Month: May 2023

This ch is too long. No choice but to split it into two.

151-1. Chapter 151 (Part 1)

Walm, who had finished cleaning the poor district from the rampaging nasty ones, stopped the bleeding of the stab wound in his palm and headed to the walls of the city gate, where the turmoil still continued.

Dealing with the undead that he sporadically encountered, Walm made his way through the alleys to the main streets, where he encountered a group of people heading to the main streets of the city while maintaining their formation.

Their equipment, which showed no signs of dirt, indicated that they were from the outskirts of the city or reinforcements were rushing in from the border.

The undead, walking through the city with a face saying they had found the next prey, ended up as just another thing piled on the side of the road.

The suppression of the urban areas outside the city walls progressed rapidly.

Walm followed the soldiers into the walls. The soldiers, who had seized the city gates, climbed the towers and ramparts, keeping an eye on the inside and outside from high places.

Wearing a bloodstained armor and a demon mask, these suspicious aspects alone would be enough to prevent Walm from passing the gate.

Walm, prepared to be stopped no matter how much time passed, was never stopped. Quite different from what he had imagined.

As a pleasant disappointment rose within him, Walm turned his attention to the soldiers who had gathered near the city gate.

“Segun’s squad shall clear out the undead that remains in the city. Habat’s squad shall head to the former Royal Castle. The enemy and friendly forces haven’t stopped fighting. Even if their numbers are small now, don’t let your guard down!”

Shouted the 1000-man Commander named “Edoardo”, who was temporarily in command of the Labyrinth facility when Walm saw him earlier. With the chain of command restored and a higher-ranking soldier appearing, he must have been moved to a place closer to the front line.

With some gestures, Edoardo diligently gave orders to the arriving units. Following the command of the 1000-man Commander, each unit proceeded at a fast pace to its assigned location.

“……Hmm, what to do now?”

Should I go help maintain the security of the city or take control of the former royal castle?

Walm pondered what to do next.

However, the tragedy at the ceremony, which Walm tried not to think about, flashed through his mind. The hand that held his halberd naturally gripped the weapon tighter. He took revenge he thought was attainable. Nevertheless, there were still ghosts in the former Royal Castle.

Walm glanced at the assembled forces.

Soldiers of good quality and quantity had gathered, and even adventurers who had been called up in an emergency mingled into the formation. With these combined forces already deployed in various places, it would only be a matter of time before the rest of the enemy would be suppressed.

Walm exhaled to calm himself down. Now that he had time, it was time to face the reality he had escaped.

Even though Merrill’s condition has calmed down, she was poisoned… And Lisi…

Walm was conflicted. He was worried about Merrill, but he wanted to mourn his benefactor properly.

In the end, Walm decided to check Merrill first.

Therefore, Walm headed to the Labyrinth facility. However, the demon mask, as if it hadn’t had enough fun yet, trembled to reject his decision.

“Stop making a fuss.”

After so much tragedy, the mask that asked for more was indeed so demon-like.

Walm was stunned by the mask, but soon he felt the ground shake, and every thought he had about the mask was blown away.

It wasn’t that Walm became abnormal due to the mental strain. Clearly, the ground was shaking.

“It’s shaking!?”

“Stay away from the half-destroyed house! Or you’ll get caught!!”

People in the vicinity also noticed the shaking and shouted to each other to get to safety.

The demon mask began to tremble like crazy. And Walm leaked some curses.

All in all, the demon mask with twisted sensibilities trembling with joy was always an ominous omen.

Walm suddenly sensed that something was wrong with the scenery and looked into the distance.

Mixed in with the swirling dust was an unfamiliar black tower. It wasn’t a building, to be precise, it was a living being. Walm’s eyes, which could see the world well, especially today, captured its true form. There was also a fact that he had fought it once. He could make no mistake.

“……Undead Dragon.”

Walm leaked out the words he managed to squeeze out.

One by one, the people also noticed the dragon. The common soldiers froze with their mouths open, and the adventurers dropped their weapons in fright. The 1000-man commander, barely managing to keep his wits about him, summoned the magical means of communication as his mind slowly broke.

The Undead Dragon made a familiar movement. It was a movement Walm had seen at the bottom of the Labyrinth, but unlike the half-body Undead Dragon, the amount of swirling mana was beyond what he had seen, far exceeded that time.

“It’s “breath”. DRAGON BREATH INCOMIIIINNGG!!!”

Walm’s advance warning didn’t mean much. For the only thing the people could do was to go into a building that served as a protective wall and crawl on the ground.

The black flash emitted from the Undead Dragon’s mouth distorted the field of vision, becoming a black line and stretching through the city. The tremendous blow that fell on the city burned the residents along with the house and extended to the horizon.

When Walm witnessed the Flame Emperor Dragon’s Breath at Dandurg Castle, he was perched on the ramparts overlooking his surroundings. He noticed that even if the attack was called the Breath of the Dragon species, it was one or two levels inferior to the breath of the Flame Emperor Dragon, which bore the crown of the emperor, that could destroy mountains. Still, for a small human being, the difference wasn’t that much.

The breath burned down the densely packed houses and pierced through the walls. The ruins were painted black, which made it easy to imagine the fate of those who were on the attack line.

The safe citizens who were hiding in their houses panicked and immediately poured into the streets.

Even if the undead were manageable for the soldier, that couldn’t be said the same as a natural disaster.

The 1000-man Commander shouted at the soldiers who were confused by the flood of information, impatience, and fear.

“CALM DOWN!!! I’m passing you an order from the main castle command center. The northwestern part of the city where the Undead Dragon has manifested is set as the main battlefield, and the citizens should be evacuated to the city outskirts from the east city gate and the south city gate. Regardless of the corps, start attacking the Undead Dragon. All damage to the city and civilians will be tolerated. That’s it…… Don’t put your face down! What’s the purpose of your eyes?! Glare at the enemy! LISTEN!! KILL THE DRAGON, OR WE WON’T HAVE TOMORROOOWW!!!”

Encouraged by their commander, the restless became disciplined soldiers again, albeit with lingering fear. Waves of people fleeing like arachnids were led by soldiers, showing that they hadn’t quite given up hope.

The troops outside the city gate weren’t the only ones who had recovered from the chaos. To prove that, an attack was launched on the undead dragon that had been crawling around on the ground. Various magic attacks lightly scratched the powerful magical barrier, and the arrow hit the scales with an unreliable sound.

The fire point disappeared each time the Undead Dragon swung its limbs, but the next attack began as if it were bubbling up. And when the bubble was poked by the dragon, human lives were taken.

“You should have known, what would happen…”

It was a reckless attack. Still, Walm couldn’t say they were stupid. The intent of the act was painfully conveyed to Walm.

