Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Pursuit of the Gray Mage Tower Lord
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After hearing everything the Five had to say about the Empire.
Leyzon let out a sigh, arms still crossed.
'The Empire knew far more about our situation than I thought.'
An unidentified necromancer aiding the Empire.
Even the Five didn't know this person's true identity.
But one thing was clear.
The necromancer wasn't human.
'A dark elf, just like me.'
Necromancy magic had always been advantageous for dark elves anyway.
So it wasn't strange for one to be a necromancer.
But a non-human necromancer in the Empire, a society that favored humans?
'That's suspicious on multiple levels.'
On top of that, he'd learned quite a bit of other information.
First, the Five belonged to the lower ranks of the Night Crows.
The previous four swords were on a completely different level from the Five.
"They feel like they've surpassed the limits of what a human can achieve.
And beyond the Night Crows, the Empire's knight commanders—especially those under the Emperor's Sword—are on another plane entirely."
Emperor's Sword.
In Dungeon Replay, it was just a name in the lore.
A group that had never actually appeared.
'The knight commanders have shown their faces at least.'
But the Emperor's Sword was a complete mystery.
'And the knight commanders from the era I knew have probably been replaced long ago.'
This was an age 100 years past that time.
An era beyond the average human lifespan.
The knight commanders must have changed by now.
'The Five is hero-class.'
Leyzon glanced at the Five.
Though he'd been effortlessly subdued by Syria.
The Five was still hero-class.
For him to say they were on another level meant...
They were transcendent powerhouses beyond even heroes.
'They might have risen purely on skill.'
But he doubted that was the whole story.
The Empire directly managed talent.
Without the Empire's permission, no human could grow beyond a certain point.
'What if they can grant talent separately from stealing it?'
This was something Leyzon had considered since hearing about the Empire.
'The emperor of the Kaltura Empire spoke of saving the world.'
The world was truly in danger.
And if there was a reason to concentrate talent in one person?
'And that continues to this day.'
If the Emperor's Sword and knight commanders had been granted it too.
'I can't even imagine how strong they must be.'
Above all, the Empire's downfall weighed on his mind.
He still had no clues about why the Empire fell.
'I don't know the reason for the downfall. It's driving me crazy.'
He could only vaguely prepare for it.
Or witness one of the two endings first.
Leyzon exhaled, venting his negative emotions.
He shook off the complicating thoughts.
'One thing's certain: the Empire is clearly aware of me and will target me.'
Calling him the Abyss was proof.
'A clash between the Empire and me is inevitable.'
The problem was gathering strength to face the Empire.
Without being detected by them.
"Five, how many people know about the mask I used?"
The mask Leyzon often wore was a creation of the Gray Mage Tower Lord.
The fact that the Five recognized it meant.
Others from the Empire might too.
"I can't be sure, but at least everyone in the Night Crows would recognize it.
The Night Crows dismantled the Gray Mage Tower."
He couldn't use the mask anymore.
He had no desire to clash with someone stronger than the Five yet.
'Need to find something else.'
There were plenty of face-concealing items, easy to acquire.
But high-performance ones were rare.
'I know of one or two.'
He'd have to scour the black market again.
No rush; something decent would turn up.
"Then another question. Do you know who attacked the Earth Dragon and the Shadow Warlord? They had a sickle-shaped tattoo on their eye."
The Five reacted awkwardly.
"I'm sorry. I don't know about that person either."
"That person?"
"Yes. In the imperial court, there's someone referred to as 'that person' besides His Majesty the Emperor."
The Empire's ghost stories just kept coming.
'Estelle was puzzled about her pursuer too.'
Leyzon recalled Estelle's words.
「The problem is, beyond that, I don't remember their appearance at all.」
A figure whose very outline wasn't memorable.
Estelle didn't even know if they were male or female.
'And even the Five from the same Empire doesn't know.'
This guy reeked of danger.
"But 'One' from the Night Crows would know."
To learn about that person, defeat One, stronger than the Five?
'What is this, a linked quest?'
Still, he had a lead.
'Before reaching One, they might approach first.'
Targeting Estelle meant targeting other undead too.
And naturally, Leyzon as their core.
"Good. I'll ask more as things come to mind."
"I'll do my utmost to help."
Leyzon ended the conversation there.
He turned to Syria.
"Syria, I was planning to leave the Ged Mountains soon, but the goal's changed."
A new objective had arisen.
"Find the Gray Mage Tower Lord."
Seek the one who was once the pinnacle of necromancers.
Gray Mage Tower Lord.
He was an elderly man, frail with age.
He had even considered retirement before the Gray Mage Tower fell.
But right after the Empire ordered the capture of necromancers.
He evacuated the necromancers and vanished.
The Gray Mage Tower was demolished by the Empire.
Afterward, there was no word from the Gray Mage Tower Lord's affiliates.
But the Night Crows eventually learned he was in the Ged Mountains.
The Ged Mountains were vast.
Finding someone here was like searching for a needle in a desert.
But the Five had led a team specifically for this.
His presence meant he had a way to find him.
