Chapter 334
Chapter 335
From beyond the horizon, the great army approaches. A legion made of dead flesh and bones draws near. Clatter, clatter, they come, rattling their jawbones. They approach to steal the lives of the living.
The army of the dead is coming. Those who hate all that is alive, unable to die, nor truly live, are coming.
In defiance, the people stood up. Each person clutched a sword, a spear, or a bow. From the makeshift barriers of a shabby village to the sturdy walls of a fortress city.
Everyone was where they should be. No one was fleeing. The people of this era all knew the pain of losing something.
“Protect our land.”
Thunk, the spear struck the ground. In response, the people roared.
“Guard our territory. What’s lost does not return until it is reclaimed. But if we don’t lose it in the first place, there’s no need to reclaim it.”
With the fiery voice of the old man, the people raised their weapons. There is no one who is not afraid of death. However, no one wishes to repeat the defeats of the past.
Protect the land. They had witnessed the grief of those who had lost their territories far too much. They had seen the slow erosion of their homeland. There were many who could not even set foot in their hometown, now fully corrupted.
“No thank you to that kind of sight.”
As the old man muttered, countless zombies and skeletons began to charge. It was a scene that could only be described as a tide of corpses, and the people gripped their weapons tightly.
*
“Where does it begin?”
“India, maybe because of the population?”
“What about the Demon King’s location?”
“Still unconfirmed. Given that no information has come through the communication network, it seems they have not revealed themselves yet.”
“I see…”
That was, um, a bit of a hassle. It made things particularly tricky since Yeon-woo couldn’t make a hasty move. Saying this would make him feel like some kind of Demon King battle weapon… Well, thinking it over, I guess he kind of is. After all, he’s the hero.
“If we can take care of this in one go, that would be great, but considering the worst-case scenario, I want to set a base. But it seems a bit much to tell my senior to go wait there…”
Somewhere in the Americas, or perhaps somewhere else. They might even end up in Europe after circling the globe. What if I send someone over to America and it turns out wrong? If that happens, one valuable master would be out of commission.
“I think it would be better to wait as long as we can. Regardless of the side, the master is a valuable asset. Especially for hitters like Lucrecia or Kwon-seong.”
“That’s true. Delain’s role appears a bit up in the air as well.”
Under normal circumstances, Delain would have been an enormous asset, especially on the battlefield.
In a war where blood spills, Delain becomes as influential as a Demon King. Healing the wounds of allies while inflicting pain on enemies.
If caught in his blood droplets, the enemies would melt away, turning into mere puddles of blood that would then swirl back into Delain’s command.
…That would be the case in an ordinary battlefield. But this time, the enemy is the Undead. Creatures that not only don’t bleed, but are barely tangible. To face those beings, Delain would have to use his own blood or that of his allies.
Honestly, that’s pretty much a waste. Delain can save countless people if he solely focuses on healing. There’s no need to throw such talent into a battlefield where it doesn’t fit.
Everywhere on the map of the world, red lights flickered. When Undead and necromancers invade through the communication network, the lights automatically turn on. It’s a magical tool designed to allow one to grasp the global situation at a glance.
The magic tower had questioned the necessity of such a thing, but considering it was none other than Toyo’s Demon King, it was a strong demand that had been pushed through. Well, there were various reasons, the most crucial being that a necromancer is a sorcerer.
Knowing how many schemes Toyo’s Demon King had pulled during the graveyard war before the regression, it was an understandable request. Well, no one else knows, but that means I can discern most things since I’m here.
If something comes out that even it can’t interpret its intentions, then it’s time to call in the researchers. People might misunderstand, but the researchers aren’t just ordinary graduate students, they are elite sorcerers.
If I throw in a comment like, “What’s causing this?” everyone gets excited and rushes to investigate materials and records, and if that doesn’t work, they’ll even ask their mentors for answers.
“It seems I’ll be stuck here for a while.”
“Yes, I think it’s better that way.”
There’s nothing more annoying than psychological warfare with the enemy. The side that’s being pushed back can’t help but feel anxious. For now, the situation is balanced, but who knows when the balance might break?
“But what if I have two of me?”
This is precisely the moment when the power of deception comes into play. If a clone reveals itself somewhere, there’s a high chance the Demon King will show up too. If the Demon King doesn’t caution itself against the title of hero, then what else could it be wary of?
*
“The hero has appeared.”
[Finally showing themselves, the fool.]
The high priest sneered at the report from the necromancer underling. No matter how one calls them a hero, they are still just a child. They know nothing about war.
[How is the plan proceeding?]
