Chapter 43
In the darkness, Yuurai stood alone.
Whether it was just a mental landscape or reality itself, Yuurai couldn't tell.
She could feel her soul turning black, and somehow, that sensation felt comforting to her.
Everything felt meaningless, and she was in the mood to erase it all.
In her current state, she could probably do it. Maybe not erase the entire world, but at least the town of Grimoire and the nearby enemies.
'Yuurai. No. Don't lose yourself.'
Yuurai thought she heard Claire's voice. But Claire was already dead. There's no way she could hear the voice of the dead...
'If it's you, Yuurai, you should be able to hear me. You can see the souls of the dead, can't you...?'
(This voice... is it really Claire...?)
Maybe it was just an auditory hallucination. But even if it was, Yuurai wanted to cling to that voice.
(Claire...)
'Yuurai. I'm sorry I died before you. But please, don't become just a monster. You're not such a lowly being...'
Yuurai felt as if something warm was wrapping around her.
That warmth left a small part of her heart untouched by darkness.
Then, Yuurai woke up.
"...A dream, huh? But unlike that time, I still have my sanity... Is Claire protecting me...?"
It felt like waking up from a long sleep, but maybe it had only been a few seconds.
In front of Yuurai stood a man, stunned.
"W-what is this magical power!? Is she really just a Monster!?"
The heat had already left Yuurai's body. The hole in her chest was also closed.
"You... killed Lipia and Claire..."
Yuurai stood up and stared straight at the man.
"Tch. I have no choice but to retreat..."
"Die. Blade of Dar—huh?"
The moment Yuurai muttered, the man dropped dead on the spot.
"...Huh? I was about to kill him, so why is he already dead?"
Feeling puzzled, Yuurai checked her status.
Name: Filanzer (Yuurai)
Race: Dark Lich
Gender: Female
Age: 4 months
Level: ×××
Combat Power: 1,120,000
Magical Energy: 9,825,000
Skills: Dark Magic Lv.××× (Awakened), Darkness Resistance, Wisdom, Undying
Titles: Enraged Dark Witch, Demon King
(...Something's different. What is Dark Magic Lv.××× (Awakened)?)
Dark Magic Lv.××× (Awakened): Spirit Sight, Soul Extraction, Soul Devour, Marionette, Magical Remodeling, Pain Infliction, Mental Corruption, Mental Manipulation, Absorption, Undead Creation, Corruption, Deep Corruption, Blade of Darkness, Concealment, Perception Disruption, Curse, Ruler of Darkness, Servant Enhancement, Army of the Undead, Spell Word, Uro, Demon Summoning, Netherworld Summoning, Chain of Death, Soul Rebirth
"...So just saying 'die' and the enemy dies—that's the power of Spell Word. A Curse doesn't activate just by saying it. ...Wait? Soul Rebirth...?"
Undead Creation and resurrection of the dead are different. You can't revive someone who's completely dead with Undead Creation.
That's what Yuurai had believed.
But apparently, with Soul Rebirth, it's possible to bring the dead back.
However, there are conditions. A part of the dead person's body must remain, it must be within three days of death, and ten thousand humans must be sacrificed.
"Hmm... I see... That's perfect. I'll use the ones outside. But... even with that, twenty thousand isn't enough. Hm...? What's this Chain of Death...?"
Chain of Death is a spell that kills the blood relatives—parents, siblings, children—of the person you kill, all at once.
"Ah... I see. That'll be enough. Even if five thousand survived over there, twenty thousand should be easy."
Yuurai picked up the robe soaked in Lipia's blood, held Claire's corpse, and headed toward the stairs leading up the wall.
But before that, the woman still fighting Gilka was a bit of an eyesore.
"...Lucky you. Now that there's a chance Claire and the others can be revived, I'll spare you. But I'll make you suffer to death."
The woman's body suddenly swelled grotesquely, and her armor and clothes burst apart.
She turned into a mass of purplish, unidentifiable flesh, and then her limbs exploded.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts! What is thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis!?"
She became a bizarre creature, no longer identifiable as male or female, not even human anymore, and screamed.
She collapsed to the ground, writhing, her body bursting open everywhere, organs spilling out, her whole body falling apart. Yet she still seemed conscious, twitching what looked like eyes and a mouth, groaning worse than a beast.
"So noisy. Suffer quietly."
The woman's voice ceased. The squishy purple mass just crawled across the ground.
Yuurai lost interest in the thing and looked toward Gilka. Even though the battle was over, Gilka remained on guard.
"...Yuurai-sama. Um... are you conscious?"
"...Yeah, I am."
"...What are you planning to do now?"
"I'm going to resurrect Claire and Lipia. To do that, I'll kill twenty thousand people."
"T-twenty thousand... I see..."
"Gilka, are you going to stop me?"
"No... Just... I'd like you not to kill my subordinates. I couldn't protect Claire and Lipia, so I don't care what happens to me..."
Gilka, grimacing, looked at the purple mass and added, "I'd at least prefer if you only killed them quickly."
"It's okay. I won't kill you or your subordinates. You fought well, Gilka. I don't blame you. I'll only kill the ones over there."
Had she been fully consumed by darkness, Yuurai would have slaughtered everyone here.
But perhaps thanks to Claire, she could still restrain herself a little.
Yuurai slowly climbed the stairs. Gilka followed her.
Reaching the top of the wall, they looked down at the Skeletons and soldiers still fighting.
"...The Saint's protection, huh. It's a bit troublesome, but with Spell Word, I could probably kill them. Still, since I have the chance, maybe I'll..."
"Wait! What are you trying to do!?"
"...Hm?"
Behind Yuurai and the others stood two Holy Knights.
Their faces were hidden behind armor, but Yuurai recognized the voice of one of the women.