The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 280
Boarding a ship and heading towards the center of the continent, we had to endure a treacherous voyage.
No matter how much flooding had occurred, since we were sailing over land, there were extremely numerous rocky obstacles.
Thud! Continuous impacts were transmitted to the bottom of the ship.
“The bottom is punctured! Lucretia!”
“I understand!”
Lucretia froze the punctured bottom and quickly repaired it by overlaying wood.
Rutger and Ash, who had been looking at the ship’s bottom, quickly climbed back onto the deck.
“Ars, at this rate, we won’t be able to hold out much longer! When will we…!”
“What…!”
But the two also widened their eyes at the scene we were blankly staring at.
“What is this…?”
A massive area, as if creating a barrier, pushing the water away.
I instinctively realized.
“This is a lake…”
I had thought it was a small lake, but that wasn’t the case. It was even more massive than the Dongting Lake in China.
If all the water from that place flowed out, the land would naturally be submerged.
‘But what kind of barrier is this…?’
It seemed impossible unless it was at a dragon’s level.
‘More than that, if such flooding occurs, the monsters on land won’t survive either.’
Yet, this northern region was teeming with monsters.
Sophia furrows her brow and presents a hypothesis.
“Perhaps… The monsters took refuge at the bottom of this lake?”
“Knowing about the flooding in advance?”
“That’s right. It’s just a hypothesis, but there seems to be something intentional about it.”
“So the lake’s flooding protects its own side and sweeps away the opposing side entirely?”
“Those monsters who attacked our fortress might be the targets of this elimination. That’s why they also came to the coastline to survive the flooding somehow.”
“Hmm.”
Anyway, the core issue was the lake without water.
I asked the elf Beato.
“What do you think would happen if we break this barrier and enter inside?”
Beato then shrugs her shoulders.
“With our firepower, we could probably destroy it. But if the water that flooded earlier returns at the moment we enter the lake bottom? We’ll all be completely submerged.”
“That’s the problem.”
If this flooding is an artificial situation caused by a transcendent being, the water that flooded will return to the lake.
If we are at the lake bottom at that time, we will inevitably die.
Anton then offers advice.
“Then we must find the path the monsters used to evacuate to the lake. That’s the only way we can avoid disaster.”
“That’s right. …Elliot! Please use the tracking magic again.”
Melodie and Lysithea, if they are still alive, they would be inside the lake.
As Elliot used the tracking magic, as expected, the tracking magic shot into the lake’s interior.
“This is decisive…”
“What will we do now, Ars? At this point, finding the path the monsters used to evacuate will be more difficult than finding the path an ant has crossed. I think the best strategy is to wait until this place normalizes and then investigate.”
“There’s another way.”
“Another way…?”
“The black magic Lich supposedly located near here. According to what I heard from Jude, the leader of Goldian, that Lich’s location is a castle standing on a distant, towering cliff.”
“Oh…!”
“Perhaps it was built this way in preparation for the flooding. So that Lich is probably still there. We were going to contact it anyway, so let’s go now.”
“That’s a good idea.”
Sophia immediately unfolds the map and turns the bow towards the place Jude indicated.
After about 3 hours of sailing.
Soon, a gloomy-feeling castle began to come into view.
* * *
We docked the ship below the cliff and, in case a battle might break out, used Teleportation Scroll after applying buffs and climbed the cliff following the path.
The path was quite well-made, as if the original stone mountain had been artificially carved.
While heading towards the castle at the summit.
With a creaking sound, skeletons holding military weapons appeared.
“Wow.”
I had fought undead soldiers in the war with Article, but those were a type of zombie with flesh. But these were 100% pure skeletons.
Seeing them move was surprisingly fascinating.
The skeletons moved their mouths. Naturally, I thought they couldn’t speak without vocal organs, but a voice came through magic.
“Turn back, humans. This is not a place for you to come.”
A voice calm but filled with anger.
I stepped forward as if representing our group and spoke.
“We came through Jude’s introduction. We want to ask about the lake’s flooding and resurrection through blood magic.”
“…”
After a moment of silence.
“So you’ve killed all of Goldian’s clan.”
“Excuse me?”
It seems he thought that when I mentioned Jude’s introduction, I had come after killing all the Goldian clan. There seemed to be a fundamental distrust of humans.
“No! That’s not true! I really came from Jude…!”
“I will no longer be deceived! You cursed followers of mother goddess!”
“I’m telling you, we’re not followers of mother goddess…!”
After that, he began attacking without further dialogue.
The skeletons’ level wasn’t anything special, but we still had to deal with them as they were wielding military weapons.
“Hrrgh!”
Pang! With Anton swinging his sword once, the skeletons shattered and fell down the cliff.
Ilya looks at the cliff top and speaks to me.
“Ars, the atmosphere has changed. They intend to attack us.”
“Tch!”
“What are we going to do?”
There are two methods. Either go back south and bring Jude, or force a breakthrough.
