(Drake's POV)
After a couple of minutes of constantly fighting, shattering the clones' cores, and fighting without end, the battle was finally over. It wasn't as complex, but it ended being very exhausting.
Everyone felt even more exhausted than in the previous battle, feeling completely taken aback by how brutal everything ended being.
"That damn monster ended tricking us! What the heck was that?! I didn't know they could do that!" Miranda was complaining a lot. "Hey Zero! What the fuck was that?! You guys can do this?"
"I-I am not sure. We can certainly affect a dungeon and all… If that plant monster has truly absorbed my fellow Dungeon Spirit, then it is completely possible it has inherited part of his authority over a dungeon." Sighed Zero. "Even if it was trapped inside a Dream Dungeon from Master's own creations, it still one where he has control over the dungeon core so… I suppose they can do that."
"You should had warned us beforehand about shit like this!" Miranda sighed. "Everyone got beaten to almost death, even Drake! Ugh…"
"Calm down, it's alright." I said, caressing her head. "Let's rest, there's no point in fighting, Zero has no fault on all of this. He had no idea either."
"Ugh… I guess you're not wrong." Miranda sighed, as she let me hug her. She cuddled on my chest and tightly pressed on my chest muscles. "Hmmm~ This cheers me up a bit."
"Hahah… Anyways, let's take a break before moving forwards." I said. "How's Emerald?"
"He's still sleeping." Sighed Benladann. "I don't know, should we wait until he wakes up?"
"Sacred Beast…" Tyrannus sighed, his warriors by his side as they watched the healed Emerald sleeping over the floor.
"He's been fighting to protect us all this time."
"We're sorry for ever doubting you…"
"You were always right at the end…"
"Sacred Beast, please wake up!"
The warriors were all rather sad to see him down, though he wasn't dead or anything. But he might have been too exhausted.
"Let him rest for a bit." I stepped there. "Just crying in front of him won't help him wake up quickly… Let's have a meal, you are all too exhausted I suppose."
And then…
Ding!
[You've completed the Trial successfully! You will be rewarded Special Rewards for your efforts.]
[You received: [Technomancy Divinity Fragment] x5 [Dungeon Divinity Fragment] x5 [Nature Divinity Fragment] x15 [Divine Treasure Chest (S+++ Grade)] x1 [Divine Golden Apple (2/2)] x1]
[You gained +150.000.000 Divine Power.]
FLAAASH!
A giant, over three-meter-big golden apple materialized in front of us, as it floated in midair and slowly fell into my hands.
"About time… With this, we got both." I sighed in relief. "These damn fruits sure look tasty, but I have to resist the temptations…"
I quickly saved the other apple inside my Inventory, as I started cooking some stew for everyone to eat. I added lots of divine ingredients to add flavor and power.
This sole stew will have to heal all their exhaustion, Mana, and also give them some Divine Power, all while giving them enough buffs for the final battle.
I poured all my energy into it; the smell was good. I had added Cave Drake meat from the mountains back inside my divine realm, giant Blaze Shrimps I fished on a huge river in the jungles, detoxified Venom Potatoes from the jungle too, which once detoxified taste very sweet and delicious, and all sorts of veggies from my huge far we've built with Benladra.
"Smells nice!" Benladra and Kate were stuck to the kettle as they watched me cook.
"Hungy…" Kate was drooling, rubbing her little belly.
"Okay, calm down, it'll be done soon." I laughed a bit.
Although I was trying to just forget about it as I cooked and had a slightly heartwarming moment before the next battle… Something was still lingering within my head.
The voices and the dark thoughts I heard when I channeled the Demon King's Seed powers.
"Devour everything!"
"Eat! Eat it all!"
"Even your family… your friends!"
"Nothing else matters than satiating your hunger!"
"Devour the world!"
Of course, I resisted them and didn't do such exaggerated things. It was more like really fucking annoying voices trying to fight against my own thoughts, trying to overwrite them.
This power is deadly and really strong but… At the same time, it's dangerous. I can only use it on short intervals, just seconds between activations. If I use them for too long… My mind's going to get eaten by this power.
The reason why I haven't been using it is because of that.
Is this why Sangre became the way he is? So hateful?
Were his actions defined by the Demon King Seed growing inside of him?
Or maybe a mix between many factors, I guess.
Without doubt, my Will is strong but… Even then.
Ugh, no, I should stop thinking about this.
I'll simply resist the dark energies and use this power efficiently.
Even before this power, I was already able to devour anything anyways, my Immortal Body's innate ability to digest anything is the reason.
I suppose that over time, I could gain more control over it, maybe with the System's help…
["Drake, are you alright?"]
And talking about the system, she just spoke to me…
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little bit lost in my own thoughts."
["Alright, but please don't push yourself too hard… It's also fine to talk about what you're thinking if that's troubling you…"]
"Look who's talking, you've been saving a lot of your thoughts to yourself too."
["That's… Well, I'm just trying to… well, to sort them out, so when I explain what I've been thinking, they don't come out as some mess…"]
"I wouldn't say you're a mess. Well, maybe I would… But not always."
["Dummy… Well, my memories are fragmented, so I'm not even sure of what I've been thinking but… Yeah, as you've been speculating already. That Andromeda… It just felt very familiar. I don't think I used to be her but… Like… she's my mom."]
"Andromeda… that supercomputer?!"
["I-I think? But there's like… no explanation to this feeling, it doesn't make any sense either…"]
"Hmm… Well, we might find the truth eventually. Even if it isn't in this Dungeon, we'll find it in another. I'm sure, that's something I'll promise you."
["Drake… I wish I could materialize right there and give you a big kiss, with tongue and all~"]
"Eh?!"
She sure got thirsty there…
