[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]
Chapter 152
The undead legion followed Gurab and entered the trap zone that Zeke had set up.
Zeke unsummoned Gurab.
'Good work, Gurab.'
And he immediately sent a signal to Richmond.
'Richmond, now!'
Richmond summoned the skeletons he had hidden underground.
Screech!
The skeletons, strengthened by the power of the Harbinger of Blood and Madness, sprang from the ground, disrupting the Death Knights' formation.
Clank! Clank!
The skeletons Richmond summoned swung their black-red bone swords and attacked the Death Knights.
Then, the Arch Lich's corrupted robe glowed.
Rumble!
The Arch Lich cast a black curse on Richmond's skeletons.
The skeletons' movements gradually slowed. Meanwhile, the Death Knights regained their formation.
Zeke, observing the situation, sent another signal to Richmond.
'Richmond! Now!'
Richmond ordered the skeletons to detonate the magic bombs.
The skeletons took out magic bombs from within their bone armor and detonated them simultaneously.
Boom!
Forty magic bombs exploded with a tremendous roar.
Crack!
Not only Richmond's skeletons, but the Death Knights were also shattered.
However, the Death Knight, the Arch Lich, and a few Death Knights remained unharmed and continued to advance through the explosion.
The Arch Lich's robe glowed again, and the bones of the fallen Death Knights began to reassemble, trying to return to their original forms.
'I won't let you.'
Zeke signaled the waiting Dragon Tooth Soldiers.
The Dragon Tooth Soldiers threw the Flame Giant's Breath potions they were holding.
Crash!
The Arch Lich and the Death Knight were unable to protect them at this point.
The Death Knights also couldn't block the flying potions because their bones hadn't fully reassembled.
Soon, the potion bottles shattered, and the Flame Giant's Breath engulfed the undead legion.
Whoosh!
The Death Knights, trying to rise again with the Arch Lich's power, couldn't recover as their bones were completely burned, turning to ash and disappearing.
Only a few Death Knights regained their original forms, holding swords and shields, and came forward through the flames.
Then, the ghost horse the Death Knight was riding took a deep breath and exhaled a blue breath towards the flames.
Clank!
With a strange sound, the flames subsided from the ghost horse's blue breath.
Although the number of Death Knights had decreased, the Death Knight and the Arch Lich entered the crystal cave unharmed.
Richmond received Zeke's signal and summoned more skeletons.
Screech!
Forty black-red enhanced skeletons charged towards the undead legion with bone swords in hand.
Clank! Clank! Clank!
The enhanced skeletons clashed with the Death Knights.
The movements of the Death Knights holding shields were agile, unlike those of ordinary skeletons.
Crack!
They blocked the enhanced skeletons' swords with their shields, swung their swords, broke the skeletons' bone armor, and shattered their skulls.
The Death Knights who survived the flames were Blue Knight level when they were alive, so they displayed formidable power even as undead.
At Zeke's command, the Dragon Tooth Soldiers hiding here and there joined the enhanced skeletons and attacked the Death Knights.
Crack!
With the Dragon Tooth Soldiers joining, the Death Knights gradually began to be pushed back.
Then, the Arch Lich next to the Death Knight flew up into the air and looked around. He soon spotted Richmond, who was commanding the skeletons, and flew towards him.
Screech!
The Arch Lich, flying up with a terrifying scream, unleashed dark energy from his corrupted robe.
'How dare a mere Demi Lich defy me, an Arch Lich! Kneel immediately and swear allegiance to me!'
Although Richmond was a Demi Lich, he was already Zeke's summon and classified as an insignificant dragon-type, so he wasn't affected by the Arch Lich's command.
"Kyaa! It's an Arch Lich! Scary!"
Richmond panicked, shouted at the Arch Lich, and swung his staff to create a defensive barrier.
Then, the Arch Lich bombarded Richmond with magic.
Crash!
Black fireballs poured out from the corrupted robe.
Richmond, while screaming, skillfully blocked the Arch Lich's attacks with the staff imbued with the power of the Harbinger of Blood and Madness.
Just then, Gurab appeared behind Richmond.
Growl!
Gurab opened his mouth wide towards the Arch Lich and spewed poisonous liquid.
