A human soldier, his lower half severed, dragged himself along by his arms.
A goblin, its neck twisted unnaturally, staggered to its feet.
An ogre, bristling with arrows like a hedgehog, writhed as it rolled in the mud.
"Aaaargh!"
A soldier on the plain screamed in terror and fled.
But a hand shot out from beneath his feet and grabbed him. The corpses began to devour the soldier's entrails.
"Urk, ghk, hack…"
The soldiers caught amidst the corpses became prey without putting up any real resistance.
Thousands of corpses lying on the plain rose up all at once.
Dangling limbs, trailing entrails, letting out sickening groans.
Seeing this, Iolca's face turned pale.
Before the fear message could even appear.
CRASH!
I slammed my shield against a nearby rock, making a loud noise.
"Regroup first! Fall back to the city and regroup!"
"Boss, what are those things?!"
"They're damn insects with noodles for brains!"
I smashed the head of a sluggishly approaching human corpse with my shield.
The thing collapsed face down in the mud and went silent.
"Don't aim for the arms or legs. Smash their heads."
The three didn't answer.
Looks of fear were dawning on their faces.
I abruptly grabbed Aaron by the collar, lifted him up, and roared.
"Are you going to survive and get back with me, or are you going to be food for those bastards?!"
"Those monsters…"
"Aaron!"
Snapping out of his daze, Aaron gripped his spear tightly.
"I'll make it back."
"Good. I'll carry Iolca. Run for the gate!"
"Got it!"
I lifted Iolca and immediately started running.
Aaron with his spear flanked me on the left, Jena with her dagger on the right.
"They're slow. Don't engage them one by one. Stick to the wall!"
Near the wall, Aaron shattered the head of a shambling goblin corpse with the shaft of his spear.
Beside them, thousands of corpses slowly approached the city wall.
Living Corpse.
Monsters that revive from corpses under specific conditions.
They lose much of their skills and motor abilities from when they were alive, but their appetite for flesh increases unnaturally. Also, unless their head is destroyed, they continue to function.
Regardless, they were definitely not monsters that should appear on the 10th floor, the early stages of the Tower.
The difficulty was abnormal.
"Urgh! Close the gate! Close it!"
Urged on by an officer inside the gate, a soldier, sweating profusely, turned the pulley. The gateway gradually narrowed.
"Jena!"
Jena drew an arrow and pulled back her bowstring.
The arrow embedded itself in the forearm of the soldier turning the pulley. The soldier clutched his arm and tumbled to the ground.
The officer, who had been shouting frantically, took over the pulley.
"Aaron!"
Aaron ran to the gate and wedged his iron spear into the gap.
The spear shaft bent, enduring the pressure.
"Why won't it close! What's going on?!"
The officer howled, then simply abandoned the pulley and fled.
I pushed Iolca, whom I was carrying, through the gap in the gate. The other two followed her in. From inside the gate, Aaron grabbed his spear and said,
"Get in, Boss!"
"I'm not going. Close the gate."
"Sir?"
"Get to the inner castle. Join Edith and protect the Goddess statue. If you barricade the gate, you should be able to hold out."
"Oppa, why aren't you coming in?!"
The corpses were closing in from behind.
There was no time to explain.
"Do I look like someone who dies easily?"
"But outside…"
"Trust me."
Jena said in a firm voice,
"…You will come back, right?"
I replied with a smile.
"Is that even a question?"
"Okay. We'll close it!"
"Boss is still outside!"
"He must have a plan! Let's trust him, like always."
Aaron's spear was retrieved, and the gate began to close.
Just before the gate shut, Iolca whispered,
"Don't die."
"You too."
"Uooooooh."
I stepped back beside the gate.
BANG!
An ogre corpse's sledgehammer struck the gate.
The gate shook momentarily but didn't break.
THUD! THUD-THUD!
The ogre kept pounding the gate with the handle of its sledgehammer. Splinters of wood rained down. They didn't have the intelligence to use ladders. The gate should hold for a while.
"Grrr."
A soldier's corpse thrust its spear. I blocked with my shield, then cut off its head.
Next was a goblin. Three quick slashes followed, and the severed heads of nearby corpses fell, gushing rotten blood.
Keeping my shoulder to the wall, I ran sideways.
These things operate on two principles. First, destroy the Goddess statue. Second, the appetite for the living. Therefore, most of the thousands of corpses were focused on the gate, while only a few dozen nearby followed me.
