Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 037
Chapter Title: Army of Death #2
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“Tell me about Undaine Citadel!”
Before deploying on the Ether table.
Instructor Rose asked me this question while the squad members were gathered.
What kind of place was Undaine Citadel again?
“It's a strategic key point, but a horrific plague swept through, making it uninhabitable for humans, right?”
“Exactly! Humans can't live there! But demons can!”
Clap clap.
The instructor clapped to draw attention.
“You're going to be rolling around with those demons today, so gear up and get ready!”
They said the officer academy has a large Ether table that allows for mass simultaneous deployments.
Up to 24 people at max?
'Feels just like a game.'
A forgotten memory resurfaced.
In the game [Night Diver], some raid content allowed up to 24 participants.
These super-large raids had juicy rewards.
They were my main source of income, too.
Hehehe.
I was rubbing my palms in anticipation all around when Instructor Rose said gravely,
“Keep this in mind. Among the Blessed, those at your level—early 10s—have the highest mortality rate. The moment you think you're used to it is the most dangerous.”
Ssssh.
I felt like we were slicing through dark fog and clouds.
This feeling!
How I'd missed the sensation of heading into Night Land!
When I came to, we were standing before the grand main gate of an incredibly majestic citadel.
“Whoa, the size is insane...!”
No exaggeration—the structures were mountain-sized.
Just standing before them made my legs shake.
“Twice as big as that Black Fortress we saw last time!”
Practically city-sized.
But a nauseating stench wafted over, and a fishy taste lingered on my tongue.
Hehe-ferret.
“Bro, this is architecture from centuries ago. Built during the golden age of civilization, so of course it's huge and majestic!”
This ferret bastard.
Why's he acting like he knows?
I suspected bullshit, but Priest Barturi nodded.
“The ferret must've paid attention in class?”
“Heh. If you can freely mix truth and lies, you can fool most people!”
Even among thieves like the ferret, there were plenty of smart studs.
Guys like him usually ran scams—good money, and everyone envied them.
“The citadel's main gate.”
Manja Knight, the oldest in the squad, looked up.
Manja was a warrior nearing sixty, dreaming of a knighthood.
“The moat's deep! Even if we cross that pond, breaching those thick gates without siege weapons is impossible.”
“There'll be a bypass.”
“Big citadels like this always have sewers or drainage channels.”
The warriors chimed in with their opinions.
They were all level 10 vets in their own right, looking cool and professional.
I couldn't just stand there after being appointed squad leader by Instructor Rose.
Time to drop a cool line myself.
“Good, everyone's doing great. Keep it up.”
They all glanced at me.
“Guess we gotta look for the drainage channel.”
“I agree.”
Then they went back to strategizing, but I spotted a guy who didn't fit in with the group.
He was a human pushing thirty—they called him Rat.
On account of his rat-like small build.
“Rat, what's up?”
“I-I-I'm gonna d-die. For sure... I won't be any help.”
This guy, pulling this crap again!
“You're a mage, right? This is where you'll shine most!”
I knew full well how devastating Hermit's firepower was.
Better than all my shadow tricks, serpent blood, and throwing knives—Hermit just snapping off a spell hit harder.
Mages were that broken!
Damn, wish I were a mage!
But Rat, blessed with such an OP class, still lacked confidence.
“I-I never even studied magic properly... Not nobility either... Won't be much help.”
“What's nobility got to do with it here?”
“N-Noble mage f-families can inherit blessings. Kids of noble mages become mages generation after generation. They i-inherit the 'mana circuits'...”
So if your parents are loaded right, you become a mage!
What a lucky bunch.
“Top mages often contract with major idols or whole family lines... Whereas the idol I lucked into, Juferi... is just... a rat.”
Rat's contracted idol was 'Juferi,' a palm-sized rat pup.
Rat, rat idol, Juferi.
Easy name to remember.
As I thought that, Rat kept mumbling in a shrinking voice.
“Not a famous idol... The blessings it bestows are lame, so all I can do is spread flu-like diseases or...”
“No helping it. Just hand over a million Ether.”
“A million Ether?”
“Yeah, I'll protect you if shit hits the fan.”
Rat glanced at me slyly, then bolted.
Even while whining about dying, Ether was too precious.
“Found the waterway here!”
Someone waved frantically.
A guy with a bow—class 'Ranger.' Good at pursuit and scouting, they said.
Honestly, felt like a thief subclass.
Thieves do all that plus pick locks, right?
'Hehe, I'm better than that guy.'
Mages made thief seem lame.
But seeing a ranger? Thief felt pretty solid.
“Alright, let's go in!”
“Lower the rope!”
We rappelled down a rope into the drainage channel deep in the moat, infiltrating the citadel.
Splash splash.
But the citadel was so massive, this sewer alone was huge and labyrinthine.
