Chapter 418 - The Cave of Black Bones
I need to take them all down at once. I feel brave, but I’d rather avoid using sloppy magic that wastes mana.
With about a hundred undead to defeat, how can I make this as easy as possible?
The most mana-efficient spell is probably the Physical Enhancement Magic, which feels almost like breathing. I’ll mainly use that, turning it into a physical confrontation. Thanks to the custom magic potions, a little effort can yield incredible combat power.
It’s also the perfect way to energize my cursed body.
From the battles in the warehouse, I know that the Black Skeletons only engage in close combat. They’re just numerous, not particularly troublesome. I can handle this.
"Valeria, I’ll start by throwing an iron ball. I’ll attack at the same time."
"I’ll focus on the armored skeletons. Can I have some wire?"
"Sure, I’ll take the rest then."
The magical armor that deflects impacts is a bit of a nuisance, but I appreciate Valeria’s consideration.
I gave her a bundle of wire and gripped the softball-sized iron ball. I ignored the black-armored skeletons at the front and aimed the ball to bypass them.
Holding the bat in my left hand, I took a light step and forcefully planted my foot on the ground. I swung back and transferred the force from my toes through my hips, back, arms, and fingers, into the iron ball, imbued with supernatural power.
The iron ball, accompanied by a sound like thunder, traveled at an invisible speed, smashing through the heads of the skeletons in its path before hitting the wall with a dull thud.
I didn’t need to confirm the obvious result.
As soon as I finished the throw, we rushed into the enemy cluster.
I jumped over the black-armored skeletons and launched myself from mid-air.
With my glove-enhanced right fist, I smashed a skeleton’s skull as I landed, using the momentum to move forward and strike the heads of a few more skeletons with the Silver Super-Hard Bat before they could react.
Skeleton skulls are pretty tough. They’re not the same as the fodder I cleared out in the Forest of the Underworld. It was clear that I needed to put substantial force behind my strikes to take them down in one hit.
But striking with the bat would probably be less draining in the long run than infusing artifacts with mana. I continued to take down the skeletons.
I plunged into the middle of the enemy, using my magic sense to stay aware of my surroundings.
I sensed a Black Greatsword approaching from behind and ducked to avoid it, then flew backward and shattered the skull with a backfist. Without losing momentum, I moved forward, shattered a nearby skeleton’s greatsword with the bat, and kicked another skull to pieces.
The Black Greatswords wielded by the undead have magical properties. The swords are more dangerous than the undead themselves, capable of damaging our coats. But with their limited intelligence, the undead can’t use them effectively. I didn’t need a shield spell; I could simply avoid or destroy them.
I kept moving, always staying a step ahead of their attacks.
I approached an undead about to strike and smashed its skull with the bat.
I returned to one that had swung and missed, shattering its skull with another strike.
It was easy. The animated bones couldn’t keep up with my movements at all.
A slight swing of the bat, a coincidental punch or kick, and another skull shattered.
Every action had multiple purposes, swiftly reducing the enemy numbers.
I have to admit, it’s a brilliant and efficient way to fight. There’s no waste.
However, I can feel the cursed weight of my body dragging me down.
That’s why I aim to achieve maximum effect with minimal movement, much like the Undead Dragon battle in the Underworld Forest. But this time, the enemies are far easier to handle.
I’ll keep taking them down, one after another, in rapid succession.
Valeria, who had finished off the armored skeletons, took the lead and started eliminating the others.
With her swift and agile movements, my little sister excels in chaotic battles. Together, we can clear out a hundred fodder in just a few minutes.
However, it seems they aren’t giving us an easy time.
"Onee-sama!"
"Damn, more and more keep coming. We can’t retreat, so I’ll take them down. Stand behind me, Valeria. I’ll give it one good shot."
"Yes, ma’am!"
From the large passage ahead, an indeterminate number of undead were approaching.
We could win by simply enduring, but it would waste time.
I didn’t want to use a magic that consumed a lot of mana, but it seems I have no choice. We can’t afford to give the Gulgandi elites more time.
The large-scale deployment of undead here is likely an unexpected move by the enemy. Speed is the last thing the Gulgandi want, so we’ll force it on them.
Valeria used a simple spell to immobilize the remaining skeletons, and we retreated a bit to draw in the additional undead. From the mana I sensed, they were probably more Black Skeletons.
I took a deep breath and focused, stabilizing my disrupted mana.
From the other side of the passage, the black skeletons emerged in droves, extending far beyond what I could see. The sheer number of them would typically cause significant pressure just by the sound of their footsteps.
Even low-level foes become threatening in such numbers, forcing some level of depletion. Whether it’s harassment or a time stall, it’s quite troublesome.
I won’t waste any effort. I’ll use the necessary force to achieve maximum results. This is where my skills will be put to the test.
I focused my mana sense on the area with the skeletons, accounting for the disrupted mana and allowing for a few centimeters of error in the attack range.
