Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Became the Gallery's Only Reptile
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[......]
-......
It's chilly.
A dagger flying toward my chest... No, that's not it.
[Is this... the end?]
-Grrrrrr.
I blankly stared at the spot where the Lich King had last been.
To think it would escape using its final burst of strength.
I'd figured it would attack to the bitter end, even opting for self-destruction just to take me down. This caught me completely off guard.
[I'm such an idiot for letting it get away.]
It happened so unexpectedly that my reaction was delayed, and that's why I failed to finish off the Lich King for good.
Even now, trying to chase after it too late, the Lich King had crossed the spatial pathway and sealed the entrance shut right behind it.
Was it okay to let a monster known as the Tyrant of Death go free like this? But recalling how it had fled in panic, scared out of its wits...
'Somehow, I'm not too worried.'
The biggest issue, its skeleton soldiers, had all come over to my side, and I'd even absorbed most of its power.
Plus, its suicide attempt had left its body in tatters, so recovery wouldn't be easy.
Honestly, right now, dealing with this massive energy I'd absorbed from it took priority over the escaped Lich King.
'Feels like I overate at an all-you-can-eat buffet.'
You know, stuffing yourself beyond capacity until you can't even move at the end.
That's exactly how I felt now.
Of course, in my case, it was semi-forced—I had to eat it all or risk a massive explosion.
Wobble.
[Hm.]
I tried to turn my body a little, but that seemed impossible too.
I'd felt it just from that slight movement.
If I'd kept going, something bad definitely would've blown up.
'Sigh...'
To resolve this, I'd need to take time and slowly digest it.
But that method had the drawback of taking far longer than expected.
'The other way is quicker, though.'
The problem was it might upset my stomach, so to speak.
Honestly, I wanted to digest it properly over time.
I had no desire to go through the hassle of regurgitating what I'd eaten.
-Grrrrr. Quite the delicacy! Kuhahaha! Grrr!
But hearing that lively voice of Greed leaking from the Yeouiju made me want to reconsider.
No, it wasn't just because I disliked Greed.
There was a reason.
'What if it recovers its strength like this?'
So what I was doing was simply preventing Greed from regaining power.
[Huuuuph!]
-Grr? What are you...?
What else?
I was just trying to get comfortable a bit faster than slow digestion.
Gulp. Gulp.
'But if I spit it out like this, it might explode.'
Why had I eaten all this in the first place?
To prevent an explosion, right?
So I needed a method.
A way to expel the energy without it detonating.
'...Right, that thing.'
I had the perfect vessel for it.
One tough enough to contain the overflowing Lich King energy without breaking.
'The Yeouiju.'
Well, technically just a fragment from the crack in the Yeouiju.
Unlike before, when I'd coexisted with the same power inside and shattered it, this time it was a completely different energy. It shouldn't break easily.
'If it looks like it'll burst, I can just swallow it again.'
Though that would piss me off... and I'd have no choice but to digest it slowly then.
'Alright, steady my breathing.'
First, I'd reference the method I'd learned from the Lich King.
The Lich King hadn't spread absorbed black mana throughout its body like me; it accumulated it in specific areas.
I'd use that to send all the Lich King's energy into the Yeouiju fragment.
Shoooo...
-Grrrr?! W-Wait! What is this all of a sudden?
But then an unexpected issue cropped up.
The Yeouiju fragment was absorbing the black mana way too well.
I'd been cautious about any repulsion with the fragment's remaining power, but that worry was utterly unfounded.
Shooooaaa!
'But is this really okay?'
It's absorbing it too eagerly.
Was the Yeouiju actually more suited to the deathly aura of black mana wielded by the undead than the Five Elements energies?!
Of course, that was just my misconception.
More precisely, a peculiarity unique to the Yeouiju I used.
Other imoogi Yeouiju or a dragon's would react entirely differently.
Shooooaaa!
The reason mine reacted like that stemmed from my constitution even before becoming an imoogi.
Yeah, as everyone probably guessed, the culprit was the poison I'd had before.
Shooooaaa!!
Though it was the Dragon King's prepared Yeouiju, reforging it into my own by shattering the original had slightly altered it. It was smaller than standard, boosting stability and durability...
Shooooaaa!!!!
So it sucking it all in like a pink slime absorbing food wasn't that strange. Probably?
-Grrrrr! My snacks!
[Snacks?]
And just like that, the Yeouiju fragment devoured every bit of the Lich King's power without leaving a single crumb.
Now that my body felt light again, I'd better spit it out before Greed tried anything funny.
