Reincarnated as a Duck: A beast progression litrpg isekai

“Some kind of elevator would do enough,” Razmund said resolutely because Lint wasn't sure what he was planning. Teleportation arrays sounded like a good idea for Lint, but Dice might not work very well with that.

The elevator was better, so Lint suddenly understood what he was planning and thought it was much smarter than he supposed. He doubted Razmund's intellect sometimes, but this was a reasonable plan.

Probably. There were still possible issues.

Lanzedar accepted their idea, so he didn't move them to some private room but rather into one of the rarest entries to the VIP Shafts.

It was a big excavated rectangular room, looking deep and big enough to fit a small village. The space under the Ip'ur City was full of these things, creating large underground places right below much more intense mining underground. There were three large elevator-like structures within this room, looking wide enough to fit hundreds of people.

Everything looked pristine and clear, as it was for those wealthy enough or VIP miners of this company. Using it after paying toll was possible for anyone, though it was often impossible, unnecessary, or a hassle to deal with. Many entrances were free to enter instead.

This place held many privately owned sectors of the mines with an incredible variety of Ultra Materium. Some of those weren't touched ever, and some were easier to manage and work with than others. Elevator shafts went all the way to the bottom, creating many wonderful opportunities and easing the mining as a whole.

Because of them, there were many ways to think of these limited entrances as a way to get to some interesting places alone because they were up to the managing company.

Lanzedar stood at the elevated end of the stairs, which ended up on top of a large building that loomed over this room. It was more like a massive hall, management factory, and storage facility. There were many Ultra Gems in crates, and many workers were present, processing or storing them away.

Everything seemed strict and supervised by many soldiers or managers. It was at least hundreds of meters large.

“As expected of one of the better mining companies,” Lint said, half impressed.

“It isn't worth mentioning for this business or you. Don't touch it.” Lanzedar said out of politeness and pointed to the VIP Shaft, meant to carry upwards of a hundred beings depending on their weight and mass. It was not enough to carry too many Orcuns, or a large army of Griffins, for example. They wouldn't fit in mass, but weight was more than passable.

Mining was meant to carry a lot of weight, though Ultra Gems were surprisingly light, and many were the exact opposite. A lot of regular mining was also optimal in some places. In a way, even if there were not that many normal and non-mana-infused ores there, the stones changed over the years because of Materium.

It was nothing abnormal; the Ultra Materium seemed to be the sole hegemon material in this part of the earth, but it could change things and not swallow everything. They were rarer than the Materium, thus creating a rather odd scenario.

Razmund watched the shafts with some interest, deducing a promising choice for his position. It went straight down for at least two dozen kilometers, according to his research, but that was just what was public. Rumors said there were many private secrets known by mining private companies or owners. This thing could get him to many locations, as it had hundreds of routes.

Out of convenience, the beginning went strictly deep down, but the elevator platform could go sideways as well, making it very easy to reach many bigger and managed paths. The only downside was the speed and building shafts big enough for the elevators.

For him, going to the depths was enough, while reaching many mines and cave systems was secondary or none of his concern. A simple way had a simpler plan. Razmund had a childish plan that Lint thought was much smarter than it was.

But he came up with it alone. It was to use the Dice while moving down. The Fate would move along, making the Dice follow his descent. The moment the Dice's hole would straighten, that would be his way forward.

It was a concept; Razmund hoped that the Dice would take this passage and wouldn't refuse him because of Materium or some instabilities.

Another problem could come with the numerous routes his prey must've taken in these mines. Dice might need more feed, but in that case, the lone direction might be fine because he had his maps, and these mines weren't some complicated maze. They were built for efficient mining, so some corners and straightness were optimal.

The sole way to go down might work remarkably well.

Smiling, Razmund followed Lanzedar, who discharged all personnel attending this place to make it lonely, private, and silent. All that remained were glistering packages of Ultra Gems worth some countries and kingdoms. Watching them, Razmund had not one idea to snatch them. Some miners were present, but those also had to go, soldiers included.

