Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Boy King (4)
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"Are you planning to do this alone?"
Just before the alchemy came pouring down, that question flew from Valkasus.
He must figure the power gap between us right now is like an ant versus an elephant.
"No way that's happening."
Even I couldn't pull off something like that without using the tools at my disposal.
That's why I'd called in the ones I prepared for right around this moment.
They should be arriving any second now.
"Waaah—!"
"Kyaaah—!"
[Uwahah—!]
"..."
What a colorful set of screams.
As the two voices and one string of text mingled together, a cluster of people came flying up toward the balcony at the top of the clock tower from below.
[Using 'Skill: Stigmata.']
With a crash and a clatter, I layered a protective barrier over the incoming group using the skill embedded in Ultrim.
A divine barrier far thicker than the holy shield I'd used before enveloped them just as they slammed into walls and floors, bouncing around everywhere.
"I'm never, ever doing this again! 'Experienced' my ass—leading this crap? No one in the world could ever get used to something like this!"
The moment the barrier dissolved, Eliya burst out first, ranting in utter fury.
She must have good stamina from her line of work.
Lucien and Yuria looked pale as ghosts, crawling along on all fours.
"Not bad at all, and here you are whining."
[Yeah, this much is pretty do...]
Yuria tried to agree with me from the side but couldn't even finish writing in the air before clamping her mouth shut.
She was holding back vomit.
"..."
Yeah. Definitely threw all safety protocols out the window.
What we'd used was that same 'catapult' from before, when this one and I dove into the backrooms.
Might as well name it later. Starting to grow on me.
"...You just told us to set the trajectory and fly up here—no stabilizers, nothing—hundreds of meters in five minutes. Whining? WHINIIIIING?"
"..."
She was grinding her teeth, and honestly, I had nothing to say to that.
I'd just told the three of them to huddle up tight, cling together as one bundle, and 'fly here.'
If anything, I should be grateful they followed my insane orders without complaint.
"No choice."
I chuckled and turned.
"Couldn't afford to call you in any slower against this guy."
Even a few minutes' delay, and it would've been game over.
Only ten minutes on the clock.
"..."
I glanced back to check the Star Iron Circlet on Yuria's head.
Looks like Professor Vulcan from the crafting department pulled some strings. No danger signals even while they huddled and flew straight here.
While it's 'worn' and 'active,' the severance curse on Yuria weakens to an extreme degree. Basically like a temporary lift.
Simple effect.
While wearing it, Yuria can apply the curse only to things she 'wants to sever.'
Turns the severance curse into an attack buff.
"Lucien."
"...Valkasus."
As I mulled that over, the boy king spotted Lucien rising and let out a booming laugh.
"Didn't you say you'd cooperate with me back then? I'm hurt."
"..."
"Kidding. Still, glad to see my little sister looking healthy."
Lucien closed her eyes briefly and bowed her head.
Looked like guilt.
She probably knows why Valkasus craves death.
The souls of the people he turned into alchemy by burning their lives are bound to the one who inscribed alchemy into that body.
Valkasus seeks death to free the souls of his people dwelling in his own body.
"...Your kingdom may yet be saved."
The saintess followed up with that.
"Because of this man."
"..."
Valkasus nodded slowly.
"Right."
But his voice betrayed him.
As the sun fully dipped beyond the ridge and darkness spread everywhere.
Valkasus's true form emerged.
A grotesque shape melting and flowing without even an outline. Fully blending into the darkness blanketing the world.
In a way, it looked like he ruled it all.
"..."
Eliya, staring at him, let out a low groan and gripped her sword hilt.
Her hand trembled faintly. No way she didn't know what kind of monster she faced now.
"Can we even beat that thing?"
Eliya asked.
"If you follow my lead."
Simple answer.
More precisely.
"No one beats him but me."
From the start.
Among all the ancient relics of Sera, I was the first human to clear the 'combat' route against Valkasus.
Everyone called it insane, but I did it.
'No, because...'
This guy's pretty likable for a boss.
When I thought about efficient ways to 'use' Valkasus, this was the only option.
We had a deal before, right?
To use him as a 'subordinate.'
"...This guy's got a mouth that'd float even if he drowned."
Eliya chuckled as she muttered that.
"Anyway, think we've talked enough."
Poison laced Valkasus's breath.
In other words, attack signal.
