The ambiguous period of "Mana Synchronization" finally came to an end, while the cozy bedroom was filled with a sweet, cloying fragrance that made one want to lose oneself completely in it.
Labrynth lay lazily sprawled across the soft velvet bed, her fair cheeks tinged with a faint blush. Her demon tail swayed weakly in the air behind her.
Arianna stood by the bedside, her black-and-white gothic maid outfit once again impeccably arranged, making her look utterly obedient.
The cool yet adorable maid considerately handed over a cup of warm Mana Spring Water, her movements as gentle as if handling a rare treasure, her eyes filled with absolute loyalty.
Just then, a dull mechanical sound echoed from the depths of the Labyrinth. The massive structure known as the Thunder Thermal Furnace, which roared day and night, gradually ceased its frenzied operation.
The terrifying, thunderous flames within the furnace slowly died down, and the raging fire elements gradually calmed. The entire Dungeon fell into a deathly silence.
Labrynth abruptly emerged from under the covers, her demon horns twitching excitedly atop her head as all traces of drowsiness vanished instantly. (✧◡✧)
She gulped down the spring water, casually shoved the cup into Arianna's hand, and loudly issued a command, her voice brimming with barely contained excitement.
"Greeny, hurry to the depths of the Labyrinth and pull open the discharge chute of the Thunder Thermal Furnace for me!"
Arianna respectfully knelt on one knee, her clear voice resonating in the bedroom. Then, she turned and transformed into a black-green blur, vanishing instantly from the cozy room.
Sitting on the bed, Labrynth eagerly opened the Holographic Projection, switching the view to the depths of the Labyrinth, her gaze fixed intently on the pure black metal structure.
In the projection, Arianna stood steadily before the massive ten-meter-tall furnace. She extended her pale, delicate hand, grasped the thick, cooling lever, and pulled it down with force.
Accompanied by a grating screech of metal, the heavy discharge chute door slowly rose. A torrent of precious materials cascaded out like a waterfall, pouring forth wildly.
The crisp, clinking sounds echoed continuously through the vast hall of the lower level, sounding like the most beautiful music in the world, stirring the heart.
Labrynth stared fixedly at the System interface panel, eyes gleaming with avarice, her small hands clenched tightly into fists. (＾▽＾)
[Thunder Thermal Furnace refinement complete. Total yield this time: five hundred units of Refined Iron Ingot]
The Refined Iron Ingots exhibited a deep, dark luster. Each piece was heavy, containing extremely high purity, piled together like a small hill.
[Yield: twenty low-grade Magic Crystals, fifteen units of Venom Essence]
The Magic Crystals emitted a soft blue glow, while the Venom Essence was contained in transparent glass bottles, bubbling with an eerie green froth and exuding a dangerous aura.
[Congratulations, Castle Lord. Unexpectedly refined five units of the rare metal: Mithril]
Though small in volume, those five pieces of Mithril shimmered with a dazzling silver starlight, breathtakingly beautiful and undoubtedly priceless treasures.
Gazing at the piles of materials radiating their enchanting glow, Labrynth was utterly consumed by wild, ecstatic joy, her little face flushed bright red.
"I've struck it rich! This Castle Lord has truly struck it rich this time!"
She excitedly rolled around wildly on the spacious velvet bed, her white skirt fluttering everywhere with her movements, like a happy white glutinous rice ball. (≧∇≦)ﾉ
For the first time, she experienced the ultimate joy of legendary resource freedom, feeling as if her whole body was about to float away, and even her breathing became much smoother.
No need to mine herself; just toss those disgusting Monster corpses into the burn. This was simply a guaranteed, high-profit business.
The joy of being a ruthless capitalist was truly irresistible!
Labrynth waved her little hand with grand ambition, as if already seeing the glorious future of building her vast commercial empire.
"Greeny, quickly move all these treasures that will serve as our domination capital into the Storage and arrange them properly; not a single piece can be missing!"
Arianna, receiving the order in the ground-floor hall, immediately directed the three tireless Pure White Dolls to start moving them, their movements very efficient.
Heavy Refined Iron Ingots were neatly stacked in the corner of the Storage, emitting a cold metallic luster that felt reassuring just to look at. Precious Magic Crystals and Mithril were carefully packed by Arianna into specially made wooden boxes, sealed with heavy magical seals.
Allen, far away in the water prison, heard the huge commotion and trembled all over in fear.
Despairingly burying his head in his knees, Allen felt he could never escape this terrifying Labyrinth in his lifetime, his heart filled with endless regret.
"What kind of being have I provoked? She must be an ancient demon king who crawled out from the abyss… I'm dead for sure!"
Shivering in the cold water prison, Allen's fear of Labrynth deepened even further, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Labrynth had no time to bother with that timid human mage; her mind was now completely occupied with how to improve her own strength and protect her own little life.
Only by converting resources into actual combat power could she live more comfortably in this perilous Dungeon; she deeply understood the essence of the survivalist way.
