The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage - Chapter 153

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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 153
153
2.
A dark chamber.
Only the candles hanging on the walls dimly illuminated this place.
Everywhere else was so dark that one couldn’t tell if there were pits.
Or if something else lurked there.
Nothing could be seen.
Yet there were footsteps advancing through it.
Thud, thud, thud, thud.
Yoo Sung-hyun and Paragon Marquis were among them.
Leading the way through the dark chamber was Paragon Marquis, torch in hand.
Yet Yoo Sung-hyun’s expression suggested he was even further ahead.
“If you continue straight this way, you’ll reach the entrance to the Labyrinth.”
One might have asked if anyone was guarding this place, but he didn’t.
Before descending here, he had seen soldiers standing watch with stern vigilance.
There was no need to ask.
Besides.
-This place has special magical reinforcements in place.
‘I see.’
According to Helena, this place already had countless magical protections layered throughout.
There was no need to worry unnecessarily.
After Paragon Marquis guided Yoo Sung-hyun in this manner.
Yoo Sung-hyun nodded in acknowledgment.
As he was about to depart immediately.
“Please, be careful.”
Paragon Marquis spoke with deep concern etched into the lines of his face.
It was a clear testament to how much he had suffered in the mere months of less than a year.
Yoo Sung-hyun, seeing Paragon Marquis’s expression, replied with reassurance.
“Of course. After all, I’m a Foreigner.”
“Ha, I’ve never found those words so reassuring before. Here, take this. An eternal flame.”
Paragon Marquis tried to hand over the torch.
Yoo Sung-hyun shook his head.
And then.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
From the black shadow behind Yoo Sung-hyun emerged countless cyan-glowing eyes.
At the sight of eyes numbering nearly an entire legion, Paragon Marquis instinctively stepped back.
Even though he knew they were on his side.
When had there been so many?
His pupils trembled as he looked at Yoo Sung-hyun in fear.
“I don’t particularly need a torch.”
“…Ah, is that so?”
“Yes, I’ll be back shortly.”
It was merely a common phrase.
Yet Paragon Marquis could not think of words more reassuring than those.
It seemed I had done well to entrust this to him.
Thump, thump, thump.
The sound of his footsteps receding into the distance.
Thud, thud.
Boom, boom.
Whoosh.
Thump, thump, thump.
Yet at some point, those footsteps multiplied.
Until Yoo Sung-hyun descended into the Labyrinth.
Paragon Marquis swallowed hard, listening to countless footsteps.
“Hah.”
For some reason this time.
The premonition felt good.
3.
The center of the Underground Labyrinth reeked like a stagnant reservoir left unmaintained.
And the thick dark fog blanketing that place emanated the stench.
A repugnant place.
Yet Yoo Sung-hyun walked through it without concern, moving softly.
There was no sense of presence around him.
There were no skills worth detecting either.
I moved based on the memories and experiences I had absorbed thus far.
Sensing the malice contained within this thick fog.
And before coming here, I had already dispatched the scouts I had summoned.
Chimera Death Legion without self-awareness.
‘Hmm.’
Even if only the central area was sealed off, this was still the Labyrinth.
The space was so vast that I alone could not traverse all of it.
As I sent them out like this.
The three retainers gathered around me spoke.
-Hey Nocturnium, still no luck this time?
“…That’s right.”
-Well, it’s fine.
At Leonik’s words, Nocturnium ground his teeth, clearly wounded in pride, and Fiora soothed the frustrated Nocturnium.
Helena smiled softly watching the three retainers.
And I kept track of the scouts’ positions rather than watching them.
I possessed no skill to share my field of vision.
I had to identify each location individually and sense whether any auras were vanishing to discern the positions of enemies or traps.
Yet as I sent my forces far ahead and felt the chimeras remaining unharmed, I tilted my head in puzzlement.
“No traps either?”
At such a reaction.
“Perhaps, if someone has survived long in this place, they may have disarmed all the traps, my lord.”
Nocturnium offered the explanation.
That was certainly possible.
If the traps were gone.
I could spread my wings far more freely.
I immediately grasped this and commanded my chimeras and homunculus Death Legion soldiers to move with greater speed.
And with that increased velocity, I could scout far more territory.
Then, in an instant, a Death Legion soldier’s aura vanished within the Labyrinth.
The moment I pinpointed that location, I moved without uttering a word.
Whoosh!
The instant I moved, my three subordinates moved as well.
I darted forward with swift precision.
Slower than Anemor, but I dared not summon him.
Within the Labyrinth, I had no room to deploy Anemor.
At best, I could summon Barphor.
But summoning Barphor would match my running speed anyway.
So I refrained from summoning him.
I sent more Death Legion soldiers to that location just in case.
And sure enough, they were vanishing.
At a rapid pace, no less.
Moreover.
‘They’re heading this way.’
I realized the direction the chimera Death Legion soldiers were approaching from and that they were closing in on my position.
Quite sound judgment for whoever this is.
‘Let’s see what you’ve got.’
With that thought, I unleashed more of my Death Legion.
The chimera legion was no longer necessary.
Reconnaissance had already lost its purpose.
The legions I would deploy first were the Goblin Legion and the Lesser Demon Kaisak Legion.
I sent those two legions forward.
This time, they did not vanish as pathetically as the chimeras had.
I felt this and increased my speed further.
Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump.
However.
‘Three already?’
Only a brief moment had passed.
Three goblins had already fallen.
It wasn’t because the goblin legion was weak.
