"Lihen! Here's some water!"
"Ah, thank you."
As the explorers, including myself, quenched their thirst with water or alcohol, the royal officials moved through the ship, conducting a headcount.
And...
"The ships will be unsummoned immediately after disembarkation, so please make sure you have all your belongings!"
Following their instructions, we boarded smaller boats and headed towards the shore.
The troops who had already disembarked were lined up in formation on the shore.
Well, it was still a far cry from the modern standard of marching in perfect unison.
"It seems like they weren't waiting to ambush us."
"They seem to avoid direct confrontations with our main force."
"Well, they'd be hard-pressed to win against this many soldiers."
We waited in line, and the troops soon began their march.
Of course, we didn't follow them.
Our ship, the 3rd-class ship 3-21, was assigned to escort the 3rd Magic Corps.
And the 3rd Magic Corps, being part of the 3rd Army, was responsible for securing the rear.
In other words, our role in this war was to establish a base here and defend it after the main force departed.
"Let's set up camp!"
As the remaining ships of the 3rd Corps disembarked, the base construction began in earnest.
Explorers set up the provided tents, and mages busied themselves drawing various magic circles.
And after some time...
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
The deafening roar of the waterfall subsided, and the fog that had obscured our vision cleared.
"Phew, finally..."
"Everyone, have a drink and rest! We'll announce the tent assignments and mission details soon!"
As the base construction neared completion, we were assigned our tent.
A six-person tent located in the east, near the lake.
Even though we were under military control, they didn't separate us from our team.
"Let's introduce ourselves. We'll be working together from now on."
Three strangers joined us.
We weren't just sharing a tent, we were assigned to the same squad for guard duty and patrols.
'That's why they put us together.'
Clans or teams usually consisted of five... no, six members after the Bonding spell update.
But we were only three, so they matched us with others.
'Well, it doesn't seem completely random.'
I looked at the man who was leading the conversation with a friendly smile.
He was wearing a fancy uniform and a sword at his waist, but he was a mage. The emblem of the 3rd Magic Corps on his chest proved it.
"Ah, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Alex Hailo, Assistant Vice-Captain of the 3rd Magic Corps."
"Assistant Vice-Captain?"
I mumbled, and Amelia whispered in my ear.
"It means he's the Vice-Captain's assistant."
Oh, so he's Raven's right-hand man?
It was obvious why he was sent here.
To monitor and control us... or rather, to keep an eye on Erwen.
"The six of us assigned to this tent will be part of Squad 3-17, and as the squad leader, I'll do my best to—"
"Squad leader? Who decided that?"
Erwen's hostile question cracked the man's smile.
"Haha... I understand you might have some concerns about that. But it's an order from my superiors, so—"
"You're putting on a brave face, but you're quite nervous, aren't you?"
"...Yes?"
"Why, am I making you uncomfortable?"
The man flinched and then forced a smile, shaking his head.
"...Of course not. I'm actually quite reassured."
It was clearly a polite lie.
He wouldn't be avoiding Erwen's gaze if he really felt that way.
"Stop it."
I knew he was just following orders, so I intervened.
"But we're fine with just the three of us..."
"Isn't it better to have more people?"
"But a squad leader..."
"There's nothing wrong with a military officer being the squad leader. Why are you so against it?"
"...Okay, I'll stop."
Erwen finally backed down, but her behavior seemed to have left an impression.
The man turned his attention to me.
"And you are...?"
"Lihen Schuitz."
"Ah, yes... I know. Nice to meet you. And you must be Emily Raines."
"Yes."
He greeted me and then introduced the other two, who had been awkwardly observing the situation from afar.
"These two were on the 3rd-class ship that sank on the way here. They were rescued, but unfortunately, their other companions..."
So that was why they had taken two members from other teams.
"It's an honor to meet you, Blood Spirit Marquis. Of course, I mean all of you. I'm a 5th-grade explorer, Laikion Elt."
He seemed like a decent guy.
He was polite and had good manners, judging by how he waited for his turn to introduce himself.
He was a 5th-grade explorer, so he could definitely hold his own in battle.
And his situation seemed rather unfortunate...
"I'll do my best not to be a burden! I'm... Hans Kaiser!"
"...What?"
I couldn't help but blurt it out, and he kindly repeated his name.
"Hans Kaiser!"
Are you kidding me?
____________________
I thought about it for a moment.
What happened the last time I met someone named Hans?
It didn't take long to remember.
Hans J, the one we met on Parune Island, was a traitor.
And...
'I was dragged into the past after meeting him.'
I spent six months there, and when I returned, two years and six months had passed in the original timeline.
And that wasn't all.
Not only were my companions scattered, but I was also branded as an evil spirit.
"Huh..."
I let out a dry chuckle, and Hans K tilted his head.
"Uh... is something wrong?"
I didn't answer.
It would only bring bad luck.
"Erwen."
"Yes, mister."
"You said we were fine with just the three of us, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Hmm..."
I was seriously conflicted.
One word from me, and Erwen would tear this squad apart.
But...
'That would reach Raven's ears.'
That was what bothered me.
Raven knew about my Hans phobia. She might start suspecting me after hearing about this.
'Wait, but as long as it doesn't seem like I kicked them out because of their name...'
That would be fine, right?
Alright, I made up my mind.
"They're trash."
"...Yes?"
"You guys will only hold us back."
My cold words made their faces harden.
They never expected me to say something like that, especially not Erwen.
"Haha... what do you mean? Didn't you just say it's better to have more people, Schuitz?"
Ah, right, I did say that.
"I changed my mind."
Hans was a serious matter.
I then suggested that they either remove those two or let us leave. The officer looked troubled, but...
"That's ridiculous. You think you're something special just because you're with the Blood Spirit Marquis?"
"Fine, then we'll leave. We don't have to stay here and be insulted. But make sure you tell the military that it wasn't our fault."
My words must have struck a nerve. They declared their withdrawal and stormed out of the tent.
Phew, that takes care of one problem—
"How dare they say that. Should I go after them?"
"No, don't even talk to them."
"Okay!"
As they left, I noticed Raven's right-hand man, Alex, glaring at me with disgust.
Well, he must have heard about the incident from Raven.
He probably thought I was a pathetic loser who relied on others for protection, even though I seemed decent at first.
"So what are you going to do? There are only four of us now, but the squad is supposed to have six."
"...I'll report to the Vice-Captain and let you know."
"Alright."
Alex also left to report the situation, and Erwen cautiously asked me,
"But... why did you do that?"
"His name was Hans."
"...What's wrong with Hans?"
Ah, she doesn't know about my Hans jinx?
Hmm, come to think of it, I don't remember telling her.
As I was about to explain, Amelia chuckled and spoke for me.
"You don't even know that about your companion?"
"...So you know?"
"Of course."
Amelia shrugged and briefly explained my Hans jinx.
She knew how significant it was since she had called me 'Lee Hans' before.
But Erwen seemed offended that she was the only one who didn't know.
"Hans..."
She muttered the name with a chilling voice, then clenched her fist.
"Hans Aulock, the traitor from Parune Island, his name was also Hans. I'm sorry. I won't forget it."
"Uh... o-okay..."
I was worried she might start shooting arrows at anyone named Hans, but I decided not to worry too much.
Well, what difference did it make? They were all Hans anyway.
They must have some sins to atone for.
'The problem is, I've already met a Hans...'
We had managed to kick them out of the squad, but I had spent too much time in the same space as Hans K.
And it wasn't even a well-ventilated space.
Considering we were in the middle of a battlefield on the 7th floor...
"Mister... my hands are shaking..."
Ugh, this is going to be a problem.
____________________
What kind of disaster was about to unfold?
I couldn't even relax and enjoy the break, my hands trembling with anxiety.
"Your squad assignment has been decided."
Alex returned and told us about the situation.
Nothing had changed.
We were still a four-person squad, and he was still the leader.
But...
"From now on, we'll be assigned to VIP protection instead of perimeter patrol or guard duty."
Our mission had changed to protecting Raven, the Vice-Captain of the 3rd Magic Corps.
Well, there was no problem with that.
Raven was the most important person in our unit now that Kyle had joined the special forces of the 1st Corps.
It seemed like they just wanted to keep an eye on her and prevent any accidents...
Yes, there was no problem with that.
Kaboom!
A magic cannon fired from somewhere.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The alarm magic activated, blaring throughout the base.
"Ambush! Ambush!!"
"All units, prepare for battle!!"
It happened less than two hours after we met Hans K.
-x-X-x-
The lakeshore where the base was established was one of the few safe zones in the Dark Continent.
However, it simply meant that monsters didn't naturally spawn here, not absolute safety.
Monsters aren't the only danger in the labyrinth.
Like right now.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The alarm magic blared like an emergency siren, sensing the presence of enemies.
It was obvious who they were.
Even if monsters wandered in by chance, they wouldn't be firing magic cannons.
"It's Noark!"
