Chapter 264

A vibration?

He didn't think it was an earthquake.

There was no way an earthquake would happen in the perfectly fine Necromancer Lord's castle.

However.

"What is this vibration?"

"I've never seen it in the guides."

"A vibration..."

"Something about the atmosphere feels strange..."

The complexions of the Prism Effect party members changed slightly.

Until just now, everything was the same as the guides.

But a sudden change.

It was only natural to be bewildered.

In the midst of that, only Seonghyun calmly assessed the situation and spoke.

"Hmm, it might be because of the hidden piece."

"Ah!"

"That could be it."

"That probably is it."

"A change because of a hidden piece..."

At first, their faces stiffened because of the change.

But now, it was a little different.

A look of coexistence between anticipation and excitement.

What else could it mean that a change occurred because of a hidden piece?

Didn't it mean that this party could be the first to clear something new?

At Seonghyun's words, everyone looked at each other with a mixture of excitement and tension and nodded.

They handed Seonghyun the unique skill book they had mentioned earlier and gathered as if for a meeting.

They were still in this library-like place.

But the moment they stepped out, things could change.

It was only natural to prepare in advance.

"First of all, we don't know what changes there will be outside, so it'll be hard to make a detailed plan."

"How about we infer that the boss has changed?"

"That's a reasonable assumption."

"Haha, is the boss roaming around or something?"

While they were all talking like that.

Seonghyun, who already knew Vasile's memories, thought to himself.

'He probably moved, right?'

The undead left behind to protect this place when the Necromancer Lord left, the Necromancer Lord's lich, and Vasile's younger brother.

Barseon.

He must have awakened.

As for the condition.

'It's because of me, isn't it?'

He didn't think it was because he had opened the hidden piece.

He knew from Vasile's memories that even if he opened this place, nothing would be triggered.

That meant that Seonghyun, who had a difference from other users, was the cause.

It seemed to have reacted to the monarch's aura.

As Seonghyun's thoughts reached that point.

He said nonchalantly.

"Could a hidden raid boss have appeared?"

"Ah?! A hidden raid boss!?"

"...That could be it. I heard that hidden bosses stronger than the existing ones have occasionally appeared in the scenarios of other cities."

"A hidden raid boss..."

"Hahaha, this is trouble. I wonder if we can clear it on our own."

"We can do it!"

Ir said, as if taking offense at Basque's dispirited words.

At that, everyone chuckled and nodded.

It's foolish to admit defeat before even fighting.

That's why they planned strategies, discussing positions and various other things.

So they could prepare for various situations.

As Seonghyun also memorized those strategies in his head.

Everyone stood up from their seats as if they were ready.

"Phew."

The party members seemed a little nervous.

But none of them were cowards who would back down.

Once you reach the level 240s, cowards were rare.

As everyone prepared and left the room.

Shaaaaa——!

A cold chill blew coldly through the entire corridor.

It was definitely different from before.

The temperature had dropped sharply in a place where there had been almost no chill just a moment ago, and a cold wind was even blowing.

The anomaly had already occurred.

However.

Fwoosh—!

As Seonghyun gestured, the surrounding temperature rose in an instant.

Even the cold that could have caused a status ailment.

It couldn't penetrate Seonghyun's heat.

"Wow, you had a skill like this too!?"

"Thank you."

"This will definitely be helpful."

"This way, Claudine won't have to keep using buffs."

As they all said that.

Seonghyun brushed it off as if it were nothing.

That wasn't important right now.

As the party came outside.

They heard the sound of something approaching, without fail.

Just as they were getting nervous, wondering if a real hidden boss was moving, what appeared before them was none other than the skeleton knight, a common sight in the Necromancer Lord's castle.

But it was a little different from before.

"His appearance has changed."

"He's wrapped in cold energy."

"He's been enhanced..."

"Is it because of this chill?"

While exchanging such talk, they immediately got into position.

Seonghyun also took a guarded stance while thinking of observing for now, and first, his violet flame ignited in mid-air.

Fwoosh-!

The violet flame condensed in one place and rotated.

Its shape was like a cone.

As the flame rotated violently, drawing a spiral shape, and was shot out.

The violet flame embroidered the air with the speed of a sunbeam.

An extremely fast speed.

A speed that the skeleton knight would surely not have been able to react to.

But as soon as he saw it, he raised his shield and reacted.

Pooooooooong———!!!

As soon as the cone of violet flame touched the shield, a huge explosion erupted, and in that moment, the skeleton knight's body was pushed back a long way along with its shield.

Chwaaaaaa—!!!

Supporting himself on the ground with both legs.

He drew two long lines.

But even though he was pushed back quite a bit, his posture did not break, and he firmly withstood it.

It was a completely different sight from how he had been helplessly defeated by Seonghyun's attacks before.

At that sight, everyone's eyes widened.

"Hmm."

"He blocked that?"

"...He's stronger than expected."

"We'll have to be careful."

"Everyone, get ready!"

At Ir's final shout, everyone moved out.

The first to get into position and move forward was the tank, Stella.

As the shield knight took her stance and used a skill.

