Chapter 584 – Wyrm Shredder.

“This is quite a large mana stone. I should be able to make aether mithril with this, or maybe I should save it for something better?”

Roland used a sharp knife to sever the monster’s flesh. The blade buzzed with energy, enhanced by a cutting enchantment. Although the exterior shell was covered in thick scales, once he opened a wound, it wasn’t too difficult to peel away the layer of skin beneath. There, nestled inside, he found a large mana crystal about the size of a fist.

“Reminds me of the good old days.”

Back when he first started exploring the Albrook dungeon, one of his earliest methods involved implanting mana stones directly into his older sets of armor. As his knowledge grew, he learned more advanced techniques and began infusing mana stones into the metals themselves. This let him benefit from the stones without the risk of them shattering in the middle of a fight.

It was much more difficult to merge stones into higher-grade metals like mithril. That process demanded superior-quality stones, which couldn’t be found in the Albrook dungeon. Most undead monsters lacked them entirely, relying instead on their monster cores to hold themselves together. The process was expensive and inefficient, but now things could change. He had stumbled into an area teeming with high-level draconic creatures that actually carried the stones he needed. Judging by this Wyrm’s crystal, there were likely more just like it.

“Hm? Three incoming? Did I kill their leader or something?”

The drones hovering in the sky picked up signs of movement. His mapping device also showed several dots moving in his direction. Even though he had surrounded the area with a silencing barrier, these creatures somehow knew he was here. He would figure out how that was possible later. For now, he needed to prepare for a fight.

Roland’s eyes narrowed as he studied the small screen inside his helmet. One of his floating golems was feeding him a live video feed. The monsters approaching looked like the same type as the one he had just killed, though smaller and a few levels lower. From what he could tell, this species seemed to grow in size with each level gained. If that was true, then at level two hundred and fifty, they probably reached twice the size of the creature he had just faced.

They were all weaker, but that did not mean he could afford to ignore them. Previously, he had combined aura with wind energy to bring down the monster more quickly. This strategy consumed a large amount of mana, but it still allowed him to retain both Overlord’s Might and Mana Overflow for when the fight became more intense. Fortunately, his mana was already recovering at a fast pace, and even if it had not been, he still had a supply of recovery items to rely on.

His analysis of the species was ongoing. So far, he had learned that they seemed to possess some kind of sixth sense that allowed them to detect traps and lurking threats. However, they had one big weakness: their inability to fly. He, on the other hand, could.

Roland’s wind-focused armor began to glow as he gently lifted into the air. The suit had been designed for speed and aerial agility. Even without the additional flight unit he sometimes used as a jetpack or the large glider platform, the armor alone allowed him to maneuver through the skies with ease.

As he rose higher, the armor began to shift. Small openings appeared across its surface, releasing pulses of concentrated wind magic. The largest vents were located on the soles of his boots and along his back. These channels expelled directed gusts of air, functioning much like a refined form of jet propulsion. Guided by wind magic, Roland could ride and redirect air currents just like certain massive creatures that seemed far too heavy for flight, yet still soared through the sky with grace.

The wind whispered around Roland as he gained altitude, but he was careful not to stray too far. The wyverns he had avoided gathered near the mountaintops, but that did not mean none were lingering near this area. He needed to maintain a careful balance to avoid attracting the attention of any new monsters that might spot him hovering above the forest.

Below, the forest trembled before the advance of the three lesser Wyrms. Though only slightly more than half the size of the one he had already slain, they were still tier-three creatures. Their purple-gray scales shimmered under the illusion of afternoon light, and their slit-pupiled eyes glowed faintly with malice.

‘They’re going for the carcass of the larger one.’

He noticed that the monsters were not acting in coordination. Instead, they seemed drawn to the remains of the dead wyrm he had carved apart. Roland could not tell whether they were attracted to the blood or to the large mana stone he had retrieved. Somehow, they perceived something was still there despite his protective measures. Was this a special ability unique to wyrms, or was it shared by all lesser dragons? If the latter was true, then hunting them would become far more difficult.

At first, he planned to attack but chose instead to wait and prepare his weapon. The hammer he had used before unfolded and shifted into a runic staff. Wind energy gathered around him once more, cloaking him from sight as he studied the strange behavior of the monsters below. He had read something about this dungeon and others like it, and before making a move, he wanted to confirm a theory.

Roland remained still, floating high above the treetops like a silent specter. The runes on his armor subtly adjusted, channeling the wind to keep him aloft. Below him, three wyrms slithered towards the corpse of their fallen kin. They moved quickly toward the clearing where he had placed the body, entirely fixated on it for reasons that were not immediately clear.

The creatures seemed to be fighting over something. Two of them bumped into each other, hissing and snapping their jaws. This distraction gave the third wyrm a chance to reach the corpse first. It became clear to Roland what they were after: the large mana stone he had extracted. The creature sniffed the spot where the stone had been and appeared to grow increasingly frenzied at the realization that it was missing.

These monsters were not acting like the usual dungeon inhabitants. They behaved more like independent beings. Unlike the mindless creatures he had faced in other dungeons, which resembled golems in their mechanical behavior, these showed signs of thought and instinct. Natural-born monsters consumed mana stones and monster cores to evolve more effectively and gain experience. These three were doing just that. They were not bound by the will of the dungeon, and they even seemed capable of fighting each other. Something that perhaps he could use to his advantage.

The mana stone he had taken was safely hidden in one of his spatial runes, but he retrieved it again. As soon as it appeared, the monsters reacted. They began scanning their surroundings, clearly sensing the stone’s mana signature. Fortunately, his concealment spells were working well enough. The creatures knew the item was nearby, but they could not locate it precisely.

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While they searched, Roland devised a plan. He summoned one of his floating golems. He attached the mana stone to the golem, using the same adhesive he had previously employed for placing sensors in the tunnels. Once it was on tightly, the golem was commanded to fly around the clearing.