Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Silver Storm Rises
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Flash!
Black mist gathered toward Jeon and Mirna from Khan's outstretched hand, only to transform into a single streak of lightning that shot straight at the two of them.
-Kyaaang!
In that instant, Silver, who had already grown in size, leaped forward and blocked the black flash.
"Hoo."
Khan was mildly surprised by the sight.
'The power is ridiculous.'
Jeon inwardly marveled as he checked his mana consumption. Even blocking a single attack from Khan's hand had depleted a massive chunk.
-Kraaak! You worm!
Unlike the two who had lightly exchanged blows, Kabbal—who had been seething with rage—screamed hysterically and charged forward.
Flames of silver fire roared to life in both his hands.
"Such enthusiasm."
Khan watched fondly as he infused his black energy into Kabbal's silver flames.
The silver-and-black intertwined inferno grew even larger as it surged toward the pair.
"Brutal... Hm?"
Jeon was about to move Silver to block it when he realized Khan's hand was still extended toward them.
If Silver moved to intercept Kabbal, there would be no way to stop Khan's follow-up attack.
"Jeon, I'll handle that one, so don't worry."
Mirna had noticed it too.
She fired pre-made silver flame petals at Kabbal charging straight at her.
-Mirna, Mirnaaaa!
Boom! Boom! Kabaaam!
Kabbal swung his flaming fists wildly to bat away the incoming petals, then screamed her name again.
Unlike his earlier blind rage toward "this one" and "that one" at Jeon, calling Mirna's name carried not just fury, but a hint of poignant longing.
"...Disgusting."
Mirna furrowed her brow upon sensing it.
A specter born of dark energy wielding Silvermont secret magic was bad enough, but hearing it call her name like they had history? It grated on her.
"Haha, it might be an old comrade. Isn't that harsh?"
"Anyone who submits to a warlock and even sells out our hideout is no comrade of ours."
"How ruthless."
As Mirna said, those under a warlock who wielded specters pledged their souls in submission, gaining new bodies from their master.
Whoever's soul inhabited that body had betrayed them—even in death, from Mirna's perspective.
"...That boy's awfully bold."
Khan turned his head at a sudden surge of energy from the side while watching Mirna press Kabbal with more petals.
A blade of white thunder infused with silver flames was slashing toward him.
'Impressive for a kid.'
Khan inwardly admired the incoming spell.
He had already been surprised when the boy found him hidden in the black mist and unleashed that extraordinary white thunder.
This spell was even more powerful.
"I could almost make him one of my limbs."
Amazed by the boy's skill at such a young age, Khan wrapped his hand in black energy to grab the blade.
Or tried to.
"Hm?"
Crackle!
The moment Khan reached out in sync with the spell's arrival, it split just before contact—shattering into dozens of blades.
They bypassed his hand and rained down on him.
Shwick-shwick-shwick!
Dozens of blades embedded in Khan's body.
He staggered briefly but quickly straightened up and glared at Jeon.
"Did you really think... you could win?"
An undercurrent of anger flickered across Khan's face from the unexpected hit.
'So that black mist doubles as a shield.'
Jeon focused less on reactions and more on how Khan had blocked it.
The black mist surrounding him had converged instantly to defend.
It seemed versatile—offense, defense—making it tricky.
"Let's see how much more you've got."
Whoosh!
As Jeon prepared his next spell, Khan gathered the black mist into one hand.
The smoky energy coalesced into a massive shark-like form.
"Go. Tear him apart."
The black shark from Khan's fingertips swam through the air toward Jeon like it was alive.
-Where do you think you're going!
Silver moved to intercept, blocking the shark's jagged teeth with its tail.
Flash!
Silver light burst outward, sharply diminishing the shark's momentum.
"That fox is annoying."
Khan frowned, not expecting Silver to block even his creation.
Jeon seized the opening, firing his prepared ashen spell.
Khan hastily formed a black mist shield, but—
Shiiiine!
The ashen magic collided and vaporized the shield entirely.
"What... is this?"
It wasn't shattered—it evaporated. A first for Khan, who faltered briefly.
"You seem flustered, Apostle."
Mirna, having crushed Kabbal, launched her petals at Khan.
With his shield gone, summoning distant mist in time seemed impossible.
