Chapter 98
“An Elixir?”
“Holy crap! It actually exists?”
Everyone expressed shock. The Elixir was a miraculous item that could remove debuffs, regenerate lost body parts, extend one’s life, and more. It could bring anyone back to perfect shape as long as they were still alive.
But its usage condition is just as tricky as its acquisition difficulty, Seong-Hwi said inwardly.
He recalled the secret of using an Elixir, which he discovered by chance during his eighth year in the Mirror World. He was certain that Kabuka did not know about the condition.
“Wait, how do you know there’s an Elixir in an unexplored dungeon?” asked a man, embracing his sword, who had been silently listening to Kabuka’s story.
Kabuka’s expression turned cold instantly. “That’s none of your business. All you have to do is bring it to me once you find it, as per the contract. Understood?”
The atmosphere changed once the smiling Kabuka turned serious. Mana dense enough to cause vertigo dominated the hall.
“Kurgh!”
“Hurgh!”
Huuu. His mana capacity is enormous. It’s almost on par with mine in my past life, Seong-Hwi thought.
Filipe Kabuka was a first-generation human; it meant he spent over ten years in the Mirror World. He was a criminal who funded the Rwandan Civil War, where over eight hundred thousand people died. He spent twenty years on the run from Interpol until he was captured.
Ten years ago, he disappeared from prison, shocking the world with the headline, Escape of the Era. Even when he arrived in the Mirror World, he survived to the very end and created the clan Black Market. If anything, his tenacity for survival had to be praised.
Seong-Hwi stimulated every cell in his body to occupy the space around him. His intermediate caliber A-rank Magic stat was enough to push away Kabuka’s mana. Onie Yuki, staring at the fireplace this entire time, turned to Kabuka.
Kabuka withdrew his mana and stared at Seong-Hwi with great interest. He then turned to Yuki and slightly bowed his head.
“I see you all are more skilled than anticipated. I expect great results from you,” he remarked.
“Hurgh!”
“Huff! Huff!”
Everyone except for Seong-Hwi, Leo, and Yuki caught their breath, their eyes filled with caution and fear for Kabuka. Seong-Hwi knew Kabuka had shown off his aura on purpose.
He has us restricted with the quest penalty, but he’s still worried. He’s warning us not to get any ideas.
Seong-Hwi smiled as he stared at Leo, standing behind Kabuka. He thought of a great idea.
“Great results, huh? That’s only possible with decent teammates,” Seong-Hwi remarked, focusing all attention on himself. He shrugged and continued, “It seems you’ve gathered members with the Paulo formation in mind, but do you seriously believe we can explore an S-rank dungeon with these members?”
The Paulo formation, created by the French football coach Philippe Paulo, was created so that humans, who were weaker compared to other races, could raid enemies stronger than them.
The formation could be divided mainly into avant-garde, mid-garde, cote-garde, and arriere-garde. They respectively meant vanguard, center guard, flank guard, and rearguard. Each division could be subdivided into more detailed positions named after sports terminology.
“Huff! What the hell is that supposed to mean?” the white man who picked a fight with Seong-Hwi asked irritatedly as he caught his breath.
Seong-Hwi clicked his tongue as he stared disrespectfully at the man. “Tsk, tsk. It means I don’t want to entrust my safety to this weakling.”
“Son of a bitch, you’ve gone too far this time!”
The white man grabbed his tower shield he had placed next to the couch, and slammed it on the ground. The rectangular shield was so large that it almost covered the large man.
He shouted, “Having your name in the ranking isn’t everything, pipsqueak! There are humans like me who lurk in the shadows!”
The man was right. Rising the ranks and gaining fame wasn’t always a good thing. As the most recent example, Seong-Hwi had been marked by the spec force.
“So, what’s your position?” Seong-Hwi asked.
“Stopper!”
A stopper was a tank sub-position that stopped the enemy’s charge at the vanguard.
“Stopper? So, you’re a coward who stands behind a large shield,” Seong-Hwi taunted.
“You—”
“Hey, hey. What’s the big idea?” Enrique Vidal tried to intervene as Seong-Hwi’s taunts grew more severe.
However, Seong-Hwi didn’t stop. “What’s your name?”
“Victor Handke!”
“Never heard of you,” Seong-Hwi remarked as he chuckled mockingly.
Victor’s patience went far beyond its limit. “I’ll teach you a lesson!”
Victor activated a trait and charged at Seong-Hwi. A grey mana enveloped his tower shield.
[Activating Trait: Hundred-Man Killer.]
[Activating Skill: Shield Pressure.]
He took the bait! Seong-Hwi thought with a smile and activated his traits and skills.
[Activating Trait: Thousand-Man Killer.]
[Activating Trait: Scorn for the Weak.]
[Operating Wings of Evolution.]
