Chapter 314: Pure Gold
"Eagle Bridge..."
"Those who obtain the shining gold are those with excellent concentration and courageous determination, shoot the sacred eagle, and build the bridge."
The group looked across, where a drawbridge was suspended. In the middle, there was a circular target, seemingly shouting, "Come shoot me, come shoot me!"
"As long as we hit the target, the bridge will drop?"
Asie nodded. "That's right."
Kurumi, hiding her homebody traits, sighed and muttered, "It's just like the final stages in a game, old man, how old are you?"
Akame answered for him, "At least over 200 years old."
Asie, sweating profusely, explained, "This trial was designed before Lantern Lord swallowed the fish. It was already planned."
Akame followed up with a jab, "And he's a man with a daughter."
"Bang!" A fastball slammed into Asie's face, and he muttered, inaudible to others, "A man remains a youth until death."
Kakuzu pulled out a bow and arrow. "Leave it to me..."
"Crack, crack, crack!" The sound of ice forming interrupted Kakuzu. An ice path connected the cliffs on both sides, and in the blink of an eye, Esdeath had created an ice bridge.
Kakuzu: "…"
Asie: "…"
"Let's not waste time on this boring challenge," Esdeath said, preparing to step forward.
"Boring?" Asie crouched down, his plump body forming a large meatball as he started drawing circles on the ground.
"You're calling the game trash in front of the game planner? Be careful, your account might get banned," Eric grabbed Esdeath's arm, "Although it's a bit boring, let's at least consider the old man's feelings. He's about to cry."
Akame continued her sharp remarks: "Eric , you haven't considered Asie's feelings either."
"After being constantly criticized, I've kind of gotten used to it," Asie said, standing up with a deep breath.
Just then, a triceratops stomped its heavy steps and roared as it charged towards the group.
"Huh?" Akame turned around and calmly drew Muramasa. "Looks like today's luck is good. We can have a midnight snack tonight."
The triceratops's sturdy legs left four deep grooves on the ground as it turned and fled.
Akame reached out a hand, attempting to summon her food. "My midnight snack..."
Artoria comforted Akame, who was also a food lover, pointing above. "It's okay, there's a bigger grilled fish waiting for us."
The interruption from the triceratops was quickly over.
"This distance isn't far, even I could hit it with my eyes closed, not to mention Kakuzu-sensei, who never misses," Kurumi said, indicating this challenge was too easy for Kakuzu.
"No," Kakuzu narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze detecting a barely noticeable upward air current.
"The stomach acid below is sending out a strong upward airflow, and it's chaotic, uneven. It will be difficult to judge the arrow's flight path."
"Oh, could it be that Asie- already predicted that Amikel would be swallowed by Lantern Lord and designed such an easy yet difficult challenge?" Kurumi said, her voice filled with amusement.
"Ah, ahhahaha..." Asie laughed foolishly beside them.
"Wendy, leave the airflow to you." Kakuzu handed the trouble caused by the air current to Wendy.
"Leave it to me!" Wendy pumped herself up, took a deep breath, and puckered her small lips into a circle. "Heavenly Dragon's—Roar!"
Absorbing the power of the sky, Wendy released a whirlwind from her mouth, isolating the chaotic air currents and forming a winding passage in the middle of the canyon.
"Now!" Kakuzu pulled back the bowstring and shot the arrow. The sharp arrow gleamed, following the path formed by the tornado, arcing perfectly and hitting the center of the target.
"Beautiful magic, Wendy," Kakuzu extended a hand.
"Kakuzu-sensei is the one to be praised, what a great shot!" Wendy happily high-fived Kakuzu.
Watching their celebratory gesture, Esdeath closed her eyes. 'Is this how it is…'
Orga said, "You two have a really good relationship..."
"Yeah, although some of us can't read the atmosphere, we're all part of the whole," Eric said while sneaking glances at Kakuzu multiple times.
The drawbridge opposite slowly lowered and stretched toward their side.
Asie excitedly said, "We're almost there, just one more test, and we'll get the pure gold!"
"Old man, why are you so excited?"
"Isn't it fun to conquer the challenges you set yourself?"
"But, Dad, looking at their expressions, this can't be considered a challenge."
"Ha!"
"Old man, cheer up!"
