Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Black Magician Regulus
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The ambush attack was a resounding success.
Plop! Plop!
A dagger clattered to the floor.
The blade had completely melted away, leaving only the hilt behind.
But it had already fulfilled its role to perfection.
Poison bubbled fiercely around the wound.
At the same time, the enemy began staggering backward, his face contorted in agony.
"Grraaah!"
"Perfect effect."
"Youuuu scum...!"
He howled in rage.
But it was nothing more than the last desperate thrashings of a weakened beast.
Look.
The Bone Wills crumbling like sandcastles.
With the caster in that state, the magic couldn't possibly hold.
'Time to finish this.'
So, he would eliminate any loose ends and escape cleanly.
Thud!
Luke's figure shot forward.
Once accelerated, his legs propelled him relentlessly ahead.
Clang!
The blade met resistance.
Even in his wounded state, this Named NPC was somehow mustering mana for a shield.
"Ngh!"
'But it's weaker than before.'
The shield barely covered part of his body.
Luke didn't stop, pressing the assault relentlessly.
Crackle! Pop!
"Urk!"
It connected.
Braincleaver's lightning, which had previously been blocked by the full-body shield, now surged through the exposed areas, riding the shield like it was nothing.
Braincleaver's effect triggered!
Named NPC Regulus has been electrocuted!
Sustained damage for a set duration!
'Yeah, that's Braincleaver.'
Of course, electrocution didn't paralyze him completely.
But the constant pain surging with every jolt of current.
And the brief stiffening of his body each time.
On top of that, all damage doubled—it was impossible to ignore.
'Waist.'
Clang!
'Waist again.'
Claaang!
'Abdomen, left leg, right shoulder, solar plexus... and solar plexus again.'
Rapid onslaught.
Cunning psychological warfare.
Unpredictable trajectories.
Luke unleashed his full prowess in a relentless barrage.
Calmly.
Yet sharply.
Like a serpent slowly constricting its prey, methodically devouring its life force.
To cleanly finish the hunt.
"Here..."
"Here?"
"I can't die here! You can never stop my ambitions!"
Regulus twisted his body in desperation.
Or tried to.
"Bullshit."
If Luke hadn't stomped his foot, he would've turned and fled already.
Crunch!
The shield shattered spectacularly.
The blade, piercing through a section of the shield, thrust right before his eyes.
The leader of the black magicians trembled violently at the sight.
Yet he squeezed out his remaining mana, refusing to give up.
"Kuhuhu, I... I won't die. Not now, not ever... Forever."
At the same time, his body began turning to smoke from the toes up.
'This bastard, smokescreen transformation?!'
Smoke transformation.
A spell turning the entire body into smoke.
If he let this continue, the guy would fully dissipate and slip out of the underground.
'Hiding an escape skill, huh.'
He wouldn't let him escape.
But for some reason, the blade lodged in the shield wouldn't budge.
'...No way?'
Had he reinforced the broken section with mana in that split second?
"I admit it."
"..."
"That you're strong. But you couldn't kill me in the end. And now, you'll watch me slip away right before your eyes. Kuhuhu, how does it feel? Letting an enemy cornered right in front of you escape?"
How does it feel?
Pfft!
What nonsense.
Luke tilted his head slightly, smirking with one corner of his mouth.
"What're you babbling about, you moron?"
"What?"
"One thing you don't know. Braincleaver isn't just some badass weapon—it's insanely badass..."
He pulled out his water flask—who knew when he'd taken it from his inventory—and poured the water over the shield.
Water streamed down the shield.
At the same time, the embedded Braincleaver began glowing in response.
Zzzzzt! Craaaackle!
Electricity surged violently along the water stream.
In an instant, it pulverized the shield.
"...because it's a weapon!"
"Eek!"
The blade plunged into the now-defenseless foe.
Stab!
Flesh pierced clean through.
The nape trembling in spasms.
White powder scattering into the air.
"Gurgle..."
Thud!
In the eerie silence, the misting body reverted and slumped lifelessly.
Not even a death rattle.
+ Level increased!
