Chapter 84: Fate Convergence - IX

"Down this hall. Then, break the wall in front of you when we make it to the intersection."

Clementine charged forward the moment her feet touched solid ground.

Even though this area of the layers beneath Walvaskaz no longer bore Taylor’s scent, her trust in the adventurer had grown.

—Boom!

With another <Break and Shatter>, Clementine broke into another large room.

"There, that pillar is weak. Cut it at around two and a half meters above the ground."

Aventine’s instructions fuelled the hope in her heart, calming her earlier worries.

—Swish!

The rapier in her hand slashed through the weakened marble pillar. It cut through with not even a shock against her wrist, moving through solid stone as if it were air.

"Huh?"

After Clementine kicked away the portion she had sliced apart like a piece of cake, a tube-like tunnel leading straight down appeared.

Despite her surprise, she dove into the tube with Aventine following shortly after.

"The space..."

"It’s an expansion enchantment. The insides of these pillars were used to transport armies between the floors of this <War Dungeon>."

Clementine did not know what a War Dungeon was, but she guessed that it was what the rumors she’d heard about in the past were about: It was a massive structure where Minotaurs originated.

After all, it was said that the War Elves—ancestors of the modern-day Elves—had crossbred Lesser Humans and Cruel Bulls in vast numbers.

Coincidentally, certain findings stated that Minotaurs began appearing shortly afterward.

From just a glance, Clementine finally pieced together the mystery of that portion of history.

As they fell through the tube-like tunnel, she couldn’t help but glance at the Info-Hunter, Aventine. Only the dim light of his mana made his features visible.

His expression hadn’t changed from earlier.

A small, entertained smile.

Eyes that gleamed with a thousand thoughts, curved in amusement at whatever ideas had surfaced in his mind.

Suddenly, his obsidian gaze was directed at her, and Clementine felt that her entire soul had been seen through.

’...Huh?’

Aventine spoke as his smile curved a little higher. "Brace for impact."

Clementine shivered.

"Huh?"

—Splash!

"AH!"

Ice-cold, pitch-black water embraced her, sending her entire nervous system into shock. Other than Aventine’s warning, nothing else prepared her for the sudden bath.

Not a single scent forewarned her nostrils, nor had anything triggered her danger sense.

Her instincts were somehow clouded.

—Whoosh!

The waters around her suddenly grew warm, and a powerful current pulled her forward.

Clementine noticed the item that had appeared in Aventine’s hand at some point in time, glowing with the only warm light in the dark waters. It looked to be an old, bronze rod with various enchantments coiling around it.

As if noticing her gaze, Aventine glanced at her.

"It’s an artifact called <Blaze> that lets me use the magic spell named after it."

"...Understood. Is this water current something of your doing as well?"

"Mhm. You’re clearly in a hurry, so I opted for the most efficient—but also the most uncomfortable—path."

Clementine nodded, and her gaze sharpened. Taylor’s scent had reappeared, thick enough that she could almost grab him.

"Haha," Aventine laughed. "You Snakespawn really have good noses."

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the darkness.

No... It wasn’t a figure.

"Oh no..."

Clementine’s eyes shrank, and her jaw went slack.

"That—" She choked.

"Yeah. It’s Taylor’s arm."

Aventine grabbed the limb and handed it to her.

"Your friend is quite feisty. He’s doing everything he can to escape... but he can’t make it any further."

Then, the waters surged faster and faster.

"Luckily, we’re here to give him a hand."

***

’Cold,’

Feeling the embrace of the waters around him, Taylor found that his entire body had gone numb.

His right hand drifted to the bleeding stump where his left hand had once been.

’My arm... Where...?’

His thoughts were as sluggish as his body.

’Ah. Right.’

He felt his life flash before his very eyes.

Thrown into Walvaskaz at a young age, the village boy from a distant human kingdom was struck with shock after shock. He slowly studied magic, doing odd jobs here and there and collecting old books from decrepit, abandoned condominiums and trash bins.

Not once did he enjoy a single luxury bought with his money.

None of his jobs paid him in coin, after all. He was a weak human child barely capable of simple assistance and errands.

At least, it was enough to get him scraps of food, a few glasses of water here and there, and the rare flat piece of stone to sleep on.

Taylor knew no other kind of life other than the depths of poverty in a city too ancient to care about the life of an ant barely past a decade old.

The millennium empire of Walvaskaz only had an indifferent owner, and not a governor or leader.

Luckily, there were some benevolent races who gave him a little help here and there.

One old Dryad, who collected various books throughout her lifetime, had even gifted him the home he had owned for the past two years.

Somehow, he felt that life would only go uphill from there.

But then, he suddenly grew addicted to reading cursed tomes. His body deteriorated to the point where he could no longer sustain himself.

Bedridden and weaker than a fly, Taylor counted the days he had left.

...But then, Clementine and her friends appeared, tasked by his landlord to get him healed so he could continue paying rent.

They brought him a ray of hope... and a mountain of debt.

The ritual they used to cleanse him would cost him 50 years of his life as a mere assistant.

’That’s not so bad, though.’

After all, his boss was really pretty.

"Ah—"

Feeling the limits of his ability to hold his breath, Taylor inhaled a gulp of water. The black liquid surged into his lungs as if hungry to drown him.

’...No!’

Recalling the strict, disappointed gaze that Clementine always gave him when he failed, the young man grasped his throat as if it could stop any more water from entering.

Choking himself, he kicked his feet despite the numbing sensation permeating even his soul.

’I don’t want to die yet!’

Taylor recalled the old Dryad who’d added him to her will before passing away.

The dashing Psychic Manticore who had dumped a bunch of magic tomes into his arms just because he’d helped him hold his luggage

The Minotaur, Hau’goth, who governed the area he lived in and had sent Clementine his way.

Clementine, Kuvie, and Reazue, who had treated him with warmth.

Their kindness had kept him going.

So, he would keep going.

’Please...!’

Thus.

To the human at wit’s end, who continued to persevere despite the embrace of death...

The <Indomitable Human Spirit> was born within him.

—Keheuk!

...But it wasn’t enough to overcome this circumstance. Despite the willpower to continue, without the strength, there was simply no path forward.

This was why humanity rarely wielded their own racial <Trait>.

Most of them died despite their desire to survive. They all died the moment after they awakened their <Indomitable Human Spirit>.

Still, it was because of this <Trait> that Taylor managed to force out the water in his lungs.

And therefore survive a second longer than he could have otherwise.

"Well done."

The darkness spoke into his ear.

—Boom!

A hollow sphere suddenly expanded with Taylor at the center. Wind swirled, gifting his lungs with the breath of life.

"HAH!"

He gasped and retched, feeling his lungs and throat burning from the toxic waters he had no way to defend against.

"Taylor!"

And a voice called out to him, filled with concern.