Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Excavation #6
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The fragment of Ainkel, which had been stored in the small temple, transformed Ingong’s body into that of a Draconian.
And now, new power from Ainkel was added to the Draconian body formed from Ainkel’s magic.
The power contained within the White Eagle. Ainkel's magic, preserved for a thousand years!
The already active Dragon Blood grew even stronger. A dazzling green light shone from the White Eagle settled on Ingong’s left arm, and a fierce roar echoed from the Earthquaker on his right.
Life and destruction.
The power of the Watcher Ainkel and the great Enkidu!
Balkarova felt an instinctual fear. Startled by the immense power of life, he unknowingly took a step back and let out an unintelligible shriek. He steadied his mind, glared at Ingong, and opened his mouth wide, rapidly drawing up his violet miasma.
Breath Weapon.
Ingong knew what to do. Instead of hastily dodging, he swung his left arm, and at that moment, a pillar of violet light poured from Balkarova’s mouth.
“Prince!”
Karak shouted. Felicia, too, let out a short scream. Fierce Eye coughed up more blood but struggled to rise.
And the White Eagle soared.
*CRACK-BOOOOOOM!*
With a violent roar, the violet miasma scattered in all directions. The White Eagle, having left Ingong's arm, flew up and blocked the violet pillar. Spreading its pure white metal fragments like wings, it radiated a green light, and the violet miasma that crashed against it shattered and dispersed.
Balkarova did not back down. In an attempt to overwhelm it, he unleashed his violet miasma once more. Even as it was shattering and scattering, the violet pillar grew thicker and more potent.
But Ingong didn't wait. He kicked off the ground and moved sideways.
The White Eagle was still confronting the violet miasma. Balkarova was flustered to see Ingong moving while leaving the White Eagle behind.
It was only natural, when he thought about it. Ingong wasn't holding the White Eagle. It had risen on its own to block the pillar of violet miasma. There was no reason for Ingong to stay behind it.
Balkarova couldn't hide his bewilderment. Unable to retract the violet pillar, he hastily shifted the glowing lights that served as his eyes to track Ingong's movements.
But Ingong was moving too fast to be tracked that way. Circling around Balkarova, Ingong soon positioned himself behind the creature.
“Kehah!”
Balkarova hurriedly withdrew the violet miasma. The pain of retracting his power so abruptly was immense, but there was no time to pause. He spun around and flung his left hand, unleashing a volley of fireballs from his five fingers without even aiming.
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
The fireballs exploded with a thunderous noise, but Ingong was not there. Having only taken a position behind Balkarova without pressing the attack, he had leisurely retreated and was now observing his foe. A pure white aura was gathering on his right arm in preparation for Gigantic Piston.
Growing impatient, Balkarova roared in anger. He readjusted his grip on the black sword and charged toward Ingong like a runaway locomotive.
Ingong steadied his breath. Cold sweat ran down his spine, but he stood his ground and focused on Balkarova’s movements. Moving too early out of fear would be meaningless. Just as Ingong was observing Balkarova, Balkarova was observing him. Like a matador facing an enraged bull, he had to make the most minimal of movements at the most opportune moment.
The black sword Balkarova swung descended like a lightning bolt. Ingong dashed forward. Not backward or sideways, but straight ahead. He dodged Balkarova’s attack by a mere two paces and slipped past his side. Ingong’s patience, focused on Balkarova's movements until the very last second, and the explosive speed of the Beast God Fist made it all possible.
Ingong counted the seconds in his mind. He didn't just gather aura in the Earthquaker; he utilized the other powers remaining within him.
The spirit of life, dwelling within him thanks to the Dryad Daphne's Spirit Bloom.
Ainkel's magic, which emanated the power of life.
He guided both. Instead of forcing them into the destructive Earthquaker, he made them swirl around its surface.
A pure white ring.
Imbued with the power of life, it traced a sharp trajectory over the jet-black Earthquaker. It was an unstable power with a dangerous edge, but Ingong paid it no mind. He spun around again and swung his left arm wide. At his command, the White Eagle began a new flight.
*CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!*
The White Eagle grazed past Balkarova’s head. The pure white metal fragments tore away a portion of the violet miasma, and Balkarova staggered for a moment.
It was utter domination, a mockery!
“Keeaaaaaaaah!”
Balkarova couldn't contain his rage. He swung his left hand wildly, once again firing off spheres of flame, and brandished the black sword in his right, tearing through the air with blades of violet miasma.
Ingong focused solely on evasion. The White Eagle flew by his side, blocking the fireballs, while Ingong rolled on the ground to dodge the blades of miasma.
Balkarova tried to pursue Ingong himself, but he couldn't. For he and Ingong were not the only ones here!
“Kuraha!”
