C66: Chalices speedrun Challenge (3) & Secondary Challenge.
5/4/26
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"Hmmm"
I'm not an alchemist, I have neither the tools nor knowledge to even get started even with all my comprehensive crafting talent. I guess then it's not as comprehensive as I thought.
As such I brought my research to Father Norbert from the other side of Yharnam, the out of bounds territory that is the reflection of the side I'm from. Or at least I tried to find the father in the reflected Cathedral Hall main chapel but the new priests he tutored in faith and alchemy informed me that the father has been busy with plenty of new research due to discovering old records in a hidden wall of the building.
'That sounds incredibly suspicious, please don't turn into some sort of giant monster' I can only give my prayer as I then turn to the newly crowned priests if they would help me in analyzing the blood I got from the Hintertomb dungeon and compare it to the blood of a regular blood vial.
With both types of vials available. They get to work and have results in just a few minutes. The results do in fact state that the potency of the vials is nearly triple the regular vial yet they detected a similar substance as the mutation curse in it.
To me it's strange that something from the chalice dungeons would have a type of blood that is somehow related to having statues and other inanimate objects turn into demonic golems. Though I hold a disbelief on my face, they explain that it's more of a trace and less of a component that shares a resemblance.
Due to the origin of it, they choose to call it Beast Factor. Explaining that it's a condensed dose of whatever curse is turning people into beasts.
'The Old Blood… right. That means that this vial would accelerate my own curse too. But…' I think for a moment before taking out the vial of blood Iosefka gave me long ago that I never used.
"How do both vials compare to this?" I say as I hand over the dark orange vial to the alchemists who spend another few minutes on it before "woah" is all I hear as they switch around each other to take a look at the data.
I step forward to take a better look as I soon find that they have hung up the half vials in a line with my red vial first, iosefka's second in the middle, and the unknown blood last. It might have been a coincidence but having fought this hard, I am suspicious of coincidences .
But I see them tinkering with the blood using various alchemical devices, one using candle light through it akin to a microscope, or another that is just a stronger magnifying glass while using gloves to control various substances and see their reactions. Others are keeping notes and being the most vocal about this as the main ones focus on the tests themselves.
"So, what's the result?" I can only ask after they are stuck testing all three vials in various ways, only turning into statues when they hear my voice. I hadn't been idle this whole time, i've been using the perspective of a (Master) craftsman to get a basic understanding of alchemy from their work. The unique perspective has given me plenty of information and as a result of my diversifying skillset, I got a level out of it.
[Host has learned Basic Alchemy. Skill can be subsumed by Expert Craftsman. Subsume skill?]
'yes'
[Expert Craftsman has subsumed Basic Alchemy. Skill has leveled up. Level 2-> level 3] naturally my previous experiments and prototypes had given a single level before when I was making Null. Though I'm certainly surprised that a so-called basic skill got a level for me. Maybe because the requirements for Alchemy are much higher as a default that even basic is considered intermediate.
Once the priests take a moment to collect themselves, they begin to explain that from their brief research, they can tell that Iosefka's is a medically enhanced version of the regular vials using rare herbs she likely grew and fused into the blood, weakening the beast curse on it while enhancing its healing aspect.
It is still a far cry from the Pthumerian blood as I refer to it but out of a sense of curiosity. I give them a few vials of my own blood to see if I have truly surpassed humanity in the full sense of the word. I'm not in a hurry to see the results and thus I use a hunters mark to return to my last lamp and then return to the dream so I could finally enter the Ailing Loran chalice I got from Amygdala.
Having already set up the chalice ritual, I simply touch it and enter the dungeon.
"Whooo, it's so dusty here, and is that lightning sputtering around in the ceiling?" I can't help but use my hunter garb to cover my mouth, an old response to protect my lungs from unknown substances in the air.
The tunnels are also completely covered in roots while it was only partially covered back in the hintertomb. I think the combination of dust and lightning has made it a whole lot brighter than the other dungeons as I don't even need my darkvision to properly see. Instead, I can see normally but ill keep it on anyways in case it does suddenly get darker should I enter a new room or the ashy clouds get too thick.
[Speed based Challenge initiated: Will you accept…Bronze, Silver, Gold]
"Sure." I responded to the system after having done this a few times now. The timer this time around is quite short so I would be surprised if I could even reach the boss in that amount of time.
[Secondary challenge active in response to speed challenge. For every kill, bestow 1 second to the timer. Kill all enemies found between you (based by rooms) and the switch to obtain an additional 15 seconds. Each room cleared grants an additional two seconds to the timer. ]
I simply nod in response as it makes more sense now and I finally get a chance to use more of my skills to train while increasing my time too.
As such, I began to rush ahead, my first step was a door in my way, 1 second. Thankfully there was no second door but it leads into a short hallway where I sense multiple enemies along the right side as well as one on the left.
