Chapter 64
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Star Shadow (5)
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The fight ended in the blink of an eye.
Ilrak could only join her friends after the flames on her axe had died down.
Bran, facing her, held out his fist.
"You showed 'em, Ilrak. You're the best, as always."
"Hmph, obviously."
Ilrak bumped fists with him, baring her teeth in a grin.
The MVP of this battle.
Even with her muscles pumped up like some battle manga protagonist, she still looked as ethereal as a fairy.
Was this the suspension bridge effect?
"So, any trouble?"
"Not really? Except for almost roasting Benden alive about five times because I couldn't control the flames."
"...Huh?"
"Haha! Make it seven times, actually!"
Benden's laughter echoed from not far away.
He was wandering through the ruins of Namm's chamber, picking up anything that still looked usable.
His soot-blackened face, like a miner's, was proof enough of his ordeal.
"But it was truly valuable time! Shame I didn't get to see an intact shaman's room, but wandering every corner of that tent made me happy. An experience I'll never forget."
His cheerful attitude, unbecoming of someone who'd nearly died, had its reasons.
His backpack, stuffed with relics, had ballooned to nearly five times his own size.
"You worked hard too, Benden."
"It was something I wanted to do—no hardship about it! I grabbed every relic worth preserving. Now the world will know just how glorious Kargai was!"
Benden guffawed.
Seeing him genuinely happy made Bran chuckle along.
If it had been anyone but Benden, they wouldn't have salvaged that much loot.
Like a magnet pet or something.
Either way, both had carried out their missions splendidly.
"Glad it worked out."
The missions of arson and relic collection.
Bran let out a sigh of relief.
"Phew..."
It was one of the strategies he'd discovered.
Burning the tent drives out the spirits, drastically lowering the Star Shadow boss fight's difficulty.
All of Star Shadow's patterns consume spirits, after all.
'Let the spirit devouring go unchecked, and you're done for. Guess I cleared even the hidden boss on easy mode.'
The game strategy had worked here too.
That's why he'd smashed the warehouse even harder than Namm's chamber.
A warehouse full of magical tools infused with beast souls was nothing less than Star Shadow's auxiliary battery.
Bran muttered to himself.
"Man, that firepower defies logic."
He was staring at the hole Ilrak had blasted through.
Where the tent had vanished, a vast plain stretched out.
Stray embers fluttered in the night breeze like threads.
'Even with crimson stone support, there's a limit.'
Honestly, he hadn't expected her to pull it off this spectacularly.
He'd have been impressed if she'd burned even thirty percent, but she'd torched almost the whole thing.
It made her ridiculous damage resistance look tame by comparison.
Ilrak shook her head.
"I nearly passed out myself. What the hell did that bastard Alto give me?"
"Crimson stone. Told you it was good stuff."
Crimson stone amplified fire power.
A rare material essential for any flame mage's staff.
Its synergy with Ilrak, who wielded heat as her main force, was nothing short of fantastical.
A gift worthy of that shadowy, lanky uncle.
"Didn't think it'd be this good, though."
"Means Alto thinks highly of you. A crimson stone that size is rare even in the Crimson Tower."
"Heh."
"Why not write him a thank-you note?"
"A—a thank-you note? Blech!"
Ilrak gagged.
The scales on her tail were bristling—she clearly hated the idea.
"Write a letter to that guy?! You serious?"
"He'd probably like it. Why not?"
"Don't be ridiculous. You don't know his personality. Guy's just nuts."
He was pretty sure he knew Alto better than she did right now, but he kept it to himself.
She had common sense, despite appearances.
After a moment's silence, Ilrak scratched her nape.
"Fine, whatever... I owe him, so I guess I should say thanks."
"Smart thinking."
Good call.
Alto would definitely be thrilled.
Maintaining good relations with a mighty pureblood fire dragon was never a bad move.
Bran murmured,
"That leaves two tasks."
Bran rubbed his face dry and turned.
They'd shared their reunion joy; time to get serious again.
Two tasks remained.
Lifting the curse on this land and restoring Namm's mind.
"Urgh...!"
Kael's battle was still ongoing.
"Hang in there, Kael."
He was still holding Namm in the same position as before.
Vast divine power churned visibly, flowing out.
Rahir and Arajan stood guard beside them, faces etched with worry.
"Lady."
"Grrk. Argh, aaagh!"
Namm was still convulsing.
Her writhing and screaming were heartbreaking to watch.
Arajan asked,
"Bran, why hasn't Namm snapped out of it even after we beat the enemy?"
"This isn't his doing."
The one who'd broken Namm was the one she called her master.
A being far stronger and more dangerous than Star Shadow could ever be.
Her master had twisted Namm's mind with honeyed words and planted fragments of an outer god in her head.
"Is there nothing more we can do to help?"
"Nope."
Bran shook his head firmly.
"From here on, it's between Kael and Namm. Our job is just to trust them."
That's why seeing Kargai Plateau's happy ending was so tough.