The skeleton knight, who had been looking fearfully at Seonghyun who had attacked it, had its eye-lights glow and turn towards Stella, and then it charged at her.

Then Stella blocked its attack and frowned at the impact, which was even stronger than before.

Next, Ir, who created and dropped a pillar of light, and Claudine, who used a skill for purification, also frowned.

It was less effective than they thought.

Light was the opposite of undead, and even though Claudine was a cleric, the purification was minimal.

It was only against Seonghyun's flame that it showed its weakness.

Next, Basque also aimed for its back and swung a dagger imbued with red energy.

But it didn't deal much damage.

-Kuaaaargh!

The knight charged, even more enraged.

And Seonghyun used his violet flame to enter its body and detonate it.

Kwwaaaaang——!

Fwooshh!!

As if the sun were emitting a flare.

A violet flare erupted from between the gaps in its armor.

Even Stella briefly retreated from the intense heat.

The skeleton knight, which took the heat head-on, staggered a bit, and after that, the Prism Effect party members were able to finish it off.

It ended sooner than expected.

But it was to the point where he thought it would have been as difficult as a boss if Seonghyun hadn't been there.

Of course, compared to Razak, it was a far cry.

But that didn't mean this skeleton knight was weak.

Right after defeating it.

They all shook their heads as if they were at a loss.

"He's stronger than I thought..."

"If the mobs are this strong..."

"I guess we have to assume the boss has gotten stronger too."

"Still, it's a relief that Yoohyeon-nim is here."

"That's for sure."

"Without him, we would have never been able to clear it on our own."

Still, they felt it was doable because Seonghyun was there.

In any case.

They had no intention of hiding or running away here.

They all moved on.

The inside of the castle was certainly large.

They all moved to follow the guide.

In between, they fought skeleton knights that could be called mobs.

But as they went, Seonghyun helped out more, so they were able to deal with them much more easily.

Of course, the others also got used to them.

So they could get even faster.

At the same time, Seonghyun moved while keeping an eye on his surroundings.

And just as they were about to enter a place like a rather large lobby in the castle.

A bluish-green light emanated from Seonghyun's eyes, and he stepped forward.

Fwoosh-!!!

As a violet flame suddenly bloomed as if creating a flower.

It wrapped around the party members like a flower bud.

The party members were bewildered by the suddenness.

But immediately after, an extreme energy struck the violet flame flower bud.

Saaaaaa———!!!

Chiiiiii————!!!

As the intense cold and the violet flame clashed.

A fierce gust of air burst out around them with a hissing sound.

Kwwaaaaaang——!!!

At the sound, which was close to an explosion, all the party members took a combat stance.

According to the guide, this was just an empty lobby with nothing in it.

But there was a monster here capable of such an attack?

Everyone's tension was palpable.

And before them, a distinct sound was heard.

Click, clack, click, clack.

With the sound of shoes, they could see something walking over.

Wearing a greyish-blue robe.

He looked like a loyal subject working in a royal court.

But he had a skeletal appearance and held a thin staff.

It was a lich, known to be very powerful among the undead.

And among them, the aura felt from that lich was extraordinary.

A presence more vicious and extreme than the chill Razak had exuded.

Without anyone having to tell them, there was no one who didn't know that this lich was the hidden raid boss mentioned earlier.

But at that moment, everyone's bodies froze.

He wondered if the creature had done something, but Seonghyun, who had experienced this phenomenon so many times, thought to himself.

'It's a cutscene.'

The creature began to open its mouth.

-How dare you come to this place.

A voice that sent shivers down their spines.

It was a cold and ferocious voice.

At the same time, it was clear that he was considerably angry.

-You intend to insult my great Necromancer Lord.

The party members who heard that were puzzled.

They had thought that lich was the Necromancer Lord.

'Was it not?'

Among the puzzled party members.

The voice rang out again like a blizzard.

-My lord commanded me to protect this place. Therefore, I will annihilate you.

It was a low tone of voice.

But the voice was so resolute that it even gave the illusion of hearing a shout.

The moment tension rose in everyone.

A message appeared before their eyes.

[You have encountered the hidden raid boss, 『Lich of the Necromancer Lord, Barseon』.]

[The hidden raid will begin.]

!!!Warning!!!

This is a very powerful hidden boss!!!

Please be careful!!!

The tension of everyone heightened at the message stating it was a very powerful hidden boss.

For Seonghyun, it was something that happened quite often.

Far from being tense, he calmly prepared for battle.

But the first to move was none other than Stella.

Her nervousness was palpable.

But as a tank, she stepped forward to protect all her party members.

But as soon as Stella stepped forward, Barseon gestured.

Then, an extreme cold spread around, instantly dominating the area.

[『Lich of the Necromancer Lord, Barseon』 casts 『Land of Extreme Cold』.]

[The surrounding temperature drops sharply.]

[Due to the extremely low temperature, all speeds are reduced by 30%.]

A sudden field message.

But as Seonghyun snapped his fingers.

Snap!

Fwoosh—!

Heat enveloped all the party members.

The speed reduction message disappeared.

An opponent of the ultimate counter.

Barseon's eye-lights shone as he felt the heat.

-How amusing.