The soldiers of the Archipelago weren’t stupid. They knew that if they were attacked, they’d receive a counterattack that would result in instant death. They also realized that they were acting as bait to attract the Undead Dragon and buy time for the citizens to evacuate and for the troops scattered around the city to get into position.

A soldier, scooped up by the tail together with a building, spewed his viscera out of his mouth as he flew high into the sky.

The chain of tragedies wasn’t over yet. The debris from the houses that landed in the alleys fell on the running refugees.

A blow equal to that of a large stone shattered the densely packed citizens in an instant. They were of low priority to the Undead Dragon, and their lives were snuffed out in the aftermath of the attack, with no clear killing intent against them. Their death had no meaning.

Walm didn’t have time to mourn their death, as fist-sized pebbles rained down from above. He calmly determined the point of impact and tried to dodge, but not everyone could deal with it.

Those who took a defensive posture were excellent. The shields and gauntlets protecting their vital points repelled the pebbles with a dull sound. The problem was those who took on the pebbles without even having time to notice it.

The head of a soldier running beside Walm burst open like a fresh pomegranate, and another nearby soldier fell silently to the ground. They had been invited to the Netherworld and had accepted that invitation even before they could finish their death throes in this world.

“Spread out as you approach! Don’t crowd in one street! Or you’ll be mowed down together for nothing!”

Before approaching the attack range, the 1000-man Commander, who didn’t like how quickly his troops were being worn down, gave a serious order.

When troops were scattered, a concentrated attack was generally difficult. Moreover, it would be difficult to convey orders. Apart from that, the enemy was a moving natural disaster with a huge body that could easily break through walls and a breath comparable to a battalion-scale or regiment-scale concentrated magic attack.

One could say that the 1000-man Commander had made a rational decision.

“SECOND SHOT, INCOMMIIINNGG!!!”

Those who perceived the sign of the breath concentrated their attacks on the head, but they couldn’t stop it.

The second shot was fired as if to clean one of the dirty main streets. This time, those who had drawn the bad lot were those in three nearby streets. Such a blow that didn’t allow the survival of everything it passed also affected the surroundings of Walm.

Although the power of breath was reduced due to the distance and the shield, the body of the fully armed soldier floated due to the impact and the explosion.

Bricks and dislodged pieces of wood rolled at Walm’s feet as he entrusted himself to the building. There were no fatalities, but many suffered burns and bruises.

Still, the soldiers couldn’t stop. The citizens took less damage while the Undead Dragon targeted them. Someone had to be a decoy. Walm had the same thoughts. He didn’t know if the next breath would be against the Labyrinth facility where the Trimagitack members were. Right. Someone had to be a decoy.

“Don’t guide it to the evacuation site!!”

“Bring it to the side!”

After spitting out the second shot, the Undead Dragon started moving. Its movements were anything but nimble. In addition to being caught in a dense building, the surviving officers and soldiers were also desperately trying to counterattack to disrupt its movements.

Walm understood what they were trying to do. If the Undead Dragon was released outside the city, it would be untouchable due to its huge body and breath attack.

The Undead Dragon was distracted by a human attacking it nearby and changed its course. Although the unit managed to attract its attention, the price was too high. The large claw that swung down crushed the unit along with the building.

Sticky red liquid was dripping from the black claw of the Undead Dragon that was lifted up.

Next to take their duty was the unit directly under Edoardo, with whom Walm was working. It was no coincidence or luck that they had reached the attack area. It was all due to the dedication of their predecessors.

Walm stopped the 1000-man Commander who was about to give an order.

“Oi, wait! I’ll burn the Undead Dragon, and buy some time.”

“What? Are you stupid――”

Edoardo said with a look as if he was looking at a madman. The soldiers accompanying him also became furious, saying not to interfere.

“My 《Demon Fire》 brings blue flames and hot air to a wide area. In fact, I burned the same thing once at the bottom of the labyrinth.”

“The bottom of the labyrinth… A mercenary hired by the Trimagitack, huh? Keep talking.”

Edoardo realized what Walm was saying and urged him to continue.

“The same one at the bottom was only half-body, but still, I couldn’t burn it to death. When it comes to a full-body Undead Dragon… a minute, no, a minute and a half, I’m sure I can buy that much time.”

“Commander, he’s not even a regular adventurer of the guild. How far can you believe him?”

Saying this, one of the accompanying soldiers gave Walm a skeptical look.

TN: Join my discord channel if you want.

150. Chapter 150 – Rebirth

The Borgia family, which captured Belgana, the Labyrinth City, in the Unification War, destroyed the castle that was the symbol of the former ruler. Moats and earthworks were removed, and walls and most of the defensive facilities were moved to the new headquarters of the Borgia family. At the end of the destruction of the castle, only warehouses and barracks were left, no vestiges of power.

Though, the old royal castle, which was once the castle of the Gundor family, still functioned as a reserve command center and gathering place for troops.

Had the Borgia Family continued to use the castle without relocating, they might have noticed the large space that was quietly dormant underground. The room converted into a warehouse and the entrance hidden under the stone slabs of the floor hadn’t been noticed by the officials of the Archipelago until today.

Contrary to the diminutive entrance, the passage leading underground was deep, and at the bottom was a large space of a natural cavity. Now, in the center of it stood King Eisenbagh van Gundor, who was called “Old Man” by his minions.

Without participating in the battle, information from spies lurking in various places was transmitted through the installed communication magic tool.

The attack was systematically suppressed by Belgana’s garrisons and the adventurers of the Archipelago, who had recovered from the chaos. The base in the Suderin district fell with the death of Giesel, a descendant of a citizen of the Labyrinth City, before falling into the hands of the Borgia family. Fausto, a vassal since the time of the Unification War, had also died, but after his death, he let out the demon that dwelled within him.

“Even after dying once, you are still going to fulfill your role, huh?”

Gundor ordered Fausto and his subordinates to buy time. Their mission was to control the gate closest to the old royal castle, hold off the reinforcements as long as possible, and delay the counterattack. And they did their job admirably.

“We, will go first. We will be waiting for you in the underworld first.”

Said a vassal with whom Gundor was working together.

Although the undead had been released throughout the city and the key points raided, the Labyrinth City alone had a force stationed there worthy of a small country. In an organized counterattack, the undead would be annihilated by the difference in quality and quantity of personnel. In fact, such a thing happened once in the Unification War.

“Even though, I have lost my country and most of the people, you all have served me well for a century. I too, will soon follow. After I unleash the result of our efforts.”

The vassals who had been working under Gundor for 100 years ran up the stairs to join the battle on the ground. Out there, constant battles were raging on.

Sensing this, Gundor thought that it sure still took him a long time to proceed with the plan, even after reaching this place.

