Hoisted by My Own Petard

Was he seeing things? These were Wilhelm and Astoria, both reasonably high-level. He had thought that if they could hold out for even five minutes against Cecilia, they would have done well.

"It is over," Charlotte said, her face dark with frustration.

It seemed his hopes had been in vain; neither of them had lasted even three minutes before being taken out. What was worse, Astoria had been hacked to pieces so thoroughly that his soul bond was fading.

"W-Wilhelm?"

Isabella gulped, her throat trembling. Wilhelm was a powerhouse on par with Karleon, the mid-boss of the Castle of Pleasure. It was only natural to be terrified of someone who could instantly vaporize a warrior of that caliber.

Cecilia is an absolute monster.

She had single-handedly rendered all the traps in the upper floors—which he had spent so much effort remodeling—completely useless. She had even breezed through the undead floor, leaving him utterly dumbfounded.

"There are no undead left capable of movement. The pincer movement is out of the question," Charlotte reported.

From the subjugation force's perspective, being squeezed from both sides would have been a fatal crisis. The plan had been for Charlotte to remotely resurrect any undead left behind on the cleared floor ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that the humans had failed to double-tap. But since every single one of them had been utterly obliterated, that plan was dead in the water.

Even if their soul bonds remained intact, Dullahans could not be resurrected remotely. To stop Cecilia, they had no choice but to clash head-on.

Enoch looked around. About two hundred Servants of the Night, led by Karleon. Defending the dungeon with its original forces alone would have been impossible, so it was a relief to at least have them.

But I still can't let my guard down.

Even though they were on the defensive, they didn't hold any major advantages. There were no defensive walls, let alone wooden barricades. The spatial constraints made it difficult to mount a proper defense. Because the corridor was excessively wide, building a wall would have taken far too much time.

...Well, there ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was no use crying over spilled milk. He had prepared for a direct confrontation from the start, concentrating all his forces on the fifth floor. It was a brute-force clash, but they had a solid chance of winning. Because he had his Enhancement skill.

...Though she seems even stronger than I anticipated.

At first, he had thought about blowing up everyone else's weapons, isolating Cecilia, and seizing her Holy Relic. But that thought lasted only a fraction of a second. Trying to claim loot before even winning the battle was beyond foolish—it was suicidal. Their opponent was a one-woman army. Leaving her unchecked while trying to secure a victory was reckless hubris, not just greed.

He resolved that, if push came to shove, he would have to destroy the Holy Relic itself. Just as he decided to focus solely on Cecilia's weapon, clack, clack. A barrage of footsteps echoed from a distance. Once the noise subsided, the subjugation force finally came into view. Standing at the vanguard of the organized ranks were heavily armored knights, while mages and priests brought up the rear.

The levels of those who looked at him turned black—the color of absolute terror. Some even stumbled backward, completely losing their will to fight. He had unintentionally crushed their morale before the battle even began.

Enoch shifted his gaze away from them. Standing alone at the very front of the subjugation force was a single woman.

He had expected it in the back of his mind, but... to think she was truly on par with an Abyss Palace boss. Cecilia's level indicator was dyed a deep, blood-red hue, radiating pure, unadulterated murderous intent.

The rest of the subjugation force didn't matter. Enoch pointed a finger at Cecilia. The eyes of his lieutenants standing beside him followed his gesture.

"Watch out for that woman."

Sacrifices would be inevitable to defeat Cecilia. He only hoped that none of his companions would die.

Cecilia's Moonlight Sword scattered a faint, ethereal lunar glow. It was a mesmerizing radiance that demanded attention even if one tried to look away. The aura of Luna emanating from it far surpassed the divine power of the Holy Sword.

If he got greedy for the Holy Relic, that blade would undoubtedly sever his head. At level 93, she was on par with the bosses of the Mugan 7 Palaces. She was at a level of power where she could easily slaughter them all single-handedly. He decided that destroying the Moonlight Sword immediately was the only correct choice.

