Chapter 84
Chapter 84
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Immortal Legion
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Immortal Legion's basic unit starts at fifty strong.
One captain and four mages. And forty-five warriors. Only the qualified can join, destroyers who live eternally, slaughtering those with hot blood coursing through their veins.
If there's one misconception humanity holds, it's the hypothesis that the Erosion Cores and Erosion Zones around Northeast Asia produce mostly undead monsters because they're influenced by Gonsal-ok.
It's not influence—Gonsal-ok simply doesn't allow anything else to survive. If an Erosion Core near Gonsal-ok spawns something other than undead, the Immortal Legion wipes it out directly.
That's why the only remaining Erosion Cores are the ones producing undead.
"Report."
One of them, gripping a spear, spoke up. It was a pristine figure wielding a white spear adorned with gold dragon engravings—hardly recognizable as undead.
And unlike the other undead with their eerie voices dredged from the abyss, this one's was normal.
Apart from slightly pale skin, not a single strand of hair or beard was damaged. Perfectly preserved.
"One of the key points is about to fall to the living."
"If I'd known it would come to this, I wouldn't have left it alone."
"Isn't it our lord's mercy and virtue? Seonghong."
Ruthless to the living, gentle to the cold. Harbin was a key point. But undead had already claimed it.
Crude, talentless, weak undead. Considering the value of that strategic hub, it would have been better to sweep them aside and take it ourselves long ago.
Yet their lord, despite all that, hadn't touched Harbin.
"True. Our lord is that kind of man."
The undead called Seonghong said this, then rose from his seat.
"But not anymore."
"Indeed. Our lord will understand."
The ones who had settled in Harbin were finished. They'd overcome death and wandered the mortal realm once more, only to return to ash in defeat.
"Harbin is a vital stronghold."
It wasn't the capital of a Chinese province for nothing. They couldn't let the living take it. Doing so would endanger Jaun Valley and make the path to their lord's great ambition even rockier.
With that, Seonghong stabbed the ground once with his spear. A heavy thud echoed out.
"Then what we must do is clear, isn't it?"
The mercy of the lord they served wasn't extended to the living. Only after death might one receive it.
"We'll do what must be done."
"Move out."
The fifty undead began to march. Contrary to their slow, heavy voices, their movements were swift.
The aura swirling around them was enough to wither the surrounding plants to yellow husks.
They're coming. And it doesn't feel great.
"Am I preparing to raid Jaun Valley, or gearing up for some damn space trip? I can't tell anymore."
Why are there so many obstacles? The massive auras closing in aren't even bothering to hide anymore.
"This is insane."
Now even Han Sang-ah had sensed the approaching presences. The other hunters probably had too.
― The threat is approaching Tiger Park.
Damn, they're fast. If we'd tried fleeing now, it'd be too late.
"We have to go."
Otherwise, who knows where they'll scatter. Han Sang-ah shook off the sticky slime and rotten flesh from her sword with a swing through the air, then stood.
― Should I join you?
Jung No-hun's question.
"Keep your distance. Getting close just means getting beat without doing much."
― Harsh words. That hurts.
Better hurt with words than anything else. While we talked, the unknowns had crossed the Songhua River.
― Contact imminent.
No sooner had the seagulls reported than they appeared before us. The ones leaking that ominous aura everywhere.
"What kind of crazy corpses are these?"
I muttered, then slowly scanned the monsters in front of me.
"You're the four."
A voice flowed from the mouth of the undead at the front, making Han Sang-ah flinch slightly.
"It sounds like a person talking."
"It has to."
These weren't your typical undead. They were humanoid, armored and armed. The armor had innate magic resistance and looked incredibly sturdy on top of that.
Their weapons all screamed "masterpiece." Especially the spear held by the apparent captain.
As someone who mainly wielded spears, I could tell at a glance it was top-tier. If he were weak, I'd have been drooling over it.
Gazing at them, I let out a small whistle of admiration.
"No way—are all fifty of you ritual suicides?"
No, wrong phrasing.
These weren't forced into burial. They'd chosen it themselves.
Not out of grudge against the living, but filled with loyalty to serve their lord even in death, buried alive.
