024. Royal Tomb 3
Codic settled lightly onto the headless body of a Gust. Clack! Codic's skull head and the body. Thick arms and hands caught the eye with a golden ring. It was a ring infused with his past power.
The already bizarre Codic became even more grotesque in that instant. Thrilled with his newly completed form, Codic turned his head toward Bin.
"My lord, what do you think? Impressive, isn't it?"
Codic bent his thick arm bones, striking a dashing pose. But Bin's response was a lukewarm expression.
"...Where?"
A skull head and arms. A grotesque figure draped in tattered white clothes. It reminded him of those dolls hanging from windows on rainy days, teru teru bozu.
But Codic's appearance wasn't the important thing right now.
Shing. Shing. Shing.
Even in that moment, countless Gusts charged at Bin.
"Die already!"
"I said die!"
Chiiik! Zzizizik!
Numerous claws approached before his eyes. Shabest whipped through the air in an instant, blocking them.
Tak!
Bin, having blocked the attack, scanned his surroundings. He'd taken down the most annoying one, but the area was still swarming with Gusts.
"What a pain."
Imagining all these Gusts rushing him at once was no joke. If he kept skimping on mana, he'd end up buried in this Royal Tomb himself.
Meanwhile, Codic, who had drawn near, wriggled his body and grinned creepily. Bin turned at the eerie sound.
Glancing to see what Codic was up to, the creature had already wrapped bandages around his right arm, rolling them tight. He looked utterly content.
Codic was prouder than ever.
"An arm just like my lord's..."
Bin stared at him in disbelief.
"Sigh..."
He'd hoped finding an arm would change the guy's act. Expecting that much was the mistake.
At this point, it bordered on illness. Bin ignored Codic and switched his sword to his right hand.
"Alright, let's get serious."
Black smoke rose from Bin's furrowed right arm.
Shiiiiiik.
He meant business now. Just before he swung, Codic appeared in front of him.
Bin voiced his confusion at the sudden move.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Codic glanced at the Gusts around them and spoke.
"I cannot allow these rabble to dirty my lord's hands."
His expression was unusually serious, a stark contrast to the trembling at Bin's waist moments ago. The Gusts, offended by his words, turned their gazes toward him one by one.
Shuuu. Shuuung.
That was when the Gusts lunged at Codic's arms.
Black smoke rose from Codic's right arm.
"Pathetic skeletons like you don't stand a chance."
As his massive arm grew even larger, the Gusts who had swung their claws screamed and were flung back.
"Gaaah!!"
Bin's pupils shook at the sight.
Mana of Strength? No wonder they call him a demon.
The Gusts, intimidated by Codic's Mana of Strength, huddled together. They planned to swarm him all at once.
No amount of toughness could withstand that many. Even Codic's sturdy body might falter.
But Codic didn't flinch at their numbers. Not that he had eyes to blink with.
He raised his right hand high and bellowed.
"You dare challenge me with mere numbers? Hahaha! If you're so confident, come at me—the one who handled hordes as an old demon."
As Codic closed his mouth, a black cross rose from the golden ring on his right hand.
The black cross spun counterclockwise and inverted. Then, the unbelievable happened.
Tak! Tak! Tak! Tak!
Bony arms burst from countless graves. As the bones upheaved the tombs, long-dormant corpses rose.
About a hundred skeletons stood, creaking noisily.
Creeeak. Creeeak.
The Gusts froze in shock.
"..."
And who could blame them? These Gusts had lingered here for ages. Corpses that had never moved before now stirred—it was chilling.
As the Gusts gawked, the skeletons hurried somewhere.
Creeeak. Creeeak.
Their destination was none other than Bin. They formed neat ranks around him, knelt on one knee, and shouted.
"My lord, give us your command!!"
Dozens of skeletons before him, yet their voices unified as one.
Bin looked stunned.
"..."
One Codic was burden enough; now multiplied. Small wonder.
Codic, speaking for them, bowed to Bin.
