Chapter 89

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 89

Chapter Title: Undead Wave (2)

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Despite the panic, Teska—the leader of that party—seemed to have plenty of experience commanding groups. He smoothly assigned our positions and kept barking orders.

"Keria! Buff Haster! Haster! Fire at 11 o'clock!"

"Explosion!"

The moment the mage called Haster finished his chant, the priestess cast her buff on him in perfect sync with Teska's command. A sphere blending white holy light and crimson flames shot toward the clustered undead, detonating in a massive blast.

The undead ignited in flames, creating a gap where the spell had struck. Teska directed us to charge right through it.

"Do you have some kind of plan?!"

"No clue! Either we fight our way through and kill them all, punch a path to the 11th-floor portal, or hold out until rescue arrives!"

Killing them all was impossible. Undead kept pouring out of the lake right up until we'd been on the verge of fleeing.

And rescue... We couldn't count on help from other adventurers. The guild might send investigators once they noticed something was off, but who knew when that would be...

So, our only option was to break through.

"These damn pests!"

Between commands, Teska swung his battle hammer to smash the clinging undead. I stayed by his side, slashing away at them with my sword.

"Huff... huff... Don't you guys have any AoE attacks?"

"We've got bombs and scrolls!"

"Toss them where I signal!"

They were items I'd bought with my entire fortune, prepared for solo labyrinth runs. Among them, I pulled out the 'Magic Explosive Bombs' from the Mage Tower. I'd gotten them to cover my weakness in one-against-many fights... Good purchase.

"12 o'clock!"

I hurled 'three' ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bombs straight at the direction Teska called out.

"What? Wait a sec!"

The explosions rocked the area, heat washing over us. Teska, who'd been staring right at it, squeezed his eyes shut against the flash. I grabbed another bomb from my inventory.

"Use 'em sparingly! Who tosses three at once?!"

"Anything less, and it won't make a dent!"

"Fine, whatever. But we gotta ration 'em now..."

"Throw!"

"Hey!"

I lobbed a fire bomb at the next wave of undead. Light burst forth, flames erupting as several turned to charred husks. And once more, I pulled out three bombs.

"...What the— You're insane! How many do you even have?!"

"Where to next?"

"Uh... 3 o'clock!"

Even flustered, he kept commanding. Teska was pretty damn capable.

I chucked bombs at the called direction. Another flash swept the undead aside in droves.

"G-Good! Gap's open. Let's push toward the portal—even if it's just a bit!"

The relentless blasts pushed back the undead horde momentarily. We bolted toward the portal.

"You okay, though? Those bombs pack a punch—fifty silvers each at least..."

"...My stomach hurts, so shut it."

I had more money than I'd thought.

Some gold from Alensia shoving coins at me under the guise of 'treatment fees' while I lived at her mansion. A few more from selling relics cleared on the 9th floor. Bits from various commissions.

Feeling the need to 'prepare,' I'd emptied my pockets this time, stocking my inventory to the brim.

'...Just in case, but these have safeties—they won't go off in Labyrinth City.'

'Got it. Gimme.'

'Major buildings have spells blocking these magic bombs...'

'I said I get it.'

'Not just that, but all kinds of structures prevent activation...'

'Not for terrorism.'

The seller had eyed me suspiciously when I bought in bulk, but I'd stood firm. And look—didn't need 'em for real? Personal adventurers couldn't buy top-tier power, so I'd gone quantity over quality... Cost a fortune.

Truth was, each bomb's blast was weaker than that Haster guy's spells. Fifty silvers a pop? Total inefficiency.

Eh, whatever...

"Five explosion scrolls!"

"Who carries that many explosion scrolls?!"

If they came in handy, mission accomplished. Life's the priority—what's the point of hoarding? Though now I was the poison-and-bombs guy...

"Br-Breach! Everyone, advance!"

Tearing five scrolls at once unleashed a blast dwarfing Haster's spells. A hole ripped in the undead encirclement. Hope lit the party's faces as we edged toward the 11th-floor escape portal... but mine darkened.

'...The undead are getting stronger.'

If only weaklings kept coming, we could've punched through. But slicing the zombie in front now confirmed it.

The undead overall were leveling up. We'd compensated by upping bomb counts so far, but...

"...Skeleton Commander? Command units now too?"

"...Gods, that's not a Skeleton Mage—is it a Lesser Lich?!"

The spawns shifted. Mid-to-high-tier undead mixed in with the low-level trash.

"Kraaaah!"

"This is nuts—Flesh Golem too...!"

And towering above them: a golem stitched from corpses.

Reeking of rot and curse, shaking the ground, the behemoth topped 10 meters. Biggest I'd faced was a 4-5 meter Stone Golem...

"N-No way... Those are 12th-floor monsters...!"

Gern, trembling as he followed Teska's orders to take out the mages, broke at the sight. Undead instinctively repulsed and terrified the living.

Gern had been shaky since they appeared. Now he hit his limit.

"U-Uwaaaah!"

"What?! Crazy—Gern! Get back here!"

Desertion in the heat of battle.

As tension spiked from the elite undead, Gern—who'd fallen back—suddenly turned and bolted.

Teska yelled at his back, but tears-and-snot-faced Gern sprinted desperately. Portal was close; he figured he could make it solo.

"I-I'm outta here! I ain't dying he—!"

Gern, fleeing alone, got skewered by a bone spear erupting from the ground moments later. Dead instantly.

