Chapter 218
Chapter 218
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 218
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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Squeeeak…
Squeeeeeeak!
“…Don’t you think having a troll on this little raft is a huge gamble?”
“I don’t want to be in this cramped space either. I’m only here because your master wants it that way.”
On one side was Jamad.
On the other were Kang Seol and the rest of the group, huddled together.
“This thing isn’t going to sink on us, is it?”
“There’s been a bit of water seeping in for a while now.”
“Then what are we waiting for? Start bailing!”
Kang Seol watched their bickering and chuckled.
“If you’ve got time to laugh, help bail, master!”
The reason they were all crammed into this tiny space was simple.
Kang Seol had called them here.
It was a necessary step to prepare for what lay ahead.
“Stop standing around and row!”
“Hmph.”
Squeeeak…
“Don’t row! Water’s coming in!”
“What do you want me to do, fairy?”
“Just… just… let’s stay like this.”
Kang Seol quietly observed them.
Jamad spoke to him.
“What if we sink and drown?”
“Haha… That won’t happen.”
Kang Seol pulled a round pill from his inventory and bit down on it.
[You use the Buoyancy Pill.]
[You will not sink underwater. However, walking will be impossible.]
Something he’d bought from the Madness Shop just in case.
At the very least, he wouldn’t suffocate. From minor consumables that aided buoyancy and breathing to those that repelled sea monsters and wildlife.
He used all sorts of items he’d obtained not just from the Madness Shop but also through monster cooking.
He was probably the transferred being least likely to die at sea anywhere in Pandea right now.
A tiny raft bobbing on the water.
“You know, this feels weird.”
“Weird? How so?”
“Just… all the moments we’ve been through feel so distant now.”
“That’s something.”
Kang Seol had already experienced thirty adventures. The beginning felt like a faint memory now—he’d come a long way.
Karen patted his head.
“I get it… The sea can do that the first time you see it. I felt…”
“It’s not my first time.”
“What? Then why?”
“I don’t know. Are we doing okay?”
“If you mean the boat, yeah, it’s definitely sinking. Karuna, bail faster.”
“Got it.”
Splash…
SPLASH…
Crashing waves.
The weather was bad, too.
Rumble—!
“…It’s rocking pretty hard, huh?”
The raft was far too fragile for these rough seas.
Yet, strangely, it refused to sink.
Probably because everyone aboard was an expert.
Kang Seol saw this boat as the path he’d walked so far.
And the path ahead, as well.
Challenging the impossible.
That was Kang Seol’s life.
“Lost in sentiment is fine, but it’s coming.”
SPLASHHH…
The raft rocked even harder.
Far off, massive ships appeared.
Flash—!
FLASH—!
The ships all emitted bright lights at once.
Meeting torch-lit vessels in pitch-black night felt surreal.
At the prow of the largest ship, a familiar face came into view. They were still a bit distant.
“You really… are persistent, aren’t you?”
Shuro shouted, his face beaming with smiles.
“Lady Bria! That’s him!”
“Well done, Shuro.”
Rumble rumble rumble…
Suddenly, spiderweb-like shadows shot out from the ships, enveloping the entire area.
[Black Widow Bria uses ultimate skill: Spiderweb.]
[Opponents touching the spiderwebs will have their mana continuously drained.]
Plip.
Plip.
Rain began to fall.
“So you’re the one. The fool who dared interfere with the Church of Eternal Life.”
Bria didn’t recognize Kang Seol in his crow mask.
She had seen his face once, when he used a clone to kill Jerry, but it was just a glimpse—hard to remember.
“You came all this way for petty revenge?”
“I’ll tell you how to survive.”
Bria grinned, baring her teeth.
“Hand over the statue.”
“Don’t have it.”
“Really? Is that true?”
“It’s a lie.”
Swoosh…
Kang Seol drew the Ecstasy of the Fallen.
Bria said in surprise.
“Hand over the statue. Then you can leave here unharmed.”
“…And the princess?”
“…Just give us the statue, and we’ll release the princess too. Sound fair? It benefits both sides.”
“Wrong.”
Swoosh…
Kang Seol stood up abruptly.
“I lose out.”
“…What?”
“Is this statue only worth that much?”
