Chapter 107: SemiGod Equipment and Gamble
Carlohin.Menon, the blood-related uncle of the current Emperor Darsos.Menon, as well as the blood-related younger brother from the same mother of the previous Emperor, Crowe.Menon. He was deeply trusted by the previous Emperor. As a Mage, not only is he the Head of the Court Mages, he is also one of the top 3 military commanders of Auland. In his later years, the old Emperor entrusted him with the important weapon of the country, the Air Fleet, to him.
But, the truth is that Carlohin has never thought that he is inferior to his elder brother. The reason why he helped Crowe in the vie for the royal throne is because they both came from the same mother. If he doesn’t assist the elder brother he is closest with, he could only wait to be ridden of after some other prince sits on the throne. In reality, as the top genius of the Royal Family, his dream to become the Emperor has never been quenched.
In fact, in order to gain power, the young him even hid his name and went to the fearsome Xiluo Empire to study Necromancy. He became the apprentice of the 3rd Senator, the Queen of Banshees Harloys, and researched specifically in Death Magic under her.
Yes, on the surface, he might be a Legend-rank Fire Mage. But, at the same time, he is also a Saint-rank Necromancer.
Necromancers aren’t viewed as an evil job for no apparent reason. Other than interrupting the slumber of the dead, this class of vile magic can sacrifice the living and ingest their blood, flesh and soul to become stronger. As their strength soars rapidly, these powers would accumulate in their body and obstruct their body and soul. Bearing powers beyond what their body can hold, they would be corrupted by the powers that they are unable to control, causing changes to occur in them in all aspects.
For example, Necromancers are known to not treat humans as humans. They would gradually grow more and more indifferent to life and death. Demon Mages and Soul Reapers would gradually become less and less humane, such that it would become normal for them to salivate upon seeing other people’s soul. When the Blood Mages finally become bloodthirsty, they would become even more vampiric than vampires. They would view humans as livestock. Those Evil Priests who gain powers from the Malevolent Gods would gradually become more and more fanatic. They would lose their sense of self and become the puppets of the Malevolent Gods.
Of course, you can also progress a step at a time and digest these powers slowly, turning this unorthodox power into the demon sword in your hands rather than being consumed by this demon sword. But, for some people, if they were to do it slowly, it would go against their motive of learning ‘evil’ magic. They are willing to accept the side effects these powers would have on their mentality.
The most alluring quality of these unorthodox magic is that it is very easy for them to become ‘immortals’, although they would tend to have to pay a price for their immortality.
For example, Necromancers, as long as they don’t meet with ‘accidents’, even if they are not of sufficient standard to become Liches, it is of no difficulty for them to become a Skeleton Mage. To the humans who fear the unknown and death, sometimes the tempt of ‘immortality’ is hard to resist, especially to the ambitious who seek to climb to the pinnacle.
Of course, those who train to the pinnacle via orthodox means are also able to become immortal. For example, the Heroic Spirits, God Envoy and God Beasts. However, they have to pay a price for it as well. Although they may seem to be of a much higher level, they are in fact just the servants and warriors for the Gods.
Achieving immortality, Carlohin’s ambitions had always been wild. However, despite the fact that the individual strength of his elder brother is negligible, Crowe possesses great talent in politics and military affairs. Under his rule, the Auland Empire was prospering day after day. Heroes are built during chaotic times. If the country is stable, no ground would be left for for troublemakers. Naturally, those ambitious would have to hide their intentions and feign as a loyal and capable subordinate.
Thus, even though Carlohin is obviously a Saint Necromancer, he put on a facade as a Legend-rank. During his career in the military, he even groomed a large bunch of subordinates who are loyal to him, controlling nearly 30% of the entire White Wolf Guards. He was waiting for a gap to occur in Crowe’s rule. He has long noticed that his nephew, Darsos, had wild ambitions but he helped to cover it. After all, as long as Darsos were to strike, he might be able to use his rebellion as an impetus for him to grab the crown.
Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, perhaps it is due to Carlohin being too outstanding in feigning as a loyal subordinate or perhaps, Crowe had detected the ambitions of his younger brother and was afraid that a problem may occur during the inheritance of the throne, he made Carlohin accept the position of the Commander-in-Chief of the underwater base. Naturally, after realising that it is the biggest trump card of the Auland Empire, how could Carlohin reject his offer? Thus, when Darsos made a move, this ambitious uncle of his was instead trapped in the base, missing the ideal opportunity for him to strike.
Alright, let’s stop talking about how this ambitious unlucky fellow was sent out of the game for such a ludicrous reason. What we have to face now is the rage of a person who had prepared for decades for his wild ambitions.
“Die!”
As he raises his staff, pitch-black Power of Death warps into an eerie ghastly finger and rushes towards me.
“Instant casting Finger of Death? Impossible!”
Finger of Death is a 8-circle magic which only Legend-rank Necromancers are able to wield. In order to instant cast it, its difficulty is heightened by at least 2 circles. That isn’t something a Saint-rank Necromancer would be able to do.
For my thoughts to be wandering even at death’s door, am I seeking death? Actually, if this Finger of Death is directed towards Diana, even the Legend-rank female Knight with Magic Immunity Skin would have to tremble but if it is directed towards me…
【Perfect Courage: Immunity to all fear-related magic, death-related magic, race talents and abilities. The wielder will always be in a state of high morale. This effect can be shared with 3 party members.】
The completed version of Pale Justice lives up to its name as the Order Faction’s Sacred Sword of the Holy Light. Holy Knights are natural Undead killers and their abilities are almost specially tailored against every aspect of the Undeads. Regardless of whether it is deadly higher circle Necromancy Magic or fear-inducing curses, the sword is completely immune to these all, leaving no gaps for the Necromancers to break through.
As I expected, in the instant when the Finger of Death strikes me, the golden Holy Light shrouding the sacred sword radiates brightly and the dark mist of death starts to scatter.
However, even though the death effect has been dispelled, the shock wave from the Power of Death still isn’t something a Bronze-rank rookie could withstand. The ice armor immediately shatters and breaks apart while the impact from the blow sent me flying.
Cold sweat trickles down my back. If it wasn’t for the ice armor I had equipped, with my current ‘fragile’ physical body, I might have just died there and then.
“Death and Decay!”
Alright, this time, it isn’t an instant-cast. However, for a 9-circle Saint-rank Magic to be flung out like that as though it was nothing, this is really too unbelievable. What kind of Saint-rank Mage is this? He is just like a Myth-rank Mage already.
“Go!”
It was due to my timely sharing of the aura of Perfect Courage that prevented the Breath of Death from evaporating the surrounding moisture and absorbing the life force in the area, which would have resulted in an instant death. Even so, Diana was still sent flying with a mouthful of blood. This time, the outstanding defense of her full body armor saved her.
The Lich’s choice of spells are well thought through. With both the physical damage from the burning steam in the surrounding and the Affliction of Death, Diana’s Magic Immunity Skin isn’t able to work its prowess.
“The Dark God’s Breath of Death! That is a SemiGod Equipment, the ultimate treasure of Necromancers.”
The black cat on my shoulders shouts in astonishment. It is because of this personal weapon of an Ancient SemiGod Undead Emperor that Carlohin is able to throw all of those high-circle instant-death spells frenziedly without compromising their effectiveness.
I unfurl my wings to soar into the sky to avoid the enemy’s magic from locking on. Gazing towards our fighting ground, I can’t help but feel that the situation isn’t in our favor.
Carlohin’s guards have already rushed here. The Savage Javelin of those Death Knights are still difficult to deal with. If we do not end the battle fast, not mentioning how our plan to behead the commander would fail, Diana and I might even fall here.