"They're attacking!"
But that raised another question.
We knew who the enemies were.
But how did they get here?
The main force had supposedly been thoroughly searching the area as they advanced.
'The main force couldn't have been defeated.'
I started with that premise.
They had overwhelming numbers. It was impossible for them to be defeated in such a short time.
And if they were in trouble, they would have contacted us, and the 3rd Corps would have been dispatched immediately.
Therefore...
'They bypassed the main force and ambushed us.'
That was the most plausible scenario. And if that was the case, the attackers were likely a small elite force. It would be much easier to avoid detection that way.
Of course, I wouldn't know for sure until we saw them...
"Mister...! What are you doing? Let's go!"
Hey, it's Lihen.
Well, it's not like Raven would believe me even if I corrected her.
"Right, let's go."
I quickly finished organizing my thoughts and rushed out of the tent.
And at that moment...
"Uh, oh...!"
A ball of pure magic energy was flying towards us.
Good thing I was at the front.
Kaboom!
I blocked it with my shield, and the magic energy exploded, scattering debris everywhere. The impact was significant, but I didn't get knocked back.
The Mark of the Guardian Corps absorbed 50% of the impact.
"Are you alright?"
He's scared?
Is that what happens when you're always in the rear?
"No problem."
I reassured Raven's assistant, who was startled by the magic cannon fire, and quickly gave orders.
"Alex, was it? Stay close behind me."
"Y-yes!"
"Emily, Erwen, you two protect him from the rear."
"Yes!"
The formation was quickly established.
It was usually Alex's job as our squad leader, but...
He seemed like the type who only followed orders.
He didn't seem to mind me taking charge.
"Alex, where's the Vice-Captain's tent?"
"R-right over there!"
"Then we'll head there first. Follow me."
"Yes!"
As other explorers rushed out of their tents and gathered with their squads, we moved towards the center of the base.
Our mission was to protect Raven.
...Well, that was just an excuse. I figured we could get more information about the situation if we went to the command center.
'And Raven might be in danger...'
We soon arrived at Raven's tent.
She was standing outside, surrounded by mages in uniform. They had drawn a magic circle on the ground and were chanting something...
"Vice-Captain Raven, what's going on?"
Raven frowned at my question.
"Why are you here...?"
"We're here to carry out our assigned mission. It's an emergency."
"Ah..."
Raven nodded, seemingly remembering that she had changed our squad's mission to protect her.
But something still bothered her.
"Assistant Vice-Captain Alex Hailo, why is he asking questions instead of you? Aren't you the squad leader?"
Alex froze under Raven's glare.
"W-well..."
It seemed like he had just realized that I was leading the squad.
Well, that wouldn't be an excuse.
"Well...?!"
"N-no, I... I'll fix it!"
"Fix what? How? Ugh, we don't have time for this."
"Vice-Captain! Mana charging complete!"
One of the mages shouted, and Raven cut off the conversation, moving towards them.
And...
「Arrua Raven has cast the 2nd-grade defensive spell [Wall of Thousand Gold].」
A massive iron wall, shaped like a dome, enveloped the entire lakeshore.
____________________
Honestly, I was speechless.
'Wow... she's using 2nd-grade magic now?'
2nd-grade defensive spell, [Wall of Thousand Gold].
Dozens of mages had poured their mana into it, but Raven was the one who cast it.
It meant she had grown strong enough to use 2nd-grade magic.
'This is... strange.'
Vice-Captain of the Magic Corps.
And she even had the nickname 'Golden Mage', so I knew she must have become strong...
But could I really bring someone like her back to the clan?
She was practically a high-ranking official, she wouldn't need to explore the labyrinth anymore.
"That should buy us some time. Good work, everyone."
"It was nothing, Vice-Captain!"
"Follow me."
Raven exuded an aura of authority as she walked, and the mages followed her.
I quickly caught up and walked beside her.
"Where are we going?"
I was worried, but thankfully, Raven answered with a sigh.
"...We received a message from the 3rd Corps command. They told us to activate the defensive barrier and join them at the central headquarters. And please, don't ask any more questions. I have a lot on my mind."
I could relate to the feeling of having your thoughts interrupted, so I quietly followed her.
We soon arrived at the central headquarters, and Raven entered alone.
I tried to follow her, but...
"...Why are you following me?"
"Our mission is to protect you—"
"Stay outside. That's an order."
Raven firmly drew a line, and I had no choice but to back down.
I was curious about what they were discussing inside.
Was there a way to eavesdrop?
I asked Erwen and Amelia, but they didn't seem to have any ideas either.
So we waited outside.
And after about 30 minutes...
"Vice-Captain!"
Raven emerged from the tent.
I immediately approached her and asked what had happened, but she just gave me a cold response, refusing to share any information.
'Damn... she's really different now.'
I missed the old Raven.
She used to get flustered but always helped me out, even when I was being ridiculous...
"Emily, can you find out?"
"I was already planning to."
Information was more valuable than gold in this situation, so I sent Amelia to gather intel.
She was experienced in this, so it didn't take long.
"Communication with the main force has been cut off."
"So we can't get any reinforcements?"
"Not necessarily. They communicate at regular intervals. If communication is cut off, they'll know something's wrong here."
"Then the key is whether we can hold out until they return."
It had been almost 10 hours since the main force departed.
Even if they turned back immediately, it would still take a considerable amount of time for them to return.
"What about the other explorers? How are they reacting?"
"They're calm. They trust the Golden Mage. They believe that nothing will happen, like last time."
"Last time?"
"Ah, I know about that!"
Erwen chimed in.
Apparently, there had been one previous incident where the base was attacked.
It happened in the early days of the war, when they didn't have much information about each other.
"She used the magic circle she had prepared beforehand to summon this wall. The Noark forces tried to break through for hours, but they eventually gave up and retreated."
That was how Raven earned the nickname 'Golden Mage'. And after that, Noark realized that Raven was always guarding the base and never attempted such a thing again.
Well, until today.
"Something's off."
"Indeed..."
Amelia agreed with my mumble, but Erwen tilted her head, confused.
"What do you mean?"
"They never repeated the same mistake after that failure."
If they were using the same strategy, it meant they had a way to break through.
Noark wasn't stupid.
They had prepared a large-scale explosion magic to counter the dimensional gate escape during the previous incident.
Would they really just try the same thing again?
It didn't make sense.
'The question is, how are they planning to break through...'
I thought about the [Wall of Thousand Gold] spell.
It was a high-level spell that required mastery of both earth and lightning magic.
And its main characteristic was...
'It's not a channeling spell.'
Unlike other magic that required a constant flow of mana to maintain, this spell's duration was determined by the amount of mana used during its initial activation.
'And it can be repaired by adding more mana. They could even recast it.'
Now I understood why the explorers weren't panicking.
They had dozens of mages at their disposal.
If the wall was damaged, they could just repair it, or even recast it.
But...
'This can't be the end...'
I had just met a Hans, after all.
There had to be a hidden card.
I racked my brain, trying to anticipate their next move.
"Uh... mister?"
"He's thinking, leave him alone."
What are they planning to do?
Did they bring a high-ranking mage like the Ruin Scholar?
Or...
'Do they even need to break through?'
If I were them, I wouldn't waste my time with long-range attacks. I would close the distance and force a chaotic battle.
But they didn't.
They attacked from afar, giving Raven time to cast [Wall of Thousand Gold].
As if they wanted her to use it.
'It means they wanted her to cast the spell.'
Then why?
The answer came to me as I thought about it from their perspective.
"They're already inside."
There's no easier way to defeat an enemy than to strike from within.
But Amelia didn't seem to understand.
"...What do you mean?"
Instead of answering, I looked at the [Wall of Thousand Gold] that covered the lakeshore and asked her,
"Do you know how long the wall lasted last time?"
"About eight hours... They said it didn't collapse even after the main force arrived."
Right, I knew it.
'Eight hours...'
That was how long we would be trapped inside this wall.
____________________
As soon as I figured out Noark's plan, I stormed into Raven's tent.
"I have something to tell you."
"I told you to wait outside. Are you trying to imitate that woman's rudeness?"
Raven frowned, but I ignored her and told her everything.
She initially looked confused, but as the story unfolded, her expression changed.
"Why Noark would repeat a failed strategy... We were also curious about that. And your reasoning makes sense. I'll report this to my superiors right away—"
"Report? We need to take action now."
"...I'll handle it, so please leave."
She even cut me off, but it didn't seem to be working.
'Damn... she's really different now.'
I missed the old Raven.
"It seems like she's not taking it seriously."
"We can only hope she reports it properly."
We waited outside her tent, and after about 30 minutes...
Thump!
Something dark and slimy landed in front of us.
And it slowly rose to its feet.
[Grooooan...]
It was a stitched-together corpse.
-x-X-x-
A corpse rose from the ground.
Its skin was mottled and stitched together, as if on the verge of bursting.
"Could it be... the Corpse Collector...?"