“…What are you talking about?”
“Oh, right. A statue like this—how much could it even be worth?”
“Yes, it’s…”
“Yeah, a ‘statue.’”
“…You.”
Kang Seol gripped the statue with both hands.
“You know? This statue—it moves.”
“Stop…”
A woman hugging herself, eyes covered in bandages.
Click.
“Look, press here on the leg, and it sinks in?”
“Stop it!”
Click…
“Huh? The arm’s moving?”
The self-hug shifted to arms extended forward, as if to embrace someone.
“Block it!”
“If you mess with me, I’ll drop the statue in the sea.”
“Grrr… You…”
“Here! This undoes the bandages. Huh? She looks pissed. And you know what?”
Kang Seol grinned.
“Take off the bandages, and the statue disassembles.”
Crackle crackle…
The woman’s body crumbled apart.
A black pill inside was revealed.
“What happens if a person eats this?”
Bria’s expression turned icy.
She sneered.
“Pick it up cluelessly, and you’ll regret it.”
Kang Seol stared at Bria, his face hardening.
“Know how the Church of Eternal Life began?”
“…”
“Humans lack dragon scales and tails, fairy agility and far-hearing ears, dwarf craftsmanship and stamina. How strong could the human body get? It started with that question.”
Bria broke into a cold sweat.
The church’s origins—mere legends she’d heard, ideals of the founder.
This man seemed to know the details.
“What’s your point?”
“My point is, the church wasn’t born from malice. So why…”
Hummm…
Dignity flowed from golden eyes.
“Do you trample and mock what someone built with sincerity?”
“Who… are you?”
Plop.
A black pill entered Kang Seol’s mouth.
“No need to know.”
Crackle crackle…
Black veins bulged across Kang Seol’s body. He twisted in agony but forced out words.
“Ur, ready!”
Whirr…
All shadows on the raft were sucked into Kang Seol.
And then.
[The sealed Ur’s Lone Immortal General activates.]
[The unsealed sealed Ur gains Karen’s stats.]
[The unsealed sealed Ur gains Karuna’s stats.]
[The unsealed sealed Ur gains Jamad’s stats.]
A massive spirit rose, arms crossed.
Far larger than the raft.
Ur’s ability, as he’d explained before.
- It’s because I became your summon. Simple check: this body’s limit is analysis, disassembly, compression.
- What’s that mean?
- Easy. I can analyze mana-related items or magic itself, then disassemble it with mana.
- Compression?
- Compress the disassembled mana into lumps.
- And use it how?
- To kill enemies, obviously.
[The sealed Ur’s Demonic Path activates.]
“I’ll begin compression.”
[Compression begins.]
[Ultra-high-speed analysis activates.]
SPLASHHHH…
A gale whipped up.
* * *
Zodiac, the 12 Towers’ intelligences—closest to Prion was the Libra Tower.
Its mages monitored events across the continent. All towers did.
To watch for rising evils, prevent needless slaughter.
But incidents worth their surveillance nets were rare.
Humans envied, jealoused, fought—eternal truth. Strong preyed on weak often, but strong vs. strong? Rare.
When it happened, it led to war.
Thus, first clashes between powerhouses or immense power displays drew all eyes.
Especially Zodiac’s mana researchers.
Thud thud thud thud!
“What’s with the commotion?”
“L-Lord Frannan!”
“Speak. My ears work fine.”
“Pant… pant… Right now… right now…”
“…What’s going on?”
Today’s report from the mid-tier mage monitoring continental mana waves.
“L-Lord Prion’s southern seas: unknown mana aggregation. Near the deep ocean off Rabeinu.”
“…Scale?”
“That’s…”
The mid-tier mage adjusted his glasses.
“Mana disaster level.”
“Artificial?”
“U-Uncertain.”
“If artificial…”
Frannan trailed off.
An artificial mana disaster weapon? Tactical-grade.
Thud thud thud…
Down in the command room, Frannan checked himself, then addressed the gathered mages.
“Connect to Prion Castle immediately—order evacuation at Rabeinu! And… prepare investigation team.”
“Who’s in charge…?”
“I’ll go personally.”
* * *
“Th-That’s…”
“Nonsense! To mock the Church of Eternal Life… there are limits.”
