Who Designed This Underworld Dungeon?-Chapter 1118 - 726: Northern Undead Asylum (Part 2)
Hevi babbled on and showed no signs of stopping.
"Life is short, and I believe learning should focus on key points. Through my tireless research in my life, I've discovered the most worthwhile moves to learn in the Sain Dungeon. Would you like to hear them?"
Before Todd could answer, he directly said:
"You must learn the combat skill Hound Step. It's best to get the Hound's Long Teeth. If possible, find someone named Leon to learn Swift Slash, Lion Slash, and Hunting Giant. They're quite good too."
"As for magic, learn Spinning Flying Magic Gravel and Broom Star. These two spells are invincible, and learning other magic with our average skills is just tiring and thankless..."
"As for those weak combat magic skills, I don't even bother looking at them!"
It seems Hevi has his own unique understanding of the combat magic skills in the Sain Dungeon.
He's quite the power advocate.
He continued to chatter on, seemingly alleviating the boredom of being imprisoned, and even Todd got infected by it, and they gradually started chatting intermittently.
"Where do you think the Northern Undead Asylum might be? Does it connect the Fire Transmission Ceremony, the Round Table Hall, or the Hunter's Dream?"
"It could be any of them..."
"I really want to go back to Yilushier to see the Onion Knight. I always feel like his story isn't finished; he can't just stay in the cellar forever."
"That's really exciting..."
Time passed gradually in their intermittent chatting, and it wasn't all that boring.
However, at some point, even their idle chatter faded away.
Talking consumes energy, and speaking too much can also lead to fatigue. Moreover, even the indefatigable Hevi is affected by the discomfort of not seeing any future or road ahead while being confined here.
Despair is like black dye, gradually eroding everyone's heart.
Todd, lying down carelessly on the moss, staring at the dirty and indistinct ceiling, his lips parched and dry.
"Isn't anyone... going to save me..."
The cell had only the faint glow of a torch, which instead of providing hope, served more as a reminder of despair.
Because when the light is too small and the darkness too vast, the existence of the light rather harshly contrasts it. If it were pitch-black, one could deceive oneself into descending to darkness; but with the light present, it triggers a reluctant defiance against the descent, leading to clear, torturous suffering.
He now understood why Hevi's cellmate crouched in the corner, hitting himself. If he remained here much longer, he'd also go mad.
Simply being imprisoned here is the most horrifying punishment in the world!
Todd's gaze on the ceiling gradually became murky, losing consciousness, when suddenly he laughed self-mockingly.
He laughed at himself because...
"I must be out of my mind; I'm even seeing illusions."
He shook his head, disheartened, murmuring to himself:
"I actually saw the ceiling being lifted and someone gazing at me."
"..."
"No, that's not right!"
Todd suddenly leaped up, staring intensely at the ceiling, his whole body trembling as if shaken to the core!
"What's wrong with you?" His commotion startled Hevi awake, who was about to faint.
"Ah, ah..."
Todd opened his mouth but couldn't speak, his eyes full of wonder.
Light.
A narrow beam of light descended from above, piercing the desolate cell, casting warm rays upon his face.
It was a long-lost glow, coming from the small gap where the ceiling was lifted. He realized the ceiling could be opened.
And within that beam of light, he saw an angel who saves worlds.
A knight's figure appeared at the ceiling's only opening.
If an experienced adventurer like Leon who braved the entire Sain Dungeon were here, they would recognize the armor worn by the knight as the [Astara Upper Knight Armor].
It's not excessively elaborate, but it gives a solid sense of security.
"Save, save..."
Forgotten how to speak, "Save me" lingered in Todd's throat but remained unsaid, feeling anxious.
The knight in the sunlight then extended their hand towards him.
No, not a hand reached out, but something was dropped.
"Clang—"
Todd rushed to pick it up, and upon close inspection, it was a string of keys!
Keys! Could they be the keys to unlock the cell door!
He was thrilled, holding the keys as if they were the most valuable treasure in the world, about to look up and express his gratitude.
However, the knight had vanished, leaving only the sunlit ceiling, affirming what he saw wasn't a dream.
Todd paused, then beamed with joy, using the keys to try the door, all the while muttering:
"Such a good person! Surely, good deeds will be rewarded!"
"Although the Sain Dungeon is tricky, its residual shadows are quite endearing!"
Accompanied by a 'click', the cell door opened.
"How did you open it!?" Now it was Hevi's turn to be taken aback, with others turning their attention too, and the overwhelming plea for him to come open their doors ensued.
With the cell keys in hand, Todd felt as if he was holding the fate of the entire world, thinking those stronger than him now had to listen to his bidding?
Yet, this inflated sense of achievement didn't last long, and he obediently opened the door, appearing honest and simple.
Using keys to coerce others is foolish; he aimed to curry favor with the folks from the Starfire Church.
"I've released you all, in return, I hope you'll escort me to the Fire Transmission Ceremony."
"As long as we find the way, we'll take you anywhere."
Standing in the cell's corridor, Hevi stretched his sore shoulders, wearing a relieved expression, and donned his dragon-shaped helmet "Describe the knight who tossed you the keys again, I have a hunch we'll meet them here."
Thus, Todd continued detailing the knight's attire while following the crowd forward.
He had successfully joined the Starfire Church without anyone opposing from the start; it seemed he naturally belonged to their group.
It was entirely different from when they initially met, wanting to encase him in a concrete pillar.
Upon hearing his description, Hevi promptly identified the armor as Astara Upper Knight Armor, and mentioned it could be found on the Path of Living Sacrifice.
Todd smoothly praised the other's vast knowledge.
Now, the group faced only one issue—lack of weapons.
With no weapons or shields left, only their iron-clad fists for battle, forcibly turning the group into boxers.
Regarding exploring the Northern Undead Asylum, guided by the seemingly seasoned Sain Dungeon adventurer Hevi, even Todd, with zero dungeon exploration experience, could keep pace with the crowd.
They walked along the corridor, flanked by cells filled with numerous animated corpses, intermittently emitting eerie howls.
Twisting paths and staircases led upward and downward, offering choices, typical architectural layout, except slightly eerie, everything seemed fine.
Soon, they encountered the wardens—a group of animated corpses clad in armor, agile in motion, seemingly tireless as they wielded blades incessantly.
The dragon-like group without weapons or shields could only wait for them to pause, then swarm them.
Without weapons, at times, one could become pathetically weak.
Hevi critiqued each area they passed, like the timing of monsters emerging at corners, their synergy, ultimately rating the Northern Undead Asylum as...
"The strength of the animated corpses exceeded my expectations, but they're manageable, the map design is conventional, similar to Path of Living Sacrifice's level."
In other words, despite the animated corpses being exceptionally strong, the design here was beginner village level, like that on the Path of Living Sacrifice.
Todd, uninterested in dungeon design, soon shifted attention.
He searched for the knight's figure, wanting to thank them personally. Perhaps he'd receive a reward upon expressing gratitude.
Then, they soon found themselves out of the gloomy corridor, arriving at an open-air courtyard.
Across the courtyard stood a closed gate, behind which, though unclear, showed the blue sky and white clouds symbolizing freedom!
"Let's go! That must be the exit!"
