novelraw Chapter 120: A Divine Weapon’s Fragment
Chapter 120: A Divine Weapon’s Fragment
What awaited me in the heart of the Forgotten Vault were countless treasures: gold, gemstones, weapons, armor, magic tools, skill books, magic tomes, potions, elixirs, and other valuables. They were neatly arranged on pedestals as if waiting to be claimed. However, there were dozens of Daleth-rank and hundreds of Gimmel-rank ancient golems and sentinels guarding the place. These sentinels stood like towers, half-machine and half-statue, capable of firing concentrated mana beams at anything that trespassed into their range—or so their description claimed.
Still, I couldn’t deny the temptation of taking everything here. With all these treasures, I’d become the wealthiest divine warrior in all of Fantasia. There was no denying that I wanted them all.
“No. I can’t be consumed by greed,” I muttered, shaking my head.
Each treasure was protected by at least one Daleth-rank golem and a dozen Gimmel-rank ones. I had no hope of winning unless I went all out—and doing so would instantly draw the attention of every sentinel in this chamber. The moment I destroyed one, the others would converge and reduce me to ash before I could even retreat. Unless I had a death wish, a direct confrontation was out of the question.
Stealing them quietly was also impossible. Every treasure seemed bound to an intricate detection mechanism. One wrong move, and the guardians would be alerted the instant I removed anything from its pedestal.
With that in mind, I forced myself to look away. “Forget it. When I’m stronger, I would have more chances later to claim the riches here.”
Turning from the glittering hoard, I continued deeper inside silently, using Stealth Movements and the cursed coat’s ability to hide my presence, pushing toward the source that had drawn me here in the first place. The further I went, the colder and more suffocating the air became. It was clear there was barely any oxygen left in this place, and the place was filled with layers of dust for having been abandoned for who knew how long. Yet, the deeper I went, the more intense the invisible pull became.
Stealth Movements has leveled up.
Before long, the narrow passage widened into a vast chamber supported by enormous pillars. The architecture here was far older than the rest of the dungeon, with carvings that depicted scenes of serpentine beings kneeling before a crowned figure whose face had been deliberately erased. My attention, however, was drawn to the pedestal at the center, higher than the others, surrounded by a circle of broken angelic statues. And there, resting at its summit, lay the source of the call.
I didn’t need to activate Inspect Eye to know what it was. The moment I saw it, I understood. “A fragment of a divine weapon…”
Half a blade, slender yet unmistakably extraordinary. Even from where I stood, I could feel the faint trace of divinity still lingering within it. Its power had long since faded, sealed or broken beyond repair, but that did nothing to diminish its significance. A fragment of a divine weapon was still a relic once wielded by a being far beyond mortal comprehension—perhaps even a god!
“No wonder it’s been calling to me,” I said quietly. The thing would only recognize a former God-King like me as its master.
But before I could approach, a faint hiss echoed across the chamber. Then another. The sound came from all directions, like serpents stirring after a long slumber. I immediately stopped and raised my guard.
From behind the pedestal, a massive serpentine tail slithered out, scraping against the stone floor. A towering figure followed—half woman, half snake. Her upper body was eerily human, with flawless features, yet her skin bore a faint grayish hue, and her hair writhed with dozens of petrified snakes that moved sluggishly, each one cracked as though carved from ancient marble.
[Gorgon Replica, Medusa – Lv.175]
A synthetic guardian modeled after the legendary mythical beast, the true Medusa. Created through lost secret methods, this imitation retains fragments of the original’s petrification power and serpentine curse. It was once used to defend the sacred relics of King Amun. Though only an imperfect replica, its strength is extraordinary, and its gaze can turn lesser beings to stone within moments.
Threat Level: Impossibly High
As soon as I saw the name, I instantly averted my gaze. Even without looking directly into its eyes, I could tell that it held terrifying petrification power. One wrong glance, and I’d be reduced to stone. It was obvious that this monster was far beyond anything I could handle—something I couldn’t defeat no matter how much I threw at it. Should I retreat? At the very least, gathering this information has already made the trip worthwhile.
I hesitated, weighing my options carefully. But then I noticed that the divine fragment wasn’t the only thing that had been calling me. There was something else, deeper within the dungeon, hidden beyond this guardian’s reach. The faint pull that had led me here hadn’t faded. If anything, it was getting stronger.
Still, was it worth the risk? Could I really slip past a creature like this, even with my stealth skills? Highly unlikely. Even as a replica, its perception was sharp enough to sense the faintest disturbance.
After a long pause, I came to a decision. “I’m already here. I might as well see what’s waiting beyond.”
Sure, there would be some dangers, but I was confident enough in my ability to at least slip past them. Still, I wasn’t foolish enough to rely purely on luck. Before making a move, I opened my status window and allocated the unused attribute points I’d been saving. If I wanted to get through this alive, I needed every advantage I could get.
