Thanks to this, the pressure on the stronghold and the defensive line lightened.
The temporary and hastily established Underdark United Council was intensively studying how to resist the Dark Specters, but the problem was that their rate of progress was very slow.
There were clear signs that the council was preparing a small team of Legends that would launch an attack on the Final Ghost Mother in the Eternal Frozen Spring to solve the core of the problem.
…
“In fact, if not for the discovery of that Ghost Mother’s location, which eventually led to her death, I wouldn’t have been able to sneak over here.”
Raven seemed somewhat nervous.
After all, the Dark Specters were too frightening.
Even those in the Underdark who were used to bloodiness and cruelty felt it unbearable.
Just imagining their own consciousness being destroyed, only leaving behind a walking corpse that was under the control of a Ghost Mother, becoming part of the Dark Specter army… This made them shiver.
Moreover, when the defenders fought against those that were possessed by Dark Specters, it was possible for Ghost Larvae to enter their bodies and successfully parasitize them.
No one liked to fight such a pernicious enemy.
The only reason the entire defensive line had yet to collapse was the natural defense of the Great Vortex.
If this defense was broken, the Underdark… might be done for!
…
As Raven finished her account of the situation, Marvin and Jessica sank into contemplation.
The return of the Dark Specters wasn’t just a disaster for Rocky Mountain. The entire Underdark was suffering from their attacks!
The Great Calamity didn’t affect the Underdark that much because there were few there that drew support from the Universe Magic Pool to cast spells. But the eruption of the Eternal Frozen Spring, the onset of the Underdark Winter, it was simply forcing them on the path to extinction!
According to Raven, the strongholds were currently under a huge amount of pressure. They were short on food, the climate was extremely cold, and the morale of the soldiers was terrible because many of their comrades had been turned into Dark Specters, who they then had to fight. It seemed almost a joke that these races that had been fighting each other for generations were now fighting side by side.
The town with Raven’s followers was mostly occupied by a branch of Dark Elves and a group of Half-Elves.
Because of the Book of Nalu, Raven had a very strong will. With that on top of her previous talents as a leader, she was able to convince these people.
But it would be another matter if she left for a long time. In the Underdark, the leadership position could change hands very quickly.
Jessica glanced at Marvin before saying, “You make the final decision, I believe you have an appropriate plan.”
Although the Fate Sorceress was rather high-handed, she wasn’t unreasonable.
She knew Marvin had always been resourceful, and moreover, he knew a lot more about the Underdark and the Dark Specters than she did.
Considering how he had solved so many of Rocky Mountain’s problems, Marvin was the better choice for coming up with a plan.
Since he already had Jessica’s approval, Marvin nodded.
“Good. Let’s go to the [Great Vortex] first.”
…
They were standing on the narrow ropeway, above a bottomless abyss that seemed like it might engulf them at any time.
Marvin and Jessica followed Raven through the shortcut.
They spent almost four hours meandering through the caves as they avoided all the dangerous locations, and in the end, they successfully reached the [Great Vortex]!
The so-called Great Vortex was actually a very frightening part of the Underdark.
In this underground part of the continent, there was a gap that seemed like a lake, in the center of which was an endless void.
Every day, a frightening storm would scrape the void for at least ten hours!
When the storm raged in the Great Vortex, no one could cross!
The last line of defense, the [Rosen Strongholds], had been established on the other side of the Great Vortex.
They relied on the vortex as a natural barrier and used their knowledge to deal with the Dark Specters.
The luck of Marvin’s party was pretty good. Not only did they manage to avoid the Dark Specter army, but when they reached the Great Vortex, the storm had already stopped.
They could slowly make their way over using the ropeways.
This was something that Dark Specters couldn’t do.
And the people of the Rosen Strongholds relied on this to determine whether or not those that approached had been possessed.
“I already signalled the stronghold that we would be arriving.”
After a pause, Raven whispered, “But it’s best if you disguise yourselves. Although the Dark Specters are the biggest threat right now, the surface races are also not welcome in the Rosen Strongholds.”
Chapter 575: Artifact
Chapter 575: Artifact
Translator: Translation Nation Editor: Translation Nation
The management of the Rosen Strongholds was quite strict.
These were trying times, after all.
But Raven had a bit of influence in a small stronghold. And she had chosen the passage leading to the stronghold that her town belonged to, so they were soon able to obtain the permit to pass.
The group of three got onto the ropeways and crawled over.
After a strict inspection, and with Raven vouching for them, Marvin and Jessica successfully entered the Rosen Strongholds!
Because this was a territory of the Underdark, it wouldn’t be too suitable for two Humans to walk around.
Thus, Marvin and Jessica changed their appearances.
Marvin’s Shapeshift Sorcerer class came with its own Disguise skill, which he used to turn into a middle-aged Dark Elf. As for Jessica, with her flexible powers as a Fate Sorceress, this kind of trick wasn’t out of the range of her abilities.
To the others, it seemed pretty normal for Raven to bring two of their own to safety from the dangerous areas.