I adjusted the magic’s strength to match the enemies’ endurance. It needed to be just enough to shatter bones, but with a slight buffer to account for the disrupted mana.
The only thing left was to execute the spell immediately.
[――Spite Hades]
With the keyword, I unleashed the magic of death and destruction.
Countless thorns shot up, narrowly targeting the skeleton cluster. More thorns sprouted from the existing ones, filling the space with a deadly thicket.
The many presences and sounds disappeared, and silence fell over the passage. I dispelled the thorns and paused to observe.
"Good, no signs of movement. Looks like there were no armored skeletons among them."
"They seem to be running out."
"Probably. Taking out that many at once must have been unexpected for the Gulgandi. We might have a bit of leeway… Damn."
Suddenly, I felt dizzy and closed my eyes, trying to steady the unsteady sensation in my body with deep breaths and focusing on my feet.
The spell I just used was a major one, but even with energy conservation, it felt more draining than usual. The fatigue and depletion from the curse had likely accumulated over time.
"Onee-sama, are you okay?"
The repeated battles and the curse were taking a toll on my body.
Even with the current state, I could still handle the Gulgandi elites and the boss Gradena, but with Valeria also showing signs of fatigue, and the possibility of more traps or additional undead, rushing ahead might not be the best option.
We needed to decide whether to prioritize speed or recovery. I had to think calmly.
"...Let’s take a short break. I’m a bit tired."
I took a recovery potion from my pouch and sipped it as we leaned against the wall of the passage.
"How’s your left eye?"
"It hurts, but I’m used to it."
Even though I’m used to the pain and discomfort, they still affect my performance and add stress, which can have various negative impacts.
Just letting loose could help release some of that stress, but with our infiltration ongoing, we need to remain cautious. The added stress and mental burden make the curse’s effects worse.
I couldn’t burden my little sister with unnecessary worry. I kept a light tone and gently stroked Valeria’s hair, which was soft and comforting.
For a brief moment, I relaxed and rested.
For someone like me, a brief rest can lead to quick recovery. Just as I was about to stand, my heightened senses picked up a faint sound. More undead, probably. It’s getting old.
"Valeria, can you hear that?"
"Enemies? Hang on."
Valeria didn’t hear it at first, so she pressed her ear to the ground.
"...Onee-sama, something is approaching. There are a lot of them."
"We might as well rest for a bit longer. They’re not here yet."
I waited, feeling increasingly annoyed. We were going to fight anyway, so better to rest and recover first.
As we rested, the sounds grew louder, and I could feel the vibrations through the ground from my sitting position. I decided to check the situation, and my annoyance only grew.
" Seriously, how many did they prepare? Probably more skeletons…"
"I can’t tell the exact number from the sounds alone."
"Far more than before. We’ll need a serious plan to take them out."
The sheer number was incomprehensible.
Deep underground, there shouldn’t have been so many undead. If they suddenly appeared on the surface, it would be a national disaster. The Gulgandi likely intended to use this as a strategy.
Even with such overwhelming numbers, we might manage with all our might, but our main goal is the Gulgandi elites. We can’t afford to exhaust ourselves here.
"We could let them pass, but that would tarnish Kikyou’s reputation."
Defeating the Gulgandi elites is good, but failing to stop their plan would be meaningless.
Their objective is likely to throw Beltoria into chaos, not to defeat us. If that happens, all our efforts will be for nothing.
So, we have to take them out, along with the plan.
But damn, this is just too much. I thought we could crush everything and move forward, but there’s a limit to everything.
"Onee-sama, I can take care of those skeletons alone."
"No, I’ll do it. You save your strength, Valeria."
Valeria, who can use Combat Body Transformation Magic, is our trump card against the Gulgandi’s strong. My recovery is much faster, and I can regain enough strength to support her after a short rest, even if I go all out.
I need to do this. Once I made up my mind, I could switch gears easily.
I breathed out and focused. I’ll spread the Thorn magic again and wipe them out. It’s just a repeat of what I did before. I can endure a bit of discomfort; it’s nothing serious.
I expanded my mana sense to detect the mana movements far beyond the immediate area.
"...This is getting ridiculous."
I couldn’t help but complain. The number was beyond anything I expected. The length of the passage was also unusual. How long does this corridor go on?
Quick calculations showed that, even in my current state, I wouldn’t be able to take them all down with a single full effort.
I’ll need to use the magic to take out as many as possible and then finish off the rest with brute force. Just imagining the strain on my mana and stamina makes my head hurt.
I took a deep breath and refocused. I need to get this over with quickly.
I extended my consciousness down the passage, fully concentrating on the spell.
It’s an unpleasant task, but it needs to be done. Alright, let’s do this. I’ll unleash the Thorn magic—
I sensed Valeria moving behind me as I cast the spell, but I didn’t lose focus. I poured all my energy into the Thorn magic, leaving everything else to Valeria.