Overwhelming Firepower

Since earlier, Lucen’s battle instincts were telling him to escape. It was similar to when a game warns you that you are too low level to enter a dungeon.

Lucen, who was already level 33, under normal circumstances, should be over level for a fight against the Lich in this early part of the game.

Not to mention all the skills, traits, and divine blessings he accumulated. His battle instincts should not be warning him like this.

’Well, this new route is pretty much f*cking nightmare mode anyway. Still, the only other time I felt this way was when I fought the young fire dragon. At the time, I didn’t have the skill battle instinct, but my own survival instinct was telling me that the monster was not something to mess with. Yet, in the end, I won that fight.’

Lucen, who was feeling a little anxious, tried to calm himself and reminded himself that this was not the first thing he had fought that was extremely dangerous.

Lucen also understood that battle instinct was something that had saved him multiple times from stronger opponents. It was pretty much similar to the skill of that talkative superhero in his past life, who warned him of danger.

However, the feeling was different this time. It was not pointing toward the walls, the floor, or anything hiding within the darkness. The warning came from deeper underground.

’Did that guy already grow this strong in such a short amount of time after awakening? Or did he awaken much earlier... No, if he did awaken earlier, the undead horde wouldn’t just be this many. Does that mean, unlike the other routes, the Lich seems to be focused on strengthening himself, not his horde?’

In the original storyline, the Lich awakened greatly weakened and without a single undead under his control.

Which was why there was a mechanic of an increase in difficulty fighting against the Lich, the longer you wait to find him.

Yet in the other routes, no matter how long you wait, the increase in the Lich himself was negligible, while the one that strengthened by a lot was his undead horde.

That was what made this situation strange. What was different this time that the Lich changed his actions?

’Is it because of my actions that he was forced to get stronger faster? Or did he awaken long ago? Or perhaps there are other hidden hands at work... Whatever, not like anyone would give me an answer.’

Lucen stopped thinking about such things and started to remember every strategy that was made to fight the Lich.

In the game, the strategy everyone used was to attack the Lich with only Alexander. Having party members was a demerit.

Seeing as if one dies in the battle against the Lich, he then becomes an enemy force. Of course, this strategy only works when the Lich is weak, and you found him early.

Now that the Lich was stronger than normal, that kind of strategy was forfeited. Lucen didn’t like using that strategy in the first place, since it breaks the balance of Alexander’s party.

The strategy he used whenever the Lich had already gathered enough strength was almost the complete opposite.

He overwhelmed the Lich without a single thought of defense until the Lich’s HP was drained.

This tactic was dangerous since, if you were unlucky, you would get a party wipe and would need to restart the game.

There were also other strategies using items from the same era as the Lich or using anti-magic artifacts, but those only appear once demons appear.

Actually, many strategies for the Lich when he gets strong were from the late game, as that’s the only time you could acquire certain artifacts to counter the undead.

’Well, I can only make do with what I have now.’

While Lucen was thinking they finally reached the end of the passage. There was a gate made of stone. It was of crude craftsmanship, created using magic.

Lucen and the others stared at one another, gripping their weapons tighter; a few of them even held their breaths. Then there’s Robert, who was already trembling in excitement, wanting to see the so-called Lich.

Lucen was about to open the stone door, but even before touching the stone door, it shook.

Dust fell from the ceiling. Everyone immediately raised their weapons. The stone gate slowly separated in the middle. Its two halves scraped against the ground as they moved inward, revealing a large chamber beyond.

Cold air flowed through the opening. It carried the smell of soil, old blood, and rotting flesh. ’Heh, even in reality, this scene is a classic. Behind the door awaits the boss.’

The first things Lucen noticed were two pale blue flames burning in the darkness. He knew those were not flames but the very eyes of the Lich.

Beyond the stone door, sitting on a throne made of bones of monsters, animals, and humans, was a mummified corpse.

Ancient robes covered its thin body. Most of the cloth had faded and rotted over time, but traces of gold and dark red remained along its edges.

