Chapter 174
Zeke came up from the prison deep in thought.
‘Coffee.’
Zeke preferred tea and rarely drank coffee himself.
Though not as popular as tea, coffee drinking was spreading like a trend throughout cities recently.
But not everyone could enjoy it. Due to limited coffee growing regions, supply couldn’t meet demand, making it a luxury item.
Proper coffee could only be tasted at famous hotels or restaurants.
‘Coffee production locations are limited.’
The place in Dario’s memory must have been a coffee production area. The aroma was unlike anything found in cities where coffee was just sold.
By narrowing down based on climate, building style, and coffee production conditions, they might be able to pinpoint where Dario contacted Abyss.
This was a clue to uncovering Abyss’s hidden identity.
“For coffee production, it’s likely either the Empire’s south or Holy Kingdom’s outskirts.”
Though he’d heard The Republic of Dorta grew coffee now too, the atmosphere in the memory didn’t feel like The Republic of Dorta.
“Central continent’s southwest. Abyss’s base must be there.”
Just as he finished organizing his thoughts, Boris and Visco returned from training.
Zeke called Boris.
“Boris, right now check the continent’s southwest…”
While giving instructions, Zeke noticed something strange.
The dragon warriors he’d positioned around sent warning signals.
“Enemies are coming.”
At Zeke’s words, Boris gestured to Visco.
Though sudden, it wasn’t unexpected. They needed to escape with Dario according to their pre-made plan.
Visco and Boris brought Dario out from the prison.
Drawing his sword, Zeke said.
“While I distract them, stay in the mountain bunker until it quiets down, then head to Mekein.”
“Understood, Boss.”
Boris and Visco didn’t hesitate and headed straight for the bunker with Dario.
Zeke equipped Hersion then called Richmond.
“Richmond, enemies are coming. Get ready.”
“Yes, master.”
As Richmond waved his staff, dark clouds suddenly gathered in the clear sky.
RUMBLE!
With the dark clouds came drizzling rain and thunder and lightning.
Richmond summoned enhanced Reptilian Skeletons and Skeleton Dragons.
While Richmond prepared, Zeke put on his transformation cloak and changed into a Death Knight.
With an Arch Lich and Death Knight in place, the perfect undead legion was complete.
THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!
Then hundreds of knights were seen charging on horseback from afar.
Their flags showed they were Jiemens knights.
Zeke, transformed into a Death Knight, said to Richmond.
“Richmond, leave a deep impression on the enemies.”
Richmond floated up into the air.
KAAAAK!
He let out a monstrous roar and swung his staff.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Dark red lightning struck the middle of the troops.
NEIGH!
Horses panicked and went wild, knights falling and rolling in the mud.
The commander shouted.
“Everyone! Form ranks! They’re undead!”
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Richmond’s enhanced skeletons, skeleton knights, and skeleton dragoons marched toward the Jiemens knights with ominous glowing eyes.
The Jiemens knights raised shields and charged at the undead army.
“HAAAH!”
Well-trained soldiers could handle normal skeletons.
But Richmond’s skeletons were enhanced by both the ‘Herald of Blood and Madness’ power and dragon power.
BOOM!
When they collided, unexpectedly it was the knights who were pushed back, not the skeletons.
The knights retreated in confusion.
“Co-Commander! Something’s wrong!”
The commander slashed at skeletons with his aura blade while shouting.
“You fools! They’re just skeletons! Don’t retreat, smash their heads with your swords!”
Though he said this, even the commander himself was barely managing with his aura blade.
While Jiemens knights had numbers, their individual skills were relatively poor, so they struggled even against just skeletons.
Then when Richmond rained fireballs from above and skeleton dragoons swept across the battlefield, the unit quickly crumbled.
‘This should be enough without me getting involved.’
Zeke stood back in Death Knight form, planning to regroup with Boris after assessing the situation.
That’s when.
THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!
