Leveling Up Alone

The sealing spell they employed was highly sensitive and unforgiving; even the slightest disturbance could disrupt it. Completing the spell at this rate would be futile, as it would shatter the moment Craspio thrashed wildly in an attempt to break free.

This particular mana stone, a large one, had been set aside for the longest time; it was none other than the mana stone he had obtained after defeating the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva.

Han-Yeol crushed the mana stone with his hand, and the mana within it spread all over him.

The mana was amplified the moment he used Enhance.

He skillfully controlled the mana, gathering it into his palm with Mana Absorption.

Then, he infused the mana into the magic circle on the ground.

[Oh!]

[The mana is…!]

[I can feel the mana increasing!]

[This is it!]

Even the Bastro Sorcerers expressed concern about the insufficient mana within the magic circle. Their experience alone signaled that the mana present was far from adequate to properly seal Craspio, leaving them on edge since the commencement of the sealing spell.

They feared the spell might fail at this rate, but Han-Yeol's quick thinking and intervention, utilizing Enhance and infusing the mana trapped within the large mana stone obtained from the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva, compensated for the lack.

With no longer any obstacles to disrupt the spell's channeling, the Bastro Sorcerers clasped their hands and focused solely on reciting the spell.

[O, cursed soul! We curse you to eternal damnation! Your movements are sealed before Death greets you!]

[Soul Sealing!]

A powerful burst of dark mana tried to swallow Craspio.

The monster nearly succeeded in breaking free numerous times, but Han-Yeol and Mavros were there to restrict its movements and deny it freedom from the spell.

The dark mana rose up like thorny vines, wrapping itself around Craspio before fully incapacitating the monster.

[It’s done!]

[We did it!]

[Ah… We… did it…]

[Hey! Are you alright?!]

Their joy in successfully completing the sealing spell was short-lived, as the spell came to collect its dues.

The Bastro Sorcerers started collapsing one by one.

Upon that sight, Han-Yeol could not help but click his tongue.

***

He did not click his tongue because something bad had happened. He personally knew the kind of cost this spell would come with, as he had experienced it once before.

Yes, this sealing spell was the same one he had used to seal the infamous Dragon of Destruction as Harkan. Although not as powerful as the original version that sealed the dragon, it was still potent and demanded a heavy price for its use.

Fortunately, the price the spell demanded had been nerfed along with its power. Unlike the incident with Harkan, it no longer took the lives of the casters. Instead, it would incapacitate the casters for roughly a month in exchange for using the spell.

Another Bastro Sorcerer fell unconscious.

[Hey, are you alright?]

The Bastro Warriors were startled as the Bastro Sorcerers started falling one by one, prompting them to rush and offer assistance.

It was only then that Han-Yeol realized he had forgotten to inform them about the spell's side effects. The Bastro Warriors were finally relieved after he explained what was happening, reassuring them that there were no threats to the sorcerers’ lives.

While the Bastro Sorcerers would be out of commission for a whole month, it was a minor inconvenience compared to the original side effect that Harkan had suffered. However, that did not mean they were free from all problems.

“Yeah.”

[But the problem is…]

“Yes, the problem is, in ten days…”

The seal placed on the Dragon of Destruction was a permanent spell, intended to endure unless someone managed to release the dragon. However, this nerfed version used on Craspio could only seal the monster for ten days. This meant that Han-Yeol had no choice but to face Craspio in a life-or-death battle ten days later.

Sealing Craspio again was not an option, as the Bastro Sorcerers would be incapacitated for at least twenty more days after the monster was released from its seal. Therefore, Han-Yeol's immediate task was to devise a plan to defeat Craspio within the ten days granted by the sealing spell.

[Do you think it will be possible…?]

Kandir couldn't believe what he was saying. The fact that the three strongest warriors from a second dimension had failed to defeat a monster in a first dimension and had to resort to temporarily sealing it seemed absurd to him. Despite considering himself a skilled warrior, Craspio had repeatedly trampled on his pride during the raid. The only reason he didn't express his frustration was that his subordinates were watching.

Han-Yeol shrugged and replied, “Well, we just have to make it possible.”

He hadn't used the sealing spell because he had a brilliant plan to defeat Craspio after ten days. Instead, he sealed the monster to avoid a crushing defeat, providing an opportunity to regroup before raiding it again in the future.

In other words, he was on borrowed time and had no clear solution.

“Let’s finish things over here first,” Han-Yeol said.

[Yes, Harkan-nim.]

“Kandir.”

[Yes, Harkan-nim?]

“Isn’t it confusing to call me Harkan when we’re alone and Han-Yeol when others are around?”

Han-Yeol was genuinely curious about this matter. He felt that going back and forth between two names could be confusing, and he was certain it was the same for Kandir, considering he wasn't the brightest of the bunch.