"Aaaah!"
A soldier climbing a ladder seemed to misstep and fell.
'Unlucky bastard.'
I lured the corpses towards the soldier.
An immobile target is easier to eat than one running around. The corpses that had been converging on me moved towards the soldier, who was only screaming, his leg twisted.
Crunch. Crrrunch.
The sound of chewing flesh and crushing bone could be heard.
He was dead anyway.
They look gruesome and filthy, but one on one, they're nothing special.
Moving to avoid encirclement, I smashed the heads of those that approached.
I looked towards the burning forest.
The target was inside it.
'The Black Priest.'
A monster that primarily appears on the middle floors.
Its level is low, and its combat power isn't high either. But it was the kind of monster that screwed over Masters with just one special ability. Namely, Corpse Resurrection.
It raises nearby corpses, turning them into zombies.
The stronger they were in life, and the more corpses there are, the more annoying it becomes.
It could be called a tricky opponent to face in this type of mission.
However, this one also has a known strategy.
If I had to deal with thousands of corpses one by one, I would have died here.
'Take down the caster, and they all fall.'
I considered bringing Jena but ultimately decided to remain alone.
There are corpses inside the city too.
I looked up at the city wall. Edith was piercing the forehead of one with a dagger. Beside her, Party 2 was lined up, cutting down corpses rapidly.
My eyes met Dika's.
"Boss…"
I brought my index finger to my lips.
Dika went quiet as if struck dumb and nodded.
'Fear isn't inflicted.'
No one has died.
Even in this situation, they are fighting effectively.
It seems Edith's leadership is better than I thought.
Once the other three join them, they should manage fine without me.
I pushed forward, knocking down every enemy blocking my path. The target wasn't far.
"Neigh!"
A masterless horse. Corpses were swarming around it. I lunged forward and smashed the back of one's head. I swung my sword in a semi-circle, and the upper and lower bodies of five corpses were sliced diagonally apart.
Freed from the encirclement, the horse immediately turned its head to flee.
I quickly approached, grabbed the reins, and mounted. The horse struggled, trying to throw me off. I patted the horse's neck and said,
"Don't worry. I'm not going to kill you."
After a moment, the horse calmed down.
I kicked its flanks with my heels. The horse, which had been walking, began to accelerate.
To get to the forest, I had to break through thousands of corpses. I needed breakthrough power.
Fortunately, the cavalry horse was a proper warhorse, large-bodied and well-trained. A prerequisite for a warhorse is not feeling fear even before spears and swords.
Having gained sufficient momentum, the horse smashed through the corpses as it advanced.
Of course, there were obstacles to avoid.
I yanked the reins sharply to the left, turning the horse's head. An ogre's sledgehammer swept past beside us. From behind, undead wolves that had risen late charged at us.
A wolf about to bite the horse's rump took an arrow to the head and collapsed.
Looking back, I saw Jena aiming her bow from the distant wall. Each time the bowstring was drawn, another wolf tumbled.
'That kid…'
KUDATANG!
With a loud crash, the gate collapsed. The leading ogres began to enter the city. Jena scrambled down from the top of the wall.
'Wish I could split myself in two.'
The top priority is defending the Goddess statue.
If the outer wall has fallen, they need to hole up in the inner castle immediately and build barricades inside the gate. If they use their experience from the 5th floor, they should be able to hold out for a long time.
For now, I decided to stop worrying about it.
It doesn't matter how long they can hold out.
It's a matter of how quickly I can deal with the Priest.
The warhorse trampled and crushed corpses as it galloped towards the forest. Soon, we were close enough to feel the heat of the burning forest on my skin. I dismounted and patted the horse.
"Go."
"Neigh!"
The horse reared its forelegs and then disappeared towards the western plains.
Behind me, a horde of corpses eager to devour my flesh; before me, a flaming hell.
The fire raged fiercely, as if intending to consume the entire forest.
The trees near the plain were scorched black, and beyond them, branches and leaves swayed, engulfed in flames, accompanied by the crackling sound of burning leaves.
"…"
The corpses, a mix of humans and goblins, flailed towards me despite the flames right in front of them.
I uncapped a stamina potion, downed it in one go, and poured the rest over my head. Then I stepped into the flames.
"Kiaaa!"
As soon as I entered, a goblin corpse confronted me. Its entire body was burning.
