#137
The Undead King’s Resurgence (1)
Just moments ago, during the meeting, the Holy Church Order had already given Prince Simon a chance to exploit them, as they had previously allowed an incursion by the Undead King.
Of course, enhancing security afterward was only natural.
Especially since this Continental Summit was more important than any other, they had employed every means available.
However.
The Holy Church Order, having suffered a significant setback before, could not afford to be unprepared for any eventualities.
‘In fact, the location where the last fragment of the Undead King was sealed was the best the Order could manage.’
They had thoroughly controlled outsiders and distorted the space, not allowing anyone to intrude for hundreds of years.
Yet now, with the Undead King having broken in even in an incomplete state, how could any preparation thwart him now that he had fully resurrected?
‘Of course, that doesn’t mean the Holy Church Order has simply sat idly by.’
They considered Hans’s power, which could “ignore all defenses and transcend space,” as an ability resembling divine might, and assumed it would be impossible to completely block his intrusion.
Thus, the Order prepared to respond to the situation immediately after any breach.
Crackle—!
Whooooom—
Just like now.
[…This is quite exhilarating. Truly, the Holy Church Order is my worthy adversary.]
In an instant, golden prayer inscriptions densely filled the walls, and multiple layers of sacred barriers activated, illuminating the surroundings brightly.
The ominous spread of black magic was suppressed, and the very presence of death’s lethal aura weakened.
Against the rising force of the Undead King, threatening to gnaw at the world, the holy energy overflowing around responded with fierce resistance.
Amidst the clash of light and darkness…
“Hannibal Strauss. Today, you shall pay the price for your arrogance.”
Heinrich, standing at the forefront as a representative of light, boldly declared, aiming his holy sword imbued with the Blessing: Radiant Blade at Hans.
While he managed to breach the obstructive barrier, this space filled with hostile energies was the worst place for the being of the arcane.
The foe he faced was not merely the hero Heinrich.
“The Undead King Hans has come here alone! If we can inflict even a little damage on him now!”
“I didn’t really think you would actually show up here. Hurry!”
Retreating, Saint Liesta shone her halo even brighter, joined by three paladins, while Archbishop Pion had also arrived on the scene.
Cardinal Cordelia had stepped back to protect the delegation in case of emergencies, but her absence did not significantly weaken their overall strength.
Strong figures were not limited to the Holy Church Order alone.
Hrrk! I thought this would just be a boring event, but here the Undead King appears in person! This will be fun!
A lion-like figure with a flowing mane and a robust physique, the representative of Wildland, beastman Lionel, revealed his beastly fangs, standing beside Heinrich.
Indeed, this aura is on a different scale than when I sensed the fragment. However, if we have the support of the sacred barrier now…
The representative of the Elven Kingdom, Laforey Greenwood, summoned spirits to form a rear position.
Of course, they were not the only ones present.
“No matter how peculiar the current Undead King might be, allowing invasion twice seems quite lax in the defenses of the shrine, doesn’t it?”
Hmm, but I don’t sense any flow of magic. He seemed to appear suddenly as if layered onto that space. Honestly, I can’t figure out how to fortify it.
A master knight from the royal family participating with Prince Simon, along with the leader of the Magic Tower Alliance.
Hrk… no wonder my forecasts have been bleak lately…
Damn, I don’t want to work for free. Can I bill the Holy Church later?
The Great Mage of the Calcos Tribal Alliance and the current Mercenary King…
Strong individuals capable of fighting were voluntarily joining the Order’s side one after another.
Even sensing the terrifying aura of the Undead King, they were at least strong enough to endure his attack temporarily.
After all, those unable to gauge their own limits likely hadn’t even attended this gathering.
Yet, even facing the world’s strongest alongside the hero and the saint in this disadvantageous environment…
Hehe… these pests have quite a swagger.
The Undead King’s demeanor remained unchanged.
Ah— I came expecting a summit to oppose me, and is this truly your best effort? Is this the level of those who claim to have reached the pinnacle of this world?
Gooo—
As his words ended, a thick darkness emerged, almost as if it were sucking in the light, gradually spreading and engulfing the surroundings.
Surely it must have been suppressed by the sacred barrier of the shrine, yet the overwhelming aura expanded unbounded, feeling almost limitless.
…Could this be the energy of the Abyss? Is he controlling this directly?
Hmm…
Hrk, this is thrilling!
The instinctively stimulating intimidation caused everyone to flinch and scowl.
Lionel, the representative beastman with particularly keen senses, found his tail involuntarily curling up.
Thud— Thud—
But they did not retreat.
No, they could not afford to back down.
Advancing slowly forward, taking on that dreadful aura head-on was…
You are misunderstanding a few things, Undead King.
How could one have any other thoughts while gazing at that large, broad back!
Oh? What is that, Hero?
With all eyes focused, the dialogue continued between both parties.
Even the powerful figures standing behind Heinrich, as well as those hiding within the safe barrier, held their breath, watching.
Firstly, our potential is by no means limited to this level.
Though it was called a summit, most in attendance were merely practitioners or responsible figures for discussions.
Of course, there was a high ratio of strong individuals, but many of those still actively engaged were not numerous.
Secondly.
