Chapter 685
The Grand Duke departed for Bilkenos, and the Northern Army also began their retreat.
In the meantime, Simon gathered the remnants of the 7th Legion and withdrew through the back path, setting up position behind the mountain range.
Erzebet spread her barrier without a gap, and here they lay low for a while as if dead. All reconnaissance was carried out solely through the Corpse Spiders.
Then,
[Legion Commander!]
Erzebet delivered a new report.
[At last, the undead forces of the North Star have begun to move! They are swarming toward the retreating Northern Army!]
Simon nodded.
“Good, this is the timing to strike.”
While the North Star’s forces were focused on the Northern Army, the 7th Legion would cross the mountain range and in one swift move reach the ‘true Abyss’ where the North Star resided, that was the essence of the plan.
Simon turned his head.
“I’ll be counting on you, Herseba.”
Herseba appeared, flipping through the sky in a somersault.
[Leave it to me, kid!]
Sand poured from her staff, taking the form of a woman. She extended her arm, and Simon extended his as well.
Their arms touched, and both closed their eyes.
Thump—
The moment he connected with Herseba’s thoughts, he felt the heartbeat of Darkness.
Her emotions, steeped in reminiscence, surged into him like a wave.
Longing.
Admiration.
A heart aching with yearning.
Simon acknowledged all her emotions.
‘Go, Herseba.’
And with his thoughts he added his imagination as well.
Fragments of the memories she had spoken of, brought to mind more vividly, to be unfolded once again.
Kugugugugugu!
Across the pure white snowfield, like a blank canvas, gold sand poured down like scattered seeds. Then, rippling like waves, rooftops began to rise here and there.
[Oh-ho.]
[That’s amazing, sand lady!]
The Ancient Undead nearby marveled, and a smile also formed at the corners of Simon’s lips.
‘Expansion of the World of Sand.’
Herseba’s authority, ‘World of Sand’, normally unfolded after inviting others into her dungeon.
But this time, she was extending her ability to the level of the ‘World of Sand’ right here in reality.
Kugugugu!
In the midst of the blizzard-filled Frost Field, a desert city of sand emerged.
Once a certain scale was established, the sand city began to lift away like an island, rising into the sky.
Simon rushed forward, gripping the roof of a building, his voice thrilled.
“Now! Everyone get on board!”
The Undead swarmed up as if waiting for this moment. Soon the remaining soldiers of the Legion boarded the city of sand, and the city floated up, buoyant in the air.
“Erze!”
[Leave it to me!]
Dangling at the far edge of the city, she clenched her hand. The web threads forming the barrier moved, sticking thickly beneath the city-island.
In an instant, the underside of the island turned into a mirror, taking on the same color as the sky.
It was Erzebet’s usual ‘camouflage’ technique. From below, it would be difficult to distinguish.
Of course, if flying-type undead were scouting, they would spot it at once, but at present, the North Star had no such flying undead.
Before Grayson joined the 7th Legion, she had severed the control over every flying undead within her sphere of influence, releasing them.
‘Thanks to you, Grayson.’
Simon expressed his gratitude inwardly and stretched out his arm.
“Set off, Herseba!”
[Here we go!]
Herseba began moving the city.
Sheer, cliff-like snowy mountains stretched below. A journey that would have taken several days on foot, with this flying fortress, would take less than half a day to reach the North Star.
[Everyone be careful. The weight limit is tight!]
At Herseba’s words, the rowdy undead immediately quieted. In truth, sand was constantly falling away beneath them.
“Now then, generals, gather around.”
Simon clapped his hands.
“As soon as we arrive at the Abyss, battle will erupt. Let’s assign missions.”
[Assign?]
Prince tilted his head curiously as he approached.
Pyoong, pyoong!
Pluto, the blue rabbit of the 2nd Legion, hopped along and perched lightly on Simon’s shoulder.
[I see, mew! In the memory you saw, weren’t there ten Abysses? Mew mew!]
“That’s right.”
Feer laughed darkly.
[No doubt, only one of them will be the real one!]
“Yes. The North Star hoped the attackers would give up and turn back, but I intend to search through all ten until I find it.”
Simon’s lips curled upward.
“And I’ll make sure he realizes exactly who he’s chosen as his enemy.”
At Simon’s words, a fierce fighting spirit surged through the thoughts of all the Ancient Undead.
* * *
“Attack from the rear!”
“Damn it! They’re pouring down from the mountains too!”
The Northern Army retreating toward Bilkenos found themselves confronted by the massive undead horde dispatched by the North Star.
Without even time to mourn the pain of defeat, the relentless undead swarmed endlessly.
“It’s over.”
A warrior muttered in despair.
They had gained nothing at the Abyss, which they thought would be their last battlefield.
They had no Grand Duke to lead them, and food and supplies were woefully lacking.
“After coming this far…”
“Will we end up like the Royal Army?”
As the signs of defeat thickened, bitter despair spread among them.
“Pull yourselves together!”
Bzzzt!
With black lightning crackling, the Grand General Ganiro roared from the front line, leading the soldiers. With every stroke of his blade through the air, the North Star’s undead burned to ash.
“Raise your swords! Lift your heads! Where is the pride of the North?”
Yet once broken, morale would not easily recover.
The Northern Army was known not only for rich combat experience but also for their unique passion and fiery spirit. Once their morale was broken, they were defenseless.
Ganiro sighed in lament.
‘The Grand Duke could awaken the soldiers with just a single gesture. The difference between myself and Her Grace… where does it lie?’
But his wavering lasted only briefly. Ganiro recalled the Grand Duke’s voice.
