NOVEL WEB Chapter 48
Chapter 48. Unexpected Reunion (3)
TL: xLordFifth
ED/PR: The reader
Shark teeth.
It feels like dozens of them are opening their jaws wide and lunging at you. Kim Shimun lets out a small gasp of admiration at the sharp magic and backstepped quickly.
“Indeed, is this because he’s also a Draconian half-breed?”
Draconian.
Among the dragonkin, they are classified at the highest level, superior in all aspects of magic and combat.
They could even engage in combat flight with their wings and magic, usually making their appearance within the diamond rank.
Of course, this Sarku being a Draconian half-breed had no wings and was relatively small in stature.
Fwsssh!
The approaching chill was not to be underestimated.
But,
“I see it.”
The left eye, glowing golden.
Odin’s eye was reading even the flow of magic.
Kim Shimun easily wove through what resembled a swarm of sharks, moving counter to the direction of the icy blades.
“Uh?”
The man with the blue scales, the half-Draconian Sarku, twitched his eyebrows.
“An human avoiding the icy blades of extreme cold?”
The magic of the dragonkin is of a different level compared to that displayed by other races.
It involves the power of dragon force, which only dragonkin can wield, making its overall power uniquely potent.
“Even though I’m a half, this doesn’t make sense.”
Yet, here was this human, with his supposedly inferior body, not only avoiding the magic of dragonkin but also advancing against it.
This was something even the superior elves rarely attempted.
“I thought you were just a simple alchemist, but it seems you have some tricks up your sleeve.”
Sarku’s gaze moved towards Kim Shimun’s left eye, which navigated through the icy blades as he advanced.
“Still, a human.”
Sarku smirked, lifting the corner of his mouth.
And then his figure blurred.
More accurately, it shot forward.
“I’ll personally engrave how lowly a species you belong to!”
His movement was so fast that it made the swift motions of Dracos seem embarrassingly slow.
Sarku, darting like an arrow, reached out for Kim Shimun’s head.
The nails, glowing with a blue light, spread wide, looking like the maw of a beast ready to tear its prey.
However,
Snick.
Sarku’s wrist was caught effortlessly.
Despite the disbelief widening Sarku’s eyes, that was all.
As befits a mid-tier dragonkin, he burst forth a dragon-force infused chill through the caught hand.
Fwsssssh.
A white frost spread all around.
Naturally breaking away from Kim Shimun’s grip, Sarku bit his lower lip and took back steps.
‘What was that just now?’
At first, a movement decent for a human. But against superior dragonkin, it was infinitely slow.
‘And then it suddenly sped up.’
There was no sense of any auxiliary magic or artifact’s power. It was simply a rapid acceleration before his head could be caught. Two possibilities can be inferred.
‘One is that this human bastard is also a participant of the arena.’
Participants are granted special abilities, known as traits. That would explain the sudden movement. It also clarifies how he appeared out of nowhere in the domain of the Dwarves.
‘The other possibility is that he possessed that speed from the start…’
Suppose he did not exert his full power initially to lure in complacency. Then, the sudden motion would be understandable.
Shortly after,
“Ha.”
Sarku let out a short scoff and lightly shook his head.
“Thinking too much about a mere human.”
There exist exceptional beings in any species. This human must be one of those exceptions. And Sarku, who had faced many of such beings, knew how to deal with them.
“Just crush them with power they can’t possibly resist.”
Whoosh.
Despite being an underground passage, an unusual wind gathered in Sarku’s hand. Gradually increasing in size and starting to emit a blue light, it froze into a hexagonal shape.
“Consider it an honor to receive my full power, human.”
The dragons’ inherent arrogance. Sarcu, displaying it in full, thrust forward a hexagonal chunk of ice. Hissing, the ceiling, floor, and walls regardless, the entire surroundings began to freeze over.
It was an effect caused by the sporadic, icy blue beams shooting irregularly from the block of ice. Like a flower in full bloom, the ice chunk spread wide, gradually beginning to advance forward and freeze the passageway in its entirety.
Witnessing this, the Philosopher’s Stone whispered to Kim Shimun,
-“Oppa, what will you do? Will you back down?”
“What?”
Kim Shimun, who was attempting to fortify the still unfrozen walls to halt the magical advance, paused his movements. Shortly after, he responded with a slight chuckle,
“Of course not. You know what this arena signifies.”
-Indeed.
It wasn’t just any regular arena; they had intruded into another race’s arena. On top of that, they somehow managed to trigger the appearance of a hidden boss. It’s a perilously dangerous situation for most players, who would consider retreat.
But not Kim Shimun. Why? One might ask.
‘Just imagine the rewards if we take down the hidden boss here?’
Yes. One of the few perks of the Galaxy Arena is its fair risk and return. Naturally, the rewards for defeating Sarcu would be substantial.
More so, since this isn’t a regular arena, there’s no risk of losing one’s life upon failure. If there’s a chance, one must actively seek out these challenging arenas.
