Chapter 225: Reversal (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 225: Reversal (1)
The Goblin Forest was on the brighter end of the second-floor areas you could travel to. It was still dark, but the countless stars embroidering the sky acted as a source of light to some extent. It still wasn't as bright as this, though.
Whoom!
Dozens of light spheres floating in the air illuminated our surroundings and made it look like daytime. It was like being at a lit stadium at night.
Just how much mana do they have left?
This display alone made the difference in our power levels glaringly obvious and clawed at my chest, but now was not the time to dwell on it.
"Yandel, those guys..."
"The Fallen Scholar and the Corpse Collector. And I don't know the other person." Even as I briefly filled in the warriors who had followed me, I stared straight ahead.
"Oh, I guess you didn't come alone after all?" The beastman whose identity I had not yet deduced chuckled. He seemed to be in a good mood. "This will be quite a bit of money even split in three."
His greedy eyes scanned us as if we were a trash mob he'd found on a sweet hunting ground. Ha, I had even been toying with the idea that they might just congratulate us and let us go.
"How uncouth." The gray-haired elderly wizard, the Fallen Scholar, clicked his tongue in apparent displeasure.
"Why? Isn't this why you insisted on staying behind too?" the beastman asked. The Fallen Scholar didn't answer, as if annoyed by the accusation.
Just then, the Corpse Collector laughed and joined in. "Pshehe, you still don't know anything about this old man, huh? Spoils of war or not, he probably just wants to get home as soon as possible."
"Hmm, is that so? Then I guess we're the only two uncouth ones here."
"Ha, what are you saying? You think I stayed behind to get some equipment?"
"...Then why did you?"
The beastman tilted his head at Corpse Collector's—Clown's—words. I also listened in while pretending not to, figuring that learning their individual motives and goals could increase our options.
Yeah, that was what I thought.
"Because it seemed like fun, of course!" Clown shouted dramatically, just like at the Round Table. "The chance to kill adventurers who managed to fight through that hell on just a shred of hope! What could be better?"
The Fallen Scholar frowned again. "What is that tone? It's as if you are acting all of a sudden."
"Ahh, this? I thought, if I'm lucky, someone here might know! Pshehe."
"Someone might know...?"
"Never mind. I've always wanted to kill them, but it'd be no fun to kill them so easily, right? But the ones who are dying should at least get to know who I am to make it fun!"
"I have no idea what you are talking about. Do what you want. I will rest." Fallen Scholar looked like he had no idea what Clown was talking about, but I was different.
You maniacal bastard.
This guy was hoping that a member of the Round Table was here to recognize him, which was why he had even worn a mask and revealed who he was. In a way, it was a gesture that showed just how determined he was not to let anyone here live.
"Hmm, but there's a lot more of them than I thought," the beastman noted, his voice calm even as more of my comrades entered through the portal. He did not seem the slightest bit nervous. These were the dregs left behind by the royal troops, after all. No matter how many of them were here, he was confident he could take care of them.
Even better.
I decided to interpret this as positively as possible. If these guys had decided to start mowing us down as soon as we came up, the situation would have been even bleaker. It was good that the enemy was underestimating us.
"Pshehe, I guess that's all of you?"
Whether that was arrogance or not, we just needed to take advantage of it.
"If there were more, it would have been trouble. This worked out."
"Pshehe, what trouble?" Clown, a high-ranking necromancer who was considered by many to be a one-man army, snapped his fingers.
Whoom!
A huge sub-space opened up in mid-air.
"Gruhhh!" Hundreds of corpse soldiers poured out.
"Behelaaah!" This was what I had waited so long for. It was time for the final battle to begin.
The corpse army charged at us head-on. They seemed to be in good shape, as they were properly equipped. The threat they posed was considerable.
"Hey, if we just win this battle, we can go back, right?"
However, no one ran away, at least around me.
"Whew, now we can finally fight properly." The warriors, who were already exhausted as it was, laughed as they drew their weapons.
"Finally, I can save a little face. Remember, I'm a higher rank than you."
It was very different from when we had been clearing the way on the first floor. Various weapons such as swords, hammers, axes, and maces began to glow.
[Alexandro Bell has cast Fire Fury.]
[Ralph Kell has cast Breeze Blade.]
[Milton Teterud has cast Fighting Flag. The amount of energy consumed during battle is greatly reduced.]
These were skills that we hadn't been able to activate until now due to the field effects downstairs.
"Woahhh!"
"Let's gooo!"
