Chapter 52 Part6 (1/2)

<chapter 52.=”” war's=”” scenario=”” -=”” 6=””>

Once Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had realized that the Lich had invaded the chatting channel, he had first split the Erems into 'two squads' and mobilized them.

[We've found him, Master.]

”As I expected. Hurray for the Mana Radar.”

First was the area where Silene and the Archmage were located. It was a small city situated near the level 4 danger zone, Bayran. He sent the Erems, satisfying the condition for Fire Shadow, and then waited for the right moment.

He could, of course, defeat the Archmage without all this preparation. An innate element? Lee s.h.i.+n Woo knew, as someone who often used innate elements, that someone who'd just awakened an innate element couldn't contend with someone who possessed five.

If the Archmage had simultaneously reached level 9 as well, then it would be a different story. However, he wasn't there yet. Not at all.

[But security is strict.]

”Ok, I'll go personally.”

Then why had he sent the Erems ahead of him? This could be explained by the second preceding battle.

Lee s.h.i.+n Woo and Seagald were ahead in terms of pure power, and the Archmage's s.p.a.ce element had been sealed, leading to his head being split apart. However, he was a Lich, a being that could revive itself several times. As long as his life vessel remains intact, he could regain his physical body and revive himself any number of times.

This was really a case of the pot calling the kettle black, as he possessed a revival ability of his own (Invisible Heart), but it was so cowardly! If Lee s.h.i.+n Woo just went and killed him, then it'd be such a waste of a good opportunity; the Lich was outside of the capital, but if he killed him, then he'd just revive himself!

[Please be careful, Master. They are powerful.]

”They won't be able to notice me. Don't worry.”

Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had split the Erems into two, sending the other squad 'to a different location'. Where, you ask...?

[Security's tight. It's perfect.]

[The Lord Archmage commanded us to be wary of Seagald Von Retadane's mana response.]

[With this artifact, the 'Anti-Skull Mana Detector', which was personally created by the Archmage himself, we should be able to find him, even if he completely erases his presence and reappears!]

He had sent them to a secret facility within the capital which housed the container for the Archmage's soul, or life vessel.

'I thought he was an idiot, like any undead, for leaving the capital, but it looks like he's not. But to think they've created an artifact specifically for Seagald. It seems like they really were worried about him. ...Though I'm not sure if that thing can actually detect the Annihilation Flame or not.'

The Mana Radar's top priority was to locate the Archmage and the Emperor's life vessel. And once he'd created the Mana Radar, he checked the locations of their life vessels, but it's not like he could be like... 'let's go destroy their souls now!'.

The Archmage's life vessel was stored in an extremely vital building within the capital, and Seldin would stay around it when he had nothing better to do. On the other hand, the Emperor's life vessel was located in the deepest part of the palace. In other words, it was near impossible for anyone to steal their life vessels undetected!

'If I didn't have Annihilation Flame, that is...'

At first, he thought he had no other option but to fight head-on and destroy the Archmage's life vessel before he had a chance to recover. In terms of destroying the life vessel, charging headfirst or fighting them head-on wasn't much different.

But with Seagald's Annihilation Flame, he had another option. It was unlikely to work with the Emperor's life vessel, but he was confident that he could steal the Archmage's life vessel in his absence!

'Why didn't the Archmage hide his life vessel in the palace too?'

He thought of several reasons. One, the Archmage wasn't entirely loyal to the Emperor, or two, it could be dangerous to store two life vessels in the same location... If it was neither of the two, then perhaps two life vessels couldn't be placed near each other.

'From what I'm seeing, that seems like the most likely option here.'

This black crystal, which was protected by countless undead, shook its surroundings and emitted an uncanny energy. Seeing that, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo nodded his head.

He'd always been curious as to how a life vessel was made, but he could make a guess after looking at it. It mostly consisted of the s.p.a.ce and darkness elements, as well as layers upon layers of unknown magic. The life vessel required careful storage and another life vessel couldn't be placed in its direct vicinity.

'And it looks like that crystal took a piece of the source of darkness too... That's what comes from just taking a little bit of it? If that's the case, then what exactly is the darkness that lay beneath the palace... Hey, wait a sec.'

Lee s.h.i.+n Woo thought, but then tilted his head. The source of darkness was beneath the palace. And the Emperor's life vessel was beneath the palace as well.

If that's the case, then... did that d.a.m.n Emperor use the source of darkness itself as his life vessel!? When he actually saw the Archmage's life vessel, what had once seemed a delusion had turned out to be a reality!

'Hey, that means that killing the Emperor and purifying the Empire are one in the same.'

It didn't matter anyway; in the end, he needed to do both. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo thought about the steep obstacle he'd have to face within the palace and sighed deeply. He soon refocused on his current situation.

If he wasted anymore time here then Lloyd and Erian would die. Honestly, he really didn't care what happened to them, but he didn't really want to see Prince cry.

'First, let's make a backup.'

The Archmage's life vessel was stored very carefully; just because he'd found the life vessel didn't mean that it was smooth sailing from now on.

Not only were several level 7 elite undead standing guard (though many of them had been annihilated by Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's light blast), but there were also dozens of s.p.a.ce-type traps that activated upon the entrance of an intruder. And by touching the life vessel, several more traps would activate. Lastly, once the life vessel disappeared, another trap would be activated.

And even with all that, the Archmage usually remained close to his life vessel, so he really was careful.

[The Intermediate Annihilation Flame Element has become Lv2 and Magic has increased by 20.]

'I'm good, except for that last trap.'

But Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's power, or more specifically, Annihilation Flame, allowed him to ignore most of the traps. By erasing his presence, the traps didn't have anyone to target.

There was an error in the activation process, so the traps didn't even activate. It was simple.

'...Good. I switched it out!'