She pulled up the Holographic Projection again, clearly displaying the structural diagram of the entire Three-Dimensional Labyrinth before her eyes, a mischievous smile curling at the corner of her mouth. (￣▽￣)
Immediately activating the Silver Alchemy Skills, she began a comprehensive major upgrade of the whole Labyrinth, letting those intruders feel despair!
A flash of madness passed through Labrynth's pure white eyes as she unhesitatingly squandered the enormous wealth she had just obtained, not even blinking.
"First, integrate all five hundred units of refined iron into the load-bearing walls of the Labyrinth's outer perimeter. Don't leave a single bit!"
With her command, the five hundred Refined Iron Ingots in the Storage instantly transformed into streams of silver light, illuminating the dim underground passages.
These streams of light, following the Dungeon's Mana Circuits, frantically poured into the stone walls of the Labyrinth's outer perimeter, emitting low, rumbling roars.
[Consumed five hundred units of refined iron. Silver Alchemy initiated. Labyrinth outer wall defense significantly increased.]
The dull rumbling echoed continuously through the Dungeon's sixth level, as if a minor earthquake had occurred, shaking the ground and making rubble bounce.
The originally hard Silver Citadel Stone, after fusing with a large number of metal particles, underwent a qualitative leap, becoming even more massive.
The stone wall's surface shimmered with an indestructible silver glow, exuding an intimidating aura like a fortress of steel.
Allen looked up in terror from within the water prison, watching helplessly as the surrounding walls grew darker and more oppressive.
The originally pure white stone walls now gleamed with the cold luster of metal, as if capable of absorbing all magical attacks.
In despair, he released a feeble wind blade that struck the wall, not even leaving a scratch before dissipating instantly.
"It's over, completely over. Even a Silver Rank squad would probably be trapped here now!"
Allen collapsed to the ground, his eyes devoid of all light. The last shred of hope in his heart vanished, replaced by profound despair.
After securing the outer defenses, Labrynth turned her gaze toward the core bedroom where she resided; her safest sanctuary.
"Grind all five units of precious Mithril into powder and mix it directly into the walls of the core bedroom. Create an absolute domain for me!"
Labrynth gritted her teeth and issued this extravagant, almost insane command, her small face etched with pain. (O ^ ~ ^ O)
That was Mithril. A top-tier magical material in the human world, where even a small piece could trade for a luxurious estate. And now, it was all going to be used to paint walls.
The five shimmering pieces of Mithril in the Storage shattered, transforming into a swirling cloud of silver stardust that drifted along the Mana channels toward the bedroom.
Guided by the power of Aberrant Alchemy, the stardust slowly seeped into the bedroom walls, emitting a soft glow.
[Consumed five units of Mithril. Core bedroom walls gained powerful Magic Resistance and Physical Rebound effects.]
A brilliant silver Magic Circle flashed across the bedroom walls before quickly fading back into the pure white stone, restoring calm.
Labrynth patted her small hands in satisfaction. Now, even if that Silver Rank mage were to bombard the walls from outside, she could sleep soundly, brimming with a sense of security.
Surveying the newly fortified Labyrinth, Labrynth's eyes fell upon Arianna, who had just returned to the bedroom, and she looked her up and down.
The loyal demon maid stood to the side, her hands resting naturally at her sides, appearing utterly obedient and flawless.
Labrynth stared at Greeny's fair, delicate hands and suddenly felt something was amiss, her brow furrowing slightly.
"Greeny is my most powerful top fighter. How can she keep fighting those disgusting Monsters barehanded?"
Labrynth stroked her chin, muttering to herself. It was far too shabby and unbecoming of a Dungeon master's maid.
If other Dungeon masters saw this, they'd think Labrynth was too poor to afford weapons; absolutely unacceptable.
"No, I must craft a stylish, custom weapon for Greeny. That will showcase this master's immense wealth and make others green with envy!"
Labrynth wasted no time. She immediately closed her eyes, activating her highly proficient Mental Visualization Skill, and countless blueprints flooded her mind. (✧◡✧)
Her mind raced as she began earnestly conceptualizing the perfect weapon to match Arianna's combat style, trying to find the optimal configuration.
Simply giving her an ordinary one-handed sword or a great axe would be a tremendous waste of her combat talent; far too mediocre.
"Got it! Let's call it the Jadeite Loop!"
Labrynth suddenly opened her eyes, her pupils sparkling with excitement as a brilliant design took shape in her mind, thrilling her immensely.
It was a Mithril ring about half a meter in diameter, with six sharp emerald-green blades suspended on its inner side; a truly striking design.
This ring could float behind Greeny, serving as an all-around defensive shield to block any sneak attacks.
Once an assault was launched, those six emerald-green blades would spin rapidly along the Mithril ring's track, transforming into a terrifying meat grinder that would shred any enemy to pieces.
"Hehe, this is the perfect chance to test the Alchemy I just mastered. Today, this Castle Lord will personally take up the hammer and forge, letting Greeny witness the power of a genius!"