That left one massive shaft, consisting of a robust metallic cage and metallic plate for the floor, for him alone.

Many buildings and management of Ultra Gems were clear, but out of respect for this business, Lint ignored them without batting them a flame. Lanzedar appreciated it with surprise, knowing that Razmund could've killed him and taken these Gems for himself and given up his Challenger status before anything went amiss.

However, perhaps Mindarch wouldn't allow it, or Razmund himself had something much more precious ahead. The End, perhaps, Lanzedar considered. That spirit was meant to follow Levandis so he might keep him in check, devoid of safety.

Anyway, Lanzedar saw the sincerity in Razmund's acts, so he pointed at the elevator cage. “All is yours, human. Will you hear me out?”

“Got it enough. Are there any issues with the descent or in the way it works? Never used them, you see.” Razmund asked.

Lanzedar hesitated. “Descend is what elevators are for, aren't they?”

“Don't know. Barely saw then in my lives.” Razmund shrugged.“Simple descent is all I need. I have no other issue with this cage, though the speed might be an issue.”

“Speed?” Lanzedar stepped toward the elevator. “That doesn't seem plausible to change. We should be glad it works well with limited maintenance, as it is work of my Lady's Palaces.”

“Never mind.” Razmund figured this wasn't a problem for him. He could adjust his plan enough.

Lanzedar sharply turned away from the cage and pointed at Razmund. “But personnel will attend to take the elevator back. It's a mandatory procedure, even for you and us. No questions asked. Got it, human?” he shouted the "got" part, giving no room for argument.

Razmund accepted and walked into the elevator, but before it happened, something very drastic changed and shook the entire room. No. Perhaps the whole hole shivered. A rather peculiar and dangerous presence of an earthquake followed soft and immense tremors of shouts, anger, and something drastically insane.

It wasn't the ground that squeezed itself up, nor was it some volcano or an angry dungeon. Still, everything trembled. The air. Blood. Emotional tremors echoed everything, following the buildings, earth, elevators, and even the mana itself. ]

Astonishing tremors stumbled Lanzedar who panicked if something crazy was happening and his Bloodline and eyes couldn't believe it. He dropped to his ass and felt like a silly goon once more.

He started to mumble 'Sorry, Sorry... I will go. Move. Become a frog,' constantly. It was something crazier than his imagination could allow, but he had no time for what was happening.

Razmund watched how some smaller Ultra Gems crumbled to dust, and most of the others dimmed under his eyes or changed a little, losing immense wealth in a heartbeat.

Lanzedar felt as if something was crushing his heart and squeezing his mind. He shouted, wondering what was happening until he went to his knees and slapped his face. Lint was the calmest one, though his Soul Flames rolled in disbelief.

Razmund frowned, hearing and sensing something extremely inappropriate.

The room shook in many ways, but it was no earthquake and nothing was breaking besides something coming from below. He felt it from the gaps of this elevator. Shimmering murmurs echoed within these slowly increasing tremors, carrying a voice, massage, or something else.

Was the world waking up, or was it something else? Razmund hoped for the latter or both. The more, the better. That was one of the better sayings from his former life.

But then, he doubted it was something up to his mind. It wasn't something. It was someone. He felt one insane figure was influencing the world, or this space from far away, causing those murmurs, and either working with some Laws of Space, Noise, Wind, or something else.

He wasn't sure who could cause it besides someone like a God.

Or something ridiculous.

The murmurs soon turned deafening when tremors intensified, and more Gems lost their value or shined menacingly. The murmurs cracked the walls and floor alike, while more Ultra Gems cracked, unable to stay or accept the anger of this voice. Razmund thought of this wrongly.

The whole Gate shuddered before the entire Levandis Temple went through something that had never happened before. A series of shifting quakes went to every corner, going to the core, and shocking every living and undead thing in this place, Gods included.

