Chapter 88
Chapter 88
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: Chapter 28. The Prince's Legacy (2)
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3.
There are various factors in evaluating an adventurer.
But no one disputed that monster hunting ability was the most important among them.
In the era of the Mystic Gate, monster hunting skills were even more crucial.
That was why.
“Adventurers face two walls. One is the circle wall. The other is the giant monster wall.”
It wasn’t uncommon for many adventurers, despite having sufficient circles, to give up adventuring because they couldn’t handle giant monsters.
Giant monsters were that tricky for adventurers.
“Even if you do well a hundred times, one mistake leads to uncontrollable damage. That’s what makes giant monsters so dangerous.”
That was why the Adventurer’s Association announced tips for hunting giant monsters.
“The first thing to do when facing a giant monster is to create a favorable environment.”
The first step was environmental control.
“Well, it’s the same for hunting any monster.”
In truth, this wasn’t limited to giant monsters. Creating a favorable environment was always beneficial even against regular monsters.
“The scale is different. Cleaning a 10-pyeong house versus cleaning a 10,000-pyeong plot of land—they’re bound to be different, right?”
The problem was that creating a favorable environment against giant monsters required tremendous effort.
“And among them, some are especially hard to clean. Like ones that carry poison.”
There were also things that were particularly headaches to deal with during cleanup.
“Dark Nependeaths are like oil spilled on a carpet. Clean it up? No way.”
A prime example was the Dark Nependeath.
Not only was it hard to even locate, but touching it wrong meant your life wasn’t guaranteed. Truly the worst cleanup target.
That was the reason.
The reason Prince Saleh’s party, with their overwhelming power, ended up in a grave instead of glory.
“Boss, this is insane!”
Dibo and El Pam’s companions reacted strongly for that very reason.
“We know the boss is amazing, but moving alone in a field of Dark Nependeaths?!”
What El Pam was attempting was utterly absurd.
“Dark Nependeaths survive even if you set them on fire!”
Especially Dark Nependeaths, monsters with resistance to magic and fire beyond imagination.
If that weren’t the case, there’d be no reason to fear them.
You could just burn them.
In any case, it meant even El Pam’s immense firepower couldn’t cleanly eliminate Dark Nependeaths easily.
On the contrary, clumsily setting a fire could put El Pam in danger.
Blazing flames didn’t distinguish between enemy and ally.
Especially the smoke from burning trees was more dangerous to adventurers than one might think.
El Pam knew this fact as well.
“There’s no need to set a fire.”
“Yes?”
“The Giant Nependeath will take care of the Dark Nependeaths anyway.”
“No, Boss, what do you mean?”
At that point, El Pam offered no further explanation.
Instead, he showed them.
4.
The Giant Nependeath was, as the name suggested, a massive flower.
An enormous orange flower, big enough to fit three or four elephants at once, stood in the middle of the black forest.
At first glance, it was just a huge flower.
No hint of threat could be seen.
Rather than fear or terror, it evoked mystery and beauty.
In fact, half of those sacrificed to the Giant Nependeath were drawn in by that very mystery and beauty.
And to those who approached, the Giant Nependeath revealed itself.
Whip!
The incredibly long stem hidden within the flower, like a whip, which instantly wrapped around prey and tossed it into its body with ruthless efficiency.
The aftermath was gruesome.
The Giant Nependeath’s interior contained acidic fluid powerful enough to melt steel effortlessly.
Moreover, that acid was so sticky that once it touched you, escaping was nearly impossible.
Now El Pam stood before that Giant Nependeath.
“Fire Arrow.”
Without hesitation, as soon as he took position, El Pam launched the summoned Fire Arrow toward the Giant Nependeath.
Boom!
The Fire Arrow shattered upon impact like an egg hitting a rock.
Pathetic.
But it was more than enough to provoke the Giant Nependeath, which responded readily.
Whip!
Green stems emerged from all over the Giant Nependeath’s body, flying toward El Pam like whips.
And their power was indeed that of a whip.
Slash!
As the Giant Nependeath’s stem whipped through the air, nearby black trees tore apart like toys.
Fierce power.
Even 4th Circle warrior adventurers armed with epic-grade items or higher would feel dizzy at the sight.
How much more so for the mage El Pam, standing right in its path.
It was certain.
“Boss, one hit from that and it’s straight to the afterlife, right?”
There would be no next time for El Pam.
“Hey, you’ve seen it once or twice, haven’t you?”
Of course, El Pam’s party wasn’t worried about that part.
“He’s already gauged the distance.”
Everyone knew what kind of adventurer El Pam was.
And as expected.
Slash!
The Giant Nependeath’s whipping stem was powerful, but El Pam instantly judged the distance and retreated accordingly.
Far enough that no method the Giant Nependeath used could reach him.
He had essentially entered a safe zone.
In fact, that was why El Pam’s party was puzzled.
“What’s he planning to do from there?”
In this standoff, there was nothing to do.
Just waste time.
And in that case, the Giant Nependeath had the advantage.
As a plant monster, with sufficient nutrients, it could endure for days or even years.
Moreover, the Giant Nependeath had already devoured over a thousand adventurers.
A no-win situation.
Rumble!
“Huh?”
Then, a change occurred.
“W-what?”
“The Giant Nependeath is moving!”
The Giant Nependeath uprooted itself from the ground and began moving, using its roots as legs.
“Insane!”
El Pam’s companions were aghast at the sight.
