Chapter 667
“Wow, everyone’s got something going on. Even in the worlds I’ve been to, there weren’t many kids with this much Mana.”
Clemence exclaimed, looking each member over.
Then she continued casually.
“Still, since we’re going to fight anyway, how about we take some time to introduce ourselves? Someone once said it’s good to know the name of the person you’re killing. Makes the journey a little easier.”
This trivial chatter wasn’t for camaraderie.
It was probably to buy time for the other two unseen Returnees to find a clue about the Necronomicon.
“Alice.”
“I was already getting annoyed listening to that shrill voice.”
[Alice activates ‘Feast of Blood’!]
Bats made of blood appeared one by one, their numbers quickly swelling into the thousands.
Vampire bats densely filled the sky.
Their target was Clemence.
Flap flap flap…!
Boom boom boom boom boom!
The spring water was dyed completely red as overwhelming firepower poured in.
The ground became a wasteland, the canyon collapsed, and rock fragments poured down like waterfalls. As if that wasn’t enough, the remaining bats swarmed in to shatter their next prey.
“You aimed for them… excluding the fairies, right?”
“My mercy isn’t so broad as to care about the well-being of insignificant things.”
Alice turned her head away with a sulky expression.
It was a mistake to make such a delicate request of this ignorant vampire.
Still.
It was a wide-area skill worthy of a True Ancestor’s name.
“Cough… Cough!”
Clemence, caught in the middle of the blast, coughed up blood and slowly rose.
Her whole body was battered, but she wasn’t dead.
If anything, she trembled slightly, as if she liked it too much.
[Due to intense pain, ‘Pleasure Mana’ is charged.]
When pain goes beyond a certain level, the brain secretes a large amount of adrenaline.
Before the mind collapses from unbearable pain, the body uses a trick to protect itself.
And Clemence had the ability to convert that pleasure back into Mana.
The more intense the pain she felt, the more powerful magic she could unleash.
“Kyahahaha! I’ve never seen anyone this hot! More… do more! Make it burn my brain to a crisp!”
“She’s out of her mind.”
Chun Yoosung frowned.
He wanted to say she and that person were no different in essence, but the words stuck in his throat.
He forced himself to hold back.
There was no need to increase the number of enemies to two right now.
Then green light poured out from the ground.
[Clemence activates ‘Necropolis’ – ‘Screaming Earth’!]
Kukwakwakwakwakwa!
A terrifying energy poured out from the archmage’s staff.
A large-scale wide-area skill.
The entire spring was covered, and simply being within the space inflicted terrible pain.
“Kugh!”
“What kind of ability is this…?”
“It feels like my skin is tearing.”
Heavy groans rang out from here and there.
A power that inflicts pain on everyone, including herself, then converts it back into Mana for endless use.
“Why does everyone hate this good stuff so much? If you just get used to it, there’s nothing as thrilling as this. Haa… it’s really the best.”
Clemence moved forward with an excited face.
When she swung her staff again, green orbs appeared one after another in the air.
At the same time—
“Kieeee!”
“Keee!”
Small orbs formed in the mouths of the fairies densely filling the air.
‘Fairy Breath.’
It was similar in principle to a dragon’s Breath, and far weaker, but the problem was the number.
If thousands of lights were aimed here at once, it would be hard to ignore.
“Goguma!”
“Mo, Mogiii!”
Goguma, who had put everyone in a corner by eating Mana Stones, hurried to the front of the group. His mouth was full of Mana Stone crumbs he hadn’t finished chewing, but knowing he’d done wrong, he poured out the Mana he’d just consumed without hesitation.
[Goguma activates ‘Breath’!]
Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwa!
Thousands of small lights collided with a single massive flame.
The storm from the impact reshaped the forest once again.
—
Jinhyuk stared beyond the soaring flames.
‘It canceled it out.’
As expected of a glutton, he had collected an absurd amount of Mana.
At this rate, he would be able to play a proper role in the upcoming war with the Ancient Dragon and the dragons. But before he could catch his breath, Clemence’s attack continued.
Bang bang bang!
The green orbs evaporated entire sections where the group stood.
Acrid smoke rose from the ground struck by the highly acidic blasts.
[The fairies’ Breath is activated again!]
The moment they gained even a beat, the barrage came again from another angle.
And it wasn’t just the fairies and Clemence.
[King of Light Spirits Livolt activates ‘Eternal Chain Lightning’!]
Livolt, who had been gathering Mana at the very back, unleashed his ability.
Crack crack… Pazzzt!
Lightning raced along the ground.
You couldn’t defend by seeing and reacting. You had to move on instinct, timed to the activation itself.
Of course, that was only possible in normal condition.
With excruciating pain wracking their bodies under Clemence’s ability, optimized movement was inevitably difficult.
Except for one person.
Except for the homunculus, whose body was a doll to begin with.
Thwack! Thwack!
The moment Frey planted two short spears into the ground, the Chain Lightning climbed the spears and shot into the sky.
It was precariously timed.
If they had allowed that one attack that had been charged for about five minutes, someone would have been incapacitated.