Exiting the path, I kill the left side target since it's just standing besides a fire. It was a pale man and I'm surprised that it survived a normal strike from me without any augmentation skills like Overwhelming. It only has a small sliver so I quickly change to the hunter pistol and finish it off before switching back to the Evelyn. Getting a single second there, Im again surprised that I got nearly 3.5k echoes from them.
Looking towards the horde of beast patients blocking the way to the right of the massive room. I rush off and take care of all the female beast patients there until none are left. That nets me another eight seconds and I only used four to clear them all out. That leaves me with 10 seconds left until I remember that I get an additional two for completely clearing a room which actually boosts it to 12.
Rushing forward, I spot two paths. One is an elevated path that with my wind sensing, I can tell is a locked door purely based on how the wind flows through the openings, though it has open slots for me to grab open with and the other is a long tunnel. Since I have a shortcut path, that must mean that it's closer to the switch than the other path.
I jump vertically and grab onto the ladder which I get halfway up before jumping again to the top where I open the door like I did before by grabbing the upper rails so I can get my hands under the door. The spikes can't stop me if I don't touch them in the first place. Takes me one and half seconds to get it open before racing down the steps, clearing out a gravedigger (bigger pale man with a pickaxe).
From there I encounter a few Chime Maidens and I find out that the summons also give me time so I simply stand around and grind them for a few moments until I gather enough time to count till 30 before finding the switch which was in an adjacent room, similarly large with the stairs on the sides. This room was guarded by a Loran Cleric and four Pthumerian Undead, two of which have flame coated weapons. I take all of them out before activating the switch.
Since I cleared all enemies along the path to the switch, I got another 15 seconds which I spent three seconds using a hunters mark and return to the spawn in the very beginning as I didn't have time to activate the starter lantern nor the one after the first door to the main path.
Nonetheless, it was easy enough to simply flash forward, unlock the door and pass by a sidepath and then kick the doors off their hinges, Inside, I see a beast standing upright akin to a wendigo begin to sprint at me before stopping a few feet away and summoning flames in its hands. That's right, it's a Beast Possessed Soul.
Seeing as how even regular enemies are able to survive my standard attacks; the boss should be even tankier and thus I pull out all the stops due to me having only 22 seconds left.
I considered spending a few seconds practicing my cosmology skill on the enemies fire but seeing as how I made the last Beast Possessed Soul eat it's own fire with ease. I doubted that this one was actually more proficient and my theory was proven when I redirected the incoming fireballs only to go for the overkill strategy of Overwhelming, Shatter Echo and Weapon Echo. I even put on berserker rage just for the kick of it.
What I can say is that im surprised that it survived with just a bit under 1/3rd of it's health remaining. I throw in a few more strikes with just overwhelming and collect my rewards for the floor and im a bit disappointed with it all.
Some tomb mold 4, more ritual blood 4. Though to me, the greatest rewards were the various tempering gemstones, including my first tier 5 gemstone, as well as bolt damp blood gemstone (4) x1,and odd fire damp blood gemstone (4).
The boss himself gave a huge chunk of echoes, 65k due to my curse actually boosting it for once, along with it was another tier 5 tempering damp gemstone (5) and a blood chunk. Slowly getting one step closer to upgrading my weapon.
In addition to all these, I got the system rewards which provided unexpectant rewards.
[In clearing the floor under Kill challenge, Rewards from the Speedrun challenge have been doubled. In clearing the floor under the short time limit which was deemed near impossible. Rewards have been doubled again, bestowing 4 Greater skill shards. ]
"Oh yea" I get jiggy with it for a bit. After a few moments on the stairs down to the next floor, I get a strange idea.
"Are there more challenges I could possibly take to further increase my rewards?" I ask the system with great intrigue.
[There is the Enemy multiplier Challenge where the extra enemies do not grant extra time from the kill challenge.]
"Hmmm"
[There is the weakening curse challenge where all stats of the Host are cut in half yet monsters also face a 30% weakness to make up for it]
"Hmmm" I continue thinking as the system offers the next challenge.
[Host can face the equipment challenge where host can only use preset equipment and strive to beat the floor with potential weakened equipment.]
"Hmmm. Anymore?"
[Guardian challenge, before the boss door, a mini boss shall be placed which must be slayed before even entering the boss room as they hold a key to enter. In compensation, the door to the boss shall be already opened and set up with a fog wall that is simply locked down.Warning, the minibosses would be doubled by the effect of multiplier challenge] [This is the final challenge currently available]
"Naruhado Naruhado" (i see x2). I think to myself before entering a state of reckless suicide, an eerie confidence fills me as I make my decision.
"Ill take them all."
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Word Count = 2211
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