Moreover, ‘I need to help Marnel as well.’
Glancing over at Marnel who was engaged in a fierce battle with a mutant drakan, Kim Shimun modulated the walls.
Screech.
He delayed the advancement of the ice block.
-As always. You’re likely the only person who would think that way when faced with a nearly 6-star level spell.
“6-star? That spell is considered 6-star level?”
Kim Shimun’s eyes widened in surprise.
-Oppa. ‘Nearly’ 6-star level. If we’re being precise, it’s not a 6-star spell.
However, Kim Shimun’s eyes settled once more following the Philosopher’s Stone’s clarification.
‘After all, if it were a 6-star level, this passage would have collapsed long ago.’
Magic is typically classified from 1 to 10 stars. A 6-star, depending on its attributes or various factors, would conventionally have the destructive power comparable to a missile.
Imagine. What would happen if a missile exploded in this underground passageway linked to the sewers? Yet, this ice block merely took over the passageway slowly. It didn’t bring complete ruin like a true 6-star spell would.
“So, its fundamental power is around 5-star level, right?”
-Precisely. Yet, the caster of this magic isn’t just any 5-star mage, is it?
Crack.
The thickly modulated walls were effortlessly destroyed, and the ice block slowly continued to advance.
Certainly, it wasn’t 6-star level, but to classify it as merely 5-star level would undermine its formidable power.
Kim Shimun slowly nodded.
“It’s because the caster is a dragon.”
-Exactly. Oppa, you know. Dragons don’t use just mana for magic, like the demonic mana of demons.
As one of the highest-ranking races, dragons utilize a unique energy called draconic power. Especially if it’s a Draconian, a race proficient in magic.
Mixing draconic power into magic would be as easy as breathing for them. Kim Shimun chuckled, clenching and unclenching his fingers.
He realized what the Philosopher’s Stone was hinting at by asking if he’d retreat.
“So, with my current specs, I can’t counter that magic?”
-Precisely. You’re strong, oppa, but still within the silver rank.
“If we get into specifics, I could even handle the very beginning of platinum.”
-Kikik! Exactly, exactly. My oppa is so powerful. I misspoke!
The Philosopher’s Stone burst into laughter at Kim Shimun’s slightly pouting lips.
Then,
Hiss.
As the ice block drew nearer, it inquired in a more serious tone,
-Given how much effort seems to have been put into this spell, why not retreat until the magic weakens and then fight? You’d definitely win then.
“To flee?”
-Let’s term it a strategic retreat, for accuracy’s sake. Because that’s actually the case.
Kim Shimun fell into a moment of contemplation upon these words.
However,
Thump.
Thud.
Feeling the succession of vibrations from behind, he stretched out his hand forward. The philosopher’s stone grumbled quietly.
-Tsk. I knew this would happen.
“There’s nothing I can do. If we back down now, Marnel will be in danger.”
-That’s a fine excuse. It’s not just because you’re worried about that dwarf girl, right?
A smirk formed on Shimun’s lips in response to the stone’s question.
“There’s a way, but backing down now just wouldn’t look good.”
-As always, I can never understand what goes on in men’s minds, whether in the past or present.
The past or present? Although it was a strange way of speaking, Shimun didn’t press further. After all, he didn’t really have the leisure for it.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, the cold became so intense it was hard to breathe. Feeling the chill drawing near, Shimun called out.
“Philosopher’s stone!”
-Yeah, I’m ready~.
The familiar text appeared before him. After touching. ‘yes’, Shimun flicked his finger.
Boom.
A thunderous noise, unfitting for the underground, echoed through the passage. Shimun grabbed the bolt of lightning that had struck down before him and threw it straight ahead.
“Roar, Astrape.”
Crack!
Dozens of lightning bolts. As Astrape wrapped around the outstretched tendrils of lightning, the moment it met the chunk of ice.
Rumble.
The corridor vibrated intensely as a loud noise erupted. Clashes of abilities were a common phenomenon.
A test of strength. The outcome was obvious.
Crack!
Even against a ranked being’s bolt of lightning. Astrape pierced through the cannonball-like chunk of ice.
The tendrils of lightning, wrapping around its white form, tore apart not only the remnant chill but chased after the caster, Sarku.
“This power!”
Sarku looked at Astrape with eyes wide in astonishment. But, even if he was only half, was he still a Draconian?
“Ahhh! Ice Spear!”
Bringing his hands together, Sarku cast another spell, shooting a spear surrounded by cold mist trying to counterattack while.
“Frozen Barrier!”
He squeezed out his draconic power for a sturdy ice shield.
Crackle.
The shield shook violently, reaching the front with a burst of white light. But that was it. Cracks appeared on the shield, but no more intimidating force could be felt.
‘How a human could summon Astrape, I don’t know…’
Was it because of the limit of being human? He hadn’t managed to reproduce the true power of Astrape. The unbroken Frozen Barrier and his intact self were proof.