I twisted aside, and it collapsed, ceasing movement, still burning.
I kept low to avoid inhaling the smoke, while still moving quickly. My skin felt scorching hot. The air was thin.
I can endure this much.
Before long, I reached the edge of the map.
An invisible wall I couldn't pass. The flames continued into the forest beyond, but this was as far as I could go.
"I know you're here."
The enemy can't pass through the wall either.
Since I didn't see it leave the forest, it must be in this confined space.
[Ding!]
[Skill Awakening!]
[Han(★)'s 'Fire Resistance' has increased to Lv. 2!]
Ignoring the skill level-up notification appearing in my vision, I let my sword hang loosely.
Just need to kill one. Just one.
[Mackin(★) falls into Panic! All stats decreased by 50%.]
[Schurn(★) falls into Fear! All stats decreased by 30%.]
The last two to join our party.
[Mackin(★) has returned to the Goddess's embrace. His fighting spirit will be remembered forever!]
[Edith(★★★) is inflicted with Bleeding. HP will decrease periodically.]
[Dika(★) falls into Fear...]
'Are they reaching their limit?'
I pushed the messages to the corner of my vision.
A black shadow moved amidst a pile of ash.
Gripping my sword, I lunged towards it. From between burning branches, a dark red arrow shot out. I blocked it with my shield.
"...!"
The projectile pierced through the iron shield as if it were tofu and penetrated my left arm.
Its combat power might be low, but that's by mid-floor standards.
Here on the lower floors, it's a different story.
A second magic arrow flew. This time aimed at my right chest.
I tried to dodge, but flames were everywhere. I bit my tongue hard, drawing blood.
[Han(★) has entered a Berserk state!]
SCREEECH!
The sword edge clashed with the magic arrow. The arrow, spinning like a drill, glanced off the sword, tore away a chunk of flesh from my shoulder, and vanished. I immediately lunged forward and dropped low. A third arrow grazed over my head.
'If I didn't have Projectile Defense, I'd be dead.'
The situation is bad.
Fire Resistance be damned, the surroundings are a sea of fire. Every breath drew acrid smoke into my lungs. Blood belatedly seeped from the hole in my pierced left arm.
[Han(★) is inflicted with Bleeding. HP will decrease periodically.]
No time.
Before my consciousness fades.
Before the party is wiped out.
"Want... to... talk..."
A grotesque voice came from deeper within the forest.
"Talk? Yeah, what about?"
"You... are... different... from... us..."
I shot up and threw my sword towards the source of the voice.
"Urk!"
I drew my dagger, my secondary weapon. And ran straight ahead.
Kiiiing!
A black arrow flew at me. I thrust out my left arm.
My left arm was torn off completely. My vision turned red.
I gripped the dagger in a reverse hold. Aimed for the face hidden under the hood.
A second black arrow pierced my right chest.
[Han(★) has entered a Near-Death state...]
THWACK!
I plunged the dagger into the hooded figure.
Pulled it out, stabbed again.
Ignoring everything, I kept stabbing.
The Black Priest, limbs trembling violently, finally stopped moving.
"...Cough."
Blood spurted from my mouth.
'Stage Clear?'
Dragging my right arm, I leaned my back against the base of a tree.
'Isn't it over?'
If not, then this is the end.
I don't know anything beyond this.
I'll probably die before the Goddess statue breaks.
[Schurn(★) has returned to the Goddess's embrace! His fighting spirit will be remembered forever!]
Dammit.
What a meaningless death.
Dragged to some unknown place just to suffer like hell and die.
Just as I was about to lose consciousness, messages appeared.
[Stage Clear!]
[Jena(★), Aaron(★), Iolca(★★★) Leveled Up!]
[Edith(★★★), Roderick(★★★), Usher(★★), Dika(★) Leveled Up!]
[Reward – 70,000G, Low-Grade Fire Attribute Stone]
[MVP - Han(★)]
[Master, congratulations on clearing the 10th Floor!]
[The Waiting Room's name is now fixed as 'Taonier'.]
[Exploration Dungeons have been unlocked. Collect rare materials, including Advent Stones!]
[There are Heroes among the Master's roster awaiting Promotion. If you have gathered the materials, combine Promotion Stones and reclaim the fragments of forgotten memories!]
Light enveloped my entire body.
I quietly closed my eyes.