Chapter 173
Chapter 173
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 173
Chapter Title: Temporary Generation of the Sky
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Karandis Poseidon.
Glen Diana.
Ballak Hogma.
Haring Lagren.
And Krash Valheim.
A provisional team of five second-years.
Standing on the red line, they watched their bracelets slowly turn crimson.
"Even though there's nothing here, it feels like I can't breathe..."
This was the volcanic zone at the island's heart.
Apart from the paths up the mountains and scattered rocks and boulders, there was nothing around.
Perhaps because of that, the heat rising from the ground and the thin air typical of high altitudes held them back.
But Krash knew full well it wasn't just that.
"It's because a 7-star Erosion Beast is nearby."
Beasts of 7-star grade or higher moved by the power of World Erosion and fundamentally dwelled within it.
Their immense strength made wandering freely outside World Erosion a constraint even for them.
So, encounters with 7-star Erosion Beasts outside World Erosion were fundamentally rare.
But the problem was that some did venture out occasionally.
They didn't like it, but they weren't incapable of it.
Instead, when they emerged, they eroded their own power to form World Erosion around themselves.
This was why Erosion Beasts outside were weaker than those within.
'And when the Worst erupts.'
The Worst's spreading World Erosion would blanket the entire world.
Within that Worst, the constraints on 7-star and higher Erosion Beasts vanished.
As a result, high-grade Erosion Beasts rampaged in all directions, becoming true calamities.
'Tch, bad memories surfacing.'
Not a pleasant recollection, so Krash shook his head to dismiss it and began ascending the red line.
"A 7-star's here, right?!"
At that, Ballak let out a hearty laugh.
In contrast, Glen beside him remained lost in thought, silent the whole time.
'Probably because Mary's completely crushed by me.'
He must vaguely know it too.
That if Mary couldn't take first, only the worst awaited her.
Her life already ruined as a princess assassin.
Her sole acknowledged talent had kept her alive as a princess slayer until now.
But even that talent had been surpassed by Krash.
She was surely left with nowhere to go now.
"Glen."
They'd clash with the 7-star soon.
Couldn't leave him like that.
"Mary was plenty strong."
Glen looked at Krash upon hearing that.
Mary's defeat wasn't due to lacking talent.
Glen knew that well, of course.
So he slowly nodded.
"Yeah, she's my big sis, after all."
His face showed he'd shaken it off a bit.
"Chirp!"
[It's moving.]
At that moment, Abelask's Corpse Rat and Crimson Garden reacted simultaneously.
As they said, vibrations began slowly rumbling from the ground.
Krash's Sixth Sense spread rapidly beneath the surface.
The instant it snagged on something, Krash shouted to the four.
"Jump up now!"
With Krash's yell, he dashed toward the peak.
The four belatedly followed.
They knew his actions always had reason.
Krash, sprinting up the mountain, breathed raggedly.
He'd pushed hard earlier, leaving little stamina.
Not much reserve left.
'Finish before it's depleted.'
The moment Krash thought that.
Boom!
A resounding boom and massive tremor hit from below.
The startled four looked down to see the mountainside erupt like an explosion.
Lava poured from the ruptured hole.
It spread downward, melting the few trees and rocks in its path.
Black smoke rose from ignited flames, blanketing the area.
"What the hell is this?!"
Karandis blurted in shock, not expecting lava.
If they'd stayed below, they'd have been swept away.
Without Krash's Sixth Sense, they'd have retired without a fight.
"Krash."
Haring, now sensing it too, wore a tense expression.
Not a fully formed 7-star, but having faced Decarabia, she felt its aura keenly.
Boom!
Another massive boom and quake from below shook the entire mountain.
"Whoa!"
As Ballak yelped.
Kaboom!
A explosive blast from below, and something burst out.
The creature, amid a torrent of lava, rolled across the ground before halting midway up the slope.
Three times a human's size, body of rock.
Lava oozed between rocks, dripping and melting more stone.
The four besides Krash instinctively froze.
Like prey locking eyes with a predator, unable to overcome instinct.
Humans were no different before true beasts.
Especially ones they had to hunt themselves.
Whoosh!
"Snap out of it."
Krash's Black Flame surged, enveloping the area.
Its power to melt World Erosion nullified the Erosion Beast's intimidation.
The four, shrouded in Black Flame, regained their senses.
"Krash."
Haring approached, suggesting Invisible for a pincer like before.
But Krash shook his head.
Won't work.
"Three can't hold it."
7-star Erosion Beast.
Lavados.
A golem of lava and solid rock.
Neither its toughness nor lava-ejecting output could be ignored.
Dragging time against it with just three? Impossible.
"And it won't end in one hit."
Krash's Annihilating Flame Erosion was inherently blazing fire.
Hard to damage Lavados significantly.
Bad matchup.
Full power might work, but post-Mary fight.
And tests continued after.
Couldn't pour everything out.
So, time to switch tactics.
"You three have the poison orbs Haring gave, right?"
Before the red line, the three including Krash had received poison orbs from Haring.