The group arrived in front of a stone door, with a huge crocodile mouth wide open in front, its sharp teeth sending a chill down their spines.
"The last door, the one who obtains the shining gold is someone worthy of trust, someone who will open the lock with brave companions. The treasure lies ahead."
Robin thought aloud, "It seems we need to use that key to open the door in the crocodile's mouth."
"It looks like if we enter the crocodile's mouth, the upper and lower jaws will close, crushing anyone inside."
"Yes, this is the challenge I designed for selfish pirates…" Asie explained.
"I can freeze the crocodile's mouth completely."
"Let's just complete the challenge properly," Eric stopped Esdeath, turning to the group. "Now, it's our turn to do the physical work."
Kakuzu, Genos , Kakuzu, Kulkai, Lant, and Eric entered the crocodile's mouth.
Sensing the change in weight, the crocodile's eyes moved downward, and the vibrations from the mechanism came through, as the upper jaw of the crocodile began to close.
"Why do I have to do the physical labor?" Deidara raised both hands in dissatisfaction, "With my small frame, I should be the one opening the door!"
"Really…" Eric looked at the door with eighteen locks, where Kakuzu hesitated with the key.
"If I insert the wrong key, I'm pretty sure there will be punishment, but it shouldn't be life-threatening."
"Hmph," Kakuzu lightly snorted, but it was hard to tell if he was angry or disdainful.
"Based on your abilities, there's no risk to life," Asie shouted from afar, then quietly added, "Probably..."
"Kakuzu, hurry up," Deidara urged, "I'm not good at this physical labor."
"Got it," Kakuzu casually inserted a key into the lock, and blue electricity traveled through the key into Kakuzu's body.
"…!"
Deidara asked, "What's wrong?"
"Inserting the wrong key will trigger a strong electrical attack," Kakuzu asked, "Want to try?"
"Huh?" Deidara's ninjutsu was neutralized by the electricity, and he also hated lightning, so he shrank back.
The crocodile's eyes rotated again, and greater pressure started coming down.
Genos spoke up, "It feels like it's getting heavier."
Asie continued to add from outside, "Each time you make a mistake, the force of the crocodile's jaw increases, so try to minimize mistakes."
Deidara asked in confusion, "Why don't I feel anything?"
Eric gave him a side-eye, "Because we're bearing most of the weight. Do you want to try it alone?"
"No thanks." Deidara turned to Kakuzu and shouted, "Kakuzu, it's fine to be electrocuted a few more times, just hurry up and open the door!"
"You bastard," Kakuzu was furious with Deidara's words.
When Kakuzu was shocked fifteen times, Deidara couldn't help but complain, "Kakuzu, what bad luck have you had today?"
"Shut up," Kakuzu muttered until the door opened, shocked by two more electrical pulses.
"Ah," Asie scratched his head, "You guys really aren't fazed, huh."
"My comrades are too strong," Eric patted Asie's shoulder and comforted him. "The outside world has changed a lot in nearly two hundred years, don't look at things with the old perspective."
Walking into the dim underground laboratory, a blackboard covered with complex formulas and neatly arranged experimental tools could be seen. On the table, a faint golden glow emitted from the object—pure gold, resting at the center of the table.
Da Vinci stood in front of the blackboard, carefully studying the incomprehensible writing.
Robin flipped through Asie's research diary, handed it to Orga, and said, "What's written here is all Asie-'s love for you."
"Huh…?" Orga took the diary, her vision fogging up as she read.
"Dad…"
"It's all in the past," Asie said kindly, looking at Orga.
Eric confirmed, "Asie-, are you really going to give me all the pure gold?"
"Yes." Asie was silent for a moment before pulling out a detonator from his tattered clothes and handing it to Eric . "To prevent bad people from stealing my research, I've prepared explosives."
The group looked at Asie.
"You've shown me a group of companions who help each other, and I believe you, who trust your comrades, won't misuse the pure gold. I can rest easy giving it to you."
"Your approval is the greatest reward for us," Eric took the detonator.
"Let's go, we need to get out of this fish's stomach."
Scáthach picked up the container holding the pure gold, and Kakuzu's gaze followed the pure gold, as if his face was saying, "Let me have it."
Once everyone boarded the Invincible, Asie asked in confusion, "How do we get out?"
