Chapter 666
Swaeeeaaeeeek—!
The Ancient Undead of the 7th Legion, Akemius, spread a pair of wings and soared high into the sky.
Right beneath him, the northern flying-type undead were in hot pursuit.
Their beaks were twisted, eye sockets were hollowed into ruin, and instead of feathers, jagged bones jutted out from their skin.
[The birds of the North are utterly repulsive.]
Chwaaak!
Blocking out the sun, Akemius reached the highest altitude and unfurled two more wings, making three pairs in total.
The flying-type undead chasing after him were bathed in sunlight piercing through his wings.
Kkadeudeuk!
Kkaduk!
The skin of the undead began to harden like basalt. The closer they came, the worse the condition grew, and in the end not a single one could reach Akemius. One after another, they plummeted helplessly.
[Even among undead, there is a difference in class.]
As Akemius looked down over the battlefield with majestic dignity.
[!]
A shadow loomed behind him. A far larger flying-type undead appeared from the rear.
‘To think I let my back be taken!’
It was the northern Named Undead: ‘Night Watcher’.
That undead immediately seized Akemius’ shoulders with both legs and slammed him into the mountainside.
It didn’t stop there—it dragged his body across the mountain, grinding and accelerating.
Kkiieeeeeeek!
The shriek of a monstrous bird resounded. For a brief instant, Night Watcher’s movements faltered, and in that gap Akemius broke free and rammed its torso.
Kwaang!
The two tore apart, then without hesitation hurled themselves at each other midair, colliding again and again.
The difference in firepower was evident. Night Watcher’s body was being crushed in an instant. But other flying Named Undead of Night Watcher’s size were also swooping toward Akemius. In a flash, it became a 1:5 situation.
‘You’re working hard keeping the skies under control, Akemius.’
Watching that scene was another undead.
At the very center of the North Star Undead formation, a female-bodied zombie wandered forward.
Her true identity: Erzebet, transformed. She glanced around casually, then moved her fingertips.
Ping—
A thread was strung across her fingers. No one realized that Erzebet had slipped deep into enemy lines with her string.
‘The plan is flowing as expected. The problem is over there.’
She turned her head.
There she saw Prince locked in combat with the Third Brother, and Simon, staggering under both the Third Brother’s curse and his wounds.
‘Can those two really take down the Third safely?’
* * *
[Damn it!]
Prince spat out a harsh curse, wiping the black blood flowing down his forehead with the back of his hand.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The ‘Third’ commander of this army and one of the infamous siblings, was obsessively fixated on Prince.
Hee-juk—
Catching sight of Prince, the Third gave a grotesque grin, then charged with a ridiculous bounding gait, soles facing the sky.
[Come at me!]
Prince launched a shockwave with a clenched fist, but the Third instantly tumbled through the air, evading it.
This time, however, Prince had been waiting for him to dodge upward. Rotating his body naturally, he swung the opposite fist, unleashing another shockwave.
‘You’ll never dodge this—!’
Srrrk!
The Third’s waist bent in an eerie angle, his hips slapping against his back. The shockwave narrowly missed.
[That’s impossible!]
Then, snapping back like a spring, the Third hammered his head into Prince’s skull like a mace.
Kwaaang!!
It was a terrible matchup.
Prince fought straightforwardly, relying on his nine lives, sturdy durability, and powerful but slower strikes. Against such an unorthodox, contorted enemy, it was the worst possible compatibility.
[Simon!]
Pinned to the ground, Prince shouted, spilling streams of Darkness from his lips while holding down the Third’s head with both arms.
[Now!]
Simon, despite being overwhelmed directing the Legion, immediately extended his arm toward Prince. The prepared magic circle activated, light bursting out from Prince’s body.
‘The timing is perfect!’
For a moment, it felt possible.
‘Corpse—!’
Peurk!
But the Third immediately thrust a finger, piercing a hole through Prince’s chest. Prince coughed—then vanished.
The Corpse Explosion was canceled, and Simon staggered from the backlash of Darkness reflux.
Kkeriririring!
Once again, all that remained of Prince was just another zombie corpse.
Enraged, the Third hurled the corpse aside and spun about, impatiently waiting for Prince to reappear.
“Prince!”
Simon placed his hand on another zombie’s body and summoned Prince once more.
“You have to conserve your lives for the battle against the thing! Fight more carefully!”
[Tch!]
Prince reappeared, stomping the ground as he charged forward again.
[You just time the explosion right!]
This time he struck the Third’s head, paying him back. The giant body rolled several times across the ground.
[The instant I get close to him—blow him up! Got it?]
“I got it!”
Chk.
Simon stretched out his arm, already focusing on Prince.
[Boy! Behind you!]
“!”
While focused on Prince, Simon failed to notice the Named Undead “Executioner” rushing at him with razor claws.
Chwaaaargh!
At that moment, Feer tore free from Simon’s body and personally swung the Greatsword of Destruction. The Executioner was cleaved in two along the blade’s path.
[The curse is growing stronger.]
Such mistakes were unlike Simon’s usual self.
By now blotches were appearing on his skin, his eyes were darkened underneath, heat was rising, and his breathing was ragged.
[From here on, we’ll fight separately! I’ll guard you—just focus on command, boy!]
“Thank you!”
Feer shouldered the Greatsword of Destruction and leapt, mowing down the approaching Named Undead one after another.