“Good job, Frey.”
“…….”
Frey gave a slight nod.
The corner of her mouth seemed to twitch, but it must have been a mistake. It was impossible for a homunculus to smile.
Anyway.
“At this rate, there’s no end.”
“I agree. It’s a pattern typically seen when they’re trying to buy time.”
Chun Yoosung clenched his molars as he cut down the incoming magic.
He looked furious that they wouldn’t give him an opening and kept spamming skills from afar.
“That’s right. Rather than trying to win quickly, they’re trying to drag this out into a long-term battle.”
“Then what are you planning to do?”
“Alice and I will take care of that perverted mage. Can you chase after the remaining Returnees with Pesis?”
“You’re telling me to deal with them before they find that clue or whatever.”
“Exactly.”
“But why do I have to do such a shameful chase? It’ll look like I’m running away because I’m afraid of that Clemence or whatever.”
This prideful guy picked a fight over everything.
‘Is he sick with a disease where he dies if he does what he’s told?’
Profanity rose all the way to the fourth verse, but Jinhyuk kept his expression as steady as possible and placed a hand on Chun Yoosung’s shoulder.
“You’re the only one who can handle two Returnees. Besides, finding an enemy who’s deliberately hiding is much harder than finding an enemy right in front of you.”
Chun Yoosung’s eyes filled with spirit.
Hot, solid energy flowed from the hand on his shoulder.
Only then did Chun Yoosung smile with arrogance.
“Well, you can only handle one, but I can easily handle two. Other than that, it seems my eye for people is still useful.”
Yes, yes. You’re right.
…Unlike his inner thoughts, Jinhyuk nodded.
“I understand. I’ll take care of that.”
“Ah, and. The item I gave you in the forest earlier. If you find yourself in a dangerous situation, be sure to use it. Got it?”
“……I’d rather die than use that item. Damn it! Didn’t I tell you not to give it to me in the first place!”
“Ehey. You’re doing that again. There will definitely be a time when it’ll be helpful. Don’t be so cynical—use it when you think it’s the right time.”
“Tch! Take care of yourself.”
Chun Yoosung left with the Spirit Beasts, Pesis, Jack Eden, and Behemoth, who would be helpful in the chase.
“Oh my, how can you turn your eyes away from such a pretty lady?”
Clemence immediately retaliated against Chun Yoosung as he tried to escape from Necropolis.
Woo woong woong!
Dozens of turquoise orbs flickered.
[Unique Skill ‘Resentment of the Holy Empire’ is activated!]
The pain and sorrow of those she had killed were condensed within each orb. If one even grazed them, the memories of torture experienced by hundreds of thousands would be reproduced in the target.
At that moment—
Chwachwachwachwa…!
Dozens of blades split the orbs and swept past Clemence’s body.
Bang bang!
A fountain of blood spurted from the wounds.
The trajectory of his strikes wasn’t even visible.
“Keo…ugh!?”
Clemence’s eyes widened.
Jinhyuk, who had opened the Serpent Sword, protected Chun Yoosung’s retreat.
“You better focus on me. I can make you feel the pain you like so much until you’re sick of it before you die.”
“Don’t… overdo it. You’re going to kill me, who conquered a world? With just this one hit?”
The madness in her eyes deepened, as if her pride had been scraped raw.
Mana of an entirely different dimension poured from the staff she extended forward.
[Clemence activates Unique Holy Spear ‘Forgotten Empire’!]
Kukukukukuku!
The once-prosperous Holy Empire.
And all those who died there were brought back into the present world once more.
“K…euuh….”
“For… Your Majesty…”
An absurd number of undead legions slowly crawled up from the ground.
It was total war—every kind of monster mobilized, from ordinary citizens to knights, magicians, and even demons.
‘Is this the climax now?’
Jinhyuk opened [Subspace].
It was time to take out the hidden card he had been saving for this moment.
[Open the Returnee Finder Reward Bundle!]
Returnees were so rare you couldn’t even grasp their exact number. Simply finding them granted rewards, and since he had found Clemence and the other two Returnees, there was bound to be something good inside.
‘I wonder what they’re going to give me.’
He hoped it would help in the battle.
1, [Copy Free Pass Ticket]
As a reward for finding three Returnees—difficult to even encounter a single one—you can copy one desired Returnee’s Unique Holy Spear, Unique Ability, or skill.
2, [Call of Returnee ‘Medrey’]
A key figure who plays the most important role among the Returnees. Medrey’s current location is unknown, but if you use this item, you can summon Medrey to your side once. (However, gaining Medrey’s favor after the summoning depends solely on the item user’s ability.)
Damn it.
The saying that this was a happy dilemma fit perfectly right now.
A [Copy Free Pass Ticket] and the right to meet the key Returnee Medrey.
Both were rewards whose value was hard to estimate in the current situation.
It meant he couldn’t choose easily.
The opportunity cost of giving up one, the utilization of each reward, and the impact of that choice on the future.
There were dozens of things to consider.
However.
[The time to select an item is 0H : 0M : 29S.]
The time limit was damn short.
He had to choose.
Very quickly.