Chapter 691
Frost Field.
“Keep pressing them!”
“Swing with everything you’ve got!”
The Northern Army, led by General Ganiro, suspended their retreat and stubbornly held the undead army of the North Star in check.
“General! The right flank has been breached!”
“There are too many deserters!”
Bad news continued to follow. The stamina of the warriors had already reached its limit, and the undead’s counterattacks were unrelenting.
But.
“Advance!”
Ganiro shouted, coughing up blood.
“Fight until you die! If you fall to some half-baked wound, you’ll only be puppets for the North Star in the afterlife! Fight until your heads are severed and your hearts are pierced! Will you meekly become undead like the Kingdom’s soldiers?!”
Ooooooh!
“Fight until the end...!”
“General!”
At that moment, a lieutenant ran up, shouting.
“U, urgent report! The undead of the North Star that were pressing us!”
“What is it!”
“They’ve all stopped moving! They’re not retreating! They’ve come to a complete halt!”
It was true.
All the undead that had been closing the encirclement of the Northern Army began to halt, one by one, like ripples spreading outwards.
“What is this.”
“Come on, attack! W, why aren’t you attacking, you bastards!”
The warriors were bewildered.
Only Ganiro lifted the corners of his mouth.
You did it!’
* * *
In Bilkenos, they succeeded in killing the Fourth, but the chaos only deepened.
The undead that had been raised through black magic collapsed when the Fourth was destroyed, but through the breach in the wall the Fourth had shattered, the North Star’s undead outside the fief came pouring in.
Zombies prowled through every corner of the city, hunting humans.
“F, fall back!”
The Bilkenos defenders, who had exhausted everything they had to bring down the Fourth, no longer had the strength to stop the corpses roaming the streets.
And with the underground refuge of the Grand Duke’s castle filled to capacity, the people scattered throughout the city were all thrown into danger.
–Aaaaah!
Here too, a horde of zombies blocked the path and charged.
The wounded Northern warriors gasped for breath, wildly swinging their spear tips.
“W, what do we do?”
“What about the vampire lady?”
A warrior turned his head. In another soldier’s arms, a school-uniformed girl was wheezing in pain.
“Her condition is bad. She needs treatment fast.”
“Damn it, we don’t have the luxury of stalling here!”
One warrior rose to his feet.
“An outsider, with no ties to us, fought risking her life. Even if all of us die, we’ll get this lady out no matter what. Any objections?”
The warriors exchanged glances and firmly nodded.
“All right, on three we move!”
“On three or after three?”
“Of course on three! Ready! One, two...!”
Thud.
Just as they were about to rush out, a zombie suddenly collapsed to the ground.
Plop!
Thud!
That was the signal, all the zombies began dropping like puppets with their strings cut. The warriors, who were about to leap forward, blinked with dumbfounded faces.
“W, what’s happening?”
“...What.”
The warrior holding Kamibarez slowly raised his head.
The overcast sky, filled with swirling blizzards, was clearing, revealing a pure blue sky.
“...Looks like we don’t have to die after all.”
The undead controlled by the Fourth, and even those that had been climbing through the broken walls, all lost control and ceased to move.
This could only mean one thing.
The North Star was dead.
From all corners of the city, the cries of victory from the citizens echoed.
“Miss, are you all right?”
At that moment, Kamibarez opened her eyes.
Staring at the collapsing zombies and the cheering Northerners, she forced a weary smile and murmured.
“It must have been...”
“Hm?”
“It must have been Simon who did it.”
* * *
At the same time, the Abyss.
Simon clapped his hands together, stretched wide, then finally gave in and sprawled onto the floor of the Abyss.
“...I feel like I’m going to die. I seriously can’t move a finger.”
[Khhuhuhu! Well done, boy!]
“Feer, you did great too.”
Simon turned his head.
“How are you feeling, Xairos?”
When Simon asked, a massive eye protruded from the wall of the Abyss.
It was the North Star.
But neither Simon nor Feer feared the North Star anymore.
[The body feels unpleasant, but it’s easier to move.]
Simon and Feer had destroyed the North Star, and inserted Xairos’ legionized Core in its place.
