Chapter 204
Chapter 204
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 204
Chapter Title: Half-Elves Enter the Fray (1)
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Even with the all-out war erupting between the camps, why hadn't the half-elves made a move?
Simple. It was more profitable for them not to fight than to fight.
They had no particular greed for territory, and they weren't aggressive by nature to begin with.
They wouldn't forgive intruders into their domain, but they were too gentle to start fights themselves.
‘But that's not always the case.’
There was one exception that changed everything.
The World Tree.
Having made the revival of the World Tree their racial quest, they turned fiercely aggressive at any threat to it.
In a way, their current silence was just another method to safely protect the World Tree's saplings.
‘It's really straightforward.’
So how could he draw the half-elves into the battlefield?
Simple. Apply intense pressure, making them believe they'd suffer greater losses by staying put—that they couldn't protect the World Tree's saplings.
The catch was that it had to seem like the work of the Black Dragon Legion, and he absolutely couldn't get caught scheming it.
But that was a given.
‘As long as I don't get caught, it's all good.’
Anything goes, so long as he evaded detection.
Rokan recalled one of the principles he'd learned in the military. He began acting on the plan forming in his mind.
[You have entered the Swamp of Death.]
[Black magic begins to invade your body and mind.]
[Caution! Prolonged stays may cause stat reductions and negative mental effects.]
[Unyielding Will resists all negative mental effects.]
His target was a Black Dragon Legion undead zone called the Swamp of Death.
Unlike the front lines blazing with full-scale war, this was a remote disputed area.
Battles at nearby borders always favored the Black Dragon Legion's disadvantage, but thanks to this very 'swamp,' the Golden Lion camp could never advance or occupy properly despite their victories—a cursed land.
"Where was it again...?"
Even users avoided it unless quest-bound, as only undead or black magic classes could endure its traits. Rokan had scant info, having visited once for a quest.
Yet he remembered it vividly; the impression was that strong.
"Ugh, undead don't even have noses—why do we have to smell this stench?"
"Endure it, man. Just staying here boosts your stats. This is nothing."
Several undead users passed by Rokan as he stealthily crept deeper into the swamp. The black magic-saturated zone was a massive boon for undead.
It debuffed other races but passively absorbed black magic to raise stats for undead alone.
Thus, undead users had to pass through, and some came close enough to Rokan that detection wouldn't seem odd—but the level gap ensured he passed undetected.
The Swamp of Death's hunting level was around 210. Freshly class-experted undead, nearly 100 levels below Rokan, couldn't trigger auto-stealth reveal.
‘This should be about the spot...’
Dodging them, Rokan burrowed into the swamp's deepest recesses.
Even stat-boost seekers among undead shunned this field, overrun by madness-crazed, magic-poisoned monsters.
[Vampiric Giant Tree Tainted by Magic][Lv 234]
Deeper in, he found his quarry.
A massive tree monster with absurd level and abilities for a 210-zone. Nicknamed Black Ent, it was trickier than higher-level ents in some ways.
"Eek!"
Releasing stealth, Rokan leaped back as it whipped long branches to snag his ankle.
"Bombardment!"
Whoooosh!
He hurled a handaxe, striking it, then reset for the next attack.
"Kraaa!"
Enough for most at that level, but its HP exceeded typical same-level monsters.
That made it tough, but the real issue was 'melee' combat.
Splurt!
Bombardment pierced its body, shattering armor-like bark.
Exposing fragile grain—then it spewed black liquid like a blood fountain.
Black sap.
Nourishment for magic users, but potent debuff for others.
Sssizzle.
Not just that. The black sap served as attack, defense, and healer for the Vampiric Giant Tree—sealing wounds, granting regen.
Such HP plus recovery? Seemed cheat-like.
But he'd picked the wrong opponent.
"Cheat or not..."
Shrrrrk!
As hair-thin tendrils lashed wildly to grab and drain him, Chain Storm poured forth.
Chains of Annihilation.
Overwhelming attack power rendered high HP and sap regen meaningless.
"Levels are the ultimate cheat!"
Bam-bam-bam-bam-boom! Rumble.
The merciless chain barrage toppled the giant tree.
"Time to harvest."
Approaching rashly was folly. Black sap triggered on graze, even spread contagiously.
Contact with sap-afflicted monsters applied the debuff identically.
Hard to cure without full cleanse; normal status recovery skills failed.
[Contact with black sap.]
[Black magic invades your body.]
[All stats decrease.]
[All casting speeds increase.]
[HP drains periodically.]
Rokan advanced boldly anyway. Chains were sap-drenched from the fight; no avoiding it.
Debuffs incoming, but nothing nearby—monster or user—could threaten him.
"Hup."
Thwack!
He traded debuffs for extra axe blows on the corpse.
Hacking it like firewood, he filled empty bottles with oozing sap.
[Acquired black sap.]
Not a drop item, but sealable in bottles for use.
Past life saw boss-fight attempts, but bosses splashing it worsened ally damage, shifting to other uses.
Namely, against NPCs.
Like poisoning enemy wells in war—deploy to weaken, then assault.
Ally casualties inevitable, but assaults eased.
Thus, a double-edged item not fully utilized yet—but Rokan gathered diligently.
"Twelve more should do it."
Fortunate: each yielded ample sap.
Debuffed, Rokan roamed the swamp, finally amassing the desired amount after ages.
"Whew."
He washed in a nearby stream—still Black Dragon Legion turf, not pristine, but no debuff like sap. Scrubbed clean, then moved on.
"Thanks."
"Good trade."
Using Title [Mastermind]'s special skill Disguise as a Black Dragon Legion user, he traded with one.
No inter-camp trade windows, but drop-pickup worked.
Scams abounded, caution needed—but ready to smash if needed, Rokan found a homepage trader and sealed the deal.
"Now, off we go."
Prep complete, sinister smile on, he headed to half-elf lands.
"Oh, it's you."
Half-elves had beefed up borders post-war start, but Rokan's 'Friend of the Half-Elves' title, rep bonuses, etc., smoothed entry.
Mid-tier users blocked; for him, few no-gos.
First stop: the greenhouse.
Where they nurtured World Tree saplings and herbs.
Familiar from prior visit, Rokan navigated expertly, found a secluded spot, opened inventory.
Carefully sprinkled black sap everywhere.
Pssshhhh.
Contacted plants discolored rapidly.
Draining life, cursing leaves, stems, branches, roots—tainting soil, corrupting surroundings.
"Rise, Undead."
Extra precaution: Necromancing item bought from Black Dragon Legion user.
Consumable summoning undead sans necromancer class.
But attacked summoner too—Rokan shrugged it off.
Smashing them was trivial; toying unscathed, easy.
"Go wild."
Dodging rising undead, he slipped out pre-half-elf notice, hit next zone.
Nearly all World Tree-related areas.
Barring half-elf forbidden zones even he couldn't enter, Rokan swiftly sprinkled sap, raised undead everywhere.
Unseen, he returned to Hushkan Castle.
The battlefield best alibi.
‘Deny it, and we're golden.’
Especially 'mid-operation' excuse—irrefutable.
Even suspicious half-elf rim lords couldn't bully human Marquis Rokan.
‘Won't have time to suspect anyway.’
They'd scramble salvaging saplings first.
Waiting briefly, desired result hit.
[Half-Elves Declare Entry into Battle.]