Chapter 405 - The Legendary Undead
The room was suffocating with the thick scent of blood, where the researchers' voices mingled with terror and excitement.
Even someone like me, who has seen countless magical beasts, couldn't help but be drawn to the overwhelming presence. The undead's mana is hard to detect, but I could sense the immense power it possessed.
I should feel ashamed for thinking I understood the undead. This creature is beyond anything I had prepared for. It’s not like the skeletons or zombies that could be easily defeated; it's on a different level of threat.
Even with my experience in the true Forest of the Underworld, I couldn't have imagined something like this. This is what a true legendary creature is, and I need to recognize that.
It’s not just any undead; it’s a powerful demon from beyond this world. The key is to uncover its abilities. Fortunately, it’s alone for now.
A sigh escapes me. While it’s natural to fear the unknown, I don’t feel any fear.
On the contrary, the more threatening the monster, the more my fighting spirit rises. My heart beats faster, drumming with anticipation.
It’s a formidable opponent, perfect for a flashy fight. But this cluttered room with all its research materials isn’t ideal for a dramatic battle. If I could incapacitate it instantly, that would be one thing, but it seems unlikely. I hadn’t noticed the immense mana from the other side of the door, but it’s palpable now.
“Let’s give it a try.”
Sure, it won’t be easy, but it’s worth a shot. After all, it’s just an undead, and I doubt it has any advanced intelligence.
Maybe it’ll fall apart more easily than I think. If nothing else, it’ll give me a chance to gauge its capabilities.
The undead is brutally mutilating corpses, tearing limbs and scattering flesh and blood. It’s a grotesque sight, devoid of any human dignity. The beast is driven by its instincts, perhaps excited by the blood.
"You monster!"
I throw the iron ball at the undead, which is focused on destroying a corpse. It’s a simple test.
Without any defensive movements, the ball hits the side of its head. The impact would have decapitated a human, but the creature just tilts its head without falling over.
It’s not invulnerable, though. Its temple caves in slightly, and black blood seeps out, sizzling and smoking. But before my eyes, the wound heals itself.
All that’s left is a black bloodstain on the monster’s head. The flesh and bone that were damaged have completely regenerated. No magic was used, just an incredible regenerative ability.
What was that smoke? Is it part of the healing process? Regardless, it’s not something I want to inhale.
"Well, fine... Let’s see how well you can heal."
No matter how powerful an undead is, it can’t have infinite energy. Even an almost immortal creature must have a limit.
I aim to find that limit. I switch to a tungsten ball, twice as heavy as iron, and throw it with more force.
It hits the undead’s head again, but doesn’t knock it back. The monster's head dents significantly, but it stays on its feet and continues its gruesome feast.
The wound smokes and sizzles as the creature opens its mouth to consume more flesh. It finally turns its demonic face toward me, its black eyes locking with mine. There’s no fear, only revulsion.
Instinct tells me this is a being that can never coexist with the living. With a roar that defies description, the creature opens its maw.
I react instantly, not letting the mana-infused scream pass without retaliation. As soon as the monster opens its mouth, I launch the tungsten ball.
It pierces deep into the creature’s throat but can’t penetrate the brainstem due to the sheer toughness of the body. Still, it deals significant damage, and the monster stops in its tracks. But it doesn’t fall; the smoke and sizzling continue, and it begins to move again seconds later.
I can’t see its face through the smoke, but I doubt the expression of rage has changed.
Another tungsten ball to the face, but the monster’s steps don’t falter. Even with its face destroyed, it keeps moving, sizzling and smoking. It’s a perfect example of the undead’s relentless nature.
"Haha, hahahaha, it’s over!"
"Run, run, run!"
"Who did this? We were supposed to erase and seal the research!"
"This is a mistake... This wasn’t supposed to happen..."
"Shit, we can’t move! What the hell is happening?"
"No good, no good... Someone, anyone, get the holy artifact to control it!"
"Who can get it in this state? Are you kidding me?!"
"The legendary demon, Dromarius... If we don’t control it, it will slaughter everyone until it’s done."
The researchers’ voices are a mix of complaints and despair. Apparently, there is an artifact that can subdue this creature, but the situation is clearly beyond what they had planned.