[ Danger detected. ]
[Threat to life confirmed.]
[Applying 'Skill: Desperate Situation' at EX rank.]
"Let's get started."
"Coming!"
With Lucien's shout.
Alchemy rained down from all sides.
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Over thousands of years of wandering battlefields, Valkasus had seen countless wars.
Partly to find the highest odds for his sole wish: death.
But the curse from the snake-tongued one who unleashed the 'Demonic Calamity' on his kingdom was vicious.
He must die in a 'fair 1v1,' giving 'full effort' in battle.
Otherwise, he never dies, no matter the situation.
-A king should die special, don't you think?
He'd never forgotten that repulsive voice from the curser of his kingdom. Valkasus gave a wry smile.
Even so.
A king puts his people first. Revenge later. Right now, just free those bound to his body.
'But it's absurd.'
How?
Fighting someone stuffed with millions of alchemies is impossible to begin with.
Even the horde of undead blanketing the entire academy couldn't draw out half his power.
Who in the world could tank that 1v1?
That's why he'd cooperated with the Foreseer. Seemed the most promising.
Head of the demon worshippers. Monster armed with bottomless scheming.
Even he couldn't see that man's 'bottom.'
But now.
For the first time.
"...Ha."
He sought that potential in another.
Someone with the power to kill him.
From a green kid who hadn't even lived half a life.
-!
He closed his eyes in place and activated a few formations in sequence.
Alchemy manifests phenomena based on inscriptions embedded in the body—no shaping, chanting, or catalysts needed like other powers.
What appeared in an instant: orbs scattering rot like festering darkness.
Each one a high ritual that'd fry a normal caster's brain.
Against these opponents? Overkill—like using a meteor to kill a chicken.
Not a matter of response. This strike alone crushes them. Millennia of combat experience near-guaranteed it.
But.
The saintess's blessing interfered with the incoming alchemy, disrupting trajectories. A clash with the massive holy power of the woman declared 'chosen by God' in the Holy Empire.
Of course, no match. A monster who'd chased death for millennia but couldn't grasp it because he was 'too strong.' No single human could handle him.
Still, the orbs' 'speed' slowed. A window opened.
In that split-second gap they created, the girl with the Star Iron Circlet stood before the orbs and drew her sword.
'That sword...'
Seen it before.
Ancient blade, he recalled.
Severance. Sword condensed with humanity's oldest curse.
Meaning it could 'cut' these orbs he made.
Indeed, with a short kiai, she swung—and every orb in range split in two.
Her counter followed razor-sharp.
"Hup!"
From the edge of vision, the orange-haired girl closed in with light steps. He'd heard the name. Hero candidate of the era. The Foreseer had marked her the top threat originally.
Activating and deactivating rituals creates openings for the caster—even minimized in alchemy.
A fleeting moment beyond microseconds, but her blade struck it dead-on.
-!
"Tch!"
Blocked by nearby 'auto-defense' alchemy.
Even so, the timing was terrifyingly precise. Enough to chill even Valkasus's spine.
Again, they didn't crumble.
Not just enduring—true 'exchange' forming.
'...Calculated.'
Perfect lineup.
Saintess weakens attacks for reaction time; cursed girl with absolute defense against anything in range via severance; hero candidate lands hits with lightest footwork.
The Foreseer ordered this a day early to sabotage that man's plans.
Yet here, even now.
He'd assembled the 'optimal' team to face him.
In that short time.
"Truly impressive!"
He cried out in admiration.
Combat happening. Properly.
Humans who shouldn't even stand before him!
'This is all...!'
At the center: one man controlling the whole scene.
His gaze locked on Dawood Campbell at the rear.
Seemed safely back, doing nothing.
But every order from there balanced the fight.
Precise, swift, ingenious. Flawless.
'No, not that. Far beyond.'
Valkasus grinned fiercely, repeating the thought.
Their divine skill wasn't dismissed by simple words.
That man was the battle's core.
Saintess, girl with history's oldest curse, hero candidate—even Valkasus himself.
None ruled the fight. None exerted the strongest influence.
That man, alone.
Bridged the 'gap' of millennia and millions of rituals between these fledglings and him!
"Take this too!"
Attack resumed.
Far stronger than before. Not simple orbs—decay alchemy blanketing space.
"This is insane—!"
