[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]
Chapter 109
"Ugh!"
The mage, startled by Zeke's Flashbang skill, stumbled back.
Zeke, quickly dashing forward with Gale Technique, swung his sword at the mage.
Slash!
The mage's body wavered, then turned into black smoke and disappeared, reappearing in a different spot.
He glared at Zeke, his eyes glowing red.
"You use an unknown power."
The mage shouted towards the hounds, who were still unable to open their eyes properly after being hit by the Flashbang,
"You fools! Get up and catch him!"
The hounds, their vision restored with the mage's help, got up and surrounded Zeke.
Zeke clicked his tongue and swung his sword, imbued with the power of Sever.
Slash!
Slice!
The hounds, unable to block Zeke's sword, were cut down, their swords and necks severed in a single blow.
While the hounds were being killed, the mage began to chant a spell in a sinister voice.
Woooong!
An ominous energy gathered around the mage.
Zeke, having defeated all the hounds that kept charging at him, ran towards the mage with his sword raised.
Just then, the mage seemed to have completed his spell, and black energy rose from his body.
The black energy seeped into the bodies of the dead hounds.
Crack!
As the black energy penetrated them, the dead hounds twisted their bodies and stood up.
Groan!
The severed limbs of the hounds reattached, and they charged at Zeke again, swords in hand.
'What are those...!'
Zeke, inwardly startled, swung his sword at the undead hounds.
Slice!
But even when their limbs were severed, the hounds quickly reattached them and lunged at Zeke.
Groan!
It seemed like there would be no end to this even if he kept swinging his sword.
Zeke, seeing the ominous energy flowing from the undead hounds, realized he needed a different approach.
'I'll have to use Purification.'
If he delayed any longer and other hounds arrived, his escape route could be completely blocked.
Zeke automatically equipped Agamemnon's Mask on his face using the auto-slot function.
Then, he activated the Purification skill towards the undead hounds charging at him.
Woooong!
Golden waves spread from Zeke's body and enveloped the hounds.
"Gah!"
"Cough!"
The hounds hit by the golden waves twisted their bodies, black blood flowing from their eyes, ears, and mouths.
Then, black smoke billowed from their bodies.
Zeke used the Lightning skill on the hounds.
Bzzzt!
The hounds, their bodies scorched by lightning, collapsed to the ground, charred black.
The mage, seeing the hounds fall once again, looked at Zeke in disbelief.
"He neutralized the power of the lion? N-No way..."
The mage realized that the knight in front of him was no ordinary intruder.
He slammed his staff on the ground.
"I can't let you go."
Suddenly, cracks appeared on the floor where the mage had struck with his staff.
Crack!
Starting from the spot where the staff had hit, the entire floor of the lab cracked and began to crumble.
Zeke also fell downwards.
"Damn it!"
He tried to float in the air with Wind Force and ascend, but the mage didn't let him.
Whoosh!
Black energy from the mage's staff formed a barrier like dark clouds over the hole.
Zeke swung his sword at the dark clouds.
But they only dispersed momentarily before gathering again, trying to engulf Zeke.
"Get lost!"
Zeke avoided the dark clouds, climbing down the wall.
He used the Purification skill on the dark clouds.
Woooong!
The dark clouds, touched by the golden waves, scattered like black ash.
But Zeke couldn't climb back up and fell further down the wall.
Thud!
As soon as Zeke hit the ground, he examined his surroundings with Dragon Eye.
'Where am I?'
It seemed the bottom of the lab was connected to the ruins.
It looked like a temple carved out of a whole sandstone cliff, and it was so large that he couldn't see the top.
Zeke gaped at the sheer scale of the ruins.
Even though he had explored many dungeons in his past life, this was the first time he had seen ruins of this size.
After a brief moment of awe, Zeke quickly pulled himself together, wary of the black-robed mage who might appear from anywhere, and searched for a way out of the ruins.
If the hounds set up a dragnet, his identity could be exposed.
