Reincarnated With A Glitched System: Why Is My MP Not Running Out? - Chapter 1972: Time To Test Strength’s Power

Chapter 1972: Time To Test Strength’s Power

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“I’m sorry, but I would rather have her yapping by my side than reducing her to a puppet,” I said. “Please let her go…”

Alice glared at me with a concerned expression.

“S-Sylphy…” Armageddon groaned as I noticed tears streaming down her face. Was she actually moved by my words?

Realizing she had been tormenting a powerless being, Alice released her grip. “Fine…” She sighed. “Sorry, I might have gone overboard.”

Once freed, Armageddon coughed violently, still crying and shrieking as she flew behind me for cover.

“Hyeee! Your System is crazy!” she bickered through sobs and coughs. “I-I am a spirit goddess…! How dare you be so mean to me?! I was only warning her about the many risks… Simply feeding her positive things will never help her grow, you know? She has to understand her own weaknesses and the possibilities of what could happen. I wasn’t threatening her…!”

“Thank you for doing that, but don’t laugh at me while you do it,” I said. “Alice is a little sensitive.”

“Eugh…” she groaned. “I have more important things to do than being choked here… Let me return to my divine realm already…”

“Nope,” I smiled. “You’re super strong, so I want you to help out. Although releasing your true body and all your divinity here would probably destroy everything, so just stay in your small, contained form.”

“T-This is not fair!” she continued bickering and complaining.

I noticed Beelzebub approach to comfort her, gently patting her shoulders. “Come on now, it’s okay. It’s not so bad. We can bond together…”

She glared at him with a weirded-out expression. “And who the hell are you anyway?”

Beelzebub’s mouth fell open. “You forgot about me already?!”

Ah, she’s such a cruel woman.

But go for it, Beelzebub—I believe in you!

I never imagined he had a thing for giant, evil bug mommies, but I suppose that’s his taste.

She really is evil, though, so he’ll struggle to form any bond with her cold heart, even if she’s a spirit of fire.

Still, maybe if he succeeds, it could soften her and turn her into someone kinder.

Yep, I believe in love!

“Come on, you two—get along~” I said, patting their heads. “Hey, Beelzebub, I think you and Armageddon make a nice pair. Do your best conquering her evil heart! You were evil before, so why not do evil things together?”

“Oooh?! Like an evil date?” Beelzebub wondered excitedly. “True! Armageddon, let’s go destroy a human village or two—that might lift your spirits.”

“Hm? Oh, that does indeed sound like a nice date…” Armageddon nodded, actually considering it. “If you can show me how you torture humans, I might consider making you one of my mates. I had never thought about it, but perhaps my children would become stronger with a male to provide his seed. You are a Demonic Spirit—giving Demonic Spirit traits to my offspring would make them far stronger…”

Wow, she actually considered it? But in her mind, he’s nothing more than a breeding partner. That’s even crueler—yet Beelzebub seems perfectly into it.

“Uooh?! You’re considering it?!” Beelzebub gasped. “Okay, let’s go kill like a thousand humans!”

However, I can’t just let them slaughter innocent people. As fun as their “date” sounds to them, it’s horrifying to me, and I refuse to bear responsibility for a mass slaughter. What the hell is wrong with them?

“Hey…” I said firmly. “No killing innocent people… okay?”

“Ah, you’re so boring…” Beelzebub rolled his eyes.

“BOOOOOOOORINGGGGGG…!”

Armageddon groaned dramatically.

I waved my hand and turned back to Strength. “Well, alright then, we’re done here for now. Let’s advance.”

After a short break—eating sandwiches and sipping a bit of wine to bolster my courage—we pressed forward.

Yes, I drink wine occasionally. This one is a special “Dark Berry Wine” crafted by dwarves; it magically boosts bravery and reflexes.

And I’m not an alcoholic! I just enjoy the taste—it’s really sweet, unlike the bitter kinds.

“It’s vast…” Alice murmured.

“There are two paths ahead?” Ignatius wondered.

Deeper into the freezing glacial caves, while admiring the beautiful intermingling of purple and azure ice, we reached a fork.

One path continued straight ahead: the other veered left, descending deeper underground.

“We came here to eliminate all monsters, so we’ll clear both paths anyway,” I said. “The one straight ahead doesn’t seem to lead deeper, so it shouldn’t be as vast. Let’s take that first, then move to the other.”

As we advanced, the caves grew even colder. The walls stretched wider, opening into a large, cavernous space.

Eventually the passage widened fully, revealing a vast open area with no further paths or tunnels—just an enormous chamber.

I had heard there was once a garden of frozen flowers and trees here, but now everything stood corrupted: spiky, tentacled trees and ice plants twisted by dark influence, frozen miasma drifting through the air.

Amid the corrupted miasma forest, several creatures lurked. They sensed our presence almost immediately.

These mutated monsters possessed sharper senses than normal ones, easily detecting life signals from far away—as though the mutation had honed them into more efficient hunters.

“I can feel several creatures approaching…!” Ignatius warned.

“Yes, the ground’s trembling!” Yggdra confirmed.

“Master, what is this place called?” Naturia asked, hovering close to me.

“Ah, baby, this is the Underground Frozen Garden, leading into the Permafrost Forest,” I explained.

RUMBLE!

As I spoke, the forest and gardens shook violently. Dozens of creatures leaped toward us.

“GYOOOHHH!”

Most were giant plant monsters—specifically ice plant monsters, a rare breed unique to this dungeon.

They resembled enormous frozen roses of azure hue, with long roots serving as legs and sharp vine tentacles for attacking and grasping.

Normally they were completely blue, their spines sharp ice, Ice- and Poison-typed. Jaws hidden within their blooming petals fired poisonous spikes at foes.

Each stood about three meters tall.

That was how they used to be, of course.

Now corrupted by the Evil God’s Curse, they had doubled in size, sprouting multiple blooming flowers and thicker, longer vine tentacles.

Their once-beautiful azure color had turned dark purple and black, oozing miasmic poison from their jaws.

Roughly twenty of them charged us.

“Strength! Come with me—we’re moving! Everyone else, charge with us!” I commanded. “Anyone who gets tired can return to my Soul Realm! Let’s go!”

FLASH!

I kicked off the ground, a warm energy surging through every inch of my body. My muscles felt alive, overflowing with newfound power.

It was as though my own strength, my very flesh, now carried a soul within it—more vibrant and awake than ever before.

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