Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: West, the Cursed Demon King
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Heading west in search of the third undead had already taken several weeks.
The empire was vast.
Even Syria's shadow wolf took time to traverse the distance.
They hadn't stopped at any dungeons along the way.
Leyzon had prioritized speed to minimize the risk of being caught by the Sword Saint.
He'd even avoided entering the Resonance World as a precaution.
If Leyzon dipped into the Resonance World and response was delayed, it would be game over.
He'd deliberately kept the tension high.
Yet the Sword Saint hadn't shown so much as a glimpse.
'Looks like we've shaken him off for good.'
Once they found the Cursed Demon King, circling back to a dungeon might be fine.
'Time to swing by a village soon, too.'
Supplies were starting to run low.
They needed to restock in the nearest settlement.
"Leyzon, look over there!"
At Syria's words, Leyzon lifted his head.
A vast sunflower field stretched out before them.
The densely packed sunflowers all gazed rigidly skyward.
Intertwined with the sinking orange sun and drifting clouds, it was breathtakingly beautiful.
This was the Horizon Sunflower Field.
A landmark on the route west through the empire.
The scene was far more stunning than any dot-graphic render.
Leyzon was genuinely awed.
He hadn't realized it was this gorgeous.
The crimson shadow wolf darted through the sunflowers.
A breeze swept in, gently swaying the blooms.
"Pretty."
Hanok gaped in shared appreciation, taking in the view.
"Leyzon, there's movement among the sunflowers."
That's when Syria sensed something.
It had been weeks since linking up with Hanok and pushing west.
They'd avoided well-trodden paths.
Encounters with people were exceedingly rare.
So at the mention of activity, Leyzon's eyes sharpened.
Was the Sword Saint on their tail after all?
"The Sword Saint?"
"No. Someone's being chased by imperial soldiers."
"Chased through a sunflower field like this."
"The one fleeing is a Half Dark Elf, just like you, Leyzon."
Leyzon's brow furrowed.
He was a Half Dark Elf himself.
"And get this—they seem to be a Poison Necromancer."
Leyzon grasped the situation instantly.
A necromancer, fleeing imperial troops into this remote spot, had been spotted.
A rare Poison Necromancer at that.
Leyzon rolled up his sleeves.
Fellow professionals had to stick together.
"Syria, go save them."
Of course, he wouldn't be the one doing the saving—Syria would.
"Got it!"
With her reply, Syria summoned shadows.
'Another Poison Necromancer.'
An insidious smile curled on Leyzon's lips.
Whoever it was, he wanted a peek at their build.
Horizon Sunflower Field.
A boy raced through it.
The dark elf boy panted heavily as he ran.
Footsteps pursued relentlessly.
Crack! Thud!
"He went that way."
"Corner him!"
Voices echoed from beyond the thick sunflower stalks.
Terror made the boy shrink instinctively.
These were imperial soldiers chasing him.
And why? His eye color.
Ashen gray irises.
The mark of a necromancer.
"H-Huh."
The boy desperately squeezed out mana.
A fist-sized clump of poison aura formed in his hand.
He was a Poison Necromancer among necromancers.
Clutching it tight, he sprinted onward.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, an imperial soldier leaped in front.
"Got you!"
The swift soldier had flanked him.
As the soldier swung his sword, the boy flung his hand without hesitation.
The poison clump burst outward.
"Kehk! Gah!"
The soldier charging him coughed violently, staggering.
The boy slipped through the gap.
But luck only held so long.
He'd pulled this trick multiple times already.
Bursting from the sunflowers, another soldier blocked his path.
Wearing anti-poison gear over his face.
Thwack!
Before the boy could react, the spear shaft whipped across him.
He flew back, tumbling across the ground.
"Guh... ugh."
The impact choked his breath, starving his lungs of air.
Pain hammered his body.
Drip...
Blood trickled from his forehead.
"What a pain."
The soldier approached.
The boy writhed, trying to flee.
But his body wouldn't obey.
Exhausted from the chase already.
Of all places, caught out of the forest.
His luck was rotten.
'M-Master.'
As he clawed the dirt calling for his master,
Thud.
The soldier's boots halted before him.
His spear tip glinted in the sun.
All the boy could do was stare skyward like a sunflower.
Nothing else.
The finishing spear plunged down.