Amelia's words made me sigh.
She must have come to the same conclusion.
If it was a necromancer from Noark, there was only one possibility.
'If they sent a small elite force, this bastard would definitely be part of it.'
Abet Necrapheto.
The infamous Corpse Collector, a member of Orculus, specialized in large-scale battles.
This was already giving me a headache.
If this guy was here, it meant Noark was serious this time.
'Damn, they said the rear hasn't been attacked since that one time... Why now, of all times...'
I couldn't help but complain, but there was no time for that.
Thud.
I dashed forward and smashed the corpse's skull with my hammer.
I didn't even need to use [Swing].
Crack!
The corpse's head caved in, splattering blood everywhere.
As a melee warrior, I couldn't avoid getting splattered...
Sizzle!
The stinging sensation and the smell confirmed it. It was definitely him.
"Are you alright?"
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
I didn't even need to activate [Elemental Barbarian (Earth)] for the poison resistance.
Vol-Herchan's +120 Poison Resistance was enough to handle skin contact.
Well, it was a bit itchy, but...
"It seems like it's starting..."
As I was feeling a strange sense of satisfaction at my accurate prediction, I noticed Erwen standing frozen in place.
"...Erwen, are you okay?"
"...Yes? W-what did you just say?"
"I asked if you're okay."
"Ah... y-yes..."
She nodded, but her voice was still dazed, and her gaze was fixed on the crushed corpse.
"Corpse... Collector..."
Ah, right...
She must be feeling a lot right now.
She had met her sister's killer.
Although Daria was killed by the Ruin Scholar, this bastard played a significant role in it.
Erwen's voice trembled as she asked,
"...Can we kill him?"
Kill him?
I thought for a moment and answered.
"Maybe."
Well, if things went well, we could kill him.
But...
"Today, our priority is to survive."
I spoke firmly.
It would be putting the cart before the horse to prioritize revenge over survival.
Erwen seemed to understand, but she just stared at me blankly for about five seconds.
Then she bit her lip and clenched her fists.
"...Okay, I'll do as you say."
Ugh, this makes me feel bad.
I patted her shoulder, trying to comfort her.
It might not mean much, but...
"Don't worry, Erwen. I'm the type who always repays his debts."
"...?"
"I haven't forgotten what those bastards did."
It was meant to be comforting, but I was being sincere.
Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.
Corpse Collector, Abet Necrapheto.
Ruin Scholar, Belvev Ruinjenes.
I hadn't forgotten my grudge against them either.
I was just waiting for the right time.
Yes, so...
"Just wait a little longer. It won't be long."
"...Okay."
Okay, I think her mental state has recovered.
"Emily, where's Alex?"
I asked about Alex's whereabouts, wiping the blood off my arm. Amelia answered,
"He went back into the tent as soon as the corpse fell."
Hmm, did he go to report to Raven?
But why isn't he coming back?
More corpses were falling from the sky—
"You were right."
Speak of the devil.
I turned around, and Raven was emerging from the tent with Alex.
Her face had darkened considerably.
"I should have insisted when they dismissed it as nothing..."
What is she talking about? Regretting the past?
There's no point in dwelling on what's already happened.
"So what's the plan?"
"We just received orders from the command center. They told all units to gather at the lake. We'll use the ships' magic barriers to defend."
Gather, not fight back?
It seemed like they were taking a conservative approach since they didn't know the enemy's strength...
"So we're moving now?"
"No, we'll wait here. I've contacted the mages in our corps, they'll be here soon with the explorers."
So we're going to the lake after everyone gathers.
Then we'll board the ships and activate the barriers.
I didn't know if it was a good plan.
But there wasn't much else we could do.
"Report your casualties."
"Three confirmed dead, two missing!"
"Two missing... We can't wait any longer. Let's move."
We took care of the corpses and waited, and the corps mages soon arrived with their escort explorers.
It was time to head to the lake.
「Arrua Raven has cast the 7th-grade support spell [Neutralize].」
We advanced towards the lake, supported by Raven's magic.
The journey itself was uneventful.
It was just a bunch of corpses so far.
Dozens of mages supporting over a hundred melee explorers.
It would be impossible for a small group to stop us.
But as we were nearing the lake...
Kaboom!
A deafening explosion shook the ground.
And...
"It seems like the barrier has been damaged."
The fog that had been dispersed by magic started to reform, obscuring our vision.
Well, at least there was one good thing.
The alarm magic, which had been blaring like a siren, was also destroyed, so it was much quieter now.
"Keep moving! Don't stop!"
Raven used wind magic to clear the fog, and we resumed our march.
We soon reached the blood-red lake, the fog lifting enough for us to see the shoreline. The mages summoned small boats and launched them into the water.
And at that moment...
"Board the ships in an orderly fashi—"
"Aaaaargh!"
A man screamed from behind us.
____________________
A scream pierced through the air.
There hadn't been any casualties during our battles with the corpses, so the scream was especially jarring.
Perhaps that's why...
Thud.
Raven, who was already halfway onto a boat, stopped and stepped back.
And...
"...What happened?"
"We're investigating. It's probably nothing, you should go—"
"No, I need to know. Assistant Vice-Captain Hailo, you stay here and take charge."
Raven ordered the others to board first.
She didn't want to board alone without knowing what was going on.
Wow, is this what a military leader's sense of responsibility is like?
Raven was known for her reputation in the corps. I was starting to understand why.
She was a responsible and reliable leader.
But...
"What are you doing? Come on."
Our mission was to protect her.
If she didn't board, we couldn't either.
"...Where are you going?"
Raven answered curtly.
"To the rear. I have a bad feeling."
Wait, shouldn't we just run if you have a bad feeling?
As I was thinking that...
"Aaaaargh!"
Another scream echoed from the rear.
And...
"Vice-Captain! We've identified the enemy!"
We finally received a report about the situation.
Surprisingly, it was just one person.
But no one took it lightly.
His description was infamous in this city.
"...A knight in crimson armor?"
"Yes, he's confirmed to be using Aura."
The Blood Knight.
A native of Bifron who rose from the ranks of a soldier to become a knight, then gained notoriety for murdering the previous captain of the Royal Knight Order. A member of Orculus.
"Emily, do you know anything about him?"
I discreetly moved away from Raven and asked Amelia, but she didn't seem to know much about him.
He rarely left the labyrinth, so they hadn't crossed paths.
She had seen him a few times at the Lord's Castle, but they had never spoken.
"Vice-Captain...! We'll hold him off, so please escape!"
"No, if it's really the Blood Knight, the casualties will be catastrophic."
"But...!"
"There's no time for 'buts'. Someone has to stop him, and I'm the most qualified. Board the ship."
"..."
"That's an order."
"...Yes!"
The mage saluted, his face a mixture of worry and admiration.
It was a heartwarming scene.
If we weren't involved, that is.
"Erwen, can you help me hold them off until the corps members board the ship?"
Raven turned to Erwen and pleaded.
"We just need to buy some time. Then we'll use the Multiple Teleportation spell to escape."
"Multiple Teleportation...?"
Her school doesn't teach that spell.
I mumbled, and Raven answered, her gaze fixed on Erwen.
"I learned it by chance. If I had known this spell... there might have been another way back then. Of course... it's too late now."
"..."
"Please."
Erwen glanced at me at Raven's repeated pleas.
She was asking me to decide.
"Why are you looking at him...?"
Raven noticed Erwen's gesture and looked at me with a questioning gaze.
"Is that part of your act too...?"
She seemed to have come to her own conclusion, sighing sadly. There wasn't time for explanations.
"What will you do if we don't follow you?"
"I'll be court-martialed. I won't be able to participate in any royal events."
Uh, is that a threat?
That wasn't what I asked.
"I asked what you would do. If we don't follow you, even if you're punished, would you still go alone?"
"Ah..."
Raven thought for a moment and answered.
"I can't do it alone. I'll probably go with other explorers."
So she wouldn't stay behind.
She was surprisingly stubborn in that aspect. Well, she always had a bit of a selfless streak.
"Alright, then let's go together."
Once the decision was made, there was no time to waste.
The rear wasn't that far.
We soon arrived at the scene, and the first thing we saw was a mage cowering before a menacing aura.
「Arrua Raven has cast the 4th-grade support spell [Trajectory Interference].」
Instead of trying to block the Aura with a defensive spell, Raven used a utility spell to alter the sword's trajectory.
Whoosh!
The greatsword grazed the mage's head instead of cleaving it in two.
"Ugh...!"
I dashed forward and pulled the panicked mage out of harm's way.
"Th-thank you... V-Vice-Captain?!"
"Raymond, you did well. You can leave the rest to us, go lead the explorers back to the main force. That's an order."
"...Yes!"
The mage quickly obeyed Raven's order and left with the explorers, and the enemy just watched us from afar.
His gaze was chilling.
'That's the Blood Knight...'
I stood at the front, my upper body shielded by my shield. I met his gaze and scanned him from head to toe.
