Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Chapter 9 Monster Wave (4)
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The King of Basilisks.
After hearing Mateus's story, the group started calling the new Monster Lord that.
'Names mean nothing anyway.'
What mattered was the fact that the thing had just been born.
A new existence meant there was zero information on how to take it down.
Considering how crucial intel was when fighting monsters, this was a gravely serious issue.
'Above all, it's strong. If Mateus fled from it like that, it has to be even stronger than him.'
The Gustin family's forces were formidable.
Mateus was a powerhouse at the 8th Circle, and the group included the captain and vice-captain of the Crimson Dragon Knights, along with their top elites.
Yet even they had been routed.
Having to fight something like that with no intel whatsoever?
The future having diverged was shocking enough, but this was arguably an even greater crisis.
Martin didn't fall into despair, though.
'Good thing I have Distortion of All Things.'
Much like Space Domination, Distortion of All Things was close to omnipotent.
Unlike Space Domination, it could manipulate a wide variety of elements, which meant he could adapt even in this highly dangerous info vacuum.
That's what let him stay cool-headed.
On top of that, the King of Basilisks' birth came with a silver lining.
Hadn't Mateus said it?
The King of Basilisks was wandering all over the 35th floor.
That meant they no longer had to venture into death traps like the Chamber of Death or poison gas chambers filled with deadly toxins.
Instead, they'd have to hunt down the thing as it roamed, but that wasn't an issue for him either.
No living creature could escape detection via spatial vibrations.
'Our forces aren't bad either.'
The strongest from the Adalbert main house and its two branches had gathered in one place, and every knight from the branches was an elite.
Plus, he'd made preparations in advance.
It was a tough spot, sure, but no reason to blindly fear it.
That was when it happened.
Tremble.
His body shuddered violently.
To be precise, the true dragon's blood he'd absorbed was reacting.
There was dragonkin nearby.
'It's here.'
Monster presences surged in right after, and Martin turned his head.
Not just him—every expert at the 6th Circle or higher stared in the same direction.
"Hiss."
"Shieeeek."
The basilisks' cries rang out.
Faint enough that no ordinary person could hear, but the experts picked it up clearly.
"Everyone, battle stations."
Mateus spoke almost simultaneously.
Just those words, but true to form, everyone snapped into combat readiness.
Watching them, he turned to Martin.
"I know the branch heads don't think highly of me, young lord."
"No need to worry about that, Sir Mateus. No one here's stupid enough to let personal grudges get in the way in a situation like this. Right, Sir Oliver?"
"I agree that fighting together here is the right call. That said, there's one thing we need to settle clearly."
As Martin's gaze turned to him, Oliver replied in a cold voice.
"How's the core's ownership getting decided, young lord? Given the circumstances, we'll probably have to take on the King of Basilisks too."
"Simple. Whoever grabs the core owns it. That work? Though no matter who gets it, we should avoid turning on each other. Of course, if someone breaks that promise, nothing we can do."
"Scraping at people's nerves with every other word."
"No such intent."
"If you're gonna lie, at least wet your lips first."
"I meant it sincerely, but whatever—let's move past it. I'm curious what you two think of my proposal."
"It's the best option for now."
"I'll accept the offer."
Mateus nodded first, followed by Oliver.
Watching them, Martin smiled bitterly to himself.
'Never thought I'd see the day the main house and branches agree to fight side by side. Past family heads would faint at the sight.'
That only hardened Martin's resolve.
He would become family head and set everything right.
And to do that, he had to slay the King of Basilisks.
Squeeze.
Martin gripped the hilt of his sword Kaizen tight.
***
Its body stretched long from head to tail like a snake, but that wasn't all.
A rooster's comb crested its head, wings sprouted from the upper body, and clawed feet from the lower.
A snake-rooster hybrid, you might say.
This was the basilisk, a monster strain of dragonkin.
Nearly a hundred individuals glared at the knights with eyes redder than blood.
Monsters always harbored intense killing intent toward humans, but these were on another level entirely.
"Close your eyes and spread your mana everywhere to heighten your senses! Do not meet their gaze, whatever you do!"
"Don't rely on the guardian stones! Trust your own senses and your blade!"
Mateus and Oliver bellowed.
Vision was critical in battle, but not this time.
The basilisks' eyes carried a petrification curse.
Its power was so immense that all but the strongest mana reserves couldn't even resist.
'Can't just avert your eyes and fight, either.'
That might work against few foes, but this was the 35th floor.