Alongside this surge of incredible power, in a moment when the murmurs turned crisp, a powerful voice dissipated the murmurs and trembling. The source spoke, breaking the havoc and stating its message.

Don't you dare! Child!?

It was an angry voice. A very pissed-off Will, too. Filled with questionable arrogance, confusion, and powerful manners, it sounded like an angry mother who was extremely furious with an unfilial child or way out of any steady emotion. It might be glad, sounding fine but not finding something fine as well.

Every being that heard it felt moments of daze and weakness. Be it a weak demon, human, or Ozeki looking like a demon batched in blood and battling two Paladins with cracked armor, everyone took note of this event. Even Mindarch was the same, shaking as if he could, or as if it was possible.

Most Gods took it as a challenge to their Authority, though it went so quickly and heavy that none of them prepared or countered it at all. Everything happened too fast and far too wildly.

No one died because of it, but it was strange hearing it and bearing such a powerful message and Will. Right. A Will. It was a simple ripple. Then, in less than a dozen seconds, immense wealth puffed to dust and smoke, though the Ultra Materium in the earth remained fein in pieces throughout the underground mines and caves.

A little while after those few words had shaken this temple, the trembling stopped, making it seem as if something had stopped it, or whatever it was that had done it, quit on its own.

Inside the VIP Shaft, Razmund hesitated after calming his mind from the same dullness and pain that everyone felt. Even Lint and Lanzedar seemed to be in the same condition, but one of them was much worse, shivering and returning to an old state close to End. But as with many changes, it was temporary.

Well, apart from the state of the physical world. The cracks and damage to the caves and mines shouldn't be small, but nothing major should've shattered. Apart from something that many took for invaluable blessing and richness out of their minds.

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“What the fuck was that? Who would dare?” Lanzedar shouted, sounding old, and kept shivering uncontrollably. He felt it before, or so his heart depicted. It almost stopped beating. Then, he watched the room. He slapped himself twice, deciding to forget about the Ultra Gems because he would soon lose his mind.

“Seems like a worried... Mother,” Lint mumbled, thinking about the origin of this voice, the context, and the repercussions that would follow this occurrence. It wasn't simple.

Razmund remained silent, standing firmly on the ground and looking at the elevator, uncertain if it had some damage or not. He wasn't sure how it operated, but that voice wasn't his concern.

That was his faith.

Lanzedar had his views, similar to everyone else who underwent this calamity. Before being any angrier or older too much, Lanzedar quickly grabbed the personnel of this cage to attend to Razmund. Out of fear of problems, he went inside as well. Whatever occurred here, or deeper in the underground, it wasn't his retired problem. He had to see with his own eyes. See what damage she did.

Razmund had no problem with him following this elevator, which seemed to be in workable condition, but the cables and machinery that went down might not have survived all the way up or down.

Clutching the Dice, the dissipating worry changed to a hopeful grin. It went hand in hand with his focused and unblinking eyes, making him look more like a lunatic than he once was.

“Let's go then,” He said firmly, gesturing for everyone who wanted to come to get in. It was time to resume the Hunt. Lint followed as well, looking visibly worried and silent than ever.

***

Meanwhile, the Brightness and Light in the ground, alongside the mesmerized and kidnapped Murai's Will, stayed more or less the same before that voice carried its calamity.

Even though it traveled from a faraway place, crashing through the air, storms, and the seas, it even went through the starting Gates of this temple and deeper into the lower Gates.

Just in case, some thought. Just to pose a calamity, some Gods considered. It was like a slap to their faces, one God considered. Many were similar, others scrutinizing the sincerity and defenses of this place on their feet and asses.

Everything that should remain in this place remained without a change. Not all Ultra Gems were worth surviving, so some remained intact, returning to their stability upon meeting a calamity. Few beings in Hellscape knew about the true madness and what the destruction of Ultra Gem meant.