My first impression was that he was shorter than I expected.
He barely reached 160 centimeters...
But he didn't seem weak at all.
'What's with that aura?'
His stocky build suggested a powerful physique.
And his natural aura, combined with his physique, exuded a powerful presence despite his small stature.
But the most intimidating thing was his voice.
"Golden Mage, Arrua Raven."
His voice was raspy, as if something was wrong with his vocal cords.
And he spoke in a chilling tone.
"One of my targets."
He casually raised his greatsword, as if it was just another task.
He wasn't even acknowledging us?
I looked at the crimson Aura emanating from his sword and said,
"Erwen, [Elemental Barbarian]."
"Which one?"
Which one? There's only one option against a knight.
"Earth."
As soon as I answered, Erwen's body turned translucent.
And as we held hands...
「Earth Spirit has been imbued into the character's body.」
I could feel the power of the earth coursing through my veins.
「Fire Resistance increased by 50%.」
「Water Resistance decreased by 50%.」
「Poison Immunity bonus.」
「Increased bonus to destructive actions with blunt weapons.」
「Physical Resistance greatly increased...」
「...」
It had been a while since I last used [Elemental Barbarian (Earth)].
「Character's Physical Resistance is 350 or higher.」
「Piercing damage reduced by 50%.」
With this, the 2nd stage of [Evolved Hide] was active, even without [Gigantification]...
"You're wasting your time."
He's acting cocky just because he can use Aura.
Who does he think he's dealing with?
"Die."
The old knight charged towards us, closing the distance in an instant.
I chuckled, watching him approach.
Who's going to die?
Why do you think I came all the way here?
「Character has cast [Iron Fortress].」
「[Evolved Hide]'s effect is increased by 1.5 times.」
'Knight Crusher', my former nickname.
It was finally time to show its true power.
-x-X-x-
The 1st stage effect of [Evolved Hide] was 50% resistance to sword-type weapons.
The 2nd stage reduced piercing damage by half.
Then what happens when the effect is increased by 1.5 times?
The answer is simple.
75% sword resistance.
And 75% piercing damage reduction.
When combined, it meant that I was practically immune to piercing damage from swords, even in my base state.
However, there was one thing I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed about.
'If it weren't for the limit, I would have complete sword immunity.'
The maximum sword resistance was around 85%.
Even with [Transcendence]'s passive enhancement, I couldn't reach full immunity.
So to summarize...
'I'm immune to piercing attacks.'
Slashing attacks would still work, but I had the Ogre's passive skill [Iron Hide] to counter that.
And...
'With my current Physical Resistance and [Iron Hide]...'
I had practically become a nightmare for all knights.
But they didn't know that, so they were worried.
Thud.
As soon as the Blood Knight dashed forward, someone shouted.
"Dodge...!"
It was Raven.
Well, showing her is faster than explaining.
Swoosh.
I blocked the knight's thrust with my shield.
Clang!
It had been a while since I heard that sound from my sword.
"What...!"
The knight's eyes widened in surprise as his Aura was blocked.
"How...?"
It's simple.
[Unification], obtained from the 6th stage Undead engraving, allowed my equipment to be affected by [Gigantification].
And that applied to [Evolved Hide] as well...
'Ah, that's not what he was asking.'
He probably wasn't curious about the details.
He just wanted to know how I blocked his Aura.
Well, there's a lot to explain, but...
In this world of survival of the fittest, it could be summarized in one sentence.
"Because."
I pushed his sword back with my shield and said,
"I'm stronger than you."
What else needs to be said?
In this world, there are only winners and losers.
Whoosh!
I swung my hammer with all my might to drive that point home.
Thud.
As expected, he nimbly dodged.
No problem, catching a fleeing enemy was easy.
「Character has cast [Eye of the Storm].」
「The inherent ability of the skill is unlocked by the power of the Transcendent.」
[Transcendence] and [Eye of the Storm] combo.
Whiiiiiish!
A sudden gust of wind grabbed the fleeing knight and dragged him towards me. Or rather, towards my swinging hammer.
But unfortunately...
Swoosh!
Right before my hammer connected, the knight's body turned translucent and he swiftly moved through the air, dodging the attack.
'So he has more than just Aura.'
As I was adjusting my grip on the hammer, Raven shouted.
"...Blood Entry! A 4th-grade ability that grants temporary acceleration and flight!"
I already knew that.
And she left out some details.
'Agility increase, not just acceleration. And Strength decrease, plus he becomes intangible, so physical attacks don't work.'
I watched the crimson mist flitting through the air like a fly and clicked my tongue.
I was looking forward to crushing him with my new hammer...
'I guess I'll leave the damage to the others.'
It was a shame I couldn't finish him off myself, but I wasn't going to be stubborn.
Teamwork is a tank's most important virtue.
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Elemental Fusion].」
Fire, water, wind, earth.
And darkness, Erwen's main element after contracting the Spirit King.
An arrow imbued with all five elements shot towards the crimson mist.
But...
'Aura is truly broken.'
The knight's sword shattered the arrow.
But he must have found the attack threatening.
Psssh!
He turned and charged towards Erwen, prioritizing the elimination of the ranged attacker.
But would that work?
Not with me here.
"Erwen, behind me."
As soon as he charged, Erwen hid behind me.
This was why tanks were so important in the labyrinth.
They were a wall that protected their allies, allowing them to attack safely.
Whoosh!
Even though Erwen was behind me, the knight didn't give up. He swung his sword.
It wasn't a meaningless attack.
He must have thought I blocked his Aura with my shield, so this time he aimed for the gaps in my armor.
The joints where my skin was exposed.
Well, the outcome was the same.
Slice!
It was a slashing attack, not a piercing one.
It wasn't completely nullified, but [Iron Hide] activated, and the sword only grazed my skin.
I had practically tanked an Aura attack with my bare skin.
"!"
The knight's eyes widened in surprise.
Is he really surprised by this?
Didn't I tell you I was stronger?
"Sheter Ebwon!"
As the knight paused, distracted, Raven's curse magic struck him.
I had experienced this spell countless times during my exploration.
[Materialize].
An 8th-grade curse magic that forcibly removes the physical immunity of ghost-type monsters.
Yes, this is teamwork.
I had missed having a mage while I was in Noark.
Whoosh!
The knight's translucent body solidified, and I immediately swung my hammer.
But I missed again. My Agility was too low.
"I'll help."
Amelia joined the fight.
She had already summoned a clone and was taking care of the swarming corpses...
"...Who are you?"
The knight finally asked, struggling to fend off our attacks.
He was curious about our identities, even though he was getting beaten up.
Of course, we had no obligation to answer.
"We don't care about you—"
"Uwaaaaaaaaah—!"
I roared with all my might, channeling my barbarian spirit since I couldn't shout the name of my ancestor god anymore. I kept swinging my hammer, forcing the knight to focus on dodging.
And...
"..."
He was quickly pushed into a corner, despite his fierce resistance.
It was an expected result.
[Dungeon and Stone] was a team game, after all. And our individual skills were nothing to scoff at.
Erwen was a prime example.
"Erwen, get back!"
I kept her behind me whenever she became the target, but that didn't mean she was weak.
She could maintain a safe distance with her natural Agility and her spirit's utility abilities.
She wouldn't have lost in a one-on-one fight.
And Amelia was the same.
「Amelia Rainwales has cast [Abyssal Power].」
She could block the Blood Knight's Aura with her own, and her physical stats were no weaker than his.
Well, Raven was a different story...
"Arghen Hail Tun... Kyaaa!"
She was an exception.
It was ridiculous to expect a mage to fight a knight one-on-one.
"Stay close behind me. He's targeting you."
"O-okay..."
I focused on protecting Raven, leaving Erwen and Amelia to handle themselves.
And after some time...
'Why isn't he running away?'
I started to feel uneasy.
He must have realized that he was going to lose.
Why wasn't he escaping?
'Is he waiting for my MP to run out?'
That wouldn't be a bad thing.
My MP was draining rapidly with [Iron Fortress] active, but I hadn't activated [Gigantification] yet.
He would be defeated before my MP ran out.
"What about the Multiple Teleportation spell?"
I checked on our last resort, just in case.
"It will take about five minutes to recast."
"Recast...?"
"I... stopped the casting earlier..."
She thought we didn't need it.
"Start preparing now. We don't know what might happen."
"...Okay..."
As soon as I gave the order...
"Schuitz, magic...!"
Amelia shouted urgently.
And at that moment...
「Liranne Vivienne has cast the 3rd-grade dark magic [Falling Star].」
A massive sphere of darkness descended from the sky, piercing through the fog.
'Damn it.'
So they were waiting for reinforcements.
____________________
As soon as the magic activated, I knew it was unavoidable.
My body stiffened.
I hadn't built any magic resistance yet.
My Aura build was almost complete, but my Magic Resistance was even lower than before.
And...
