Wizard: I Can Refine Everything

Chapter 208: Chapter 38 Nightmare Artifact

The battle concluded, and Richard left the Duel Arena.

For Richard, the initiation into the Mountain Breaking Fist represented a significant improvement. The most formidable aspect of the Mountain Breaking Fist was the ‘breaking’ component itself, a technique designed specifically to counter various defenses.

As long as he could discern the resonance frequency, he could break through his enemy’s defense with a single punch.

Returning to the Wizard Tower, Richard followed his usual routine by entering the communication room adjacent to the laboratory, utilizing the Dream World Communication Device to converse with Bones.

After years of improvements by Richard, the cooling components of the Dream World Communication Device had significantly increased in performance. If Richard so desired, his communication time could be sustained indefinitely.

However, the consequence would be an enormous consumption of Magic Stones.

The Magic Stone consumption of the Dream World Communication Device was comparable to that of the Gravity Training Room—a heavy spender on its own was sufficient, but two was more than Richard could afford.

Thus, Richard still adhered to the customary ten minutes of communication per day.

The Spiritual Message transmitted through the Communication Device was infused into the Soul Seed, and the Nightmare Body in the coffin opened its eyes momentarily.

As usual, Richard knocked on the coffin and waited for Bones to unlock the chains on the coffin.

Bones’s daily life was rather dull; aside from practicing swordsmanship at his residence, he ventured to the tavern in the Lawless Land to pick up tasks. Richard’s usual communication was akin to logging in to greet someone, and after confirming Bones was unoccupied, he would end the contact.

After all, the communication device burned actual Magic Stones, and every second less of communication meant less consumption of Magic Stones.

But this time, after Richard knocked on the coffin, there was a delayed lack of response.

“Is there a problem?”

Richard frowned, as usually, even if Bones was on a mission, he would knock back on the coffin as a response.

But today, there was completely no movement.

Pressing his hands on the coffin, Richard gave a slight shake of his arms and heard the sound of chains snapping.

After his training at Changshan Temple and years of exercise, Richard had mastered the control of his physical strength to perfection. He had even self-taught small techniques like Inch Strength.

Opening the coffin, Richard stood up.

Now, he understood why Bones hadn’t responded.

Surrounding him were over a dozen of Big Nightmare Level Nightmare creatures, and at this moment, Bones was propping himself up with his Great Sword, evidently severely wounded.

Richard looked at the surrounding Nightmare creatures and said faintly.

“Bones, the situation looks pretty bad.”

He knew Bones had been executing a task these days, but judging by the current scenario, the difficulty of this task had evidently exceeded the expected limits.

Bones weakly looked towards Richard, and a feeble voice emanated from his dark helmet.

“Boss, just run.”

…

Time rewound to twenty days ago, when Bones, as usual, came to the tavern in the Lawless Land to pick up the dirty gigs from various Lords or Vassals.

The tavern in the Lawless Land looked no different from any ordinary tavern… aside from the sign burning with green flames labeled “Seeker’s Tavern” and the blood-drenched skull above the entrance, coupled with a desolate-looking coffin-like exterior.

Pushing open the door, various demons and monsters inside turned to look at the newcomer, but upon recognizing Bones who was known for his signature Great Sword and coffin, everyone quickly averted their gaze.

Bones was a regular at this tavern and among the longest surviving clients.

Approaching the counter, a demon bartender with goat horns and dark red flames on his body handed Bones a glass of dark red wine.

“Your favorite, Nightmare Red.”

Bones picked up the glass: “What’s the task?”

The bartender at Seeker’s Tavern never offered a drink unless he needed a favor.

The bartender let out a strange laugh, his hot sulfuric breath washing over:

“A Big Shot wants a few unlucky ones to scout an abandoned Nightmare Territory. The strength of the unlucky ones must reach the Nightmare level, and the reward is five hundred thousand Nightmare Crystals.”

Five hundred thousand Nightmare Crystals, a staggeringly high figure.

That price could even afford the services of a Nightmare Knight.

But Bones remained composure, his voice as stable as ever.

“How many people? Who are they?”

“Ten people, you’re the last one. Besides a few newcomers, ‘Executioner,’ ‘Scarecrow,’ and ‘Mist Coachman’ have joined,” the bartender said, mentioning patrons who were regulars at the Seeker Tavern, all of whom were Big Nightmares that had long survived in the Lawless Land. Both in terms of strength and experience, they were top-tier among the Nightmare creatures of the Lawless Land.

Bones downed his drink in one go: “When?”

The bartender took the glass back, laughing oddly:

“Same time tomorrow.”

…

Observing the Nightmare creatures around him, Richard’s expression remained unchanged, and in his hands materialized his usual Magic Wand.

“Run? Where would you run to? You’re already in someone else’s mouth, thinking of running without breaking their teeth?”

Richard gazed at the Nightmare creatures; to him, the energy pathways around, linked together like a network, resembled the vascular system of a creature, sending shivers down his spine.

The energy pathways of those Nightmare creatures around him connected with the environment, clearly indicating they were some sort of Puppets.

