Hmm, no enemies appeared within the side passage. Well, that wasn’t really a problem in itself. It was quite troublesome to progress while defeating relatively weak enemies, especially if they were skeletons. There was no need for more drops from them either.
However, with no enemies around, it felt like there was nothing ahead. We had been walking for quite a while, and if it turned out to be a wasted effort, it would affect everyone’s morale. I couldn’t help but pray for something to happen.
“…Stop.”
Ruby gave the command. Perhaps she had found something.
“There’s a large space a little further ahead. Something was moving.”
Alright, bingo! There must be something after all. Now, the question is whether that “something” is an enemy or not. Personally, I wanted to avoid unnecessary conflicts, but if it came to a fight, I would give it my all.
“Let’s go. Genjuro, take the frontline. Jigoro, move up ahead as well. Ruby, stay by Iris,” I commanded.
We rearranged our formation and proceeded towards the spacious area.
◆◇◆◇◆◇
――――――――――
Your party has discovered the hidden area known as the “Cave’s Hidden Altar”
10 SP is allocated as a reward for this discovery.
――――――――――
That information flowed through everyone’s minds. The space Ruby had discovered seemed to be the “Cave’s Hidden Altar.” At first glance, it indeed resembled some kind of sanctuary. Deep within, there was an altar of sorts, surrounded by six coffin-like objects. To be honest, it was quite eerie.
What Ruby had mentioned about something moving became apparent. It was a humanoid creature dressed in tattered and dirty exotic, or rather, Chinese-style attire. How did we know it was a monster? Well, its marker was pitch black!
The creature seemed to be in the midst of praying to the deity it was likely worshipping, judging from its posture. Its movements also echoed the Chinese style, though I couldn’t recall the exact term—something like bowing or kowtowing, ancient customs of reverence in China. Wasn’t that something you did when facing a deity?
Well, never mind. It’s a game world, so I suppose that’s just how things are. Regardless, it seemed like we had unintentionally interrupted something important.
“…Who are you?”
Whoa, it seems the praying monster had noticed us. Without even turning around, it spoke with a voice dripping with displeasure. We should respond to that.
“Apologies for interrupting your prayer. We were merely exploring this cave,” I said.
“Nay, I know better. Are you not the apostles of Earle?” it retorted.
Earle? That’s the name of the “Goddess of Light and Order.” If that’s the case, it’s definitely wrong. On the contrary, we’ve slain the beloved heroes of that very goddess and all their companions through merciless PvP!
“No, we are…”
“No need for words! I shall slay the apostles of Earle! Slay, slay, slay! Kill, kill, kill!”
“Ah, it seems we can’t communicate,” Jigoro remarked.
It seems like Jigoro was right. At first, the creature appeared to be speaking clearly, giving the impression of a rational being. However, upon seeing us, who didn’t even try to conceal our status as monsters, it had this reaction. It’ was quite evident that it had lost its sanity.
Finally, the creature turned to face us. Its face lacked color, and its eyes were dull, devoid of vitality. It appeared to be an undead of some kind.
“It seems like we can’t avoid a battle. Everyone, prepare yourselves!” I exclaimed.
“Come out, my dear friends Oooooooooo!”
“What?”
One of the coffins beside the altar had its lid blown open from the inside. And from within emerged two types of monsters. One was a group of four skeletons. The other consisted of two familiar looking creatures with talismans attached to their faces, reminiscent of those seen in movies.
“Skeleton monsters… and reanimated corpses (Jiangshi)?”
Yes, what surfaced were Jiangshi, which were basically zombie-like creatures brought to life through the Taoist art of reanimation in Chinese folklore. They possessed immense strength and, as higher-ranking ones, were said to possess supernatural powers.
As for the skeleton monsters… they were skeletal beings with four arms. Apart from the shoulder blades, all their bones resembled a humanoid structures, but they had two shoulder joints with two arms for each joint. What in the world were those? Let’s try using [Appraisal] to find out.
