Suspenders-Wearing Cat -3- Recruiting the Locals
They called it recruiting locals, but of course, I wasn't going to hunt down every single one of those countless ghosts myself.
"Even if I look like this, I control half the city. If I call them, half the ghosts in the city will naturally obey."
And as for the other half—the count and his ghost subordinates—the madam said that if she sent a declaration of war to the count as a fellow ruler, he'd show up at the border of their territories with a massive horde of ghosts in tow.
"That old bastard's been eyeing my territory all this time."
The west side was more defensible, so he'd been licking his chops without making a move so far. But if she led her ghosts over there, the count wouldn't miss the chance.
The west had more ghosts thanks to all the residential areas, but the count's side had higher-quality ones.
"Good. Make it happen."
"Yes, sir."
The moment she got my permission, the madam phased through the brothel wall and headed out to gather the other ghosts.
"Huu~ Come to me."
—Vmmm
"D-Did you call for us, ma'am?"
"A-Are you sure everything's okay?"
"I felt this super creepy aura from the brothel earlier..."
Her closest ghost subordinates appeared at her summons. Since the madam had been a high-class prostitute in life and leveraged her talents to become the brothel's owner, most of her inner circle were female ghosts.
'But they're all in pretty rough shape.'
She was somewhere between low and mid-grade undead, leaning heavily toward mid, so aside from her gray skin, she looked no different from a regular human. But the other ghosts? They screamed "wrong" at first glance.
Basic wounds here and there were standard, but some had gashes so deep you could see inside, others were missing limbs, jaws, or eyeballs. They flat-out looked like "I died."
'Out of all the ghosts in this city, the madam's the most put-together.'
"A-Are we really declaring war?"
"Madam!! Please reconsider!!"
"No reconsidering. Execute it now."
While I was thinking that, the madam issued orders to her ghosts.
And then—
—Ssshhk
"Master, all measures have been taken."
She phased back through the wall to me.
"Good. Well done."
"Heehee..."
As the madam beamed at my praise—
—Zzzt
"Eek..!"
Kangjang, Dena, Mari, and Masa behind me all glared at her. It was silent pressure, like "know your place and don't get cocky."
"S-Sorry."
The madam bowed to me and my Living Death servants. She had that original sin of ambushing me, so they didn't think much of her.
"Uuwoo."
"Eueu."
"Huaa~."
"Dau."
The Living Death seemed satisfied with her apology and looked away.
"Anyway, that's settled. Let's go."
"Yes."
"Hmmm."
The ghost called the count was currently reviewing his forces lined up along the border that divided the madam's western territory from his own eastern one.
And on the opposite side, in the madam's territory—
—Fwoooong
Her ghost army was arrayed similarly.
Combined, it looked like a million-strong horde. An entire city's population turned to ghosts, and every one of them combat-ready—it made sense.
—Whispers, whispers
—Murmurs, murmurs
Unlike the count's silently reviewing forces, the madam's army seemed restless and agitated.
Of course they are.
'Madam, what a foolish choice.'
Facing a full-frontal war after leaving her defensible western district? With his army heavy on ex-soldier ghosts, it was a sure win for the count.
But at the same time, a question arose.
'Why would the madam make this choice?'
And if she was attacking, a surprise assault would've been better. She even sent a formal declaration via servant. Unfathomable.
The madam was a capable woman. From lowly prostitute to owner of the city's largest brothel, then ruler of the whole pleasure district.
'Has she gained some new card to play?'
The count, seasoned by long years, stayed wary of potential surprises.
But ignoring her declaration? That territory was too tempting. No matter how much he drank or ate, it all passed right through. Even sex with beautiful ghost women brought no pleasure anymore.
Sucking life from the occasional living visitor was the only thrill left, but no one's come lately. Conquest was all that remained for a ghost stripped of most desires.
So despite the unease, he stood there.
'But victory is mine!!'
The agitation in her ranks half-convinced him of triumph.
And then—
—Craaaack
Suddenly, her army parted, forming a path. Six figures approached through the gap.
"Hmmm?"
Five were unfamiliar; four were beauties so stunning even the long-lived count had rarely seen their like. But as a lustless ghost, he felt nothing.
However, the two leading them—
"Haaah~ Master.. my pussy's itching...♥"
—Squish squish!!
—Squelch splat!!
One was his hated rival, the all-too-familiar madam. Gone was her poised, arrogant dignity—she was flirting lewdly, exposing herself. Her fancy dress? Nowhere; she was buck-naked like the day she was born.
"Haaang...♥"
—Squish!! Squeltch!!
Despite her pleasureless body, one hand plunged into her pussy, masturbating, while the other—
—Pinch!
twisted her nipple.
—Drip drip
Somehow, pussy juice-like fluid leaked from her. Even the count, devoid of lust, felt a faint echo of old desires.
And beside her—
"Looks like they're all here."
—Grip!!
A figure in a strange beak mask and full black garb casually arm-wrapped her, kneading her tits like dough.
