Chapter 181
Chapter 181
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 181
Chapter Title: Purification Bead (2)
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Rumble. Boom!
Rokan spun around in a hurry, but the boss room door was already sealed shut.
This was the first time he regretted erasing the Creation Skill Evasion.
[An unknown ancient mechanism activates.]
[A powerful life force absorption effect fills the room.]
"Tsk."
To make matters worse, the ruin's inherent life force absorption effect intensified dramatically.
Now even Rokan's life force was visibly draining away, enough to feel a slight strain.
"Filthy bastard."
Realizing there was no escaping it, Rokan faced reality.
Before his eyes stood a creature stacking skulls into a tower and greedily chewing on a still-beating heart.
No need to say who its owner was—it was obvious.
The hearts of these ancient beings still pulsed with life, likely due to some special preservation.
[Life Plunderer Karak][Lv 320]
Normally, only the name and level would show, but activating [Insight] revealed its stats and a brief description.
"At that level, it's practically a world tree..."
Its strength and agility surpassed same-level foes, but its vitality stat was the real monster.
The core stat determining total life force—even if Rokan beat on it relentlessly, it would take ages to whittle down. Worse, every heart it chewed increased its total life force.
'But that's not all.'
From experience, Rokan knew there was more to it.
The life absorption in this room clearly wasn't just for draining intruders.
'Then...'
As if catching the scent of living life force, Karak turned toward him. Rokan moved first.
Not a gap-exploiting Wild Slaughter. He charged in the opposite direction, layering Charge, Destruction Chariot, and Rapid Acceleration.
Whummm whummm.
Even as Karak pursued immediately, Rokan stayed ahead. Soon, the expected sight appeared.
A tower.
A small lamppost-like structure cradling the same greedy green orb the zombies had fired.
Whumm. Whoosh.
It instantly switched to defense mode.
Spewing life exploitation rays at Rokan.
"Hmph!"
The rays were fast, but not unavoidable. There was a slight delay before firing—sharp eyes could dodge easily.
"Weak Point Detection."
As he closed in rapidly, using Weak Point Detection marked a red dot on the firing orb. As expected, that was the tower's weakness.
"Bombardment!"
Ten hand axes flew at the same spot. As if exploiting the rays' lack of physical force, they sliced through and hammered repeatedly.
Crack! Hiss!
The orb shattered, releasing the power trapped inside.
It seemed absorbed by the room's ambient force, then descended as green lightning onto the pursuing Life Plunderer Karak.
[Life Plunderer Karak recovers a massive amount of life force.]
"Knew it."
Exactly as anticipated. These towers supplying life force to it was a predictable setup.
Thus, Rokan ignored Karak, paused mid-devour, and bolted another way.
"Wheee! Rider of Legends!"
Confirmed, he even summoned his red-maned horse.
He could have called Kai, but for Rider of Legends buffs, a heavenly bone horse was better.
"Charge! Destruction Chariot!"
Approaching the next tower fired more rays, but Rokan evaded by accelerating. No empathy like with Kai—he'd just bulldoze with speed.
"Bombardment!"
Another salvo.
With hit correction, Rokan didn't even check hits, swerving to tackle the rest.
"Graaaargh!"
Deprived of all towers without a fight, Karak bellowed in rage, exuding ferocious menace.
A normal heavenly bone horse would panic, but this terror was immense.
"Shut up!"
Rokan's own terror matched it.
Channeling his irritation from all the running, he growled back, canceling the fear.
In Gale Avatar or Berserk, Karak's side would falter, stats dropping and mind reeling.
With all four towers down, changes hit Karak.
"Crazy."
[Life Plunderer Karak's life force reaches saturation.]
[Life Plunderer Karak evolves into Life Devourer Karak.]
Bubble bubble.
Bubbles erupted on its body, swelling its size. Already twice Rokan's, it now rivaled his Gale Avatar form.
Thud thud thud thud thud.
Even the skull tower—mere decoration before—transformed.
"That's..."
The skull tower shrank rapidly, vanishing in seconds.
Left behind: a single skull. Rokan instantly recognized it.
[Crystal Skull Condensed with Life Essence][Epic]
Over a thousand skulls and vast life force forged into one item.
Crystal Skull!
High chance that was the unbreakable crystal he sought.
"Rapid Acceleration! Time of Madness!"