――――――――――
Race: Zombie (Jianshi) Lv23
Job: Martial Artist Lv3
Skills:
- [Fist Mastery]
- [Kick Mastery]
- [Acrobatics]
- [Strength Enhancement]
- [Defense Enhancement]
- [Night Vision]
- [Superhuman Strength]
- [Status Immunity]
- [Light Weakness]
- [Fire Weakness]
Race: Chimera Skeleton Warrior Lv15
Skills:
- [Sword Mastery]
- [Spear Mastery]
- [Shield Mastery]
- [Polearm Mastery]
- [Night Vision]
- [Status Immunity]
- [Light Weakness]
- [Blunt Attack Weakness]
Race: Undead Mage Lv25
Job: Advanced Necromancer Lv5
Skills:
- [Fist Mastery]
- [Kick Mastery]
- [Magic Control]
- [Earth Magic]
- [Dark Magic]
- [Holy Magic]
- [Summoning Magic]
- [Enchantment]
- [Necromancy]
- [Curse]
- [Night Vision]
- [Superhuman Strength]
- [Status Immunity]
- [Light Weakness]
- [Fire Weakness]
――――――――――
Ah, so those were actually Chimera Skeleton Warriors. They were likely created through the art of necromancy. That means, perhaps I could create something similar myself. Hehe, this is stirring up my creative spirit.
And as expected, there were the zombies (Jiangshi). They had high levels and seemed to specialize in hand-to-hand combat skills. They will prove to be formidable opponents.
However, even more concerning was the Undead Mage who spoke first. This individual was on par with the monsters that appeared in the “Trial of the Azure Moon” in terms of level alone. Moreover, it possessed abyssal-type magic skills like [Necromancy] and [Curse].
Furthermore, it even had the evolved form of [light magic], which was [Holy Magic]. How could that creature possess such skill when it also had the [Light Weakness]? If it was to strike me with such skill, I must engrave it in my mind that it would result in instant death.
“Jigoro, take down those skeletons as quickly as possible! Iris, provide support! Genjuro and Ruby, hold off the zombies! They’re stronger opponents, so don’t push yourselves too hard! I’ll provide backup for everyone!”
“Got it, rooaaarrr!”
I quickly issued the instructions, focusing solely on what was necessary to win!
“Deploy magic circle! Magic Boost! Magic Boost! Magic Boost…!”
After enchanting myself with three layers of magic boosts, I swiftly cast strengthening spells on Jigoro, Genjuro, Ruby, and Iris. The enemy was capable of using the same spells as me, if not more. There was no room for complacency.
“Ugh?!”
What’s this? Jigoro, who was ruthlessly pounding the Chimera Skeleton Warriors, suddenly stopped moving. Was he paralyzed, perhaps? It must be some kind of curse. I won’t let that happen!
“Dispel Iris!”
“Yes! Light Ball!”
“Thanks!”
The moment Jigoro regained mobility, he quickly ducked and evaded the spearhead of an approaching Chimera Skeleton Warrior. And Iris’s magic attack struck the swinging skeleton monster, which missed its target.
“Take this!”
As the enemy’s strength depleted, Jigoro’s powerful kick landed a clean hit on its head, crushing it into pieces. That takes care of one. Huh, the Undead Mage is attempting to use some kind of spell. Is the target Jigoro?
“Not on my watch! Crescent Magic Circle, Remote Activation! Magic Shield!”
I deployed three Magic Shields right in front of the Undead Mage, effectively neutralizing the impact of its own Dark Lance spell attack, with my own magic. That was likely what the Undead Mage was attempting to use.
Struck by the backlash of its disrupted spell, the Undead Mage tumbled backward. Now’s the chance!
“Genjuro, Ruby! I’ll be using magic! Double Magic Circle, Remote Activation! Flame Throw!”