Hard to navigate—everyone was spinning in circles.
'Miss Hammer's magic map.'
How long did we trudge through the damp sewer?
Then I saw people standing stock-still.
Motionless, perfectly still.
My sensitive nose caught a revolting, putrid stench.
“Urk.”
As I dry-heaved, the eldest, Manja Knight, shouted.
“—They're Akham!”
—Groooar!
—Kya aaaak!
As the things lunged at us, their forms came into view.
Flesh rotting and sloughing off—utterly horrific!
'Those are Akham...!?'
Living corpses!
“Dogs!”
“Rats too!”
“Fuck, what kinda skeleton is that!”
Countless zombies.
Plenty of bare skeletons too.
Clang, thud!
In the instant melee, Priest Barturi yelled.
“Injured, come to the priests! Untreated wounds early on will turn you into one of them via plague!”
I hurled throwing knives, dropping zombies.
Whoosh whoosh.
One toss, one down—fun as hell!
Clink!
Clink!
+100 Ether
+100 Ether
+100 Ether
Fuck, total Ether party!
I'm rich!
The cadets, panicked by the Akham assault at first, were amazed now.
“No way, Ether drops this generous?”
“What's up? Something bugged?”
“Loot later! Block these fuckers first—argh! Shoulder bit!”
The corpse horde kept coming endlessly.
Then the poor ranger tapped my shoulder.
“Squad leader! Snap out of it! The whole citadel knows we're here now! This is the real deal!”
“Real deal?”
“Yeah! The Akham will send high-grade collectibles!”
“High-grade collectibles?”
What the hell?
The knowledgeable ferret explained.
“Akham's originally the name for the puppeteer controlling these corpses! These bodies? All puppets to it!”
“High-grade collectibles are even better corpses or something?”
“Yep!”
An army of death that grows by slaying and absorbing the living.
That's Akham.
Even MLMs ain't this evil!
“Can the Empire win against these?”
Scary knowing shit like this lurks beyond the Great Wall.
If even one sneaks inside via plague?
Oof, nightmare fuel!
“Akham seem invincible, but there's ways. Like—”
Hehe-ferret.
“Aaack!”
Someone screamed.
Rat.
Shaking, he pointed into the dark sewer...
“Hehehe.”
“So densely packed.”
“Coming in force? Officer academy picnic?”
“Reminds me of old times—”
Strangers smirking at us.
Warriors with massive weapons, staff-wielding mage, light-armored dagger user, dual-wielders.
Classic explorer party makeup.
But their bodies reeked of rotting flesh.
“Fuck, high-grade collectibles!”
“Hold the line!”
“Arghhh!”
Warriors formed a wall.
Solid on its own, but their mage was the problem.
“With so many corpses, shall we? [Bone Spear].”
Corpses and bones on the floor twisted grotesquely before the rotting mage.
Crunch, grind.
They formed thick spikes human-sized...
Whoosh.
They rocketed out, smashing warriors.
“Argh!”
“M-My arm!”
Screaming warriors.
Blood scent pierced my nose.
Priests like Barturi raised hands high.
“Merciful sun, grant your blazing light!”
“Light!”
“[Sun's Barrier]!”
Kwaaaa.
A dazzling dome barrier erupted before us instantly.
The rotting warrior tapped it, clicking his tongue.
“Hoh, this batch's priests are especially skilled?”
“Three coordinating? It'll hold maybe an hour.”
“Hehe, when the barrier drops, split the priests and feast.”
Realization hit.
Akham's terror: they knew our strategies and tactics too well.
They were once explorers!
“No need to drag this out—join us, become one.”
“We don't need Ether to level.”
“Taxes to the Emperor? Waste.”
“Join us, no need to eat.”
They even slyly poked our weaknesses!
'No Ether needed to level?'
Just like those devilkin Erdarli!
Why so many freeloaders in this world?
Fuck, I was pissed!
“You traitors to humanity! I'll kill you all!”
I roared in fury.
Everyone exploded in cheers like fireworks.
“For His Imperial Majesty—!!!”
“For the Empire—!!!”
Cool even in this mess, shouting together.
Unity?
This is why people do military training.
Tap.
Ferret grabbed my shoulder.
His face flushed too.
“Bro! No time for this!”
“Then what!”
“I told you earlier? Akham ain't invincible! Somewhere nearby's the lord overseeing these—Akham's foreman!”
Foreman.
Like a subcontractor managing under the boss.
Akham have those too?
“Kill the foreman, and these go inert?”
“Bro, quick on the uptake! Problem is finding the bastard here! Gonna take time!”
My brain sparked.
'Shine here, rack up points? Top 5 graduation shot.'
Nice.
“I'll find it. Good at this stuff.”
I spat into my palm.
Saw which way the spit flew.
“That way!”
Ferret straightened.
“Damn— that work?”