Chapter 75
After Erich headed inside, the remaining party continued their standoff with the dead.
They drooled hungrily while looking at the living, but didn't actually attack them.
—Grrrr.
However.
Frederick and Barnes wore their discomfort blatantly, but Gustav and the other members had even more complicated expressions.
That was only natural—among the dead, they could spot the faces of their former comrades.
In the midst of this, Frederick didn't let his guard down against the dead as he spoke up.
"The boss is taking his sweet time. Are these all familiar faces to you? Not that you can tell with all those rotten mugs."
"...... Of course I know them. They were once comrades who shared both hardship and happiness with us."
"What the hell did you all do here to end up like that?"
Gustav did not answer. He only looked at his old companions, now turned into the dead, with an unreadable gaze.
Then, with a suddenly bitter tone that seemed not directed at anyone in particular, Gustav murmured.
"When the first research team arrived from the Black Citadel, 6th Fortress was in the very worst possible state."
"Worse than now?"
"Much worse. It was so awful, we had to remind ourselves daily that this place was hell. The centurions of the fortress had all been dead for some time. Those still alive were wishing they'd die today instead. The fortress commander... he's a good leader, but that alone couldn't change the course of the war."
After quietly listening, Barnes spoke up.
"... What did Joseph offer you people?"
"The blood of the dead. At first, we didn't know what it was. It was blue, so anyone with eyes could tell it was suspicious. But it was a miracle—men on the verge of death came back to life after applying or injecting it."
"When did you realize everyone using it would eventually turn into the dead?"
"... I'm not sure. But at some point, we noticed Joseph was hiding something. Turns out he was taking away members who had become monsters... That's when we became aware of the risk."
Barnes slowly looked over the other members. At last, he could understand the complex expressions they wore.
There was the grief of facing comrades already turned into the dead, mixed with the fear that they too might end up the same way at any moment—a tangle of emotions.
Then Frederick spoke.
"Tsk. It's not that I don't understand, but it's become a pain. Are all of you going to end up like that?"
"I can't say. Joseph never told us much. But we did learn: the more you use, the higher the risk."
"So you're all potential threats. That's what this means."
Frederick sharply eyed the others. The members shrank under his ferocious gaze.
Gustav glared quietly at Frederick, then relaxed his eyes.
"We know. We aren't proud of it—it was dangerous, too. But what you're worried about won't happen. We've managed it ourselves until now."
"... You mean casting them off like this?"
Frederick's gaze shifted toward the members who had become the dead. Gustav frowned, but didn't refute it.
—Step, step.
Just as a tense silence threatened to settle, footsteps echoed from afar, the cave reflecting the sound to everyone's ears.
Then the figures of Erich and Franz appeared.
Gustav's eyes widened as he saw his old comrade.
"... Franz."
"Squad leader. It's been a while."
Yet, neither Franz nor Gustav had a reunion. Erich seemed to sense that something was off in the atmosphere and let out a quiet breath.
Soon, Frederick strode forward and barked out,
"Boss! These people here, they shouldn't exist. Did you know?"
"If you mean the blood of the dead, Franz already told me."
"... What are we going to do about them?"
Frederick shot the group a murderous glare, as if to say they should be killed before they became a future threat. But Erich shook his head.
"That's something to think on slowly. There's another enemy ahead of us. The priority is them."
"Hmmm. Fair enough."
"Besides, these people may become comrades for a time. Relax those eyes."
"Comrades? Are you suggesting we fight alongside these half-made dead?"
Frederick's tone was skeptical. Franz quietly averted his gaze, but Erich pointed to the dead behind them.
"I've already confirmed their resolve. If you have complaints, save them for later."
"Didn't you used to say the only good dead are the truly dead, or something like that?"
"Did I? Well, if you're scared, you can stay a bit farther back."
Bags under Frederick's eyes darkened. Scared or not, they were walking corpses—he could only marvel at how nonchalant Erich was about it.
But regardless of what Frederick said, Erich sensed enough potential from these people. If they had been mere mindless dead, he would have cut them down on the spot...
'The resolve they've shown is far beyond that.'
It was a minimal courtesy to such indomitable resolve, and matched Erich's principle of making use of what's useful while possible.
There was no reason not to form a temporary alliance.
Besides, had they not managed to repel Joseph once already?
Erich had already secured a promise from Franz: they would cooperate until all the dead were eliminated.
Franz, partly hidden face turned toward Frederick in reassurance,
"It will be fine. None of us have shown serious abnormal signs yet."
"... You're the oddest one here."
Franz bared his teeth—a grotesque sight with his jaw stretched, but perhaps that was his version of a smile. Frederick let out a deep sigh.
"It can't be helped. If that's what the boss wants, I'll follow."
Barnes nodded as well. Erich's eyes turned to Gustav, who avoided his gaze.
However, Erich didn't take it as rejection—just resignation.
Erich glanced over the dead, then addressed the members.