[Kahk.]
Ptooey.
Flinch.
"Huh?"
In a space so hot it felt like your whole body was burning just standing there.
Amid countless fire spirits flitting about, a black silhouette walking calmly tilted its head.
"Why am I sensing our little skeleton's presence from way over there?"
Hadn't I sent it near the Earth Spirit King's domain?
X, who had blended its presence into the surrounding darkness along with its form and space, tilted its head.
"It's not the type to die so easily."
I hadn't weakened it that much either.
X's doubt was justified.
After all the time and materials invested in creating the Lich King.
I'd expected it to take out at least three Spirit Kings, but the result was just one Earth Spirit King?
"Did they all band together to fight it in the meantime? But even then, the final self-destruct should've handled it."
But sensing its presence meant it hadn't self-destructed.
X even wondered if it had chickened out of the suicide.
Of course, the Lich King had been fully prepared to sacrifice itself, but unfortunately, its opponent led to an unfortunate misunderstanding.
"If I'd known, I should've stripped it of its ego completely."
Deciding to tweak future experiments slightly, X diligently climbed the mountain.
-Kyarrar!
-Take this firebomb!
"Whoa there."
X moved carefully, dodging the menacing fireballs playfully lobbed by fire spirits along the way.
Of course, even if hit, it wouldn't take much damage, but that would alert others to an outsider's presence.
Hop.
"Man, everyone's so full of energy."
X had already passed mid-level spirits and reached the area of high-level ones.
As the heat doubled in an instant, X fanned itself lightly and resolved to finish its objective quickly and leave.
"Now, was it over that way?"
High-level and even top-tier spirits passed right by without noticing X striding confidently.
If X harbored any ill intent like assassination, they'd be sitting ducks.
But since the purpose here wasn't murder, X simply concealed its presence and headed to its goal without showing force.
Bubble. Bubble.
"Phew~ So this is the Star's Crucible?"
Finally arriving at its destination: the volcano called the Star's Crucible, personally overseen by the Fire Spirit King.
Peering down at the boiling magma inside, X narrowed its eyes and scanned intently for what it sought.
"Hmm. Can't spot it with the naked eye."
No helping it then.
X checked for any onlookers, then thrust its head forward, infusing mana into its voice and calling out.
For its child, slumbering far below, to hear and come.
[Rakea~ Mommy's here~.]
Crackle-zap!
And it worked perfectly.
In response to X's words, white lightning suddenly surged from the lava.
Whoosh!
-Y-You! How dare you come here!
"Long time no see, Rakea~ Have you been well?"
-D-Do you know what this place is?!
Crackle-zap!
With Rakea's shout, pure white lightning flashed from its snowy blade.
Recognizing it as the same power from when it burst through the lava, X rested a hand on its chin intriguingly.
"Using power without a master, and white lightning? That's a new feature since I made you. Quite interesting."
-Shut up!
Worst case.
Rakea charged at X, blade wrapped in lightning.
A blatant killing blow aimed straight for the chest.
But X didn't dodge—instead, it extended a hand.
Thud.
It effortlessly gripped Rakea's hilt, suppressing its power.
-Huh?
"Who do you think made you?"
-W-What is this...
"Up close, it's even more fascinating. The demonic sword nature is completely dead. The Star's Crucible's power?"
-Let go!
Crackle-zzzap!
"Stay still."
Psssh.
-Eeeek!
Powerless.
Couldn't thrash even if it wanted to—body wouldn't obey.
Why? What had it done?
"Amusing idea."
Finishing its observation, X stroked Rakea's blade and spoke.
"It's taken in a trace of stellar power. Suppressed the demonic nature and infused stellar energy. Trying to turn you into a holy sword?"
-That guy too! Why does everyone keep saying they're turning me into a holy sword!
"Just as I thought."
Grip.
-Ow?!
"Of course it hurts. After so long here, the blade itself is in terrible shape."
That earlier attack probably would've shattered it if it landed.
At X's words, Rakea broke into a cold sweat inwardly.
No one knew better than Rakea itself that X wasn't one for empty threats.
"Alright, time to go."
-Go where?!
"You wanna stay like this? Sorry, but I can't allow it. I won't let something that piqued my interest get destroyed. And without the demonic nature anymore, let's rebirth you as a holy sword, my baby."
-Shut it! You think I'll let you drag me off again!
At Rakea's tantrum, X smiled secretly.
"Sorry, but I don't need anyone's permission."
And with that, it vanished into the darkness.