Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Evil Ghost
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How utterly ridiculous.
Just moments ago, the situation had been overwhelmingly against us.
The Royal Knight Order, the strongest in close combat.
The Magic Inquisitors, anti-mages.
The kingdom's greatest force and combination, blending sword and magic, had us cornered.
Yet, with just two people joining us, the veiled path to victory revealed itself, and the scales began to tip.
Of course, victory here didn't mean wiping them all out or slaughtering them.
"Do not kill. Just clear a path."
"Pardon?"
"What?"
The two turned sharply toward me again. Displeasure was etched plainly on their faces.
"But Professor, these are the bastards who tried to kill you. I was planning to rip them limb from limb and feed them to the dogs."
"Master, a fight without flowing blood isn't a fight to me. It's just child's play."
They had such different vibes, yet arrived at the same conclusion. It was oddly fascinating.
They were being so brazen, leaving me feeling deflated, but I gave a firm response.
"Shut up and follow me."
Wild horses like these needed to be reined in roughly together. They'd obey me in the end anyway.
"Hng! Got it, Professor!"
Aria wore an ecstatic expression. Thrilled, she thrashed about wildly, swinging her sword.
It was playful, yet even that exuded pressure.
She wasn't the second-playthrough protagonist who'd seen the ending for nothing.
"Hah, my interest just plummeted. Well, this axe is so crappy it probably couldn't even scratch their armor."
Pindenai sneered at Darius's axe in her grip. Then she tossed the box from her back to me.
"Oh, right. Take this."
"......"
The box tumbled noisily across the ground to my feet. The moment I saw it, my brows furrowed sharply.
"Don't you know what's inside?"
"I do. How the hell did you know about that hidden spot?"
The item I'd sent Aria and Pindenai specifically to secure ahead of time.
Depending on the perspective, it could be considered the most precious item on the continent, yet she handled it so casually. Truly Pindenai.
Since I needed someone to hold onto it, I handed it straight to Deia behind me.
"It's important. Hold onto it well."
"Huh?"
Deia wouldn't contribute much to the fight with her mana rifle.
Just then, the Scrap Merchants' trio dashed past me.
"Boss! Long time no see!"
"Kya! Still rocking that gear?"
"The kingdom goons are gonna flip!"
Pindenai grinned mischievously at her rushing comrades.
"You brats, grab your weapons quick. Don't embarrass the Scrap Merchants."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The trio, who'd been listless moments ago, now brimmed with energy upon joining Pindenai.
"Reinforcements, eh?"
Roc Pelican stood beside me, stroking his beard as he asked. I nodded slightly and replied with conviction.
"Those two will buy us plenty of time."
"They're no ordinary lot, that's for sure. Especially that young girl... even I can't gauge her depths."
Aria had already engaged, storming the Magic Inquisitors like a tempest.
Specialized against mages, the Inquisitors forced her to rely purely on swordsmanship.
"Be grateful for the Professor's mercy. I was going to kill you all here."
In particular, Magic Judge Tairn's movements seemed sluggish, his injuries from our earlier fight not fully healed, making it even easier for her.
"Urk!"
"The Professor isn't someone you can mess with."
Moreover, having retrieved the item I'd requested, Aria now wielded her own sword as well—the unique item known as the Sword of Nibelungen.
By comparison, Pindenai's side felt a bit lacking.
She lacked all the gear she'd used as a chapter boss.
"Please support my maid's side. Aria can handle herself."
"Hrm, got it."
Roc Pelican's mana roared across the ground once more. A poor matchup against the Inquisitors, he'd prefer facing the knights.
"Shall I go too?"
Darius drew his sword and strode forward. He glanced at Pinden A's knight group, hesitated, then turned toward Aria's side.
"Ugh, still scaredy-catting."
Deia clicked her tongue at Darius, scarred by his memory of Pindenai.
But I placed a hand on Darius's shoulder as he headed for the Inquisitors.
"Break through the knights. Follow me closely."
Darius could clear the path up front well enough, so I'd called him specifically.
