Chapter 680
The New Three Brothers of the North Star
Among them, the third—Grayson.
She possessed the power to control dead birds. For smaller creatures, it seemed she could even summon them, as countless dead birds gushed endlessly from the hole in her back.
If left alone, the northern skies would soon be filled with flying corpses.
‘I have to do something before the North Star completely takes control of Grayson’s mind.’
Simon brushed feathers off his clothes and raised his concentration.
[Wait a minute! Kid!]
From his thoughts came Herseba’s voice.
[Why are you fighting directly? It’s dangerous! Fall back to the troops until another Ancient Undead arrives!]
‘It’ll only take a moment.’
Simon lowered his stance.
‘There’s something I want to confirm for myself.’
Grayson wept blood and swung her arms. From her back poured a swarm of birds, splitting apart left and right before surging at Simon like a grotesque storm of wasps.
Twisted beaks, bulging eyes, broken feathers, all rushing toward him.
“Royal Guard!”
At Simon’s command, the two remaining Royal Guards stepped forward. The turquoise Darkness drained from their bodies, spreading into the air to form magic circles.
“Come forth! Knights!”
From Simon’s subspace, Skeleton Knights burst forth.
<Simon Original – Royal Guard & Blade Storm>
Simon’s signature technique. Skeleton Knights, swords in hand, spun into a whirlwind, cleaving the oncoming flock.
“Mages!”
Above them, a massive subspace portal opened, releasing Skeleton Mages who unleashed black magic.
<Dark Blaze>
Birds swooping from another direction were incinerated in black flames. As her protective swarm dwindled, Simon immediately kicked off the ground and charged.
“Grayson! Can you hear me?”
Flap-flap-flap!
But just before he reached her, another wave of birds obscured her figure.
Simon stopped instantly, and when the flock passed, her body had vanished.
“!”
Behind him, the swarm burst open, and Grayson’s claws slashed toward his back. Simon twisted and ducked just in time.
‘Not yet!’
Spinning like a top, Simon lashed out.
Crack!
A perfect spinning kick slammed into Grayson’s head.
[...]
But she did not dodge. She received the kick squarely in the face, her expression unchanged—as though unfazed.
‘So becoming the third has enhanced her physical abilities!’
Simon pulled back, swinging Overlord, but Grayson easily deflected it with razor-sharp claws.
[Simon.]
She choked out with a guilt-ridden expression.
[Behind you.]
“!”
Simon instinctively dove aside. A flock really did sweep past from behind.
[Now to your right, and from beneath the ground.]
She was right. Birds swarmed from the right, and from below, a massive undead bird burst up through the soil, beak snapping.
Simon tumbled through the air to evade. The beak snapped shut with a violent crack! and then retreated underground.
“Grayson…!”
[Simon, please run away.]
Tears spilled from her eyes as she raised her arms.
[I don’t want to kill you.]
Like a conductor, she waved her arms, and all winged undead from the North Star’s army lifted into the air, gathering to her.
[I’m scared. The North Star’s power is taking over my mind… Soon I might disappear entirely.]
As expected, Grayson was desperately resisting the force trying to consume her.
“…Understood.”
Simon lowered his arms, appearing to give in. At that moment, the giant undead bird from earlier lunged from underground.
Thud!
Simon raised his leg and stomped the beak, halting its ascent. But the strength difference was immense, and his leg began to give way.
“Then from this moment…”
Click! Clack!
Bones flew to his right leg, fastening like armor. With a stomp—
Boom!
The undead bird was crushed back into the ground, leaving a deep crater.
Screeeech!
Birds surrounded Simon, whirling around him. Without a word, he extended his right arm. Bones attached themselves, linking from elbow to hand, before a massive white greatsword locked into his grip.
Simon stepped forward, twisting his torso.
Craaaash!
A blazing white line cut through the swarm, scattering the birds into dust like a storm blowing away ash.
Now clad in Feer, Simon strode forward confidently.
“From here on, I’ll fight with the power of a Legion Commander.”
[Simon…!]
Grayson’s eyes quivered.
[A Legion Commander like His Grace the Grand Duke…!]
But regardless of her shock, her body moved on its own. She raised even more flocks, drawing in named flying undead, forming a black storm of feathered corpses around her.
Simon only smiled faintly and stepped willingly into the tempest. From every direction, undead dove at him like arrows.
[Simon! Run! Even a Legion Commander can’t withstand this! This power is…!]
Kuhuhuhuhu!
Feer’s sinister laughter echoed.
[What a strange woman! Even as an undead, she worries for others. Remarkable willpower! If she had properly opened her Core and enrolled in Necromancer School, she’d have become a renowned necromancer.]
“I agree.”
Simon infused the Greatsword of Destruction with power. The blade turned from pure white to murky green-black.
[That technique—can you really use it in battle?]
“We’ll see!”
In the center of the feathered storm, Simon swung the sword with all his might.
<Kal Original – Toxic Fiend Hounds>
From every direction his blade passed, venomous hounds surged forth.
Gaining momentum, Simon spun again, unleashing another wave.