Like people who had just been waiting for this moment, the warriors charged at the zombie army. I also used Giantization and joined the ranks. Yeah, we may not have had stamina, but we had MP.
Kwaaaaaang!
There was an explosion as the frontline collided with the zombie army, a sound that should rightfully accompany a battle of adventurers.
"Geuuuu..." As soon as the corpse army's charge was stopped in its tracks, support flew in from the rear: flying arrows, attack magic of various attributes, and long-range special abilities.
Of course, the other side didn't just sit idly by, either.
[Abed Necrapeto has cast Curse of Stone.]
During the battle, bodies turned into stone statues.
[Abed Necrapeto has cast Corpse Explosion.]
Corpses designated for self-destruction burst through our line and blew up.
Pop!
The force of the explosion was about the same as a rank-six fire spell. It wasn't enough to kill these warriors instantly now that they were strengthened and sharpened by their active skills.
Chhhhh.
However, as the corpses were being controlled by a Poison Necromancer, those nearby who were drenched in their blood instantly began to dissolve.
Even better.
I decided to interpret this as positively as possible. If these guys had decided to start mowing us down as soon as we came up, the situation would have been even bleaker. It was good that the enemy was underestimating us.
"Pshehe, I guess that's all of you?"
Whether that was arrogance or not, we just needed to take advantage of it.
"If there were more, it would have been trouble. This worked out."
"Pshehe, what trouble?" Clown, a high-ranking necromancer who was considered by many to be a one-man army, snapped his fingers.
Whoom!
A huge sub-space opened up in mid-air.
"Gruhhh!" Hundreds of corpse soldiers poured out.
"Behelaaah!" This was what I had waited so long for. It was time for the final battle to begin.
The corpse army charged at us head-on. They seemed to be in good shape, as they were properly equipped. The threat they posed was considerable.
"Hey, if we just win this battle, we can go back, right?"
However, no one ran away, at least around me.
"Whew, now we can finally fight properly." The warriors, who were already exhausted as it was, laughed as they drew their weapons.
"Finally, I can save a little face. Remember, I'm a higher rank than you."
It was very different from when we had been clearing the way on the first floor. Various weapons such as swords, hammers, axes, and maces began to glow.
[Alexandro Bell has cast Fire Fury.]
[Ralph Kell has cast Breeze Blade.]
[Milton Teterud has cast Fighting Flag. The amount of energy consumed during battle is greatly reduced.]
These were skills that we hadn't been able to activate until now due to the field effects downstairs.
"Woahhh!"
"Let's gooo!"
Like people who had just been waiting for this moment, the warriors charged at the zombie army. I also used Giantization and joined the ranks. Yeah, we may not have had stamina, but we had MP.
Kwaaaaaang!
There was an explosion as the frontline collided with the zombie army, a sound that should rightfully accompany a battle of adventurers.
"Geuuuu..." As soon as the corpse army's charge was stopped in its tracks, support flew in from the rear: flying arrows, attack magic of various attributes, and long-range special abilities.
Of course, the other side didn't just sit idly by, either.
[Abed Necrapeto has cast Curse of Stone.]
During the battle, bodies turned into stone statues.
[Abed Necrapeto has cast Corpse Explosion.]
Corpses designated for self-destruction burst through our line and blew up.
Pop!
The force of the explosion was about the same as a rank-six fire spell. It wasn't enough to kill these warriors instantly now that they were strengthened and sharpened by their active skills.
Chhhhh.
However, as the corpses were being controlled by a Poison Necromancer, those nearby who were drenched in their blood instantly began to dissolve.
"Ahhh!"
In the middle of all that, one of the trio, the beastman, took a massive leap and landed in front of me. "Hey, barbarian! Are you the leader here?" His appearance was completely different from earlier. With ferociously protruding fangs, fur covering his entire body along with a blue mane, and a height and frame on par with me in Giantization mode, the bastard had transformed into a beast reminiscent of a Lycanthrope.
No wonder he had no equipment.
I scanned the man and quickly analyzed him.
Is it an enhancement type?
Each beastperson had a unique ability called a Soul Beast. It seemed that his was an enhancement type like Missha's. One of the powers he had obtained during the process of leveling up his Soul Beast over and over again must have been some kind of transformation skill.
So which essences has he absorbed?
Since I'd figure that out later, I set my curiosity aside and shielded my face. The bastard was swinging his huge front paw at me.
Bang!
There was a heavy, bone-chilling shock.
His Strength stat is higher than mine.
As expected, this wouldn't be an easy fight.
Whoom!
