"You've already obtained it. How can you not give it a try?" The ghastly white skeletons stared at Lumian, their terrifying aura intimidating him. They laughed mockingly, their laughter exaggerated and crazed.
Splash!
The dark spring water, not pale-white enough, gushed from the dark hole and filled the small "pond."
Compared to before, there was an additional figure in the water.
The figure seemed to be engulfed in an intense inferno, almost colorless flames covering its entire body.
Despite occupying only a corner of the spring, Lumian, frozen in fear, felt it was abnormally huge, like a mountain peak.
Within the nearly intangible flames, the figure revealed long, blood-colored hair. Its sculpted face was marred by decay and pus, and its bones gleamed with a metallic luster. Its iron-black eyes seemed rusted, emitting a sinister blood-red glow.
Yellowish "magma" dripped from the figure's body, quickly extinguished by the pale-white spring water.
As the Samaritan Women's Spring surged again, the dense white bones that had made the sound fell silent, as if they were about to decay into mud.
Seeing the decomposing mountain-like figure, the stench of blood and rust intensified in Lumian's nostrils. His stunned mind was tinged with a madness that yearned to destroy everything, igniting his already violent and ferocious aura.
If he hadn't been on the brink of death, his thoughts completely stalled, he might have lost his mind and become a lunatic.
He could lose control at any moment if that happened.
In any case, he stood frozen in place, as if facing his most feared natural enemy. All he knew was to tremble, forget to resist, and forget to escape.
Splash!
The highly decayed figure, shrouded in intangible flames, entered the pitch-black cave, determined to reach the edge of the Samaritan Women's Spring. It reached out its right palm, dripping with a faint yellowish-red liquid, trying to grab Lumian, who stood there.
The spring water surged, and a faint fog gathered, preventing the figure, which appeared as massive as a mountain, from leaving the spring.
A low growl escaped the figure, and its iron-black eyes emitted a corrupting redness, capable of unsettling anyone who lay their eyes on them.
Under this influence, Lumian's mind buzzed, and he went blank. The Samaritan Women's Spring trembled violently.
Although the terrifying figure couldn't break free from the spring's constraints, it successfully blocked the spring water's retreat into the dark hole.
Simultaneously, the decayed and shadowy figures within the spring surged toward the shore, driven by the low growl.
Among them, there was a woman filled with pus exuding a serene night-like temperament, a decaying corpse adorned with a golden crown, an iron-colored skeleton sprouting greasy feathers, a figure entwined with countless shattered maggots, and a strange black entity…
These figures, too, couldn't leave the Samaritan Women's Spring but approached the edge, extending pale-white, pus-covered or highly decayed palms made of repulsive maggots toward Lumian's feet.
The long black hair floating on the water's surface, resembling a tangle of weeds, suddenly came to life and extended rapidly beyond the spring.
The white-robed woman lingering around the Samaritan Women's Spring was instantly ensnared by the long black hair. Lumian's figure reflected in her stiff, cold blue eyes.
Bizarre and terrifying palms gripped Lumian, and the long black hair tugged at him. Slowly and uncontrollably, he slid toward the Samaritan Women's Spring, drawing closer to the colossal figure formed by madness and flames.
His body grew colder, and his thoughts went blank.
At that moment, all light suddenly vanished, and he was consumed by a most profound darkness.
Melodious singing and chanting echoed from afar, soothing the area. The blurry and shadowy figures no longer displayed the same level of madness as before, as if they had been pacified.
The terrifying palms that had clutched Lumian's feet and nearly froze his spirit and flesh retracted. The long black hair that had tugged at his body lost its vitality and fell to the ground, powerless. The figure suspected to be a high-ranking Demoness lingering around the Samaritan Women's Spring also came to a halt, as if listening to a nocturnal symphony.
Even the most terrifying and frenzied figure slowed down, its terrifying aura significantly weakening.
Lumian snapped out of his daze and instantly comprehended what had transpired.
The thief who had stolen the Earth Blood ore was none other than Monette of Salle de Bal Unique!
Monette had deliberately orchestrated a coincidental encounter with him on the fourth level of the catacombs. Using his thieving skills, he had surreptitiously returned the Earth Blood ore, enabling Lumian to bring the ore specimen to the Samaritan Women's Spring without detection, triggering this bizarre turn of events!
Lumian had never intended to take the Earth Blood ore underground, deeming it too dangerous given his current abilities. Monette's theft and return of the ore had been a passive way to provoke an encounter, the nature of which remained uncertain!
As for Monette's motives, Lumian knew he might only uncover them after this ordeal concluded.
