Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Exciting Poison Research Time
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Fun poison research time.
Or so he said, but in truth, the research itself couldn't begin right away.
Copying the manuscript wasn't something that could be done overnight.
So Leyzon instructed the Poison Spider to make an extra copy on his own.
"I'm too busy to stick around in one place."
He could meet the Poison Spider in the Resonance World anyway.
There was no need to linger here for long.
'Come to think of it, there must be a few dungeons in the Forest of Worlds.'
He'd stop by on his way back from the west.
〔Understood. I'll copy them all.〕
The Poison Spider diligently followed Leyzon's orders and got to work.
He wanted to study it himself, too.
Being able to wield magic without a skillbook.
He had no idea just how much merit that would bring.
In the meantime, with the Poison Spider's permission, Leyzon poked around his workshop.
The Poison Spider had been experimenting with various poison combinations there.
Leyzon could also review the research notes he'd compiled so far.
And among them, one document stood out the most.
This was something even Leyzon hadn't considered.
'I've been relying on game knowledge for skills.'
The power of poison simply grew stronger with higher ranks.
He hadn't thought the type of poison itself would change.
'This is why local knowledge matters.'
No matter how thoroughly Leyzon mastered every skill, it couldn't compare to what the people living here had experienced firsthand.
'Skills are ultimately products created through the talents unearthed by the Kal Thura Empire.'
They had to have some original form at their core.
"Interesting."
The Poison Spider's research notes were quite captivating.
His knowledge of poisons had broadened far beyond the basics.
With research like this, Leyzon started looking forward to the copied manuscript, too.
'Found the right guy.'
Leyzon thought as he continued surveying the lab.
His eyes landed on a bookshelf.
Leyzon's eyes widened slightly at the sight.
And for good reason—the shelves were lined entirely with skillbooks.
Every single one related to the Poison Necromancer class.
He'd seen some of these on the black market before, but he'd steered clear, suspecting they were traps set by the Empire.
And among them, two skills caught Leyzon's eye the most.
Both A-rank skills.
Superior versions of the ones Leyzon had been using up to now.
'If I get these...'
Fusion magic would reach absurd new levels of power.
Gulp.
Leyzon swallowed hard.
He felt like he'd turned into some explosion-obsessed mad wizard.
'But explosions have their own beauty.'
Stronger. More decisive. The ultimate killing blow.
Leyzon still craved even greater destructive force.
He stepped out of the lab.
Seeing the Poison Spider had finished some copying, Leyzon put on a serious face.
"Poison Spider."
A flicker of confusion crossed the Poison Spider's eyes.
He looked fearful, unsure what Leyzon might say next.
"Those two skillbooks in the study—sell them to me?"
The Poison Spider blinked at the question.
Then tilted his head.
〔They're just A-rank skills at best.〕
A-rank skills were what high-tier Pioneers typically used.
He never imagined someone of Leyzon's caliber would want them.
The Poison Spider still didn't know Leyzon was an 8-Ascension Pioneer.
To him, Leyzon was just an incredibly dangerous Necromancer.
"It's fine. I need them."
The Poison Spider pondered briefly before jumping to his own conclusion.
'The manuscript aside, maybe he's shoring up the fundamentals.'
Skills improved with use, gaining proficiency over time.
Magic skills especially benefited from this.
'Mastering shadow magic like that, and now building up poison magic too... impressive.'
The Poison Spider looked at Leyzon with genuine admiration.
Pure respect for him as a fellow Necromancer.
〔Of course. After you saved my disciple? It's the least I can do.〕
They were skillbooks he couldn't sell anyway, thanks to the Empire.
Just dusty tomes gathering cobwebs on the shelf.
If someone would use them, he was happy to hand them over.
Leyzon grinned brightly at his generosity.
'Yep, my eye for people is spot on.'
He'd have to get closer to the Poison Spider from now on.
The Poison Spider and Leyzon.
Harboring completely opposite thoughts, their rapport continued.
Once the Poison Spider returned to copying,
Leyzon decided to swap skills.
The process itself was straightforward.
'First, pull out a blank skillbook.'
Leyzon rummaged in his bag and laid out some skillbooks.
Then placed his hand on one.
With the incantation, a magic circle etched itself into the skillbook.
The green circle appeared, then slowly faded.
In its place, the words "Fierce Poison Spread" inscribed themselves on the cover.
Leyzon felt a part of himself—a skill—vanish from his body.
"Hmm."
Erasing a skill was a first for him.
Pretty intriguing, actually.
'Looking at it this way, aren't skillbooks basically talent thieves?'
Leyzon stroked his chin, examining the book closely.
Unfortunately, he couldn't glean much from his own perspective.
But given the sheer volume of skillbooks mass-produced daily,
they didn't quite feel like some ultra-rare tool.
'Phantasmal Beasts, humans, skillbooks.'
Those three elements had to align to trigger the process.
'Digging deeper, Phantasmal Beasts must be monsters forged from bundled talents.'
He was still in the dark about dungeons and Phantasmal Beasts.
Why did they possess skills? Why did skillbooks absorb them?
No clue.