—There must not be any more sacrifice.
Retreat always came with sacrifice.
Of course the North Star’s forces would attack the rear if they retreated. The North Star had always done so, and the Grand Duke could not have been unaware of that fact.
And yet she had declared there must be no sacrifice.
That was the kind of person she had always been. She had devoted her all to saving even those beyond her reach.
The Bow of Tempest had been that way, and so too had the vast range covered by the 2nd Legion’s undead.
The Grand Duke is not using us as sacrificial pawns, even in the worst of circumstances, isn’t Jin Arskalt the one who always finds a way to save the people?
“Trust in Her Grace the Grand Duke!”
Ganiro leapt into the sky, his sword crackling with rough sparks of Darkness.
Kwarrrrrrrrrrr!
As he slashed downward, a black thunderbolt crashed into the middle of the undead formation. In that fierce flash, the soldiers raised their heads and looked at Ganiro.
“A miracle will soon occur!”
Ganiro raised his lightning-charged sword high above his head.
“There is a way for us all to survive. Trust in the Grand Duke, and strike down the enemy before you!”
“Grand General! At this point, what are you saying…!”
Just then.
As if it were a lie, all the undead attacks came to a stop.
“?!”
The North Star’s undead, who had all frozen in place, suddenly began to turn their backs.
“T-the North Star’s undead are withdrawing!”
“…We’re saved!”
From all around came sighs of relief, and warriors collapsed to the ground with heavy thuds.
Ganiro’s mouth split into a grin.
‘As I thought!’
The North Star was recalling his soldiers.
Someone was attacking the North Star.
Then, there was only one thing left for them to do.
“Chase down the fleeing ones!”
Ganiro shouted as he charged ahead.
“W-we’re not retreating?”
“Cling to them until the end! We are not a defeated army!”
Ganiro roared until his throat nearly burst.
“Now! The North Star’s neck is right before us! Our role is critical!”
* * *
Crossing over several snowy mountains, at last the sand city bearing Simon’s 7th Legion arrived at the Abyss.
It was just as Grayson had shown him.
The crimson-stained terrain, with ten gaping holes.
[The enemy forces are truly all gone, Milord Legion Commander!]
Erzebet exclaimed, clenching her hands together.
With the main force weakened as they chased the Northern Army, Feer laughed grimly.
[The North Star is certainly here! I can feel a dreadful flow of Darkness.]
Hearing the reports of the generals, Simon nodded.
“Alright, let’s enter all at once. It will be difficult, but I’m counting on you, Herseba!”
[Got it!]
As Herseba activated her authority again, the massive sand city split into six parts.
Feer’s skeleton army.
Erzebet’s corpse spider army.
Prince’s zombie army.
Akemius’ Skullwing army.
Pluto and the remnants of the 2nd Legion.
And finally, Simon and the named undead of the Legion.
Altogether, six forces.
“We must reach the deepest parts of the Abyss and confirm whether the North Star is there! Once confirmed, the generals should return and move on to the next Abyss! Whoever finds the North Star first, signal us.”
[Understood!]
Simon truly intended to search through every Abyss. Raising his finger, he pointed toward the enemy camp.
[Advance.]
The six fragments of the sand city collapsed down into the Abyss. The entire Legion descended into the holes.
“Herseba! Come here!”
As Simon fell, he stretched out his hand. Herseba, looking a bit weary, descended from the air into his grasp.
“Sorry, but can you still fight a bit longer?”
[What? I’m exhausted!]
“I know. But…”
From the black hole, the North Star’s undead came swarming. Simon swung his staff.
“This is the last battle in the North. We’ll have to fight to the limit!”
<Golden Transmutation>
As Simon swung Herseba against the Abyss wall, the wall turned golden, and from the small passage that formed within, mummies poured out.
“Go! Mummies!”
Simon, the mummy army, and the named undead he had gained in the North charged forward with war cries. The ‘Gourmet’ ripped apart worm undead with his claws, the ‘One-Eye’ crushed undead beneath his massive arm.
“Hup!”
Simon swung his staff fiercely. The mummies connected to his thoughts all at once flung their bandages.
Whirrr!
The North Star’s undead, rushing forward, were instantly bound in bandages and slammed into the wall. Those that escaped the mummies’ attack Simon engaged himself.
<Hongpeng Original – Chwita>
Claaang!
He shattered the face of an undead, then spun his body and raised his arm.
Bones clicked into place along his right arm.
<Bone Armor – Handgun Mode>
Tududududududu!
Bone bullets fired from the outlet, punching holes through the bodies of the undead in rapid succession.
With his right hand, he used the skills learned at school. With his left, he wielded Herseba’s authority. With his right hand he opened subspace, with his left he swung Herseba to command the mummies. Their bandages entered the subspace, pulled out zombies, and hurled them straight into the enemy.
Simon stopped firing his bone handgun, spread his palm wide, then clenched it.
<Corpse Explosion>
Kwakwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
Bursting through the thick clouds of dust at the front, Simon charged fiercely, hammering his staff against the wall again and again.
Shrrrrrrr!
A golden slide formed along the wall. Simon planted his feet and slid down swiftly.
[Kid! A massive horde of undead ahead!]
“Yeah.”
At last, the North Star was sending in his true forces. There were many, and the Darkness emanating from them told they were elites.
‘This looks like it’ll be tough.’
Simon extended his right hand behind him. From subspace, a golden banner fell neatly into his grasp.
‘The Grand Duke’s banner.’
Simon’s eyes sharpened as he held the banner aloft.
‘Is this the timing to use it?’
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