Chapter 1063: Shadow of the Star (9)
A message from Alohan, who doubted Lennok had sliced through the veil and arrived in the spacetime beyond.
Could he have already discerned what the Harvester Spell Master had done, from within his distant Deep Sea Domain?
Lennok was briefly astonished by the Eight Great Dragon Kings’ overwhelming senses and intuition, but he immediately gathered his mana.
The opponent already knew Lennok had cut through the veil to arrive here.
At this point, saying he wasn’t allied with the Harvester Spell Master would be useless.
Rather than prolonging pointless talk, he should focus on dealing with the water dragon before him.
Kwarururung!!!
The colossal water dragon opened its maw wide within the underwater palace, now filling with seawater.
As Alohan opened his mouth and drew in mana, the surrounding sea currents began to converge into his mouth.
“…!!!”
[Piercing Water]
Kwaaaaaah!!!!
The surrounding waterways were compressed to their limit, mixed with mana, and spun at supersonic speed.
Water, shot out under immense pressure, possessed the power to pierce through matter itself.
The stream of water fired from Alohan’s mouth curved like a laser, penetrating everything in its path.
Kagagagak!!!
In an instant, it not only cut the palace floor but also stretched long vertically, a manifestation of mana shooting towards Lennok.
Yet, Lennok remained unmoved even as the water stream aimed at his glabella, in the blink of an eye.
Because from the moment Kundara’s Dragon King moved with killing intent, Lennok had already finished his preparations.
Splash!
Olivera, stepping out of the surging water at their feet, stood before Lennok and extended her hand.
The veil covering her face fluttered wildly, and The Seven Debts Jewels Mystic Eye rotated violently, emitting light.
Kiiiing…!!!
The water stream Alohan had fired split into five directions at Olivera’s fingertips, scattering everywhere.
The water streams, exploding and dispersing, pierced and smashed the palace, churning the rising currents.
Olivera’s response, having activated her Mystic Eye and deflected the Dragon King’s spellcraft with a single gesture.
The peculiar thing was that the water streams, divided at Olivera’s fingertips, dispersed into different concepts, including mana, water, will-thought, and mental image.
It was as if the individual components forming Alohan’s spellcraft had been separated and scattered.
“[Is it an ability that forcibly divides and disperses the properties of spellcraft?]”
Alohan, observing from above the palace, seemed to notice this fact, his reptilian pupils glinting.
“[To forcibly overlay the concept of Spectral Decomposition onto my Water Minister Spellcraft… then that must be The Seven Debts Jewels Mystic Eye.]”
“[It’s not a power to boast about to a beast that’s merely accumulated age.]”
Olivera retorted languidly.
“[Would a Long-lived Being, hiding in such a remote place, even recognize the true value of these eyes?]”
Kugwagwagwa!!!
The seawater pouring from above had already risen to chest level.
Within the rapidly filling underwater palace, the telepathic transmissions of the Dragon King and the Archmage clashed simultaneously.
Behind Olivera, Lennok immediately incanted a simple Common Magic spell.
Paat!!
The Common Magic for underwater breathing, [Underwater Breathing].
[Aqua Enchant] to facilitate movement in water.
[Abyssal Protection] to withstand the strengthening water pressure.
The moment he incanted a few more Common Magic spells designed for underwater combat,
This time, the entire underwater palace was submerged, and Lennok and Olivera’s forms floated in the water.
Gurgle…!!
The pressure on his head instantly deafened his ears, blurring his vision slightly.
The chilling pressure on his chest momentarily made it impossible to breathe.
Even with his body perfectly protected by Common Magic, Lennok’s condition was difficult to maintain despite these subtle changes.
The extreme environment of the deep sea, located thousands of meters below the surface.
The existence of the Eight Great Dragon Kings, who guarded Kundara’s waters by making this very deep sea their Deep Sea Domain.
It wasn’t just a lack of oxygen or restricted movement; immense water pressure, enough to crush a body, pressed down on them.
