Chapter 132
Chapter 132
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: The Lich Parhel
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I wore a pretty shocked expression. I hadn't thought they could actually take it down.
"How the hell did you catch it? Did that bone dragon have osteoporosis or something?"
Jeong Oh-hoon responded to my words.
― What kinda bullshit is that? I thought we were goners!
I hadn't rated Han Sang-ah and Jeong Oh-hoon's chances of beating this bone dragon very highly. Truth be told, it wasn't exactly a weakling.
I'd slipped inside its body and smashed the core—a bit of a cheap trick, sure.
But that wasn't an option for them. Anyway, that wasn't the point.
"Don't smash that fallen idol yet."
The battle we were fighting right now wasn't one where you just smashed whatever popped up in front of you to seize the advantage.
We had to drag it out as long as possible, squeezing out maximum efficiency.
The moment we smashed all the fallen idols, we'd target that instant to destroy a bunch of the teleportation interference devices at once. That would let us send massive reinforcements to Ramin and launch a counterattack.
― I know. I'm just leaving it alone for now.
The fallen idols secured by Han Sang-ah and Jeong Oh-hoon were insurance—for when the monsters facing Ramin's forces got too strong later on.
Every time you smashed one, the empowered monsters reset to their base strength. We had to milk that advantage for all it was worth.
"The fact that you two can handle a bone dragon is damn good news."
As I gave orders to Ramin, I listened to how they'd smashed the bone dragon.
"So it's basically a railgun setup."
Han Sang-ah charges Jeong Oh-hoon's rifle with lightning. Meanwhile, he desperately draws the bone dragon's attention.
Once the charge is done, she tosses the rifle to him, and he fires his bayonet spear using it.
A collab between Han Sang-ah's lightning and Jeong Oh-hoon's signature bayonet throw.
They'd repeated that several times to claim victory.
― It was pure hell. Thought we were dead. How is that thing so tough?
It's a dragon skeleton. It'd be weirder if it were weak.
― Think we could snag some of those bones? Make a buck?
"Sure, you'd make money. But don't get too greedy."
Grab too much, and it'd weigh you down. Anyway, Jeong Oh-hoon and Han Sang-ah had taken on a bone dragon with a fallen idol right in front of them, just like me.
Which meant the remaining fallen idols were probably all guarded by bone dragons too.
"Beat it once..."
...and you've got a solid shot at winning rematches. They'd already figured out a strategy.
No need for us to team up, then. I could keep roaming the caves solo, securing teleportation interference devices and fallen idols, while they operated as a duo doing the same.
― Aw, won't you get lonely?
Jeong Oh-hoon chimed in after hearing my plan. I clicked my tongue and shot back.
"What, heart pounding being alone with Han Sang-ah?"
He replied firmly.
― Sorry, but being with her makes my head hurt, not my heart.
Han Sang-ah was right there, but the response came instantly anyway.
― Need some Tylenol?
Jeong Oh-hoon went silent at her words.
"Hey, cut the banter and get back to work."
No time for that. We'd rest after clearing this Erosion Core—play around then.
"Looks like we need reinforcements about now."
I checked the holographic map and spoke to Ramin.
"Sending additional forces."
― The pace is too slow. It's touch and go. Speed it up a bit.
I was deliberately throttling reinforcements. From a frontline commander's view, he'd hate what I was doing—draining his troops' stamina to the bone without letting them collapse.
"Sorry. Hang in there a little longer."
No need to explain our side to Ramin. Just say we were trying our best and ask him to hold on.
What was he gonna do if he didn't? It wasn't like he had options. And we were hustling too.
Right now, I was sprinting through pitch-black caves so fast my legs blurred, smashing anything in my path. We weren't picnicking with kimbap and sandwiches on a mat.
We were swamped. Even mid-fight, I had to monitor the damn holographic map, facing living, rattling dragon bones and all sorts of grotesque corpses and bugs.
"And this is far from over."
I returned to the center, smashed a teleportation interference device, reinforced Ramin's lines, and sank into thought.
The Erosion Core's gimmick boiled down to that famous villain line from an old cartoon.
Don't think this is the end.
"Ah, buzz off."
A massive centipede slithered up and lunged. I grabbed its front fangs, snapped them, jammed them into its forehead. It writhed grotesquely, coiled up, and died.
That pattern continued. Killing monsters, destroying devices, barely keeping Ramin's forces afloat with timely reinforcements.
Destroying fallen idols.
"23 already?"