Itrosh and Bagus both felt the pain, confusion, and tremors more than anyone else, as the voice seemed to carry a large amount of meaning specifically aimed toward these mines. It was rugged and rough in aims, so it went all over Sector 45 before locking onto the Ip'ur Mountain.

It was soon over. Thankfully, the cave that Murai took for a storm shook only a little bit, thanks to the support and density of these enormous Ultra Materium veins. It exceeded this voice, or their weight was sturdier than one believed.

Around the ground was debris, with chunks of stones and dust. All Ultra Materium survived this voice and carried on their purposes of touching the untouchable. Nothing collapsed in most mines, which was a welcoming piece of news for the Hunters and miners.

Murai remained glued in his spot, with his back facing the rest of his companions, while the horde of mesmerizing waves guided around him like a halo, wings, and calamity of a different kind. The Resonance didn't stop, even if a very problematic thing reached it in time.

Lisa felt the connection and mess of that voice differently than the pair behind her. Light, Flames, and Brightness dimmed slightly because of everything, and Lisa's body and mind flickered in undeniable skepticism.

In any way, Murai's Will wasn't listening to this at all, or it did, but it was too deep or too late for anything to matter. Mesmerized in the flow of the Resonance, he was too busy to care about anything.

Or perhaps he attended something vaster. Lisa couldn't give it any more guesses than Itrosh and Bagus, who shook their heads and overcame their shock much later than Lisa, who observed the situation from the air.

Her appearance hadn't changed too much, but her face did; she knew exactly what had transpired and felt shocked that it had come at last. Understanding why it happened came quickly. How, or what it held were yet to hit her mind. A slow grin came to her face regardless, and then a laugh soon afterward.

How and why. Those were questionable words for most beings that heard it, though her head deducted stable ideas, and she knew their worth. It was the familiar weight of someone intense, and Lisa recognized what it meant, thanks to a connection that was still there. Her memories would always be hers; they would never betray her.

She did not doubt many around this temple gathered some ideas as well, but the taker of this voice did not.

Murai didn't realize it; she judged from a safe distance away.

Hopefully, it wouldn't become too large of a problem later on, as what happened seemed to be partly her fault. Murai just took it without learning much about it, starting it under one hell of a gamble and problem-driven by all kinds of things.

Lisa wasn't sure what would happen, so she wasn't feeling guilty at all. It was like the toss of a coin, and everything that happened afterward occurred without much change. Influenced, they were. Lisa didn't know that numerous traces were still around, hiding in the past, or very close.

She felt kind of proud of the fact that she caused this much harm without feeling the majority of repercussions, or responsibilities. That was one part of her current laughter that lasted less than a minute.

“Is everyone fine?” Lisa asked, turning to Bagus and Itrosh who faced the wall, unwilling to look into the cave because of all that craze surrounding Murai.

“Somewhat. What the fuck was that?” Bagus asked, shaking his beak alongside his wings. “Was it some crazy Intent that pushed against the Levandis Temple, or was it some godly power? How was it called... Authority or Presence? Both at the same time? Wait. Worse... Don't tell me...”

Just an angry Mother Lisa judged in her mind without mentioning this to them. “It felt like a God, or something of that kind,” She said, sighing, but even she wasn't sure about the specifics of this heavy-weight Will. She was sure about one thing: it was a variable that might not be a bad thing for them. For now.

An Intent could change and go a long way into a prolonged age, becoming complex, heavy, and immense when one grew and went through many Walls and terms. It was vague to make sense of it across the species and Paths, but as with many Laws and powers, some things were much easier to mention, teach, get, grow, and improve. The Intent was the same.

It wasn't all about the pictures of reality or making the ideal into the Intent. Laws had more coherency, and so did the living beings and many things. Gods handled all of it at high principle, which was a unique way to take stakes and live in many ways.

The universe birthed it in this manner so the beings could act according to the primal ways, so Lisa wondered if this was what she thought, or not.

