Chapter 34
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Black Mage's Dungeon (2)
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"Out of the seven squires you brought, five are dead, and we've lost two knights."
Losing the squires was unavoidable, but the two knights were a painful blow.
"We're lucky it wasn't worse. One wrong move, and we'd have been wiped out."
Ovet shuddered as he recalled the passageway swarming with wraiths.
"I don't know the squires' names, but the two knights who sacrificed themselves were Sir Ulvent and Sir Oswald."
Sir Hansen planted his sword in the ground and began a solemn moment of silence, prompting the entire group to bow their heads as well.
Ovet joined in with an awkward expression.
As soon as the silence ended, the group huddled together to confer.
"There's only one path anyway. The way back is collapsed, and the only way open is forward."
"To think we have to press on even knowing it's a trap..."
"Trap or not, there's a vile black mage at the end who we must eliminate."
"It might be black mages, plural."
It was true that unease crept in as they had to traverse an ominous corridor where they couldn't see even an inch ahead.
But with the retreat blocked, they had no choice but to advance.
The search party reaffirmed their purpose here and steeled their resolve.
"Let's move."
Noel took the lead as he always had.
The only difference from their previous formation was placing Blanc in the center, protecting him as they went.
"If it's too much, say so. We'll rest."
"I'm fine, brother."
Blanc was already pushing himself hard.
One reason he'd grasped enlightenment was because his fading mind had naturally slipped into an unconscious state.
If possible, they should conserve Blanc's stamina—he was their maximum firepower.
Yet despite his pale face, Blanc's eyes burned with unyielding fire.
If anything, they gazed at Noel with a depth they'd never had before.
'His presence has changed.'
Noel could sense the shift in Blanc's aura. The boy before him had clearly surpassed them all.
But rather than envy, Noel felt pride. Unbeknownst to himself, he'd fully opened his heart to Blanc.
And it wasn't just Noel. Everyone here had been genuinely awed by how Blanc calmly overcame each crisis.
"Damn, what the hell is this now?"
Ahead of the group, following the red carpet, suits of armor lined the walls on both sides, just like the statues before.
"This feels ominous again."
The images of wraiths bursting through the walls were still vividly etched in their minds.
Facing something similar again naturally put them on edge.
"We won't fall for the same trick twice."
Ovet raised his sword and smashed the long line of armor along the corridor walls.
"Sir Bauer."
They'd merely exchanged glances, but Bauer nodded in understanding and joined Ovet at his side, smashing the armor.
The clamor of shattering metal echoed through the corridor, but the knights paid it no mind.
They'd already collapsed a wraith-infested passage with a racket, so the dungeon's master surely knew they were here by now.
There was no need to maintain stealth anymore.
Besides, after the wraiths drained their energy, the knights wanted no repeat.
Unlike the group fixated on smashing armor, Blanc focused on the sinister malice emanating from ahead.
Ever since mimicking Aselheit's Sword, his senses had sharpened dramatically.
"There's something up ahead."
"Up ahead?"
"Beyond the door."
"Door?"
It was a massive door.
The group, busy smashing armor, suddenly felt entranced.
There definitely hadn't been a door there moments ago.
"Feels like we've been bewitched."
A door this size should have been visible from afar, yet it appeared out of nowhere.
"What a dogshit place."
"Looks like we've found the right spot, at least."
The moment the huge door appeared, everyone—not just Blanc—sensed it.
Something ominous lurked beyond.
Krrrrrrrind...
As if on cue, an unwelcome screech of metal rang out, and the door swung open on its own.
As if inviting the group inside.
"What the...?"
The knights couldn't hide their shock at the sight within.
It was a vast cavern.
Torchlight bathed the smooth floor in red, evoking a twilight dusk.
"What twisted taste."
But overhead, a black hell writhed on the ceiling.
"My god..."
Countless cords dangled from above, and on each one hung...
"You bastard..."
Necklaced corpses.
Hundreds of them, wriggling as if the nooses tormented them.
"Eyes front."
Noel warned Ovet, whose gaze was stolen by the horror.
True to his word, a massive altar rose ahead in steps.
And atop it, on a throne, sat a man.
"Father?"
Shadows from the torches hid his face, but he had the same brown hair as Noel and Ovet—a middle-aged man.
Slouched boredly in his chair.
"You've made it this far. Well done, humans."
He rose.
"Sir Stefan..."
As shadows lifted from his face, the group recoiled in horror.
Stefan Tolome, missing captain of the Tolome Knights.
The man whose fate was unknown now greeted them.
"Unlucky humans. A few days later, and you'd have missed me."
His voice wasn't loud, yet it filled the cavern with resonance.
It wasn't just his voice. Everything in the chamber reacted to his every gesture, glance, word.
Even the air.
"Form up, everyone."
As the group was overwhelmed by Stefan's presence, only Blanc stayed calm, eyes fixed ahead.
Using his newfound aura sense, Blanc examined Stefan.
The knights, cowed by the atmosphere, missed it, but a sinister dagger pierced Stefan's left shoulder.
'It starts there.'
Blood-red aura from the dagger enveloped Stefan entirely.
"That's not Sir Stefan."
"I see it too..."
It wasn't mere atmosphere.
His expression, speech, the situation itself.
This wasn't the Stefan they knew.