[Activating Unique Skill: Symbol Embodiment.]
[Catastrophic Thunder, one of the symbols of No.16 The Tower]
[Activating Skill: Rust of Ruin.]
AHHH—!
Intense bloodlust burst forth through Thousand-Man Killer and Scorn for the Weak. Everyone in the room widened their eyes as their hairs stood from the chilling bloodlust. They witnessed five beautiful wings, resembling stained glass, sprouting from Seong-Hwi’s back.
Catastrophic Thunder crackling on his right fist mixed with Rust of Ruin, becoming highly condensed magenta lightning. The Wings of Evolution flashed iridescently, and Seong-Hwi reached Victor almost instantly. It was the instant acceleration movement that the Shadow Fairy Queen had used.
“Haaah! Your weak fist won’t penetrate my defenses!”
Victor was flustered by Seong-Hwi’s speed only momentarily. He continued to charge toward Seong-Hwi, trusting his defense. However, that would prove fatal. He should have dodged, not taken it head-on.
Catastrophic Thunder, amplified via the Wings of Evolution, was conducted through Victor’s shield to reach him and apply debuffs.
[Applying Debuff: Electrocution.]
[Applying Debuff: Nightmare.]
[Applying Debuff: Despair.]
...
[Thousand-Man Mark stamped.]
[Drastically reducing the physical and magical resistance of Beniheto Tower Shield.]
...
[Applying Debuff: Corrosion.]
[Corroding Beniheto Tower Shield.]
...
“Urgh?!” Victor expressed confusion.
Seong-Hwi launched his second attack before Victor could even read the sudden barrage of Akasha Messages. He kicked Victor on his flank, his foot splitting the air and destroying Victor’s shield.
[The Thousand-Killing Aura permeates the target’s body.]
“GAAAH!”
A thousand kinds of pain engulfed Victor. He was confident in his pain tolerance from his trials and tribulations, but even he had never felt this level of pain before. Seong-Hwi unsheathed the Zanaka Karambit on his back, stuck his index finger in its ring pommel, and spun it like a propeller. Now that the steak was cooked, it was time to cut it.
The Wings of Evolution flashed again, and Seong-Hwi appeared behind the shaking Victor. As the Zanaka Karambit was about to fall in love with Victor’s carotid, Seong-Hwi suddenly heard a bizarre cry.
“Huy yo!”
[Activating Unique Skill: Spirit of Maasai.]
Seong-Hwi, sensing an immense aura rapidly approaching from his flank, had no choice but to fall back. Leo, who had been beside Kabuka, landed where Seong-Hwi had been. The tall and toned man expressed frightening rage and exuded the spirit of one who had overcome countless battles. He held a long, oval shield with a peculiar form.
Grrr!
The head of a growling lion with an injured right eye was in the center of the shield, and its mane covered the entire shield.
“Impudent! Disrespectful! Brazen! How dare you pull out a weapon in his presence?!” Leo shouted, his black eyes filled with fury.
They were in Filipe Kabuka’s mansion. Leo could not forgive anyone for pulling out a weapon in the presence of Kabuka, whom he treated like a father.
“Beg for forgiveness!” he shouted as he activated a skill.
[Activating Unique Skill: Rhodes’s Roar.]
Rhodes, the lion that had transformed into Leo’s shield, opened his mouth and roared. The air condensed and flew toward Seong-Hwi.
[Activating Unique Skill: Symbol Embodiment.]
[Ace of Pentacles]
[Two of Pentacles]
...
[Six of Pentacles]
Seong-Hwi embodied twenty-one pentacles and combined them into one. The star in the middle flashed. The pentacle blocked the roar, but its surface cracked. However, it bought enough time for the Wings of Evolution to flash again.
“My turn!” Seong-Hwi shouted as he appeared at Leo’s flank and activated several skills.
[Activating Unique Skill: Symbol Embodiment.]
[Penetrating Spear, one of the symbols of No.7 The Chariot]
[Urim and Thummim, one of the symbols of No.7 The Chariot]
[Activating Skill: Rust of Ruin.]
A spear appeared in Seong-Hwi’s hand, and black and white pauldrons shaped like human faces wrapped his shoulders. The white face Urim on his right shoulder laughed silently, and Seong-Hwi’s wings flashed as he thrust his spear.
“Huy yo! Huy gaga!” Leo cried as he brought his D Weapon, Rhodes, forward.
The Penetrating Spear and Rhodes clashed, creating a sonic boom. The spear failed to penetrate the shield, and Rust of Ruin did not activate because Rhodes did not contain iron.
Seong-Hwi jumped backward and smiled joyfully.
It’s been a while, he thought.
He met Leo in his second year in the Mirror World. They had known each other for eight years, and he was one of Clan Calasanz’s founding members. They had sparred too many times to count, and Leo had saved his life just as many times.
