Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Fierce Poison Detonation
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Sahā Realm Dungeon interior.
A Sword-Tooth Clan boy with three whipping tails—Hanok—thrust his one-handed spear forward.
Clang!
And the man countering it.
Tara, attendant to the Judgment Sovereign and a Munk.
He was locked in combat with Hanok, all for the sake of alerting the Judgment Sovereign to their presence.
'No point dragging this out any longer.'
Gray eyes and poison magic.
He was a necromancer.
He wasn't moving at the moment.
But when a magic-class stayed still, it was a dangerously precarious moment.
He was surely preparing a sure-kill move to finish off his opponent.
'But they're just as anxious as I am.'
The more frantically Tara moved.
The more desperate they were, not knowing when the Judgment Sovereign might return.
'Then I'll bait a mistake and create an opening.'
Tara stomped the ground.
His body twisted fluidly as his fist shot out.
An uppercut rising from below.
Hanok leaned back, dodging the surging punch.
Hanok was right up in Tara's face.
As close as possible to prevent Tara from using holy magic for recovery.
But it was a high-risk maneuver.
Unlike Tara's fists, Hanok's weapon was a one-handed spear.
Spears required distance control by nature.
For Hanok to close in like this against a Munk.
Meant handing Tara the perfect chance to slip inside his guard.
Tara pulled back his right arm and swung his left elbow.
In such close quarters, his relentless assault held the advantage.
Hanok hurriedly raised his shield to block.
Clang!
A metallic ring echoed from the bracer on Tara's elbow.
The attack failed.
But that was Tara's intent.
Hanok's lowered vision, blocked by his raised shield.
His nerves focused overhead from the prior right uppercut.
Tara pierced through both weaknesses at once.
His left arm extended, fist already pressing against the shield.
A blind spot in Hanok's sight.
Tara's skill activated, exploiting it perfectly.
Piercing Strike [B]
Ignores physical defense, pierces through guards
Claaaaang!
The ferocious impact beyond the shield shook the entire forest.
By now, Hanok's arm gripping the shield would be numb.
Tara aimed to disable him right there.
But peering past the slowly falling shield, he spotted Hanok—farther away than expected.
Tara's eyes twisted in frustration.
'He read the Piercing Strike?'
It was a frantic exchange of reads and counters.
And he'd seen through it.
Hanok's amber eyes met Tara's.
Hanok hadn't taken his eyes off Tara for a second.
The Sword-Tooth Clan's innate instincts had sensed the danger and reacted.
This is why I hate non-humans.
Unlike regular humans, they had too many talents.
But this created a brief opening.
Clang!
Hanok's shield hit the ground and rolled.
Now, only a one-handed spear remained in his grasp.
And even that was out of reach.
Normally, he'd charge Hanok now and press the attack.
But Tara prioritized his original goal.
He stomped the ground, spinning his body.
Leaning forward, he broke into a sprint.
He'd alert the Judgment Sovereign as planned.
'The necromancer...'
He rolled his eyes, searching for Leyzon.
Whoosh!
Soon, he witnessed something utterly unexpected.
The Leyzon he found.
Was flying in on a broom made of bones.
A body slam.
Nothing else came to mind.
'A... a necromancer?'
Charging with a body slam?
He'd never imagined a necromancer attempting such a thing.
And failing to anticipate meant a delayed response.
Startled, Tara twisted his body a beat late.
Forcing a turn mid-stride threw off his balance.
No way to throw a proper punch like this.
But it was fine.
His opponent was just a necromancer, after all.
Holy light gathered around Tara's fist.
He'd sever the neck in return.
The moment he steeled himself.
Thud!
Leyzon tumbled off the broom like a rolling dive.
"What!?"
In that instant, the broom charged straight at Tara.
Caught off-guard by the unexpected combo.
As the flustered Tara swung to swat the broom away.
He noticed the green liquid smeared on it.
"Ah."
He'd been had.
"Fierce... Poison Explosion!"
Leyzon, rolling on the ground, triggered his spell.
Tara's vision flashed white.
Boooom!
The explosion raged, sending Tara tumbling across the floor.
―――――!
Tinnitus rang in Tara's ears.
His mind reeled.
Shards from the exploding bone broom throbbed painfully.
Grit!
Tara clenched his teeth, forcing clarity.
Falling here meant the end.
He scrambled to his feet.
His legs wobbled.
As he moved to flee.
Crack!
Suddenly, he heard something collapsing.
Boooom!
The crumbling floor gave way, and Tara plummeted below.
"―!"
Tumbling amid the debris, Tara groaned.
If his voice had worked, it would've been a scream.
Smoke filled the air, slowing his awareness.
His nose and throat burned with every breath.
'Poison again?!'
Tara swallowed hard.
'He injected poison into the roots underground.'
The Sahā Realm Dungeon was a jungle.
Roots sprawled beneath the jungle floor.
Leyzon had noticed and spent the time poisoning them.
Then timed the Fierce Poison Explosion for when Tara passed overhead.
'The broom was a feint.'
The triggered Fierce Poison Explosion wasn't just the broom.
It included the poison-soaked roots in the ground.
Tara rose.
