Clive advances without hesitation.
The two-headed monster roars wildly, its massive claws swinging through the air as black blood pours from the stump where its tongue once lashed out.
Without the long tongue, the creature loses its deadliest weapon.
Now the battle changes.
Clive activates the Corpse Body ability again.
Grey spreads across his skin.
His muscles tighten, and the cold energy of the Corpse Bloodline floods through his body.
His strength still does not reach the monster's level.
The creature is close to the Quasi–First Stage of transcendence.
Even with the Corpse Body ability, Clive cannot fully match its raw power.
But the ability grants him something else.
Durability.
His body becomes tougher, denser, harder to break.
When the monster's claws crash against him, he can endure the blows.
The creature lunges forward.
One claw slams toward Clive's chest.
Clive raises his sword to block.
The impact sends him sliding backwards across the cavern floor, but his grip holds.
The monster roars again and swings its other arm.
Clive ducks under the attack and slashes across its ribs.
Rotting flesh splits open.
Black energy leaks from the wound like smoke.
The corpse energy touches Clive's skin.
But this time it does not harm him.
Instead, the energy flows naturally into his body.
The Corpse Bloodline absorbs it.
Clive feels strength returning to his tired muscles.
His breathing steadies.
A faint smile appears on his face.
"So this is how it works."
The monster charges again.
Clive meets it head-on.
He no longer wastes time.
The creature slams its claws downward.
Clive steps forward instead of retreating.
The blow crashes into his shoulder.
Pain bursts through his body, but the hardened grey flesh holds.
Clive swings his sword upward.
The blade cuts deep into the monster's arm.
The limb hangs uselessly.
The creature howls.
Clive pivots around it, striking repeatedly.
Steel flashes again and again.
Chunks of decayed flesh scatter across the cavern floor.
The monster swings blindly.
Clive ducks beneath its claws and drives his blade into the creature's chest.
Then pulls it free and leaps backwards.
The monster staggers.
Clive breathes slowly.
The corpse energy flowing into his blood continues strengthening him.
He tightens his grip.
"Time to end this."
Meanwhile, deeper inside the mine tunnels, Rosalyn walks carefully.
Her wounds have been treated.
The black corpse energy that infected her body has been removed, though her injuries are still wrapped in thick bandages.
Each step sends pain through her body.
She leans slightly on Elodie for support.
Together, they move with the team from the Shrine of the Lady of the Lake.
Seven members walk cautiously through the tunnels.
Abel leads the group.
As they move, Abel speaks quietly.
"General Elodie, you should be careful when you return to the Iron Fortress."
Elodie glances at him sharply.
She had heard rumours before coming here.
Reports of suspicious movements in the Highland Kingdom's frontline army.
At the time, she dismissed them.
She believed the information might be false.
But now…
If the Church of Disaster is involved, the situation could be far worse.
Elodie opens her mouth to ask Abel for more details.
Before she can speak—
A loud crash echoes through the tunnel ahead.
The sound of battle.
Everyone stops instantly.
They exchange glances.
Weapons are drawn.
They advance cautiously.
Soon, the tunnel opens into a cavern.
The group steps inside.
And immediately freeze.
Two corpse monsters are fighting.
But something is wrong.
Rosalyn stares at the smaller of the two figures.
Her breathing stops.
Her eyes fill with tears.
She whispers softly.
"Clive…"
Elodie turns sharply toward her.
"Clive?"
Then she looks back at the battle.
Her eyes narrow.
The smaller "corpse monster" moves differently.
Faster.
More controlled.
"Is he able to remain conscious even after turning into a corpse monster?" Elodie mutters.
Behind them, Elie frowns.
"That is impossible."
"When someone transforms into a corpse monster, their brain rots. Their consciousness disappears."
Elodie continues staring at the battlefield.
"Then explain this."
Back in the cavern centre, Clive makes his final move.
The two-headed monster lunges toward him again.
Its claws sweep toward his head.
Clive steps forward.
His sword flashes.
One arm falls to the ground.
The monster roars.
Clive leaps upward and lands on its chest.
He drives the sword deep into its torso.
Then twists the blade.
The monster thrashes violently.
Clive pulls the sword free and jumps down.
Then he gathers his strength.
The Corpse Bloodline surges through him.
He swings his sword with all his power.
The blade cleaves downward from the monster's neck.
The strike continues.
Through ribs.
Through the spine.
Through its entire body.
The monster splits open from top to bottom.
The two halves crash to the ground.
Silence fills the cavern.
Clive stands there breathing heavily.
He slowly lifts his head.
Something catches his attention.
Movement.
His eyes sharpen.
He turns toward one of the tunnels.
Footsteps.
Several figures emerge cautiously from the darkness.
Weapons drawn.
Their gazes lock onto him.
Clive frowns slightly.
Then his eyes shift across the group.
Suddenly, he freezes.
He sees Rosalyn.
