Before the Assault on Canaan Fortress, During the Strategy Meeting
“It’s highly likely that half of the Bandits are already dead.”
Diz had pointed out the possibility.
“Dead… you say? So the bandits are skeleton soldiers?”
“More like reanimated corpses, living dead. Either way, they’re undead creatures.”
[Reanimated Corpses, Living Dead]. These dangerous monsters retain some flesh and blood, making them stronger, and since they’re already dead, they can move without fear of self-destruction.
Indeed, it’s hard to believe that a necromancer capable of controlling such a large number of undead soldiers would only have skeletons as their pawns. But—
“Your evidence?”
“Here. A quest report from a few years ago about the bandits who used Canaan Fortress as their base.”
“You even have this…”
Ur made a mental note that such information could be gathered from the Adventurer’s Guild while he reviewed the contents.
The report detailed a series of robberies that had occurred outside the city a few years ago.
“The culprits were criminals from Alto who had been exiled. There were several small-scale robberies, and the Merchant Guild requested the Adventurer’s Guild to eliminate them. The exiles, matching the descriptions of the culprits, were found at Canaan Fortress and attacked. After taking down about five of them, the adventurers retreated due to a simultaneous monster attack…”
Ur continued reading until he reached the part Diz had likely focused on.
“The Adventurer’s Guild and the Merchant Guild concluded that the mission was successful and paid the reward.”
In other words, in the past, both guilds had determined that the bandits had been dealt with.
“Even if they weren’t completely wiped out, it was still considered a success… Perhaps they were so few in number that they would’ve been destroyed anyway?”
“That’s one possibility. More importantly, this is outside the city-state. Ur—could you survive for years in a base outside the human habitation zone?”
“Impossible.”
Ur answered immediately.
“Wherever humans gather, they attract monsters. You’d constantly be under threat of attack. Without the Sun Barrier, it’s impossible to establish a base… or a city-state.”
That’s why priests are revered as messengers of the gods and spirits.
That’s why the citizens desperately offer their prayers and mana, devoting themselves to supporting their power.
That’s why even nameless individuals pay for the privilege of staying in the safety of a city-state.
If it were so easy to survive “outside,” the world wouldn’t be shaped this way.
“Is it possible that a different group of bandits moved into the location from the report?”
“I considered that, but the captured bandit confessed that they’ve been living there for several years.”
In the past, the bandits had repeatedly attacked, and eventually, their group was wiped out by adventurers. He remembered the details. There was no reason for him to lie during Shizuku’s interrogation. It’s safe to say he was telling the truth. Then…
“…How did they survive outside the city-state in such a devastated state?”
“I asked. But for some reason, he couldn’t remember the details. And then—”
After a while, he stopped moving, as if his strings had been cut.
“Either he was being kept alive by the necromancer, or he didn’t realize he was dead…”
“Given the information we have, it’s unlikely that only that prisoner ended up like that by chance.”
“…I see.”
This was indeed a troubling situation.
There was no room for sympathy for the bandits, but if they had been subjected to such barbaric acts that trampled on the dignity of life itself, it was pitiful.
“That’s why, Ur, Shizuku—be prepared. If you join this battle, you’ll have to take lives.”
Diz warned with a sharp gaze that they would have to commit the barbaric act of taking the lives of bandits who didn’t even realize they were dead.
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The pulsations emitted by the core magic stone seemed to draw the undead soldiers toward it. Most were skeletal remains without flesh, but not all. Among those emerging from the walls and towers were figures that looked familiar.
[G—ooooooooOOO…!!]
“Th-those… the bandits!?”
At Laura’s words, Ur also noticed. Their tattered equipment unmistakably belonged to the bandits. Their necks were broken, and blood oozed from various parts of their bodies. In that state, they looked like vengeful spirits, gathering in the courtyard alongside the other undead soldiers.
“…Just as Lady Diz predicted, it seems?”
“Indeed.”
The bandits were dead. Or perhaps, after being killed by Ur and the others, they had fully succumbed to their demonic nature. The discomfort grew as Ur thought about how they had delivered the final blow, but now wasn’t the time for such thoughts. The situation was unfolding relentlessly.
[Nu]
Along with the pulsations from the black-purple core magic stone that gathered the undead, a sinister light surged. It spread like roots throughout the area, reaching even the undead knight who had, for some reason, refrained from attacking Ur and the others until now.
