Chapter 646
「Kukakakakaka――! I never thought I'd see you in a place like this!」
What did it mean?
That statement now. It was as if it knew Fran...
「?」
Of course, there was no way Fran could remember what I couldn't. She tilted her head in confusion.
「Who?」
「It's no wonder you don't know. Even I don't actually know you myself!」
Did it know Fran from someone else then?
I appraised the undead in front of me for the time being. However, for the first time in a long time, my appraisal was working well and showed me all of its status and skills. In the past, even though I had the Heavenly Eye, my appraisals couldn't get through at all because they were either super high ranking beings, clothed in evil spirits, or were spirits.
Name: Nameless
Race: Demi Lich: Ghost: Magic Beast Lv52
HP: 1932
MP: 1298
STR: 1869
RES: 444
AGI: 810
INT: 303
DEX: 810
Magic: 600
[Skill]
Quick Chanting: Lv6, Hatred Barrier: Lv3, Hatred Manipulation: Lv8, Panic: Lv2, Terror: Lv2, Fist Saint Technique: Lv5, Fist Saint Skill: Lv7, Fist Fighting: LvMax, Herculean Strength: Lv7, Regeneration: Lv8, Explosive Power Output: Lv9, Ghost Control: Lv3, Ghost Manipulation: LvMax, Necromancy: LvMax, Mental Derangement Resistance: Lv4, Irregular Fighting Style: Lv8, Magic Resistance: Lv7, Magic Detection: Lv6, Magic Release, Lv5, Underworld Magic: Lv3, Dark Magic: Lv4, Hatred, Bone Body Transformation, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Vibration Control, Ghost Control, Ghost Rampage, Magic Control.
[Unique Skill]
Hatred Absorption, Marker of Hades
[Title]
Commander of the Black Skeleton Army, King of the Dead
[Equipment]
Three Linked Magic Stone Staffs, Rotten Dragon's Glove, Lord of the Great Tomb's Glove, Circlet of Hatred Sealing, Ring of Purification Resistance, Bracelet of Purification Resistance, Hatred Ball.
『Fran! This undead is strong!』
(Really strong?)
『Yeah. It has a threat level of B or higher on its own. Moreover, it's a necromancer on par with Jean!』
In terms of overall threat level, it could have been an A. It was not as strong as the Lich we fought on the Floating Island, but it's certainly stronger than the Legendary Skeleton under his command.
「Are you Zelyse's subordinate?」
「You think I work for this guy? What kind of nonsense is that? I am the commander of the Black Skeleton Army! I'm only lending him my strength this time because of the Duke's insistence!」
「The Black Skeleton Army?」
「That's right. The most powerful army ever created in the Kingdom of Raidos! A name that will even replace the Red Knights and become a legend!」
「And you're the commander of that army?」
「Yes. I am Nameless, the King of the Dead! Remember me! No, you're going to die here though. So how can you possibly remember that?」
「Muh」
Luckily, this guy was as stupid as Zelyse. Without needing to be provoked, it leaked a lot of information itself.
「Is The Black Skeleton Army a force of undead?」
「That's right! The mightiest army of the mightiest undead created by my secret arts! I'll have that damned necromancer bled to death in our next battle!」
In other words, the Wight King and the other undead we've encountered were created by this undead using its Underworld Magic? But considering its magic and skill set, it may not be impossible.
What it meant by 'that damned necromancer' must have been Jean. Well, he was like a natural enemy to the Kingdom of Raidos, so it was only natural for them to take measures against him.
In fact, it had the strength to be on even ground with him.
「Kukakaka! If you surrender right now, I'll kill you in an instant so that you don't suffer, and then I'll make you one of my minions――well, that's what I'd say if you were an ordinary person though...」
「!!」
The Demi Lich released a tremendous killing intent that even made Fran brace herself. It wasn't just killing intent. It was a mixture of anger, hatred, and resentment that made Fran's skin crawl.
