Chapter 98
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Encounter (2)
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3.
Ifrits flames turned every undead at the peak to ash.
Though they were flames that burned even the soul, they miraculously did no harm to Karron.
Crumble.
Karron quietly watched the bones disintegrate before his eyes.
White ash scattered into the sky.
But the situation was not yet fully resolved.
Clang!
This time, chains shot out from the purple sky and once again bound Ifrits beak.
A purple eye, nestled in the sky, was watching the top of the spire.
Creeak.
Ifrits flames seemed to have dealt a clear blow to the warlock. However, they had not been enough to finish the creature off.
The warlocks body was revealed beneath its half-burnt robe.
Seeing that body, Karron smirked and spoke.
So this bastard was a skeleton.
A lich.
A type of high-tier undead that warlocks, having reached the end of their lives, attain by selling their souls.
But Karron merely scoffed at the creature.
So you spent your whole life to become a 7th Circle mage? Pathetic. And you became a lich because you wanted to live longer in that sorry state?
You do not know what I aspire to
Still, it didnt look to be in good shape.
The creature answered with difficulty, its jawbone clattering.
The grand design is already complete. The gate will open
Not a trace of fear could be felt from it.
That was to be expected.
Liches could not be completely destroyed unless the vessel containing their life force was shattered.
Karron narrowed his eyes, looking down at the half-burnt skeleton.
Guillotine. Any ideas?
Guillotine replied, sounding amused.
-I think this bastards got the wrong idea about something.
About what?
-The Life Force Vessel. Its a pretty convenient tool for a lich, Ill give it that. Cant be destroyed until the vessel is broken. But the dark mana is still there, isnt it? This is a method your ancestor, Rael, often used. You just suck it right out. Rael would intentionally leave liches alive and use them as a mana supply. The moment he found one, hed just use it as a spare fuel tank.
Wow, as expected of my ancestor. He thought differently.
-It was all possible thanks to me, of course.
He understood at once.
Since the lich wouldnt die from being reverse-summoned, his ancestor had deliberately kept them around as supplements.
Karron let out another exclamation of admiration.
So, like a pet lich. Right?
-Exactly. Quick on the uptake. Im impressed.
Heh. Hold on. Theres something I want to try.
He plunged Guillotine into the lichs gaunt torso.
Crack!
The sound of shattering bone echoed. The lich spoke in an eerie voice.
I shall return
To which Karron replied with a bright smile.
Hm? Where are you going?
What?
Time to eat.
What are you doing?
Guillotines dark blue light shone eerily, and soon after, a massive amount of mana began to flow from it into him.
The mana he had consumed in this battle was replenished in an instant.
That Minotaur from before?
The amount was incomparable to what a mere high-tier monster could provide.
Is this how a bear feels stealing honey from a hive?
The dark mana the lich had painstakingly gathered was instantly sucked into Karrons mana core.
Just as Guillotine had promised, the efficiency of refining the dark mana easily surpassed Karrons predictions.
Creeak.
Realizing something was wrong, the lich gripped the staff in its hand.
But Karron nonchalantly stomped on its arm, crushing it.
Crack.
It breaks so easily, maybe because it was roasted. Ill have to be careful.
He had nearly been torn to shreds.
It was fortunate that Ifrits chains had been released at just the right moment; a slight delay could have resulted in more severe injuries.
With Guillotine still embedded in the warlocks chest, Karron looked down from the spire.
A colossal figure, clearly visible even from this height, and the two knights following it were tearing through the battlefield.
Behind them, a multitude of elves had gathered and were following suit.
It seemed they were the reason Ifrits chains had momentarily come undone.
Everyones pulling their weight.
He looked up at the sky again and met the gaze of the purple eye.
Although he had succeeded in subduing the lich, the ritual didnt seem to have been interrupted.
Even now, the purple energy was spreading even faster.
Something shimmered beyond that purple haze.
Just looking at it was chilling.
Something utterly ominous was clearly waiting beyond that gate.
-The Demon King of Slaughter. That eye belongs to him.
You couldve told me that a little sooner.
-Should I explain about the Demon Kings, too?
No need. I know the basics.
Thanks to his damn past life, he had learned more than enough about what Demon Kings were.
The four Demon Kings who ruled over the demons.
Void, Malice, Sloth, and Slaughter.
These Demon Kings, each known by their unique title, had been a threat to this world for a very long time.
Among them, the Demon King of Malice was the one who had made a pact with the Evil Emperor in his past life.
Has it been about fifty years?
This was likely the first time a Demon King had exerted its influence so directly since the incident with the Evil Emperor.
So it was a Chaos Gate for a Demon King.
As Karron muttered to himself, Orion, who was approaching from behind, answered in a low voice.
No, thats impossible.
Orions face was noticeably paler than before.
