The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board-Chapter 418

WHOOM…

Maradum’s statue started moving.

"Ur."

"Yes. There's something I must take care of first."

WHOOM…

Another statue of Maradum appeared, identical to the one Seol's party was following, accompanied by a sound from outside.

"Someone else made it this far?"

"Why aren't they dead yet? What are the others doing?"

"Hmm… This will be troublesome."

Those from outside stepped into the room. Their suspicious behavior made them obvious targets Seol’s party needed to be cautious about.

Click…

Somi aimed the crossbow mounted on her wrist at them.

"Who are you? Identify yourselves."

"Whoa… What's that? Identify ourselves? Wasn't the masquerade over already?"

"Now!"

The man grinned grotesquely and rushed toward them.

"Well, we're obviously bad guys!"

Thud—!

Paaf—!

The arrow was lodged in the man's shoulder.

"Argh! That hurts. I didn't think you'd actually shoot."

Fwoosh—!

The man yanked the arrow stuck in his flesh without hesitation. Although he frowned slightly, he shrugged it off as if the wound meant nothing.

Whoosh…

The wound Somi’s inflicted quickly regenerated.

Seol fell into thought.

'Regeneration… It's just like back then. Was she in the same group as them?'

Seol noticed the man's ability was the same as the assassin Tekon sent to kill Silvia. She definitely had a similar regenerative power.

"Enough playing around. We need to chase after the statue."

"Ah, what a shame. I wanted to play with them a bit more. Look at their dumbfounded faces. They have no idea what's going on…"

The man assumed that they would make the same expressions as those they had killed on the way here.

"What…?"

However, the expressions of the group before him were far from what he had expected—they were eerily calm.

Especially the white-haired man at the front.

"Seol, was that the regeneration you mentioned?"

"Yes, it seems similar."

"To think we'd stumble onto a pile of trash when there's a feast right in front of us. Their stench is enough to turn your stomach."

The white-haired man's gaze was clearly directed at them as he said, ‘Trash.’

"Trash…?"

"Just quietly disappear now. I will kill you later."

"You bastards are just going to become fertilizer for the ruin."

"Ah, that's right. The ruins awaken with blood, don’t they? In that case, I can't let you go. I can't afford to let things fall apart."

Ur had decided the man's fate.

"You will die here."

"What? Hahaha… You're insane. Do you even know what's waiting ahead?"

"Then do you know? What's waiting…" The white-haired man's expression hardened as he spoke. "Over there."

"I don't care… I'll just crush everything."

"Oh… Crush?"

Crunch…

Crunch…

The man's body started to transform.

His muscles swelled excessively, his nails grew grotesquely long, and his veins looked like bugs crawling beneath his skin.

"Haa… Haa… This thrill… it's awesome."

Creak…

Creeaakk…

His nails scraped against the stone wall, making it crumble like clay.

"This body is immortal. Is that enough explanation?"

"Immortal… There are certainly a lot. Is it a new trend?"

Clank…

As Seol took a step forward, Ur stopped him with his hand. "Stop. I'll take care of them. You see? I need to warm up."

"Do as you please…"

Ur rubbed his hands. "Now, what kind of power will you show me? Imm—"

Paaf—!

BOOM—!

The man charged at Ur with incredible speed, smashed his head, and sent him crashing into a wall.

Somi covered her mouth at the gruesome sight.

"KYAA!"

"Fufu… You were too cocky. How about that?"

Suddenly, someone spoke from behind him.

"Pathetic."

The man hurriedly turned around. He couldn't believe the white-haired man he had just crushed was standing behind him.

If the white-haired man were alive, he would have for sure counterattacked, yet he didn't.

Instead, he sat on the stone steps, resting his chin on his hand while observing him.

"H-How…"

The man's companion shouted. "It's ice! He used ice to trick…"

Ur's corpse, which had crashed into the wall, had turned into ice.

With a disappointed look, Ur said indifferently, "I'll ask you a question. That body… It doesn't seem like you've earned it through effort. Did you take drugs? Surgery?"

"You bastard!"

PAANNG—!

This time, too, Ur's chest was pierced by the man's fist.

A hole was made in Ur's body.

But that, too, was ice.

Ur reappeared next to the man's companions.

After suddenly appearing, Ur casually said to them. "What do you guys think? His muscle movements seem stiff. Are those side effects of the transformation? Or just inexperience? If it's the latter, I'd be even more disappointed…"

"Wh-What's up with this bastard?!"