And Elodie.
Relief floods through him.
The grey skin fades as he releases the Corpse Body ability.
Clive steps forward quickly.
"Rosalyn."
His voice carries genuine concern.
"Are you okay?"
He approaches her carefully.
His eyes move across the bandages covering Rosalyn's wounds.
Clive takes another step forward.
Suddenly, several weapons rise and point directly at him.
Swords.
Spears.
A short staff glowing faintly with energy.
Clive freezes.
Alarm flashes across his face.
He quickly raises both hands in surrender.
"Hey, what are you all doing?" he asks.
The group remains tense.
No one lowers their weapon.
Then he hears Elodie's voice.
"How are you able to speak?"
Clive blinks.
He looks toward her, confused.
For a moment, he wonders if she has lost her mind.
"What do you mean by that?" he asks, completely baffled.
"When was I ever unable to speak?"
He suddenly feels the strain spreading through his body.
Only then does he remember.
The Corpse Body ability.
Seeing Rosalyn alive had made him forget to cancel it.
He immediately releases the ability.
The grey colour fades from his skin.
His fingernails shrink back to normal.
The sharp crimson glow inside his eyes slowly disappears.
His eyes return to their natural brown colour.
The transformation ends.
When Clive fully returns to his normal human appearance, shock spreads across the faces of everyone present.
Rosalyn stares at him.
Elodie's eyes narrow sharply.
Even the members of the Shrine team show disbelief.
Clive sighs.
He looks around at their stunned expressions.
"I still don't understand what you mean," he says.
"Why would I not be able to speak?"
Elodie studies him carefully from head to toe.
Her expression remains serious.
"Clive," she says slowly.
"How are you able to turn into a corpse monster?"
Clive shakes his head slightly.
"I didn't turn into one."
"I refined the Corpse Monster bloodline into my third bloodline."
One of the strangers steps forward.
The man wears a silver robe.
His long grey hair falls over his shoulders, and his sharp blue eyes observe Clive carefully.
"I examined those monsters before," the man says calmly.
"Their blood is completely rotten. It contains no living energy."
"So how were you able to turn that into a bloodline?"
Clive answers simply.
"There is an alchemy method that converts energy into bloodlines."
"I used that method to refine the corpse energy into my bloodline."
The silver-robed man exchanges a glance with the woman beside him.
The woman has long blonde hair.
Her slender figure and delicate features give her the appearance of a fairy rather than a warrior.
She speaks softly.
"I have never heard of such alchemy."
Clive straightens slightly.
"My teacher is from the Sand Temple."
Understanding appears immediately in the eyes of both the man and the woman.
The Sand Temple.
A place famous for strange and powerful alchemical knowledge.
Clive glances across the group again.
Five of them stand in protective positions around the two robed figures.
Guards.
Clearly trained fighters.
Clive tilts his head slightly.
"Who are all of you?"
Before anyone else answers, Elodie speaks.
She quickly introduces the group.
"These people are from the Shrine of the Lady of the Lake."
She gestures toward the silver-robed man.
"This is Abel."
Then toward the blonde woman.
"And she is Elie."
After the introductions, the tension slowly fades.
Weapons lower.
The group begins moving again.
Together, they continue exploring the mine.
The tunnels stretch deeper underground.
But far below them, in the deepest chamber of the mine, a very different scene unfolds.
The cavern is enormous.
Dozens of noblemen and their family members kneel in chains across the ground.
Their cries echo through the cavern.
Some shout threats.
Others beg for mercy.
Many grovel desperately.
One by one, prisoners are dragged forward.
Each one is thrown into the centre of a massive ritual formation carved into the stone.
The moment they touch the formation—
Their bodies collapse.
Their life energy drains instantly.
The ritual array glows darker with every sacrifice.
At the centre of the chamber stands Alden.
He watches the ritual calmly.
But suddenly his expression changes.
His eyes narrow slightly.
He feels something is wrong.
A large number of his corpse monsters are dying.
Far too many.
Alden slowly turns his head toward Nick.
"Nick," he says.
"Go check what is killing my servants."
Nick immediately raises both hands defensively.
"Me?" he says in disbelief.
Alden stares at him coldly.
"Yes. You."
Nick frowns deeply.
"Do you want me to die?" he complains.
"Do you not know my strength?"
Alden rolls his eyes in irritation.
Without another word, he reaches into his robe.
He pulls out a small green crystal.
The crystal pulses with strange energy.
Alden tosses it toward Nick.
Nick catches it automatically.
"That crystal controls the rat abomination," Alden explains.
"Use it."
"Let it deal with whoever is killing my servants."
Nick looks down at the crystal in his hand.
The moment he hears the words "rat abomination," his stomach twists.
His face turns pale.
For a moment, he looks like he might vomit.
But he forces himself to breathe deeply.
Then he turns slowly.
And begins walking toward the tunnel.