Episode 379

Episode 379

‘Just a worthless piece of trash.’

When no follow-up attack came, the King of Ghouls lost interest in the masked mage.

Ogoldos and Lee Han did not pose any particular threat to the King of Ghouls at the moment. There were plenty of others here who needed to be dealt with first.

Let’s see how much value you have.

Dodging the charging berserker’s attack, the King of Ghouls expanded his body like black mist.

And that mist wrapped around the berserker. With a crashing sound, a gruesome feast unfolded.

‘I see he has recovered more than I thought.’

While the berserker was being devoured, the undead mage remained calm and thoughtful.

He did not regret drawing his sword against the King of Ghouls.

For in the world of undead, if you didn’t strike when your opponent was weakened, you might never get another chance.

But the King of Ghouls had already recovered well in that short period.

He must have recovered much of his power by devouring minions around the palace and absorbing the mana that was scattered about.

It would have been better if I had arrived a bit sooner…

Regardless of that regret, the undead mage’s spell continued smoothly. Poison mist burst consecutively, beginning to fill the space.

Do you think things will change just by scattering poison?

The King of Ghouls sneered and grabbed another berserker, swallowing him.

Having risen from a mere ghoul through countless battles and victories to become what he was, the King of Ghouls possessed many authorities befitting his accomplishments.

The Authority of Mistform, allowing him to dissolve his body and move; the Authority of Absorption, letting him directly suck in the being of his opponent; the Authority of Summoning, with which he could call forth contracted undead…

Though many of his authorities could not be used due to not being recovered, even with the remaining strength, the King of Ghouls showed deadly combat prowess.

Crash!

Another berserker dissolved. The King of Ghouls, dodging and widening the distance, closed in at an opening and sank his fangs.

Even the formidable berserkers, when faced directly with the King of Ghouls, were toyed with like scarecrows.

Yet the undead mage remained calm.

It was because he didn’t care that the opponent had recovered faster than expected. From the start, the mage had assumed that the King of Ghouls possessed greater combat ability than them.

The terror of a mage lay in his ability to devise tricks that could exploit openings in any situation, regardless of sheer power.

The undead mage had been preparing magic that could stab the King of Ghouls ever since he began serving him.

“Is this really okay?”

Lee Han said in a flustered voice as he watched the King of Ghouls tearing through berserkers around the hall.

Troublingly, the King of Ghouls was much stronger than when they last met.

‘Wouldn’t it be better to retreat?’

-Don’t worry. I had been preparing a way to stab the king ever since I served him as his vassal.

‘…Then you shouldn’t have said you were loyal…’

It was absurd to hear him say he was loyal when he’d just confessed that he’d been preparing this from the start when asked before.

The logic of the undead dimension was too incomprehensible for Lee Han.

“What is that method?”

-You’ll find out when you see it. Buy me as much time as possible.

With those words, the undead mage grabbed a berserker and began absorbing its mana.

He was short on the mana required for the spell.

“Uh, if you need mana, would you like to absorb some from me?”

-Wouldn’t it be better to absorb those berserker bastards instead? They…

The undead mage absentmindedly stretched out a bony hand to grab Lee Han and was startled.

The mana he’d just exhausted through spellcasting had suddenly refilled.

“How is it?”

-Excellent! When I give the signal, come back and refill my mana! With this, I can finish much faster!

‘Should I not have suggested it?’

• * *

The King of Ghouls, having taken down over half the berserkers, let out a joyful roar.

Then, the undead mage standing in the corner caught his eye.

Hmm!

Normally, the King of Ghouls would have wiped out the berserkers first before dealing with the mage.

Among the prisoners of the underground prison, these berserkers were the strongest.

And the undead mage had done little damage to the King of Ghouls.

Though a powerful poison element mage, he was a bad match for the King of Ghouls, who could easily nullify him with his innate elemental resistance and powerful mobility authorities.

Instead, what was more annoying from the king’s perspective was the one nearby, interfering with low-level elemental magic.

Though the magic was low in level, the movements were so quick and precise as to be unpredictable, and the firepower strangely powerful.

Normally, such a pitiful upstart would have been left for last, taken apart at leisure to instill despair…

Yet, strangely, he caught the king’s eye.

The King of Ghouls himself didn’t realize it, but recent defeats had changed his arrogant nature.

His thoughts changed.

-!

The undead mage was startled.

He wasn’t prepared yet, but the King of Ghouls started moving toward the mage.

-What the… Block him!

The remaining berserkers shouted as they tried to block his path. The King of Ghouls lightly turned himself to black mist, passing through the berserkers.

“Frost, like a mist!”

A bright blue ice mist spread through the air.

A mage at the King of Ghouls’ level could gauge the spell’s level just by seeing its formation.

This just cast was -Lesser Frost Mist-.

A circle magic so weak it was yawn-worthy. The King of Ghouls tried to break through, ignoring it.

But then a chill seeped out from within the mist.

!

The King of Ghouls hurriedly twisted his body to avoid the mist. In that moment, the undead mage launched another poison cloud, widening the distance.

-Why is the fake king acting like that!

“Has the plan gone wrong?!”

