Chapter 196
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 196
Chapter Title: Thunder Ghost Ramu
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Whoooosh...
[Interpreting unidentified mana.]
[Interpreting mana.]
...
[Mana interpretation complete.]
[Digesting mana.]
Ur's form shimmered amid the surging blue waves. With each thread of blue he absorbed, the aura emanating from Ur grew ever more immense.
"Looks like the design was sloppier than I thought. The mana efficiency is abysmal. To think the residual mana is this meager... Well, I half-expected as much."
And finally,
Bzzt-crackle!
Having devoured the blue orb entirely, Ur stretched languidly.
"Not bad. Decent enough grub."
Outwardly, Ur showed no major changes. His size, his fuzzy form, even his color—all remained the same.
The only difference was the bizarre pair of glasses perched on his face. Small, round lenses sat there awkwardly.
"...What are those glasses?"
"Looks like remnants of the past popping up from the sloppy absorption. I could wipe them off, but I'm short on energy right now, so they'll stay."
If even his appearance had shifted by a speck, something inside must have changed too.
And Kang Seol spotted that change immediately through a message.
[Enlightenment! Sealed Ur awakens a new ability.]
[Sealed Ur acquires Persistent: Magido Deployment.]
[Enlightenment! Sealed Ur awakens a new ability.]
[Sealed Ur acquires Persistent: Ultra-High-Speed Interpretation.]
[Enlightenment! Sealed Ur awakens a new ability.]
[Sealed Ur acquires Persistent: Parallel Processing 1.]
Three new persistent abilities acquired.
Kang Seol examined the abilities Ur had gained.
[Persistent: Magido Deployment]
Magido can now be deployed even in an unsummoned state. However, attack actions are impossible.
A succinct description for the first ability.
'Does this mean I can use magido inside Shadow Space too?'
Ur's magido was incredibly convenient.
Kang Seol had come to appreciate it deeply while spending time with him.
It interpreted, decomposed, and absorbed magic.
He had no idea where all that mana went, but from Kang Seol's perspective, Ur was an indispensable sidekick for dealing with troublesome spells.
Even that magido ability had its limitations.
The summoning process was finicky, and since it could only be used while summoned, he couldn't deploy Ur in battle without pulling him out first.
Magido Deployment resolved that inconvenience.
Though it came with the restriction of no attacks while unsummoned, the mere ability to use magido in that state was surely useful.
[Persistent: Ultra-High-Speed Interpretation]
Dramatically increases the speed of magic interpretation, decomposition, and condensation.
'Dramatically... how much exactly?'
Ur had nailed down condensation as for attacks only, so he'd judge based on interpretation and decomposition.
Decomposition was the more crucial of the two.
'Usable in combat?'
Based on Ur's current performance, decomposition needed to at least double in speed to aid in battle.
It had only nullified stationary magic or spells with long cast times before.
This would require testing in practice.
[Persistent: Parallel Processing 1]
Multiple actions can be performed simultaneously. Up to 4 actions can be maintained at once.
This one would likely apply to interpretation and decomposition as well.
All of Ur's abilities were tightly interconnected like this.
Ur stared piercingly at Kang Seol, who was scrutinizing him, and spoke.
"Business done. I'm heading back in."
Whoosh!
He slipped back into Kang Seol's Shadow Space.
Kang Seol lingered a moment, gazing at the golem's wreckage, then turned toward the massive door guarded by the paulownia tree sentry.
"Hoo..."
Rumble...
As the door creaked open, darkness poured out.
With Tongtong Paulownia's help, the golem functioned flawlessly. Kang Seol now knew exactly what it felt like to have nothing to fear.
And from observing, Tongtong Paulownia wasn't a bad sort.
Just a bit peculiar.
"Snowman."
"Yes?"
"This golem will guard Golun for a good while."
"Right! Probably for quite some time..."
"Still, it makes me uneasy."
Tongtong Paulownia handed over ownership of the golem to Golun, along with another item.
"What's... this?"
"The jar of the thunder ghost Ramu."
Kang Seol tilted his head quizzically.
