NOVEL WEB Chapter 47
Chapter 47: The Hideous Witch (8)
“Did Yeonwol really come here?”
“Yes! I told you, he did!”
In front of the boss room of the Crimson Tower.
This place, which had suddenly become crowded with players, was filled with people talking about Yeonwol.
“I’m not even interested in boss raids, but I came because I heard Yeonwol was here.”
“What? You’re only level 120. What if you die on the way here?”
“The field has already been cleared by high-level players for fun, so it was safe on the way.”
More players gathered not to form parties to defeat the boss, but to catch a glimpse of Yeonwol entering the boss room.
“Didn’t they say Yeonwol barely surpassed level 100 a month or two ago?”
“They did. There’s no way he can defeat this boss alone. Even if he leveled up quickly, he’d only be about 130 at most.”
Some accurately guessed Yeonwol’s level, but their opinions were still negative.
Even if he had worked hard to reach level 120 or 130, it was unimaginable for him to face a level 180 boss monster solo.
Still, there were players who were excited.
“That’s why I’m looking forward to it. He’s always faced monsters way above his level. If it’s Yeonwol, I think he can do it.”
“Right. That’s why I came to watch.”
“If Yeonwol dies here, only the ‘barrier seal’ on the boss room will be lifted, right?”
“Yeah, but if Yeonwol defeats the boss, the entire ‘boss room boundary’ will disappear, making it an open space anyone can enter.”
People were full of anticipation.
High-level parties aiming to clear the boss wanted Yeonwol to fail so that only the barrier seal would be removed.
Meanwhile, Yeonwol’s supporters hoped he would defeat the boss and completely erase the boss room’s boundary.
Would Yeonwol succeed?
Or would he fail?
“…Hehe, success would make for a more exciting story, wouldn’t it?”
Reporters covering Elthera World were also present.
Specialized in stealth and recording, they were quick to deliver world news via live broadcasts and often chased after famous players who didn’t stream, like Yeonwol.
One such reporter, Karmels, was among them.
“What the heck, that annoying reporter is here too?”
“He always exaggerates everything, and it’s so annoying.”
Karmels was notorious for sensationalizing every incident.
“Hehe, exaggerations? In the process of delivering breaking news, minor errors are inevitable. But I only report the ‘truth.’ I never lie.”
Karmels smiled smugly as he fiddled with his camera.
If Yeonwol failed, he might use a title like, “The Supernova’s Limits?! Yeonwol Fails to Raid the Mid-Tier Zone Boss!”
If Yeonwol succeeded, the headline would be something like, “Yeonwol Solo Clears a High-Level Boss with a Level Gap of Dozens!”
After all, sensational headlines drove views!
Finally, the moment arrived.
“Oh! The barrier is coming down!”
“No way…”
As the barrier blocking the boss room entrance slowly descended, players focused on it with tense expressions.
And the result was…
“The entire boundary of the boss room is gone!”
“Did a player who barely hit level 100 solo a level 180 boss…?”
Yeonwol had successfully completed the raid.
“No, this doesn’t make sense!”
“How on earth…?”
“Stop him when he comes out! We need to ask him if he exploited some bug this time.”
“The reporters are already surrounding the area. He won’t escape easily!”
Players eagerly awaited Yeonwol’s exit from the boss room, buzzing with excitement.
And so, an hour passed.
“Why isn’t he coming out? It’s been so long already.”
“Does it really take this long to settle loot?”
When Yeonwol still didn’t appear, the unspoken rule of not entering a boss room until the previous party had finished was broken.
But when they entered…
“He’s already gone?”
Yeonwol had vanished without a trace.
[You have defeated the boss monster ‘The Hideous Witch Velinessa’!]
[Your level has increased by 5 stages!]
After completing the raid, Yeonwol escaped the boss room to avoid the reporters and players swarming in.
Since defeating a boss removes the ‘boundary,’ there was no need to exit through the boss room’s main entrance.
Leaping down the crumbling remains of the tower, Yeonwol landed smoothly on the ground.
He removed his mask, concealing his identity, and glanced back at the boss room’s entrance.
“Hurry and find him! If we don’t get at least one interview, you’re all dead!”
“The guild master said to do whatever it takes to locate him.”
“Search everywhere!”
Yeonwol chuckled softly at the chaos.
It was common for successful raid parties to face an onslaught of reporters and cameras.
In his previous life, famous parties often conducted raids under such intense attention.
“I never thought I’d experience this myself.”
Yeonwol had never faced this before, always playing as a low-level in his past life.
“Guess this means I’ve changed a bit from my past self.”
Returning to the city, he found the community already abuzz.