They had already grown to their limits in the Underworld.
So they were still at a respectable level to employ.
But the fact that they’d already been defeated was simple enough to understand with a moment’s thought.
‘He’s that strong.’
And just before I arrived.
Both the goblin legion and Kaisak’s legion vanished entirely.
They were annihilated.
Of course, I could have resurrected them using the Death Legion.
But I didn’t.
There was no point—they clearly wouldn’t be much help in combat now.
If they’d fallen that quickly, it was certain.
Even if they fought alongside me, they’d only be a burden.
It would be better to summon only those at the level of my direct subordinates.
I snapped my fingers and summoned Barphor and Baltar from the Underworld instead.
Dracanoss?
‘He said it was better to rest for a while, didn’t he?’
He’d exhausted himself considerably in the recent battle against Mirajine, Master of Illusion.
He’d said he’d recuperate for a time.
Though he’s the strongest among my subordinates.
Given his age and all.
‘I should let him rest.’
Since I’d already told him to rest.
I summoned only up to Baltar.
-Kahahaha! Now it’s time to display my perfected swordsmanship!
-Thank you for summoning me, sir.
The exuberant Baltar and the earnest Barphor.
With both summoned, all five of my subordinates had finished their battle preparations.
The opponent was a raid boss, after all.
I’d prepared to record the footage, then remembered I’d forgotten the live broadcast request.
But they’d said they were busy lately.
Sending them the video afterward would suffice.
With that thought, I charged forward.
And something came flying.
Shrieeeeek——!!!
Nocturnium, stepping forward, hastily transformed the Labyrinth’s floor into a wall, blocking the projectile that came slicing through the air.
Or rather, nearly blocked it.
Boom——!
Yet the wall crumbled helplessly, and though it slowed the onslaught, its force remained undiminished.
Fearing it would reach me, Barphor, Baltar, and Fiora threw up their defenses—a colossal hand, a crimson greatsword, and a shield-like palm—to intercept the incoming assault.
Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash!
The impact carried such tremendous force that all three of them barely managed to hold it back.
What had come flying was a stone spear.
It appeared to be a stone lance carved from the very walls of this Labyrinth.
In that moment, Leonik surged forward in the direction from which the stone spear had come, unleashing a navy-blue aura.
Clang!
A violent collision erupted!
The fierce crash echoed as a shockwave of force sent Leonik rapidly backward.
Leonik alone could not withstand such power.
I watched it unfold with narrowed eyes.
From that direction came the sound of footsteps.
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
Unhurried footsteps, brimming with composure despite Leonik’s assault.
I remained silent as those footsteps drew closer.
Not because I was unwilling to move.
I had been forced into a state where I could not move at all.
It seemed I had found the right place after all.
An event scene where I could not move a single finger.
In this paralyzed state, I could see a woman walking toward me from the far end.
Caked in blood of indeterminate age, she looked less like a human and more like a beast.
Yet her eyes and spear gleamed with an eerie brilliance as she approached.
“You dare block my attack….”
A subtle anticipation resonated in her voice.
And within that voice lay something else.
A vicious malice, hostility, and murderous intent I had never felt before.
Like a child who had finally received an entertaining toy.
Her lips curved into a grin that seemed ready to split her face.
The woman spoke to me.
“You’re strong, aren’t you? Like that woman.”
There was no mistaking who “that woman” referred to.
A female user wielding a single sword.
She had to be talking about her.
Which meant.
‘Was that person also an Almighty-grade user?’
It seemed likely.
As I reached that conclusion.
Helena spoke to me as well.
-You and your subordinates are not yet at a level where you can endure her alone.
Yoo Sung-hyun felt it too, unmistakably.
And the system message confirmed it.
[Hidden Raid Boss ‘Carmine, Pentagrid’s Worst’ has appeared.]
[The Hidden Raid will begin shortly.]
!!!WARNING!!!
You have no party!!!
Danger!!!
Excessive level difference!!!
Danger!!!
The system message rang out with considerable alarm.
Yet the more it warned, the deeper Yoo Sung-hyun’s smile became.
Now this was actually interesting.
That’s what I thought as I waited.
Before long, I felt my body regain its freedom.
And in that moment.
Carmine moved.
Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—whoosh.
Her movements were so blindingly fast I nearly lost sight of them.
But drawing on the memories and experiences I’d absorbed so far, I could quickly grasp her trajectory.
And just as I perceived it.
My other retainers also recognized the threat and moved to intercept.
Leonik was the first to charge forward.
Radiating a navy-blue aura, he channeled it entirely into his blade and unleashed his signature tyrannical swordsmanship, attempting to bind Carmine in place.
But.
Spin.
Carmine lightly twirled her spear like a dancer’s ribbon, attempting to deflect Leonik’s blade with fluid grace.
However, Leonik’s swordsmanship was tyrannical in nature.
He swung his blade with enough force to cleave Carmine’s spear in two despite her attempt at redirection.
CLANG——!!!
-!!!!!!
An enormous recoil sent numbness through his hands.
Being undead, such an impact wouldn’t damage his body, but.
Leonik was forced back immediately.
In technique, they were evenly matched.
But Carmine possessed an overwhelming advantage in raw power, so Leonik had no choice but to retreat—and Baltar stepped forward to block her path, shouting.
-Show me the fruits of your training! Next, you train, Leonik!!!
Baltar’s cry carried genuine desperation—a refusal to go back.
What kind of training could possibly drive someone to such lengths?

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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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