'She's late too.'
Raven, who was chanting the Multiple Teleportation spell, wouldn't be able to stop it in time.
But...
'I'll have to tank it.'
I quickly made a decision.
The magic was targeting me.
And Erwen and Amelia were a distance away.
But if I dodged, Raven, who was standing behind me, wouldn't survive.
So there was only one option.
"...Ugh!"
I pulled Raven close and shielded her with my body.
And...
'Gigantification.'
I activated [Transcendence] and expanded my body.
[M-mister...!]
"Schuitz!!"
The magic crashed into my back.
Kaboom!
The impact felt like my spine was shattering.
Then the shockwave reverberated through my bones and muscles, my blood tingling as if electrocuted.
Damn, is it because I removed the Corpse Golem essence?
Why does it hurt so much?
"Uh..."
I winced in pain, and I heard a voice from below.
"H-how... [Gigantification]...?"
Damn, did I mess up?
I had been saving [Gigantification] for this reason.
Unlike [Swing], which had almost no visual effect, this skill was obvious the moment it was activated.
"Could it be..."
Hey, now's not the time for that.
"We'll talk later."
As soon as the shock subsided, I got up.
Clank.
Something fell from my back.
It was a piece of my shattered armor.
And...
'Ugh, I'm dizzy.'
My vision was blurry.
It wasn't because of the fog, but the smoke.
The smoke coming from my body.
Sizzle.
Wow, it's been a while since I've been this messed up.
Every joint screamed in protest as I straightened my back.
'Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside.'
I tried to lighten the mood with a silly thought as I got to my feet.
Then I gently lowered Raven to the ground.
And I moved her behind me.
But she finally got a good look at me.
"Your... your back...!"
What about my back? Finish your sentence.
As I was thinking that, Amelia came over and checked my back.
"You don't want to hear the details."
"...That bad?"
"Yeah, it's a miracle you're even standing."
Uh, well...
"...Just pour some potion on it."
"I already did."
Huh? I didn't feel anything...
Did the nerves in my back get fried?
'Come to think of it, it doesn't hurt anymore...'
I focused on the positive as I looked ahead.
The Blood Knight was standing a distance away, his body battered and bruised.
Well, he still looked better than me.
But that wasn't important.
"Grandpa, why did you do that?! I was so worried when Necrapheto told me!"
A woman in a robe stood next to the Blood Knight.
She was holding a staff, so she must be a mage...
Then she was the one who cast the spell?
"Oh! Hello! I don't know how you survived that, but nice to meet you!"
She noticed my gaze and waved cheerfully.
Erwen trembled with rage.
"Erwen, I'm fine, don't rise to the bait."
I reassured her, but I was still worried, so I grabbed her wrist and pulled her to my side.
Then I asked Amelia,
"Emily, who's that woman?"
"The Wailing Witch, Liranne Vivienne."
Ah, that's her.
I've never met her before.
"And the man next to her?"
I shifted my gaze and asked, and Amelia answered immediately.
"The Lighthouse Keeper. His name is unknown."
Damn, another big shot.
He was one of the few support ability users in Orculus.
"And next to him..."
"I know who that is."
I cut her off and looked at him.
Our eyes met, and his grin widened.
"Well, well, well. Looks like the odds are even now, huh? Fake?"
The Corpse Collector, Abet Necrapheto.
Ugh, is there anywhere this guy isn't?
-x-X-x-
Orculus, the worst criminal organization in the labyrinth.
And among them, these four were quite infamous.
It made me feel a strange mix of emotions.
The changes from the past were becoming more and more apparent.
"Schuitz, what's the plan?"
What plan?
In the Goblin Forest battle on the 2nd floor, there were only three of them.
And it took over a thousand explorers to defeat them.
But...
"We fight. At least until the spell is ready."
I didn't feel as hopeless this time.
No, I was actually confident we could handle them.
And...
"I see. Okay."
Amelia's reaction suggested she agreed.
Erwen didn't seem interested in escaping anyway.
"...Abet Necrapheto."
As soon as the Corpse Collector appeared in the distance, Erwen's body started to exude killing intent.
I thought about warning her...
'But it's probably better this way.'
It was better for her to be focused than scared.
And she seemed to be in control, she wasn't charging at him or anything.
"What are you doing? The spell casting is interrupted."
She even reminded Raven, who was frozen in place, to continue chanting the teleportation spell. It seemed like she remembered my words about prioritizing survival.
'...I'm proud of her.'
"Ah... O-okay..."
Raven snapped out of her daze and resumed casting, after mumbling something about my back.
It seemed like she had decided not to bring up her suspicions about my identity.
'Well, she must have noticed something.'
I was worried about the consequences, but I also had a glimmer of hope.
The Corpse Collector had called me a 'fake', hadn't he?
"Heh heh, aren't you staring a bit too intensely, fairy? Even I feel a bit uncomfortable."
"..."
"Hmm, but I'm surprised! I heard you borrowed a lot of money from your tribe... Did you really spend it all on creating a fake like that?"
He didn't recognize me, even after seeing [Gigantification].
Well, he was convinced that I was dead.
And Erwen's obsession with me was well-known, so it was more believable that she had created a fake.
'I hope Raven thinks the same...'
Ah, whatever. If she's going to find out, she'll find out.
Would she really betray me after I just saved her life?
I decided not to worry about it.
It seemed like the enemy wouldn't give us much time anyway.
"Necrapheto, it seems like that woman is casting a Multiple Teleportation spell."
The enemy mage had noticed our escape plan.
"Heh heh, then we should get started. The dance of blood, bone, and screams—"
"Ah, seriously, can you stop with that? You suddenly started acting weird... wearing a mask every time we go on an expedition..."
"Uh... Vivienne, there are other people here..."
"That's why I'm telling you to stop! Ugh, why do you act so differently outside..."
"...It's a hobby. A hobby."
The Wailing Witch scolded him, but the delay was short-lived.
"Both of you, shut up and get to work."
The Lighthouse Keeper, a hulking figure in a robe, silenced them, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.
So that's the end of our free teleportation gauge charging time?
"How much time is left until the teleportation spell is ready?"
"...About 10 minutes. The mana was scattered when the casting was interrupted."
"Can you cast other spells while chanting?"
"Yes, not high-level spells, but I can help."
Okay, that's a relief.
"Focus on completing the spell, and provide support when necessary."
"Yes, I underst— Wait, why are you giving orders?"
Seriously, what difference does it make now?
"That's a pointless question. Is that important now?"
I quickly changed the subject and continued giving orders.
"Erwen, Emily, you two focus on defense for now. We need to buy time until the spell is ready."
"Okay."
Erwen surprisingly agreed without any hesitation, and Amelia asked,
"...Wouldn't it be better to abandon the spell and fight them?"
She wasn't wrong.
But...
"We don't know when their reinforcements might arrive."
We couldn't rule out the possibility of reinforcements.
And I didn't want to risk a direct confrontation.
We could win, but it would be a tough fight.
And someone might get hurt or even die.
"...That's true. Okay, let's do as you say."
Amelia also agreed, and that was the end of the discussion.
Well, we didn't have time for further discussion anyway.
[Grooooan...!]
The surrounding corpses charged towards us, and the battle began.
____________________
The basic situation was simple.
The corpse horde attacked from all sides, and we defended in formation.
But there was a problem...
[Grooooan...!]
The corpses were much stronger now.
「Liranne Vivienne has cast the 5th-grade dark magic [Wrath of the Dead].」
「Liranne Vivienne has cast the 4th-grade dark magic [Dark Baptism].」
A necromancer and a dark mage.
It was a powerful combination, one I had favored in the past.
Dark magic had a lot of efficient buffs for undead.
They had good synergy.
「Liranne Vivienne has cast the 4th-grade dark magic [Lamp of the Underworld].」
Ugh, there it is.
I knew she would use it.
Whoosh!
A black flame appeared in the sky, and the corpses we had destroyed started to regenerate and rise again.
And to make matters worse...
「Liranne Vivienne has summoned [Erimyanne, Queen of Pain].」
A wraith covered in thousands of thorns flew through the air, screaming.
It was Liranne Vivienne's signature summon, the one that earned her the nickname 'Wailing Witch'.
So its effect must be...
「Character's Pain Resistance decreased by -200.」
Pain amplification.
And...
「When a target affected by the scream takes damage, the summoner's Dark Power is partially restored.」
Mana recovery, a mage's most important resource.
'Well, as long as we don't get hit, it's not a big deal.'
It wasn't a particularly troublesome summon in a small-scale battle like this.
But...
「Liranne Vivienne has cast the 3rd-grade dark magic [Voodoo Doll].」
「Accuracy of curse-type magic targeting the character is increased to 100%, and its power is greatly amplified.」
After buffing the corpses and summoning her signature wraith, the Wailing Witch started unleashing her magic.
