Chapter 52 - Hair-Trigger Tension
"GRRRRAAAHHH!!"
Countless undead glared at me, howling in unison. Then, the eerie aura unique to the undead mingled with the holy energy emanating from their white armor, surging toward me all at once.
"Ugh... This feels gross..."
Being battered by this clash of utterly incompatible forces left me feeling deeply unsettled. Pondering why it bothered me so much, I realized it mirrored my own situation perfectly.
I'm a hero forced to commit evil deeds, after all.
Can I even win this?
Surveying the undead horde with a doubtful expression, I began assessing their strength. Judging by their armament and builds, most had been well-trained holy knights in life. So, was this the tomb where the Sun God's Church buried its fallen holy knights?
...But the church's cemetery is on the surface.
Come to think of it, the church had maintained its prestige for a thousand years, and its public cemetery was right there above ground. So what the hell was this place, with so many holy knight corpses piled up?
—Swish!!
Lost in thought, a few undead suddenly loosed arrows at me.
"GRRRRAAAHHH!!!"
To conserve stamina, I tilted my head just enough to dodge. Enraged, they howled and fixed their gazes on me.
At least they don't seem too intelligent. Thank goodness.
There are several types of undead. The first follows direct orders from a necromancer, their strength varying at the caster's whim. But these ones had been acting independently from the start, so no necromancer was present.
The second type possesses high intelligence and makes efficient judgments. Creating them requires premium materials, time, and massive mana—but yields powerful results. Mass-producing this many would demand a grand mage, who wouldn't bother with a trap like this anyway.
The third and final type—the one I faced—has low intellect but strong instincts, blindly targeting prey. They can't coordinate attacks, formations, or tactics, just charging mindlessly. But their tenacity and brutality make them impossible to ignore.
"I need to buy time... Just buy time..."
Having sized up the enemy, I muttered to myself while slowly sidestepping. My goal wasn't annihilation—it was stalling as long as possible, so Perloché could escape safely.
Earlier, I'd spread out my star mana to scout: beyond that door lay a straight passage leading topside. Even with her divine power depleted, Perloché could recover using the sunlight from her accessories and push forward.
Whatever waited outside was unknown, but sunlight would be there. She'd handle it.
"GRRRRAAAHHH!!"
As I glared back at them, the horde charged en masse. The sight resembled a swarm of ants descending on prey, drawing a grimace from me. On a whim, I patted the Domination Stone in my pocket.
No reaction, even after tapping until my finger hurt. As expected, it had no effect on the dead.
"Haaah!"
Pulling my hand free, I gripped my sword hilt tight, took a deep breath, and swung fiercely.
—Zzzing!
A flash of brilliant star mana erupted, and the front ranks of the approaching undead crumpled helplessly.
"KRREEEEEK!!"
As undead, most twitched on the ground, but I'd targeted their legs deliberately. Futile spasms.
—Crunch! Cruuunch!!
The legless ones writhed, only to be trampled and shattered by those behind, neutralizing them.
"Ngh... Damn it..."
Watching with grim satisfaction, a stabbing pain pierced my chest like a dagger. I collapsed to one knee.
A few more swings might thin them out significantly, but the two penalty stacks and one special penalty stack were taking a heavy toll.
"Hah... haa..."
Panting raggedly on the ground, I forced myself up and steadied my sword.
"Melee it is?"
I recalled the legend of Bywalk house's founder—the first Sword Saint—holding off an army alone. Maybe I could try... but no, that was foolish. Not at full strength, half-dead, surrounded by elite holy knights turned undead? The outcome was obvious.
They moved sluggishly, true, but recklessness could backfire.
...Tch. No choice.
Abandoning melee, I grimaced, took a deep breath, and gathered mana within.
Calculations said one more swing was feasible, though it'd wreck my internals.
—Zzzing!!
"GYAAAH!!"
A massive sword beam severed countless legs again. Then agony wracked my heart; I clutched my chest, rolling on the filthy floor.
