Chapter 587
Mimickers.
These monsters with rather peculiar names appear only in the Frigod Autonomous District.
Their appearance was something between a monkey and a human, with long, limp limbs and abnormally elongated skulls.
These vaguely humanlike monsters had one strange trait: they were obsessed with imitating humans.
It all began with the hunt.
The warriors of the native Gahal tribe would ride horses into the forest to hunt Mimickers for sport.
At that time, Mimickers were pathetic monsters that, due to their long limbs, couldn’t even run properly. Warriors would slaughter them, then pile up their corpses like mountains to boast of their valor.
But then, one day, a party of warriors went hunting and vanished without a trace. The tracking party found nothing, and Mimicker hunts were halted for the time being.
Not long after, the real problem emerged.
The Mimickers came out of the forest and invaded human territory.
They mounted the very horses they had seized from humans, fired arrows like men, pillaged property, and set houses ablaze.
They even performed a grotesque ritual: stacking human corpses into a mountain and dancing around them in circles.
Faced with the sudden outbreak of Mimicker “human-hunting”, the Gahal people who had lived outside the fortress walls farming their lands had no choice but to retreat inside.
The Mimickers took over villages and vast pastures, and their human mimicry grew ever more explicit. They began farming the fields, raising horses and livestock, and eating their meat like men.
Their numbers exploded—and the next thing they imitated after hunting was none other than…
War.
Having witnessed the Gahal tribes’ internal conflicts and fortress skirmishes, the Mimickers began their own wars to seize those fortresses.
Only after losing six strongholds did the Gahal finally cease their civil war and unite against the Mimickers. But by then, it was far too late.
The Mimickers had already mastered human weapons—swords, spears, even techniques of swordsmanship and spearmanship.
Thus the Gahal lost most of their territory and fortresses, and now out of forty strongholds, they had but one left.
Dudududududu—!
That night, five massive war carriages drawn by skeletal horses rumbled through the forest.
“The briefing is complete.”
The assistant sitting at the front seat bowed politely.
Among the students checking weapons and undead within the carriage, a heavy silence lingered.
“Monsters that imitate humans, huh?”
A student seated opposite Simon let out a mocking laugh.
“And they’re just leaving something that dangerous alone? What if they become the dominant force of the North? What’s the Shahed Kingdom even doing?”
“Hey, leave Shahed out of this.”
A student from Shahed frowned.
“They’re useless as hell, that’s why.”
“What the hell did you say?”
“I’ll explain instead.”
The assistant quickly cut in.
“The Frigod Autonomous District forbids not only Shahed’s political interference, but also the deployment of its military. For Shahed to intervene, the approval of the Frigod Tribal Council is required. But the Gahal refuse all outside support.”
Because of their bloody history, all races of the Frigod district vehemently opposed Shahed soldiers setting foot in their lands.
“Still, due to the Mimickers’ nature, scholars believe that as long as there are no humans nearby for them to imitate, they won’t expand their territory outward. Thus, both Shahed and the Tribal Council advised the Gahal to abandon their fortress. But with only one stronghold remaining, the Gahal declared they would fight to the end, unwilling to forsake their homeland.”
“……Hmm.”
“And so, our Professor Grerion, who hails from Frigod, made them a proposal. We are not Shahed’s army, but necromancers of Keyzen. We are not war-crazed soldiers, but students. We only want the corpses of your enemies. Give them all to us, and we shall fight at your side.”
‘So that’s how it happened.’
Simon nodded slowly. Not a kingdom, but an independent organization—Keyzen. Not soldiers, but students.
They had found a clever loophole in the Gahal’s rules.
And since all they wanted were monster corpses, with no other hidden interests, the beleaguered Gahal finally accepted their support.
“What a joke.”
A male student with a scar along his cheek crossed his arms.
“Keyzen students wielding wartime command authority would be more dangerous than any army.”
“Guess they were desperate.”
Murmurs spread across the carriage. Despite the looming battle, the second-years wore an air of ease that came with experience.
Before long, their talk drifted away from Mimickers and onto how to obtain the greatest Dullahan material: the Guardian.
Mimickers revered the Guardian—a higher level monster than themselves—as their “king”. If the Mimickers were mobilizing, then surely the Guardian would appear on the battlefield too.
-Attention, all!
A booming voice rang from the carriage’s communication crystal.
-We are about to break through the monsters’ encirclement and enter the Gahal’s final fortress!
The joking ceased, and students’ faces turned serious.
