Chapter 16. Ghoul Horde
The parts that had once been a necromancer were completely gone. Towering at twice the height of an average man, with a thick, muscular build, it exuded an overwhelming sense of intimidation just by existing. Its patchwork form, stitched together like ragged cloth from all directions, was utterly grotesque.
The demon glanced back at its ass with a puzzled "Huh?" expression, then suddenly tore off the corpse giant's upper body with a crunch and shoved it into its mouth, chewing away. Only then did a lizard-like tail sprout from its rear.
Ji-hyuk glared at it and advanced slowly. Kevora tilted its head at the human boldly approaching without fear, then let out a cackling laugh.
"Heeheeheeheeheehee!"
The cursed holy sword thrashed wildly in the presence of the demon. The demon's pale, dead-fish eyes gleamed. Its thick demonic energy spread thickly. Corpses began rising from the land of death.
The hero cleaved through everything blocking his path. In that instant, the demon twisted its body at tremendous speed and swung its tail down like a hammer. It didn't care if ghouls were in the way. They were absorbed into Kevora naturally anyway.
Ji-hyuk dodged the descending tail and closed in. Leaping from below upward, he slashed the holy sword in an uppercut.
Slash!!
An arm came clean off. It rotted and melted away in an instant. Only then did the demon realize his sword was no ordinary weapon. Another arm sprouted from the severed stump—flesh mashed together into a horrific shape.
A foul stench emanated from it, but Ji-hyuk didn't flinch. His mental fortitude wasn't so shallow as to be shaken by mere stink.
From that moment, Kevora attacked ferociously. The corpse giant even hurled its entire body at Ji-hyuk, as if intent on crushing him to death. Corpses piled up around the demon in seconds.
Kayak kept smashing the heads of the oncoming ghouls, but there were too many. It was getting harder to hold out. Harsh breaths already rasped from the lizardman's jaws.
I need to end this. Ji-hyuk knew dragging it out was dangerous. The problem was that recovery power. Being made of corpses, slashes didn't deal as much damage as expected. Sure, enough cuts would eventually break it down, but his comrades would fall first.
Then Yael conjured a high-level fire spell. Yes, that'll do it...! Ji-hyuk hoped she'd aim not at the demon but the corpses below—unfortunately, his wish missed the mark. No way the demon would eat such a slow attack. If it whiffed, waiting for the next spell would be too late.
...Fuck...!
The fire spell flew. Ji-hyuk grabbed the ankle of the corpse giant's lower half—now just legs after losing its upper body—with both hands. He reinforced his body with mana. Explosive evil power surged.
As the demon dodged the spell, Ji-hyuk swung the corpse upward into the fire's path. An enormous explosion followed.
BOOMMMM!!!
No one had expected the hero to do that. Not even the demon.
"You fuuucking biiiitch—!!"
Ji-hyuk got caught in the blast too. Terrifying heat charred his left arm and leg completely. Skin burned from red to black. Clothes melted to tatters, hair curled and frizzed. At least he'd instinctively turned his head and shielded with his arm, sparing his neck and above.
Thanks to the explosion, surrounding corpses melted too. Only then did Kevora catch on to his intent.
The demon roared and charged. Enduring agony, the hero focused. Split it in half. He recalled the sensation of countless swings—tens, hundreds of millions, reaching tens of millions, attaining ultimate enlightenment in the act of slashing. That feeling still writhed in his body, mind, and hands.
Pain in his arm and leg faded from his mind. As long as his right arm could swing, no problem.
His forward step scraped the ground. The holy sword arced massively. Its speed defied imagination—the demon couldn't even perceive the swing.
Everything along the sword's trajectory split. Ground split, corpses split, air split, demon split.
SLASHHHH!!!!
The demon didn't know what happened. Why its body was halved. Massive demonic energy poured out, regenerating it. Ghouls, drained of energy, collapsed en masse.
"You pathetic creation—aaaahh—!!!"
Then it split again. This time, the demon faintly sensed a flash—but too fast to react. It couldn't fully recover. Desperate, it tried absorbing nearby corpses, but too many had burst or burned.
It felt utterly humiliated. A great demon reduced to this by a puny human.
For its last struggle, it gathered all its demonic energy. Its chest bulged. The moment it fired at the human—its head suddenly lopped off.
Thwack!!
The head tumbled. Gathered energy scattered everywhere. Some corpses jerked up then flopped down.
"You... remember... me. Die."
Kevora's body bubbled and melted. Not its true body like the demon Shaiya, so it wouldn't fully vanish—but still a solid hit.