If it were the true Astrape, even a half-draconian like himself would have been obliterated by the aftermath alone. As that thought crossed his mind.
Grr.
‘To be shamed by a mere human, what a disgrace!’
Rage gnawed at his throat. Sarku immediately rose from his crouched position, retracting the Frozen Barrier. The barrier melted away like the first snow.
At the same time, the scorched surroundings and the human in front came into view.
‘If he had used that much power, he can’t be in good shape either. I’ll shred him to pieces!’
The moment Sarku gathered all his remaining draconic power to cast a spell.
Crack.
It was as if being struck by lightning out of clear sky.
No.
It was indeed that.
“How can Astrape be… again!”
The white spear that had threatened his life moments before was once again in the human’s hand.
“Oh, this?”
As if to taunt, the human deemed lowly shrugged his shoulders and lifted the corners of his lips.
“I can use it under certain conditions, unlimitedly.”
“What sort of nonsen…”
“Roar, Astrape.”
A second Astrape was launched.
* * *
The once white-cast castle was now nowhere to be seen.
Hiss.
The passage, charred black, emitted nothing but searing heat and white steam.
[Hidden Achievement. ‘Defeat Hidden Boss (3/?)’ achieved.]
[You have defeated the Hidden Boss. ‘Half-Draconian Sarku’ single-handedly.]
[As a reward, you have earned a total of 2,000 achievement points.]
A message announced Sarku’s death. Shimun looked towards where Sarku had been.
“Phew. I ended up launching Astrape twice unnecessarily.”
Was it truly a mark of the top-tier Draconian race, even if it was only a half-breed?
Contrary to Shimun’s expectation that one Astrape would suffice, Sarku forced the use of a second Astrape.
Indeed, after the first Astrape, it could have been dealt with close combat using Heavenly Demon DivineArts.
“There’s a certain pleasure in tearing things apart.”
The tremendous firepower of Astrape, coupled with its dazzling lightning attribute, had an addictive allure.
“Well, at least I bagged 2,000 achievement points from it.”
Even excluding the cost of two Astrapes, it was a net gain of 1,000 achievement points.
Moreover,
[You have completed Odin’s Constellation Quest.]
[You have earned 5,000 achievement points.]
Completing Odin’s mission added another 5,000 points. Including previous gains, the total achievement points now stood at 11,500 points.
“Sweet, oh so sweet.”
Shimun smiled contentedly at the rapid accumulation of achievement points.
“Benefactor!”
A bright voice reached Shimun’s ears. Turning, Shimun saw Marnel, running up to him unscathed despite having left behind a badly beaten variant drakan.
Seeing Marnel unharmed made Shimun’s eyes widen slightly.
“She took down a variant drakan without a scratch?”
A rough estimate suggested, this could easily rank her within the Platinum Rank.
“Awesome! What was that magic just now?”
Unaware or indifferent to Shimun’s surprise,
“I was so startled by the sudden sound of thunder, ‘Kururung!’ I almost smashed my own foot with a hammer. Teehee!”
Marnel inquired with a face full of excitement.
Before Shimun could reply,
[You have cleared the Arena. ‘North Sewage Facility’.]
[You will return to the waiting room shortly.]
System messages popped up, and Shimun’s figure began to blur.
“Ah! Ugh, benefactor!”
Marnel shouted in panic. This had happened in a previous special arena as well.
“Ah… You’re returning to the original world.”
Instead of grabbing onto Shimun, Marnel fidgeted with her hands, a look of regret on her face.
“I peeked at the fight earlier, so you’re also a participant of the Galaxy Arena, aren’t you, benefactor?”
“Yeah. I didn’t know you were a player in the arena, Marnel.”
“It’s natural you didn’t know. I haven’t had the participation rights for long. Hehe!”
“Really? You fight well for that. If I had known, I would have left the Draconian’ finishing move to you.”
“Eh? The finishing move?”
“That way, your rewards would have increased. I had enough with just the hidden boss and clearing.”
“Benefactor? You seem to be mistaken, this isn’t my arena.”
“…What?”
It’s not your arena? Shimun felt his spirit drop suddenly. However, as if unheard, Marnel simply bowed her head deeply in farewell.
“Thank you so much for your help. I never imagined there’d be a Draconian… If it weren’t for you, benefactor, I would have been dead.”
“Wait…”
Shimun’s form, along with his voice, faded gradually. Rushing, Marnel continued,
“Uncle Makur said! Those who participate in the arena can someday meet each other again! So if I ever meet the benefactor, I must…”
Regrettably, neither Shimun’s question nor Marnel’s words reached each other.
With a flash, Shimun, now entirely faded, was wrapped in light and vanished. Marnel stood motionless for a while, simply staring at where Shimun had been.
Then,
Click.
She slung her hammer over her shoulder and murmured her unsaid words.
“I will surely… repay this kindness, benefactor.”