Chapter 126: King of the Dead (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 126: King of the Dead (5)
Ruuuuumble!
A single sword strike brought the thick door crashing down.
A biting wind whipped up in its wake, and the lined-up piles of stones collapsed one after another like dominoes.
The entire dungeon, which had been as silent as a graveyard, vibrated.
“……”
“……”
“……”
Those watching could only gulp. This was especially true for Shail, who was seeing it in person for the first time. Her eyes went beyond mere bewilderment, turning completely dazed.
It was a phenomenon so far beyond expectation that one wouldn't even believe it in a dream. Anyone would have just gaped like a goldfish.
The door Kang Geomma had sliced in half was massive, easily ten meters in diameter, if not more.
Yet, with a single slash, the interlocking locks and the crawlway door were cut through like butter.
And with that sashimi knife, no less. More than the ground-shaking impact, Shail felt her very common sense crumbling.
Ironically, at the same time, a wave of relief washed up from the depths of her chest.
In truth, Shail had been hesitating the entire way here.
Today alone, she had faced several absurd situations.
Out of nowhere, Kang Geomma had suggested they go subjugate an S-rank Magical Beast.
At first, she thought it was just a joke, but as she reflected on various details, the pieces of the puzzle began to click together like cogs.
All the evidence pointed toward his words being the truth.
To make matters worse, whenever she asked, Kang Geomma brushed it off entirely.
It's just your imagination. I just did thorough research. And so on...
She had a mountain of further questions.
The urge to press him rose within her, but Shail couldn't bring herself to do it.
Part of it was Lady Abel's reason for coming to the undead dungeon, but the bigger part was the sheer fear she felt toward Kang Geomma.
Though she tried to deny it, her shoulders trembled slightly whenever she felt Kang Geomma's gaze on her.
Kang Geomma was a man whose next move was completely unpredictable, whose true intentions were impossible to fathom.
He was chilling yet gentle.
Calm yet fiery.
His chaotic nature felt like cosmic horror to Shail.
“Whew...”
Kang Geomma let out a long breath and sheathed his sashimi knife.
He spoke in a casual tone, as if he had done nothing more than peel an apple.
“Let's do a quick status check before we head in. Oh, and thanks for your hard work, Mr. Mikellan. You can head back now.”
At this, Mikellan shook his head, his face filled with ecstasy. A strange, brilliant light gleamed in his lifeless pupils.
“Ah, no! I will stay by Lord Kang Geomma's side until the very end. This feeling of my heart racing... it is the first time in hundreds of years! I, Mikellan, can now die with no regrets!”
“…Your sense of humor is in pretty bad taste, mister.”
Amidst the lingering shock, the two exchanged trivial banter.
Watching this scene, Shail quietly turned her gaze to Abel.
Her lady had a similar look in her eyes, though it was less intense than Shail's. Aside from being surprised, she looked as if she had expected this to some extent.
Sensing her gaze, Abel looked back at Shail. Then, with an understanding expression, she spoke.
“Shail, you looked incredibly anxious just a moment ago, but your face has softened a bit. You felt relieved after seeing how he handles a sword too, didn't you?”
“…Yes, my lady. Honestly, it's beyond my expectations—no, it transcends imagination. Geomma is...”
“I know how you feel. Ever since I first met him, there hasn't been a single moment where he didn't surprise me.”
Abel smiled bitterly. She turned her gaze back to Kang Geomma, various emotions swirling in her golden eyes.
“Sometimes, looking at him, I feel a wall. A wall that can never be scaled. You know, the kind of wall where no matter how far back you tilt your head, you can't see the top.”
“……”
“…But looking at it from another perspective, I'm not the only one who feels that wall. Think about it. What would it be like for the enemies who have to face Kang Geomma?”
A split second of imagination was more than enough.
As the thought crossed her mind, a cold sweat ran down Shail's spine. Kang Geomma's swordsmanship was something that made one's ribs instinctively contract in fear.
