"Leave now, or face annihilation!" Rytherin declared, his threatening gaze fixed squarely on me.
A creature that can talk…?
What kind of species is this??
Let's see…
According to the [Scan] information, this is a Lamia. They seem to be some sort of high-ranking tribe or something… I'm not exactly sure.
"That's right. Lamia are also under the jurisdiction of the Beastkin Kingdom. Their abilities lean more toward medicine and stealth rather than pure combat," Meradis informed me.
So why would a Lamia become a Guardian here?
"Well, that may be true, but not all Lamia enjoy the work of their own kind. In every generation, there are always those who wish to become warriors and leave their tribe to go on adventures."
Hmm… Based on what Meradis said, I get the idea now. But what about this "Soul Lake"? Where did that come from?
Even if the creatures here have been altered, a lake can't just appear out of nowhere and even get named.
"Well, this Soul Lake has been around for five years now. As for its origin, I don't know, but its main function is that any creature who accidentally falls into it will have their soul tested. If they pass, they can enter the soul realm. If they fail, their soul gets trapped down there forever."
Naiwa.
Hearing Meradis say that kind of gave me chills.
But… how does she know all this?
Meradis smiled again and replied, "The Soul Lake isn't something that was made up. Somewhere out there, a lake like this truly exists, but no one's ever found it. Soul Lake is also one of the Ten Legends of this world."
If no one's found it, why do people believe in it?
"Because those who found it never returned." Meradis said something truly creepy, yet her tone didn't change one bit.
Naiwa?
What does that even mean?
"There were people in the past who claimed they had found the Soul Lake and passed its trial. But the very next day, they vanished without a trace."
Weird things like this actually happened…?
"Of course. But those are events from hundreds of years ago. Back then, Queen Marakia found it quite fascinating, so she investigated and documented it in a book."
Oh, so did she discover anything?
"I don't know either. Since the Queen didn't say anything, no one dared to ask. The book only briefly mentions the event and doesn't contain any detailed records."
Looks like this Spirit Queen knows everything, huh…
I suddenly feel like I've been tricked.
"In her free time, the Queen travels all over the world. The Ten Legends of this world were also written by her." Meradis continued to share more info.
Oh? What are these Ten Legends? Sounds like something that suits me.
"They're the world's wondrous mysteries."
Huh?
That's it?
"Exactly."
I thought this world was already full of wonders. How are these different?
"They're very different. Death and mystery are essential elements, and these places are recognized by the whole world."
Hmm, hmm…
Though now I suddenly thought of something else.
"What is it?"
Meradis… how old are you?
It might sound rude, but I'm seriously curious. She knows way too much.
"Hmph, I'll tell you after you fulfill our agreement, Shiraori."
Why so secretive?
Well, whatever. I'll find out eventually anyway. But for now, how do I get through Floor 15. To be honest, I'm pretty curious about the lake and kind of want to give it a try.
"Hey, Meradis, is there any condition to pass the trial?" I asked.
"That's hard to say. Those who truly passed it never mentioned any condition, but according to Queen Marakia's research, it's the purity of one's soul."
Huh??
That's a pretty vague requirement.
Purity meaning never having done anything bad…
If that's the case, I'm probably not a great fit…
Tch, now I'm thinking about some unpleasant stuff from the past.
"Not necessarily. In history, there was a human king who succeeded in passing the Soul Lake trial."
Oh, was he special somehow?
"Yes. According to records, he was a Tyrant King, ruling the land with violence and power. Back then, I was in the Primordial Forest and even there, I heard bad rumors about him. But then, rumors spread that he had entered the Soul Lake."
Hmm…?
These strange stories just make me even more curious about the outside world.
But right now, the important thing is figuring out how to pass this floor peacefully.
That half-snake person doesn't look friendly at all.
Should I try something?
Wait…
Talking to this guy feels weirdly hard.
I mean, actually opening my mouth and speaking directly is something I'm still not used to. Aside from Meradis and old man Loyral, I haven't really talked to anyone. But I guess those two are unique cases, so they don't count.
"It's okay. Leave it to me, Shiraori." Meradis smiled at me and exited the [Virtual World].
Wow, it's been a while since I saw her out here.
"Hello, Guardian. We don't mean any harm. We just want to pass through this floor to reach the next one." Her voice was calm and polite, but in return came a threatening and violent tone from the guy.
"Leave now, or face annihilation!" Rytherin repeated the same declaration, his eyes still menacingly fixed on me.
Huh…?
Is this eel even listening?
I said we just want to tag along!
"Wait! That guy's soul lacks autonomous consciousness!" Seina suddenly spoke up.
Looks like we've uncovered something interesting.
What is it?
"I'm not sure either. Just that, if you want to get past here, you'll have to fight him. The entire battle has already been Inferred."
Oh, as expected of my most reliable assistant.
Aah!
I love Seina so much!
"D-Don't say weird stuff!"
Ack!
No need to hit that hard…
Whatever, let's focus on the task at hand. If Seina said so, then there's no need to talk anymore. On that note, I also have the perfect target to test out a new skill.
I activated [Dark God Gaze] on the eel, but he remained frozen in place.
Huh?
It didn't work?
"It's not that it didn't work. It's just that your skill level is too low, and his willpower surpasses yours." Seina bluntly explained.
Didn't have to say it so directly…
I've nearly died several times already, and now you're saying my will isn't strong enough?
Well, if my tricks don't work, I guess I'll have to fight head-on. My stats aren't too far off from that eel's, but when it comes to HP, MP, and SP, the gap is huge.
Is there a way…
What if I dig a tunnel and sneak past him?
No!
How could I be so cowardly!
If I'm going to die, I'll die with glory!
Let's go!
I gathered my courage and charged forward like nothing could stop me.
Five minutes later, still me: "Help meee!"