Davey and the other trainees were able to get past the second floor after successfully passing through the first floor. Since the really dangerous beasts were on the third basement level and the elite exploration team was already clearing it out, it was safe to say that there wasn’t really any real danger to Davey and the others. However, Davey had no choice but to stay back after killing a certain number of monsters because he would dominate the battlefield if he stood on the front lines again.

“It’s because Trainee Davey’s golem is too powerful. It has become much more agile and stronger since the time it battled with Trainee Sio.”

Boris’ judgment was true, because the Megatron’s power output had increased.

“Well, alchemists fight with knowledge, not training,” Davey replied.

Boris laughed heartily and patted Davey on the back, liking Davey’s response. Strangely, Boris’ pats felt similar to how Hercules had used to pat him on the back while complimenting him when he had first arrived at the Hall.

“Hahaha!! That’s right! It is important to find one’s own way to improve and get stronger. However, it is also necessary to train your physical body as well,” Boris said to Davey.

“Is that so?” Davey replied.

“What would happen if that golem were to be destroyed? What would happen to you if you were present in the battlefield when that happens? You would have no choice but to fight yourself!” Boris spoke like a true soldier.

“I will have to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“Chuckle, I don’t worry much about that since you are on the clever side, Trainee Davey. You will bring our knight order into our prime! Pahahaha!”

Not everyone was able to become a Master even if they were official members. Only about two or three people would reach Master in a group of twenty members. In that sense, it was safe to assume that Davey was more talented than the other trainees in terms of combat ability and battle support.

-But you have no intention of actually becoming an official member.

‘That’s right.’ According to his plan, Davey’s enjoyment here would end at the trainee level; after this, he would rather support them with funds if he was going to support them in some way, but he was never going to return to the battlefield with them and run wild.

“You look happy?” Exhausted, Illyna approached Davey and put down her big, white sword.

Throwing Illyna a water bottle from his backpack, Davey then asked, “What about Caldeiras?”

“I can’t train if I rely on Caldeiras,” Illyna replied. It would be difficult for her to train if she became three or four times stronger with a single sword.

Drenched with sweat, Illyna gulped down the water and handed the water bottle back to Davey. Her appearance was still truly beautiful despite being covered in sweat, but the reason he wasn’t drooling at her beauty was because his standard had been raised; it was also partly because of this selfishly beautiful Demon Lord who resided with him.

“You acted only to help me before, but now you’re doing it all on your own.”

“It’s pretty fun.”

“Hm… Sometimes, you sound like a grandpa who is hundreds of years old.”

Davey smiled bitterly at Illyna’s criticism. Although he didn’t think that he was as wise and considerate as an elderly person who had hundreds of years of actual experience, he thought that Illyna was right in some ways.

“It’s nice to see you like this. I know I forced you to come, but I’m proud of myself for bringing you here.” Illyna smiled cutely.

Davey couldn’t help but smile at Illyna’s confident words. Then, he thumped her on the head without hesitation.

“Kyah!”

“Don’t kid yourself.”

“You!”

Illyna was about to shout at Davey angrily when something strange caught Davey’s eye. He called out, “Teacher Boris.”

“Hm?”

“The ground over there. Don’t you think it has changed a little?”

Boris looked a little baffled when he turned over to where Davey was looking. “Now that you have pointed it out…”

Rumble!!! Roar!!!

Davey’s premonition of something terrible…was right.

“Kyah!!”

“What is this?!”

The trainees screamed in horror when the entire ancient ruin began to shake.

“Everyone stay here! Be wary of your surroundings and don’t split up!”

Like the Heins Territory, the ancient ruin was made up of hundreds of enormous square stones that fit together. If one were to mess around with something the wrong way, like the situation right now…

“Huh! The wall!”

The structure of the entire ruin could change.

“Teacher Sylia! The trainees!”

“Yes!”

Surprised at the sudden turn of events, Boris pulled out his sword with a nervous expression. The trainees also stopped panicking and looked around in caution and unease.

Grind!!! However, the ancient ruin didn’t care about whether they were anxious or not, continuing to change its structure as if it was alive; the wall that used to be blocked suddenly opened up, and the open path began closing up.

“T—Teacher… This is…”

The moment the pale-faced Fendyr was about to say something about the ancient ruin, which had finished its transformation… Creak!! The floor that was under the two trainees, who were standing on the very outside of the group, suddenly disappeared.

“Ah?”

“Huh?!”

Sio Howl and Lucia Shelman, who was the insane fanatic of Daphne, the first saintess, disappeared into the ground. There was no one among the trainees who had seen them quickly enough to try saving them. The Teachers, who were the only people capable of actually reacting fast enough, were far away. Sio and Lucia vanished too quickly for the trainees to react.

“Ahhh!!”

“Kyahh!!!”

It felt like time momentarily stopped as they fell down. They screamed fearfully.

However, Davey already knew what he had to do even though it did feel like time had stopped. He launched up from the ground and threw himself into the hole, which was closing up after unhesitantly swallowing the two trainees.