But sneaking into the stronghold was only Marvin’s first step.
Next, he had to split his plan in two.
Raven led them to a safe place to talk. There, Marvin explained the details of his plan and they finalized it.
The plan was divided into two main parts. The first would be accomplished by Jessica and Raven.
They had to make use of the force that Raven had established in order to get as close as possible to the Underdark United Council within a certain time frame.
Jessica’s incredible strength should be enough to help Raven increase her prestige while drawing the attention of the Underdark United Council at the same time.
Marvin hoped that she would be gain the Council’s trust. It would be the best if she could get information about the team of Legends that they were planning to send out!
Getting the information about the timing and routing of the expedition would also be okay.
Thus, if the team of Legends set off, Marvin and the others could also follow behind them, waiting for the best opportunity to act.
Marvin didn’t know whether the Underdark United Council had dispatched a team of Legends to kill the Final Ghost Mother in the game, but if it did happen, then they must have failed.
They knew very little about the Dark Specters and the Eternal Frozen Spring, so Marvin couldn’t count on their success.
But drawing support from their strength would be fine.
The plan shouldn’t be too difficult for Jessica.
The other part of the plan had to be carried out by Marvin himself.
“I’ll have to take a trip to the [Rotten Mushroom Swamp],” Marvin quickly said. “To get rid of the Final Ghost Mother, we need to use the [Demon Subduing Sword]. I got some information long ago, and it
indicated that the owner of the Demon Subduing Sword had been hiding in the Rotten Mushroom Swamps all this time.”
“And regarding the defensive scrolls I mentioned that are very effective against Ghosts, those can also be found in the Rotten Mushroom Swamps.”
“I’ll be as quick as possible. I’ll be back in a week at most.”
Jessica nodded and asked him to be careful.
It seemed to her that Marvin was entering deep into the Underdark and facing its dangers all for the sake of Rocky Mountain.
Even though Lorie had saved Marvin, so he did owe them, this courage and loyalty still moved her.
She noted this down in her mind.
…
But in fact, Marvin’s motives weren’t quite that simple.
While he did indeed want to help protect Rocky Mountain, he could also gain wealth and Comprehension points from killing the Final Ghost Mother. Divine Source wasn’t something that only Divine Servants could offer.
Moreover, the trip to the Rotten Mushroom Swamp was something he would have taken even if the Dark Specters hadn’t forced him to come to deal with them!
That was because, besides those scrolls and the Demon Subduing Sword, there was also a weapon sealed there that made the Underworld tremble!
[Artifact – Sodom’s Blades]!
In the 3rd Era, Bloody Emperor Sodom entrusted the God of Craftsmen to craft him a pair of curved blades!
It was rumored that at the time, even though he hadn’t ascended yet, Bloody Emperor Sodom had already broken through the limits of mortals, and his strength had reached a level above the Gods.
He was in complete control of his weapons!
On the Artifact Ranking for rogues, Sodom’s Blades ranked first!
What Cold Light Grasps, what Nightfall? They were second-tier in front of Sodom’s Blades.
It was said that back in those days, the Blood Emperor only relied on that pair of daggers to slaughter no less than a hundred thousand people in the Underdark!
He went to experience the Crimson Wasteland, but after the Bloody Emperor explored every corner of the place, no one dared to act against him.
This was a truly mythical character!
He was violent, savage, lecherous, and had countless other shortcomings. The Underdark had to survive under his terrifying shadow during the 3rd Era.
His brutal rule displeased all that lived there, but they could only surrender under his mighty strength.
He played with countless women, and not a single one had a good end!
It could be seen that this guy had been a complete tyrant.
Otherwise, the people of the Underdark wouldn’t have celebrated so raucously after he died a sudden and inexplicable death.
He definitely was the most unpopular emperor in all of Feinan, even if he was the only one that ever managed to unify the Underdark.
But it had to be said that the Bloody Emperor had reached the peak strength that mankind could reach.
Despite being a pure Human, the Bloody Emperor grew up in the Underdark, and ultimately, his strength was able to match that of powerful Gods.
Sodom’s Blades also became synonymous with bloodiness, slaughter, and death.
After the Bloody Emperor fell, Sodom’s Blades disappeared without a trace.
Many ambitious people looked for Sodom’s Blades, as it was an invaluable Artifact, after all, but most of them returned without any sort of success.
Only Marvin knew with certainty that Sodom’s Blades were buried in the Bloody Emperor’s tomb!
The tomb of the most infamous emperor in history was situated at the other end of the Rotten Mushroom Swamp.
Marvin estimated that it would take him about a week to get there and return.
The Great Elven King’s daggers had been with him for quite a while now, killing countless enemies. He had relied on these Legendary daggers’ attributes many times to get rid of his enemies.
Marvin was already used to the feeling of their handles.
But he had to be realistic: in the next battles, Legendary Weapons wouldn’t be suitable.
His enemies were Divine Servants, descendants of the Gods, Apostles, and Holy Women!