Dromarius? From what I saw in the freezer, it’s likely a name for the species rather than a specific individual.
While thinking, I continue my assault on the monster, trying to stop its movements. A simple attack won’t bring it down quickly, so I use a spell to make thorns emerge from the floor, pinning its legs in place.
As expected, its defenses are strong. Normally, it would have resisted, but with a bit of finesse, I managed to pierce through. I then throw the tungsten balls rapidly.
I destroy the regenerating face and pummel various parts of the body with the balls. After about twenty throws, the creature’s form is obscured by the smoke. But the regeneration doesn’t stop, and the mana I can sense from it shows no sign of weakening.
Its resilience is staggering. Bringing down this creature with conventional methods will be extremely difficult.
"Damn, without the artifact... What a nightmare..."
"It’s useless... Only the artifact can destroy Dromarius... Without it, it’s impossible..."
The aura I sense confirms that there’s no way to bring it down without the artifact. Even with additional thorns and potent poisons, the creature shows no signs of weakening.
I didn’t hold back in the fight, but apparently, nothing short of a holy artifact or specialized anti-undead artifact will do the job.
Continuing this battle would only reveal more of the creature’s defenses. Changing the location is impractical, so I decide to finish it here.
I pull out a short dagger from my pocket. It’s an artifact I found on a noble who committed suicide.
Infusing it with mana, I throw the dagger at the pinned creature. As it embeds in the left chest, a purification spell activates.
The effect is more powerful than I expected. The core of the creature’s mana source crumbles, and the uncontrolled mana starts to rage.
I’m confident that this has ended the creature’s reign. The ability to regenerate flesh is useless against an attack that destroys the very essence of an undead.
"Damn, this monster!"
Even with the certainty of its defeat, the massive form behind the smoke starts to pulse visibly, creating a foreboding sensation.
There’s no time for second thoughts. I use a magical thread to retrieve the valuable artifact and retreat through a hole in the wall into the next room. I immediately erect a full-strength barrier to brace for impact.
My worst fears are confirmed as the monster explodes.
"Is it over?"
The explosion is smaller than expected and not as serious as I feared. Overreacting might have been unnecessary.
Thinking the ordeal was over, I hear the researchers’ screams from the room I left behind.
They must have been caught in the explosion and injured. But their screams are exaggerated. Weaklings. I need to keep them alive to hand over to the Intelligence Department, though, so I’ll heal them lightly.
As I dispel the barrier, the acrid smell hits me. It must be from the creature’s explosion. Despite the revulsion, I return to the room to assess the situation.
The researchers’ bodies are on fire!
"Aaaaaaaaaaah!"
"Ughhh, ah, ah, ah!"
"Help, please, help me!"
"Blood! We need holy water to wash the blood off, quickly!"
"It’s too late... The explosion destroyed the holy water..."
From what I can gather, the researchers caught the monster’s blood and burst into flames. The fire burns weakly but can’t be extinguished by conventional means.
I toss a vial of super-composite healing potion at the nearest man. The broken vial spills the potion, which should normally douse the flames and heal the wounds. But the fire doesn’t go out, and the injuries don’t heal. Using a water spell to douse the body doesn’t work either.
The fire seems to target living beings specifically, as nothing else in the room is burning. It’s almost like a curse.
The burning curse will eventually consume their lives. If left unchecked, it will be a total loss. The ones with the fire all over their bodies are beyond help, but there might be a chance for the others with a more drastic approach.
I approach a man whose limbs are burning and kick him to quiet him down. Creating a thin rod, I sever the burning limbs.
"Good, you should be fine."
The unburned parts of the body are intact. This stops the curse from spreading. Using the healing potion again, I manage to seal the wounds. The same method should work for the others.
"—Phew, at least we prevented a total loss."
The room is a mess, with overturned objects and the black blood and flesh of the monster scattered everywhere. The curse fire only burns living beings, so the room itself isn’t on fire, which is a relief. The screams of the burning men are hellish, but there’s nothing I can do about that.
Hmm, I wonder if the black blood would still burn if I touched it now?
"Ugh... Hey, you! Quickly, get rid of those men! And then get me out of here! Hurry up!"
