NOVEL WEB Chapter 133
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“Looks like it’s finally coming together. This should be enough.”
Two days had passed, and at last, I got the go-ahead from the White Deer. After all, I had absorbed a significant amount of magic power lingering in the dungeon over the last two days. Baek So-yul had handled around 70-80%, while Hong Yu-ri had taken in about 5%. I couldn’t help but wonder how there could be such a difference, but I guess they weren’t called a witch and her apprentice for nothing. Of course, I tried to absorb some too, but I could only manage a minuscule amount that barely registered. Not as much as Baek So-yul and Hong Yu-ri, but even the Fairy managed to absorb a fair bit of magic power—probably because of her being a familiar.
“Kyu-uu!”
At long last, magic power had hit 200. I patted Snowell on the head as a gesture of praise, and she nuzzled against me happily.
“Then, it’s time to…”
We didn’t need to linger in the Frost Valley any longer. Noticing Hong Yu-ri and Baek So-yul shivering in the cold, I nodded at them. I stepped forward, leaving footprints in the snow as I stood before the monsters I had immobilized in advance.
“You know?”
“…Yeah.”
Baek So-yul hesitated for a moment but then nodded. It wasn’t just about increasing magic power; they also needed experience… that was Hong Yu-ri’s opinion.
“And you don’t interfere.”
Still not able to look directly at the main body, Hong Yu-ri spoke with averted eyes, and I nodded in response. Over the past two days, she had been making quite a bit of progress in overcoming her phobias. While looking directly at the main body was still a struggle, small physical contact hadn’t caused her to faint.
‘And if Baek So-yul…’
If she grows, the probability of the witch’s disaster decreases. That means one less tool for the wastrel to use. Plus, if time goes by and she wields immense magic power, I might have some expectations for her success.
“You know what you’re doing, right?”
With that, Baek So-yul nodded. She had entered with the intention to do just that. It wasn’t just about hardening her mind—they needed to use magic against monsters. Magic she had never used before.
“Focus.”
Eyes turned outward, focus inward. She recalled the magic power she possessed and began chanting the spell.
“Vopseste-l alb.”
The fragment of the talent once called a witch—the bluish magic power of the fantasy world turned pure white as she chanted.
‘That’s…’
The white light Hong Yu-ri used to defeat the Awakening Evil. It was the signature magic described even in the novels.
“Al, Alb pur Stelele sunt sa explodeze—”
“Tsk.”
As she momentarily hesitated on the chant, the magic power wobbled, and Hong Yu-ri clicked her tongue in annoyance. By the time the last chant remained, beads of sweat had already formed on Baek So-yul’s forehead. Not from a lack of magic power, but simply from concentration. It’s a bit surprising, but being able to use even a third-circle magic spell makes her quite the remarkable mage—in regular terms that is.
‘Derek Clark.’
The mage I had seen on the night of the great war. Although he couldn’t muster a proper counterattack, he was a mage nonetheless. Perhaps once the fantasy world episode is over, I could even surpass someone like Derek Clark.
“I told you to focus!”
Hong Yu-ri’s voice heightened, and Baek So-yul’s magic power gradually stained white as the chanting continued. The moment the pure white light was completed, she finished her last chant.
“Iată moartea ta—!”
—Pure white explosion. Even amidst the spreading light, the Wolf distinctly observed her magic. The trembling hand misaligned slightly, veering off from the monster’s position, but it was more than powerful enough. Yet, it seemed that wasn’t good enough for Hong Yu-ri.
“…40 points.”
But hey, didn’t the magic succeed? The Wolf chuckled bitterly at the low score.
‘Wasn’t it said that anything above third-circle couldn’t be taught?’
I vaguely recalled something like that. Magic allowed for no more than second-circle spells unless you were a member of the Square or received special permission. Of course, Hong Yu-ri would know enough to figure that out herself…
“It’s begun.”
Just as I said, the dungeon started crumbling. The howling blizzard gradually ceased and quickly vanished, revealing a completely new landscape. The vast snowy plains had completely disappeared, replaced by towering skyscrapers.
[Destruction Probability 86.03% → 85.92%]
[You have gained 0.11% in progress]
As the Frost Valley crumbled, the Wolf nodded in acknowledgment of the appropriate destruction probability and progress gained.
‘Now all that’s left is…’
[Lv.20 Achievement Condition: Defeat the Volcano Ceratops]
A message pushed me forward. The time I had been waiting for had finally arrived. The monster I had no hope of facing when I first arrived at the volcanic area was the Volcano Ceratops. Excluding a few exceptions like Heukrin and the Queen, the Volcano Ceratops was undoubtedly the strongest creature I had encountered. Of course, Gang-hun was strong too, but his type was different. Even someone like Gang-hun would find it impossible to face the Volcano Ceratops head-on.
‘From now on…’
I was going to confront such a creature. Slowly making my way toward Namsan, the Wolf pondered about the tasks ahead in the volcanic region.
‘The problem is that the monsters might escape.’