Rokan's speed multiplied instantly.
He surged before the evolved Karak, something bursting from his backpack.
"Gnome Five Brothers!"
Boing, boing boing boing.
Out spewed gnome warrior dolls.
Smaller than standard gnomes, each a master-level mechanical puppet.
They charged Karak in Rokan's stead.
"Stealth."
Meanwhile, Rokan vanished, slipping past to dash for the crystal skull.
Boom!
But it wouldn't yield easily. A barrier protected it, instantly sucking life force from Rokan's touch.
"Gah!"
The drain was immense—even Rokan recoiled in shock.
Zing.
Blue light shot from the skull's eye sockets.
[Life Devourer Karak recovers a massive amount of life force.]
"Gonna be rough."
The five gnomes had worn it down, but now it was topped up.
With the room's accelerating absorption, this wouldn't end.
What to do? Rokan thought fast.
'Hm?'
Then, he spotted something on Karak.
"Gnome Five Brothers, dismiss!"
He instantly unsummoned the gnomes.
Luckily, no full clash after Karak's recovery.
"Go on, stuff yourself to bursting! Gale Avatar!"
Groooar.
What Rokan did next stunned even Karak. He activated Gale Avatar and charged the crystal skull.
Boom thud thud thud...
Each hit met the barrier, draining life force.
Gulping potions, he rammed repeatedly, but the barrier held.
"Graaah!"
Karak lunged, but Rokan dodged without fighting, flinging himself onward.
Zing.
[Life Devourer Karak recovers a massive amount of life force.]
[Life Devourer Karak recovers a massive amount of life force.]
[Life Devourer Karak recovers a massive amount of life force.]
Karak kept recovering—overflowing now.
Exactly what Rokan targeted. He'd confirmed Karak's state after devouring enough to evolve.
'Body can't handle it.'
A gamble, really.
Wrong, and he'd just fill Karak up, buff it, then exhaust his Gale Avatar timer.
But if right...
'Boom! It'll pop.'
Like an overinflated balloon, excess life force would rupture it.
Thus, Rokan played tag with Karak for 30 minutes, feeding life force to the skull—and indirectly to it.
[Gale Avatar duration ends.]
[Gale Avatar cannot be recast for 1 hour.]
[Gale Avatar backlash reduces all stats by 20%.]
"Berserk!"
Not done—he chained Berserk after.
Karak slowed visibly, like an overeater.
Rokan ignored, slamming onward.
Zing. Gurk twitch twitch.
Finally, the desired change.
Karak swelled once more, then burst in sections.
[Life Devourer Karak's body overflows with uncontainable life force.]
[Warning! Life Devourer Karak's body will explode soon.]
"Bye, you persistent fucker."
Kwaaaaboom!
Karak became a bio-bomb. Flesh bloated immobile, then detonated.
With massive explosion.
"Whew, what a mess."
Boss room empty. Karak's death dissolved the skull's barrier.
[Level up.]
[Acquired Crystal Skull Condensed with Life Essence.]
He got the crystal skull.
"Alive..."
Perfect timing—leveled up too.
Thought he'd die after using life charge, but level up saved him. Karak gave huge EXP.
"Ugh, gonna die..."
Rumble rumble ruuuumble!
Relief shattered as the ruin quaked.
Karak's blast? Lost skull? Anyway, collapsing.
"Damn."
Rokan pocketed the skull, ignored Berserk backlash, and sprinted.
Escaped terrain-locked boss room, ran far.
"Digdog!"
Perfect timing—summoned Digdog, burrowing deep.
Boom.
Deep underground, quakes faded.
Silence hit, then a message.
[The ancient ruin, the Ruin of Life Takers, is destroyed.]
[No more monsters here.]
[The ancient civilization is erased from the world.]
Total ruin destruction.
Rokan's plan to bookmark it in Runebook for soul farming—ruined.
"No choice."
Regrettable, but goal met.
Catching breath underground, he moved to safety, then returned to Taimura.
The half-elf High Master, off for Balance Jewel, was back.
"Did you obtain it?"
"Yeah... seems so."
Quest log confirmed: unbreakable crystal acquired. Completion marked.
Five-leaf clover bought pre-skull hunt.
Took Balance Jewel powder pouch— all quests complete.
Preparations to face the ancient emperor: done.