Episode 123: The King of the Dead (2)
Suddenly I asked Abel.
“But when you killed the undead earlier, you said ‘I’m sorry’, right?”
“… What, did you hear that on the street?”
Abel’s eyes widened. I responded indifferently.
“Because I have a bit of a keen ear.”
“If you can hear someone talking to themselves from 20 meters away, isn’t that pretty much a supernatural ability?”
In reality, I gained five senses close to supernatural powers thanks to the [Protection of the Sword God] buff, but anyway.
To begin with, it is a world overflowing with blessings and magic.
It was funny to see Abel so surprised and say ‘superpower’.
From my perspective as an Earthling, the swordplay she displayed seemed more unrealistic.
Abel said with a short sigh.
“It’s a habit from long ago. My father used to say that. They say even a single blade of grass has life in it, and it’s the same even if it’s a demon.”
“They were undead earlier. They were already corpses.”
“That’s why we must be even more respectful. Do you know why heroes are reluctant to subdue the undead?”
“Isn’t it because it’s a humanoid demon? Because it feels like killing someone.”
“It feels like murder… half right and half wrong.”
I don’t know the detailed settings for the demons. It’s not really important information for subjugation.
I knew it was a humanoid demon, but I knew it little by little. It was even written that way in the demon encyclopedia.
Abel said.
“Undead were originally human. They didn’t all start out like that.”
“… He was a human? But why is he like that now?”
“I don’t know the exact circumstances. But as you know, Sword Master, the undead only appear here.”
Abel tapped the pavement with his foot and continued his explanation.
“That means – it’s a matter of location. People who flow in end up like walking corpses. I don’t know why, but there’s definitely something here.”
Abel’s hypothesis was quite sharp.
If what she says is true, there is definitely a mastermind behind it, and it is most likely ‘Draug’. It also roughly matches the effect of that damned spell.
I listened to Abel’s words. Such small words can later become meaningful clues.
Suddenly Abel snorted.
“And by the way, isn’t it funny that the undead are called demons? They’re not people anymore, they’re ‘evil beasts’. Also, have you ever seen an article about the undead coming out of the dungeon and attacking people like other demons?”
I’ve definitely never heard anything like that or seen any articles about it.
Because the undead were evil creatures that had no harmful effects whatsoever despite their hideous appearance.
There are frequent reports of gentle buffaloes injuring humans.
Abel frowned. She spoke in a tone that seemed quite displeased.
“In the end, it was the living, or rather the Hero Association, who arbitrarily assigned harmfulness to the undead. That’s why the heroes who know the truth are reluctant to subdue the undead. Calling a dead person a demon is completely insulting to the deceased.”
I felt puzzled by those words. After all, didn’t Abel kill the undead? And he killed five of them at once.
Just as I was thinking about that.
“… Still, since we’ve entered this place, it’s essential to subdue the undead. After all, we came here with a purpose. It’s unfortunate, but we can’t just avoid them.”
Abel muttered as if he had read my thoughts. At this point, I seriously doubt if he was mind-reading.
For a moment, a look of shock crossed her face. Then she shook her head and quickly regained her composure.
“Anyway, praying for the repose of your soul is the least I can do. That’s all. After all, a swordsman is someone who cuts down enemies who block his path.”
Abel finished speaking and turned his head forward. She calmly walked forward.
“… … .”
I stared blankly at his back for a while.
‘Because I have a personality where thoughtfulness and violence coexist… … .’
They say that children grow up looking at their parents’ backs.
Abel was growing to resemble his grandfather frighteningly.
* * *
I had guessed it when I saw it from outside, but this dungeon was much larger than I had imagined.
“Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh.”
The undead appeared in a chaotic formation. It was so sloppy and slow that it was embarrassing to even call it a surprise attack.
Suck it up―
Abel’s shoulders shook. The light cut through the vocal cords of six undead. The heads that fell to the floor crumbled helplessly.
While I was taking in that scene, I tilted my head.
It felt strange.
What should I say, do they really have the intention to attack and rush in?
The way he approached us with his arms outstretched seemed to be welcoming us.
Abel must have felt the same way as I did, because his expression grew darker as he continued to cut. And his silent prayers toward the corpses continued longer than before.
‘It’s a strange dungeon in many ways.’
It wasn’t just the presence of the Draugr, but a fundamental difference that was felt. A sense of discomfort came over me.
‘… Now that I think I’m getting close to the depths of the dungeon, I should go check it out for a mid-term inspection.’
I closed my eyes. It was a meditation I had done while sitting in meditation.
Clear your mind and erase your senses one by one.
Condensation before expanding the sensory sphere. Focusing the nerves to project a clearer image into the mind.
The process was done nimbly and intelligently. It was the moment when the results of meditation practice were revealed.
At the time, I thought it was a useless thing that would wear out the crucible… … .
I felt my five senses sharpened like an awl. It is not enough to stop here. I need to radiate my senses more widely.
[Protection of the Sword God] gathers the power to the critical point. Immediately afterwards, [Protection of Transfer] spreads the power in all directions.
Woof woof woof.
I closed my eyes. One, I was observing this area. My infinitely expanded field of vision looked around every corner of the dungeon.
How many undead lurk ahead, which way to turn at the fork in the road, where the draugr might be sleeping.
All that information was projected clearly into my head.