Looking at how Diana is struggling to stand up, I could tell that the 9-circle magic which had been augmented by the SemiGod Equipment definitely dealt serious damage to her.
“Darn it, the SemiGod weapon is too ridiculous. How can one possibly cast high-circle magic spells with such rapid speed? Is there really no way to subdue him? Think, there is no perfect human in this world. Hurry up and think!”
“Breath of Death? This name sounds like an effect which strengthens the effects of instant-killing magic. Even with the ‘Perfect Courage’ ability from the sacred sword, the shock wave from the Power of Death is still fatal. These days, other than the dead, who doesn’t fear the Power of Death. If I had known earlier, I wouldn’t have revived… Wait, the dead?”
Immediately, an idea pops into my list of options. Thus, I start to laugh.
“You have an idea?”
“Of course, that is tradition!”
After realising that he is unable to lock onto me, who is moving rapidly, Carlohin’s gaze turns towards Diana. The next moment, I swipe downwards towards him.
“Foolish living beings. Accept the misfortune fate has in plan for you.”
As I expected, a black color vector comes shooting towards me. That is a 6-circle Necromancy Magic Physical Frailty.
The fact that two high-circle Death Magic is unable to kill me made him suspect that we might have some treasures on us that allow us to be immune to the Affliction of Death. Thus, he chose to cast this spell.
Physical Frailty inherits the vileness of the Necromancy Magic. It will make the target feel as though he had carried 200kg of rice sacks to run two marathons. It is exceptionally effective against Warriors who depend heavily on their physical body and is reputed as the melee killer. If a physically weak person were to be struck by the spell, it isn’t impossible for them to die from excessive loss of stamina.
The vector comes at me at high speed. I had no time to change my path of movements and was about to come crashing head-on with this black vector. In that instant, Diana grinds her teeth and leaps with her hands stretching forward, attempting to try her luck with her Magic Immunity Skin while I…
“Move away!”
I push away the foolish lass without any hesitation and collide straight into the vector.
“AHHHH!!”
Shrouded in pitch black light, I couldn’t help but shout in agony. The next moment, I crash violently onto the floor and roll around in pain. Even the gold wings on my back starts to disintegrate.
“Hah! As expected of the foolish living beings. To still be playing the laughable game of friendship at a time like this… What!”
“Sin-Splitting Strike!”
The location where I fell was less than five meters away from the Lich. After which, I pretended to roll to close in the distance on him by another two meters. Then, I leapt upwards and covered the final three meters in an instant. The sacred sword Pale Justice comes striking down on his head along with the lethal Holy Light. It is impossible for him to dodge the attack.
“Clang!”
Even though the Lich has been forced into a kneeling position through brute strength, the sacred sword was still stopped by the pitch-black short staff. Can the basic property of the SemiGod Equipment of being tough be used like that as well?
The green soulfire burning in the Lich’s eye sockets starts to blaze. Judging from how his lower jaw is opening and closing at a rapid pace, it seems that he has started to chant another spell.
“Descent of the Hell’s Black Core.”
The darned cat’s rich knowledge of magic spells allows her to instantaneously identify that this is a 10-circle Myth-rank Forbidden Spell, a large AOE destructive spell combining both Necromancy and Fire Magic together. As long as he completes this magic, this entire platform would turn into the volcanic vent to hell’s hellfire. There is no way we would be able to survive and the same goes for him as well.
For a life form like a Lich, as long as his phylactery remains undestroyed, he is able to revive again and again. Apparently, forced to this point, Carlohin no longer has the confidence to get away unscathed. He intends to die together with us, then revive himself.
Actually, the reason why Liches are that abhorred by adventurers is that not only are they difficult to deal with, they also have the bad habit of committing a double suicide whenever something comes up.
As the sword and the staff crosses blows, I found myself in an extreme close proximity with him. I could see the malicious intent on the skull head and there is even a trace of gleefulness on it.
