Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: The Lion's Advance
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Whoooosh…
"It's a dungeon."
"That seems to be the case, Lord Manan."
"It feels like this affair has been tainted by filthy sludge."
Blood Cult Lion Manan pressed his throbbing temples.
Should they hesitate and retreat from here, or press forward?
Every choice ahead was critical for him. After all, he was here in place of the Blood Cult.
"For now, wouldn't it be best to fall back?"
"…The Lion was sent here precisely to avoid hesitation."
"…You're right."
"Our cult shall become an unstoppable torrent. Retreating at the very first step would make us a laughingstock."
Advance with unwavering resolve.
That was the Blood Cult's doctrine.
"Scouting the surroundings comes first, then."
"It looks like a vast forest."
Flash—!
In an instant, Baek—one of the unpleasant trio—scaled a tree and surveyed the area.
"The entire forest is choked with trees. However… I see something over there."
"What do you see?"
Huuuuh…!
Baek gathered qi in his eyes to identify the distant object.
"It looks like a pile of dirt. We'd need to get closer to know for sure."
"A pile of dirt? Hmmm… Understood."
The group moved forward in formation, with two Blood Shadow Corpses at the lead. Like the others who had come here before, after walking for several hours, Baek spoke up.
"Lord Lion, this is strange."
"I sense it too."
"The sun is already setting. It seems the day-night cycle here differs from the outside."
"……."
"Shall we take a short rest?"
"Very well."
Manan pondered the nature of this place for a moment.
What if there's nothing in this dungeon and we're trapped here as part of some scheme?
Truthfully, being confined briefly wouldn't be an issue. The corpses here required nothing to maintain their bodies, and the martial artists could survive for months on the rations they carried.
They were, after all, masters of qi.
Fwoosh…
They kindled a fire in moments and waited for night to pass.
Whoooosh…
The red energy extending from the chime showed no signs of breaking. Clearly, the massive wolf that killed Ching lay ahead.
As long as this link held, they wouldn't lose their way, so unraveling the full truth wouldn't take much time.
"Listen up, all of you."
"Yes."
"Speak, my lord."
Manan murmured softly.
"We'll regroup here and set out at dawn. This is our final preparation—hone your qi and achieve peak condition."
"Yes."
"Um… Lord Manan."
Gyeong spoke hesitantly, gauging his mood.
"I've heard that even Westerners shy away from uncharted dungeons. Our forces are formidable, but…."
"Weak words. Do I need to sear your tongue to silence such nonsense?"
"F-Forgive me."
"If we retreat from here, what will you tell Baron Jariel?"
"That's…."
"Will you claim Ching committed suicide in the dead of night? Ching was brutally murdered. If word spreads that our cult overlooked it, we'll have to withdraw from the West immediately."
Their standing in the East would likely plummet as well. He could envision a future where no one feared the Blood Cult.
"We handle problems on the spot. That's why I'm here."
"Yes."
"…Useless lot."
Baek and Gyeong bowed their heads deeply.
After chewing them out, Manan drifted into sleep. Perhaps because a headache-inducing issue loomed, his body relaxed, and he even dreamed.
—Manan, prove your worth.
The woman's voice as she turned away made his heart quake.
'Yes, Cult Leader.'
—So that our cult may break free from this narrow world and spread its wings, devote all your strength. I have high expectations for you.
'With all my loyalty, I shall fulfill the cult's wishes…'
—Kihihihi…
"…Cult Leader."
—Kihihihihihihihi!
Suddenly, maniacal laughter erupted as the woman turned back.
A painted madwoman stood there.
She extended her hand, offering something.
An invitation.
[The basic ability of Santo, leader of the Wandering Troupe: The troupe has come calling! activates.]
[You have received the Mad Invitation.]
[12 hours of time limit granted.]
[Until you respond to the invitation within the time limit, you will be exposed to various mental damages, and this effect intensifies over time.]
[The closer you are to fire, the stronger the mental damage effect becomes.]
"Graaaah!"
Someone's scream jolted him awake.
The three who opened their eyes exchanged glances.
They had all likely seen the same dream.
"Ching… Ching appeared in my dream."
"Get a grip—it's a hallucination."
"B-But… hah… it was so vivid, I…."
"A peculiar power indeed."
Even the composed Manan was drenched in cold sweat.
"What in the world is this?"
"Dream magic, perhaps?"
"No. It's neither a curse nor sorcery."
Manan nodded.
"It's like a form of mental shock. There are likely experts in this field, but it shouldn't be much trouble."
"Why are you so certain?"
"It's a power that specifies rules. Such powers are potent but can usually be escaped unscathed by simply following the rules."
"…Our enemies will try to interfere with that."
Heh…
Manan curled his lip.
"Do you think they can?"
"Impossible—the cult's might is invincible."
"No one can disrupt the cult's affairs. We are here to prove that."
Unlike previous adventurers, the Blood Cult group refrained from rash movement, waiting for daylight within the dungeon.
They had no reason to hurry. The enemy was here, and their power to slay them overflowed.
Swoosh…
Daylight came, and they began to move.
From the moment they realized the distant dirt pile was an earthen fortress, the group stayed on high alert.
At night, the fortress's heights would loom threateningly, but in the clear light of day, it posed little pressure.
—Grrrrowl…
"Goblins."
"We'll clean them up quick… urgh…."
An illusion of Wandering Troupe leader Santo seeped into his mind.
"…A headache. Send the corpses ahead first."
Flash—!