All corpses collapsed simultaneously. Even the giant. The fierce battle ended.
Ji-hyuk panted, then slumped to the ground. His body was wrecked. Clothes in shreds—he was basically naked.
...What a sight.
"Boss!!"
Lizardman Kayak rushed to him. He hoisted the hero on his back, grabbed the holy sword, and bolted to the team.
"Healer! Heeealer—!!"
Kayak urgently sought healer Grace. Everyone was shocked by the boss's gruesome state.
"Boss!!"
Yael especially trembled like she'd faint. But Ji-hyuk calmly reassured them, face serene.
"No need to freak. It'll heal. Cut the fuss... Grace, heal me. Don't panic."
Yael knew it was her fault. He'd swung that corpse into her missed fire spell to clear corpses around the demon.
"S-s-sorry, b-boss, s-sorry, ah."
Overcome with guilt, she started crying. The boss smiled magnanimously.
"Nah. You did good. Just inexperience—don't stress. No more mistakes next time."
His attitude inspired profound respect. Kayak begged forgiveness for failing to support properly.
"Enough. Everyone gave their all. I'm satisfied with this fight. No more sorrys. Got it?"
"...Yes, boss."
Grace's trembling hands poured heals nonstop. Charred skin sloughed off, fresh skin bloomed soft. Curly burned hair stayed frizzy.
The team stood solemnly until he fully recovered. Soon his body mended. Lingering pain, but appearance fine.
He stood. Grace then noticed his dangling cock, startled, averted eyes. Kayak quickly offered his tunic. Ji-hyuk covered his bottom with it—thin cloth barely hid the massive bulge.
The knight order arrived. Luckily, ghouls focused on Ji-hyuk and Kayak—wounded but no deaths. Impressed by the hero's brilliance, they knelt.
"Glad you're safe, Your Excellency."
"Nah. You fought hard too—made it easier. Thanks."
"No, we did little."
Everyone battled the horde, easing his rear. "Captain, good timing. Thanks."
"Just our duty."
The hero praised all. They returned to town together. Villagers cheered their safe return.
Kayak escorted boss to bathhouse. Yael offered to attend him—guilt weighing heavy.
Naked on a small wooden stool, Ji-hyuk sat. Kayak gently poured warm water; Yael wiped with soft cloth, cleaning every nook thoroughly.
"You two did great."
"No, sir. With your body aching, it's our duty."
Kayak bowed politely. Clean, Ji-hyuk entered the main room. Grace waited, laid him on bed, massaged limbs vigorously.
"Why all this fuss? Not necessary."
"Nonsense. After all you endured... Heals aren't perfect. Nerves still ache. I'm easing it."
Ji-hyuk closed eyes under her massage. She stole glances at his face. ...Truly worthy of respect. No wonder everyone hangs on his words. An irresistible force. Great hero—fits perfectly.
...Serving him might be a great honor.
Exhausted, the hero's breaths evened into sleep. She quietly pulled up covers, lay beside carefully. Gazed at his sleeping profile.
...This time, she didn't turn away.
The next day, Ji-hyuk's group feasted bountifully before leaving. Rotting corpse stench still wafted on winds—but the baron would handle cleanup.
Gid started with his usual snark.
"Man, yesterday's boss reveal shocked me."
"...Why?"
"Heh, you know. Fuck, so goddamn huge—like a snake down there, swear."
Yael and Grace shot him dirty looks. He cackled on, oblivious.
Mahushu smacked fist to palm. "Yael, that was a dick, right? First time seeing boss's—!"
"...L-later. Not now."
Yael poked her side, whispering. Naive warrior spilled old tales casually.
"Feels good, makes it twitch... Does boss's twitch when pleased?"
Men grinned knowingly. Grace, mortified, puffed cig and turned away.
"Girl, seriously... Don't ask boss that. I'll tell later. Okay? Girl talk only."
"Oh? So weird, that dick. I don't have one."
Yael felt unfairly burdened by the embarrassment. Smart junkie mage finally shut the beastkin's yap.
All his fault. She toed Gid's shin. "Ow." He feigned pain, grinning—hooked on fun.
Chaotic carriage quieted. Gid's yawn spread contagiously. They dozed as able—expedition trick for fatigue.
Ji-hyuk scanned faces, eyes met Grace's. Ah—. She whipped head away. Cig smoke puffed anew.
His gaze turned outward. Long sigh. In rattling carriage, the hero sank into deep thought.