Chapter 175

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Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 175

Chapter Title: Ur's Desperate Seal

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If we classified Libra Bernoulli's combat prowess by monster grades, his power would at least rival Transcendent rank.

This monster with six arms had surely been Transcendent rank in life as well.

'A being who can control Transcendent-grade monsters at will...'

Kang Seol hadn't encountered a single Transcendent-grade entity before arriving at Alkatron—aside from Mountain Sorcerer Jamad.

Yet here in Alkatron alone, this was already the third.

'...Coco, Thumpy, and now this muscle-bound beast Gau Goku or whatever.'

And on top of that, Ur—the solitary cell's master—handling them with ease.

Even after becoming a Seer, Kang Seol still couldn't discern Ur's grade.

'What the hell are you...?'

Paak!

Ur seemed to be gradually adapting to Kang Seol's movements, barely blocking the fist he swung.

"How did you gain such power at your young age... What the hell are you...?"

Ur's thoughts weren't much different as he faced Kang Seol. He couldn't hide his shock at the young man's skill either.

Whirlic!

Seizing the momentary lapse in guard, Karen's slashing strike from the diagonal cut toward Ur's lower body.

Kaang!

Chiiiik...

"What a strange power. Both of you possess it."

After deflecting Karen's slash, Ur addressed the twin knights.

"It's no ordinary shadow... The more I see, the more incomprehensible it all is. Is it because the world has changed? Or are you special existences? I can't tell..."

The twin knights ignored Ur's questions, unleashing a relentless barrage.

Kagak!

Kaaang!

Thanks to their stats boosted by the Land of Abundance, the twin knights' attacks weren't landing clean hits but were enough to draw Ur's attention.

Kaaang!

"Impressive!"

Kaduduk...

"Is that mockery?"

Karen gritted his teeth in response.

"Hardly! Pure admiration! But... your power is being suppressed."

"...What?"

In just these brief clashes, Ur had pinpointed the twin knights' anomaly.

"No need for surprise. Ur is the master of all arts in the world. How about it? Serve me."

Moonlight Knight Karuna answered in their stead, unable to stomach Ur's insolence any longer.

"A life regained knows only one path."

"A shame, since you piqued my interest..."

Kagagak!

Pang!

Undaunted even against multiple foes, Ur was gradually holding his own.

He grinned as he spoke.

"It seems this body can only use Word Magic once. Now... how best to employ it?"

After a moment's thought, Ur activated it.

Kang Seol braced for the Word Magic Ur invoked, but felt no reaction.

"......"

"Hm... Your pitiful mana makes it slow to activate. Well, whatever."

Ur brimmed with confidence. But even he hadn't anticipated this.

Kuwooooong!

A pitch-black mass erupted from beneath the earth's crust.

"Hm? When did you get here?"

Coco had slipped into Kang Seol's Shadow Space just before Ur's ability triggered—thanks to his Shadow Affinity power.

Hwaruruk...

Dark crimson flames gathered in Coco's maw.

Kuwaaaaa!

The massive blaze poured toward Ur.

"Hmph!"

Chiiiii!

Flames dark enough to melt anything raged around Ur ceaselessly.

"Kuh..."

The intense heat kept even Kang Seol at bay, biding his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠time.

'What kind of ridiculous durability is this?'

The body Ur inhabited apparently had exceptional elemental resistance, enduring the inferno with ease.

Kujik... kujijik...

Ur pushed through the flames toward Coco, each step cratering the ground under immense pressure.

But then.

Kigigigik...

Ur abruptly halted and turned.

"You..."

The Flames of Purgatory bypassed Ur, absorbed by Karen.

"Tch..."

Ur spread his arms wide—one to block Coco's flames, the other to brace for Karen's assault.

Hwarururuk!

"Haaa!"

Chiiiiiiiiiiik!

Ur hadn't expected Karen's strike to pack such force; he twisted sharply, redirecting both arms toward him.

But his response was a fraction too slow.

Chwaaaaaak!

Seogk...

Chiii...

"Kuhuk..."

Two of Ur's left arms were cleanly severed.

The slash itself had done more damage than the flames.

"Kraaak!"

Kang Seol resolved to press the advantage.

Ururung!

Pajijik...

Ur flinched at Kang Seol's shifting momentum once more.

"What?!"

Eujik...

"Keuk..."

Pajijijik!

