Chapter 432
Chapter 432
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 432
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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Not long after the goal split into two, the mage who had been hiding between buildings revealed himself in front of Ur.
[Malia uses Warm Wind.]
[The caster's movement speed and cast speed increase by 10%.]
Whoooosh…
Thud.
A man planting his foot on the rooftop.
"Leave the carriage and go. And forget what happened today."
"Shouldn't you introduce yourself first? The fog's your doing, right?"
Whoooosh…
"I'm Malia. Here to clean up after that idiot baron."
"Baron? Oh, you mean the weird guy Kang Seol brought along."
"And you? Who are you? One of the investigators?"
"Ur. A mage?"
Malia tilted his head and scowled.
"Mage? What are you talking about?"
"No need to know. Mage, I'll give you some advice myself."
Ur grinned.
"Get lost. Don't be a nuisance."
Malia scowled at Ur's words and spun his staff.
"Guess words won't cut it."
Gulp…
Crash-!
Malia pulled out a suspicious potion, downed it, and smashed the bottle on the ground.
"You gonna puff up like bread now?"
"Not some low-level power like that."
"Then?"
"I'll show you."
True to his word, no physical change occurred.
But one thing had changed.
'...His mana inside is surging.'
Malia's mana continued to swell even now.
Ur watched silently, yielding the first strike.
"Quite confident!"
Fwoosh…
[Malia uses Unexpected Burn.]
[The attack range of fire-attribute magic expands beyond what is visible.]
[You can take damage even without touching the flames.]
[Malia uses Chain: Skewer Roast.]
[Forms a vortex of flames to deal fire damage to enemies in a set range.]
Whoooosh…
A fire spell amplified with wind magic to widen its range.
[Ur uses Backfire.]
[In Backfire state, repels flames.]
Sizzle-!
The clash of Ur's energy and Malia's echoed around them.
"No one's coming to help you?"
Malia answered Ur's dry question.
"No need."
"We'll see... You look like you could use some."
"Hmph!"
As Malia's staff spun again, a fierce wind rushed toward Ur this time.
[Malia uses Set the Neighbor's House Ablaze.]
[Transfers flames in a set range to the opponent.]
Fwoooosh-!
Snap-!
[Ur uses Wrong Turn.]
[The target's designated range swaps to a random other range.]
Sizzle…
A gust of fire barely grazed past Ur.
Flash-!
As the fiery wind was deflected, a bolt of lightning shot out from behind the thick black smoke where Malia hid.
[Malia uses Lightning Fire.]
[The path of Lightning Fire cannot be predicted.]
Craaaackle-!
Ur defended against the ever-protecting Lightning Fire with living frost.
Buried in ice, Ur spoke.
"You use all sorts of magic."
"......"
"You originally honed wind, right?"
"...Spouting whatever you want."
"Is that so... Atromil boosted your mana, so you're trying all sorts now?"
"Atromil... You picked up some info somewhere. Yeah, it gave me more than you think."
"...Affinity."
"Kek... Right. Affinity."
A power commonly called elemental affinity. This invisible force was something everyone had to some degree, but mages were especially influenced by it.
It was typical to follow the affinity you were born with.
"Now I can use any magic."
"Not wrong. But... to be precise, you can use any magic 'decently.'"
"That's what every mage dreams of. No weaknesses."
Ur paused briefly before speaking.
"You're hopeless. Makes me want to lecture you for the first time in ages."
"...What?"
"Shallow and broad is the worst philosophy in magic."
"How dare you say that?"
"There were always students like you back then. Craving new spells, thinking variety equals strength. I'd always tell them this."
He spoke in a stuffy tone.
"Stick to what you're doing and do it well."
Whirl-!
The staff spun.
Boom-!
Malia fired a shockwave to shatter Ur's ice.
Boom-!
The shockwave failed to break the ice.
"I'd compare mages to paper so they'd get it."
"You've been babbling about mages and students... Enough of your nonsense!"
"Even if you hammer paper into a blunt tool, it's worthless. Better to keep it as paper—it can at least cut, making it a more dangerous mage."
Flash-!
Malia approached the ice and placed his hand on it.
Rumble-!
A lightning bolt crashed fiercely onto the ice.
"I'm not there."
Pop-!
Malia tensed at the voice from behind.
"...When did you slip out?"
"I was never inside to begin with. Let me finish. So, I'd advise that a sharp awl is better than a blunt hammer from paper."
