Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Spear of White Thunder
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'This is different from when they came one or two at a time.'
The sudden ambush came with a swarm of earthworm-shaped chimeras—at least double digits in number.
They had targeted the three at the rear first, then hit the two rushing to help them with timed strikes.
'Someone's controlling them.'
It was an attack orchestrated under the thorough command of someone who had watched all their battles so far.
If the previous chimera fights had been mere probes, this was a full-on assault from the enemy in earnest.
'I need to seize the momentum early.'
He didn't know what portion of their forces this opening attack represented.
But minimizing damage to the group while weakening the enemy here would clearly give them an edge in the fights ahead.
'I'll use all three Rune Magic spells without holding back.'
With that, Jeon decided to deploy the Storage, Will, and Compression Rune Magic in full.
It was a judgment call: better to cleanly resolve the situation with one solid spell than fumble with a string of half-measures.
Jeon first channeled mana into Lunareik, casting Chain Lightning.
The spell took form not as scattering bolts whipped by raging mana streams from Lunareik's tip, but as a single spear of lightning.
'It shouldn't explode or disperse on contact. Like Khalid's spell, it needs to obliterate everything in its path and keep going.'
Rather than manifesting a spell in its preset form like ordinary mages,
for someone like Jeon crafting a new variant, 'imagery' played a crucial role.
And for him right now, the biggest influence was Khalid's magic.
Separate from Rector showcasing battle mage prowess,
Khalid's 6th Circle spell had shown Jeon exactly the power level his own creation needed to match.
'Compress it more, store it, refine the form.'
As Jeon's will took hold, the lightning spear at Lunareik's tip sharpened once under Will and Compression Rune Magic.
Lunareik generated another Chain Lightning, which Jeon layered atop the first via the same process.
Repeatedly overlaid through Compression, Will, and Storage Rune Magic, the spear grew blindingly white, soon roaring with thunderous clamor in all directions.
Pzzt! Pzzzzzt!
What emerged was a single spear of pure white thunder, blazing with light.
"Jeon, what in the world is...!"
Ralph stared at the white thunder spear—crafted as if by a thunder god himself—in undisguised shock.
But reactions could wait; the chimeras needed sweeping.
"Distortion Field, drop it!"
"...Got it!"
The Distortion Field, blocking attacks from all sides, vanished at Jeon's signal.
"Kyaoooo!"
The earthworm chimeras, shoving their heads endlessly into the field, charged Jeon and Ralph without pause.
But Jeon's action beat their lunge.
"Go."
As Jeon swung Lunareik, the white thunder spear shot forward.
Flash!
It pierced the head of the lead chimera charging at Jeon,
then whipped around, skewering the heads of those nearby in chain.
'Kept Chain Lightning's chaining property while maxing the power.'
Inspired by Khalid's silver-white spell that erased all in its path, plus Chain Lightning's infectious spread to nearby targets.
Khalid's 6th Circle had stacked identical phenomena, amplifying power and stabilizing form.
Jeon had replicated it with three Rune Magics.
Jeon's spear might not match Khalid's range,
but it obliterated and pierced everything in its path, chaining outward per Chain Lightning's trait.
Krummble!
Even in the dungeon's rock-enclosed confines,
white lightning roared like a bolt from the heavens, sweeping every direction.
All the earthworm chimeras encircling Jeon and Ralph collapsed, heads pierced clean through.
"W-W-W-Woah!"
Tasha, barely holding under Silver's Protection against the chimeras, broke free thanks to Jeon's spell.
"Hah... You can pull off magic like that?"
Tasha and Ralph gaped at Jeon in disbelief at his astonishing display.
'How does he always exceed expectations...!'
Pure power-wise,
Jeon's white lightning outstripped Rector's Hand of the Giant or even Ralph's 5th Circle spells by far.
Second only to Khalid's 6th Circle, perhaps.
'No, factoring in how it auto-chains to nearby foes...'
It stood equal to 6th Circle—no shortcomings.
And a 3rd Circle mage pulling it off, artifact aid or not.
"...We just witnessed something monumental."
"Indeed. Jeon, are you really a 3rd Circle mage?"
Unlike Jeon, Ralph, and Tasha—who faced the staggered assault—Khalid and Rector had cleared their chimeras and now eyed Jeon.
His white thunder had burned bright and felt potent even amid their own fights.
"I'm still sorely lacking."
"Nonsense! With your skill, 'lacking' doesn't apply—you've earned the right to pride yourself on it. I vouch for that!"
