Chapter 420 - Battlefield Strange Phenomenon
A presence behind me.
Perhaps it's due to the undead I've encountered before. It feels like the breath of death, a creepy sensation that seems to stroke my spine. It's as if an inhabitant of the underworld has slipped into the world of the living, leaving an eerie presence in my wake.
No, such vague feelings are just illusions. But the cold air and mysterious presence are undeniably real.
I don’t understand. Even if the lighting is dim and my vision is limited, my senses remain sharp.
Just because I’m in a cursed state and feeling unwell doesn’t mean I’ll let anyone sneak up on me.
Yet, in the darkness, I allowed someone to approach without warning.
Several factors send chills down my spine.
When, and how, did they get this close? And why haven’t they attacked?
It’s been several seconds since they approached. Are they reveling in my surprise and confusion?
Anger and frustration heat my body.
Stay calm, I can’t let my thoughts cloud. That’s exactly what the enemy wants.
Even if my life is in their hands, there’s always a chance to turn things around. If they haven’t killed me yet, they’ve given me an opportunity.
“…huff”
I pretend to relax. After spending a long time in the underbelly of the world, we’ve imagined plenty of bad endings. I can face this with resolve.
Still, despite regaining my composure, I can’t shake off the eerie presence behind me.
I must stay cool; otherwise, negative emotions will overwhelm me.
The complete darkness, the unknown enemy’s attack method, and the impending horde of undead nearby all add immense pressure, clouding my thoughts and making me more emotional.
It’s inevitable that an enemy is within striking distance, and I must either create distance or attack immediately. However, the intense pressure makes any rash move impossible. It seems Valeria is in the same boat.
Even a slight movement of my fingertips could separate my torso from my neck.
I have no idea what the enemy can do or why they haven’t attacked.
How can I break free from this paralysis?
If only they would attack, my body would move on its own.
Wait. Maybe there’s a reason they haven’t made a move.
Focusing on the back, the eerie presence makes my back prickle. My mind, which was starting to cool down, boils with emotion.
I feel anger at the absurd situation and baseless fear.
Staying calm still doesn’t yield a solution.
Ah, fine. Let’s do it. This is fine.
I don’t know what the enemy intends by standing behind me, but I’m about to snap.
Pressure? Creepy feeling?
“Screw this!”
I force myself to relax, but my body remains tense. I let go of the tension again and deliver a natural elbow strike to the back.
The elbow strike, sharp as a blade through the darkness, hits nothing. An eerie sensation washes over me, like attacking a ghost.
Yet, the mysterious presence lingers as if nothing happened. What is this?
Taking decisive action has freed me from the mental paralysis. I move first.
Putting my questions aside, I quickly join Valeria, grab her arm, and move away together.
Just because we’re farther from the enemy doesn’t mean we can relax. Don’t let your guard down. Assume we’re still being tracked.
Most of my focus is on sensing mana and detecting presences. If I sense the enemy again, I’ll attack without hesitation.
My magic hasn’t fully recovered, but I can still deliver a powerful strike. If they get close, I can finish them.
However, that moment doesn’t seem to come.
No matter how long I wait, the enemy doesn’t approach or reveal their presence. Where did they go?
I don’t think this is a strategy to drain my energy through prolonged tension. What are they up to?
Suddenly, Valeria tenses up, and I feel her tension. Somehow, the eerie presence is back.
“Damn it.”
I kick in the direction of the presence just beyond Valeria’s reach, but I hit nothing.
“Damn, this is getting weird.”
I’ve given up all pretenses. I speak normally and cast a light spell. The glowing light illuminates the dark passage.
If they’re going to attack, then let them. But if they do, I’ll nail their position and counterattack immediately.
“Nobody’s there.”
At least not nearby. The remains of skeletons litter the area. If someone was here, we should hear footsteps and the sound of broken bones.
The eerie presence I felt earlier must have been a magical phenomenon without a physical source.
“There’s no trace. Even if we can’t see or detect them, assume they know our position.”
While the eerie presence and mysterious magical ability are unsettling, it’s ultimately harmless if they don’t attack.
It might be a disruption spell without offensive capabilities. It’s rare, but I know someone who can use a similar spell. Still, without an attack, it’s hard to see the purpose of the disruption. What’s their game?
In any case, there’s no enemy within detectable range. Even if they use the same disruption spell again, it’s unsettling but not dangerous.
“Valeria, let’s regroup with Roberta and the others.”
“Yeah, they seem to be moving closer too.”
That eerie disruption spell is incredibly unnerving. But we won’t be scared by such cheap tactics. If they think we can be intimidated by this, they’re in for a rude awakening.
I cast a light spell to illuminate the dark passage and hurry to join Roberta and the others.
I warn them about the mysterious spell, and they confirm similar experiences.
“Same here?”
“Yes. An eerie presence appeared behind us but vanished quickly. It didn’t feel like a spell was cast.”
“And it happened multiple times. How can no one detect the caster?”
