Chapter 98
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Peerless Fire Monkey
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Once I learned its grade, the extraordinary aura I'd sensed earlier suddenly made perfect sense.
Soon, information on the Fire Monkey appeared before Kang Seol's eyes.
[Peerless: You have acquired the Fire Monkey.]
[You have obtained an item that did not exist in the world.]
Magra of Superheat was a heretic born from the Sulfur Skeletons.
When he left the tribe, having revived the waning name of the Sulfur Skeletons across Pandea, the tribe offered sacrifices to Purga in honor of his achievements.
On that day, Purga's symbol was etched onto Magra's cloak.
Basic Effect: All stats +20
Special Effects: Hehe Hoho (Unique) active, Wobbly (Unique) active, Fire! (Unique) active, 90% Fire Damage Reduction
'My God...'
All stats +20.
Equipment bonuses rarely reached such heights unless they were on major slots like armor, pants, helmets, or weapons.
'This is beyond cosmic...'
The cosmic stat boost from his first such item had been massive, but this Fire Monkey surpassed even that.
A cloak with 70 defense? Are you kidding me lololol
Frontliners in medium armor with 70 defense are sobbing lolol
??? : What kind of cloak has 70 defense lol crossing the line lololol
Peerless dropping from mobs? First time hearing this;
Wasn't this his first from a regular mob? Drop-wise?
90% fire damage reduction as a baseline. What a piece of gear.
Kang Seol calmly checked the unique abilities on the cloak.
First, Hehe Hoho boosted evasion by up to 20% if it was below that threshold, or by an additional 5% if already above.
'My evasion is under 5% right now, so this is a huge gain.'
For a summoner, who lagged behind frontliners in agility, this meant dodging even boss attacks one in five times.
Hehe... hoho...
If a rogue or monk got this, they'd be flying everywhere.
Next, Wobbly drastically reduced the wearer's presence, making them blurrier to enemies. A passive ability.
'This is good too. No, fantastic.'
If eyes weren't drawn to Kang Seol as the wearer, his party wouldn't be in jeopardy.
With his twin knights and Jamad all at legendary grade summons, as long as enemies ignored the summoner's sole weak point, his summons could rampage freely.
'Though it works less on intelligent foes... still not bad.'
Against someone like Magra, it'd offer minor help, but against beast-form enemies, it'd be hugely useful.
And most Pandea monsters were beasts. Plenty of mileage there.
Finally, 'Fire!'
'This...'
When an enemy's HP hit 10%, it rolled an execution die.
'Insane ability!'
Execution? Huh? Execution??
Hold up? 10%? 10% execution chance viable?
Ahem! Off with you! It's not instant—it's a die roll!
Bull! 4-6 executes for sure!
Sip! 3's in play too. Let's drop this topic!
Insane lolol Boss Killer Snowman! You're crazy!
10% execution applied to summon damage too, making it great for Kang Seol.
'Perfect for bosses.'
Bosses had absurd HP compared to regulars. Magra had tanked legendary minions Karen and Karuna for ages, proving it.
But 'Fire!' probabilistically wiped 10% of that tankiness. God-tier option.
Yog Natun's biggest mystery: why'd Magra ditch it mid-fight lololol
Thought he'd win lol Got messy, so tossed it aside.
Karen stared at the cloak, entranced.
Kang Seol grinned and equipped it.
"Ah..."
Ah what lolol
Snag it now before he boxes it up and runs later.
Kang Seol then checked his new title from the run.
[Special Title: The Burning One]
Related Achievement: Grace of Fire (Adventure: Breach the Flames)
Special Effect: Immune to Burn status.
[Special Title: Herald of a New Era]
Related Achievement: Hastened Age (Adventure: Breach the Flames)
Special Effect: Cooldowns reduced by 5%.
[Title: Flame of Purification]
Related Achievement: Devoured Flames (Adventure: Breach the Flames)
Special Effect: Fire attack power +10%.
Flame of Purification went to Karen, but the others overflowed with utility for Kang Seol.
'Cooldown reduction's great for summons.'
He barely used skills himself—Shadow Hand and Shadow Summon—but his summons sharing it was a massive power spike.
'And status immunities shine more the more you stack.'
Statuses were myriad; blocking one didn't shift tides. But stacking changed everything.