Sizzle!
The robe, where the poisonous liquid landed, melted.
The Arch Lich's eyes flashed.
'You lowly and filthy chimera, how dare you...'
While Gurab and Richmond were dealing with the Arch Lich, Zeke drew the Orichalcum sword and approached the Death Knight.
Zeke, who had learned how to fight demonfolk from his battle with Arataso, first equipped his Hercyon and Agamemnon's Mask and took out the Holy Flame.
Then, he launched the Mace of Light towards the Death Knight.
Crash!
The giant Mace of Light fell on the Death Knight.
But it was no use.
Rumble!
Black haze rose around the Death Knight's body, blocking the Mace of Light.
'Is it some kind of barrier?'
Soon, the Death Knight, riding the ghost horse, charged towards Zeke.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
As the distance closed, the Death Knight, still on the ghost horse, struck down at Zeke with his sword.
Clang!
Zeke managed to block the attack with his sword, but he was pushed back by the impact of the collision.
At the same time, the Death Knight jumped off the ghost horse and struck down at Zeke from above.
Whoosh!
Zeke regained his stance and used the Agamemnon-style golden swordsmanship.
Crash!
Although it was just a clash between swords, the impact spread like an explosion.
As Zeke retreated, the Death Knight charged forward through the dust cloud.
Whoosh!
The Death Knight skillfully wielded the giant black sword and shield, pushing Zeke back.
Zeke realized that the Death Knight's swordsmanship was familiar.
'Is the Death Knight using paladin swordsmanship?'
Death Knights were undead created from the corrupted souls of knights.
Therefore, they used the skills they possessed when they were alive.
The Death Knight, pushing Zeke back, uttered in a gloomy voice,
'You cursed one who killed me. Remember my name, Lewis Marquiscio. I will kill you, cut off your head, and offer it to the altar.'
Zeke was surprised to hear the Death Knight's words.
'Is it that paladin, the one who almost killed the Lubern girl?'
Zeke realized that the souls of Lewis, the paladin, and Verdi, the cardinal, had been corrupted and turned into a Death Knight and an Arch Lich.
Just then, Richmond's urgent voice was heard.
'Kyaa! Master, save me!'
Zeke turned his head and looked at Richmond, who was fighting the Arch Lich.
'A Death Knight and an Arch Lich...'
If this undead legion had appeared in a kingdom, it would have been classified as a national emergency.
'Kyaaaak! Master, I'm dying!'
At Richmond's repeated cries for help, Zeke launched the Holy Flame towards the Death Knight.
Whoosh!
The Holy Flame created a wall of white flames.
Taking advantage of the opening, Zeke took the Orichalcum sword and turned towards the Arch Lich, who was attacking Richmond.
Zeke aimed at the Arch Lich and launched the Mace of Light.
Crash!
The Arch Lich, caught off guard, was hit by the Mace of Light and fell from the air to the ground.
Black energy flowed from the fallen Arch Lich's robe.
Zeke cautiously approached the Arch Lich with his sword drawn.
The Arch Lich, looking at Zeke, opened his mouth.
'You cursed one who led me to death. Zeke Draker, I will offer your soul as a sacrifice of loyalty to my master.'
"Try it if you can."
It seemed that Verdi, who had become an Arch Lich, also held a deep grudge against Zeke.
Zeke activated the Purification Blade.
A golden aura surged from his sword.
The Arch Lich flinched at the energy emanating from Zeke's sword.
Even though he was a high-ranking undead, he instinctively reacted to the Purification power Zeke unleashed.
After flinching for a moment, the Arch Lich stretched out his hand and muttered something.
Soon, black energy flowed from the corrupted robe and seeped into the ground.
Crack!
Skeleton soldiers wearing old weapons emerged from the ground.
The skeletons charged towards Zeke.
Zeke, unfazed, swung the Purification Blade.
Crack!
The skeletons hit by the Purification Blade all turned to ash and scattered.
But that wasn't the end. Skeletons continued to emerge from the ground endlessly.
Zeke, swinging his sword, thought this would never end and said to Richmond, who was floating in the air,
'Richmond, can't you take those undead?'
Richmond replied in surprise,
'Huh? T-take them?'
