Chapter 329
Chapter 329
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 329
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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"Hmph..."
Grand Sorcerer Cron sensed that gaze and grew wary of Kang Seol. Kang Seol quickly averted his eyes from the crystal orb, concealing his true target.
'This is my chance. A gift from the heavens.'
No, now that he knew what kind of bastards lived up there, he figured it was just good luck.
'If I can snag that thing here without any hassle...'
The showdown with Lizard was already set in stone with his pact with Maewoo. Since he couldn't back out, grabbing the Dawn Crystal here just meant the difference between claiming the reward now or later.
Still, if it was something he could securely obtain, better to pocket it sooner rather than later.
- That's the one... impressive...
Ur egged him on in a sly whisper.
- ...Now, you need to figure out how to steal it right away.
Kang Seol nodded in deep agreement, but the situation wasn't straightforward.
'This is Serria Gui territory. One wrong move, and I'm in deep trouble.'
Causing a scene in someone else's house could turn not just the moles against him, but the Serria Gui as well.
'No good options? Then I'll have to wait for the next chance...'
Kang Seol had a stellar theft skill called Shadow Theft. Astonishingly, as his own level rose, the ability had naturally leveled up with him.
It still triggered randomly on decent collisions with targets, but now he could activate it at will.
That's right—now he could actually steal on command.
Kang Seol had briefly debated whether to love or hate it, but figured it was better than nothing.
Later, Ur mentioned he could even fix the random triggering issue, so for now, with no clashes against other Transients, it was more boon than bane.
"......"
Kang Seol kept stealing glances at Cron, pondering ways to make contact.
'If I get caught sloppily, I'll regret it big time... what to do?'
Whether Kang Seol harbored sneaky schemes or not, the conversation pressed on.
Bron grinned at Zackcha.
"Kehkeh... So that's why you stayed quiet after handing over the fortress. Hiding out here, huh."
"Bron... you're really alive."
"You know me?"
"I'm Zackroom's son."
"Ah, that guy. Now that you mention it, you do look a bit like him. Nah, total lie. I can't tell you moles apart at all."
One of Zackcha's moles piped up.
"Keeek! Zackcha is a great general! Zackcha is young!"
"Ah! Is that so. A young mole general... kehkeh... come to think of it, Lizard's hobby was playing soldier."
Bron leisurely provoked the mole faction. It was a setup ripe for danger, yet no clash erupted.
"...You wanna die right here?"
"Whoa, touchy? Trying to shove a guy who's died once right back in the grave."
"Hmph... all talk."
"My mouth died too."
Kang Seol sized up Zackcha as they bantered.
'A great general, huh... definitely not like the other moles.'
The aura he exuded was tremendous.
Bron might not distinguish mole looks, but if he was young, then he must be pretty youthful.
No way a young mole reached this level without a price.
'The Origin God must've pulled some strings...'
No such thing as power without cost.
Zackcha would realize that—at the latest—before he died.
Come to think of it, Zackcha's build caught his eye. Smaller than a troll, bigger than a human.
Pitiful next to Serria Gui, but monstrous enough.
Clank...
Zackcha rested a hand on the sword at his waist.
"I can send you back to your grave right here."
Thud...
Thud...
Skolla approached Zackcha and shoved his face close.
"Mole, pick your death spot wisely. No Lizard here to cry to..."
"Skolla... is it. So Lizard was right."
"...What?"
"Fate twisted. Ones who shouldn't return... have."
Kang Seol furrowed his brow.
'He knew... and didn't stop it?'
If Lizard, a shard of the Origin God, had sniffed out Bron's plan, it was odd he hadn't intervened. Zackcha's words cleared it up.
"Hmph! Knew and did nothing?"
"Even if he tried, the flow couldn't be stopped, he said. Just watch closely."
Whoosh...
Zackcha turned his gaze.
It landed on Kang Seol.
"You, human? The one messing with our plans?"
"......"
Tension thick enough to spark a fight any second.
Kang Seol, suddenly singled out by Zackcha, wore a sour expression.
'...Bad odds.'
With Skolla, Kang Seol, and Bron, but including Burtul, the other Transients weren't reliable firepower.
Their side, meanwhile, brimmed with massive presence—like the great general and all his officers mobilized.
'Probably got troops hidden nearby too.'
Isii and Yeba trembled.
"F-Fighting... us?"
"No heads-up about this..."
Then a booming voice shattered the frozen air.
"Krahahaha! Wanted to just watch, but sadly, I'm short on patience..."
Whoooosh...
Bram.
The exile, Serria Gui chieftain, eyed Bron.
"Bron... my brother. State your purpose here."
Bron nodded and spoke candidly.
Moles right beside him, yet he seemed unbothered.
"Wanna crush the moles and Lizard. Lend me your strength."
"Th-That bastard!"
"Keeeek! Kill!"
The moles raged at his words, but Bram just laughed.
"Kekek... kekekek... krahahahaha!"
"Why laugh?"
Bram answered Bron's question.
"The moles said something similar. Hey, Zackcha! Recite your purpose here again."
Zackcha replied without hesitation.
"Gonna sweep away the Glacier Gui. Join us, and Lizard will praise you later."
Smirk...
Bram grinned wickedly.
"Guess things got noisy while we hunkered down. So... whose side should the Serria Gui take...?"
The Serria Gui's choice hung heavy. Their exile band's scale exceeded Kang Seol's expectations.
'And this Bram... inherited Branka's power.'