"What's that?"
"A treasure I picked up adventuring in the East. A fearsome thunder ghost is sealed inside."
"Why give this to me...?"
"If something unexpected happens, unseal the jar."
"Pardon? What happens then?"
"Your mount dies."
"......"
"And whoever posed a threat to you will die too. At least, anyone not stronger than this thunder ghost Ramu. Use it for revenge."
"It's that dangerous?"
Tongtong Paulownia shook his head.
"It's just an object. The real danger is the situation where you have to use it."
"But if it's so powerful, why give it to me...?"
"Who knows? Caprice, I suppose."
"......"
"Snowman, do you know why I don't adventure with others?"
"You find them annoying?"
"Half right, half wrong. They are annoying sometimes, and being alone gets lonely. But even so, I don't want to be with them."
"Why?"
"Betrayed once."
"...Betrayed?"
Rage seeped through the mask.
"Fell for a filthy horse hunter. He trampled my trust and slaughtered my previous mount."
"Ah..."
"Grinned while killing my horse. I get it—maybe that's how he gets his kicks. 'Why rage over a mere horse?' Our views never aligned, and I came to hate others."
"......"
Moments later, Tongtong Paulownia flashed a mischievous grin, like always.
"Ohoho... I think everyone here is a liar. They really are! So Snowman, don't show them any openings!"
"Yes..."
Not long after Tongtong Paulownia's advice, Golun was killed.
Once reason awakens, trust is held as the noblest virtue.
Why is that?
Even though it's practically antithetical to reason.
The naive trust others easily, blind to the blade hidden behind smiles.
"Hoo... The blood stench is gone."
Crunch... Crunch...
Fwoosh...
Kang Seol raised his torch, illuminating the chamber.
A single jar sat on the central altar, surrounded by strewn corpses.
'Murderer bastards...'
The Murderers had slain Kang Seol's Golun. They'd cackled in delight not at their own mount's death, but at screwing him over.
Incomprehensible folk, but now knowing they were gods... probably evil gods.
'Well, they're all evil gods now.'
Those burning lives for madness were no different.
A pang twisted in his chest.
The betrayal here had left a hole that still lingered.
- Something went down here, huh?
- Just skulls everywhere...
- Didn't the owner stash anything?
- The original treasures got rat-eaten, and the only one left seems to be that jar?
- Sigh...
Kang Seol caressed the jar on the altar.
[Mid-level Insight activates.]
[The jar's seal is released.]
"......"
Kang Seol scanned the surroundings and spoke.
"Time to get up, yeah?"
Among the bleached bones lay a blood-soaked corpse.
Kang Seol addressed it repeatedly.
"You're right there, aren't you?"
Crackle...
The corpse emitted eerie currents and jerked upright.
A man with glowing red eyes.
"How'd you know?"
"How wouldn't I? One body isn't rotting."
"Aha..."
Jamad's voice echoed from Shadow Space.
- A ghost. An Eastern malevolent spirit.
"Ho... Everyone spots my true nature on sight? Name's Ramu. As you see, I was sealed, freed myself by killing my liberator, and emerged into the world. Now..."
Kang Seol stared piercingly at Ramu.
Ramu found the intensity burdensome, mistaking it for fixation.
'And... he's not even looking at me?'
Ramu's guess was spot on.
Kang Seol wasn't looking at Ramu—he was eyeing the husk Ramu wore.
"Ugly mug. Staring at it pisses me off."
"...What?"
"Worried rats or bugs might've gnawed the flesh... but you possessed it to keep the form."
Ramu faltered at Kang Seol's nonchalant response.
'Why... so calm? Am I not frightening?'
Ghosts terrified, humans were frail.
Last time his seal broke here, the locals had quaked in fear.
To seize initiative, Ramu growled low.
"I am one who walks the other side..."
"A ghost, right?"
"Not wrong."
"And you stole that rotten corpse?"
"Not wrong there either."
"Perfect. I can handle you both at once."
Ramu sneered.
"That's wrong."
Fwoosh...
Ramu's possessed form dispersed like mist.
