Chapter 52 Part6 (2/2)
As for the final trap, which activated upon the life vessel's disappearance, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo switched the real life vessel with a fake created with his Disguise skill, preventing the trap from triggering.
In the short period of time in which he switched the two, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had also used his s.h.i.+ning Flame on the magic circle (which made up the trap), and erased cause-and-effect. And by adding in his Acting skill, he was able to do it with ease!
Though he was forced to use a significant amount of mana for this brief distortion, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's level wasn't just for show! He was able to replace the real life vessel with a fake one before his mana bottomed out.
'The fake won't last for very long.'
But it didn't need to last that long. He had the Archmage's life vessel in his grasp and planned to go straight to the Archmage with it in tow.
[Artifact, all clear.]
[Treasure, all clear.]
[I want to fight.]
[I want to eat meat.]
He took a peek at the undead, who stood guard without even knowing what he'd done, grinned, and left the facility.
'Annihilation Flame's totally overpowered. It seems better than Dark Shadow.'
He sent a message to the other Erem and then activated Fire Shadow, allowing him to instantaneously travel to a far off location... where the Archmage was oppressing the heroes.
With a single glance, he saw his seniors, the undead heroes he hadn't killed yet, with his juniors, as well as the Archmage, who looked down at them in satisfaction from midair.
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo felt he'd hit his limit with Annihilation Flame, so he chose to reveal himself then and there. His intro had enough impact to cause the Archmage to freeze completely!
”And time begins to move once more...”
[H-How? How do you have my heart!?]
”That's not what's important. The fact is that I have your heart in my hands.”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo smiled at the Archmage and squeezed the crystal. But surprisingly, the once frantic Archmage had regained his composure.
[But you didn't break it. You came all this way and brought it to me without breaking it.]
”Hoh.”
At that moment, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was truly surprised. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo could tell that the Lich was trying to use his mana on the life vessel.
It was the s.p.a.ce element. He was using the fusion element of darkness and s.p.a.ce, the Dark s.p.a.ce element, on the crystal. The power of s.p.a.ce flowed through the darkness; an element that allowed him unlimited control over anything consisting of darkness... It was truly a formidable ability. Especially when he considered that it was difficult to use the s.p.a.ce element effectively against another level 9.
While this could be replicated with a maxed out darkness element, Dark s.p.a.ce set itself apart; the darkness encroached s.p.a.ce, and the ability to control said s.p.a.ce was maximized. Perhaps Dark s.p.a.ce was the element most compatible with the darkness element.
[Your biggest mistake was your arrogance. You should've known that I'd have awakened a new power upon seeing yours!]
”Oooooh!”
The life vessel was already in the Lich's hand! Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was astonished and applauded him. The next moment, a black flame ignited over the Archmage's palm. Now, the life vessel had returned to Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's hand.
It was quite obvious, but he had used his maxed out darkness element, Dark Shadow, and Dark Flame together. Of course, the Archmage didn't really understand what had happened. Regardless of how great his innate element was, there was no way that he could overcome Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, who possessed five of them...!
[...?]
”It was nice. I'll give you an 8.”
Darkness blazed upon his palm and devoured the life vessel. The reason he hadn't destroyed the life vessel and come straight here was because of the off chance that the Lich would explode, taking Lloyd and Erian with him.
[Fully destroying and absorbing the Lv8 Archmage Feotane Von Seldin's Life Vessel through Bone Reinforcement. You have completely absorbed the magic source, and Magic has increased by 230.]
[The soul is returning to its owner.]
Once all traces of the life vessel disappeared, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo felt a full amount of mana welling with him. It wasn't like Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's mana, which he'd acquired through Bone Reinforcement or through adapting to his circ.u.mstances, but purely the Archmage's own mana, one who'd followed the path of a magician his entire life. He couldn't even begin to describe the satisfaction and the joy he felt!
”Ah, I guess I can't take in an entire soul, even with my abilities.”
[G-Gugaaaaaahk!]
With the life vessel's destruction, the Archmage's soul was forcefully ejected and returned to him. However, the Archmage wasn't able to withstand the pain. He screamed and started rolling around in the air.
He'd lost control of his mana and spread it out everywhere, but it was all stained by Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's darkness and eliminated. Destroying his life vessel, the return of his soul, as well as the Lich's anguish from its return were... all great experiences in killing Liches. It would help when he killed the Emperor!
”You made one mistake, Lich.”
[Guaaaaaah!]
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo quickly stabbed the Lich with the Death G.o.d's s.h.i.+ning Bone Sword and then said with a somber expression.
”You met me.”
While the Archmage's magic was high, his actual defensive capabilities were quite low, so the s.h.i.+ning Bone Sword cut him to pieces.
Fortunately, his bone showed up properly this time.
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