Ilnerio, Sylviette, Mircalla, and a [Whalelich] emerge from the dust. The last creature arrived long ago as a sperm whale. Only by judging it did I realize that it was a [lich].
In the first encounter with Kirlh'iau my [Necromancy] was too low, in the second we were in an enclosed space.
[Whalelich] is a [lv: 39] capable of using fearsome magic and takes flight before my eyes. And now it's an undead thrall of mine.
The [Fiend] watches dumbfounded and Ilnerio picks up my sword.
Sylviette starts with [Fire dart] and then launches with the blades. The enemy protects itself from the explosions with its wings and then they begin to fence.
My body is not yet regenerated enough and Ilnerio stares at me. I don't understand if he's worried. Mircalla on the other hand does nothing. She holds a hostile gaze towards me.
BOOM!
The [Whalelich] vomited its monstrous innards. It has destroyed part of the bridge and now swallows it, retracting its body.
The [Fiend] managed to dodge and break Sylviette's blade with an acid slash.
Ilnerio goes on the attack while the whale glides to bite the enemy. These lights up and with a single slash launches a trail of high-pressure acid.
The whale is cut in half and dissolves, falling into darkness. Sylviette uses the opening to attempt a slash, but the [Fiend] is quicker and decapitates her with a vomit from its beak.
She too dissolves.
Ilnerio comes in with a lunge, it's a feint and then he attacks with a cut. The shot ends up in the [Fiend] chest which blooms with white tentacles which are in turn covered in acid. And Ilnerio ends up in pieces due to the counterattack.
The sword remains lodged in the [Fiend]'s side. He aimed for the heart. Too bad, Ilnerio almost didn't satisfy the [ability 1] condition to trigger that fearsome weapon.
Never mind—the dead don't suffer.
[Necrohound]
[Necrohound]
[Necrohound]
[Necromancy]
[Necromancy]
[Necromancy]
[Necromancy]
[Necromancy], [Necromancy]…
…
[Necromancy].
Exhausting.
The [Whalelich] comes back, Sylviette comes back, Ilnerio comes back. The [Necrohounds] arise and with them countless lesser monstrosities of the abyss and all the [Warriors] and [Heros] who have died in recent years.
The bridge and the side structures and scaffolding are overflowing with creatures capable of using basic [Shadow wall] and [Dungeon path].
The [Fiend] finds itself in difficulty and receives bites, slashes, magical attacks, and screams. It screams helplessly.
My body finishes regenerating.
Ci-cin.
I stretch my fingers and arm as I walk closer.
I overtake Mircalla, who hasn't lifted a finger yet and just stares at me, and I continue. I don't have time for her now.
«Fsss!»
The undead thralls move to make room for me, and many of them are corroded by acid and melting. Sylviette smiles at me and when she steps aside, I see a body in pieces in a pool of bright acid.
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The enemy's torso is still breathing. I walk over it and pull my sword from its chest. It moans.
“I will regenerate. I will regenerate. I will regenerate…” It whispers and looks at the void above me.
“I'm no longer the one from the Arena. Your god sent me against the Devil. What are you? Nothing, that's it. You are like insects and I will have the pleasure of giving you the nightmares you deserve.”
“AHH! Help me. Help me God of Wisdom! My Father and my meaning, help me! Help me.”
I'm having a moment's hesitation. Do monsters cry too?
Like everyone else.
Like all.
Ci-cin.
“Help me! Help-AH!”
I drive the sword into the [Fiend]'s heart, killing it. Its eyes go dark and its appendages stop moving. The [ability 1] of the Umbrella of murder is trigger here, in the realm of the dead.
I take out the blade and the magical acid evaporates. I climb down from the chest of the carcass and observe Mircalla. That looks full of judgment.
A pushing on the shoulder catches my attention. Ilnerio hugs me. Cold, like all corpses.
Ci-cin.
He pulls me away and holds me by the shoulders. “Thank you.”
“F-fine.”
Sylviette smiles at me and the other undead have their eyes on me. I am surrounded by ‘zombies’ waiting for orders. I feel proud and sweetly embarrassed. Are they here for me? To support me beyond necessity?
I look at the carcass one last time. It can't decompose here. I have to invent another way to make it rain from the membrane.
A cynical method immediately comes to mind.