Abel pouted her lips for a moment, then brightened up.
“So, Shail, don't worry too much. Of course, I'm scared too. We're going to face an S-rank Magical Beast, after all. But whenever you feel anxious, just summon that feeling from earlier. The relief of having Kang Geomma as an ally, and the... terror of facing him as an enemy.”
Thinking of it that way, the knot in her chest seemed to completely dissolve. It was like the 'routine' that athletes perform before a game.
“…Yes, my lady.”
Shail nodded in agreement.
Kang Geomma assigned roles to Abel and Shail. Then, he coordinated and adjusted the strategy with Mikellan, who had volunteered as their tactician.
The plan was simple.
A swift, decisive battle.
Defeating Draugr before he could swell his army.
Kang Geomma would leap forward at high speed and slash him down. The duration of the [Blessing of Painlessness] was '50 seconds.' However, if they prioritized speed, that limit would become meaningless.
The most troublesome part was the small fry. Abel and Shail would suppress their numbers from the rear.
Additionally, Mikellan, a non-combatant, would secure their field of vision to prevent any surprise attacks from blind spots, while also searching for Abel's parents.
Although Mikellan didn't possess a shred of combat ability, his role was to help the three of them focus entirely on the battle.
Most importantly, they had to flee immediately the moment Kang Geomma gave the signal.
In a way, this was the core of the subjugation battle.
It was only natural, as stubbornly holding their ground would surely result in being mobbed and dying a dog's death.
Only by staying alive could they hope for a next time. There was no reason to risk their lives over a magic stone.
“—That's the plan. If anyone has any objections, speak up now.”
No answer came. It was a silent agreement.
In truth, because they had thrown it together so quickly, the plan focused on efficiency rather than structure.
Yet, it was hard for anyone to deny that this was their best option.
Kang Geomma scanned their faces, then straightened up from his crouch. He spoke in a resolute voice.
“Let's go.”
* * *
We walked down the descending passageway for thirty minutes.
We were descending a flight of stairs of seemingly endless length.
Sigh.
The dreary air and the smell of heavy moisture seeped into my skin and the tip of my nose. Perhaps because of that, my heart pounded, and a cold sweat broke out.
Still, the sensation when I first stepped into that crawlway was truly... Even with my strong nerves, I felt a chill run down my spine.
Inside, any trace of life, external light, or human presence was completely shut out.
Even with a flashlight, it could only illuminate the space right in front of our feet.
The slope was steep, so we kept our tension high, groping along the walls as we moved.
The path there is creepier than the boss monster itself.
Fortunately, we had Mikellan.
He led us from the very front of the line, cutting through the darkness without any light.
He didn't forget to check back periodically to make sure we were following well. He was doing everything a guide should.
He's definitely exceeding expectations.
An impeccable ally.
Step.
Mikellan's footsteps stopped. Keeping his eyes fixed ahead, he merely stretched his arm backward. It was a signal to wait.
Mikellan looked around, scanning the surroundings. Then, twisting only his head back, he spoke quietly.
“I believe we have finally arrived.”
As he spoke, Mikellan's expression was far from good. His face began to stiffen like a stone statue.
He seemed to have noticed something unusual. His pupils trembled with anxiety.
I asked him.
“What's wrong, mister?”
“Well... actually, undead can faintly perceive each other's spiritual bodies.”
“What does that mean?”
“You might have guessed from hearing the inscription on the tombstone, but even if an undead's physical body crumbles, their soul seems to remain in the dungeon. I suspect that even if the shell trapping the soul is shed, they can never escape this place. Of course, I am still an undead with intact limbs, so I cannot be certain, but...”
To put it simply, even if the body was obliterated, the soul remained. Even if the flesh decayed, the soul could not escape this dungeon.
This was, quite literally, an Avici Hell from which one could not escape even in death. Could people have ever imagined that a dungeon ostensibly rated D-rank would be such a hell?