“Soon everything will be over. No, I would end it.”

When people were driven into an inferior position, they would rely on clever schemes and cling to anything. The old Gundor was one of them.

As the history of defeat showed, the quick fix didn’t work when it was needed. Time and patience were needed.

“A hundred years to move this guy. A hundred years too late.”

Gundor was able to prolong his life by using diluted crimson grass and necromancy, just like the demonized unit. That said, his body, which couldn’t consume the crimson grass completely, would surely erode, and this could be seen by looking at his current appearance. In this long life of his, he even lost consciousness to madness, causing him to crush every soldier of the Archipelago he encountered. And this happened more than once or twice.

“Still, I made it in time this time.”

Gundor crushed the bound and preserved corpses that he had been accumulating for a long time. The skeletal frame in front of him, he filled with the material carried by the magic bag. During the long reign of the Gundor Family, dating back to before the Unification War, the sacrifices of countless warriors and relatives brought back from the Labyrinth, were enough to do what he was about to do.

The hustle and bustle was closing in. Its true identity was the sound of battle between Belgana’s and Gundor’s forces. The soldiers were already trying to recapture the old royal castle.

At the entrance to the underground, the vassals use themselves as shields to buy time.

One of the threats right now was the mercenary, who was a remnant of the ruined northern country. He was truly troublesome. At the Carorolaia Mine, he annihilated the mercenary group made up of the descendants of the people under Gundor, reducing the total number of valuable undead in the city. He even killed Fausto, Giesel, and Giusto. Still, Gundor’s long-cherished wish was about to be fulfilled.

“It’s time, for the finishing touches.”

Gundor threw the torch into a groove carved into the floor.

When the black water-filled ditch ignited, flames spread through the darkness, revealing patterns of hexagrams and bizarre letters.

“Giesel, that brat, really prepared the stage perfectly huh…… He too, couldn’t make it, huh? Well now, the preparations for the main show are finished. The performer and the audience are already waiting. I’m sure, the people of the Archipelago will like it.”

Gundor pulled out a dagger and thrust it into his chest, which was as thin as a dead tree. With all his might, he cut open his sternum and ribs and thrust his right hand into his chest. He pushed aside the shattered bones, grabbed and held his beating heart, and pulled it out without hesitation.

Quickly, Gundor lifted the object. Having lost his heart, Gundor’s flesh began to melt, and he wrapped himself and his skin in what was once human.

After the head became nothing but bone, the eyes glowed suspiciously. “Lich,” that was the figure into which the gifted necromancer had transformed after a century of study, after having acquired a crimson grass in the past.

Gundor, who was transforming into an undead, holding up his still beating heart, wailed in a voice that sounded like glass rubbing together.

“All of my body, shall be the offering!! Show the world your majestic figure and let them know your power!! FILL THIS ABOMINABLE BELGANA WITH DEEEAATTHH!!!”

The pattern flickered as if to answer. The thing, which had no substance and was all bone, began to move, pumping up the mana flowing through the Dragon Vein. Soon it opened its jaws and crushed Gundor the Lich. Seeking more life, it broke through the narrow underground cavity and exposed its body to the sun. Awakened from the Netherworld, it roared high into the sky to signal its rebirth.

◆

Having inherited the command, Trio put his heart and soul into fulfilling his duty. One by one, he removed pieces imitating enemies from the map with details of the city.

The command post set up in the main castle resumed its command function and no the gathered forces were sweeping the enemy out of the city.

The Ghost Knight that appeared at the city gate claimed many victims, but it was killed mainly by the group sent by the Forest Alliance. The main force of the enemy was now only in the vicinity of the former royal castle, which was used by the Gundor family in the past.

Reinforcements were also arriving from the surrounding areas. No one in the command post said anything, but many were there already. The biggest concern was the Republic of Maylis, which was hiding behind the ghosts of the previous era. Under the pretext of pre-planned exercises, they sent troops near the border. That they did so at the same time as the turmoil was too much of a coincidence, however. Though, the army was silent.

Were they comfortable fanning the flames of revenge in the remnants of their old alliance, but they didn’t want to misjudge the city’s defenses and therefore remain immobile? For Trio, there was no conclusion to this question.

“Trio-sama, there is news from the former Royal Castle of Gundor. It seems that most of the facilities have been successfully recaptured.”

Rushing to the command post, the generals and soldiers let out exclamatory voices.

Trio was about to agree, but he caught something from the correspondent’s words.

“You said “most”? But where is the leftover place?”

“It’s the reserve warehouse. They stubbornly kept resisting there.”

Trio searched his memory for clues.

The outer walls of the warehouse were thick to prevent theft, and the stone walls were enough to reflect some magic. The entrance was limited, and it wasn’t a bad place for defense.

Still, for a place to be used for defense, the castle tower, the flanking tower, and the corners of the walls should be better. Reinforcements from the Republic would also be more satisfied with it. So why the warehouse? Even Trio wondered.

“Due to the destruction of the castle, the former royal castle itself no longer exists. The warehouse has been used since the time of the capture. Are they going to end their lives in a place where their history remains?……. Those who have been hiding for a century?”

Trio was feeling uneasy.

The soldiers on the scene were doing their best. No matter how much he shouted over the communication magic tool, the result wouldn’t change. He understood that.

While leaving the information in the corner of his mind, Trio’s consciousness shifted to confirm the damage and aftermath.

Shortly, another report followed.

“We took control of the warehouse, but found a passage to the underground. Some of the dead soldiers are blocking the passage, and it’s currently unknown where it leads to.”

“Is it one of the passages where the undead have appeared?”

Undead emerged in the city from underground bunkers and corridors that were probably built during the Unification War. It wouldn’t be surprising if one of them remained on the site of the former royal castle.

“The remnants of the remnants, are so troublesome. Never let them escape!”

Trio strengthened his voice and ordered his soldiers. After all, such strong resistance could mean that it was quite possible that the mastermind was escaping from underground.

While waiting for the result of the pursuit, Trio noticed that the water inside a cup was shaking slightly. Far from subsiding, the ripples were getting stronger.

“Wha-What is it?”

“It’s shaking!?”

Amid the turmoil of the soldiers, Trio connected the tremors with the remnants who were in the underground.

“They didn’t run away. Those bastards, what were they doing underground?”

Trio asked himself this question, but he quickly covered his ears as a roar shook the castle at the same time. The glass of the lattice windows was shattered as if by an explosion.

Swiftly, the soldiers gathered to protect Trio.

“Trio-sama!”

“I’m okay. Rather than that, the sound just now is――”

Trio, looking far away from the window, was speechless. Even when he was told about the death of his family, his arms trembled as he endured. Now the primordial fear of human beings swelled up within him.

