Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Southbound to the Insolent Plateau
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After entrusting the soul world search to Flamehead, Leyzon immediately prepared to depart from Sahā Village.
Finding Piercian in the Resonance World wasn't something that could happen overnight.
Leyzon couldn't afford to wait around forever, either.
'If he finds anything, he'll contact me on his own.'
He'd left that to Flamehead.
"To think we'd finally meet, only for you to leave so soon, Leyzon. What a shame."
Standing before Leyzon as he readied his departure was Pauli, his face full of regret.
Leyzon had decided to leave Pauli in Sahā Village.
Sahā Village would serve as his base of operations going forward.
As a key location for the nation-building ending, it needed defenses against outside threats.
That's why Leyzon was leaving Pauli—the finest defender—here to oversee the fortress construction.
"I'm entrusting it to you because it's Pauli. Sahā Village is going to become incredibly important to me."
Leyzon's words were sincere.
Pauli knew it too, straightening his back with a cleared throat.
"Ahem, in that case, I'll guard it with everything I've got."
His crown gleamed brighter—he was clearly pleased to be recognized.
Pauli, who had even built a moving black fortress before, would surely protect Sahā Village well.
"Get along with Estelle when she arrives."
"Well... Estelle and I aren't exactly close. Who knows how that'll go."
Pauli scratched his head awkwardly.
Still, they were brothers.
They'd manage.
Leyzon glanced at Syria and Iden.
The two weren't even speaking to each other, each off doing their own thing.
'Compared to Syria or Iden.'
Pauli was far more sociable.
He'd get by with Estelle just fine.
"Safe travels."
The five of them bid him farewell.
Leyzon flashed a grin.
"Yeah, you too. Hang in there."
They exchanged goodbyes with Hanok as well.
"Next time I come back, I'll be way stronger!"
Hanok declared confidently.
Having roamed the dungeons with the five for a while, Hanok had grown even more.
'He's starting to mature as an upper-tier pioneer.'
Leyzon had funneled all growth-related gear and materials his way.
Thanks to that, Hanok's ascension experience had shot up noticeably.
'And on top of that.'
Other pioneers struggled to clear even single dungeons.
But Leyzon's group blitzed through them without a hitch.
Part of it was surely the undead around Leyzon reducing the risks.
But the biggest factor was Leyzon's perfect mastery of every dungeon.
That's why his clear speed outpaced ordinary pioneers.
Hanak's rapid growth owed much to that too.
Even the hero-grade five couldn't keep up with Leyzon's pace.
Both Hanok and Leyzon were advancing at breakneck speed.
For the day they'd clear the Four Great Dungeons, Leyzon's group never stopped growing.
Leyzon departed Sahā Village amid their farewells.
By his next visit, it would surely have grown even larger.
He'd look forward to that.
"Syria."
"Yes!"
Once away from the village, Leyzon mounted Syria's red shadow wolf.
The wolf dashed across the plains without fail.
This time, their goal was south: the Insolent Plateau.
A restricted zone designated by the empire.
There were two reasons the Insolent Plateau was off-limits.
One was the area's overgrown forests.
Earth had the Amazon, its lungs.
The Niflheim Empire had its own vast tropical rainforest: the Line Roth Rainforest Zone.
An endless expanse of forest, jungle, and swamps.
Sweltering heat, rainy seasons.
Lush plants and rampant diseases.
It was a brutally harsh environment for humans.
That's why the area around Line Roth had the sparsest population in the south.
'Characters could catch diseases and die if they weren't careful.'
Thorough preparation was essential to enter Line Roth.
And among those zones, one utterly untouched by humans.
The sole mountainous region in Line Roth.
The empire's restricted Insolent Plateau.
The Insolent Plateau was infamous for cults worshiping the Transcendent Evils.
Any normal person entering would be sacrificed to them in moments.
Hence its name.
'If possible, I could sweep those Transcendent Evil cultists this time around.'
Capturing Transcendent Evil cultists was considered noble by the empire.
There were no legal issues with taking them down.
He could utterly demolish them, and no one would complain.
They were fair game anytime.
A savage smile curled on Leyzon's lips.
Lately, Transcendent Evil-related issues kept cropping up. Perfect timing.
He could vent some frustration.
"Why would brother head to the Insolent Plateau...?"
Hanok muttered to himself thoughtfully.
Leyzon's main reason for going to the Insolent Plateau was the Shadow Warlord.
It was a perfect spot to evade the empire's eyes.
But it came with massive risks.
To Hanok, the Shadow Warlord wouldn't go there without reason.
Leyzon patted Hanok's head.
"That's what we're going to find out. Don't worry too much."
"R-Right! Just like you said, Leyzon!"
If they met the Shadow Warlord again, they'd know, as Leyzon said.
Hanok shook off his worry, his face brightening.
Harron, shaped like a head on Hanok's shoulder, licked his cheek.
That alone gave Hanok strength.
'Those two have a good bond.'
