Chapter 205
Chapter 205
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 205
Chapter Title: 60. Centaurus King (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
13.
“Run!”
The moment Albi issued the command, the Resistance members moved swiftly.
Incredibly fast, to the point where it was hard to believe they had been dazed and off-balance just moments ago.
“Evacuate the Mechanics!”
Even in that dire situation, Albi protected their most vital assets, the Mechanics.
Of course, there were sacrifices.
Far from none—quite the opposite.
“Battle Mages and Wild Hunters, buy us time!”
To save the majority, to preserve their core forces, over forty Resistance members became bait.
Hiiing!
“Come on, you damn horse bastards!”
They threw themselves willingly at the terrifying Centaurus King and were turned to pulp by its massive stone hammer.
Their corpses were mangled beyond recognition.
“Survivors?”
Thanks to them, the Resistance avoided the worst of it.
“223.”
But dodging the worst didn’t mean the situation was good.
Still, there was hope.
‘We might hold out for a week like this.’
Some hoped they could make it out alive.
In other words, Albi and everyone else knew that fewer than fifty of the current survivors would make it to the end.
It was damage no one had anticipated.
‘The intel was wrong. Orca—the info from that Wingmaster’s memories was off.’
But what was even more chilling than the losses was that they now had to scrap every plan the Resistance had prepared.
That made survival all the more crucial.
They had to live to rework all the plans and inform the Resistance executives.
‘Whew.’
In that light, surviving like this was a blessing.
‘If we’d gone for an all-out fight, it would’ve been over.’
Fighting the Centaurus King head-on there would’ve left no room for even this deliberation.
Of course, Albi knew.
‘If not for that help back then.’
If Chain Lightning hadn’t briefly stalled the Centaurus herd, they’d be facing the absolute worst right now.
And she knew who had provided that help.
‘El Pam.’
Among those present, only El Pam could cast such a powerful Chain Lightning spell.
That raised questions.
‘How is that even possible?’
What El Pam had shown wasn’t just any Chain Lightning.
It had struck in a straight line, as if he’d controlled it precisely to his will.
And that defied everything Albi knew about Chain Lightning.
El Pam watched Albi ponder from a distance.
‘Good response.’
Seeing her lost in thought, El Pam turned away without hesitation.
He’d done all he could.
Their survival from here was up to the Resistance.
‘The longer they hold out, the better my own odds.’
Above all, El Pam had helped the Resistance for his own survival.
Cold, but that was reality.
Surviving alone against the Centaurus King right now was no easy feat.
‘If they endure until an exit appears.’
What worried El Pam, though, was that the strategy itself might have changed.
Surprisingly, the odds of that were high.
Judging by the Resistance’s reaction, their known strategy didn’t account for the Centaurus King.
Which meant survival might not be the path to clearing it.
‘But if it’s a boss monster hunt.’
And if that involved taking down the Centaurus King, it’d be a massive headache for El Pam.
Of course, he wasn’t without options.
El Pam had one final card.
‘I need to reach 7th Circle.’
He’d stockpiled more than enough magic stones to circle up to 7th anytime.
But for him, this was a card to play only at the absolute last moment.
‘The problem is, hitting 7th Circle ends my Mystic Gate run.’
In the current situation, a 7th Circle adventurer could only enter navy-grade gates, which were barely being cleared at all.
It made sense.
There were only a handful of 7th Circle adventurers in Maple World, and they weren’t ordinary—they led their factions.
They couldn’t recklessly step into a Mystic Gate.
Sure, some did attempt them, but it required immense preparation and resolve.
‘Navy-grade gates are practically nonexistent.’
Crucially, fewer than fifty navy-grade Mystic Gates had appeared in Maple World.
For El Pam, who needed to farm every item he could, it was the worst scenario!
‘And my party loses their chance to follow me.’
Above all, reaching 7th Circle meant the true disbandment of El Pam’s party.
They’d never reunite.
It was a tough choice all around.
But there were no better options, so El Pam grappled with it.
That was when it happened.
Kyuu!
Mano, nestled in El Pam’s bosom, suddenly emerged and climbed onto his head.
Kyuu!
It showed intense excitement, practically vibrating.
Staring in one direction.
El Pam narrowed his eyes at the reaction.
“Mano, what’s over there?”
