Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: Unmasking the Traitor in the Resonance World
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To root out the traitor in the Resonance World, they first needed to prove their identities.
Necromancers typically hated revealing who they were.
They were such extreme individualists.
Who knew what backlash might come from exposing themselves?
"Hmm, isn't the number of people coming and going from the Resonance World pretty high? Revealing everyone's identity might be overkill."
The bearded man had a point.
There were even more necromancers who frequented the Resonance World beyond those present here.
These were just the familiar faces.
Others popped in from time to time.
But the monkey had hit on a blind spot.
"Still, the minimum requirement to take down the lizard is hero-class."
The lizard was a hero-class necromancer.
Only another hero-class could handle him.
Especially in the Resonance World, where only souls entered.
"Heh heh, to influence the Resonance World, you'd need power surpassing even its master."
The skull had jabbed at another key point.
The Resonance World's master, Pirsi-lan.
She too was a hero-class necromancer.
Interfering beyond the rules she governed required strength equal to a hero-class necromancer.
"Ugh, but if it's something done from outside, doesn't revealing identities lose its meaning?"
The butterfly mask had already been suspected once before.
She clearly wasn't thrilled about it.
"No, it has meaning."
But Leyzon had no intention of letting this chance slip.
Leyzon's gaze swept over everyone.
"The traitor tied to the imperial court is definitely a hero-class necromancer."
Leyzon's words carried the most weight here.
Everyone glanced around at his statement.
"I promised the lizard I'd protect him if anything happened."
The lizard had been captured by the imperial court and forced to create magic.
Leyzon had set up a basic safeguard for him.
Yet someone had smashed through that barrier and roughed him up.
"I can't just let this slide—not even to keep my promise."
A chill settled in Leyzon's eyes.
If they'd ignored his warning and touched him anyway, punishment was in order.
That was a promise.
Everyone exchanged glances after hearing Leyzon.
The situation had escalated this far.
Backing out now would mark someone as a prime suspect.
"I'm Harban, the one who leads the Monkey Hand."
In that instant, the monkey revealed his identity without a hint of hesitation.
The Monkey Hand had been annihilated by Leyzon, but everyone had heard the name.
The monkey's eyes sparkled at Leyzon.
As if to say, I did good, right?
The butterfly mask let out a sigh.
"Monkey, everyone already knew who you were without you saying it."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"What?"
The monkey looked shocked.
"How did you know my identity?"
It would be weirder if they didn't know.
He was the only one hiding it.
"Sigh, no helping it then. I've already been under suspicion anyway."
The butterfly mask promptly revealed herself.
"I'm Jeyperhan. That's right. Before the Gray Mage Tower vanished, I was the director of souls and research."
"Oh, Jeyperhan! I know you! You were the guy who got things done."
The bearded man laughed heartily, clearly acquainted with her.
Clack—
At that moment, the skull's teeth chattered.
"Mind if I ask one question?"
The skull's piercing gaze swept over everyone.
"Can we verify if these stories are true? A lie ends it right here. Heh heh heh."
He let out an unsettling chuckle.
He meant they couldn't be trusted until cross-checked with reality outside the Resonance World.
"So here."
Suddenly, the skull snapped off his own arm.
He placed the hand on the central table.
The skull grinned, teeth clacking.
Everyone stared at him in disbelief.
Leyzon narrowed his eyes.
"You prepared this from the start, knowing it'd come to this."
"Heh heh heh, that obvious?"
The skull beamed.
Thanks to him, they now had a way to discern truth.
"Alright, let's test it. You first, Mr. Monkey."
The skull beckoned the monkey eagerly.
Of everyone here, the monkey was the most truthful.
He placed his hand on the bone hand.
It gripped his firmly in response.
"Ahem. I'm Harban, the leader of the Monkey Hand."
As Harban declared his identity, the bone hand released him smoothly.
"Truth. He is indeed Harban of the Monkey Hand."
The skull's eyes turned to the butterfly mask.
She sighed deeply and placed her hand on the bone hand.
"I'm Jeyperhan, the Gray Mage Tower's director of souls and research."
The bone hand released her smoothly once more.
That confirmed two identities.
"Do we really need all this hassle?"