So Leyzon had Syria subjugate all of the Five's subordinates.
"Leyzon, this one's impossible for me."
The priest among them couldn't be subjugated due to his holy power.
It repelled Syria's domination.
"There is a way to corrupt him into a follower of the Evil Transcendent."
"Leave that alone."
Dungeon Replay featured concepts like Transcendents.
Beings rivaling gods.
Little was known about Transcendents.
But the Evil Transcendent line was best avoided.
'Messing with Evil Transcendents carries huge risks.'
Even necromancers shunned them.
Better to steer clear.
"Dispose of him."
"Yes."
But knowing about them, there was no reason to let him live.
Leyzon ordered the execution and turned to the Five.
"Five, how will you handle your disappearance?"
"I was expendable anyway. I'm probably marked as dead to the Gray Mage Tower Lord."
But the Five said he couldn't relax.
"Still, they'll verify my death at least once. I'm an imperial agent, after all."
The Five's death needed confirmation.
So they'd send someone to check.
"Considering the mission and my death, they won't bother tracking me for about six months."
After that, even the Five looked uncertain.
He couldn't send the Five back to the palace either.
There was a necromancer there.
Subjugation would almost certainly be exposed.
"Alright, then search the Ged Mountains with the remaining men."
"Yes, understood."
After sending the Five and his men to search.
Leyzon began his own search of the Ged Mountains.
The method was simple.
Syria created shadow bats to scour the entire range.
Far more reliable than Leyzon running around on foot.
While the Five and Syria actively hunted the Gray Mage Tower Lord.
Leyzon roamed mid-tier dungeons with Hanok.
Leyzon had already filled his ascension EXP long ago.
All he needed was to meet the ascension conditions.
To reach 9th Ascension, he had to clear eight mid-tier dungeons.
Leyzon returned to the inn.
"Ah, Leyzon! You're back?"
Hanok emerged from inside, yawning.
He'd returned later than expected.
So after parting with Lina, he'd slept at the inn.
Messy bedhead showed he'd slept deeply.
"Hanok, get some good rest?"
"Y-yeah, sure?"
Leyzon grinned at Hanok.
Now that he knew the Empire was hunting the Abyss.
He couldn't afford to slack.
"Let's go clear some dungeons."
Leyzon resolved to push his ascension.
"Right now?"
"Of course."
Strike while the iron's hot.
Hanok fumbled but quickly prepared.
He wanted to fill his ascension EXP too.
Thus, Leyzon and Hanok hit the dungeons daily.
Hanok steadily accumulated ascension EXP alongside Leyzon.
"Leyzon, this is my first dungeon boot camp."
"Tough?"
"It's fun!"
True to his battle-loving race.
Even dungeon after dungeon, day and night, Hanok's tail wagged.
"Kiiing."
Plus, Haron gained EXP quickly thanks to Hanok.
Growing like a weed.
'Thanks to that [Ascension Fang] we got.'
Good growth trajectory.
At this rate, Hanok would ascend again soon.
10th Ascension marked upper-tier pioneer.
Then they could aim for upper-tier dungeons.
'And I have one task too.'
Leyzon had recently completed 8th Ascension.
Meaning overall stat boosts, of course.
But most importantly, an extra skill slot.
'Got a bunch of skills lately.'
But he still suffered from chronic mana drain.
To fix it, he needed to slay the Sahā Realm dungeon's boss Phantasmal Beast.
'Gotta return to the Sahā Realm eventually.'
After meeting the Gray Mage Tower Lord, the Judgment Lord would be gone.
Leyzon set his next destination after the Gray Mage Tower Lord as the Sahā Realm.
In spare moments, he read the transcribed Poison Necromancer spellbook.
Hoping to gain magic from it.
If possible, no need to hunt skills in dungeons.
So he studied diligently in every gap.
'No clue what any of it says.'
By the campfire.
Leyzon squinted at the book.
He wasn't originally from Dungeon Replay.
Just had game knowledge.
He was a modern man.
'Mana usage feels instinctive.'
But written theoretically? No understanding.
"Tch."
Leyzon closed the book in frustration.
This spellbook was like a specialized textbook.
No way an outsider could grasp it.
'Maybe show it to the Gray Mage Tower Lord for insights.'
Leyzon tapped the transcribed book's cover with his finger.
"Oh."
Suddenly, an idea hit; he stopped.
One thing.
A skill popped into his mind.
'Among common skills, there's something similar.'
A skill for rapidly acquiring book knowledge.
Speed Reading Acquisition [C].
In this skill-saturated era, what use? But now...
'If I can absorb the book's content.'
Might use the spellbook's magic.
Leyzon's eyes gleamed.
Common skills were easy to find.
Black market skill shops had them occasionally.
'No reason not to test it.'
Sahā Realm dungeon and common skill.
New priorities emerged.
"Leyzon!"
Just then, Syria's voice rang out.
Leyzon turned; Syria emerged from his shadow.
"Found the Gray Mage Tower Lord!"
The Gray Mage Tower Lord had appeared!