The Game of the Greatest Black Mage

[Translator - Prøks]

[Proofreader - Prøks]

Chapter 74

A scorching heat wave swept through the area.

The crystal pillars surrounding them, unable to withstand the heat, reached their limit and began to melt.

All the crystal pillars in the majestic and grand raid field were in the same state.

Half-melted and radiating intense heat, the crystal liquid overflowed onto the floor, and the heat did not subside easily, gradually melting even the surrounding crystals.

Even the crystal walls could not withstand the heat and melted.

Among them, the right arm of the Ancient Royal Guardian Golem, which was at the center of the explosion, seemed to have lost its function, melting down without being able to move, and its right leg and torso were also not in good condition.

However, its condition was better than its arm, as it maintained its shape.

Its right arm, like a melted taffy, dripped thick, sticky crystal liquid onto the floor as it regained its stance.

It was already aware of the intruder.

There had been intruders before, quite a while ago.

They had seen only its form from a distance and fled, so it thought that this intruder was also one of those types.

Since it hadn't come even after some time, it assumed they were gone.

But this time, it was different.

- To think that you would dare to sneak into the treasure vault like a rat.

To ambush it from behind through the treasure vault that it was so diligently guarding.

It couldn't even imagine such a thing.

The Ancient Royal Guardian Golem, which was created to be able to think for itself, could only be more surprised.

It had not considered this possibility.

Would it have been different if it were more capable?

Perhaps it would have been different if it weren't for the aging body and functions that had deteriorated over the long years?

Many regrets remained.

But regrets were like spilled water.

If it couldn't be picked up.

- Self-rectification is all that is needed.

Recalling that adage that it had once heard from its master,

The Ancient Royal Guardian Golem, with its crystal body, emitted a bright white light from its eyes.

It had lost its right arm, but it was fine.

Its sturdy two legs and left arm remained.

The Ancient Royal Guardian Golem took out its exclusive weapon, the crystal longsword, and pointed the sword at the treasure vault where the intruder was.

Just as the crystals in various parts of the raid field had melted, the door of the treasure vault was also half-melted.

Towards the melted door, it strode forward.

Seeing the intruder, Seonghyun, leisurely walking out, the Ancient Royal Guardian Golem's eyes glowed brightly.

An intruder that it could never forgive.

An intruder who was its only blemish.

It would erase that blemish from the world.

Hoo! Hoo!

The Ancient Royal Guardian Golem was an Ego Golem that moved according to chivalry.

However, there was no chivalry to show to such a despicable and treacherous being.

Seonghyun, too, was surprised to see the Ancient Royal Guardian Golem, which looked quite intact except for its right arm.

'It was a critical blow.'

The most powerful skill combination that Seonghyun could use right now.

But even after taking that hit, it didn't even suffer a fatal wound, let alone enter the second phase.

This was quite surprising.

It wasn't entirely meaningless.

[Hidden Raid Boss 『Ancient Royal Guardian Golem, Crescentra』 has appeared.]

[The hidden raid is about to begin.]

[You have inflicted a critical preemptive strike on the hidden raid boss 『Ancient Royal Guardian Golem, Crescentra』!]

[The raid on the heavily damaged hidden raid boss 『Ancient Royal Guardian Golem, Crescentra』 will now begin.]

It had suffered significant damage.

As the system indicated, it was clear that it had taken considerable damage.

Judging by the fact that physical damage had occurred, it was possible to roughly estimate how much damage it had sustained.

'Was it at least 20%?'

It was said that the physical damage effect only occurred when damage exceeding 20% of maximum health was inflicted in a single blow.

This meant that Crescentra had also taken damage exceeding 20% from Seonghyun's attack just now.

This difference was definitely significant.

Even so, it seemed overwhelmingly stronger than Anemor.

So this was what a hidden raid boss was like.

Seonghyun didn't just stand still with that judgment.

A huge teal portal was blooming behind his back.

From there, his legion advanced.

Cheok! Cheok—!

The resonating sound of the advance had an intimidating power that even made Crescentra re-grip his sword.

At the forefront were the Blood-Red Demon Knight, Balthar, and Fiora, who had borrowed the body of a wraith, followed by Anemor and Karisha, who guarded the rear.

