C355, 356, 357
Chapter 355: Isolation (2)
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.
----------------------------------------
Chapter 356: Isolation (3)
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?
--------------------------------------------
Chapter 357: Isolation (4)
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.