Chapter 343
Opening Aži Dahāka's treasure chests proceeded wrapped in a tension akin to opening something you really shouldn't.
At first, everyone watched with keen interest, following the flow of checking the spoils of war, but they fell silent after the first chest was opened.
Well, every time one is opened, materials that look like cursed objects come out, and the ominous aura increases with each rise in rarity, so the tension mounts, I guess.
Even to an amateur's eye, it's clearly 'bad news'—fitting for Aži Dahāka's drops.
If the opponent were a light-attribute boss and the drops were divine-looking materials, it'd be 'bad news' in a different way. Someone, especially among the temple officials, might have collapsed from overexcitement.
In that sense, Aži Dahāka's visibly eerie materials increase tension, but at least there's no worry about anyone fainting.
"I'm opening it."
Nell, her initial momentum having settled, judged it better to open carefully and slowly began opening the final gold chest.
"Two claws, one poison sac, one bone, one Reverse Scale, and one Cursed Poison Fang."
Even opening them this cautiously, Nell's immense luck is still in full force.She pulled two rare materials, and the number of materials is high.
"Here are the results from opening all the gold chests..."
The number of items in the gold chests: the first and last had 6, the second had 7. You could say it's an exceptionally good draw.
Just from these, we obtained a total of 19 materials,5 of which are rare materials.
Any player seeing this result would undoubtedly be shocked, thinking it's way above average.
"Four scales, three claws, three bones, two poison sacs, two fangs, three Reverse Scales, and two Cursed Poison Fangs."
Wrapped in Sunlight Silk storage bags, their ominousness is reduced, but even through the fabric of the storage bags, you can feel a dangerous air.Only the Hemolytic Toxin didn't appear from the gold chests, but honestly, the chest contents are quite good.
In this world where you can't use player-to-player bartering to obtain missing materials, Nell's drawing power is honestly a lifesaver.
For a player, the most frustrating thing in a game is the miserable state of not being able to craft ideal equipment due to a lack of materials.Officially, we can say we defeated Aži Dahāka for world peace, but as an FBO player, my true desire is to make an Aži Dahāka material weapon.
The reason is simple: because it's strong.
So, while I'm inwardly delighted with this result, I can read the room enough not to show it on my face.The surroundings sense the dangerous nature of Aži Dahāka anew from these drops, and I keenly feel questioning gazes on my back wondering what we'll do with such dangerous items.
How must my figure, ignoring them and calmly checking the items, look to others?
However, I can't stop here, and I absolutely will not do something like offering these numerous cursed drop items to the state.As you might guess from someone like Boldrinde, handing these materials to this country's powerholders is extremely dangerous when you imagine how they might be used.If we're not careful, they might go missing and end up being sold off to evil god cults or the like—a horrifying thought.
That's how low my trust is in any authority figures other than Duke Edelgard right now.
Even handing over common materials is a gray area leaning toward black.Rare materials or items from these rainbow chests are completely out of the question.
Above all, we don't have enough materials to spare for those who can't use them.Depending on the drops from here, my future battles against powerful foes could become easier or not. This is a fateful crossroads, so I'm nervous in a different way from everyone else.
Nell's hand tremulously reaches for the giant lid of the rainbow chest and swings it open.
"Liberta!?""As expected of Nell. You hit the jackpot right away."
Inside the first rainbow chest sat, as if declaring itself the main attraction, a massive, long bone.
The Eight-Headed Serpent Dragon's Spine.
Its ominous presence was so overwhelming it made the other materials seem faint. Dyed a reddish-black as if it never had the whiteness of bone to begin with, it faintly glowed red, giving off a sense of vitality that made you think it might still be producing Aži Dahāka's cursed blood.
An item absolutely exclusive to rainbow chests, essential for crafting Aži Dahāka weapons.
A powerhouse piece appeared, so impressive it made the accompanying Cursed Poison Fang and the first Hemolytic Toxin seem pale in comparison.
"An item that would warrant Sealing Designation... no, speaking as a member of the temple, this is undoubtedly an item that should be sealed."
Overwhelmed by its sinister presence, Claudia declared it a dangerous object as a member of her organization.
Claudia's words, viewing it not as 'Handle with Care' but 'Do Not Handle,' are correct. Even so, she says it with a wry smile, seeming to compromise with me using it, yet her tone also sounds like she's questioning if I really will.
I *could* safely prepare other powerful weapons.
If asked if there's a *need* to go out of my way to make a weapon from such dangerous materials...
"The groundwork for that is already in progress.""Yes, you were never the type to compromise on such things. And entrusting it to you is more reassuring than leaving it under the clumsy management of the state."
I assert that there is.
"Well, in the name of the gods, there's also the method of having the temple manage it responsibly?""Dangerous objects attract people with dangerous ideologies. The temple isn't infallible either."
The magic spear craftable from Aži Dahāka's materials has perfect compatibility with me, an assassin, and boosts my DPS.
"Above all, I believe entrusting it to you is the safest option. Even if you use it strangely, you wouldn't use it dangerously. You're ensuring safety even now. Plus, it's easier for me to monitor, making it even safer.""Somehow, I feel like I've gained trust in a weird direction..."
A ridiculous item that can inflict powerful curse poison slip damage with normal attacks, significantly increase instant death probability, and *also* boost critical damage.
If you don't mess up the crafting or usage, it undoubtedly possesses performance viable even in endgame content.
While sensing Claudia's odd yet solid trust, I diligently cover the drops with cloth and proceed with sealing them for handling.
