Spirit (2)
Spirit (2)
All at once, beneath a sky swallowed in black, the undead seethed.
- Grrrrk...!
An undead howled at the sky and lunged, forelegs driving forward.
The tips of its brutal claws aimed for Lee Ha-yul's head. Twisting her body, Lee Ji-yeon whipped her heel into the undead's skull.
- Crash!
With a thunderous noise, its head burst apart into debris.
The undead, its upper body blown away, toppled backward before it could even convulse. More undead surged over the corpse, trampling it as they came.
Lee Ji-yeon stretched out her hand. The mana and vitality energy gathered in her palm burst forth as she savagely raked the empty air sideways.
- Crunch!
Chunks of flesh, sundered into multiple pieces, pattered down onto the ground.
"What is this?"
Face hardening, Lee Ji-yeon pulled Lee Ha-yul tighter against her.
Just moments ago the sky had been nothing but blue. Now it had drowned in black, and shreds of flesh were rolling across the lawn.
'Where did the undead crawl out from?'
It didn't seem like they had a master. If that was the case, then they were naturally spawned undead, but there hadn't been any corpses around here to turn into them.
Bodies buried underground? There was no way Lee Ji-yeon, a Taesan bearer, would fail to detect them.
- S-squelch!
The shredded flesh strewn across the ground shuddered, then began to writhe and clump together of its own accord.
Crunch! Shattered bone fragments fit themselves back together like a puzzle, and muscles and flesh adhered over them in a chaotic jumble.
- Grrrowl...
Dozens of bodies' worth of bones and flesh were kneaded together into one mass, like a meatball.
It was a lumpen mass of flesh so crude that calling it a composite beast would be too generous. It swelled, lumpy and uneven. Inside the mass, vitality energy twisted and distorted.
The precursor to a self-detonation.
As a necromancer, Lee Ji-yeon couldn't possibly fail to recognize that phenomenon. She gathered her power and hurled a palm strike straight at it.
- Boom!
The shock wave of Mountain-Breaking, unleashed through a palm technique, swept over the composite beast.
Confirming that the undead had been obliterated without even a moment to self-destruct, Lee Ji-yeon surveyed her surroundings.
She'd personally dealt with the undead in the immediate vicinity, and used Taesan's Earth Manipulation to process about half of the ones further away.
"Queen."
Kariade stepped closer.
She seized hold of her black mana and flicked her arm out.
- T-t-t-tang!
Arrows of mana embedded themselves in the undead's bodies one after another. Soon after, the arrows, having abruptly swollen in size, opened their mouths wide like beasts and chewed the undead down, swallowing them whole.
Kariade was not a fairy born specialized for combat.
Even so, she possessed enough martial strength to safeguard the King and those around him.
In fact, Kariade had handled about half of the undead during the recent skirmish.
"Though the darkness of night obscures my knowledge of the full circumstances, please enter the barrier for the sake of safety."
"Just a moment."
At Kariade's concerned words, Lee Ji-yeon didn't enter the barrier right away. Instead she scanned the surrounding area.
A sky dyed in darkness like a starless night. Communications severed from the outside.
On all sides, undead were appearing without warning, merging together and even attempting to self-detonate.
No matter how dark the night, one could still tell the immediate situation was serious.
Even if they were going to withdraw from the area, they needed to bring back at least a minimum amount of data.
- I know about it.
"Pardon?"
Just then, Lee Ha-yul, cradled in her arms, lifted his head.
- This situation. I have a rough idea, so let's get into the barrier first.
When Lee Ji-yeon looked down at him, Lee Ha-yul patted her shoulder with his small hand, urging her on.
* * *
Around the giant Fairy Tree, the area was full of fairies.
Having noticed the abnormality outside, Kariade had gathered the fairies in sight and led them to the Fairy Tree at the center of the barrier.
It was exactly as Kariade had trained them: in an emergency, gather at the central Fairy Tree.
But they couldn't hide the anxiety surfacing on their faces.
Being fairies, naturally attuned to nature and ill at ease with things like the undead, they felt even more discomfort in this situation.
- Something's weird outside right now...
- The sky went totally dark, so— Ah! The King! The Queen!
- Kariade...!
Just as the fairies were on the verge of breaking out in sobs, the moment those figures appeared, their expressions brightened all at once.
- Kariade! Outside is...!
"Yes, I have confirmed it firsthand."
- I-is it okay...? You're not hurt...?
"Please be at ease. I haven't a scratch. And there is nothing to worry about."
It would have been enough to make one's ears hurt, the way the fairies had instantly swarmed them, chattering in confusion. But Kariade shook her head, unshaken.
"What is running amok outside are undead, but mere undead of that level cannot possibly breach the barrier bestowed by the Fairy Tree."
- Okay... Mm, right. Because the Fairy Tree is here...
The Fairy Tree's barrier was outstanding.