We'd secured 23 teleportation interference devices in this cave. Meaning roughly 230,000 troops I could send to Ramin.
"That's too many."
Way too many. But this Erosion Core wouldn't play nice with us.
Being able to deploy 230,000 meant something massive was coming—something even that many couldn't bulldoze.
"Because..."
This goddamn world had never really helped me. I wasn't exactly lucky.
― Found the last idol. But I need your help on this one, Chan-seok. Feels different from the others.
I followed Jeong Oh-hoon's markers to the spot and replied en route.
"Mark it, fall back, and prep to blow the teleportation jammers. When I signal, smash 'em all."
This was the final fallen idol. Smash it, and Ramin would counterattack.
The gimmick would end, and the next one would start.
Nearing the spot Jeong Oh-hoon mentioned, I stopped short.
"Whoa, this one's nasty."
I gripped my spear tighter. It felt worlds apart from the bone dragons guarding the previous idols.
The last one, huh. I advanced slowly. In a flattened cave chamber stood a massive table and four chairs.
A moldy, sweat-stained teddy bear slumped in one. Across from it sat a girl in a black robe.
"Oh, a guest!"
"Shit."
Undead. A lich, no less. Not some ragged-sack skeleton lich wannabe.
The real deal. Perfectly preserved. She looked like a golden-haired, blue-eyed little girl—indistinguishably human at a glance.
And that flawless appearance was proof of her power as an undead.
"Hello."
She rose, smiling, and walked to the table's side. The hem of her long robe dragged across the floor.
As it swept by, red sludge like mud poured out, pooling behind. Faint moans echoed from the crimson puddle.
Hand-like, eye-like, mouth-like shapes bubbled up from the swampish mass, only to get sucked back down.
"Not so hello from me."
She burst into laughter at my words, eyes fixed on me. Her blue irises gleamed like glass orbs, but clouded like dust-covered antiques.
Her eyes stared blankly, but her mouth grinned.
"My toys. You broke them all. What am I supposed to play with now?"
"Beats me. Go outside. Get some sun, make friends."
Black tar-like liquid dripped from under her robe. The sheer malice made my face twist just looking at it.
"In your terms, I'm a total shut-in. Don't like wandering much."
She laughed—hahaha—and thousands of voices erupted from inside her robe in unison.
Normies would've dropped dead from that laugh alone. Even decent hunters would've panicked.
"Hm? You're fine, though."
Instead of answering, I ignited flames on my spear and poured mana into the crown in my left hand. Paradox Flame roared at the tip; holy light weakening undead poured from the crown.
"I'm good. You're about to not be."
"Oh my, jokes too? That fire's a bit bright—mind putting it out?"
Exposed to the crown's light, the lich winced, squinting like it hurt her eyes. She seemed unaffected at first glance.
"All talk."
But no. She was pretending. The crown had definitely weakened her.
"Sharp one. Ahem, well then."
The lich bowed slightly.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Parhel, High Priestess of Vallea and Viceroy of Gonsalok. Friends call me Purgatory. Thanks for visiting..."
Before she finished, I kicked off the ground, thrusting at her throat. She cut off mid-sentence. A red mass burst from her robe, forming a wall to block me.
A grotesque tangle of bones, eyeballs, teeth, limbs writhing. A small voice came from beyond the horrific barrier.
"I was introducing myself. Where's your manners?"
"The only courtesy for corpses is grave flowers and liquor poured on the tomb."
Maybe a shot of booze when you rot back to dirt. The meat wall melted away with a squelch, parting between us.
Parhel lounged on a floating black throne, legs crossed, looking down.
"Normally, I'd kill you and trap your soul inside me... but my banshee pal—who's now totally gone—told me about your soul."
Too bad. If she'd tried, she'd have ended up like the banshee in Jaun Valley.
"My rep spread that fast?"
"Special, she said. Even Gonsalok's Emperor who appointed me viceroy couldn't handle it."
Parhel gazed down arrogantly, flicking her hand.
"Wonder if the body matches that special soul."
Viscous red spread from her throne. Floor, walls, ceiling—all turned to throbbing crimson flesh.
More like the cavern revealing its true form.
"If you wanted to live, you shouldn't have come in. You're in my belly now. Eaten."
Oh yeah? I slammed my Paradox Flame spear into the floor. Black fire instantly engulfed the red masses.
"Stuffing anything down your gullet gives you indigestion."
Consider yourself hit with gastroenteritis today, corpse wizard.