Chapter 200 - A Dark Forest Fantasy
What emerged from the darkness was humanoid.
It was about the same size as us. As expected, it was bipedal.
However, it was decidedly not human.
The figure illuminated by the light was a skeleton, a human skeleton.
I couldn't help but flinch. It was clearly an undead. Surely, this wasn't some ridiculous supernatural phenomenon.
As a basic fact, undead are believed to no longer exist on the continent. They were supposedly eradicated long ago by 'The Church.'
We had seen something zombie-like before, but we dismissed it as a hallucination, a group delusion, or a mistake.
I wished this was just another hallucination, but I had to deal with the pressing reality.
It's definitely an undead, or perhaps a skeletal-type monster. I've never heard of such a thing, and it's hard to call it a monster since it's not a living being. Skeletons can't reproduce.
So, is it a monster? The definition of a monster is tricky, but it might fit.
Even if The Church claims to have eradicated the undead, there's no way to verify that. What about new ones that might arise?
If they existed in the past, it's not surprising that they could appear again.
Just because they were eradicated once doesn't mean they won't come back. It's unrealistic to think they were completely eliminated. It's entirely possible that a stray zombie or two still exists somewhere in the vast continent.
Facing a potentially more loathsome existence than insect-type monsters, my thoughts wandered again, when suddenly a high-pitched scream rang out.
Surprised more by the scream than the skeleton, I saw the next action.
"Hey, what the—?"
"Giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"
Albert's hammer was snatched away, and with a loud cry, the skull of the skeleton was shattered.
No one could react to this sudden move.
"Huh... Huh... Huh..."
"...Hey, calm down, Verone. That's my hammer, you know?"
I was more surprised by Verone's behavior than the skeleton.
"Huh!? Sorry!"
Many members, like me, are uneasy with undead, but Verone's reaction was extreme. She seemed to have completely lost herself.
While this revealed a new weakness, the main concern was whether this was the only one or if there were more. Most members shared this concern.
Then, something strange happened. The footsteps that should have stopped continued, and they seemed to be increasing.
"I'm casting a light spell!"
Graylease warned us and launched a large, bright light ball.
The illumination, like a flare, allowed us to see the surroundings clearly.
Everyone climbed onto the roof of the Jeep to check the area. What we saw was disturbing.
We seemed to be on a gentle slope, allowing us to see far ahead.
While we couldn't see everything, what we did see was enough.
"...They're gathering, aren't they?"
"Hey, isn't this bad?"
"There are skeletons, zombies, and even liches. Not just humanoids, but large monster types too."
"Ah!"
Verone fainted. Losing a valuable teammate was a problem, but it was better than her losing control and causing chaos.
Well, this is just great. One thing after another, it's really getting tiring.
Skeletons are probably manageable. They're creepy but not that bad. As Verone demonstrated, they can be knocked down with a single blow.
However, zombies are a different story. While it's possible to defeat them physically or with magic, I wouldn't want to hit them with bare hands. Even using weapons would be unpleasant. They'd probably splatter with some weird fluid, and the rotting flesh would smell terrible. Just the sight of them is enough to make me queasy. If they were poisonous, the purification engraving might help, but I definitely don't want to fight them. No contact with them at all.
The real problem is the liches. While undead are fantastical, liches are particularly troublesome. They are ghostly entities, and physical attacks don't affect them. General magic doesn't work either. We have no effective means to deal with them. Only those with rare magic attributes or, as the Church claims, blessed weapons can handle them.
We brought plenty of equipment, but we didn't want to pay for the Church's gimmicky tools. It's an exceptional situation, but now I regret it. We're desperate for any solution.
"Yukari, should we try to break through?"
Just standing around won't help. We need a plan.
"If that's our only option, we'll do it. But with the road conditions, it'll be hard to set up a shield."
I can't handle that level of multitasking. Slowing down might help, but it wouldn't protect us from the liches. Our best bet would be to rely on the armored vehicle's defenses, but even that wouldn't be effective against ghostly liches.
"...Why are they gathering here?"
"Because they're undead. They have a habit of attacking the living, right?"
Indeed, that's a plausible reason.
"Maybe it's just because it's bright here?"
If they sense living beings and attack, there's nothing we can do. But if it's just a reaction to light, we can deal with it.
"Let's try turning off the lights. Graylease, turn off the headlights and see what happens. If it doesn't work, we'll have to break through, no matter what."
As the large light source was cut off, even the slightest light became noticeable. The enchantment on our cloaks, which continuously emit a faint light, is hard to turn off. However, the vehicle's headlights and instrument lights would have to do.
"Liliane, can you create a wind barrier to stop the sound from leaking?"
"I can try, but it won't be very precise."
"That's fine. Everyone, get in the vehicles and wait."
I worked on the vehicles, using the anti-stun grenade shielding technique to apply a smoke coating to all the windows. It was a simple process, and I could work quickly.
When I finished the last window, the only light source was the faint glow from my cloak. I got into the Jeep and held my breath. The situation called for a change from traveler to combat mode.
Outside, it was almost pitch black, but the horizon was faintly visible. There was a faint light source somewhere, though it was barely noticeable.
With the naked eye, it was almost impossible to see anything. Even with well-adjusted night vision, it's impossible to see without some form of night vision. Only Mira and Graylease could manage in such darkness. The others could navigate with a bit of starlight, but in this darkness, they would need special abilities.
