Chapter 358: Dark Demon with Sword and Courageous Heart (4k)
As Dark spoke, he placed the cow horn and lion fangs on the cloth.
The milky-white cow horn was crystal clear and lustrous.
The two lion fangs had distinct bloodlines on their inner sides.
Although they were not dropped from the tier boss Dual-headed Demonic Man, their quality seemed superior, making it hard to guess their origin.
The other three people sitting around carefully examined these three materials that could serve as the core for mana spirit summoning, and they all began to ponder.
After a while.
Rose pointed to one of the lion fangs with her finger and spoke first, “Then I’ll take this lion’s fang.”
There was only one cow horn, but six lion fangs.
She clearly used this as a basis, believing the rarity of the cow horn was higher than the lion fangs, so she chose the lion fangs.
“No.”
Diana immediately rejected, “Apart from Dark, you contributed the most. You should take this cow horn!”
Emma echoed, “Yes, I agree too.”
“This.” Rose couldn’t help feeling troubled, “But if I take it, it won’t be very useful…”
…
They were all good kids.
At this moment, Dark said, “How can it be useless? Although you didn’t join the Dueling Club this semester, you will definitely need it when you’re in second year. This cow horn has a very pure aura, quite suitable for you.”
“Exactly.” Diana nodded immediately, “It really suits you!”
Rose was still hesitating.
Emma raised her voice slightly, “This is how it is. I don’t have much interest in this cow horn and lion fangs. If you are willing to pay me some mana crystals, I don’t want my share of the materials.”
Mana crystals, although valuable, were still somewhat inferior compared to these rare materials that could serve as cores for mana spirit summoning.
However, Emma’s demand for mana crystals was higher than for other materials, so for her personally, the value of mana crystals could rival those two core materials.
If this transaction could be made, both parties would benefit.
But Diana didn’t think much about it; she just followed Emma’s wishes and asked, “Is ten enough?”
Emma smiled slightly and nodded, “Of course it’s enough. If you pay me ten mana crystals, I won’t participate in the distribution of these core materials.”
“Then that’s settled.”
Diana nodded once and turned to count out ten mana crystals from her bag—the mana crystals of her and Rose were kept together.
After Emma received the ten mana crystals, she felt quite satisfied with the reward she obtained.
“But…”
But Diana, who got the remaining two lion fangs, rolled her eyes thoughtfully for a moment, then suddenly picked up one lion fang and placed it in her palm, extending it towards Dark and saying, “Hey! Five mana crystals!”
This sudden move not only surprised Emma and Rose, but even Dark couldn’t help laughing.
He didn’t say much more and took out five mana crystals from his bag, stacking them one by one in Diana’s palm, smiling, “Then five it is.”
Diana couldn’t help but laugh more happily.
Dark then took the lion fang from her palm.
In this way, he also acquired a new core material.
The remaining one was naturally Diana’s own.
Emma watched their interaction and couldn’t help feeling envious.
But some things couldn’t be envied.
She sighed slightly and could only focus her mind on the mana crystals she had obtained.
Twenty mana crystals might be the opportunity for her to break through.
…
After obtaining that lion fang, the gains from this dungeon trip for Dark rose another level.
Summarized as:
① Rusty sword;
② Eighteen-sided crystal;
③ Bloodthirsty giant axe;
④ Living metal;
⑤ Lion fangs;
⑥ Five mana crystals;
As for other materials, they might be ground into various experimental powders, or used as auxiliary materials in mana spirit summoning, but they weren’t crucial.
Dark picked up the lion fang with two fingers, thinking about how to use it.
“If only there was Liongrass, I could fully utilize this lion fang, combined with the ‘Pride Fruit’ nurtured by Liongrass, to attempt to refine a ‘Corona Beast.'”
“However, to successfully guide the refinement toward a ‘Corona Beast,’ additional fire attribute auxiliary materials would likely be needed.”
“How about I go ask at the Catgrass Flower Shop tomorrow?”
“Even if the Liongrass hasn’t solved its biting habit problem, we could try renting it.”
“Sigh… It feels a bit like a playboy asking someone else to do something.”
“No, I still have to go!”
The Corona Beast was the pre-evolution form of Apollo Beast, the Sun God among the Twelve Olympian Gods in the Digital Monster series.
In Dark’s research plan concerning “Pride,” it held a significant position.
If he could promote the evolution of the Corona Beast into the ultimate form of Apollo Beast during his research, he would basically be able to graduate in his study of “Pride.”
Therefore, even if there was a possibility of failure, he had to attempt the refinement.
Similarly, refining the “Moon Beast” was also part of the plan.
…
Time gradually passed, and the dozen or so groups that were free to explore returned.
Professor Nina counted the returning groups on her fingers. When the last group’s student appeared in her sight, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
“All present!”
The limited exploration within the first and second floors of the dungeon indeed reduced the danger to a minimum.
As long as they remembered the professor’s lessons and remained cautious, the first-year students who dared to form teams for adventure were unlikely to encounter trouble.
Even at the beginner stage, magi were far stronger than other same-level warriors.
Indeed, this was the case.
If it hadn’t been for triggering the hidden space, Wit could have swept through the second floor with just a “Gigant.”
So, in the end, only two people triggered the “Dungeon Escape Device.”
This cost was barely within Professor Nina’s tolerance.
However, she would probably have to tighten her belt for the next month.
Professor Nina patted her cheek, thinking how much she disliked those two people, and then said with renewed vigor, “Since everyone is here, it’s time for the display of spoils. Starting from the Noble Academy, line up and show the items obtained after hunting monsters. I will register each item individually. The completion of this task will be considered in your final grades.”
The students already knew about this segment and discussed quietly among themselves.
“Let’s start.”
