Chapter 193
Chapter 193
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 193
Chapter Title: Chapter 58. Edelstein (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1.
Maple World.
A world of adventurers where uncharted lands still existed, unknowns lingered, and monsters no one could touch roamed free.
Monsters had existed for as long as the history of such adventurers.
Zakum was one of them.
Existing deep within the abandoned mine for thousands of years, Zakum was a monster whose name every adventurer knew.
Yet it was also a monster few truly knew.
For the survivors who had seen Zakum and lived could be counted on one's fingers.
But now, that Zakum had fallen.
Rumble!
It shattered into pieces.
A spine-tingling sight.
Moreover, the instant Zakum collapsed, the stone tablet it held crumbled as well, revealing a Mystic Gate.
The perfect outcome.
All that remained was to bask in the glory.
Yet among those witnessing the scene, not one face brightened or showed joy.
No time for that.
“Boss!”
El Pam, leader of the party that had just cleared the hunt, lay in critical condition.
He had regained consciousness, true.
But his state was far from good.
“Are you alright?”
“No chance. I’ve barely come to. Wouldn’t be surprised if I black out again any second.”
“Hey, Ralph. You sure about this?”
“Positive. Boss won’t utter another word for at least a week.”
Ralph spoke with absolute certainty.
That was when it happened.
“……Everyone.”
“Huh?”
El Pam spoke.
“Hey, Ralph! You a Bishop or what? Huh? How do you keep screwing up? A whole week, you said?”
Dibo shot Ralph a mocking grin.
Relief, really.
If El Pam could talk, his condition was far better than feared.
No real cause for worry.
“As expected of Boss. Hang tight. I’ll get you out nice and comfy.”
Just had to exit.
That was why.
“……I’m passing out soon.”
“What?”
El Pam summoned his last strength to speak.
“……Outside is hell.”
2.
Abandoned Mine Expedition.
“Send a search party near the Mystic Gate.”
The Cygnus Knights’ first move upon their departure was preparing to receive the Abandoned Mine Expedition.
Only natural.
The expedition had ventured deep into the abandoned mine.
Swarming with Coolie Zombies, and unlike the outside, a severely confined space. Not even a clean escape was feasible.
For the battered expedition, riddled with fatal losses, to punch through?
Impossible.
The Cygnus Knights opted to station a search party and monitor.
Best would’ve been a full rescue or defense force.
But impossible.
The abandoned mine region was far too hazardous for permanent rescue teams.
Plan: deploy search party first, assess, then mobilize rescue if needed.
“What?”
Reasonable call.
“A Coolie Zombie horde is flooding the abandoned mine?”
Until that report hit.
3.
“Outside is hell.”
El Pam’s words drew puzzled looks.
Everyone knew, of course.
They were deep in the abandoned mine—a death trap.
But the El Pam party wasn’t like the rest.
They wore Zakum’s Helmets, nullifying Zakum’s curse, and had Zakum hunt experience to boot.
Coolie Zombies? No sweat, even with El Pam out cold.
El Pam knew it too.
“No way it ends here. Soon as we step out, Coolie Zombies swarm.”
Still, he warned.
“And don’t link up with the Abandoned Mine Expedition. Traitor in their ranks. Most dangerous move. Stick to the party.”
With that, El Pam shut his eyes.
His comrades said nothing much.
“If Boss says it’s hell, it’s hell.”
No doubts.
“He said no teaming up, so let’s roll out now.”
Ralph hoisted El Pam, and the party plunged toward the exit without pause.
Roar!
Instantly, a Coolie Zombie horde greeted them.
Expected.
Adventurers barely set foot here.
Expedition enters? They’d smell it and swarm. Obvious.
No worry, though.
El Pam party: elite force, all helmeted with Zakum’s Helmets!
And not alone.
“I’ll lead.”
Aran, polearm hero, fought alongside.
Groan!
Coolie Zombies charging them? Zero threat.
Boom!