No need to note the blood-red glare in his eyes.
"I am..."
Before the black mage in Stefan's form could finish, Rakshar loosed an arrow at Blanc's signal.
Blanc had no past-life experience fighting black mages, but plenty against void-corrupted ones.
Against mages, distance was key.
Closing it before they could chant decided victory.
As Rakshar's arrow flew, Blanc charged, narrowing the gap toward the black mage.
The knights, signaled by glances, scattered and rushed from different angles.
"Impatient fools."
The black mage smirked mockingly at the charging knights.
Blanc struck first...
"Urk!"
But the black mage casually twisted his hand wreathed in dark red energy, flinging Blanc back to the entrance.
"Young master!"
"Cursed sorcery!"
It resembled the spell that had Lost them earlier.
Even with Blanc vanishing, the Tolome knights kept their target.
They chose their best approaches and lunged, but...
The black mage parried with Tolome swordsmanship ingrained in Stefan's body, deflecting effortlessly.
Grinning in delight.
Ovet couldn't contain his rage.
Stealing his father's body wasn't enough—now mocking them with family techniques!
It defiled Tolome identity. Enraged, Ovet swung mercilessly at his father Stefan...
"Gah!"
But the black mage's monstrous strength deflected the blade, and a brutal kick slammed Ovet's gut.
Ovet crumpled without lasting a exchange, but Noel exploited the opening from the enlarged motion, thrusting in.
Yet it was the black mage's trap.
As if anticipating, he twisted away, seamlessly turning defense to offense.
"...!"
Noel sensed the momentum shift, withdrawing his thrust to block Stefan's razor slash.
Clang!
'Impossible!'
Inhuman strength.
Sparks flew from one clash; the vibration shook Noel's grip terribly.
But with superhuman endurance, he held on, shuffling back desperately.
Stefan sneered mockingly.
He extended his blade to trap Noel in his web, but...
"Raaagh!"
"Sir Stefan! Forgive me!"
Bauer and Hansen darted in at Noel's peril.
Bauer's full-force warhammer crashed down on Stefan's sword.
Hansen thrust at his nape simultaneously.
"...!"
"...!"
Bauer's power was real—not the strongest knight, but unmatched in raw might.
Yet Stefan flicked the hammer aside effortlessly.
With one hand.
His free hand shot crimson energy at Hansen.
Hansen, the eldest knight here.
His reflexes couldn't dodge visually anymore, but experience permeated his body.
Sensing peril before the energy formed, he discarded his sword and rolled.
The evil aura grazed his ear as he dove.
Boom!
It blasted past into the wall.
The knights paled. Without Hansen's snap judgment, no corpse would remain.
The black mage laughed down at the failed attackers.
"I'm seeking minions worthy of following me. Those up there failed my standards."
As he finished, the dangling corpses shrieked in unison.
"Damn it!"
The sudden cacophony forced the group to clap hands over ears, despite the enemy right there.
"The Tolome knights were somewhat decent, but only barely passable by my current minion's measure."
The black mage snapped his fingers at the group.
"Gaaah!"
"Grraaak!"
Corpses began dropping from the ceiling one by one.
Soon, hundreds plummeted at once.
Like a rain of bodies.
"Regroup! Form up!"
"Six of us can't hold!"
"Blanc! Get back here!"
They dodged falling corpses, trying to form ranks, but...
'No chance!'
Blanc realized any formation would crumble quickly.
Hundreds of corpses, with the black mage ahead.
"Prove your worth then!"
The black mage welcomed the corpse rain, arms wide.
Thud! Thud!
Falling from height, they splattered—limbs torn, guts spilling.
"Keeeaak!"
Undeterred, they charged the group.
"Hold the line!"
"Damn it all!"
The corpse wave smashed their hasty circle.
No finesse, but sheer mass overwhelmed.
Knight braced, but like buoys in surf, they were pushed toward the wall.
"We won't last like this!"
Hearing Ovet's desperate cry, Blanc closed his eyes.
Faint, but the sensation lingered at his fingertips. That mattered.
'One more time!'
As Blanc focused, the corpses' growls and allies' screams faded.
Deep concentration dragged his inner world through White Lightning into reality.
Electricity crackled wildly from his body.
Sensing Blanc's buildup, knights summoned every ounce against the malice.
Aselheit's swordtip held a world. He'd forged his standard through lifelong swordsmanship, overlaying it on reality.
Thanks to talent, insight, unbreakable spirit.
All of which regressor Blanc possessed.
Blanc's swordtip rose high.
"...!"
The black mage eyed the white lightning at its tip, feeling a familiar peril ingrained in instinct.
'This is!'
Their gazes locked midair.
"The world I create burns!"
Blanc's first intentional world—not subconscious.
He struck down at the foul evil.
White lightning roared from the tip toward the black mage.
"Grah! Graaak!"
The mage conjured every defense, but Blanc's world rejected his existence.
The chamber flashed blinding white.
Knights shielded eyes.
When vision cleared: a parted corpse wave.
And...
"Aaaargh!"
The black mage, left arm charred black.
Staggering, but not fallen.
Furious, he spat blood-red glare.
"You damned... I killed you all, utterly!"
His bloodshot eyes locked on Blanc.
"Assansio! You cursed demon-breaker scum! Still alive?!"
His raw scream filled the cavern.