“Haah!”
This time a ring of green sword energy exploded outward.
<Kal Original – Poison Explosion>
Birds closed in, filling the space.
The hounds charged forward.
And as the sword aura touched the hounds’ bodies—
BOOOM!
BOOM!
The hounds exploded into toxic blasts, spreading further and further. The black storm turned bright green as the swarming birds dissolved to bone and ash.
Seizing the opening, Simon broke free and charged straight for Grayson.
“Grayson!”
With a powerful kick off the ground, he soared upward. The earth beneath erupted like a wave.
In midair, Simon gripped his greatsword and swung down toward her neck.
—Slash!
The white blade stopped just beside Grayson’s neck. Her skin split slightly on the edge, and a thin stream of black blood trickled down her chest.
She gave her familiar, loose smile.
[Why did you stop?]
Simon bit his lip.
“Because you stopped first.”
The arm she had aimed at Simon’s flank trembled violently and froze in place. Even with the Greatsword of Destruction swinging toward her neck, she made no attempt to dodge.
She grabbed her own arm with the other, refusing the North Star’s command to kill Simon. Simon’s eyes sharpened fiercely as he tackled her.
Crash!
The two tumbled to the ground. Pinning Grayson down, Simon stabbed the greatsword into the earth, tilting it across her throat. With the slightest push, her neck would be severed.
[Simon.]
She spoke, still smiling faintly despite the desperate struggle against the North Star’s control.
[A last wish… no, a request.]
“……”
[I have a father with dementia. He can’t work the farm anymore, so I’ve been running it in his stead. Our reindeer farm has been in the family for generations.]
She chuckled weakly.
[Do you remember? The first day you came north, you asked me—]
—Pride! Northerners all carry the pride of guardianship. To protect my land, my family, my fief!
[How did it come to this?]
Her dim eyes lifted toward the sky.
[All I wanted was to protect my family and my life as a Northerner… yet here I am, a traitor among traitors who tarnished that pride.]
“……”
[Simon.]
She closed her eyes with a smile.
[It’s shameless, but please… take care of my father. And the farm…]
“That’s something,” Simon’s bangs shook as he spoke, “you should stay alive and resolve yourself.”
[What? But I am alrea— dead…]
“You aren’t completely gone yet.”
Simon placed his hand over her chest, where her Core lay.
“If you truly care about your father, and if you feel guilt for betraying the North… then you must be the one to make it right.”
[Me?]
“An Undead is not truly dead. And you are a special undead, you still have reason.”
Zeeeeeeeng!
Simon’s Darkness began to pierce into her Core. Feer, watching, cried out in alarm.
[Foolish boy! Didn’t I tell you? The Three Brothers are bound by a direct contract with the North Star! It’s impossible for another necromancer to take them away!]
“Impossible?”
Simon shouted, jaw tight.
“You never know until you try!”
Rumble!
His Darkness poured into her Core. Having started, he could not back down.
[Kahahaha! Reckless stubbornness, just like your father!]
Feer laughed, shaking his head, then returned to skeleton form, placing his hand atop Simon’s.
Together, their Darkness invaded Grayson’s Core.
The North Star’s Darkness retaliated furiously, summoning swarms of birds under its command.
[Protect the boy!]
Herseba roared. Golden cities opened across the battlefield, unleashing hordes of mummies. They flung their bandages into the sky, binding the birds mid-flight and dragging them down. The moment the birds hit the ground, they were devoured by the mummies.
“Ghkk!”
Simon coughed blood, hand pressed to her chest. His Darkness was already backfiring. The contract between the North Star and the Third was too strong.
[Stop! If you continue, you’ll die, Simon!]
“Then give me an opening, Grayson!”
Simon snarled through gritted teeth.
“Resist him, just as you have been resisting all along!”
[!]
Her eyes widened as if struck by realization. She closed them, and the blue-black Darkness that had been resisting around her Core began to funnel inward.
Shudder-shudder—!
Her body arched up violently as she continued to resist the North Star, while simultaneously welcoming Simon’s power.
[To think stealing a Brother was impossible…]
Feer grinned.
[But this boy, and this woman’s will, impressive indeed!]
Fwoooosh!
A black tide gushed out of her body like waves. Grayson’s trembling slowly eased, and her body went limp.
“Haaah! Hhhk!”
Simon panted madly for air.
Her eyes now gleamed the same deep, dark blue as Simon’s Darkness.
“Well done, Grayson.”
At that instant, one of the Three Brothers had completely fallen into the 7th Legion.
With her last strength, she lifted a trembling arm.
Clench!
She gripped at the empty sky.
Flap-flap-flap-flap!
Every feathered undead under the North Star’s command was suddenly released. Freed, they scattered into the heavens.
“What the—?”
“The birds…!”
Northern warriors at the front lines froze, staring in awe. The sky was covered black with wings, now dispersing.
[There is no rest! This is our chance!]
Reading the situation instantly, the Grand Duke shouted her command.
[The Three Brothers have all fallen! Nothing remains to bar our path. Advance now, press this momentum straight into the Abyss!]
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