Intent was close to an encompassing Will that moved along with it, mingling the weight of the soul and mind in one way or another. They still had some differences, so this might've been a very pure Will of someone precious or dangerous.

Will and Intent have different methods when utilized properly. Depending on the "intent" of a person, the Intent could turn into something weird, specific, or useful.

Sword Intent was an act and manifestation of a sword and swordsman, turning sharp, close to an individual, or even going out.

The best example of differences was in the word itself. The Will was one's spiritual weight, while the Intent was the action that carried some weight of a person.

It could become a fierce, unmoving, or offensive tool. That was the Intent Bagus liked to note, while the Presence and Authority were above it, depicting changed and evolved powers of Will and some Intent.

It moved along some personal powers, creating options or unique ways, though Will was mostly the same, whereas Intent could be unique. Authority was much more persuasive, as it was an act that eclipsed oneself to touch the present lines of the universe.

The group had their wonders about what transpired in this voice, and there was nothing they could do or think about it further. It stopped, and only Lisa had a less serious face. Her memories carried many wonderful topics and secrets, with some of them hoping for Murai's bright future.

“Well,” Itrosh hissed, “it is gone, and we are alive. Thanks fucking goddess. What now? Should we even continue with this madness or have we run out of luck? I will go and fetch him and go deeper or out, because... Fuck! I hate this.” She turned and squinted her eyes, but Lisa stood in her way, turning crisp and corporeal, and her hands held Itrosh's face.

“What are you doing?” Lisa said coldly. “I said we wait and this has been a minor inconvenience. Nothing bad.”

Itrosh looked at her, surprised that she had stopped her. “You don't get the weight of this situation, Lisa. This wasn't normal.”

“Then let me ask you something else, Itrosh,” Lisa jerked, positioning her arms around. “Is anything about this fucking normal?”

Itrosh looked around and gave up, closed her eyes, and accepted a wing from Bagus to hide her face from the light and tears.

***

Quite far from them, in the wide shaft that went down and continued in speed and purpose.

The elevator was descending at about two meters a second, which wasn't very fast for Razmund. He didn't know how it worked, so he had to be patient. Cutting some chains and ropes wouldn't end up well, he assumed. It was a fairly big structure, but for some reason, he thought it would be quicker.

Lanzedar stood aside, still nervous and shivering, while the personnel, a firm-looking Gobling, worked with this machine. Lint was silently floating in place, wondering something for himself.

Razmund clutched his Dice, playing with it as it undulated pink colors and some whispering fateful songs. He didn't understand what it was talking or singing about, though he got it unwrapped just in case it would sense something good.

It didn't do much when that voice came. There was some blood on it, as he fed it some droplets before and fueled it with some essences. He had yet to toss it; he hoped it would act on its own because that was always better and more natural.

[Fate and voice] The dice whispered, and Razmund understood its voice this time. It had a different accent and undertone, carrying a completely different language than this earthly human tongue. This one was more brutish and rough sounding, with weird rough grunts and syllables.

All of which were within Razmund's mind and memories.

[Two sides coming at a loss]

[Like dream and coin]

[Following the pain like the point]

[It carried the voice and meaning]

[Like the encompassing Mother looking for the looming]

[The Child has come]

[Now, the Mother has no need for a scum]

Razmund clutched the Dice until it squeaked and turned back to the tongue of this earthly human. [Toss me! Tossssssssssssss me and SEEEE! You won't regret it] it screeched softly, the pink light going over his hand and its hole.

He let it go, as it couldn't escape this place because of the cage. The Dice left his palm, bouncing and laughing around the cage like a child that was free to roam around its favorite playground. But it was in a cage.

Fate wouldn't stop because of something like this. It never calmed down. The wielder wasn't stationary under its rules, while the target of Fate was somewhere, going over the Resonance that carried the Light and Brightness of many dreams and many Realms.

