What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 397

#397

Wandering Venetian (1)

Clang! The blue lantern shattered, plunging the room into deeper darkness.

I sprawled on the floor like a discarded rag, groaning.

Did they pack concrete into my shoulders? It hurts every time!

“Wow, what a ride.”

“I am not a carriage.”

-Whoosh, papapap!

The Crown Prince retorted sharply, throwing daggers like shurikens [small, bladed throwing weapons].

‘Aaaagh! A magic swordsman!’ ‘A paladin, a priest, and a magic swordsman have infiltrated!’ The hallway echoed with their screams.

The guys who witnessed the crimson mana [magical energy] gasped and spewed out aether [a mystical substance or energy].

I was too tense to notice before, but now I could smell a bizarre stench coming from them.

On top of that, my ears were ringing, and my vision was blurry, making me completely disoriented.

Even in the midst of all this, I struggled to maintain a stable posture.

The golden circle bulged up and down, wobbling like pudding.

This is a real mess, five minutes before, no, five minutes after!

“Kill them! Target the priest first!”

“Don’t let a single one escape! Capture them at all costs!”

“Sedatives! Bring the powdered magic stone sedatives!”

-Thud! Kwaaaang!

‘Kkeuaaaak!’ Dozens of test subjects were swept away by the Crown Prince’s swordsmanship.

The water flowers that sprouted from their hands quickly withered, and the flames turned to ash in an instant.

The vines lacked strength, and the wind swirled aimlessly, unable to find its direction.

It seemed they weren’t ‘completed’ paladins yet.

However, the onrushing crowd was like a black wave.

In terms of numbers alone, we were at a severe disadvantage.

‘Haaah!’ This time, a group of armored knights charged forward, shouting.

Ms. Gain immediately stretched out her arms to respond.

Crack, crackle, crack! The dark, damp hallway instantly turned into an ice rink.

‘Aagh, damn it!’ Crash, bang, thump! Those who couldn’t overcome the speed and force slipped and slid, crashing into each other.

Nevertheless, quite a few managed to keep their balance. Ms. Gain immediately slid across the hallway and—

“Your big sister’s cleaning up, you bastards!”

-Whack! Whack, whack, whack!

“Keuheok!”

‘Yaap!’ She spun her legs like windmills, kicking anyone who approached her like crazy.

Tripping them, freezing their outstretched limbs to the floor.

I stared at her technique, mouth agape, as I was carried like a fertilizer sack.

Did she just use breakdancing to hit people?!?

“Chase them! We must kill them, even if we die!”

“Don’t let them harm that person!”

“Here, I’ve brought the sedatives!”

“Yaaaaa!”

Rumble, rumble! Beyond the hallway, people poured in like a dark cloud.

It was eerie how so many could be hidden in such a gloomy place.

The heavily injured robe-wearers relentlessly pursued us.

In the dim underground, their pupils gleamed like bat eyes.

The skin, rotten with a dead purple hue, was gruesome.

Cultists holding knives, spears, and even broken glass rushed towards us, dripping bodily fluids.

Ugh, I hate zombie apocalypses! It’s just like that!

-Kwaaaang!

Ugh!

-Thud!

“Crush the circle! Shatter it and kill the priest first!”

“Uwaaaa!”

Clang! Ka-gang! The group clinging to the sanctuary like leeches wielded all sorts of weapons.

Whoo-oong! The golden dome vibrated minutely, enduring the attacks.

I released aether and looked back at the same time.

The Crown Prince, having cleared the front of the room at the end of the hallway, was glaring at the firmly locked iron door.

Judging by how he was adjusting his Hye Geom [likely a special sword], he was planning to melt or blow it up altogether.

Meanwhile, Ms. Gain wielded her whip like a spinning top, keeping the cultists outside the sanctuary in check. Whirr, whirr, whirr—

-Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

“Heuaaak!”

“Do not retreat! We must eliminate the priest!”

“Don’t give up, everyone!”

-Crack, crackle, crackle!

Bloodshot eyes were filled with madness.

Even as their legs froze, their bodies stiffened, and white frost formed on their cheeks, the black-robed crowd continued to multiply endlessly.

‘Wait a moment! Wait a moment!’ One of them pushed through his ice-covered comrades to the front.

Then, with a determined shout—

“Haaaaaa!”

-Clang!

He threw a glass bottle to the ground! A hazy smoke instantly filled the hallway. Hwaaaak!

I reflexively covered my nose and mouth, then quickly looked back at the Crown Prince’s left shoulder.

The little divine beast, Ropi, was there, miraculously clinging on with its claws outstretched!

-Myaep

“No, come here. You need to hide.”

-Aeoooong

“That’s right. Can you hold your breath for a moment?”

I heard the Crown Prince clicking his tongue, but it was only natural to protect the weaker child first.

