Chapter 201 - Domain of the Dead
Nighttime in the forest is a place that, by itself, brings fear. I'm pretty okay with the dark and forests, but I still have a slight aversion to them. I wouldn't willingly go in.
Especially in a pitch-black forest without even the light of the stars, with undead lurking about, it's so terrifying that even approaching it would be considered reckless. I think even someone with a strong sense of curiosity would refuse to enter. It would be more of an act of foolishness than bravery.
It's a situation that would likely drive a normal person to madness. Despite this, I find myself walking alone down a path in the middle of it all, and surprisingly, my spirits are rising. Even though being deprived of sight usually brings fear, the ability to gather information and perceive my surroundings through other means changes the scenery dramatically. It's still in development, but I'm happy I can do it.
I keep my distance from zombies and wraiths, passing by skeletons while whistling. In the heat of the moment, I destroy them, smashing their heads or breaking their necks. It seems that's how you can take them down, though I'm not entirely sure from just observation.
Whether they're humanoid or animal-like, it doesn't matter. They’re just bones, and I don’t really know what they were originally. But I'll send them to nothingness with my hands. They should be grateful to be able to rest in peace.
I keep my distance from zombies not just because they’re creepy and smelly, but also because they emit a poisonous stench. It's not just rotting flesh; it's mixed with toxins. It’s not just a simple poison, and touching it can cause severe effects. I think these are some pretty dangerous monsters. When testing, I found that I could take them down with a well-aimed projectile to the head, suggesting their weakness is similar to skeletons.
Wraiths, on the other hand, are a completely different story. Even approaching them is a mystery. In the light, they appear as black, humanoid mists. They're just plain terrifying, and their attack methods are unknown. Approaching them beyond a certain distance is dangerous.
Zombies have a clear threat in their poisonous stench, but wraiths emit a magical threat. I can't risk getting too close to verify, and I suspect magic won’t be effective against them. Touching them could lead to unknown horrors.
For now, I think the best approach is to avoid wraiths entirely. Observation alone won't reveal much, and touching them is out of the question. They’re a troublesome presence that I need to avoid.
Skeletons would be tough opponents in a normal scenario. Their bones are incredibly durable, and their physical attacks are formidable. I can handle them easily, but a typical strong-arm wouldn't stand a chance. They might even hurt themselves.
In summary, the undead here are among the strongest. It's nearly impossible for anyone to navigate this forest under normal circumstances.
But we’re going to do it!
Turning back and retracing our steps is out of the question. If we’re going to retreat, we’ll go forward. That’s my style.
"...Maybe it’s time to head back."
I got carried away with the night’s excitement. With this in mind, I return to everyone, gathering them out of the vehicles. There are no undead nearby, so the light from the engraving magic shouldn’t be a problem.
I realize more time has passed than I thought, and I’ve worried everyone.
"We saw you smashing them."
"What were you doing in an unknown area…"
"Yukari-san, be more cautious, please."
I brush off their concerns and share my findings.
"It’s nothing. We’ve learned a lot about the habits of the undead."
They don’t react well, but it’s important to be prepared, even if we don’t intend to fight them.
"I’d rather not fight them if I can help it."
Ophelia’s reluctance is echoed by everyone else. I can’t blame them.
"Onee-sama, is this the Forest of the Underworld?"
"Probably. We must’ve wandered in without realizing it, but we have to get through it."
The Forest of the Underworld is supposed to be in the central part of the southern continent. If this isn’t it, then what is it? The lack of specific information is puzzling. A place this distinctive should be notorious. The church, of all entities, shouldn’t be silent about such a place… It’s a mystery.
"Yukarinowe-san, can we leave this place soon?"
"Sure. There’s no reason to stay. Let’s get moving. This place is a hassle, even if we just walk through it. Any ideas?"
The mysterious path seems to continue, and there are undead along the way. We need to eliminate them, but that’s a tedious task.
"Can I suggest something?"
Graylease, who uses shadow magic, might be nearly invincible in this shadow-dominated forest, except for wraiths. From the shadows, she can attack without being detected.
"We can use their attraction to light, right? We can cast light spells to the sides of the path. That should clear the undead from the path, right?"
That makes sense. By luring them with light, we can clear the path and gain a clear view. It’s a practical idea.
"Let’s go with that. I’ll keep checking the path. Mia and Graylease will cover all angles. Everyone else, use light magic to clear the path of any stubborn monsters."
"What about the wraiths? Magic doesn’t work on them, right?"
No one has tested it on modern undead, as they were supposed to be extinct. But based on my observation, I think touching them is a bad idea. I have a gut feeling that magic won’t work, either.
"Let’s avoid provoking them. If a wraith blocks our path, we’ll use individual light spells to guide it away. It’s a hassle, but better than worse."
Everyone takes their positions, and we set off.
Everyone except the drivers climbs to the roofs of the vehicles to observe the surroundings better. Verone stays inside, despite his reluctance, as he might cause trouble if he lost control.
We cast light spells to the sides of the path, and the undead start moving. It’s more effective than I expected. This should work.
We start moving without headlights to avoid colliding with wraiths. I’m used to checking and repairing the path, but it’s getting repetitive.
The path stretches endlessly, unchanging, as we push through the Forest of the Dead with a sense of tension. Graylease’s plan is working better than expected, and we’re making steady progress without any issues.
Everyone’s focus and mental fortitude are commendable, given the monotony of the task and the unchanging scenery.
We’ve been moving for about half a day, and we’re reaching our physical and mental limits, both from fatigue and lack of food.
"I’m tired. How much farther is this thing? We’ve been driving for a while now."
"I’m worried about food too. If there are only undead, we’ll have to rely on our supplies."
Indeed, that’s a problem. Without knowing how long it will take to get through the Forest of the Underworld, we need to conserve our food.
