Bab 42: ZK-20
Esdeath stood atop the "Quing Chin Mountain", surveying the path ahead with a satisfied smirk. "Hmm... the inheritance isn't far from here,"she muttered, her sharp eyes focused on a cave nestled within the rocky landscape. The air was still, and there was an eerie calm around the entrance, but Esdeath wasn't the type to be intimidated.
After wandering for what seemed like hours, though it had only been around thirty minutes, she had finally found the location the "Map" had guided her to. Her footsteps crunched over the dry ground, and she stopped just before the dark cave entrance.
The cave was unlike anything she'd seen before—an impenetrable blackness, as if it were an endless void. The pitch-black interior seemed to swallow all light, giving it a particularly **frightening aura**. Esdeath, however, wasn't deterred.
"It doesn't look like any monsters or beasts are around... maybe this inheritance was left by someone who didn't feel the need to trap it. Safe area means no surprises." Confident in her assessment, she took a step into the cave, her boots clicking against the stone floor, her breath steady.
Inside, it was pure darkness.
"After killing Eldon I'm getting notifications from system but I can't waste time checking the system notifications right now. The faster I get this inheritance, the sooner I can get back to the academy."
Esdeath pressed on, feeling her way deeper into the cave. From the outside, the cave hadn't looked this large But now it seemed endless. Time dragged as she wandered forward, the unsettling silence amplifying her worry. Even with her sharp senses, the blackness was so consuming that she could hardly see her own hands.
"It's already been fifteen minutes! Where does this even lead?!" Esdeath's confidence faltered slightly as she walked further, the anxiety of a possible trap creeping into her mind. If something were to spring up now, she'd have no way of avoiding it. But turning back wasn't an option. She had come too far.
And then—finally—a faint light flickered in the distance.
Her heart skipped a beat, a mixture of "relief" and "anticipation" flooding her. The moment she saw that light, her instincts kicked in. She bolted forward, her body moving swiftly toward the exit, eager to leave the suffocating darkness behind.
The inheritance was near.
As Esdeath continued running toward the light, it grew brighter and larger, guiding her forward until she finally emerged into a room. The cave opened up into a square chamber, bathed in soft white light that reflected off smooth, "glowing stones" lining the walls. The entire space screamed of an old laboratory—one that had once been bustling with activity but now lay abandoned and decayed.
Esdeath scanned the room. "Wow... an old lab?" she muttered to herself, a bit amazed by what she saw. Iron tables were scattered around, most of them either rusted or broken down from age. Some of the tools and materials were so old, they'd long since fallen into disrepair. Whatever experiments had been done here were left behind in ruins.
As she walked deeper into the lab, her eyes landed on a single "unbroken table" at the center. On it, there was a letter—old, but still intact. Esdeath's fingers trembled slightly as she reached for it. ""What could this be?""she thought, intrigued.
As she began to read, her eyes narrowed. The "inheritance" she had been searching for was created by a "dwarf" named "Zephyrus Kalyndar". Of course, only the dwarves had the expertise to craft something this advanced. It was all making sense now.
The letter described how Zephyrus had spent his life working on an invention—a "liquid alloy" known as "ZK-20"". This wasn't just any metal—it was a revolutionary creation. The alloy had "mana-circulating properties", meaning that the more "mana" and "offensive essence stones" merged into it, the stronger it would become. But that wasn't the most shocking part. The liquid could "change shape". "Guns, rifles... anything you can imagine," the letter explained, as long as the user had enough mana to control it.
Esdeath's heart raced as she realized the implications. This dwarf had designed the liquid specifically for "gun users", knowing that while legendary weapons existed for swords, axes, and other traditional weapons, guns had been left behind. "With this liquid, even a gun can become a force to be reckoned with," she thought, her mind reeling at the possibilities.
But there was more. Zephyrus had spent his entire life perfecting the alloy. The name "ZK-20" came from his initials and the fact that it took him "20 attempts" to get it right. This invention had consumed him, taking nearly all his time and energy.
However, when he tried to introduce his creation to the world, it wasn't received well. The letter explained how "powerful businessmen", especially those invested in the trade of other weapons, saw the alloy as a threat. After all, guns had never been seen as worthy weapons for heroes or legends. If guns became powerful through Zephyrus's invention, the entire weapons industry would be turned upside down. In their "fear" and "greed", they plotted to kill him.
Fearing for his life and the future of his invention, Zephyrus had hidden the alloy here, in this cave, hoping that someone worthy would find it.
Esdeath lowered the letter, her mind racing. ""So, that's why he created this inheritance... to protect his legacy."" She couldn't help but feel a sense of "respect" for Zephyrus, a man who had been "hunted" for trying to change the world.
Now, the power of the "ZK-20" was hers.
As Esdeath finished reading the letter, a sudden crack echoed through the room. The roof above her had broken slightly, and with a loud thud, a metal box fell right in front of her. Dust flew into the air as the box landed heavily.
Esdeath quickly knelt down, her curiosity piqued, as the box slowly creaked open on its own. Inside, she found three items. The first was twenty silver coins, their dull sheen hinting at their age.
Her eyes then settled on a bronze-colored, coin-shaped ruby. But as she looked closer, she realized it wasn't just a gem—it was an essence stone. "Bronze Muscle Essence Stone,"she thought, recognizing it from her studies. This particular stone could boost a person's strength by **15 points** according to the system's stats, but there was a catch.
