Chapter 95

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Chapter 95: The Graveyard of the Dead (7)

John Dras.

That was the name the lich was called back when he was human.

He had been a loyal subordinate of Silgrim Fonerth, and even when Silgrim betrayed humanity and led an army of the dead, John was among his ranks as a black mage.

“Hmm. So, in short, you're asking me to hold this front line?”

“Exactly.”

At the words of the demon who had joined their forces, John glanced around.

Hundreds of demon soldiers positioned at various outposts were a reassuring presence on their own.

And on top of that, there were thousands of undead soldiers entrusted to him by Silgrim Fonerth.

‘This is... an army that could probably conquer a decent-sized city.’

Just observing them filled him with confidence, bolstered by the strength of his allies.

Naturally, his voice brimmed with determination.

“This isn’t such a difficult task. I think we could hold even if the imperial army—feared as it may be—decided to attack.”

“The imperial army of humans? They’re nothing,”

The demon scoffed.

“What we need to be cautious of is the White Tower. Particularly, one mage in particular.”

“Just one mage... Do you mean Oscar Sage?”

John had heard the rumors.

A man who had become the master of the White Tower in his mid-20s, a prodigy whose power was so great it was said to be like touching the heavens.

He was humanity’s hope and a nightmare to demons.

‘Even Silgrim mentioned him.’

No matter what, beware of Oscar Sage.

That was Silgrim’s advice.

John shrugged, indifferent.

‘They said he was an 8th-level mage, didn’t they?’

Of course, that was an extraordinary rank.

But at the end of the day, wasn’t he just one person?

John doubted whether even a figure like that could pose a threat to this army, holding an entire front line.

‘He’s probably just a hero created by the empire to give people hope during times like these.’

But within a matter of days, John encountered firsthand just how terrifying the power of the mage—dubbed the demon’s nightmare—truly was.

“...”

It wasn’t a battle but a massacre, so brutal it was hard to tell who was demon and who was human.

The white demon appeared without expression.

Every time an intense wind swept through, strong enough to distort the space around it, dozens of heads rolled to the ground.

It took just two hours for the once-mighty army to be obliterated by a single individual.

During the battle, John Dras sensed defeat and burrowed underground to hide.

He concealed himself in the soil where corpses were stored, slowing his heartbeat to the bare minimum.

It wasn’t hard to determine who had won the battle above.

Step, step.

Chilling footsteps unmistakably approached his location.

At that moment, the heavens saved him.

“...What? The front line?”

The man seemed to receive a communication spell, fell silent for a moment, and sighed.

“I’ll be there soon. Hold on as long as you can.”

Only after the man left did John crawl out of the earth—two days later, still trembling with fear.

Fleeing aimlessly, he prepared to become a lich and entered a long sleep, thinking that if he slept for decades, the nightmare would eventually fade.

...Mm.

The lich groaned.

And yet, why did the young man standing before him now evoke the same demonic aura as that human from back then?

‘It seems he must be that man’s apprentice.’

It was a reasonable assumption.

After all, decades had passed while the lich slumbered, and the man before him clearly wasn’t the same person.

Moreover, their faces were different.

‘So I, this great being, am feeling fear toward a mere apprentice?’

The lich roared in humiliation.

-I’ll kill you!

As the lich extended his hand, a massive spike of hatred surged toward Oscar.

“.....”

Oscar didn’t flinch as he stared at the approaching spike. His lips moved slightly.

“Wind Cutter.”

The feeble-looking blade of wind was laughable compared to the enormous spike.

But as it sliced through the air—

The spike, which seemed capable of tearing Oscar apart, was cleanly split in two.

-You cut through the very threads of my magic... with just a 3rd-level spell?

Even after cleaving the spike in half, the wind blade continued its course, carving dozens of lines into the lich’s body.

Clatter!

As the lich’s skeletal form collapsed into a pile of bones, Oscar crouched silently in front of it.

A lich was typically considered equivalent to a 7th-level high mage, but this one didn’t reach that level.

‘Probably because its resurrection ritual was incomplete.’

This lich was barely at the 6th level now.

Though with time, as it adjusted to its undead form, it would grow stronger.

Oscar observed the lich slowly reconstructing its form and muttered,

“...Just hurry up and find and destroy these things, will you?”

Before his mana was completely drained.

* * *

Veronica’s 『Tracking』 spell guided them to an underground tomb.

Initially, they had merely followed a trail of malice, unsure of their destination.

But the moment the hidden stairs were revealed, everything changed.

“So, there was a place like this beneath the cemetery.”

“Hmm. The deeper we go, the stronger the malice becomes.”

The malice emanating from this place was strong enough to be felt on the surface.

It seemed likely that the malice was responsible for animating the skeletons.

“...Hey.”

“I see it.”

At last, they descended the stairs to find a spacious chamber waiting for them.

The faint mist swirling around their ankles combined with the dim lighting created a dreamlike atmosphere.