Naturally, Dexterity took priority. I poured forty-eight points into it to maximize my mobility and reaction speed, then distributed almost a hundred points among my other key stats for balance.
Dexterity: 352 → 400
Strength: 349 → 380
Stamina: 300 → 320
Mind: 250 → 280
Magic Power: 309 → 325
Luck: 350 → 380
Maximillian Anderson Lv. 38/60 (EXP 1,876/3,920)
HP: 100%
MP: 772/772
Rank: Gimmel [3]
Patron God: Istellia (Goddess of Imagination)
Class: Paradox Incarnate
Title: One Who Conquered the Impossible (6)
Status: Normal
Strength: 380 + 37 + 38 | Dexterity: 400 + 24 + 40 | Stamina: 320 + 25 + 32
Mind: 280 + 28 | Magic Power: 325 + 5 + 33 | Luck: 380 + 38
Plausibility: 690
Free Attributes: 116
The moment I spent the attribute points, my body felt lighter and stronger, as if I’d been reborn. The growth from each point was proportional to the previous value, but the rate of increase had diminished. From two hundred to four hundred, each point only granted a 1 percent boost instead of the 2 percent I’d gained in the first two hundred points. For every subsequent two hundred points, that growth would halve again, making this an unavoidable law of diminishing returns. Well, until it crossed one thousand points where the boost would no longer be halved.
With my enhanced stats, I began formulating a plan to bypass Medusa. Clearly, I’d have to rely on Echo Construct to draw her attention while I made a dash toward the next passage. But even with my movement skills, I wasn’t certain I’d be fast enough. I needed a failsafe.
“My Gravity Magic can manipulate weight and pull enemies toward me,” I muttered. “So why don’t I use it in reverse to propel myself forward?”
The concept had been in the back of my mind not long after I learned this magic, but I’d never had the chance to properly develop it. Still, with my improved Dexterity and mastery over Gravity Magic, now was as good a time as any. I was confident to pull this off.
Alright, let’s do this.
I crouched low behind a collapsed pillar and activated Echo Construct, summoning a clone. It materialized beside me, awaiting orders with a blank expression. With a single thought, I directed it to step out into the open and advance toward the pedestal.
The instant the clone’s footsteps echoed, Medusa’s head snapped in its direction. The snakes on its head hissed in unison, and its tail coiled, muscles tightening like drawn steel. I watched carefully from behind the pillar as its petrifying gaze locked onto the construct.
Cracks spread over the clone’s surface immediately. In the next breath, it turned to stone and fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.
The construct has been destroyed.
“Tch… even its petrification affects magical constructs.” After upgrading my stats, the clone should’ve been comparable to a strong Bet-rank divine warrior, yet it was still killed in the blink of an eye. “Guess I’ll only get one shot at this.”
Taking a deep breath, I took a stance. Then, I used Echo Construct once more to summon another clone, but instead of ordering it to advance toward the pedestal ahead, I commanded it to mirror my every action. Subsequently, with precise focus, I activated Gravity Magic, channeling it beneath my feet. The force built up like compressed air, pushing against the stone floor. Then, I reversed the flow, shifting the pull from downward to forward.
“Let’s see if this works.” I grinned.
The instant I released the spell, a powerful force erupted beneath me, propelling my body forward like a cannonball. The impact rippled through my muscles, yet the acceleration was nothing but astonishing. My vision blurred as I shot past the shattered remnants of the first construct, catching only a brief glimpse of Medusa’s massive form turning toward me.
You have learned a spell: {Gravity Launch}.
“Intruder… die!” Its distorted voice rang out, echoing like something broken and hollow, as its gaze flared with deadly light.
My heart pounded as the curse brushed past my shoulder, a chilling wave that grazed too close for comfort.
Then, in my peripheral vision, I saw “myself” turn rigid midair and crash to the ground before shattering into pieces with a sharp crack. Thankfully, that “self” was only the clone—caught by Medusa’s petrifying glare. The construct had been right behind me, but unlike me, it lacked the mana reserves to cast two spells at once.
While using {Gravity Launch}, I had also cast {Mass Alteration}, drastically reducing my weight to boost acceleration. The clone couldn’t replicate both simultaneously, and that difference had sealed its fate. Still, its sacrifice had protected me from Medusa’s attack.
I hit the ground hard, rolled, and pushed off again, forcing another burst of gravity to propel me toward the next archway. Behind me, the thunderous hiss of Medusa’s tail slammed against the floor, sending tremors through the chamber as it tried to chase after me.
“Just a little more…” I gritted my teeth, pouring every drop of focus into Gravity Magic, especially the spell {Gravity Launch} to carry me the rest of the way.
The passage grew closer—ten meters, then five—until I finally crossed the threshold. A deafening screech erupted from behind as the gorgon snake’s wrath shook the vault, but I didn’t look back. I had made it through by the skin of my teeth.