Its skin clung tightly to its bones. Several strands of long white hair hung from its skull, while pale blue flames burned within its empty eye sockets. The Lich rested one hand against the side of the throne.

Sir Thalos clenched his fist tighter as he tensed up a little. Despite sensing only five rings within the Lich’s mana core, Sir Thalos felt power far beyond that of an ordinary fifth-circle mage.

”Silver hair, and ruby-red eyes. I have heard of you, Dragon-Slayer, the Ever-Victorious, Lucen Thornehart. Such grand titles for one so young.”

The voice that came out of the Lich’s mouth was raspy and ancient. Each word seemed to carry a strange power that made the surrounding mana tremble.

Hearing what the Lich said, Lucen smiled. ”Heh, to think the genius Dark Mage turned Lich, Aleister Crowley, knows of me. What an honor.”

The second, Lucen said that name, the Lich who had long forgotten his own name, became completely still. The blue flames within his eye sockets flickered.

”How do you know that name?”

There was now a heavy killing intent on him. Lucen felt an intense fear come over him, but with the help of Acting Adept, he did not show a single shred of fear. Lucen shrugged his shoulders before answering.

”Who knows? Since you know my name, shouldn’t I know yours?” Lucen showed his usual confident smile.

The Lich then stopped emitting killing intent before he spoke. ”As arrogant as I have heard. As expected of one who has inherited the blood of those b*stards. Still, it is quite interesting that one of you actually has no such blood, and I even sense some feeling of kinship.”

The Lich glanced at Alexander for a brief second before returning his attention to Lucen. ”Still, it would seem that those grand titles of yours have made you reckless coming here with so few.”

Lucen rested the Crimson Lord Mk V against his shoulder. ”Bringing an army into the home of someone who can turn the dead into soldiers would be much more reckless.”

The blue flames within the Lich’s eyes flickered. The Lich studied every member of the group.

”I see... You have brought a few that you consider elite, but in my eyes, only one of them seems to be useful; the others are too weak.”

The Lich’s gaze settled on Sir Thalos. ”You, who have tempered your body to the absolute limit, might prove to be a little troublesome, and those weapons you have created in this era are an annoyance, but aside from that, there’s nothing. In the end, you will all become a part of my army.”

”Heh, who knew that you could talk so much. I thought that someone with your kind of hatred would simply attack and not converse with us who have dirty blood.”

”Hmph, it is but a whim. Since one of your companions is free from that filthy bloodline and actually has a nice feel to him. If he wishes, he can leave; I won’t chase him. So what say you?” The Lich asked Alexander.

”I will not abandon my companions,” Alexander answered without hesitation.

”Is that so... A shame...”

Hearing the conversation between the Lich and Alexander, Lucen was quite surprised. That was a conversation that never happened in the game.

’Well, I guess that’s to be expected. Unlike this Lich, the one in the game was so consumed by hatred that he couldn’t even hold a proper conversation. But this one seems a little too calm. Also, he feels some kinship with Alexander, but the Lich couldn’t have any descendants since he was the last of the Crowley family... Does that mean Alexander has some connection to the Lich’s beloved, her family, or someone else close to him?’

Lucen was already thinking as fast as he could. Before he could form another theory, the Lich rose.

The moment his feet touched the floor, the mana there trembled. Robert’s excitement increased as the manic smile on his face grew wider. The others, on the other hand, were ready for battle.

”How interesting! To control the surrounding mana like this, you’re like a dragon... Oh, I see... So it’s true the ancients used the way of the dragons to perform magic.”

”You can interview him later, once we beat him down,” Lucen said while getting into a fighting stance. ”So is our conversation over?” Lucen asked the Lich.

The Lich raised one skeletal hand. Ancient words left his mouth, and every strand of mana inside the chamber bent toward him. The stone floor cracked beneath Lucen’s feet. The Lich did not respond with words; instead, he responded with action. Blue flames erupted everywhere as the dead rose.