Poison seeping into his body was already clouding his mind.
He'd held his breath, but inhaled plenty during the fall.
He had to climb out.
As he reached for purchase.
"Heh, heh, where... do you think you're going."
Tara whipped his head toward the voice.
Beneath the half dark elf's black hair.
Gray eyes gleamed from under the dislodged mask.
Only then did Tara notice Leyzon's condition.
'Ah.'
Leyzon had taken a direct hit from Tara's gauntleted fist earlier.
He was a necromancer.
He lacked a warrior's honed physique.
The blow had landed on his ribs.
They'd snapped right then.
The pain of shattered ribs was beyond imagination.
At that point, normal movement was impossible.
Yet Leyzon had pretended to be fine.
To keep Tara focused on him.
'The broom charge...'
Unable to move properly, he'd borrowed its momentum.
The problem: Leyzon couldn't fully escape the explosion either.
He'd plummeted down just like Tara.
Tara's eyes shook.
But.
This man.
Was smiling in this situation.
Grinning like a madman.
Chills!
Goosebumps erupted across his skin.
Humans instinctively fear the abnormal.
Tara felt that terror toward Leyzon.
'What kind of person is he?'
Pretending nothing was wrong despite crushed ribs.
Charging with a broom, deceiving him.
Even triggering an explosion that would engulf himself.
'He's insane.'
A madman who spared no thought for his own body to achieve his goal.
"You... caused too much... commotion."
Shards of broken ribs stabbing inward.
Leyzon leaned against the ruined wall, breathing raggedly.
Yet his lips refused to droop.
Maniacal laughter.
Tara clenched his fist at the sight.
He'd already inhaled enough poison.
Before his body gave out completely.
At least take Leyzon with him.
Resolved, Tara froze upon seeing Leyzon grip his staff.
The same flash from before flickered from it.
Confusion crossed Tara's face.
Exploding poison here would engulf Leyzon too.
Was he truly sane, courting death?
But the spell was ready.
Leyzon meant business.
His grin and the glow intertwined.
"It's over."
As Leyzon declared the end, Tara lunged in a final spasm of defiance.
But green light soon swallowed his vision.
Fierce Poison Explosion.
Booooom!
And the blast consumed everything.
The triggered Fierce Poison Explosion shook the earth.
Seeing it, Hanok raced toward the crumbling floor.
"Le-Leyzon!"
Hanok's face was grim.
Letting Tara slip was his mistake.
He knew Leyzon had overexerted to cover for it.
His face paled further.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, something shot into the sky.
Leyzon, limp on his bone broom.
He soared weakly before plummeting off.
"No, Leyzon!"
Hanok shouted, thrusting out his arms to catch him.
Leyzon slumped lifelessly.
Hanok wrinkled his nose.
"...Leyzon, are you dead?"
"Kuhuhu, why... assume... a fine man's dead."
Leyzon forced a laugh, nearly making Hanok collapse.
"How can you laugh in this state?"
Hanok looked incredulous.
He reached for a potion, but Leyzon waved him off.
"Hanok, first... outside."
They'd caused a huge ruckus.
The Judgment Sovereign's side might notice.
Hanok nodded and scooped up Leyzon, bolting away.
Along the way, Leyzon eyed the pendant around his neck.
Its light had faded.
A bonus gift from the Bloodless Sovereign when buying various items.
A one-use pendant that blocked a magic attack.
He'd never dreamed it would block his own spell.
Leyzon smiled faintly.
'Gotta grab whatever I can...'
He readjusted his dislodged mask.
His gray eyes vanished.
Then he hugged the white bat from his pocket.
Syria had exhausted herself and fallen asleep.
Who knew what she'd say when she woke to this mess.
Hopefully, she wouldn't feel too guilty.
Whoosh!
Soon, Hanok carried Leyzon out the exit.
Leyzon glimpsed the setting sun.
They'd spent longer in the Sahā Realm Dungeon than expected.
Luckily, the guard had rotated.
He gawked at their states but waved them through.
Dungeon injuries were commonplace.
Good thing he's flexible this time.
"Hanok, the carriage."
"In this shape?"
"Just... go."
Hanok hesitated but obeyed.
"Uh, heh, two to the capital."
"Hmm? In that condition? Not healing first?"
The coachman stared at Leyzon's state, flustered, but Leyzon slipped him extra coin.
"If you're... good, more later. Can you... depart now?"
Leyzon clung to his fading consciousness to speak.
The coachman cleared his throat and loaded them up.
Rumble―.
The carriage lurched into motion.
Leyzon leaned against the jostling wall, rummaging his bag.
"Hanok."
"Y-Yes!"
Hanok helped pull out potions, bandages, and herbs.
"Handle it."
Leyzon entrusted it to him and gently closed his eyes.
Skills?
He could acquire them anytime.
Mid-tier dungeon clear?
Mid-tiers were a dime a dozen.
But life was singular.
To survive, he chose flight for now.
'Now that the prophecy's in motion, someday.'
The day would come to clash with the real Judgment Sovereign, not just an attendant.
When it did.
'Next time, I'll bring you down.'
With resolve in his faint smile, Leyzon drifted off.