Kyuu!
Mano responded emphatically!
Kyuu, kyu!
It even bounced excitedly on El Pam’s head.
‘This?’
It was the strongest reaction Mano had ever shown.
Naturally, El Pam knew what it meant.
Without hesitation, he moved.
And found it.
14.
Kyuu!
It was a helmet.
A very ordinary one.
A crude, black helmet, nothing fancy.
‘This.’
But the moment El Pam laid eyes on it, he felt it.
‘It’s on another level.’
That was no small thing.
El Pam had seen countless legendary-grade items—too many to count.
And used them.
So he knew.
Even among legendary-grade items, some stood head and shoulders above the rest.
He’d even wielded top-tier legendaries himself.
For him to call this “another level” meant it was truly extraordinary!
‘Dangerous.’
El Pam was certain the Hyperion Helmet in his hands was an extremely hazardous item.
Indeed, some legendaries could kill adventurers.
Especially those with 6th Circle or higher skills.
It was almost inevitable.
Legendary items wielded power beyond adventurers’ comprehension.
Many didn’t even originate in Maple World.
That’s what made them dangerous.
Items from Maple World were balanced for its adventurers.
But beyond the Mystic Gates lay things that shattered those limits.
And encountering the unmatched often led to ruin.
Using such legendaries required full commitment.
The resolve that a misstep could mean death.
Or at least days of unconsciousness.
El Pam had no choice but to agonize.
No reliable comrades here to guard him.
What if something went wrong with his body?
On the flip side, he considered:
‘If I can wield this item, I could turn the situation here around.’
The power it offered would match his unease in magnitude.
That was crucial.
‘Even if I hit 7th Circle here, could I really take down Hontail?’
El Pam’s goal was always one: Hontail.
Of course, he knew.
Killing Hontail wouldn’t save the world or stop the Black Mage’s followers.
It wouldn’t be the end.
Bigger obstacles awaited.
But El Pam didn’t look beyond. No need.
The future he’d lived through ended without slaying Hontail.
Same now.
‘Impossible.’
Even at 7th Circle here, he could change much from before his return, but not slay Hontail.
What Hontail required wasn’t circles—it was stronger items.
Like this Hyperion Helmet, beyond his expectations.
Reaching 7th wouldn’t change using the helmet.
‘There might be more like this.’
But if he did, he’d lose chances to acquire things like it.
That settled it.
El Pam stopped deliberating.
He donned the Hyperion Helmet.
15.
“We need to survive a week from now.”
The surviving Resistance’s goal hadn’t changed from when they entered.
“But sticking together just paints a target on our backs for the Centaurus King. It’ll hunt us down.”
The method had.
“Split into units.”
Not huddling to endure, but dividing into multiple units.
Of course, not just to boost survival odds by reducing numbers.
That would just invite defeat in detail—far from ideal.
“And form a diversion unit.”
The key was creating a unit to keep drawing the Centaurus King’s attention.
“Centered on Wild Hunters.”
Naturally, their role fell to the Wild Hunters with superior mobility.
But they couldn’t rely on that unit alone.
Wild Hunters were mobile, but Centaurus outpaced any monster in speed!
The Centaurus King was on another level.
Worse, countless Centaurus lurked everywhere here.
Racing around would just rile up more.
So they prepared.
“Form a strike team centered on Mechanics.”
One to seize the Centaurus King and its minions’ focus when the diversion unit faltered.
A “strike team” in name only—cannon fodder, really.
But Albi, devising the plan, showed no hesitation.
Nor did the listening Resistance.
“50 members.”
Their goal was singular.
“If 50 survive, it’s our victory.”
Sacrificing the rest of the 200-plus to save 50—the only choice here.
The situation was that dire.
50 surviving as the best outcome meant total annihilation wasn’t off the table.
Their resolve hardened.
All showed eyes burning with determination.
Meeting their gazes, Albi replied with death-defying eyes of her own.
“Then split units and move out immediately.”
The rest proceeded swiftly.
Diversion unit formed, strike team assembled.
As the diversion unit took shape, all waited.
For the Centaurus King to charge them.
They held their breath in tense anticipation.
Hiiing!
‘What’s that?’
Soon, the Resistance heard it.
“Screams?”
The Centaurus’s agonized death cries.