Just as I was about to disengage from the power struggle and step back, a sword swung not toward me, but the wolfman.
"I'll take care of this guy, so you back up!" It was Melter Fend, the leader of the Nartel Clan.
"You're taking over?"
"Sir Kyle's orders."
If you say so.
I obediently conceded and stepped back. A round peg should go in a round hole. Fend was the sole rank-three adventurer in our group, and he had been conserving his strength up to this point in preparation for the battle on the second floor.
He said he once served as an apprentice knight. He will be much better at fighting against people than I am.
"Yandel, can you hear me?" The moment I left the wolfman to Fend and turned around, I heard Kyle's voice from the message stone.
"I hear you."
"Sorry. I was delayed because I was splitting the troops."
"No need to apologize, tell me what you need."
"You focus on leading people against the Corpse Collector. Fend and his comrades have volunteered to take care of Blue Mane."
"Blue Mane?"
"Oh, you didn't know? He made a name for himself during the conquest of Noark. He used to be the heir of the Blue Wolf tribe, but it seems he went into hiding in Noark after committing a crime and running away."
Hmm, so he wasn't a member of Orcules, then. No wonder I didn't know who he was. "Okay. I'll handle it."
"You are reliable. Then I will give my all to stopping that old man." By "old man" he must have meant the Fallen Scholar. Perhaps he was the one Kyle wanted revenge against.
"Okay, then I'll entrust him to you." I ended the conversation and swung my mace at the corpses riddling the forest.
But just then, I heard Kyle's voice again. "Oh, and one more thing. Your teammates will reach you soon."
"What?"
There was no answer.
Crunch!
I was in the middle of crushing the head of a corpse that was covering itself with a shield, when...
Slice!
An adamantium greatsword lodged itself into the temple of a zombie that was aiming for my side.
"From now on, we will help you!"
"Bjorn!"
It was Ainar and Missha. The close-range damage dealer sisters smoothly took up stances on either side of me. It was a formation Team Apple Narak often went with when fighting.
"You're not going to be stubborn and try to fight alone again, are you?" When I turned around, I could see Raven atop Mr. Bear's summoned beast, Iron Bear.
No, wait a minute, if Iron Bear is here...
As expected, a quick glance around confirmed that Mr. Bear had come up too.
"You should be in the rear, why are you all...?" I could buy the melee sisters, but why were these two here too? The back would be much safer.
Mr. Bear answered while nocking an arrow on his crossbow. "Shooting at high angles is not my specialty."
Well, that was true, but there was no way that was the real reason.
I'll have to get him Leap Sight once we're on the sixth floor.
Thinking of an essence I could give Mr. Bear later, I swung my mace. However, the zombie collapsed before I even hit it.
Whoosh!
A firey arrow had buried itself between its brows.
"Mister!"
So you're here too.
It looked like her sister, Daria, was there as well. She had been trying to protect Erwen from the danger earlier, but maybe she had a change of heart? I wasn't sure, but I wasn't complaining.
"Protect the commander!" Fend and his clan members had carved out their own territory on the battlefield and were diligently pummeling the wolfman.
"You annoying bastards...!" Judging by that rave review, it seemed their strategy was working well, although it bothered me a bit that things on the Fallen Scholar's end were quiet.
Trust him. I'm sure Kyle will be able to handle whatever happens. I just have to do my job.
I scanned the surrounding area. It wasn't difficult to spot Clown while I was Giantized. The bastard was sitting on top of a giant corpse monster, watching the battlefield like it was incredibly entertaining to him.
There's a limit to how much you can underestimate people.
I couldn't help but laugh. Come to think of it, the Dragon Slayer had had the same look in his eyes when I first met him.
"Missha, Ainar. We're clearing the way from now on."
I started fighting through the corpse army in earnest and advanced. The target was the Corpse Collector. The objective? Crush his skull and check if there was something wrong with his head.
"Yandel! Yandel is trying to do something again!"
"Is he aiming for the Corpse Collector?"
"Follow the great warrior!"
"Let's gooo!"
Adventurers began to gather around me.
"Ahhh!"
In the middle of all that, one of the trio, the beastman, took a massive leap and landed in front of me. "Hey, barbarian! Are you the leader here?" His appearance was completely different from earlier. With ferociously protruding fangs, fur covering his entire body along with a blue mane, and a height and frame on par with me in Giantization mode, the bastard had transformed into a beast reminiscent of a Lycanthrope.
No wonder he had no equipment.
I scanned the man and quickly analyzed him.
Is it an enhancement type?
