Max ignored everything and simply focused on reaching the holy water as soon as possible. Perhaps, the baron noticed something off about him and sent a few dust arrows shooting at him.
Hearing the arrows cutting through the air, Max rolled forward and jumped using the moment, landing right before Stelle.
The holy water was flowing out from the wall right beside him and he could see a small chamber on the other side, filled with the holy water.
Taking a deep breath, he muttered, "Charlotte! Now!"
Saying that, he took out an Earthen pot hidden underneath his shirt, which should have been impossible but he did it anyway.
It was at that moment the Baron realised he was tricked. He tried to destroy the earthen pot he had and it shattered with little pressure.
"KEKEEEEEEEEEEE!"
The wraith roared in fury, making Max cringe while he tried to open the lid of his earthen pot.
However, it was already too late for the Baron as a white circle manifested under it, slowing it completely. His thoughts, form, attacks, everything was slowed down.
This was the work of a talented Silver Rank healer.
Max didn't waste any time and dropped all the ashes in the holy water. A loud, painful screech followed it as the Baron's wraith began to purify.
In a matter of seconds, the shadowy figure of the baron vanished, leaving an empty, destroyed basement behind. Water flowed down on its floor, making everything wet.
[You have slain a Level 2, Second-Grade Monster.]
[As you have slain a being above your rank, you will receive EXP equal to the EXP required to reach that level from its previous level.]
[Gained 188 EXP]
[You have leveled up]
[You have leveled up]
...
Max ignored the notification and began to laugh to his heart's content. He finally managed to defeat it. He succeeded.
"While I appreciate you being happy and also understand it, we should hurry up," Charlotte said between her breaths, as she supported herself against a pillar.
She pointed at the floor and said, "We have already spent too much time here so others must have already defeated the Black Knight. Not to mention this floor is wet and old."
Max stopped laughing as he understood what she was trying to say. The castle wouldn't survive for long, as it was already old and now it also suffered under their battle.
Suppressing his excitement, Max nodded and began to look around. While doing so, he said, "Stelle, you can go and retrieve the mana Shard and the Skill Shard."
"It dropped a Skill Shard? Damn!" Stelle grinned and quickly went to find her share of drop, ignoring her injuries.
Max had no interest in it as he had already received a massive reward and there was something else he wanted from here.
So, he quickly went towards the coffin he had seen earlier and looked inside it. It was completely empty except there was a small dark gel-like substance in the corner of it.
'Found you, buddy,' Max smiled and leaned forward to touch it. The moment his fingers connected with the dark substance, a notification sounded in his ears.
[Host is in contact with the Soul Bound Artefact "Everform". Would you like to bind it?]
[So this is what you were after, huh. It's a good choice but are you sure you want to take this? It's a soul bound artefact and you can't undo this.]
'It's fine! I know what I'm doing,' Max thought and whispered. "Yes!"
In the next second, the dark gel seemed to have come to life as it bubbled and began to climb on Max's hand. Then, it was absorbed into his body, leaving a dark serpent tattoo behind on his arm.
It looked lifelike, almost as if it were a real serpent. Its dark scales shone in the dim light, making his smile wider. The tattoo extended from his forearm all to his right shoulder.
Max wanted to check it out but he didn't have time so he ignored the notification for successful binding and went towards the two ladies.
Charlotte had been observing him from the start and frowned when she noticed nothing unusual except for a tattoo that was visible through his torn shirt.
'Has he had it since the start?' Charlotte made her own guesses. She was going to ask something but Stelle came over too.
She had a big Mana Shard in her right hand, filled with a dark gas. In her left hand, she held a cuboidal Obsidian rock.
"I found them!" Stelle exclaimed with a wide grin on her face.
"Let's get out of here! We'll check things when we're in the tunnel!" Max said, as they went towards the stairs.
While walking, Charlotte also healed their wounds while taking out the pebbles from inside their bodies. They didn't deny her gesture as the pain was really getting too much to bear.
Coming up on the ground floor, they quickly put the wooden door back and also threw debris on it. If nobody discovered it, then it would be for the best.
After that, they didn't linger in the castle for even a single second. They were already exhausted from the battle and if they met anyone now, they would definitely be in trouble.
While on their way towards the underground tunnel passage, they saw the winds rising in the distance as it carried the cacophony of the battle to them.
'It should be ending anytime soon. Sadly, I can't kill the big guy,' Max sighed in regret, as the big guy would have given him a lot of EXP.
Soon, they got near the entrance of the tunnels and descended the iron stairs. As the last one to enter it, Max also covered up the lid again so that no one suspected it.
They didn't have to worry, though. After all, those people would search the castle, not its boundary wall and the area outside of it.
The group didn't speak for a while and continued to walk in the tunnel for some distance. Only when they were sure they were safe did they relax and sit down.
Still, all three of them had a smile on their faces. They had managed to clear the Main Hidden Boss and received a handsome reward.