12 Chapter 12: Thousand Astral Graves (1/2)
The forest was filled with gigantic gravestones that towered over even the trees. The sun slowly set over the horizon, allowing night full rein over the wilderness.
”What are all these graves?”
Watching the countless gravestones of different sizes and varying symbols tower over her, Tsukishima was unable to conceal the tremor in her voice as she demanded an answer. She tightened her grip over her staff, half-expecting the tombstones to attack her.
”The 1,008 tombstones grant 12 different types of buff.”
That was all the information I was willing to impart to her. Staying silent, I glanced up at my tombstones with a smile. There were 12 type of specific symbols, and each of them granted a particular buff.
The foot-shaped symbol increased movement speed. The claw-like symbol increased attack speed. The cross-shaped symbol increased regeneration or healing. The skeletal, bone-like symbol increased durability. The star-shaped symbol enhanced abilities. The skull-shaped symbol increased intelligence. The weird circle-shaped symbol improved their senses and range of sight. The swords or blades-shaped symbol increased attack power. The diamond-shaped symbols increased defense and resistance. The dragon-like symbol granted them berserker status, which further increased their physical stats such as speed and strength. The triangle-shaped symbol increased their reflexes and reaction, enhancing their evasiveness. And the final, eye-like symbol improved their accuracy and hit-rate, increasing their chances of getting critical hits.
Any familiars that stood under the shadows of these tombstones would have their specific attributes increased by 10 times, depending on which tombstone was buffing them. And as long as they weren't the same type of buffs, these buffs stacked.
In other words, if there were many shadows casted by these tombstones, even the weakest familiar would evolve into ridiculously strong monsters.
The demonic zombies were all shifting, transforming and mutating under the shadows, undergoing horrendous changes. The dark elf commander was clutching her mouth with her hands, tears running down her eyes as she watched her former subordinates become literal monsters. Distorted beyond recognition, driven into an inhuman frenzy, they were more creature than former, sentient, humanoid beings.
Looking at them now, it was difficult to say that they had ever been humanoid demons.
”What is this?!” Tsukishima shrieked.
”This is…wrong.”
Alone, in the shadows of the tombstones, the dark elf commander wept. In fighting the heroes, she had turned to a monster, a monster whose unorthodox methods and magic repulsed even the supposedly ruthless and cruel demon race.
She couldn't accept this. She just couldn't…
I should hurry up and finish this battle before any of the other heroes notice and arrive. It'll be difficult to fight my former classmates if there's more than one of them.
I had trouble just from fighting Tsukishima Tomoyo alone. I dreaded to think how insurmountable a task it would be if I had to fight two or more…or even the whole class by myself.
”Look!”
The dark elf commander's subordinates, who were wisely keeping their distance, watched in amazement as my mutated, enhanced zombies lunged forward. Unlike their commander, they were not averse to the change in their comrades. They were even impressed by it. The new shapes, sizes and strength of the zombies were several times beyond that of their original selves. The mutations had granted them a new lease in un-life.
”Those zombies became berserk monsters!”
Those zombies were your former comrades, you know? Well, considering that I was the one who wrought such terrifying changes on them, I couldn't say anything.
One of the monsters, a blue-skinned zombie with mutating tubes writhing on its back, bent over and unleashed a bombardment of smaller zombies at Tsukishima, drowning her in a horde of lesser zombie spawn.
”My God! And they have special abilities too!”
Not only that, these lesser zombie spawn transformed and evolved underneath the shadows of my Thousand Astral Graves, turning into terrifying monsters in their own right. Growling, they all pounced on a stunned Tsukishima, who was frantically trying to keep them away with her staff. Despite her peerless skills and heroic attributes, she found herself overwhelmed by her numbers.
Not only that, the newly evolved zombies were a lot more resistant to her magic and curses, shrugging off her Dark Decay and Fetid Fields without suffering much damage. Try as she much, her staff proved ineffective against the immense bulks of armored zombies, who grabbed hold of her weapon with their colossal arms and ripped it out of her hands.
”Ah…!”
Perspiration poured down her face when she realized that she was completely outmatched. She continued to struggle to the bitter end, but her spells proved ineffective, and she was shoved down by pouncing zombies, pinned to the ground by their incredible strength. Despite her heroic strength, she was no match for the augmented physical prowess of the zombies and their sheer numbers. The entire horde was upon her, ripping and tearing.