I beckoned Deia too, signaling her to stick behind.
"Me too?"
"Yes. You have something to do."
Unintended as it was, the item in the box Deia carried was the most effective for resolving this incident.
As we moved to breach the Royal Knight Order—
Boom!
Pindenai's axe clashed with Gloria's crimson greatsword. Amid the explosive roar, the two moved in perfect sync, as if rehearsed.
"Out of my way!"
Regrettably, Knight Commander Gloria held the edge.
Pindenai grew stronger the longer the fight dragged on, so maybe later, but for now, Gloria dominated clearly.
"What bullshit!"
Yet Pindenai's eyes burned undimmed. She laughed as if it were more fun, unleashing varied maneuvers.
Her fluid movements shredded the knight's rigid, static style.
It was an acrobatic feat born from Pindenai's life of resistance, facing countless crises.
Even as she suddenly avoided direct clashes, Gloria swung calmly.
Her honest, solid form epitomized knighthood.
But sadly, Pindenai valued results over flair.
Her white hair fluttering as she retreated, a massive hand erupted from the earth, engulfing Gloria.
"This petty magic!"
Gloria's sword flashed, shattering the hand into a pile of dirt.
But Pindenai, hidden in the mound, struck true—right into Gloria's chest.
The axe's edge dulled beyond use as a weapon, so she raised her foot.
Her mana, condensed for this single blow, unleashed now.
Boom!
"Kuh!"
Gloria was pushed back far. Yet even this strike left no dent in her armor.
'The gear gap is huge.'
That was all I could think watching.
Then Roc Pelican rushed to my side and shouted.
"Even clearing a path isn't easy. Mind if I use a little trick?"
I instantly grasped his intent and nodded without hesitation.
"Come here, Deia."
"Huh?"
"Sorry."
Deia hadn't expected the call. I wrapped an arm around her waist and signaled Roc Pelican.
"W-What are you doing!"
Startled, Deia flailed to escape, but we were already swept into his gale, soaring skyward.
"I'll leave the landing to you!"
Borne by Roc Pelican's massive wind, we flew straight toward the palace.
Inquisitors and knights midway fired spells and sword auras to intercept.
But the Black Necromancer's magic trailed behind me, and our comrades below covered us.
"Kyaaah!"
The thrill of flight enchanted Deia; she screamed while clinging her arms and legs around my neck and waist.
Deia hampered movement, but I focused on the palace, scouting a landing spot.
The evil spirit possessing King Orpheus exuded such potent aura that the entire palace was steeped in ominous energy.
It went beyond chilling—my heart raced as if reuniting with old foes, evil spirits.
"Hah."
To think my heart still stirred at the sight of them. I chuckled wryly and turned toward the balcony.
A place of memories with Elenoa.
Even landing gracefully with mana, Deia clung koala-like, trembling.
"You're heavy. Get down."
At my words, she snapped to, startled, and dropped off with a few coughs.
"H-Height's scarier than I thought. Way different from just peeking over the railing."
Anyone would fear rising without safety. Pale-faced, I warned Deia.
"Keep that thing on your back safe. I might need your help."
"......Help? What's this?"
I stopped her hand from peeking inside.
"Don't open it. It'll be detected instantly."
Given the massive aura permeating the palace, any gap would reveal it immediately.
"You'll know what it is when you see. You're smart."
"......Yeah."
Did my trust burden her? Deia averted her gaze. I nodded and headed into the banquet hall toward the corridor.
Thud!
Another massive bulk crashed onto the balcony. Unlike our clean landing, it rolled messily, stopping only against the banquet hall wall.
"Oof! Scraped my knee."
Grumbling, Darius sprang up and dusted himself.
"How could I not follow you guys!"
His bold declaration made me blink, then nod as I patted his shoulder.
"Good timing."
Deia and Darius stared blankly, unused to my frank gratitude, but I ignored them and headed to the corridor.
They snapped to and followed.
In the corridor, the Black Necromancer grimaced.