+ Level increased!
+ [...]
And so, Regulus met his eternal rest.
"Hoo."
He'd taken him down.
The leader of the black magicians, nearly 20 levels higher.
A perfect one-on-one victory.
"That's why you shouldn't mess with people and make things complicated."
Luke caught his breath and checked the items dropped on the floor.
'Let's see, he's a Named NPC, so... Oh?!'
Three drops.
One was Rare grade.
[Nightmare Boots]
Had Regulus been wearing them?
The corpse's shoes were gone.
'I'll check them out after I get out.'
The upstairs had gone suspiciously quiet.
Guards could swarm the basement any second.
Luke hurriedly turned to leave.
But at that moment.
Whoosh.
Regulus's deep hood slipped off.
Revealing his bare face.
'Huh? This face looks familiar...'
A hazy memory surfaced.
It started in the mansion hallway.
A portrait he'd glimpsed while sneaking in.
Luke quickly recalled whose it was.
'Baron Valkins?!'
That's right.
None other than the lord of Small City Parten.
Ding!
'Holy shit.'
No murder penalty.
Infamy decreased for killing bad guys.
The messages even treated him like a hero.
'Scenarios? Quests? No idea, skip for now.'
Luke's eyes darted around.
The key point: no wanted status.
'Confusing, but...'
Not bad news for him anyway.
'Alright, just escape like this!'
As long as his identity stayed hidden, the heist would end successfully.
Luke had no doubt.
But then.
Rumble!
Sudden footsteps echoed.
From the spiral stairs to the first floor.
Luke instinctively checked his minimap.
'Nothing?!'
No doubt indicators.
No status.
Not even the minimap itself.
Just two messages.
That's what happened.
The Thief Field triggered by the Named NPC.
With Regulus dead, the field vanished too.
'Damn it, right when I'm trying to escape.'
Luke grimaced and turned.
Only the rear passage Regulus had emerged from remained.
'No choice.'
Time was critical.
Unfamiliar path, but he'd navigate it best he could and get out.
Luke fled into the passage Regulus had used.
'Three ways?!'
Suddenly, three paths branched ahead.
'Which way?'
Not two, but three—tough choice.
What if he picked wrong?
'Screwed.'
But no time.
Guards incoming—pick...
Yank!
Something grabbed his pant leg.
'What the—Huh?'
As he spun, Braincleaver raised.
A small, cute animal on the floor caught his eye.
"You're..."
The tanuki spirit beast from the cage.
'Must've escaped when I freed the test subjects.'
The tanuki tugged his pant leg, pointing left.
"This way?"
It nodded.
Seemed to understand speech.
'This thing trying to screw me over?'
Possible.
It was with the other black magicians when he sneaked in.
Unlikely to see him as savior just for freeing it.
'But...'
Yet it led the way ahead.
'Better than guessing. Let's trust it.'
Luke muttered nonsense inwardly and followed.
Soon, outside breeze hit him.
A starry night sky unfolded.
'The riverside behind the city?!'
Indeed.
The passage ended outside the city entirely.
Upstream of the river residents frequented.
Luke blankly scanned around.
'Secret escape route, huh.'
For bailing alone if things went south?
Regulus's hidden intent shone through.
'Oh, right. That tanuki.'
He turned.
It had guided him true.
But.
'Gone.'
Unfortunately, the tanuki had vanished.
'Tch, spirit beasts fetch good money.'
Regret hit, but it wouldn't fit in inventory anyway.
Catching it would just draw eyes.
Luke pushed on, leaving the riverbank.
'Anyway, check that poison source from the lab.'
One thing unchecked from the lab.
This message.
Like for consumables, hovering over the orb.
Bound to him, even.
'One-use consumable, huh.'
Bound on acquire, no less.
'What happens if I use it?'
No clue.
Only that it's irreversible.
But bound, no choice.
'Yes.'
He used the orb right there.
Craaaack!
Lines formed in the center.
The green orb split in two.
A green mass burst from within.
The mass seeped into Luke's body.
'Hidden skill?!'
His jaw dropped.