「[Advanced Decay] is active.」
「Wound recovery speed is greatly reduced.」
「[Enervation] is active.」
「Strength greatly decreased.」
「[Invisible Threat] is active.」
「Chance of failing to detect enemy attacks increased...」
Why is she targeting me with all her curses?
This reminded me of Elisa, the priest from Karui, and I almost got PTSD.
But what could I do?
I had to endure.
Even if it meant resorting to evil.
"Uwaaaaaaaaah!"
I roared and swung my hammer.
That was all a warrior could do in this situation.
Crack!
I focused on protecting my companions, leaving the ranged attacks to Erwen.
Thankfully, she was exceeding expectations.
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Elemental Fusion].」
A single powerful shot to keep the enemy at bay.
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Rapid Fire].」
A rain of arrows from the sky.
And...
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has summoned [Dicloe, the Dark Spirit King].」
Even Dicloe, the Dark Spirit King, the one that earned her the nickname 'Blood Spirit Marquis'.
Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom!
The Spirit King was only summoned for about five seconds, but in that short time, half of the corpse horde was obliterated.
Yes, literally obliterated.
Not even [Lamp of the Underworld] could revive those who had vanished without a trace.
"No! My precious collection...!"
Even the Corpse Collector was shocked by the overwhelming power.
But the Spirit King came at a cost. Erwen's Spirit Power was depleted.
She could still use her other abilities, which consumed Soul Power, but she couldn't summon spirits anymore.
"...Good work."
"It... was nothing."
Our trump card was gone, but the situation wasn't that bad.
The gap in the corpse horde gave us some breathing room.
Well, it didn't last long.
"Schuitz, he's coming."
"I'll take care of him, you two stay back."
The Blood Knight, who had been recovering in the rear, finally rejoined the battle after receiving healing from the Lighthouse Keeper.
'So he also has healing skills...'
It was a bit frustrating.
Erwen's left arm had just been severed by [Rupture], and it was already healed?
Even with the best potions, that kind of injury would leave lasting damage...
Slice!
Huh?
"Ugh."
He aimed for the gaps in my armor again, so I tried to tank it and counterattack... but my body froze.
My Pain Resistance had been reduced by 200, so even a small scratch was excruciating.
"It... cuts now."
The wound was much deeper than before.
But there wasn't much bleeding, and it smelled burnt.
Then why?
The reason was clear.
'It's not Aura.'
His sword was still covered in a red glow, but it was different from before.
Intense heat emanated from the blade.
'Did he enchant it with fire?'
It must have been the Lighthouse Keeper's doing.
He must have used the information about my weakness to magic and changed the Blood Knight's attacks to fire damage.
'Clever bastard.'
But it didn't matter.
Even with fire damage, it was still a slashing attack. And I had [Iron Hide].
'This should be enough to hold him off.'
As expected, a battle of attrition ensued.
There were a few close calls, but we managed to hold our ground.
And...
"It's done!"
Raven finally finished casting the Multiple Teleportation spell.
We could finally escape.
Okay, insurance acquired.
"Don't use it yet, wait."
"Yes?"
'Yes' what 'yes'?
I've been getting beaten up this whole time, I'm not leaving empty-handed.
'Who should I take?'
The target was quickly decided.
"Guys! Their spell is ready!"
The mage was flying on a broomstick, so she was out.
"Vivienne! Do something! I'll be the only one who loses out if we let them escape!!"
The Corpse Collector was too agile and had an invincibility skill, so he was difficult to catch.
Whoosh!
The Blood Knight was also a bad matchup.
He was too fast and agile for me to catch alone, even when we were fighting 4v1.
I would need a closed space to have a chance.
"...We'll meet again."
The Blood Knight, sensing our imminent escape, spoke confidently.
Hey, who said we were leaving?
'Yeah, he's the one.'
The Lighthouse Keeper, name unknown.
He was one of the few support ability users in Noark.
And...
'Support classes usually have expensive accessories.'
He was wearing ten rings on his fingers.
-x-X-x-
The Lighthouse Keeper, an ability user from Noark, who stood taller than even the Blood Knight at over 190 centimeters.
I licked my lips, eyeing him.
'Damn… [Leap] would've made this so much easier.'
About 130 meters separated us.
Just two skills, and I could close the distance.
But…
'Well, it's gone.'
I dismissed my regret.
There's no use dwelling on what's already gone.
If I didn't have a movement skill, I would just have to use my legs.
It was the barbarian way.
"Erwen, Emily, you two stay here and hold the line."
"…What about you?"
"I'll be back."
"Back? Where are you—"
Where else?
「Character has used [Wild Release].」
I charged forward, roaring.
"Uwaaaaaaaaah!"
It didn't have the same impact as shouting the name of my ancestor god, but it couldn't be helped.
I wasn't sure if Raven had found out yet.
She might still be under the same misconception as the Corpse Collector.
Tadat.
The others reacted immediately as I left the formation for the first time, having been focused on defense and protecting my companions.
The Blood Knight was the first.
"...."
He charged towards me, having kept his distance to avoid entering the teleportation range.
But…
Clang!
…would that work?
I blocked his flaming sword with my shield.
Tadat.
I ignored the Blood Knight and dashed forward again.
I couldn't shake him off with my Agility stat, so my back was exposed…
Slash!
…but I didn't have to block with my shield.
I could just tank it. It would just be a deep cut, not a fatal blow.
It just hurt like hell because of my decreased Pain Resistance.
'Ugh, it's like he rubbed salt on his blade.'
I winced, but I didn't stop running.
I wouldn't have made it this far if I was the type to stop because of pain.
Tadat.
I pushed off the ground again, like a salmon swimming upstream.
And at that moment…
…the Blood Knight exclaimed in admiration.
"Wh, what…!"
He seemed impressed by my relentless advance, even after being stabbed in the back.
"Stop…!"
It was a bit underwhelming compared to the praise I had received in the past, but the panic in his voice was satisfying.
Right, you've never experienced this before, have you?
One swing of your Aura blade, and any tank would be cut down.
Slash!
He stabbed me again.
But nothing changed.
I kept running, like a runaway train.
And…
"...!"
…there was nothing he could do about it.
Tadat.
It was his turn to learn.
He probably didn't realize it, having lived comfortably with his Aura…
Slash!
…but damage dealers were powerless in front of a tank.
Whoosh!
A support attack arrived from behind.
It was Erwen's arrow.
And…
Thud.
…it hit his arm.
He was good at dodging when we were defending, but he had to try and stop me, didn't he?
I didn't know the details.
But his mistake was fatal.
"...!"
His distorted expression said it all.
One arrow might not be a big deal, but…
…the follow-up wasn't.
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has cast [Rupture].」
The skill that had shattered Amelia's clone.
Kwagic!
The Blood Knight's arm exploded into dozens of pieces.
Okay, that took care of the annoying mosquito.
Tadat.
I continued running, leaving the Blood Knight, who had been thrown back by the explosion, behind.
But another obstacle appeared.
"Wow, that guy looks like an ogre!"
The Wailing Witch, Liranne Vivienne, was watching me from above, perched on her broomstick.
She giggled and unleashed her magic.
「Liranne Vivienne has cast the 4th-grade dark magic [Falling Flames].」
Black flames, like raindrops, rained down on me. But as with most AoE spells, the damage per hit was low.
I raised my shield and continued running.
Well, my shield would be damaged…
'Nothing new.'
Had my shield ever survived a difficult battle?
I could just repair it with the loot.
Tadat.
I pushed off the ground again.
Did she decide to change her strategy?
「Liranne Vivienne has cast the 4th-grade dark magic [Stele of Pain].」
The rain of fire stopped, and a black fog enveloped me.
'Judging by the effect…'
…this skill couldn't be dodged. The only way to counter it was with Magic Resistance.
In other words…
'She can't dodge it either.'
I quickly chanted a command as soon as the fog touched my skin.
「Character has cast [Risk].」
Gachabon's active skill.
The effect was simple.
It doubled the damage I received, but also increased the reflected damage of [Probabilistic Retaliation].
But…
「The inherent ability of the skill is unlocked by the power of the Transcendent.」
…when combined with [Transcendence], it had an additional effect.
「The damage immunity effect of [Probabilistic Retaliation] is removed, but the activation probability is fixed at 100%.」
Guaranteed gacha.
Whoosh!
The black fog that was clinging to my skin hardened.
It was the effect of [Stele of Pain].
Temporary movement restriction.
And…
Whoosh!
…an unavoidable attack.
"Uwaaaaaaaaah!"
This hurts like hell.
Crack!
I endured for about two seconds, and then the hardened fog shattered and fell to the ground.
The inside was covered in thorns.
Damn, what is this, a medieval torture device?
At least I wasn't the only one who was affected.
「Normal Luck.」
[Probabilistic Retaliation] activated.
Clank, clank.
A skeleton rose from the ground next to me, its bones creaking.
It wasn't a critical hit, so there wasn't a special sound effect.
But…
「Reflects 30% of the received damage to the enemy.」
…it reflected 30% of the damage, not 15%.