On top of that, under the influence of Lee Ha-yul having awakened the innermost talent of the fairies, the already excellent barrier had grown even stronger.
At the very least, there was no worry about it being pierced no matter how many paltry undead swarmed in.
'I installed my spell workshop and barriers all over the area, so I can handle anything that affects the barrier myself.'
Lee Ha-yul gave a small nod of agreement.
Kariade was right. The inside of the Fairy Tree's barrier was safe.
"However, the danger outside the barrier cannot be denied, so everyone, do not stray from the center of the barrier."
- Okay!
Kariade answered calmly, with no hint of agitation in her demeanor.
Watching her composed figure, the fairies' anxiety gradually subsided as well.
"Most of all, our King is with us. What need have we to fear?"
- Mmhm!
The fairies, nodding their heads vigorously, turned their gazes toward Lee Ha-yul.
Lee Ha-yul, held snug in Lee Ji-yeon's arms, flinched, his shoulders trembling slightly.
The object of their faith being this small, cradled in someone's arms, didn't exactly come across as particularly reassuring.
"So do not be shaken. Wait calmly."
At Kariade's instruction, the fairies who had swarmed around her returned to their places.
Watching the fairies settling down meekly on the nearby ground or on tree branches, Lee Ji-yeon spoke with admiration.
"You're very practiced at guiding the children. Given how long you've been leading the fairies, it's only natural, of course."
- Your words are more than I deserve.
Kariade bowed her head.
Lee Ji-yeon offered a small smile in response, then lowered herself onto a thick root the giant Fairy Tree provided. She looked down at Lee Ha-yul, still cradled in her arms.
"Now then... junior, would you be able to explain the situation?"
- Yes... Understood.
Lee Ha-yul, who'd been running his Observation with a throbbing head, nodded.
He had grasped the situation.
Before, it had only been a small suspicion. But the moment space had been isolated and he'd confirmed the undead that had abruptly appeared, he'd become certain.
'It's the Authority of the Dead.'
The boss he'd encountered most often in the original work was precisely the Tower Master of the Dead.
Starting right from the 1st Iteration, he'd met his end at the hands of the Tower Master of the Dead.
Based on that information, he at least knew the functions of the Authority of the Dead.
Most of all, the presence was familiar.
The Twin-headed Poison Dragon that had become an undead and been subjugated during last year's break.
The will that had resided within that thing—he could feel it here, too.
'Why is this mad bastard acting up now?'
Lee Ha-yul clenched his teeth inwardly.
It had only been a few days since the Tower Master of Bitter Cold had pulled his stunts, and now the Tower Master of the Dead was sitting there pulling his own nonsense.
Swallowing a sigh, Lee Ha-yul relayed the rough outline.
It was the story about the invading Tower Masters—something he'd kept hidden until now.
Face rigid, Lee Ji-yeon murmured quietly.
"...Tower Masters are invading..."
Lee Ha-yul gauged her reaction, a hint of concern in his eyes.
- You trust me?
"What reason do I have not to? As you said, I just went through something like that recently."
- Yeah...
The Tower that appeared in the Changhae territory did not wait for climbers. It poured an army corps onto this land.
The Tower's master seized Baek A-rin's body and tried to kill Lee Ha-yul.
There was one son of a bitch who deserved to be chewed up and spat out. Maybe there were two.
"More than anything, it's because you're the one saying it, Junior."
- ...Ahem, thank you for believing me
Lee Ha-yul's cheeks flushed faintly as he coughed. Then, belatedly, he raised his head with a worried expression.
- Shouldn't you be returning to your main family, Lee Ji-yeon? I can't be certain of the range, but a significant portion of the Taesan Territory is probably involved
"The Chonggwalju, the Pure Life Pillar, and the Amak Commander are all still at the main house right now. With those three, there's nothing to worry about even with the family head and myself absent."
Each would lead the Pure Life Unit and the Dark Evil Unit, responding to the situation alongside the 1st Legion that guarded the main family home.
There were also the 2nd Legion, which defended the territory as a whole, and the 3rd Legion, which guarded the border.
If it was Chonggwalju Lee Seon, he would coordinate the legions well even in the poor communications environment.
"I'd like to go back too... but it seems this place is the most dangerous right now."
Lee Ji-yeon let out a deep sigh and turned her head.
The undead were appearing everywhere, but the direction from which they surged most fiercely was the south.
"The south... the Death Vein lies at the edge of the territory."
The Fairy District was located in the southern part of the territory, and the Death Vein was at the territory's southernmost tip.
If this crisis had originated from the Death Vein, the Fairy District would likely straddle the front line.
"......"
Having thought that far, Lee Ji-yeon closed her mouth.
This crisis had erupted not long after Lee Ji-ah had settled at the Death Vein.
Had Lee Ji-ah known of this crisis in advance and tried to resolve it somehow?
Or had she triggered it?
"...For now, I think it would be best if I stayed here and kept the undead from climbing up."