Squeezing his voice, Trio said the name of what was in his field of vision.

“Un… Undead Dragon.”

A dragon species, that could be called a living natural disaster, among them, this one also called the Lord of the Great Labyrinth.

The Undead Dragon that had never interacted with this world, had descended into the Labyrinth City.

“Bastard, is this your aim, HAAAHHH?!”

With a careless step, the house collapsed and the tail mowed down the soldier. Suddenly, the Undead Dragon raised its neck, aimed somewhere at the city, and opened its jaws to expose its uneven fangs. The atmosphere and ground were permeated with ominous mana that slowly condensed. The people gathered at the command post could only watch this happen while holding their breath.

In a city where hundreds of thousands of people lived their lives, “Dragon Breath” was released.

TN: Join my discord channel if you want.

149. Chapter 149

Within a short period, the Labyrinth City had changed. And this affected the people within it.

One of them was Peyrouse, who resolutely and without warning let out a sigh of exhaustion, as if had just come out from a sludge.

Exploring the Labyrinth would either require the challenger to stay overnight or engage in battle all day and all night. Not that Peyrouse was trying to be tough, but he was confident he could get around for a day if he had some ingenuity.

Now, this thought was crumbling. Although Peyrouse had only been in battle for about an hour, his legs were as heavy as if they were trapped in a swamp, and his arms were tried as if no more blood flowing.

In his hand was the sticky, blood-stained sword that shook for its existence after killing many. The ghouls that Peyrouse had just killed were now littering the paved streets, already filled with corpses.

Ghouls were monsters that Peyrouse had combat experience with, having encountered them in the Labyrinth. But, just changing their face into familiar ones, was enough to make his body freeze with tension and hinder his thoughts.

From the adventurers whom Peyrouse greeted when they passed each other, even the old man who tried hard to scold him in a hoarse voice turned into an undead and attacked him.

Reality indeed was tough. There was no time for Peyrouse to mourn. He had to swing his sword to survive.

Even now, another one was approaching Peyrouse. He swung his sword from below, cutting the protruding arm from the elbow joint.

The thing that was the innkeeper until not long ago continued to roar.

Peyrouse lowered his head and the shortened arm passed him without touching him. As the attack was useless, the ghoul tried to use its back.

Peyrouse spun around on one leg and swung his sword horizontally. His blade penetrated the ghoul’s neck, severing the spinal cord and causing the ghoul to stumble and fall.

Without any delay, the next undead joined in. This time the undead was troublesome, for it was someone who had been an adventurer while alive.

The undead tried to attack with pressure. But Peyrouse intercepted the attack with his sword, and at about the same time, two spears coming from the left and right sides impaled the undead. They were the spears of his party members, Leake and Matthio.

“I’m holding it!!”

“Kill it now!”

The undead, which had wedges called spearheads driven into its armpits and neck, shook violently and hit the handle with a sword to free itself from the iron restraint.

Before Peyrouse could cut in, Donna had swung her Warhammer down. While drawing an arc, the hammer head pressed the undead’s head.

Donna, who had just killed the undead, didn’t take her eyes off the immobile corpse.

Peyrouse shook Donna’s shoulders, as he looked at her.

“Well done, Donna. Thank you.”

Peyrouse’s comrades, younger than he, were unprepared for the sudden turmoil, and their spirits were shaken. So, what he did was the greatest consideration that the inexperienced him made on the battlefield of which he himself was unsure of what to do.

“Now, we’ve cleaned up this area as well.”

After being summoned to the facility attached to the Labyrinth, Peyrouse’s Party was ordered to secure the city gate together with the garrison and the adventurers. At first, the total number of undead was far below the reported number, and the armed forces that had taken the city gate were nowhere to be seen. There was a fear of ambushes and traps, but in the end, it ended in vain.

Shortly after cleaning the area, a whistle sounded to announce the meeting.

Peyrouse returned to the meeting point while looking at the ruined shops and houses that had collapsed from the inside. Looking around, the size of the corps was one size smaller. His party returned unharmed, but not everyone was safe.

Biting his cheek and shifting his mind, Peyrouse took his companions to meet the commander, the 100-man commander. He must report information about the area his party was responsible. Fortunately, he soon found the commander.

Accompanied by several soldiers, the commander was staring at the ground. Looking at the corpse under their feet, Peyrouse leaked a throaty voice.

“……Fausto-san.”

A former instructor of the adventurer’s guild. A bounty had been placed on him after it became known that he was a manhunt. But now his body lay helplessly on the ground. His throat had been slit, and his torso was covered with slashes. Parts of his limbs were burned and charred. It is possible that he was also involved in this incident. He was a great sinner who had betrayed the Labyrinth City, a person to be detested.

This might be true, but Peyrouse couldn’t bring himself to hate Fausto completely. He remembered how he had been thrown over by the training he had received from Fausto during his beginner days. Though, the basics of swordsmanship and movement that he acquired were largely derived from Fausto.

Feeling unbearable, Peyrouse simply stood still. Meanwhile, the 100-man commander began to despise the dead.

“He was among the raiders. The remnants of the musty Family of Gundor. And these kinds of ghosts, left behind in time, are ruining the city!”

The 100-man commander spat and kicked the corpse. No one stooped it, but no one followed either.

Peyrouse could do nothing but watch.

“After the attack is suppressed, this body will be exposed. Don’t destroy its face, it’s for an example!! Soon, this madness will come to an end soon. Reinforcements from the border have arrived. We will join the suppression of the former royal castle. And we shall eliminate the enemy!! LET’S GOOO!!!”

The 100-man commander fired up the soldiers and adventurers to boost morale as he gave the next orders.

While Peyrouse listened, he felt something pulling his hair from behind. When he looked behind, he saw that the eyes of the corpse were giving him a look. He even felt that the burned fingers of the corpse had moved slightly.

“O-oi, didn’t it just move?”

Peyrouse, who was shaken and at a loss for words, couldn’t convey his intentions correctly. Leake asked for an explanation of the content.

“Eh? What?”

“The corpse, Fausto…”

Peyrouse rubbed his eyelids, suspecting that he had made a mistake due to fatigue. When he opened his eyes again, the dead man was standing up.

Even Leake and Donna on either side of him forgot to breathe in shock.

“BEHIIINDDD!!!”

The 100-man commander swung his sword simultaneously with Peyrouse’s ghastly scream.

It was a really sharp move, but the charred arm reached out sharply and grabbed the commander’s neck, crushing it like candy.

The supposedly dead man… roared.

“It, tiz, notz, over, YEEETT!!!”

His whole body was burned and partially charred, and the severed neck had lost its grip and was bent. If he was a human, there was no way he would have been still alive.

