Chapter 202
Chapter 202
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 202
Chapter Title: The World's Greatest Curse Master
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The night that never ended.
The deeper they ventured into that place where only night existed, the thicker the pitch-black darkness grew.
"They're finally starting to chase us."
At the same time, Krash sensed the presence of the Black Clan Ghosts closing in tightly behind the carriage.
They had finished sizing up their prey and were now launching a full assault.
The Erosion Beasts that lived within the Forbidden Zone had fundamentally superior specs compared to ordinary ones.
Because they survived in the heart of the World Erosion-saturated Forbidden Zone.
Naturally, they developed bodies far superior to regular Erosion Beasts.
As proof, the Black Clan Ghosts that would have been no threat outside were now keeping pace with the carriage, striding forward powerfully.
The monkey-like creatures flashed red eyes and screeched ferociously at the intruders.
"Gotta catch 'em."
Krash said that as he turned to Evelask.
"Evelask, pop the lid."
At Krash's words, Evelask touched the carriage wall.
With a cracking sound, the bone ceiling began to slide open.
Krash poked his head up through the opened roof.
There, Black Clan Ghosts filled the horizon like repulsive cockroaches, swarming after them.
In a scene that would have terrified an ordinary person into fainting,
Krash leaped lightly onto the roof.
Black Clan Ghosts drew even greater power under the night sky.
Thus, they acted like rulers of the endless night.
But there was one fact they didn't know.
The night wasn't their world alone.
Krash's hair began to gradually turn jet black.
It was because the Nox energy within him overflowed in response to the unending night.
On top of that, his eyes started to turn red.
The seven stars of Nox lit up all at once.
Beneath the rampaging Heavenly Slaughter Star of the night,
Krash's body felt more stable than ever.
The Lunar Yin Physique exerted its effects even more powerfully under the night sky.
As such, Krash's current condition was at its absolute peak.
A thick breath escaped Krash's mouth.
The high-temperature vapor riding on that breath was enough to alter the surrounding temperature.
Roar—
Before long, black flame ignited atop the Thunderclap Sword gripped in his hand.
The intense black flame blazed wildly, feeding on the World Erosion.
Thanks to Krash continuously absorbing the World Erosion of the unending night.
"Watch closely."
Krash declared to the Black Clan Ghosts as he gripped the Thunderclap Sword.
Pzzt!
Lightning bolts arced over the Thunderclap Sword, forming a sword aura.
At the same time, black flame slammed into the sword aura from within, beginning to brew a storm.
Drip—
At that moment, a single drop fell onto the lake in Krash's mind, sending ripples across it.
The surging black flame pillar shattered the sword sheath formed by Lioner.
The moment the entwined black flame and lightning unified on the blade,
Krash swung the Thunderclap Sword forward.
"Annihilating Flame Erosion" "Third Form" "Annihilating Flame Heavenly Thunder"
⟨ Annihilating Flame Heavenly Thunder ⟩
The swung sword halted at its tip, and for an instant, the world fell utterly silent.
The Black Clan Ghosts charging ferociously froze in place.
Crack!
Soon, cracks began forming on each of their bodies.
Roar—
Blazing flames and flashes engulfed the unending night.
Krboom! Krboom! Krboom! Krboom! Krboom! Krboom!
The violent explosion devoured everything around it.
The black flame enveloping where the Black Clan Ghosts had been erased them all from existence.
Not a single one of the Black Clan Ghosts that had reached the horizon's edge remained alive.
Krbooom!
The following shockwave rocked the carriage, making it jolt wildly.
The Spectral Steed pulling it ahead nearly stumbled.
Krash swept back his whipping hair and extinguished the blade glowing on the Thunderclap Sword.
As he exhaled his slightly ragged breath, his breath temperature had already returned to normal.
Right after using Annihilating Flame Heavenly Thunder, he had used the superior curse Frostbite Fang to rapidly lower the temperature.
"Much better."
Krash wore a satisfied expression at the finally visible scenery.
His hair had also returned to its dark blue color.
As Krash reentered the carriage, Evelask stared at him with bewildered eyes.
She had known Krash was strong, but that output was beyond expectations.
It was inevitable.
In a Forbidden Zone-level World Erosion concentration, Krash could grow even stronger than outside.
That output just now would have been impossible without the regional trait of the unending night.
"What was that? You okay after pulling something like that?"
"Gotta do all sorts of stuff to hold out."
Krash said that and tried to sit back down.
But staggering from the intense pain surging through his body, Haring quickly supported him.
"Krash, water."
Haring handed him water, and Krash took a sip.
'It tried to fill the space left by the World Erosion.'
Krash realized the pain came from his aura.
The aura had rushed in to fill the void left by using World Erosion and clashed with the refilling World Erosion.
The gnawing sensation from the collision was enough to cause even Krash agony.
Crimson Garden clicked her tongue, admonishing Krash.
"I'm fine. That's why we're here—to fix it."
Krash ignored Crimson Garden's nagging and straightened his posture.
The World Erosion power emanating from the direction the Spectral Steed was heading grew even stronger.
They'd surely find Beltua soon.
Thud!
However, the unending night had no intention of letting intruders pass easily.
A Black Clan Giant formed by clumped Black Clan Ghosts appeared in the distance.
