The Terminally Ill Young Master is the Mad Dog of the Underworld

[Translator - Pot]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]

Chapter 125: The Dormant Power

Nepherus roared as it charged toward me. Its bellow carried a force that could freeze lower beings in their tracks, but I maintained my composure by circulating the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique.

‘Damn, it’s even bigger than I thought.’

It was as if a massive mountain had come to life and was rushing at me.

“How can something even be that big?”

Venion chimed in at my muttering.

“Nepherus is a type of monster that grows larger as its tier increases.”

“I see.”

……So, he knows about Nepherus well. Even Jeffrey, the son of a fox hunter, and the villagers here didn’t know much about it.

‘Well, he did say he’s worked in foreign lands.’

I set aside my suspicions for the moment and compressed the aura, which had been flickering like a torch, back into my sword.

Sssssssss!

A slash imbued with the energy of the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique, now at the 10th level, cut through the air.

Crack!

But the result was as expected. The moment it struck Nepherus’s scaly armor, the massive slash shattered like porcelain.

“Wow, not even close.”

Not only were the scales themselves tough, but the mana within Nepherus likely reinforced their properties.

‘Well, if it had been cut in half by just one strike, it would’ve been too easy of a fight.’

The results of my initial probing weren’t exactly encouraging.

But it wasn’t unexpected.

‘Killing an enemy I can’t cut down.’

That kind of fight isn’t unfamiliar to me.

Kyaoooooo!

‘Here it comes.’

Finally, Nepherus, now on land, opened its massive maw and lunged at me.

‘Fast.’

Above all, its range was enormous. If I got swallowed, it would be over.

I leaped left and right across the rocky walls I had scouted earlier, escaping its range.

Crash!

The rock struck by Nepherus’s head crumbled to pieces. With its sturdy body and immense weight, it was only natural.

“If I got hit by that, I’d be turned to pulp.”

Its overwhelming size.

With just that, it had effortlessly reached a level where martial arts couldn’t easily reach it. Even a master of fist techniques—could they really deliver a punch like that?

‘This is why fighting monsters is different from fighting swordsmen.’

Still, aside from using my wits to fight against this absurdity, I had no other options.

Swoosh!

This time, its massive tail came flying.

‘The speed is manageable.’

But its range was so vast that even if I saw it coming, I had no choice but to take the hit.

Boom!

I moved three-dimensionally between the cliffs and the ground, dodging Nepherus’s attacks.

This wasn’t a duel of swordsmen, where every moment was a battle of speed and disruption.

Yet, my talent for reading the essence and principles of an enemy’s movements remained effective in this fight.

‘Every attack starts with a recoil in its torso.’

However, its body was quite flexible, allowing it to adjust its trajectory based on my evasion.

‘Then.’

I feigned retreat, luring it into a downward strike, then—

Whoosh!

Mixing Lightfoot techniques and Footwork Technique perfectly, I changed my trajectory at a right angle.

Crash!

A violent shockwave brushed past my spine.

‘Got it.’

With a combination of sensory perception, intuition, and enemy movement prediction, dodging its attacks wasn’t too difficult.

However, avoiding the flying debris was impossible, so I wasted some mana to activate a wide-area protective aura.

Thud, thud, thud!

A barrage of rocks that could’ve broken bones if they hit me directly pounded against my mana armor.

But because I didn’t waste time trying to dodge them unnecessarily—

Boom!

I could easily evade the follow-up attacks.

“Phew.”

I clung to the opposite cliff and let out a sigh of relief.

How many times had I brushed with death in that short span? I had used quite a bit of mana, but my reserves were still plentiful.

‘This isn’t the time to hold back.’

Knowing when to conserve and when to expend is also a skill—one that can only be honed through experience.

‘Now is the time to use every technique I have.’

Should I hide my abilities because Venion is watching?

This wasn’t that kind of fight.

‘I have countless weapons at my disposal.’

The amount of mana and the level of my physique, having surpassed the mid-level of the 4th rank after consuming several elixirs and spirit medicines. The exceptional martial arts of Eternal Ocean Chain Technique and Azure Sea Moon Shadow Swordsmanship.

Add to that the superb sword Voyager of the Night, and the bracelet sword on my wrist.

And above all, the talent and experience of Karzan, the legend of the underworld.