The other common materials: scales, fangs, claws, bones, poison sacs.Plus the rare materials including this spine, totaling ten items from the first rainbow chest. Wrapping them all takes considerable time.
Pulling out the maximum possible number of Aži Dahāka's drops is truly Nell's doing.
"I can somewhat predict what will come next.""Yeah, it's Nell after all.""Yes, it's Nell-sama after all.""Somehow... even though I should be trusted, I can't feel purely happy about it."
After the exchange with Claudia, the atmosphere shifted to 'It's okay because Liberta will manage it,' and a sense of defiance began to spread.
Lady Esmeralda jumped on that bandwagon, creating an easier flow to proceed with opening the final rainbow chest.
With that, the mood turned slightly more cheerful, like the usual treasure chest opening ritual, wondering what would come next.
Well, I also think Nell might easily produce the last remaining material, so I can understand the bubbling anticipation.
The two materials exclusive to Aži Dahāka's rainbow chests. The spine is obviously large, but the other material is surprisingly small.
About the size to fit in your palm.
And you could call it the one speck of conscience amidst a hundred evils.
"I'm opening it."
By the time the packaging of the first chest's drops was finished and we moved to the second rainbow chest, the surrounding tension had eased, creating a somewhat better atmosphere than before.At Nell's slightly relaxed voice, the focus shifted from me to her. Everyone braced themselves for what ominous thing would emerge from that chest.
Then, a gentle, dusk-like light shone forth from within the chest.
"It's beautiful."
Nell's first words upon seeing the contents.An egg-shaped crystal, as if the light of the setting sun had been turned into a gemstone.
"The Eight-Headed Serpent Dragon's Dusk Stone. The reason Aži Dahāka can control its curses without being consumed by them."
Curse skills attack indiscriminately, self and others alike.Therefore, naturally, something like a mechanism is needed to control those curses.
For players, it's skills, magic tools, talismans—small tools.For monsters, it's their constitution, skills, or functions embedded within their bodies.
"Regarding curse resistance, this is top-tier material in this world. Using this, you can craft accessories with complete curse immunity. Layering materials could grant halved effectiveness against other status ailments or similar effects."
It could be called the material with the worst drop rate among Aži Dahāka's materials.Having this or not makes a world of difference in controlling the drawbacks when crafting Eight-Headed Serpent Dragon equipment.
With just this, most disadvantages vanish, and depending on other additional materials, you can completely eliminate drawbacks.
"Nell really is amazing."
And the number of Dusk Stones in this chest was... two.
She hit the ultra-low-probability drop. Holding them up with a wry smile to show everyone, they shone as if two setting suns were present.
The surroundings stirred at their beauty, unable to look away.
A masterpiece where the desire to possess it was unmasked in everyone's eyes.
Throwing a cloth over those Dusk Stones, tossing them into the attaché case prepared just in case, and promptly stashing it into the Magic Bag.Voices of regret, wishing to see more, leak out, but since I want to withdraw from here quickly, I swiftly collect the items.
"Alright, is that all?"
Aži Dahāka's treasure chests vanish like a mirage once all contents are removed.
Looking around to check for anything left behind...
"Hmm?"
I discover something glowing deep inside.
Huh? This is a space hollowed out by Aži Dahāka's body in the bedrock.It seems unlikely for a glowing object to be unearthed from here.
"What's this?"
However, I indeed found a glowing object peeking from a crevice in the bedrock.
"Claudia-san, do you know what this is?"
At first glance, it looks like a sapphire.But inside the gem, a will-o'-the-wisp-like flame flickers.
I have a general grasp of FBO items, but even I don't know this unknown object.Thinking Claudia, who travels the world, might know something, I call her over, point, and ask.
"...No, I haven't seen this before either.""Seriously?""Yes, I'm not a specialist, so I'm not an expert on stones, but I've certainly never seen it."
But even she hasn't seen it.
"For now, should we collect it?""It doesn't seem dangerous, but..."
After considering whether to leave it or take it back, I chose to take it.
Fortunately, with Magic Edge wrapped around my hand, I can dig through the bedrock. It wasn't very large, so I easily excavated it.
"It's lovely.""Yeah!""I wonder if it has some connection to the Dusk Stone from earlier?"
Lady Esmeralda, then Amina, then Nell peer into my hands in turn, but they also seem to have no clue about this stone.
Despite likely having been in contact with Aži Dahāka's body, it isn't contaminated with curses or poison.
I wrap this mysterious object in cloth just in case.
The Aži Dahāka materials wrapped in Sunlight Silk are being carried out one after another by Genjirou and the Red Armor troops.
There's no further business here.
I scan the area, wondering if there's anything else like this gem-like object, but nothing fitting comes up.
Perhaps it's something buried within the ancient ruins that just happened to survive intact.
Ancient-system items tend to have many mysterious ones.
For now, I accept that this might be one of them and exit the cavern.
There, assembled, are all those who participated in the bandit subjugation and cooperated in this Aži Dahāka battle.
The scene overlaps with that of FBO players gathering after cooperating.
Sensing what they're waiting for, I raise my spear.
"Victory is ours! Raise the cry of triumph!!"
With the coveted Aži Dahāka materials now in hand, this conflict—which began with Jakaran's rampage and Boldrinde's rebellion, followed by encounters with fallen gods and various other events—has concluded.
As I watched everyone celebrating loudly, I pondered how to hold the victory celebration.