Chapter 172: Corrupted Dungeon Cores [Part 2]

William frowned when he heard the system’s explanation. He didn’t come here to destroy anything. His reason for coming inside the dungeon was to save whoever had been calling to him and, from what he could gather, the ones calling for his help were these two dungeon cores who were almost completely corrupted by darkness.

‘H-Help.’

‘S-Save.’

The voices were getting weaker like the light of a candle that was about to be snuffed out. William had no intention of destroying the two cores as he asked the system for a way to save them.

< According to the data that I have gathered in this world, there were several attempts in the past to save corrupted dungeon cores. However, none of them succeeded. Also, those who tried to purify them received the backlash of the miasma that had been absorbed by the cores and perished. Up to this date, no one had succeeded in purifying corrupted dungeon cores. >

“Is there really no other way to save these two dungeon cores?” William muttered in frustration. 

As if waiting for that cue, two black portals appeared in the sky above the dungeon cores. The Xolotl and the Winged Serpent fell from the portals and crashed into the dungeon floor, making it tremble. 

The two Mythical Beasts tried to move their bodies, but they were too injured to move. As the portals were about to close, Oliver, the Parrot Monkey, flew down from the sky. It looked at the Orthus who was being toyed with by the War Ibexes then at the two corrupted dungeon cores, before it finally turned to William.

Oliver looked at the young boy with an amused expression on his face before he gracefully landed on William’s shoulder. 

“So, this is the reason why you came here alone,” Oliver said. “Are you thinking of saving these twin cores?”

“Second Master, why are you here?” William inquired. “Why are the two Mythical Beasts here? What is happening outside?”

“I just arrived and you’re already bombarding me with questions?” Oliver snorted. “You don’t have to worry about what is happening outside. That overgrown ape, along with the deer, are cleaning the mobs. The peanut galler– I mean the humans are also helping with the clean up.”

“About these two beasts?” 

“They opened a portal in order to escape. I followed behind them to see where they were going. Luckily, they decided to return to the dungeon cores, so I am now here with you.”

William glanced at the two Mythical Beasts who seemed to have regained a bit of their reasoning. They were looking at him with pleading eyes. It was very obvious that they wanted William to save the twin cores who were the hearts and souls of the dungeon.

“Well then, let’s get back to the topic. Do you plan to save these twin cores?” Oliver inquired. “Twin cores are actually very rare, you know. A dungeon being formed with twin cores is a one in two-hundred-thousand chance. Meaning, in every two hundred thousand dungeons, only one with twin cores will be formed.”

“I want to save them, but I’ve been told that it is impossible.”

“Yes, it is impossible if you try to save them as cores. Why don’t you just absorb them? It will be a boon to your power if you absorb the power of a dungeon core. You know, there are even people who specifically conquer dungeons in order to harness the power of the dungeon cores. They are called Dungeon Conquerors.”

Oliver wanted to say more, but he felt that he would be overstepping his bounds if he tried to mention William’s father, Maxwell. The person who single-handedly fended off the Demon Invasion towards the Silvermoon Continent. The one and only Dungeon Conqueror on the Southern Continent.

When the two mythical beasts heard the word “absorb” they growled at the Parrot Monkey, but the latter paid them no mind.

“A Parrot Monkey doesn’t lose sleep over the opinion of sheep,” Oliver snorted. “So what if Little Will wanted to absorb these twin cores? What can the two of you do about it?”

The two Guardian Beasts tried to stand, but they were too injured and too weak to do anything. The goats who were playing with the Orthus weren’t paying attention to the discussion. The only thing in their mind was to bully their new toy, before they returned to Lont and get bullied themselves.

“Second Master, is there really no other way?” 

“Why are you so keen on saving these twin cores? Is there something you’re not telling me?”

William nodded his head. “These two cores had been asking me to save them since the Dungeon Outbreak started.”

“Oh?” Oliver looked at the two cores with interest. “Such a thing happened? Interesting.”

< Host, the corruption has progressed to 97%. According to my estimate, it will take less than ten minutes before these two cores are fully corrupted. >

“Second Master…”

“There is a way, but… the way you are going to save them is different from what you have in mind. You see, Will, once their bodies are corrupted there is no turning back for them. This is why you should never bother trying to save the cores as they are. 

“However… if you were to save the souls of these twin cores then it is very possible to do that. Even so, there is a chance that you will be corrupted by the miasma. Are you sure you want to do this?”

William looked at the twin cores then looked down on the ground. “I want to save them, but I don’t want to get corrupted. Gramps, and the rest of my family, will be sad if that were to happen to me.”

“Um? Why didn’t you add Mistress to the list of people who will be sad if you get corrupted? Hello? It was the Mistress that sent me here to help you,” Oliver nagged. ‘Well, she didn’t say it explicitly, but I’m sure that this was what she wanted me to do.’

“Of course, Master will be sad too that’s why, Second Master, you need to think of a way that I can save the dungeon cores without becoming corrupted in the process.”

“Hah~ why are all of you Ainsworths so greedy? It’s either you play it big or not at all. Geez, fine there is a way, but it will be very painful. Are you sure you still want to do it?”

Oliver felt that it was a pity that William didn’t want to absorb the cores to boost his powers, but since he had become fond of the boy, he was willing to turn a blind eye and let him have his way. 

“I won’t get corrupted?”

“You won’t.”

“Then let’s do it!”

“Fine, but you have to change your uh… what was that again? Job Class?” Oliver tilted his head to the side. “Anyways, whatever you call it, you need to change it to Prince of Darkness. That is the only way for you to resist the Miasma Corruption.”

< Host, the Prince of Darkness Job Class is currently disabled. It can’t be used at this point in time because you didn’t meet the necessary requirements to open this Prestige Class in the first place. Last time, it was forcefully activated due to the Collar of Wisteria. >

‘What are the necessary requirements for it?’

< The host must surrender to the darkness first and allow your soul to be corrupted by the God of Darkness. >

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