‘I’d prefer not to fight in enemy territory if possible.’
I was about to retreat, but then Mirabel grabbed my shoulder.
“Let’s go further.”
“What?”
“Something feels vaguely familiar, but unclear.”
Mirabel was frowning and trying to recall something deeply.
“…Alright. Then let’s go. Everyone! Quickly climb up the cliff! This terrain is not favorable!”
We repelled the skeleton attacks and reached the summit where a dark, gloomy castle stood.
And there, the Death Knight were waiting in formation.
Eight deceased warriors in total.
Their presence was extraordinary.
“Ah, Ars, these guys are quite formidable.”
“I feel the same way.”
They were positioned as if they would attack if we came any closer.
Behind them were hundreds of skeletons, but we also had magical firepower, so our overall strength was similar.
“Hmm….”
Mirabel had been tilting her head constantly. She was closely observing the faces of the Death Knight, constantly looking puzzled.
However, she couldn’t seem to recall anything and didn’t provide any breakthrough.
“Lord Ars! Just give the order, and I’ll unleash a massive spell!”
Leitin says, full of enthusiasm.
Certainly, the fireball she could create might be able to wipe out all the skeletons.
Beato also seemed disgusted by the skeletons’ appearance and was ready to sweep them away with just one command.
“Wait. I want to try talking first.”
“If it’s something like that, won’t you entrust it to me, my lord?”
“You, Anton?”
“The current situation is tense with killing intent. To have a conversation in such a situation, we need to suppress their momentum.”
“…I see. Very well, I’ll leave it to you.”
Anton stepped forward alone.
Then he points to the lead Knight of Death at the end of his sword.
“If you have your own will, if you have pride as a warrior, come forward! I, Anton Quinter, will face you!”
Even with that cry, the opponent remained calm.
But it wasn’t meaningless. The Knight of Death standing at the front closed his eyes and began speaking to someone.
Soon he opened his eyes and jumped an incredible 20 meters to approach Anton.
He then drew a mid-length sword from his waist.
Only then could we properly see his appearance.
A middle-aged man with a strong impression.
He seemed to have his own will and paid tribute to the knight’s code before taking his stance.
“Hmm…?”
Mirabel became even more unsettled and started stomping her feet.
“Haaah!”
Clang! Anton and the opponent fiercely engaged.
Surprisingly, the opponent’s martial skills were almost on par with Anton’s.
“Amazing. He doesn’t lose ground even against Anton.”
“His movements are sharp. These are movements only those who have traversed numerous battlefields can possess.”
Gaspar and Master Ilya’s cold analysis.
If one had extensive war experience, it was hard to even estimate when this person was from.
Still, Anton was gaining the upper hand.
Anton narrowly dodged the opponent’s sword and then struck with a blow loaded with aura.
“Huh!”
“Kuuk!”
Swoosh! Anton’s sword deeply cut into the opponent’s chest area.
Anton created distance and then spoke.
“Normally, this would have decided the match… But you’re already dead. This much damage probably won’t affect you.”
“…..”
“My lord wishes to talk. Shall we have a conversation up to this point?”
But swish! The opponent raised his weapon again. Anton nodded.
“If negotiations fail… Then I’ll take off that neck as an example!”
Anton further intensified his aura and prepared his stance.
The Death Knights were wavering at this momentum. Some were trying to advance to save their leader.
Then Eonia, Ilya, Gaspar, Ash, Gunther, Lucretia, and Elena stepped forward to confront them.
A moment of extreme tension.
Then, clap! Mirabel suddenly clapped and seemed to realize something, pointing at the Death Knight confronting Anton and shouted.
“Modriva!”
Mirabel ran with bouncing steps.
Modriva, who was about to point his sword, saw Mirabel’s face up close and suddenly lost all fighting spirit.
He eventually dropped his sword.
“Modriva, long time no see!”
As Mirabel shook his hand, the opponent collapsed to his knees.
And then he spoke for the first time.
“Lady Mirabel…!”
The other Death Knight also knelt, moved
Bewildered, I approached her and asked.
“What was that?”
Mirabel then smiled innocently and said.
“My former subordinate!
“Former subordinate…?”
It was so sudden that I couldn’t decide how to react.
The opponent seemed to feel the same way.
The Death Knight named Modriva politely guided us into the castle.
But suddenly, rustle! Rustle! A skeleton dressed in clothes rushed out from inside the castle.
‘That must be the Lich…!’
Judging from the clothing, it seemed to be female.Unlike the other Death Knight, it had no skin, so Mirabel narrowed her eyes and observed.
Then, seeming to identify her from the clothing, she broke into a broad smile.
“As I thought, you’re Ninia!”
“Mirabel!”
Mirabel hugged the skeleton, sharing joy.
We could only stare, stunned by this incredible scene.
Hi guys, please check out the new novel I picked “I killed the Demon King. It was a mistake.”
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