Whoosh!

In an instant, Cecilia vanished. Naturally, the system notification vanished with her. When she reappeared, her blade was already buried in a vampire's throat. As he focused his gaze on her again, a system window popped up.

Baffled by the strange notification, he quickly shifted his gaze, but more windows flooded his vision.

A curse nearly slipped past his lips. The prerequisite for using Enhancement was keeping the target in his line of sight. Furthermore, the notification didn't appear the exact millisecond he looked at something; it required at least a full second of focused gaze to activate. Keeping up with Cecilia's speed with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his bare eyes was hard enough, but the surrounding monsters constantly cluttered his field of vision. Because of that, useless notifications kept popping up.

Damn it. He was hoisted by his own petard. If he made a single mistake and accidentally succeeded on a random item, he would trigger a one-hour cooldown. He tried desperately to lock his eyes onto the Moonlight Sword, but only random notifications kept appearing. This had never happened before. Panic began to cloud his thoughts.

"Charge! Vanguard, maintain formation and advance! Rearguard, hold your positions!"

"Slaughter the spawn of the Abyss!"

"Aaaaah!"

The hesitant subjugation force began their charge. Cecilia's overwhelming display had sent their morale skyrocketing. Instantly, hundreds of soldiers clashed in a chaotic melee, making it even more of a nightmare to locate Cecilia.

Get a grip. If he messed up, he would die. If he hesitated, they would all die. Just once—if he could track her for just one second—Cecilia would be left empty-handed.

"Freeze."

Dozens of soldiers froze mid-motion. He scanned the frozen crowd for Cecilia, but she was nowhere to be found.

Swoosh!

A sharp whistle cut through the din of battle. A streak of moonlight darted across the battlefield like a gale before vanishing from his sight. It was a superhuman speed that was nearly impossible to track with the naked eye. He had tried using his Dragon Tongue command, Freeze, on her, but it hadn't worked in the slightest. The level gap was far more devastating than he had anticipated.

What should he do? If he could just halt her movement, he could make something happen. Calming his chaotic thoughts, he cast his gaze toward the three standing beside him.

"Subdue that woman."

The moment the words left his mouth, Isabella and Balutak lunged forward. Beside him, Charlotte began chanting her spells. He trusted that these three could halt Cecilia's movements, if only for a brief moment.

"Dragon Scales. Double."

Scales erupted in rapid succession across his black iron armor. Against Cecilia's terrifying speed, he might not even perceive her attack before being decapitated in a single strike. Unless he layered his defense with a double coat of Dragon Scales, his life was in extreme jeopardy. Even then, it was a gamble. It was nothing more than a temporary stopgap.

Please, just let me enhance the Moonlight Sword.

Whether he could clip Cecilia's wings with his Enhancement skill or not—the outcome of the entire battle now hinged on this completely unforeseen variable.

Slash!

Along with the sound of tearing flesh, a tingling sensation traveled up her fingertips. As Luna surged, the blood and flesh clinging to the tip of her blade evaporated into nothingness. Cecilia tore through the battlefield, her breathing perfectly steady. The Luna of the Moonlight Sword boosted her physical capabilities to an absurd degree. Empowered by it, she slaughtered her foes as if performing a graceful sword dance. Wherever she passed, silver arcs of light left a trail of spraying blood in their wake.

That guy.

Even while moving at breakneck speed, Cecilia kept her eyes on the figure standing in the distance. The Death Knight, watching her with an arrogant composure. The boss of the Abyss Palace who had stolen the Holy Sword. He was an undead, a creature of pure malice. Yet, the radiance of the Holy Sword he held shone with absolute, blinding purity. It looked so much like her master's Holy Sword, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and the sight only fueled her murderous intent.

It wasn't just because he had stolen the Holy Sword. How dare a mere undead wield something that bore her master's trace? Even the divine power radiating from him reminded her of him, making her want to tear him limb from limb this very instant.

