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After we evaded that thing by a hair, we continued flying across the skies leisurely, trying to calm ourselves down as well. I continued asking of ways to be able to defeat the Desert King, until the twins come out with some information of use.
"Well, they say the Desert King's greatest weakness is Ice and Water." Said Ariant.
"Yeah, when the sand where I dives becomes mud, it becomes trapped. Its body is made to dive in sand so when it is trapped in mud its little legs can't carry its enormous body around the desert." Said Eriant.
"But that's just some sort of myth, it has never really rained here until you got here, Kireina-sama." Ariant said.
"Indeed, but in those myths, there was one about a Desert King thar died when it rained, its body was then slowly taken down by the villagers, who ate his delicious meat and used his enormous body as shelter and as materials to build their weapons, walls, and houses." Eriant added.
"Grandma always told us that story. This is why Desert Kings are seen as sacred beasts, they once helped our ancestors survive, according to that tale." Said Ariant.
"A tale, huh? Tell me more about that tale of yours…" I said.
"Well… it happened long, long ago, several dozens of generations." Said Ariant.
"It was a time similar to the one we were suffering before you appeared, Kireina-sama. People was dying of hunger, the crops dried out and died, monsters constantly attacked and robbed our food, and the country was oppressing their people." Said Eriant.
"Many people were constantly dying, but those that were surviving, day and night prayed to the Sun God of Harvest, Alios. Of course, even when the Gods fell, religion still exists, people still pray to the gods, hoping their divine souls, somewhere, might hear their prayers." Said Ariant.
"Until one day, a little girl began praying to a different god. She said: "Why are we praying to the God of Sun with this harsh sunlight? We'll only make it worse! We should pray for the Goddess of Water and Rain, Aquaias"…" Said Eriant.
"And like that, some people hated her, after all, Alios has always been our patron deity." Said Ariant. "However, some people found reason in her words, and helped her pray to the Goddess of Water and Rain, Aquaias."
"Eventually, more people desperate began praying as they saw their loved ones die. Day after day… Until finally, the goddess heard their prayers, and out of nowhere, the endlessly clear sky turned black, countless clouds appeared everywhere, and water began pouring from the skies endlessly." Said Ariant. "The desert became an enormous muddy swamp, plants began growing everywhere, the crops regrew anew!"
"And from within the mud, the enormous Desert King that ate the people's crops began struggling to breathe and swim in the sand, until it died." Said Eriant.
"Finding reason to the girl's prayers, everyone continued praying for different gods depending in the necessity instead of asking one god for everything." Said Ariant.
"Like this, people ate the desert king's flesh, drank its blood, used his body to build walls, houses, armor, and weapons, and they defended against the wild monsters. They prospered." Said Eriant.
"It doesn't leave much of a teaching, it is just a bedtime story." Said Ariant.
"I think it still is good to teach children to be more religious, although religion as a whole is slowly fading away as the knowledge of the gods being dead spread out. Only Luminous-sama and Kireina-sama are the last gods to exist in here." Said Eriant.
"Maybe we should tell the people to pray for them from now on?" Wondered Ariant.
"Well I got ahead of you! I left two shrines I built out of wood in the village for this big fat dragon and myself." I said.
"Who are you calling big fat dragon!?" Luminous angrily barked back. "However, thanks for doing that."
"Hehe, yes, keep thanking me you fat dragon!" I laughed.
"Stop that!" Luminous said.
"Well if you want more recognition by the people you better act like a god, use your powers to heal the sick, help their crops prosper, and so on." I said.
"Hmm… I guess I'll begin working on that once you're done with your mission." Said Luminous.
As we flew, I continued earning more and more EXP, until the monsters reached the last floor of the Dark Labyrinth and fought a gigantic Cactus Mother, which had the shape of an actual cactus with countless vines with spikes. It even knew Dark Magic and Nature Magic and was a pain in the ass to beat for the monsters. But eventually they did it, with most of them dead in the process of course.
At the end, I earned an enormous quantity of saved up EXP from all the kills.
Ding!
[You and your Party have slain [Walking Cactus (B Rank)] x164]
[You and your Party have slain [Walking Cactus Warrior (B++ Rank)] x73]
[You and your Party have slain [Big Cactus Matriarch (A- Rank)] x1]
[You earned 1600000 EXP]
[The rest of your Party Members earned 8000000 EXP]
[Your Level has increased from Level 24 to Level 25!]
[Your Level has increased from Level 25 to Level 26!]
[Your Level has increased from Level 26 to Level 27!]
[Your Level has increased from Level 27 to Level 28!]
[Your Level has increased from Level 28 to Level 29!]
[Your Level has increased from Level 29 to Level 30!]
[All your stats have increased]
[You gained Stat Points and Skill Points]
[White], [Black], [Aquamarine], and [Silva] have Leveled Up to Level 24!]
[Colora] has Leveled up from Level 0 to Level 20!]
[Colora] gained stat points and skill points]
[Colora] Skills have leveled up automatically due to excess EXP gained]
[Colora] can now evolve]
Woah, six levels! Not bad at all. And not only I leveled up as well, but also the Ego Weapons and Colora! Meanwhile, the sleepy of Bubu was missing in the EXP as there was still forty minutes before he were to hatch.
And now, it's time for Colora to Evolve!
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