Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Became the Gallery's Only Reptile
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"Legion Commander!"
BOOM!
A motley crew of guests had arrived at the sanctuary of the dead, a place no living being dared to set foot in.
"Where's the Legion Commander?"
"Clack. Clack-clack. Clack?"
"Damn it! What the hell are you saying?!"
A dragonkin with reptilian scales on his cheeks—a Dragonian.
A tiger beastman with fiery red hair.
A succubus with bat wings and a voluptuous figure.
A demon whose reverse gaze was concealed beneath armor.
"Legion Commander!"
"Enough. What is all this racket?"
In a place where only the chattering of skeletons' teeth should echo, this clamor was unprecedented.
Who dared act so boldly?
The Legion Commander who ruled this sanctuary of the dead, the Lich, eyed his guests and stroked his bare skull as he grasped their identities.
"Legion Commander!"
"Why did you only show up now?"
"To barge in unannounced and then complain like that—how brazen."
The Lich had plenty he wanted to say.
This reckless intrusion was utterly shameless.
If they had been ordinary demons or true intruders, he would have ripped out their hearts, incorporated them into his legion, and doomed them to eternal torment.
But the Lich held back.
The reason was their position: none other than the highest executives of the Demon King's army.
'The Four Heavenly Kings, no less—those who wield power enough to sway the tide of war.'
With war looming, an empty seat among the Four Heavenly Kings could invite unforeseen variables.
Thus, the Lich couldn't bring himself to rebuke them and could only ask plainly why they had come.
And the astonishing answer to the Lich's question was...
"Why are we here? No real reason."
"...What?"
"Just dropping by because we were bored."
The others nodded in agreement, their smugness infuriating.
For a moment, the Lich seriously considered wiping them out—Four Heavenly Kings be damned—and turning them into his minions.
Of course, invoking thoughts of the Demon King, his loyalty, and the greater cause, along with uncharacteristic patience, prevented any incident.
"Even the Four Heavenly Kings have no right to invade my territory on a whim."
But while no incident occurred, the Lich's temper was on the verge of erupting.
A single misstep here, and the Four Heavenly Kings might become the Three—or even Two.
"Haha, just kidding! Come on, Legion Commander, you're no fun."
"Looks like my legion's getting some new recruits today."
"Hey, I said it was a joke! You think we'd come here for no reason?!"
Yeah, probably.
Given their antics so far and this display, it seemed entirely plausible.
"Then why are you here?"
"Legion Commander, your legion is the true undead horde that withstands even holy power. But reports say there's an oddly avoided sector. Can you explain why?"
"......"
That's why.
Only then did the Lich realize why the Four Heavenly Kings had swarmed in together.
With a massive war on the horizon, skirting certain areas would naturally raise suspicions.
"The Demon King already approved that. You're not questioning his decision, are you?"
"Who's questioning? We just wanted the real reason."
"Right. We all know your power, so it's just curious. Why avoid those areas specifically?"
They had come for the reason.
But could he really tell them?
The Lich grew concerned.
Would revealing it demoralize the allies needlessly?
With war imminent, such news reaching the Four Heavenly Kings could spell disaster.
No, they might actually get fired up and be even more useful.
They had fearlessly come here, after all.
And were they ordinary madmen?
For normal folk, no need to tell—but these were different.
"Very well. I'll tell you."
With that, the Lich resolved to unveil his secret.
Clack-clack.
Before beginning, guests they were, so he couldn't leave them standing.
With a casual gesture from the Lich, nearby skeleton soldiers brought chairs and light snacks for the Four Heavenly Kings and himself.
"What? You're just bones—do you even eat this stuff?"
"I don't. It's merely to entertain guests."
The Lich shook his head at the succubus's words, waving for them to eat.
As the Four Heavenly Kings began munching, the prepared Lich slowly spoke.
"Those who should know the source of my power already do."
"Hmph! Who doesn't?"
"Exactly. Your power comes from the Death Tyrant himself."
"Then you know my name derives from the Lich King."
"Lich King? The Death Tyrant was called the Lich King?"
"News to me."
"...I see."
Ordinary folk wouldn't know.
A true name unrecorded in history.
A secret known only to the Lich who inherited that power.
Well, now from the Demon King down to the Four Heavenly Kings, quite a few knew.
"The Lich King was the first necromancer of ancient times. How mighty his power is—you who know my strength should grasp it well."
How could they not?
That very power had elevated the Lich to the Demon King's right hand.
And while war could proceed without the Four Heavenly Kings, without the Lich, it might not start at all—he was indispensable.
"Inheriting the Lich King's power, I was continually awestruck. The more I understood it, the more I saw its flawless perfection, devoid of weaknesses. How unfair."
"So what does that have to do with this?"
"I'll explain now."
Yes, this was the crux.
Why did this supposedly impeccable power force him to cower from certain areas like a coward?
"Do you know the common trait of the areas I avoid?"
"Hmm? Didn't check that far."
"Dragon nests. Or any place tied to dragons, even small ones."
"Dragon lairs?"
"No, not western dragons—true dragons."
Snap.
The Lich snapped his fingers, signaling correctness.
"Precisely. The areas I avoid are all habitats of dragon-related beings."
The reason was simple: facing dragons drastically weakened his power.
Exerting 100 units of strength before a dragon yielded barely 10, even with focus.
More than halved—leaving him clinging to life by a thread.
"Why?!"
"Is there a problem?"
"A problem? Yes, indeed."
But this wasn't mere ability deficiency.
As he'd said earlier, no such weakness existed.
"My power weakens not due to any flaw in the ability."
"Then?"
"It's the Lich King's lingering will attached to the power interfering."
Solve that will, and his power would be truly flawless.
And the Lich knew how!
"Then just fix it right now."
"Impossible."
Yet he shook his head.
He knew the method, but couldn't—shouldn't—execute it.
'Why does the Lich King's will weaken power before dragons? Severe trauma-induced PTSD.'
Given the Lich King's nature, slaying the culprit would resolve it easily.
The issue was the culprit's identity.
Shudder.
'Even imagining it makes my hands tremble.'
Inheriting the legacy, the Lich had witnessed the King's final moments in the residual will.
The monster that inflicted trauma so deep death couldn't end it—and granted true death.
[Suuuuuuh.]
I take a deep breath.
Mana naturally dissolved in the air flows into me as always.
My body grows healthier, the energy within stronger.
[Fuuuuuuh.]
Unlike the intake, my exhale holds no mana.
It's fully absorbed into my body.
Throb.
But the process brought intense pain.
An unmistakable anomaly, never felt before.
Someone might cry foul with the Lich King right there, but no misunderstanding—it's self-inflicted karma.
[Suuuuuuh. *Cough*.]
-Groooan. Y-You mad bastard. To think you'd go this far.
Taem hurts as much as I do.
No, more than me.
Why? What has breathing itself become agony for us?
-You psycho Imoogi! Smashing the Yeouiju right before a fight? Were you trying to die here?! Didn't you want to become a dragon?!
'Watch your words. I didn't smash it—just cracked it a bit.'
That's right.
Before facing the Lich King, I personally damaged the Yeouiju inside me.
Ah, not fully destroyed.
With long recovery needed, but fixable—I controlled the force.
Why this madness? Watch the upcoming fight; it'll become clear.
If spoiling a bit... I preemptively stopped Taem from any nonsense?
[Fuuuuuuh. *Cough*.]
-Gaaaah!