Chapter 185: Gloomy Stab
Translator: Dess Editor: Efydatia
At dawn, the temperature on Alcatraz Island dropped to its lowest point.
The changing of the tides spread the thick brume inside the reef cave and caused the temperature to drop even lower than outside.
Even the Dark Star Society members could not withstand the cold and started two campfires to warm up.
Those who had just returned from two continuous battles with outside invaders looked even more exhausted than normal.
The invaders were like ants to them. Each Dark Star Society member could crush them to death.
A sea of ants could kill an elephant though, and the invaders possessed more strength than an ant.
All the invaders were special individuals with a particular set of skills. If their number increased, even the Dark Star Society would not underestimate their combined power.
Dark Star Society members understood the situation very well. By choosing to follow Frostrill, they were risking their status as Dark Star Society members.
The island was under attack, and they had no reinforcements to call in. Worrying about the strongest shaman on the West Coast and their former leader Serdenk, who might launch an attack against them, it took a toll on their mental health and made it drop to a new low.
As the flames of the campfire danced, bright light shone on their faces. Every member of the Dark Star Society had a serious expression that reflected their feelings.
One of them was different though, and that was Frostrill.
As the group's leader, he was sitting beside the campfire calmly. He seemed like he was not worried about the desperate situation before them.
As he glanced around at his men, he saw the seriousness on their faces. It was exactly what he was feeling himself.
Frostrill started to feel anxious when Gilfren Hatch did not return and the greedy invaders kept launching attacks against them.
He knew he needed to stay calm to avoid anything bad happening though. He didn't want the men he had recruited from the society with such effort to take any action against him.
He knew the sheer pressure from Serdenk and Nikorei alone would be too heavy for them. Any misstep could cause them to rebel.
"Men, these goddamned days will be over soon. Our ally will be back with that fricking ass, and a new era will start. I will ascend to my rightful throne, and everyone here will be able to witness the glory and bright future our new power will bring!" Frostrill said as he stood up, looking at his men one by one.
His words were not fascinating, but they cut into the men's very core right away.
As his words faded, the men stood up and cheered for their new leader.
Benefits and wealth was what every single one of them was after. They pledged their loyalty to Frostril once more, looking at him to lead them to their envisioned future.
The heavy atmosphere turned merry and lively with cheers in an instant.The flames burned even brighter with their chanting, and the bright light enlarged the men's shadows a couple of times. Their shadows looked tall and long, swaying around like dancing snakes and creeping vines.
...
Frostrill's motivational words resonated with his men, and their cheers and chants could be heard clearly from inside the hall, where the bronze coffin was. Kieran, who was hiding in the shadows, smiled coldly. He was eager to see whether Frostrill would remain that calm and motivational if Serdenk or Nikorei appeared.
Kieran focused on the magic isolation circle as a grenade appeared in his hand.
He pulled the pin out and threw the grenade into the circle.
The mystical power of a magic circle was huge, but that did not mean that it was indestructible, even if it had been drawn with a defensive purpose.
The spell that invoked the defensive mechanism could be extremely powerful, like the one Trumbo had used, but the magic circle itself could still be easy to destroy.
Boom!
The explosion destroyed the magic circle and blasted the floor to bits.
Sparkling powder spread around and instantly made the shadowy hall turbid.
Kieran switched the [Tessirot Blessing] with [Paul's Conceal], and using his Musou Level [Undercover], he disappeared in the sparkling, dusty mist.
A dozen of nervous footsteps rushed into the hall. Frostrill's face had turned a solid green color.
He knew what was happening without a doubt.
The sparkling dust flying around was obvious enough. The magic isolation circle he had drawn had been destroyed.
Who else on the island could and would destroy the magic circle he had set up?
Kieran!
There was no proof of his claim, but Frostrill's instinct made him completely sure.
"You two find that damn rat! The rest of you follow me!" Frostrill yelled at his men as he took big steps towards the bronze coffin.
He could not wait anymore. He had to open the coffin right away.
Frostrill had no idea what had happened to Gilfren Hatch, but considering that Kieran had reappeared instead of his ally, he had to quickly decide his next course of action.
He was glad that he had prepared a safe place in case things went south.
Although he could not dodge Nikorei's sight for a long time, this would be enough to delay her.
With sufficient time, Frostrill was confident that he could open the bronze coffin by himself.
At that particular moment, Frostrill had no intention of using Kieran's hand to open the coffin anymore. He just wanted Kieran dead.