Immunity to heat/cold, all poisons, unbreakable diamond body—ideal states born from stacking these from the start.
Equipment and titles made this Altar of Fire run a jackpot for Kang Seol.
'With Karuna and Jamad powered up, I'm invincible for a while.'
Rare for the self-critical Kang Seol to rate himself so highly.
This was after arriving in Gullia and seeing Karuna and Jamad's updated stats.
'Nearly 1.5x—no, 3x stronger.'
Summons normally output 50% power.
Karuna hit legendary, gaining 50% stats, plus 100% more from dual-summoning Karen. Total 3x.
Jamad matched: legendary upgrade restored full base power sans skills, with big stat bumps.
Now all three summons were evenly matched. And vastly stronger.
No confidence... in beating him!
Local tanks here lolol
Gonna steamroll fr
Kang Seol doubted himself daily. Was this his peak? The right path?
Pandea's road ahead might twist, but right now, he could say it clearly.
He was the strongest.
A room stuffed with tacky ornaments and pointless knickknacks. The office of Patrick Kates, fortress lord and Nebanian military figure.
"Look here, Kibo. You expect me to believe that?"
"Whether you believe it is for the fortress lord to decide. Why ask me?"
"Trolls pissed off Purga and got wiped out? How am I supposed to buy that!"
"Heh... We're the survivors. Mind your words."
"...I'm the one reporting to high command. You keep spouting nonsense, so I've delayed it."
"Of course. We were dying in Yog Natun, waiting for rescue."
Nebania had abandoned its citizens.
No troops sent to save them from Yog Natun.
Patrick, Gullia's commander, couldn't console them. Bound by castle and military orders, his forces had idled while captives were dragged away.
Thus, relief at Kibo's group's survival mixed with doubt.
"Ruining a hard-prepared ritual... And most captives returned alive?"
"We shouldn't have survived?"
"That's not it. Why hide the truth?"
"You wanted truth, so I gave it. We're miracles ourselves, barely clinging to life after hell. Yet you call it lies and hound us, battered in body and soul?"
Patrick glanced at Kibo's amputated legs, sighed.
"Off with you. I'll report it as is."
"Thank you, Lord Patrick."
Kibo wheeled out on the crude chair Hwmuni had made.
Freed from scrutiny, the captives huddled to plan.
"Back to Nobira?"
"That's no place for people now..."
"Where people gather and live becomes a home. What's the issue?"
"True."
"We got nowhere but Nobira. Clear rubble, rebuild. Right?"
"Yeah! Back to Nobira!"
As excitement built for fresh starts, Kibo spoke to dazed Yumira.
"Mira."
"Yeah."
"Waiting for him?"
"...Yeah. He's late."
"He'll come soon. Don't worry. The man who emerged unscathed from that inferno."
"Not worried. Just wish he'd hurry. Gotta wrap my business and take you home."
"Heh... Plans once back?"
"Dunno... What's left for me?"
Her face darkened, all troupe lost.
"Form your own hunting troupe, Mira."
"My own?"
"Yeah. Not handed down from me. Heh, though mine's all vaporized now."
"Sounds good."
"You're a wolf now. Survived the slaughterhouse. Any ruin will spill its secrets to you."
"Kibo."
"What? Having second thoughts...?"
"No, later."
"...Ah."
They spotted someone striding confidently through the gates.
"He's here."
First face Kang Seol met in Gullia: Yumira.
She arrived just as he finished checks, catching his breath.
"Miss Yumira?"
"Made it safe, Snow—no, Seol. Trip go well?"
"Mael handled it. The barrier talk..."
"We covered it smoothly, no suspicions. Don't worry."
"Relief."
Karen welcomed her warmly.
"Oh? When'd you get here?"
"Uh... just now..."
"Sit! Sit! Host's cold, so guests get the chill? Here."
"Tha... thanks..."
Social butterfly!
Social king... wheeze, awkward...
Kang Seol pulled a chair opposite Yumira.
"Why seek me out?"
Previously, she'd asked to meet in Gullia.
Her reason?
Smooth.
A ring radiating eerie glow hit the table.
"This..."
"Trade for Kibo's item."
She'd come to reclaim Wolf's Warning, Kibo's symbol ring.
"Hmm..."
Kang Seol inspected the proffered ring's info.