Chapter 163
Chapter 163
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 163
Chapter Title: Evade the Witch's Eyes
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A Venom Blood Battle he'd somehow ended up acquiring.
Krash dove headfirst into serious training alongside it.
While Evelask was using that time to resurrect the Radiant Emperor as a corpse puppet, the midterms were fast approaching.
'I'll crush Mary here.'
There was no better chance to thoroughly defeat Mary and claim her skill Excel than the midterms.
But his opponent was the Divine Spear, Mary.
Mary Diana's combat prowess was something she was born with.
Even Krash couldn't boldly guarantee victory against that.
'And then there are Sigrin's suspicious moves.'
Recalling the stories Darling had passed along, Krash ramped up the intensity of his training.
Separate from Mary, clashing with World Erosion beasts had made one thing clear.
He was still a long way from true strength.
To prepare for the battle with Ixion ahead, he needed to grow stronger, and fast.
And that's where the Venom Blood Battle from the Poison King, Haouran, proved more useful than expected.
'The poisons in the Venom Blood Battle aren't all that different from the Annihilation Erosion method.'
The Venom Blood Battle focused on maximizing physical abilities through various poisons.
It was structured as a way to strengthen oneself by wielding poisons that could kill enemies.
This aligned closely with Extreme Blood Poison Infusion, the core of Annihilation Erosion.
That technique also used the poison of World Erosion to push the body to its limits.
But whether due to his lacking intellect or something else, no immediate ideas came to him.
So Krash racked his brains day after day, clutching the Venom Blood Battle manual.
And after agonizing over it endlessly...
Krash grasped a single hint.
'Instant enhancement elixirs are made by mixing curses and poisons.'
It came from the instant enhancement elixir Darling had made for him.
'I've only ever stored curses like in the eye dolls or burned them away. I've never directly harnessed curses alongside World Erosion power.'
The poisons described in the Venom Blood Battle all reached new realms of technique.
By expanding on the unique properties of each poison.
That's why the Lagren family, masters of the Venom Blood Battle, could fight by exploiting diverse poison traits.
In contrast, Krash either bore the full cost of a curse to tap its properties a little...
Or burned incoming curses with Annihilation Erosion, melting them into World Erosion.
But if he could do like the Venom Blood Battle, he might reduce the curses' costs while using only their unique traits.
Krash's eyes gleamed sharply.
He'd faced curses too overwhelming to handle.
'Curse offset theory weakens the curse's power because they cancel each other out.'
But if he could draw a curse's full power without paying its price—no offset needed...
He could reach an entirely new realm.
'I can do it.'
The Venom Blood Battle's goal was to carry countless poisons in one's body, achieving total immunity to all toxins.
A body that freely wielded poisons without being poisoned itself.
That was the secret art the Venom Blood Battle pointed toward.
Krash reimagined it with curses.
A realm of Curse Immunity—freely wielding curses without paying their toll.
With the Venom Blood Battle's knowledge and Annihilation Erosion, it was absolutely achievable.
And adding Heavenly Death Star to amplify curse power? He'd truly pioneer new ground.
Strength surged through Krash's body.
He'd resolved to do anything to avert annihilation.
The moment a new path appeared, he had no intention of hesitating.
'I'll acquire a supreme curse.'
Starting with skills, up to supreme curses.
Krash steeled his resolve to seize it all.
And in that instant, he noticed something else.
Why the Radiant Emperor had stolen the Venom Blood Battle.
'Did someone else think of the same approach as me?'
Krash's eyes narrowed slightly.
The suspected culprits behind the Radiant Emperor were Ixion and the imperial palace.
He'd learn more once the Radiant Emperor became a corpse puppet.
Still, it left a bad taste.
Even as a regressor, Krash didn't know everything about this world.
He lacked the intel to map every faction's tangled alliances.
It made sense—they'd all self-destructed in the future, after all.
For someone like Krash, who'd rolled in the frontlines rather than politics, speculation had limits.
"Damn this world."
Plug one hole, another bursts, letting annihilation seep through endlessly.
And then there was Arthur, still unseen, along with Abella—the mage who'd regressed with him.
They nagged at him too.
'Where the hell are they?'
Krash clicked his tongue, brushing back his bangs.
First things first: midterms.
Getting stronger by then was priority one.
"I haven't forgotten."
The Black Witch who’d even tried to abduct him at Valheim.