“Eat it. Take them all.”
And so, the banquet begins.
♦
Having eaten the meal, I leave and thank the undead. Dust returns and I use [Dungeon path].
The windows of the house are still shaking from the wind and the wooden boards have started to let drafts through.
But I feel good.
The charred, dusty wood underfoot is reassuring. I'm finally back to home.
♦
Since time passes uniformly within the Underwasteland, I expect to see the [Fiend] rain at any moment.
Despite the wind and the storm front with the tornado on the horizon, other creatures rained down during my long absence.
[Judgment]
[Judgment]
Again [Judgment].
I try to give the deceased the right amount of time, but that storm worries them and they can't wait to say goodbye to me.
I am saddened and want to find a solution.
While holding my hair away from my forehead with one hand, I return to the veranda. I'm about to go back into the house when nearby thunder catches my attention.
Nothing unusual, but I notice a swelling in the membrane.
It's raining a drop.
[Dungeon path]
At the site of impact, a white creature emerges from the ash. I don't have my umbrella with me but my hand instinctively runs to the absent hilt.
Ci-cin.
The creature coughs up the black liquid from the membrane, spits out some sand, and looks at me. It says nothing and trembles.
It is certainly not a formidable enemy and I must not chase it away.
End.
I relax my muscles, bow slightly, and lower my ears.
“Let me rephrase that. Sorry and welcome.”
No reply.
“Do not be afraid. It's weird for me too. But what you did in life no longer concerns me.”
«Fsss.»
HA! Traitor tail!
The being looks at me. The sand continues to fly at it due to the wind. The [Fiend] gets up slowly and without taking its eyes off me.
At that moment I notice that coral is growing under the first layer of sand. Without saying anything, I move some sand with my foot and notice that it is there too.
I prefer not to say anything.
“You won't hurt me.”
“No.”
Maybe it's the ash mixed with the membrane, maybe it's the fact that it was born and raised here. But that being has no smell. Now it is duller than when it was alive.
There is a difficult silence.
Embarrassment.
Nervousness.
“What will happen now?”
“I will judge you. Perhaps your god told you of the ability granted to me by the System.”
The [Fiend] nods. “It told me about it. But then?”
“You will obtain eternal sleep. Dreams or nightmares.” I lie knowingly. I'm sure that such a monstrosity could only deserve [Nightmare].
“I'm talking about you. I'm talking about the Underwasteland and the universe.”
I remain taken aback. I clench my fists even though my nails hurt.
“How do you mean!? First, you contribute to jamming the System and then you ask me what will happen?”
“Do not be angry. Please don't hurt me.” The creature hides behind its wings.
“But were you reborn from Kirlh'iau or what? Is it possible that you are so afraid!?”
“Don't get angry, don't get angry.”
Aah…
It must have shocked it deeply. I have no idea how to handle this… if only I wasn't so angry! It's just that it is the work of that evil being!
I don't have to think about it, I don't have to think about it.
The [Fiend] is a deceased! And like all the deceased it does not deserve this treatment. Life is life, death has a precise protocol dictated by the System.
“Please, calm down, you're safe.”
“Really?” The wings open a crack.
I shake my head and reach out. “Really.”
I close my eyes to sigh and suddenly my arm burns.
Ci-cin!
When I reopen my eyes, my snake tail is biting the deceased's neck, while the other is stuck in its head.
Acidic blood gushed out and my hand was cut.
“Why?”
“Cree!” The being spits acid from its beak and I duck out of the way in time. “I will kill you. I will kill you and then I will reach the core! I'm dead! I died and will be resurrected for you, God of Wisdom!”
[Judgment]
“You're just deluded. Now you are dead, you have no defense from my ability.”
The body of the being quivers in all its appendages. “With the Devil…”
“The Devil is a level ninety-two. Let's not kid ourselves, even if you didn't make me do the Scan—what would you be? On the twenty-fifth? The System can handle a small placement error.”
“Ah… no…”
[Judgment: Nightmare]
“Anyway, thanks. I was afraid that Dream might come out of you, but instead, you guaranteed me that you would win the bet with a chance. Hehe.”
“CREEE! CREEE!”
By screaming, the being is pulverized.
Goodbye [Fiend], Kirlh'iau was a terrifyingly better raven than you.