Chapter 20
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Basilahan Steeped in Sorrow
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A vast yet desolate plaza filled with heavy air.
Tick-tock. Tick-tock.
The sharp sound of a clock's second hand echoed through the oppressive atmosphere.
Memories flashed of moments when she'd been caught off guard by unexpected volleys of arrows and slashing blades after scanning her surroundings.
'The drayger was just a gatekeeper, not the true master of this place. So that classic trap must be this guy's handiwork.'
She walked as slowly as possible, staying prepared for anything.
How long had she been walking?
Thud!
Something hit the ground with a dull thump.
"What was that?"
Her voice echoed like a ripple across the space.
Thud! Thud!
The dull sounds came in quick succession, followed by an unsettling noise.
—Hisss.
"Quit hiding and come out."
—Heh heh heh heh.
Someone let out a low chuckle in response to her taunt.
Tick-tock. Tick-tock.
The second hand's rhythm built steadily over the heavy silence once more.
Thud!
—Hisss!
The sound shattered the quiet.
"Is that... a snake?"
The intermittent thuds had been from massive snakes slithering across the ceiling before dropping to the floor.
As a huge snake charged at her without hesitation, she leaped into the air to evade, extending her hand to activate its info.
[D — Bewitched Anaconda: Current Favor <0>]
"D-rank means this isn't the boss. Leaping works here too. I really need to figure out the exact mechanism."
In midair, she closely observed the writhing anaconda's attack patterns.
The anacondas' movements were simple.
They slithered along until detecting motion, then spat venom toward it.
She wondered if Extinction, which she'd used against the bewitched drayger, would still pour out as black orbs.
To test it, she extended her hand toward a cluster of densely packed anacondas and murmured softly.
"Extinction."
A massive black orb swallowed the anacondas in an instant.
"Can I control it like the original Extinction?"
She gauged the mana fluctuations briefly.
Extending her hand in the direction she wanted to unleash her attack, she willed the enormous black orb to split into several smaller ones that scattered outward.
A torrent of black energy crashed down.
Judging by the area engulfed and reduced to ash, there must have been an insane number of anacondas here.
"Oh, right. Favor."
Lee Ru-ri shrank the black orbs to lower their destructive power relatively, then unleashed even more of them.
She followed up relentlessly with heals on the wounded anacondas.
Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding!
[Anaconda's favor has increased by 389. Current favor: 389]
[Anaconda's favor has increased by 389. Current favor: 778]
[...]
[Anaconda's favor has increased by 389. Current favor: 29,953]
[Anaconda's favor has increased by 389. Current favor: 30,342]
[Anaconda's favor is now full.]
[Acquired new skill <Split>.]
The anacondas' favor filled up in a flash.
'Skills later—finish them off first.'
A euphoric rush hit her as her mana drained sharply then refilled; she accelerated the anaconda slaughter.
—How tedious.
It was that same low, chuckling voice from before.
"Hiding and spectating must be boring. Clear out these small fry and come at me yourself?"
She boldly taunted the voice's owner.
—I accept your proposal. Return.
At the command, the anacondas withdrew en masse.
Whoosh.
Torches ignited in an instant, illuminating the vast plaza.
A humanoid monster sat upon a massive jade throne at the plaza's far end.
Lee Ru-ri examined it closely.
'No head. Is that will-o'-wisp thing its head?'
Creeeak.
The monster on the jade throne rose slowly, raising one hand high.
Hundreds of anacondas were sucked into the eerie floating lights where heads should be.
Chilling green eyes emerged from those lights.
Ready to strike first if needed, she assumed an attack stance; a health gauge appeared, activating the monster's info.
[A(H) — Basilahan Steeped in Sorrow: Current Favor <0>]
'It has the H mark too. This won't be easy.'
The monster named Basilahan stepped down from the throne with heavy footfalls, slowly raising both hands skyward.
It seemed to chant a spell; a steed blacker than night leaped down from the void.
Mounting it leisurely, it gripped the saddle with one hand and extended the other toward the ground.
A brilliant flash birthed an enormous spear that wrapped perfectly around its hand.
"A mounted monster."
—This is how knights truly fight. If you wish, I shall grant you one as well.
Basilahan chanted again.
A translucent steed stepped forth from the air before Lee Ru-ri.
"Knights and steeds? No wonder the traps were so classic. Hmm, never ridden one before."
—A pity.
No sooner had Basilahan spoken than it spurred its mount mercilessly into attack.
The steed's speed was ferocious, and the spear's power devastating.
Its swings whipped up gales from afar, nearly shaking her soul loose.
With no choice, she hastily mounted the translucent steed.