However, to dare to chant your incantation after I had gotten close, aren’t you looking down on me for a little too much?
“You want it? Catch it.”
Thus, without hesitation, I let go of the weapon which we were pitting our strength through and in front of the Lich’s eyes of incomprehension, I stretch out my hands.
“Look at my Flying Dragon Cloud Exploring Hands!”
“Kacha.” A crisp sound echoes and the incantation stops. That is because I have removed the lower jaw of the Lich.
“Aha! Let me help you wash your bones and maintain it for you! Dragon Exploring Hands! Dragon Exploring Hands!”
My both hands assault him simultaneously and continuously. In an instant, a bone from his hand and rib cage has been removed. Soon, even his spinal cord was pulled out and with a powerful stomp on the ground, his entire skeletal rack falls apart.
As an experienced Lich, through the last century, I can’t even remember how many times I have taken out my own bones to maintain it. Just like how an experienced veteran could take disassemble his gun with his eyes closed, I could take apart a skeleton into bones and put it back together with my eyes closed.
In a few short second, all that remains of Lich Carlohin is a skeletal head without its lower jaw. I stab the sacred sword into the soulfire of his skeletal head without second thoughts. The bizarre ripple of his soul disperses and we could vaguely hear the scream of agony from the depths of his soul.
“Alright. He would take at least a few days to revive after his soulfire was incincerated by the sacred inferno. What we have to do next is to find his phylactery before he revives.”
After Carlohin falls, the shortcoming of an Undead army being over-reliant on an Undead Lord shows itself once again. The large group of Low-tier Undead whom he was controlling with his Necromancy Magic immediately falls to the ground.
A few intelligent Undeads shouts ‘Aulanders don’t hit Aulanders’, ‘We were all forced into it, actually we are all good citizens’, ‘Actually, I am your father’. Of course, the one who shouted the last phrase got lynched.
“Reorganise them and question them where Carlohin’s phylactery is? Forget it, they can’t possibly know it. How about we search Carlohin’s room? Now is my favorite moment of a battle, collecting spoils of war… Cough, punishing evil.”
Just as I picked up the ‘The Dark God’s Breath of Death’ smiling, Diana suddenly leaps over.
“Are you fine? Why did that evil magic have no effect on you?”
“Hmph, what do you mean by no effect? I paid a heavy price for it. Look!”
I open my clothes. In there, a black cat with half of its body exposed outside is brawling with my resilient throat. She bites, gnaws and claws, using both her fangs and claws simultaneously, but she is still unable to scratch out a wound. However, when I looked at her, she spits towards me without any hesitation.
“Look, cat shield!”
Dodging that feeble and unthreatening attack, I pull her off me and shake her about. Holding her in my hands, I made a stance of defense, as though she is a shield.
“…How can a kitten block such vile magic?”
Towards Diana’s suspicion, I smile mysteriously without replying her question. You can’t expect me to tell her that although this darned cat seems very cute, she is in fact an ‘evil’ Undead creature? Alright, actually there is no need for the inverted commas for evil. If the Queen of Banshees Harloys cannot be considered as evil, then everyone else in this world could be considered as saints.
Yes, when I said tradition previously, I meant our line’s tradition of pulling our mentors down. Back then, I thought that Harloys would be a good meat shield against the Necromancy Spells.
Currently, Harloys is an Undead Slime. Although she has a portion of the composition of a living being within her, she is still an Undead creation of mine. Using Death Magic against Undeads is just like throwing a fireball towards Fire Elementals. Other than making the other party even stronger, it has no effects whatsoever.
Thus, after the ‘cat shield’ has blocked that Physical Frailty vector which is made of Death Magic, I am actually unaffected by its effects at all. All that came afterwards is just a performance to get closer to him to conduct a sneak attack.
In a way, this is also taking advantage of the other party’s inexperience. I deduced that being in an esteemed position, Carlohin must have often cast magic safely under the protection of many bodyguards, so how would he have thought of being assaulted like that? The result is just as I have anticipated.
