Variable (3)
[Hoo— This is an unexpected gain.]
The inheritance wasn’t something material like money or magical equipment.
The first Undead King turned half the continent into a land of death, while the second destroyed an entire empire.
Such feats could not have been accomplished alone, no matter how powerful one was.
‘Surely, he must have had loyal subordinates.’
It was impossible to scheme against the continent with just one’s strength alone.
It was likely possible because there were those who, possessing advanced intelligence, assisted him rather than being simple-minded undead who followed orders.
‘The immortal army, spearheading the conquest of the continent in accordance with the Undead King’s will.’
The very same that once turned half the continent into a land of death became the legacy left by the Undead King to future generations.
Due to their nature, their strength only grew as wars continued.
The soldiers bravely fighting against the endless tide of corpses would become part of them once they perished.
Naturally, the leadership of the continent, including the Holy Church Order, organized a special task force to target the head directly, and after countless sacrifices, the operation succeeded.
This was the case both times the Undead King rampaged.
‘It seems the continent’s resilience is indeed remarkable. The second king was quite cautious about his own safety to avoid repeating the mistakes of his predecessor, yet he was still defeated.’
Thus, while the scale of damage inflicted on the continent was smaller with the second king, the number of strong individuals sacrificed to breach the Undead King’s defenses was much greater.
‘In any case, the forces under the Undead King were eventually left floating in the void.’
What mattered here was their whereabouts.
Most were exterminated by the enraged continent’s inhabitants, but quite a few managed to escape under the commander’s discretion.
They either hid in remote areas or created dungeons to lock themselves away.
Among those methods adopted, many chose to…
‘Seal themselves at the boundary with the Abyss.’
Somewhere on the boundary, neither above ground nor in the Abyss.
A dimensional rift drifting meaninglessly through time was hard to observe.
Back then, the countless injuries inflicted upon the dimensional walls weakened them, and being undead, this method was both the safest yet the most uncertain.
While they could evade the continent’s inhabitants, there was no guarantee of when they might awaken.
They would remain asleep until the next Undead King was born to release them.
‘But someone has accidentally opened the Abyss?’
Not just weakening the walls but actually piercing a hole through them.
[Aah— I can feel them. Those who have slumbered at the boundary. There are still quite a few left in the world…]
What remained of the previous Undead King’s will was not just simple information.
If we had to describe it, it was more akin to handing over an original contract.
Had his heart been consumed from the start, joining them would have been a natural realization; instead, having sealed it off, he was only now coming to understand.
‘At least I learned it now. In any case, even if I knew beforehand, there would have been nothing to be done until the Abyss opened.’
Though it was a bad thing that the Abyss opened, if it had, I should gather everything I can.
[…More importantly, it seems I have delayed for quite some time; I wonder if any of them are still left.]
With such a grand law affecting the continent, it wouldn’t be possible that only he noticed.
The individuals who caused this mess would surely know best, so they would have fled immediately upon achieving their goals.
‘But that doesn’t mean I can’t go check it out.’
For now, Hans needed to verify the situation directly.
He focused, tracking the flow of energy again.
Though it felt like the intense fluctuations were gone, as if consciousness had ended…
That was of no concern to him.
Hoo-oom—
In an instant, an immense black magic surged and arranged itself according to Hans’s will.
The formed mystique wrapped around him like a thick darkness.
[I hope something is still left.]
Undead King Hans headed south toward the continent.
*
Underground at the Piccaol Temple, where the Holy Sword was sealed.
Chi—
Zzap—!
‘But what’s up with this? Shouldn’t it have ended once I pulled the Holy Sword?’
For some reason, the pain scorching Heinrich’s hand and the sparks running through his body didn’t cease; they just kept coming.
He tightly gripped the Holy Sword that was still sizzling in his hand while quietly gazing at the churning Abyss.
If someone unfamiliar with the situation were to witness this sudden development, they would have been flustered, but he was already assessing the situation and considering responses.