“On the surface—that is, above the stairs—the number of wandering souls is very small. In the centuries I've spent here, I haven't seen more than ten. Back then, I just thought I had seen a ghost, but...”
There was only one reason for him to suddenly say this.
“Are you saying there are many of them here?”
At my question, Mikellan nodded.
“Yes, that is correct. That is also why I am telling you this now. Seeing this absurd number of souls, I am certain.”
“How absurd are we talking about?”
Mikellan scanned the area once more. As his gaze swept across, his eyebrows twitched violently.
Having finished his assessment, he spoke in a low voice.
“There are easily over a hundred thousand, at the very least.”
“……?!”
“It is an estimate, but the number is staggering. They are almost dense enough to take physical form.”
At those words, everyone flinched, their shoulders trembling. Over a hundred thousand souls trapped in this pitch-black shroud of darkness—it was nothing short of a den of ghosts.
It was then.
Kuhuuuu... kuhuuuu... kukkuruuu... kuguuu... kuhuuuu... kuhuuuu... kukkuruuu... kuguuu... kuhuuuu... kuhuuuu... kukkuruuu... kuguuu... kuhuuuu... kuhuuuu... kukkuruuu... kuguuu...
The area began to shake violently. The air grew sticky, and the atmosphere turned bizarre. A disgusting noise, like swarms of crawling insects, echoed from the ground.
“Everyone, draw your weapons!”
I shouted to the group. Abel and Shail, who had been momentarily dazed, immediately reached for their waists.
Flash!
Suddenly, a brilliant light pierced through the pitch-black scenery. It was as if the dead of night had instantly transformed into broad daylight.
“Ugh.”
I groaned as the light assaulted my eyes. They stung.
But I didn't close them. I squinted as hard as I could, determined to secure my field of vision.
Amidst the pouring rays of light, I forced my eyes to focus. As the surrounding sight registered on my retinas, I froze.
“…This is insane.”
The space was easily ten times larger than the Cow King's domain. The sheer scale of the area weighed heavily on my shoulders.
If it were just the size, I wouldn't have been so surprised. It was the domain of an S-rank Magical Beast, after all; it would be stranger if the space were cramped.
A massive temple stood before us. Though it was a temple in form, its scale was utterly overwhelming.
It was practically a subterranean city. It looked like one of those mysterious sanctuaries often mentioned in conspiracy theories.
However, the materials used to construct this grand structure were truly horrifying. It was made entirely of bones, skulls, and rotting flesh. Even the ground beneath us squelched and writhed; it was no ordinary floor.
“N-No way...”
The other three, who opened their eyes next, were speechless.
An indescribable emotion swept through their bodies. Their lips trembled at the sight of this living hell.
“L-Look over there.”
Mikellan pointed with a trembling, terrified finger. His gaze was fixed on the highest tower of the temple.
At its summit sat a throne. A vantage point overlooking this entire space. And sitting arrogantly upon that throne was a single figure.
It was a great distance away, but I could tell what that being was just from the aura it exuded.
Draugr.
He wore golden armor ornately crafted with gold and various gems. A crown rested upon his head, engraving his status as king into the minds of any who looked.
It was a color scheme clearly out of place in this space filled only with gray and red. However, one thing bothered me.
Doesn't Draugr use a ssaji?
Yet, that bastard's weapon was a sword. As I stared, captivated and bewildered, the air shook once more.
Wrooooooooom!
The entire area vibrated, and the walls began to melt.
The next moment, Draugr, who had been sitting on the throne, slowly raised his head. Then, his eyes quietly opened.
At the same time, a voice drifted out. Not from the front, but from behind.
“Ah, ah...”
A heavily trembling voice. Soon, everyone's gaze converged on one person. It was Abel.
She shook convulsively, covering her mouth with both hands. Yet, she couldn't fully swallow the voice escaping from between her teeth.
“D-Dad...?”