As the other soldiers who were in the commotion rushed to Fausto, Fausto’s skin cracked as if he was shedding, and a dark substance emerged from inside.

One of the soldiers guessed what it was.

“I-it’s a “Ghost Knight”!!”

Undead-ized after death. Among the undead superior species, the Ghost Knight was said to be a particularly troublesome existence. A monster that was said to be strongly retained the skills when still alive.

The spear integrated into the Ghost Knight’s arm swung casually. The soldier’s upper body, approaching with a sword, was obliterated.

“NOOOO, ti, me, fo, break. Train, in, timz. Show, mewhat, yugotz. Ad, ben, TURRRREEeeEEERR!!!”

Raising a voice that was already difficult to comprehend, the Ghost Knight roared.

A soldier saw an opening and thrust a spear from behind, and one of the adventurers thrust a sword from the side. The Ghost Knight, which was as if it had an extra glossy armor, moved its arm.

For a moment, a black line was visible. Its true identity was a spear.

The soldier was hurled into the sky like nothing, and the adventurer’s chest was pierced.

In the face of such a torrent of overwhelming power, Peyrouse’s face tensed.

Soldiers and adventurers who make a living doing rough things were being trampled like ants. The intertwined spear was broken one-sidedly, and the arrow was knocked down in the air.

Peyrouse, who was nearby, couldn’t be uninvolved, of course.

Again, a soldier was crucified on the ground in front of him with a downward swing of the spear. Peyrouse was speechless, but he immediately lowered his hips and held his sword firmly above his head. In a short time, a dull pain ran through his entire body. The tip of the spear, which was supposed to hit his head, grazed him above the head. His hands went numb from the impact, and his sword flew uncontrollably to the back.

“I won’t let you!”

“Peyrouse, hurry up—!”

His party members were approaching with weapons to protect him, but the Ghost Knight didn’t retreat.

Peyrouse called out to his companions.

“No. Get back!!”

A black line approached. The Ghost Knight’s Black Spear was swung hard sideways, allowing no parry.

Peyrouse folded his arms and stood proudly, hoping that at least he would be a shield for his companions, but the expected shock didn’t come. Instead, what he received was the roaring sound of iron clad in mana clashing with each other. The axe parried the spear that didn’t know when to stop.

“Kah, it hurts, damn it!! What the hell is this monster?!!”

A thick, drunken voice sounded nearby.

The dwarves, who were the main force of the groups dispatched to the Labyrinth by the Forest Alliance, one of the three major countries, saved Peyrouse and his party.

“That spear and smell… it’s Fausto!!”

The only beastman in the dwarves’ party told the dwarves the true identity of the monster.

“Hmph, I can tell just by looking at the movement!!”

“I don’t know what kind of wicked will you had, but was it enough to make you fall down to the level of a monster?”

The Ghost Knight took a familiar stance. When Faust was still an instructor, he once showed a serious stance toward the extortionist Leake. His appearance might have changed, but Peyrouse’s judgment couldn’t be a mistake.

“It, doesn’t look like you’ve become an idiot, who can only swing a stick at random.”

“Haha, a worthy opponent finally.”

Some dwarves rolled their thick shoulders like rocks, while others clapped their palms and fists.

“Get ready. It’s a ghost knight hunt!”

Shouted the dwarf who thrust up an axe wrapped in mana and shook his beard.

The Ghost Knight responded by swinging its spear.

Announcing a deadly battle, the second act of the opening began.

TN: Join my discord channel if you want.

148. Chapter 148

After passing the city gate, Walm ran straight towards the slums.

Most of the undead, including the ghouls, were concentrated in important facilities within the walls, but the cityscape that stretched beyond the walls was no exception. Corpses with shattered heads lay scattered here and there along the main street. Many of them belonged to undead-ized citizens, the ghouls.

The clear difference from inside the city walls was the number of dead people walking around. Even Fausto and the others weren’t able to reach the entire city, and the loss outside the walls was less than inside the walls. With the exception of those unfortunate enough to be attacked during the initial attack, many had taken refuge in buildings or near towns.

Now, the city’s defenders and adventurers had begun an organized counterattack.

Defeating the undead facing the adventurers from the side, Walm left the main street. He crossed many alleys and reached the Suderin District, which was located on the outer edge of the city. The story of the guild employee ran through his mind.

After the Unification War, the Labyrinth City experienced a period of expansion, and due to the influx of workers and population growth, people flocked to the city even outside the walls, causing a serious shortage of houses. The Marquis Borgia family cut down the trees in the forest, once called Suderin Forest, and created a new area for the poor.

This sounded good, but it was a policy that pushed the poor and criminals to the outskirts of the cities and put them under collective control. And this area clearly deviated from the landscape of the Labyrinth City that existed until now. Many shacks were strung together in an unplanned fashion, and the road was winding.

Walm frowned at the landscape. The intricate passageways and narrow road widths alone made it easy to be ambushed. There were castle towns that had been built with the concept of using houses as defensive walls to separate enemy soldiers trying to enter the town. It was unclear if the slums in front of him were intentional or if they were houses that people built naturally, but ultimately they functioned similarly.

“No, it’s more than that.”

Due to excessive building, the convenience of the road had been extremely lost, and the slums in front of Walm had become a kind of tiger’s mouth where he couldn’t foresee the future if he ever entered.

Walm, entering the compartment, was exposed to the gaps in the dilapidated walls, the overhanging windows, and countless stares as soon as he lifted his head. It was a mixture of vigilance, fear, and various forms of jealousy.

During his stay in the Labyrinth City, Walm thought he knew the city, but he realized he was wrong. In the dim darkness, where the sun didn’t shine, lurked many people with negative afflictions. It was uncertain whether they were related to Fausto. Still, there was no way anyone would show affection towards Walm.

While walking on a road where it was difficult for people to pass each other, Walm heard the sound of something being pulled down from above. He tilted his head to see the boxes approaching from above. He would have said that the contents were sand or pebbles. He dodged such a primitive weapon of mass by holding on to the wall. The wooden box shattered with a dull sound.

“Uh, woahhhhh!!”

Using the falling object as a springboard, a man with a butcher knife on his hip rushed in, spraying saliva. He was followed by a person with a sickle and a person with a hoe. Their movement was aimed only to do a single deadly hit, disregarding other techniques such as defense.

At the same time, a person with a broken sword and a person with a dagger approached from behind.

The demon mask trembled with joy as if enjoying the situation.

Skill didn’t matter to them. Their willing-to-die movements were exactly like those of dying soldiers. With such a half-hearted posture, their legs could easily be caught by weight and momentum.

Walm, pushing the halberd according to the space constraints, executed a half stab.

