All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 131

◈ Chapter 131

66. It Was You – 1

Using Moon Shadow Footwork to quickly reach the vicinity of Bades County, Ian muttered to himself.

“This place… I remember it.”

The Brandon barony had borrowed a significant amount of money from Bades County in the past.

And as collateral to prove they would repay the debt, they sent Ian as a hostage on several occasions.

Each time, he stayed for several months in Rolpitan, a village within Bades County.

It wasn’t exactly a fond memory.

The Brandon barony practically wanted Bades County to kill Ian.

Bades County brought him in to ensure the money was repaid, but they neglected him, providing inadequate care.

Ultimately, Ian was the one who suffered the most between the two parties.

Shaking his head to dispel the unpleasant memories, he gazed down at the moderately sized village.

“What about Instructor Aranse and the students?”

“What? Should I assume this is similar to the Bobild Dungeon? Captured for life extension or something?”

“So, what exactly is this mission about?”

“Is Lich Kalteg the culprit?”

“Their purpose?”

After concluding his conversation with Kirke, Ian nodded and proceeded along the mountain path.

He only needed to go a little further to reach the dungeon entrance.

Suddenly, four women clad in black robes materialized before him.

“Heehee… Heeheeheehee…”

“Hit! Heehee!”

“Ahahaha…”

“Sniff… Heuheuk… Sniff…”

Whether laughing or crying, the women exuded an unsettling aura, even from behind.

As Ian observed them intently, the women slowly turned their heads.

-Wooddeudeuk!! [Sound of cracking bones]

The heads rotated a full 180 degrees.

Having completely turned their heads to face their backs, they grinned grotesquely, tears of blood streaming down their faces.

.

Ian began to chant.

“Om Sarva Jivana Gaanaari Svaha. [A Buddhist mantra]”

“Kyaaaaaaak!!”

The banshees were instantly purified by the mantra.

As they vanished, he shrugged.

“Banshees. This must be a place connected to black magic.”

“So, are they kidnapping people to use them as sacrifices for black magic?”

As he ascended further, the ghosts from before were merely a prelude.

The higher he climbed, the more undead creatures he encountered, including zombies and ghouls.

Ghosts, banshees, zombies, and even byproducts of black magic like orcs and goblins, blocked his path.

Trampling them underfoot, he continued onward. Mayna abruptly leaped out of his bag as he arrived at the cave entrance.

“Myaaaaa!!”

She openly expressed her displeasure, glaring at the cave.

Seeing Mayna’s fur standing on end as she hissed, Ian inquired of Kirke.

“I can sense malice here as well? But it feels weaker than before?”

The Tower’s Cheonchuk [a powerful artifact or location] and the land of malice created in Beridan County had been far more potent.

This was undeniably weaker than what he had experienced previously.

“Regardless, this is a nasty and defiled place. I can’t simply ignore it.”

“Mayna, let’s go.”

Mayna, who had been hissing at the cave, scurried over.

Climbing onto his shoulder instead of returning to the bag, she prepared for battle.

Entering the cave and descending slightly, he noticed a hole in the wall, clearly man-made.

Judging by the footprints, they likely belonged to the students and Aranse.

Confirming this, Ian proceeded down the stairs.

There, the true nature of the dungeon was revealed.

It bore a similar structure to the Bobild Dungeon he had encountered before.

“Kirke.”

While Kirke analyzed the dungeon, Ian frowned at the magical energy permeating the area.

Unlike the Bobild Dungeon, which had a hint of lunar energy, this place was openly saturated with malice, making it quite unpleasant.

“Krrr…”

With various parts of their bodies torn and twisted, half-rotten, long-armed monsters emerged, baring sharp teeth and raising their arms.

“Kaaaak!!”

“Kyaaaat!!”

Heavenly Demon Divine Art, Chapter of the Sun.

Twin Dragon Fury.

The energy contained within his sword split into two.

The energy instantly transformed into the form of two red dragons, obliterating the ghouls.

They turned into black ash, leaving no trace behind. Ian then asked Kirke.

“Where are the prisoners and the students?”

Ian nodded and advanced.

Undead monsters appeared intermittently, but none could impede his progress.

While defeating them, he continued onward.

At the first fork in the path, Mayna suddenly jumped down and cried out, fixating on one direction.

“Mya! Mya!”

“Mayna, what’s wrong?”

“Myamya!”