[Gu…!? KA, AAAAAAA!!]
“!?”
With an eerie, agonized cry, the undead knight suddenly swung its bone sword down at Ur—who blocked it.
But the force behind it was overwhelming. It was incomparable to the undead soldiers they had faced on their journey. Unable to withstand it, Ur fell to one knee. The undead knight pressed down, trying to crush him.
“[Ice Thorns!]”
[Kakaka!!]
Shizuku intervened, casting a spell. The undead knight immediately leaped back. Its light, fleshless body allowed it to move with surprising agility, putting distance between itself and Ur. But the pulsating light still enveloped its body.
[—Hmm, is this really it?]
“What the hell…!?”
As if assessing its own condition as if it were someone else’s, the undead knight shrugged.
[Guess it’s time for the real show. Buckle up, kid.]
The moment the undead knight said that, a tremendous tremor shook the ground.
Before Ur could react, a large shadow loomed behind the undead knight. Something grabbed the edge of the rooftop path where Ur and the others stood. It was unmistakably a hand.
The countless undead soldiers that had been gathering in the courtyard began to merge.
And then, the large shadow rose unsteadily within the fortress illuminated by the barrier.
Two hollow eye sockets, within which the pulsating black-purple core magic stone from earlier could be seen. The light emanating from it flowed like eerie, dark flames across its entire body.
As if to flaunt its sinister power, at the center of the ruined fortress transforming into a demonic realm—
[GAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAKA!!!!!!]
—the “Undead Giant” rattled its bones, mocking everything.
“[Starving Skull]…!”
The threat that had attacked the island-devouring turtle. Even the Gem Doll they had faced in the Greedy Labyrinth paled in comparison to this skeletal giant. Ur shuddered.
[Ur, can you hear me?]
In the midst of it all, Diz’s voice came through. Ur clung to it, responding immediately.
“Diz!? What’s going on? Over here, we rescued the hostages separate from Rose, but—”
[I’ll cut to the chase. Rose has been rescued. The necromancer wasn’t completely eliminated.]
“…!”
The answer that came back was, unfortunately, not a resolution to the current situation.
[Feel free to curse at me.]
“…Anyone with eyes can see you were moving at full speed. If even Diz couldn’t make it in time, no one could.”
Having witnessed her work up close, Ur was certain. She had acted swiftly and precisely. Neither Ur nor Shizuku, nor even anyone from the knight order, could’ve prepared and acted this effectively in such a short time. No one could blame her.
“So, what do we do?”
[You said you rescued the other hostages, right? Take them and get out of here now.]
“What about you?”
[I’ll take Rose and escape too. The rest is up to the knight order————gu]
Mid-transmission, a dull sound was heard. Diz’s voice, trying to hide something, made Ur frown.
“What’s wrong?”
[Nothing really—[Her arm’s about to be torn off.]]
It wasn’t Diz who answered, but Akane. Her words made Ur frown deeply.
Her arm’s about to be torn off?
Before Ur could ask what that meant, Akane continued.
[Something really bad’s here. Right now, we’re trying to keep it from being torn off—]
[Akane, focus. Ur, get out of there now.]
Before Akane could say more, Diz cut in with an order. But Ur was no longer in the mood to listen.
“You’re not planning to run, are you? What are you trying to stop?”
[Ur]
“At least give me an explanation.”
Perhaps the stubbornness in Ur’s voice got through. Diz sighed once before continuing.
[A dragon has appeared. Something resembling a Great Sin Labyrinth is beginning to form. This is a place without the Sun Barrier’s seal. If left unchecked, the entire area will become a labyrinth and be destroyed.]
“Destroyed—”
[At the very least, Alto will be swallowed in an instant. The knight order can’t stop it. It’ll be a total wipeout.]
The moment Ur heard that, his first thought was, “I wish I hadn’t asked.” He had sensed something fishy about this situation from the start, and he had been warned… but this was beyond the pale.
Why—why is this turning into a situation where an entire country could be destroyed???
Ur felt the urge to scream and curse.
He wanted to tear at his hair, forget everything, and run away right now. He was about to do just that—when the image of the woman, whose arm was about to be torn off yet still fought, flashed through his mind. Her face, so happy just to be complimented on her hair ornament.
Finally, he looked at Shizuku. She nodded firmly, as if understanding his inner turmoil.
“—I’ll help. Just tell me what to do.”
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