Chapter 789

The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Release schedule: 3 chapters per week

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Kwaaaang!

A massive ice golem shattered into pieces as it collapsed.

Beyond the broken shards, in the freezing wind, stood Ghislain, clad in thick leather clothing. His outfit was made from the hide of an ice troll. Not only Ghislain, but all of his companions were dressed the same.

“Hmm… it’s been about half a year, I guess.”

Ghislain muttered while looking up at the sky with tired eyes.

This land was, without exaggeration, brutal enough to drive one mad.

There wasn’t a trace of civilization to be found. All that existed were endless swarms of monsters rushing in.

The monsters here even evolved by devouring one another.

The reason this ecosystem—one that should’ve collapsed long ago—was still intact was clear.

Dragon Lord Arterion.

His magic, spread across this entire land over thousands of years, was forcing the monsters to breed endlessly.

Though he didn’t know the full details, Ghislain could guess the general situation.

‘The Shadow Mountains of the Kingdom of Turian…’

A region so overrun by monsters that the kingdom had to commit its full military might to contain it. That was where Arterion slumbered.

Because of Arterion, the number of monsters in the Shadow Mountains continued to increase. It wasn’t hard to infer that this frigid land was in a similar state.

“Phew…”

Each time Ghislain exhaled, his breath rose like a mist of ice. His clothes were frozen over with frost in several places.

Those who remained here were strong enough to endure the cold, but even for them, it required a constant expenditure of mana.

Since they didn’t know how long they’d have to keep fighting, they had to conserve both stamina and mana. That’s why they wore clothing made from the hides of local monsters.

It was incredibly effective. These monsters had survived this brutal cold. Their hides were as good as top-tier survival gear.

In addition, Ghislain had taught his companions various survival skills.

How to make clothing from hides, how to maintain weapons in the cold, how to safely eat monster meat, how to build shelters in the snow, and so on.

Thanks to that, the group managed to survive and keep fighting in this barren land of ice.

However, the frozen wasteland was vast and harsh.

Because battles were constant, their movement was inevitably slow. So even after half a year, they still hadn’t reached Arterion’s lair.

“Ugh, this tastes awful. I wanna go home.”

Osval, who was again grilling tasteless monster meat, teared up.

He looked at Ghislain and said,

“Can’t we dip into the emergency rations again?”

Ghislain’s subspace contained a fairly large stockpile of food.

Thanks to the subspace’s property of preventing decay, it contained all sorts of food, ingredients, and even fresh fruits that looked as though they had just been harvested.

Every now and then, Ghislain would take out a portion to cook for the group whenever morale hit rock bottom.

Warm and delicious food in this frozen land was moving enough to bring tears. Even Ereneth, who was an elf, had briefly given up her vegetarianism in the face of such meals.

However, Ghislain didn’t bring out the subspace rations unless it was a special case. It wasn’t because he was stingy.

“No. Survival is part of the training.”

In battles against the Demonic Abyss, one could never predict what kind of situation might arise.

There was always the possibility of running out of food or getting stranded in a harsh environment.

What Ghislain was conducting here was real survival training, prepared even for such extreme scenarios.

The food in his subspace was a true last resort, to be used only when there was absolutely nothing left to eat.

At Ghislain’s firm refusal, Osval pouted.

‘I bet he’s sneaking some at night when we’re not looking.’

Even though Ghislain ate the same food as everyone else, the petty Osval saw things only from his own perspective.

It wasn’t an entirely unreasonable reaction. Osval, who had once been broad-shouldered and robust, had grown scrawny over the past few months.

Fighting day in and day out while eating flavorless food had naturally taken its toll.

And it wasn’t just Osval. Julien looked like a handsome skeleton now, and Ereneth resembled a withered tree.

Kyle and Lionel had the appearance of malnourished paupers, and Marika looked like a zombie with sunken eyes.

Without exception, everyone was exhausted. That was how grueling this journey through the land had been.

Ghislain looked down at the shattered fragments of the ice golem on the ground and spoke.

“…Just a little more. I think we’re close to the lair.”

Ice golems were artificial beings created through magic. The only one who could create such creatures in this place was Arterion.

In other words, the presence of an ice golem strongly indicated that they were near Arterion’s lair—it was likely a guardian of the area.

At his words, everyone’s expressions brightened.

Though painful, they were finally beginning to see the end of their journey.

The group, having finished a brief rest, began to rise to move once more.

And at that moment—

Kwaang!

A thunderous roar tore through the sky, and darkness began to sweep in from the horizon.

“Hmm?”

Ghislain narrowed his eyes and summoned his mana. The others didn’t panic, instantly preparing for battle.

The freezing wind ceased, and the air itself froze over.

In the silence—as if the land itself had stopped breathing—a figure revealed itself.

A robe glistening like obsidian.

Twin blue soul flames flickering inside a skull devoid of eyes.

