Chapter 129: King of the Dead (8)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 129: King of the Dead (8)
Abel, who had been holding back the army for what felt like an eternity, suddenly felt a warmth on her cheek. Light seeped into the corner of her vision, and her gaze reflexively chased its source.
"...!"
It wasn't just Abel. Every eye in the chamber chased the unfamiliar light. In the next moment, everyone beheld a scene of incomparable holiness.
Swoooosh.
A flash of light that swept away the hellscape burst from high above. It was a warmth unfelt for centuries. The warmth of life spread through the chamber.
The dead looked up blankly at the radiance. They felt their hearts beating once more.
Because that immense energy suppressed the surrounding magic power, the undead regained their senses, if only for a brief moment. Joy and hope welled up on their faces.
They instinctively realized that the human boy was the savior who would free them from this curse.
"Ah... ah..."
It was Mikellan. He found it hard to hold back his tears at this overwhelming surge of emotion. He spoke in a choked voice.
"The dead yearn."
Clang, clang!
Following his words, damaged weapons fell to the ground. The will to fight had completely vanished from the eyes of the dead.
Starting with Mikellan, sobbing sounds leaked out from here and there. The undead whose vocal cords were somewhat intact squeezed out sounds, their voices joining Mikellan's.
"For a human to appear and break this curse."
Abel and Shail could not hide their shock. It was too sudden for them to comprehend what was happening.
Suddenly, the undead horde stopped attacking and spoke in unison. Though they had torn vocal cords and slurred pronunciation, their words were filled with desperate earnestness.
"For the Sword Saint who will sever the shackles of immortality to descend."
The song of the dead continued.
In the midst of it, Kang Geomma dashed through the air, rushing at Draugr. His aura, fluttering like a white robe, soon enveloped the magical beast.
Boom!
A massive shockwave rippled outward. A sharp, freezing wind blew, and cracks began to spiderweb across the ceiling with a sharp creeeak.
Clang!
A sharp, piercing sound. The sound of metal biting metal rang out.
Draugr barely blocked the strike wrapped in aura. Even though he supported the back of his blade with his other hand, his limbs trembled. The ground beneath his feet caved in.
What an incredible strike.
It didn't carry the weight of a small blade. It felt like the crushing pressure of a heavy axe.
However, the corners of Draugr's mouth twitched before breaking into a wide grin, exposing his yellow teeth and purple gums.
Ah, how long had it been since he felt this? Is there any moment that makes a swordsman's blood boil more than when clashing swords?
In truth, if he had just accepted this strike, he would have found peace immediately. But he didn't want to do that.
His body had already met its end. He did not fear eternal destruction now.
He just wanted to pour out his remaining fighting spirit and the deep awe he felt toward this boy before him in his final moments.
Thump, thump.
Draugr extended his sword. The Sashimi struck his blade. A trembling metallic sound rang out, and his fingers tingled from the aftershock.
Draugr's pupils slowly dilated. He was the one who had initiated the attack, yet he was the one pushed onto the defensive.
There is no waste in his movements.
He was fast. The strikes rained down in a dizzying flurry, yet it was a continuous attack guided by perfect logic. It felt like Draugr's body would shatter with every single blow. There wasn't even time to groan.
Swish.
Kang Geomma took a low stance. He held the Ten-Thousand-Year Frost in a reverse grip and drew a half-moon. The chilly blade smoothly carved through the armor.
Slash!
A beam of light passed through Draugr's right shoulder. The golden armor crumbled, and his severed forearm rolled onto the ground.
...!
An unbelievably clean cut. It was sword energy whose principles were hard to grasp. He didn't even realize he had been cut yet.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
The blade flew, trailing light. A pure white aura followed. To the onlookers, Kang Geomma's arm appeared as a blur of multiple limbs.
Draugr tilted his hilt diagonally. He intended to block at least a few strikes. He still had pride when it came to the sword.
—But.
Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!
The swordplay completely sealed his movements. The blade shaved away the armor, scattering golden dust.
Whoosh.
Swept by the fierce wind of the sword, the golden dust settled like snow, as if covering the horrific scene of corpses and maggots.
Creeeak.
The cracks in the ceiling gradually widened. Faint beams of light began to peek through the gaps.
The cold blade shaved away Draugr's entire body. His chest swelled as if it would burst. Blood like cold water rushed through him. Steam rose from the gaps in his cracked and torn skin.
It is definitely him.
The prophecy turned into certainty. At that moment, Draugr and the dead shared thoughts and senses.
Though it was a false throne, he was the Lich King. The dead also clearly felt that vivid emotion.
The dead concluded the Lich King's thoughts on his behalf. In those words, each of their wills was also woven.
Kang Geomma opened his eyes wide. His black pupils looked past his opponent. There was a question that had lingered since he first set foot here.
Where is the Staff of the Reaper?
At first, he thought there was just some mistake. But clashing swords with Draugr made him realize the truth.
A branch with a gem embedded at the end was gouging Draugr's chest like a nail. And it throbbed, wriggling like a living thing.
That's it.
A dark red thread was tangled messily around the sinister gem. That must be the source of the transcendental magic power.
The Immortal Magic Stone.
However, the thread was tightly tangled around the magic stone like a shield. If he swung his sword incorrectly, the gem itself would be cut.
But there was not enough time left to cut it precisely.
One second.
