17. Necromancer
"A bit worried, but easier than I thought."
Unable to see, she'd fretted over what to do if the tombstones were out of sight. She'd joked about it with Bella, but truthfully, that had been Ju Cheong-ah's greatest concern. Undead? The undead weren't even worth worrying about. If Ian had been at her side, she'd have fretted over him getting hurt—but these mere corpses that refused to stay dead? No matter how many times they regenerated, they'd just wear away into a handful of rust on her blade.
In the end, her biggest worry had been whether she could smash every last tombstone. But that fear dissolved far quicker than expected. By slashing at everything in the direction of the sounds and sensations from the undead regenerating.
When an undead fell, it regenerated from beneath the tombstone. So she just timed her strike for that exact moment, cleaving everything there in one go. Cheong-ah gripped her sword in one hand, using the scabbard in the other as a cane to tap the ground rhythmically—shattering tombstones and undead alike as she pressed forward.
How far had she gone like that? Suddenly, a shadow loomed over her, plunging everything into darkness. Of course, blind as she was, Cheong-ah didn't notice.
Even so, she sensed the tremendous force hurtling toward her. She leaped back swiftly. A massive axe crashed into the spot she'd just vacated, pulverizing the ground.
BOOM...!
Dust billowed up, and Cheong-ah lightly covered her mouth with her sleeve.
"Charging in while leaking your energy like that... Whoever you are, you clearly have no talent for ambushes."
-Grrrrrrrrrr.
A hulking monstrosity emerged, growling fiercely from its maw. Easily over nine feet tall. A protruding brow. No ordinary human flesh on its lower jaw and chin—instead, a jaw forged of steel. Trapezius muscles bulging from a neck thicker than most women's torsos. Forearms and thighs like ancient tree trunks, veined and rippling with grotesque muscle. Fists and feet larger than Cheong-ah's head. It screamed brute strength at first glance—like a pint-sized ogre.
But the power radiating from it dwarfed any ogre. At least several times stronger. If Dina had seen it, she'd have dubbed it a Terror Propagator.
From the era when Dina lived—the age of the Demon King and heroes. One of the undead crafted by Evil Spirit Sorcerers, fusing the corpses of monsters onto the bodies of peerless knights or warriors in life.
Blind Cheong-ah couldn't see its form, so she had no clue what loomed before her. But the aura it exuded... The ragged breaths from an undead maw... They told her plainly this was no ordinary foe.
"...This could be dangerous."
Cheong-ah muttered low, tightening her grip on her sword.
A brief standoff. The first to move wasn't Cheong-ah, naturally—but the monster.
-Gwoooo...!!!
With a bellow, it lowered its shoulder and charged. Each step BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!—shattering cobblestones and cement into flying debris.
Surprisingly swift for its bulk. Cheong-ah kicked off lightly, dodging sideways. Then she sprang up, swinging her blade at its neck.
Her strike was blindingly fast; the beast barely reacted before her sword met its throat. But its thick, tough hide... Its sinewy muscles didn't sever. Instead, they rang out like clashing steel, repelling her blade.
CLANG...!
The sword bounced harmlessly away, not even embedding.
"Tch, what kind of skin is that...?"
Her hand trembled from the impact. She'd swung with full intent, yet failed to cut. How long since she'd last met such toughness?
Then—
-Graaaa...!
The beast glanced sideways and swung its axe straight at her. Cheong-ah was still airborne, unable to evade.
She raised her sword to block. SCREEEEECH...!
It stopped the axe from smashing her fragile body. But the sheer force behind it? Impossible to fully halt.
"Ngh...?!"
Her slight frame rocketed away from the blow, slamming into a wall.
BOOM...!
"Guh...?!"
Pain exploded through her from the impact to her back. Agony she'd forgotten, thanks to Ian's ability, now engulfed her entirely. Severe enough she could barely stand.
"Hah, hahk..."
Even so, Cheong-ah forced herself up.
"Cough—cough—."
Even blocking, the shock was immense. Her joints throbbed; her throat burned with blood-mixed viscera.