The frantic voice is urging me to finish off the burning men and rescue him. Killing my colleagues instead of saving them? Strange.
"You, you’re betraying us?"
"Shut up, you fanatical fool! I can’t deal with you!"
Typical infighting among cowards.
"Hurry up! Those Dromariuses can multiply!"
The moment he said that, a chill ran down my spine. I didn’t just hear it; I felt the change in the mana.
The researchers’ mana, influenced by the curse fire, has mutated and grown stronger. They are no longer human; there are three of them now.
"Damn, not again."
I can’t repeat the same mistake. Before attacking the undead, I use mana threads to restrain the injured and unconscious researchers, quickly throwing them into the next room. The mana consumption is frustrating.
The three new creatures, covered in burning, smoking flesh, are clearly in a regenerating state.
They can’t be a serious threat, so I finish them off quickly. While they’re still immobile, I infuse the artifact dagger with mana and throw it. I retrieve the dagger and repeat the process two more times before retreating to the next room.
I cast a barrier and wait. As expected, there are small, consecutive explosions. They’ve exploded, spreading blood and flesh again. What a horrific creature.
Confirming the threat is gone, I kick the unconscious researchers to ensure they stay that way. No need for them to cause any more trouble.
"—President, where are you?!"
Enhanced hearing picks up a faint voice. Gradena and the others must have finished dealing with the undead above and are on their way. I send a strong mana signal to guide them.
The sound of walls being broken multiple times echoes, and Gradena and the others join me.
"Yukari, are you okay? I sensed some intense mana."
"Unexpected undead appeared."
I give them a quick rundown of what happened.
"In addition to the explosion, those who were drenched in blood turned into undead? That’s not something I’d want to face..."
"We should inform Moore as soon as possible."
"Yeah, I’ll do that. Keep these restrained. By the way, it’s best not to enter the adjacent room."
With that, I create a shortcut by opening a hole in the ceiling.
"Still, that’s a terrible smell. I wouldn’t go into that room even if asked. Alright, everyone, let’s get out of here."
I escape the underground lab first and immediately inform Moore of the situation.
"—That’s the situation. If you plan to secure other bases, be extremely careful."
"That’s hard to believe."
"You can verify it by examining the scene and interrogating the captured researchers. I have no reason to lie."
"I understand, but I want to see this for myself. I’ll head over there as quickly as possible. Wait for me."
I want to leave quickly, but if I leave now, the enemy might seize the opportunity to tamper with evidence or silence witnesses.
I have no choice but to guard this place until the Intel Department arrives.
Looking back, I see Gradena catching the researchers who were thrown down from the lower level of the underground lab. It doesn’t take long to move everyone to the surface.
Finally, a break.
"So, how was the undead you faced above?"
"Just ordinary moving corpses. As expected, it wasn’t much. It took a bit longer because it was my first time."
"Did you test the artifact? How did it feel?"
Just out of curiosity, I ask.
"The undead were weaklings, but I tested it. My sword emits a white fire when it cuts, burning the undead. It felt like a classic holy artifact, quite interesting."
"This spear was remarkable. Just a test stab to the arm, and the arm came off."
"My sword could cut from a distance of about five meters. However, it only works on undead, not on non-undead from a distance."
Each weapon had unique abilities. They were all magical in nature, fascinating to use.
While waiting for the Intel Department, we discussed the weapon’s performance and our first undead battle experiences.
"So, what’s our next move? Are we going to help the Intel Department and make a nice profit off these undead battles?"
"To be honest, I don’t want to fight undead even if we can win. We’re committed to the attacks we’ve already taken, but anything else will require a significant reward to consider."
"I’m relieved to hear that. Moving corpses are one thing, but the creature you faced... I’d rather avoid that."
"Yeah, even for us, that was a bit much..."
The curse fire is genuinely dangerous. The undead exploding and infecting others with their blood is too risky. It might take a while for the higher-ups to fully understand the risks involved.
The information we gained from this battle is valuable in itself. It would be better for the Berliza knights to gain experience rather than us.
We shared the new understanding of the undead threat while waiting for the Berliza Intel Department to arrive.