Level -99 Archmage - Chapter 142

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 142. The Protagonist Arrives
Park Chan-woo’s story was undeniably compelling.
‘But it’s a gamble.’
Yu Jin-seo needed certainty.
Even under Enchantment, other foxes could use the same technique.
Aurum in particular was a nine-tailed fox just like her.
‘If, by some chance, Park Chan-woo falls under Aurum’s Enchantment, there’s nothing I can do about it.’
She hated to admit it, but Aurum was several steps ahead of her.
While Yu Jin-seo possessed superior Enchantment ability itself, if Aurum truly decided to act, eliminating her would be child’s play.
And so.
Yu Jin-seo took half of Park Chan-woo’s liver.
In turn, Yu Jin-seo entrusted half of her own liver to Park Chan-woo.
This was the Fox Oath.
An absolute covenant among foxes—one that forced complete fidelity and prevented any other fox from casting Enchantment upon either party.
So long as Park Chan-woo was a fox, and she was a fox, no other fox would dare touch him.
…Now only one problem remained.
‘Let’s see if you have what it takes to be a protagonist.’
She upended the board.
With the scenario came a swap of lead and supporting roles.
One could reasonably call it a different work altogether.
But whether the work would succeed depended entirely on everyone’s capabilities.
Especially the protagonist—if he failed to play his part, no matter how brilliant the scenario, the whole thing would collapse in ruin.
The question was how well he could perform against the Spirit Hwa-ryeong.
‘I’ve told him Hwa-ryeong’s weakness. The rest is up to you.’
Honestly, she didn’t hold great expectations.
She’d given him advance knowledge of the weakness, but could he really finish it quickly?
A Holy Sword has only one hundred strikes.
After one hundred strikes, it disappears.
Spirits die in ten strikes, true—but Hwa-ryeong and all the other Spirits kept numerous subordinates under their command.
One person alone would struggle.
But working together with other Holy Sword Users, it shouldn’t be too difficult.
“I simply… cannot comprehend this.”
“A fox who appears out of nowhere is the protagonist?”
“Please explain the full circumstances!”
……Of course, they were right not to understand.
A “change of protagonist” was unprecedented, even under a nine-tailed fox’s command.
Besides, wasn’t her attitude before and after the private meeting far too different?
Since she wouldn’t even tell them what they’d discussed, the foxes had every right to be frustrated.
Yu Jin-seo spoke calmly.
“It’s a test. To see what role suits this new fox.”
“Even so, making him the protagonist from the start is……!”
“That’s true. We’ve never attempted such a thing either…….”
Even the foxes who’d worked alongside her for ages had never dared take on the “protagonist” role.
They couldn’t even voice the desire to try.
Yet she wanted to “test” this stranger for the role.
Their objection was only natural.
“…Let’s see how it goes first. We can judge afterwards.”
Truth be told, even Yu Jin-seo was of two minds.
Though she was pushing through with this regardless, if Park Chan-woo’s actual skill proved lacking, he simply couldn’t be the protagonist.
In the end, he’d need the strength to face Aurum.
‘Aurum is a monster.’
It wasn’t merely brute strength.
She possessed something beyond what a fox should be.
One might say she was optimized for destruction itself.
The precision of her technique was enough to send a shiver down the spine of anyone who watched.
A monster that created her own techniques, transcended limitations, and evolved infinitely.
Unlike a fox whose specialty was Enchantment, Aurum was something else entirely.
……So then.
He had to prove it.
That he could stand against Aurum.
If he couldn’t prove himself here, this audacious plan was finished.
‘Damn him. How did he snatch the protagonist’s role?’
‘He must’ve pulled some trick.’
‘Could he have used Enchantment on Yu Jin-seo?’
‘Fox bastard.’
‘He’ll be pathetic anyway.’
‘Not worth watching.’
The foxes stared at Park Chan-woo with eyes burning jealousy and resentment.
They simply couldn’t accept what was unfolding before them.
Yu Jin-seo was the model for all foxes, a being worthy of worship.
She had always been the protagonist, sacred and untouchable, possessed of an overwhelming charisma that drew all foxes to her lead.
Yet one private meeting had changed everything.
If the man proved worthless, they were ready to tear him apart where he stood.
The foxes leaned forward, eyes ablaze, watching as Park Chan-woo stepped forward to challenge Hwa-ryeong.
‘He’ll need help.’
‘Let’s see if he can manage alone.’
They muttered among themselves, standing well back from him.
Not a hair’s breadth of sympathy went toward this man who dared claim the protagonist’s seat before any of them.
Then.
Ding!
《A Spirit named Hwa-ryeong appears!》
《Hwa-ryeong commands fire and walks guarded by powerful wraiths. This entity specializes in ranged attacks.》
《Hwa-ryeong and her followers can only be cut down with a Holy Sword.》
Graaagh!
Screeeee!
Corpses rose from the swamp.
Hundreds of them, by rough count.
And behind the ghouls, the Spirit Hwa-ryeong emerged.
Whoooosh!
—I’ll burn it all to ash!
She looked like a demon wrought from living flame.
Hwa-ryeong hurled balls of fire with manic intensity.
To strike her down, he’d have to cut through the ghouls first.
‘A fire spirit, then.’
At the sight, Park Chan-woo let out a low chuckle.
What the foxes called Spirits were spirits indeed.
Though granted—each scenario Hwa-ryeong would be slain and need summoning anew, so spirits were the only beings limitless enough to sustain that cycle.
‘All the Spirits these foxes speak of are summoned by Aurum.’
It spoke volumes of just how vast Aurum’s Mana reserve truly was.