Rector boomed with laughter, praising Jeon's humility.
But Jeon truly felt deficient.
'Power's fine, but it takes too damn long.'
Spells like the ash-gray one against Jack in Haswell, the silver pillar that razed half the goblin lair, and now this white thunder spear.
Forced stacking of phenomena skyrocketed power,
but the prep time was a glaring flaw.
'Compared to Khalid, it took me several times longer...'
Khalid conjured similar might in a mere 10 seconds;
Jeon had burned over 3 minutes.
For a mere 3rd Circle to rival a master 6th Circle's output was absurdly impressive already.
But Jeon disregarded others' views, unsatisfied with "good enough."
'I need to get much stronger still.'
Unlike typical mages, Jeon wielded Rune Magic, goblin spells, diverse artifacts.
His self-standards were brutally stricter than for others.
Besides, his foe ahead was the ancient, unknown Luin Church.
They wouldn't wait for gradual growth.
This dungeon's end might hold a 7th Circle archmage who betrayed Silvermont's wizard, for all he knew.
Jeon had miles to go.
"Anyway, everyone okay? No injuries?"
"Yes. I'm fine."
"Me too... thanks to the fox you sent, Jeon."
"...You really can do anything."
The white thunder spear was miracle enough,
but Tasha's silver fox being Jeon's magic too?
Khalid, checking the group, clicked his tongue anew.
No time for endless awe, though.
"So no one's impaired for movement."
"Yes. We can go now."
"Ah, um... the floor and ceiling are a total mess, so watch your step, everyone!"
"And stay alert—another attack could come anytime."
"Agreed. Full vigilance as we proceed."
Confirming no injuries, the party pressed deeper into the dungeon.
In a room stuffed with lavish luxuries—stark contrast to Kairon's haunt—
a man lounging on a sofa, eyes closed, furrowed his brow.
"Well, aren't you lot something."
He was the chimera master behind Jeon's ambush, the one who'd spoken to cross-legged Kairon: Valkazar. He slowly opened his eyes.
"Nearly twenty down already?"
Twenty of his chimeras felled by Jeon's group.
Valkazar scowled, displeased, and rose.
"Do you know how much each one costs... you bastards..."
Not that he cared for his creations emotionally.
To him, chimeras were disposable high-end pawns—neither lives nor underlings.
'Good thing I told Kairon I'd bill him.'
His opulent lifestyle screamed wasteful spender—and it was true.
But he loathed spending on anyone but himself.
Not just money; he was wholly self-centered in all things.
Were he not a fanatic of the Luin Church and its doctrines, he'd never lift a finger for anyone.
Thus, his mind now schemed minimal personal loss.
"Dragging this out... I'll just burn through my numbers."
Sitting here, dispatching chimeras sequentially, he could force a war of attrition, given time.
But the enemy's strength was no joke; it'd whittle his stockpile severely.
He'd bill Kairon for creation costs, sure—but effort and time were irrecoverable.
'And if they still don't finish them off, it'll headache me.'
The gatekeeper chimera, then orc and troll forms, were mere bait to probe strength and time the earthworm ambush.
Yet that serious ploy flopped.
He'd expected two or three kills, heavy casualties at least—yet they emerged unscathed.
If they were stronger than thought or attrition-proof, he'd waste chimeras and end up fighting personally.
Not that he'd lose—but efficiency and cost-effectiveness mattered.
"Might as well go all-out from the start."
Stalling wasn't bad, but committing full force might be better.
Mid-thought, he recalled a gift from his Apostle just before this mission.
"...Yeah, that'll do."
A black orb artifact, granted only to high priest equivalents in the Church.
Many uses, but one synergized perfectly with his abilities.
"Perfect chance to test the Apostle's gift's limits."
Resolved, Valkazar donned his ornate coat from the wall.
As he moved to leave, he paused, splaying his fingers one by one.
"Let's see... five intruders total? Keep 'em breathing, turn 'em into chimeras—could be fun."
Jeon's group were people, not monsters.
Even a mad chimera-making wizard felt some guilt or revulsion at turning fellow humans.
"Big brute for the body, that white-haired geezer's head... yeah."
No such compunction in Valkazar's mutterings as he counted on his fingers.
To him, none were kin save himself, his Apostle, and their Great One.
"Heh... might actually be entertaining for once."
Five fingers spread, his eyes gleamed with deepening madness as he murmured ominously.