'Un... dead?'
From the faint ghost-like auras rising from him, the four women behind, and the man, he realized they were undead like them.
Soon, the madam and the man stepped forward to face the count.
"Haaah~...♥ Do more...♥"
The declaration-sender ignored the count entirely, fawning over the man. Was this the same queenly madam?
The sight hit him.
"You... you fucking whore!!!"
—Vrrrrm!!
The count felt unbearable rage.
"What the hell is that slutty display?!"
As a co-ruler of the city, he'd seen her as an equal. Now his rival debased herself like that? What did that make him?
"I acknowledged you as a worthy nemesis!!!"
It crushed his pride.
As he roared in fury again—
"Quiet."
—Snap!
A single word from the black-clad man groping her tits.
Instantly, the count—and the other ghosts riled by her display—froze like statues, mouths sealed. An absolute, ineffable pressure crushed them.
"Wh-Who the hell are you...?"
"Me?"
The count barely spoke; Seokgil answered.
"Name's Park Seokgil. A dog."
The baffling self-intro and follow-up provoked him.
"I'll give you a chance. Submit to me."
The tone assumed it was obvious, brooking no doubt.
"Do that, and I'll let you live."
Refuse, and die.
"Answer yes or no."
Blatant threat.
"!!!!"
The ghost count's mind blazed with the greatest fury yet. True to his intro, this bastard was an insolent mutt.
"How dare you!!!"
Trampling his sole remaining dominion head-on? Unbearable rage and humiliation.
"No need to hear more!! All forces!! Kill that thug and whore...!!!"
But his words cut off.
The world slowed. Memories from human days and ghost life flooded back vividly.
And he realized.
'Ah, this is the life-flashing-before-my-eyes.'
The sensation right before death he'd felt even as a ghost dominated his mind.
Because before his eyes—
—Boom!!!
"?!?!?"
A fist he'd never sensed approaching whistled through the air, inches from his face.
'Ah... gonna die... damn... shoulda just accepted...'
Impossible speed, but Seokgil's casual jab and his instincts slowing time to perceive death let him barely register it.
But knowing changed nothing.
And—
—KABOOOOOM!!!
The fist slammed perfectly into the count's face.
Simultaneously—
—KABOOOOOMMMMM!!!!
His head burst like a balloon.
But the immense force didn't stop there.
—KABOOOOOMMMMM!!!
Like thunder shaking the world, the shockwave—focused by Seokgil's power-concentrating technique without waste—shot straight forward in a line, not scattering.
"Gaaaaahhh!!!?"
—Pop!!
"Kyaaak!!"
—Crunch!!
"Guek!?"
—Crack
"Duumhwaaaaahhh!!!"
The shockwave tore through every ghost in its path like watermelons, exploding them.
—Pop!
"H-Hiiik!?"
Ghosts burst, their ectoplasm splattering others, spreading terror.
It didn't stop after pulverizing nearly ten thousand of the count's ghost army.
—KABOOOOOM!!!
—Rumble rumble!!!
Reaching the city blocks, it demolished every weathered but centuries-old building in its path.
—KABOOOM!!
After wrecking countless structures, the shockwave finally dissipated.
—Sizzle
Heat from the overwhelming force steamed from its trail.
—Fwoooong
Everything in the fist's direction lay in ruins.
"Ah... aaaah..."
One ghost later recalled it like an unstoppable calamity had struck.
"Hmmm... this much? Going full power might wreck the city."
Having unleashed such destructive might, Seokgil flexed his hand, adapting to his surging strength.
Then he infused mana into his voice.
—Vrrrrrm!!
"Now!! Choose!!"
—Grrrrumble
His voice echoed everywhere, reaching the million-plus ghost army.
"Submit to me!!"
Or die defying him.
—Gwooooohhh!!!
Overwhelming aura bloomed behind Seokgil, enough to quake the earth and blanket the world, forcing the masses to kneel.
—Kieeeek!!
It formed a shape behind him.
"Ahh.. aaaah.."
"Th-That's..."
Death itself—what was nearest yet farthest to them.
And the ghosts understood.
—Drip..
Some ghosts, dead though they were, shed tears for the first time since undeath.
They felt awe and reverence. The Nzambi's—undead demigod's—power was like beholding a messiah for the faithful.
'That's him!!'
'He's the king—no, god!!—for us cursed ones!!'
'The only one we should serve!!'
His activated undead domination skill, Sovereignty of the Death Command, began eroding their bodies and minds.
And simultaneously—
—Click click click!!
Countless connections flooded Seokgil's mind—
—Thud!!!
"Great One!!"
"We obey!!"
"Our god!! Our master!!"
The million-ghost army knelt.
—Uwoooo..!!
—Heeheehee..!!
—Ah.. aaaah!!
Mad wraiths sang praises and hymns, blessing this ominous coronation like celebrating a king's birth.
The moment the world had never seen: the birth of the king of the cursed.