Facing a force of over a hundred, which could be called a legion, Crescentra calmly gripped his sword, pointed the tip of the sword towards the sky, and pulled his hand to his chest.

Cheo-eok!

Each and every movement was imbued with discipline, and the tip of the sword did not allow any shaking, even for a fleeting moment.

At that steadfast sight, Balthar laughed and muttered.

- Hahaha! Finally, a worthy opponent has appeared before me.

On the other hand, Fiora looked at Balthar with considerable worry and scolded him.

- B-But, w-we have to fight together......

At Fiora's words, Balthar looked visibly displeased, but nodded and agreed with Fiora.

What she said was absolutely correct.

- Hmph! I know, Fiora. If I fight alone now, I will be utterly defeated. I cannot allow our Lord to be defeated!

What had to be prioritized even more than his own honor and greed was his Lord.

There was nothing else.

He had to burn everything, even his soul, for the sake of his Lord alone.

With burning eyes, Balthar first rushed out, and as if it were a signal, Fiora also rushed out.

Crescentra blocked Balthar's sword, which had flown in like he was folding space, wielding a greatsword imbued with crimson sword energy, and twisted his wrist to deflect Balthar's attack.

Chuaaaaaa——!

Balthar, whose sword had been swung in the air, quickly turned and retrieved his sword.

Fiora, who had seized the opportunity, lunged at Crescentra, who had twisted his wrist, and made his two arms, which had been turned into a piercing spear in the battle against Anemor, into a huge hammer and slammed them down towards Crescentra.

The hammer-like fists, which were fired in a straight line, were like cannonballs being fired, and Crescentra also felt a chill for a moment, and instead of his empty right arm, he lifted his right leg and blocked Fiora's fist with his shin.

Kuaaaaaa——!

The shockwave formed, and Crescentra was momentarily pushed back, but his posture remained upright.

Without falling, Crescentra imbued his crystal longsword with light and, gripping it strongly with his left hand, swung the sword in a straight line, as if extending from the sky, towards Fiora.

The vertical slash, descending from above, was incredibly fast due to the light-infused crystal longsword.

It was an attack with an angle and timing that was impossible to avoid.

The only being capable of fully blocking this attack was Balthar.

However, Balthar, as confirmed by Crescentra, was swinging his crimson longsword horizontally towards him, as if he had decided to sacrifice Fiora.

He would suffer considerable damage, but it was fine.

It was a matter of trading flesh for bone.

The moment Crescentra made that judgment and swung down his sword,

He felt the light in his crystal longsword vanish in an instant.

The attack, devoid of light, passed through Fiora's body futilely and struck the ground.

Kwaggagaga!

Even though the light had disappeared, the sharpness remained, as it left a long scar on the crystal floor the moment it touched down.

But that wasn't the important thing.

His skill had been canceled and disappeared.

Before he could even figure out what had happened, a flash of light shone from afar, and a pure white slash, like a lightning bolt, flew towards him.

A slash that was exactly like his own skill.

Kagagaga———!

The sharp flash reached Crescentra's chest, and the slash cut through the part of the crystal it touched, shattering it.

After the eerie sound echoed,

Crescentra was finally able to see the reason why the light in his sword had disappeared.

Seonghyun, who had stretched out his hand towards him and used some skill.

And he also discovered the teal spear flying towards him.

He could only evade either Balthar's greatsword, imbued with crimson sword energy, or that teal spear.

And Crescentra quickly judged and evaded the teal spear and accepted Balthar's attack.

Kagaga——!

Balthar's sword strike left a long scar, though not as deep as the one from the flash.

However, Crescentra could feel it.

If he had been hit by the spear that Seonghyun had just thrown, he would have suffered even more damage than he had now.

He didn't fully grasp it, but he felt it that way.

And he quickly assessed the situation.

At first, he had seen a force of nearly a hundred, but now he didn't.

Seonghyun's remaining soldiers were Fiora and Balthar, and the two identical Karishas, Anemor, and the Wraith of Barpur, making a total of five.

Seonghyun, judging that it was meaningless to consume mana for nothing, had sent the rest back to the Netherworld.

This was not an easy opponent.

He had only thought of him as a despicable and shameless opponent,

But he was an enemy who clearly understood strategy and tactics and also displayed outstanding skills.

Unlike before, Crescentra acknowledged Seonghyun and, with glowing eyes, exhaled.