The spearhead ripped through the knife-wielder’s soft throat, severing an artery and reaching his spinal cord.

Walm took the clenched butcher knife like a relay as he pressed the dying man against the man with the hoe. Quickly, he aimed the butcher knife at the sickle that was about to strike his head. The knife cut off the fingers of the sickle-wielder and pushed the sickle aside.

The man who dropped the sickle cried out in pain for a moment. Losing his weapon, he tried to press down Walm without hesitation.

Walm, who had lowered his center of gravity, grabbed the man and rolled him toward the duo approaching from behind.

Before Walm could breathe out, a hoe was aimed at the back of his head. Swiftly, he used the claw blade of the halberd that he held in his right hand to catch the hoe, then he pulled out the longsword with his left arm, which had discarded the butcher knife. He swung the longsword he held in a reverse grip and struck the skull of the hoe-wielder assailant from the temple.

Three huddled enemies still lay alive on the ground, but as soon as Walm looked at them, a falling object again approached from above.

Walm, knocking over a fist-sized stone with the longsword, threw down the halberd and raised the longsword above his head.

Mana flowed into the longsword, and a 《Strike》was aimed at them.

Even as the longsword cut through the wall, its speed didn’t slow down, and just like that it sliced the arm into nothingness along with the protruding dagger. Of course, the man didn’t survive. When the tip of the longsword grazed his throat, blood spurted out uncontrollably and he lay twitching on the floor.

The man who picked up his sickle back and the attacker with the broken sword evaded the attack by using the man who blocked their way.

Walm, who had been expecting it, swung the longsword again from below toward the place the two were running.

The longsword that entered from the dagger-wielder’s flank came out from his chest.

The sword-wielder thrust his broken sword, not wanting to miss the opportunity to sacrifice his comrade, but Walm stroked it away. A high-pitched metallic sound echoed through the alley.

“a, aahhh”

Through the demon mask, Walm peered into the attacker’s eyes. For the first time, the color of fear showed, but by then it was too late.

The longsword thrust into the man’s flank stirred his viscera.

Gliding his gaze upward, Walm twisted and pulled out his longsword.

The one who was enjoying throwing stones froze like a statue. After a moment of hesitation, the person turned around and tried to escape, but a fireball spread to the fleeing person along with the roof.

Just like that, in the alley where blue flames blazed, people other than Walm were gone from this world.

The two raids that followed ended up just piling up more corpses in the slums. There were already no more bored residents who wanted to look at Walm.

Though Walm had been ambushed three times, it was safe to say that things were going well. The information he had received from the guild employee wasn’t wrong.

Deepening his conviction, Walm stared at the facility built in the center of the slums.

Even in a slum with many buildings, the space around it opened up as if it were a forbidden place that should never be touched.

Topographically, a waterway flowed around the outside of the facility, and it was partitioned by walls that easily exceeded a person’s height. And although Walm was visiting from the front, there was no one that give him a greeting.

Climbing over the wall, Walm descended onto the property’s land. In addition to a warehouse of unknown use, there were wooden dolls and raised land.

Walm walked into a particularly large building. The slums had given the impression of being messy and dirty, but the buildings that could be called mansions were surprisingly organized and well-maintained.

“The fact that you’re here, means that Fausto is dead.”

Words were thrown at Walm, who opened the door and walked down the hall.

“Yeah, I killed him…… So, who are you?”

Walm looked up while answering.

A man in his thirties was leaning against the railing.

“Hah? Me? My name’s Giesel. You can say, I’m the person in charge here. More importantly, is killing my friends and my younger brother your hobby or what?”

“Younger brother?”

Walm had too many things on his mind. Besides, he had already killed many people before coming here.

“Guisto, the leader of the mercenary group you killed at Carorolaia Mithril Mine, is my brother.”

If it wasn’t that long ago, even Walm still remembered it well. Even more, since there were only a few people who still approached him while enveloped in blue flames.

“I remember him.”

“Hah, of course. As you know, you can’t run away from ties in this world. I’m a bad person. I’ve killed women, and children, alike. I’ve instigated the people of the slums, agitated them, and made them join my group. You see, I can’t throw away my loyalty, especially to my only blood relative. The guy who keeps silent after his brother is killed, isn’t a family.”

What popped out were the words brotherly love and loyalty, which were far from the man’s ferocious appearance.

Walm narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth.

“That loyalty of yours, can’t you give it toward others even a little?”

“Hah? In this slum, there’s no room to care about unrelated strangers!! You’ve seen it, haven’t you? What’s so good, what’s so peaceful about this place? And you want us to be a loser for the rest of our lives? Are you kidding me? It’s not over yet!”

They both had a void in their hearts that would never be filled. The matter wasn’t even at the stage where it could be resolved with words.

Understanding this, Walm asked the man for confirmation.

“Is that, all you’ve got to say?”

“Hah, a’right. Let me say this, if you light up the 《Demon Fire》, good citizens will get burned to death, you know?”

As Giesel looked around, the three minions were dragging a group of people tied to a rope. Their hands and feet were tied with rough rope and their mouths were sealed.

Giesel’s intention was easy for Walm to understand.

“Do I look like the kind of person who appears in a heroic tale?”

Walm said this without even giving the hostages a glance.

Giesel shrugged his shoulders, drew the sword from his waist, and casually cut down one of the hostages nearby.

“Hah, you guys are useless. Mercenary, COME!!”

Giesel, who had just decapitated a citizen, invited Walm. He held a sword and a shield in each hand.

Seeing that Giesel didn’t kill everyone, Walm thought that the hostages would probably be used as insurance to limit his usage of 《Demon Fire》.

Accepting the invitation, Walm accelerated with a wind attribute magic, ran up the atrium, and slammed the halberd.

Giesel didn’t pull back, and instead wrapped the sword in his hand with mana. Shortly after, his enchanted weapon and Walm’s halberd crossed as if they were pulling each other.

At the point of separation, Walm did a small thrust.

Giesel jumped in without hesitation. He shielded the thrust and thrust his sword back from a blind spot.

Walm flipped the sharp blade with the bottom of his halberd.

Giesel, who followed Walm tightly, slashed his sword up and down, not slowing down his attack. In addition to his “polite” swordsmanship, he skillfully incorporated a shield play into his offense and defense.

After exchanging a few “greetings”, Walm could tell that Giesel was a man who completely contradicted his own appearance and behavior.

Three subordinates of Giesel intermittently aim at Walm with arrows and stones without a major mistake in timing. However, seeing the desperation on their faces, they clearly lack the spirit of Fausto and those who had ambushed him.

“What’s with that strange face? You’ve killed my men and Fausto without consideration, so as you know, I’m short of manpower!”