-You are no longer students, but combatants! Each of you is a powerful weapon raised with care by Keyzen! I will not dictate your every move. As necromancers equal to us, fight freely!
As Simon listened to Grerion’s speech, he gazed out the window—where a dark horde of monsters watched silently, waiting.
-Combat squads will be formed as assigned by Professor Aron! Should anyone desert, I will personally expel them! Any deserter’s entire squad will receive failing marks on the Dullahan evaluation. Protect your comrades!
Clack. Clack.
The carriage windows swung open. Students prepared black magic, summoning creatures from subspace for ranged attacks.
Simon summoned his Skeleton Mage.
-If you cannot survive a battlefield like this, you will die a dog’s death in the real war against priests! Students—use any means necessary to stay alive!
“Yes, sir!”
Kiiiii!
Grrruk!
The monsters surged toward the carriages. The skeletal horses galloped faster.
“Ready!”
Simon had been assigned command of the fifth and final carriage. At his word, magic circles flared into completion.
As the monsters closed in almost to the very wheels of the carriage, Simon shouted—
“Fire!”
With an ear-splitting roar, a storm of black magic and curses blasted from the windows. Monsters clawing at the carriage were flung to the ground.
“Direct hit!”
“Hell yeah! Die, all of you!”
The excited students unleashed volleys of spells, and soon the other carriages followed Simon’s lead.
With over ten students in each war carriage, the firepower was overwhelming.
Thud! Thud!
As Simon fought with his Skeleton Mage, footsteps pounded on the roof. He moved at once.
“Loraine, you take command!”
“Where are you going?!”
“Up top!”
Leaping from the window, Simon sprang onto the carriage roof with a graceful bound.
‘Two of them.’
A Mimicker with a sword, and another with a spear.
Simon gestured mockingly, daring them to come.
Shhk!
The spear-wielding Mimicker thrust—not clumsily, but with genuine human spearmanship.
Simon bent backward to dodge, then gathered Darkness on his toes and flicked the spear shaft upward.
Baaang—!
The spear was wrenched skyward, forcing the Mimicker to lose its grip. In the same motion, Simon spun and kicked the sword-wielding Mimicker square in the face, knocking it off the carriage.
Then, seizing the dropped spear, Simon lunged into the gut of the last Mimicker, toppling it.
Whip.
He tossed the spear aside and dusted off his hands.
‘Good. At this rate, things should go smoothly—’
Thoom!
“Ughhhh!”
“Kyyaaaaah!”
Suddenly, the carriage lurched violently. A hulking black monster had rammed it headfirst.
Simon, standing atop, was thrown off balance and flung outward.
“No! Simon!!”
Toto’s desperate scream echoed. Simon plummeted straight into a writhing swarm of monsters.
‘…Focus.’
Simon’s mind blazed. His perception expanded, time slowed, and his judgment sharpened.
His fingertips stretched toward the rapidly receding carriage.
<Cloud>
A turquoise rope slapped against the carriage and clung tight.
Simon gathered Darkness into his legs, kicked a Mimicker’s head aside, and landed on a nearby tree.
-Keeeeeehh!
In an instant, the Mimickers below swarmed to surround the tree he stood upon, while countless others pursued the carriage ahead.
<Bone Armor>
Simon calmly opened his subspace and donned his Bone Armor. He gripped the Cloud tether fixed to the carriage with both hands, holding on until the strain reached its limit.
‘Now!’
He hurled himself from the tree. His body shot like an arrow toward the carriage, smashing into the monsters at its rear.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-boom!
The impact sent monsters flying in every direction. Simon broke through the horde and landed back atop the carriage with flair.
“Nice!”
“As expected of the Student Council President!”
Cheers rose from his classmates inside the carriage. Simon lifted his head.
‘So they’re going all out from the start over there, too.’
Fwoooooosh!
Hector, transformed into a dragon, raised his assigned carriage with his powerful legs and bathed the monsters in flames, reducing them to ash.
Other students, including Aseraz, had climbed onto their carriage roofs and were fighting fiercely.
“You okay, Simon?”
Loraine had climbed up too, worry on her face.
“I’m fine! What about the others?”
“Everyone’s safe!”
“President! Loraine!”
Just then, Eshu leaned her head out of the window.
“It’s bad! Toto!”
Something had clearly happened—her eyes brimmed with tears.
“What happened?”
“Toto jumped out of the carriage to save you! He thought you’d fallen and… oh no!”
Loraine’s expression hardened, and before she could finish listening, Simon was already running.
