Antagonist Protection Service-Chapter 177 - The Augury Tower (4)

177: The Augury Tower (4)

177: The Augury Tower (4)

As I moved through the forest, cutting down every one of those big cat-wolf hybrids that I encountered, I found it strange that they were the only monster I came across.

Even in the last few Floors, I encountered nothing but goblins with some old rags and maybe a rusty, chipped knife for a weapon, and no variance other than that.

‘…Well, maybe that’s just how it’s designed.’

Thinking of it like a tutorial section, I wondered if the Floor Boss would also just be a big version of one of these monsters.

What I was most curious about, however, was the Fifth Floor that lay just beyond this one.

That was the Floor that people failed to clear for over a year until John Pierce came along, after all, so even if it was a tutorial, could it really be considered that if it was so tough?

‘Guess I’ll find out soon.’

It didn’t take long for the trail of dirty animal smell to lead me to a cave.

Using Sneak to go inside, I wasn’t worried in the slightest about being detected, even if what lay within was the Boss.

Progressing at a pace that wasn’t too slow yet still wary enough, I bypassed all kinds of skeletons and degraded remains, including both humans and non-human looking corpses.

Soon enough, I found it―a scaled-up version of those hybrid mongrels I’d been killing in one hit on my way over, just as I thought.

Fortunately or not, it was sleeping, so all I had to do was bring my hand down from up high, decapitating the curled-up beast in a single swing just like the others.

[Floor Cleared]

I thought it was rather anticlimactic, but knowing that the Floors would continue to get harder, I wasn’t worried about being unable to test out the Sunlight Spear.

It wouldn’t have been a great test if the enemy was too weak anyway, so that was my thinking.

[Obtained Lesser Health Potion (x2)]

[Obtained Anti-toxin Elixir Vial (x1)]

Adding two more vials to the collection, I had already so much as tripled the amount I entered the Tower with, as well as another consumable item I had already seen in the Shop as a cure for poison.

‘Anti-toxin…

Is that a spoiler for the next Floor?’

There were no other rewards this time, but the quality would’ve likely been on the side of shoddy anyway, so I wasn’t particularly bothered.

Before ascending to the next Floor, I pondered for a moment, shooting a glance to the Holy Sword in my hand.

“Hm…

Your name was Eligos, right?

How did you say I could control my divine power?”

[Ah!

Allow me to say that your movements are very impressive, Enki.

However, they do not give the impression of someone trained in the sword.

Would that presumption be correct?]

“That’s right.

Can you teach me that too?”

[I’m afraid I could claim to be able to train you reliably.

I myself was a young Hero back in the day, and the situation was such that there was no luxury to be taught by a master.

My methods only know self-training through repeated, arduous battles.]

‘I see…

That’s a lot more respectable than the stuck-up kid who refused to even train with the trainee knights back then.’

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting him to train me in swordsmanship anyway, so it wasn’t a disappointment.

“Don’t mind it then.

Anyway, you can still teach me about divine power, right?”

That was where my interest really lied, and fortunately…

[Indeed!

Take a seat first, put me down to the side and close your eyes.]

Glancing around, I made sure there were no traces of enemies and did as he said.

There was still the carcass of the giant hybrid monster nearby, but I could tolerate the stench of blood pretty well by now, so I tried not to mind it.

Sitting down on the stone floor of the cave, I closed my eyes, the only disturbances being the whistling wind from the outside and the dripping of water from ceiling stalactites.

[Well done.

Now, concentrate, and search within yourself.]

And then, the firm voice of the Ancient Hero. ƒгeewebnovёl.com

[Deep inside, centered primarily around your heart, the core of that divinity shall be identified.]

I knew immediately what he was talking about.

From the very first second that I had been bestowed this incomparably irritating Blessing, it had been torturing me, after all.

That dreadful chill.

[I see you’ve located it.

Good, that was fast.

Now, focus on it, the sensation of that divinity, heavy like lead in your body.

It might burn, but I want you to grasp it firmly.

Firmly with your will, and not let it go.]

His words were vague, but I understood well enough.

Perhaps the enhancement of my instincts and the fact I’ve tried this before also helped, as it didn’t take long at all to feel the sensation of that sharp, biting coldness pulsing even stronger than before, like the heart of winter itself embedded inside me.

Forgetting all else that existed in the world, the only thing present to me at that moment was the perpetual sting, the scorching frigidity, and the debilitating numbness that came with it.

So far, everything proceeded smoothly.

[Yes, like that…

Gosh, it’s incredibly powerful.

We are not physically connected, and yet I can sense it even from here.

Now, try and push it.]

However, it was only until then.

[Using all the force you can, all of your willpower, push that divinity, make it move until it flows through you.

Make it become a part of you rather than something that simply resides within you…!]

No matter what, it refused to budge.

Stuck―quite literally frozen in place, the raw divinity, the essence of winter and the Blessing of its mother, the Goddess Elara…

“…Bastard…”

Eventually, I couldn’t hold my intense concentration any longer, and simply fell back to the ground.

‘What the hell did I do wrong…?’

Instinctively, I knew there was nothing I could’ve done differently or better.

The only answer I could come to was that the Winter Mother’s Blessing was just that powerful.

Of course, that would normally be a fantastic thing, but…

‘It doesn’t mean anything if I can’t even make use of it!

Damn it…’

Frankly, I was lost for words.

If even doing all this couldn’t accomplish anything, then I severely doubted that this was an issue I could solve by myself.

“…Oi…

Tell me.

What’s wrong with it?

Is it really just so powerful that I can’t control it?”

Asking the only person who could possibly have a solution here, a moment of silence passed.

[…Um…

Well, you see…

I-I’m not quite sure…?

By all accounts, that should have worked…]

It appeared I wasn’t the only one astonished by the damn thing’s stubbornness.

“Tsk…

Is there nothing at all you can think of?”

‘Seriously, it’s beginning to piss me off now.

I really should have just asked her…

Why did I even not mention it until the end anyway…?

Stupid…’

[Hmm…

Ah!

Could it be…?

Perhaps, Enki, what is the element of the Goddess that has blessed you?]

At the unexpected question, I sat back up and grabbed the Holy Sword.

“What?

Well, she’s called the Mother of the Winter Full Moon, so…

whatever elements have to do with cold and the moon, I guess.”

[Indeed, I believe that’s where the issue lies.

You see, the technique I was teaching you was how I learned to control my divinity, however, the Goddess of our world is one of holy, fire and life elements.]

“Right…

Is that a problem?”

I felt like I knew the answer without asking, but naturally, I had to anyway.

And the real answer, of course…

[I believe so.

The elements are antithetical, so perhaps the methods to control the divinity are different, too…]

Was such that nothing could be done.

“…”

‘Screw it.’

So, in order to get back by making progress in a way that I could actually control―

[Floor 5]

―I moved on.