For Giesel to challenge close-quarters combat alone was proof that his three minions didn’t have the skills to engage in hand-to-hand combat.

Seeing an opening, Walm tried to kill Giesel’s subordinates, but a shield was thrust at him as if saying not to look the other way.

Walm dodged the shield bash by moving his upper body, but arrows and stones flew at him as if they had made arrangements.

Surrendering himself to his kinetic vision and reflexes, he bent his upper body forward and moved as if rubbing against the ground.

Despite lamenting the shortage of manpower, Giesel’s subordinates planned attacks with a really nasty distance and timing.

Giesel also matched the projectiles. Twisting the trajectory of his sword to Walm’s upper body when it got close, his sword was aimed to cut off Walm’s knee.

Walm extended his halberd to keep the distance.

As he stepped back Giesel tried to defend against the piercing attack with his shield, but Walm reverse-gripped the halberd.

Walm clung the claw-blade of his halberd into the reinforcement of the shield and pulled it toward him.

The gap closed once again in an instant.

Giesel deftly swung his sword up even at a small distance that was getting cut.

In response, Walm quickly pushed his body to close the gap faster.

Thus, Giesel’s blade slapped in vain on Walm’s back, which was protected by armor.

Even the annoying subordinates stopped their attacks completely, since they were so close to each other. There was nothing they could do if they only wanted to aim at Walm.

“Damn you!!”

Giesel threw away his neat sword skills and stuck out his forehead.

Walm, still gripping his halberd, slammed the cheek in front of him with his bent elbow.

Giesel’s jaw was shaken violently, and his body, which had lost its sense of balance, trembled. Then he backed away. But as he retreated, protecting his face and neck from attack, Walm immediately accelerated with wind attribute magic.

The projectiles sent Giesel’s subordinates only grazed Walm’s back.

Giesel’s sword and the sharp edge of his shield, were pushed by Walm to his chest. And immediately, Walm pushed open his wound, feeling the sensation of cutting his collarbone.

“Guh, ugh, oooh, hoh, oohhh――argh”

Pierced through the chest, Giesel fell on his back and never got up. The remaining minions responded by pointing their weapons at Walm, who had set his eyes on the three men.

The result came quickly. The demon mask was bathed in the fresh blood of the three, making noises in a good mood. Ironically, the last man alive was the mortally wounded Giesel.

“It’s the end.”

Said Walm to Giesel, who was lying on the ground.

A man, who couldn’t even breathe properly, laughed as he vomited blood.

“Heh, heheh, I’ve failed, but, it’s not in vain. Inside the city, I’ve exhausted, the most troublesome people, and bought time. I’m just, a supporting actor, in the opening act. The leading role, will begin, the show. Walm, you, will like it.”

Walm tried to finish off Giesel, who was spouting words, but the man stopped breathing before he could do it.

“Is there another force? The city gate has been cleared. The garrison is counterattacking the Labyrinth-related facilities, and the urban area… ah, the former royal castle?”

Walm, searching his memory, recalled the point where the forces appeared.

Walm wanted to head out immediately to greet the armed forces, but he needed to make sure that no more nasty combatants were left in the vicinity. Besides, there was still one souvenir left from Giesel.

One was slashed to death, but the other hostages remained tied to ropes. Walm moved around, cutting the ropes of those restrained. They were perplexed and grateful, but he didn’t have time to explain in detail.

“The Labyrinth City is under attack by armed forces and undead. Inside the walls, it’s especially dangerous. Search safe place outside the city――”

As Walm sensed a presence from behind and turned around, a blade was approaching right in front of him. Hastily, he stuck out his palm, letting the blade cut in. When he looked at the bad person, it was a hostage who had just been released.

The woman had the characteristic dull red hair, someone he had once seen on the battlefield. As Walm clutched the dagger with his stabbed hand, she pulled out a second dagger from her waist and shrieked.

“DIIIEEEEE!!!”

Walm thrust the halberd he held in one hand.

The woman’s throat split open and blood poured onto the floor. Falling from her knees, she dropped silently into a pool of blood. And, her dull red hair was dyed vermilion.

Moving his eyes from the silent woman in front of him to the bound ones, Walm declared.

“Are you all, also friends with these guys? I’ve killed them. If you want to play revenge, I don’t mind.”

Those whose hands and mouths were blocked made a gesture, while those whose mouths were free proclaimed their innocence.

Walm pulled the dagger out of his palm and handed it to one of the hostages he had freed.

“You do the rest.”

TN : The woman most likely Lycka, the fire magic-user of Guisto’s group who ran away to report the incident at the Carorolaia Mine to Giesel.

TN: Join my discord channel if you want.

147. Chapter 147

Born into a Marquis family, Trio Borgia was a man who understood his role well. The current head of the family, Trio’s father, and the next head of the family, his older brothers, had the appropriate intelligence, character, and health. Trio, the third son of the Marquis, was their spare.

Trio received an education appropriate for someone from a Marquis family and learned etiquette. When his father retired and his brother sat in the position of head of the family, he was expected to act as a supporting member of the family. In the future, he would be entrusted with the territories on the outskirts of the Labyrinth City, or he would be married away to someone from the surrounding nobles and strengthen the connection.

That said, there was always a chance, albeit a very small one.

Trio didn’t skimp on the knowledge and behavior training necessary for the head of the family. He wasn’t at war, nor was he ambitious enough to usurp power. He had neither the power, nor the money, nor the army to begin with. Even what could be called a faction of him was only a tenuous existence.

Only useless training and knowledge were accumulated. Nevertheless, Trio didn’t lazy around. His older brother was excellent and in good health. His father, the head of the family, was still active. There was also no war of inheritance either. In short, what a waste of effort he had been doing. He could just play around. In fact, Trio had heard similar talk from his father’s and brother’s retainers.

Hearing it, Trio felt anger and shame. But above all, he gave up because it was an accurate impression. If he forgot his status and challenged the Labyrinth every day, the impression would only get affirmed further. Nevertheless, his innate nature couldn’t throw away the role he was meant to play. The days of giving up while he kept impatience at bay. This was what human life, his life, was supposed to be like. Even if Trio lamented his privileged status, it would only be a shameful and extravagant problem.

The bustle of the city quietly filtered in through the window. It was an extraordinary day. For the first time since the Unification War, a ceremony was held to celebrate the birth of the conqueror from Belgana. Even in the history of the Labyrinth City, this was a remarkable event. As a testament to the conqueror’s power, the Labyrinth City which now had attained the rare resources of the deep floors, would surely continue to develop. And even, the information brought by the conqueror, the Trimagitack, could produce the second and third conquerors.

Trio dropped his gaze to the book he was reading. It was a history book from the time before the Archipelago obtained the Labyrinth City. Ironically, while the new history was being written, Trio was looking at the old history book.