Kieran shared the same feeling. He wanted Frostrill dead as well.
A day ago, Kieran had clearly seen the hall where the bronze coffin was kept. The thought of killing Frostrill had come right after the thought of destroying the magic circle.
Yet the destruction of the magic circle had still been his priority. It was a no brainer, considering his habits.
Following his original plan, he had investigated the place where he had been trapped, which had been a dungeon under the island, hidden under the sea bed.
After Kieran had reached the end of the stairs, he had confirmed that he could get to the bronze coffin and other places.
Through some careful investigation of the hidden doors there, Kieran had also confirmed that, unless one could literally tear the island itself apart, no one could reach that place from the island's surface.
Kieran had used the crystal ball to spy on Frostrill and his men and plan his next course of action.
He had been looking for a pattern in Frostrill's troops' actions and a chance to strike.
When he had seen that Frostrill and his men were exhausted from defending themselves against the invaders, Kieran's original plan to just destroy the magic circle had been altered a little. It had seemed to him that there was room for improvement.
Kieran's thoughts and actions had been in perfect sync.
He had packed up everything that he wanted to take with him, including but not limited to the books in the secret room, and gotten ready for the upcoming fight.
During the past hour, Frostrill had fought two battles against the invaders. It was the perfect opportunity for Kieran to strike.
He might not have any chance against Frostrill when he was in prime form, but if the man was exhausted, then there was a ray of hope.
Thanks to the destruction of the magic isolation circle, plus his mental and physical exhaustion, Frostrill's mental state had to be affected. This gave Kieran even more hope.
He also had the [Hatch's Curse], and the dagger boosted his confidence even more.
In the shadows, Kieran was holding his breath with utmost concentration. He was hiding his presence and killing intention, waiting as still as a rock for Frostrill to approach him.
He was very patient. He had been waiting a whole day for this after all. A few more moments would not hurt him.
Frostrill was getting closer to him. He was walking towards the side, where the bronze coffin was. That was also where Kieran was waiting to ambush him.
When Frostrill halted and his men tried to come forward to move the coffin, Kieran made his move.
He slid forward like a blurry shadow and instantly appeared behind Frostrill. The dagger, which was the size of his palm, approached Frostrill's throat.
Frostrill's exhaustion and concentration distracted him and made him slower. He did not even notice the dagger as it got closer to his weak spot.
As the coldness caused chills to form on his skin though, Frostrill was not as numb anymore.
Still, he had no intention of dodging. He did not even make the slightest movement.
An ironic smile formed on his face as he got ready to fight back and kill Kieran with one of his thunderous attacks. It was the only way to save face.
The memory of the doubt and astonishment on his men's faces when the magic isolation circle had been destroyed was still fresh.
If it was not for his former reverence, Frostrill was sure that his men would have already turned against him.
He needed to redeem himself and save face if he wanted his men to continue to be loyal to him.
He had been waiting for such a chance as well.
As for the slight possibility that Kieran might pierce through his defense and harm him?
That was a joke. There might be some magical weapons that could harm him, but those weapons were too valuable to be in the hands of someone as weak as Kieran.
Even though Nikorei possessed such weapons and she seemed to be very fond of her assistant, Frostrill was sure that she would never give Kieran one of them.
So what was the dagger in Kieran's hand then?
It was probably some kind of alchemy-produced toy. How could such a toy break Frostrill's formidable defense?
Frostrill smirked in disdain at Kieran.
"This might be a good chance to capture 2567 and force him to open the coffin!"
The thought bloomed in the man's mind.
Just as it was close to becoming action though, the gloomy dagger approached his throat, shining dazzlingly.
Frostrill's seemingly impenetrable Force Field Barrier was pierced by the dagger like paper. His throat was stabbed, almost the whole body of the dagger going in.
Frostrill opened his eyes wide. He died with his eyes open.
Translator's Thoughts
Dess Dess
What could Frostrill drop?Chapter 186: "I Haven't Eaten a Human in 900 Years"
Translator: Dess Editor: Efydatia
The dazzling shine flashed over in an instant.
The gloomy dagger was crushed to bits, just like its attribute, [Hatred]. When hatred dissipated, everything turned into dust.
When the wielder got rid of hatred for life, all that was left behind was happiness.
The happiness on Kieran's face was real and overflowing when he saw Frostrill's body drop a faintly purple glowing Skill Book.