The Giant Nependeath moving?
Something they’d never heard of or imagined.
That was why.
El Pam’s party’s thinking froze for a moment.
“Boss!”
Among them, Dibo was the first to snap out of it.
“It’s dangerous!”
Dibo tried to rush toward El Pam.
In this absurd situation, if someone had to sacrifice, it should be him first.
It was at that moment.
“Don’t come closer!”
El Pam issued a warning, and Dibo halted.
“Boss! Are you crazy?”
An incomprehensible moment.
But Dibo’s complaint didn’t last long.
Because he saw it.
Slash!
El Pam dodging the Giant Nependeath’s attack while moving.
Literally.
Slash!
El Pam retreated backward as the Giant Nependeath advanced.
In words, it sounded simple.
The Giant Nependeath’s movement speed wasn’t overwhelmingly fast.
For a human, it was like light jogging.
“My God!”
“Hey, are you nuts?”
But this wasn’t an ordinary forest.
It was hell, with Dark Nependeaths—those terrifying monsters—hidden like landmines!
Jogging through such a place?
Moreover, El Pam couldn’t even turn his back on the Giant Nependeath.
Dodging its stem whips without watching was impossible, as they could fly from anywhere at any time.
“Boss!”
In the end, the result should have been ruin.
“B……”
It surely was.
“……oss?”
Yet astonishingly, El Pam pulled it off.
Slash!
In the forest teeming with Dark Nependeaths, he backpedaled while evading every attack from the approaching Giant Nependeath.
“Is that real? Hey, golden eyes. Is that actually happening?”
“Let me rub my eyes for a sec.”
Even El Pam’s companions couldn’t believe the scene, their faces a mix of disbelief and absurdity.
It continued the same way afterward.
“How the hell is he doing that?”
No one could comprehend what El Pam was showing them.
For El Pam, though, it was no difficulty.
First, El Pam had his see-through magic. Using it, he could pinpoint Dark Nependeaths’ locations.
‘Dark Nependeaths can’t move.’
Once located, he just plotted his path accordingly.
Of course, only El Pam could do this.
Remembering everything at a glance was a ability few possessed.
El Pam hadn’t started with such talent either.
He had simply survived a world where lacking it meant death.
And one more thing El Pam had.
“Hermes’ Blessing.”
The new item he had just acquired.
Finally, El Pam had.
‘I’ve faced the Giant Nependeath... I can’t quite remember how many times.’
Experience fighting it hundreds of times over.
In every way, from El Pam’s perspective, there was no longer any element to feel crisis about.
And so El Pam began luring the Giant Nependeath through the forest, and their game of tag started wrecking the woods.
Screeech!
Naturally, even the terrifying Dark Nependeaths couldn’t emerge unscathed from the Giant Nependeath’s rampage.
Along with the forest, Dark Nependeaths were torn and crushed.
After 20 minutes, the black forest had become a massive battlefield.
A literal battlefield.
Upended earth and severed trees made it hard to find footing anywhere.
Yet right now, that battlefield was the safest place here.
“There are no more Dark Nependeaths.”
That was why El Pam declared.
“Now, let’s clean up.”
5.
Prince Kashaun.
His expression was grim as he camped at another oasis near the Malgur Oasis.
It couldn’t be good.
“So, any news?”
“Nothing yet.”
“Worst case.”
He had anticipated that the prince’s tomb expedition wouldn’t be easy once Queen Areida intervened.
But the situation was unfolding in a far more headache-inducing direction than expected.
“What the hell is going on?”
Precisely, it was getting too complicated.
“El Pam’s party threw a huge wrench into things.”
The culprit was none other than El Pam’s party.
Their sudden entry into the Mystic Gate had thrown everything into chaos.
Now no one could properly weigh their options.
That was the problem.
“Queen Areida’s side must be tearing their hair out too.”
At this point, even Queen Areida’s faction couldn’t easily grasp the situation.
Naturally, Queen Areida’s side would be even more anxious about this incident.
They had made massive preparations, and things had to go their way.
If problems arose, she would bear the greatest risk.
Of course, that didn’t put Queen Areida at a disadvantage.
The story had already spread.
That the adventurers hired and deployed in advance by Queen Areida had entered the prince’s tomb.
In other words, that Queen Areida had deceived the world’s adventurers.
“She’ll have to settle for the hit to her reputation.”
In truth, it was good for Prince Kashaun.
No matter what, the more Queen Areida’s image crumbled, the more the princes benefited.
In other words, Prince Kashaun was giving up.
“It’s a shame about what we gave El Pam’s party, but we’ll settle for this.”
Expecting El Pam’s party to return.
And that was the rational conclusion.
With most of Queen Areida’s hired adventurers already inside the Mystic Gate, hoping for El Pam’s party to survive?
Absurd.
No need to even hope.
Still, the reason Prince Kashaun had set up camp near the Malgur Oasis was simple.
“Whoever comes out, we have to secure them.”
They needed to capture the adventurer emerging with Prince Saleh’s remains.
Of course, that wouldn’t be easy either.
Everyone was thinking the same.
“Prince Kashaun!”
It was then.
“The Sand Shadows have moved.”
At his subordinate’s words, Prince Kashaun’s eyes narrowed.
If it were just movement, he wouldn’t be so surprised.
“Adin, the Iron Mace Adin, has appeared!”
And at the name mentioned next, Prince Kashaun said in shock.
“……The Malgur Oasis will be drenched in blood.”