Crack! Ms. Gain instantly created a tall ice wall, but the gas had already spread densely like fog.

Just as I was about to tuck the bewildered divine beast under my robe,

“…It’s! Done! Prepare to attack!”

“Don’t forget! Start with the one being carried!”

“Ugh…”

A tremendous drowsiness began to pour in!

It seemed to be a sedative gas used in biological experiments; since there was no intention to ‘harm’ me, it broke through the sanctuary’s wall and rushed in.

I belatedly covered my nose and mouth, but my vision immediately began to blur.

I bit my tongue and grimaced.

Beyond the thick ice wall, dark shadows flickered like a school of sharks.

The voices just beyond were buzzing. Damn it…!

“…Break! Once we break this, it’s over!”

-Kwaang! Kwaaaang!

“…Saints! Fire attribute users to the front! Melting it will be faster!”

-Twoong! Twooong!

“Kuh.”

Thud! To make matters worse, the Crown Prince staggered back a step.

It was because his hands were occupied with me and Ropi.

Hurriedly getting off his shoulder, I supported him.

The drug was so potent that Ms. Gain, who had been flying around just moments ago, was also staggering towards us.

I quickly supported her with my whole body. Thump!

The three of us barely managed to form a structure, supporting each other in a circle.

I was so sleepy that the strength was slowly draining from my limbs.

I realized only a few seconds later that blocking my airways was useless.

-Taaang!

“Agh, damn it. Illegals are… That’s why it doesn’t work… You can’t just do one illegal thing…”

-Rustle…

The ominous gas was seeping into Ms. Gain’s cheeks and fine hairs.

It was a powerful sedative that was absorbed through the skin.

I cursed inwardly, blinking slowly.

Since there was a place to rest my head, sleep relentlessly washed over me.

His Majesty will be worried if I don’t return today.

He didn’t send me to do this; he meant for me to quietly observe, reconcile, and return.

The troublesome kids, too. My teacher and friends…

-Crackle!

“It’s breaking! It’s breaking, just a little more!”

-Koo-oong! Kaang!

“This won’t do…”

No… Wait a moment. If the Crown Prince burns the air with fire… I lifted my forehead slightly.

I saw firmly closed eyelids and eyelashes like charcoal.

“…Are you asleep?”

“…”

Ah, no wonder he’s so heavy! I can handle it, but the drug is working too well on him!

They said it was powdered magic stone sedative; is it that people with good mana sensitivity are more vulnerable…!?

“Wake up, huh? This is not the time to sleep… Crown Prince!”

“Keuh…”

“Ms. Gain!”

Ugh, my back…! The sense of crisis seemed to wake me up a bit.

I tried to calm down, slowly lowering my posture.

I chewed on my lip, resisting the urge to sleep, and constantly repeated, ‘My mana sensitivity is terrible.’

Then, it was more bearable than I thought. The sanctuary didn’t go out, and I managed to hold on somehow. The problem is—

-Kaaang, crumble!

A large hole was finally pierced in the ice wall, and a group of masked figures with hammers appeared!

“I see them! I see the priest over there!”

“Then kill him quickly! Before the divine chamber is contaminated!”

“Wait, the color of that guy’s eyes…!”

The cultist who met my gaze froze in horror.

When I’m not using aether, they’re brown, but right now, my eyes must be purple.

I gritted my teeth and maintained a rigid posture to avoid falling asleep.

I could feel Ropi trembling in my arms.

The heads of the two people lying on my knees felt like they were dragging me down to the floor.

I’ll be fine for another minute or two. But at this rate, how long can I hold out…

-Crack, crumble!

“It’s done! Go, go! That guy’s almost gone too!”

“Be sure to bring back that guy’s eyeballs!”

“Waaaaaaa!”

The giant ice wall collapsed.

Dozens, maybe hundreds, of believers were rushing towards us down the long underground hallway.

It was as if a dam had burst somewhere.

The ground rumbled, and the axes and scalpels of those in the lead glinted.

Saaaah…! The sanctuary glowing with gold and the ink-black sea of people formed a sharp contrast.

I shielded the two as much as possible and squeezed my eyes shut.

I shouldn’t be doing this; I need to think.

I need to come up with a new idea to overcome this situation…

I’m going crazy. I’m so terribly sleepy…

-Wheeee♪

-Jingle, jingle, jingle…

Whether it was a dream or reality, I heard someone whistling. The sound of a small bell followed.

Just as my mind was wavering—

-Paat!

The sanctuary went out in a flash. I quickly opened my eyes, but it was too late.

I frantically hugged my friends’ heads and lowered my body.

The black robe that had come right in front of me swung a hammer. Ssaeeeek!

-Nyaaaaak!

-Whirr!

At that moment, a bright red flame—a magnificent lion-shaped blaze—leapt in front of me!