"Impressive. We swore eternal loyalty."
The captain, with his gold dragon-embossed spear slung over his shoulder, spoke with evident surprise.
He sized me up, then raised his spear.
"I am Seonghong."
The moment he finished, his spear thrust for my throat. I deflected the tip, and his body spun dramatically into a flurry of strikes.
Damn, he knows his spears. Heavy when it should be, light when it needs to be. Even pulling back, the tip stayed razor-sharp on me.
In about three seconds, we exchanged nearly fifty blows. Just as his subordinates behind him moved to join, he raised a hand to halt them.
"No, hold. This one's got some skill."
At Seonghong's command, the ones prepping attacks froze. I immediately spoke up.
"Sang-ah, you stay put too. And tell Jung No-hun no sniping."
Seonghong burst into booming laughter at my words.
"You're dead meat anyway, but you've got spirit."
"How about a wager, corpse?"
He responded.
"I know exactly what you'd say. And it won't happen."
He shot down my offer before I could even make it.
"You've piqued my interest, true. But how could I jeopardize our lord's grand undertaking for a nameless wanderer's thrill? This is mere diversion. All who touched Harbin will become corpses."
Damn, not working. At least he knows his priorities.
"What, scared?"
I tried provoking him lightly, but Seonghong scoffed. The corpse.
"I'm not so shallow as to fall for that, Seonghong."
Nice. If I could keep this guy pinned here longer, it might buy the retreating hunters a bit more time.
"Mortal bound by flesh, wagering your fleeting life. Show me your prowess. I've never seen anyone in this world handle a spear like you."
As he finished, the magic pouring from Seonghong's body intensified. Yeah, he wants to play now that he's met a worthy opponent.
"Let's see it."
I've never heard anyone say I can't handle a spear. Anyway, we need to stall here, and if he's game, no reason to refuse.
Thirty minutes of clashes followed. Between Seonghong and me, nothing was visible but flashing spear light. The ground where we stood was utterly pulverized.
Our spears whipped like storms, shredding the area. I'd landed several hits on him with Paradox Flame. His hadn't touched me.
"Impressive. Your spear mastery far exceeds mine."
"Obviously, punk."
He glanced at the Paradox Flame blazing fiercely on his armor. I was burning through its magic resistance full throttle.
But fully incinerating it would take at least another hour.
"And you've got some bizarre talent too."
He eyed the flame on his armor, then thrust his spear sideways.
"Done playing?"
"One last proposal. Rare chance."
What, buying more time? Thanks. No reason to say no.
"Let's hear it."
He nodded.
"Our lord cherishes the talented. But he shows no mercy to the living."
I think I know where this is going. Keep talking.
"Die here. I'll preserve your body intact and send it to our lord in Beijing. There, you'll shed your mortal shell and become complete."
Seonghong spoke with fervent passion.
"I've seen your potential. Our lord will use you greatly. You're worthy timber. I judge you capable of leading at least fifty thousand troops."
"So I'd be your boss, huh?"
He nodded.
"Then you'd treat your superior with respect and courtesy."
Anyway, send my intact corpse to Beijing. Now I get what these guys are.
"So you're that vaunted Immortal Legion from Beijing."
Monsters from one of the Great Eight, huh? And this guy's just a low-rank officer.
I knew even among rank-1s, there's a gap. But seeing it firsthand, "gap" doesn't cut it. Fridge slimes? One of those grunts back there could handle five.
Beijing's overflowing with these ridiculous corpses like the trash undead in Harbin. Might need a nuke. Nah, they'd probably tank it.
"Long road ahead."
Knowledge gained. But dying here just makes a knowledgeable corpse.
"Your answer?"
"Eat shit, corpse."
Volunteering to be buried alive after your master's death? They're not just crazy—they're next-level. Retreating the others was right. They'd just clog the spot, and too many deaths means no Jaun Valley raid.
Then we'd fail and slink back to Korea... People aren't kind to failures.
Seonghong clicked his tongue at my reply.
"Pity."
His subdued magic surged again. As if on signal, the waiting undead drew weapons and assumed stances.
Han Sang-ah drew her sword in sync. Now it was fight to the finish—one side wiped out.