Chapter 56
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Volkatronic Mage Tower (3)
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The most powerful single strike.
Yet, paradoxically, it failed to break the choker's seal.
Because this mental barrier itself was formed from Sergei's mana.
'The top-grade mana stone ensures no issues with mana supply, but...'
He couldn't pour as much mana into a single spell as he had when releasing the incantation.
'To finish it in one blow...'
He had to overcome it with an elemental difference.
The start was the water element.
Droplets formed in the space filled with fire.
They seemed ready to evaporate into a handful of steam at any moment, but the droplets greedily absorbed Jun's mana, growing larger by the second.
Aqua Ball
A simple 2-circle spell that fires water droplets—enough to damage a goblin at best.
Variant: Rotation
Variant: Compression
Rotation and compression amplified the destructive power.
'This alone is nowhere near enough.'
Of course, Jun had no intention of stopping there.
He needed to add an inflection point in this state.
Fortunately, Jun had a way.
It was the result of Demon God Body and Intermediate Magic Talent merging upon reaching 4 circles.
Iron Fist
Soft soil hardens, on the verge of taking on metallic properties.
Endowment: Elemental Armory
The fist absorbed the Aqua Ball as is.
Variant: Water Fist
What imagery did it contain?
A fist scarred from countless battles.
The fist of a martial artist who had devoted his life to training.
The water fist, compressed to its limits, sliced through the scorching air toward the chimera.
"Mooookmaaallaaa...?!"
Kwaaang!
The Water Fist slammed into the chimera's limestone-hard flesh.
Tssshhhiieeeek―!!!
"Graaaahhh!!"
Vast clouds of steam erupted simultaneously.
It was the result of the compressed Water Fist making contact with its body.
The creature that had desperately sought water screamed in agony the moment it touched it.
A pure white fog formed in an instant.
Vision obscured, the only sound was the chimera's screams.
"It huuuurts―!!"
But there was power in those screams.
And sure enough.
Crimson light burst through the steam, dispersing what remained.
"Damn it."
Lava flowed across its body.
The chimera's back, which Jun had targeted, was badly torn, but not fully pierced.
Its core remained intact as well.
"Heh heh heh heh―!! So hoooot, hoooot!! Mooore!!"
Ignoring Jun, who had cast the spell, it plunged into the lava.
"Huuuaaaah... "
Within, it seemed to soothe its pain, its expression relaxing as it gulped down the lava like water.
"Insane regenerative power..."
In the game, its trickiest trait was devouring anything with fire properties to repair its body.
Even now, the damage from the Water Fist was rapidly healing.
"Ughh...! Bad guy...! Baaad guy!!"
Finally shaking off the pain, it glared at Jun with a voice full of resentment.
Its sluggish body suddenly leaped into the air.
Jun tried to move as well, but the environment held him back.
"Hoo...!"
The stamina drained from reaching this point.
He had endured as best he could, but the space was so hot that any quick movement felt like it would melt his skin.
That lag cost him—his reaction to its attack was a beat too slow.
"Puuuh―!!"
Its body crashed where Jun had stood moments ago. At the same time, it spewed liquid from its mouth.
Lava.
Shield
He hastily erected a barrier to block the assault, but the area was now blanketed in lava.
"I'll punish you...! Punish youuu!!"
Even with its lava blocked, it charged without hesitation.
Despite its massive bulk, its speed was impressive.
It shattered Jun's Shield with a single punch and barreled forward.
No dodging this.
The classic death pattern for a melee-less mage.
No matter how much Jun had expanded his circles, taking down this thing in such a physically disadvantageous space was nearly impossible.
"Well, that hard-earned prep paid off."
The Jun of a few months ago would have died to that fiery fist.
But now, he had a counter.
Summon
Teya's Tear in Jun's ear devoured a top-grade mana stone whole, infusing mana with physical force.
A bipedal golem materialized in an instant.
Woooong―!
About 3 meters tall.
Its black, thick arms and short, sturdy legs anchored firmly to the ground.
Was the top-grade mana stone insufficient?
It had also absorbed Sergei's mana, forming a body reminiscent of basalt to shield Jun.
"Uwaaaah―!!!"
The chimera collided with the golem.
The golem was pushed back significantly but held firm.
Blocking that musclebound charge alone was impressive.
Kwaaang!
The golem, halting the chimera's body slam, raised one arm and smashed its elbow into the creature's shoulder.
"Aaaack!!"
The chimera screamed and shoved the golem away.
"Heh heh heh! Hurts, huuuurts!!"
For something screaming in pain, it looked fine.
Known in the game for its dramatics, Jun didn't let his guard down and prepared his next spell.
High-Speed Chant
Multi-Chant
Water Fist
5 mana stones melted away in an instant.