“Davey?!”

“Megatron!! Release output limit and protect everyone!” Davey disappeared into the hole only after he shouted one command to the terrifying Megatron, which was silently standing and boasting its presence.

[Command… Acce…]

Davey heard the echo of Megatron’s emotionless voice as he fell deeper into the hole.

* * *

[Light]!

The very first thing Davey did as soon as he reached the ground was [Light], an illumination magic spell. The surroundings lit up once a small amount of mana escaped his body in seconds. Since Lucia and Sio’s fall wasn’t going to be long—just a split second—it was crucial for him to catch them before they hit the ground and became a meat pancake.

Crackk!!!

As soon as he reached that conclusion, Davey simultaneously activated all three kinds of mana that were asleep in him. ‘I’m not going to take responsibility for what’s going to happen next if you don’t listen. Get a move on.’

[Haste]

[Agility]

[Blood Acceleration]

[Gravity]

Davey used a speed enhancement magic spell, a reinforcement magic spell, and a dark magic spell that accelerated blood flow. On top of that, he also used a spell to enhance gravity.

[Air Tile]

The ends of Davey’s feet touched the invisible platforms that were made by lumping air together.

There was a big difference in falling speed between Davey and the two people, because he followed them only after they had fallen. Obviously, since he couldn’t catch up to them with his current physical ability, he used every kind of reinforcement magic spell he had when he kicked himself off the platform and bounced around. Then, he repeated that process multiple times and gained enough speed to catch up with them.

Davey was able to reach them thanks to the sudden increase in fall speed, but [Fly], a spell that would allow him to fly, was too slow and he couldn’t use [Reverse Gravity], a 6th circle magic spell, with the state he was in right now. As soon as he reached that conclusion, Davey intertwined his fingers and cast hand seals. Usually, he didn’t need to cast spells verbally or with hand seals, but…

[7th Circle]

[Forced Gear Shift]

[Overload]

[High Reverse…]

Davey couldn’t cast the 6th or 7th circle magic spells with his current circle level, which had only recovered to the 5th circle unlike the other types of mana. However, he used to be a mage who had gone past the 8th circle level of Absorption, and it wasn’t like that was going anywhere.

Davey used Absorption, which allowed him to feel the will of mana, and forcibly activated the magic. Since it was just going to be cast for a quick moment, he decided to use 7th circle magic instead of the 6th circle, which was very high-risk.

[Gravity]

Unlike a gravity-inverse spell that reversed gravity entirely, this was the most advanced magic among the gravity-type spells that allowed him to alter the laws of gravity however he wanted.

Mana burst out from Davey while completely ignoring the laws of physics. His blood vessels inflated like they were going to pop.

45. The Lowest Floor of the Ancient Ruin, and the Obstructor of the Legacy

Davey could say that Lucia Shelman was somewhat cute, but he didn’t really care whether Sio Howl lived or died. ‘Why did it have to be him who fell?’

Perhaps it was because Davey thought this way, one of Sio Howl’s arms was twisted in a strange way and was completely broken. Meanwhile, Lucia was relatively unharmed. It was as if that one arm had absorbed all of the impact from the fall. Although, this wouldn’t have happened if Davey had cast the magic perfectly.

Of course, the person who was most affected by the aftermath was none other than Davey. A rebound effect was inevitable as he had used a level of magic that wasn’t permitted to him; an ordinary mage would’ve coughed up all of their blood and died if they did what he had done.

“Cough…”

-My god! What have you done?! Your body hasn’t even recovered the 6th circle!

Perserque screamed in horror and released her demonic force when she put her hand on Davey. Demonic force was rooted in destruction, but it could become medicine depending on the mastery of the one administering it.

“Stop.”

However, Davey knew what it meant for Perserque, who was being maintained with demonic force, to use a large amount of it. He was no idiot. As such, he had no choice but to grab Perserque and get her far away; she was trying to use the rest of her life energy to keep him alive.

-Shut up and take it! You’re being picky even when you’re half-dead!

As Davey wheezed while Perserque screamed, he knelt down and let out a strained mumble with his eyes closed. “Just…wait. I humbly ask the Goddess who watches over this young sheep… Have mercy.”

With a short prayer, Davey’s raspy and thready breath started to stabilize. The enhanced natural recovery magic began untwisting his organs and healing him. It was definitely a strangely fast recovery. He sighed. “Phew…”

-Davey!

“Whatever. Stop making a big fuss about it.”

-Stop talking nonsense…. What… How did this happen?

Perserque, who was shouting in a teary voice, widened her eyes after noticing the change in Davey’s physical state.

“Did I tell you about the personality of mana?” Davey asked Perserque.

-…

The three personalities of Davey’s three powers: devil mana, which desperately wanted to be used, holy power, which was incredibly lazy, and lastly, normal mana, which was irritated extremely easily but was the most helpful when necessary. Among his powers, which all had unique personalities, normal mana was heavily influenced by his life. The attitude that normal mana, which was usually easily irritable, would have when it felt a danger to its owner’s life was surprisingly simple.