Chương 27: B1 | Chapter 24

Aidan A smile spreads across my face after finishing repairing the voidlings. Then I focus on the System Messages I've been getting since the start of the battle. [Level 26 Void Golem has been slain. Appropriate source mana has been allocated.] [Level 27 Void Golem has been slain. Appropriate source mana has been allocated.] [Level 26 Void Golem has been slain. Appropriate source mana has been allocated.] … [Level 27 Void Golem has been slain. Appropriate source mana has been allocated.] [User's Class, Void Devourer, has reached level 27. User's stats have risen by the following amounts: +2 Physical, +2 Magical, +2 Mind, +2 Soul, +1 Free Point.] [Level 26 Void Golem has been slain. Appropriate source mana has been allocated.] … [Level 27 Void Golem has been slain. Appropriate source mana has been allocated.] [Basic Level 14 Voidling has been restored. Appropriate source mana has been allocated.] [Basic Voidling has been restored for the first time. Appropriate source mana has been allocated.] … [Basic Level 16 Voidling has been restored. Appropriate source mana has been allocated.] … [Basic Level 19 Voidling has been restored. Appropriate source mana has been allocated.] [User's Profession, Void Creator, has reached level 28. User's stats have risen by the following amounts: +1 Mind, +1 Soul, +1 Free Point.] Hmm. Despite all of the messages, I only got two levels from them. That's a little disappointing, but honestly to be expected at the same time.

These monsters are only a level or two above me, after all. I turn to glance at the stairs at the end of the hall. Then I focus on the remaining mana cores from the void golems. Okay, I kind of want some stronger voidlings, but I also want to level up at least once more. So I compromise by using half of the remaining mana cores to level up via absorbing the source mana inside of them, and the other half of the remaining mana cores to create more voidlings.

Which takes several minutes just to absorb the source mana in the first half of the remaining cores, bringing my Class up to level 28 in the process. Then, when I start using the remaining mana cores to create more voidlings, I find it to be a bit more difficult. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. It takes longer to create the stronger voidlings, and it takes more mana. But, at the same time, the result is pretty nice when I finish the first voidling.

Because I try to make a different type of voidling this time around. A soldier. Although I fail twice, and end up wasting some mana and two mana cores since I'm trying to copy what I remember seeing Seraphyne making during our lessons, it turns out to be worth it when I find the end result of the third attempt standing before me. Unlike the regular drone type voidling I've been making until now, the soldier voidlings have a lot more natural weapons.

Including scythe-like blades stretching from their backs that they can sweep out in front of them, and much longer and sharper mandibles in front of their mouths. They are about one and a half times larger than the drones. Reaching about the same size as my general. And when I feed the soldier voidling my blood to strengthen it, the thing grows even larger than my general. Not to mention the power to blow itself up and spray acid-like blood all over its targets. Blood that doesn't affect me.

Another benefit of making this little soldier, though, is the System Message I get. [Level 28 Voidling has been created. Appropriate source mana has been allocated.] [Voidling Soldier has been created for the first time. Appropriate source mana has been allocated.] While it didn't level me up, creating a new type of voidling that I haven't made before gave me additional source mana. Which is always nice. After the first soldier voidling, I continue making more until I nearly run out of mana by the final one.

Bringing their numbers up to a total of about nine. Since I wasted a few mana cores in the process of making them. Fortunately, I do level up again after the eighth voidling soldier out of the nine. But I still don't get a new skill from the level. Which is disappointing. I wait about an hour to recover my mana a decent amount, then I proceed with my army of around fifty-seven or so voidlings straight up the stairs to the second floor of the tower. Overall, waiting for that hour makes me a little uncomfortable.

But there isn't much I can do about that since I need mana to fight. And having all of these voidlings to fight alongside me will help a significant amount. I hope I run into more void golems to drain their mana with Void Pit. Because that would be convenient. My forces and I march up the stairs before arriving at the second floor and finding it filled with two dozen more void golems, along with about a dozen larger void golems. I identify them as their attention turns towards me and my voidlings.

[Level 31 Elite Void Golem] Well then. Here's hoping these elite void golems have the same weaknesses as the regular ones. Since I've leveled up after absorbing the first floor golems' source mana, I'm about the same number of levels beneath these elite void golems as I was beneath the regular ones on the last floor. So I'm not too worried. At least, about myself. My voidling drones are a different matter.

The void golems all begin to charge towards us through this corridor, which looks a lot like the first floor's corridor except with balconies every now and then. So I order my voidlings to funnel them to me again. Just like with the last floor. And since the regular void golems approach first, I manage to refill my mana supply through them with Void Pit. It isn't until the first of the elite void golems arrives that a major problem emerges.

Specifically in the form of a massive hammer the elite void golem summons and slams onto one of the voidling drones. Crushing the drone in one blow. The drone doesn't move again after its attack, proving that the voidling is dead after one hit. Shit. Exactly what I was worried about. I rush forwards before activating Void Pit in the direction of the elite void golem's next attack. Leaving the hammer vanishing into the skill when it enters the orb of void mana.

But the elite void golem backs up instead of falling into the Void Pit. And more elite void golems begin to arrive after that, with each one summoning different larger weapons. Hammers, large axes, great swords. One after another. So I order the voidling drones to move to the back and focus on stalling the regular void golems that are still alive while the voidling soldiers focus on the elite void golems with me.

Unlike the voidling drones, the voidling soldiers manage to parry the elite void golems' attacks with their mandibles and scythes. Giving me enough time to strike them with Void Pits, devouring the mana making their bodies to refill my own supply some more. But while I'm distracted with the closest two elite void golems, I feel pain flaring from my back, making me grunt in pain.

And when I turn around to see what hit me, I see an elite void golem standing on one of the balconies with a bow and arrow both made of void mana in its hands. Then I look down to find an arrow of void mana in my body. An arrow that dissipates after a few seconds before my blood starts to spew out. I grit my teeth at the sight of the bow and arrow, but when I try to move towards the elite void golem, the remaining seven elite void golems all try to push towards me. With two of them directly blocking my path.

These elite void golems are smarter than the regular ones.