Dark did not hesitate and directly had Meow carry the bloodthirsty giant axe to display it.
The students had already seen the giant axe, but it wasn’t until Dark officially explained that some finally realized that Dark and his group had actually succeeded in hunting the tier boss!
This result was astonishing.
Following that, Diana and Rose also went up one after another.
Then it was Tudor’s group…
The entire process went quickly, with almost everyone going up and coming down right away.
Before long, Professor Nina completed the registration process.
She looked at the content recorded and felt quite satisfied.
“If I tell Aunt Shylph that my students successfully hunted the tier boss, she might slightly reduce her criticism of me, right?”
…
Finally, under Professor Nina’s lead, the first-year students returned to the entrance of the first floor faster than they came, stepping out through the door.
By now, the sky had darkened.
The magical door, like a water curtain, emitted light, illuminating the twelve giant statues standing nearby.
The senior students who entered and exited the magical door always curiously glanced at these first-year students, guessing how terrible their first experience might have been.
However, apart from a few exceptions, the first-year students’ experience in the dungeon this time was very good.
The students who were free to explore gained the adventure experience they desired, and the students following Professor Nina also experienced what felt like a spring outing.
No one paid attention to the two students still in the infirmary, enduring Sister Carrian’s punishment and education.
Sister Carrian never held back when punishing students.
…
The first class on monster studies in March officially ended under the light of the magical door.
At the end, Professor Nina imitated Professor Shylph’s tone, ignoring the strong protests of the young magi, and sternly assigned today’s homework—writing a dungeon adventure diary of no less than five hundred words.
Then the entire team dispersed.
The already hungry students immediately rushed into the castle cafeteria.
Of course, some people turned midway and ran to the open Traveler’s Street.
Dark’s trio chose to go to the cafeteria.
As they walked out of the circular building, he thought for a moment and called Emma, who was sitting at the same table as him.
Thus, including Susan and Lucy, the six of them found a spot in the cafeteria and had a celebratory meal.
The conflict between the Noble Academy and the Knight Academy was not evident among these six people.
Susan and Lucy were naturally outgoing, and soon they hit it off with Diana.
The two chattered and asked about their experiences in the dungeon. Diana vividly narrated, sometimes using exaggerated gestures to make the atmosphere very lively.
When they finished eating and dispersed, everyone was still unsatisfied.
But each of them still had things to do, so they couldn’t continue chatting in the cafeteria.
Dark, Diana, and Rose returned to the tower of the Noble Academy, braving the sharp gaze of the Feathered Serpent construct, carrying the bloodthirsty giant axe into the common room.
Then they found an empty table in the common room and started another round of dividing the spoils.
This time, they were distributing ordinary monster materials.
Basically, they divided them equally among the three.
But adjustments were made based on each person’s preferences.
Because there were many small items, it took over half an hour to complete the division.
When the three of them returned to their dorms with large piles of materials, it was already eight o’clock in the evening.
“It’s not time to slack off yet!”
Dark looked at the large pile of materials and decided to handle them immediately.
By around ten o’clock, he had processed all the ordinary materials and put them in order.
Afterward, he glanced at the rusty sword and giant axe leaning against the corner, suppressing the urge to study them immediately, and turned to take a bath in the bathroom.
Once he came out feeling refreshed, he unfolded “Paradise” and summoned all the mana spirits.
Then, Dark instructed the Big Milk Jar to take care of the three cat plants, starting to use the “Soul Curse” and “Technique of the Shadow God” to absorb today’s “Capital Sin.”
On the first day of March, he chose to draw 1.5 points of “Greed.”
And today was also “Greed.”
Although he planned to attempt refining the “Corona Beast,” it wouldn’t be late to draw “Pride” after confirming a channel to obtain Liongrass.
After handling the routine matters, Dark finally could calm down and study the thing he wanted to investigate the most—the rusty sword!
Ever since knowing that the hidden space was triggered by Emma, Dark had a sense that the value of this rusty sword was greater.
According to general rules, such treasures were often key items that could run through the entire storyline in games centered around heroes—Holy Swords!
Although it was covered in rust.
Although there was a “Holy Sword Spell” in this world, a magic spell card that could summon a Holy Sword.
Before the advent of mana technology, “Holy Swords” actually existed.
Back then, “Holy Swords” were certainly not magic spells or projections.
They were true Holy Swords, sacred weapons capable of dealing special damage to demons!
Though the attribute of a “Holy Sword” was not necessarily light, it undoubtedly possessed a sacred nature.
If this rusty sword was truly the “Holy Sword” that could unleash its power only by a hero, could he, as a backup for a Demon God, make this “Holy Sword” react?
Given the possibility, Dark hadn’t dared to try along the way.
However, since even the Feathered Serpent construct at the entrance of the Noble Academy failed to see through the “Demon God” factor within him, it was clear that at the current 0% progress of the Demon God bloodline awakening, he was still a pure-blood human.
Only his talent related to mana exceeded the human limit slightly.
Therefore, the final result required further in-depth research.
“Start by injecting mana.”
Dark picked up the rusty sword, carefully examining it before preparing to inject mana and observe the reaction.
With “Paradise” covering everything, some of the aura didn’t easily dissipate.
As a small amount of mana gathered at his fingertips, Dark released the mana at a distance of one finger from the rusty short sword.
“Thud.”
The rusty sword visibly moved.
“There’s a reaction!”
Dark immediately cautiously retracted his hand.
He couldn’t determine whether this was a harmonious reaction or a repelling one.
But since there was a reaction, it meant that this rusty sword at least belonged to the category of mana artifacts.
“So, let’s continue.”
Dark swallowed slightly and gathered mana again.
His curiosity was no less than a cat’s.
…
[8000/8000]
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