Chapter: 117
Upon hearing Kraush’s shout, Haring rushed with her leg extended, but her reaction was too slow.
Kraush had no choice but to grab her arm and swing Thunderstrike.
WHIRRRR!
The black flame’s slash sliced through the air, hitting Irma’s right arm.
With a subsequent explosion, Kraush pulled Haring back as they stumbled backward.
But even amidst the billowing smoke, the darkness pouring out from the crystal skull continued to spread.
Kraush tucked Haring under his arm and swiftly moved away from the spot.
Of course, he knew exactly what that darkness was.
‘Night.’
He had been trying to finish Irma quickly before the God of Night could use its power.
But it seemed that some condition had aligned for the Night God to start moving.
‘Damn it.’
Kraush frowned, cursing his particularly bad luck in situations like this.
“Put me down.”
In that moment, Haring’s voice came through.
She had a look on her face that suggested it was quite humiliating to be carried around like a sack of potatoes.
When Kraush released her, Haring immediately landed in a cat-like stance next to him.
“I was in a hurry.”
“I know.”
Well, good that she knew.
Kraush listened to her reply while keeping his gaze fixed ahead.
The crystal skull in Irma’s right hand had turned pitch black by now.
At the same time, twinkling starlight slowly began to swirl in the skull’s hollow eye sockets.
The atmosphere around them shifted drastically.
It felt as though they had been trapped in a space of night, forced to gaze at the starry sky.
Haring raised her hair on end and pressed her lips into a tight line.
Kraush shared her unsettling reaction.
He understood what this sensation was.
When a god manifests in the human realm, people are swept up in an unexplainable urge.
And that urge is an infinite reverence toward the divine.
But Kraush was aware.
“A god that has even lost its name can interfere with the mind.”
This was a mental attack.
WHOOSH!
A flame ignited within Kraush’s body, forcibly awakening his spirit.
In the face of a high god, it might be a different story, but he could block the mental interference from a nameless god with Ignis.
A shock to the body is excellent for regaining one’s senses.
“Haring, use a poison that you can detoxify.”
Kraush advised Haring, who was too stunned to act with her hair standing on end.
Thus, Haring activated Poisonous Banquet with a slight delay.
“Ugh.”
With blood trickling down her chin, Haring’s eyes lit up once again.
Though it seemed like there was still some pain, she appeared to be moving just fine.
Haring’s eyes subtly turned toward Kraush.
Poisonous Banquet was a technique that could administer toxins and detoxify simultaneously.
Haring had just used quite a potent poison to escape the mental interference.
Her muddled judgment didn’t allow her to think about which level of toxin would be effective to wake up.
Therefore, she had to use a poisonous concoction that would make even her used to poison choke.
But at least she could detoxify herself afterward.
Kraush, on the other hand, was different.
He had to endure the shock solely with his own body.
‘To awaken from mental interference, at least I should’ve inflicted some shock on myself.’
Yet, to remain unfazed in terms of complexion was quite remarkable.
‘…Is this how all Valheims are?’
As Haring observed Kraush with curiosity in her eyes, he focused sharply on the skull before him.
With a clatter, the skull began to speak.
【 How daring of you to enter my tomb, you tomb raider. 】
With each word it uttered, Kraush felt an eerie sensation creeping up his spine.
Yet, despite that, Kraush’s eyes slowly opened wider.
The God of Night had accurately labeled Kraush as a tomb raider.
Another term for a tomb raider?
A thief.
And Kraush had a skill for just that: Black Hood.
The God of Night was aware of the god with whom Kraush had made a pact.
＊ ＊ ＊
Black Hood.
Kraush had met the god who bestowed this skill on him when he was not much older than he was now.
It is often said that making a contract with divine beings is special.
The skills bestowed by the god are powers beyond mere human capabilities.
The manner of usage varies dramatically.
Thus, many individuals desire to possess skills.
Yet, not everyone is so fortunate.
CRASH!
And Kraush was one of those who was not lucky at that time.
During a mock battle, Kraush was being beaten down to the ground.
At the age of 16, just a month after his enrollment.
He couldn’t enroll at 15 like the others.
So, through one additional year of relentless training, he barely managed to step foot into Rahelrn Academy.
Even though he was far from being a genius compared to the exceptional talents, he could become an average knight through diligent practice.
However, being of average knight caliber was akin to being viewed as worthless trash at Rahelrn Academy.
“Seriously, idiot, stop using foul words knowing you can’t do it.”
In the practical training arena, Kraush heard derisive voices directed at him.
“Phew.”
He spat the blood pooling in his mouth.
He looked a complete mess.
Currently, during the mock battle, he was ranking dead last.
“Are you not embarrassed to carry the name Valheim? You fight without any grace.”
Had he lost sight in one eye?
His vision was dark on one side.
Kraush glared at the guy through his squinting eye.
His peer, a year younger than him, from the Four Kingdoms of Poseus.
Derrick Orman.