Monsters that dwell in the lava. While they generally don’t venture out of the lava, they might try to escape the dungeon if they get swept up in the battle with the Volcano Ceratops. If Hong Yu-ri and I fight, it’ll be the White Deer and Baek So-yul—realistically, it would be the White Deer alone who would handle it. I informed my companions of this fact.
“Lava monsters, huh…”
Hong Yu-ri frowned, and Baek So-yul had a look of disbelief on her face.
“I get that… but can’t we just take care of them first?”
Once we engage the Volcano Ceratops, there’s no telling what might happen. Not just the potential victory or defeat, but everything that follows. I would try as hard as possible to lure it away so it couldn’t escape the dungeon, but lava monsters might still attempt to escape the dungeon to avoid being caught in the aftermath of the battle. —If they all came out, even the White Deer wouldn’t stand a chance handling them alone.
‘If that happens, the familiars will be caught up in it.’
So, Hong Yu-ri’s suggestion to take care of the lava monsters before confronting the Volcano Ceratops was correct. I had been thinking the same.
“I’ll take that role. I’ll deal with the monsters aside from the Volcano Ceratops, absorb their magic power, and then face the Volcano Ceratops.”
With my current capabilities, I could easily manage even without breaking stealth. It might even be a problem if others tagged along and accidentally alerted it.
“The issue is that while I absorb magic power, you guys must not be detected.”
I looked at Hong Yu-ri with probing eyes. She snapped her fingers in response.
“—Ascunde.”
A barrier formed, making her invisible. It was like a spell that isolated them, and I nodded. I figured that if this was the case, it might actually work.
I planned to take out the monsters, while Hong Yu-ri and Baek So-yul would absorb magic power up front—after deciding on this course of action, the Wolf spoke seriously just before crossing into the dungeon at Namsan.
“Get ready.”
***
—It was rare. The first thought that crossed Hong Yu-ri’s mind upon entering the dungeon was that.
“Damn…”
Wiping off the sweat that was dripping, she fanned herself with her hand. The Frost Valley felt like it was about to freeze her to death, and now, in the extreme heat, it felt like she was melting away. If she hadn’t taken off her coat, she might have collapsed from the heat…
‘So this is the volcanic region.’
But the volcano was completely collapsed. Not only that, but the ground, pockmarked in various places, bore witness to fierce battles. Lava had solidified, creating new terrain, but some areas remained unchanged.
“So, where’s this Volcano Ceratops?”
In response to that question, the Wolf merely pointed with his chin. Following his gaze, there was only a rocky mountain…
“Are you kidding?”
—It was an illusion. What she thought was a rocky mountain was, in fact, the Volcano Ceratops. Having seen all sorts of monsters as a Hunter, she found nothing that could compare. At least the mass she encountered in the forest dungeon shared a similar size, but it couldn’t even begin to compare.
“You’re really thinking of going after something like that? Are you out of your mind?”
Even without her keen eyesight, she could tell how absurd that monster was. It was far more imposing than the boss of Area 2, Snowell. Just the size alone was close to a disaster. Could it even be killed with great magic? Hong Yu-ri gnawed at her lips, but,
“—Yeah.”
The Wolf calmly affirmed.
“You…”
She said she would, yet upon seeing it for real, could she even muster the courage to fight? Despite their attempts to dissuade him, the Wolf remained steadfast. —Because he didn’t think he had slim chances of winning. As he turned away, Baek So-yul was just as shocked, her hand covering her mouth as she witnessed the Volcano Ceratops.
“You don’t have to force yourself right now, you know…”
With the speed of the Wolf’s growth, he would certainly be able to overwhelm even the Volcano Ceratops someday… But as White Deer thought of this, he shook his head.
‘No, that’s not it.’
It was likely because of this very reason that the Wolf was determined to fight. He hadn’t changed a bit. He had pushed forward in the Dragon Wasteland and the Upside-Down Skyscraper without faltering.
‘But…’
What on earth was he trying to attain by going this far? The deep, hollow eyes of the White Deer captured the Wolf’s figure. Ultimately, nothing could shatter that will.
“…Be careful.”
“We aren’t fighting immediately anyway.”
After absorbing magic power and taking out all the monsters, we had to ensure that the dungeon wouldn’t collapse immediately afterward. It was only after waiting about 10 minutes that I was able to confirm that the magic barrier created by Hong Yu-ri was secure.
As the Wolf moved away, Hong Yu-ri looked back. Baek So-yul, placing her hand on her chest, pulled something out of her pouch and held it tightly as if wishing for something.
‘Fur?’
It was black fur. Seemingly muttering something, her expression soon changed. Just like with the magic earlier, despite being warned that the chant had been interrupted, she showed no signs of being discouraged and had a proactive attitude towards wanting to learn more magic… She must have had the will to do so from the start, but now it seemed as if she had found a goal or made a resolution.
‘I guess it might have something to do with Alpha…’
Furrowing her brows, Hong Yu-ri thought for a moment before closing her eyes and starting to absorb magic power.
“Kyu-uu?”
—And watching her closely, the Fairy began to imitate the two as well.
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