Just like bats use ultrasound to find their way through caves, the waves bounce off the walls and ceiling and become my compass.
So, I looked at about 30% of the dungeon geography using [Protection of the Sword God] as a catalyst.
At this point, I was wondering if I would even need a map anymore. I was soon to be a human GPS.
Of course, it was impossible to use it without any effort because of the physical burden. If I calculate it, I think the maximum number of times a day would be about two.
That was when.
‘…What is that?’
One of his eyebrows, which had been closed, twitched. Fifty meters ahead, a figure was waving his hand in my direction.
At first, I thought they were undead. There was no way anyone other than us could live in this lifeless place. There was no way even the robbers would set up shop in a place like this.
I took out the sashimi and said to Abel and Shail.
“I think there’s something like a person ahead.”
“…There are people in a place like this?”
I nodded silently. The sound was getting closer. It was not a situation where I could add anything.
The two of them seemed to understand and kept their mouths shut. They also drew their weapons without making a sound.
… buck, buck… buck.
The footsteps were unsteady. It was a cold sound that did not convey the flow of life. However, it was completely different from other undead.
I didn’t rush out. It was a yard that depended on small hand lights. I couldn’t rush to an unknown opponent like a moth.
Uh… Buck.
Finally, the creaking sound stopped 10 meters away.
As if he had been waiting, Shayle lit the front with his flash. Immediately, a clear view was secured.
“now-!?”
“What, what is that?”
The pupils that had shrunk due to dark adaptation suddenly dilated. Confusion crossed our faces.
“Eww, eww, eww… … .”
An undead(?) was blocking the light by covering its face with both hands.
He looked at me with his legs shaking like a frightened man.
Abel pretended not to swing his sword. She muttered back.
“Undead… are you?”
“It seems a little different, miss.”
As Shail said, it was different from before. I should say the condition was good.
Even for an undead, the joint positions were fairly normal. The flesh was also quite attached to the skeleton, so at first glance, it looked almost human.
But the lower part of the face was particularly badly rotten. The tongue hung limp like a purple towel, and the jawbone was barely hanging on.
‘That’s about it, huh. Compared to other undead that are closer to skeletons… … .’
As our gazes exchanged between the three of us, the undead groaned again.
“Eurangraeooreogangreokal.”
I scratched my head with the base of my sword. The undead shrugged its shoulders violently.
Isn’t that a gesture of fear? If you even move your hand, your arm will quickly extend further. It must be a clear expression of non-resistance.
I asked Abel and Shail.
“It seems like you still have some self-awareness left, what do you two think?”
“… Oh, judging by the reaction.”
Abel looked very embarrassed. She had always been the one who cut him down whenever he came out.
Suddenly, an undead that acts like a human pops out. Abel’s mind must be in complete confusion right now.
Shail spoke on behalf of the hesitant Abel.
“It could be an intelligent demon disguised as an undead. I think it would be best to subdue it here.”
“Eww, eww, eww… …!”
The undead waved its hand. It seemed like it had something to say, but its jaw was completely shattered and it couldn’t protest.
I stared at the undead for a moment, thinking.
The guy in front of me doesn’t look dangerous at all even if you just look at him.
Of course, as Shail said, there is a possibility that there will be a dagger.
However, if not, the story is different.
An undead with remaining intelligence. If you do it right, you could probably act as a guide through this filthy, vast undead dungeon.
If so, it is absolutely necessary for me. Even if I look around with a guardian, if I have a guide, I can reduce the waste of time.
Plus, if you’re lucky, you might even get some information about ‘Draug’.
‘… But I wonder if he can properly serve as a guide because his chin is like that.’
I stared at the undead for a long time before speaking.
“I will save you.”
“… but it can also be dangerous.”
“There’s some truth to what Mr. Shail said. To be honest, I don’t see it as something that would harm him. And I’m not saying we should just let him live.”
Abel and the undead’s eyes widened at my words. Abel was pretty, but the undead was disgusting.
anyway–
“I thought it might be a guide since it seemed intelligent. I was getting tired of walking and it seemed like I was just going around in circles.”
“… If possible, the time would definitely be shortened. But a little… … .”
Shayle suddenly glanced at the undead. The undead was still shivering like a puppy soaked in rain.
His gray-white pupils were fixed only on Shail’s iron skewer.
“… … .”
Shail sighed and said to him.
“Okay, I understand. What do you think, Miss? Do you agree with what the Sword Master said? If you don’t like it, just say no. I’ll take care of it right away.”
“Oh, no. I was just confused because I’ve never seen an intelligent undead before.”
Abel took a deep breath and shook his head with a bitter expression.
“The author must have been human after all. I want to avoid unnecessary interference.”
“Yes, if that is what you wish, Miss.”
Shail finished talking to Abel. She observed the undead carefully and then spoke to me.
“But, Master Swordsman. That undead doesn’t look like it can speak… … . I have always thought that communication is important for guides… … .”
“Oh, that’s okay.”
“…yes?”
I turned my back on them and approached the undead. The sound of their bones trembling was loud.
The undead only looked up at him with its eyes. He spoke to him calmly.
“Even if it stings, bear with it.”
“?”
He took off the scabbard with a flick of his hand.
As the blade began to glow.
[The level of your spirit rises as you demonstrate chivalry.]
Kwajik!
“Tangle!”
The sword hilt was stuck in his chin.
[The protection of rebirth is manifested.]