One of the Four Great Families of Poseus, known as the new golden boy whose name was whispered everywhere.
Kraush knew.
That it was thanks to the name Valheim that he could even enter Rahelrn Academy.
He also knew that those right in front of him were folks he couldn’t best.
But this was all he could do.
“Shut it! Bug!”
Kraush gripped his sword and swung it toward Derrick.
THWACK!
The thrown spear smacked Kraush’s chin, sending his consciousness floating away.
As Kraush fell, he could see Derrick clicking his tongue.
“If you can’t fight, maybe you should just fix that awful mouth of yours.”
“Derrick! Quit playing and come here! Senior Arthur is holding a mock battle!”
“What? Really?”
In the rush of children scurrying around, Kraush was left lying alone on the ground.
The sky appeared exceptionally high.
‘It hurts.’
His body ached all over from the beating.
Following the professor’s advice to visit the infirmary, Kraush shuffled there.
He had become so accustomed to visiting the infirmary every day from rolling around that it felt tiresome now.
Outside the infirmary, kids’ voices echoed.
Children filled with dreams and excitement moved forward.
Even if they were now considered adults, they were still not yet in their twenties.
These were the ones all experiencing youth.
But Kraush sat alone in the infirmary, tending to himself as the nurse temporarily stepped out.
Weren’t those who fled from Valheim often deprived of paradise?
In Rahelrn Academy, even where he had fled, Kraush was still alone.
“Damn it.”
A curse escaped his lips unbidden.
He tugged at his sea-blue hair in frustration.
If only he had not come from Valheim but from an ordinary family, he wouldn’t have been treated this way.
But that hair color and the name Valheim always followed him like a shadow.
And it would never leave him for life.
‘At the very least.’
If only he had a skill.
Kraush covered his face with his hands, sweeping up his emotions.
What was he thinking now?
He walked out of the infirmary, bandaged and all.
“Doing it like that will only worsen it, you know?”
At that moment, Kraush heard a singular voice.
He turned to see a girl lounging on the windowsill of the infirmary.
In the dimly lit room, the sunlight shining down on her formed a shadow across her face.
Her face was so pale that she almost didn’t seem human.
And black hair waved in the summer breeze above her.
Ignoring the cicada sounds in the distance, she locked eyes with Kraush and broke into a captivating smile.
The girl, dressed in clothes he had never seen before, spoke.
“No, I suppose it’s already too far gone to treat it any other way.”
The girl whose name he didn’t even know.
And she was none other than the god who had handed Kraush the Black Hood.
Kraush stood with a stiff expression before the skull of the God of Night.
He had no clue why that god had given him the Black Hood on that day.
That god never spoke a word about him and had never shown up since.
He could only feel the presence of the god whenever he sensed the power of the skill bestowed upon him.
This was a completely different manner of contract than anyone else.
Hence, Kraush always wondered.
Who exactly was the god that gave him the Black Hood?
“God of Night, do you know who my god is?”
When Kraush asked, the skull’s eye sockets radiated a deep red light.
【 It appears you are ignorant of the entity you’ve made contact with. 】
He knows.
This bastard, knows.
Kraush’s eyes gleamed in another way.
He never anticipated the moment for his long-held questions would arrive like this.
“I’d like to have a little chat.”
Kraush tentatively suggested.
While he needed the Night God’s time, his own god was also a significant concern.
So he wanted to talk with him somehow, if possible.
After hearing Kraush’s proposition, the skull fell silent for a moment.
CLACK, CLACK, CLACK!
Then suddenly, the skull clattered its teeth and began to move.
Kraush caught on that the God of Night was sneering at him.
When Kraush grimaced, the skull, which had been laughing for a while, abruptly stopped.
【 What could a tomb raider like you possibly want to discuss with me? 】
You rotten bastard.
From the start, it seemed there was no intention of having a dialogue.
At that moment, the night began to quiver around the God of Night.
Then, Irma, who had been unconscious, suddenly awoke.
Though, it couldn’t exactly be called waking up.
Because his head was hollowed out, devoured by the dark night.
【 How amusing. Thanks to someone seeking my power, I can wield my strength freely. 】
As the thick black night dripped from Irma’s arm holding the skull, it intertwined with the severed arm and slowly began to restore it.
WHOOSH!
Suddenly, another bout of black flames rushed in.
With a mere gesture, the God of Night brushed off the incoming black flames.
And then, when the light from the skull turned toward Kraush, that place was empty.
In that moment, Kraush had made his escape.
【 Ridiculous. 】
The God of Night’s hand reached out front.
And the darkness flowing from his palm began to absorb into the ground.
【 Good luck escaping from my tomb. 】
THUD, THUD, THUD!
The rumblings of something gigantic began to resonate all around.
The erosion creatures, influenced by the night of the God, started to move in unison.
The targets of the erosion creatures were everyone who had entered the tomb.
In their enhanced state endowed by the power of night, intruders would be torn to shreds.