Dice was impressed, feeling the Will of the opposition that should've shivered and caused it to despair, but instead, it felt thrilled. This was the most exciting Fate it had ever felt.

Instead of going crazy and playful, it calmed down in a while but still flickered mid-air like a balloon or some Guides, as if trying to find its target or read the end of this Fate.

What were the differences between its acts and nonsense, Razmund wondered. It never made sense to him.

At least it pointed down, so that was good and something to consider. It didn't outright refuse to work as he feared, but the words didn't sound too good. Glaring into the hole, the angle was moving every so little, meaning that the target was indeed somewhere and not in the next Gate, which was deeper into the earth.

Without blinking, he was watching it, similar to Gobling, Lanzedar, and Lint, who couldn't ignore such a sight.

Lanzedar was unwilling to take it for something crazy, as he heard and felt something worse just a while ago. It never left his mind. It would never go. This Dice wouldn't impress or anger him, but it sure was menacing to hear and watch the treasures of Fates.

Everyone was watching, trying to discern the flow of that Dice, yet it wasn't for anyone to seek or find it out. Few could understand what it meant to touch it.

It was bright, dark, biting back, and carrying no flow in its structure that often changed mid-way through. It wasn't for men to seek it either. No Devil was ever worth it either.

Soon, Razmund saw the direction changing again. It was the left side from the entry door to this cage, and the hole was gradually adjusting the angle.

His target seemed to be already fairly deep as it took more than an hour of travel via the elevator. Razmund waited for a while until the Dice's direction became roughly angled to the entrance door, though slightly left. That meant it was right there, an unknown distance away and in a straight line.

That created a very easy solution, but it had one issue. It could be straightforward, but it could still be very far away from him. Only so little could he achieve with general directions of maps or knowledge of Entrance Five, while the caves or hunters wouldn't work as great as this.

Razmund didn't complain. Destiny Dice worked the best in relatively limited and easy areas.

Fateful Encounter was approaching, so what Razmund drove and decided was fairly outside of the normal rules. Not as if Centralis was something charitable, let alone clean or great. It wasn't possible for a power in this world to be fair and good. No God was someone like that either.

Razmund knew that nothing clean could walk in this world. Especially those damned Blessed, him included. He wasn't clean. He wasn't cursed, however. He was just who he was. Returned. A Blessed that felt the End and died to carry on some agenda this damned universe couldn't see, or perhaps this world was a prison for the sinners.

Razmund never believed in a God. That also didn't change, because a God didn't exist. The mere name was just a set of syllables and letters to poise as a meaningful word for those above the rules, or losers.

Thinking about it was futile. Magic and some sense of justice weren't honorable, yet humans always had a sense of right and wrong, even if it was a matter of perspective and false feelings. Judgment was subjective.

In that sense, perhaps these so-called Gods of this world were the same as the humans he knew: they were fools with issues with varying perspectives that once started as sags of nonsense and little bodies or clueless children. It was fair.

Breathing and calming his mind, this direction was all he needed to get started. Clutching the Dice back to his left hand, Razmund curved both knees and released them, jumping high into the air and punching a hole into the ceiling of this cage to stand on top of the elevator.

Lanzedar glanced up, shocked and lost for words over his act. He almost wanted to shout for him to fix this hole or pay for it.

Lint shook his head, figuring this was what he wanted to do from the beginning. At least he hadn't broken this elevator as a whole.

On top of it, Razmund drew his Claymore with his right hand and secured his position in this dark shaft by stabbing it into the rocky wall, leaving himself hanging as the elevator kept going down.

“See you later,” He glanced down at cursing Lanzedar and flabbergasted Gobling. “And thanks for the ride.”

Lanzedar realized that Razmund hadn't paid him for this business at all. In fact, he hadn't talked about any payment, which infuriated this old devil, yet his fear and heart prevented any proper actions.

But words were cheap and came from his heart. “Kill that fucking thing for me, human! That is my price!” he shouted before disappearing into the darkness.