“It’s going smoothly. It seems they haven’t caught on yet.”
[I see. Good, then it seems it’s time for me to make an appearance.]
“Demon King, finally…!”
As the high priest stood up from his throne, he said this. The plan was progressing smoothly. Then, perhaps it was okay to enjoy this a bit.
Thinking that, Nephren-Ka stepped out of the sacred grounds. At that moment, the ground began to tremble. With vibrations strong enough to overturn the earth, something massive surged forth.
[Let’s go, Apophis. Bring endless despair to those impertinent pests blocking my way.]
Sliiick, Apophis flicked its tongue. It moved forth, massive and as black as darkness itself, licking the ground as it advanced. Countless necromancers bowed in reverence, believing that with Apophis around, Nephren-Ka could not lose.
It was like a river marching forward. A gigantic river tainted by darkness was heading north. Its target was America. Those hiding in the northern desert terrain of Mexico began to reveal themselves.
[Kill them all!! Swallow them all, digest them, and raise them!! The primitive humans have no value to exist, and all should be subjugated under me!!]
Nephren-Ka’s cry echoed across the desert. Simultaneously, the ground trembled around Apophis. The earth was breaking. Withered arms and skinny bones pierced through the ground. Zombies, mummies, and skeletons stood on two legs atop the earth.
[Make those loathsome living beings look just like you!!]
But that was not the end. A grotesque swarm of locusts, dribbling putrid saliva, flew through the air. Dung beetles, stained black to the point of exuding strange liquids, unfurled their wings.
Describing such a scene as a wave felt too trivial. It was an ocean. An army that aimed to obliterate every living thing on the surface gathered in a density one could associate with a sea.
That was indeed a one-man army. The worst of the Demon Kings, Nephren-Ka, stands there to disrupt the rest of the dead and reclaim the lives of the living.
“…I-it’s impossible! How do we stop that!!”
Seeing such a sight, it was no wonder the people gathered, resolute, began to flee.
*
“Report of a Demon King appearance in northern Mexico. Marking it on the map.”
“Seems like they indeed showed up. Should I be relieved that it’s exactly the predicted location? Lucrecia-senpai, you’re waiting near the gate, right? Please tell them to start moving immediately. Also alert all the cooperating guilds.”
“Understood.”
With Yeon-woo’s command, Riley brought a microphone to her lips and flipped the switch. Riley’s communication would spread through the relay point to all collaborating entities.
‘Clone, how’s the situation?’
[Uh-, it seems I might have a hard time pulling out right now. My presence seems to have boosted morale, so if I withdraw before this fight is over, it might backfire.]
‘Got it. Wrap it up quickly and return.’
[Okay.]
Having pulled the Demon King out using the clone was good, but I didn’t expect it to emerge this quickly, and I completely forgot that my existence raised morale. I should have received that treatment more often.
“Now, it’s a matter of where can hold out better….”
Of course, the U.S. isn’t a country so weak that it would collapse in an instant. There’s an army and countless hunters. They’ll soon contact the Freedom Academy in the West, so they’ll have their strength as well.
Still, the land is too vast. Compared to the speed at which the Demon King advances, humanity’s speed of movement is not particularly fast.
Even in a small territory like Korea, it’s difficult to push monsters back, with villages or cities capable of only existing as point-like structures, what would happen in the vast land of America?
Humanity’s enemy is not just the Demon King. Monsters appearing from all directions also interfere with their movements.
“They’re saying they’ll send some reserve forces. Other guilds or organizations that have realized how dangerous the situation is are also quickly trying to establish contact.”
“If there’s anything fortunate, that’s a blessing. I hope casualties are kept to a minimum. How’s the purifying potion? It should work well, right?”
“It’s not like we prepared an excessive supply for nothing, so it should be fine. Doesn’t it sound okay?”
“I doubt it would be fine. The Demon King is not a fool who would leave the Undead unattended.”
Especially Apophis was problematic. It’s a monster that’s among the best in Egyptian mythology. Its mouth could seem to swallow the very sky, and its massive form could obliterate a village just by moving forward.
In terms of sheer size, it wouldn’t even compare to the Earth Serpent, but considering such a monster has a ferocious nature, it is undoubtedly the worst of the monsters.
“Furthermore, Apophis isn’t even Undead, so the purifying potion wouldn’t have any effect on it. We may have to pray the Aura Masters arrive there quickly.”
Not only the cooperating masters but also those who are in hiding or wandering would need to be prayed for their participation. Such is the nature of a being like a Demon King, a veritable catastrophe.
(To be continued in the next chapter)
