Chapter 169
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 169
Chapter Title: Venom Serpent (2)
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The Venom Serpent was a fairly infamous NPC in the game community, to the point where every single page had at least one post cursing the bastard out.
There was even that half-joking advice: if you wanted to learn all the best insults online, just search for "Venom Serpent."
Jun understood the fury of those community users all too well.
'The Venom Serpent isn't all that strong himself.'
The problem lay in his stealth.
And his ability to hide himself with pathetic thoroughness, slipping away from any danger.
'Or more precisely, he never dives into danger headfirst.'
He only messed with opponents who looked like easy marks, always preparing multiple layers of escape routes.
'Even if I collapsed the mine, he still wouldn't come.'
According to Jinovan's diary, though, it was certain the Venom Serpent was searching for something in this very mine.
The issue was not knowing when he'd slither in.
'What is certain is that he's not far from here.'
There was only one way to lure out a guy like that.
'Have the Celestial Order issue a decree.'
That's why he'd leaked information sure to pique their interest.
A rumor that a massive cache of ancient spirit stones had been discovered deep inside the mine!
Ancient spirit stones were an essential material used by the Celestial Order to craft evil spirit orbs.
More importantly, they were treated as unique items that didn't respawn even after Blackout resets, so the Celestial Order had no choice but to react.
'Any moment now, we should get a bite.'
Would the Venom Serpent and the Celestial Order take the bait?
Time would tell.
* * *
A faint fishy stench wafted by.
The Venom Serpent, sensing the unpleasant odor, glanced in that direction and saw the festive bustle of the city in the distance.
'Tch.'
The imperial family had distributed food to the miners who couldn't work for a while due to the mine collapse accident.
It wasn't worth his attention, but given his own precarious situation, the city's joyful laughter grated on him.
'Better wrap up the orders quickly and get out.'
Irritation was irritation, but the mission came first.
After scanning the surroundings several times and confirming no signs of life near the mine, he proceeded.
'That doesn't mean I can just charge in.'
True to his nature of tapping even a stone bridge ten times over, he didn't let his guard down just because it felt empty.
'...Good. No artifacts picking up anything. No signs of traps either.'
He'd wondered if they might have rigged something sneaky, like collapsing the entrance, but the Venom Serpent trusted the artifact that had saved his skin countless times over the years.
[Illusion Clone]
The clone was summoned beyond the collapsed mine entrance.
It couldn't deal any physical damage, but that wasn't its only trick.
'Swap.'
With a surge of mana, his body switched places with the clone.
"Hoo... Alright. Let's go."
Not long after entering with a glowstone in hand.
As a level 6 user himself, he darted through the mine at a brisk pace, focusing his search on two items.
'Moltan's Ecstasy, and the ancient spirit stones.'
Moltan's Ecstasy was a pure white gem, an incredibly tough mineral that could be ground into powder and dissolved in water for consumption.
It wouldn't kill you outright, but it was packed with heavy narcotic components.
Not extremely addictive, but since it was a ground mineral, it didn't digest and lingered in the body.
Continuously releasing its narcotic effects, it slowly eroded the user's mind without them even realizing they were hooked.
And once it built up enough inside, it could turn a person into a complete madman...
'Nothing better for screwing with the imperial family.'
It looked like a sparkling jewel, so no one had ever tried eating it, and it only appeared in tiny quantities deep in mines like this, making it a nightmare to find.
'I had him check just in case, but damn if it wasn't actually here.'
The item Jinovan—Botan's cousin—had finally tracked down for him.
The Venom Serpent tucked it carefully into his pocket and ventured deeper inside.
'So where the hell are the ancient spirit stones?'
Moltan's Ecstasy was important, but his master's orders took priority.
After delving far into the depths as instructed.
"Hoo... Damn it."
The Venom Serpent frowned at the surging mana fluctuations around him.
"Way more mana stones than I thought."
He'd figured there'd be a lot given the high yield reports, but this was beyond expectations.
'This is gonna make my abilities tricky to use.'
An unstable environment.
Normally, he'd steer clear, but the situation left him no choice.
As he pushed deeper, sweat trickling down his back and adding to his disgust—
"Swords for gold."
"Whoa, seriously? They actually showed?"
From the shadowy corner where he'd sensed nothing at all, two women stepped out.
A lean woman with two swords at her hips.
And atop her outstretched hand, a woman in black bandages placed a gold coin.
"Whoa, thanks a ton. Perfect timing today."
No sooner had the bandaged woman spoken than the Venom Serpent swallowed a poison dagger from his belt without a word.
And activated his skill simultaneously.
