“…It’s way bigger than the last time I saw it.”
Well, 180 years would do that… But still, this was unexpected. Was this even allowed, aesthetically?
“Nifl, this tree—”
“It’s celebrated as Gagiur’s Great Tree—a cultural landmark. A tourist attraction, if you will.”
“Oh. Good.”
Garm tugged at my sleeve, staring up in awe.
“King! King! Isn’t this the tree you planted?!”
“Well, ‘planted’ is a strong word… More like ‘dumped.'”… Read more
Corpse King Volume 1 Chapter 3 part 1
Chapter 3: Gagiur’s Forge God
The steel city of Gagiur.
A metropolis of iron, built nestled at the foot of the colossal Vehinos Mine. At its center towers the Great Tree of Gagiur, a massive arboreal monument.
This is a holy land for blacksmiths—a place where materials from demons of all kinds gather. It is also a bustling hub of commerce. Aspiring smiths flock here, nobles and adventurers come seeking their weapons, and merchants follow, hoping to profit from this cycle.… Read more
Corpse King Volume 1 Chapter 2 part 9
The true Helheim. The imposters.
The Guardian Dragon’s betrayal.
The Corpse King.
Drowning in this flood of revelations, the explorers stand frozen—
all but Artel, who moves first.
“We return to the Empire. The emperor must hear this.”
“M-my lady! But what of Griffil Sea of Trees?!”
Artel prods the damp ground with her boot. Detecting faint traces of mana, she narrows her eyes.
A flame sword. A suspiciously moist space.… Read more
Corpse King Volume 1 Chapter 2 part 8
“W-well, damn… The Guardian Dragon herself showing up as backup…?”
“His Majesty must be that serious about eliminating Helheim.”
“Still, her entrance could’ve been a little less destructive…”
“No kidding, my heart almost stopped.”
Watching her party chuckle, Artel slumped her shoulders. The tension from earlier had evaporated—along with her resolve.
A Guardian Dragon versus humans? This wouldn’t even be a fight.
She cast a pitying glance at the three members of Helheim.… Read more
Corpse King Volume 1 Chapter 2 part 7
“A Demon in a Level 3 dungeon?”
“Y-Yes! A subjugation team should be in that realm right now!”
“………..”
“What do you think, Miss?”
The one who called the silent Artel “Miss” was Ted, a Level 6 explorer who served as the tank of “The Valiant Lance.”
Twirling his unkempt beard, he planted his large armored body firmly.
“That’s impossible.”
“I agree. From what I’ve heard, the first missing person disappeared a month ago.… Read more
Corpse King Volume 1 Chapter 2 part 6
“Hah… hah…!”
[G-GOoOo…]
A Demon knelt, its exoskeleton failing, flesh exposed.
Dragging the weakened blade, I raised it overhead—
“Burning my army… I’ll just rebuild. Do it.”
Her last Demons charged on command.
Deaf to their thunderous advance, I focused on the crippled foe.
This Demon was likely a lost explorer’s fate.
But hesitation died long ago.
The Corpse King in me howled.
I’ll avenge you with this life—
The sword pierced its hide—unnaturally soft—
Blood geysered.… Read more
Corpse King Volume 1 Chapter 2 part 5
The blood pool at Ose’s feet splits with that sound.
“……?”
Its grin still stretched unnaturally wide, Ose tilts its head.
A shadow descends—carrying white frost.
Accompanied by two figures, it steps toward Ose.
“Too lax… I never expected a Greater Demon.”
From beneath a gray hood—piercing eyes lock onto Ose.
Sensing the immense magic, Ose’s smile widens.
“Ahh, O Demon King!! Tonight, fortune smiles upon me!… Read more
Corpse King Volume 1 Chapter 2 part 4
To begin with, it’s extremely rare for mid-level demons to appear by chance.
Lesser demons can evolve by absorbing large amounts of life force, including from humans, but most are exterminated before reaching that point.
Even if they did evolve, they shouldn’t be in a Level 3 dungeon.
This is because mid-level demons cannot survive for long periods in dungeons below Level 5.
This relates to demons’ nature of living by absorbing magical energy; when they run short of it, they naturally weaken and disappear.… Read more
Corpse King Volume 1 Chapter 2 part 3
The Adventurer’s Guild was even noisier than usual, thrown into disarray by the sudden reports of a mid-tier Demons.
Multiple hunting parties were forming, rumors running wild.
Amid the frantic comings and goings, a duo—newly promoted to Lv. 3—celebrated over drinks.
And and Neem, childhood friends from the same village.
Their modest toast was interrupted by the grim news. And, drowning his nerves, kept drinking until he was thoroughly buzzed, clapping a hand over his mouth.… Read more
Corpse King Volume 1 Chapter 2 part 2
Taking shelter from the sudden rain in a secluded place we had found by chance, we planned our next move.
“I froze Griffil Sea of Trees… came this way… We’re here now.”
“Our current location is this plain. It seems the terrain in this area has changed over the decades due to the influence of magic and demons. This hidden realm appears to have formed in the last few years. This map is only a rough overview, but…”
“It’s infinitely better than having nothing.… Read more