Violante and Roberta have a point. Valeria and I experienced it once each, but we felt no magic being used.
There’s a chance the spell was cast from a great distance, but it’s still unclear. In the end, it seems to be a spell meant to intimidate.
“President, if no one can detect a mage, maybe there isn’t one. Could it be a magic item?”
“Using an item to scare us? Really?”
It’s not exactly a scare tactic, but it’s possible.
Indeed, the underground passage is equipped with countless magic items to maintain lighting and air conditioning. An intimidating magic item could be hidden among them, requiring significant effort to identify and destroy.
Considering the situation, the mysterious spell was likely intended to slow us down and buy time. We should hurry forward.
“...We’ll clear the remaining skeletons and move on.”
“Yes, they’re getting closer as we stand here.”
We decide to move forward on foot, casting light spells to avoid ambushes.
As the Black Skeletons come into view, I leave the fighting to Roberta and the others. Valeria and I stay back to observe and rest.
That’s when I notice something odd. The number of skeletons is far fewer than expected.
The undead horde that seemed to fill the passage before is now just a small group. They haven’t just been defeated or disappeared.
We’ve been duped. The initial skeletons were likely real, and the additional ones were decoys to make the numbers seem much larger.
Even though I’m not in top form, missing this trick and wasting energy is a harsh reality. The enemy’s strategy was clever, but my judgment has clearly declined. I shouldn’t blame the curse; I need to accept my immaturity.
“Valeria, why is Gulgandi fleeing?”
“Fleeing? It feels too well-prepared to be a simple retreat.”
“Maybe Gulgandi is already executing a plan?”
“Something more than just fleeing... impossible.”
The numerous traps don’t seem hastily set. Even if they were triggered by the arrival of Gulgandi’s elite, it doesn’t feel like a simple retreat.
What’s the purpose of their frantic movement through this underground passage? The extent of this passage is unknown, but there haven’t been any forks so far.
Valeria’s suggestion that they are executing a plan rings true.
The attacks and time delays involving the undead horde seem well-prepared.
So, the elite Gulgandi forces are already executing their main objective?
What is that objective?
It’s pointless to speculate. Their goal is probably terror-related. Once we corner them, we’ll find out. Regardless, we’ll take them down.
I watch Roberta and the others dispatch the Black Skeletons, and they’re almost done. Our team is impressive, and the break has helped me recover significantly.
There doesn’t seem to be any new enemy tricks during the undead battle. Once they’re cleared, we’ll move on quickly. The further we advance, the higher our chances of thwarting their plans.
Even in an unknown path, there’s always an end. It’s not as far as it seems.
“—We’re done.”
“Let’s go.”
The last skeleton falls. Everyone is still in good shape, so we push forward without rest.
We run through the subtly curved underground passage, casting light spells to illuminate our way.
We run in silence.
“...It’s far.”
Someone’s mutter reflects everyone’s thoughts.
How much farther do we need to go? Extending my magic sensing range, I detect no significant reactions.
The dark, unchanging underground passage is suffocating. I’d probably be panicking if I were alone.
Even if it’s pointless, I’m tempted to cast a spell to lift my spirits.
Why not? If a little bit of energy can improve my mood, it’s worth it. There’s no point in bottling up stress.
When I decide, I feel a bit better just from solidifying my resolve.
A cheerful warning to the group should get me back to my usual self.
“Alright—”
I’m about to shout, but my words catch in my throat.
Everyone stops, sensing a significant change. A distant but powerful sound echoes, followed by intermittent vibrations.
“What’s that?”
“It’s far away, but it’s definitely an attack.”
The sudden change lifts everyone’s spirits. We have a clear direction to rush towards, and it’s fantastic to have a concrete goal!
We run again, but we remain vigilant, conserving energy and moving at a steady pace.
Suppressing our excitement, we hurry along, sensing we’ve covered nearly two kilometers. As the sounds of battle draw closer, we focus more on concealing our presence and mana than on speed.
We slow down in the large passage, nearly eliminating our presence as we approach. We find ourselves in a place with piles of debris and rubble, perfect for cover.
Using my magic sensing, I expected as much, but peering into the area reveals a fierce battle.
Explosive spells and shouted commands echo through the underground space. Dust and debris fly as human and undead figures clash, creating a spectacle of sparks and ferocity.
A large open area at the end of the passage is too vast to see through with just a light spell.
In the dim light, one side is clearly Gulgandi with their undead horde. The other side is unknown.
“Valeria, is that—”
Valeria, with her sharp eyes, has already noticed something.
Watching together, we see a powerful mana signature that immediately identifies the figure.
“What’s going on? Why are they here?”
A familiar large man has activated Combat Body Transformation Magic. It’s the Young Master and his companions.
It seems Anastasia Union has infiltrated this underground passage and is engaged in battle with Gulgandi.
---
After breaking through numerous disruptions and delays, an unexpected battle awaits us.
But it’s finally a situation where we can corner them.
Stay tuned for the next chapter: “An Incredibly High-Difficulty Undead Battle.”