Episode 1018
Episode 1018
Having a baby basilisk act like this wasn't much comfort when a monster from another dimension was eyeing him like a tasty snack.
Misunderstood, the baby basilisk spun its tail like a windmill in protest.
'I didn't think that!'
'You haven't even said what you were thinking yet.'
-Those bad monsters probably sensed master's magical power.
True to its nature as a monster, the baby basilisk accurately guessed the desires of an opponent it had never even seen before.
Unlike the baby basilisk that always coiled around his forearm and ate magical power to its heart's content, other monsters often suffered from constant hunger.
The amount of magical power absorbed as nourishment could never match the quantities required by their powerful physiques.
That was why many powerful monsters tended to have violent dispositions.
-If it's a monster that strong, it must need an enormous amount of magical power too.
"Indeed."
The baby basilisk was deeply indignant about the monster that coveted its master's flesh and blood.
-No matter how hungry you are, you should eat magical power politely like me!
"Mhm."
Rather than scolding the still-young baby basilisk, Lee Han quickly changed the subject.
"There's no such thing!"
"No such thing? Then why have they been targeting you from the start?"
"They must have found us more threatening."
'Hmm.'
Kitarenanum flinched.
He wouldn't have believed it earlier, but he'd just witnessed a mage from the Pengerin family use reverse magic to block a secret art.
Considering the scale of the expedition team, it wasn't impossible that the monsters had perceived them as more threatening.
'For a monster that crossed dimensions, their strategy is too passive. Even if they're strong, they shouldn't be threatening enough for him. Are they attacking while leaving one side unattended?'
The magic criminal shook his head as he pondered.
Now wasn't the time to dwell on that.
"Fine. How do you plan to cooperate? Are you thinking of joining forces and moving together?"
"Hah. As if we could ever do that."
Alsicle sneered. Neither the expedition team nor the other side would be considering such a thing.
The moment they joined forces, they'd be targeting each other's backs instead of the monsters...
"Let's divide the area and escape separately. It's not like we'll do anything but fight if we join forces anyway. Since you've infiltrated this place too, you must have memorized the map."
Lee Han's proposal was reasonable.
Their current location was roughly the fourth basement floor.
The path up the remaining three floors largely split into two routes:
The relatively simple and straightforward western passage, and the intricately twisted eastern passage.
If they all tried to escape through the western passage, it could lead to infighting or just attract more monsters, so it was better to divide the area and escape separately!
'What the hell? Is he an idiot?'
Kitarenanum was puzzled.
Right now, the monsters were actively pursuing the expedition team. Even if they divided the escape routes, the chances were high they'd all converge on one side.
In that case, the only benefit the expedition team would gain was avoiding a situation where they'd fight each other.
And that was already an unusually generous concession.
'Well. Even if he suggested more, we'd just refuse. Mutual destruction would be a loss for them too.'
-Something's strange. Aren't they up to something? Mage. You've said it yourself before.
-...
While those from Einrogard were cunning, the current situation was different.
Kitarenanum explained to the demon.
The cunning of Einrogard graduates was something even magic criminals found hard to match, but Kitarenanum possessed a wickedness that Einrogard mages lacked.
A born wickedness!
Every time he encountered Einrogard mages, they'd say things like 'Did Einrogard's neglect twist you?! Let me apologize on their behalf!' which wounded his pride, but Kitarenanum took pride in his innate wickedness.
He was born purely evil—without any external tragedy, misfortune, or neglect shaping him.
"Isn't that the innate virtue and strength a mage should possess?"
'They have greater numbers, which means more lives to worry about. Naturally, they can't attempt reckless negotiations. That's their weakness.'
"Indeed... I see. I'll trust your judgment for now."
'For a fallen archdemon, you sure whine pathetically.'
The magic criminal inwardly cursed the demon he had contracted with.
"Fine! But we have no intention of yielding the passage. We'll take the western route."
Beside him, Bashirmac nodded approvingly.
"No. We also have no intention of yielding. We'll take the western route."
At Lee Han's words, Alsicle looked at him worriedly.
"What if they refuse?"
"Don't worry. If they're criminals, they'll actually suspect us less if we stand firm like this."
'This guy... Why does he know so much about magic criminals?'
Alsicle stared at Lee Han with eyes full of concern.
It wasn't the fear of negotiations breaking down that worried him—it was the fact that a mere second-year student already had such an intimate understanding of the behavior of magic criminals...
Can we really just rely on Master Gonadaltes?
'Hmm... Master Gonadaltes is indeed a great mage, but his disciples have always been a bit...'
"You must already know this—the monsters will target us first. Abandon any thought of gaining an advantage alone."
"..."
"At least you're not a complete fool. Fine. We'll take the eastern route."
"What? Why? Have you lost your mind?"
Bashirmac was furious.
Why on earth were they yielding to the Empire's hounds like this?
"Calm down. I doubt you want mutual destruction right now."
"Threaten them! I'm telling you to intimidate them!"
Kitarenanum ignored him. He couldn't waste any more time.
"We'll head to the fork first. Follow behind us. Maintain your distance."
"Understood."
The investigation team moved first, heading toward the fork where the path split into east and west.
Grumbling, Bashirmac still didn't neglect his role.
"More of them are swarming up from below. Damned pests. How are there still some left after we killed so many?"