"Kraaaaaak!"

Thwoooong!

Ur flew back, crashing through the barrier separating the expedition from Kang Seol.

Kwaaaaaang!

He slammed into the wall with a resounding crash.

An overwhelming gap.

Twin knights on the cusp of Transcendence, Transcendent Coco, and Kang Seol fused with Transcendent power.

No matter how far beyond Transcendent Ur's strength might be, his original body remained chained.

Enduring this long in close combat with an unfamiliar body was impressive in itself.

But now, the end was in sight.

"Krrrk..."

"No breath left to yap?"

"Kuk... kukuku..."

"...Why the laugh?"

"Because I'm looking forward to the despair you'll face next."

"What?"

"Listen, summoner. Clashing with you, I felt something. And what I felt will become the weapon that surely defeats you."

Ur spouted nonsense Kang Seol couldn't comprehend.

Despite being thoroughly outmatched, he remained brimming with confidence.

It filled Kang Seol with unease and suspicion.

'We've dragged this out long enough...'

Any longer, and he might give Ur time to recover.

With his Origin Force waning, he couldn't risk it.

"Die."

"Kkuk..."

Wary of some hidden trap he might not know about, Kang Seol refrained from Iron Fist Judgment.

Instead.

Whooooong...

Hwaruk...

Dark crimson energy gathered on Karen and Karuna's blades.

"Haha!"

Ur sprang up, charging at Kang Seol.

Kang Seol had no intention of dodging; he mobilized the twin knights and Coco against him.

Chwaaaak...

Ur tumbled forward in his charge, sprawling pathetically on the ground.

"Haha... As expected, a body that can't use magic doesn't suit me."

"It's over."

"No, let's enjoy this a bit longer, summoner."

Ur's body was nearly bisected.

He clung to shallow breaths, which seemed moments from stopping.

In his dying voice, he uttered his final words.

"Summoner... that thing's about to break..."

Thud...

Sruruk...

The barrier Ur had created vanished.

The expedition cheered.

"We won! We won!"

"You tough bastard!"

"He's definitely dead this time, right?"

Frannan approached Ur's corpse to confirm.

"Positive. Dead for sure this time. Who'd have thought we'd win bare-handed against this monster..."

"Waaaaaah!"

"So now we just wait for the seal?"

Kang Seol glanced at the jubilant expedition before approaching Frannan.

"How'd it go, Frannan?"

"Look up."

"Up?"

Kang Seol looked at the ceiling.

Sure enough, writing presumed to be the Word Magic adorned it.

Thanks to Carmel's activated Blessing of the Chapel, a warm energy bathed his body.

Kang Seol stared intently at the incantation in silence.

'It's... familiar. That script. I've seen it somewhere...'

But as Kang Seol puzzled over it deeply...

A scream erupted from the expedition's side.

"Kyaaaaak!"

"Damn it! No!"

Frannan and Kang Seol rushed over.

"What happened?"

"It's..."

Mael wore a devastated expression as he showed the limp Kiki.

"Kiki... died."

"...How?"

Blood dripped from Kiki's nose, ears, and eyes.

"Probably... overload during interpretation..."

"And now what?"

"Ur's dead for now, but he'll resurrect eventually. We need to hurry to the other gluttons of the relic conference..."

Suddenly, Mael's face hardened mid-sentence.

"...Snowman?"

"What is it?"

Mael pointed at Kang Seol's waist.

"Your belt... when did that happen?"

"My... belt?"

Kang Seol looked down at Cosmos, his belt. It was badly cracked.

"When did this...?"

He'd never struck the belt. Not even during the all-out battle with Ur.

'Why...? No way, did it?'

A memory flashed through his mind.

- [Shatter.]

"Was it then?"

Jjeojeok...

As if on cue, the belt shattered into pieces.

Whooooooo...

Vast energy began pouring from Cosmos.

A storm raged indoors, staggering everyone.

"Kuhuk... What the...?"

"Something's coming out of the belt."

Kang Seol instinctively knew: with Cosmos broken, its dormant contents were free.

He recalled Blaine's warning from long ago.

- This item is dangerous.

Something like that.

- If its balance breaks, the spirits' individual powers might gradually merge into one.

Whooooooo!

A massive black spirit awakened, gazing down at Kang Seol.

"Shades..."

The black spirit grinned in reply.