Making Harron for Hanok had been the right call.
"Hanok, before Line Roth, we're gonna clear as many dungeons as possible."
Leyzon had gathered all his undead except the ghost bride.
Now, his top priority was ascension.
Two more upper dungeons to clear for 11th ascension.
He planned to ascend right after finishing them.
'Time to enter hero grade.'
True powerhouses started at hero grade.
Leyzon needed to reach it ASAP.
"Let's tour the southern dungeons."
Time to sweep them all.
Upper dungeons.
They were worlds apart from mid-tier ones.
Upper dungeons pulled no punches in killing humans.
Even pioneers hardened by mid-tier dungeons died steadily in uppers.
The difficulty spiked dramatically from there.
Some upper pioneers quit them altogether, farming mid-tiers for cash instead.
Upper dungeons were a harsh reality check for pioneers.
Risk your life pushing forward for glory and riches?
Or settle in mid-tiers forever?
Still, uppers were more attainable than hero-grade ones.
Hero dungeons were for the superhuman only.
One such southern upper dungeon.
The Piyik Realm.
Home to countless phantasmal beasts: winged monkey tribe.
They zipped freely through sky and jungle.
Fierce by nature, they tore humans apart alive.
Quick, cunning too.
Mages often hit allies shooting at them.
Even vet upper pioneers avoided it.
That was the Piyik Realm.
Boom! Bang! Bang!
But in this Piyik Realm,
the winged monkeys—hunters of pioneers—were the ones wailing.
"Kieeeek!"
"Kieeeek!"
Mournful cries echoed as winged monkeys shattered everywhere.
"Chit chit, so noisy."
A man strode over the fallen winged monkeys.
Leyzon said it casually.
Black poison wafted around him.
Fierce Poison Emission [S], Poison Phantasm [SS], Fierce Poison Mix Aura [SS].
Curse Brand [C], Intimidation Emission [C], Darkness Descent [C].
Plus gear effects.
Leyzon's poison was lethal even to upper phantasmal beasts.
Skills from the Drift Zone.
Fungus Plague [S] spread spores everywhere.
The spores burrowed into the monkeys' bodies.
Even magic-resistant winged monkeys couldn't counter this vicious poison.
They all dropped dead.
Some tougher ones fled.
But that wasn't smart.
"Fierce Poison Fury."
With Leyzon's skill activation, the fleeing monkeys exploded into pieces.
Leyzon was a walking disaster in the Piyik Realm.
A poison necromancer optimized for mass slaughter.
He showed them exactly what that meant.
The winged monkeys bolted from him en masse.
As breathing creatures, they had no defense against him.
Nor could numbers overwhelm him.
His bracelet, Lord of the Horde, prevented that.
So, flight was their only option.
But Leyzon wasn't alone.
From the bushes where monkeys fled,
a sword-tooth clan boy with a one-handed spear burst out.
Hanok, eyes like a hunter's, thrust his spear in a flash.
Splat!
The heavy force pierced the winged monkey instantly.
Hanok didn't stop, stomping the ground.
Then he shoved his shield at monkeys spotting him late.
Formation Breaker [S].
His weighted body rocketed forward.
Thud-boom!
The gathered monkeys shattered and scattered.
Those hit by Formation Breaker were all knocked out.
Hanok swiftly finished the stunned ones.
Now fully in sync with Leyzon, he knew what came next.
"Kiaaaaaah!"
A roar from above, and a massive winged monkey appeared amid the others.
Necklace of skulls, blood-red fur.
The Piyik Realm boss.
The Bloodwing Monkey.
It charged straight at Leyzon.
"Harron."
"Woof."
The moment Hanok called, both their bodies hardened like steel.
Invincibility Rigidity [Special] activated, and Hanok's vision ignited.
At the same time, the entire Piyik Realm forest blew away.
Rigidity faded to reveal an empty forest.
At its center, Leyzon lowered his Staff of Abundance.
Another satisfying explosion today.
A gem rolled to his feet.
"There it is."
One of the Bloodwing Monkey's rewards.
Blood Serum Stone.
A high-value gem from an upper dungeon.
But Leyzon had a recipient in mind.
"Syria."
"Yes!"
Syria appeared at his call.
She took the Blood Serum Stone from him familiarly.
"Alright, I'll eat it right now."
Syria bit into the Blood Serum Stone.
Leyzon often fed her blood like this.
But this time, he watched intently.
Syria's evolution was imminent.
He'd fed her upper bosses before.
She'd said it was almost full then.
This should do it.
Syria gulped it down completely.
The moment the blood inside vanished,
Crack!
"Ah."
A sigh escaped Syria as cracks spiderwebbed her skin.
Light poured from them.
Leyzon's eyes widened.
Syria was finally evolving!
"Syria!"
Leyzon shouted in joy—
Poof!
Syria reverted to her tiny bat form.
Too weak to even flap her wings.
Leyzon blinked.
Syria blinked too.
"Huh?"
The next evolution would take time.