Whispers from countless dead hovered around the figure’s body.

“…Are these the guests?”

A dry voice echoed across the land.

Kugugung!

As soon as the words ended, hands burst forth from various spots on the ground.

Grrraaaaah…

Soon, hundreds of undead began to fill the surroundings.

There were skeletons armed with worn-out swords and armor, and also wraiths that shimmered faintly as they wavered.

These were the beings who had died over long years in this land.

The voice of the one who appeared through the snowstorm echoed eerily.

“I am… the final guardian of Lord Arterion’s lair and a being who has transcended death. I am called Nakturah.”

“Oh…”

Ghislain’s expression turned curious.

That skeleton now standing before them was a lich.

A lich was an immortal being. Since they stored their life force in a special object, they could continuously revive unless that object was destroyed.

Ordinary mages could not become liches. At the very least, one had to reach the 7th Circle to attempt it.

And the lich before him now exuded the presence of at least an 8th-Circle being.

‘If it’s a guardian, then Arterion must be holding the phylactery.’

To completely annihilate a lich, its phylactery—the vessel of life—must be destroyed.

So, even if they defeated the lich here, it wouldn’t be permanent. It seemed Arterion had sent it to stop them since they were nearing the lair.

Ghislain asked Nakturah,

“You’ve come to stop us?”

“Stop you? Me? Such arrogant words.”

Nakturah shook his jawbone as if amused. Then he let out a low growl, the blue soul flames in his eye sockets flaring up.

“I have come to grant you death. Therefore, it is you who must stop me, pitiful mortals.”

“And the reason?”

“Hm, the reason, you say…”

Nakturah placed a skeletal finger beneath his chin and struck a thoughtful pose.

It was oddly comical yet eerie, and somewhat coy.

“Very well. It’s been a while since I spoke with a human, so I’ll tell you. Lord Arterion promised me freedom if I killed you.”

“Ah. So that’s why you’ve come to kill us?”

“I thought I’d be imprisoned forever, but I can’t let a golden opportunity like this slip by.”

“Well, I can understand that reasoning.”

“You’re quite arrogant. Are you not afraid of me?”

“What’s so scary about a bag of bones?”

At Ghislain’s calm demeanor, Nakturah’s voice grew even colder.

“You insolent brat. I was being polite for once in ages, yet you mock me… fine. Once I’m free, I’ll get to enjoy all this again.”

Muttering to himself, Nakturah extended his staff forward.

Gwoooooooong…

As his staff radiated mana, blood-colored magic circles formed across the ground.

From those circles, a crimson mist—reminiscent of blood—began to seep out and engulf the area.

This was a powerful black magic that turned all the undead within its range even more frenzied.

Seeing this, Ghislain raised his hand.

“Wait!”

“…What now?”

“What crime did you commit to get imprisoned?”

“…Is that really important?”

“Of course it is.”

Ghislain grinned. He had just found something he wanted.

And to get it, he needed to know a bit about that lich’s past deeds.

After a brief pause, Nakturah replied.

“During the Great War, I sided with the Salvation Church.”

“I see.”

That one sentence was enough. The reason was obvious.

But Nakturah quickly continued.

“Though it was a bit unfair, you know. Want to hear about it?”

“Not really.”

“Just listen.”

“…”

“If the Salvation Church took over the world, even black mages wouldn’t be safe. So, it wasn’t like I truly supported them. I just wanted a bit of chaos. I figured I’d stir things up, then negotiate with the United Human Army. I was trying to fight for humanity, too.”

“…”

“But just before I could return to the United Human Army, the Salvation Church got pushed back, and that’s how I ended up captured like this. It was such an unjust, bitter twist. They never understood my noble intentions for humanity.”

“…”

As expected, it was the same old excuse. No different from the black mages running wild today.

Black mages who desired chaos often sided with the Salvation Church. It was a common tale.

Most likely, this particular lich had such outstanding skill that Arterion decided to enslave him personally.

Still, a criminal was a criminal, and not worth much attention. Perhaps from having no one to talk to, the lich was much chattier than expected.

Nakturah raised his staff again and spoke.

“Now that your curiosity is satisfied, it’s time for you to die—for the sake of my freedom.”

Gooooooo…

The crimson mist thickened and wrapped around the area. From within the mist, hundreds of undead charged towards the party.

“Let’s go!”

Ghislain shouted and dashed forward. Julien and Kyle followed closely at his side.

KWAANG!

Julien’s sword split a skeleton’s skull, and Kyle’s blade shredded a wraith.

The two moved like the wind, weaving through the horde of undead. The others soon joined the battle, pressing against the undead swarm.

At the very front, Ghislain stormed into the center of the undead horde like a whirlwind.

KWAANG! KWAANG! KWAANG!

Each swing of his staff shattered the undead to pieces. From his staff, blue lightning exploded relentlessly, obliterating everything around him.