Angels, Greater Demons, Greater Devils, and frightening Evil Spirits!
Those azure daggers could withstand Feinan’s powerhouses, but when facing powerhouses on the level of Gods, they were lacking in strength!
He needed a pair of even more powerful weapons!
Sodom’s Blades were what the current Marvin needed the most!
No matter what, he would get them.
‘I hope that the post in the forums wasn’t just to toy with people.’
‘Otherwise, this might be a bit dangerous.’
Marvin crouched In front of the dark cave and peered inside for a bit before quickly rushing in.
Chapter 576: Swamp
Chapter 576: Swamp
Translator: Translation Nation Editor: Translation Nation
A silhouette was flickering along the complicated pathway through a dark cave.
This was the southernmost part of the Underdark. After leaving the Rosen Strongholds to head south, one would arrive at the most remote part of the Underdark.
The terrain here was even more complicated, the caves were messier and there were no large underground spaces like in the center area.
Thanks to his memories and Raven’s incomplete map, Marvin was able to make his way through very quickly.
He could feel the soil gradually moistening.
Along the way, he met several Dark Elven Fighters, but he kept away from them.
Darksight, one of the biggest advantages of Night Walkers, was being put to full effect. In this pitch-black darkness, he was the true king!
Besides seeing some Elves, he also killed a few careless monsters as he continued on his way.
With Marvin’s current strength as a Legend, even when considering the entire Underdark, the people able to block his path would be very few in number.
At Level 22, an awful lot of monsters couldn’t even harm him.
As long as he avoided those with Divinity or who were Legends, Marvin would have no issues.
Perhaps it was because most of those living in the Underdark had gathered around the Great Vortex, but the population of the southern part of the Underdark seemed pitifully small.
Marvin also passed by a few places that originally had tribes or settlements there but were now completely empty.
Under the pressure of the Dark Specters, the lives of the Underdark’s inhabitants had reached a critical point. Marvin was unable to hold back from sighing as he thought of it.
As far as the Humans on the surface were concerned, those in the Underdark were simply great scourges. Members of the same race would tend to end up a lot more powerful if they grew up in the nasty environment of the Underdark compared to if they grew up on the surface, provided they survived. This place fully followed the rule of the survival of the fittest.
But even so, in the face of the Dark Specter clan that had overturned Feinan before, the Underdark’s inhabitants had still been caught unprepared.
It wouldn’t be exaggerating at all to say that the Underdark had suffered an enormous blow. Marvin believed that even if they managed to repel the Dark Specters this time and kill the Final Ghost Mother, the Underdark would need a long time to recover.
This was actually similar to Feinan.
It was just that one was being ravaged by the Great Calamity while the other was suffering from the consequences of the eruption of the Eternal Frozen Spring.
In this era, no matter where you were, you would face an unprecedented disaster.
This was the true calamity.
…
As the soil was gradually becoming wetter, Marvin hastened his speed.
Moving long-distance in the Underdark was very tiring, so at Raven’s suggestion, before leaving the Rosen Strongholds, he had bought a docile Rock Lizard to use as a mount
.
He used some exp to quickly level his [Special Ability – Horsemanship – Rock Lizard] to the maximum, which he could access thanks to the Horsemanship skill of his Noble class.
This way, there would be no difference between him and a Dark Elven Fighter when it came to riding one.
Rock Lizards’ steps were light and noiseless even though they had shockingly fast speed. They could attach themselves to stone walls or the ground while keeping the sounds of friction minimal.
More importantly, despite being domesticated, as a species native to the Underdark, Rock Lizards also had a good ability to avoid danger.
Thanks to this inconspicuous mount, Marvin had already avoided quite a few ominous forces.
He didn’t come to the southern part of the Underdark to slaughter wantonly. He needed to finish his tasks as fast as possible.
As time slowly passed, the constant sound of air passing through the low caves could make someone become negligent.
But Marvin remained on guard. He pondered over a lot of things, while also continuously making sure he was going in the right direction.
In this place, a moment of carelessness could cause one to get lost.
Although he had adventured in the Underdark for a while in the game, Marvin wasn’t a native of the Underdark, he had to be careful.
After about three hours of travelling through the complicated cave system, Marvin emerged into a relatively wide open area.
He could see clearly tell that the ground was sloped.
After going down a gentle slope filled with moss, a seemingly endless swamp now appeared before Marvin.
[Rotten Mushroom Swamp].
The natives of the Underdark more frequently just called the place the Death Swamp.
Many who tried to go through ended up as will-o’-wisps hovering above the swamp.
Marvin took a long and serious look across the swamp.
But he only saw a mix of duckweed and mud, with some bubbles occasionally. There were also a few skeletons of victims not far away.
Some green lights were also faintly discernible.
The depths were obstructed by a thick fog.
The Rock Lizard under him was raising its legs restlessly, apparently noticing something.
‘Rotten Mushroom Swamp…’
Night Ranger - Full Series - 735 Chapters Page 329