"My lord, give us your command!"
Reluctantly, Bin walked between the neatly aligned skeletons.
At last, he murmured lowly.
"Go."
"Yes, my lord!!"
Creeeak. Creeeak.
At Bin's word, the skeletons rose and marched toward their targeted Gusts.
An army advanced. The sight of countless skeleton soldiers made the Gusts' voices tremble.
"D-don't come closer!"
"G-get away!!"
To the Gusts, these skeletons had always been dead things. They'd shared this space for centuries without motion. Now they moved, targeting them—terror set in.
"Get lost!"
Tik!
Some Gusts shattered skeletons with claws, but they didn't collapse. Shrouded in black light, they reassembled and charged again.
Tak! Tak! Tak!
Fists wrapped in black light struck the Gusts, felling them one by one.
Some skeletons' punches sounded sharper.
Swish—Pow!!
Swift fists slicing air. Bones of retainers who once guarded a king. Among them, some had trained in martial arts in life—around 4th class knight level.
Codic grinned contentedly at their crisp moves.
"Hahaha! Four exceptional skeletons. I name you elites."
Elite skeletons outmatched ten regulars—in power and movement, a league apart.
With the four elites' prowess, the Gust numbers plummeted exponentially.
Bin and Codic joined in.
Swish. Pow!
Bin's blade and Codic's fists grazed, and Gusts flew helplessly.
The tide turned with the skeleton soldiers. Gusts, reliant on numbers, lost their will one by one.
Moments later, unexpectedly, Codic's efforts cleared them all.
Acknowledging it, Bin turned to him and spoke.
"Skeletons, you did good."
To others, it might seem cold. But to Codic, it was the highest praise ever.
His chest swelled. He bowed and replied.
"Your grace humbles me, my lord!"
As Codic finished, the skeletons knelt and chorused.
"Your grace humbles us, my lord!!"
"..."
Bin felt an awkward burden. Never worshipped by masses, even before regression.
He nodded nonchalantly, then scanned around.
White clothes littered the ground. Gusts immune to physical attacks—all down. Hard to believe.
Suddenly, an idea struck.
"Skeletons, can you revive these too?"
"With this body, magi isn't full—hundred is the limit."
"Reduce skeletons and fill with these?"
"A few, yes."
Codic smirked confidently at Bin's words.
"Then start."
"Yes, my lord!"
At the command, Codic raised his right hand, golden ring gleaming.
Black light surged; fallen Gusts twitched and rose.
"Why? Did you abandon us...?"
Codic bristled at their insolence.
"Show respect to my lord before I toss you out."
"Yes, my lord~"
The Gusts turned obsequious.
Normally, Bin might snap at Gusts, but not now. His mind was on the next foe: Cerberian, 2nd grade monster with three heads. No easy opponent.
Bin gritted his teeth again.
I'll claim your fangs for sure. I'll make a top-grade weapon.
Thus, Bin's group moved from Royal Tomb Sector A to B.
* * *
Royal Tomb Sector B.
A chilling place aglow with blue light. Rectangular marble floored and walled everything.
Bin passed through passages, scanning the empty area.
Codic, overusing magi, dangled from Bin's waist again. Skeleton soldiers stored in his skull.
In the silent hush, Codic spoke.
"To grant me such rest... My lord's profound mercy moves me today as well. Sob sob..."
"...?"
Bin tilted his head at the reaction, as if wondering what nonsense this was.
He hadn't meant to give Codic a break. Just knew the layout from before regression, so tucked him away.
This passage brimmed with traps.
Knowing that, Bin checked empty spaces meticulously.
"One should show up soon..."
His hunch was spot on.
As he scanned carefully, the marble floor sank.
His body lurched down, but he'd anticipated the trap—leapt back easily.
Thud.
But that wasn't all. As marble dropped, walls opened, revealing countless arrows.
Soon, a barrage filled the air, raining on Bin.
Shhhh—
"...!"