Chapter 686
The North Star had created ten Abysses, and among them, only one contained the true North Star.
Of course, from the outside, there was no way to tell which one it was. That was why the Ancient Undead of each Legion had taken their troops and scattered, attacking the Abysses one by one.
And then—
[Hmm.]
Erzebet found herself in crisis.
[Quite troublesome.]
The undead most frequently appearing in this Abyss resembled mutated Drakes. With dinosaur-like appearances and tough exoskeletons even after death, their corpse-hardened bodies resisted the venomous fangs of Corpse Spiders, which could hardly pierce through.
—Karakarak!
Whether sensing they had driven their foe into a corner, the long-necked creatures stretched forward, tongues flickering, closing in around Erzebet.
But though they surrounded her, they did not move recklessly.
Srrrk—
It was because invisible webs were densely spread around her. The standoff dragged on.
She plucked one of the taut webs with her fingertip, lost in thought.
‘I don’t have time to waste here.’
In short, this place was a dud.
Even after descending to the bottom of the Abyss, Erzebet had not found any sign of the North Star.
When she tried to return, the waiting undead poured down from above.
Naturally, climbing back up while fighting was harder than descending while fighting.
[As always, you fight shrewdly, North Star.]
She crossed her arms, drawing up the Darkness.
[Even if I have to force my way through here…]
“Erze!”
Erzebet’s brow twitched.
Even amidst the loud chaos of being surrounded, that voice struck her ears clearly.
She lifted her head, and saw the blue-haired boy she cherished falling into the Abyss.
[C-Commander?!]
The undead encircling her turned their heads toward Simon. Perhaps sensing he was the easier prey, they shifted into attack stance.
‘Without Feer or Herseba? That’s reckless!’
For an ordinary Keyzen student, entering the Abyss without the Legion Commander’s power was suicide.
Erzebet frantically whipped her arms, sending her webs toward him, but—
‘Too late!’
The Drake undead lunged with jaws wide open toward Simon. Sparks shot across her vision.
‘I will protect him at all costs!’
Fwoooosh!
Dark blue Darkness surged through her webs. Seeing it, Simon lowered his arms and resonated with her will.
‘Geheim!’
The thin strands of web thickened like heavy chains, sprouting bristles. With a mad pianist’s fury, she swung her arms.
For a moment, silence weighed over the Abyss.
Thudududud!
The Drake undead were sliced apart, exoskeleton and all, tumbling down like chopped carrots. Even the Abyss itself suffered, cave walls splitting like pie crust.
[C-Commander—!]
Having slain all the enemies, Erzebet ran forward with a teary voice. She caught Simon as he descended and cradled him in her arms.
[Ahh! Commander! My light! My sun! Are you unharmed?]
She spun him around several times, then lifted him high. With the difference in raw strength between an Ancient Undead and a human, Simon dangled like a doll each time she moved.
“Erze, I’m dizzy.”
[Thank heavens you are safe!]
Confirming his safety once more before her eyes, Erzebet hugged him tightly, then scolded him with feigned anger.
[Still, that was dangerous! To charge into the battlefield without Feer or Herseba!]
“What’s dangerous?”
Simon grinned.
“Since you’re here.”
Hearing that, she gazed at him with overwhelmed eyes, then hugged him tighter, as though she could not hold back anymore. Simon wheezed.
[Those words, that picturesque smile! This girl feels as though she has received all the rewards of this Northern Inauguration!]
“Th-that’s a relief then.”
[What about the Abyss you went to with that staff-wielding woman?]
“I descended to the very bottom safely.”
Simon shrugged.
“Of course, the North Star wasn’t there either. Now, could you put me down?”
Erzebet set him on the ground, surprised that he had reached the bottom faster than she had.
[Did you perhaps use the Grand Duke’s Banner?]
“I was going to.”
Simon pulled a golden banner from subspace.
“But Herseba stopped me.”
Thanks to Herseba overexerting herself, dragging the undead into the World of Sand, the banner could be saved.
Of course, the backlash from using both Geheim and the World of Sand had left Herseba completely collapsed.
Erzebet nodded at his words.
[The North Star was not here either.]
“Good, let’s move on.”
Though they didn’t know the situation elsewhere, at least two of the ten Abysses had been cleared.
Simon came close, pressing against her like a child seeking her embrace. Erzebet smiled wide, satisfied, stroking his crown gently like a beloved child.
“Hurry up!”
Simon cried out in embarrassment.
[As you command!]
She seized a web with her right arm. Both of their feet left the ground as they were pulled swiftly upward.
[Where to next?]
“Let’s head to Prince’ side first.”
Simon gave a meaningful smile.
“There’s a way to finish this quickly.”
Riding Erzebet’s webs, the two quickly escaped the Abyss and emerged to the surface.
[The wind is refreshing! Hold on to me tight!]
“Mm.”
She anchored webs to the undead nests rising like towers to either side, swinging across them.