Leo’s D Weapon was the male lion Rhodes, a transformation D Weapon. The skill Beastification usually came to mind when thinking about transformation D Weapons, but there was another common rule: Armification. Unlike Beastification, where the user assimilated with their animal D Weapon, Armification turned them into weapons.
Leo reduced the shock from the impact as much as possible, but frowned as his right arm grew numb.
Seong-Hwi asked, “What’s your position?”
Leo expressionlessly answered, “Stopper, sweeper, libero, targetman, keeper, I can do them all.”
Sweepers and liberos were usually known as twin positions. Sweepers were attackers that could tank, and Liberos were tanks that could deal damage. Targetmen could taunt enemies, and anchormen were specialized for rooting themselves in place and enduring attacks. Keepers focused on protecting important positions like supports.
“Impressive. That’s what you call a tank. What’s your name?” Seong-Hwi asked.
“Le-Yeyo.”
“Okay, Leo. You should enter the party in place of that weakling.”
“Not Leo, Le-Yeyo. Also, do not push your luck any further. The only person allowed to make decisions here is Sir Kabuka.”
Leo returned to Kabuka’s side once the situation was resolved. The hall was a mess. The couches and chairs were flipped, and everything on the walls had fallen. Only the chairs that Kabuka and Onie Yukli sat on were in their original positions.
“Hah! Did you see that? How many skills did he just use?” Enrique asked.
“Around... six? Seven? I’m not sure,” the overweight African man replied as he shook his head.
Yuri snickered as he stared at Seong-Hwi and remarked, “Thousand-Man Killer, huh? Heh, we’ve got another crazy bastard.”
The brown-haired and bearded man with glasses and the Southeast Asian woman also chatted with each other.
“Cheon Seong-Hwi, was it? Have you heard of him?”
“Of course, I have. He’s the lunatic who killed the goblin High Ranker, Tutobure, and picked a fight with Hard Drug.”
“It appears he’s sufficiently skilled. Look at those wings. He’s perfect for the wing position.”
Onie Yuki, who had not said a word until now, mumbled, “Interesting.”
None of them paid any mind to Victor, convulsing on the ground. Kabuka smiled. He clapped his hands together, and two men entered the hall.
He said, “Drag him out of here. Make sure you get the fifty million Coins from him.”
“Yes, sir!” The two men shouted simultaneously as they dragged the unconscious Victor outside the hall.
Kabuka smiled as he turned to Seong-Hwi and said, “You’re as skilled as the rumors made you out to be. You can tank, deal damage, support, and you’re fast; an all-rounder. You’re the perfect wing. Since the party is limited to ten people, I had to recruit capable and versatile members. Impressive.”
“I’m flattered,” Seong-Hwi remarked.
“Great results are only possible with decent teammates, was it? I agree, but... I hope you won’t test anyone else. Gathering these members was difficult.”
Seong-Hwi nodded. He had already accomplished his objective of making a vacancy for a tank.
“Le-Yeyo, you’re temporarily relieved as my keeper. Join this party as a stopper,” Kabuka said.
Leo hesitated momentarily and answered, “I understand.”
Seong-Hwi waved at him with a smile, which Leo ignored.
“Alright! You can get the details at Pollon Nest. I have prepared warp gate users. I wish you all... good luck,” Kabuka pleaded as he met eyes with every team member.
***
Kabuka sat silently in an armchair alone. The room grew silent after the ten humans left.
He examined the traces of the earlier battle and mumbled, “How young... Yes, youth is good.”
He could not remember the last time he felt young. He had become too old.
He grabbed two pieces of paper from his pocket and stared intently at the top one.
Q: When will what I fear most occur?
A: 1—Y—E—A—R
Negrita
He had received this letter from Negrita, the prophecy D Weapon user from Clan Exorcist’s Travelogue. He had crumpled it up so much that it was extremely wrinkled.
“What I fear most is... Death!”
According to the Black Saintess’s prophecy, Kabuka only had a year to live. If this were Earth, he would have spent that time making arrangements in preparation for his death. However, this was the Mirror World, a place filled with mysteries.
He went from a wealthy businessman to a criminal for whom Interpol issued a Red Notice. After he was Lost from prison, he was reduced to a mere old man. After that, he became a High Ranker, sixth in the human ranking, and the leader of Clan Black Market. His avaricious obsession with life had gotten him through such trials and tribulations.
“I... will not die! I will survive yet again!” Kabuka mumbled as he opened the other letter.
Q: Is what I desire the most in the unexplored dungeon at Pollon Nest in the third zone?
A: YES
Negrita
Kabuka clenched his fists. It was obvious what he wanted the most.
“Ahhh! Elixir! ELIXIR!!!”
He would do anything to get his hands on one.