They all rushed at Ur to slaughter him.

However, at that point, Ur was done playing with them.

Ur's corpse turned into ice, and sharp spikes shot out of it.

[Ur used Ice Trap.]

[The targets caught in your trap take continuous damage proportional to your Intelligence.]

[Targets who force their way out of the trap receive 300% of your Intelligence as damage at once.]

"Huh…"

"Eh…?

Thud…

Like people pierced by sea urchin spines, they all became entangled in deadly spikes.

Ur said to them. "You brats, immortality isn't something that can be achieved with cheap drugs."

"Who are you calling brats…"

Swoosh…

[Ur used Exceptional Skill: Frozen Shut.]

[Everything freezes.]

Crackle…

The men's bodies started to freeze.

In an instant, they were completely frozen solid.

Their swollen muscles and sharp body parts were no longer capable of moving.

"In my eyes, you all look just like kids."

Seol accepted the situation was natural, but the others couldn’t.

Somi could believe that Seol’s companions were strong, but Mariju couldn't.

"This power… Just what…"

Only then did Mariju realize that the mana she felt from Ur was only a fraction of his true capabilities, and what she had felt was shown to her on purpose.

Thud…

Ur pulled something from the dead man's pocket and threw it to Seol.

"What's this…?"

"You don't know either? It was in this guy's pocket. Ah, now that I think about it…"

Ur took out a thick needle and drew blood from the frozen man, filling a small vial. Strangely, the blood thawed as soon as the needle touched it.

"I should take it for research."

As Seol held the small vial and pondered, Mariju approached him and said.

"I know what that is…"

"Really?"

"Yes… but how come an investigator doesn't?"

As Mariju asked back in surprise, Somi quickly stepped in.

"Ah…! This is home."

"Home? Aah… That new drug."

"Yes. Could these guys be connected with home?"

They had no way to know if they were connected or just drug users.

Moreover, even if they were connected, it was impossible to tell if they were just distributors or the ones making it.

"Let's take it for now."

"Right. Let's finish what we were doing."

* * *

Seol's group went to where the statue had stopped.

Maradum was now dressed in robes and holding a staff. The red energy in his eyes had intensified.

Ziinng…

Seol read the words engraved on the ceiling.

"The Magician couldn't unlock the Stone of Time's seal, but with it in his hands, he advanced further, becoming stronger than ever."

"Kik…"

Ur activated the Stone of Time.

Dddrrr…

The statue started moving somewhere.

Seol's group followed the statue and witnessed what Maradum had done.

"Expand the light, Magician."

"Yes? Ah…"

Fwoosh…

As Mariju's flames burned brighter, the entire space was revealed.

The surroundings were filled with dwarf statues, their faces twisted with agony.

"This place…"

"This must be the Throne of Ashes. He returned as soon as he gained power."

"Just why…"

"Revenge, probably. For not having been chosen."

"That's… That's ridiculous. Didn't Maradum want the power to be used for the sake of the dwarves?"

"Just watch."

Words appeared on the ceiling.

Walking among the grotesquely twisted dwarf statues, Seol read the words.

"That day, the Throne of Ashes fell by the hands of the Calamity Magician."

Following the statue, they saw Maradum gripping the neck of Sirion, the King of Ashes.

A blue energy briefly swirled in Sirion's eyes but soon faded.

"Is it over…?"

"The text ends here. It seems we need to manipulate the orb to proceed to the next part."

Mariju mumbled, "Why would he do this… Doesn't this mean he's lost his purpose?"

"It's as expected. He's been consumed by time—this is how things usually end."

Ur chuckled and called Somi, "Hey, woman."

"Huh? Me? But my name is Somi."

"Yes, Somi. Today, you planned to go to your favorite restaurant for a satisfying meal."

"Huh? But right now, I’m…"

"I was just giving an example."

"Ah… Okay…"

"You sprayed perfume, dressed up, and left your house." Ur turned to face the Stone of Time. "And then you witness a murder right in front of you."

"So suddenly…?"

"You saw the knife go in and out multiple times. It tore through the victims' organs and pierced their throat, ending their life."

"That's too cruel…"

"What thoughts would be filling your head in such a situation?"

"Huh… Murder? I should tell others, right? Is that person going to attack me? Probably things like that?"

"Yes, that's right. But why did you leave your house?"

"To have dinner."

"But why wasn’t dinner on your mind?"

"What…?"