Lee Han, also retreating, shouted. The undead mage replied, as if unable to understand.

-Normally, his pride wouldn’t let him attack me first. He’d feel that would hurt his pride. So I thought it would be fine, but why… Is his nature changed from his recent defeat?

“……”

Lee Han cursed his past self.

How could he be so greedy for silver coins that he’d leap into the cave and end up like this!

How long do you plan on running? Hm? If you wanted the throne, shouldn’t you be swinging something by now? If you keep running away like this…

The King of Ghouls swelled his body to blow away the poison cloud and went after the undead mage, but then he paused.

He sensed something off.

…Wait.

The King of Ghouls glanced at the floor.

Unbeknownst to him, the intricate symbols of a magic circle were filling the hall’s floor.

This brat…

Within the mist, the king’s eyes flashed coldly.

He realized too late that the seemingly pathetic undead mage was actually preparing a great spell.

-This is a mess. He wasn’t this perceptive. I apologize in advance.

“…It’s okay.”

Normally, Lee Han would have yelled, ‘Now I’m about to die too because of you!’ but he didn’t.

He bore some responsibility after all!

Did you think you’d survive this unscathed? I’ll grind you to dust.

-Undead, return to where you belong!

Though incomplete, the undead mage had no choice but to activate the magic circle.

Surprisingly, a sacred power surged forth. It was divine magic used by the Orders.

-Holy Judgment will bind and banish you!

Lee Han was stunned, as was the King of Ghouls.

Of course, a lesser being trying to strike at the king would need a desperate method, but who’d have thought an undead mage would bring holy magic.

Where just before dark clashes between undead raged, sacred radiance now lingered.

‘How can an undead do that!?’

Lee Han was shocked.

Even if he borrowed power from the circle, for an undead to manifest holy magic…

That was some serious resolve.

With a flood of light, the King of Ghouls screamed as if burning. The other berserkers couldn’t move and were tossed about.

The undead mage, too, stumbled to his knees, as if affected. If not for the pre-cast magic shield, he’d have been obliterated.

Un-b…

-!

The undead mage threw a look of horror. The King of Ghouls barreled out and slammed the undead mage into the wall.

-You shouldn’t be able to move…

I knew of your pitiful little tricks from the beginning.

The King of Ghouls revealed the armor that clad his form as he spoke.

Thanks to this armor sewn from the flesh of heroes, he was able to endure and charge forward through the flood of holy magic.

-Fake king. You’ve grown quite wise. You weren’t like this before…

Shut up, you scheming little rat.

The King of Ghouls quickly prepared to finish off the undead mage and then dispel the magic covering the hall.

At that moment, Lee Han swung the Morningstar. As the black blade slashed the King of Ghouls, the king howled savagely, feeling his mana being drained.

Wha-…!

Confusion came first, before the anger of being struck. The King of Ghouls felt troubled, unable to identify his enemy.

Could it be…

Could it??

“When will the spell be complete?!”

-Can’t… do it…

The undead mage’s voice was weaker than before.

Just a single blow from the King of Ghouls left him gravely wounded.

-Instead…complete…

“How is that possible!?”

-Contract…summon…

The undead mage pointed alternately with his fingers.

Making a summoning contract with a completely green mage from another dimension was something he’d never do under normal circumstances, but in this emergency, there was no choice.

“I understand!”

-My true name is…Verdus. Summon me now…

Even in the panic of the moment, Lee Han nearly lost focus.

What kind of name is that!

Fwooosh—

As the spell was recited and the contract made, powerful mana surged into the undead mage.

Catching his breath, the undead mage squeezed out the last of his strength and completed the magic circle.

You…!

Regaining his senses, the King of Ghouls charged in with the most violent fury he’d ever displayed.

He finally realized who Lee Han was.

So presumptuous, not even words could describe it.

To think he’d had the audacity to chase him here after narrowly driving him away.

Fine then. Here…

As the undead mage blocked his way, the King of Ghouls struck him down in a single blow, burning his existence.

As he was forcefully summoned back, the undead mage poisoned the King of Ghouls in one last act of defiance and thought to himself:

‘I’ve never seen him this angry!’

It was clear that the holy magic prepared by the undead mage had truly gotten under the king’s skin.

Satisfied by that fact, the undead mage collapsed.

• * *

Die…

The King of Ghouls, caring nothing for the strain on his existence or the poison, aimed to kill Lee Han first.

That was how deep his grudge cut.

Kuaaaah—

But then, a power of holy magic on a completely different level from before overwhelmed the King of Ghouls.

Feeling a pressure so immense he could not move, the King of Ghouls dropped to his knees.

Ogoldos muttered unwittingly.

“D-did we get him?”

“Senior. Please, just don’t…”

As if.

The King of Ghouls, kneeling, glared at Lee Han.

You think you’ve won? You think this magic circle is some omnipotent blade? At best, this magic circle only binds me! While I’m inside, I might be weakened. But that’s all. How long do you think you can keep this magic circle going? You’re already out of breath.

“…Ah.”

Lee Han listened tensely to what the King of Ghouls was saying but then let out a sigh of relief.