Each beastperson had a unique ability called a Soul Beast. It seemed that his was an enhancement type like Missha's. One of the powers he had obtained during the process of leveling up his Soul Beast over and over again must have been some kind of transformation skill.
So which essences has he absorbed?
Since I'd figure that out later, I set my curiosity aside and shielded my face. The bastard was swinging his huge front paw at me.
Bang!
There was a heavy, bone-chilling shock.
His Strength stat is higher than mine.
As expected, this wouldn't be an easy fight.
Whoom!
Just as I was about to disengage from the power struggle and step back, a sword swung not toward me, but the wolfman.
"I'll take care of this guy, so you back up!" It was Melter Fend, the leader of the Nartel Clan.
"You're taking over?"
"Sir Kyle's orders."
If you say so.
I obediently conceded and stepped back. A round peg should go in a round hole. Fend was the sole rank-three adventurer in our group, and he had been conserving his strength up to this point in preparation for the battle on the second floor.
He said he once served as an apprentice knight. He will be much better at fighting against people than I am.
"Yandel, can you hear me?" The moment I left the wolfman to Fend and turned around, I heard Kyle's voice from the message stone.
"I hear you."
"Sorry. I was delayed because I was splitting the troops."
"No need to apologize, tell me what you need."
"You focus on leading people against the Corpse Collector. Fend and his comrades have volunteered to take care of Blue Mane."
"Blue Mane?"
"Oh, you didn't know? He made a name for himself during the conquest of Noark. He used to be the heir of the Blue Wolf tribe, but it seems he went into hiding in Noark after committing a crime and running away."
Hmm, so he wasn't a member of Orcules, then. No wonder I didn't know who he was. "Okay. I'll handle it."
"You are reliable. Then I will give my all to stopping that old man." By "old man" he must have meant the Fallen Scholar. Perhaps he was the one Kyle wanted revenge against.
"Okay, then I'll entrust him to you." I ended the conversation and swung my mace at the corpses riddling the forest.
But just then, I heard Kyle's voice again. "Oh, and one more thing. Your teammates will reach you soon."
"What?"
There was no answer.
Crunch!
I was in the middle of crushing the head of a corpse that was covering itself with a shield, when...
Slice!
An adamantium greatsword lodged itself into the temple of a zombie that was aiming for my side.
"From now on, we will help you!"
"Bjorn!"
It was Ainar and Missha. The close-range damage dealer sisters smoothly took up stances on either side of me. It was a formation Team Apple Narak often went with when fighting.
"You're not going to be stubborn and try to fight alone again, are you?" When I turned around, I could see Raven atop Mr. Bear's summoned beast, Iron Bear.
No, wait a minute, if Iron Bear is here...
As expected, a quick glance around confirmed that Mr. Bear had come up too.
"You should be in the rear, why are you all...?" I could buy the melee sisters, but why were these two here too? The back would be much safer.
Mr. Bear answered while nocking an arrow on his crossbow. "Shooting at high angles is not my specialty."
Well, that was true, but there was no way that was the real reason.
I'll have to get him Leap Sight once we're on the sixth floor.
Thinking of an essence I could give Mr. Bear later, I swung my mace. However, the zombie collapsed before I even hit it.
Whoosh!
A firey arrow had buried itself between its brows.
"Mister!"
So you're here too.
It looked like her sister, Daria, was there as well. She had been trying to protect Erwen from the danger earlier, but maybe she had a change of heart? I wasn't sure, but I wasn't complaining.
"Protect the commander!" Fend and his clan members had carved out their own territory on the battlefield and were diligently pummeling the wolfman.
"You annoying bastards...!" Judging by that rave review, it seemed their strategy was working well, although it bothered me a bit that things on the Fallen Scholar's end were quiet.
Trust him. I'm sure Kyle will be able to handle whatever happens. I just have to do my job.
I scanned the surrounding area. It wasn't difficult to spot Clown while I was Giantized. The bastard was sitting on top of a giant corpse monster, watching the battlefield like it was incredibly entertaining to him.
There's a limit to how much you can underestimate people.
I couldn't help but laugh. Come to think of it, the Dragon Slayer had had the same look in his eyes when I first met him.
"Missha, Ainar. We're clearing the way from now on."
I started fighting through the corpse army in earnest and advanced. The target was the Corpse Collector. The objective? Crush his skull and check if there was something wrong with his head.
"Yandel! Yandel is trying to do something again!"
"Is he aiming for the Corpse Collector?"
"Follow the great warrior!"
"Let's gooo!"
Adventurers began to gather around me.