‘But how exactly can I kill that monster?’

The most certain method is to strike its weak point.

However, piercing the eye of a monstrous creature that’s moving so frantically and is positioned so high up isn’t easy. It’s better to aim for a larger area instead.@@novelbin@@

But how?

‘…Hmm.’

One method came to mind.

I’ve had experience breaking through incredibly tough defenses before, haven’t I?

‘Penetration and Spiral.’

The realm Karzan reached at the end of his life.

‘The Spiral is still difficult to achieve, but I’ve become somewhat proficient with Penetration.’

Enough to locate and strike the tracking magic embedded in Verdzig’s mask.

If I could channel that Penetration technique with maximum power into that creature’s skull, wouldn’t it be possible to shake and destroy its brain?

“Alright.”

This is a hypothesis worth testing.

I deliberately unleashed three large slashes, drawing Nepherus’s attention, and then quickly moved behind it.

“Hup!”

I pushed off the ground with all the strength in my thighs, lightening my body.

Swoosh!

I shot forward like an arrow, aiming straight for the massive serpent’s head. The trajectory and speed were perfect.

Clang!

I lodged my sword between its scales, landing firmly, and wrapped my other hand in aura.

“Alright.”

Penetration technique, here we go.

“Hyaaaah!”

I let out a roar from my core, just like I had back then.

Boom!

A deep shockwave spread out.

But nothing happened!

Crackle?

Nepherus shook its head as if swatting away an annoying fly.

“Damn, this snake bastard is ridiculously tough.”

I was flung away like a flea, rapidly descending toward the ground.

‘Was the power insufficient?’

But now wasn’t the time to leisurely analyze the failure.

Whoosh!

A massive tail, poised to strike me mid-air, blotted out the sun.

‘If that hits me, I’m dead.’

In battle, a failed major attack is often followed by a major counterattack.

That’s why a skilled warrior must always be prepared for such situations.

‘I don’t have wings, but I have the skill to alter my trajectory mid-air.’

I released a burst of force to the side.

‘Please, please, please!’

I prayed fervently. Whether the universe was on my side or not, the recoil allowed me to shift my position by a few meters.

Swoosh—

Crash!

The tail grazed past me, slamming into the ground and shattering it.

“Wow, that’s intense.”

I landed by hooking my foot into a crevice in the cliff, then leaped up to perch on a peak.

“Nice landing.”

Thanks to my innate sense of balance, I could pull off such high-difficulty maneuvers with ease.

“So, the first strategy failed.”

I calmly analyzed.

It wasn’t that surprising. There’s still a massive gap between Karzan of my past life and me now.

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

Venion, who had been quietly observing the fight, asked. I gave a brief reply.

“I’m fine.”

Venion was holding the child in one arm while his other hand was ready to draw his sword. He was prepared to step in if I was in mortal danger.

“What exactly were you trying to do just now?”

“Well, I don’t feel like explaining a tactic that’s already failed.”

I answered vaguely.

‘He’s not someone I want to turn my back on with complete trust.’

Venion knew that Nepherus was far too strong for me in my current state. Yet, he had encouraged me to dive into this battle.

‘Did you expect me to stop now and call for reinforcements?’

He must have known I’d refuse such a suggestion. He knows my temperament.

‘If I didn’t have Karzan’s memories, I could’ve been seriously injured or even killed.’

What were you trying to see in me by taking such a risk?

Or did you think it wouldn’t matter even if I died here?

‘Or is that your true goal?’

……Or perhaps.

‘……Is all of this just my paranoia?’

Nothing was certain. Men like Venion, whose intentions are hard to read, are rare.

But one thing was clear: he had many secrets, and until I uncovered them, I needed to be cautious.

“Your Highness, you can still ask for my help now.”

Look at that. He already knows my answer, yet he dangles it like bait.

“Or perhaps you should hurry and find another way.”

“I’ll do just that.”

At this point, I had no choice but to find and strike its weak point.

Its eyes would be hard to pierce.

So, what should I do?

‘……Got it.’

I rummaged through the library of my memories and found a suitable technique.

* * *

Venion watched intently as Allenvert dodged Nepherus’s attacks and unleashed slashes in all directions.

‘What is he thinking?’

His actions were utterly incomprehensible. Was he searching for a weak spot?

‘It seems he’s come up with something good.’