“Supernova Newbie Yeonwol Overcomes an 80-Level Gap to Solo a Boss! Bug Exploits Suspected…”
One article, written unusually quickly, had already grabbed attention with its clickbait headline.
The author’s name was familiar, and Yeonwol smirked.
“Karmels? He was active even back then? Always exaggerating insignificant events…”
Having successfully completed the raid, Yeonwol shook his head at the sensationalized articles flooding the community.
The last reported level for Yeonwol had been an estimated 100.
Karmels tied this number to claim Yeonwol overcame an 80-level gap or exploited a bug, sparking a wave of similar articles from other journalists.
Defeating a level 180 boss might not seem extraordinary, but the fact that Yeonwol had done it was a bigger deal.
People admired rankers but were often jealous of them.
Yeonwol, achieving feats surpassing those rankers while offering vicarious satisfaction to beginners, was particularly popular.
Most “Supernova Newbies” these days belonged to prestigious guilds, equipped with epic gear, and grew quickly in luxurious hunting grounds with protection and buffs.
However, Yeonwol lacked such backing, which created a sense of camaraderie among beginner and intermediate users.
[Rapion: Yeonwol, I heard the news! You were amazing, weren’t you? Did you perhaps record the video?]
[Yeonwol: Yes, well. That’s right.]
[Rapion: Then, did you drink the Yeonwol Potion during the raid, as I requested last time?]
[Yeonwol: Oh, right.]
I had indeed received such a request.
[Yeonwol: The battle didn’t particularly require the potion, so I forgot about it.]
[Rapion: Ah, that’s unfortunate. But it’s okay. The Yeonwol Potion is already a big hit among beginner and intermediate users recently. We’re planning to hire a famous celebrity for an advertisement and offer sponsorships, so you don’t necessarily need to risk an important battle for it!]
As expected of Rapion.
It must be quite burdensome to invest so aggressively already.
Even Yeonwol, who had been checking the community recently, could see that his potion was becoming quite famous among players worldwide.
[Rapion: It’s really a shame. If we had more exceptional alchemists like you in our guild, we could further improve and develop the potion. But since you’re busy adventuring…]
At Rapion’s words, something occurred to Yeonwol, but there was too much to do right now, so he shook his head.
[Yeonwol: For now, I’d like you to handle the disposal of the items obtained from this raid.]
[Rapion: Oh! I was curious about that too. What items did you get?]
An epic-grade unique spellbook.
It contained the A-rank skill [Raging Flame Swirl], which could be considered a fire element ultimate move, and it was a magic-exclusive item that increased fire magic’s power by a staggering 60%.
This was an item coveted even by high-level players over level 250.
In addition, Yeonwol had also obtained a crystal orb for transitioning into the hidden C-rank class [Witch of Flame], promising a tremendous profit.
[Rapion: That’s incredible. With items of this caliber… instead of simply selling them on the market for profit, why don’t we keep them temporarily to promote our guild? We’ll compensate you generously for their usage.]
Yeonwol was surprised by that suggestion.
“Now that I think about it… I could use rare items like that in such a way too.”
Yeonwol often didn’t consider business strategies, even if he already knew about them.
[Yeonwol: You can use them for free. I’m not short on money right now.]
[Rapion: Hahaha, even so, we can’t just take advantage of you. If you don’t need money, we’ll owe you in another way.]
[Yeonwol: If you insist, then I can’t argue.]
[Rapion: By the way, what happens if a male character transitions into the Witch of Flame hidden class?]
Yeonwol pondered for a moment.
Come to think of it, there had been such a case before.
[Yeonwol: They’ll likely become a woman.]
[Rapion: …I see.]
Yeonwol spoke without much thought, but it seemed Rapion was already brimming with another idea.
[Rapion: This game’s unique feature is that characters must resemble their real-world appearance. This could sell very well to a niche audience with specific tastes. Hehe.]
[Yeonwol: A niche audience with specific tastes…?]
Yeonwol couldn’t fathom such an idea, but Rapion didn’t elaborate further, saying it wasn’t definitive yet.
[Rapion: Anyway, I’ll contact you again soon!]
After finishing his conversation with Rapion, Yeonwol stood before the experiment table.
“Phew, it’s time to begin.”
What was the reason for seeking the Crimson Tower in the first place?
It was to make a mage-class Spectral his subordinate.
Mages operated differently from monsters, making it exceptionally difficult to convert them into Spectrals.
[Commencing Spectral Transmutation.]
[Target, ‘Hideous Witch Velinessa,’ refuses to swear loyalty to you. After becoming a Spectral, there is a high possibility of rebellion!]
[You must subdue the Spectral alone to forcibly secure its loyalty.]
“I know.”