- I agree with that
Lee Ji-yeon spoke, having shaken off the heavy musings.
Lee Ha-yul nodded as well.
'Charging straight into the Death Vein right now doesn't seem like a good option.'
Lee Ha-yul's condition was poor at the moment.
Spirit body or not, this was the state of a newborn who had just come into being.
This unstable and tiny body was not suited for combat.
'And since I left my physical body behind, I can barely use All-Rounder.'
Of course, he wasn't completely incapable of fighting, but it would be difficult if he had to face a Tower Master or their incarnation.
That left one course of action to consider.
'First, break through the isolation and establish a path to the outside.'
He had a plan. He needed to execute the connection between fairy trees he had already thought about, even if hastily.
"Then I'll thin out the undead outside. They've already swarmed disgustingly thick."
Lee Ji-yeon shrugged and spoke as she set Lee Ha-yul down from her arms. At that, Lee Ha-yul deployed Observation.
Through his aching head, information from beyond the barrier flowed in.
'...Disgustingly thick indeed.'
Just as Lee Ji-yeon had said, undead were gathering beyond the barrier like a swarm of bees.
Of course, they hadn't managed to breach the fairy tree's barrier.
Even if they pushed through the fog, they'd just wander lost until the roots caught them and turned them into nutrients.
But because of that, many undead were bypassing the forest and moving north.
Lee Ji-yeon likely wanted to reduce those numbers.
- I'll do it
"No. Look at your condition right now, Junior."
Lee Ji-yeon kneaded Lee Ha-yul's cheek and shook her head firmly.
Those stubby limbs... letting this child-sized Lee Ha-yul fight was out of the question. She could not permit it unless she'd gone mad.
Even setting aside the child's body, hadn't he said he couldn't leave the fairy tree due to stabilization or something? Because of that, Lee Ji-yeon also had no intention of straying far from this area.
- Lee Ji-yeon, I have a really great plan
"No..."
- It's not dangerous. And I can reduce the undead far more efficiently than just trading undead for undead
At the remarkably confident tone, Lee Ji-yeon's hand, which had been kneading his cheek, stopped.
She sensed no lie.
"Is it really safe?"
- Really, really-really safe...
"I'm not sure I believe that."
But given his track record so far, Lee Ji-yeon's eyes narrowed on their own.
* * *
Fortunately, he received permission.
At first Lee Ji-yeon had flipped out and refused absolutely, but once he calmly demonstrated and persuaded her, she reluctantly accepted.
"If anything seems off, I'm charging in right away."
- Yes, don't worry
Lee Ji-yeon issued the warning with steel in her eyes.
But all Lee Ha-yul felt from it was a mountain of concern, so he simply smiled and moved his legs.
After a few steps on his short legs, the fog receded sharply. Before long, the fog vanished, and he took a step beyond the forest.
- Grruurk?
Beyond the barrier, undead truly filled the landscape.
Without exaggeration, seen from the sky, the ground would be entirely obscured.
The sky was full of flying undead as well.
The moment those countless undead perceived Lee Ha-yul, he released the mana he had stockpiled in advance.
His current state was not suited for combat. But moving mana was far smoother and easier than before.
Fwoosh! Pure white mana surged high.
The mana, proclaiming its presence to the darkened world, transformed its innate talent in a single breath.
A murky, blood-crimson hue.
Mana Affinity Expansion Ability
True Blood
- Kuuuung!
The surging mana dissolved stickily like blood, then poured forward like a wave.
- Krruaaak...!
The undead engulfed by the massive wave thrashed and cried out.
It was their death scream.
The swallowed undead were shredded into blood and became part of the Blood Sea.
The Blood Sea, having swelled in size, advanced without pause, engulfing undead and swallowing them into itself over and over.
The number of undead consumed this way was substantial.
But compared to the total, it was less than a handful.
The undead filled the land all the way beyond the horizon, after all.
Lee Ha-yul walked out into the open space the Blood Sea had created. Having put some distance between himself and the barrier, he drew a steady breath.
The mana inside him rippled. His innate talent writhed, having finished preparations for imitation.
The conditions were satisfied.
He had observed thoroughly, had ample information. He had even experienced it firsthand, been driven to the brink of death by it. He simply hadn't had a situation to use it until now.
Lee Ha-yul exhaled deeply and opened his eyes.
From within his murky pupils, a vivid green mana gleam seeped out.
Mana Affinity Expansion Ability
Homogenization
'Twin-headed Poison Dragon, Poison.'
The ground beneath his feet melted.
The rippling mana took on a deep green hue, and from within the menacing venom, a poison mist gradually crept outward.
- Grruk, grrruk!
The undead, sensing the dizzying venom, recoiled and shuffled back. Lee Ha-yul raised both hands high.
Crash! At his gesture, vast mana erupted and covered the sky.
Then, when he brought his hands down, the risen mana plummeted back to earth.
Following the Blood Sea, a poisonous mire swept across the ground.