'Since you're both undead, I thought it might be possible.'
It was an idea he had never thought of before, but Richmond pondered for a moment and then took out a pouch from within his robe.
Meanwhile, Zeke and the Arch Lich continued to fight, destroying and creating skeletons.
Richmond, taking out small bone fragments from the pouch, held up his staff and chanted a spell. Then, the bone fragments turned black-red.
Richmond threw the discolored bones at the skeletons and shouted,
"Take this, you guys!"
Then, a strange thing happened. The black-red bone fragments scattered and stuck to the bodies of the skeletons approaching Zeke one by one.
Then, the skeletons suddenly stopped, making strange noises.
Screech!
The Arch Lich, seeing the strange behavior of the skeletons he summoned, infused them with even stronger magic.
But the skeletons were still out of control.
'You lowly lich! How dare you interfere with my power!'
The skeletons remained motionless, then suddenly turned around.
At the same time, Richmond swung his staff.
"My cute skeletons! Follow me, and I'll turn you into even more awesome skeletons!"
A black-red energy flowed from the staff and seeped into the skeletons' bodies.
Crack!
The ordinary skeletons turned black-red, and bone armor and bone swords appeared on them.
Furthermore, their skulls transformed, turning into reptilian-looking bones.
Richmond shouted excitedly,
"Reptilian Skeleton, success!"
The Reptilian Skeletons that Richmond transformed pointed their weapons at the other skeletons created by the Arch Lich.
The Arch Lich shouted in anger,
'You lowly lich! How dare you steal my power!'
Richmond ignored the Arch Lich's anger and gave the attack order to the Reptilian Skeletons.
Thud! Thud!
The Reptilian Skeletons charged towards the other skeletons with ferocious momentum.
Crack!
The Reptilian Skeletons that Richmond enhanced were clearly stronger than ordinary skeletons.
Zeke, surprised by the unexpected success, asked Richmond,
'I thought it might be possible, but I'm surprised it actually worked. How did you do it, Richmond?'
'W-well, I became your summon, Master, thanks to the dragon bones, so I thought it might work if I attached dragon-type monster bones to other skeletons, so I tried it.'
Having spent his entire life handling monsters, Richmond had a knack for strange things.
Zeke looked at the Reptilian Skeletons, which had agility and durability unbecoming of skeletons, with curiosity.
'Skeleton soldiers that are much stronger than ordinary skeletons. It would be very useful for surprise attacks, even if I can't use them openly.'
Zeke, who used anything he could in battle, found them to be excellent weapons.
The Arch Lich retreated, now outnumbered with the appearance of the Reptilian Skeletons.
'Damn it! What are you doing! Quickly kill him!'
The Death Knights, who were fighting the Dragon Tooth Soldiers and Richmond's enhanced skeletons, gleamed their eyes at the Arch Lich's order, ignored them, and headed towards Zeke.
Rumble!
The Arch Lich's corrupted robe glowed, empowering the Death Knights and skeletons.
Zeke had Richmond deploy the skeleton unit forward, placed the Dragon Tooth Soldiers in the rear, and ordered Gurab to shoot poisonous needles from afar for ranged attacks.
Growl!
Gurab raised his giant body and spat poisonous needles at the Arch Lich.
The Arch Lich, worried that his robe would melt, retreated into the air and shouted.
He had been floating high to avoid Gurab's poison, but he couldn't be too far away to effectively control the Death Knights and skeletons.
'Kyaaaaa! Lewis! Where are you! Quickly block them!'
Gurab, spewing Hydra's Poison, was a formidable opponent.
Zeke, watching the battle between the skeleton unit, the Dragon Tooth Soldiers, and Gurab, smiled with satisfaction.
'With this much, they might be able to exert power greater than a Knight Order.'
Combined with the power of the recovered Guardians, they could even exert power on the level of a legion.
Zeke alone had the power of a one-man army.
It was then.
Whoosh!
The Death Knight, who had been restrained by the Holy Flame, reappeared.
The mages in ash-gray robes, who appeared late, used magic to block the Holy Flame and free the Death Knight.
Rumble!
The Death Knight's eyes, freed from the Holy Flame, glowed red.
[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]