Uncountable basilisks swarmed the place.
Better to shut your eyes and maximize mana for sensory awareness.
'A method only elite knights can pull off.'
Without reaching a certain level, sense-based combat was impossible.
Only the knights gathered here could manage it.
Martin too wove his mana like spider silk, spreading it everywhere—then added one more trick.
He vibrated the space to detect everything on the ground, flooding him with real-time intel.
"Sheeek!"
One basilisk shrieked sharply and kicked off the floor.
Wings flapping battered his ears, its reptilian stench numbed his nose.
Its sticky killing intent rattled his mana-enhanced senses.
It leaped high, mouth gaping wide at Martin.
Whoosh!
A jet of dark green poison breath hurtled toward him at terrifying speed.
Martin thrust out his left hand in response.
Hum.
Distortion of All Things warped space, forming a black void.
The poison breath slammed into it and vanished like it never existed.
At the same time, Martin charged forward, slashing Kaizen upward.
Crunch!
The golden Aura Blade pierced the basilisk's neck clean through.
One down—but no time to celebrate.
The instant Kaizen claimed its life, three more lunged in tandem.
They'd pegged Martin as the threat and spat poison breath from afar.
'Pathetic.'
Martin shifted his left hand, positioning the spatial rift in front. All three breaths got sucked into the black hole.
Then he smoothly raised his right foot and stomped down.
Boom!
Gravity twisted by Distortion of All Things crushed the ground.
The force cratered the floor.
The three attackers were smashed flat, naturally.
In the blink of an eye, Martin scanned the others. Sien registered first.
She usually relied on raw physical prowess, but post-34th floor, that wasn't viable.
Even she couldn't shrug off venom ogres or basilisk neurotoxin.
No need to worry about her, though.
Whoosh!
Aura erupted with every swing, laced with spatial ripples.
Those empowered strikes burst basilisks' sturdy bodies with ease.
'As expected of Sien.'
Not quite his level of dominance, but no concerns there. Martin turned away.
Eyes still closed, but that didn't hinder checking on everyone.
The main house's 7th Circle powerhouses unleashed hell on the basilisks, with Elder Oriana stealing the show.
Slash!
Unlike before, she wielded a sword—and what a sword.
Dungeon rocks gathered via telekinesis formed a massive blade.
Nearly 5 meters long.
Oriana swung it effortlessly, pulverizing basilisks left and right.
She wasn't alone in shining.
Crackle!
Lucas Hoffman slammed his raised sword down, unleashing dozens of lightning bolts.
Aura Blade-infused bolts, no less—they charred multiple basilisks instantly.
Shieeeek!
Philip Alrops matched his old rival, showing off in turn.
Flashes carrying Aura Blades poured from his swings.
So potent, each hit bored huge holes in basilisk flesh.
'No worries there.'
Martin approved of the main house elites' prowess.
Mid-admiration, Adel Vitensfelt pinged his senses.
A 5th Circle expert like Sien, but her style was polar opposite.
Where Sien smashed head-on, Adel ghosted silently.
She deployed phantom images to deflect attacks, weaving through basilisks.
Then struck true when openings appeared, severing necks with zero resistance.
Her efforts shattered their formation, letting branch knights exploit the gaps.
'No wonder she's called Sien's rival.'
Adel was a genius too, clearly.
That's how she'd saved him before.
Martin shook off the memory.
'Unnecessary thoughts. How's everywhere else?'
The branch heads and knight captains/vice-captains fought brilliantly too.
The battle tilted overwhelmingly in their favor.
He could focus elsewhere without worry.
"Cover me, Sien!"
"Got it!"
Sien was at his side before the words faded.
Adel edged closer too, but he couldn't spare her a thought.
The moment he called Sien, he'd dropped to one knee, slamming his left palm to the ground.
'Go.'
Flash!
Golden light shot from his palm, rippling out with subtle vibrations.
Sticking to combat here would just be a wasteful slog.
They needed to find the King of Basilisks fast.
But no need for the effort.
A massive presence registered before the light even spanned a few hundred meters.
Tremble.
His body shook again, dragon blood reacting.
'This is?!'
Boom!
Before Martin could warn anyone, the ground split.
A colossal form burst out, devouring a Crimson Dragon Knight who couldn't evade.
"Aaagh!"
Swallowed alive into its gut.
The devourer reared up dozens of meters, looming over them.
Crimson Dragon Knights screamed in horror.
"The King of Basilisks!"
The unprecedented calamity had revealed itself.