Thus, Yeonwol had already completed preparations for the battle.
Alone.
While the term implied solitude, many methods existed.
‘I prepared a water-based barrier and multiple transmutation circles. I lined the area with fireproof materials and wore equipment with high fire resistance.’
Though he hadn’t had the time to use these in the boss room, it was a different story when ample preparation was possible.
By neutralizing fire magic and creating multiple vulnerabilities, it might be possible to subdue Velinessa with the same strategy as before.
Moreover, while a Tower Master could wield powerful authority using the tower’s mana core, Velinessa had become significantly weaker since the tower’s destruction.
“Now, let’s begin. All of you, step back. Even if the witch attacks me, do not intervene under any circumstances. Understood?”
-We will follow your command, Master.
Yeonwol sent Eltis and the other Spectrals far away, opened the Alchemist Kit, and extended his right hand.
Thud, thud, thud!!
The coffin containing Velinessa’s corpse and various materials for human-based transmutation shook violently.
It was Yeonwol’s first attempt to transmute a Spectral of such a high level, and he couldn’t help but feel tense.
Crackle, crackle!!
Unlike usual transmutation reactions, silver-tinged violet lightning danced wildly as the coffin floated.
Bones aligned mid-air, followed by muscles and flesh.
Cold sweat trickled down as Yeonwol meticulously connected each magic source until, at last, he formed the heart.
The completion of the heart radiated a silver light that shot upward, raising the magic circle into the air.
[Transmutation Great Success!]
[The body was restored with 94% completion, successfully transmuting the Spectral.]
[Increased Spirit by 4, Wisdom by 4, Dexterity by 6!]
[The world will remember your remarkable transmutation of life.]
“Ugh…”
The massive mana consumption caused Yeonwol’s legs to buckle momentarily, but he couldn’t let his guard down yet.
She, the blazing red flame, the most hideous witch in the world.
She was reborn.
Her fiery red hair cascaded down her back in luxurious waves, and her pale skin was draped in a crimson robe.
Eventually, Velinessa opened her eyes.
“So, reviving someone through Spectral Transmutation restores their appearance from life.”
Yeonwol thought her appearance was indeed as stunning as the legends claimed, but he wasn’t one to be swayed by looks.
When the witch, wearing nothing but her crimson robe, descended to the ground, Yeonwol spoke.
“Your name is Velinessa.”
[You assigned the name ‘Velinessa’ to the Spectral but failed to secure obedience.]
[Spectral Velinessa’s stats have classified her as ‘Elite Soldier’ grade.]
Velinessa stared blankly at Yeonwol.
An Elite Soldier-grade Spectral retained some memories from their past life.
Especially strong ambitions and dreams were never forgotten.
Surely, she hadn’t forgotten Yeonwol, the one who had defeated her.
Step—!
Clutching the robe wrapped around her body, Velinessa approached Yeonwol.
Yeonwol immediately prepared to activate the transmutation circles set up around the room.
‘Should I trigger the steam first? Or reduce her defense to maximize the effectiveness of my preemptive strike…?’
However.
-…
Velinessa was not looking at Yeonwol.
Her gaze was directed elsewhere, and Yeonwol unconsciously stepped aside in response to the strange sight.
Step, step—!
Velinessa walked past Yeonwol as if he didn’t matter, heading toward something behind him.
What stood there was…
Nothing other than.
“A mirror…?”
Velinessa stood in front of a full-length mirror.
She stared at the mirror for a long time before reaching out and touching its surface.
-Ah…
Velinessa finally spoke, her lips parting.
After touching the mirror, she shifted her hand to stroke her own cheek.
The hideous and horrifying scars were gone, replaced by soft, smooth, and fair skin that greeted her fingers.
Then.
Tears began to drip down her face.
Her sudden display of emotion left Yeonwol so bewildered that he wasn’t sure whether he should attack her or not.
Could he swing his sword at a woman weeping in front of a mirror?
Such moral hesitation restrained him.
‘No, but I still need to make her submit to take her as a subordinate.’
Eventually, Velinessa turned her head to look at Yeonwol.
Yeonwol, who had been tense and prepared to react immediately if she used magic, was surprised when she knelt on one knee and placed her hands on the ground in a mage’s gesture of respect.
-Did you… bring me back in this form?
“Yes. I am your master.”
Velinessa raised her head to face Yeonwol.
Her ruby-like red eyes showed no hint of hostility.
In fact, as tears welled up and trickled down from those eyes, Yeonwol couldn’t help but lower his sword.
-I offer my everything and swear absolute loyalty to you, Master.
[You have successfully made Spectral Velinessa submit!]
[Spectral Velinessa shows exceptionally high loyalty to you!]