Following my signal, the two of them jumped back. Just as they moved, my magic circle appeared right where they had been standing, which was right behind the zombies, and the [Flame Magic] attack erupted. With the zombies’ weakness being fire and the enhanced skills from my evolution, the single blow inflicted significant damage to both of them.
Normally, Flame Throw, a spell that requires close proximity, wouldn’t hit from a distance. However, by setting the origin of the skill’s launch on the magic circle, it could be effectively used without getting too close. Everything required ingenuity.
“Let’s finish them off quickly! Genjuro, Ruby! Aim for their legs!”
“Got it!”
“Haah!”
Without a word, both Genjuro and Ruby willingly complied with my reckless request. Genjuro swiftly sliced through the Achilles tendon of one of the zombies with a precise strike, causing it to stumble and collapse. At the same time, Ruby’s impressive speed propelled her short dagger to sever the ankle of the other Zombie, effectively disabling it.
“Lava Shot!”
I unleashed a Lava Shot towards the fallen zombies, engulfing them in a torrent of molten projectiles. As the lava shot hit its target, its unique property caused it to linger on the ground. The two zombies now resembled creatures that had dived into the mouth of a volcano.
As expected, they erupted into flames instantly. Although they had turned out to resemble living torches, they managed to crawl out of the pool of lava, displaying their resilience. It was as if they were worthy opponents, defying all odds. However, their defeat was imminent.
“Hmph!”
“Take this!”
Awaiting them as they crawled out were Genjuro and Ruby. Without mercy, they swiftly decapitated the two Zombies, rendering them motionless.
“Ohraaaaaaaaaa!”
As for Jigoro, he had already finished off all the Chimera Skeleton Warriors. Iris’s precise support played a part in his overwhelming victory, but it was truly remarkable for him to single-handedly defeat four formidable creatures of equal caliber.
“Now, we only have the Undead Mage left! Genjuro and Ruby, don’t give it a chance to use magic up close! Be careful, it can also handle melee combat!” I declared.
“Yes, Captain!”
“Got it!”
“Ruby, position yourself behind it to distract its attention. Don’t let it focus on the two of us! Iris, support us with magic!” I continued.
“Understood!”
“Leave it to me!”
Jigoro and Genjuro dashed towards the risen Undead Mage. Although they would reach their target within seconds, even those few seconds were enough to cast magic. The spell the Undead Mage would likely choose was…
“Earthquake!”
So it had come to this! Right then, the ground began to tremble, throwing me off balance. However, Jigoro and Genjuro, with their extraordinary sense of balance unique to seasoned real life athletes, continued running without being affected.
Well, aren’t they some top-notch athletes or something? Their physical abilities must be beyond ordinary!
“Shah!”
“Chei!”
Jigoro’s powerful punch and Genjuro’s sharp sword struck the Undead Mage. The former aimed for the head, while the latter targeted the neck.
In this game, which emphasizes realism, even against superior opponents, targeting vital points could easily result in a swift kill. It was due to this game mechanic that I was able to eliminate the warrior companion of the hero guy with my Magic Sword.
In that sense, the health bar was merely a rough indicator. It didn’t matter much for regular people since cleanly hitting vital points was incredibly difficult. However, people like them fully exploited this advantage. It’s just unfair!
“Kaaa!”
Thanks to that game mechanic, I thought it would be impossible to avoid taking significant damage, no matter who landed a hit on the monster. However, it seemed that the level difference still mattered. The Undead Mage, with movements too quick for our visual reflexes to catch, managed to dodge the strikes from Jigoro and Genjuro. It became clear that this would be impossible without support.
“Take this!”
Silently approaching from behind, Ruby unleashed a corrosive acid spray as a distraction. It was a calculated decision, considering that the poisoned dagger wouldn’t work due to the enemy’s [Status Immunity]. Unlike poison, acid that dissolves flesh and armor was a pure physical attack, and it could not be nullified. It was a precise move.
