In Another World with Absolute Awareness

<Soul Permanence>

It was said to be a staff of the purest Undeath.

Formed out of crystals, it looked untouched by conscious hands. It looked as if it had grown in a deep cave, awaiting its owner for hundreds of thousands of years.

A staff that would grant any Undead the highest status in an instant.

Therefore, it was the greatest staff a Lich could wield.

That was what Grakkis assumed.

However, Aventine wasn’t so sure.

’I’ll have to take the staff myself if I want to confirm my thoughts.’

That cocoon of <Fate> could only be shattered if he interfered. He checked just now—the hidden mechanisms of the <Sword of Light> were hidden by <Fate>. It was only because he continued to carry it with him that those threads were slowly unravelling, making it easier for him to discern certain truths.

Thus, Aventine just had to grab the staff now.

Dangers?

A bad feeling? A possible detriment? A useless endeavor?

’Who cares?’

That was what made the entire process of stealing all the more thrilling.

’As long as it’s as shiny as in Kirivan’s memories...’

It was sufficient to be added to his collection.

The kelptomaniac thus began to move.

***

Quince revealed his utmost strength in the battle with the Skeleton King.

The mage no longer held back on his mana consumption. His spells were unleashed one after the other, drenching all the Undead in an ocean of raging mana-imbued flames.

Indeed, Quince’s specialization was clear.

He was a destructive Fire Mage.

[Lesser Flame Bloom]!

[Blazing Sea]!

[Burning Eruption]!

A combination spell was chain-cast to drown all things in flames. On his face was a wild smile that hadn’t revealed itself until now.

It finally seemed a little more demonic—true to his nature and perfectly suited for his race.

—BOOM!

—BOOM!!

—VWHOOOOOSH!

Flames covered the battlefield, impeding anything below C-Rank from advancing. The iridescent fire-attributed mana burned any other attribute in the area, dissolving the Malevolent Miasma with the grandeur of combustion.

Kirivan struggled to move his old bones. The flames licking his joints interfered with his Necromancy, as if plunging him into a high-temperature bog.

In his sluggishness, he became a prime target.

Shima struck every skeletal weak point with piercing arrows that exploded once inside their targets. Several explosions had already gone off inside the Skeleton King’s skull.

Its bones, hollowed out of their marrow, were all crumbling from the inside.

Every wave of force weakened the calcium- and phosphate-made crystals in the bone structure. Ivory dust polluted the air, becoming fuel for Quince’s flames.

Everything burned.

Everything crumbled.

Until finally, the Skeleton King fell onto one knee. More than a dozen skeletons that survived the sea of flames were directly crushed to dust.

Noticing this, Aventine chuckled.

’It’s good to know that the minimum requirement for a complete adventurer party is indeed the strength to fight a rank above their own individual ranks. Teamwork is any adventurer team’s forte.’

Seeing the members of Very Sighed succeed, Aventine emerged from the depths of the Skeleton King’s chambers. A small, satisfied smile on his face.

In his <Sub-Dimensional Ruby Ring> was a new possession:

The staff, <Soul Permanence>.

However, it came with a certain price.

He gained a new <Trait>, <Soulbound Anchor>.

Unfortunately, it did not mean that the staff could no longer be lost. Instead, it meant that if he lost <Soul Permanence>, he would lose his soul as well.

On the other hand, at least his soul would never naturally or unnaturally dissipate. Even if the Skeleton King roared in his ears, his soul would be tranquil and unmoving.

In essence, his soul was immortal for as long as he owned the staff.

’But it’s also a huge risk.’

It was like having the Curse of Achilles.

As long as he protected the ruby ring on his finger and therefore the staff of <Soul Permanence>... his soul was functionally immortal.

Unfortunately, those two items were directly tied to his physical body.

But what was done was done.

—Boom! Crack!

Ghush tore out Kirivan’s spine—with the skull still connected—and suddenly obtained an oversized mace.

"..."

—Boom!

Kirivan was toppled. The miasma he’d exuded was thoroughly burned by Quince’s flames and purified by Li’lsuo’s zone of <Revitalization>.

Eventually, the Skeleton King would reform from the bone fragments they failed to extinguish.

But it would still be a long way off.

"Let’s go. Retrieve the <Yearner’s Grimoire>, and our mission is done here." Pulvir hefted his shield, having already shrunk down to his previous size, and led his team into the crypt’s final chamber.

Through the ornate double doors, the members of Very Sighed walked into a dim, square room. The walls were adorned with pillars and shelves, with their decrepit contents illuminated only by a few torches burning with dark red flames.

On one of the shelves was a locked drawer.

A thick amount of enchantments maintained the room, making it so that anyone without enough strength, knowledge, and wisdom would be unable to break into anything.

The drawers, especially, were adorned like Leisha’s Royal Treasury.

Aventine stood by the doorway, looking wholly uninterested in the chamber.

His behavior drew confusion from the rest of the party. They communicated with their eyes.

Raised brows.

A shrug.

And a wave of the hand.

In a few gestures, they inwardly approved of the adventurer’s steady heart. Not even a hint of greed crossed his eyes.

That made Li’lsuo curious.

"Hey." She took a step closer to Aventine; her reptilian eyes shone a mild topaz light. "Not gonna take a look inside?"

"Nah,"

"Why not?"

"I’ve been inside before. Nothing in there interests me anymore." Aventine yawned, drawing another glance from the rest of the party. He chuckled and stretched, looking like a lazy feline in the morning before turning to Li’lsuo.

Then, he added, as if he sensed her companions’ gaze. "Why else do you think I can guide you all? Just finish what you came here for. I want to get paid."

"...Makes sense."

Li’lsuo resigned herself to a truth she wasn’t used to—where was the human greed she had known so well?

Was this Aventine a saint?

No...

As a demon, she knew all too well the lengths that humans went to for the sake of a little bit more wealth. For a little bit more power.

Looking at Aventine, the demon couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him.

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