Just then, the bearded man stepped forward and grabbed the bone hand.
"Just say 'I'm not the traitor' and done."
The bone hand released him smoothly.
"Ah, I'm the Landkeeper. The name's more famous than my own, it seems."
"You're the Landkeeper old-timer?"
The butterfly mask and others turned to him in surprise.
Leyzon knew the name too.
'He operated in the same era as the Sentinel.'
The Sentinel.
The man who sealed the underground dungeons beneath the empire.
A living piece of imperial history stood here.
'Looking at him now...'
Questions surrounded the Sentinel too.
He was famed for sealing multiple dungeons.
'I wouldn't have cared before...'
But Leyzon had gathered plenty of info lately.
Sealing dungeons was no simple task.
Leyzon eyed the bearded man.
As someone who'd lived ages, he likely knew as much as an ancient dragon.
"Heh heh, just a doddering old fool now."
The bearded man waved it off, insisting on no high praise.
Everyone's eyes now fell on the skull.
He shrugged and stepped to the bone hand.
Grasping his own detached hand.
"Skull, couldn't you lie since it's your own tool?"
No traitors had emerged yet, despite suspicions.
The necromancer world was small.
Those active in the Resonance World mostly knew each other.
But the skull—no one had pegged him.
That made him the prime suspect always.
Even Leyzon had doubted him.
The skull placed his hand on it, teeth chattering.
"I'm not a necromancer."
The moment those words echoed...
Everyone's faces hardened as they stared at the skull.
Their gazes dropped to the bone hand he held.
It released smoothly, proving his truth.
Everyone's eyes widened.
The Resonance World, accessible only to necromancers.
Yet a non-necromancer was here.
"I knew it—you, Skull!"
"Oh, and not the traitor either."
The bone hand hadn't gripped him.
The butterfly mask, who'd pegged him as guilty, faltered.
"Heh heh heh."
The skull laughed merrily.
Simply not being a necromancer cleared him entirely.
Of course.
Leyzon's traitor was a necromancer.
One from the imperial court.
Seeing the skull sow chaos, Leyzon grimaced.
"So why's a non-necromancer like you even here?"
"'Cause it's fun! Watching you all conspire like this."
The skull set the bone hand down casually.
"But now that identities are out, guess I can't stick around."
His tone shifted abruptly.
The flippant attitude vanished, like a different person.
It sent chills through the others.
He wagged a finger.
Like someone missing a smoke.
"That's my story. If fate crosses our paths again, see you then.
This thing's fun—consider it a gift."
He left the bone hand for their continued truth-telling.
"Oh, one more thing."
The skull turned to Leyzon with a sly smile.
"Tell the Abyss I'll visit the depths soon. To wait nicely."
His eyes gleamed.
As if he'd pierced Leyzon's true identity.
With that, the skull rose casually.
As he moved to leave...
The butterfly mask gaped.
The bearded man chuckled heartily.
The monkey scowled, eyeing Leyzon.
Finally, all eyes turned to Leyzon.
He was the last for truth-telling here.
"Hey, Skull."
Leyzon placed his hand on the bone hand.
Then gripped it tight.
The skull's steps halted for the first time.
He'd run the show his way.
Leyzon decided to give him a parting gift.
"I'm not the Abyss himself."
Leyzon's voice rang through the chamber.
When Leyzon entered the Resonance World...
He'd claimed to be an acquaintance of the Abyss.
But his detailed knowledge and actions had convinced everyone he was the Abyss.
Yet now...
With his declaration, all eyes fixed on the bone hand.
Shh—
It released smoothly.
Silence fell over the group.
The bone hand revealed truth.
The halted skull stared at Leyzon oddly.
He'd been certain Leyzon was the Abyss.
It was his tool, after all.
He'd know best.
Leyzon met the skull's gaze.
A mocking smirk played on his lips.
The skull acted like he knew everything.
Now he'd eaten his words—humbling, right?
That was bluffing.
Clack—
The skull's teeth chattered.
"Haha... heh heh heh heh."
Laughter burst from him.
"Fun."
With that, he turned and left.
"See you next time."
Unexpected turmoil engulfed the Resonance World.