Dungeon Diver: Stealing A Monster’s Power
Chapter 889

Large amounts of the text that is carved into the floor cannot be read, but with my senses stretching increasingly far every few dozen meters we walk, another recognizable symbol comes into view.

Many depict similar symbols to what we saw in the caves, of void creepers surrounding an orb, and lots of the text is similar too.

However, I do not see any carvings of that winged void creeper depiction, nor do I see the horned creature that was called a "Half Demon."

The only thing this text all over the floor talks about is "The Great Divide."

It is referenced in many of these text groupings, and the symbols are slightly different in some to call it either "The Last Divide" or even "The Last Reset."

The deeper in we walk, the more it's mentioned over and over.

Carvings of these long-limbed creatures opening up what look like rifts can be seen.

One in particular, that confirms in my heart that these are definitely Void Creepers, is a larger-than-average drawing.

It shows one of them sitting on a massive throne, with many archways around it. Titans all walk out of these arching doors, and it gives me a flashback to the time I sent a body double through a void creeper rift myself back on the human world.

It led to an ancient temple of some sort, and it looked just like that. Yet, my mana-based body double survived in it just fine, without even using a single divine thread to strengthen it. Well, at least until it met their king and was killed by nothing more than a glance. Still, wherever this was, it is not the upper realm.

The further we walk, the more strange drawings like this we see, many creating depictions of structures and settings I've never seen referenced before.

Though, I stop moving forward entirely once I come across the largest carving of all.

It is a pair of massive hands connected to no body, that seem to be tearing apart something from a single point. One of the hands holds a dragon, with an unmistakable head shape, tail, and wings, and the other hand holds a demon, one with the body proportions and long horns that cannot be mistaken either.

The carving is merely a two-dimensional etching, but the longer I look at it, the more lifelike it feels.

I can't stop staring at the dragon's head, as there is a carving made right above it in a different style than all of the rest on this stone slab. It looks like it was added by someone else at a later date, reading: "Fallen One."

Maria cannot read any of the text I can, but the image of dark god-like hands tearing apart this demon and dragon is enough to make her fall into a focused daze of awe as well.

The Noble Vibrations around us on this flat slab of rock have been getting stronger and stronger with every step we take, but our own internal vibrations are so superior that it does not faze us.

Though, my head does jerk up from the writing as a light ripple of Celestial energy makes its way through the floor.

It flows gently, like something landed with grace far away; and it makes all of the text below us stand out even more.

My heart skips a beat... not because of the Celestial energy itself, but because of the small writing that makes itself appear above the demon's head written in a different style than even the addition above the dragon.

It is only a single symbol, and it translates directly to "Emperor."

For a moment, something flickers in the depths of my mind, with a tiny golden light, like I'm trying to remember something; but it fades away to return my mind to the darkness around just as fast as it came.

I shiver, but grasp my sword and look upward toward the direction of the Celestial energy waves instead of thinking further.

This is a minor reaction to a memory related to Ember... maybe it's something he's told me in the past, or possibly something in one of the memories I've absorbed that have been blocked from my consciousness. Whatever it may be, every time I've tried to override this strange power in the past, all it's led to is a flash of golden light, and a piercing headache.

Now isn't quite the time to test out this theory again.

Maria takes a step forward first, and I follow by her side.

We walk right over the carvings, toward the growing Noble Vibrations, and brightening celestial energy.

Half my mind is ready for battle, while the other half still scans the ground for more clues.

Our advance forward prompts whatever just landed to begin walking forward as well.

The confidence in its vibrations doesn't falter or change at all. It still looks forward at us like we are nothing but commoner demons, and does not let up the façade of its aura screaming out for challengers to come up these stairs to claim their prize.

We walk another 100 meters forward before the footsteps grow dense and hot enough to reveal a demon in the furthest part of my ether senses.

It is another Noble Demon, easily 12 meters tall, with two bright glowing horns that curve out of its forehead and backward to protect its skull, even growing far enough to guard its upper back.

The demon is far more muscular than the Noble we fought before, and it holds an enormous dual-bladed axe.

As it walks closer, it stares down at us like we are bugs, and even grins to show off its sharp teeth.

No dragon approaches; it's decided to face us all alone.

The look in its eyes is that of a hardened warrior. It slams the butt of its axe down on the floor, making it shake, and a ripple of Celestial energy surges through us.

I can tell already it's more refined than ours; and can already begin to sense layers of Noble Vibrations all over its axe. There are at least half a dozen being woven into its sharp edges right at this instance as it declares to fight.

The demon shifts its stance, and points its massive axe blade our way, and both Maria and I glow bright blue and red, pointing our blades up at it.

