Chapter 47
“Kid, you were going to show up eventually, but damn, you sure kept us waiting.”
“Shut up. Shut your mouth.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Once again, we were hiding on a hill at the edge of the plain, just like yesterday. Surprisingly, Leira was among the group.
Judging by the strong rebuttal I received when I grumbled, this was indeed the Leira I know.
Is this a kind of tsundere behavior? Complicated.
I scratched my head and asked Halsenberg, who was standing beside me, watching the undead camp.
“How’s the situation?”
“Almost the same as yesterday. However, there’s an oddly excited atmosphere… it’s bustling in a way I’ve never seen before. We need to be careful.”
“Ah… I see.”
I glanced at Ruci, sitting idly nearby.
The bustling and excited air must be due to Eldritch detecting Ruci’s resurrection.
It is already a set fact that Eldritch’s army reacts to Ruci’s presence, so there’s nothing unusual about this.
“Alright.”
With that, everything is now in place.
I firmly drew Vestark.
“Alright, let’s go!”
With my battle cry, the others moved swiftly into combat positions.
The third offensive against Eldritch had begun.
“Hundred Sword Pierce! Avalanch! Gate of Ragnarok!”
Magical sword blades rained down like meteors, and firestorms accompanied by hail destroyed everything.
After Halsenberg casts his spells, only a wasteland with massive gouges, as if carved by a giant beast, remains.
Three figures broke through the penetrated formation.
Me, Halsenberg, and the immortal Demon King, Ruci.
“Yeeharr!”
“Whoo!”
We charged madly, screaming like lunatics towards the enemy’s core.
If only we had horses, we could have moved faster. Unfortunately, every living creature in this fortress seems long gone, so we just had to trample through the battlefield with our bare feet.
“Yikes! This ride is horrible! Slow down, hero!”
Ruci, of course, was on my back.
Since she’s freshly resurrected, she lacks the strength to keep up with me and Halsenberg.
Still, even in her condition, she doesn’t stop complaining from behind, testing my patience to the point where I contemplated leaving her behind.
To be honest, if she weren’t the immortal Demon King, I would’ve cut ties with her long ago.
“Move faster. We can push our way to the center! Keep up, Jung Yong!”
“Got it!”
Our force was unstoppable.
Even the ghost knights and Death Bishops who faced us muttered, “How can our army be breached so easily…?”
The reason we broke through so quickly is simple.
“Because of the Demon King’s immortality!”
Seeing that Ruci is one of their own, the Liches hesitate to attack, causing their lesser undead soldiers to waver and hesitate as well.
“Halsenberg, we’re almost at the center! Don’t hold back with magic!”
“Understood!”
Halsenberg raised his staff towards a group of Death Bishops blocking our path.
Crackling sparks flew from his staff, quickly forming a massive streak of lightning.
Halsenberg chanted.
“Lotus Relampago!”
Right as I expected. This is the spell he would cast.
I grinned broadly and ducked low.
BOOM!
The shock wave caused the world to shake violently, and my vision flickered. I instinctively squeezed my eyes shut.
When the sound subsided and a brief silence followed, I cautiously opened my eyes again. Lying there were remnants of battered Death Bishops in tattered robes, their bodies twitching slightly.
The light in their eyes flickered uncertainly.
―Ggh… my body… it…
Incredible destruction. I swallowed hard, impressed.
“Khuh… Still, casting ancient magic is exhausting.”
But the aftermath of such a powerful spell left Halsenberg winded as he collapsed to the ground, panting.
He gestured toward me.
“Move ahead. I’ll cover the rear. Take care of the rest!”
Isn’t that a death flag?
Because it reminded me of similar situations before, that thought crossed my mind, but I quickly shook my head and nodded firmly.
“Yes. Take care, Halsenberg! I’ll handle the rest!”
“Nothing of the sort. I’ll follow soon, once I’ve regained my strength.”
Halsenberg smiled faintly, looking at me with a determined gaze.
I chuckled hollowly, feeling the resignation in his eyes. I understood the resolve in his words.
Even though it’s serious, Halsenberg, this won’t be your grave.
‘If it’s where I belong, it’s been twice already.’
