Chapter 68: Consuming the Final Boss’s Core
BANG!
The gunshot echoed across the sea of sand.
The gem bullet shot out of Liam’s pistol as Lydia’s six slime copies pointed their tiny hands toward it.
[Laser Shot]
Six red beams tore through the air and collided with the bullet.
The energy from the Laser Shot was immediately absorbed by the gem.
The small bullet began to glow with increasing intensity as it flew across the battlefield.
The six worms continued to be attacked by the Ace of Spades Guild’s hunters. Amber destroyed part of one worm’s body with her strikes, Don Rouch attacked another with his golden weapons, and Wayne’s ranged hunters fired from their energy platforms.
Then the bullet arrived.
It pierced through one of the worms and headed directly toward the point Liam had been watching.
The core.
The energy-charged bullet struck the crystalline structure.
Then...
BOOM!
An explosion of energy swept through the boss’s body.
The six worms writhed at the same time, and their numerous eyes began to lose their glow.
One after another, they dried up.
The surfaces of those eyes cracked and began turning to dust.
"We did it!"
"It’s going down!"
"The boss is dead!"
The hunters’ cheers spread across the entire final floor.
Liam remained still, watching.
The six worms began to disintegrate.
Their enormous bodies transformed into dark particles that mixed with the sand around them.
And then the entire sea of sand began to collapse.
"What...?"
Liam barely had time to react.
The sand supporting the final floor began collapsing toward the forest on the first floor.
The hunters lost their balance.
Wayne extended both hands.
"Everyone, stay calm!"
Several energy platforms appeared beneath the hunters, catching them before they could fall.
Liam landed on one of them.
"That was close..."
He looked down.
The forest appeared to be receiving a literal sandstorm.
Liam finally breathed a sigh of relief. They had defeated the boss.
A Rank S boss...
And he had helped.
"We did it..."
Liam smiled.
Nearby, Lydia reunited into a single gelatinous mass.
Amber flew over toward them.
The sub-captain was smiling.
"Lydia, if it weren’t for you and your husband, we’d probably still be fighting that thing."
Lydia took her human form and smiled.
"We’re glad we could help."
Liam barely had time to respond.
Don Rouch approached on another platform.
When their eyes met, the jeweler smiled, showing off that shiny gold tooth cap, and gave him a thumbs-up.
Wayne, on the other hand, simply lit another cigarette.
"It wasn’t that big of a deal."
Liam looked at him.
’Of course. Defeating a Rank S boss after hours of fighting wasn’t that big of a deal.’
He smiled.
But then something caught his attention.
The core.
The enormous structure his bullet had pierced was still floating above the remains of the sea of sand.
And it was glowing brighter and brighter.
Liam frowned.
The core began to crack.
Dark energy escaped through the fractures.
"What’s happening?"
Lydia also watched the core.
Liam thought for a few seconds.
’If everything inside a Dungeon is made of energy...’
An idea crossed his mind, and he looked at his wife.
’Maybe...’
Using his Tamer ability, [Call], Liam transmitted his thoughts directly to Lydia.
’Honey, maybe you should consume the core before it disappears.’
Lydia’s eyes widened.
"Are you sure?"
’No.’
Liam watched the cracks.
’But it could be an opportunity.’
Then Lydia’s body changed, taking on her slime form.
Two enormous wings appeared on her back.
The Roc’s wings.
Lydia began flying toward the core.
"What is she doing?!"
Evan was the first to notice her and pointed toward the sky.
"What does she think she’s doing?!"
"Lydia!"
Millie shouted.
"Get away from there! It’s dangerous!"
But Lydia continued forward.
The core continued glowing. Cracks spread across its entire surface.
Lydia reached it and lunged forward.
Her slime body completely covered the core.
"Lydia!"
Liam took a step forward.
An energy platform appeared beneath his feet.
Wayne slowly approached, holding his cigarette between his fingers.
"What the hell is your wife doing?"
Liam didn’t take his eyes off her.
"Consuming it."
Wayne looked at him.
"Consuming it?"
"Yes. Lydia can consume practically anything and use it to make herself stronger."
Wayne removed the cigarette from his mouth.
"That core could kill her."
Liam gritted his teeth.
Inside Lydia’s body, the core continued cracking.
Dark energy began escaping.
Lydia’s gelatinous body deformed.
At times, it looked like she was about to explode.
’Lydia...’
Liam used [Call] again.
’Are you okay?’
Then a system window appeared.
[Lydia: Honey, don’t worry. I can handle this.]
Liam swallowed.
’You don’t have to do this.’
[Lydia: I want to.]
The surface of her body began to tremble.
The cracks in the core grew larger.
A wave of energy swept through the air.
All the hunters stepped back.
Amber watched with concern.
"Liam."
He looked at her.
"If your wife loses the battle against that core..."
Amber looked toward Lydia.
"...it might not just explode inside her. That energy could take out all three squads."
Liam felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at his wife.
Her small green body was deforming around the core.
"Lydia!"
She didn’t respond.
"Lydia, stop."
Nothing.
Liam began to sweat.
"You don’t have to do this."
The core released another enormous surge of energy.
"Lydia!"
The slime’s body expanded.
Liam gritted his teeth.
’Please...’
Then a window appeared before his eyes.
[Lydia: Liam Davis, don’t doubt your wife.]
Liam’s eyes widened.
For a moment, he couldn’t understand it.
Then he smiled.
That phrase.
The way Lydia always threw herself into danger.
The way she trusted him even when he wasn’t sure about his own decisions.
Liam closed his eyes.
’...You’re right.’
When he opened them again, he looked directly at Lydia.
"I trust you."
The core emitted one final flash.
A white light covered the entire final floor.
"What is happening?!"
"I can’t see!"
"Cover your eyes!"
Liam raised an arm to shield himself.
The light grew even more intense.
And then...
Liam slowly lowered his arm.
His heart was pounding.
In front of him, Lydia’s body remained suspended in the air.
But there were no more cracks.
No more energy was escaping.
The core had disappeared.
A system window appeared before Liam’s eyes.
[Your Slime has consumed Dungeon Boss Core.]