- Hooooooo.

Then, as if drawing out the heat from every corner of Crescentra's body, hot steam poured out.

Chiiii!

Soon, as the heat gradually subsided,

Crystals floated around Crescentra's body one by one, and he could feel a lighter step than before.

Crescentra, holding the sword in his left hand, moved and kicked off the ground.

Hot steam erupted from his feet, and with the repulsive force of his kick and the propulsive force of the heat, he gained incredible acceleration and rushed towards Balthar first.

Chuaaaaaaa!

He was definitely faster.

No, even the word "faster" was not enough to describe it.

At the sight of Crescentra rushing towards Balthar like a flash, Balthar raised his sword to block.

However, it was not Crescentra's sword that moved first.

Crescentra's long, sleek right leg slammed directly into Balthar's abdomen.

Peoeok——!

The moment his leg slammed into his abdomen, using the recoil from raising his sword and the repulsive force from being kicked to push him back, he quickly rotated in the air, wielding the sword imbued with the rotational force and unleashing crimson sword energy.@@novelbin@@

Peoeong——!

With a sound bursting from his abdomen, he was sent flying and slammed into the wall.

However, the crimson sword energy clearly flew out and, at the moment when it was about to slam into Crescentra as well, Crescentra's sword moved and surpassed the crimson sword energy.

He was a truly terrifyingly powerful being.

However, while surpassing that crimson sword energy, Crescentra saw the wraith's body, which had been turned into a huge fist, and reacted.

His sword strike was already blocking the crimson sword energy.

His right leg was also unbalanced from the powerful kick he had just delivered to Balthar.

All that remained was his left leg, but he couldn't carelessly move it as it was his support.

Anyone watching might have thought that Crescentra would be hit by the wraith's fist and be crushed.

However, before the huge hammer fist flew in, he completely destabilized his already disheveled posture and, with light in his eyes, fired it out.

Pishyuuu——!

He fired a flash of light from both eyes, and although his disheveled posture completely collapsed and he was about to fall, it was fine.

The terrifying flash flew and struck the wraith's chest, and the wraith, like Balthar, was sent flying and slammed into the wall far away.

Kuaaaaang——!

With Fiora defeated, the remaining enemies were no match for him.

The moment Crescentra made that judgment.

He felt an eerie aura from behind.

Was it Seonghyun again? The moment he just turned his head, there was Fiora, her two arms transformed into giant axes.

Where was the wraith that had just been sent flying?

As Crescentra felt something was wrong and thought about it.

It was Wraith of Barpur, who shared the same body as Fiora.

In that instant, his mind went blank.

Fiora's attack was swung to tear apart his chest.

The axe-arms seemed to move slowly, as if time had slowed down.

Perhaps due to the sudden transformation, they couldn't keep up with their original speed.

However, no matter how slow they were, Crescentra's posture was completely messed up.

He couldn't even block or evade.

Crescentra had no choice but to expose his chest as it was.

Kagagagagaga——!

With a violent impact, another long scar was left on his chest.

Even so, he could still endure it for now.

Crescentra got up again from where he had fallen, and checked if there were any others charging at him.

Balthar, spitting out blood, emerged from the wall where he had been slammed, and Wraith of Barpur was the same.

Anemor and Karisha, circling in the sky, constantly fired ash and hot air, which was quite bothersome.

But at that moment, he felt something strange.

-……?

Wraith of Barpur, Balthar, and even Fiora were all quite far away from him.

In that instant, he quickly realized.

The one he had forgotten.

The moment Crescentra looked at Seonghyun.

The world was engulfed in a whirlwind of blood.

Wheeeeeeeeeee——!

[Hidden Raid Boss 『Ancient Royal Guardian Golem, Crescentra』 changes.]

[Hidden Raid Boss 『Ancient Royal Guardian Golem, Crescentra』 enters Phase 2.]

*Caution

-The raid boss becomes extremely powerful in Phase 2.

-Be careful.

Phase 2 had finally opened.

At the same time, the swirling blood red storm disappeared, and a tealspear plunged into Crescentra's chest.

[Dark damage is applied.]

[The target partially resists.]

[All sight and senses are impaired for 3 seconds.]

[Translator - Prøks]

[Proofreader - Prøks]