At the far end of the mysterious chamber lay a small, tightly-sealed jar.

“That jar... it feels unique.”

"An evil spirit can be felt from inside. That must be the vessel."

Killian moved forward, his footsteps steady.

"We have to destroy it quickly. Oscar and the others are in danger."

"Wait! What if there’s a trap or a monster hiding here?"

At Killian’s reckless approach, Veronica screamed.

BOOM!

With a deafening roar, Killian’s body was flung backward.

"…If something's hiding, it’ll show itself. Like now."

Killian frowned, crossing his arms to block the attack.

Even though he only deflected it once, his bones throbbed with pain.

Ssssss.

The smoke swirling around his ankles gathered into one place, forming the shape of a knight on horseback.

"…An undead."

Now that the enemy was identified, it was time to take it down.

Killian cloaked his fingers in silvery magic and charged at the enemy in an instant.

『Claws of the Wind』

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BAM!

The knight raised his sword to block the attack, but the horse staggered and retreated.

‘The attack works.’

This meant the opponent wasn’t overwhelmingly strong.

Encouraged, Killian circled the enemy like a wolf, looking for an opening.

The knight had to fend off Veronica’s magic attacks flying in from all sides, so an opportunity would eventually arise.

Click, clack.

And then, as the horse’s gait faltered and it stumbled backward—

‘Now.’

Killian didn’t miss the opening and pounced like a predator.

BOOM!

But in the end, the attack failed.

"……."

His claws, aimed at the knight’s neck, collided with a wind arrow fired from behind.

Distancing himself from the knight, Killian scowled.

"What do you think you’re doing?"

"What am I doing? I shot my magic at the opening, and you blocked it with your body!"

"That was my opening, and I could’ve finished it."

"Don’t be ridiculous. The opening was created because I distracted it with my magic!"

As the two argued meaninglessly—

Whinny!

The black horse raised its front legs and charged straight at them.

"Damn it, focus on the battle!"

"Why don’t you do your job properly?!"

The knight, having learned from its mistake, moved far more defensively than before, leaving almost no openings.

‘But if I push my speed to the limit…’

Killian’s 『Acceleration』 tattoo lit up three times.

Moving at a speed incomparable to before, Killian quickly maneuvered behind the knight.

-…!

"Got you."

His sharp claws sliced sideways, cutting into the knight’s neck.

Slash!

The severed head flew into the air.

Just as Killian smirked in triumph—

"?"

Whoosh!

The knight turned and swung its sword at him, headless.

‘It’s still moving even after losing its head?’

This wasn’t an ordinary undead; it was a Dullahan.

The unexpected situation left Killian flustered.

Clang!

From behind, a streak of wind struck the knight’s sword like lightning, deflecting it.

"……!"

If the wind had targeted the knight’s body, Killian would have been gravely injured or killed, but the sword was blocked, sparing him.

That could only mean one thing.

"Agh, this reckless fool… I did my part, so finish it properly."

She was always grumbling and noisy, but at least she knew what it meant to have someone’s back.

"…Not bad. I’ll give you that,"

Killian muttered dryly, gathering his magic.

Another Claws of Wind slashed through the air.

Rip!

The Dullahan’s chest was instantly marked with eight thin lines, and it exploded into pieces.

Crash!

Killian dashed forward and smashed the jar.

"Let’s hope we’re not too late."

* * *

"Whew, these guys are ridiculously slow,"

Oscar muttered.

He wasn’t in great shape.

He’d shattered the lich seven times, but the last time took four consecutive attacks.

‘It’s getting harder to deal with. Plus, the lich is adapting to its body.’

Compared to when it first awoke, the flow of its magic was now much smoother.

The difference between a freshly awakened level-6 mage and a seasoned one was immense.

"…Still, it’s fortunate they’re not too late."

Screeech!

The lich screamed.

The reason was obvious—the vessel had been destroyed.

-Curse you, humans… CURSE YOUUUU!

The lich’s glowing eyes radiated deadly malice.

Its overwhelming mana filled the space, pressing down as if to crush everything.

-Fine… If I must perish, I’ll tear you apart and take you with me.

"No thanks."

Oscar had no interest in dancing with skeletons.

Drawing up his mana, he prepared his stance.

Oscar-style martial art, Secret Technique Chapter 1.

-…Wait, that magic…?

The lich’s glowing eyes expanded in instinctive fear.

"Sound of Waves."

The magic surged like a tidal wave, ignoring the deathly magic blocking its path.

Wind doesn’t need to destroy or break through obstacles—it simply passes by.

"It just brushes past."

This magic targeted the oxygen in the blood, causing a devastating explosion.

But it wasn’t without destructive force.

"At the very least…"

Snapping a few old, brittle bones was no big deal.

Crack!

-O…Oscar… Sage…?

The lich’s hollow voice seemed to echo for a moment, but it was drowned out by the crashing waves and scattered into nothingness.

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