Although the Special Rank Skill Book belonged to an unknown category and might not even be useful to him, according to Kieran's understanding, it had to be anything but weak.
If anyone thought it was weak, they must not have been able to find a proper way to utilize it. Plus, if a Skill Book came from someone like Frostrill, how weak could it really be?
Before Kieran was lost in his delight, he did not forget what he had to do next.
He pulled the pin of the last grenade he had brought to the dungeon and threw it at the men who were about to move towards the bronze coffin.
None of them were able react to what was going on. The continuous battle and sheer pressure coming from their potential enemies was too high for Frostrill, let alone for his men.
They only focused when Frostrill's dead body fell to the ground. The grenade was already at their feet by then though.
Boom!
One after the other, their Force Field Barriers and Magical Defensive Equipment started shining after the explosion, and every single one of them was engulfed by the explosive force and sent flying.
Kieran's original plan had been to prevent Frostrill's men from accessing the bronze coffin and get it himself.
"Seems like their battle with the invaders was fiercer than I thought. Their barriers and equipment were all destroyed by one explosion!"
The thought bloomed suddenly in Kieran's mind when he saw the men flying away.
He quickly pulled out the [MI-02] silenced handgun and the [Python-W2] revolver, holding them in his right and left hand respectively.
It was the perfect opportunity to secure his victory and kill those who had lost their powers.
The men were no weaker than they were in their prime form. They all possessed a certain degree of strength, or they wouldn't have been recruited by Frostrill. Plus, the potential loot after their deaths would be a nice addition to Kieran's rewards.
Before Kieran could pull the triggers, a single figure appeared before him out of thin air without any warning.
He adjusted his trajectory towards it and pulled the trigger instinctively.
Bang!
The bullet slid past the man's hair.
"You…" Kieran wanted to speak, but he was interrupted by Frostrill's men, who were suddenly begging for mercy.
"My… My Lord! Frostrill bewitched us! We didn't mean to betray you!! Show mercy, my lord!"
The sudden chaotic screams of the men stunned Kieran and made him freeze on the spot.
Who would have been able to make the men beg for mercy, and who would they address as their Lord?
It was the Dark Star Society leader, Serdenk!
"That was fast! He appeared five or six seconds after I destroyed the magic isolation circle!"
Kieran was truly astonished by how fast Serdenk had appeared. He breathed in unconsciously. He could not help but stare at the Dark Star Society leader.His facial features were sharp, and he had a steadfast look. His red hair reached his shoulders, but he showed no sign of weakness. Quite the contrary, Kieran sensed that the man was wild and unrestrained.
He was not very tall, but his intimidating aura made him look huge.
Under his thick eyebrows were a pair of sharp, leopard-like eyes that shimmered.
"2567?"
As he uttered Kieran's name, a tremendous aura burst out of him, as if he was an ancient tyrant. The sheer pressure of his aura crushed Kieran.
Kieran was frightened of Serdenk's aura, as he had no way to resist it.
While he was muddling blindly against Serdenk's power, he felt like he was frozen. He could not move at all.
He could not even lift his finger to fight back. He quickly regulated his breathing and moved his limbs with his mind, hoping that he could reach his waistpack with his fingers.
Kieran had prepared a potion specifically for a situation like this. It was meant for resisting the bronze coffin's heartbeat, but he could not save it anymore.
His thoughts were euphoric, but reality was harsh and cold.
He mustered up all his strength and willpower, but he could not reach his waistpack.
All he managed to do was move his finger slightly.
"Nice, very nice! Not bad!"
Serdenk noticed the slight movement of Kieran's finger and praised him with unknown intentions as he laughed wildly.
"Meow?"
Serdenk's loud, wild laughter sounded like thunder in everyone's ears. However, amid his thundering laugh, a clear meow had been heard.
Although it had been just a meow, everyone understood the implications of the animal's presence there.
While everyone was looking around for the source of the sound, a slightly fat, yellow-white striped cat appeared between Kieran and Serdenk, who was facing Kieran.
The malicious intent that filled the hall and was locked on Kieran dissipated at the cat's appearance.
"Tiki!" Kieran said when he saw the cat, lowering his head slightly.
Tiki smiled like a human at Kieran and wagged its tail softly.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
A series of loud bangs were heard from behind them. Other than Kieran, Serdenk, and Tiki, every single one of Frostrill's men had been sent flying outside. Judging by the heavy sounds, it must have been a hard fall for them.
