Chapter 396

Chapter 396

Whistling-

A dry wind blows over the bridge.

Legion Commander Raven of the Plague Legion, Crown and his riffraff, and the two highway robbers.

These three forces are targeting us, and we're caught in the middle.

As I cautiously observed each of the armed forces, I slowly began to speak.

"Since we can't stay like this forever, let's try to sort this out... First, Crown. You just want Mason, right?"

I turned to look at Raven behind me.

"And Raven. You just want Salome, don't you? If each party takes who they want, wouldn't that be a happy ending for everyone?"

Me?

Ill just continue on my way alone.

Salome was horrified at my words.

"Wait a minute! Ash! Are you going to abandon me?!"

"Yes."

"You're going to hand over your precious soulmate to the enemy and escape like a tailless lizard?!"

"Yes."

Since when were we soulmates? Let's just part ways here. Of course, your destination might be the grave, but that's another story.

I thought it was a rational proposal, but Crown responded with a cold tone.

"No, Ash. I will take you too."

"Excuse me...?"

"I've overlooked your disturbances in the darkness of this place because the King of Kings hadnt ordered otherwise. But I cant ignore your intrusion into this deepest part. You'll be brought to the King of Kings immediately."

Raven's reaction was no different.

"You think I would just watch as the king of the opposing faction stands right before me? Ash, Ill turn you into a puddle of blood. Along with Salome, I'll bury you in my farm...!"

Then, Crown and Raven started arguing over who would take me.

"I am the King of Kings inspector! Ash is mine to take!"

"Nonsense! I too am a direct vassal and ally of the King of Kings! I have higher authority! Hes mine!"

I dont need this kind of popularity, really.

"Everyones too greedy..."

Negotiating with these two forces seemed impossible. Sighing, I finally turned to my last negotiation partner.

The two highway robbers.

"Great sirs."

I addressed them respectfully.

"I'm actually very wealthy."

"Hmm?"

"Despite appearances, I wield considerable power in the upper world. You may not know, but I'm the prince of a nation called Everblack."

To their dubious looks, I got straight to the point.

"If you help me escape to the surface, I'll give you half of my wealth."

"...!"

Exactly what these robbers were demanding.

Half of my total wealth, I'll give it away.

What's a few gold coins compared to escaping this hell and returning to the surface?

The wild eyes of the two elders shone as they glanced at each other. Then they turned their attention back to me.

"How can we believe that?"

"Everyone in the Nightmare Legion and the Lake Kingdoms last forces are this obsessed with me. Doesn't that prove my importance?"

Salome, from behind me, nodded vigorously. Ah, she's a legion commander too.

I looked around and shrugged.

"It seems like business hasn't been going too well for you anyway... Why not make a big score and retire to a comfortable life?"

"..."

"..."

The two elders whispered to each other and then pulled out a yellowed, worn piece of parchment and handed it to me.

"Write a contract."

"Excuse me?"

"Stamp it with your seal."

"..."

"Write two identical ones, and well each keep one. Sounds fair, right?"

Unexpectedly thorough for their appearance.

The cooperation agreement was quickly drafted. The gist of it was: 'The Desperation Homeward Band will assist Ash until his escape from the dungeon. In return, Ash will pay half of his wealth to the band upon his escape.'

Anyway, somehow or another, a team was formed.

"Five-member party complete."

- Human Commander, Ash.

- Succubus Legion Commander, Salome.

The curse bestowed upon all citizens of the Lake Kingdom - 'The Curse of Eternal Life'.

The fundamental reason they have been suffering at the bottom of this lake for centuries.

Could this curse of eternal life also be a consequence of their pursuit of immortality?

"The peach you ate was a byproduct of the development of the elixir of immortality. It didn't grant immortality, but instead... it made the consumer invulnerable to all diseases."

"Aha...!"

So, does it mean it grants resistance to poison attacks?

"...I thought it was just one of the many elixirs developed back then, but who knew it could effectively block Raven's plague like this. I didn't know either."

Amazed by Crown's words, I looked around. The toxic aura still couldn't come near me.

To think it could easily counter the legion commander's pattern like this!

Thank you, Magic-Peach!

"Hey, heeeeeey! Praise! Praise me!"

Salome, who had preserved that peach, gestured frantically for praise, but I ignored her and grinned slyly at Raven.

"Master of the plague. This is unfortunate for you."

"...!"

"Your attack patterns are two-fold. First, the real plague spread by your main body. Second, the illusions spread by your duplicates."

I strode confidently towards Raven.

As I moved, the others closely followed, and Raven stepped back hesitantly.

"But the real plague is nullified by your precious peach, and the illusions are mental attacks, which my abilities can easily counter."

"Ku...?!"

"It seems I've become your natural predator, haven't I?"

Raven muttered fiercely, trembling.

"Don't be arrogant, human...! My plague constantly evolves. This invulnerability you've luckily gained, I'll surely break through it...!"

Then, with a swish of his cloak,

"Next time...! I will, I will get you...!"

Shrrrrrrr-!

With a clich villain's exit line, he disappeared, transforming into a flock of crows or rats, just like when he arrived.

I snorted. Well, it's true I lucked out with an elixir, but...

The strategy to counter the plague legion in the game is a fact in my possession.

Even without this peach, I could have taken you down, buddy!

"Praise! Praise! Hurry!"

"..."

Ignoring the clinging Salome, I turned around, only to find...

Ssshh...!

Crown and the Nightcrawler squad members had quietly distanced themselves from us and were now aiming their weapons at us. I clicked my tongue.

"Great, just when I thought I'd avoided the storm..."

"Thanks to you, Ash, dodging the Plague Master's attacks was a breeze. But that's one thing, and this is another."

Crown chuckled and raised his hand.

"Has our score been 1 to 1 until now? This is the third round. A good time to settle the score, don't you think?"

"Bullshit... You guys have an endless supply of life coins. Even if I win this time, won't you just come back for a fourth round?"

"Ha-ha, that won't happen. Because..."

That's when it happened.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

From across the bridge, dozens of Nightcrawler squad members appeared. Crown gestured towards them.

"The battle will end here."

"..."

I was dumbfounded by the number of them filling the other side of the bridge.

The Plague Legion - Raven is a boss monster that relies on gimmicks.

If you can counter his core pattern, you can somehow clear it even with a lower level and fewer numbers on our side.

But these Nightcrawler bastards are relentlessly pushing with sheer numbers.

Each one of them is an NPC with a hero character status.

Dozens of them approached on the dimly lit bridge, pulling out their weapons while wearing white smiling masks. I gritted my teeth and glared at them. How to break through these bastards...?

Tap, tap.

Then someone tapped on my shoulder.

Turning towards them, I saw the two robbers who had joined my party this time - Sword Demon and Spear Demon.

With their sparse yellow teeth flashing a mad grin, the two lunatics said to me,

"Let's bolt!"

"Eh? Where to?"

"Where else?"

Pointing to the pitch-black abyss below the bridge, the two lunatics boldly declared,

"To the 'bottom'!"