I was so surprised that I woke up completely. The adrenaline that surged instantly suppressed the urge to sleep.

It was Ropi.

The little child who had jumped out of my arms was spewing fire with his mouth wide open.

He was facing them alone, bending his back as much as possible, raising his exploded tail high, and lifting all four legs.

He’s still young; this is dangerous!

-Waeooooong!

-Keureureureong!

As he let out a fierce cry, the flower-flame lion blocking the hallway howled in the same tone.

‘Heuaaak!’ Some of the believers, turning pale, began to limp away in the opposite direction.

But most were already immersed in collective madness.

Those with incomplete aether fearlessly charged towards the magnificent flame.

The gruesome last words were a bonus. ‘For our lord!’ ‘Aaaaak! Hail the incarnation!’

-Nyaaaaak!

-Keureung!

Ropi cried out sharply again, and the lion leaped into the sea of cultists.

Then—

-Keureureung, kareureureung!

“No, no! Kehaaak!”

-Whirr! Whirr…!

“Save me! Oh, Lord! How—!”

It devoured the enemies who attacked it, gulping them down!

Soon, screams mixed with wails and roars poured out from everywhere. ‘That wicked thing!’ ‘How dare you oppose us, who have received grace!’

Swaaaa, cheeee…! Water attribute knights resisted fiercely, trying to ‘extinguish’ the lion, but it was useless.

It was enough for the excited Ropi to jump up and spit out flames. Whirr!

Then, not only did their bodies catch fire, but the sedative in the air was also completely burned away.

It was a flame tank!

-Keureoreo!

“It wasn’t Prometheus; it was a Chimera…”

I muttered incoherently, first opening the sanctuary and pushing aether into the two men and Ropi.

It was a completely insane situation, but I roughly understood what was going on.

So, that lion friend is Ropi’s alter ego, and it maintains its form and firepower with the power of Ropi, the main body.

If I replenish the aether well, I might be able to continue receiving help.

If so, it was a favorable situation for now. The next urgent task is to wake up Ms. Gain and the Crown Prince.

To figure out what’s at the end of the hallway called the ‘divine chamber’ and safely return to the camp, their cooperation is essential—

-Whee, whee♩

…Huh?

-Jingle, jingle…

I blinked in confusion. It wasn’t a mistake.

A strange whistle swirled around the ceiling, and the sound of the bell, which I thought I had only heard in my sleep, was also clearly audible.

I shook my head a few times and looked around. But there was no one there.

I could only tell that a strange wind was blowing.

It’s different from Sir Johan’s power; what is it? Since when?

Where… I found it.

-Jingle, jingle, jingle

“…”

At the very top of the firmly locked door at the end of the hallway, a blue bell was hanging.

I glanced at Ropi and the lion fighting valiantly and looked at the bell again.

The reason I’m only discovering it now is partly because of the situation here, but…

-Whee, whee, whee♬

-Jingle, jingle…

“Ominous.”

The bell was emitting a pale light in the twilight.

This could not be a good sign at all. I just had a strong feeling.

What is it? Is the bell ringing in response to that whistle?

But even the cultists haven’t noticed, and no one seems to care.

If this is good or bad for them, shouldn’t someone be reacting?

Everyone seems to be completely unaware…

-Jingle, jingle, jingle!

“Gasp.”

A thunderous realization pierced my spine. I hurriedly looked down at my friends.

No way, no way. Even as I denied it several times, the bell’s scream was getting faster and faster.

It was burning brighter and more dangerously. No!

“Ms. Gain, Ms. Gain! Wake up. Quickly! We have to escape!”

-Jingle, jingle, jingle…!

“Cedric! You wake up too, open your eyes. This is not the time to sleep! Let’s go rest!”

-Jingle, jingle, jingle, jingle!

“Damn it! The alarm is going off! Please!”

That’s a self-destruct device! It often comes out in movies!

Knowing that we’ve been discovered, someone is trying to wipe out this place!

-Jingle, jingle, jingle, jingle, jingle!

“I don’t want to die with you! I came to live with you!”

-Kwakwakwakwang!

A tremendous shockwave crashed in from behind.

Unable to withstand the fierce wind and force, I tumbled forward.

Kwakwakwang! Fragments of the shattered sanctuary wall flew to the other end of the hallway, and the believers who were fighting the Lord’s Lion collided with everything and lost consciousness.

A long groan escaped my lips.

“Ugh…”

What’s going to happen now…? Are we going to be captured?

Are we going to be subjects of Duke Sneydel’s experiments…?”

-Step

“Marquis.”

Flinch! I was horrified and straightened my back. And like someone possessed, I turned around.

It was a very familiar voice.

Through the debris of the shattered ceiling, I saw a man standing in the long sunlight.

“…Sir Johan?”