Others were seen charging from the side.
‘So Jiemens was the vanguard.’
Zeke heightened his vision to examine the approaching forces.
An unfamiliar emblem was drawn on the unit’s flag.
‘An emblem with a scorpion and star. Could it be…?’
A cavalry unit carrying kite shields and spears. The typical appearance of an Imperial knight order.
Zeke immediately realized who they were.
“The Knight’s of the Scorpio palace.”
It was just as Dario had said—the Scorpio Legion had a blood alliance with the Nostra Family.
And they had sent reinforcements much sooner than expected.
While the Jiemens knights were just numerous rabble that the undead legion could handle, Imperial knights were different.
Especially the knights belonging to the Thirteen Constellations were the elite of the elite in the Imperial Army.
The Scorpio Knights charged towards the undead legion with their spears.
CRACK!
Unlike the Jiemens Knights, the Scorpio Knights easily broke through the reinforced skeletons with their spears and advanced.
KIEEEEK!
Even when skeletons clung on and pulled knights off their horses, they quickly regained balance and drew their swords to respond.
In typical Imperial Army fashion, they covered themselves with kite shields and calmly faced the undead with their swords.
As soon as the Scorpio Knights joined, the flow of battle completely changed.
‘This is troublesome.’
If they got held up here, they could lose Dario.
They had to stop them somehow.
Zeke stepped forward, drawing Bahamut.
THUD!
When Zeke appeared in his Death Knight form, the Scorpio Knights joined their shields to form a wall.
A knight who appeared to be the vice-commander led other knights from behind, slowly approaching.
Zeke drew his sword and unleashed Elemental Sword.
WHOOSH!
A massive wind burst forth from Zeke’s sword.
CRASH! CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!
The Imperial knights held their shields against the storm blade. Meanwhile, Zeke lunged straight forward.
BOOM!
The sword imbued with golden aura blew away all the Imperial Army’s shields.
Seeing this, the vice-commander shouted.
“Everyone maintain formation!”
The Imperial knights discarded their broken shields and stood in formation with raised swords.
Soon, Aura Blades rose from their swords.
“Charge!”
Slash!
Over a dozen Aura Blades fell towards Zeke.
Surprisingly, all the knights charging at Zeke were Blue Knight level.
‘So this is what it means to be part of the Thirteen Constellations.’
Zeke raised his sword to deflect the incoming Aura Blades.
CRACK!
The knights who swung their swords couldn’t overcome the rebound force and rolled on the ground.
The Imperial knights who hadn’t fallen pointed their swords at Zeke while cautiously closing the distance.
‘Their training is remarkably thorough.’
They were much stronger than Morgan Buffon’s knights .
Zeke gripped his sword and drew up power.
WHOOSH!
Blue flames sparked from Zeke’s body as he raised the field of firepower.
He modulated his voice with energy and shouted.
『Arrogant humans. I’ll annihilate your souls with hellfire.』
Zeke was imitating a real Death Knight’s voice and manner of speech.
Sensing the ominous energy, the vice-commander shouted.
“Dodge!”
When Zeke thrust his sword into the ground, blue flames spread around it.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The Jiemens knights who couldn’t dodge in time were engulfed in Zeke’s blue flames and collapsed into ash.
“URGH!”
Though the Scorpio knights escaped the blue flames, they couldn’t completely avoid injury.
Assessing the situation, the vice-commander shouted.
“Retreat! Retreat!”
As soon as the retreat order was given, the Scorpio knights fell back.
The Jiemens knight commander who had been watching from behind shouted in panic.
“H-hey! What are you doing retreating now?!”
As the Scorpio knights quickly withdrew, the skeletons charged at the Jiemens Knights again.
“ARGH!”
Having lost their will to resist, the Jiemens Knights were one-sidedly slaughtered by the skeletons.
The knight commander who had been cursing from behind also died from a Skeleton Dragon’s blade.
‘This should be enough.’