Well, most of the Bastro Warriors weren't that bright to begin with… However, that didn't mean the Bastrolings were primitive barbarians. An overwhelming number of them were warriors due to their combative nature, but civilization in the Bastro Dimension was almost as developed as Earth’s civilization.

One example of this was having an education system in place that allowed children to go to school. While having powerful warriors was undoubtedly helpful for the dimension, scholars believed different kinds of intellectuals and tradesmen were just as important to help the dimension continue to thrive.

Still, the overwhelming number of Bastrolings who dreamed of becoming warriors from a young age far outnumbered those who dreamed of becoming scholars or tradesmen.

The reason these children dreamed of becoming warriors wasn't only because it was cool, but also because most Bastrolings hated studying in general. Only a select few dreaming of becoming scholars would actually pay attention in class, while the rest would either sleep in class or skip classes altogether.

The most infamous among them during their schooldays was probably none other than Kandir, who had zero interest in studying whatsoever.

Anyway, Han-Yeol’s question could potentially offend Kandir, considering his reputation for not being that smart. However, Kandir did not seem to mind it at all.

[I am fine. I might not be as smart as you think I am, but I am smart enough to differentiate when to call you Han-Yeol-nim or Harkan-nim.]

“Haha! I sort of expected you to say something like that.”

[Thank you for the compliment.]

“Hahaha!”

Han-Yeol decided to interpret it as Kandir’s way of showing loyalty despite his lack of intelligence.

“Anyway, let’s finish things here first.”

[Yes, Harkan-nim.]

Kandir followed Han-Yeol’s command without any questions, just as he always did.

***

They had gained ten precious days through the sacrifices of the ten Bastro Sorcerers, but Han-Yeol did not take these days for granted. He needed to devise a way to defeat Craspio within this limited time frame, a task he wasn't currently confident about.

His options were to either abandon Japan, hoping the monster wouldn't cross over to South Korea, or find a way to defeat it within the given ten days.

“Hmm?”

Something caught his eye as he scouted the vicinity, prompting him to call one of his most trusted subordinates.

“Barshell!”

Barshell, who was busy assigning various tasks to the Bastro Warriors, dropped everything and appeared beside Han-Yeol the moment he was called. He knelt in front of Han-Yeol with his head bowed down.

[Did you call for me, Harkan-nim?]

This was a display of respect not often seen among the Bastrolings. However, Barshell had no qualms about showing utmost respect to Harkan, as he was the one who took him in after he lost his parents to monsters and became an orphan. Harkan was Barshell’s parent, teacher, lord, master, and his everything.

While Barshell might be known as a delinquent among the Bastrolings, he always treated Harkan with respect whenever he was around him.

“Where did the Black Orcs go?”

[Their commander ordered them to retreat thirty kilometers away from the city the moment Craspio was sealed. Our scouts report they have set up camp over there, so we deduce that is probably where the dimensional rift they appeared from is located.]ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ɴovelꜰɪre.ɴet

“Is that so?”

[Yes, Harkan-nim.]

“Hmm…” Han-Yeol rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Han-Yeol’s main motivation to wipe out the Black Orcs was not for tactical reasons nor for the safety of the survivors but rather to turn them into experience points.

***

The two-hundred-thousand-strong army that emerged from the dimensional rift was now reduced to less than half of its original size.

Currently numbering eighty thousand, which was not a small number at all, they had lost almost eighty percent of their combat power as their Elite Black Orcs, Trolls, Ogres, and Giant Bats all fell in battle. Thus, only the ordinary Black Orcs were left, resembling a massive gathering of a hungry ragtag bunch fleeing from the battlefield after suffering a crushing defeat.

[Damn it!]

The Black Orc Commander threw his glaive to the ground upon entering his tent. He was not enraged by the fact that they lost the battle; having lived his entire life on the battlefield, he was accustomed to both victory and defeat. What enraged him was…

He had waged countless wars in his lifetime, but not a single one of those wars had been meaningless. Every war was fought for the survival of the Black Orcs and to secure a brighter future. However, this war was different; it had no meaning for them.

The Black Orc Commander might be an orc, but he wasn't stupid enough to not realize this wasn't their home dimension. Any living organism possessing an ounce of intelligence could tell this was not the same dimension they lived in, and it was the same for the orcs.

Humans existed in their dimension as well, but they were vastly different from the ones they had just fought against. The humans of this dimension were far too powerful for them to defeat, and fighting against them would surely result in their absolute annihilation.

However, a voice in their head kept telling them to kill the humans, driving the Black Orc Commander crazy.

The Black Orc Commander let out a resigned sound, as orcs were incapable of sighing. In the end, he decided to relax for now and calm down. He sat on his chair and went through whatever he had found out so far to get a clue about what was going on.

It was at that moment that a commotion stirred up outside his tent.