kscans

Chapter 149 - First Encounter with the MIRA-Modified Zombie Count Robele

Deep in a foggy, dim forest, a black shadow suddenly appeared from between the trees.

A lone mansion stood there, entwined with rose vines, its old walls slimy with moisture. In front of it stood a figure with one eerily glowing eye.

A black, frilled nobleman's attire, an elegantly worn wig, a rose eye patch over one eye... yet half of his face was exposed white bone.

"I've received a special power from MIRA-chan♡ I'll turn all of you... into zombies, every last one♡."

His voice was lustrous, a sweet falsetto. But his words were mixed with a chilling pressure that sent shivers down the spine.

"Welcome to my ball~♪ Even if I'm rotten, I'm still a noble, you know?"

His frills fluttered like a skirt, and the thorns of a rose glinted. With each step Robele took, a black miasma spread across the ground, corrupting the forest air.

"That face of yours needs a little fixing up... into a zombie face♡."

Suddenly, he spread his arms wide, and a horde of zombies began to stir from the mansion's shadow. In an instant, dozens of the undead surrounded them. Yet, his flamboyant gestures and laughter were like an overture announcing the start of a ball.

"Ohohohoho!! Even as a zombie, I must be noble and beautiful!!"

At that moment, the trees of the forest floor moved on their own, and the vines undulated like stage machinery, mentally cornering Mamoru and his friends. Tiris readied her bow, but her eyes were involuntarily drawn away by a shadow moving at the edge of her vision.

"You think being alive is so great? Oh dear, how old-fashioned of you♡."

Robele's laughter echoed in the forest fog, making it feel as if the very air was laughing them to scorn.

Mamoru glanced at his friends behind him and muttered in a low voice.

"...This guy isn't just any zombie. He's the master of the ballroom..."

Deep in the forest, in front of the eerie mansion, an unusual ball, a mixture of terror and splendor, was now about to begin.

In the depths of the deeply foggy forest, in front of the eerie mansion, Zombie Count Robele spread his arms gracefully.

"Ohohohoho!! Even if I'm rotten, I'm still a noble, you know♡."

The frills of his skirt swayed in the wind, and his rose eye patch reflected the dim light. Half of him was white bone, the other half had skin that looked almost alive. He was a sight that seemed not of this world.

Then, the mansion doors slowly creaked open, and numerous shadows began to stir from the darkness.

Zombies clad in blackened military uniforms, with miasma coiling around their arms and necks. Robele's subordinates lined up in an orderly fashion, as if they were guests at a ball, and surrounded Mamoru's party.

"Welcome to my ball~♡ But today is special, you are the only stars♡."

In time with his voice, his subordinates began to advance in unison. It wasn't a mere walk, but graceful, like the steps of a ballroom dance, yet they were steadily closing the distance.

Mamoru looked around at his friends. Tiris readied her bow, Amy gripped her long spear, and Defray stepped forward into a stance. Koni-chan also took a small breath.

"...Their numbers are insane."

"Captain Mamoru, w, what do we do...?"

Mamoru briefly glanced at the fallen leaves at his feet. The black shadows visible through the fog were not just ordinary zombies.

Each one was cloaked in miasma and madness, a participant in the ball that enhanced Robele's dignity and splendor.

"...First, let's observe. Robele's aim isn't to crush us directly. It's psychological warfare."

"Psychological warfare...?"

"That's right. He's trying to wear down our spirit before the fight even begins. He plans to make us anxious with this ballroom performance."

The footsteps of the subordinates beat a rhythm, and the shadows swayed in the fog. Along with Robele's laughter, the entire forest was enveloped in an unsettling atmosphere.

"...Ugh, if we don't move soon, our vision and our minds are going to be done for."

Mamoru took a deep breath and gave a small nod to his friends.

"Don't let your guard down. They'll try to crush us with pressure first. The battle comes after that."

In front of the fog-shrouded mansion, Zombie Count Robele's death ball now quietly began.