With his thoughts racing, Lumian instinctively reached for Hela's arm, intending to activate his contract mark and escape using spirit world traversal.
In the process, he attempted to rid himself of the Earth Blood ore, hoping to distract the crazed figure with long, blood-colored hair.
However, the Earth Blood ore appeared to be affected by the abnormal environment, showing visible signs of deterioration.
Silently, it crumbled, dissolving into the air. The hidden blood stains marked Lumian's palm, corroding his skin.
Meanwhile, the flame of the white candle Hela held flickered precariously, on the brink of extinguishing. The black diamond ring on her right hand emitted a profound darkness.
After grasping her arm, Lumian realized they were both frozen in place.
This area seemed to be cut off from the spirit world, rendering escape impossible!
I can't escape… Lumian retracted his hand decisively and addressed the fiery figure, who gazed at him with madness: "Ha!"
A pale-yellow beam emanated from his mouth, striking the dark, mountain-like figure.
The figure swayed, but remained unharmed. It unleashed an intangible roar once more.
Receiving this new "command," the bizarre figures, previously calmed by the tranquil night, trembled. They extended their decaying or repulsive hands once again, clutching at Lumian's feet. The black hair, previously lying dormant, rose again.
Realizing evasion was futile, Lumian's body erupted in fiery flames.
The crimson blossoms of destruction rapidly dimmed and faded, as if their vitality had been extinguished in an instant.
The pale-white, pus-filled hand was the first to seize Lumian's right foot, "silencing" him as his thoughts rapidly waned.
The highly decayed hand, the iron-colored skeleton adorned with light-yellow feathers, and the form intertwined with shattered maggots fulfilled their tasks one after another. They dragged Lumian, who appeared as if in a trance with wide-open eyes, toward the Samaritan Women's Spring.
Hela found herself encircled by layers of long black hair. It pierced through the tranquility of the night, enveloping the lady, who displayed signs of decay.
Lumian stared vacantly at the rigid, decomposing countenance, at the iron-black eyes tinged with blood. He sensed an overwhelming, unadulterated madness but could summon no coherent thought.
His body grew more rigid, and purplish-red livor mortis emerged on his flesh.
He was now just a step away from the pale-white spring.
At that moment, the Samaritan Women's Spring, which had been held at bay by the colossal figure for an extended period, finally surged forward, breaking through the barrier. It swept all the figures, including the colossal one engulfed in invisible flames, back into the lightless abyss of the dark hole.
The colossal figure emitted a furious roar, but it was helpless against the relentless flow of pale-white spring water, vanishing into the depths of the abyss.
Lumian "woke up" and spotted the white-robed woman lingering nearby. He swiftly turned and sprinted toward the crest of the slope.
His plan was straightforward:
Since the abnormality stemmed from the Earth Blood ore, which had partially melded with his palm, he needed to seize this chance to escape. It was not the time to collect the remaining spring water.
As long as he could make his getaway before the pale-white spring surged again and the menacing figures resurfaced, Hela would be safer left behind. She could gather the water calmly and share it with him later.
To escape, given that teleportation had failed, his legs were his sole option now.
As Lumian ran, he readied himself for any potential setbacks.
Harnessing his Pyromaniac abilities, he steadied the flame of the white candle and retrieved the Flog boxing gloves from his bag, fitting them onto his hands.
Concurrently, he attempted to invoke The Fool's honorific name in Hermes.
"The Fool that doesn't belong to this era…"
This inspiration was triggered by the grayish-white fog enveloping the Samaritan Women's Spring!
Splash!
Midway through his invocation and while covering some ground, Lumian heard the sound of the spring water surging.
It was faster than he had anticipated!
The growl, steeped in the scent of blood and rust, reverberated through the surroundings.
Unaware of Lumian's thought process, Hela's body shuddered once more, as if she had transformed from an emotionless corpse into a frightened living being.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the colossal, invisible-flame-shrouded figure with blood-colored hair and tattered, bloodstained armor.
Lumian, too, was taken aback. He even felt an inclination to surrender and give up his resistance.
He strained to endure, unable to continue invoking the honorific name. His only recourse was to place his faith in the Flog boxing gloves.
If he could hold out just a little longer, the hidden evil gods might direct Their attention toward him because of the material of the boxing gloves, sending forth dangerous creatures to influence or assail him.
In the past, Lumian would have prayed for the impending abnormality to remain manageable. But now, he hoped that the more dangerous it became, the better!
Only by muddying the waters would a fish have a chance to escape!