He seemed to have struggled to dispel the magic of the warlock that remained at the peak.
The mana gathered here is not enough to summon a Demon King.
Then?
This place was only ever a bridgehead. The goal was to summon an army here and corrupt the forest. Because Mother is in the forest.
Karron easily understood the situation.
They planned to summon the Demon King through the World Tree?
Because that is the fastest way.
They were out of their fucking minds.
The problem is that their absurd plan almost succeeded.
Orion looked down at the lich with a grim expression.
To think they had prepared chains that could bind even a Spirit King.
Even now, chains emerging from the gate were restraining Ifrit, so the situation was far from over.
Why havent you reverse-summoned the lich?
Ah, dont worry about this one. What should I call it a pick-me-up? Its easier to think of it that way.
Are you absorbing its dark mana?
Something like that.
With his foot still on the lichs body, Karron continued.
So, is there a way to stop the ritual?
Its simple. We destroy this spire. The spire is acting as the conduit, supplying the Chaos Gate with dark mana.
As the two discussed how to stop the Chaos Gate.
Creeak.
A bizarre, dissonant sound began to emanate from the lichs body.
Karron looked down at the lich again.
Something was wrong with it.
Its pale blue glow had been stained an ominous purple.
-Karron. Be careful.
Guillotine sent a warning.
Karron slowly nodded.
He could feel it.
Something had possessed the lich.
Karron Leston.
An eerie voice echoed.
At that voice, Karron felt a murderous intent rear its head from the depths of his soul.
The voice provoked his will to kill.
But Karron skillfully suppressed the impulse. He spoke in a slick voice.
A great being has graced this humble place. Sorry, but could you get out of my pet lichs body?
A moment later, however, Karrons expression turned to ice.
How does it feel to be off the leash? Are you satisfied? Or are you still confused?
You.
Those words alone were enough to confirm it.
This thing knew.
How did you know?
That he had been reincarnated.
Karron held his breath, meeting the eyes of the lichno, the Demon King.
But before he could ask anything more.
I shall give you a gift. I do hope it is to your liking.
Wooooooooosh!
The purple eye in the sky flashed.
4.
Karron stared blankly at the eye.
Why was this happening?
An endless rage was surging within him.
The impulse to use this rage as an excuse to kill everything around him kept rearing its head.
-Get a grip. This is the power of Slaughter. Dont let the bloodlust consume you. Its fundamentally different from human killing intent.
It was an utterly unnatural emotion.
Different from just hearing the voice. It wasnt easy to control, and it was hard to even resist.
His mind didnt even try to comprehend the bloodlust. It just sought to accept it naturally.
He wanted to throw his entire being into that impulse right now. To swing Guillotine and cut off the head of Orion standing next to him.
Drip.
Karron bit his lip hard, enduring the urge.
Blood trickled from his torn lip, and the pain pushed back the impulse. He turned and spoke to Orion.
Orion. This is the Demon Kings
Slice!
Orions condition was even worse than Karrons.
With bloodshot eyes, he swung a sword made of wind at Karron.
The wind spirit that had brought them up here flew toward Karrons neck, and Karron barely managed to evade the attack.
Guillotine.
-Plunge me into his body. Ill handle it.
Got it.
Karron immediately rushed toward Orion.
The spirits obeying Orions command created dozens of barriers, but every single one was shattered helplessly by Guillotine.
It was fortunate that Orion hadnt tried to create distance.
Stab.
Guillotine pierced Orions thigh.
A moment later, Orion was finally able to break free from the mind control.
This is
Clarity returned to Orions eyes.
He looked around with a grave expression.
The Demon Kings power, Orion.
Unbelievable. How can it be this powerful when the main body hasnt even crossed over
Thats not whats important right now.
Karron urgently looked down from the spire.
It was a power that even he, with Guillotines help, had barely overcome.
There was no way those without any special means could resist it.
Kyaaaaaaah!
Kiaaaaaaak!
As he had expected, the ground below was already a living hell.
Those who had been working together to break the chains were now indiscriminately attacking each other.
Kin turned on kin.
Elves tried to kill other elves, and even the monsters were tearing each other apart.
On the battlefield, the distinction between friend and foe had become meaningless.
Ha.
A bloodlust that sought to kill everything, without distinction between ally or enemy.
That bloodlust gathered to create a colossal madness.
And at that moment.
Swoooooosh!
Purple smoke flowed from the eye and settled in the middle of the battlefield.
Then, it began to form a shape.
Purple armor.
A red glow from within.
The figure resembled a knight, but Karron knew instinctively.
The Demon King.
With such unholy power, it could be nothing else.
It stood proudly in the heart of hell, looking up at Karron.
A moment later, its voice echoed in Karrons mind once more.
Is it not a truly beautiful sight?
The master of madness was smiling at Karron.