Esdeath held it in her hand, the coldness of the stone sinking into her skin. But despite its value, she didn't feel any excitement. "This stone is useless unless you have the "Bronze Skin Essence stone first," she murmured. "And even if I find that... I'm not going to use it."
A thoughtful look crossed her face as she considered why. "Bronze Skin Essence gives you tanned skin," she mused. "But I prefer the way I look now—fragile, delicate. Everyone underestimates me because of it, and that's a huge advantage in battle." She smirked at the thought of people underestimating her, only to face her true strength when it was too late.
Still, it was free, and Esdeath wasn't one to waste valuable resources. "I can always sell it for a good price," she thought with a mischievous grin, pocketing the stone without hesitation.
Finally, her attention turned to the last item in the box—an "orange liquid" sealed in a **plastic wrapper**. The liquid shimmered faintly, and as Esdeath placed her hand on it and poured a small amount of her mana into the wrapper, the liquid began to glow. The plastic floated into the air, responding perfectly to her mana, moving right and left at her will. Esdeath's eyes widened slightly—this was no ordinary creation. "This dwarf really was a genius," she thought, impressed by the ease of control.
She focused and willed the liquid to form a pistol, and as if by magic, the liquid obeyed, It tored through plastic and transforming into the shape of a small handgun in her palm. The sensation was surreal—it was light, warm, and almost alive.
But something felt off. The pistol was much smaller than she had expected. It was only half the size of a normal pistol. An uneasy smile crept onto Esdeath's face as she realized the problem.
"I guess that's what happens when you don't have enough mana," she muttered to herself. "For now, this pistol is even weaker than a normal one. Looks like I'll need to work on boosting my mana before this becomes truly useful."
....
Esdeath lay back on her bed, letting out a soft sigh as the dim golden light of the evening filtered through the dorm room window. She had returned from the old laboratory after searching it for hours, hoping to find more treasures, but left empty-handed. Now, she lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, the weight of the day's events pressing down on her.
She slowly raised her hand in front of her, inspecting it as it trembled slightly, a familiar, almost "itching" sensation crawling under her skin. "It would've been so much more satisfying if I had killed him with my own hands," she thought, her voice laced with disappointment.
Esdeath's eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a smirk. "That feeling when someone is at your feet, begging for mercy, and you snuff out their life anyway... that is so satisfying," she whispered to herself, her grin growing wider. "There's hardly anything that compares."
She exhaled deeply, closing her eyes, and let the day's exhaustion pull her toward sleep. But just as she started to drift off, a thought crossed her mind.
"I wish Lady Mariette was here!"
Her eyes flew open. "Wait... what?! Why the hell am I thinking about her?" Esdeath bolted upright, her heart racing as confusion filled her. "Lady Mariette? She's just a mid-boss... MID-BOSS!" she practically yelled, her voice echoing in the quiet room. "I don't miss mid-bosses! What's wrong with me?"
She tried to shake the thought off, closing her eyes again, but the name kept echoing in her mind like a bad song stuck on repeat. "Lady Mariette, Lady Mariette," the name whispered inside her head like an annoying little bug she couldn't swat away.
Frustrated, Esdeath tossed and turned on the bed, her hands gripping the sheets as she tried to force herself to sleep. But no matter how hard she tried, the image of Lady Mariette wouldn't leave her mind. "Shut up! Shut up!" she growled, sitting up in a fit of anger. "I swear, yandere-chan, this is your fault! You're ruining everything!"
She waved her hand in the air as if addressing some invisible force. "I said I'd handle things when that mid-boss comes back, but noooo, you had to go and make me think about her NOW! That's why I can't stand yanderes—they ruin everything with their impatience!" Esdeath muttered, glaring at the empty space as though someone was standing there.
But just as she was about to launch into another rant, her eyes drifted to the door—and there, standing frozen in the doorway, was Luna. Her eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open in shock.
Luna's face paled as she processed what she had just seen. "She... she's lost it!" Luna exclaimed, backing away slowly before slamming the door shut with a loud BAM! She bolted down the hallway, leaving Esdeath staring after her.
Esdeath blinked, then sighed, falling back onto her bed with a defeated groan. "And there goes my reputation..." she muttered to herself, rubbing her temples in frustration.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The sound echoed through the quiet room, breaking the silence. Esdeath, lying lazily on her bed, raised an eyebrow at the sudden disturbance. "Now what?" she muttered to herself, already feeling the annoyance rise in her chest.
Pushing herself up, she made her way toward the door, her steps slow and deliberate. Whoever it was, they had better have a good reason for interrupting her. Without a second thought, she swung the door open in one swift motion, her expression ready to match her irritation.
But the sight that greeted her made her eyes narrow in surprise. Standing in front of her were several guards, their armor gleaming under the hallway lights. At the front of the group stood a man clad in full armor, a sword hanging at his waist. His posture was rigid, exuding authority, and it was clear he was the leader.
Before Esdeath could say a word, the leader's voice boomed with a stern, commanding tone. "Miss Esdeath Crimson, you are under arrest on suspicion of killing your classmate, Eldon Karthanis."
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Lie_Eater777
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So please give it shot!
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
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