—

The demon makes the first move, gripping its axe with both hands and slamming downward. Its mouth opens to let out a roar, but the abyss drains its noise.

We both jump to the side, propelling our new boots made from 1st Class Demon horns, tethered with Royal Intent to strengthen their bounce.

Even the hard crash of the axe blade against the black rock is silent, despite it carving a deep line into the beautiful ancient text.

Our jump out of the way may be a dodge, but it is still calculated; moving us closer to the demon's front leg. When we hit the ground again, we bounce upward and change directions.

Maria is at the peak of her cycle, so she goes in for the attack, while I turn and block the incoming counter this demon has already thrown at us.

Right from the resting position on the ground, it turns its axe, and swings upward and to the side to aim for us in mid-air.

I layer my sword with double the amount of tethered vibrations I feel on the axe swinging our way and swing across my body at it to block.

There is an invisible barrier that vibrates between our weapons.

If I was at the peak of my cycle, I could have had more momentum and power to strengthen my swing; but the remaining I have left in me is enough to go toe to toe with that axe blade.

I feel the layers of defense I've summoned be sliced through by the sharp, focused, and experienced Noble Vibrations of this Demon.

It is only because of its enormous size, and the presence of both more Celestial Energy in volume, but also its purity that I sensed, giving it the psychological edge for that first attack.

Yet, the fact that its blade is slowed down, just from the rudimentary defensive tethers I've created, makes the Demon's eyes widen with surprise.

One of its sharpness enhancers dissolves after being worn down by about five of my defensive layers, and I can grasp its strength exactly.

At the same time, Maria trusts me to block and focuses fully on slashing at the Demon's leg with her own attack.

A dense blue slash of ice tears into the Demon's upper thigh.

I expect this to make more of its vibrations waver, but the Demon stays completely focused with its eyes locked on me where it's striking.

Another half dozen of my defensive tethers are broken as it wears down another one of its blade's sharpness layers, but another variable enters our exchange. The explosion of Celestial Energy from Maria's successful hit blasts us backward and changes our flight trajectory.

Shards of the Demon's leg are frozen and broken off in the blast, exposing its bone, and our interlocked soul weapons break their formation.

When we hit the ground, and I take the attacking stance this time while my cycle begins to start, the Demon doesn't waste a second to attack us in exactly the same manner.

It slams its axe down with two hands, yet, as the bright red Celestial energy fills my body, I know we don't have to dodge.

I only smirk, and begin forming layers of varied types of vibrations around my blade, with thrust in my legs, and sturdy braces in my wrist that holds my sword.

When I swing upward with my full power, the dual-bladed axe stops moving two meters above the stone floor.

Instead of it breaking through my defenses, I feel its stacked Noble Vibrations all be overwhelmed by the intensity and fine-tuned nature of mine. The contrast between the strength just seconds ago gives the Demon even more shock... I feel its will quiver for a moment, but its eyes stay locked on me as it tries to find another way to win.

This only makes my smile grow more, as it finally breaks the first layer of defense I've created; because this is what I planned for.

The next layer below is one of pure repulsion, meant to disperse upon use as well.

Large amounts of red Celestial Fire burst from my blade to be the vessel to carry these vibrations upward as it unravels; and the heavy axe is blasted up into the air.

The Demon's wrists both snap and break from the brute force as it tries to hold on.

Maria and I were using this axe's pressure to hold us down too, and now that it's lifting, we both burst upward at the monster's chest.

My cycle is still at its peak, so I land a full-powered slash across its chest.

With only sharpness, attack power, and fire to burn anything in its path on my mind, a bright gash opens up from its hip up to its shoulder; spraying Celestial energy into the open air, exposing its cores and sending the demon flying backward out of our ether senses.

Only a trail of Celestial energy on the floor, covering more and more text, leads us to our prey.

We land, and shift our positioning again; as Maria's cycle is coming next.

Yet, as we jump forward to follow the Noble Demon, a new sight comes into our view...

The Demon's cores are both fractured, but it managed to survive...

Still full of confidence, it picks itself up off the ground with its axe as leverage, and gets into a fighting stance again.

This isn't what my eyes are locked on.

Its bonded dragon opens up its wings behind it, showing a wingspan outside of my ether senses; it must be at least 100 meters wide.

Yet, not even this is what holds my gaze.

It is a large cylindrical pedestal that stands between the two of them.

They appear to be guarding it.

The ground in this area is covered almost entirely in claw marks, soul weapon clashes, and broken stone. Countless battles have taken place this far from the stairs.

Yet, the cylinder is spotless. It stands about 10 meters tall and 4 meters wide. There is intricate writing all over it, and resting on top, there is a small artifact. It looks to be sphere-shaped, and glows with a faint white aura.