The current situation was no longer something that could be resolved by simply running away.

Hearing this, Bones could only give a bitter smile, realizing he had been severely duped this time.

The nightmare creatures around him paused in their tracks upon Richard’s arrival, but soon they realized he was merely a minor Nightmare, hardly a threat.

“Hehehe, who would have thought that the coffin of the Black Coffin Sword Saint held but a minor Nightmare. Speaking of this would make one sound insane,” a nightmare creature, ghost-like from a story, cackled.

Around him, more than ten bluish-green ghostly fires circled ceaselessly.

Richard glanced at him, surprised that these nightmare creatures could see through his Talent to gauge his strength.

But what did it matter if they could see through it?

Richard waved his magic wand, and several human-head-sized black fireballs appeared around him.

“Bones, you handle defense.”

With that, the fireballs sped towards the surrounding nightmare creatures.

Boom!

One by one the fireballs exploded, turning into black orbs, scattering the nightmare creatures in all directions. The Heart of Annihilation’s two thousand energy-level damage was considered a major weapon even among Second Ring Wizards. These nightmare creatures, not yet mastering the Dream Rules, were even inferior to ordinary native creatures. With Bones defending, Richard was now akin to the artillery of a War Fortress.

During the bombardment, Richard paid particular attention to the speaking ghost.

Bones watched dully as the emerging Hearts of Annihilation exploded around him, scattering the nightmare creatures that were about to devour him, some even being blown up directly.

“Was the boss always this strong?” he thought to himself.

Soon, the nightmare creatures planning to feast on Bones were completely driven off. Richard drew the corpses of the unlucky ones killed by the blasts using his Magic Power, and then consumed them.

Buzz!

A potent Power of Nightmare erupted from Richard’s body, altering his form. His already mysterious black robe now appeared even more enigmatic.

After evolving into a Big Nightmare, Richard’s nightmare Talent further enhanced.

Ten minutes later, the evolution was complete.

Bones suddenly felt a shake in his mind, and the connection between him and Richard suddenly became much closer.

Richard could even draw on his Power of Nightmare through this connection to balance the Power of Nightmare between them.

Richard moved his body, immediately feeling more comfortable.

After getting used to the physique of a Second-level Creature, he really wasn’t accustomed to the drives of a First Level Nightmare.

Sensing his Talent, Richard thought, and his entire body instantly transformed into a shadow, merging into the surrounding ground.

His talent post-evolution was similar to Shadow March, but unlike Shadow Stealth, it was stronger and didn’t require shadows.

Emerging from the ground, Richard then conjured a Magic Pocket to store his coffin.

Then, Richard turned to Bones and calmly asked,

“Tell me what exactly is going on here. This place looks far from simple.”

…

The day after accepting the task, Bones carried the coffin to the tavern as usual.

Seeker’s Tavern wasn’t open today, but Bones pushed the door and entered anyway.

Inside the tavern, nine nightmare creatures with remarkable presence all turned their gaze toward him.

Although Bones didn’t recognize most of these nightmare creatures, he had seen three of them before.

“The Sword Saint is as punctual as ever,” a skeleton dressed like an old farmer wearing a straw hat and holding a whip laughed.

Beside him, a bulky nightmare creature, about three meters tall with a sack over his head and holding a rusty great sword, looked at Bones; a glint of blood-light flashed from the rusty sword.

He was the Executioner, another nightmare creature proficient with weapons.

Next to the Executioner, a nightmare creature, resembling a scarecrow come to life from the rice paddies and radiating a sinister aura, with a black crow croaking hoarsely on its shoulder:

“Everyone’s here, where’s the bartender?”

“Scarecrow, always so impatient.”

No sooner had Scarecrow spoken than the demon bartender emerged from under the counter, holding a box filled with murky liquid bottles.

There was an entrance to a cellar under the counter, where the bartender kept the wines brewed from nightmare creatures.

With a wave of his hand, several small demons with wings grabbed the bottles and delivered them to the nightmare creatures.

“Try this, it’s my newly brewed whiskey, with Nightmare blood and Fire Dragon salvia added, guaranteed to pack a punch.”

Bones took a bottle, dripped a drop into his mouth, then set it aside.

He had no interest in alcohol.

The other nightmare creatures tasted it, and upon drinking, immediately spat out flames several meters long.

“Ha, definitely packs a punch,” the Mist Cart Man loudly commented.

“It seems this task will be difficult.”

The bartender’s drinks were never free; the high-quality items indicated a very challenging task.

The bartender shrugged, and with a flick, a series of green flames formed words in the air:

“The location of this mission is an abandoned Nightmare Territory; its lord was defeated in territorial wars and dragged his domain into the Nightmare Domain as he died.

Now, the territory has reappeared, and a Big Shot wants you to scout it out. If possible, bring back an item.”

“What item?” a nightmare creature asked.

The bartender smiled, his voice carrying an evil seduction, like that of a legendary devil.

“Nothing much, just a Nightmare Artifact.”