In theory, it was an impossible summoning procedure, but since the North Star and Xairos were practically one and the same to begin with, it had been possible.
If until now the North Star had been controlling Xairos, now it was Xairos controlling the North Star’s body.
Ssshhh–
The eye sank back into the wall, and this time tentacles sprouted from the floor, morphing into Xairos’ body.
Of course, it wasn’t his real body, but Xairos still seemed far more comfortable moving around in his old form.
[I’ve issued orders for all undead to cease offensive actions and return to the Abyss.]
“Good job.”
Then Xairos slowly knelt before Simon.
His pupils gleamed with a dark navy darkness.
[My lord.]
Even Simon, who had been lying down, quickly sat up straight.
[From this moment forward, I, all of the North Star’s undead, and the Frost Field itself, are yours. We swear upon our souls to obey only your orders, and to serve only you.]
Simon gave a wry laugh and waved his hand.
“Ahaha, that’s a bit too much.”
The legendary Ancient Undead, the North Star, who had ruled the Frost Field for a thousand years.
And his armies.
All of that power had now entered the 7th Legion.
It was an unimaginable reinforcement of strength.
–[To hell with oaths!]
Then, from Xairos’ body, another voice erupted.
–[Humans must be destroyed! All the dead must unite their strength! We won’t be bound by some Legion Commander’s—!]
Whack!
Xairos punched himself in the face. The voice stopped, and Xairos returned to normal.
[My apologies. Son of Yona.]
“A, are you really all right?”
[I am fine.]
In the process of fully seizing the North Star’s body and mind, it seemed a faint remnant of the North Star’s will had lingered.
Because of that, Xairos had become somewhat like a split personality, but it was nothing more than residual thoughts. They could no longer exert any real influence over Xairos.
Sometimes that personality might pop out, curse, and throw a fit, but nothing more than that.
[Khhuhuhu!]
Feer, satisfied, patted Simon’s shoulder and laughed.
[You’ve done what even Richard could not. You may boast a little, boy!]
“Is that so.”
Simon blinked with a somewhat dazed expression, when Xairos spoke again.
[Then, give me your command, my lord.]
“Mm.”
Simon looked at Xairos, who had become the North Star, with a slightly tense expression.
‘Considering this guy’s personality... if I give him some half-baked order, something weird is bound to happen.’
Just thinking that all of this had happened because of Richard’s order, “Defend the North”, made his head spin.
After a long pause, Simon finally said,
“F, for now, just maintain the current state!”
[......?]
“We’ll need to discuss the details with the Grand Duke. For now, just keep following the guidelines I mentioned earlier and wait.”
The guidelines weren’t anything special.
Do not attack humans.
Do not invade the North.
And if a situation arises where a major decision is needed, report to Simon first rather than acting rashly.
Xairos nodded.
[I have a question. If someone realizes we cannot attack humans, and intentionally enters the Abyss to try and destroy us, what should we do?]
“Huh? Then of course you should drive them out.”
[Doesn’t that violate the guideline of not attacking humans?]
Simon slapped his forehead.
That was close.
Xairos was an undead utterly devoid of flexibility.
“Then let’s make an exception. If it’s determined to be a direct threat to your safety...”
[And how do we distinguish what qualifies as a threat?]
Simon felt a headache coming on.
–[What’s the point of distinguishing! Kill them! Kill all the living and make them undead—!]
Whack!
Xairos struck his own face again, silencing the North Star.
“...Are you really all right?”
[I am fine. That wretch can no longer harm me in any way.]
Simon wiped cold sweat from his brow.
“For the time being, you’d better report everything to me directly.”
[And how should I report?]
“There’s a way.”
Simon opened subspace.
* * *
Grand Duke of the North, Jin Arskalt, returned to Bilkenos.
Soon after, the bitter cold lifted, the weather cleared, and the Northern Army was also able to return safely to Bilkenos.
The citizens demanded answers, asking whether the North Star was truly dead, and what exactly had happened.
‘What a headache.’
The Grand Duke pressed her forehead.
If all the undead had stopped moving, then it was certain that Simon had destroyed the North Star.
But before they parted ways, Simon had already said,
–Whether I destroy the North Star, or bind him to the 7th Legion, please don’t announce it as my achievement.