As he cautiously made his way deeper into the temple, he came across a space with huge pillars lined up, engraved with patterns unique to the beastmen.
At the end of the space was what appeared to be the entrance to the temple.
'The entrance to the temple is here. Then the excavation site outside could have been a general residential area where the ancient beastmen lived.'
If there were both residential areas and a temple, the amount to excavate would be enormous. With a dungeon of this scale discovered, it was no wonder the Empire was so desperate to take over this area.
Moreover, the beastmen were known for their mystical powers since ancient times.
The Emperor was surely trying to uncover the secret of immortality from the beastmen ruins.
Zeke approached the entrance of the temple.
But there was a giant statue standing in front of the entrance.
Zeke remembered the picture he had seen on the wall of the lab earlier.
The image of a beastman warrior wearing thick armor.
The statue in front of him had that exact appearance.
'It's quite imposing.'
Just as Zeke was about to enter the temple to find a way out,
Rumble!
Suddenly, the statue started to move.
Crack!
The statue, in the form of a beastman warrior, came to life with glowing eyes and swung the axe-spear it was holding.
Whoosh!
Zeke was startled and jumped back.
"What the hell, what's that? Is that a golem?"
He had seen golems before, having explored various dungeons in his past life, but this was the first time he had seen one this big.
Just then, an unknown language flowed from the beastman golem.
Fortunately, the system translated and informed him.
[Temple intruder detected. Eliminate the enemy.]
Flames flickered in the golem's eyes, and it spewed a massive blaze towards Zeke.
"Haa!"
Zeke activated the 'Defense intention with Soul-Transference.
The flames couldn't reach Zeke's body and were deflected, scattering to the sides.
Zeke couldn't collect his thoughts with the sudden appearance of the golem and its continuous attacks.
It was then.
Screech!
Space was torn apart, and the mage, who had been hiding, appeared in front of Zeke.
He said to Zeke in a sinister voice,
"That golem will eliminate any intruder to the temple. If you want to live, you must surrender to me."
A giant golem in front, a suspicious mage behind.
There was nowhere to retreat.
'Damn it. Out of the frying pan, into the fire.'
Just then, the system message window popped up.
[The system has detected a guardian in safe mode.]
[If the guardian's access code is recognized, it can be controlled by the administrator system.]
Zeke was surprised to see the system message window.
'System, how can you recognize the golem's access code?'
[The access code for humanoid guardians is usually engraved on the core inside the left chest.]
In human terms, it was the heart area.
'You're saying I have to take out the core inside its heart?'
Zeke pointed his sword at the giant ancient golem.
The only fortunate thing was that this golem wasn't being controlled by the mage.
Zeke gripped his sword and charged towards the golem.
The black-robed mage, surprised that Zeke would actually confront the golem, shouted,
"Y-You idiot! That's not something a human can handle!"
The mage, who wanted to capture Zeke alive and interrogate him, was now anxious that he might be killed by the golem.
While the mage was in a predicament, Zeke had already approached the golem. As Zeke got closer, the golem swung its axe-spear at him.
Whoosh!
The mage, with a resigned look, cast a spell to distort space and block the axe-spear.
Screech!
'Just as I expected.'
Seizing the opportunity while the mage was blocking the golem's attack, Zeke raised his sword.
Woooong!
The power of Soul-Transference surged into the sword.
Zeke invoked the will of the most powerful character among the single spells.
'Break'
Kugugugugu!
The will to break was imbued in Zeke's sword.
At the same time, Zeke thrust his sword towards the golem's heart.
Kwakwakwakwa!
The powerful force of the dragon language clashed with the golem's heart.
The mage, watching from behind, was startled.
"W-What is that?"
It was a type of power he had never seen before.
It was a completely different wave of energy from the power used by aura-wielding knights.
As the mage, burning with greed for Zeke, deactivated the barrier, the golem's axe-spear fell towards Zeke.
Crash!
The temple floor caved in, and a cloud of dust billowed up.