Karnis’s advice was not wrong.
No matter how skilled a spellcaster, it would be difficult to even last long, let alone fight, in such an environment.
If Lennok hadn’t acquired the ability to deal with various situations through Common Magic, he would have had to exert all his strength just to endure after the Deep Sea Domain activated.
However, after his body was submerged in the water, Lennok felt his condition rapidly improve and touched his chest.
‘It’s because of the leaf.’
The World Tree’s Leaf pendant, processed by Karnis at his request, was infusing Lennok with vitality and regulating his condition.
Not just allowing him to endure in the deep sea through Common Magic, but also continuously providing the very vitality Lennok needed to move.
“Olivera.”
Having assessed the situation, Lennok placed a hand on Olivera’s shoulder, who stood before him, and slowly opened his mouth.
Bubbles streamed from Lennok’s mouth, but his words reached Olivera normally through the water.
Olivera, who had been facing Alohan, glanced back at Lennok’s gesture.
He had intended to cast spells on her if necessary, but even within this Deep Sea Domain, her body seemed unharmed.
Olivera, too, must have her own means of coping with her body’s condition.
But Lennok, knowing this, still nodded at her.
“I’ll handle it.”
“[Are you trying to interfere?]”
“Don’t waste the Mystic Eye here. Your immediately usable power must have its limits, right?”
“[… .]”
Olivera had only just finished the complex process of Mystic Eye adjustment two days ago.
Although she had exerted herself to boost the Mystic Eye’s output, given the complex principles of innate abilities, there was a high possibility her power had not yet stabilized.
Regardless of Olivera’s high self-esteem, considering the usefulness of the Mystic Eye, it would be better to conserve her strength here.
“[I smell a nuisance.]”
Alohan, the Dragon King, looked down at Lennok, his eyes gleaming.
“[A very bothersome scent of kin… How can a short-lived being like you emit the same fragrance as us?]”
“You. I heard you intensely dislike being talked back to.”
Lennok slowly rotated his shoulders as he replied.
“For someone like that, you seem quite curious about short-lived beings.”
“[… .]”
“It seems we both have a lot to be curious about. First, come at me.”
Hwoong!!
Lennok, drawing mana and sinking deeper into the palace, loosened his wrists and said,
“I don’t think I can make a proper calculation without personally confirming how strong Kundara’s Eight Great Dragon Kings are.”
Karnis had advised against fighting the Dragon King in the Deep Sea Domain, but it was pointless if the Dragon King showed a will to fight.
Conversely, Lennok didn’t think he couldn’t win against the Dragon King in the Deep Sea Domain either.
If the opponent was beyond conversation, he would at least have to drag this battlefield to a situation where conversation was possible.
“[A short-lived being who is not only presumptuous but utterly arrogant.]”
But upon hearing Lennok’s calm words, Alohan seemed even more provoked, raising his head.
“[Are you saying you will dispute victory and defeat in my Deep Sea Domain?]”
Kuoooooh!!!
The colossal water dragon bared its teeth and threw back its head, its body, clad in blue scales, writhing.
As Alohan drew in mana, the currents enveloping the entire palace rotated violently.
Following the currents, all matter throughout the palace shifted as if simultaneously pushed, shaking madly as if an earthquake had struck.
Swaaaaaaa!!!
The water current pressing down on Lennok’s body rotated at an immense speed, shooting at him as if to grind him away.
A fierce and violent torrent, strong enough to endanger life simply by standing in this Domain.
The Eight Great Dragon Kings, who guarded Kundara’s waters and manipulated the entire current surrounding Outer Tribulation City.
As Alohan, with his head tilted far back, rotated the currents around his massive body.
Lennok brought his raised right hand to overlap his left, incanting a spell.
[Spiral Thunderkill]
[Penetrating Trample]
Pajijijijik…!!!!
Along Lennok’s fingertips, submerged in water, brilliant blue lightning flashed and rotated violently.