"Disappointing. Can't recognize me after a short parting?"

"You... no way?"

The spirit crossed its arms and laughed back haughtily.

"Kahahahaha! Enjoyed your brief victory, summoner?"

"......"

"Did you think Mage Ur would subdue you with brute force? No, to conquer you... this power is fitting."

Ururung!

Paaaaang!

"Kwaaak!"

"Kuheok..."

The entire expedition scattered in an instant.

Kang Seol was no exception.

Piiiii!

Some bled from their ears amid the ringing.

"I can't hear anything!"

"What... is that...?"

Ururung!

Pushushushuk!

Hududuk...

Razor winds from Ur's fingertips shattered Kang Seol's black stakes.

"This overflowing mana... First time using a spirit as my main force, but it's far superior."

"...You targeted my belt from the start?"

"Indeed. Pure power incarnate like a spirit seemed tastier than a human. Fell for it hook, line, and sinker?"

"Damn it..."

"Resist no more. A mere human can't defeat m—"

Then, Coco—who'd been waiting for an opening—lunged at the now-spirit Ur.

"No! Coco!"

"This is why unreasoning beasts are..."

Puhwaaak!

Kieeeng...

Kang Seol's eyes widened.

Though their bond was one of user and used, Coco had faithfully fulfilled his duties.

Kang Seol had even planned to take him in afterward—only for Coco to perish now.

"You son of a bitch..."

Uujijijik!

Shadow Hands sprouted thickly around Kang Seol's right arm.

But.

Huaaaang...

Kang Seol tumbled backward, rolling uncontrollably before finally stopping.

"Kkuleok..."

Bright red blood spewed from his mouth.

The sudden pressure pinned him spread-eagled, immobile.

"Spirit form reduces Word Magic's burden. Hm? Quite the clever ploy you've pulled."

With the ceiling glowing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠brightly, Ur sneered.

"You fools who don't even know when Kagon existed think you can decipher Word Magic, the essence of Kagon magecraft?"

"......"

"Kuhuk..."

The expedition despaired.

Ur's power now felt far stronger than before.

"Are we all dying here...?"

"I don't want to die..."

As all trembled in fear, Kang Seol shifted his gaze.

Ur was drunk on victory, making it possible.

'It's definite! I... definitely know that script.'

Why wasn't important now. He could read it. He could speak it.

That alone mattered.

"Haha... total wipeout, huh."

Kang Seol realized Frannan was nearby from the voice. The earlier air explosion had flung him here too.

Kang Seol whispered to him.

"Buy time..."

Sensing something off about Kang Seol, Frannan nodded, sprang up, and shouted.

"Hey, Ur over there!"

"What?"

"About that offer earlier... still accepting?"

"Frannan! What are you saying?!"

"No! Don't do it!"

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Having come this far, the expedition had bet everything.

Yet their leader admitted defeat and offered to become the enemy's dog? Worse, against world-ending evil.

"Frannan, I'm disappointed."

"Die, you filthy traitor!"

Ur laughed, delighted at the humans' division.

"Yes... Humans are beings who ultimately hate each other. Condensed dregs of negativity. Nothing more."

"So, you'll take me?"

"Well..."

The expedition hurled insults at Frannan. He ignored them and pressed on.

"I'm useful. Still have a decent mana spirit left."

"Not interested."

"Hear me out—how special this spirit is. It's a Snarky, eats sound to disrupt spellcasting. Cool, right?"

"Why explain it to me?"

"Because I'm giving it to you."

Pat!

Frannan tossed something into the air.

"Snarky! Isn't that guy noisy?"

A small orb-like object sprouted eyes, nose, and mouth, then yelled at Ur.

"Noisy! Noooooisy!"

Piiiii!

Ur bellowed something, but Snarky absorbed it all.

"Now!"

Kang Seol began reading the ceiling inscription.

Unable to cast, Ur charged at Kang Seol in fury.

"Block him!"

The expedition intercepted between Kang Seol and Ur.

"...Done!"

Peurung!

Snarky burst, unable to endure longer.

But Frannan smiled.

Kang Seol was nearing the final line.

"No! How do you...?"

Kang Seol shouted.

Kugugugugung!

The solitary cell on the fifth underground floor shook violently.

Chyarururuk!

The ceiling script glowed, manifesting massive chains that seized the spirit-possessed Ur's wrists.

"Nooooo!"