She'd planned to dodge Basilahan nimbly from atop it, but contrary to intent, her steed charged straight at Basilahan.
"Like the knight duels from books? Still, this is too much."
She yanked the reins connected to the saddle, but they did nothing.
Reluctantly, she prepared to counterattack Basilahan.
Any sluggishness would leave her skewered prettily on that spear.
She steadied her posture atop the galloping steed.
'Take out the steed first, then fight on foot.'
Decision made, she hurled Angry Hammer at the approaching black steed's legs.
But with her own mount in motion, her accuracy plummeted.
After several tries, Angry Hammer finally smashed violently into the steed's right foreleg.
The steed tumbled.
Lee Ru-ri leaped off her translucent mount swiftly, assuming an attack stance.
As Basilahan was flung from its crashing steed, its green eyes dimmed briefly before sharpening.
—By rights, this would be my defeat. But it wasn't true knightly combat. No mercy from here on.
Basilahan swung its spear wildly, charging at her.
Lee Ru-ri leaped into the air to evade the spear.
Basilahan pursued relentlessly, leaping after her and pressing the assault.
She tried Aura of Submission whenever a gap appeared, but favor wouldn't budge.
It had to be an issue of will, as the drayger had said.
If Basilahan submitted now and mended its will toward her, things might resolve easily.
But its ferocious attacks showed no such hope.
'The drayger lost its will to fight. That's why it yielded its own to me. Why was the drayger so terrified? Finding Basilahan's weakness is priority one.'
She needed the same context that forced the drayger to attack Kalikan, bridging the power gap.
Swinging a spear meant a full offensive state—gaps had to form.
Minimizing counters, she focused on reading Basilahan's movements.
When swinging the spear, it overextended its back leg—the one not bracing—forces to the opposite side.
'That must be it.'
The moment Basilahan charged, swinging its spear in its one sluggish motion.
She swiftly used Stealth to slip its gaze, scaled the wall to its unguarded rear leg, released Stealth, and unleashed Angry Hammer.
Boom!
Her attack landed perfectly.
Basilahan's rear leg buckled, its health gauge dropping to 98%.
"Heal."
Ding.
[Basilahan Steeped in Sorrow's favor has increased by 389. Current favor: 389]
—So that's how it is.
"How what is?"
—Will you hear my tale?
"What's your angle?"
She kept her tone sharp, but Basilahan said nothing more, returning to the jade throne and sitting with a dramatic flourish of its cloak.
Illusory crowds overlaid the desolate plaza, filling it with bustle.
Basilahan began its story.
—I am Basilahan, emperor of the Bashula Empire. All I had, the empire I cherished beyond measure, was annihilated in an instant by Creorina's will.
"Creorina?"
No face, yet sorrow emanated from Basilahan's blazing green eyes.
—The god of creation and destruction through endless cycles. My empire vanished eternally from the earth due to Creorina's destructive will.
"Wait, doesn't it make no sense for a god to have such intent? What right does some deity have to destroy the very existence it allowed?"
—How could a puny human comprehend a god's will? But having lost everything, I was consumed by grief, which twisted into rage—a thirst for vengeance against Creorina.
"Can you even avenge yourself against a god?"
—Blinded by vengeance, I annihilated neighboring empires to reach Creorina.
The lively illusions shifted to brutal battle scenes.
—After slaughtering exactly twelve empires, Creorina finally responded. Defiance of divine will merits decapitation. Thus, I lost even my head to Creorina.
"A god that merciless... Born of human faith, yet so cruel?"
—My headless body was borne by anacondas, becoming their lair.
Basilahan's green eyes fixed unwaveringly on Lee Ru-ri.
—I still wonder: is the god's will truly truth?
"No way. Without human faith, gods are just illusions that can't exist."
—Is that so... Am I the fool? You there—are you one who can make a better choice than Creorina?
"Well, humans have empathy. Finite time granted to all is precious to me, so it must be to others. Gods with eternal life can't grasp that value, so they act so cruelly."
—Empathy and finitude... I see. I sense her aura in you. You have purpose here—act according to your will.
"You're saying the same as the drayger. I can really do whatever I want?"
—Yes.
Cautiously, she used Aura of Submission on Basilahan.
With favor already boosted and hostility dropped, it took hold properly.
Ding-ding!
[Basilahan Steeped in Sorrow's favor has increased by 1,000,000.]
[Cumulative target favor: 1,000,000.]
[(S) Hidden Skill Activated (Success): 1 condition completed. (Remaining conditions — Total 6)]
[(SS) Hidden Skill Activated (Failure): Condition not met.]
"Perfect. So how do I get out of here? I want to end this peacefully."
—Kill me.