Labrynth rubbed her small hands together excitedly, eager to showcase her astonishing creative Talent, a confident smile spreading across her face. (＾▽＾)
She had Arianna fetch a pile of Refined Iron Ingots and some leftover Magic Crystals from the Storage, neatly arranging them on the bedroom floor.
Labrynth sat cross-legged on the soft carpet, her expression serious as she extended both hands toward the pile of materials on the floor and took a deep breath.
"Silver Alchemy, fuse for me!"
She shouted softly, and the Mana within her body surged out like a bursting flood, enveloping the cold metal and emitting a dazzling light.
A purple glow illuminated the bedroom as the Refined Iron Ingots began to melt slowly, attempting to Reconstruct according to Labrynth's imagination into the shape of a ring.
However, the complexity of Alchemy far exceeded the expectations of this novice Castle Lord; controlling Mana required extremely high precision.
The unstable output of Mana caused intense structural conflicts within the metal, and the temperature began to skyrocket.
Sssss
A sharp, grating noise erupted as the semi-fluid metal suddenly emitted a thick, black smoke, stinging the eyes and making it hard to see.
Right after, with a dull thud, the mass of metal exploded outright, turning into a pile of pitch-black debris scattered across the carpet.
Frenzied currents of Mana rampaged through the bedroom, whipping Labrynth's white twin-tails into a chaotic dance in the air; the scene was utter chaos.
Arianna reacted swiftly, instantly stepping forward to shield Labrynth, protecting the Castle Lord.
Thus, Labrynth's attempt at Alchemy ended in a spectacular failure, without even a glimpse of a finished product. (￣▽￣)
She peeked her small head out from behind Arianna, staring blankly at the pile of waste on the floor, her mind completely blank.
Her fair, delicate face was smeared with a thick layer of black soot, making her look like a little kitten that had just crawled out of a chimney–utterly comical.
"Cough, cough, cough... What exactly happened? My design was absolutely perfect, so why did it explode?"
Labrynth coughed twice in frustration, casually wiping the black soot from her face. Her eyes grew even more stubborn, her competitive spirit thoroughly ignited.
"This Castle Lord refuses to believe this is impossible! One more time… this time I will definitely succeed. I absolutely cannot lose face in front of Greeny!"
Clenching her teeth, she ordered Arianna to bring another batch of brand-new precious materials, preparing for her second grand attempt.
This time, Labrynth became even more cautious, focusing all her attention on controlling every wisp of Mana flow, not daring to be the slightest bit careless.
The purple Alchemy Array slowly rotated in mid-air. The mass of metal finally began to coalesce into the rudimentary shape of a ring, emitting a faint glow.
Beads of sweat formed on Labrynth's forehead. Holding her breath nervously, she prepared for the final step: the most crucial one.
"Blades, take form!"
She suddenly increased her Mana output, attempting to condense those six deadly emerald-green blades on the inner side of the ring. Her hands trembled slightly.
But, contrary to her wishes.
The violent Mana instantly shattered the fragile balance within the ring. The entire structure collapsed irreversibly once more, with Mana scattering in all directions.
Crack.
A crisp snapping sound rang out. Countless fine cracks, like a spiderweb, spread across the surface of the nearly-formed Mithril ring.
"Nooo!"
Labrynth's eyes widened in agony, watching helplessly as her painstaking creation transformed into a pile of twisted scrap metal, crashing heavily onto the floor.
She fell to her knees on the soft carpet in utter despair, clutching her head and letting out a mournful wail, her voice filled with sorrow. (ㄒoㄒ)
"My materials! My hard work! This was good, honest silver! It's all gone, just like that! My heart aches so much!"
Labrynth was so heartbroken that she felt tears welling up. This was even more unbearable than killing her; she felt her heart was bleeding.
Two failures, wasting a massive amount of precious resources… for a miser like her, this was undoubtedly a devastating blow, making her question her very existence.
Arianna walked over to Labrynth's side. With gentle movements, she helped the distraught Lord to her feet, her eyes full of sympathy.
Though her exquisite, expressionless face showed no emotion, a trace of tenderness flickered in her clear eyes, bringing an immense sense of comfort.
Arianna extended her pale fingers, gently wiping the black soot from Labrynth's face. Her voice, though cool and clear, carried a hint of warmth, like a heavenly melody.
"It's alright, Castle Lord. Arianna can protect the Castle Lord even without a weapon."
These simple words, like a spring breeze, swept over Labrynth's wounded heart, instantly healing all her sorrow.
Labrynth looked up, gazing at the loyal maid whose eyes were filled only with her. Overwhelmed with emotion, her eyes reddened.
She wrapped her arms around Arianna's slender waist, burying her face in the softness of the maid's chest, and cried out loudly like a wronged child. (*≧ω≦)
"Waaah! Greeny, you're so understanding!"
Labrynth sniffled, then suddenly lifted her head. eyes blazed with fierce determination.
"No matter what, I will definitely forge a weapon for you!"
...
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