Above the vast spell formation that appeared centered on Lennok’s hands, a spiral of lightning surged upwards.
Above his head, ultra-compressed water bullets descended at immense speed, exploding.
Paaaaaang!!!
In the heavy water, the shock arrived before the sound.
The deep-sea currents momentarily pushed back, forming a vacuum that excluded even mana and air.
A powerful shockwave, arriving a beat later, pushed everything up and down.
Kugwagwagwa!!!
The Deep Sea Domain’s palace shook violently, solely from the clash of Lennok’s and Alohan’s spellcraft, dividing the sea above and below.
Alohan’s colossal body, clad in blue scales, accelerated as it moved through the currents.
Racing along the palace walls, he began to draw in all the surrounding waterways.
[Blue Allure]
[Water Bullet Blade]
Dududududu!!!
Wherever the colossal water dragon accelerated, water pillars surged and rotated, grinding away all the surrounding terrain.
Monstrous firepower, as if breathing, continuously spewing forth the very waves of the sea, wrapped around its body like cannon fire.
Lennok, seeing this, also began to rotate the mana within his body with all his might.
In this underwater environment, the longer the battle continued, the more disadvantaged Lennok would be.
Rather than trying to conserve mana, accepting a certain degree of efficiency loss and escalating the scale would help secure a favorable position.
Kwaaaaaah!!!
The moment Lennok inhaled underwater and changed his footing, immense bubbles burst forth, momentarily obscuring his body.
Lennok’s form, having repeatedly used Flicker to leap through space, instantly landed on the colossal water dragon’s head.
“[How dare you!!!]”
The enraged water dragon spun its body at subsonic speed, trying to dislodge Lennok, and lashed out with its thick tail.
At that speed alone, a sonic boom exploded underwater, violently pressing down on Lennok’s form, but—
[Shattered Thunder Stab Person]
Pajijijik…!!!
In that brief moment, another lightning spell incantation was completed within Lennok’s hand.
[Fragmented Thunder Flash]
[Twilight]
Tututututung!!!
The lightning condensed in Lennok’s hand split into dozens of strands, pounding the water dragon’s body from the side.
The impact caused the water dragon’s colossal body to crumple as if crushed, slamming it into the palace wall.
Kwaaaang!!!
“[…!!!]”
Even the master of the Deep Sea Domain couldn’t withstand the impact; the water dragon opened its mouth wide, letting out a silent scream.
But soon, Alohan raised his head with eyes overflowing with killing intent, growling and drawing mana towards Lennok.
Lennok, too, quickly refined his mana as he observed Alohan.
‘Water Minister Spellcraft. It’s certainly difficult to deal with.’
Alohan, one of the Eight Great Dragon Kings, a Long-lived Being guarding Kundara’s waters, was a Transcendent who had established the Deep Sea Domain and manipulated the entire sea current.
Manipulating the currents of the sea beyond the veil, and using them as power for his spellcraft, made his output unpredictable.
Even if Lennok had an advantage in simple mana manipulation, the surrounding environment itself was extremely favorable to Alohan.
At every moment their spellcraft clashed and they exchanged blows, Lennok had to fight while reserving enough energy to withstand the fierce water pressure crushing his body.
As Karnis had warned at the Thorben War-Mage Tower, every moment of the battle was a continuous struggle, requiring him to simultaneously perform extremely difficult tasks.
However, even so, Lennok was not without a way to face this colossal water dragon head-on.
As Lennok looked at Alohan, he clasped his hands together.
“=Alohan. Please calm down, you’ve rampaged enough.”
Crunch!!
A dark crimson starfish had swollen its body, blocking Alohan.
The monster’s seven-fingered hand swayed, slowly swimming in the water.
Just that alone, an ominous glow spread around, eroding the currents and slowing their speed.
“=As you said, if Kundara is preparing for a major event across its territory, the Fearsome Blood King wouldn’t want a commotion to grow larger.”
“[… .]”