Ignoring the thought, I sped forward across the snow-covered plains.
“Come on, Ruci. We’re close; get ready!”
“Hmph. Stop worrying so much and hurry up!”
Judging from Halsenberg’s posture, it seems he’s preparing to follow once he regains his strength, but it’s best he doesn’t.
If Ruci and Eldritch engage in a confrontation and Halsenberg is nearby, I could also get swept into the conflict.
I need to meet Eldritch before Halsenberg regains his strength.
Once we meet, I’ll need to quickly find Eldritch’s vessel location, and if possible, retrieve it!
“… Found him!”
I spotted a group of black-robed figures in the distance.
At their center stood a figure radiating a prominent black aura. Activating the Eye of Mimir confirmed it — that was indeed Eldritch.
‘…Damn!’
I was about to rush forward but the surrounding Liches moved faster.
―Rise, my servants!
As they chanted a chilling spell and waved their staffs, chunks of undead flesh nearby gathered to create a Golem as big as a house.
I couldn’t help but gasp in shock at the horrifying sight.
“Shit… What is that thing?”
Even as my voice trembled, my instinct kicked in, displaying vital information about the creatures.
[Monster Information]
[Name: Flesh Golem]
[HP: 1500/1500 MP: 0/0]
[Strength: 246 Agility: 41 Intelligence: 3]
[Details: A golem made from the stitched-together flesh of the dead. Its central core must be destroyed, as it regenerates by absorbing the bodies of nearby corpses.]
“Damn… a brute HP build!”
To test it, I focused all my willpower and drew back Vestark to the back of my shoulder.
Chiiiiing! Seven magical blades formed, glowing faintly blue in response to my intent.
“Seven Sword Pierce!”
Swissssh!
The blue blades flew towards the Flesh Golem, leaving glowing traces.
The blades, crackling with sparks, pierced the Golem’s flesh, which exploded with a sickening sound, scattering flesh across the ground.
All seven hits landed cleanly. I immediately activated the Eye of Mimir.
[HP: 1418/1500 MP: 0/0]
“Damn it! It’s not even reacting!!”
Surprisingly, my supposedly powerful attack did little damage.
Worse, the Golem began absorbing nearby corpses, quickly covering the wounds and fully restoring its health.
‘This… I can’t handle this at my level.’
I judged quickly.
To kill it, I need to either pierce through directly to its core or cut it down so fast it doesn’t have time to regenerate. But most of my skills are close-range assassination techniques, none of which are particularly destructive.
The Korean Secret Weapon quality is tripping me up here.
“Then… how can I break through these guys…!”
As I considered my options, Ruci, who was riding on my back, suddenly tugged fiercely on my collar.
“Erm… Hero.”
“What is it? I’m busy!”
“The Golem is getting closer! Do you have any brilliant plan?”
“I’m thinking! Be quiet!”
“Not the thinking, not the nonsense! It’s right above…!”
―GROAR!!
We both froze and looked up simultaneously.
Ruci was right; the Golem was almost right on top of us.
The grotesque lips, made entirely of necrotic flesh, opened wide as bone fragments inside were bared, ready to devour me.
‘Holy shit. It’s this close?!’
My mind froze for a second. The thought of escape completely vanished.
Ruci panicked as well, clutching my neck tightly.
“Aaaagh! To die so soon after resurrection?! I can’t allow this! Die in my stead, hero!!”
“Hey! I-I can’t breathe!”
“Do something! Don’t you have some hidden killer move? You’re a hero, for crying out loud!”
“You’re the one panicking like this! Calm down and help me think!”
“My panic is understandable when speaking with sentient beings, not with these mindless beasts!”
“You… you useless idiot!”
We squabbled furiously.
Meanwhile, the Flesh Golem continued its unrelenting descent toward us. In the shadow that rapidly approached, I instinctively closed my eyes.
My 23rd life was too short!
Looks like I’ll die without retrieving the residual memory from my past life. I should’ve traded the Box of the Dead as an item earlier.
I hope my reincarnation notices this and takes action in the next life…
“…Huh?”
When I had time to think as much, I suddenly opened my eyes.
It had been long enough for the Golem to swallow me whole, but nothing happened.
