Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

Chapter 930- Giant Crystal

Back inside the Main Floor, Simon took a deep dive inside the Pond of Serenity. Just like every other aspect of the dungeon, the Pond of Serenity had also shown growth far greater than before.

Now not only did it occupy a large portion of the land of the Main Floor about 3% but it was now very deep and concentrated. What's more, the ones listed are just the physical change.

The pond of serenity's value didn't come from its highly pure mystical water or its large size but due to the extreme numbers of Heart Veins that ran underneath it.

Heart Veins are higher grades of Mystical Veins that run across the planet and deposit the energy that nurtures all life. After dungeon Laplace rose to [B] tier, the numerous mystical veins running through the Main floor and especially the Pond of Serenity evolved to become Heart Veins.

This in return caused the concentration level of Mystical energy inside the pool to increase manifold thus nurturing and giving birth to numerous treasures.

Simon observed with his eyes, inside one of the fissures obscured by the formation of numerous bubbles, was something that looked like vines.

The reason why he couldn't be sure was because these vines had a unique glow to them and were appearing and disappearing from his sight constantly.

Simon reached out and gently tugged on those vines. Now that he reached level 638 and became a Demon Marquess, his skin and body had become much more resilient to the natural Mystical energy.

He could now dive and stay inside the pond for more than half an hour before needing to surface back.

When Simon tugged at the vines, he felt a sensation as if he was grabbing something that had no substance. Like a mist or an illusion, his hand passed through the object whenever he tried to grab it.

That said there was also a clear sensation that he touched something.

 "[Mana Armament]" After thinking for a short while, an idea occurred in his head and he formed a gauntlet of sort made of mana in his hand.

At that moment when he tried to grab the vine again, he could easily hold it.

 "I see" Simon nodded, as it turned out you can only grab these mystical items by infusing your limbs with mana. If he didn't know [Mana Armament], it would be hard for him to even touch it.

In any case, after grabbing the vine, Simon surfaced back up.

SPLASH… he sat at one of the stones and looked at the item that was in his hand. Long and winding, the thing in his hand was definitely a vine.

[Whispering Vine of Ensnarement]

Item Type: Mystical Material (Whip-Crafting)

Description: A long, twisting vine that seems to pulse with a faint, eerie glow. The vine is incredibly resilient and flexible, making it an ideal material for crafting into a whip. When held, it emits a soft hum, as though whispering unintelligible words to its wielder.

Abilities: When crafted into a weapon, this vine produces a whip with unique, insidious properties. Striking a target with the whip causes subtle, long-lasting effects on the target's mind and emotions.

The more the target is struck, the more they begin to grow fond of the wielder, as the vine's energy seeps into their mana pathways, altering their perception. Over time, the whip's influence can cause the target to develop an unnerving sense of loyalty and even affection toward the wielder.

Crafting Requirement: Requires the wielder to have proficient control of mana. The vine can only be wielded effectively when the user channels their own mana through it using techniques such as [Mana Armament].

When Simon activated his [Appraisal], all sorts of information flowed inside his head and for a second he was stunned. With the increase in his level, the [Appraisal] skill also started displaying more and more information.

 However, the reason why he was shocked was not because of the [Appraisal] skill but because of the vine.

 Item Type: Mystical Material (Whip Crafting)... This was the first time a crafting material was produced by the Pond of Serenity.

Before this, all the items he had gotten hold of from the pond were all finished products by themselves. However, with the growth of the pond, materials such as this vine that can be used to produce whips are also starting to surface from within it.

That said… "This whip sure is quite insidious"

To be able to cultivate a sense of loyalty while altering their perception of the wielder through repeated lashing… if this wasn't devious, then what was?

 Simon kept the item inside his space ring. He would visit Prime later and ask him to craft it into a whip. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"This came at the right time. Bea was telling me how some of the ogres are still being obstinate and refusing to bow their heads. With this whip, this problem is as good as resolved. I want to see how long that Ogre King can hold on"Simon flashed a devious grin.

 After that, he took a couple more dive inside the pond and discovered new items each item.

 "This is…" he shifted his attention to the item he just got from the pond. It was a strange stone with rough edges. It was muddy brown in colour with crimson veins that seemed to glow with an inner light.

Despite its unassuming appearance, Simon could sense the immense potential locked within it.

[Appraisal] displayed-

[Giant Crystal]

Item Type: Consumable Artifact

Description: A rare stone that, when consumed, has the power to alter the physiology of its user, pushing them beyond the limits of their race's natural abilities.

Abilities: Upon consumption, the stone forces the user into a brutal evolution, granting them immense physical power, heightened aggression, and the potential to become a variant of their species.

It amplifies the natural abilities of the user, making them grow larger and more fearsome than their average counterparts. The user's musculature thickens, their skin hardens, and their strength multiplies exponentially.