Regardless, it was impressive how he remained calm and sought out the next strategy even when he hadn’t found a solution.

How could anyone call this a seventeen-year-old nobleman, a greenhouse flower with almost no real combat experience? Even a skilled hunter would find this difficult.

‘He avoids attacks safely while searching for a way to strike back.’

If possible, it was the ideal response.

‘By the way, what exactly did he do earlier?’

Allenvert had placed his palm on Nepherus’s head and unleashed some unknown force.

More important than the fact that it failed was the mystery of what that technique even was.

‘This is absurd. Where did he learn such a technique?’

As far as Venion knew, even Ulbhild didn’t use such a technique. In other words, there was no one who could have taught him. It was deeply suspicious.

‘In any case, taking down Nepherus won’t be easy.’

The reason few knew much about Nepherus was that it was an invasive species.

As Allenvert had guessed, Venion was well aware of this monster. That’s why he had chosen it as a test subject.

‘By the way.’

Venion carefully observed Allenvert’s physique.

‘His body has grown a bit since a few days ago.’

Adolescent boys were truly astonishing beings. Even with such a short period of training, his muscles had filled out, his shoulders had broadened, and he now looked every bit the warrior.

‘His physical vessel has grown.’

And the mana filling that vessel seemed to overflow.

Combined, Allenvert was dodging Nepherus’s attacks with agility and explosive power that made it hard to believe he was only at the 4th-tier. Normally, such attacks wouldn’t be so easily avoided.

‘His ability to adapt to unfamiliar environments needs no further proof.’

The way he had chosen the rocky basin as the battlefield and naturally executed his evasion strategy was seamless. It reminded Venion of how Allenvert had acted when retrieving Count Webern’s tiara.

‘But Nepherus isn’t a monster to be taken lightly.’

What worried Venion the most was……

“Oh no.”

Ironically, that very concern was now gathering inside Nepherus’s mouth.

‘Breath attack!’

Though it paled in comparison to the apocalyptic power of a dragon’s breath, it was still potent enough to turn a human body into a handful of ash.

The serpent, having gathered a massive amount of mana in its mouth, smiled almost human-like.

Whoosh!

The breath attack, launched without any warning, engulfed Allenvert mid-air.

‘……!’

It was a perfectly timed strike, so precise that even Venion was stunned. It was hard to believe such a move came from a mere monster.

‘This is bad.’

It happened so quickly that Venion was about to worry for Allenvert’s survival. Just as he prepared to unleash a slash—

“What?”

A moment later, he witnessed something unbelievable.

* * *

“What the hell is this?”

When Nepherus unexpectedly unleashed its breath attack, I was prepared to sacrifice an arm to block it.

‘As long as my arm isn’t completely destroyed, it can heal.’

I couldn’t think of any other way. Cutting through a breath attack of that magnitude with sword energy was extremely difficult, and being mid-air made evasion nearly impossible.

Just as I was about to focus my defensive energy into my left arm to use it as a shield……

“Huh?”

I was stunned by the unexpected turn of events.

‘What is this?’

The ‘something’ that had been lingering like stones in my body, obstructing the flow of mana, began to gather in my palm as if it had a will of its own.

And the result was this.

Hummmmm!

My hand, acting on its own, began greedily absorbing Nepherus’s breath attack.

The energy flowed into my body, swirling somewhere in the currents between the five organs before dissolving.

It was like watching a massive salt-laden ship sink, its cargo dissolving back into the sea.

‘……This is absurd. What on earth is happening?’

It felt as though my left arm had gained a will of its own.

‘What is this? Ugh, it’s creepy.’

But so what if it’s a little creepy? Right now, my left arm was absorbing and digesting the immense mana contained in the breath attack.

This was thanks to the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique’s ability to easily absorb and assimilate even foreign energies.

‘This is an unexpected gain.’

My heart raced.

‘Poison, when used well, can also become medicine.’

Then perhaps that cursed power that had turned me into a ticking time bomb……

Might just become a new blessing.

“Heh heh heh heh.”

I laughed like a madman.

Eventually, Nepherus’s breath attack sputtered and died out.

“Burp.”

I let out a satisfied belch, as if I’d just consumed a high-quality spirit medicine, then declared to the bewildered Nepherus.

“……You’re done for.”

[Translator - Pot]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]