Ur said with a blank face.
"Dispel the fog, you fool."
"Shut up!"
Rumble-!
The spot where Ur had been exploded in lightning.
"Don't act like you know everything..."
Swoooosh…
A chill swept over the area.
"I'll show you the awl. Watch closely."
[Ur uses Culprit Designation.]
[Emits a line of cold that slowly approaches the target.]
[If connected to the cold line, you freeze.]
Sizzle…
Ur extended a finger, and a finger-thick line emerged from the tip.
The line, emanating intense cold, slowly advanced toward Malia.
"Don't make me laugh!"
Rumble-!
Lightning struck, but the line merely wavered without stopping.
"Urk..."
Generally, lightning was strong against cold.
Details varied by elements, but that was common knowledge.
Malia's common sense shattered today.
Crackle-!
Zzzzzap-!
Even concentrated lightning had no effect.
The blue line pursued relentlessly.
"Magic is just a tool to proclaim your own truth—being swayed by created truths is third-rate."
Flash-!
Malia thrust his hand forward, blasting intense wind at the blue line.
Whoooosh-!
The line swayed more violently but ultimately failed to block Ur's attack.
"Using magic 'decently' means everything is a weakness."
"Ah... W-Wai..."
Crack...
Craaaackle...
[Malia is designated as the culprit.]
[You freeze.]
Ur spoke to the now-ice sculpture.
"See? Stick to what you're doing and do it well."
Malia's heart had stopped, but the fog lingered.
"This staff must be the issue."
Usually, smashing it solved things.
Ur snatched it from Malia's hand and glanced below.
At Kang Seol and the hidden old man's battle.
* * *
As soon as combat began, Kang Seol sensed something off about the gathered forces here.
'Puppets.'
All had the same eyes.
Cloudy gray without pupils.
[Assiri uses Charm Eye.]
[Those caught in Charm Eye have all stats reduced by 50%.]
[Those caught in Charm Eye have greatly increased defense and elemental resistance.]
The enthralled underlings posed little threat with lowered stats but served as sturdy meat shields.
'...Where? Where are you hiding.'
He could smash through the meat shields brutally, but it would take time.
Assiri hadn't shown himself, so fleeing was an option, but charging through the city with this many tails would cause a major incident.
He felt no strong loyalty to the Federal Investigation Bureau, but unnecessary casualties had to be prevented.
'The cleanest way is to find the old man and kill him. That solves everything.'
The hardest, but surest method.
Hummm…
The puppets swung swords clumsily, already closing in on his chin.
Rustle…
Kang Seol's body turned into a flock of crows, leaping to a nearby rooftop.
This was a new evolution of the survival skill Nightmare—from evasion to mobility.
Still limited to short, imperfect distances.
- Not bad skill.
Assiri's voice drifted from somewhere. Kang Seol scanned around in disappointment, having hoped to pinpoint him by sound.
- But your spatial awareness is lacking. Those eyes don't suit you after all.
Kang Seol spat curtly.
"You strut without even meeting my gaze."
- Heh heh... Spatial awareness doesn't require eye contact, kid.
Whoooosh…
[Assiri uses Collapse Eye.]
[Crumbles the target from within. Designating space instead of a target maximizes destructive power and shaking.]
Craaaackle-!
"...Hm."
The building Kang Seol stood on began to crumble.
First, the floor beneath his feet gave way.
Crunch-!
As the floor collapsed, puppets waiting below charged at Kang Seol in unison.
Swing-!
Kang Seol spun midair and slammed one foot down.
[Summoner's Reach activates.]
[Opponents in the shockwave range are strongly repelled.]
Kaaaaboom-!
Puppets bounced away like popcorn as he stomped.
Kang Seol used the gap to ponder how to take down Assiri.
Starting with the simplest method.
Whoooosh-!
[Age of Giants' special ability activates.]
[Imposes dignity burden on those without dignity, equal to your own.]
......
The puppets rose unscathed and charged again.
'Tch, doesn't work.'
Likely immune since their movements were forced.
'Then...'
No choice but the more complex path.
[Uses Under the Lamp.]
[Perception range minimizes; becomes stealthed at distance.]
[Noise risks easy detection.]
Whumm...
Kang Seol melted into pitch-black shadow like slipping under cover.
He escaped the crumbling building and dashed to another, scanning surroundings.
'Can't control that many.'