Summoning a spirit demanded enormous reserves of Magic Power.
To maintain those summons endlessly and call them forth again—it proved Aurum’s Mana was anything but ordinary.
‘The moment I defeat Hwa-ryeong, Aurum will know.’
That the protagonist had changed.
Therefore.
‘I’ll make it spectacular.’
Park Chan-woo meant to provoke Aurum.
He needed to etch himself indelibly into the minds of Yu Jin-seo and every fox gathered here.
That he was the protagonist.
That a ‘true’ protagonist had arrived—not some fraud.
Fortunately, Hwa-ryeong wasn’t particularly strong.
Judging by the Mana he sensed……
‘Between Level 50 and 60.’
Still higher than his current total combat strength.
But that was fine.
《119 Challengers follow you.》
《1 Nine-tailed Fox follows you!》
《The Holy Sword User’s stats surge dramatically!》
《All stats increased by 50.》
The Holy Sword’s power.
The more followers gathered, the more sharply his stats climbed.
Especially in the low-to-mid-level range, fifty points in every stat was enough to overcome even a ten-level gap.
‘If only I could cut through everything with the Holy Sword.’
Park Chan-woo nodded to himself.
To clear all these trials with minimal use of the Holy Sword.
‘Heavenly Punishment.’
Crack!
《Heavenly Punishment descends from the sky.》
《’Magic Critical Hit (32%)’ has been applied.》
《’Magic Double Casting (25%)’! Magic manifests twice.》
《The Holy Sword is granted the power of Heavenly Punishment.》
Zing!
Crackle-crackle-crackle!
Countless bolts of lightning coiled wildly around the Holy Sword.
Bright sparks erupted, as though ready to incinerate everything.
‘As expected—durability isn’t the issue.’
Imbuing a blade with magic required considerable durability.
But the Holy Sword’s durability never decreased except when striking an opponent.
Even with two overlapping applications, its durability remained at full.
-Strike them down!
Park Chan-woo watched the fireballs descending from above.
He observed with ease the procession of ghouls advancing toward him.
And then, directly toward their center,
Boom!
he drove the raging Heavenly Punishment Holy Sword into the ground.
In that instant.
Whoooosh!
Boom-boom-boom-boom!
* * *
“…….”
“…….”
The foxes had nothing to say.
Yu Jin-seo too maintained her silence.
Already, Park Chan-woo was advancing before them.
‘What was that just now?’
‘Did he imbue the Holy Sword with magic?’
‘Is that even possible?’
For it was a technique they had never witnessed before.
Granting something to the Holy Sword itself was unimaginable.
They hadn’t even known it was possible to imbue a blade with magic.
And so, in a single stroke.
That fox had swung his blade once and incinerated Hwa-ryeong along with hundreds of ghouls.
‘How could he burn a spirit of flame?’
‘Does this even make sense?’
It made no sense.
There was no way to explain it.
Yet they could not deny what they had witnessed with their own eyes.
“Thank heavens, we’re saved!”
“Holy Sword Users!”
“Park Chan-woo!”
Relief finally bloomed across the faces of those who followed behind.
They had overcome the first trial without significant casualties.
The fact that Park Chan-woo had eliminated Hwa-ryeong was already broadcasted in a message.
Before long, Park Chan-woo—not Yu Jin-seo—had become their center.
《185 Challengers follow you.》
《1 Fox Spirit follows you.》
The number of Challengers following him grew rapidly.
It was not only because he had slain Hwa-ryeong.
“Just follow us.”
“He’s a true hero!”
“Look, he killed a demon by himself.”
Following the covenant made at the temple, they had been quietly and methodically drawing people into their fold.
The very structure of the procession was shifting because of it.
Holy Sword Users who had marched with the others were peeling away, gathering gradually behind Park Chan-woo.
‘They have considerable strength, but…….’
‘The second Trial will be difficult for them.’
The foxes could not possibly have failed to notice the situation.
But it didn’t matter.
Ding!
《Welcome to the Sky of Wraiths.》
《Reach the end of the Sky of Wraiths and defeat the Spirit Cheon-ryeong!》
《You cannot proceed without eliminating every wraith that exists in the Sky of Wraiths.》
《Moreover, they can only be eliminated with the Silver Arrow.》
“Wraiths?”
“Where exactly are they supposed to be?”
“There’s a bow and arrows in front of us, but…….”
A cliff had appeared before them.
Yet beyond the cliff there was nothing at all.
How were they supposed to cross this place?
‘Only experienced challengers can perceive the wraiths’ location.’
Yu Jin-seo bit her lip.
The performance she had shown during the Hwa-ryeong hunt was impressive, but explaining the strategy for the second Trial was not easy, even for her.
The wraiths existed high in the sky and were difficult to see clearly.
Even the foxes like herself could only strike them down through countless experiences of practice.
But then.
“Hmm.”
Park Chan-woo picked up the bow that lay before the cliff without hesitation.
He nocked an arrow and released it without pause.
Screeeeeech!
Thunk!
《You have struck the first wraith!》
《The first step has appeared.》
《Climb the steps and strike the second wraith!》
A single staircase made of cloud materialized above the cliff.
Park Chan-woo ascended those steps and fired the bow once more.
Screeeeeech!
Thunk!
“……?”
“……What is this?”
The foxes tilted their heads in confusion.
How was a first-time challenger hitting, one after another, wraiths that hung so high in the sky they were barely visible?
Yet for Park Chan-woo, this was quite easy.
「Father. From there, move just a little to the left. Yes, there.」
Because Cygnus was there, looking down from even higher in the sky.
Screeeeeech!
Thunk!
Screeeeeech!
Thunk!

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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