“Wuuuuuuu, you unfilial disciples only know how to bully me! If only I knew that all of you had malicious intentions in mind. I was blind to accept you all as my disciples. Teacher, I finally know how you felt when I stabbed you back then. Now, I also have a knife stabbed in me, not to mention that it is by two of my disciples in both the front and the back. I will never have disciples again. Wuuuuu!”
Alright, the only victim is the traumatised Harloys and her saddened heart as an educator.
“Stop faking it. If you had good relationship with Carlohin, why didn’t you say it back then? Which of your disciples have you never taken advantage of? Probably, if the other party knew that it was you, he would have went even further. Besides, have you forgotten the existence of the Magic Pet contract? Your true emotions cannot be concealed from me. You expect me to believe that such a minor thing would cause you to be in such a state of agony?”
Alright, she got exposed. The next moment, the darned cat immediately stops her tears, shocking Diana, but displeasure could still be seen on her face
“Let me eat the SemiGod staff. I want to become stronger. I have had enough of the days of serving as a pet.”
“Fine, then show me a cute gesture. If I am satisfied with it, I will give the staff to you.”
The little kitten smiles mysteriously.
“Meow, master. Give me the thick one, the black short stick, okay? Loys really wants to eat the stick. I begging you. Meow!”
“Pu!” Alright, looks like I still underestimated the lower decency boundary of the darned cat. Initially, I only wanted to tease her, make her do some backflips and bark like a dog. After her words came out, not mentioning how I burst into laughter, Diana starts to look at me with a bizarre expression.
This silly lass believes the words of others too easily. She is probably thinking of me as a Gentleman (Pervert) once again.
However, I had intended to pass this SemiGod Equipment on to her from the start anyway. After all, bringing this SemiGod Equipment around in the mortal world is simply looking for trouble. Also, after Harloys consumes it, it would be more convenient for me to use it as well.
“That, can you stop overthinking it? Even if I’m that desperate, I won’t go to the extent of venting my frustrations on a cat.”
Right after I explained myself to Diana, an evil smile flashes across Harloys’s face. After a distortion in space, she turns into a cute golden-haired Elf girl. Although she turns back within a single second, it is sufficient to mark the sight into the brain of the Legend Knight.
Without doubt, this is the vengeance of the ‘cat shield’.
“No wonder it’s called Gentlemen Alliance. So you are a Great Gentleman (Pervert) yourself, to actually make your own cat turn into a little girl, how much…”
Alright, she doesn’t even use respectful language anymore. Looks like my reputation has gone down the drain this time.
“Actually, it is understandable for man to be slightly Gentleman. Actually, if you really can’t bear it any longer, you can consider Momo. Although she goes a bit far with her words, she is really a good girl. She has liked you for a long period of time.”
“Forget it! She definitely can’t make it! Anyone but her.”
Diana’s untimely matchmake reminds me of what happened a few days ago. We were conducting a selection for Aurora Knights and as a Silver-rank, Momo comes running over to join in the commotion. Originally, as she is considerably powerful, she had a chance to succeed with the Frigid Nightmares. That is until she opened her mouth.
“Is there anyone who can turn into a cute shota? Hehe, that’s right, an eight to nine years old little boy. Hehe, right, I have little Rolo’s picture here. Can you transform into him?”
“Big Sister Seva, please help me just this once. On the account of how I helped you deflect an arrow just now, just for a moment. Just for a split moment. I really want to see little Rolo, but I am unable to defeat that pervert. Wuuuu, Momo’s life is so tough.”
Looking at the Momo who is pestering Seva on the airship, Diana sighs helplessly.
“It is due to her becoming weirder and weirder that I want her to marry out quickly.”
“Passing the disaster onto others just because you can’t deal with it? Diana, you have also been corrupted. However, I have to thank you for your warning for yesterday’s night assault. Otherwise, the outcome would have been unimaginable.”