“Orders.”
“Destroy it.”
Whirr—
Whirrr—
Dozens of magic circles floated in the air.
“Fire!”
A barrage poured toward Ur.
But.
Whirr…
Whirr…
Whirrrr…
Ur’s power devoured all their magic. Like tossing a stone into a lake—it just sank.
Zakun felt dread.
“Lady Bria…”
Ur spoke.
“Whirl, whirl…”
Whooooosh—!
Mana swirled at Ur’s gesture.
“Where!”
[Black Widow Bria uses ultimate skill: Shadow Mountain.]
[A massive venom wave engulfs the target.]
Sizzle…
Whirr…
“This too!”
[Black Widow Bria uses ultimate skill: Shadow Wraith.]
[Shadow wraiths tear the target apart.]
Shrieeeeek—!
A grotesque mass of shadow souls flew at Ur.
Bria wielded such wraiths effortlessly.
But.
Whirr…
It vanished into Ur’s mana.
“Caterpillars, you lack wings—you cannot grasp the sky.”
As fat Kejin blinked cluelessly, Zakun realized what was coming.
“It’s him… him! Lady Bria! Turn the ship… turn the ship…!”
“Aaaaaaah!”
BOOM!
BOOOOM—!
Bria unleashed magic till her mana ran dry.
Zakun knew too.
Turning now wouldn’t save them.
“Aaack! Abandon ship—swim!”
Splash…
Zakun dove into the sea, swimming desperately to escape.
All as Kang Seol intended. No collateral damage, and keep them pinned at sea—no escape.
Ur’s speech continued.
“Pitiful beings, perishing without transcendence in the storm.”
Whiiiiiish…
Insane amounts of mana gathered to Ur.
“I am teacher to all, giver of fire—yet forgotten.”
Mana sang.
Layered with more mana, then more.
Like a symphony.
Ur murmured low.
“Hear the butterfly’s lesson roaming the storm. From those noble wings…”
“Cough… hack…”
Kang Seol’s face went pale.
All his mana drained into Ur.
Even the foundation—Ur took it all. This method meant not just depletion, but certain death.
Whirrrrrrrrr—
He extended a finger.
The finger.
Bria stared straight as Ur’s finger pointed at her.
“Learn powerlessness.”
Hummmm…
The space felt ready to vomit. With a retch-like vibration, something burst from Ur’s fingertip.
BOOOOOOOOOOOM—!
“Lady Bria!”
“Block it! Protect!”
Dozens, hundreds of cultists piled up, layering mana barriers.
Crackle crackle…
Flames surged in instantly.
Those touched didn’t burn—they vanished.
Annihilation.
The horrific, gruesome force devoured all.
Crunch crackle!
Five ships vanishing entirely.
“Lady Bria!”
Kejin cloaked in mana, blocking her front.
“Wh… wha…”
Shhhhhh!
Gone.
“No! Bria!”
Then Shuro, who thought himself immortal?
Into the all-devouring inferno, Shuro leaped gladly.
Crackle—!
Shadows from his body burst free, forming vast wings.
The black, sturdy wings blocked flames aimed at Bria.
Bria’s lips trembled.
“Shuro…”
“Aaaaaaah! I’m the immortal god! Bria! Don’t worry… I’ll block it all!”
Bria’s face lit with ecstasy.
All others annihilated, yet one knight remained for her.
Stalwart.
“G… guh… guh…”
BOOOOOOM…
Shuro trembled as he spoke.
“Bria…”
“Shuro…”
“Sorry… I lied…”
“Shurooooooo!”
Roooar—!
Flames trampled Shuro to nothingness and reached Bria.
Roooar!
“GyaAAAAAAAAH!”
Bria, flames engulfing her, dove into the sea.
Sizzle…
BOOOOOOOOOOOM—!
Whoooosh…
Where ships vanished, a massive whirlpool formed. Waves surged impossibly high, sweeping to bury the incident.
Fizzle…
Ur, task done, was forcibly unsummoned.
He rode the wind to where Kang Seol drifted.
Swoosh…
Kang Seol floated face-up in the vast ocean.
Messages flooded him more than ever, but he couldn’t see them.
[You have died.]
[Eternal Life Pill activates.]
……