However, the God of Night had overlooked one thing.
PATTER
As footsteps echoed, the God of Night’s gaze shifted backward.
CRASH!
At that moment, a golden blade rushed toward the skull, striking it and creating a thunderous noise.
The skull’s eye sockets twitched.
The one who had thrust the sword at it was none other than Kraush.
He hadn’t actually escaped; he was merely pretending to run away.
【 A skill, huh. 】
The God of Night caught on to what Kraush was doing.
As he had said, Kraush could hide his presence and form thanks to Haring’s skill.
Haring’s skill, Invisible.
It was this skill that allowed him to approach the erosion manipulator Irma without being detected.
But Haring was not with Kraush now.
The crystal skull had noticed that Haring was moving alone while using Invisible.
【 How cunning. 】
The skull scoffed.
But it was all futile.
Even though Kraush had made a surprise attack, he couldn’t penetrate the protective barrier that had been placed on it.
At that moment, dark pillars shot up from the ground.
As soon as they touched him, they would blind anyone caught in the dark.
Kraush dodged the pillars and retreated.
Smoke began to seep from Kraush’s mouth.
The erosion of the world within him ignited, triggering the Empowered Erosion.
The eyes of the God of Night lit up sharply upon witnessing this.
He could tell from the very first moment.
The power surging from Kraush was clearly world erosion.
【 You tomb raider, you’ve gone and touched things you shouldn’t have. 】
Kraush did not reply.
Instead, he continued to temper his body.
His body surged with infernal energy as he entered the second stage of Empowered Erosion.
Yet, Kraush felt something was lacking.
‘At this level, I can’t deal with the God of Night.’
Even though he was a god who had lost his name, a god was still a god.
The godly power spilling from the skull far surpassed Kraush’s strength.
While it was nothing compared to the true form of the god, it still overwhelmed Kraush.
‘There are two ways to win.’
One was for Haring, who was not present, to succeed in her mission entrusted to her.
The other was to smash that crystal skull imbued with the power of the God of Night.
Both tasks were not easy.
But if it were possible, he was determined to accomplish both.
So then.
“Crimson Garden.”
[Sigh.]
As soon as Kraush called, a disgruntled sigh escaped Crimson Garden.
“I guess I’ll have to use the third one.”
[Can you handle it?]
“It’s my specialty.”
Kraush said, lowering Thunderstrike to his side.
At the same time, drawing in a breath, he abruptly cut off the curse he had been using until now.
Kraush’s eyes turned crimson, and his mind flooded with red.
[You rotten bastard, I won’t be surprised if your brain gets messed up from this.]
THUD!
In that moment…
【 Huh? 】
The God of Night realized that the overall energy in the surrounding area had completely shifted.
And he understood around whom that change revolved.
It was centered on the boy quietly exhaling smoke as he lowered Thunderstrike to his side.
‘What’s going on?’
The skull’s eye sockets trembled slowly.
And when the God of Night began to grasp something, suddenly—
KABOOM!
Irma’s body, along with the God of Night housed in him, rolled away, crashing through the tomb’s walls.
They flew all the way to the opposite corridor of the tomb.
The protective barrier, reinforced by the power of night, shook violently.
Simultaneously, the skull’s eye sockets trembled for the first time, seemingly bewildered.
Just moments ago, it didn’t realize what had happened to it.
CRACK, CRACK.
Sounds of something falling from the broken walls reached the skull’s attention.
When it turned to that direction, Kraush was there.
His eyes were brightly tinted red, with crimson energy swirling around him.
Simultaneously, Kraush’s Thunderstrike shimmered with an aspect of red that wasn’t there before.
The skull of the God of Night widened in astonishment.
It could not comprehend what Kraush had just done.
Kraush exhaled, smoke billowing from his lips.
And the explosive power emanating from him was on an entirely different level than before.
The curse he had temporarily erased?
That was none other than the Eye Doll.
During a training session with Crimson Garden, Kraush’s Eye Doll had once clashed with another curse and been dispelled.
As a result, the two forces residing within Kraush had begun to rampage simultaneously.
One was the frenzy of world erosion.
The other was the killing instinct of the Thousand Kills.
When the two began to thrash about like mad beasts, Kraush discovered an exhilarating new fact.
The frenzy of world erosion and the killing instinct of the Thousand Kills were similar but could not exist in harmony.
Perhaps due to that, they clashed against each other, canceling each other out as if walking a tightrope.
Normally, if one side’s scale tipped heavier, it would consume him.
Kraush’s mind would have been devoured instantly.
However, the power generated from their clash was entirely translated into Kraush’s physique.
The wrathful energy from the world erosion surged explosively.
And the power pulled forth through the Thousand Kills coerced his body forcefully.
At that moment, when both traits surged in Kraush, he glimpsed the pinnacle of a new realm.
The third stage of Empowered Erosion.
Empowered Erosion: Inferno Demon.
‘10 seconds.’
This was the peak time Kraush had reached.
