Chapter 198
Episode 198
The Lord of the Dead's face twisted with pain. The silver sword protruding from his chest was imbued with a faint ashen energy.
—Shiiiik.
A dark aura flowed out from the Lord of the Dead's chest. Erich could easily discern that this was the energy that served as the source of his power.
'Since when...?'
Albrecht. Erich had been completely certain that he had been utterly annihilated. The moment a life's energy was extinguished was something that could not be deceived by any illusion.
Apparently, the Lord of the Dead had thought the same.
—How...? I definitely felt the life linked with mine go out.
Albrecht curled the corner of his mouth into a smirk. At the same time, the Lord of the Dead and Albrecht were locked in a kind of struggle for power.
'Albrecht is trying to absorb the Lord of the Dead's power.'
From a technical standpoint, it seemed that by plunging the sword into the Lord of the Dead's body, Albrecht was attempting to inject his own power and draw out strength in return.
But the power of the Lord of the Dead was so immense that, even though Albrecht had succeeded in his surprise attack, he could not extract the strength in an instant.
In theory, it was even cruder and more wasteful than absorbing a dragon's power, but it was a sure way to absorb it.
Erich slowly measured the two. Would it be advantageous to let Albrecht keep absorbing power like this?
Or would it be wiser to attack both of them right now and end them together? He could not reach an easy decision.
—Kwaargh.
The Lord of the Dead's hand slowly rose. In Erich's eyes, the Lord of the Dead should not have been able to move at all. He had been bound by a powerful ritual.
But the Lord of the Dead was able to move his hand and grabbed Albrecht's head.
—No matter what plans you have...
"Kh... kuh...!"
A desperate sound broke from Albrecht's lips. It was likely because the force with which the Lord of the Dead gripped his head became even stronger.
Both Erich and Albrecht's eyes widened in shock at the Lord of the Dead's power, which went far beyond common sense.
If one had to use a metaphor, it was as if they were watching a monster rip out an entire pillar with a steel chain.
But the moment passed, and the burning core of darkness within the Lord of the Dead began to slowly seep into the sword. The sword, now tinged with black light, brimmed with the Lord of the Dead's energy and emitted a wicked will.
It was far too much power to be contained in a single sword. Yet Albrecht desperately poured all his strength into imbuing the sword with the power of the Lord of the Dead.
Erich narrowed his eyes. How had Albrecht managed to create an illusion that deceived not only the Lord of the Dead, but even himself?
Before his awakening, perhaps he would not have noticed. But now, Erich himself was fully awakened, and if it was an illusion at the level of the old Albrecht, he could have vaguely perceived it.
However, Albrecht had managed to deceive not just Erich but the Lord of the Dead as well and get close. Erich soon discovered the answer.
'That is Albrecht, but not Albrecht.'
In Erich's expanded view, Albrecht's form could be seen completely. However, he looked noticeably different from when they had encountered each other before.
The appearance was the same, but the inside was completely different. Above all, the rituals inscribed on Albrecht's body seemed intended to bind something.
Erich scrutinized Albrecht's rituals even more deeply. His eyes, which could read divine rituals, shone all the brighter.
'An illusion?'
The "shell" of the Albrecht before him was of an illusory substance. It wasn't that he lacked a body, but that the surface of his skin was imbued with the energy of an illusion.
And the divine ritual that followed was akin to a creative spell intended to give that illusion substance. It was similar to how Erich himself forged blades of light from thin air.
As Albrecht's power of illusion reached its peak, he had created another self in the form of a doppelganger. Erich clicked his tongue at the delicacy of his ritual manipulation.
What's more, the reason his illusion had fooled even Erich and the Lord of the Dead was that his true self was closer to illusion to begin with.
—Kwachijijik!
The Lord of the Dead's grip grew even stronger. The more he did, the more the sword piercing his chest was dyed in a jet-black light.
But to Erich, the result of this battle was already clear.
If Albrecht had even a slight chance of winning... If so, then before the regression, that the bastard would not have failed in his grand invasion or failed to bring down the Watch.
—Kwachik!
"Uh, ugh...!"
The Lord of the Dead's claws dug into Albrecht's head. It looked as though it would shatter at any moment.
Soon after, the Lord of the Dead moved his withered lips.
—Your courage is admirable, but your power is pathetically weak.