Suddenly, upon hearing the name Fearsome Blood King, Alohan’s movements abruptly halted.
The colossal water dragon, which had been endlessly swimming in the water, momentarily stopped, as if deep in thought.
“=The more intense the clashes within the veil’s interior become, the more Kundara would be exposed to the external stimuli you mentioned.”
The starfish seized the opportunity and asked.
“=Are you planning to stir up the entire Deep Sea Domain and cause a ruckus until a victor is decided?”
“[… .]”
Alohan did not answer.
Perhaps even this ferocious water dragon vaguely realized that he couldn’t immediately decide victory or defeat against Lennok.
The Dragon King also probably surmised that this might be an opponent requiring him to overturn the entire Deep Sea Domain and exert his full power.
“=The Fearsome Blood King I remember was someone who always left one exception, no matter the situation.”
The starfish said.
“=If controlling all of Outer Tribulation City is his will, then even in this situation, there shouldn’t be no way to head to Kundara.”
“[…You talk too much.]”
The colossal water dragon’s pupils fixed on the starfish with chilling killing intent.
“[What do you, who are not even a member of Kundara, presume to know about the affairs of a Long-lived Being?]”
“=… .”
“[But, fine. Just as you say, that Blood King left a word.]”
Hwoosh!!
Alohan, having returned to his human form, descended onto the half-shattered throne and said,
“Due to a significant event scheduled in Kundara, Outer Tribulation City is currently searching for a spellcaster exceptionally skilled in one particular talent.”
“… .”
“If you possess that talent, or an aptitude for it, then it is not impossible for me to let you in.”
“What talent are you talking about?”
“A method that a spellcaster who has transcended hierarchies would surely know.”
Alohan sneered, his face that of a fierce middle-aged man.
Thud!!
At that moment, a massive game board fell into the center of the undulating palace audience chamber.
A chessboard with black and white pieces scattered in disarray.
The moment Lennok realized it was the familiar form of Obaekro.
“This is…”
“It’s a type of board game widely popular in Outer Tribulation City.”
Dragon King Alohan said, boasting proudly.
“It also serves as a criterion to test the aptitude that a spellcaster of wisdom and virtue must master.”
“… .”
“The Blood King is looking for a spellcaster skilled in this game. To put it simply, he’s looking for a talent that can be tested through this game.”
Alohan’s eyes gleamed with a fierce smile.
Alohan’s blue pupils flashed as he raised his hand.
“Strong short-lived being. If you lose this test, you shall quietly return outside the veil. Or I will personally bury you beneath the sea of the Deep Sea Domain.”
“I didn’t say I’d take a test to get to Kundara.”
Lennok calmly rubbed his hands, withdrawing his mana.
“In the first place, why do you think I’d willingly accept a test whose criteria I don’t even know?”
It was unexpected that Kundara had set Obaekro as the test condition, but Lennok had no reason to accept such a test in the first place.
It was regrettable that he couldn’t proceed to Kundara via the Deep Sea Domain, but Lennok possessed Celestial Spellcraft.
He only needed to escape this Dragon King’s Domain and find another way to avoid the Harvester Spell Master’s eyes.
“I knew it. A short-lived being like you wouldn’t understand the great amusement of a Long-lived Being.”
To Lennok’s calm words, Alohan scoffed as if he had expected it.
“Even if you’ve transcended hierarchies, how could a mere short-lived being understand the charm of a board game that uses time as stakes?”
“Uses time as stakes…?”
Did he mean money wagered on the outcome of Obaekro?
“It is a currency commonly used in Kundara, and something as precious as gold to short-lived beings.”
Just as Lennok’s face hardened at these unexpected words, Alohan said, boasting,
“It is lifespan.”
“What are you waiting for?”
Lennok had already sat down before the board, even before Alohan finished speaking.
“…Hm?”
Lennok’s eyes sparkled as he picked up a piece and tapped the board.
“Let’s start immediately. Right now.”