While the golem kept it occupied, Jun aimed to pile on damage and deny it any recovery time.
Tssshhhi―!!
"Krruh huh huh―!!!"
Steam formed again, carrying its screams.
Woooong―!
The golem blocking it erupted in mana light, restraining its thrashing.
But had it conjured strength from the pain?
"Huuuuurts! It huuuurts!!"
Its muscles swelled explosively, shoving the golem aside in one go.
"Mooore! Mooore!!!"
It dashed for the lava again. But Jun wasn't about to let it.
A hastily formed Water Fist.
Lacking full imagery, but the elemental clash successfully slowed it.
"It huuuurts, I said!!"
Kwang!
It stomped the ground with its massive foot, sending lava surging up.
A wall of lava formed instantly.
That simple stomp dissipated the Water Fist.
"Heh heh heh!"
As it reached the edge of the lava lake.
"...Good."
Jun's eyes gleamed.
Casting water magic in a space saturated with fire mana is no easy feat.
What about ice then?
Obviously, the difficulty doubles.
But nothing was more effective against that chimera than ice magic.
Thus, Jun needed a few preparations.
First, time. Second, the environment.
'I never expected the Water Fist to fully land.'
He had hoped for some damage stacking, but he wasn't spamming spells on faith alone.
The time bought by the golem. Now, it was time to shape the final piece: the environment.
For unleashing ice magic.
Chijik―!
The change began with the ground.
Something collapsed rapidly.
Then, a bluish chill began to frost the heat-dominated space.
The source: the ground flash-freezing.
Brrr―
The heat-radiating ground cooled sharply.
Elements diversified in what had been pure fire territory.
Jun's mana had infiltrated the space filled with Sergei's.
Only then could he unleash magic of this scale.
Ice Break
Countless ice flowers bloomed amid the flames, like stepping into a field of white roses.
But rose thorns are never to be underestimated.
"Hua, huaa...!"
The chimera stared in terror at the ice binding its feet.
"Hoooot, hoooot...!"
Its muscular frame writhed in agony.
Despite crying "hot," it shivered like a leaf.
Its immense strength threatened to shatter the ice binding its lower body any second.
Ice Spear
Greater durability than pure-water Water Fist. The environment from prior Water Fists enhanced elemental synergy, and firmer imagery shielded the spell pattern from the heat.
"Huaaaah!!"
Spotting it just in time, the chimera thrashed and raised both arms in defense.
But that too came to naught.
Woooong―!
The golem, obeying Jun's command, slammed its fist into the chimera's guard.
"...Hngh!"
Its guard lifted.
The crimson gem embedded in its chest was exposed.
The ice spear targeted that gap.
Kak―!
The moment the sturdy ice spear touched the gem.
Puhwaaak―!!
The gem pierced straight through its chest muscles, lodging deep inside.
"..."
"..."
Silence fell.
Only the occasional lava eruptions and the golem's steady mana pulses.
But soon, an anomaly emerged.
Jun noticed first.
"Damn."
It hadn't died. He sensed it instinctively.
"Aaaaah―!!!"
The chimera began to scream. It sounded like a child's pure wail.
A cry filled with terror.
"Tougher than expected... Probably because it's in the mental barrier, unlike the game."
The gap between game and reality.
Ominous energies swirled around the gem in its body, distorting the scenery.
The mana forming this space was being absorbed into that red gem.
"Absorbing the mental barrier."
The landscape warped.
A glimpse of the outside beyond, quickly replaced by a new space.
The barrier shrank.
In exchange, the gem glowed brighter.
The mana emanating from it felt ominous. Sensing this, Jun closed his eyes.
"Hoo..."
From a mage's perspective, he assessed the situation.
The creature absorbs the mana upholding the Mental Barrier. What results?
No need to dredge up Lee Jung-jun's memories.
His mage knowledge provided the answer.
"――――!!!"
The chimera's silent scream. Its body began reconstructing.
The muscular mass crumbled, replaced by gray skin riddled with fine muscles.
Its half-melted, slumping face curled inward.
Nose crushed first, then lips, eyes, jaw.
Leaving only a pitch-black void for a face.
Jun closed his eyes upon seeing that.
Bracing for the crisis ahead.
He had steeled himself since first facing the "Fire Devourer."
"I hoped it wouldn't come to this..."
But wishes rarely bend the world.
This was all too familiar to Jun.
'Fire Devourer'.
In the game, a mid-boss monster appearing before the Volkatronic Mage Tower's lord, Sergei.
Hardcore players knew its strategy was brutally simple.
One-shot it with overwhelming damage.
Why? Fail that, and phase 2 spawns a headache.
The true boss summoned if the gem survives.
The 7-circle mage, Sergei.