Chapter 103

Тhumр…! Тhumр…! Thump…!

Кhаn’s аlwауs calm heаrt bеgan to bеat raрidlу.

Тhеn.

[Skill ‘Sаgе’s Heаrt’ activаtеs.]

As ‘Sаgе’s Неаrt’ forсibly аctivatеd, hе rеgаined his cоmpоsure in an instant.

‘Маybe the Quest соmpletion messagе аppeared аnd I missеd it.’

That wаs entirеlу роssible.

The eхplosiоn саused by ‘Drаgоn’s Вreath’ wаs truly ovеrwhelming.

Since he wаs stаring blankly аt thе spеctaсle, he might havе missed сhеcking the Quest comрletiоn mеssаge аnd the Levеl Uр Мessagе.

Khаn саrеfullу oреnеd his Status Windоw.

◈ LV.39

◈ Кhan (Lee Huseong)

◈ Mana: 2640/3640

◈ Talent: Magic

◈ Skills: (10★)Sage’s Heart, (8★)Growth Acceleration, (1★)Arrow, (1★)Barrier, (2★)Fire Boom, (2★)Fireball, (2★)Mirror Defense, (2★)Mana Enhancement, (1★)Wind Cutter, (3★)Dragon’s Breath

After checking his Status Window, Khan’s expression couldn’t help but turn grim.

‘He’s definitely still alive.’

He checked his Status Window and his Level hadn’t increased, and when he checked the Quest window as well, it was still not completed.

That meant Lexar was not dead yet.

‘Where on earth did he hide?’

First, he had to find out where the guy was.

“Sharin, don’t let your guard down yet. They’re still alive!”

“Huh…?! Really?!!! That’s strange…. I don’t sense any presence at all?!”

“Draw out more Mana and expand your Sensory Perception. I’ll search too.”

“Yes!”

Hmmmm…!!!!!!

Sharin drew out her Mana to its maximum and scrutinized the surroundings as thoroughly as possible.

By drawing out Mana and expanding Sensory Perception, she could detect what was nearby without directly seeing it.

“Hmm… Master, I’ve searched everywhere, but I can’t sense any signs of life?”

“…….”

If Sharin couldn’t find them, then they definitely weren’t in the immediate vicinity.

A Mage of Sharin’s caliber should be able to detect the presence of a Mage using High-Rank Stealth Magic.

‘Wait. Then could it be… they used magic beyond that?’

That was when Khan had that thought.

Right beneath his feet.

[LV.294 Lexar’s Gang Leader Lexar]

[LV.174 Lexar’s Gang Senior Mage Jarvian]

[LV.172 Lexar’s Gang Senior Mage Kalion]

Beneath him, he felt absolutely no presence, yet text floated in the air.

‘Top-rank Stealth…!’

As soon as Khan saw it, he realized the survivors were using top-rank Stealth Magic.

Part of him wanted to attack and kill them right then and there, but that was impossible.

‘It’s absolutely impossible for me to take them down in one go right now.’

Khan was quite flustered at the moment, but thanks to ‘Sage’s Heart’, he regained his composure.

The reason he was shocked and flustered wasn’t because Lexar and his two Mage underlings were using top-rank Stealth Magic.

‘Their Levels… far exceed my expectations.’

Khan thought Lexar’s Level would be high, maybe around 200, but it vastly surpassed his estimate.

‘Still, these guys right now… are in a severely weakened state.’

If he wanted to defeat a Mage nearing Level 300, now was the only chance.

‘If I fail, it’s all over.’

If he failed, it wouldn’t just mean the Quest ending; he would be brutally killed.

Had he ever thought about death since coming to this world?

No, until now, he had never once felt like he might die.

‘This time is truly dangerous.’

Khan quickly became lost in thought.

Could he, with his current Skills, defeat a severely weakened Mage nearing Level 300?

Absolutely impossible.

Therefore, Khan planned to first see how they would move.

“Ah, it seems I was mistaken for a moment. They’re all dead.”

“Really?! Phew… I aged ten years, really…. Those guys looked really strong. Of course, Master is far stronger. Hehe.”

“Hahaha!! As expected of Hyungnim!! If those guys were still alive, I, Byutek, would have finished them off!”

Khan looked at Sharin and Byutek without saying a word.

He discreetly glanced toward the area beneath his feet without showing it. Seeing the Levels and names staying still, it seemed they were also watching the situation to decide what to do.

Meanwhile, the barely surviving Lexar, Jarvian, and Kalion were using Recovery Magic while hiding their bodies with top-rank Stealth Magic.

Hmmmm…!!!

Swoosh….

In a top-rank Stealth state, even when drawing out Mana or using magic, no presence leaked out at all.

Lexar used Mana to send a telepathic message to Jarvian and Kalion.