"...Interesting."
Khan's smile vanished as he expelled black soldiers from the surrounding mist.
Boom! Kabaam!
The soldiers from the fog blocked the silver flame petals with their bare bodies.
Khan stared at Jeon and Mirna with a hardened expression, ignoring the heroic sacrifices.
"Allow a proper introduction. I am Khan, sovereign of the specters."
"...What?"
Jeon scowled in disbelief mid-spell prep at the sudden self-monologue.
Khan continued undeterred.
"And I shall become king over all the dead. All shall submit to me."
Thud.
His incantation-like words ended with a pulse from Khan, rippling outward.
-We heed our lord's will!
-Extinguish the living! Glory to the dead!
The black horde fighting Silvermont mages responded, eyes flashing.
-Kraaa!
Kabbal, thoroughly trampled by Mirna, rapidly regenerated and stood.
And that wasn't all.
"Whoa, sudden dizziness..."
"M-Me too... Everything's spinning."
"What's going on? Why's everyone...?"
Silvermont mages touched by the wave staggered.
Even those not stumbling lost focus momentarily.
"Incoming from that side!"
"Snap out of it!"
One side's morale exploded while the other's plummeted, tilting the deadlock instantly.
'A mind-affecting spell?'
Jeon felt the wave too, sensing it try to invade him.
But an inner energy blocked it before it could, leaving him unaffected.
Regardless.
Spotting the unfavorable shift, Jeon redirected his spell at the black horde.
To maintain balance—but dozens of black soldiers surged around him, tanking it bare-handed.
-We shall annihilate the living!
Survivors pressed the attack.
"Quantity over quality, huh?"
Jeon slashed approaching soldiers with Lunareik wreathed in mana flow and retreated swiftly.
But black soldiers endlessly spawned from nearby mist even in his retreat spot.
'Talk about Silvermont ruins flashbacks.'
Not only spawning nonstop, but downed ones regenerated too.
It evoked memories of battling zombies there.
"But this is different."
Rather than fear, Jeon burned fiercer.
'I don't know what it is exactly, but I feel like I can do this.'
Despite knowing the odds, confidence surged within.
The wave had awakened a dormant power.
Unknowingly, purple energy flickered in Jeon's eyes.
"Let's do this!"
Roar!
Jeon's silver flames erupted outward, sweeping black soldiers.
'These ones are definitely weaker.'
Unlike armored foes battling Silvermont mages, these were barely equipped.
Jeon focused on rapidly spawning and scattering silver flames everywhere.
Unlike mere lightning sweeps, it burned and halted their endless repairs.
'And that's not all.'
The spreading flames consumed soldiers, growing as Jeon's will directed survivors to new targets.
Like wildfire in dry mountains, it leaped endlessly between hosts.
'This is working.'
Jeon felt his confidence elevate to euphoria.
The flames spread per his will, forming a flow.
Roar—whoosh!
The blaze coalesced into a massive storm.
Black soldiers caught in it were swept away, engulfed.
Crunch! Crunch! Cruuunch!
They became silver-flame-wreathed weapons, ravaging surroundings.
"...He's growing?"
Khan's eyes shook at Jeon's flames, expanding like wildfire into a storm.
Jeon's prowess rivaled grand mage Mirna's—and was accelerating.
He was strong at first encounter, but now strengthening in real time.
'Can't let this continue.'
Khan had just unleashed full power.
Normally, that crushes foes' momentum.
Here, Jeon's soared endlessly, growing live.
For the first time today, Khan felt crisis.
Enshrouding himself thickly in mist, he charged personally.
"Where do you think you're going!"
Mirna knew Jeon's growth and blocked Khan desperately.
"You think you can stop me from harming that child?!"
"Can you afford to try?"
Boom!
Mist-shrouded Khan clashed violently with determined Mirna.
She took damage but held firm.
"I'll stake my life until that child breaks his shell. That's what adults do."
Mirna wiped blood from her lips and smiled after halting him.
"Touching."
Khan sneered, smirking confidently.
"But what now? Looks like you can't protect him."
"...What?"
Mirna's spine chilled at his smile; she glanced at Jeon.
There, denser mist than Khan's cloaked Kabbal, slicing through silver flames toward Jeon.