And the damage I received was doubled, so it was effectively four times the normal reflection damage.
Well, it was still a bit unfair…
"Uh, uh…?!"
…but she was a mage.
It was a reasonable trade-off.
"Wh, what is this…!"
The skeleton raised its hand, and a black fog enveloped the witch on her broomstick.
And…
Whoosh!
A chilling sound echoed through the sewer.
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaak!"
Damn, she's loud.
So that's why she was called the Wailing Witch.
Tadat.
I continued running, my body riddled with wounds.
It was a fixed damage spell, so the wounds weren't that deep, even though the damage I received was doubled.
But it hurt like hell.
'It seems like she survived.'
Vivienne, screaming as she fell from the sky, quickly regained her composure and used a levitation spell to avoid crashing to the ground.
'Her wounds weren't that deep either…'
Damn it, I thought a 30% attack would be enough to one-shot a mage.
'Did she use a mana shield or something to reduce the damage?'
It was a bit disappointing…
"Ugh…"
…but at least I achieved my goal.
Judging by how she was still writhing in pain, she wouldn't be able to attack me for a while.
I quickly closed the distance after taking care of the mage.
[Grooooan…!]
The Corpse Collector summoned more corpses to block my path.
Seven of them.
He must have summoned tank-type undead to stop me, judging by their size.
They were even bigger than large monsters.
'About 7 meters tall?'
I would have been able to jump over them if I had [Leap]… but it wasn't a big problem.
I wasn't just a tank.
A wall blocking my path?
I didn't even have to go around it.
「Character has cast [Swing].」
I could just destroy it.
「Strike range is tripled.」
I swung my hammer, which had elongated like a magical staff, and smashed the 7-meter tall corpse giant's head.
It seemed like a tank-type undead, but that was enough.
The multiplier for [Swing] was Strength.
And its power was increased by 500% thanks to the Demon Crusher. And since it was a downward strike, it also had 50% armor penetration…
Kaboom!
How could a summon withstand that?
Pssssh!
The corpse giant was turned into a lump of rotten meat with a single swing, its blood splattering everywhere like a fountain.
Damn it, his poison is strong.
「Character has been poisoned (High).」
「Poison Resistance is 100 or higher.」
「Poison level reduced to Low.」
The poison seeped into my skin, causing pain.
But I didn't stop.
Especially not when my target was right in front of me.
'I'm finally here.'
I quickly passed through the gap created by the destroyed corpse giant and looked ahead.
The target was about 30 meters away.
But…
'What the hell, why is he so far forward?'
Did he come here himself to summon the corpse giant?
The Corpse Collector was about 5 meters away.
He looked very flustered…
It would be rude to just ignore him.
「Character has cast [Swing].」
「Strike range is tripled.」
I swung my hammer at him without hesitation.
He chose to defend instead of dodging.
He used that familiar skill.
「Abet Necrapheto has cast [Bone Armor].」
Damn it, I used to have to hit him several times to break it.
How would it be this time?
I soon found out.
Crack!
The armor shattered with a single blow, revealing his flesh.
And…
「Abet Necrapheto has cast [Momentary Immortality].」
His body was engulfed in flames and turned to bone.
A 3rd-grade essence skill that converted Mental and Ability stats to physical stats and granted one minute of damage immunity.
'Wow, he used his invincibility skill after just one hit.'
There was no point in attacking him while he was invincible, so I grabbed his arm and threw him away.
And…
Tadat!
…I jumped high, like using [Leap].
The stakes he had planted around him were shooting projectiles like turrets in a defense game.
4th-grade transformation skill, [Sublime Idol].
It was the Lighthouse Keeper's core skill, and its effect was simple.
It allowed you to transform your abilities by planting totems in the ground. For example, a single target buff or curse could be turned into an AoE aura… РΑ𐌽оＢЁś
'He must have been in a hurry.'
Judging by the flames and magic bullets being fired from the totems, he had deactivated his support auras like [Haste] and [Soul Regeneration] and switched to attack mode.
"…You monster."
He didn't run away, even though I had endured all his attacks and reached him.
Well, it would be more dangerous to leave the totem range.
He shouted in desperation,
"…Come!"
What the hell, I have no intention of entering.
「Character has cast [Eye of the Storm].」
「The inherent ability of the skill is unlocked by the power of the Transcendent.」
It seemed like he was within range, so I used my grab skill.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
A gust of wind swept towards me.
And…
"Aak, aaaaargh!"
…he was dragged towards me.
He's screaming like a little girl.
Grab.
I grabbed his neck in midair with my shield hand. He struggled, but I just tightened my grip, and he calmed down.
You should have just given up from the beginning.
Thud.
I landed and looked down at him, saying,
"Your rings."
"...?"
"I hope they're expensive."
It was a tough journey.
____________________
Crack!
I headbutted him.
It was a bad angle for a hammer swing, and he was also wearing a necklace.
It would have been crushed if I used my hammer.
"...."
I was about to headbutt him again when his body went limp.
Did he die? Or just pass out?
I hoped it was the former, so I headbutted him a few more times.
Crack, crack!
Ugh, that's disgusting. How can a human eye…
'…Anyway, that takes care of him. So, what should I do now?'
I had achieved my first objective, so it was time to make another decision.
'I caught the Lighthouse Keeper, and we can probably take down the rest 4v3…'
Should I return and use the teleportation spell?
Or should I finish them off?
I didn't have much time to think.
Thud, thud!
The corpse giants were approaching.
'Right, let's retreat for now.'
I had been stabbed countless times, hit by magic, and poisoned.
I could endure those problems with my mental fortitude.
But…
'My MP is dangerously low.'
I had been maintaining [Iron Fortress] to counter the Aura, and I was currently in [Gigantification] state.
And not only that…
I had been spamming my skills with [Transcendence].
If I ran out of MP, I wouldn't be able to block Aura, and it would be much harder to protect my companions from the Blood Knight.
'And they might have reinforcements.'
I made a decision and ran back the way I came, clutching my loot.
But then…
'Why aren't they attacking?'
The corpse giants who had been charging towards me were now lined up defensively, and there were no magic attacks.
"…Necrapheto! What are you doing?! Block him! He can't even die!"
The Wailing Witch's shout suggested that they had regained their composure…
But why?
I soon found out.
[If you want to block him, then you do it! It seems like magic works on him!]
One of the relatively intact undead spoke for the Corpse Collector, who was currently a skeleton.
They were all hesitant to attack because they had already been punished.
Well, they didn't have any information about me.
They probably didn't want to end up like the Lighthouse Keeper.
'This is too easy.'
I was running towards my destination when…
"You… You're going to fight me?"
…the Blood Knight, now in one-armed mode, blocked my path.
"…Your name."
Huh?
"What's your name?"
He wanted to know my name?
I only had one thing to say.
"Attack me if you're going to, or get out of my way. I have to go eat."
"...."
"Damn, cat got your tongue?"
I started running, and the Blood Knight stepped aside.
"…We'll meet again."
He didn't even try to stab me in the back.
He must have learned his lesson.
How could he possibly stop me when I just ignored his attacks and ran?
Tadat, tadat.
I soon reached my destination.
The magic circle on the ground was glowing, ready to be activated.
But the mage was frozen in place.
"What are you doing? Let's go!"
Raven looked up at me, her eyes wide with fear.
What the…?
I looked around, and Erwen and Amelia also had strange expressions.
"...."
"...."
"...."
They were looking at me as if I was a monster.
Even though I had brought back loot.
-x-X-x-
The Wailing Witch, Liranne Vivienne.
As she slowly descended to the ground, the moment her feet touched down, she shouted.
"Necrapheto! Are you crazy?! Why did you just let them go?!"
The man, whose flesh was just starting to grow back onto his bones, frowned at her hysterical voice.
"I'm older than you, you know…"
"Ha! Now's the time to be concerned about that? Tell me, why did you let those bastards go?! The Captain won't let this slide!"
Vivienne shouted irritably, pointing her index finger at a spot. All that remained there was a deactivated, faint magic circle.
The man retorted in an annoyed tone.
"Ugh, why should I be the one getting scolded? It's unreasonable to expect a Necromancer to fight in close combat, and you were watching too."
Even the woman, who was about to retort, flinched at his unexpectedly sensitive reaction.
However, was there something she wanted to point out?
"…But you didn't even use the Call of the Underworld!"
Vivienne clung to that core equipment of the Corpse Collector.
However…
"Why should I use that?"
The man responded as if he was dumbfounded.
"Because if you had used it, the Lighthouse Keeper wouldn't have been captured!"
She wasn't wrong.
If he had used the Staff of the Underworld, a high-ranking Double Numbered Item, he could have removed that tank-like man from the battlefield. That was a fact.
But…
"If I use that, one of us has to die. And you're asking me to use it on someone I don't even have information on? When I could have survived if I just stayed put?"