Defeating Star Shadow and restoring Namm's mind were separate challenges.
Bran was certain fewer than fifty players, including himself, had ever seen the "perfect" happy ending.
Arajan nodded reluctantly.
"......Fine. Got it."
"It'll be okay. Our peanut's amazing."
"Even if something happens to Namm, I won't blame you all. By the way, I've been meaning to ask since earlier."
"Yeah? What?"
"Why'd you spare that thing?"
Arajan jerked her chin.
Star Shadow twitched inside a glass vial at Bran's feet.
Having failed to escape, it had shrunk even smaller.
At best, pinky-nail sized.
Its squished form now resembled fruit jelly.
"We need it to lift the curse on the plateau. Plus, it's got other uses."
"Killing it wouldn't break the curse?"
"It would, but this way's better."
By now, the thing must have come to its senses.
Bran tapped the vial.
"Hey. You listening?"
【Urk, ugh.】
"Lift the curse."
Shrunk down, its voice was smaller and cuter too.
Star Shadow let out a low chuckle.
【......Funny thing, insect. Think I'll listen to the likes of you?】
"You will. Or I'll hand you over to the Pantheon."
【P-Pantheon?】
"Yeah. Specifically, their apostles. You serve a master from this world, so you get what that means."
The Pantheon was the capital's temple housing all gods.
Seeing it flinch like it'd been pricked by a needle, Bran figured it understood.
He continued,
"You wouldn't know, but our world's gods are seriously pissed right now. At idiots like you and your master. Unknown riffraff keep disrupting the world's order."
【......】
"So types like you are highly valuable. Among otherworld invaders, few have your intelligence and ability to communicate. Mortals will pull out torture techniques you can't even imagine to get answers."
Silence fell.
Its pondering expression confirmed its high intelligence once more.
It knew being dragged to the Pantheon was worse than swallowing its pride.
Finally, a reply.
【...I'll lift the curse.】
"Should've done that from the start. Free the souls tied to the land too."
【The souls are already free. You think I could maintain power in this state?】
Fair point.
That explained the lack of charging wraiths.
Whoosh!
The hidden boss of the Cursed King's Tent, Star Shadow, casts [Curse Decomposition]!
A red ripple burst from inside the vial.
The message appeared simultaneously.
Proof Bran's threat had worked.
Stunned, Ilrak cursed.
"Shit, what the hell?!"
"This energy...!"
Unbelievable scale from such a tiny body.
The ripple spread instantly, vanishing beyond the horizon.
【It's done.】
The light faded.
But despite the flashy effect, the plateau showed no change.
Arajan's brow furrowed.
"Done? Nothing changed."
【Just wait. Old curse—takes time.】
Its voice dripped with confidence.
As it said, change came swiftly.
Shoooo...
Over the land the wave had swept, dark red smoke began rising.
The curse consuming the plateau was dissipating.
The grass where smoke escaped turned green again.
Arajan's eyes widened.
"That's...!"
"Makes it vanish faster this way."
His own little trick.
Killing Star Shadow outright would break the curse, but too slowly.
One [Curse Decomposition] sped Kargai's recovery immensely.
Star Shadow asked,
【Anything else?】
"What? Why so cooperative all of a sudden?"
【Changed my mind. I want to live.】
"What?"
【I'll help you. Can't die like this.】
Bran's eyes widened.
First time something like this in all his Returner runs.
Its blunt honesty drew a dry laugh from him.
"What a clown. All that 'master' talk, and no loyalty?"
【Nothing matters more than survival. And as you know, I'm strong. Keep me, and I'll be a huge asset.】
"Ooh..."
Intriguing, honestly.
In a game, he'd seriously consider recruiting it.
A boss you'd just fought offering to pet itself? Passing up that kind of fun choice was hard.
Bran nodded.
"Alright. Deal."
Ilrak and Benden gasped.
"Wh-what?! You sane?!"
"Mercy, man!"
Even Rahir, tending the lady, looked over in shock.
Anyone could see the ulterior motives—why accept?!
"......"
Only Arajan stayed unfazed.
The stunned Star Shadow spoke.
【......For real?】
"Yeah. I don't lie."
Bran picked up the vial.
Roll, roll. Plop.
Star Shadow tumbled onto his palm, shouting excitedly.
【Excellent choice. You won't regret it!】
"I know. Truth is, I planned to take you from the start."
【What?】
"Bringing you along was one of my goals coming to Kargai."
Bran grinned.
He held Star Shadow out to Arajan.
She scooped up the squishy blob and nodded.
"Understood."
Then popped it into her mouth.
Jelly-sized, no resistance at all.
A low note of bewilderment escaped her closing lips.
【Wha—】
That was it.
Gulp.
Arajan swallowed Star Shadow.
Chew thoroughly to avoid issues.
Bran said,
"Just your abilities, of course."
Second reason he hadn't killed it outright.
Eat raw for faster ability devouring.
About ten seconds passed.
Defeated the hidden boss of the Cursed King's Tent, Star Shadow!