"They must have replenished their numbers in the meantime. Don't worry about it. As long as we take the eastern path at the fork before they arrive, it's fine."
Kitarenanum dismissed the spider monsters replenishing their numbers and climbing up from below.
After all, once they split at the fork, most of the monsters would target the other side.
"Hey!"
"?"
The investigation team, who had arrived first, suddenly called out. It seemed to be that Einrogard mage from earlier.
"What is it?"
"Bashirmac! The magic criminal Kitarenanum sacrificed ninety-nine giant hearts to forge a contract with an archdemon!"
"......"
"......"
"Well then, goodbye!"
Kitarenanum felt a chill run down his spine as if ice had been driven into it.
Beside him, the giant half-breed warrior Bashirmac was glaring at him with cold eyes.
The stark contrast to his usual hot-blooded demeanor made it all the more terrifying.
"That's nonsense! They're trying to drive a wedge between us!"
"I already knew you contracted with a demon. The stench was overwhelming."
"...!"
"Then tell me now. What did you offer as sacrifice?"
—Kuhahaha!
The sound of the demon laughing in delight echoed.
The contract with this demon included a clause forbidding the disclosure of the sacrifice.
The moment it was revealed, the contract would be nullified, and Kitarenanum would become the demon's eternal slave.
"I can't disclose that due to my contract with the demon."
"Naturally."
"Don't be fooled by them! It's just a trick, typical of those cunning Einrogard bastards—"
Even as he spoke, Kitarenanum couldn't comprehend it.
The tactic of binding their feet with just a single sentence was something that couldn't be used without deep knowledge of their relationship.
How could an Einrogard mage he'd never even met before pull this off?
"I trust you, Kitarenanum."
"Thank you!"
And simultaneously, the two launched attacks at each other.
As magic erupted from Kitarenanum's body and Bashirmac's greatsword exploded with aura, the surrounding passage collapsed in an instant.
Beneath the rubble, spider monsters were frantically crawling upward, but the two paid no heed, solely intent on taking each other's lives as they clashed.
"Impressive. You won't go berserk after all."
Receiving praise from an Evil God Worshipper left Lee Han feeling distinctly uncomfortable.
"...You somehow knew how to make them fight each other. Was it the power of Divination Magic?"
"Indeed. A gift from the Great Prophet."
"Still, I didn't expect them to start fighting so immediately. Have the giants been attacked before?"
"Yes. Our sect's warriors ambushed the giant tribes under Bashirmac's command and stole ninety-nine of their hearts."
"......"
"......"
No wonder they started fighting right away!
Lee Han and Alsicle exchanged weary glances. Truly, one should never get involved with Evil God Worshippers.
"Just one floor left!"
"Please cast Acceleration Magic!"
"Even if there are side effects?"
"Anything, we beg you!"
With the expedition members' consent, Lee Han immediately drew his staff.
Normally, the Enhancement Magic spells taught by the Black Book placed such strain on the body that only an Einrogard student could cast them safely. But in this situation, with their explicit agreement, things were different.
After all, there was only one floor left...
-■■■■■■!
"They're catching up!"
"Break through! We're almost out anyway!"
The expedition members burned with fighting spirit.
None of them were weak—they hadn't been avoiding battle out of cowardice. They simply hadn't wanted to waste time on meaningless fights deep underground.
BOOM!
Just then, the sound of shattering space erupted—not from below, but above.
"????"
...Is everyone alright?!
A familiar giant skeleton flew in, his voice uncharacteristically urgent. Beside him was the archmage Erindarbel, whom they'd seen before. She looked equally flustered, her pale face slick with cold sweat.
"Archmage Gonadaltes! You came to help!"
"Even Archmage Erindarbel! Did you foresee the dangers of this expedition?"
"Uh... um. Yes."
"Y-yes, that's right."
The two archmages quickly checked on Lee Han first. Seeing the mage unharmed, they let out sighs of relief.
The Skeleton Principal shot a glare at the archmage beside him.
This archmage occasionally made such absurd mistakes that they made his nonexistent heart skip a beat.
Lee Han asked, puzzled:
"How did you get here? Through Divination Magic?"
I had already anticipated the dangers of this expedition.
"????"
That made even less sense.
The Skeleton Principal had clearly described this expedition as "probably just an event to distribute artifacts."
Lee Han pressed further:
"You said we were just retrieving artifacts from a hidden underground vault, didn't you?"
The monsters are swarming in.
The Skeleton Principal swiftly changed the subject.
"These are no ordinary monsters."
That's true. It's fortunate we realized before leaving.
The two archmages had been prepared to incinerate the entire corrupted space.
Who knew what would happen if such monsters escaped into the outside world?
Can you stabilize the space once I annihilate it?
"Yes. I'll anchor the surrounding space."
Good. Let's begin immediately.
The Skeleton Principal prepared to cast his spell at once—there was no benefit in delaying.
Just then, a paper bird fluttered to his side. As it chirped its message, the Skeleton Principal's gaze wavered sharply.
"Is something wrong? Did a monster escape?"
...Come here for a moment.
"???"
Lee Han grew even more worried when the Skeleton Principal called him over.
What could possibly warrant such a grave expression?
Professor Voladi has arrived at the Green Jade Magic Tower.
"Huh? Ah, yes. He mentioned knowing you, sir."
You were never here today.
"????"