Kang Geomma took a short breath. Then, he quickly sheathed the Sashimi at his waist.
The aura was also of higher purity than usual. The wishes of the dead gathered at the tip of the Sashimi, praying to the savior who had finally appeared.
A round ring of light rose behind Kang Geomma's back. It was a holy radiance.
Kang Geomma tightened his grip. He would not strike twice. He had to finish it in one go. Immediately, his shoulder became a blur.
Sheathing.
Condensing.
Drawing.
The processes occurred simultaneously. There were hundreds of thousands of watching eyes, but the only one who captured that moment was Draugr.
Slaaaaaash!
The sound of cutting echoed like ripples.
The sword light, loaded with all his strength, stretched out. A straight pillar of light penetrated Draugr's upper body and the magic stone in one go.
A crooked line appeared on Draugr's waist, and soon his upper body slid off like a bowling pin.
"..."
Golden dust scattered like sleet. A piece landed on the bridge of Abel's nose. Abel's golden eyes widened.
"...Gold... snow?"
The golden grains pushed away the horrific hellscape, praising the dead gathered here—the heroes who had burned their bodies for humanity.
Thud.
Someone knelt on one knee. His toes pointed toward the tower in the very center.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Starting with him, the dead knelt and bowed their heads. In an instant, the atmosphere turned solemn.
"...This is."
Abel looked around. The pillars of human bones that made up the temple, and the temple itself, were melting away.
Rumble!
It was collapsing—the prison that bound and shackled death.
Crash!
The curse that made them rot alive under the guise of immortality.
The bodies of the undead also collapsed one by one like sandcastles. Even in the midst of this, dozens of them paid their respects toward the same place, a clear light lingering in their eyes.
They spat out their last words as if exhaling their final breath.
"To our king."
Even though their bodies would immediately turn to dust, they honored a human.
"May there be glory."
Toward the black-haired boy.
* * *
[NEW! You have acquired a new item.]
Flash!
* * *
〈Immortal Magic Stone〉
The Immortal Magic Stone is made of the blood of hundreds of thousands of the dead.
Although their resentment dwells in this small world, their wishes also remain.
Listen to the voices of the dead.
Then they will open the gates of the underworld and answer your call.
◈ Category
: Magic Stone
◈ Description
: The source of the curse that bound the dead and a crystallization of magic power.
: However, currently, all the resentment of the dead has been cleared, making it pure.
: Can be used to enhance armaments.
◈ Potential
: Holders of a 《Special Title》 are granted additional potential.
: The duration and manifestation conditions of the potential are adjusted arbitrarily according to external factors.
* * *
"I finally got it..."
An unconscious smile rose to my lips. It was something I had crossed the boundary between life and death several times to obtain.
As they say, a reward must be won after a trial for the joy to be doubled.
But what is this?
My eyes particularly lingered on the words "potential" and "title." Since I had never obtained the Immortal Magic Stone during my days as a player, I didn't know much about its effects.
It seemed different from the 'special ability' granted to armament enhancement.
"Ugh."
...My enjoyment was short-lived. A groan escaped from between my teeth.
I had overdone it. I tried to finish it within one second, but it seemed the output of my aura was a bit too excessive.
The corners of my mouth, which had been rising, twisted at the oncoming pain. I clutched my forehead. A burning heat tore through my frontal lobe.
...I might be bedridden for a few days.
I gritted my teeth. The situation wasn't completely over yet. I lowered my gaze slightly.
The man who had been Draugr just moments ago—Abel's father—was lying peacefully on the ground.
Although his upper and lower body were separated, his expression was infinitely peaceful. He was turning into dust starting from his fingertips. It was clear at a glance that he didn't have much time left.
He moved his dry lips.
"Are you perhaps a companion of my daughter?"
I nodded silently. A bright smile appeared on his lips.
"Thank you."
"You should thank Abel directly, not me. She's the one who waited ten years to find you."
I pointed behind me with my thumb. There, Abel was staring blankly up at us.
At that, Orion laughed softly.
"I see. Ever since she was young, once she got hooked on something, she would dig deep into it. I guess she's still like that."
"...Well, she does have a bit of a stubborn streak."
"Hahaha, it seems she takes after my father more than me in that regard. My father—the Sword Emperor—has exactly that kind of personality."
Having experienced it firsthand, I just nodded.
Orion, who had been laughing for a while, soon let out a shallow breath. The light in his golden eyes was also sinking deeply.
"I would love to talk to my daughter, but... I don't have much time left."
"...If you have any last words, I'll pass them on for you."
Orion's eyebrows twitched. Soon, he quietly turned only his eyes to look at Abel. Various emotions crossed his eyes.
He closed and opened his eyes, then suddenly shook his head.
"It's fine. Come to think of it, if I say something, she will definitely be greatly affected. So, for Abel's sake, I want to leave without saying anything. I want her to walk her own path entirely."
"...I understand."
With those words, Orion turned his eyes back to the ceiling. He smiled as he bathed in the sunlight leaking through the cracks.
"Thank you. Thanks to you, I can see the light one last time before I go."
Orion's entire body slowly disappeared, swept away by the wind. Exhaling a faint breath, he spoke.
"May the Blessing of God be with you."
Whoosh.
...A moment later, the undead horde began to collapse completely.
"..."
Countless heroic spirits were granted peace and became part of nature.