”Ah…aaaaaaaaah!”
Tsukishima let out a bloodcurdling scream as the zombies tore into her, tearing her limbs from her sockets and began feeding on her. An ocean of blood spread underneath her rent body.
”Hah! Hero bitch! You deserve it!”
”Awesome! That was awesome, Nii-san!”
”Who is that guy? What was that power? To think he could defeat a Chosen of Evelyn?”
”There's hope for the demon race after all!”
The demonic soldiers cheered when they saw Tsukishima's demise. I slowly strolled to the zombies and stopped them.
”Hey, leave some for me.”
”What…what do you think you're doing?” The dark elf commander demanded, but I stopped her. A ring of armored zombies stood between us, barring her way. She was outraged. ”Didn't you promise?”
”Yes, I did. But it's not over yet. Please have a bit more patience. I'm going to do something, but I'll need these guys to guard me while I get it done. Then I'll bury them once I'm finished.” I turned to glance at the rest of her soldiers. ”Take your men out and get them out of here. The heroes will be coming. I'll have to dispose of her body before they arrive.”
”What do you mean dispose?”
I didn't answer. Instead, my zombies formed an impenetrable ring around me, blocking any sight that the dark elf commander would have. Hidden from view, I knelt down beside the gory remains of Tsukishima's body.
I couldn't let the dark elf commander or her subordinates see what I was about to do. She was already disturbed by my reanimating of her dead men and turning them into monstrous berserkers. What I was about to commit was far worse.
But I didn't care. I needed Tsukishima's special ability, especially in the long run. It would be very useful. Not to mention, it would be a waste if I let this opportunity go.
Reaching, out, I scooped a bunch of Tsukishima's flesh and began to feed.
*
With my feast done, I left the remains of Tsukishima to my mutated zombies. As it turned out, I didn't need to eat the whole body to gain her special ability. Just a few mouthfuls were enough. Since I enlisted the help of these zombies, they deserved a reward. I indulged them, knowing that it would literally be sweet revenge for them.
As the zombies gorged themselves on Tsukishima's remains, I emerged from the ring and bowed apologetically to the dark elf commander.
”They want to eat her before they pass on,” I explained. ”That would be a great revenge for them, wouldn't you agree?”
”You…!”
I didn't say anything. Obviously the commander didn't agree. She was furious at how I allowed her dead subordinates to degenerate into human-eating ghouls. Couldn't she see how happy they were? They weren't degenerate, mindless ghouls. They were vengeful spirits, whose rage could only be appeased by consuming their sworn enemies.
But there was no point convincing a blind person. Instead, I conjured my blue window.
Name: Tanaka Tomoyuki
Species: Undead
Job/Rank: Gravekeeper/Lich Lord
Title: Hero Slayer
Special Abilities: Adamantium Will, Regeneration, Devour, Lord of Darkness, Absolute Appraisal
”Oh, this is interesting.”
I had gained Tsukishima Tomoyo's Absolute Appraisal, as I expected but I didn't think I would earn a new title. Hero Slayer. Probably because I defeated and slew a hero. I didn't earn such a title after killing and devouring the Demon Lord, but that was probably because I wasn't the one who wounded and defeated him.
The system was fair, I suppose.
”Stop it! Stop it right now!”
The commander was shouting at me. I glanced at her, and then decided to experiment with my newly plundered Absolute Appraisal. Raising a hand, I tapped my brow and blinked as a purple flame appeared in my pupil.
”Oh…!”
I could see the dark elf commander's personal information.
Name: Elia Kratz
Species: Dark Elf
Job/Rank: Soldier/Lieutenant
Special Abilities: Nature's Guidance
So humanoid demons seemed to have special abilities, as opposed to non-sentient monsters like the white wolves and cockatrices. I studied the blue holographic window that floated over the lady named Elia Kratz, and then glanced at the soldiers.
Name: Krom Orkgaze
Species: Orc
Job/Rank: Soldier/Private
Name: Drake Holden
Species: Drakken
Job/Rank: Soldier/Corporal
It appeared that the majority if the soldiers didn't possess special abilities. I was wrong about the whole humanoid thing.
What should I do?
I took a deep breath and focused my attention on the outraged Elia Kratz.