His speed was so overwhelming that he cleared half the path in an instant. Nakturah looked on in shock.

“What in the world…”

The blue soul flames in the lich’s eye sockets flickered violently.

The undead that had fallen here were all skilled individuals in life. That’s why they had come to explore this frigid wasteland.

Even though the undead had weakened after death, there were still hundreds of them. Yet they couldn’t properly stop Ghislain’s party charging in head-on.

“As expected… they’re no ordinary group.”

Nakturah raised his staff high.

Gwooooooo!

A tremendous amount of mana began gathering around his staff.

After surveying the battlefield briefly, Nakturah’s eyes gleamed.

“That one needs to die first.”

He pointed his staff at the enemy he deemed the greatest threat—Ghislain.

Kwakwakwakwakwakwa-BOOM!

A black beam shot forth from his staff, tearing through the ground.

This was a focused blast of mana from an 8th-Circle lich. The aftermath alone disintegrated nearby undead into dust.

But Ghislain didn’t dodge. He stared down the incoming beam with wide eyes.

“Lionel!”

“On it!”

Thunk!

A shield slammed into the ground.

Lionel appeared just in time, stepping in front of Ghislain and gripping the shield tightly.

KWAaaaaaaaaANG!

“Gahh!”

He gritted his teeth and held out against the relentless beam. In an instant, he poured all his mana into the shield.

But even for a Transcendent, withstanding an 8th-Circle spell was no easy feat.

Crack-crack-crack!

The shield began to fracture, and Lionel started to be pushed back.

“That wretched little brat dares block my spell?”

Nakturah was visibly irritated. This man wasn’t even a Transcendent, and yet he was resisting his spell.

Of course, a little longer and he’d be drained and turn to dust, but the very fact that he was holding out annoyed him.

So Nakturah drew in even more mana.

Crack-crack-crack-crack!

“Urgh!”

Under the strengthened force, Lionel coughed up blood.

Though he had grown considerably stronger through training, fighting an 8th-Circle mage was still too much. He wouldn’t last much longer.

But it was fine. He wasn’t fighting alone here.

Just as Nakturah was about to blow Lionel away, he suddenly flinched and turned around.

Pak!

Marika had leapt out of the shadows like a wraith and drove her dagger into his chest.

Clang!

With a sound like something shattering, Marika was flung backward.

“You filthy…!”

Nakturah didn’t die just because his heart was pierced—he was a lich. He didn’t have such organs in the first place.

But the mana laced in the dagger spread through his body instantly, sending a shockwave through him.

It was meant to damage internal organs, but since Nakturah had none, the impact cracked every bone in his body.

He immediately turned his gaze and aimed at Marika.

To a mage, an assassin closing in was the greatest threat.

But before he could even begin casting a spell—Ghislain was already right in front of him.

“Huh?!”

Startled, Nakturah hastily raised a shield. But it wasn’t enough to block Ghislain’s all-out attack.

KWAaaaaaaaaNG!

With a thunderous crash, Nakturah was slammed into the ground.

Just as Ghislain dove in to pursue him, Nakturah’s staff shone once more.

Pak!

A black vortex of mana burst forth. The force wasn’t something that could be ignored, so Ghislain had no choice but to raise a shield to protect himself.

KWAANG!

Ghislain’s body shook and was pushed back.

Taking advantage of that moment, Nakturah sprang to his feet and began casting another spell.

But just then—Ereneth, who had already broken through the horde of undead, shouted.

“Spirit of the Earth! Roar!”

Kugugugugung!

The ground trembled, and Nakturah staggered. A massive stone fist shot up from beneath the earth and struck him squarely.

KWAANG!

His skeletal body was hurled into the air before crashing back down.

Nakturah was flustered. Even without facial expressions, his attitude and voice made his emotions unmistakable.

“Y-You pests!”

He tried to regain his stance and extended his staff again but Marika had already crept up behind him and drove a dagger into his spine.

Clang!

The magical backlash flung Marika away again, but Nakturah’s bones cracked even more than before.

Kururung! Kurururung!

Ereneth furiously summoned earth spirits, burying nearby undead into the ground.

Julien and Kyle had already taken out about half, and the rest could be dealt with soon but there was no need to waste time skirmishing with them.

Thanks to Ereneth, space was cleared, and Julien and Kyle rushed straight at Nakturah, swinging their swords.

KAAANG!

Nakturah hastily raised his staff to block Julien’s strike. But at that very moment, Kyle tripped him.

‘You sneaky little…!’

Off balance and flustered, Nakturah was struck cleanly by Ghislain.

KWAANG!

CRACK!

A massive impact rang out as Nakturah’s ribs splintered and his spine creaked.

His bones ached.

Though Nakturah had long lost the ability to feel pain, for a moment, he felt something akin to it.

Only now did he realize just how dangerously close he was to being destroyed.