"...Damn it, Gern, you idiot..."

Watching him die darkened our faces. Already struggling against stronger undead, now down a man—the situation worsened.

"...Change of plans. With this gap, slow advances won't cut it."

"Then?"

"No choice. We run."

On Teska's signal, pale-faced Haster began chanting. The mana buildup screamed 'last spell.' Even with potions, he'd pushed his limit.

I readied my remaining bombs.

"Still got more?"

"Last ones."

"Looks like you've burned through 20 gold already..."

"Then shut up about it."

Survive first.

"On my mark, blow 'em all. Keria, one more buff in you?"

"Should manage once."

"Good. That much explosive power plus Haster's spell? Biggest gap yet. Then buffed, we sprint for the portal. Objections?"

"Gern's body?"

"Leave it. That bastard."

Hiss darted between trees and undead, closing in. Amid the chaos, her agile moves shone—scratches and fatigue showed, but she seemed fine.

"Miss Hiss, that choker okay?"

What worried me was her choker. Surrounded by undead, it'd been blocking curse aura nonstop, now vibrating ominously.

"It'll hold till the portal... probably."

Not reassuring, but no options now.

"Everyone ready?"

Before the dash, we downed buff and heal potions, exchanging nods.

"Now!"

"Fire Rain!"

Haster finished; a magic circle unleashed flames from above. I hurled my remaining bombs without mercy.

"Run!"

Before the blasts faded, we surged toward the portal—no hesitation. Past Gern's crumpled corpse, Keria's white holy power settled over us, mending wounds slightly, strength surging. We leaped through lingering flames.

"Grraaaah!"

"Geggelgel!"

"Don't look back!"

Death's stench chased us. Undead burst from the forest ahead, grasping, but will gone, we shielded vitals and endured, bolting on.

Smart bastards—they swung bone blades at our legs. Resistance skills couldn't absorb it all; shock slammed my thigh, pain lancing. Reflexively, I bisected the attacker.

'Huh? Just now?'

My reflexive swing didn't just cleave it—it nicked the one behind. Range shouldn't have reached... No time! Focus!

"There! Portal!"

Exhausted from the sprint, the portal gleamed welcomingly ahead. Hope blazing, we raced—

"Kyaa!"

"!!!"

Beside me, running abreast, Hiss tumbled. Alarmed check: choker vibrations stopped. Her leg blackened, rigid.

...Curse! Now of all times!

"..........Go on without me!"

Hiss glanced at her leg, face ashen, forcing down near-tears to yell at the halted party.

Even Teska's crew—comrades in arms—wavered, eyes shaky, but clenched jaws, grim faces, bypassed her for the portal.

"Guh... Sorry!"

"Sorry!"

One by one, they crossed. I couldn't leave her—froze mid-stride.

"Ian! You too...!"

Like bracing for last stand, Hiss dragged her frozen leg, drew her dagger, urging me on.

I ground my teeth, turned.

"I-Ian?"

From portal—toward Hiss.

"Ian! I'm done for—"

"Brace for landing!"

"Yes! Whaaat theee—!!"

Power surged through me. Muscles screamed. Mana circuits overheated, squeezing max output to amp my body.

"Hraaaah!"

"Kyaaak!"

Scooped Hiss, hurled her portal-ward. Lighter than expected—nice!

My toss arced her over undead heads, landing portal-side. Feeling [Limit Break]'s remaining power, I charged after.

"Bone Wall."

A wall of pristine white bone erupted before me. Glancing back: Lesser Lich aimed staff, jaw clacking in glee.

That thing talks?

Bone barrier flanked by Skeleton Commander-led undead, blocking my path.

"Grind..."

Teeth gritted, I charged the wall itself—not sides. Lich anticipated a leap, casting black mist atop it.

Nope. Not going there.

-Portal Ring.

".....!?!"

Infused mana into the shrunken finger-ring hook, flung at the bone wall. It stuck, expanded into a passage sized for me.

Lich frantically blasted the gap, but...

Semitransparent blue barrier deflected the spell. I reclaimed the Portal Ring, dashed on.

Almost there...!

"Grraaaah!"

Portal in reach—a massive leg blocked the way.

Looking up: Corpse golem, stitched from rotting bodies, reached to grab me. Defensive dome centered on me, spherical. Like using its bulk to scoop me barrier and all.

Facing the 10m+ giant, I drew my pathetically tiny sword. Ignoring toothpick blade, golem swiped.

Focus. One shot.

No way my sword fells that. Magic tools expended.

Recall. That recent sight.

First: Sword Saint's blade. Unpredictable path, incomprehensible arts.

Beyond me. Instead: Alensia's mana wave countering him. Overwhelming flow smashing all before it.

Body at limit. Mind recalls Alensia's sword. Release body control. Remember: unconscious swing earlier cleaved skull and the one beyond.

'Engraved the basics.'

Sword Saint's words: not 'taught,' but 'engraved.' Post-lesson: over 200 micro sword strikes [Regeneration] couldn't heal.

These strokes: the 'path.' Directly carved into my body—the path to swing the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sword.

Mind: Alensia's blade. Body: Sword Saint's. Swing.

A pathetic blue haze rose—pale next to Alensia's. It cloaked my sword, becoming a blue slash projected forward.

Dodging the crumpling golem, portal-bound, I chuckled at the thought popping up.

'Learned halfway.'

'Engraved into the body.'

Straight talk, no bullshit. That Sword Saint geezer.