She wouldn’t just sit idle at Raheln Academy either.
No moves yet suggested she was watching his every step.
But she’d make her play soon enough.
So Krash opened his door.
It had been ages since he’d emerged, holed up researching the Venom Blood Battle.
"Ah, Lord Krash."
Alicia spotted him and smiled brightly, delighted.
She’d cleaned daily and brought his meals while he researched.
"Thanks for everything."
Krash gave her a brief nod of thanks, then turned away.
Because Lirina was there again, as usual.
"I didn’t come early just to wait or anything. You happened to come out right when I arrived."
Lirina sipped the tea Alicia had brewed, utterly relaxed.
"So don’t get the wrong idea. I wasn’t here to see you or anything."
"I didn’t say a word."
"So? Are you happy to see me after so long?"
She’d gotten comfortable, alright.
Lately, Lirina had been showing her old self more often.
Sly and foxy, always looking out for number one.
Krash couldn’t help but chuckle.
"Yeah, I am."
At his honest reply, Lirina stared, then pouted petulantly.
"Don’t go getting all honest on me now."
What was he supposed to do?
Even after all this time apart, Krash thought, her heart was still a mystery.
"By the way, while you were holed up in your room, another letter came from your precious fiancée."
Like déjà vu, Lirina produced the letter.
It must’ve arrived during his seclusion.
Krash took the Valheim-embossed envelope.
As he read it, his head began to tilt.
Bianca’s contents were the usual.
Asking after his health, saying she was working hard and doing well.
But the last line caught him.
Do you like the ring, Lord Krash?
Ring.
The word made Krash blink.
Bianca wasn’t one for accessories.
Just the snowflower pin in her hair.
Even that was from her mother, prepared for her unborn child—she wore it always.
She didn’t seek out jewelry herself.
So the mention of a ring puzzled him.
Krash glanced at his brooch.
Krash's face turned baffled.
Where had "promiscuous" even come from?
Crimson Garden chided him.
That was her meaning.
A pang of guilt hit Krash.
He hadn’t meant to make Bianca anxious, intentionally or not.
'A ring, huh.'
Krash pondered briefly.
After midterms, getting one didn’t sound bad.
'Yeah, having matching ones might cut down on drama.'
Krash folded and pocketed the letter.
He planned to marry Bianca anyway.
An engagement ring was fine.
"What’s it say to make your face do all that?"
"Nothing much."
"Ungrateful—I even brought the letter!"
"Alicia brought all your letters. I know."
Lirina huffed in mock offense.
Putting on an exaggerated pout.
She really had warmed up.
After chatting with Lirina, Krash set off.
His destination: the special class building.
One person here he absolutely had to meet.
Entering the special class hall, Krash patted his waist.
There was the vial he’d asked Darling for earlier.
Confirming it, he strode forward purposefully.
"Ah, Lord Krash?"
Right on cue, a familiar voice called out.
He turned to see Dorma Rackroad.
The youngest disciple of Beltua Rackroad, the Healing Hand.
Still tiny and petite, she clutched a towering stack of books, heading somewhere.
She looked precarious, barely seeing ahead.
Even Krash couldn’t just walk past.
"Here, let me."
"Th-thank you so much."
Krash took most of her books.
Dorma shrank like a small animal, bowing gratefully.
Perfect timing.
Strolling alone through special class would draw eyes.
With Dorma, fewer stares.
"It’s been a while. How’ve you been?"
"Oh, working with Darling on curse research."
Mention of curses lit her up, words tumbling out breathlessly.
Krash listened, eyes ahead.
"I’ll check on your master soon."
Dorma’s shoulders jerked sharply.
She stared at him, eyes wide.
"R-really?"
"Yeah. The instant enhancement elixir you and Darling made worked great. When I find her, I’ll let you know right away."
Dorma’s face beamed.
Krash needed Beltua for a supreme curse, but to Dorma, it was like finding lost parents.
She thanked him profusely.
Then Krash’s eyes caught someone.
A hulking frame better suited to martial classes, long black hair veiling his face.
A man walking with inexplicable pressure.
Top of special class second-years.
Byron Sedney.
But reality differed.
Krash knew his true identity.
One of the four kingdoms: the magic nation Jeblam.
The one who ruled both magic and throne.
Heavenly Supreme Demon Emperor
Terrasius Jeblam.
His child with a World Erosion beast.
Byron Jeblam.