A brisk stroll’s pace—that’s how El Pam party and Aran carved through the mine’s zombies.
‘No sweat.’
El Pam’s warning felt off-base, crisis-free cruise.
Yet no one in the party eased up.
Natural.
‘Boss calls it hell? Hell awaits.’
El Pam warned.
His bar wasn’t ordinary adventurers’.
Their hell? His warm-up.
He says hell?
Crystal clear.
‘Fighting’s off the table.’
Breakthrough impossible.
Prediction hit reality fast.
“Exit!”
Emerging from the endless mine, El Pam party and Aran saw it.
“……Insane.”
Thousands—tens of thousands?—Coolie Zombies packing the outside.
‘No way…….’
Unreal scene.
Coolie Zombies overflowed here, sure, but this? Near every last one in the region.
Obvious: needed intent to muster that many.
Coolie Zombies didn’t pack up; pure instinct beasts.
No need guessing who.
Mine itself a trap.
One question left.
‘How?’
Gather this many possible?
Aran answered.
“Lich.”
“What?”
“Lich moved.”
Lich.
Coolie Zombie creator in the region. Lich stirs? Zombies mass like this? No shock.
‘Damn.’
Issue: not just zombies—Lich too.
Ordinary adventurers? Madness fuel.
Not Zakum-level, mine lord, but Lich a nightmare monster.
And not their fresh Zakum.
The ancient one, millennium-plus nightmare haunting mine depths.
Lich strength? Arguably eclipsed theirs, in ways.
Ordinary folk? Quit life.
El Pam party caliber? Plan viable.
“Fun times.”
Aran, polearm hero, grinned.
No bluff.
Black Mage sealer!
Power gone, mere 5th Circle now, but zombies and Lich? Laughable foes.
So she declared.
“Trust this sis. Follow. I’ll clear the path.”
Then.
“Brute force forever.”
New voice cut in.
Normally? Freakout.
Zombie-packed hell, human voice? Shock. Right beside? Instant kill if foe.
But hearing it, joy not shock.
“Phantom the Thief!”
Familiar now.
“How’d you get here?”
“Trade secret. Can’t spill.”
Welcomest voice.
“I’ll guide. Follow me.”
No better escape artist than Phantom the Thief.
“Path’s ready. No doubters?”
Maple World’s top thief, stole anything—best escaper hands down.
Follow him? Escape a joke, not tough.
Just tail him, no sweat.
“Huh?”
But eyeing Phantom the Thief, El Pam party showed no glee.
Worry creased every face.
“Doubting me?”
“No doubts.”
“Then why the faces? Worried sick?”
“Well, better to wipe ’em?”
Dibo spoke, face a mess of conflict.
Crazy talk, yeah.
Zombies and Lich count? Beyond “wipe.”
No need anyway.
Phantom prepped path?
Painless tail-in-line.
Why wipe?
For them.
“Abandoned Mine Expedition trails us. We bail solo? They’re dead.”
Hundreds-plus adventurers past Mystic Gate now.
Ditching ’em? Dibo couldn’t stomach.
Not just him.
“Same vibe?”
Kiri, Miner too.
“Not me.”
Exception.
“Yeah?”
“Wondering paid or free. Paid? Fee’s steep. That’s the worry.”
Ralph’s beef differed.
All worried regardless. Phantom the Thief eased it.
“This one’s freebie. Worry one: gone.”
Ralph relaxed.
“Rest? No sweat. Cygnus Knights rescue inbound.”
Explanation followed. Three faces stayed tense.
Knew it.
“Rescue comes, sure. But Lich kill, zombie sweep? Nah.”
Rescuees: hundreds. Full clear needed.
Ordinary elites? Can’t.
“Think I don’t know?”
Phantom knew.
“So chill. He’s coming.”
Confident still.
“He? Solo?”
Heads tilted.
“One guy?”
One man does what?
“Plenty.”
Worry? Vanished.
“Maple World’s fastest man’s on the move.”