‘Jarvian, Kalion. Are you alright?’

‘To be honest… my condition isn’t good. I have almost no Mana left….’

‘I’m the same….’

Mages nearing Level 200 were in this state after just one attack from Khan, who wasn’t even Level 40.

Of course, they believed Khan was by no means a low-level Mage.

Lexar looked at Jarvian and Kalion once each and spoke again.

‘For now, they think we’re dead.’

‘T-Then, how about we leave this place for now and come back later to kill them?’

‘That seems good to me too. Right now is…….’

‘What are you talking about. Now is the perfect opportunity to kill that guy. Out of nearly thirty Mages, only three remain, including me. How do you plan to find and defeat a guy like that later?’

‘That’s true, but….’

The current state of the three was unspeakable.

The Robes they wore had long been reduced to rags.

Outwardly, not many wounds were visible, but their internal Mana Cores had sustained irreparable damage in various places.

Jarvian and Kalion desperately wanted to survive.

‘You two can stay put. I’ll kill that Khan guy first, and you just need to handle the rest.’

‘I-Is that really true?’

As Lexar spoke confidently, Jarvian asked again with a trembling voice.

‘Yes, among the Dark Magic I possess, there is magic that can absolutely cause instant death. If I cast Instant Death Magic while that guy is off guard now, I can kill him cleanly.’

‘We can definitely take down the rest…!’

Jarvian had roughly gauged the level of Byutek and Sharin beside Khan.

The Mage named Sharin seemed quite talented, but compared to himself, she was still insignificant, and the Knight didn’t seem that strong either.

‘I’ll start reciting the incantation for the Instant Death Magic now. You two, check if by any chance he notices our presence.’

‘Understood!’

‘Yes!’

Jarvian and Kalion looked like they might cough up blood and collapse at any moment, but they focused their minds as much as possible.

If Lexar just finished reciting the entire incantation for the Instant Death Magic and used it, he should be able to immediately defeat that monstrous Mage named Khan.

Hmmmm…!!!!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrumble…!!!!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRBOOM…!!!!!

As Lexar muttered the magic incantation, an enormous amount of Mana spread out around him.

Because of the aftermath, the air in the surrounding area began to tremble.

The ‘Instant Death Magic’, a formidable 8th-grade magic that Lexar possessed.

This magic was forbidden magic, usable only by Mages with innate talent even among those who learned Dark Magic.

‘Using Instant Death Magic will halve my lifespan, but I still need to defeat this guy right now…!’

There was actually an option to run away, but Lexar didn’t want to flee after being humiliated like this.

And for some reason, every time he saw that guy Khan’s face, he felt that if he didn’t defeat him now, he would appear before him again someday and trip him up.

Ooooooooooh…!!!!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrumble…!!!!!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRBOOM…!!!!!

Meanwhile, Byutek and Sharin, who were completely unaware that Lexar’s group was in stealth, shouted in a panicked voice as the entire area suddenly shook violently.

“H-Hyungnim!! It seems something is still left! Stay behind me! I’ll protect you even if it costs me my life!”

Swish!

Byutek hurriedly stepped in front of Khan and drew the Greatsword he carried on his back.

Judging by his demeanor, he really seemed willing to protect Khan even at the cost of his life.

‘He’s not very reliable, but I should acknowledge his loyalty.’

Frankly, Byutek wasn’t of much help to Khan at the moment.

There was the fact that they had traveled together and formed a bond, but Khan also liked that Byutek cared for him like that.

‘And since Byutek is already said to have outstanding talent… his growth potential should be sufficient.’

Sharin also drew out her Mana as the surroundings suddenly shook violently.

She was preparing to use magic immediately if the enemy attacked.

Khan also lowered his head and looked at his feet.

‘They’re still right beneath me. I don’t feel any Mana specifically… probably because they’re using top-rank Stealth Magic.’

Seeing Sharin also with a tense expression, only drawing out Mana, it seemed she couldn’t sense any Mana presence either.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrumble…!!!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRBOOM…!!!

Ccccccccccrrrrrrrrrrack―――

Now the ground was splitting, creating huge fissures in between.

‘This… could be dangerous.’

Khan was also preparing to use his Skills at any moment.

‘I need to move away from this spot first.’

If he stayed this close to Lexar, it would be difficult to block or evade his attack.

Part of him wanted to preemptively attack with Fireball or other Skills, but that wouldn’t do any good.

‘It’s not like I can take him down in one go anyway, and if a proper fight starts, I won’t be a match for him.’

No matter how many Hidden Skills Khan had, it was absolutely impossible to win a head-on fight against a monster nearing Level 300.

“Byutek, Sharin. For now, we should leave this place……!!”

Just as Khan called out to Byutek and Sharin and was about to suggest they leave the spot.

An unfamiliar message suddenly appeared before his eyes.