She pointed at one of the ten Abysses.
[That is where Prince entered!]
“Please.”
They tethered webs to the surface and descended into the Abyss as though sliding down ropes.
There was no attack. Only the chaotic traces of Prince and his zombie troops fighting.
All around, undead lay crumpled like crushed insects, and in one place, the wall bore a deep indentation—likely from Prince’s Hidden Card Punch.
[Can you sense Prince’s will?]
“No, not yet.”
Simon narrowed his eyes, focusing intently.
“It feels like he’s fighting pretty deep inside.”
Within the range Simon could sense, Prince’s presence did not reach.
Instead—
‘There’s a method more certain than will!’
One arm wrapped firmly around Erzebet’s waist, Simon stretched his other hand forward.
Wooooong!
Above his palm, Darkness unfolded into a blueprint, inscribing formulas and diagrams in the air. It was Prince’s exceedingly complex Corpse Explosion magic circle.
‘I’ve kept researching and refining this all throughout the North!’
Nine magic circles spun and interlocked together. Watching this, Erzebet blinked her long lashes.
[What are you doing?]
“I’m identifying Prince through black magic. I’ve unfolded the Corpse Explosion circle, so keep descending.”
Erzebet lowered more webs, and the two of them swiftly descended deeper into the Abyss.
Simon kept the magic circle aimed downward, straining his concentration.
But the circle spun uselessly, unable to lock onto its target. Without the right subject, it was like a trigger clicking on empty chambers, producing only hollow sounds.
Then—
Clack!
The circle found its target. Formulas and runes whirled into place, preparing for activation.
“I’ve located Prince! Stop here!”
Erzebet halted the webs, leaving them dangling midair as the two peered into the abyss below.
All they could see was pitch darkness. Now and then—thoom! thoom!—distant explosions echoed.
Vwiiiiing!
Then the circle lost its target. Simon shouted.
“Erze! Take us a little lower!”
[Yes!]
As they descended, the circle reacquired its target. This way, by staying just within range, Simon prepared the spell.
He had locked on, but the circle refused to fire. The central trigger—the clenched fist—wouldn’t engage. His open hand trembled violently.
Prince’s Corpse Explosion condition had not yet been met.
And then—
‘!’
Their wills aligned, Darkness circulated, the circle settled into place, and the moment came—the timing to close the fist.
Miss it once, and it was over. Simon clenched his fist with all his might.
‘Corpse Explosion!’
The circle triggered precisely, the sensation of a button being pressed coursing through his whole body. Simon screamed at the top of his lungs.
“Now! Go up, Erze!”
Erzebet yanked on her webs immediately.
Their bodies shot upward violently.
Kuu-BOOM!
From the bottom of the Abyss, blinding light surged upward as though a sun had risen in the void.
A searing heat licked their feet.
‘It’s coming!’
The blast wave climbed the Abyss walls, the entire cavern seeming to erupt in flame.
Kugugugugugugugu!
Even as they ascended at incredible speed, smoke and fire chased close behind, threatening to swallow them whole. The speed was unreal.
Kwakakakaka—!
The scorching heat pouring upward seared their skin.
“We’ll be caught! Can’t you go faster?”
[This is the maximum speed!]
The blast tore apart the Abyss walls with terrifying force.
Simon looked up. The sky was growing closer.
“Now!”
[Yes!]
Erzebet flung out fresh webs to the side. Each seized one in a hand.
Shrrrkkk!
As the webs recoiled, they were flung free of the Abyss, tumbling across the snowy ground.
“Ugh!”
The two rolled helplessly, spinning and bouncing, but Simon’s eyes never left the Abyss.
The moment they escaped—
Kwoooaaaaaaah!
Like a volcanic eruption, an immense blast and a towering cloud of dust roared skyward.
“Ha… hahahaha…!”
Simon sprawled flat on his back, laughing foolishly at the sight.
Gooooo!
The mushroom-shaped cloud surged upward.
Staring blankly at the sky, Simon raised his voice toward the ring on his hand.
“Good work, Prince. Leave the rest to me.”
The ring shuddered twice, then went still.
The third Abyss, perfectly cleared.
Though he hadn’t seen it directly, if the North Star had been inside, it would surely have been annihilated.
‘Even with firepower restrained, this much damage…’
Herseba, Erzebet, and Prince as well—
Their new techniques were wreaking havoc in real battle.
The Legion was undoubtedly stronger now than before they came North.
‘Now, seven remain.’
Simon brushed the snow from his pants and gazed at the Abyss. Erzebet approached at a graceful pace.
[Commander, where shall I escort you next?]
Simon thought for a moment, then said,
“For now, let’s split into—”
Kukukukung—!
But one Abyss was especially loud.
Blue liquid spurted like fountains in every direction.
‘Impressive.’
The Ancient Undead of the 2nd Legion, Pluto, was fighting right there at the front.
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