"Aghhh..."
Spitting blood after tumbling through dust, I stabbed my sword into the ground for support and rose shakily.
"Still, that's a good dent."
Just two swings, and their numbers visibly dwindled. Tempted for more, but stalling was priority. I edged toward Perloché's exit, pondering.
First, retreat to that narrow passage. Hack climbers until my limit, then flee outside.
Open-area melee risked encirclement. But a single-file chokepoint changed everything—I could hold long.
If they piled up too much, corpses might overflow regardless. Unavoidable. The opposite exit was blocked by stronger undead, and more were rising, shrinking the room.
I wasn't suiciding; keep an escape behind.
Spilled undead outside? Imperial knights patrolled the capital amid recent monster incursions. Church-tainted or not, sunlight-weakened undead would fall easily to elites.
"GRRRRAAAHHH!!!"
"Fucking pests."
Opening Perloché's door, I positioned mid-corridor and locked it. It wouldn't hold, but better than wide open.
—Krrunch!!
"KRREEEEEK!!"
"Hah, damn."
One undead ripped it off effortlessly. Decapitating the vandal, I scanned their formation, dejected.
...Huh?
Something felt off.
"Gruk! Grrruk!"
"Keeek!"
Beyond the advancing legion's chilling cries, the massive undead at the far exit were communicating, manipulating something.
What are they doing?
Curious, I stepped out to investigate—but the horde closed in. Grimacing, I retreated.
"KRREEEE!"
"Where do you think you're going."
At my prepared spot, I impaled the first intruder's skull.
"GRRRRAAAHHH!!"
Five or six more shoved the pinned one forward.
"Slow... but strong as hell."
Sluggish, yet retaining monstrous strength, they used the impaled as a shield. My arms screamed near cramp blocking them.
"Hrah!!"
Three more joined; losing balance, I gritted teeth, yanked my sword free, and hacked wildly.
Brutal power, but slow—they couldn't block. Decapitated torsos piled up.
"Ngh."
Soon, I was pushed back. Corpses filled the passage, eroding my footing.
Desperate to stall, I stabbed, slashed, mangled—but neutralized piles mounted uselessly.
Coincidence or sudden smarts? They climbed the heap.
"Still, this should keep them bottled up."
It hindered their surface breakout too. Imperial knights could mop up. I backpedaled slowly.
Perloché must've escaped safely. Good.
Hacking frontrunners delayed them until I reached the presumed surface door—ajar. She'd made it.
"Urraaah!!"
"KIIIIIEEK!!"
Relieved, I smirked, halting at the exit to slow their spill maximally, resuming the frenzy.
Piling wrecks here forced single-file escape, even for the strong.
Wished to finish topside, but lifespan wouldn't allow. This barricade would suffice.
—Creak...
After building the corpse wall, clutching my burning heart, I drew a black robe from my bosom and eased the door open.
"Hah..."
Stunned by the sight beyond, I quietly shut it and swallowed hard.
"...Fuck."
I'd grasped everything happening below.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Minutes before Frey opened the door to the surface and gained his revelation:
"Is he heading there?"
Hidden behind the magic-trapped door via stealth scroll, Irina Philliard peeked out, watching Frey evade the undead toward the passage.
"This is weird... So damn weird..."
Once he vanished inside, she muttered anxiously.
"Why does Frey only do good after evil?"
Her conviction dated two months back, post-'commoner dorm raid.' Exhausted by fruitless probes into status gaps and funds, she'd ventured into the Ashen Forest.
Dark golem's destruction had scattered inner monsters, enabling entry—though perils remained: harsh wilds, beasts replacing fiends.
Irina pooled every coin for magic scrolls, took academy leave, camped investigating relentlessly. Her obsessive drive shone.
"Th-this is...!"
A month in, fleeing sudden rain into a conspicuous cave, she realized its nature.
"Scuff marks on stones, blood trails, and that sparkling mana Liana used... No way, is this...?"