Visual monitoring would be left to those capable, while the rest focused on sound and magical detection.
In the quiet forest, even inside the vehicle, any noticeable sound would be heard. The undead's magic was difficult to detect but became easier to identify with practice.
After a while, the footsteps faded, and the magical presence seemed to move away.
"...They're gone. Even undead have a lair, it seems."
The whispered observation raised more questions.
A vast number of undead had been headed our way, but they suddenly changed direction. This suggests they had another target or returned to their lair.
Given that they were drawn to light and there was no other visible light source, it's likely they returned to their original location.
"Let's wait a bit longer and then move quietly. They might be drawn to the sound source, so we'll have to be careful."
If they react to sound, there's nothing we can do while in the vehicles. Our only option would be a forced breakthrough.
We have no reliable information about undead, relying only on ancient, dubious legends. Basic knowledge is lacking, and we can't trust the thin information we have.
Encountering a horde of undead in a dark forest is far beyond our expectations. Uncertainty and worry filled our minds. As the leader, I couldn't show such unease, especially in such an abnormal situation.
After a while of silence, it seemed the situation had calmed down. We would continue to observe carefully, without letting our guard down.
From our encounter, we could gather some useful information, even in a short time. For example, while there were many magical signatures, they seemed to stay within a limited area. Without a clear target like a light source, their range of activity was limited. Fortunately, there were no undead near us, and observing their behavior would be beneficial for the future.
They are likely drawn to light. We should test other factors.
"I'll conduct a few experiments. Everyone, stay here and keep watch."
"Seriously? I won't stop you, but be careful."
"Onee-sama, should I come with you?"
"I have a plan, so I'll go alone. If anything happens, I'll call for backup."
I took off my cloak before leaving the vehicle. The faint light from the enchantment was weak, but if it drew them, it would defeat the purpose. If there was a poisonous gas, I could detect it with careful attention. If necessary, I could rely on the others for backup.
Without the cloak, the air felt chilly. The southern forest was usually warm, even in summer, but something was off. Maybe it was the darkness. Without the warmth of the sun, it was naturally cold, but the constant darkness seemed even colder. It was strange.
With a silhouette barely visible, I used my magical senses to approach the rear vehicle. I declined the offer to be let in and spoke to Verone. She seemed calmer, unlike her earlier breakdown. As long as the undead weren't in her sight, she seemed fine.
"You're back. Can you make a loud noise in the forest over there? The farther, the better."
Verone looked puzzled but seemed to be back to normal. She was a bit jumpy and reacted to minor sounds, but she was trying to act normal.
"Testing their reaction to sound, huh? I'll try."
Even if she was nervous, she could still do her job. That was good.
The noise grenade without the light effect was launched, and a loud explosion resounded in the distance. The shockwave was intense, shaking the Jeep and breaking through the wind barrier Liliane had set up. It was a bit overdone, but it was likely due to her emotional state, so I didn't comment.
Observing the undead's magical presence, there was no significant reaction. Many were blown back by the shockwave, but there was no sign of them gathering toward the sound source. It was clear that sound wasn't a factor.
"Let's try light again. We need to confirm."
The light spell followed the sound. The bright point of light in the darkness was striking. The reaction was clear. It was definitely light that drew them.
"They're clearly gathering. Light is a definite factor. Next, let's try heat. Verone, can you make a fireball? Be careful not to start a fire."
"I'll be careful with the radiated heat. I'll try."
This required a delicate touch, something a skilled caster like Verone could handle. Ophelia was good with fire magic, but she specialized in offensive spells and lacked the finesse for this.
"Ah, this is pointless."
"...Indeed. Thanks, Verone. I'll test a few more things."
The fireball, as expected, emitted light. It couldn't determine if they reacted to heat alone or the light. I needed to test more.
With the others' support, I moved down the slope to a nearby magical presence.
Moving alone in a dark forest filled with undead was intensely nerve-wracking. Without my cloak, I felt very exposed. I'm not as comfortable with undead as some might be. Anyone who is would be quite unusual.
I endured and focused on gathering information.
The magical presence ahead seemed to be a skeletal-type undead, judging by the sounds it made.
It showed no reaction as I approached. I stood right in front of the slow-moving skeleton. No reaction. Even after I released a clear magical pulse, there was still no response. Based on this, it seemed that skeletal-type undead were drawn to light but not to heat, life, or magic. This was unexpected.
One more test, though I really didn't want to. I wouldn't do this with a zombie, but with a skeleton, it might be manageable.
I gently reached out and touched what I assumed was the chest. The cold, hard contact made me shiver, but it was just cold and hard.
Immediately, a surge of hostility.
"Hmph!"
I thrust my hand, using the principles of a focused strike, and shattered the skeleton's chest into pieces.
The hostility didn't disappear.
Without hesitation, I threw a left hook, smashing the skull into pieces.
I see. They don't react to sound, heat, or magic. They gather around light and attack when touched. The next test would be with other types of undead.
I wanted to return to everyone, but I needed to gather more information. I decided to do a bit more research.
Escaping from the ants led us to an even worse place. The next chapter, 'The Realm of the Dead,' continues the story. Incidentally, this is chapter 200, but the story is far from over!