Relieved, Simon returned his gaze to Prince.
‘At this point, Prince has to bring down the Third!’
Once again he prepared the Corpse Explosion magic circle, waiting for the moment.
At the same time, he recalled the words of the Grand Duke.
—It seems the conditions are not yet fully met.
Conditions.
The conditions for using Corpse Explosion through Prince.
The matter of willpower seemed resolved. Prince himself had already declared he would use Corpse Explosion to defeat the Third.
But that alone wasn’t enough.
[Got it!]
Prince leapt high and clung to the Third Brother’s back.
[Detonate!]
The timing was the best yet. Simon immediately activated the magic circle, slowly clenching his fist.
‘Corpse—!’
Brrr—
Yet his hand wouldn’t close. The flow of Darkness in the magic circle faltered. This wasn’t like before.
Somehow, the condition wasn’t satisfied.
Tuuung!
The Third, realizing Prince was on his back, suddenly shot into the air. His body bent around Prince as a joint formed along his spine, elongating into the shape of a spear.
He had become a living lance. And Prince, still clinging, found himself affixed to the tip.
Kwaaaaaang!
The Third’s body struck the ground, impaling Prince’s body clean through.
‘!’
And at that instant—
His will aligned. Darkness spun. The magic circle flared. Simon’s fist clenched with perfect timing.
‘Corpse Explosion!’
Kkuuk!
The spell activated properly this time—
Tzzrrr—
But one beat too late. Prince’s life expired first, and his body vanished.
‘Damn it, so close!’
It had been within a hair’s breadth. Simon shuddered in regret.
But then—
Peurk!
The Third’s reaction was bizarre.
He suddenly leapt back from Prince, trembling violently, staggering in panic. He crashed into cliffs, tripped over his own feet, and fell backward.
-Kkerererereng!
As though he realized something, fear stricken.
Shaking, the Third Brother’s eyes widened, and he turned his gaze.
Straight at Simon, who had been trying to trigger Prince’s Corpse Explosion.
-Kkeriling!
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Third charged at terrifying speed, jaws wide open.
Simon hastily attempted to summon Prince into a prepared zombie body. At that very moment, a violet beam poured forth from the Third Brother’s mouth toward him.
[Idiot!]
With a black flash, Prince materialized, immediately clutching Simon’s waist and hurling them both aside. The beam disintegrated every undead in its path to dust.
“Huah!”
They had evaded it by a hair. Simon panted, staring down at Prince.
“Prince, answer me honestly.”
[What!]
“Corpse Explosion—are you scared of it?”
Still holding Simon, kicking aside undead as he ran, Prince froze for a moment—then shouted.
[S-scared?! No way! I’m the Seventh Legion’s one and only hidden card!]
So he was afraid.
Simon gave a faint smile.
“Then let me ask you this. Right after you lost your life to the Third, how did you feel?”
[Why the hell does that matter now?!]
“It’s the most important thing. Be honest this time.”
Prince bit his lip, silent for a long moment, before answering.
[It was humiliating.]
His voice brimmed with raw emotion.
[When that bastard pierced me, I went insane with rage! In that moment of death, I wasn’t a hero, or a hidden card, or an ace! I was just some pathetic extra! Watching him laugh as my breath ended, I thought only this:]
His mouth opened in a roar.
[Even if I die, I want to destroy him!]
At last, Simon grinned broadly.
“Now I understand. Feer!”
Chwarururuk!
Feer’s Bone Armor latched onto Simon’s body, lifted upon Prince’s shoulder.
Strength reversed, and this time Simon heaved Prince up and slung him over his own shoulder.
[What the hell are you doing?!]
Prince struggled, but Simon spread his arms toward the onrushing Third, pre-activating the Corpse Explosion spell.
‘Corpse—!’
Kiiiiiiing!
Light flared across Prince’s body, carried on Simon’s shoulder. At that exact moment, Simon hurled him with all his might.
Buaaaaang!
Prince’s body flew like a shot put straight at the Third. Delighted, the Third thrust his finger forward.
Puuuk!
Prince’s abdomen was pierced through, Darkness spilling like blood.
[Grghh!]
Grab!
Grab!
Bleeding torrents of black ichor, Prince seized the Third’s finger.
[So this is it?]
Kiiiiiiiiiiiiing!
Prince blazed at maximum brilliance.
Simon clenched his fist.
‘Explosion!’
A dazzling flash engulfed everything. Simon’s ears rang with a piercing whine; he thought he’d gone blind.
Then came the sight of vast clouds and roaring flames.
Trees were ripped up by the roots. The ground overturned. Mountain-sized boulders blasted skyward. Undead screamed, hurling themselves flat.
“Khk!”
[Duck, boy!]
Feer detached into a skeleton, grabbing Simon and forcing him down, covering him with a cloak.
Hoodoodoodooduk!
The cacophony of debris raining down resounded. Simon, pressed to the earth, stared forward in a daze.
‘Ah.’
Gooooooooh!
A shiver ran through his body.
Beyond the collapsed terrain, a colossal mushroom cloud rose, dust whirling into the heavens.
“…That’s Corpse Explosion?”
It was destruction on par with a Dark Alliance strategic weapon.
[This is the Legion, boy!]
Feer’s booming laughter echoed across the canyon.
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