Blinded and threatened by the mystery man, she'd thrashed desperately—memories vivid as nightmares. Spotting her own traces was easy.
Her honed mana sense post-depletion detected Liana and Frey's signature deep inside. Gulping, she rummaged her pack.
That woman's scream echoed then. If this bred slaves...
Armed with costly attack scrolls—skipping a month's meals—she crept in, bracing for horrors. But...
"...Huh?"
She gawked. No sex slaves or torture devices—just emaciated monster corpses.
—Shaaa...
Sparkling mana gleamed amid them.
".....!"
Dazed, she glanced down at a snag—and recoiled.
"A body...?"
A decapitated woman. Battle mage hardened, Irina grimaced, inspecting the neck.
"...She's smiling."
Despite mana or chill preserving her, the expression was serene—impossible for a beheaded slave fugitive.
Blood trailed from entrance to body, pooled beside. Post-kill vomiter? Liana... no, Frey.
"Student! Don't go in that forest!!"
"It's fine, I'm prepared."
"Tch! A whole village burned by monsters there recently! Only corpses left—survivors dragged to dens... Still going?"
Recalling the local's plea, spotting human corpses amid monsters and a family photo in the woman's arms, Irina concluded:
Not capturing slaves... Helping her revenge.
Frey committed evil, then secret good. Her month's probe unveiled his secret.
"Just now, he threatened Perloché to flee, then blocked undead alone... Confirms it."
His repeat solidified it.
But why?
She knew his pattern, not motive. Asking directly? He'd hide good deeds for reason—regression change or always thus. Approaching blind risked traps: hidden malice, or dire exposure consequences.
Timing not yet...
—BOOM!!
"Eek!?"
Deep in thought, a roar jolted her scream.
"Stop iiiit!!!"
Peeking: bloodshot-eyed Frey, spewing blood, bursting from passage.
Undead pulped behind, spilling out—he gashed but ignored, charging giants.
"Hraaaaaah!!!"
Swinging full force, he severed one giant's leg mid-manipulation.
"GRRRRAAAHHH!!"
"Uwaaaaaah!!"
Bleeding from eyes, trembling, Frey stabbed and twisted the other's leg desperately.
"Something's wrong..."
Dazed, Irina gathered flames urgently.
"Dieeee!!"
Meanwhile, Frey severed the leg, smashed their device.
"D-damn..."
Incredible feat felling masses and giants—but spent. He knelt limply.
"No... Can't end here..."
Despairing, he drew something ominous from his bosom. Sensing peril, Irina unleashed fire, intervening.
—BOOM!!
"KIIEEK!!"
Undead around Frey ignited.
"Wh-who..."
Stowing the item, he rasped—then, cradled by Irina, assumed protection and fainted.
—BOOM!!
"KRREEEE!!"
Blasting while carrying him, her week's mana neared empty. She fled through his breached door.
"KRREEEE!!"
"Back off!!"
Last fireball downed pursuers; clutching attack scroll for contingencies, she opened the door...
"...Hah."
Understanding Frey's frantic return.
"Evacuate all orphanage kids!! Now!!!"
"Saintess... Enough stubbornness. If you persist..."
"Evacuate now, or I'll use Solar God's Blessing and demolish it myself!!!"
"S-Solar God's Blessing...?"
Beyond pale, gasping Perloché yelling at blocking Pope and holy knights:
—Pop! Boom!!
—Bwaaa! Bwaa!
The Sun God's Church orphanage hosted a joyous party with fireworks and trumpets.
No way... That ceiling magic circle...
Frozen by averted horror, sweating, Irina whirled at rear presence.
"KRREK!!"
"F-fuck!"
Ripping the attack scroll at the undead inches away:
—Zzzzap!
"Wh-what!?"
Familiar exam teleport sensation engulfed her and Frey in light, vanishing.
Brief silence followed.
"KRREEEEE!!"
"Wh-what!?"
"Undead! Undead appeared!!"
Until the prelude to the empire-and-church-shaking "Holy Undead Knight Incident."