Reincarnating Into A Fantasy World As An Autonomous Machine Arsenal 27 Log 027: Arcadia's Ques

The Dungeon had taken on a completely different appearance with the upgrade of the Dungeon Core. Before, the hallways were cave tunnels, irregular and confusing. Now, they looked like the hallways of a palace. The ground was paved with marble and the walls were an off-white color supported by luxurious looking wooden beams. Each chamber was divided by st.u.r.dy and tall doors that, despite their appearance, were easy to open and close.

Somnus realized then that the entire Dungeon was supported by the Dungeon Core; everything within it, including the environment itself, was a result of the Dungeon Core's abilities.

"What is a Reclaimer?" Somnus asked the Dungeon Core.

Strangely enough, there was no reply.

Somnus narrowed his eyes. Could it be that because the Dungeon Core upgraded that it didn't care about Somnus anymore?

Casually, he stabbed the Dungeon Core with his beam sword. The plasmlike blade pierced straight through the crystal.

"What is a Reclaimer? Acknowledge."

Still, there was no reply. Was the Dungeon Core asleep? Somnus tilted his head, contemplating that Dungeon Core's state.

"Reclaimers were an old Order, created by the G.o.ds. This was more than a thousand years ago, but back then, the G.o.ds created several Orders and empowered them to fight against the Destroyer's Avatar,"

Somnus looked to Arcadia and narrowed his eyes. "What was the purpose of Reclaimers?"

Arcadia pondered. "No one really knows for sure anymore. The last Reclaimers disappeared almost five centuries ago, when they performed a Heroic Summon to defeat the World Boss. It is popular belief that they plundered Dungeons and the distant continents, searching for artifacts and treasures of the previous civilizations."

Somnus nodded slowly. "Apparently, this unit is a Reclaimer now."

Arcadia tilted her head, "This unit? Wait, you mean you are a Reclaimer?"

Somnus nodded. "The Mana Technician Job gave me the Reclaim skill. I desire a True Divination from the Dungeon Core to find out more."

Arcadia sighed and shook her head. The first Hero cla.s.s in a thousand years, the first Mana Knight in centuries, the first Reclaimer in centuries… how many more absurd abilities will Somnus get? It was as if the G.o.ds wanted to shower this ent.i.ty with power and gifts, but do the G.o.ds not understand that Somnus is not their ally? Somnus is the greatest threat this world has ever faced—possibly greater than the Destroyer himself.

Arcadia fell to her knees. She was ready to give up—no, she had given up a long time ago.

Emily placed a hand on Arcadia's shoulder and murmured, "Are you all right, Arcadia?"

Arcadia just sighed at the question.

Before she could answer, the richly adorned double doors leading to the Inner Sanctum opened violently.

"Master! It is great trouble!" It was Lod, the goblin who promised to return with treasures.

"Where is my tribute, designation Lod?" Somnus asked, cutting straight to the point.

"Master, please forgives me for returning empty-handed! But it is huge problem! Goblins cannot work!" Lod spoke in a more broken form of the human language than he usually does.

"Define problem. Comply," Somnus said.

"We goblins go to lowest level of dungeon! We finds ore! Orichalc.u.m, Argentmetal, Mithril, Starstone. Lots of ore! Great treasures!" Lod spoke, eyes clouded by terror.

Somnus was about ready to break out the interrogation methods if Lod didn't get to the point soon.

"But then great evil devours goblins! Goblins cannot work!"

Somnus wondered why Lod only spoke about the goblins. When the monsters left the Inner Sanctum, there was a huge variety of them, including a young dragon. Was this monster racism?

"Define great evil," Somnus said.

"Master… it is Nezaras of the Empty Chalice," Lod replied with a hushed tone.

"What!?" Arcadia blurted out, wide-eyed.

Emily looked at Arcadia. "You recognize the name?"

Arcadia became pale as a ghost. "Nezaras… is the Heroic Summon from five centuries ago…"

Emily tilted her head, "I thought his name was Sarazen… oh. Nezaras is Sarazen backwards…"

Somnus followed the conversation quietly, and when it seemed to have stopped progressing, he inquired. "Define threat level. Comply."

Arcadia looked to Somnus and licked her lips. "Four hundred fifty years ago, a World Boss appeared. The last Reclaimers used several ancient treasures to perform a Heroic Summon. They called forth a soul from the distant past and had it possess the most powerful adventurer of that time, an attack mage called Sarazen."

Emily nodded. She heard this story as well, it was quite famous.

"When Sarazen defeated the World Boss, the heroic soul disappeared. Sarazen lost much of his powers because of this. As the years went by, he coveted his former status, until finally, he made pacts with the Heralds of the Destroyer. He became corrupted and desired even more power. He killed the last Reclaimers, attempting to steal their artifacts, but he himself was also gravely injured. After that, he disappeared from the world. To think that he was here this entire time…"

Emily tilted her head, "I never heard that part of the story."

Arcadia nodded, "The Faith has kept it secret. In fact, it was my mission to investigate potential clues that could lead to Sarazen. That is what led me to Somnus in the first place."

Emily raised an eyebrow, "Why were you looking for Sarazen after all these years?"

"The Empty Chalice… his t.i.tle refers to the Chalice of the First Tear. He stole it from the Reclaimers," Arcadia explained.

Emily seemed even more confused.

"In the ancient days, when the first Hero and Lover of Kion died, Kion shed a single tear. The tear fell upon the ground and it impacted with the force of a falling star, creating a small crater. It was shaped like a chalice and it was made out of G.o.dmetal. Anyone who drinks blessed water from the Chalice will have all of their injuries, no matter the nature, completely healed. It can potentially even extend the lifespan of those who carry it." Arcadia explained.

Emily rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "You are looking for the Chalice, then?"

Arcadia nodded her head. "The Sword of the Divine is dying. The Archlector has tasked me, and many others, to look for the Chalice."

Somnus narrowed his eyes, "It is awfully convenient that you, of all people, found it."

Arcadia and Emily were shocked by Somnus's words. Often, he spoke in a manner not so different from his old self, but then sometimes, he spoke in a very human, and very malevolent, manner.

"Define location of Nezaras," Somnus said, focusing on Lod who had been quietly listening and waiting for a.s.sistance.

"Master, follows me! I shows you the way!"

"Somnus, you can't! This is a former Heroic Summon! We have to ask for help!" Arcadia pleaded.

"Request denied," Somnus said pacing towards Lod.

"My Lord, Arcadia is right. It is suicide. He may even be a Herald of the Destroyer now," Emily said. She was against the decision to go after the former Heroic Summon, but she nonetheless followed Somnus.

"Negative. Suicide is self-inflicted termination. Designation Nezaras is forbidden from performing suicide. Require subject to be operational in order to perform weapon tests."

Both Emily and Arcadia were shocked by how unreasonable Somnus was.

"Master is great speaker! Master defeat Nezaras. Nezaras is dead meat. Meat for goblins!" Lod cackled maniacally, rubbing his goblin hands together. "Unless... master is hungry too… of course… then goblins go hungry… again."