[Ramu's host uses Fatal Chain.]
[Attack power of counterattacks after evasion/defense reduced by 50%.]
Whoosh!
Kang Seol's form darkened for the first time in ages. This vengeance—not quite vengeance—demanded his own hands to satisfy.
[Sorcerer 'Lightning Strike Jamad' + Night Raven Form]
[Absorbing 'Lightning Strike Jamad's stats.]
[Job: Brawler state.]
Snap-crack!
The host wielded no weapon either.
Fists met fists.
Thwack!
Snap-snap-crack!
Kang Seol blocked the host's strikes effortlessly.
"Got a body—why not bail?"
"Haha! Corpse won't cut it. Needed a fresh one to leave."
"Just descend properly."
Swish...
Thud-smash!
The host's fist clamped in Kang Seol's grip.
"Forced descent drops the rank. You know ghosts better than I thought."
"Picked it up here and there."
"Heard all you wanted?"
Kang Seol, face shrouded in black, nodded.
"Yeah. Time to clean up."
"...What?"
In that instant, explosive energy surged from Kang Seol.
Crunch...
The host's fist shattered, bones piercing flesh.
"What... gasp..."
Whooom...
Kaboom!
Kang Seol hurled the host by the arm.
Fizzle...
The host staggered up.
"...Ha!"
The body was wrecked: arm mangled grotesquely, blood streaming from the head.
"Human bodies are so frail."
"I'm human too. Should've handled it with care."
"...Changed my mind."
Bzzt-crackle!
Light flashed from the host, charring skin pitch-black.
Whoooosh...
Wind snuffed the torch, plunging the room into pitch black.
Flash!
[Thunder Ghost Ramu descends.]
[Descent without ritual.]
[Exerts 50% of original power.]
Flash!
In the gloom, light revealed Ramu's true form amid flashes.
An oni-like monstrosity.
A ghost so hideous even a troll would weep and flee appeared with the lightning.
Fwoosh!
Splurt!
Fwoosh!
Splurt!
Blood sprayed from Kang Seol's cheeks.
"Kuhahaha! Where'd that confidence go?"
"......"
"I can toy with the likes of you forever!"
The taunting scratches evoked unpleasant memories for Kang Seol.
"Same tricks as that bastard."
Groan...
Grrrind...
Crackle...
[Switch to Lightning Strike Stance.]
[Flames cling to all attacks.]
[Explosions at impact points.]
[Lightning spreads from impact points.]
[Persistent: Clinging Flames applied.]
[Persistent: Heat and Warmth applied.]
[Persistent: Tingling applied.]
As Kang Seol's aura shifted dramatically again, Ramu retreated warily and declared,
"I'll show you the hell I've known."
Zzzzt-crackle...
Mighty lightning gathered in Ramu's hands.
[Thunder Ghost Ramu uses Thunder Scales.]
[Next attack infused with lightning, dealing 150% elemental bonus damage.]
[Status: Electrocution applied.]
Bzzt-crackle!
As lightning swelled, so did Ramu's confidence.
"Come! Let's see..."
Fwoosh!
Ramu became a streak of light, charging at Kang Seol.
That moment.
[Sealed Ur's magido activates.]
[Interpreting unidentified magic.]
[Interpreting magic.]
[Magic interpretation complete.]
[Magic Devour activates.]
[Digesting Thunder Scales.]
Hiss...
The lightning cloaking Ramu vanished mid-charge.
Ur's voice came from Shadow Space.
- Tasty.
Ramu couldn't comprehend, but didn't halt.
A fatal mistake.
Kraaang!
"Guhk..."
Kang Seol's foot plunged into Ramu's gut.
Oddly, as the heavy counter hit, strength drained from his body.
Chk...
Kang Seol seized Ramu's throat, staring blankly.
Crackkk...
"Keurk..."
Immense force gripped his throat.
Snap...
The armor around Ramu's neck crumbled under the pressure.
"D-don't..."
"What's... hell?"
Kang Seol crushed Ramu's head like mud.
Splaaaat!