The light blade resting upon his holy sword began to swell in size with the power of Blessing: Weight Increase, radiating a burning aura from his entire being.
With just us present here, we can indeed sufficiently confront you, who has weakly manifested!
Fwoosh—
In an instant, brilliance erupted forth from him.
The dark energy of the Undead King, gradually expanding, collided vehemently with it.
In the midst of the stormy, tumultuous energy, their gazes sharply crossed.
And the vivid contrast of light and darkness, of good and evil, was indelibly etched into the minds of those observing.
[…Hehe! Then I suppose I must correct a misunderstanding of my own.]
Perhaps sensing that Heinrich was no trivial opponent, the Undead King finally changed his attitude and slowly extended both hands to the sides.
The ground around him was now shrouded in a sticky, sluggish darkness…
Who said I was alone?
Clatter!
Sssss—
From within that darkness, undead beings cloaked in black energy began to rise one by one.
While they were minimizing the sacred barrier’s influence by enveloping the Abyss, their abilities were naturally not up to par.
However.
These were top-level undead, including Death Knights.
I am Karam, responding to the call of my lord.
All hail the Undead King—! May eternal fear reign in the world—!
[…Awaiting orders…]
If a few subordinates were to join him, they could become a significant force not to be underestimated.
I have swallowed the death of the Abyss, overcome it, and, at last, transcended. I am the master of death—
Even if they stood in the heart of the shrine.
—I am death itself.
*
Kurururung—!
The beam of light shot forth by the saint struck the Undead King’s defensive barrier.
With the enhancement of the sacred barrier, that attack proved more effective than anticipated, shaking the structure of black magic.
Hah!
Seizing the opportunity, the hero’s holy sword cleaved through the black barrier with a flash of light.
Not stopping there, the sword rotated for another strike, extending the blade of light…
[Hehe! Quite remarkable!]
In an instant, black hands emerged from the arcane barrier, intercepting that attack and pushing Heinrich back.
As a result, those black hands were torn to shreds, but losing the chance to capitalize on his strike was inevitable.
Yet he showed neither panic nor regret, calmly dissipating the shock with a wave of light and charging forward again.
His terrifyingly cool-headed swordsmanship, unwavering in any situation, swept towards the Undead King, now holding the considerably enlarged Light Sword.
Boom—!
In that moment, the light blade collided with the regenerated barrier.
The clash of opposing energies produced sparks that sent shockwaves radiating in all directions.
And so, as if choreographed, the intricate exchange of strikes began once more.
Lightning-fast high-tier dark magic and holy laws, along with martial arts-based combat techniques intermingled.
It was dazzling enough to lose oneself in, breathtakingly captivating, and overwhelmingly… formidable.
…
…Hah.
Those unable to join the fierce battle due to lack of skills could only stare blankly at the clashes unfolding.
As the fight continued, the ground trembled with each new shockwave.
Fortunately, thanks to the densely inscribed sacred barrier and the divine protection inherent in the shrine, the damage to the structure was not significant compared to the scale of the clashes.
Had it not been for that, despite their precautions, the site would have turned into a flat plain from the aftermath.
‘Even if the Holy God implicitly allowed this, demolishing the shrine entirely feels a bit excessive. Still, if it’s only this much, it should be fine with just some remodeling… right?’
Of course, such foresight included the invisible interventions of someone who had coordinated all situations in advance.
Having conducted on-site surveys multiple times to select the most appropriate stage and dictated how the fight should unfold from different angles alongside measures for any ensuing fallout.
As Heinrich was the overall security chief, it was not a complicated task.
In a corner of the grand hall, observing from a prime location within the barrier, Harris watched the battlefield keenly, as if he were a movie director.
‘It seems the forces are too concentrated over there; maybe I should balance it out a bit. Hm, that guy seems too excited. I should rein him in for a moment.’
The forces moved towards the confrontation area of beastman Lionel and Ghoul Lord Piona, repositioning to create a more intense and fierce battle.
The focus of these adjustments was, of course, the clash between the Undead King and the hero.
Kurururung!
Again, Heinrich, supported by the saint and cardinal, clashed with Hans, sending shockwaves all around.
Whoooom—!
The barrier shielding the delegation continued to emit rumbling sounds.
Having been constructed with sacred relics, it would not easily shatter, but the massive aftermath was impactful enough that even those within the barrier could feel its force.
Having only touched a fragment of the overwhelming shock, but still…
That chilling aura pricked at their senses, making it easy to understand why the Undead King was referred to as the “Terror of the Continent.”
Shouldn’t we move far away from here?
It’s chaos outside! How can we go out there? Without this barrier, we’d have been swept away by the aftermath, and finding any bodies would have been impossible!
Amid the escalating chaos, some were frightened, while others coolly assessed the situation and observed the outside.
Hah! To have allowed two invasions! I misjudged the Holy Church Order. Especially at such a critical gathering!
And amidst all that, Prince Simon attempted some political maneuvering, as if he had found an opportunity.
It seemed he had succeeded in creating a noteworthy impression.
‘Now for the finale. …Maybe I should sneak in a little involvement myself?’
True, Harris was not yet in a lead role.
But leaving a memorable impression as a scene stealer might not be a bad idea.