The boy's eyes squeezed shut.
"Grah?!"
The soldier's scream followed.
The boy's eyes flew open in shock.
The soldier stood frozen, vomiting blood.
Something pierced his gut.
A crimson shadow.
Whoosh!
The shadow dragged him into the sunflowers.
Silence followed.
The poison-afflicted soldier had vanished too.
Eerily quiet.
Only wind through petals reached his ears.
His ragged breaths echoed.
No sign of his pursuers.
Thud... thud...
Then, massive footsteps approached.
Frozen in fear, the boy couldn't move.
Something parted the sunflowers.
A gigantic crimson shadow wolf.
It gazed down silently,
then sighed disappointedly.
"Tch, nothing worth keeping."
The boy couldn't comprehend the voice from the wolf.
The dark elf boy Leyzon had Syria rescue.
Leyzon eyed him from the shadows, smacking his lips.
The kid's level was disappointingly low.
He'd hoped for build insights from a local necromancer.
But zilch.
'What now.'
Leyzon pondered, observing the boy.
Visually, mid-teens at best.
'Dark elves are long-lived, so probably not that young.'
Still, he didn't look seasoned.
"A-Are you a necromancer?"
The boy spotted the shadow wolf and asked.
Leyzon saw no need to show his face.
Voice alone would do, as before.
"Yeah. The imperial soldiers chasing you? All handled. Don't worry."
He'd earned a debt anyway.
No harm in taking credit.
"Ah... haaa."
The dark elf boy's legs gave out, and he collapsed.
"Thank you. Truly, thank you."
He bowed repeatedly in gratitude.
Polite kid.
"Oh, I wanted to repay you for saving me."
"Nah. Necromancers gotta help each other out."
Leyzon waved it off.
No interest in a low-skill necromancer.
He planned to leave the boy and press on.
"R-Really? My master always says to repay favors."
That perked Leyzon's ears.
'Master.'
Another necromancer in the picture.
Obviously—a kid this young needed a teacher.
'Might get some build tips from this.'
Bonus: snag a skillbook as thanks for saving the apprentice.
Leyzon's eyes gleamed.
Grab what you can while it's hot.
"Your master a Poison Necromancer too?"
"Y-Yes."
Leyzon's grin widened.
'Heh, lucky me.'
A fellow Poison Necromancer.
Hiding from the empire all this time.
Must wield advanced poison magic.
'Wonder what skillbooks they've got.'
Skills unavailable on the black market.
He'd drooled over them dozens of times.
'Money's there, but can't buy 'em.'
Regret gnawed often.
And crucially, Poison Necromancer manuscripts.
'Speed Reading Mastery didn't unlock the manuscript skills.'
After acquiring Speed Reading Mastery [C], he'd reread the manuscript.
Memorized content fast, but without grasping the core magic, he couldn't cast.
'I did set up a meet with Poison Spider, though.'
Still time left.
Worth hearing from another Poison Necromancer first.
"I'm a bit interested in Poison Necromancer magic. Could you introduce me to your master? I'd like their thoughts."
"Of course! Master will be thrilled!"
The dark elf boy agreed eagerly.
Leyzon smirked slyly, out of the boy's sight.
"L-Leyzon, your smile's scary."
Hanok whispered aside.
Leyzon didn't hear.
"I'll guide you right away."
The boy struggled to stand on wobbly legs, toppling repeatedly.
"Walking'll take too long. Hop on and guide from up here."
Leyzon stopped him, lifting the boy onto the wolf.
His eyes widened at the elevated view, clearly thrilled.
Kid stuff.
The black wolf moved as the boy directed.
Meanwhile, a thought crossed Leyzon's mind.
'Come to think of it.'
Poison Necromancers were rare even among necromancers.
How many skilled survivors remained?
'Not many, I'd bet.'
A hunch hit.
Was this master... Poison Spider?
Circumstances fit suspiciously.
"What's your name?"
"Piran."
The boy answered, realizing he'd forgotten.
"Piran, does your master handle spider-related poisons?"
Piran’s eyes bulged at the direct question.
"Do you know my master?"
Bingo.
Leyzon chuckled wryly.
'Know him?'
Pen pals, yeah.
'Poison Spider.'
Sorry.
Got impatient and showed up in the real world.
Hope you don't mind moving up the meet.
'On my way now.'