Cecilia grit her teeth and swung her sword downward.

A flash of sword light pierced through the encroaching darkness.

Slaaaash!

A crescent-shaped shockwave tore through the ground, rushing forward. However, it didn't make it far before dispersing into the air.

Karleon, the Dullahan, who had been pushed back two steps after blocking the strike with his entire body, stepped forward. He adjusted his grip on his hilt and glared at Cecilia.

"The boss is saved for last."

Whoosh!

Cecilia vanished instantly.

Clang!

Her figure materialized as her blade clashed with Karleon's.

Clang! Clang!

Their locked blades parted. Karleon ducked instantly, catching his falling sword mid-air. As he swung his blade in a sweeping counterattack, Cecilia chose to retreat rather than parry. The strike narrowly grazed her hair.

Clang!

With every clash, Karleon was forced back a step. Before long, he was entirely on the defensive.

It took only three exchanges to realize. Her strikes were fluid, flawless, and absolute. Cecilia's swordsmanship left not even the microscopic hint of an opening.

Thrust!

A thrust as fast as lightning lunged forward. The moment Karleon barely managed to dodge and prepare a counter, Cecilia pulled back her hilt and spun with blinding speed.

Slash!

A silver crescent of moonlight bisected Karleon's torso.

Truly magnificent.

That was his final thought. Karleon collapsed, losing consciousness.

Confirming that the light in his eyes had faded, Cecilia leaped backward.

Boom!

An explosion rocked the spot where she had stood a millisecond prior. Balutak, having pulverized the empty ground, leaped into the air once more.

"Kieeeek!"

"Insect. Annoying."

Cecilia swung her sword carelessly.

For a split second, the air flashed silver. As the curved line of light faded, Balutak's arm fell to the ground. Though the geyser of blood obscured her vision, she immediately followed up with a horizontal slash.

Slice.

With a clean, brief sound, Balutak's torso was severed. His upper and lower halves fell apart, tumbling onto the ground. Cecilia cast a cold, indifferent glance at him. He didn't scream or groan; there were only the involuntary twitches of a dying body.

*Rumble!*

Cecilia spun around and raised her sword. A torrent of blood surged through the air like a tidal wave. Even in the face of this fierce blood magic, Cecilia stared right through it with half-closed eyes. She locked eyes with Isabella, whose gaze was filled with desperate fury.

The oppressive aura of Luna, heavy enough to crush all five senses, pulsed within Cecilia's body. Feeling that surge of exhilaration, she took a step forward. In the blink of an eye, she was right in front of Isabella.

"!"

Isabella's eyes widened in sheer shock. In stark contrast, Cecilia thrust her sword forward with a completely vacant, listless expression.

*Squelch!*

The tip of her blade pierced straight through Isabella's neck and slid back out. From the punctured wound, Luna flared up like wildfire.

*Gasp, hack.*

A mouthful of blood and ragged, choked gasps escaped Isabella's lips. With a gentle nudge of Cecilia's foot, she collapsed without resistance.

Cecilia turned her head.

The witch and the Death Knight came into her view.

A question arose in her mind. The boss had done nothing but watch while his subordinates were slaughtered. Yet, his gaze had been tracking her relentlessly. Up until now, only his eyes had moved; his body remained perfectly still.

Cecilia was currently riding a wave of absolute momentum. Normally, the boss of the Abyss Palace would have stepped in by now to break her stride. Yet, despite her wariness, he had done nothing but stare.

...Why?

Was there something he was trying to analyze by watching her so closely? Or was he simply looking down on her out of sheer arrogance?

Cecilia brushed the thoughts aside. In battle, one had to move their body, not their mind.

*Thud!*

Cecilia kicked off the ground, her figure hurtling straight toward them.

Every time Cecilia swung her sword, the air rippled, creating the illusion that space itself was being torn apart. Karleon had held out for a mere three exchanges before being taken out.

Should I use the Holy Sword now...? No.

