The Game of the Greatest Black Mage
Chapter 154

[Translator - Prøks]

[Proofreader - Prøks]

Chapter 154

At Balthar's words, Seonghyun grew slightly curious.

-I-I don't need training!!!

Leonik also charged forward, shouting as if in desperation.

‘Just what kind of training are they receiving?’

Both Balthar and Leonik charged with near desperation, swinging their greatsword and sword at Carmine.

A 2-on-1 fight.

But Carmine seemed to find it amusing.

She ran along the wall and swung her spear at Balthar first.

KAGAGAGAGA!!!

Feeling a powerful repulsive force, Balthar retreated slightly, but he parried the spear and swung his greatsword in a fluid motion.

Then, midway through, the fluidly swinging greatsword was suddenly imbued with immense weight as it struck like a bolt of lightning.

The sword strike, swung with an agility and fluidity not typically seen in greatsword techniques, yet possessing the crushing weight of one, drew a blood-red crescent moon as it shot toward Carmine.

It looked as if Carmine would be sliced in two by the crescent-shaped sword energy.

However, Carmine simply did a backflip, dodging the blood-red crescent.

She had dodged it in the nick of time.

And Leonik, seizing that opening, charged in.

While Carmine was still in the air from her backflip, Leonik’s sword flew toward her.

-Take this!!!

Leonik’s fighting cry echoed as he swung his blade, but Carmine, using the rotational force from her flip, wrapped her spear around the very same blood-red crescent of sword energy she had just dodged.

Then, she immediately redirected the trajectory of the blood-red crescent toward Leonik.

The redirected blood-red sword energy collided with Leonik’s ultramarine sword energy, and the two forces bared their fangs at each other savagely.

KRA-GA-GA-GA-GA-GA—!!!

-Damn it!

As if the two energies were evenly matched, they both dissipated in an instant.

However, Carmine, completely unfazed, thrust her spear at Balthar.

SHUK!!!

The spear tip, shooting forward as it sliced nimbly through the air, was too much for Balthar to dodge, having just used a major skill.

No, he tried to block it, but perhaps recalling the thrown spear from earlier, he realized it was futile.

Just as he was about to sacrifice his left shoulder.

KAGAGAGAGAGAGA!!!

Fiora, having turned her hand into a shield, blocked the spear tip first, and right behind her, Nocturnium, having formed a hand from the labyrinth's wall, supported Fiora to stop the thrust.

“……?”

Even Carmine hadn't expected this, and a look of question bloomed on her face.

At that moment, Barpur appeared above Carmine and brought his two giant, clasped hands down on her.

KWAAAAANG—!!!

It was a near-perfect coordinated attack.

However, in that brief interval, Carmine retrieved her spear, blocked Barpur’s attack with it, and then launched herself into the air, rotating to mitigate the impact.

The air exploded with the sound of a cannonball, but…

The actual impact delivered to Carmine was not that great.

Her combat sense and skill were on par with Leonik, Fiora, and Balthar.

However, the strength she possessed was so unimaginably superior that everyone remained wary and tense.

-Ooh!? She's really strong, isn't she?

Helena watched the scene with amusement, while Seonghyun observed the spectacle with an analytical gaze.

She was definitely strong.

The overwhelming technique she possessed, particularly because she was humanoid—no, human—was more annoying than he had anticipated.

In terms of technique alone, she was on equal footing with Leonik, Balthar, and Fiora.

However, her strength surpassed the three of them combined, which made the situation difficult.

‘Would the centipede have been like this if it had technique?’

No.

The centipede's strength had been greater than Carmine's.

Even though it was the hidden raid boss of the previous region, the centipede was certainly physically stronger.

But the terrifying thing about Carmine was that her physical strength was combined with high-level technique.

It was no wonder the other users hadn't been able to catch her.

This also gave rise to a question.

‘Just what kind of person was it that got someone like her to the brink of death all by herself?’

He realized just how amazing that female user mentioned in the quest window was.

BOOM!

KRA-GA-GA-GA!

FWOOOOM!

KWAJIJIJIJI!!!

CLAAAAAAAAANG—!!!

While Seonghyun was watching, a fierce battle was unfolding.

Leonik, Balthar, and Barpur attacked relentlessly from the front, while Fiora and Nocturnium took on the roles of defense and support from the front and rear, respectively.

Then, when an opening appeared, Fiora momentarily took the form of a small dragon.

Everyone else pulled back, and Fiora opened her mouth and unleashed her breath.

Compared to a normal dragon, it was a tiny breath.

But it was more than enough to fill the labyrinth passage.

Carmine, too, saw Fiora transform into a dragon, and her eyes and lips curved into a thin, crescent-like smile.

“I wonder what it feels like to cut off a dragon's head?”

Uttering the words of a madwoman, she let out a hideous laugh.

The breath engulfed her.

KWAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!!!

The entire labyrinth vibrated violently, as if it were shaking.

As the breath shot forward, melting the sides, top, and bottom of the passage simultaneously, the labyrinth truly began to melt, flowing down like lava.

It didn't melt completely, so the general shape of the floor, walls, and ceiling remained, but the walls were melting and dripping like molten rock.

In that situation.

CHWAAAAAA!

Carmine burst out of the molten lava.

He wondered if she was truly human, but she was indeed human, as her skin had melted away, revealing her muscles clearly.

Her hideously melted skin from the burns.

But her muscles had not melted, holding their shape and enduring. Her skin was peeled away, making the muscles look like fibers.

She looked to be in immense pain, and yet.

“Kyahahahahahahaha!!!”

Carmine laughed like a madwoman.

Then she screamed.

“The scars I got from that bitch are gone!? Kyahahahaha!”