Hero candidate's scream coincided with green rays like condensed poison blasting everywhere.
-!
Clock tower ceiling collapsed, intense light flooding all.
Among his alchemies, near top-tier. Power to shatter sturdy walls—instead compressed and unleashed inside.
But.
Again.
"Teacher, you're getting payback for all this suffering later—!"
From the rubble, the surging hero candidate swung at him again.
A burning graze on his cheek.
First effective hit in the fight.
"..."
Valkasus touched his cheek blankly.
Blood.
Red liquid he couldn't recall seeing last.
"...Ha."
Short exhale.
He realized.
Even speeding up.
Pouring more power.
"Haha..."
They chased. Didn't break.
Matched him.
No—even pushing him back.
To the end, it might.
End in his defeat.
"Ha, hahahahaha—!"
Valkasus roared with laughter.
"Not the end, right? Show me more!"
Yes. He knew.
Not all talk—that man!
"Come on, kill me!"
Words unfit for the joy flooding his voice.
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Brain overheating to the limit—hot under my eyes.
'...This, crazy...!'
Haven't taxed my head like this in ages. Feels like dying.
Pushing reflexes to max with swordsman's focus, squeezing nonexistent gaps for counters.
Computing four paths against boss patterns simultaneously? Way heavier labor than expected.
If I hadn't prepped Yuria with the Star Iron Circlet to lift her 'restrictions,' even I'd have failed ages ago.
"..."
Panting, eyes forward. Another pattern. Formations glowing again.
Calculate attack from shape and spawn time.
Dark slashes sweeping horizontal range. At least three.
"Lucien. Hierarchy 37, Prayer 112. Spawn four, one each direction. Yuria. Shadow the prayer paths and hold. Eliya. Duck three seconds, stand, three steps forward."
Same formation so far.
Lucien weakens attacks, Yuria defends, Eliya chips damage slowly in the gap.
Pattern ends at four seconds.
Prep next exchange.
"Good endurance, but!"
Eliya screamed.
"Does that thing die? How many times have I slashed it?!"
"Not yet."
"..."
Grinning at Eliya's glare, I continued.
"Not like this."
What we're doing is like chipping a mountain with a pickaxe.
It chips, but endlessly slow. Impractical.
This is buildup.
"What're you saying?"
"People fall for tricks easier than you think."
Especially repeated patterns.
They become 'natural' without agreement.
So.
This exchange? I'm deliberately keeping it 'simple.'
"..."
Check the clock.
No time to explain to Eliya's quizzical look—next orders.
"Incoming!"
Two minutes left. About time for what I've waited for.
I set 'ten minutes' because this pattern hits at least once in that window.
Dark thorns surging everywhere.
'There it is.'
The pattern I've awaited.
Key phase in this boss fight.
Unlike others, blocks 'vision' too.
"..."
So. My turn for a feint.
Lucien spawns prayers immediately. Same so far.
But.
[Using 'Skill: Proof of Faith.']
[All stat bonuses convert to 'Endurance' and 'Holy Power.']
[Using 'Skill: Stigmata.']
Add a twist this time.
Activate Ultrim's two embedded skills together—heavy on alchemy defense.
"Rise and shine, you!"
[...Not even by name anymore?]
Waking Kalliban from his groggy mutter, chain more skills.
[Activating 'Skill: Mental World'!]
[Sharing 'Skill: Proof of Faith' with targets in range.]
Defend the alchemy. Counter right after.
Valkasus isn't dumb—expects counters, building defenses.
Those defenses assume 'Eliya's attack' like before.
But.
-!
-!!!
Unlike before, attacker ignores the alchemy. Charges through, slashing all.
"...!"
Startled Valkasus instinctively looked to the defense.
Totally different from prior flow.
But there.
"...Wow, teach, er, really, later, you're... done..."
Eliya, buffed to the max, barely defended, muttering exhaustedly.
Then the rest.
"Surprise."
Bursting from darkness.
Yuria, leashed and hurled by me.
All for this one strike.
Simplified patterns to 'teach' him this.
Landing one step from Valkasus.
That inner range.
As said before.
Enough firepower to one-shot 'every' scenario character.
Star Iron Circlet flashes. Unlike before, Yuria now sees the target as something to 'sever.'
"This...!"
Valkasus uttered shock.
As Severance lunged like lightning.
Piercing Valkasus's heart.
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