"Tiki, what are you doing?" Serdenk shouted, his expression changing in an instant.
"What am I doing? Getting revenge, of course! You are bullying my dear child! Of course I'd take revenge for him! I don't need to tell you that cats can really hold a grudge!" Tiki said as Kieran looked at it incredulously.
The low-pitched voice of the cat made Kieran's eyes widen even more.
Kieran knew Tiki was no ordinary cat. It was not just powerful, but also smart beyond his wildest imagination. It could even speak.
"I've always wanted to say hi to you, 2567! Aren't surprises more fun though?"
Tiki smiled at Kieran and waved its meaty paw at him.
Kieran had no idea how to reply. All he could do was laugh bitterly and nod.
They were almost ignoring Serdenk, and he didn't look happy about it.
"You think I wouldn't dare fight you with Nikorei around?" he said angrily.
"Just because Rei united you guys because of that thing, you think you can just act recklessly and care about no one else?"
Tiki turned its head around without putting down its paw. Its sharp claws were extended.
"Want to try me, Serdenk? I haven't eaten a human in 900 years! Rei wouldn't object to a couple of snacks though!"
Tiki was still smiling as it said those words.
Its smile was full of danger though. Yes, danger, not just threat.
Anyone who saw Tiki's smile would not doubt that the cat was able of doing what it claimed.
Serdenk was staring at Tiki, and Tiki was staring right back at him.
The atmosphere was silent and calm, just like before a big fight.
Translator's Thoughts
Dess Dess
Here is a wild guess of what Tiki was before he was a cat.
A dragon.
Chapter 187: Heart
Translator: Dess Editor: Efydatia
Serdenk and Tiki were looking at each other, the smell of gunpowder between them getting thicker and thicker by the moment.
Just when Kieran thought Serdenk was ready to strike, he let out a cold hmph and turned away.
Serdenk, the leader of the Dark Star Society, had backed down before a cat!
Kieran felt it clearly when Serdenk turned away, as his aura suddenly turned crude and weak.
Kieran could not believe his eyes, but he knew that this was actually happening.
"What is Tiki?"
Kieran lowered his head and inspected the fat cat.
Even though Tiki had the form and size of an ordinary household cat, Kieran could not treat it as a normal cat anymore. He had started to think of it as something else, some kind of unknown being.
"Meooow! Pussy!"
Tiki yawned deeply and pulled its claws away before turning around and looking at Kieran again.
"Scrap those rude thoughts of yours! I'm not such a filthy being!" Tiki ranted.
"You can read my mind?" Kieran was astonished.
"I can't read minds. Your thoughts are just written all over your face, you little brat!"
Tiki skimmed its the corner of its mouth, and its whiskers shivered.
Kieran smiled awkwardly in reply.
"Okay, back to business! There are a couple of things Rei has asked me to do."
When Kieran heard that this was a message from Nikorei, he quickly rejected his quirky thoughts and listened seriously. He knew very well that Nikorei was not someone who did anything without consideration.
"I am very delighted that you are able to rely on your own strength and successfully get the item that I asked you to! If it is possible, try not to exchange it with your own heart. No matter what happens, your own strength comes from what defines you, including your own flesh and blood."
Tiki delivered Nikorei's message word for word.
Kieran felt weird when he heard it.
He was impatient to ask questions as soon as Tiki was done delivering the message.
"Rei knew what was going on here?" he asked.
"She had guessed a little, I suppose, but not in great detail," Tiki answered.
"Then…"
"You're wondering why she would still send you here? Because Rei wanted that pussy Sedenk to reveal himself and unite against that thing! Alcatraz Island might hold secrets that concern Rei, but it was just a misunderstanding after all. If you are concerned about the heart inside the coffin, as long as I'm beside you, it's yours. We had a deal, and that's your reward," Tiki interrupted Kieran, explaining everything.
"As long as you're beside me? You have been beside me all along, protecting me?"
Kieran was surprised by Tiki's revelation. It altered his focus slightly.
As an orphan, such secret protection was enough to arouse a sense of gratitude in him.
"Don't overthink it, kid. You are not my son, anyway! I'm just here to make sure you don't die an ugly death. If you did, I'd just have to find Rei another assistant!" Tiki ranted in an egotistical tone as it rolled its eyes.
Kieran's newly aroused sense of gratitude dissipated like a cloud blown away by the wind. He looked at Tiki expressionlessly.
