle until now, it had continuously revealed new capabilities and talents.
"Human, you are so terrifying. You almost killed me."
An utterly flat voice sounded beside Gauss.
Gauss could no longer tell if this was that Slime mocking him or expressing genuine, heartfelt fear and trepidation.
"But you are still alive."
Although he hadn't killed the Slime in one strike, Gauss's expression remained calm.
He still had many trump cards. As a Magician, while possessing powerful mechanics, he also possessed numerical values far surpassing his peers.
Whenever he deemed it necessary, he could launch a dimensional-reduction-strike-style attack at any time.
He just felt a bit regretful. With this Slime's talent, if it weren't a monster but a human, it would undoubtedly be an exceptionally powerful individual, perhaps even having a chance to climb to the very peak.
Several of the split bodies nearest to Gauss, having regenerated, suddenly shot towards his position at high speed.
Its body, enhanced and empowered by mana, erupted with terrifying speed.
"Dragon Breed!"
Gauss unlocked his first trump card.
An aura so dense it was almost tangible rose from his entire being—a majesty that should not belong to a human.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
That dragon's heart began to beat slowly yet powerfully within his chest, pumping blood that could circulate through his entire body dozens of times in less than the blink of an eye.
This granted him greater stamina and explosive power.
Any creature witnessing this scene would involuntarily share the same thought.
A Dragon was awakening from deep within this man's body.
Gauss's pair of burnished-gold eyes, after the Dragon Breed talent was fully activated, erupted with an intensely scorching oppressive pressure. Deep within them lay a mental pressure of unimaginable power.
If an ordinary person were to meet Gauss's gaze at this moment, their eyes would likely be painfully seared white in the first instant, their mind thrown into a daze.
If they failed to look away quickly, there was even a risk of having their eyes burned blind and their brain matter incinerated.
His armor became even more resilient.
Although his physique didn't change drastically, his skin, already far tougher than leather armor, now, infused with that formidable Dragon Breed power, became several times more durable. Not to mention the additional layer of energy dragon scales generated by the combined Gauss Field. One internal, one external, causing his defensive power to skyrocket.
The three Slime split bodies, having devoured large amounts of ambient natural mana, had arrived beside Gauss.
The Slime's appearance was no longer gentle and cute; it began to reveal its true, ferocious visage.
Especially under Gauss's dragon eyes, which could now clearly perceive the essence of mana, he sensed a wild, unrestrained posture that was no longer concealed.
In his eyes, the Slime was not as small and delicate as it appeared to the ordinary naked eye. It was a colossal entity fused with vast amounts of natural mana, like a mist where you were in me and I was in you.
To be precise, Gauss was currently within its body.
"Bigby's Hand."
Gauss directed the silver giant hand he had already summoned to his side in advance.
"Interposing Hand!"
Bigby's Hand rapidly hardened, firmly shielding Gauss within.
Several split bodies extended branch-like piercing attacks, engulfing both Gauss and Bigby's Hand.
Each piercing attack was extremely sharp, carrying a sharp edge that seemed capable of piercing through anything in the world.
"Fast! Extremely fast!"
Every single attack effortlessly broke the sound barrier!
"Whoosh!"
The area for several kilometers around began to tremble.
Outside the battlefield, other adventuring guilds that had followed the sounds looked from afar at the scene at the battle's center.
Their previously moving legs instantly froze in place, and they collectively swallowed a gulp of saliva in their throats.
Some whose minds were already unsettled were even shaken and fell to the ground on the spot, scrambling to brace themselves against the earth with their hands to maintain their balance.
"This is simply power that only Transcendent experts can wield!"
There were no Transcendent-level experts present, but that didn't mean they were completely ignorant of the tiers above their own strength.
Faced with the terrifying exchange at the center of the battlefield, if they, as guild leaders, were drawn into it, they would likely suffer severe injuries or even face mortal danger in an extremely short time.
"I think it's best we don't go over there."
The hearts of the high-ranking members of adventuring guilds, who had originally harbored thoughts of providing some support from the sidelines and then shamelessly claiming a share of the spoils, also began to waver.
The adventurer community could be described as a mixed bag, but it never lacked courage.
However, bravery and suicide cannot be equated.
That level of combat intensity had completely surpassed their ability to intervene.
"But, why is it so strong? This is only the fifth level of the Timberbell Maze!"
At this moment, they were like Bronze players blundering into a King-tier match, their small heads filled with big confusion.
Or rather, if not for the existence of Gauss, this freak, this maze exploration journey would have been a one-way road to death for some among them.
Without Gauss, how could they possibly contend with that terrifying creature at the center of the battlefield?
After recognizing reality, some couldn't help but feel a belated sense of fear.
At the center of the battlefield, the Slime split bodies, having absorbed massive amounts of mana, began to cool down, their attacks gradually slowing.
It was, after all, a living creature. Even though its degree of mana-transformation was significant, it was still bound by physical limitations.
When the thorns dispersed, Gauss himself, sheltered within Bigby's Hand, was completely unharmed.
Those supremely sharp attacks had pierced through the first layer of Bigby's Hand's Interposing Hand defense, then penetrated the energy dragon scales, and were finally blocked by the Moonlight Robe and Gauss's skin.
A satisfied smile appeared at the corner of Gauss's mouth. This time, there was also an element of testing his own capacity. The moment he sensed anything amiss, he would have activated Dimension Door to relocate.
The multiple layers of protection were sufficient to buy him zero-point-something seconds of spell preparation time.
But the final result seemed to indicate that, compared to the Slime's spear, his Gauss shield was still more sturdy.
"Dawnbreak!"
...
Gauss did not waste the opportunity either. Seizing the exhausted state of the Slime split bodies right after they launched an offensive wave, he immediately released several Dawnbreak spells, submerging them.
This time, they were already at the end of their rope. Additionally, there wasn't enough time for them to absorb excessive energy from the natural mana to recover. Or perhaps they had reached a certain limit in a short period. In any case, the several split bodies ultimately perished completely within the brilliant light of Dawnbreak.
The only thing that made Gauss feel regretful was that killing the split bodies did not trigger the Monster Encyclopedia's kill notification.
It seemed to recognize the Slime Lord as a single, unified entity. This instantly extinguished a certain unrealistic idea that had just begun to sprout in Gauss's mind.
However, killing the Slime split bodies was not a meaningless act. He could sense that the aura of the main Slime body in the distance had weakened significantly.
Its power also came with certain costs.
"Human, are you going to kill me?" The Slime sent another message.
"I think so."
Although he somewhat admired the Slime's talent, Gauss had come to the maze specifically to kill monsters. Naturally, he wouldn't hesitate to deal the fatal blow.
The only thing that made him feel somewhat odd was that he seemed to vaguely detect a thread of eager, restless excitement within the Slime's flat tone?
Being killed... could that possibly be something worth feeling elated about?