After confirming the Scorpio knights had completely disappeared, Zeke planned to clean up the battlefield and regroup with Boris. Though their extensive retreat was strange, now was the opportunity.
Just then, the dragon warriors he had spread around sent strong warning signals.
‘What’s this?’
The dragon warriors were being unsummoned at an incredibly fast rate.
Someone was clearly taking out the dragon tooth soldiers in an instant.
Zeke transmitted his will to Richmond.
‘Richmond! Something’s coming! Ready the troops!’
‘Yes, my lord!’
At Richmond’s command, the scattered skeletons picked up shields and reformed their ranks.
Zeke also raised his sword and watched his surroundings vigilantly.
Something approached rapidly from beyond the forest.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Something could be seen charging forward as if sliding while floating slightly above the ground.
Zeke confirmed the approaching figure with dragon eyes.
‘A child?’
A boy who looked at most in his teens came flying towards the undead legion with a strange smile.
The boy who approached stretched his hand forward.
“Explode!”
CRACK!
In that instant, the skeletons in that space shattered as if crushed.
The boy who approached the front of the legion floated in the air and waved his hands around as if having fun.
Following the boy’s hand gestures, the skeletons floated up into the air. Then they began to compress, gathering in one spot like a ball.
CRACK!
The skeletons merged to become a ball made of bones.
The boy lightly stepped onto the ball he had created.
A boy in a suit with short pants.
Just by appearances, he looked like a student from an upper-class noble school.
Zeke realized he was someone sent by the Nostra Family.
‘A blood ability user?’
It was an abnormal ability different from magic or swordsmanship.
The boy looked down at Zeke who had transformed into a Death Knight with a devilish smile.
“This is my first time seeing a Death Knight. I wonder if it’ll be fun to play with.”
In that moment, the boy extended his finger.
BANG!
There was a sound of air bursting, and Zeke felt an impact on his shoulder.
Seeing this, the boy pursed his lips and exclaimed in admiration.
“Oh, so this is what a Death Knight is like. How interesting.”
The boy’s body floated up again.
Then he began rapidly rolling the bone ball as if playing with it.
“Now! Let’s play!”
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!
The bone ball began charging forward while spinning violently.
CRACK!
Not just the dead Jiemens knights but other skeletons too were sucked into the bone ball.
As the ball spun more and more, corpses and skeletons were drawn in, making it grow larger.
Before long, the ball rolled right up to Zeke.
Zeke raised his sword and unleashed a field of golden aura.
RUMBLE!
A sword strike imbued with powerful force struck the violently spinning ball.
CRASH!
Unable to withstand the sword strike, the ball exploded and sharp bones flew in all directions.
Around the boy’s body, the bones seemed unable to reach him as if there was a barrier, all of them bouncing away.
When Zeke’s attack destroyed the bone ball, the smiling boy’s face twisted.
He glared at Zeke while floating in the air.
“How dare a monster bastard break my toy?”
RUMBLE!
Powerful energy arose around the boy’s body.
RUMBLE!
The ground around split and whirlwinds raged.
Sensing the ominous energy, Richmond who was floating in the air panicked.
‘M-master! Something’s strange about that guy.’
Richmond too seemed to sense that the power the boy was using was alien.
‘Can bloodline abilities alone manifest such power?’
Though unclear what experiments the Nostra Family had used to enhance the boy, it surely wasn’t through normal means.
Combat against an enemy using unknown powers became more disadvantageous the longer it dragged on.
Zeke stepped forward before the boy with his sword raised.
『Only eternal pain awaits those who stand before the legion of death.』
At those words, the boy made a twisted smile while frowning and shouted.
“You damn monster bastard! Cut that bullshit and come at me! I’ll completely shatter your skeleton!”
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Hi guys, please check out the new novel I am translating, "There’s a Monster Inside Me"
Still wondering who is the mouse who keeps telling Zeke’s information to Abel’s side