"How much food do we have left?"
"Including what we’ll eat now, we have enough for about two days, assuming we conserve. If we only eat preserved food, we might last a few more days, but it’s still a concern."
We don’t have much. After half a day in the undead forest with no change in scenery, I don’t think we’ll be out anytime soon.
Fatigue and lack of food will gradually take a toll on our physical recovery.
We have some dried and canned goods, and some sweets, but we need to conserve them. At this rate, we won’t be able to eat our fill until we’re out of this situation.
In the worst case, we might have to resort to licking condiments and drinking alcohol to stave off hunger. Even with some trick magic, we can’t cover the necessary calories.
But we will get out eventually. I’m sure of it.
There’s no sign of a looping forest like in fantasy stories. Mia’s ‘Heaven’s Eye’ confirms that.
We’re somewhere near the middle of the continent, and if we can push for another day, we might be right in the middle. With that in mind, we might be able to get through the Forest of the Underworld in two to three more days. So, no need for despair.
We eat some meat and fruits, and the conversation is sparse as we try to get some sleep. We don’t have time for leisure.
Grateful for my quick-recovering body, I take over the watch and we start moving again through the Forest of the Underworld.
The constant darkness distorts our sense of time. We just keep repeating the same tasks.
My ability to spread a thin layer of magic, check the path, and repair it has become so refined that I can handle multiple tasks simultaneously. I can perform these tasks with half my consciousness.
The other half of my mind can be used for thinking and observing.
The scenery is still similar to when we first entered the Forest of the Underworld. The changes are subtle, but the differences from a normal forest are clear.
The trees in the Forest of the Underworld have no leaves. They’re dead, like petrified or fossilized trees, creating a hellish landscape devoid of life.
In the distance, there are black silhouettes of elevated plateaus. They seem to be an extension of the jungle. The plateaus are familiar, but I have no intention of exploring them. What could be up there, I wonder? I won’t go, though.
The long path involves going up and down, and I feel the elevation gradually increasing. The air suggests we might be at a considerable altitude. If we keep going higher, we might face new challenges.
The monotony of the dark path is almost maddening. The line between dream and reality blurs. It’s at this moment.
"Ack!"
I saw it clearly. The undead, illuminated by the light spells, were all drawn to either side of the path, leaving our way clear. Until now, it had been consistent.
The first anomaly was a wraith suddenly leaping in front of our jeep.
I thought we’d collide, but the wraith passed through the jeep, between Ophelia, the driver, and me, and vanished. In that instant.
"Huff!"
I touched the wraith I said we shouldn’t approach. It felt like someone had pressed ice into my heart. The severe discomfort, the stiffness in my body, and the inability to breathe were overwhelming. I suppressed the chaos and assessed the situation.
Even a brief touch caused this. Ophelia, who was closer, must have been hit more severely. Her body was frozen, and I could see her foaming at the mouth.
The shock caused her head to hit the side, and the vehicle came to a stop.
Blood dripped from my forehead, and my head hurt, but the cold was unbearable. I was shaking uncontrollably and could only crouch. Nausea and the urge to vomit followed.
"Are you okay!?"
"Onee-sama!"
"I’m using a recovery potion!"
Even the warm blood felt cold. What is this?
I couldn’t respond to everyone’s calls. I just endured, waiting for the cold to pass. They used a super-recovery potion, but it didn’t seem to affect the unknown condition.
"I saw the wraith for a moment. It must be because of that. I’m sorry…"
"Let’s take care of you. You’ll recover quickly. It’s not just your fault, you know."
Mia was on watch in the lead vehicle. She felt responsible, but we were all exhausted. I, too, should have been more focused on the task at hand rather than daydreaming.
Everyone helped move Ophelia and me from the vehicle, despite the worry it caused. It was hard to speak in my current state.
After an hour or two of unexpected rest, the shaking finally subsided.
"Sorry, everyone. I’m okay now."
"Good, Yukari. What happened?"
Mia, Graylease, Liliane, and Valeria were keeping watch a short distance away. Ophelia was still unconscious. I gathered my thoughts and explained.
"Mia saw the wraith before the accident. It suddenly appeared and passed through, touching both Ophelia and me."
"Wraiths don’t have a physical form, so passing through is understandable, but did you receive an attack?"
It didn’t feel like an attack. I answered Verone’s question honestly.
"It wasn’t an attack. Just touching it made my body freeze."
"Yukari’s recovery potion didn’t work. It was likely a form of mental attack."
"You said touching it would be bad. I agree. It’s probably a form of magical attack."
A mental attack, huh? That makes sense. I was only partially affected, so it was manageable, but Ophelia, who was hit more severely, was in a worse state. I’m worried about any lingering effects, but without Siegrune’s purification magic, there’s nothing we can do. I’ll keep this in mind for the future.
"Everyone’s tired, so let’s take a proper break. We don’t know when Ophelia will wake up. How’s the damaged vehicle?"
"We weren’t going very fast, so it’s just cosmetic damage. It’s still drivable."
I was relieved. Losing a jeep would be manageable, but it would make the journey less comfortable.
"Good. Ophelia’s sleep seems stable, and she should wake up soon. I’ll inform the others on watch."
"Take it easy."
Another unexpected anomaly. I’ve thought this so many times, but it’s really frustrating.
I never imagined the Forest of the Underworld would be this troublesome. The Crimson Knights and the Clad Family might have made it through, but it was probably with significant losses. It’s too optimistic to think they made it through unscathed. They must have faced their own difficulties. But I shouldn’t be worrying about others right now. What’s happening to them, I wonder?"
Finally, we have an injured person, and an enemy we can’t defeat with brute force. My frustration is mounting.
Even more challenges await in the next chapter, “The Demon Realm, Forest of the Netherworld.”