Chapter 35 Part8 (1/2)
<chapter 35.=”” the=”” call=”” of=”” death=”” -=”” 8=””>
This battle, the battle between heroes and undead, would determine the fate of the Empire. But there was one discrepancy, a reaper who roamed around the battlefield garbed in black armor.
It neither antagonized the heroes nor the undead. However, it moved across the battlefield more diligently than any other, killing all the scapegoats. These scapegoats were none other than the 'undead heroes'.
”Here's where you were, Senior.”
[Ah...ahuuah...]
Once it heard his cool voice, the man who was once a hero, but now an elite level 7 undead hero shook. This was the fourth of the six 'seniors' that had been mixed into the battlefield.
[Give me an order...]
”Who could order you, you who was once a hero? Please tell me if there's a b.a.s.t.a.r.d like that out there. Who is it?”
[Ah, uaaaaah...]
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's praise fl.u.s.tered the nameless hero. It was like it was undergoing a program error.
It was originally supposed to kill the heroes amidst the chaos created by the Beast General's attack and Vulture General's ambush, or at least severely injure them, but the heroes had killed the Beast General quickly and retreated. In addition, the Vulture General hadn't even ambushed them; on the contrary, the heroes had ambushed the Vulture General using large-scale spells, causing the general to fall to the ground.
Their plan had gone awry and even their superior, Ethan Cruz was confused as well, so it was only natural that the undead heroes would just stand around awkwardly.
[Give... me an order...!]
”Tch, as I thought, it won't work.”
After Lee s.h.i.+n Woo mercilessly stuck his sword into the undead hero's head (who kept idiotically repeating the same thing over and over again), he clicked his tongue.
He tried to bring them over to his side, as he thought his Instigate and Acting skills might have an effect on them, but because their connection with Ethan Cruz remained strong, even though their egos barely remained, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo couldn't break his hold.
Although Ethan Cruz was limited to controlling undead heroes, even Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had to admit that Ethan Cruz's hold over them was strong.
[Give... me an order...!]
”...Rest in peace, Senior.”
[You have acquired 2 secret shop permits and 17,320,180 Perium.]
[You have given peace to a comrade who walked a path he could not return from. You have partially cleared the quest objectives, and have acquired 1 secret shop permit. The maximum level of the Invisible Heart skill has increased by 1.]
'Nice. Now Invisible Heart's level 143.'
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, who had given up on convincing it, killed the undead hero and picked up the bone. Of the undead heroes that were under Ethan Cruz's control, most of them were 'trash'. Although he immediately used Bone Reinforcement on the recently acquired bone, his stats only increased a small amount and he hadn't even acquired a skill.
'In other words, Ethan Cruz didn't get the good ones.'
'You sound like the big bad, you know that?'
'Yeah, yeah. I know. Since I'm the Heaven Defying General. And you're the Heaven Defying General's horse.'
'I'm so happy I feel like I'm going to cry...'
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo collected the unimportant loot, joked around with Jin, and searched the battlefield for the two remaining undead heroes. But while doing so, Rem relayed a sharp warning.
[Master, Mentes Orun's mana is emitting a strange wave. I believe he will soon attack Lloyd H.K. Checking for a secret skill activating that would not be noticed by allies.]
”Tch, when it was just getting good... Then again, I knew they'd start about now.”
The Vulture General had fallen from the sky, but half of his airborne forces were still intact. The battle had become even more chaotic due to the master-less beasts attacking and the Vulture General's troops rus.h.i.+ng to rescue their general.
If the traitors were looking for an opportunity to attack the heroes, then this would be the best and worse time. If the heroes began to come out ahead, Ethan Cruz wouldn't have an opportunity to carry out their plan... And naturally, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had been preparing for Mentes Orun's betrayal, ever since he realized that he was moving alongside Lloyd.
”Sseup, I guess it can't be helped. Let's finish things up quickly. Rem, give me a signal when it's time.”
[Understood, Master. ...Now.]
Once Rem gave him the signal, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo activated the trap he'd set up prior. He displayed his control, which had gotten even stronger, through the hidden and connected mana threads!
”You just activated my trap card! Reverse Sword Rain!”
'Ah, so you did give it a name like that... Wait, they're not even swords! They're not cards either!'
The name was hilarious, but the result wasn't. While the battle was going on, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had secretly moved eight bone spears (since he didn't want to be discovered, he used unremarkable level 4 spears) underground, and once given a target, they would burst from the ground and attack simultaneously.
That's right. These bone spears had been created by the Bone Armory and had been set up before the battle had even begun; he then used Rule of Bone to control them!
”Keoheok!?”
When Lloyd was focused on the fallen Vulture General, Mentes Orun attacked him. He caused Lloyd to drop his weapon and when he was about to land a killing blow, eight bone spears pierced his body and stopped him.
”Senior Mentes...?”
Lloyd didn't know what was going on and looked at Mentes Orun dumbstruck. It was shocking enough that a senior he trusted so much had attacked him, but right after, his senior had pretty much become a skewered eel! It was too much of a surprise.
”What... is this...?”