"Then, let's go outside, join with the rest of the members, and take down Joseph."
With Erich at the front, the party headed out of the cave, the limping dead trailing after.
The one who had driven them all to this state—to wipe out Joseph.
***
What greeted Erich upon stepping outside were the pale, terrified faces of the remaining 900 members.
Though they'd already known the truth, it was as if he'd forced them to confront the shame they wished to ignore.
But the dead, obedient to Franz's word, didn't lay a hand on anyone. The members themselves also caused no disturbance.
Erich led them toward the assumed location of Joseph. As they marched, Erich spoke quietly to Barnes.
"Barnes, Joseph's life is yours."
"... I appreciate it, but shouldn't we interrogate him at least?"
"Interrogate him? Think he'll talk? I doubt it."
Erich smirked. He didn't expect Joseph to say much, anyway.
'His face says it all.'
People who did things like this were usually tight-lipped.
And considering how Joseph had kept the experiments on Barnes secret for so long, there was little to be gained from questioning him.
All it meant was that Joseph was the lead researcher, and he'd have to dig around the Black Citadel for those responsible. Erich continued calmly,
"I know you were subjected to horrible experiments by him. Maybe this will give you a chance to put those memories to rest."
"... Do you have similar experience, Erich?"
"Who knows? Why do you ask?"
"It just feels like you understand."
Erich chuckled. Strictly speaking, that wasn't wrong. No better way to forget horrific memories than by erasing their source—that was something he knew best.
For Erich, the most terrible memory was seeing everyone he knew die and the Great Wall burning, collapsing.
Wanting to erase the source, to shake off the past, was something both he and Barnes shared. It was understandable.
Erich responded indifferently.
"Decided to be more talkative now, have you?"
"... Not exactly."
"Hopeless fellow."
As the march continued, Erich suddenly raised his fist in the air. The signal rippled back, and everyone halted.
Frederick spoke up slowly.
"Damn... That's an awful lot."
It was as he said.
Looking ahead, Joseph seemed to have raised many dead. How he had supplied them all, Erich didn't know.
Ahead, a veritable army of nearly a thousand dead waited.
With crimson eyes shining, Erich calculated in his head.
'Most don't have experience fighting the dead. If we engage head-on, we'll take some casualties.'
The only fortunate thing was that there were no advanced entities visible. Most of them were just the walking dead.
No sign of the higher-level dead he'd once seen in the dark caverns led by Insensus, nor the likes of the death knights from before.
Gustav whispered quietly,
"Do you have another brilliant tactic this time?"
"No, nothing comes to mind."
"... Fighting off thousands on your own like last time, perhaps?"
"I could, but there's no need."
Erich thought carefully. How could they fight the dead while minimizing casualties? His gaze shifted to Franz and the dead at the rear.
"Franz, are you capable of handling a slightly more nuanced tactic?"
"... What do you mean by nuanced...?"
"Hammer and anvil. With a little twist. Can that be done with the dead?"
Franz glanced at his fellow dead, then answered quickly.
"It should be possible."
"Hmm, good. Then here's the plan."
Erich passed out orders quickly. Gustav and the others would form the front line—the anvil.
From among them, the best elites would form the key point. Erich, Frederick, and Barnes would take their place on the extreme left flank.
At the same time, the strongest members would be bunched to the left, the idea being to break the enemy's left before his own right collapsed.
The main point was Franz and his defected dead. If they joined in as the "hammer" from behind, they would strike the enemies overrunning the ally's right flank from the rear.
This way, with both flanks of the enemy crushed, they could tighten the encirclement and annihilate them.
Gustav nodded,
"... No complaints, but if anyone falls behind during the turn, couldn't we end up getting surrounded instead? Aren't you worried?"
"Aren't the forces from 6th Fortress supposed to be the elite of the Watch? You can keep up, can't you?"
The members at the rear, pleased at the unexpected praise, grinned. Everyone began arranging formations for the strategy.
The dead on the other side also began to amass into formation. But before that, Franz and the other dead slipped into the bushes at the far right edge.
Moments before both sides advanced, Erich paused to think about what to do with these people when the battle was over.
'... Whichever way, it's dangerous. Taking care of it here is safest.'
Those at risk of becoming the dead were dangerous. Even those already transformed, though not attacking now, were plenty threatening.
And Erich still had unanswered questions. Why did 6th Fortress resist so desperately?
Those pseudo-dead willing to tear their own flesh to do their duty, the members under Richter who kept fighting knowing they might end up like that.
They were ignoring humanity's most basic survival instinct. Erich had reached his conclusion already.
'They must be guarding something. But what?'
He still couldn't be sure of anything. The only thing he knew for certain:
Once the battle was won, all of these people would need to be eliminated without delay.
In such thoughts, Frederick raised a horn to his lips.
—Buuuuuu!
With that booming call, everyone advanced, boots crunching through the snow of the battlefield.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
First real battle with the dead....
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】