Nicholas's plan was relayed to the squad in a brief moment. Piers's eyes glimmered with astonishment before he turned to glare sharply at Nicholas. While Evelyn, who normally maintained an impassive expression, let out a soft, amused chuckle.
"For this plan to work, we first need to find a place with a clear line of sight to the entire area," Nicholas stated.
"Based on our current position, we should be close to undertaker's hut," Evelyn added, gazing toward the north. It seemed that the information she had received earlier from a lingering spirit had helped her determine their location to some extent.
"If what you're saying is true, then this plan is worth the risk. But we'd be charging in the opposite direction of the exit. If anything goes sideways, you're the one in the most danger, rookie. Have you thought this through?"
Piers gave his team member one last warning. Since doing this would cut off their escape route, Nicholas's plan was nothing short of a high-stakes gamble.
...It seemed this was the moment when they had to make a decision.
"The exit is too heavily guarded," Evelyn interjected, voicing her support. "We'll exhaust ourselves long before we can break through. I say we go with Nicholas's plan."
Nicholas also gave a resolute nod. The two of them then turned to look at their vice-captain, awaiting his decision.
Seeing that his team had come to a consensus, Piers let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Fine. I'll use my last bit of spiritual power to get us there. After that, everything is up to you."
Having said that, he took a deep breath. Since time was not on their side, they had to act immediately.
"Let's move!"
At the signal, the three of them bolted toward the north, with Yorn's spectral form trailing closely behind.
The sudden shift in tactics caught the surrounding corpses off guard. Their movements were far slower than the trio's. Previously, they had relied on the concealing fog and the fact that Nicholas's group was unaware of their existence to encircle them without warning. But this time, as Nicholas and the others charged at full speed in the opposite direction where there was less defense, they could break through much more easily.
"It's just ahead!" Evelyn shouted as the hut came into view.
"I'll cover you from here with Evelyn." Piers gasped to catch his breath "With the ammo and spiritual energy we have left, you've got three minutes at most..."
Even his estimate have been too optimistic.
"…Our fate is in your hands now."
Nicholas nodded and replied,
"Wait for my signal."
Without another word, he dashed toward the hut, wasting no time as he immediately climbed onto its roof.
Gunshots and the sounds of battle continued to ring out. Nicholas took a deep breath and drew his revolver. He removed regular bullet from the chamber, replacing them with the last remaining spirit-infused round.
…His entire plan hinged on this single bullet.
Below, the walking corpses began to emerge from every direction, as if attempting to seal off their escape route once more.
Nicholas's senses were heightened to the limit. If Piers's deduction was correct… then the corpse puppeteer behind all of this must be hiding among these bodies—controlling them while observing the battlefield and waiting for the right moment to strike.
In a battle where they were so heavily outnumbered, the only path to victory was to deal with the one pulling the strings. But even if they managed to pinpoint the Puppeteer's location, there was no guarantee they could break through the horde of zombies to reach him. Especially considering the fact that they were all exhausted and weakened.
Even so, Nicholas still had one trump card the enemy could never anticipate.
…The ability of his old compass.
If Nicholas could swap the enemy's position out from among the living corpses protecting him, it would be an opportunity for Nicholas and his team to turn this dire situation around.
Even though the enemy was concealed among countless corpses, there had to be a flaw. After observing their behavior throughout the battle, Nicholas was confident he could distinguish ordinary corpses from a living Extraordinary. —no matter how slight the difference. Spotting such irregularities was a skill and instinct he had honed over a lifetime.
…Moreover, Nicholas didn't need to worry about choosing the wrong target.
From his earlier fight against Abomination, he had learned that he could not use the compass's power on entities without souls. He had already tested the Cursed Object's power on many corpses, and not once had he been able to swap positions with them.
But a Puppeteer—unlike their puppets—was still a creature of flesh, blood, and soul.
So, he could just try using the compass's power on them one by one until it worked.
"Not this one…"
His gaze swept across the area. Though the fog still lingered, it had thinned considerably, suggesting that the enemy also relied on their own vision to control the corpses with precision. But that, in turn, gave Nicholas an opportunity.
The situation below was worsening by the second. Yorn's spectral form flickered violently, like a candle guttering in the wind. The rhythmic cracks of gunfire had fallen silent, signifying that his teammates were officially out of Spirit Bullets.