Prepared for emergencies.
The three nodded.
"Use 'em the second it gets dire."
As Krash warned, Lavados finally moved.
Ejecting lava, its massive frame climbed the mountain.
Impressively fast.
Agile for its bulk, scattering lava as it charged.
Dizzying just to watch.
"Karandis!"
"Y-Yes?!"
Krash called her first.
Karandis flinched and cried out; Krash grinned.
"You match it best."
"Eek, m-me?!"
"Yeah, you're frontline."
Karandis' face crumpled.
Weakest here skill-wise, naturally.
"Then marry me if I hold it well!"
Even terrified, she demanded her wish.
Didn't expect conditions here.
"No way."
Krash thought she was something else.
But Haring rejected flatly.
Karandis eyed Haring.
Glen stared too, shocked at what he'd heard.
He'd ignored Karandis' flirting before.
Didn't expect Haring.
Haring, under their gazes, said calmly.
"Krash hates it."
"What does that have to do with you, Haring...?"
As Karandis started retorting.
"It's almost here!"
Ballak yelled to snap them to.
Karandis jolted, drew her single-edged cutlass, and stepped forward.
"Anyway, grant one wish if I block it!"
Ignoring replies, she charged; blue aura flared from her blade.
A water stream from her other hand coiled around her arm, forming a shield.
Representative of the Poseidon sea kingdom.
Thus, she wielded water-related arts.
Thud!
"Nngh!"
Lavados' swung fist clashed with her water shield; Karandis staggered back steps.
Couldn't tank the size and power head-on.
But good offense-defense balance kept her up.
Then Ballak and Glen appeared beside.
Their sword and spear struck Lavados' leg together.
Haring's flung dagger embedded in its upper body.
Boom!
Explosion from the dagger rocked Lavados briefly.
Karandis slipped through the gap, catching breath and resetting stance.
"Heat manageable?"
"Yeah, somehow!"
Hardened by training.
And striving harder lately to become Krash's wife.
Once a goal set, she charged stubbornly.
That was Karandis.
And she'd never failed a goal in life.
Proof: winking at Krash amid sweat.
Impressive in many ways.
"Ease power, deflect—it'll be smoother."
Krash advised, quietly inhaling.
No heat emanated as usual.
Instead, an eerie energy gathered around him.
His body temperature plummeted.
'Stopping Ignis.'
Annihilating Flame Erosion, fueled by ever-burning Ignis consuming World Erosion.
Extinguishing inner Ignis revealed his true nature.
Krash's physique: Lunar Yin Body from Aslan.
Obviously, halting Annihilating Flame first unveiled Lunar Yin effects.
Lunar Yin Body brimmed with yin energy, drawing misfortunes.
It met the Nox within him.
Lunar Yin strengthened under night-like yin abundance.
Ignis gone, Nox-filled body primed for yin surge.
A chill night wind blew through him.
The searing sun vanished; winter night descended.
Cold breeze sharpened to biting gale.
Soon, something new mixed in the wind's form.
Snow.
Snowflakes poured from skies, layering Nox's depths.
Krash exhaled quietly therein.
He knew the snow's nature best.
Recently acquired from Dorma, newly mastered via Poison Blood War: advanced curse.
Hanseol Agwi
Freezes the afflicted ceaselessly; extends to all surroundings. Extreme lethality; handle with utmost caution.
Inflicted froze, plus endless freezing of everything around.
Tricky to wield, near-certain death if hit.
But Krash used Hanseol Agwi differently.
Like Poison Blood War, he repeatedly applied and burned it with Ignis from his body.
Lately, holed up repeating this.
Achieving immunity to Hanseol Agwi in his flesh.
Utter madness.
As described in Poison Blood War, self-poisoning defies normal endurance.
Let alone an advanced curse without clear antidote.
Without Ignis burning curses, impossible even to attempt.
Even with Ignis, his hands nearly froze and shattered.
But Krash outdid Poison Blood War's madman.
Gritting teeth, he stubbornly froze, burned, froze, burned himself endlessly.
And the result.
After countless repetitions.
Krash reached Hanseol Agwi immunity.
As always, absurd tenacity.
Pristine cold aura flowed around him.
Thunderclap Sword slowly froze under its power.
Aura-formed blade's property aided it.
"Hoo."
Cold, unlike usual heat, exhaled from his mouth.
Extreme Blood Poison Infusion housed World Erosion in flesh.
Its power amplified further meeting Hanseol Agwi.
Yet Krash wasn't satisfied.
'More.'
Must boost cold output to face Lavados.
Krash's eyes gradually reddened.
In endless night snow flurry.
His Heavenly Killing Star's seven stars blazed as one.
Snow intensified.
Heavenly Killing Star amplified curses.
Meeting Hanseol Agwi, Krash's cold surged beyond prior.
Crack, crack!
Rocks with flowing lava below began freezing.
In cold devouring even fierce heat.
Krash's red eyes gleamed; frozen-white Thunderclap Sword lifted.
The white cold's master declared atop the red line.