At a sight that would make even the undead shake their heads, Leonik spoke.

-She's insane.

Even Balthar, a demon, shook his head.

-She's not normal.

As the two of them spoke, they stepped forward to block the charging Carmine.

Leonik and Balthar stood in her way, while Fiora, having exhausted a great deal of power, fell back.

Thinking that Carmine must also be weakened from her injuries, only the two of them engaged.

Barpur carried the exhausted Fiora and moved to the rear, as it would be dangerous for her to be at the front.

As Barpur and Fiora left the front line.

“Kyahahaha! Come on! COME!!!”

Carmine charged, letting out a mad laugh, and swung her spear at Leonik and Balthar.

A crimson aura enveloped the spear, creating the illusion that it had grown longer as Carmine swung it so fast it seemed to disappear for an instant.

FWIP—!

At the incredibly fast spear tip, Leonik's and Balthar's glowing eyes widened in surprise.

‘She can launch an attack like this even after being so injured?’

In the moment the two were shocked, Nocturnium quickly created a wall behind them so they could brace themselves, but it wasn't enough.

KWAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Although they blocked the spear, they couldn't overcome its force and were thrown backward, shattering the wall Nocturnium had made.

The two of them didn't just slide back while maintaining their stance; they were unable to hold their ground and were flung backward.

Seeing this, Nocturnium tried to step in and block, but there was no way that Nocturnium, who was not suited for combat, could stop Carmine.

Nevertheless, to protect his master this time, Nocturnium took the lead and stood in Carmine's way.

“Hnngh!!!”

As he unleashed his full power, the entire surrounding labyrinth moved, attempting to swallow and trap Carmine.

It would be difficult for her to escape without destroying the entire labyrinth!

However, Nocturnium had overlooked one thing.

That even if the entire labyrinth constricted around her, it would not be able to hold Carmine.

-Dodge!!!

-You can't handle her!!!

-M-Mr. Nocturnium!!!

-Aigo!!!

They each shouted, and Barpur tried to move as fast as possible to defend him, but it was too late.

KWAAAAAAAAA—!!!

A ferocious energy destroyed the constricting labyrinth, and from within, something shot out like a beam of light.

It was Carmine, holding her spear.

“Kyahahahaha! Dieeeeeee!!!”

With that scream, the crimson spear tip reached Nocturnium's neck in an instant.

The spear tip was about to sever Nocturnium's head.

But it was forced to stop dead in its tracks.

A darkness, deeper than that of the dark labyrinth, appeared at Carmine's feet.

The Abyss manifested beneath her, and Carmine tilted her head in confusion.

“What is this?”

With those words full of question, a hand extended from the Abyss, reaching for Carmine and enveloping her.

But seeing it, Carmine scoffed.

“Hmph! Something like this...”

[Movement sealed for 3 seconds by Grasp of the Abyss.]

[The Hidden Raid Boss, 『The Worst of Pentagrid, Carmine』, attempts to resist.]

[This is an irresistible skill.]

“……?”

And at that moment, a cannonball made of black energy appeared before Carmine’s eyes and struck her squarely in the face.

KWAAAAAAAAA—!!

“Keo-heok!”

[Critical Hit!]

Even Carmine let out a groan of pain as her head snapped back.

And when she lifted her head again, a spear made of teal energy was embedded in it.

“Kuaaaak!!!”

[Critical Hit!]

[Darkness damage will be applied.]

[『The Worst of Pentagrid, Carmine』, partially resists.]

[For 2 seconds, all of 『The Worst of Pentagrid, Carmine』's vision and senses will become impaired.]

Her senses were blocked.

She couldn't tell heaven from earth.

It was as if she had fallen into a zero-gravity universe.

Her vision was not intact.

Because all of her senses were blocked, she couldn't even tell if her bindings had been released.

But she could feel something, though not clearly.

‘Am I… being cut?’

She felt the sensation of a sharp sword slicing her.

Was it an illusion?

No, she was certain it wasn't.

[Using the swordsmanship skill 『Darkness』.]

[You are consumed by darkness due to the powerful darkness.]

[Consumed by darkness, the vision of 『The Worst of Pentagrid, Carmine』 is blocked.]

[Consumed by darkness, the hearing of 『The Worst of Pentagrid, Carmine』 is blocked.]

[Consumed by darkness, the sense of touch of 『The Worst of Pentagrid, Carmine』 is blocked.]

[Consumed by darkness, the sense of smell of 『The Worst of Pentagrid, Carmine』 is blocked.]

[Consumed by darkness, the sense of taste of 『The Worst of Pentagrid, Carmine』 is blocked.]

[Consumed by darkness, all senses of 『The Worst of Pentagrid, Carmine』 are blocked.]

[This effect lasts as long as the sword is imbued with darkness.]

It was about time for her senses to return, but they didn't.

The feeling of complete disorientation was gone, but she was not fully recovered.

She felt the premonition of movement and sensed hostility flying toward her.

“Kyahahahahahaha!!! So you can pull off these kinds of petty tricks!!!!”

Reacting to the hostility, Carmine, who could feel nothing, moved her body and somehow managed to defend herself.

She couldn't block all the attacks from Seonghyun, Leonik, Balthar, and Barpur, but she was blocking as many as she could.

Even with all of her senses blocked.

Watching her, Seonghyun shook his head as if he'd had enough.

“She's incredible.”

But not anymore.

As Seonghyun said this, he used another swordsmanship skill.

Deeper than darkness, and darker than jet-black.

As he gripped his sword, now enveloped in the aura of the Abyss, the light returned to Carmine’s eyes.

“It's the Darkness!!!”

[Translator - Prøks]

[Proofreader - Prøks]