'Some hero-tier Phantasmal Beasts have intelligence, from what I recall.'
Asking one might yield answers.
Leyzon set aside the pondering for now.
No way to find out yet.
Time to acquire the skills.
He opened another skillbook.
And promptly transferred Fierce Poison Explosion into it as well.
The two inscribed books went into his subspace bag for safekeeping.
'Now for the main course.'
Leyzon immediately opened one of the new skillbooks.
Placing a hand on each.
Whoosh—
Moments later, the text and magic circles lifted from the books.
They were absorbed straight into Leyzon's body.
He felt new skills filling the empty slots.
The satisfying fullness was quite pleasant.
Leyzon stood and stepped outside.
Raising one hand smoothly.
"Fierce Poison Emission."
Purple mist billowed from his palm.
Its hue evoked morning glories.
Mana consumption was higher than before.
But the venom's aura felt far more ferocious.
Then inky black poison began seeping in.
Poison Aroma [SS].
A passive boosting poison-attribute magic attack power.
'Boost from Poison Aroma feels stronger too.'
Performance varied with the innate poison type.
Now, he could wipe out those Earthhold Layer spiders in seconds.
Leyzon waved his hand, dispersing the Fierce Poison Emission around him.
Next up.
"Fierce Poison Eruption."
The black mist condensed in an instant.
BOOM!
It exploded, shaking the surroundings.
Birds scattered in the distance.
Purple afterglow lingered.
Plants withered under the floral-scented poison.
Leyzon dispelled the spell.
'Roughly double the power.'
The rank-up was palpably clear.
'And...'
The fusion magic this would enable? Insanely potent.
Heh.
Leyzon chuckled softly.
Feeling himself grow stronger step by step was real.
"The Empire's next on the list soon enough."
Leyzon sensed eyes on him and turned.
There was Piran, peeking from behind the door.
"Piran."
Leyzon waved, and Piran came out beaming.
His master, the Poison Spider, was wary of Leyzon.
But the disciple saw no evil in him.
Leyzon rummaged in his pocket as the trusting boy approached.
"Want some jerky?"
"Yes!"
True to his Dark Elf blood.
Elves favored vegetables, but Dark Elves loved meat.
Piran chomped happily on the jerky.
Looked tasty.
"Piran, you're not a pureblood Dark Elf, right."
"Yeah, that's right."
Leyzon's question got a frank reply.
"Mom's a Dark Elf, Dad's an Elf."
About what he'd guessed.
"Dad's the Poison Spider?"
"Master? No. Master's Mom's friend."
Made sense—he wouldn't call him Master otherwise.
"Then your parents."
"They're gone. Mom was a Necromancer. Got captured by the Empire's army—no word since."
Not a cheerful tale.
"Dad... not sure. They said he died when I was little."
Piran finished the jerky.
Captured by the Empire.
'They don't just kill Necromancers outright.'
Maybe in that Necromancer prison the Empire supposedly runs.
[Leyzon, something's coming.]
Syria contacted him just then.
Leyzon looked up.
"Empire troops?"
[No. From deeper in the forest. This feeling...]
Syria paused, thinking, then realization dawned.
[Herbal scent. Elves. A bunch of them.]
Piran finally sensed it too, startling and staring into the woods.
"Wha—uhh."
He panicked, clutching Leyzon's clothes and hiding.
Leyzon waited.
Soon, silent elves emerged from the forest in numbers.
Striking looks, slender builds—all hallmarks.
They stepped out, spotted Leyzon and Piran, and scowled.
"Why's there another half-breed Dark Elf?"
"What's with this ugly mutt?"
"Human mongrel? What a waste of birth."
Dark Elves and Elves had bad blood since ancient times.
Opposing natures.
Dark Elves were always shunned among Elves.
Leyzon's face hardened watching this.
The Elves laughed, thinking him scared.
But his expression meant something else.
"Syria."
Leyzon called his undead.
"Don't kill them."
The words hit, and the Elves belatedly sensed wrongness.
The dense forest was sunlit.
Yet somehow...
Darkness fell like storm clouds.
Elves looked up one by one.
Their faces slowly stiffened.
Above the canopy.
Something crimson blanketed everything.
Drip... drip...
Blood rained down, soaking the forest floor.
Within the blood shroud.
A single scarlet eye opened silently, gazing down.
Grrrrr...
[Do you insolent pointy-eared worms know who this is?!]
Chilling air enveloped them.
Thick blood scent assaulted their noses.
Elves paled.
Some forgot to breathe, frozen.
Leyzon could overlook his own insults.
Syria could not.
Daring to mock her creator?
Unforgivable.
"Gahk—urk!"
Those who'd insulted Leyzon's looks writhed on the ground.
Clutching throats, gasping.
They'd die at this rate.
"Syria, that's enough."
Leyzon called once more.
The blood canopy vanished in a whoosh.
"Hic—eek."
Some Elves collapsed, babbling idiotically.
Others clawed at throats, desperate for air.
The lead male Elf, with feather adornments.
Only he cautiously spoke.
"...N-Noble one, what brings you to such a place?"
Manners instilled.