Chapter 55: The Title
[Congratulations.]
[You have completed the 2nd Mission: Explore the Dungeon.]
"..."
'I did...?'
[You have completed Tasks 1 to 4.]
[You have explored floors 1–3] [Reward: +1 Lv. up] [claim]
[You have explored floors 4–5] [Reward: +1 Lv. up] [claim]
[You have explored floors 6–9] [Reward: +1 Lv. up] [x2] [claim]
[You have explored floor 10] [Reward: +1 Lv. up] [x2] [claim]
Now that Pebbles looked at the screen intently, he noticed the rewards that he could claim. He simultaneously reminded himself that he was already Lv.24, so he could claim only one of them.
'I can level up a total of six times...'
Adding to that, Pebbles also had a few interesting thoughts.
'Leveling up initially is super easy...' And then he looked at other bosses who were already high-level beings.
He somewhat half-guessed that leveling up later would be extremely difficult, especially considering that he would require quite a vast amount of experience points to do that.
To make it more difficult, he would be fighting monsters of the same or lower levels, and thus, theoretically, one could never reach Lv.100.
"Or maybe they have to conduct a massive massacre," the tree monster added when Pebbles asked his question.
"Is there anyone who has reached level 100?"
It came as a sudden question, but it soon turned into a discussion where the green lizard, the shaman, and even the bosses gave their points of view.
"I've heard those who reach level hundred become gods."
"You mean Supremes?" Pebbles asked.
The green lizard shook his head.
"No, master. A supreme, a celestial, and a god... all these three terms mean different things."
The bosses looked at the green lizard with keen interest, as if they wanted him to keep speaking.
The green lizard coughed to clear his throat and continued, "A Supreme is someone who has grasped an authority of the world. The authority could be something like Light, Darkness, Death, Nature, Blood, Soul, and whatnot."
Pebbles tapped his chin. "These authorities seem quite a bit like attributes or... types."
"Yes, master. They almost are similar, but attributes are something one is born into or they get while evolving. But becoming a Supreme requires trials. Not everyone can pass that."
And then he looked keenly at Pebbles. So did the shaman and Azeth. Even all the boss monsters looked at him with a weird, awed expression. The Stone Spiders were no exception.
With all that pressure, he couldn't help but say, "What?"
"N-nothing...", the green lizard coughed a few more times.
They had called him 'Supreme', and Pebbles hadn't forgotten that.
However, he hadn't gone through any trial, so he simply concluded, 'Hm. My pets are too innocent. They are confusing me with a Supreme.'
Regardless, the talk ended then and there, and Pebbles looked back at the system screen.
This completion of the mission came as a surprise.
He faintly recalled his second mission. It was about exploring the floors, and conquering them was a means of exploration too.
He had to either learn about the floors entirely or kill the boss monsters to finish the tasks. Surprisingly enough, if the bosses bowed, it technically counted as exploring the floors.
'Good enough.'
Now that he had completed one of the missions, it was time to take care of the mission related to the goblins.
He was glad that he got a new title and it could help him out, but that's all.
There was silence for a few minutes because none dared to speak. It was because Pebbles was thinking about something. Their master was plotting...
"Say..."
It caught the green lizard off guard.
"Yes, master?"
"...if I were to speak with the dungeon, what must I do?"
The lizard's eyes widened. He raised his hands and said, "You just need a will to speak. A need. And a want. And if you wish for it, Mother will speak to you."
"I want to speak," Pebbles said immediately and nonchalantly.
There was no emotion in what he said.
The lizard coughed once more.
"Master, I meant you need to display and showcase your want, need, and will. You must offer some sacrifices... or do something like..."
[[Speak, my child.]]
And then, all of a sudden, the dungeon spoke. All the beasts on the ground got back to their feet and stood with respect.
[[But Pebbles remained seated. In fact, he was as calm as he could be.]]
Moreover, everyone was shocked, especially the green lizard, who expected at least some form of sacrifice or something in return to speak... but then he soon realized the perks of having the title 'Child Of Endings'.
He sighed and could only offer a small smile because he recalled how much he had struggled just to hear one word from the Mother.
She had just said, [[Prosperity]], and that alone gave him a power-up when he was in a life-and-death battle.
Now, he heard the Mother speak an entire sentence, so he was anything but sad. He was thankful and extremely grateful to hear that.
And other bosses, who had only ever heard the Mother's intentions and messages from the green lizard who acted as the mediator, heard it for the first time, so everyone was pleasantly surprised and excited, all except the White Tiger.
It opened its eyes for a fleeting second when it heard the words, yawned, and then went back to sleep.
"Do you remember? That one time you said that I had to eliminate the Shaman and protect the goblins of Chunk Village?"
"Eh?" The shaman fidgeted and looked startled when she heard that.
[[I do.]]
"Ehhh?" She had no idea that she was going to die at the hands of Pebbles.
"So..." Pebbles looked at her, pointed at her, and said in a low tone, "She has now become my follower. And I need her. Can't I keep her with me? And not kill her?"
The green lizard gulped large chunks of saliva as he fleetingly glanced at Pebbles while his head remained lowered.
"Master... Mother's words are absolute. You can't just..."
[[If that's what you want, then fine.]]
"Whaaaaat?" The green lizard's mouth dropped to the floor as it could only stare at Pebbles.
'The title gave no small perks... these are super perks!!!'