Eric answered, "We'll beat up Lanternfish's stomach and make it spit us out."
"This method isn't the best." Kurumi, the young lady, couldn't stand being considered vomit.
"Then you want to pull it out?"
"Don't say it so grossly!"
Esdeath smiled, "Now, finally, it's my turn to act?"
"Do as you like."
"Gray Ice Hammer!" Huge ice columns shot up from the ground, aiming toward Lantern Lord's stomach.
"Boom!" Like the dome of the heavens, Esdeath's attack caused a collapse, cracking countless fissures. Lanternfish, feeling the pain, started tumbling in the deep sea.
The once calm stomach liquid began to churn, and a massive flow of stomach fluid started reversing.
"Hold on tight, if we get tossed out, we'll end up back in Lanternfish's stomach!"
"I see the little tongue, the exit is ahead!"
Along with the Invincible, large amounts of yellow stomach fluid were expelled.
The Lanternfish floated quietly on the sea surface, glaring at the culprit who caused it to vomit. But it saw the pure gold in Scáthach 's hands.
"Roar!" The Lantern Lord, who had just vomited from stomach pain, roared and opened its massive mouth, charging directly toward the Invincible.
"Ah!" Asie embraced the screaming Orga.
"It's here," Esdeath excitedly extended her hand, "Death is your destiny, embrace the cold—Absolute Zero!"
The extreme cold froze the ocean around the Lanternfish, forming thick ice layers.
Unfortunately, a single blow from Esdeath couldn't stop the raging Lanternfish.
The thick ice shattered under the Lanternfish's charge, and the crystalline ice shards reflected soft light in the moonlight.
"Wendy, rise!" The Lantern Lord's violent movements created massive waves in the surrounding sea, causing the Invincible to sway up and down.
When the Invincible reached the Lanternfish's sky, the massive mouth above was terrifying. The faint fishy smell wafted in the air along with the Lanternfish's roar.
"Roar!" The Lanternfish let out a roar as the gentle golden light from the pure gold was before its eyes, but it couldn't touch the goddess floating high above.
"How can I get you?!"
Eric shouted, "Next life!"
Akame curiously asked, "Eric , what are you shouting?"
"Nothing."
"Give me a big one..." Esdeath used Moon Step to leap to the high sky. An ice ball began to form behind her.
"Wow, so big!" Orga widened her eyes, "Esdeath is really this strong!"
"You haven't seen her real strength yet!"
"Hailstorm Leap Strike!"
The giant ice hail, almost the size of the Lanternfish, roared with wind as it slammed into the Lanternfish.
The attack, as heavy as Mount Tai, completely blocked the moonlight, and the Lanternfish showed its first expression of surprise.
"Boom!" The two collided heavily, broken teeth flying, shattered fish scales splattering, fish blood spraying everywhere. The Lanternfish was dizzy from the impact.
The shattered ice fell from the Lanternfish's body, creating water columns, and the sea was scattered with various-sized ice chunks.
"Roar~!" The previously loud roar became weaker.
"Um, Eric -, are you really going to…" Asie could see that Eric 's group had the strength to kill the Lanternfish here, and he felt a bit reluctant.
"Asie, don't forget, this fish indiscriminately swallowed you all, including the whole Alchemy Island," Eric retorted, "I'm also thinking about the safety of my comrades. No one wants to be swallowed by the huge Lanternfish that could attack at any moment."
"I see..." Asie fell silent.
"Boom!"
Several giant ice spears fell from the sky, entwined with Esdeath's Haki. With the acceleration from gravity, they easily pierced the Lanternfish's body. The huge wound spewed out large amounts of bright red blood, seemingly dyeing the entire sea.
"Roar—" The Lanternfish let out one final unwilling roar before losing all its movement.
The Invincible, under Wendy's control, landed near the Lanternfish. Kakuzu went to take the pure gold from the lantern, and the group set up a barbecue party on the ice layers created by Esdeath. Among them, Asie, who had just felt some reluctance about the Lanternfish, ate the most joyously.
"Old man, why are you eating so enthusiastically?"
"Actually, since I was rescued, I've been starving. Finally, I'm eating food, ahh—so delicious!"
Asie shed tears of happiness from eating the tasty grilled fish.
(END CHAPTER)
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