“Sigh, actually this is also partially your fault. In the past, she was obviously quite normal.”
“How can you blame me for this, she is obviously the one… Alright, let’s just blame it all on me.”
At this moment, I can’t help but recall the ‘King of Gentlemen’ title, what all Gentlemen would proactively join my group. Throughout this journey, I have still yet to meet more than a handful of normal people.
【Ding, congratulations for noticing the hidden effect of the ‘King of Gentlemen’. Not only will the title make Gentlemen proactively join your faction, it will also turn ordinary people into Gentlemen. Little Gentleman will turn into Great Gentleman, Great Gentleman will turn into God Gentleman and God Gentleman will turn into King of Gentlemen! ——System Notice: Did you notice how I gave you the greatest honor amongst the Gentlemen from the start, aren’t I caring?】
“Caring your head! Do you think that we are lacking Gentlemen among our midst!”
———-
While we were celebrating our victory in the underwater base and getting a headache over the Gray Elf who is getting weirder and weirder, in the Auland Empire, the Emperor is meeting with an esteemed guest.
“Hah, with your help, what would that smelly nine-headed snake count as? Inform the envoys of the other countries. The enthronement ceremony will be brought ahead and it will be held along with the Lord Dragon Slayer’s great undertaking. We will be written in the annals of history together!”
“Your highness has spoken too highly of me. I am only an insufficiently powerful old man who has yet to die. I could probably drive away the Nine-headed Dragon Emperor but killing it is probably impossible. My master also told me not to go overboard.”
Despite looking like a handsome youth, he had the tone of an elderly. Judging from the golden glow radiating beneath his white skin and the halo behind his head, he isn’t a mortal but a Heroic Spirit of a true God.
After a bunch of formalities, when Darsos finally sends off the Heroic Spirit, the arrogance and frenzy he displayed previously turns into calmness.
“Dragon Slayer” Bastlar. When the enemy he is facing is a Dragon, will he show mercy? Even to the extent of not going overboard? That is an insane idea. Sending down this bloodthirsty Heroic Spirit, does the Goddess of Moon intend to clash with the Queen of Storms? Darn it. Get our army to make preparations. It is possible that the situation might get out of control.”
“Yet, you are still making use of this opportunity to hold the enthronement ceremony?”
“It is not like you don’t know how many envoys are returning back to their homeland everyday. If Auland wants to become a superpower, then this alliance must be conducted successfully. It is hard for us to step down at this point. Since the situation can’t get any worse, why don’t we just throw in all our stakes and gamble a big one!”
Ps：最近一周工作超忙……好吧，已经欠了四次爆发，明天又休息，争取爆发吧
“Instant casting Finger of Death? Impossible!”
TL: DotA reference
Just clarifying, the spells his cast normally carries Power of Death which I think probably works just like poison, afflicting someone with death (status), something like that. So, if it isn’t dispelled, the magic will just assume like something like poison; if it hits, he will be poisoned/ whatever effects. But, when it is dispelled, the magic power probably bursts, resulting in a shockwave. (Based on my interpretation)
“Death and Decay!”
TL: WoW3
“Descent of the Hell’s Black Core.”
TL: I can’t find a decent translation for it. I can’t be sure but I think the reference is to Bastard!! (A Japanese manga and anime) There’s one spell by its protagonist Dark Schneider whose name is really similar to the name of this spell and if I’m not wrong about the English translation, it’s called Halloween.
“No wonder it’s called Gentlemen Alliance. So you are a Great Gentleman (Pervert) yourself, to actually make your own cat turn into a little girl, how much…”
Alright, she doesn’t even use respectful language anymore. Looks like my reputation has gone down the drain this time.
TL: If you recall, she always uses Lord and (rarely) a more respectful Chinese word for you. This time, she just addresses him casually as though like a peer.