"You left for dinner, but you didn't think about it at all. Why is that?"

Somi listened as if she were entranced.

"Once you closed that door, shouldn't you be thinking about what to eat or drink?"

"Well, someone died in front of me. The meal can wait."

"Why's that?"

"Because a person's life is more important than a meal, obviously!"

While Somi seemed proud of her reasonable answer, Mariju's expression darkened.

Ur smiled. "Right. Time is like that."

"What…?"

"A Magician who touches the power of time becomes obsessed with it. About the weight of time, its value."

"…"

"Time exists and overwhelms—one's morality, emotions, and missions all become nothing in front of it. In the age of magic… there was nothing more important than time."

This was why time magic was dangerous.

Ur said while looking at Maradum, "He's no longer a dwarf or a Magician. He's just a servant of time."

Ziinng…

Ur manipulated the Stone of Time.

Maradum's statue moved.

The group was about to leave when…

Swoosh…

Cryptic, dark words appeared on the ceiling.

"It's all your fault… The sin of having feared the power capable of opening the future. I resent you more than anything."

The madness could be felt in his tone. The group hurriedly followed Maradum's statue.

Next to Maradum stood a dwarf.

"That statue… its neck…"

"Has reattached…"

The beheaded dwarf from before reappeared—Eorian, the Warrior who had sacrificed himself to protect Maradum. He had been revived.

At that moment, the statue started to speak.

"Maradum… why would you do something like this…"

The group became shocked upon hearing the statue speak words they could understand.

"I-I can hear them! How…"

"Quiet. Let's first confirm."

Maradum's statue spoke in a wistful tone, "I've brought you back to this world."

"You’ve failed…"

"Nonsense! I haven't failed!"

"The unshakable Throne of Ashes has fallen due to your hands."

"They deserved it for their sins! And now…"

Ur laughed and followed Maradum's words as if he knew the script and were mimicking what was about to be said.

"That doesn't matter."

"That doesn't matter, Eorian."

The lines matched.

"What do you want to do?"

"I desire omnipotence. I… want to reach the plane of those who created this thing."

"You're wrong. Even a non-Magician can see. How far do you think you have to turn back time to reach them?"

"The Stone of Time has the property of accumulating power. I plan to gather enough power to go back in time."

Maradum's insane words and actions brought fear to the group, but for Ur, it was different.

He seemed to be enjoying the spectacle.

"Your body is going to collapse before that…!"

"That can be solved by me being in a dead state."

Maradum's eyes turned red.

Eorian’s voice cracked, unclear whether it was a scream or a plea, "No way… That can't be! If you're my friend, turn me back into dust!"

"Eorian, whether it's hundreds… or thousands of years, be by my side and protect me, the true King of the Dwarves!"

"NO! Please, let me go!"

"Just like the day you sacrificed your life for me…"

"I sacrificed myself for a witty Magician, not the madman you've become!"

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"No. I'm the same."

Clang—!

Chains enveloped Eorian's body.

Whoom…

BOOM—!

"Th-Tthe ruins…"

"Be careful!"

The statues started to crumble—no, the ruins were being rearranged.

BOOM…

Crash—!

Craasshh—!

As if the Star Graveyard existed solely for them, an excessively vast space was created.

In the center of the space, a new statue of Maradum appeared, replacing the shattered one they had been following.

The statue was so lifelike that it seemed like it would wake up at any moment.

Then, a voice came out from the statue. "I am the Calamity Magician, Maradum."

Dddd…

Part of the ruin's ceiling slowly descended.

"I will return."

Maradum seemed to be speaking to the man who had descended from the ceiling.

"Eorian, protect me."

Mariju couldn't close her mouth in surprise.

"Oh my God… That statue… That story… To think it was all true…"

The chained Warrior, Eorian.

He carried a large axe and had a bushy beard. And his eyes, which made it impossible to know how many years he had endured by himself, now shone a lifeless red.

"Gladly, my king…"

[The battle to stop the Calamity Magician, Maradum's resurrection ritual continues.]

[A certain amount of Era's Might can be gained in this Adventure.]

[The outcome of this Adventure will be recorded in history.]

[The results of this Adventure will influence Pandea.]

[This is an extremely dangerous battle.]

[Current raid members: 3.]

[There is a colored shadow on the battlefield.]

[Current raid members: 4.]

[Rewards will significantly increase upon successful subjugation.]

[Difficulty is near impossible.]

…

Ur frowned.

"So that stupid dwarf is already dead."