"Well, that's that then. Rei's matters are done! Time for my own now. You did really well. I guess that guy will also be pleased by your performance. Perhaps he might test you even further, but remember, kid. Follow your heart, and you will reach the end on your own!" Tiki said.
"What are you talking about?" Kieran asked.
As the words escaped his mouth, Tiki suddenly disappeared.
Just like she had appeared out of thin air, she had also left without any trace.
Kieran stared blankly at the spot Tiki had occupied, giving deep thought to the cat's words. He realized he was missing something important.
Before he could analyze what Tiki had said, notifications started spamming his vision once more.
[Player has completed the Main Mission: Return to Alcatraz!]
[Player will leave the dungeon in 5 minutes]
[Please take whatever items you wish to keep with you.]
Note: Any items that exceed the maximum weight will be discarded!]
"WHAT THE F*CKING F*CK?"
The notifications caught Kieran off guard, and he started cursing hard.
He quickly grabbed the Skill Book from Frostrill's body and ran towards the hidden door where his backpack was before he could even take a look at what he had gotten.
He laid his backpack down and dragged it out of the hidden door. Then he put on the small mountain-like backpack and walked step by step towards the bronze coffin.
He wanted to go faster, but he couldn't because of the immense weight of the backpack.
He could barely walk, let alone run. He kept staggering along the way.
Finally, he reached the bronze coffin with less than two minutes left on the timer.
"Luckily, there's still enough time!"
After a quick glance at the remaining time, Kieran paused before the bronze coffin and took out the potion he had been saving from the beginning of the dungeon.
[Name: Soothing Potion]
[Type: Potion]
[Rarity: Great]
[Attributes: When consumed, one is able to maintain a calm state of mind for 90 seconds]
[Prerequisites: None]
[Remarks: It can easily resist a powerful Fear Effect, but it's not completely immune to it!]
...
Kieran drank the potion that had cost 3,000 Points in one mouthful.
After taking it, he pushed the lid of the bronze coffin open.
The heartbeat was getting clearer by the second, and when the lid was completely open, it started beating like a big drum, resonating in Kieran's ears. Even his own heartbeat changed to synchronize itself with it.
Kieran's heart and the heart inside the coffin were in total synchronization. A suffocating feeling filled Kieran's chest instantly. He instinctively opened his mouth to take a deep breath, but he could not suck any air in.
It was the Fear Effect!
Despite the [Soothing Potion], Kieran was still suffering from the negative debuff. He did not panic though. He had anticipated such a situation.
The [Soothing Potion] still made itself useful. Although Kieran was having trouble breathing, that did not hinder his movements at all.
He lowered his gaze at the dark red heart, which was twice as big as a grown man's fist. Even though the heart was out of its body, it was still beating powerfully.
Kieran quickly took out a square crystal box and put the heart inside. He had not even laid a finger directly on the heart during the whole process, yet the Fear Effect was still getting stronger by the second.
It even started to affect Kieran's movements to a certain extent. The Fear Effect reached its highest point when Kieran finished loading the heart inside the box and closed the lid.
As he held the box in his hand, his body started to tremble and blood started gushing out of his mouth.
[Fear: You are within the Target's Fear range, Your Spirit has failed the test, You have suffered a concussion, Target inflicts 10 Damage to your HP…]
[Fear: You are within the Target's Fear range, Your Spirit has failed the test, You have suffered a concussion, Target inflicts 10 Damage to your HP…]
...
New system notifications spammed Kieran's vision, but he had no intention of letting go.
How could he place the box back when he finally had the heart in his hand?
For a stingy person like him, it would be like throwing his own life away.
Kieran took out a [Medium Healing Potion] and swallowed the whole thing in one breath. Then he had a second one.
Simones's gifts were useful in a situation like this.
Kieran swallowed a third one, which had belonged to his personal collection from the [Wandering Beast] dungeon.
He looked back at the timer. Never had he wanted the timer to stop so bad.
As the seconds passed by, and the third [Medium Healing Potion]'s effect was half gone, the timer eventually stopped.
The blinding light and loss of weight sent Kieran flying again.
When the light shone on the heart, the beating instantly slowed down and turned into a steady rhythm.
Even though the heart was still beating, the Fear Effect was gone.
The powerful heartbeat had turned into a soft, slow rhythmic beat, as if the heart had witnessed something frightening and had been scared into stopping.
The sudden change caught Kieran's attention.