Despite Nicholas's repeated attempts, none had succeeded. By now, they had long passed the three-minute deadline they had agreed upon. Their hope was dimming by the moment.
Yet just as Nicholas's anxiety reached its peak, his eyes locked onto one particular corpse standing still in an unremarkable manner. It wore a black cloak, its face painted over. There was nothing overtly strange about it—yet Nicholas noticed a faint movement at its chest, as if it were breathing.
it felt as though he had gained a sixth sense. Just like in Mr. Edwin's room—where, despite being an ordinary man, he had perceived the presence of a high-level bound spirit that even Romero could not detect.
…And now, that same instinct was telling him—this was definitely his target.
Nicholas felt the gray mirror trembling against his chest. His eyes gleamed with certainty as his focus locked onto the cloaked figure.
Without hesitation, he pressed the button on the compass hidden within his coat.
The dizzying sensation returned once more. Nicholas felt as though his sense of direction vanished completely. It was a feeling he had experienced before when the compass unleashed its power. The young man gathered his wits before shouting at the top of his lungs,
"Now!!"
In the instant his voice rang out, Nicholas's figure—once standing atop the hut—was replaced by the black-cloaked figure. The creature's previously vacant expression shattered, replaced by a look of utter bewilderment.
In that fleeting moment of confusion, Nicholas did not let the opportunity slip away.
BANG!!
The Spirit Bullet tore through the air amidst dozens of corpses. Nicholas fired the instant the swap was complete. he knew that if he gave his opponent even a second to process the situation, he would be the one in the greatest danger as he was in the heart of the undead horde.
The bullet pierced through the lower abdomen of the black-cloaked figure, sending a spray of red blood into the air. The wound was severe, but not immediately fatal.
Suddenly, A nimble figure leaped to the top of the hut. Evelyn, who had been waiting intently for Nicholas's signal, appeared with a long blade in hand, slashing straight for the puppeteer's neck.
SHLICK!
The blade sheared through the enemy's right arm, severing it completely. Despite the grievous injury from Nicholas's shot, the puppeteer had just enough awareness to raise his arm in time to shield his vital points.
But the assault from the Fourth Division didn't end there.
The physical form of a bound spirit materialized behind the puppeteer like a phantom. Its multiple sharp legs lashed out in relentless succession, striking the black-cloaked figure without pause.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The sheer force of the attack caused the hut's roof to collapse. Amid the swirling dust and debris, the puppeteer's body was flung from above and slammed onto the ground. His body was riddled with stab wounds. Though he had managed to protect vital areas like his head and heart, he was no longer in any condition to continue fighting.
The corpses that had once been moving now stood completely still, frozen in place— like a lifeless marionette whose strings had finally been cut.
…With the compass and a single bullet, Nicholas had ultimately turned the tide of the crisis.
"I can't believe that actually worked." Piers said, quickly maneuvering away from the cluster of lifeless undead surrounding him. "Nicely done, Nicholas,"
It was the first time Piers had addressed him by his name.
Evelyn soon joined them, while Yorn's figure gradually turned transparent before fading back into the spirit world—clear evidence that Piers no longer had enough spiritual power to summon the child spirit again.
Reunited, the members of the Fourth Unit slowly closed in on the Puppeteer. He was now kneeling on the ground in a completely weakened state. After a long and grueling confrontation, it was time for them to close this battle once and for all.
Step… Step…
...But they froze in their tracks as the sound of footsteps echoed from the mist behind the fallen Puppeteer.
The fog in that area surged, thickening into a dense wall, yet a single path began to carve itself through the haze—A figure emerged from there, clad in pristine white robes. His face hidden beneath a large hood. On his chest was an engraved symbol resembling a crescent moon.
The man in white stopped beside the Corpse Puppeteer. Nicholas could feel a chilling gaze hidden beneath the hood, fixed directly on him.
If one thought about it from the beginning, even though they had been attacked by the Abomination and the Corpse Puppeteer, nothing truly explained the origin of the mysterious mist that had swallowed the cemetery.
It seemed they had overlooked one crucial possibility…
…that the enemy was not alone.
09.11.550
Nicholas Parlay
Spirit medium (Éna)