The puppets milled about searching for the vanished Kang Seol.
'...Found you!'
On a building a bit away, a lone puppet stared precisely at Kang Seol's location.
The others still flailed aimlessly.
'That's the one.'
Flash-!
Kang Seol surged toward that building.
"Ugh... Urrrgh..."
The presumed Assiri puppet turned and fled upon spotting Kang Seol.
Sensing unease in the action, Kang Seol snapped his fingers.
Snap-!
[Secret Art: Darkling used.]
[Darkling summoned.]
The Darkling hugged Kang Seol upon summoning.
The fleeing puppet turned back that instant.
It grinned, strapped with bombs.
"Got you, rookie."
Whirrr...
KaaaaaaaBOOM-!
* * *
Crunch...
Craaaackle...
From a nearby building, an old man watched the explosion collapse the structure.
Heh...
"Well? Hurt this time?"
Toying with foes before thoroughly crushing them was Assiri's specialty.
Whoooosh…
As smoke from the blast cleared, the Darkling emerged.
"...What? Unscathed?"
Not quite—its massive body was half-melted.
Yet it still cradled something protectively.
"Withstood the explosion? Monster brat... But no way it survived that heat. Surely..."
Then, something chilling pierced Assiri from behind.
Stab-!
"Gahk..."
Kang Seol whispered to Assiri.
"A spatial awareness user wouldn't turn and run."
"Th-Then..."
Rumble...
As the Darkling rose, its embrace revealed nothing inside.
Realizing the trick, Assiri muttered.
"Kuh... Heh... Sharp young one."
"...You just shifted bodies. Stabbed the heart."
Kang Seol felt an ominous sensation.
He'd pierced the heart, yet vitality shifted elsewhere.
"Thanks to you, I lost my precious last eye, kid."
"......"
Some eyes apparently saved lives once.
"That... You know? Good eyes mean good instincts. You kept unconsciously glancing somewhere during the fight... Know why?"
"What?"
Thud...
The heart-pierced one became a puppet.
Then, from the spot Kang Seol had fixated on, a voice rang out.
"You came to save me! Assiri!"
"Shut up! I have words for you, so I won't kill you yet."
"Kill? What are you..."
Kang Seol looked down from the rooftop at the carriage.
The old man had dragged Tansia and Jian out, standing them in front.
"Who's the geezer?"
"Such a foul mouth. Punishment soon."
Assiri bled from one eye.
Likely the resurrection cost.
"Didn't want to involve the kid, but..."
Kang Seol shouted at the syringe in Assiri's hand.
"Tansia!"
He'd subconsciously felt he must protect Tansia, constantly mindful of the carriage's position even in combat.
Assiri had instantly seen her as his leash and acted directly.
"I'll say it now: don't rush in. Piss me off, and the poison inside might change."
Stab...
"Ah!"
"Stay still!"
The needle pierced Tansia's shoulder, injecting liquid.
Gurgle...
Killing intent poured from Kang Seol's body.
"Relax, not Atromil. Just... my homemade ordinary poison. Here's the antidote..."
Then.
Crackle...
"Huh? Not Atromil..."
Tansia's arm swelled massively.
More precisely, toward the end, resembling a dragon's limb.
[Tansia awakens Dragon Blood.]
[Dragon Blood is immune to common poisons.]
The blackened arm swung at its awakener.
Swoooosh…
"Damn..."
Craaaash-!
The grotesquely clawed dragon arm pulverized Assiri mercilessly.
Like swatting a fly.
Crackle...
Zzzzzt...
[Epiphany! Tansia awakens a new ability.]
[Tansia awakens Partial Transformation.]
Assiri was utterly crushed. Tansia stared at her new arm in shock.
Tansia gaped at her enormous arm.
"Oh..."
"......"
Kang Seol sometimes got confused around Tansia. Was she truly a child, or a ferocious dragon?
Perhaps he'd been fooled by her appearance into thinking she needed protection. Or bearing Jamad's oath.
To shield Tankred's last bloodline from the world.
Thud...
Ur approached Kang Seol, snapping the staff.
Crack...
"Magic's handled. But... a dragon is a dragon."
Tansia swung her huge arm excitedly at Kang Seol.
"...Whoa!"
Through this, Kang Seol revised his view of protecting her.
She was a dragon, the strongest being on earth.
A message appeared to Kang Seol.
[Acquire information on the 'Dragon' Legacy Adventure.]
……