The Labyrinth City had brought prosperity to the people, but at the same time, endless wars. The biggest battle was the Unification War, which was fought a century ago. Dozens of nations and communities fought and eventually divided into spheres of influence centered on three big countries. According to one theory, the number of dead soldiers in the entire Unification War was 500,000, and scholars were divided on how high the number would be if citizens were included.

It was said that in Belgana alone, the fiercely fought area, well over 100,000 soldiers exposed their viscera. There were various theories as to the cause of the intensification, but one of them was that the Gundor family, a respected family of necromancers and the ruler of Belgana at the time, fueled the savagery of both armies through their relentless resistance.

There was a frowned-upon story about what the Gundor family did. It was said that they turned people into explosives, targeted commanders and key points, turned the corpses and discarded bodies into undead, and incorporated monsters into the bodies of their own soldiers. The defense and the justification emphasized that the soldiers, who had been denounced for doing a vicious act and were filled with hatred and fear, had rampaged and thus massacred soldiers and civilians.

Trio didn’t know what the correct answer was. For each community had different values and perspectives. And even the history book he was reading had been written by a scholar from the victorious Archipelago.

After reading the book, Trio turned his gaze to the slum that spread outside the window of his room and thought about what he had just read. The residents, who had limited access to books, had forgotten the terrible war. The only people who remembered it were those who specialized in history and those involved. Even his family didn’t really care. Trio, who had a certain outsider’s perspective and knew the details of history, was the only exception.

In the face of past history, Trio allowed himself to drift in a sea of thoughts, but then realized that it was useless. He who had no power couldn’t choose the fate of the city, nor could he change it. He was nothing more than a spectator.

Sitting in an armchair, Trio let out his breath. Unchanging room, boring ceiling. As he deciphered books and conversed indirectly with scholars, his day of idleness came to an end.

Trio closed his eyes and fell asleep under the sunlight streaming through the window, but his consciousness quickly returned as he heard loud explosions and screams.

It couldn’t be a trivial matter, Trio thought as he picked up the sword leaning against the wall and opened the door leading to the corridor. His goal was a command post where generals and officers were constantly stationed.

Passing through many corridors and slipping through the frenzied servants, Trio continued to walk.

As Trio got closer to his destination, a sour stench drifted to his nostrils. The smell was like the entrails that came out when dismantling prey in hunting.

Quickly, Trio slipped around the corner.

The passage leading to the command post was always guarded by four or more soldiers. In addition, the immaculately maintained and polished marble floor gave the command post a serenity that didn’t allow for easy entry.

Trio, seeing the supposedly strict passageway, was speechless. The white wall of the passage was painted unevenly with vermilion color. What lay scattered there was something that was a human being. There were some that relatively maintained their original form, but no one still breathing.

Trio hesitated, but he made up his mind and stepped forward. A sticky liquid clung to the soles of his shoes as he walked along.

Then, Trio found the large door with silverwork was damaged from the inside. He threw the sword in his hand into the broken crack and yanked the door open. A very foul stench overflowed the room and sought another place to spread.

The command post was even worse than the corridors. Many of the dead who sank into the pool of blood were missing parts of their bodies. They were either dead on the spot or bled to death. And even those who appeared to have only minor injuries were writhing in agony with their eyes opened wide before they finally died.

As Trio carefully squinted his eyes, he could see some white things mixed in with the blood-stained metal pieces.

Now, those inside the room who survived the disaster could be counted with fingers.

“What happened!?”

Trio called out to the soldier, who stood still as if sleepwalking. As if the soldier had just woken up from a dream, he answered in a flustered manner.

“I-I don’t know. Human, suddenly exploded. When I realized, it, became like this.”

Trio, who had a sense of déjàvu of the word “human” and “explosion”, realized its true nature.

“……necromancy magic-style human bombs.”

An event written only in history happened right before Trio’s eyes. He couldn’t help but feel an ominous promotion. Even the command post in the main castle, considered the best protected in the city, was in this state. And the ceremony took place in the hall. Though it was guarded, it was crowded with VIPs. An imminent crisis was certain.

“Are there, any operators left?”

“Yes, but, only me.”

“Connect to the ceremony site, which is the guild. Father and brothers must return to the castle immediately and take command. Share this information as soon as possible.”

The movements of the communications operator were slow. During the daily exercises, his colleague suddenly exploded and the command post was partially destroyed. Very unexpected indeed.

But if the soldier didn’t move because of something unexpected, what was a soldier for anyway? Trio grabbed him by both shoulders and looked him in the face. Fortunately, his own hands weren’t shaking.

“Take a deep breath, and calm your mind. You’re the only one who can do it.”

The communications operator staggered back to his seat, as if these words had been blasted directly into his eardrums, and began the operation. His movement after starting the work was fast.

“Test, test, this is the main castle…… Yes, there was a similar explosion here… A high-ranking commander? Trio-sama is giving commands right now… Eh? That’s, no way…”

The communications operator, clenching his teeth and having rough breathing, told Trio.

“…… I’m really sorry, but… Marquis-sama, who was participating in the ceremony, has, has passed away. Those of the Borgia family, including the eldest son, were also hit by human bombs.”

“Father and older brothers ―― have died?”

Feeling dizzy, Trio endured his emotions with all his might. The more the conveyed meaning permeated his brain, the more its gravity weighed him. After all, if his father, brothers, and blood relatives who were participating in the ceremony were really wiped out, the right of inheritance of the Borgia family would fall to Trio all at once.

“Similar damage has been done to important facilities in the city, and in addition, a large army of undead and armed forces has emerged from unconfirmed underground bunkers in the city. The surviving 1000-man Commander Edoardo is in command there, but the whole situation is still unknown. Now, we’re all waiting for further orders from Trio-sama.”

The communications operator turned from his chair and looked up at Trio as if leaning forward. Not only he, but all the surviving soldiers and officers looked to Trio.

Trio felt chills at the weight of the eyes directed, the heavy responsibility that was weighed on him.

Exhaling a few breaths, Trio gave an order after regulating his breathing.

“All the units around the guild will be entrusted to Commander Edoardo. While protecting the VIPs, we will begin mopping up the enemy forces as soon as we’ve gathered our strength. Besides the operator, leave two people here. As for the other, Gather the soldiers!! Don’t forget to request support from those at the border and surrounding areas!”

The soldiers obeyed the voice, which surprised Trio, and rushed out of the room.

What Trio could do as an ordinary person was limited. Nevertheless, he took his role and fulfilled his purpose as a spare. Just like that, the days of rotting in his room came to an end without any warning or consideration.

TN: Join my discord channel if you want.