"…You have that new ability you got recently."
"If that gets out, the royal family will come up with a countermeasure. Who would benefit from that? If I ever need to rely on that ability in a dangerous situation, and this incident comes back to bite me, are you going to save me? Huh?" ṛＡＮỗβÈⱾ
"...."
"Please, know your place. You didn't use your magic for the same reason."
Vivienne couldn't say anything more as the man started arguing back.
His words were hitting too close to home.
In fact, the reason she hadn't stopped that monstrous man was the same.
She didn't have enough information.
Her magic had been reflected, so she couldn't risk using a stronger spell.
"Ah, this is annoying…"
Ultimately, they were all responsible for the defeat.
They were part of the same organization, working together, but their true nature remained unchanged.
There was no one noble enough to sacrifice themselves for others. They were more concerned about their own gains and losses than their companions' safety.
"…Is everyone alright?"
The Blood Knight returned and joined them as Vivienne was biting her lip, suppressing her anger.
He looked the most pathetic of the three, missing an arm.
But…
"It would have been fine if grandpa did his job properly."
Vivienne shifted her target to the Blood Knight, as if she didn't even care about his injuries.
"...?"
"You should have targeted their rear, not that monster!"
She wasn't just trying to find fault, she genuinely meant it.
"Why did you even try to stop him when you couldn't even do it…"
If they had targeted the enemy instead of wasting time blocking that man, the situation would be different now.
It was the first time that monstrous man had left the formation, after tanking all their attacks with his bare body.
"Killing one of the Seven Strengths, the Blood Spirit Marquis, would have been a significant achievement, and the Golden Mage goes without saying. She's one of our main targets, and if she died, the teleportation spell would have been nullified."
The Blood Knight's judgment was a mistake.
The man who was listening next to her exclaimed in admiration.
"Wow, you're blaming grandpa in this situation? You're even worse than I thought. How dare you say that to someone who was trying to protect us?"
"…Can't I even talk to myself? And I'm not wrong."
"Well, that's true. Heh heh."
The man nodded and glanced at the Blood Knight.
He had become prey to the wolves, but the old knight didn't make any excuses.
He just muttered in a flat voice,
"Contact the Captain. We lost… the Golden Mage."
"…Can't grandpa do it?"
The Blood Knight responded to Vivienne's question with a cold glare, and she lowered her head.
They had lost their target.
And not only that, but the Lighthouse Keeper, a valuable asset even within Orculus, had been captured.
And they had just watched as the enemy teleported away.
She couldn't risk going after them.
"...."
She couldn't say that.
The Corpse Collector noticed her hesitation.
"I understand how you feel, but contact him first. There's something we need to report, even if it's not about the Golden Mage."
"…Are you talking about that monster?"
"That too, but…"
The man trailed off and then continued,
"Anyway, just report it. I don't know why he was here, but…"
"...."
"…We found Amelia Rainwales."
______________________
「Arrua Raven has cast the 4th-grade spatial magic [Multiple Teleportation].」
The first thing she saw when the light from the activated magic circle faded was a cage.
"Please wait. You're in the right place."
"…What?"
"It's a safety measure installed on all warships. If a spatial movement ability is used, it automatically redirects you here."
Ah, so that's why.
Teleport redirection… that sounds familiar…
"I'm Arrua Raven, Vice-Captain of the 3rd Magic Corps. Here's my ID. I returned via teleportation magic while fighting Orculus criminals."
Raven revealed her identity to the soldier guarding the cage, and the cage opened after a brief verification process.
But…
Clank!
What the hell, why did it close after she went out?
"…What did you do?"
Raven avoided my gaze and spoke to the soldier, ignoring my informal tone.
"Keep an eye on them for a while. Don't let them out."
"Yes."
Uh… I didn't expect this.
My mind went blank, and Erwen grabbed the bars of the cage and shook them.
"…I'll kill you!!"
It didn't seem like her usual loss of control.
I was also losing control.
This reminded me of the guild's basement, and I wanted to break out.
But…
"I understand how you feel, but please calm down. You can't escape with brute force."
"…What?"
"No. 399 Cage of Silence. It seals all abilities, including magic, divine power, and Aura."
Damn it, no wonder I had a bad feeling.
I sighed and let go of the bars after confirming that my skills weren't activating.
"Here… these are potions. Treat your wounds."
Raven handed us a few potions through the bars and then left after giving the soldier a few instructions.
To summarize:
Treat them with respect.
But don't open the cage under any circumstances.
And release us if the situation becomes critical, like if the enemies reach this point.
"…We've been tricked. Tersia, stop wasting your energy and come here."
"What? She just locked us up, how can we—"
"Then what are we going to do?"
"….."
"Erwen, she's right. Calm down and come here."
"…Okay."
Erwen reluctantly walked over to me after I also regained my composure.
"First… we should use the potions."
It seemed like it would take a while to heal with just Natural Regeneration, so we poured potions all over our bodies with Amelia and Erwen's help, stopping the bleeding.
And after some time…
"…Are you okay?"
"…Yeah, I'm used to it now."
Honestly, I felt like I was dying.
The only Pain Resistance I had left was the '30' from Bion's essence.
But what could I do? I had to treat my wounds.
"Um… can we get some water, please?"
"Ah… a-alright!"
The soldier hurriedly brought us water at Erwen's polite request.
He was probably intimidated by Erwen's status, on top of Raven's orders to treat us with respect.
"Um… are you alright?"
Ah, so he was just worried about me.
"You're sweating more than you're bleeding…"
"I'm fine, don't worry."
It was always like this when I drank potions.
I chugged the water the kind soldier gave us and then moved to the back of the cage.
We had to talk privately now.
"Anyway, let's talk now that we're done with treatment. Both of you, come here. And lower your voices."
"You're a bit too close, don't you think?"
"What's the problem? We're just having a conversation."
"…Th, then I'll…"
"Hmm, fairies have good hearing, right?"
"Wh, what does that have to do with you?"
"I was just saying—"
Ugh, these two again.
"Both of you, stop it. This isn't the time."
"Okay…"
I quickly stopped them before the conversation could go off on a tangent.
The first thing we had to discuss was this:
"Why do you think Raven did this?"
Why did she lock us up?
The two of them, who had been bickering, easily reached a consensus on this.
"She must have realized your true identity."
"Yes, that's the only possibility. She knows you're an evil spirit… Crack. She doesn't even know gratitude after you saved her life so many times."
Is her killing intent even seeping out of her teeth?
I didn't know, but I was worried about Erwen's dental health, so I brought up the next possibility.
"Emily, what's the probability that she did it because she found out about you?"
"Well, that's not impossible either. She was on that island too."
Raven and Amelia knew each other.
They had fought together on Parune Island, and Raven knew about Amelia's [Abyssal Power], [Self-Replication], and [Asura's Fury].
And she used a dagger as her main weapon?
Raven would have noticed, even after two years and even with her face covered.
"Well… she might be suspecting that we're spies for Noark because of me. Ha, as expected."
"Wait, what do you mean 'as expected'?"
"What else? That you're going to be a burden."
"Ha! You're good at talking, even though you can't even control yourself."
"What…?"
Why is this happening again?
I quickly changed the subject.
"Whatever, Emily, are you okay? There's a high chance that Noark also recognized you."
"That's… well, they probably did. The Blood Knight might not recognize me since we haven't crossed paths much, but the Corpse Collector definitely recognized me."
Damn it, I felt bad for her.
She said she had changed her identity and was hiding, but now she had both the royal family and Noark as enemies.
"Don't worry too much. I knew it was a possibility. I'll leave if it becomes too dangerous for you."
"So you still have some conscience?"
"I have reason, unlike you."
Ugh, these two…
We could all be in trouble if this went wrong.
No, would Erwen be okay even in the worst-case scenario?
I might be targeted by the royal family as an evil spirit, and Amelia might be accused of being a Noark spy, but Erwen was different.
The fairy tribe would protect her, even in the worst-case scenario.
"…So what are we going to do now?"
I organized my thoughts and answered Amelia's question.
"Well, we have no choice but to wait."
There wasn't much we could do while we were trapped.
The best we could do was wait for Raven to return and then react accordingly.
Therefore…
"Mister?"
…I stood up after ending the conversation.
And I approached the corpse, whose face was covered with the cloth I had received from the soldier along with the water.
I didn't know what would happen in the future, but…
…it was better to do what I could.
"…What are you doing?"
"Checking the loot."
"…Now? In this situation?"
Well, is there anything else we can do?
I shrugged and started looting.
'Ten rings, one necklace, and I dropped the staff when I grabbed him…'
I couldn't open the subspace pocket until we got out of here.
Magic tools didn't work inside the cage.
'Wow, how much is this worth?'
You have to learn to appreciate the little things when the situation is difficult.
Although I couldn't estimate the exact amount, one thing was clear.
If I sold all of this, I could pay off most of the debt.
Well, the problem was whether we could even get out of here with it.