"...Ptoo."
She spat it out, glaring with bandaged eyes. Still blind, but the killing intent in her gaze screamed her fury.
Feeling that long-forgotten pain snapped her mind awake. I've been too comfortable all this time. Ian's power had numbed the hurt. Wounds healed in moments.
She thought of him inwardly. '...Darling.'
He's probably still out cold. Gotta get back soon...
Clank...
Cheong-ah let one hand drop her sword loosely. Then gripped it two-handed again, assuming her stance. She raised the blade vertically, aligning the tip straight ahead at eye level. Invisible, but she knew it—honed thousands of times.
"Come on, you monster bastard."
Her words unleashed it. The beast roared and charged.
-GAAAAA......!!
Blinding speed again. This time, I'll cut it down.
Cheong-ah dashed forward too. Tap! Light steps—utterly unlike the enemy's ground-shaking mass—propelled her ahead.
"Haaaaah...!!"
Azure sword aura coiled around her blade. The beast swung its axe. Cheong-ah thrust dead-center at the blade's flat.
Power be damned. She'd cleave axe and all.
CLAAAAANG...!
Sword met axe. Cleave it...! Her blade, laden with fierce will, dug into the Terror Propagator's axe.
§
While Cheong-ah battled the Terror Propagator fiercely...
Bella faced a similar plight. Or rather... Far worse.
Smashing tombstones and undead, a new foe appeared before her. A head taller than her. Gaunt frame, long spindly arms and legs. Sharp, elongated claws like an animal's talons.
She'd dismissed it as a frail undead at first. But the moment they clashed, that notion vanished.
Fast. Flexible. Skill rivaling Regina's beastkin style. But those claws targeting vitals? Deadlier still.
-Kiiiiieeeeek...!!
And that fucking shriek with every attack grated her nerves.
Bella was on the defensive, her greatsword wielded one-handed proving insufficient. Inevitably, she took a hit.
Claws pierced her waist. Blood flowed, but she endured.
"Grraaah...!"
Even with her pain tolerance dulled lately by Ian's power, Bella was tough by nature.
"This shit? Barely stings compared to losing an arm, you fuck!"
Gritting her teeth, she pressed on. But...
She lost. To the thing before her.
"Hahk, haaah.... Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK...!"
Profanity spilled endlessly. Blood soaked her from head to toe.
Thud. Legs gave out, knees buckling.
"Fuuuuck..."
Rage boiled; she tried summoning strength amid curses. Futile.
-Kieeeeek, keke...!!
The undead mocked her with its cry, approaching unscathed. Not a scratch—her greatsword had never grazed it.
"Fucking bullshit."
Her lone left wrist dangled in tatters, blood pouring. Claws had severed tendons.
No strength left. "Jeez... damn..."
Death loomed. No escaping it.
Bella bit her lip hard. The beast raised its claws. She closed her remaining eye softly.
'...I'm done.'
Her life flashed before her. She missed Ian.
§
The Terror Propagator's axe clashed with Cheong-ah's sword. In that instant, her will-infused blade bit into the axe-head—
-GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA………!!!!!!!
The beast roared anew, swinging its other arm to smash her side.
"...?!!!"
BOOM...!!
Cheong-ah flew, body cratering into the wall again. Second brutal impact.
"Guhk, cough..."
Too wrecked to rise.
"Hahk, haaahk..."
Ribs shattered at the hit site? Breathing hurt. Arm bones snapped.
"Hic, haaahk..."
-Grrrrrr.
The Terror Propagator thudded closer. At its sight, Cheong-ah's face darkened.
The emotion? 'D-Danger... ous.'
Terror. Fear of defeat.
Battered head to toe, she dragged her unresponsive limbs to flee.
'Run... away...'
But how fast could a broken body move? Limping desperately...
-Grk.
It caught her easily.
"Ah, aaah..."
Heavy shadow engulfed her. Killing intent froze her body.
The beast's hand descended toward her head. Cheong-ah sensed her end.
'Darling...'