Erich could see the determination in Albrecht's eyes—the unyielding will to absorb the Lord of the Dead's power no matter what.
But no matter how great his will, the Lord of the Dead's energy faltered only momentarily before regathering.
Albrecht's plan to ascend by absorbing that monster. No doubt, this was a betrayal he'd prepared for over many long years—but the reason for his failure would be that the Lord of the Dead was a being beyond such conventions.
—Kwadududuk!
Albrecht's hand holding the sword soon lost strength and fell away. The Lord of the Dead's claws, curled into a fist, pierced directly into Albrecht's brainstem; his head crumpled and drooped limply.
—Kwadangtang!
The Lord of the Dead tossed Albrecht's corpse far away with a gesture so languid it could be called bored. The pitch-black sword, now drawn out automatically, slid and fell to the earth.
Then, as if nothing had ever happened, he turned naturally back to Erich.
—Now, where were we?
The Lord of the Dead jeered at Erich. He had certainly had his energy drained by the sword, but a vast supernatural power still remained.
Erich spoke up to him.
"That's what becomes of traitors."
—That one was a schemer from the start. I never trusted him even once.
"For someone you didn't trust, it looks like you got taken pretty well."
—Is that so? I'd praise him for catching me off guard, but alas, there's no head left to pat.
The Lord of the Dead's ravaged mouth twisted upward. He seemed to be enjoying the situation.
Erich's power could not match the Lord of the Dead's, and Albrecht's ambush had come to nothing.
It was, to him, as good as a declaration of victory.
Yet the Lord of the Dead's expression suddenly changed. He seemed to now sense the white energy swirling through the air.
—... You. Was this why you bided your time so quietly?
Erich smiled lightly. The Lord of the Dead had noticed sooner than he had anticipated.
Even so, there was still enough time. The battlefield was covered with the corpses of the dead. Wandering over them were the remnants of the immortal legions, locked in fierce struggle with the coalition forces.
Soon, a colossal energy field rippled in the rear. Blue mana took form, distorting space, and a colossal wall began to reveal its grandeur.
'They're moving the Great Wall.'
It required a large number of mages, but it was worth it. Half of the mages, including the shaman, worked to suppress the absorption of dragon power.
The other half waited at the rally point until another Great Wall could be constructed.
And the moment the new Great Wall was completed, they prepared the magic for spatial transportation. To withstand the stress of long-distance teleportation, the structure had to be extremely sturdy.
Any weak point exposed during transit would be instantly shattered. Thus, it had to be strong enough to bear the strain even with people inside.
'It would have been nice to move the original Great Wall.'
But that was not an option. The farther they tried to move it, the more rapidly the mana consumption increased.
Without ten times as many mages, it was impossible. They had to build a new Great Wall.
Loaded into this new wall were reinforcements from the Empire. Once again, the Great Wall was erected upon this northern battlefield.
That was the new turn Erich had envisioned for this battle.
—Snap!
Erich flicked his finger. The white energy that clung to the advance cohort began to surge and flow toward the Great Wall.
This energy had grown far stronger than the first white aura Erich had bestowed. That was surely because those who carried Erich's energy had burned their own life force, transforming it into even greater power.
But that was not the end. The white energy that Erich spread now moved into the Great Wall. Soon, its gates opened, and the soldiers within emerged.
—Slay the dead!
—Uwooooooh!
Waves of soldiers poured forth. The warriors of the church, the lords from every region, and soldiers from the Imperial capital all showed their varied appearances.
The white aura swept over them.
—Fwoooosh!
From each soldier, a subtle white aura erupted. Empowered by the rapidly spreading energy, the soldiers charged toward the dead, brimming with indomitable morale.
The Lord of the Dead fixed his gaze on Erich.
—Do you really think this will change the outcome? I need only destroy you, who stands here.
"Is that so?"
Erich wore a faint smile. The Lord of the Dead immediately took a step back.
—Paeaeaeang!
A thick spear flashed past the king's ear. Imbued with white aura, it cut apart his dark energy as it passed, making it waver.
Those who had received Erich's white energy—among them were those who burned their very lives to wield mighty aura against the Lord of the Dead, turning their blades against him.
Erich smiled with satisfaction.
Though this journey had begun alone,
In the end, he was no longer alone.