Chapter 93

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Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 93

Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board

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The stabilization of the central pillar at Zando's altar was proceeding successfully.

However, not all problems had been resolved.

"Damn it, does it make any sense that we still haven't found that last rat?"

"S-Sorry! We'll report back as soon as we hear anything!"

High Priest Zando grumbled but prioritized what needed to be done first.

Whirrr-!

Roooaaarrr-!

The flame tattoo on his face blazed like it was burning.

Fwoosh-!

The sorcery power he wielded spewed smoke as it unleashed its strength.

"Huuuuh... Hmph..."

Rumble rumble rumble...

Plop.

Once the central pillar was restored, he would personally comb through the entire altar like a fine-tooth comb to root out that rat.

"Magra! I'm sorry to disappoint you. It seems my subordinates still haven't found the rat."

"Enough. It's because the Sulfur Skull lieutenants aren't here."

"Thank you for understanding."

"At this rate, I suppose I'll have to go myself. There's no way the ones I sent down haven't reported back yet... Something's off."

Zando shook his head at those words.

"Haven't you noticed, Magra? It's obvious what the enemies are after. It's me, isn't it?"

"You mean they're aiming for you amid the chaos?"

"Of course. Anyone who knows about the central pillar and dared to tamper with it would expect me to use my power to prevent the temple from collapsing. And they're planning to target me while I'm defenseless!"

"...That does make sense. But what about the armory, the supply depot, and the sorcery vault? Those places are exposed to the enemy too."

Zando nodded at Magra's question.

"Unavoidable sacrifices. If the enemies go for those, it'll make me safer. At this point, mobilization will be delayed a bit."

"...I see."

"And this is High Chieftain Zando swallowing his pride to ask: while I'm restoring the central pillar, could you protect ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me from threats, Magra?"

"Not a problem. With me here, who would dare target you?"

"Thank you! The pillar will be back in place soon."

Mobilization delayed.

Acceptable sacrifices.

With those guidelines set, the situation simplified greatly. They just had to sit tight here, fortify their defenses like a shield, and protect Zando.

There was no urgent need to mobilize right away, and they hadn't held the primal god rite yet.

'Wait... the primal god rite?'

Magra's sharp instincts pinpointed the flaw in the plan.

"Who's guarding the shrine?"

"I dispatched some troops there. The other priests are heading here before things get dangerous."

"If the enemies target the primal god..."

"How would scum who don't even know how to summon it know it exists? You're overreacting, Magra."

Zando's words weren't wrong.

In Pandea, only trolls and other primitive races worshiped primal gods.

'Wait, something feels wrong.'

Magra couldn't shake the nagging unease as he pondered.

With enemies infiltrating the interior, tampering with any key point would be fatal to the Sulfur Skulls.

Just then, as they grappled with their concerns, a messenger approached.

"Zando! Reinforcements are almost here."

"Ugh, bringing them into the altar during this mess feels off."

But at that moment, another piece of news arrived to heighten their anxiety.

"Z-Zando! Big trouble!"

"What now?"

"The sacrifices... the sacrifices have broken free, raided the armory, stolen weapons, and are heading up!"

"Damn it! I knew they were after me!"

"No... not you, Zando. That's not what they're after."

"What?"

Magra's aura surged explosively.

"The shrine! We have to stop them!"

Magra's intuition was spot on.

As he'd feared, the guards at the shrine were facing a dire crisis.

"E-Enemy!"

"They're coming here!"

"We have to warn Zando... Damn it! That one's blocking the door!"

Kang Seol, with Karen in tow, had sealed off the passage to the shrine.

Sploosh!

Slash-

The trolls near the shrine were elite monsters that normally required at least two players to handle.

Whenever such monsters approached Karen, their necks were sliced off in an instant, shredded like in a blender.

By the time Kang Seol had cleared the trolls around the shrine, a message appeared before him.

'Jamad must have succeeded.'

Things had gone according to plan so far.

The new adventure goal was exactly as expected—nothing more, nothing less.

Kang Seol skimmed the details and refocused on the present.

The shrine sat at the topmost level of the fire altar, a perilously open space with only the floor intact.

'Falling from here would be instant death.'

Dropping into the boiling sulfur would melt even bones.

This rooftop-like perch atop the building made pushing past blocking trolls seem tough, but it wasn't.

'Did Zando pull soldiers to protect himself? This Sulfur Skull chieftain is a fool.'

In other words, the path to the shrine was like a quiet country road with occasional traffic.

Ten minutes.

It took Kang Seol no more than that to butcher trolls and reach the temple summit where the shrine lay.

Plenty of time remained before the central pillar was restored.

"Guard the shrine!"

"Hmph! How dare you profane this sacred place!"

The chatty experience sacks tried to block Karen, but they were all sliced like rice crackers, bisected top to bottom.