[Intent]
[Variant Form - Poison Intent Path]
At his will, the poison dwelling in his body erupted outward.
But to cast it on living beings rather than objects, he needed to be fairly close.
In this situation, he was.
'How're you gonna block this!'
His skill, [Poison Intent Path] born from [Intent], wasn't the sort of poison you could cure with an antidote.
It was, after all, a phantom energy conjured purely by willpower.
Antidotes or holy power couldn't touch it.
There was only one way: possess powerful willpower—a high mental barrier—to repel or push it back.
But.
"Whoa."
"Effect's killer."
The two women stood unharmed, casually inspecting their bodies.
"Leader says seeing is believing."
"Damn! You even know that one?"
"Yup."
"Never thought that world tree shit would come in so handy."
The pair chatted calmly even as time passed.
The Venom Serpent's eyes bulged in shock.
"H-How...?"
He recognized them from their outfits the moment he saw them.
Maya and Eleanor from the White Whale Mercenary Corps.
Common knowledge pegged them at level 5—total newbies from his level 6 perspective—yet his [Intent] didn't faze them?
'Even with the unstable ambient mana, for level 5s to resist...?'
Impossible.
They'd need artifact assistance at minimum.
But mental defense artifacts were so rare you couldn't just buy them, and equipping both without prior prep? No way.
Had his presence already been exposed? How?
'Doesn't matter—escape first!'
With his skills, killing those two would be easy.
But he didn't.
Them waiting here meant imperial knights were likely swarming outside!
'Anything but the Celestial Dragon Knights!'
Even as a low-rank, the level 8 vice-captain of the Heavenly Dragon Knights terrified him.
But.
[Iron Rampart]
The already narrow passage was sealed shut by a steel wall.
Not even an ant could squeeze through.
"...!"
The White Whale Mercenary Corps' mage.
The bastard appeared beside the massive wall.
The Venom Serpent's eyes twisted in fury.
"You bastard...!"
"Where you off to in such a hurry? Looks like we've got plenty to talk about."
No need for more words.
He channeled mana into his dagger and infused it with [Intent].
Planning to slice through the steel wall and bolt.
"Who said you could run?"
Shhrrrip!
Pages from a prepared spellbook tore free, flying into the air to form a magic circle.
At the same time, the Venom Serpent slashed the steel wall in one strike.
[Iron Rampart]
"What, you wanna chip away at the wall all day? Or wanna chat?"
The sneering mage's attitude made the Venom Serpent bite his lip.
"You'll regret daring to block my path."
"Heard that one a million times."
Pew!
The Venom Serpent kicked off with level 6 speed.
Closing the gap to Jun in an instant, he swung his [Intent]-cloaked dagger to bisect him.
[Charge]
[Wind Rush Barrage]
Aiden's light-edge sword burst from the air overhead, wrapped in a storm, aiming for the Venom Serpent's throat.
"...!"
The power was too immense to ignore.
He considered manipulating [Intent] to block, but Aiden's ferocious momentum guided him to the right choice.
[Illusion Clone]
A clone spawned right behind him.
He instantly swapped to the clone's position and twisted his arm to swing at Aiden.
Thud!
Aiden reacted just as fast, canceling [Wind Rush Barrage] with a backward leap.
The moment his feet hit the ground, he launched another [Charge].
[Bash]
A sword infused with aura clashed against the Venom Serpent's [Intent]-wrapped blade.
Boom!
"Ngh...!"
Surprisingly, Aiden was the one pushed back.
Even if manifested through skill, [Intent] outclassed aura.
Aiden's light-edge sword screeched like it was screaming, sparks flying.
No matter how cautious he was, the Venom Serpent's skills weren't lacking.
He stepped forward, pressing deeper into Aiden, but—
Pew!
A sharp whistle cut the air briefly.
The Venom Serpent kicked off the ground, and a flying dagger embedded where he'd stood.
Pew! Pew!
More daggers rained down.
His gaze snapped to Maya.
He barely deflected the daggers she hurled at blinding speed.
His mind raced meanwhile.
'Not too late. No side paths on the way here. That means...'
The mage had dug into this chamber with magic and resealed the hole.
So the knights would take time to arrive!
'Wipe these guys out and escape this space!'
He had a clone stashed in his outside hideout as a contingency.
Couldn't use it now, though.
Long-range swaps were impossible in this mana-disrupted space riddled with mana stones.
But if he escaped to a clear area without mana stones, he could swap freely.
"Hoo... You're all dead."
With those words.
He pulled a poison bomb from his pocket, smashed it on the ground, and toxic fog billowed everywhere.