Unleashing the Holy Sword would be nothing but a blind attack. When he couldn't even track her with his eyes, firing the Holy Sword would only cause friendly fire. The only thing he could rely on was his Enhancement skill. Yet, due to this completely unexpected variable, he couldn't even use it.

Her terrifying speed. The obstacles blocking his view. The chaotic din of battle echoing from all directions shattered his concentration. If he made a single mistake, there would be no turning back. He had to wait for the perfect, absolute moment, even if it meant taking some damage. He had to aim for that one single opening.

Balutak had lunged in, but he was sliced in half within seconds. The effort Cecilia needed to dispatch him was no different from swatting a fly.

Fuck, fuck, fuck...

A torrent of curses flooded his mind. Every time he tried to lock his eyes onto the Moonlight Sword, she darted somewhere else. Even now, after Karleon and Balutak had been effortlessly neutralized, the Moonlight Sword remained firmly in her grasp. Looking at their level indicators, they were still alive. But they were barely clinging to life. If he couldn't stop Cecilia, not just those two, but everyone here would die.

*Whoosh!*

Cecilia kicked off the ground and leaped, this time targeting Isabella. He tried to track her, but once again, he was a beat too late. To make matters worse, Cecilia was completely obscured behind Isabella from his angle.

"Gasp, hack..."

Isabella fell just like Balutak, unable to mount any proper resistance.

A profound sense of despair coiled tightly in his chest. The moment Cecilia locked her eyes onto him, her body sprang forward like a coiled wire.

"My Lord. Stand back."

Charlotte stepped in front of him. He could feel her absolute resolve to prevent the enemy from reaching him. The mana discharging from Charlotte's fingertips grew denser, eventually swirling into a raging blizzard.

*Crackle!*

Lightning fused into the blizzard. A Blizzard Storm dominated the area, and simultaneously, over a dozen Seal Magic Circles manifested. Black energy erupted from within them, hurtling toward Cecilia.

*Slaaaash!*

A crescent-shaped shockwave tore through his field of vision. The strike, carrying a gale of dust, physically shattered Charlotte's magic. That, too, was the power of Luna. The night mana pierced through any and all magical phenomena, rendering them utterly useless.

Charlotte bit her lip and prepared to cast another spell, but—

*Boom!*

With a deafening crash, Charlotte was sent flying. She hurtled through the air before slamming violently into the stone wall.

He didn't even have the luxury to worry about Charlotte's safety.

"Why are you just standing there?"

Enoch's body froze as he stared at Cecilia, who was now right in front of him. Even his thoughts ground to a halt. The moment he looked at her—not her sword, but her—a system window popped up. He didn't even have time to read the contents. He simply clung to a desperate, fleeting hope. Perhaps it was nothing more than a final, futile struggle in the face of death.

Even that final hope seemed to betray him. He had clearly had a chance to enhance the Moonlight Sword at the very beginning. The price of his brief hesitation had returned to him as death. He was, without a doubt, a complete idiot.

His vision was flooded with overwhelming moonlight.

Once it faded, a sudden, agonizing pain surged through him.

As the wave of pain washed over him, his non-existent eyelids felt incredibly heavy. He had thought undead couldn't feel pain. He had believed that even in death, they could never close their eyes, but it seemed he was wrong.

Through his fading vision, he saw a pair of eyes dilated to their absolute limit. Reflected in them was his own form, the light in his eyes rapidly dimming.

"Ah... No... No, no, no... W-Why... why did I...?"

A strange voice echoed in his fading hearing. At the same time, he felt a faint sensation. A trembling hand seemed to touch his body.

How bizarre. Cecilia was looking down at him with an expression that looked as if she were about to burst into tears. He couldn't tell if his vision was playing tricks on him, or if he was seeing things because he was about to die.

"...Cecilia."

"Y-Yes! Yes, it's me! *Sob*... Why, why... why did I do this to Master...?"

"You..."

You crazy bitch, he wanted to say.