It was a very unrealistic sight.
The sky bled crimson, and spirits drifted through the air like lost whispers, twisting and soaring in eerie silence.
No light spilled from the houses, and the wide roads lay empty of the living, though humans had once walked them.
In their place shuffled undead horrors: zombies with rotting flesh and grotesque features, skeletons that clattered with every step, their bones rattling like dry wind chimes.
Within my line of sight, there must have been at least five hundred. The pulse of monstrous magic thrummed through the entire city, hinting at five thousand or more lurking in the shadows.
After grilling the scouts for every detail, we'd rushed the carriage to Etar to confirm the rumors, and there it was, this nightmare unfolding before us. What fresh hell was this?
I didn't dare enter the city. Instead, I hunkered down in the bushes of the nearby forest, and the undead hadn't noticed me yet. A few tried shambling out the gates, only to bounce off the aether barrier's invisible wall, turning back with mindless groans. ...Or rather, why were there monsters inside the barrier at all? The Kakekai ward wasn't holding. Something had shattered it.
"What is this... Ugh! What's going on... Ugh!!"
The adventurers trembled at the grotesque tableau. Letty and the other warrior parties stiffened, their faces etched with tension and unease.
But with so many undead swarming... this couldn't be natural. I didn't want to admit it, but...
"No way. Are all these... the people from the city?"
Summoning that many undead was impossible. I knew a bit of summoning magic myself, enough to call up maybe three hundred humanoids at most. Tiny mice? Sure, a hundred thousand if I pushed it. But I hated the hassle; it nearly killed me last time.
"...There's no other explanation. No mage could summon this horde. Nine times out of ten, it's the city's own folk."
Eve sounded a touch rattled but kept her voice steady as she explained.
"I'm sure everyone's hiding somewhere safe! That person has to be—"
"After seeing this, you can still spout such naive nonsense? ...No one's left alive, are they?"
Leena shot Fina a cold glare.
Fina mumbled to herself, "I... that," and "But if it's that person, then...!" I agreed with Leena on this one. Me too. Undead everywhere, no sign of the living.
I scanned the streets of Etar once more.
Zombies in forms that echoed their living days, men, women, children, and elders.
Skeletons that rattled on, undeterred by their fleshless state.
Wraiths in human shapes, flitting through the red sky like ghostly echoes.
Streets stained with copious blood trails; scraps of flesh scattered like confetti. Buildings collapsed as if assaulted by some unseen fury.
And the strangest part of all... the undead were moving like people.
A zombie in a noblewoman's fine dress chatted idly in a darkened café, as if she belonged there.
Childlike wraiths frolicked in the air, laughing in silent joy.
An armored skeleton stood at the open gate like a sentinel, spear in bony grip.
If these had been humans, it would've been just another ordinary town scene. That's what made it so profoundly wrong.
With undead infesting every corner, believing any of the city's people still lived was a fantasy. Maybe a handful of survivors clung on... but it was hopeless. Near total despair.
"Hmm... This looks pretty tough...?"
Letty muttered, staring at the undead with a furrowed brow. She seemed ready to charge in, her eyes burning with a hero's fire. Mine? They spelled out "flee" in big, bold letters. Can I bail yet?
"H-Hey! Shouldn't we run for it!?"
As I grumbled inwardly about the hassle, Cain piped up, voice quivering with fear.
"B-But! There might still be survivors...!"
"No way anyone's left! They're all dead!!"
Cain kept insisting we flee, panicking like a cornered animal.
Well... couldn't blame him. Anyone would crack seeing this. I just wanted to go home, lounge around, waste the day away. Maybe blast a wide-area Turn Undead and call it solved. That'd probably fix it.
"If you wanna run, then run."
I was plotting to tag along if Cain bolted; I hoped he did. Yeah, total scum move, when Wedd's words made me flinch. Wait, could he read my mind?
"N-No, I wasn't thinking of running—"
I started to protest, but...
"Cain, you're still young. No shame in bolting."
Nope, not aimed at me. Good thing he's no mind-reading gorilla.
"B-But... even if we fight, it'll be suicide! What could we possibly do!!"
"...Yeah, might be pointless. But with this many monsters? No clue how they got in, but luckily, the Etar barrier's containing them for now. ...What happens if it breaks? Where do you think they'll head?"
"...Huh? N-No way...!"
Cain's eyes widened in horror, his body shaking as the realization hit.
Glancing around, the adventurers, Letty's party, and Fina's group they all got it. Faces set like knights marching to their doom, resolve hardening in their eyes.
Letty just tilted her head with an innocent "?" expression, flashing me a bright grin when our eyes met. Adorable.
...So, only Letty, Cain, and I hadn't clued in. W-Well, yeah, makes sense! I'd kinda figured it too. For real.
Wedd glanced at Cain and continued.
"Nine times out of ten, they'll spill into nearby countries and towns. Turkeze, Demonio, Orava... Closest is the Uniwelsia Kingdom? Whatever. My family's there. ...Can't run from that."
Wedd clenched his fists, swallowing his fear, eyes blazing as he rallied himself.
"Jirei. Take Cain and the client girl and get out. Hero... sorry, but we need you with us."
I leaned against the wall, arms crossed, muttering "Like a monster stampede..." to play it cool, like I'd known all along. Wedd turned to me. Wait, I can really leave? For real?
"No... I'll stay. There's something I have to investigate, no matter what."
I'd been mapping escape routes in my head when Fina cut in, face determined.
"...W-Why's everyone staying!? Aren't you scared!? Don't you value your lives!!"
Cain spun around, voice cracking in disbelief. Not everyone, kid. There's a guy here who wants out.
The adventurers chimed in: "Scared? Yeah. But losing the people I love? That's worse." Or "Heh, playing hero ain't half bad."
Cain dropped his gaze, falling silent for a long moment, wavering.
Then, in a hoarse whisper laced with fear:
"...Could I... even do something useful?"
His body trembled, but I saw the spark of courage in his eyes. Hold up...if he stays, then I'm—
Wedd's eyes widened in surprise.
"...Huh. Got guts, kid. Welcome aboard."
He grinned sheepishly. The other adventurers watched with warm eyes, the air softening just a bit.
But Cain staying meant the escapees were down to me and Fina's attendants...
—Needless to say, every eye turned to me, screaming "Your turn?"
"...Y-Yeah. I'll fight too."
In the end, I was in. This vibe? Bailing would take nerves of steel. No escape hatch here.
And so...
Wedd leading a crew of C- to A-rank adventurers.
The hero of "Attack," Letty, and her party.
Fina, master of Word Spirit Magic.
A masked woman then escorted Fina, looking tough as nails.
And me (D-rank adventurer, motivation: zero).
Thus, the "Etar Undead Subjugation Squad" was born.
After watching the non-combatants head back, they'd sent a junior adventurer for escort and to spread the word; wish that was me, we gathered for a strategy meeting...