[The aura's intensifying somewhere.]
"Yeah, I feel it too."
"......So you were talking to a ghost?"
Deia finally realized I was conversing with the Black Necromancer. No time to explain.
Invisible to normals, the royal corridor appeared pitch-black with evil spirit aura to my eyes.
Late dawn amplified it—pure darkness, no path or sense of direction.
Annoying.
'The aura's toward the audience chamber.'
I glanced at Deia.
"Can you guide me to the audience chamber?"
"Sure? Not hard......"
"Please."
Evil spirits invisible, so aura too. Deia strode into the dark.
I followed, hand on her shoulder as guide. One oddity nagged.
"No guards?"
"The corridor's empty."
Deia and Darius nailed it. I'd missed it in the dark. I pondered silently, but no answers came.
We reached the audience chamber smoothly.
Feeling the door's texture, I took a deep breath and looked at them.
No need to ask if ready.
Darius's heavy breathing left, Deia's cool scent right.
Creak.
Thus, I opened the door without hesitation.
Unlike outside, the chamber's darkness had lifted. The reason was obvious.
Countless people knelt in worship toward the throne—not just guards, but palace servants lined up.
Residents of staff quarters.
"Wh-What?"
Hearing Deia's gasp, I fixed my gaze ahead.
Follow the carpet—red normally, murky navy at dawn—to the grand throne.
And on it, the cursed king.
A small-horned black face hovered menacingly behind the possessed king's body.
A form of possession.
[You can see me?]
The black face smirked, instantly sensing I'd spotted its true form.
I gestured for the two to retreat, then walked the carpet.
"Yes. Your demonic form is clear as day."
It scoffed derisively.
[Demonic? Fool. I am a demon itself. A transcendent handling eternal life beyond human limits.]
"Don't bluff. If anything, you're midway to becoming one."
[......]
I'd hit a nerve; the black face fell silent.
"How many souls devoured for a mere human head to sprout horns? Beyond my common sense."
[Hundreds of years, precisely. What would a mere necromancer like you know?]
A monster transcending humanity by devouring dormant or wandering souls.
It nodded toward the Black Necromancer shadowing me and grinned.
[You're quite fine. You'll make good nourishment.]
[......]
As a fellow necromancer, even she knew this being was beyond norms, silenced.
The power gap dwarfed even an elite like the Black Necromancer.
Strong.
Undeniably possessing the strength to devour the Griffin Kingdom.
It had surpassed mere evil spirit.
Evil Ghost.
And gazed beyond toward demonhood.
But.
"Ridiculous."
A sneer curled my lips inevitably.
[Owner of Remegaton. Betting on that puny stone?]
It gaped wide, laughing as if ready to devour me.
[Remegaton's core was originally demonic. A blessing and curse granted a boy wishing to save his mother.]
"......"
[Now, I claim it. Such sweet fruit.]
Remegaton in my hand resonated. I raised it and replied.
"Blinded by this trinket?"
[......]
"Necromancers dwell closest to death, yet untouched by it."
The boundary of life and death.
Hearers of both sides from that nearest point.
But the line isn't horizontal—it's vertical.
"The dead are dead. Do not invade the living's realm."
It cackled madly at my words, as if incredulous.
[Teaching me black magic? Necromancy? Now a nameless Griffin demon, but in life, I shook the continent—a mage at forbidden magic's pinnacle!]
"Pointless power."
Its proud boasting suddenly evoked pity.
Ignorance failing to grasp the essence of its lifelong—and afterlife—pursuit.
"Eternal life? Shedding humanity for demonhood?"
[......]
"Fleeing without grasping death's meaning, intent, weight. Third-rate."
Whoosh.
"Denying death despite consorting with the dead—damned mediocrity."
Blue flames erupted from my hand. I already sensed this battle's end.
Fled from death.
Shed human shell.
Become an Evil Ghost.
"Watch and learn, you dullard blind through countless deaths."
Only learning could it take from me.
"No repose for you from me."
Only annihilation awaited it from me.