The mage used his magic eye to track Zeke's presence.
The magic eye, which could see the souls of living beings, couldn't be avoided by any magic or skill.
"There you are!"
The mage sensed a life form and cast a spell.
But it wasn't Zeke who emerged from the dust cloud.
"Kyagh!"
The chimera, Gurab, lunged at the mage.
"Ugh!"
The mage dodged the chimera and jumped back.
At the same time, Gurab spat poison needles at the mage.
Screech!
The mage, blocking the poison needles with spatial distortion, gritted his teeth.
"Damn it! Wait, aren't you Gurab's chimera?"
The mage recognized Gurab's chimera, who used to belong to the elder of the Scorpion Clan.
Suddenly, something clicked in his mind.
"It's him! The one who attacked the Southern Continent lab!"
Kugugugugu!
Black energy erupted from the mage's body.
At the same time, his eyes turned red.
His atmosphere changed completely from just a moment ago.
"If he's the one who killed Cain, I must capture him."
Gurab, sensing fear under the mage's red-eyed gaze, backed away.
But the mage, as if not willing to let him go, raised his hand and reached towards Gurab.
It was then.
Whoosh!
A wind blade flew towards the mage.
Screech!
The mage blocked the blade with spatial distortion.
The mage turned his head and saw Zeke riding on the golem's shoulder.
The mage looked at Zeke with disbelief.
"H-How did you control the Sky Golem?"
Everything was beyond his comprehension.
How could a mere knight, not even a mage, control the golem that even Narak's knowledge couldn't handle?
Zeke gave the golem a command.
"Capture him."
Kugugugu!
The golem's eyes glowed.
At the same time, its mouth opened wide.
A bright light emerged from the golem's beak.
Jiiiiing!
A massive beam of light erupted from its mouth.
Kwakwakwakwa!
The pillar of light engulfed the mage.
"Ugh!"
He quickly tore through space and dodged the pillar of light.
'I need to get out of here!'
He was indeed the one who had consumed the vessel. He might die before he could even capture that guy.
As he hurriedly tried to tear space and hide, strangely, his mana wasn't responding.
"Don't tell me?"
Zeke's Mana Reflection skill had blocked the mage's magic.
The mage pointed his staff at Zeke.
"Youuu!"
Zeke jumped off the golem's shoulder, drew his sword, and charged towards the mage.
Slash!
Zeke's sword severed the mage's arm and immediately pierced his stomach.
"Keuhuk!"
The mage, struck by Zeke's sword, collapsed to the ground.
Zeke closed in on the mage, removed his black robe, and checked his face.
The mage's face was covered in strange patterns, and an unfamiliar rune was imprinted on his forehead like a stigma.
Zeke pointed his sword at the mage and said,
"I'll spare your life if you answer my questions."
The mage gasped for breath.
Zeke asked him,
"What is Narak?"
The mage gave a faint smile and said,
"You... have touched something you should never have touched... Cough."
"Such bravado from someone on the verge of death."
Zeke pushed the mage's body, making him fall completely, and then gently stepped on his neck.
"Keuhuk."
"You don't seem to be from the Scorpion Clan. Are you from another illegal clan that studies forbidden magic?"
The mage didn't answer.
Zeke decided to use his last resort without wasting any more time.
He equipped Agamemnon's Mask.
"Purification."
Woooong!
Golden waves surged from Zeke's body and seeped into the mage's body.
"Kyaaagh!"
As Zeke expected, the mage felt immense pain as the light of Purification touched him.
"Uaaagh!"
Zeke said to the mage again,
"Tell me about Narak."
"Kyaaagh! N-No!"
Zeke intensified the power of Purification.
The mage's eyes rolled back, and he foamed at the mouth.
"Gurg! T-The Lion's Book!"
"The Lion's Book?"
Suddenly, something started wriggling out from the mage's eyes, mouth, and nose.
"Keeegh!"
Dozens of hideous bugs emerged.
[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]