The two corpses leaped toward the fortress. Caught off guard by the sudden approach, the goblins flailed their weapons in panic.
Whooosh—!
Claaang—!
The corpse of Ching, struck by an iron mace, took no damage as if its skin were iron, and instead thrust out its hand like a shove.
Boooom—!
With a sound like a drum bursting, the goblins were hurled back. Several in front lost their lives.
"We'll join in too."
"Yes, stay sharp."
"Right!"
Baek and Gyeong joined the fray atop the fortress, scattering their qi.
[Baek uses Twin Dragon Strike.]
[Strikes twice in succession, causing internal bleeding if the target is a living being.]
Thud—!
—Kek…
[Gyeong uses Wavebreaker Kick.]
[Slams the ground with a foot, dealing 80% of attack power as damage to enemies in a wide area; deals 500% additional damage to structures.]
KABOOOM—!
Gyeong's true stomp collapsed one pillar of the fortress.
The rumors of Eastern martial artists subduing foes with mere gestures and steps proved true here as well. The goblins were no match.
"Hideous creatures."
"We'll slaughter them all!"
KABOOOM—!
It was then.
As Gyeong crumbled another pillar, a chill ran down their spines.
Eyes.
Huge eyes glared from behind the fortress walls.
In that split second of hesitation, a club swung diagonally at him. It struck true.
"Huup!"
Craaack—!
Concentrating qi to shield his body, the club shattered instead.
Gyeong's attacker was a troll. Baek, confirming the foe, charged at the troll to ward off follow-ups.
"Die!"
Hop—!
And from Gyeong's opposite side, a shadow leaped in a cross, soaring like flight.
"Die, you huuuuman!"
It was Goblin King Jakim, swinging a club as massive as his hulking frame.
[Jakim uses Grand Ambush.]
[Can only be used if less than 5 seconds have passed since the target recognized Jakim.]
[Can only be used while wielding a large weapon.]
[Deals physical damage equal to 330% of attack power. Doubled critical hit chance, and critical hit damage increased by 50%.]
"No, Gyeong!"
"This is…."
Gyeong, still reeling from the troll's blow, was pinned—facing certain death under Jakim's club.
In that instant.
Leap—!
Ching's corpse jumped in front of him.
KABOOOOOM—!
It was crushed in his place by Jakim's club.
"Th-This…."
Thwack—!
Gyeong kicked Jakim in the gut, sending him plummeting below.
"Cough…."
Thud…
Jakim crashed to the ground.
[Jakim's basic ability: Fight of the Weak activates.]
[When maximum health drops below half, damage reduction explodes upward.]
A single blow had triggered Fight of the Weak—no denying he'd taken a fatal wound.
Thud—!
Baek snapped the troll's neck and leisurely landed beside Jakim. The goblin king lay giggling.
"Kekeke… You humans… this place will be your grave."
"Is the one who killed Ching here?"
Ptooey—!
Jakim spat blood-mixed phlegm.
"If my legs were fine, you'd all be dead right here."
"Quite the braggart."
Manan flicked his hand.
Thud—!
Baek hammered Jakim's chest.
"Guuh…."
Drip…
Black blood flowed as Jakim returned to the respawn fountain.
There had been a minor crisis, but Manan's group cleared the forest field at tremendous speed.
Whoooosh…
Red energy flowed from the crimson gourd at Manan's waist, resurrecting Ching's corpse.
Crack…
One gourd shattered, leaving only three at his belt.
"Your carelessness has left us with just three precious blood serums."
"…Forgive us."
"Ugh…."
"Be warned: if Corpse Ching dies again, he won't revive intact—he'll become a drooling idiot."
"We'll keep that in mind."
Manan glared at the ruined fortress, then looked ahead.
"First the Nightmare Spirit, now this one… both rare powerhouses outside. Steel yourselves."
* * *
Impressive.
The Blood Cult group's prowess?
No—the Goblin King Jakim's valiant stand.
"Jakim held out longer than expected."
Not only that, but he forced them to expend a blood serum they hadn't anticipated. What a useful guy.
—Your carelessness has left us with just three precious blood serums.
Manan replayed the words, envisioning what lay ahead.
Blood serums were treasures held by Blood Cult elites like Manan, forged from vast grudges and sacrifices.
Three remained at his waist—essentially spare lives for the group. Blood Shadow Corpses retained their original abilities and combat intelligence even as undead, making them all the trickier.
'Undead that aren't quite undead… hmm.'
Regardless, forcing even one such serum's consumption against that powerhouse group was a feat.
'The real issue is Manan, though…'
I didn't know how the Blood Cult storyline unfolded to its end. In the original, it never truly kicked off—they fled far from the investigation team instead.
I'd figured it might emerge much later, but the server shut down before then.
The silver lining: I'd learned in advance about blood serums, Manan, and related intel from post-original spy reports.
'At this pace… definitely a threat.'
The strongest visitors since Karl Kurso.
The unpleasant trio—Episode 2's bosses—combined with Blood Cult Lion Manan from later arcs, breaking through together.
The fastest pace of any dungeon visitors so far. …Today might be my last day.
'My last? Me?'
It didn't feel real.
"Ah… I see."
It wasn't numbness that made me fearless. I simply… knew I wouldn't die today.
No one lingering in this dungeon would let death claim me easily.
What awaited them now wasn't some ordinary familiar.
A demon.
My heart raced not with fear of death, but anticipation of their encounter.
Ah, yes.
Perhaps I'm changing. Into something different from before.