If left unattended, the corpse would be zombified by the malice within the dungeon.

Mayna seemed concerned about this.

“Let’s go.”

“I know.”

Ian strode forward.

Several magical traps appeared along the way, but Kirke had already detected them all.

He had also noticed them, allowing him to easily neutralize the traps.

“Sniff…”

“Aaaa…”

“Heuheuk… Sniff…”

After bypassing the last trap, three ghosts were huddled around a corpse in the corner.

They were attempting to control the body by merging with it.

But perhaps due to the corpse being a priest, the ghosts struggled to fully possess it.

“Kyaaaaak!!”

One ghost shrieked upon seeing Ian.

At that signal, several other ghosts emerged from the walls.

“Ahaha!”

“Heeheeheehee!!”

“Kyaak! Kyaaaaak!”

“Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. [A Christian prayer]”

As Ian’s prayer echoed through the chamber, the ghosts, who had been eager to possess his body moments before, froze.

Hesitating and retreating, Ian stepped forward.

“May the glory of the great one of all the holy lands, who fills the heavens and the earth, be spread.”

“Kyaaaaak!”

“Aaaak!!”

“Even if he is not a child who follows you, he will be protected in your glory.”

The ghosts scattered.

As their bodies completely dissipated, Ian concluded the ritual before the corpse.

“May there be blessings in your rest.”

Although it was the Saulon Theocracy’s ritual, holiness is universal, so there should be no issue.

At least for a few months, no undead would be able to defile this corpse.

After completing the ritual, Ian examined the body.

The priest, who appeared to be a fox beastman, had sustained a large wound in his abdomen.

After properly tidying up the corpse, Ian discovered a small book that had fallen from his grasp.

“What is this?”

“Do it.”

As he placed the diary in his bag, Kirke began to narrate.

Eoul had been searching for Lich Kalteg for a long time.

He had finally located Kalteg’s hiding place, but for some reason, the Lich was far stronger than before.

To stop him, Eoul intended to hire adventurers and warriors to confront him together.

That was the gist of the diary’s contents.

“Is there anything else that could be helpful besides that?”

“Then I should give it to Priest Aute.”

Ian reoriented himself and continued onward.

After walking for a while, he found stairs leading down.

“There wouldn’t be anything like the Bobild Dungeon here, right?”

“No. I was hoping there would be.”

If so, wouldn’t it be over if I just broke through the first floor?

As Ian said with a smile, Mayna moved towards the stairs.

Seeing that she didn’t return, it seemed that wasn’t the case, unfortunately.

“Are the captured people still safe?”

Then that’s good.

Ian followed after Mayna and descended to the second floor.

A much more unpleasant malice permeated the air than on the first floor, and the magical energy was also denser.

The walls themselves seemed to be shifting, attempting to exhaust those who wandered within.

Ian nodded and raised his sword.

“Kirke. Designate the location of the people captured as prisoners.”

As Kirke indicated the direction, he slowly drew his sword.

Heavenly Demon Divine Art, Chapter of the Fallen Sky.

Rebellion.

-Kwagwagwagwang!! [Sound of an explosion]

If he could bypass the maze easily, there was no need to navigate the shifting walls while searching for a path.

The immense energy contained within his sword began to shatter the maze’s walls.

Ian, having blasted a path straight to his destination, walked directly, traversing the destroyed walls.

“As expected, they weren’t simply captured. They’re reckless. How far is it from here?”

“Then that means I can go down from here.”

Ian reversed his grip on his sword and slammed it into the floor.

His sword easily pierced the hard stone floor as if it were cheese, and Ian infused it with internal energy.

Heavenly Demon Divine Art, Chapter of the Fallen Sky.

Landmine Tremor.

-Wooddeudeudeuk!! [Sound of collapsing wood]

The floor cracked and his body shook.

Maintaining his balance, the floor eventually gave way completely.

-Kuuung!! [Sound of a heavy impact]

As he destroyed the floor with Landmine Tremor and plummeted to the level below, Kirke reported.

“What is this… Huh?! You!!”

It was Aranse.

He shouted in surprise upon seeing Ian.

Wildy, who was calming the prisoners from behind, yelled.

“Ian! Behind you…”

-Seogeok!! [Sound of a blade cutting flesh]

“…You were being careful.”

Ian, having swiftly dispatched a ghoul that had apparently rushed in after hearing the commotion, said calmly.

“Let’s get out of here.”