It was said that a ghost was born out of resentment and harboring hatred for the living. But this seems to be more than just that. Obviously, it has its thoughts about Fran.
「You're the only one I'm going to kill here. I somehow feel obliged to do so...」
「Why?」
「That being is screaming inside of me」
「?」
「The grudge of the Emperor of the Dead――the grudge of the Lich which has become a part of me is screaming at me to kill you! You will return the favor you owed to him on the floating island!」
The Demi Lich――Nameless, covered its white skull with its right hand, which looked like a withered branch as if to grasp it.
It is a gesture that made it look like a grieving tragic hero, but that didn't seem to be the reason. Rather, it seemed to be an act of suppressing the rage that could explode at any moment.
As proof of this, all kinds of negative emotions seemed to be leaking out of the hollow eyes that peeped out from between its thin fingers.
「Lich? Do you mean the Lich from that time?」
「Kukakaka! I'm talking about the dungeon master who perished on the Floating Island, the one who was originally an experimental subject for the Kingdom of Raidos!」
Oi oi, Seriously? I did think of some connection between the Lich and Demi Lich, as it was related to the Kingdom of Raidos. But I never thought that Lich actually has a direct connection with the Raidos Kingdom!
「I am grateful to you. Thanks to you, I was able to recover the fragment of the Lich's hatred!」
If you ask me, I think they might actually look alike. Well, I guess it's only natural that they look alike since they are both skeletons.
However, the atmosphere they wore and the way they spoke were also very similar.
「I was created by taking in the fragment of that Lich's hatred that was recovered from the ruins of the Floating Island! The faint remnants of that Lich's memory tell me that you are my enemy!」
I see. If this undead inherited the memory and hatred of that Lich, it would certainly have a motive to resent Fran.
「That's why! You'll die here!」
The Demi Lich who shouted so came charging at us with great speed.
「Woof!」
「Guh! Don't run away!」
『Let's leave this place quickly!』
「Woof!」
「Hey, Wait a minute!」
Nameless seemed to be strong in melee combat, but it was more suited to be a commander. And as expected, it could not compete with Urushi in a chase and win.
However, there were two opponents this time. Zelyse blocked Urushi's path as he tried to escape. Even if his combat power was not as strong as Nameless', this guy is much more dangerous than Nameless in that we would never know what he would do next.
「Urushi, do your best!」
「Woof!」
「Kukakakaka! Eat this!」
「Hey hey hey!」
Nameless struck at us while flying at high speed, and Zelyse released his magic as if he were trying to intercept us.
「Kukakakaka!」
「Grrrrr!」
Great job, Urushi! He was able to catch Nameless' fist with his paw. He also used his fangs to make up for the lack of moves and managed to strike at it. With the sound of our blows reverberating through the air, we entered a momentary stalemate.
But this seemed to be what they were waiting for. While we were being held back by Nameless, Zelyse's magic attacked us. A huge black vortex swallowed Nameless and us, and the scenery in our vision changed completely.
「Woof?」
「Eh?」
『W-what is this!?』
It was probably some kind of Dimension Gate, a way to connect space to space. Although being engulfed by it, the vortex itself was not dangerous, but the reaction of my detection has become dull.
Well, now that Fran and I are pretty weakened if Urushi couldn't detect things, there was no way we could.
However, where the hole was connected to was the most dangerous place around the lake.
In front of us, the body of the Great Magic Beast appeared. I could see the wriggling tentacles up close. The place where we were teleported was right in front of the Great Magic Beast.
The tentacles reacted to us and attacked. Could it be that they were planning to let the Great Magic Beast get rid of us!?
「Ahahaha! Sure, I'm interested in that sword, but I'm more interested in getting rid of it! It was my natural enemy after all!」
「Ugh!」
Fran glared at Zelyse, but he soon disappeared from our sight. Countless tentacles had begun to cover the surrounding of Urushi's barrier.
「Kukakaka! Just get swallowed by the great magic beast like that!」