MTLNOVEL Chapter 998
Chapter 998: Dark Demon and the Polluted Tower (4k)
He was not indecisive; rather, this upper level always gave him an extremely bad feeling.
Whether it was being suddenly teleported here, or the pollutants surging from below, it made him feel that someone was urgently trying to force them upward.
But due to some possible reason related to a ritual, that person could not directly bring them to the end.
This layer was likely the maximum limit for the ritual requirements.
After realizing this, he naturally did not want to follow the intentions of the hidden figure.
But in this situation, if they did not retreat upward…
He abruptly turned and looked out the window, whispering, “Let’s go out!” The group exchanged glances, and immediately someone summoned a flying-type golem, stepping out first through the window.
Earlier, while waiting by the window, they had already peered outside. The exterior wall of the tower had no barriers like a barrier, but the layer below them and far away was sealed by black fog, preventing them from returning to the ground.
However, there was still some space outside the window.
As soon as the flying golem flew out, a dark substance suddenly surged up from below, swallowing the golem before it could react.
—That was clearly pollution!
“Moon Goddess!”
The moment Dark called out, the [Soul of the Moon Goddess] appeared behind him, initiating an evolution.
“Holy Light!”
The reaction of the [Twin Holy Knights] was also very quick.
Both almost simultaneously pointed their magic cards out the window, merging two magnificent beams of holy light into one, forming a massive pillar that struck the pollutants clinging to the exterior wall and surging upward.
“Boom!”
The pollutants hit head-on were suddenly blasted away,
but the purification effect after contact with the holy light was almost useless.
The expressions of the [Twin Holy Knights] changed slightly, immediately realizing the special nature of these pollutants.
Without hesitation, they retreated inside, simultaneously casting [Holy Protection] on themselves.
Even the two from the Church of the Saints were helpless against those pollutants, so the three elves would not dare to show off. They quickly brought along Norma Rogier and retreated inside.
Because more pollutants surged from the exterior wall, filling all the windows around them in an instant.
Then the pollutants poured in through the windows, like lava gushing out during a volcanic eruption.
“Go!”
Olivia waved her hand, releasing a light screen.
The light screen extended to both sides, actually forming a circular curtain at the window.
But this was only a temporary solution.
Olivia knew very well that the light screen could not stop the erosion of pollutants. She just wanted to buy some time.
Fortunately, the speed at which the pollutants poured in was not particularly fast.
With only one choice left, everyone acted swiftly, arriving at the central hallway in a blink.
It was fortunate that Dark reacted promptly, directing them to block the lower hallway.
Otherwise, if the hallway itself were invaded by pollutants, they would become trapped like fish in a barrel.
But the current situation…wasn’t much different! Everyone clearly understood their predicament.
Even if they had forcefully left earlier, they would probably be teleported back here again. They had become pawns on a chessboard, and ones close to the endgame at that.
At this point, following the path laid out by the hidden figure might be the easiest route.
But no one knew what the hidden figure truly sought.
Because they didn’t know, they feared, and thought about avoiding it.
But most rituals were like this.
Once specified, the ritual would struggle to achieve its desired effect.
Only those within the ritual acting according to their own will could complete it.
The one controlling the ritual from behind could only guide within limited conditions.
“Boom!”
Olivia’s light screen was finally breached.
Dark and his group had already reached the central hallway, with the staircase leading upstairs right in front of them.
The pollutants that broke through the light screen surged in like a flood.
“Upstairs!”
Dark decisively issued the command and rushed upstairs immediately. But a white light flashed, and Olivia rushed out even faster, stepping onto the upper floor in just a few steps.
Following closely behind, Dark found that the upper space was also empty!
Olivia, who entered first, quickly looked around and said, “Not here, we need to go higher.”
This layer was very different from where they were teleported.
The entire space was divided by wall panels, suggesting many rooms.
When exploring the exterior earlier, they noticed this layer had no windows on the exterior wall.
Going further up, although obscured by black fog, Dark guessed that floors with windows were few, possibly designed for flying creatures to enter and exit.
His guess was correct.
Olivia led the way upward.
In his inability to catch up with Olivia, he protected Aurora and followed behind.
The [Twin Holy Knights] provided the rear guard.
Since they had already ascended the stairs, they hesitated no longer, charging straight up with great speed.
In a blink, over ten floors were left behind.
Finally, the “layer” blocking the pollutants below was thoroughly eroded, and pollutants began surging up from beneath.
The layer where they originally stayed was completely filled with pollutants. However, after filling that layer, the speed of the pollutants’ upward surge slowed down, advancing gradually.
When Dark and his group realized this, they couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. But they did not stop, instead increasing their speed further.
Throughout their ascent, Dark discovered that the upper spaces were also empty, devoid of any life.
Although this might be a deliberate illusion to deceive perception, after climbing twenty floors and reaching another level with windows, their belief in this theory grew stronger.
By then, Dark and his group finally stopped, peering downward from the hallway.
The spiral staircase was tightly attached to the column, making it impossible to see the lower levels from above.
But summoning a magic golem to gather information instantly revealed that the pollution continued to rise.
From this, they deduced that perhaps the entire [Endymion Tower] extending downwards had been filled with pollutants!
Dark looked at the support column in the center of the hallway, an idea suddenly forming in his mind.
…