Holding an entire tower in its hand, it was a mountain of a monster.
As Krash tried to stand again, Haring and Evelask blocked him simultaneously.
"You think I tagged along for nothing? I came because I knew you'd pull this."
"I can help too."
Seeing the two desperately trying to stop him from overexerting, Krash looked stunned.
"Rest."
With that, Evelask summoned her bone legion, and Haring stepped out with her daggers drawn.
Krash watched them quietly before plopping back into his seat.
He'd just get scolded if he butted in.
'No idea how it came to this.'
Still, good was good.
About a week had passed since entering the unending night.
Thanks to the Spectral Steed that never rested, they were making good time.
But traversing the unending night where the sun never rose was far more grueling than expected.
From the complete loss of time sense,
To the constant gnawing sensation that prevented easy recovery from fatigue.
Especially the Black Clan Ghosts that ambushed whenever they tried to rest were a huge hindrance.
The deeper they went, the more varied the Black Clan Ghosts' assaults became.
Some approached silently like shadows, while others barreled in blindly relying on size and bulk.
Each battle kept the trio's fatigue from easing.
"Acid rain didn't faze me, so I can manage. But you're holding up even better than me."
"Got Lunar Yin Physique and Nox."
Krash peered out the window as he responded to Evelask, whose dark circles had deepened.
The unchanging night and plains gave the illusion of spinning in circles.
Only the occasional towers reminded them they were progressing.
As Krash said, Nox and Lunar Yin Physique made the unending night manageable for him.
But those without such advantages struggled.
Haring stood out the most.
With dark circles as deep as Evelask's, she slept leaning against Krash.
Her irregular breathing suggested nightmares.
This was the problem with the unending night.
Even finding a safe spot to sleep yielded only nightmares.
Those nightmares gnawed at the mind, and staying too long meant being devoured by them.
"Haring."
So Krash woke her before she sank deeper.
Deeper sleep meant no waking from the nightmare.
"Hah! Ack!"
Startled awake by Krash, Haring opened her eyes with a scream.
Drenched in cold sweat, she spotted Krash and buried her face in his chest in relief.
She nuzzled like a scared child sleep-talking to a parent.
Like a cat yielding its heart to its owner.
Having gone through this many times, Krash was somewhat used to it.
Haring had the habit of burrowing into the nearest person upon waking.
"Like clinging to you?"
Evelask smirked and asked.
"Ah, right. Young girls are your type, huh? Fiancée and all."
Evelask pouted her lips.
Krash eyed her incredulously.
"...Evelask, you've been grumbling at me a lot lately, haven't you?"
When Krash asked, sensing her prickly mood, Evelask stared blankly at him.
She rolled her eyes once, then glanced at the floor.
"N-No, must be your imagination."
Imagination my foot.
Krash recalled when Evelask started grumbling.
It coincided with their visit to Green Pine Pavilion.
There, they sent the Madness Extractor to Ixion's council.
And solidified the engagement with Bianca...
Thinking that, Krash slowly turned to Evelask.
Seeing her avoiding his gaze, he asked tentatively.
"Evelask, you..."
It was then.
A faint light caught Krash's eye in the distance.
In the unending night where only Black Clan Ghosts' red eyes should be visible,
This sun-like bright light was something they couldn't miss.
Because Krash remembered it clearly.
"Evelask, turn the carriage!"
"Wh-what?!"
Evelask, tense from anticipating what he'd say, yelped in confusion.
She hurriedly turned the carriage at his command, and with the Spectral Steed's neigh, it spun powerfully.
Thud!
"Nngh?"
The sudden turn snapped the drowsy Haring awake.
Lifting her head, she saw Krash leaning out the window.
Krash focused his eyes maximally, chasing the light.
As expected, the light noticed their presence and veered away.
At a speed just barely catchable by the carriage.
They'd lose it like this.
"Evelask, follow that light!"
Krash kicked open the carriage door.
A crow flew out and soared high into the sky.
Krash watched Crimson Garden and kicked off the carriage.
World Erosion boiled into Ignis within his body.
The surging Annihilating Flame Erosion instantly spread to his legs.
Roar!
As the ignited Annihilating Flame Erosion activated, white smoke poured from Krash's mouth.
Krbooom!
Krash shot forward explosively.
Exel enveloping his body boosted his speed further.
Charging ahead several times faster than the carriage, the light grew closer in Krash's eyes.
Beneath it, a man riding a massive centipede-like creature sped along.
His full-body robe hid his features, revealing only a black beard as he glanced back.
"Hm? A kid?"
The moment he voiced surprise at Krash,
Krash kicked off the ground and landed atop the centipede.
Exhaling, he eyed the hand reaching into the man's robe.
He couldn't imagine how many curses that bosom held.
But seeing Krash, he showed no intent to draw them.
"Strange. Thought you were pure World Erosion. But there's more power dwelling inside."
The reason he didn't draw curses was Krash's unique nature.
His body, bearing aura, World Erosion, and oler, looked utterly bizarre to the man.
Good.
An indiscriminate curse barrage would have been annoying.
"Beltua Racklord."
Regaining his breath, Krash called his name.
"Let's talk for a bit."
The world's greatest Curse Master, Beltua Racklord.
The moment they came face-to-face.