Rage tends to narrow one's vision. Karak, who had closed in from the side, swung his axe imbued with the power of an earth spirit at Balkarova’s shin. Once again, it only produced a metallic clang without doing any real damage, but it was a worthwhile effort. Karak's goal was not to injure Balkarova, but to steal his time and attention.
“Kehah!”
Balkarova swung his left hand at Karak. Though Karak had managed to dodge the attacks until now, this time he wasn't perfect. Exposed to Balkarova's monstrous strength, Karak was sent flying over ten meters, tumbling across the ground.
Despite taking only a single blow, blood poured from his mouth, and the violet miasma began to stiffen his entire body. But Karak didn't care. Coughing up blood, he pushed himself up and watched Balkarova, and Ingong who was now charging toward him. He shouted for his king.
“Karaha!”
Ingong responded to the blood-soaked battle cry. As if his previous evasiveness had been a lie, he charged straight at Balkarova. Balkarova hastily unleashed his Breath Weapon, but it was futile. The White Eagle, which had been circling Ingong, swiftly flew up to defend his front. Once again, green light and violet miasma collided, and the ensuing roar made the very air scream.
*BOOM!*
Ingong stomped. With a single, explosive step of the Beast God Fist, he instantly closed the distance between himself and Balkarova.
Balkarova stood roughly five meters tall. The size difference was so great that aiming for his head or upper body was not easy. Balkarova sensed it instinctively. He had to block Ingong's blow. He could not allow the power concentrated in that black gauntlet to connect!
Balkarova raised his black sword. Not to attack, but to protect his vital upper body and head.
But Ingong didn't leap. Nor did he aim for Balkarova’s legs as he had before.
Gigantic Piston was a technique that delivered a powerful straight punch.
But it didn't have to be a frontal thrust.
From low to high.
Stopping right in front of Balkarova, Ingong punched upward into the air. The fist didn't directly strike Balkarova, but that was enough. A mass of pure white aura that surged like an explosion, along with the life energy swirling around it, swept over Balkarova with the force of a giant's fist!
“Kiaah!”
Balkarova’s breastplate shattered. He stumbled backward as the Gigantic Piston and the power of life cleanly stripped away the violet miasma enveloping his upper body. As a result, for a brief moment, Balkarova’s torso was left defenseless. This was it, this very moment!
“Felicia!”
“Triple Blast!”
The moment Ingong cried out, Felicia shouted as well. From her outstretched hands, the three-colored light once again became one and shot forward.
There was no plan. Ingong simply trusted Felicia. He trusted that she wouldn't give up. That instead of just watching the fight, she would be desperately searching for a way to win. Because she was a Dark Elf. Because she was Felicia Doomblade of Knight Saga!
*KRA-GA-GA-GA-GA-GA!*
The tricolored light of blue, red, and yellow pierced through Balkarova’s chest. With a tremendous roar, hundreds of bone fragments scattered in all directions. Cracks appeared all over Balkarova’s body, and violet miasma spewed from his eyes and mouth. It wasn't an attack. It was a release of miasma. Balkarova could no longer control it.
Felicia, who had been preparing Triple Blast the entire time Ingong was readying Gigantic Piston, did not stop channeling her magic. Using Triple Blast not once, but twice, was taxing for her, but this was no time to worry about that.
Blood trickled down her sharp jawline. Burst capillaries formed small bruises all over her body, including her arms.
But Felicia smiled. She swallowed the pain and finished her spell.
*KA-BOOM!*
The tricolored light exploded. The bone armor that had encased Balkarova’s body shattered into pieces, and the miasma that had enveloped him vanished without a trace.
But Balkarova was not yet dead. Instead of collapsing, the creature summoned its last ounce of strength and raised its black sword.
Ingong saw it, and instead of dodging, he raised his left arm. No command was needed. Even in this moment, Ingong was not alone.
‘Master!’
The White Eagle, soaring like a bird, struck and shattered Balkarova’s crumbling head. It then shot high into the air, circled once, and landed on Ingong’s left arm like a hunter’s hawk that had completed its mission.
This was the end.
Balkarova’s knees buckled. His body shattered and collapsed into pieces. The skeleton knights who had been fighting the centaur elites also returned to death with horrific screams.
Fierce Eye looked at Ingong and whispered Green Wind's name, while Karma, cradling a half-conscious Daphne, let out a foolish laugh.
Delia supported Felicia. Leaning against Delia, Felicia managed the feat of expressing both pain and joy at the same time.
Karak coughed up more blood and laughed.
And as if in response to them all, a familiar voice brought joy to Ingong.
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[Boss: Skull King Balkarova has been defeated.]
[Title: King Slayer Lv. 1 acquired.]
Level 19.
Ingong let out a long breath. Enveloped in the pure white light that signified a level up, he looked beyond the curtain of flames Felicia had created.
The masterless violet miasma was scattering in all directions.
‘Hmph, it is done. Now, praise me, Master.’