His deployment under Special Class was confidential, and the fact that Simon Follentia was in the North wasn’t publicly known.
But this subjugation of the North Star was big news that would spread across the entire continent. And if it became known that Simon had captured or bound the North Star, suspicion would inevitably arise.
That Simon Follentia was the Traitor Legion’s Commander.
With the whole continent already on edge about the 7th Legion, they had to be even more cautious. For now, the wisest move was to stay low and give no one a reason to suspect him.
‘No helping it.’
“Grand Duke!”
Her steward, Godrick, opened the door and entered with a broad smile.
Though his entire body was wrapped in bandages from his injuries in the war, his expression was bright.
“Everyone is waiting!”
“Yes.”
The Grand Duke followed Godrick.
Through the office, down the corridor, and soon she stepped out onto the terrace, opening the windows.
“The Grand Duke has come out!”
“Your Grace!”
Below the terrace, an immense crowd of Northerners filled every inch of space. Inside the castle, outside its walls, countless people gathered like clouds, waiting for news.
“Hear me, all Northerners.”
She took the amplification crystal from Godrick and spoke.
“Together with our brave warriors, the loyal 2nd Legion, and our honorable allies, we marched upon the Frost Field. Though there were small difficulties, such as the Kingdom Army—who had illegally advanced in defiance of orders—being annihilated and turned into the North Star’s minions to block our path.”
A tense silence rippled through the crowd.
“But we annihilated even those Kingdom troops, entered the Abyss, and succeeded in expelling the North Star, with whom we had fought for over a thousand years!”
Waaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Thunderous cheers erupted everywhere.
But some of the warriors who had been there wore confused expressions and raised their hands.
“B, but wasn’t the one expelled in the Abyss a fake North Star?”
“The undead were still moving.”
“No, what we faced there was the real one.”
The Grand Duke closed her eyes.
“He grew fearful of our offensive, and fled with only his Core. He tried to escape, but our Legion pursued him to the end and completely annihilated him.”
She lifted her arm high, her eyes sharp.
“Here and now, I declare this. Together, we have severed a thousand years of cursed fate, and succeeded in removing the North Star! From this day forth, I declare that an era of peace has dawned upon the North!”
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Amid the cheering crowd, she turned on her heel, her long hair fluttering.
Inside the castle, Ganiro, the generals, elders, and others bowed their heads.
“Congratulations, Your Grace!”
“Mhm.”
As she walked, shaking hands, her eyes caught an unfamiliar face.
A vampire girl, with bat wings and light-purple hair.
“F, first time meeting you!”
She bowed her head.
“I’m Kamibarez Ursula of Keyzen!”
“I’ve heard of you.”
The Grand Duke smiled warmly and extended her hand.
“You’re my disciple’s friend, are you not. I offer gratitude and respect for fighting alongside us for the North.”
“O, oh, it was nothing! It’s an honor to meet the hero of mankind!”
The famed Grand Duke of the North was right before her eyes. Kamibarez’s face flushed red as she shook her hand.
“Are there many talented students like you in Keyzen?”
At that, Kamibarez’s cheeks burned even brighter.
“T, talented? N, not at all! I’m just... ordinary!”
‘The daughter of the Vampire Lord is considered ordinary in Keyzen.’
The Grand Duke smirked.
‘What kind of place must Keyzen be, to have such young and capable necromancers.’
“And, um...”
Kamibarez hesitated, furrowing her brows, then gathered courage to speak.
“Did Simon not come with you?”
At that question, the Grand Duke quietly raised her head, looking toward the castle’s back gate.
“He’ll be here soon.”
“?”
Clang—
The back gate of the castle opened.
Everyone turned.
The dim interior of the castle brightened with sunlight, and beyond it, someone was walking forward.
“Did you call me the hero of mankind earlier?”
The Grand Duke smiled faintly at Kamibarez.
“I’m far from worthy of such a title. The true hero of mankind, is that boy.”
Step— step—
A boy with blue hair flowing in the wind, walked forward with a commanding presence.
And with a gentle smile, he spoke.
“Sorry for being late.”
As everyone’s eyes gathered on him, Kamibarez’s eyes welled up with emotion.
“Simooon—!”
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