The dead trolls died with eyes wide in disbelief, never landing a proper counter.

"Hmm... He should be here by now."

"Were you looking for me?"

"...Mael."

"Not surprised, I see."

Mael had silently approached behind Kang Seol.

"Kahahat! I saw it, you flinched."

"How'd you get up here so fast?"

"A bit of sorcery and using the terrain makes dodging those stampeding soldiers easy. But I'm worried. The soldiers sent to catch me might target the hostages..."

"Jamad's there, so they won't go down easy."

Mael nodded.

"Then let's proceed with the ritual immediately."

"Good."

As they approached the shrine, options appeared before Kang Seol.

Mael clasped his hands and began muttering.

After murmuring for a while, he handed Kang Seol a dagger from near the shrine.

"Drip your blood into the flames."

Slice-

A brief stinging sensation passed.

Kang Seol's blood fell into the brazier.

Sizzle...

Fwoosh-!

The shrine flames shuddered as they vaporized the blood.

Kang Seol shouted as Mael instructed.

"Almighty fire! Blazing sulfur! Wild Pruga slumbering in the volcano, reveal yourself to this humble being!"

Bubble... bubble bubble.

Suddenly, sulfur bubbles rose from the volcano crater holding the temple afloat.

They swirled into a vortex, then erupted with earth-shaking tremors.

Splashhhh-!

'Ugh... hot.'

The sulfur formed a massive fire monkey and approached the brazier.

Rumble-!

Sizzle...

"Urgh..."

The heat was indescribable, and Pruga's pressure crushed his body.

Kang Seol nearly screamed, saved only by Mael's preemptive protective sorcery.

The mischievous-looking Pruga approached Kang Seol.

"A new face, eh? What bold reason woke me from my deep slumber?"

It felt like lightning speaking.

"Pruga! Accept this offering!"

"Offering? Kahahaha! Are you the offering? Or all of you?"

His voice hammered the head like an anvil, ears ringing.

By now, Zando and the entire temple would know something was wrong at the shrine.

Fwoosh!

"Here's the offering."

Kang Seol pulled something from his inventory.

A treasure from a previous adventure, stockpiled due to lack of use.

Atarak's heart, pulsing with ancient blood.

Pruga scratched his chin observing it, then threw his head back in mad laughter.

"Kahahahaha! Not bad, not bad at all! Worth waking me for. I won't refuse."

Fwoooosh-!

Gigantic flames snatched the heart from Kang Seol's hand.

Then, options appeared.

Confirming the "receive reward" option, Kang Seol shouted.

"I have a demand for the offering's price!"

"Mm... this blood... excellent. Speak your desire."

This choice was unusually diverse, with over 30 options.

Scanning down, Kang Seol found what he wanted.

Grinning with bared teeth, he said,

"Shadows! Grotesque shadows!"

"Your desire shall be etched in flame."

As Pruga pointed at Kang Seol, a tattoo began burning onto his face.

"Gaaaaah!"

It felt like his face was melting.

But Kang Seol endured to stay conscious, realizing the pain was brief.

Soon, it faded to a refreshing sensation.

'Incredible power!'

Shadow Space, growth, simultaneous summons—all shadow-related abilities surged dramatically.

An absurd leap in power.

But it hinged on Kang Seol having the perfect treasure at the perfect time, with the altar ready—a miraculous convergence.

He couldn't replicate it intentionally, and it required his knowledge.

It underscored how every adventure mattered.

His prior Shadow Space shortage had limited strong summons; now, he could command them all.

Pruga stretched contentedly and sank back into the sulfur.

"...Is it over?"

The ordeal felt dreamlike to Kang Seol.

Witnessing a primal god and tasting its power.

"Now then..."

That was when it happened.

Boooom!

Hiss...

"Impressive. My children must be dead, then?"

Magra appeared at the summit, leading over ten trolls.

He'd ignored the freed sacrifices and rushed straight here.

Spotting the aftermath, Magra glared at Kang Seol's back.

Swish.

Kang Seol turned, doffing his hood.

From neck to face gleamed a fire monkey tattoo.

"Magra, talk about bad luck. Of all the..."

"A human knows my name? Why target the sulfur flames?"

"Let's get this straight. You dragged my friend here."

"Sacrifice, got it. But your luck ends here. You ran into me. This volcano will be your grave."

"Luck? Yeah, mine's always rotten. But..."

Immense energy poured from Kang Seol's shadow.

Hummmm...

And then.

Whirrr-!

A blue knight forged from shadows awakened.

Karen cried out at the sight.

"Karuna!"

A barrage of messages.

Ignoring the endless influx, Kang Seol told Magra,

"So, prepare yourself well."

"...You."

Karuna, shielding Kang Seol, stared at Magra and said,

"It has been far too long a slumber."

The faint rift had now gaped impossibly wide, beyond blocking.