“Setting trap: Water Lance, Thunder Arrow, Thorn Whip.”
Reluctant to be attacked by the corrosive acid, the Undead Mage made an attempt to kick Ruby, his annoyance evident in his expression. Not about to let such an opportunity slip by, I laid a trap in a specific spot and was prepared to unleash three different types of magic. First, the water lance soaked the mage like a wet rat, the lightning numbed its body, and the thorns inflicted damage while restraining it.
Although these attacks didn’t fully exploit the mage’s weaknesses, they weren’t entirely futile either. Paralyzing the mage had no effect, and the thorns were quickly torn apart. However, if we could take advantage of this moment, that would be sufficient.
“Divine Beast Transformation! Oraaaaaah!”
Jigoro, surrounded by a golden aura and crackling with lightning, forcefully struck the monster with his fist. The sound of something being crushed filled the air as the Undead Mage was sent flying, reminiscent of a scene from a manga. Upon colliding with the wall, that exact spot also exploded. This outcome was no mere coincidence.
“Hehehe, just as I expected.”
It was my [Trap Magic], equipped with the Magic Bomb spell. It fit perfectly. Since my comrades could see the location of the traps I set, Jigoro directed his blow towards it.
But this wasn’t the end. Let’s annihilate it without giving it any chance!
“All minions, restrain it! Iris, Fire Enchantment”
“…Yes!”
My summoned Skeleton Warriors, desperately held down the limbs of the falling Undead Mage with all their might. With the overwhelming difference in power, this only held meaning for a few seconds. However, it bought enough time for Iris to prepare her tendrils, ready to be extended at any moment.
The Fire Enchantment, which imbues Iris’s tendrils with the fire element, had a terrible compatibility with the Undead Mage’s [Fire Weakness]. Already, the surface that came into contact with the tendrils had begun to char. It seemed like the monster could burn away at any moment.
Even though the attacks from my comrades should have been ineffective, they were somehow dealing damage. It was a subtle yet significant discovery.
However, being restrained in a face-down position after the explosion naturally made it difficult for the Undead Mage to move. In that state, their vulnerable back was fully exposed.
“Fire Enchantment! Both of you, go!”
“I’ll go first!”
Finally, utilizing the time I had, I imbued the fire element into the weapons of the three other. Now, even their regular attacks would become significantly more effective.
Ruby mounted the back of the Undead Mage, and with her enchanted dagger, she thrust it into the mage’s heart. The Undead Mage let out an inhuman scream, perhaps feeling the excruciating pain of its flesh being burned from within.
“Take that!”
“It’s over!”
For better or worse, its torment didn’t last long. That’s because Jigoro’s fist pierced through the creature’s torso, rendering it unable to feel any pain for the rest of its life, and Genjuro swiftly beheaded it with his sword.
――――――――――
You have won the battle.
Race level increased. Gained 1 SP.
Job level increased. Gained 1 SP.
The level of [Staff Mastery] has increased.
The level of [Magic Control] has increased.
The level of [Water and Ice Magic] has increased.
The level of [Flame Magic] has increased.
The level of [Forest Magic] has increased.
The level of [Lava Magic] has increased.
The level of [Lightning Magic] has increased.
The level of [Explosion Magic] has increased.
The level of [Void Magic] has increased.
Newly learned the “Magic Jamming” spell.
The level of [Summoning Magic] has increased.
The level of [Enchantment] has increased.
The level of [Magic Circle] has increased.
The level of [Necromancy] has increased.
The level of [Curse] has increased.
The level of [Trap Magic] has increased.
――――――――――
Alright, we did it! We won! Wait… is it really over already?
TN: If you want to read the reason why the Undead Mage has Holy Magic which is basically an evolved skill of Light Magic, then read the author note below, but keep in mind that this could be considered as a spoiler.
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AN: The reason the Undead Mage had the [Light Magic] skill in his status is because he acquired it while he was still alive. However, he cannot use it now.
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