‘It seems to be affected by the opened Abyss.’
Perhaps it was partly due to the Holy Sword’s sealing being weakened after its extraction.
The Saint’s statement that ‘the shrine alone would suffice’ was likely made without considering the circumstances of the Abyss being opened now.
Then the simplest solution would be to stick the Holy Sword back into the Abyss.
Chiiik…
At that moment, the continuous sound resonating from his palm started to die down.
The energy of the Holy Sword, which had been rampaging through his body, had also finally settled down.
《The entity has achieved conditions and gained the special skill “Blessing: Holy Sword.”》
When he opened his hands that had grimaced around the hilt, a symbol of the Holy Church Order now marked his palm like a brand.
‘The energy that entered my body has stabilized completely. It seems it was not merely a test but a process of fully accepting the Holy Sword?’
Heinrich maintained vigilance over the Abyss while inspecting “Blessing: Holy Sword.”
‘Not only can I enhance my attack power and body with the energy of the Holy Sword, but it also allows for free form transformation, and the mark on my palm has a spatial dimension function as well?’
There was no need to mention the quality as a weapon and its amplification of Holy Power.
Truly, it was an unparalleled weapon, the highest quality that no magical equipment could rival.
Such an item could not be found anywhere.
But there was no way he would forsake the Holy Sword just because of a little Abyss!
‘Not a chance. What has come to my hand is already mine.’
After all, he had come to retrieve the Holy Sword at the command of the Saint.
From the beginning, there was no way he would consider giving this up.
Moreover, with the shrine’s barrier, that level of Abyss wouldn’t have any special effect…
Gluck gluck~!
At that moment, the Abyss began to shake violently.
Even though the surrounding barrier was continuously emitting light, its size had still increased slightly from before.
And finally…
Puhak—!
Something burst out from the Abyss.
Pah-jijij—!
Simultaneously, a pure white lightning began attacking it from the surrounding barrier.
Following that, countless holy barriers activated in rapid succession.
‘As expected, the Holy Church Order isn’t that careless. They were fully prepared. But what’s that…?’
Among the rising white radiance, a single arm suddenly burst out from beyond the Abyss, writhing under the incoming attacks.
[Keugh— What is this? Why here of all places?!]
A sound like metal scraping echoed from the gap in the Abyss.
‘Huh?’
It felt strangely familiar.
[Ugh… damn it, filthy church scum. But I won’t give up that easily!]
Puhak!
As if tearing open the rift of the Abyss, another arm shot out.
Though the attacks intensified, it continued to tremble as it sought to escape.
[Hah… now that I’m back…]
Slowly, the torso began to rise.
It was a form that Heinrich knew well.
After all, just moments ago, he had been fighting that very thing.
‘The Archlich that appeared in the third trial?’
While it looked tattered in a robe and was nothing but bones, a distinct sensation remained.
Now the situation led to unexpected new information as well.
From Heinrich’s observational data, an analysis from Hans instantly emerged.
‘It’s Dwell McKane, one of the Undead King’s elite guards.’
Of those elite guards stationed around to prepare for the special task force, this one ranked approximately in the top 50. Rather than fighting directly, he had talent in commanding units, controlling countless undead to maintain the army.
[No matter what, I must get out of here… Huh?]
At that moment, Dwell emerged from the Abyss and locked eyes with Heinrich.
“…”
[…]
After a moment of silence.
Dwell, meeting Heinrich’s gaze, slowly turned his head to scan the surroundings while again inspecting Heinrich from head to toe.
The atmosphere buzzed with the Holy Church Order’s symbols and prayers, and the holy energy enveloped the space.
The incessant pressure of the holy barrier assaulted him…
And right before him stood the hero grasping the Holy Sword while looking down at him.
Surely he couldn’t forget the sword that had cut down his comrades.
His former Undead King was also defeated by that sword, forcing him to seal himself away for survival.