“Eshu! Where is he?!”
“Behind the carriage! She just jumped out without thinking!”
The rear was crawling with Mimickers, but Simon leapt out without hesitation.
Crossing his arms, he tucked in his body.
Shrrrkkk!
Bones shot from the air like arrows, covering Simon’s form.
<Bone Armor – Heavy Armor Type>
Koo-koo-koooong!
Now clad in thick, heavy bone plating, Simon slammed into the ground, crushing Mimickers beneath him.
“Toto!”
He plowed through the swarm, scattering monsters with each sweep of his arms as though swimming.
Their weapons clanged harmlessly against his armor—they couldn’t pierce it.
“Presideeent!”
Plop!
Something landed atop his Heavy Armor’s helmet. Simon jolted in surprise, looking up.
“E-Eshu?!”
She flailed for balance, then barely steadied herself.
“Don’t look up from there! It’s embarrassing!”
Step. Step.
Once balanced, she spread her arms wide, scattering her tiny curse dolls in every direction.
“Light it up!”
Flaaash! Flaaash!
Ten floating dolls shone brilliantly, forcing the Mimickers to recoil from the sudden radiance.
“I can’t just abandon Toto! I’ll support you—keep going!”
“……”
But Simon, silent, only stared ahead. Then he suddenly turned on his heel, heading back toward the carriage.
“W-what are you doing?!”
Startled, Eshu pounded on his armor.
“Why are you turning back already? Aren’t we saving Toto?!”
“This much is enough, Eshu.”
Her face froze in shock.
“Enough? What’s enough?! Are you saying we just abandon Toto?!”
Grrruk!
Bulky Mimickers with shields barred their way. Simon halted briefly, then spoke:
“That’s not it.”
“Yes it is! You think Toto’s dead? He might still be alive—we have to—!”
Grab!
Simon seized her with one massive armored hand.
“Let me go! I’ll go alone if I have to!”
“Toto’s a Keyzen necromancer, same as us. You said he jumped out to save me, right? Then all I need to do is let him know I’m fine—he’ll get out on his own.”
Simon shed the Heavy Armor and climbed atop it. The armor itself grabbed his body in one hand, along with Eshu, and hurled them skyward.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
The two cut through the air. Simon twisted his fingers in a gesture.
Below, the abandoned Heavy Armor collapsed into bones with a shrrrkkk, then flew upward.
In midair, it reassembled, one suit wrapping Eshu, another wrapping Simon. The Bone Armor’s attraction ability let them remain aloft longer.
“Simon! Eshu! Catch!”
Loraine, waiting from the carriage, hurled a chain of Darkness she had woven. The two seized its end, and she pulled them in.
Thud!
They landed hard against the carriage.
“Haa… haa…”
“Nice one, Loraine.”
Simon stripped off his armor, sweat beading his brow. Eshu still looked stunned.
“Then… Toto…”
Simon, eyes closed in focus, sensed a tremor at the carriage’s side—and smiled faintly.
“He’s coming.”
KWA-BOOOOM!
The ground beside the carriage split apart as Toto’s Death Worm burst upward.
“Huh?!”
“Told you.”
It had been a timing misstep, nothing more—but Toto was more than capable of rescuing himself.
In truth, Simon had leapt out only to signal Toto that he was alive.
The insect beast’s mouth opened wide and spat something out.
With a wet splurt, Toto landed on the carriage roof, dripping with foul-smelling slime.
“Ah!”
He shook his head, liquid flying everywhere.
“You’re all safe!”
“You idiot!”
Eshu sprang to her feet.
“Are you insane, jumping out like that?! Who do you think you are, trying to save the President?!”
“S-sorry…!”
Simon and Loraine exchanged a knowing smile.
Professor Aron, who had been standing atop the carriage with the communication crystal, descended again.
“Situation resolved. The students have handled it on their own, Professor Grerion.”
“Of course they have!”
From the leading carriage, Grerion laughed heartily.
“Students grow by making mistakes! You’re too protective, Aron.”
“Is that so.”
Aron recalled his skeletons, then raised his head. On the roof, Team 10 was huddled together, laughing shoulder-to-shoulder.
They had broken through the monsters’ encirclement unscathed. Ahead of them now loomed the fortress walls.
“This isn’t over yet. Stay sharp.”
Aron lifted the crystal again.
“We begin fortress entry now.”
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters
Very good story and translation but half the chapter aren't for free and it is wayyyy too expensive will it stat like tjis foreve or will it get free after some time