Unsure if blood brothers, but Bram resembled Branka greatly—power included.
"What now..."
Bram scratched his chin, then smiled.
Smirk...
"This'll do. Strength, it's all about strength. Serria Gui follow the strong."
Bron and Zackcha answered in unison.
"Moles? Breakfast snack."
"Glacier Gui ends for good this time."
"Kekek... dunno who's right, so gotta see for myself."
Bram waved a hand.
"Fight. Right here."
"......"
"......"
"No need for you two. Send your underlings."
The leaders pondered briefly, then agreed.
"Fine."
"Not bad."
Crack...
While Bron loosened up personally, Zackcha glanced at his aide, Cron.
"I'll step up... heh heh heh..."
"Cron. Yeah, you won't lose."
"Lizard's gifted power awakened this old body. How could I fall to some sorcerer?"
"True. Go."
The moles would send Cron.
'...Jamad, got an idea.'
Kang Seol explained his plan to Jamad, who bought in.
- Sounds fun. His face'll be priceless.
With a quick plan set, Kang Seol patted Bron's shoulder.
Tap tap...
"Hm?"
"I'll go."
Bron recoiled in surprise.
"For real? Tough opponent."
"Yeah, my turn this time."
Bron dragged the insistent Skolla back.
Kang Seol scanned around.
Serria Gui tribesfolk all watched.
Wary of the stranger, expectant of his power.
Sweeping those loaded gazes, his eyes settled on mole grand sorcerer Cron.
"Heh heh... resorting to humans now?"
"Poor old mole, dragged to the battlefield. Things rough over there?"
"...Foolish to bandy words with vermin."
"Agreed."
Swish...
The grand sorcerer swung his staff, whipping up a frost gale.
Whiiiiiish...
Cron asked Bram.
"Kill okay?"
"Whatever. If you can."
Kang Seol started to ask something, but held back and readied for battle.
"Heh... kekee... gonna beg to run?"
"Think what you want."
Bram declared.
"Begin."
Crack-!
Battle joined, Cron slammed his staff into the ground.
Instantly, the snow cover leaped up like it was jumping rope.
Shrieeek-!
Ice spikes hidden beneath pelted Kang Seol.
'Prepped in advance. Playing dirty.'
Crackle...
Kang Seol merged with Jamad in a flash, donning earthen armor.
Crack!
Craaaackle!
Spikes shattered against Night Raven's body, foiled.
Kang Seol and Jamad had tangled with sorcerers plenty. Past ones were physically elite too, so fights got brutal.
This mole grand sorcerer Cron, though, relied purely on sorcery—like facing a pure mage.
'No window for big moves.'
Crackle-!
An ice blade clashed with Night Raven.
Cron unleashed every spell to bar close quarters.
[Cron uses Glacier Sorcery: Ice Fish Hook.]
[Ice shatters, unleashing shockwaves.]
[Caught in shockwaves risks status: Stun.]
Krakrakra-!
Man-sized ice chunks exploded endlessly, blinding Night Raven and sealing movement.
"Heh heh... can't move properly, huh?"
"...Fair point."
Cron was seasoned.
He'd handle any warrior fine.
But one question nagged.
'This won't beat me, though?'
Cron's prior spells could trouble a skilled fighter, not kill.
[Cron uses Glacier Sorcery: Fortress Net.]
[Binds foes exposed to chill.]
Creeeak...
Cron's sorcery iced Night Raven's body in seconds.
"Heh... done."
Whoooosh...
An ice stake speared for Night Raven's heart.
Then.
Fwoosh-!
[Sulfur Sorcery: Hyperhidrosis.]
[Massive heat surges.]
[Heat inflicts status: Burn.]
Sizzzzzz...
Crack!
Kang Seol burst from the ice clump.
Splat-!
He even snatched the incoming stake.
Sizzzzzz...
Bram marveled as it melted.
"...Fun. Multiple sources, eh."
Cron sneered instead.
"Heh heh heh... Multiple sources? Decent, but..."
Cron's staff vibrated.
"Before Lizard's power, nothing holds."
Sssss...
Bron frowned at the ominous aura from the staff.
"What... that power? No way!"
"Think your boasted strength can save you?"
Frost power enveloped Kang Seol.
"Hm?"
[Cron uses Sorcery Erosion.]
[Seals linked target's sorcery.]
Creak...
Creeeak...
Ice chains sprouted, binding Night Raven's arms.
"Heh heh heh! How's that?"
"......"
Kang Seol tried channeling sorcery while bound.
Creak...
Creeeeak...
No give.
Bron shouted at the sight.
"Lizard's power! He freezes sorcery in place!"
"Knowing changes nothing? Foolish... so foolish..."
Cron gloated, victory assured.
'Not bad...'
Honestly shocking.
Freezing sorcery solid, rendering it useless.
Lightning source, sulfur countering frost, even trusty earth—all helpless before Lizard's authority.
'...Huh?'
Pondering escape, Night Raven spotted an easy out and smirked.
"Come on, admit defeat. Or else..."
Crack...
Creeeak...
As Sorcery Erosion froze every source, one power rampaged alone.
Whoooosh...
Night Raven exuded colossal chill.
"No way!"
Bram shot to his feet. The Serria Gui tribe stirred wildly.
"That's..."
"No... impossible..."
The aura Kang Seol emitted tied deeply to Serria Gui.
Branka's ancient glacier sorcery.
The ice chains on his arms frosted over further.
Creeeeak...
[Ancient Glacier Sorcery: Midwinter.]
……