In hopes for the future.
Yet he had just met the very hero at that moment he attempted to escape the boundary he had long awaited.
[…This is just a miserable situation…]
Dwell had no choice but to feel dejected.
As he was stuck between a rock and a hard place, Heinrich silently observed him while sorting his thoughts.
‘Did he get sucked up because the opened Abyss affected his drifting through the boundary? The fact that he appeared in the trial meant the Holy Sword must have read some information about him floating nearby?’
Moreover, his circumstances were incredibly unfortunate.
While escaping naturally from the boundary was beneficial, the place he popped out was right in the middle of the temple where the Holy Sword was sealed.
Even if he were to escape this location by some stroke of luck, surely he would have been obliterated before taking a single step outside.
The temple was fundamentally such a place.
[Ugh… damn it! Why won’t I get back in?!]
At that moment, Dwell, warily glancing at Heinrich, tried to quickly retreat back into the gap, letting out a groan of despair.
Judging that the situation was dire, he chose to prefer sealing himself again, but that attempt failed utterly.
Due to the force pulling him upward from below, the path from which he emerged had now become a one-way street.
He was truly trapped with no way out.
‘Regrettably, it seems I must deal with you here.’
Though it was unfortunate to handle a possible subordinate of Hans, it was unavoidable in the current situation.
Even if he let him go, he would not escape this place and would end up dealt with anyway, so it was better to finish it off himself.
‘Hm? What’s that?’
Just as Heinrich was about to grasp the Holy Sword to deal with him, something familiar caught his eye peeking out from the Archlich’s robe.
It was something he had seen once before.
The core of the Archlich he had once destroyed.
‘Well, it’s likely he summoned his core and hid it in the boundary. Otherwise, there would be no point in hiding. …Wait a second, if that’s the case…’
Recognizing the core brought forth a brilliant idea.
With a meaningful smile, Heinrich approached and slowly lifted his sword.
With the “Weight Increase” blessing, a tidal wave of Holy Power surged into the Holy Sword, and the blessings of “Light Sword” and “Holy Sword” intertwined, radiating a brilliant golden light along the blade.
And then…
He charged at Dwell, brandishing the sword.
[Cursed slave of the Holy God…! You think you can end me so easily?!]
Of course, he would not simply take it lying down; dark magic surged from his body, but the situation was extremely different from the trial.
Pah-jijij—!
In the temple’s core, where he could not summon any undead, the power of the holy barriers rushed in from all directions, mercilessly gnawing at him.
Having just been freed from his seal with an incomplete body and having acquired the Holy Sword, Heinrich effortlessly sliced through his dark magic like it was straw…
[…Keugh! Damn—!]
Ultimately, he could offer no resistance and was enveloped in sacred flames, reducing him to a pile of ashes.
Leaving behind only his core.
“Let’s see here…”
Heinrich slowly stepped forward, picked up the core laying on the ground, which was puffing out smoke.
Left to its own devices, it would naturally perish from the power of this space, let alone reanimating.
Woo-ooong…
But that wasn’t Heinrich’s intention.
He recalled the knowledge he had just gained and drew upon his Holy Power.
By applying the techniques of Holy Power manipulation included in the “Rozia Holy Combat Technique,” he then used the “Auterica Holy Law”—
‘…Done. As expected, the seniors are incredible.’
And thus, he was able to ‘seal’ the Archlich’s core.
Thanks to the know-how from the “Rozia Holy Combat Technique” made for dealing with entities that could not be killed outright.
Heinrich examined the now solidified core, without a trace of dark magic escaping, and placed it directly into the palm of his ‘Saint Mark.’
‘Though it’s not very large, this spatial dimension can hold more than just the Holy Sword. This could make a lovely gift for Hans.’
Gifts exchanged can sprout feelings.
Heinrich nodded with a satisfied smile.
The fact that they both belonged to him wasn’t what mattered right now.
It was a matter of emotion.
