Episode 116
Hissss!
The train bound for Argos let out a long plume of steam.
Zeke settled into his private compartment and began reviewing the documents Kay had sent him. It was a report from the Syndicate investigating the disappearance of Gollin.
As he read, Zeke’s expression turned incredulous.
“He went up to the Giant Mountains to create a new piece, but the last place he was heard from was near the Barbarians’ territory?”
The Barbarians were known for their insular culture, living only among themselves and killing any outsiders who dared to approach their land.
If Gollin had indeed been killed by the Barbarians, it would be a significant problem.
“Hmm, since the mission is a search rather than a rescue, maybe finding his body will suffice.”
Zeke clicked his tongue at Gollin’s reckless audacity when suddenly, the door to his compartment swung open.
Zeke instinctively reached for the dagger hidden in his coat.
“Wait, wait! It’s me!”
The intruder was none other than Kay.
Zeke relaxed, sheathing his dagger, and asked the perspiring Kay, “Kay, what are you doing here?”
Kay shrugged off her coat, revealing the low-cut dress she always wore. She sat across from Zeke, crossing her legs and lighting a cigarette.
“Do you know what was in that secure box you gave me?”
Zeke shook his head. “No, if I knew, I wouldn’t have sent it to you.”
Kay grumbled as she pulled out a report. “Take a look.”
As Zeke flipped through the pages, his brow furrowed.
“This is… serious.”
The documents detailed not only experiments injecting monster blood into humans but also the creation of chimeras by combining humans and monsters.
Such alchemical magic was the darkest of dark arts, forbidden above all else.
The Empire had crossed this line, conducting experiments to create war machines by turning humans into chimeras. The report also mentioned the abduction of various beastfolk and other races for these experiments.
“This is madness.”
Kay nodded in agreement. “So, what are you going to do about it? If this gets out, the Empire will be in chaos.”
Zeke shook his head. “The Empire will deny everything. The ruins where the experiments took place have all collapsed, leaving no evidence.”
“Even with the documents?”
“You don’t know the Rom Empire. They’ll deny anything that doesn’t suit them. Even if undeniable evidence surfaces, they’ll just scapegoat someone, probably claiming it was a rogue mage’s doing.”
Zeke had witnessed the Empire’s atrocities in his past life. When they brought down Atlas, they claimed to be deploying peacekeepers to capture rebels threatening the citizens. Yet, those so-called peacekeepers massacred over half of Atlas’s population.
Brave journalists presented evidence of the massacre, but Morgan shamelessly declared it was the rebels’ doing before the peacekeepers arrived. Despite the journalist’s relentless exposure of the Empire’s crimes, it was all in vain. One day, the journalist died in a mysterious accident. Rumors of the Empire’s involvement were rampant, but no one dared speak them aloud.
Zeke pondered over the documents, focusing on the experiments involving beastfolk. If he sent this information to the Song of the Crouching Flame, who were leading the Western Rebellion for beastfolk freedom, it could bolster their cause.
“I should meet with the Song of the Crouching Flame soon.”
Handing the documents back to Kay, Zeke said, “At least we know the Empire is spiraling into madness. Have you found anything about this ‘Abyss’ place?”
Kay shook her head. “I’ve scoured the dark mage clans, but there’s no mention of an Abyss with the Book of the Dead.”
“Even the Syndicate’s network can’t reach them…”
“I’ll keep looking. What about the Empire’s experiment documents?”
“Let’s hold onto them for now. We need to set a trap that leaves them no room to escape.”
Kay gathered the documents and stood up. “You’re the boss, so I’ll follow your orders. But remember, even if you think you’re acting alone, your risks aren’t yours alone.”
Zeke grinned. “Hearing you say that brings back memories.”
“Memories? Of when?”
Zeke realized he was recalling Kay from his past life. “Oh, nothing.”
“You’re no fun. Finish your mission well. When you return to Atlas, we’ll have a welcome-back party with Senior Fainan.”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
Shortly after Kay left the compartment, the train began its journey.
Zeke closed his eyes briefly, then opened them and took out a watch from his inner pocket. It was the only keepsake from his mother, the Chronos watch. Lost in thought, he gazed at it.
Upon arriving in Argos, Zeke stowed away his Drake armor in his inventory and donned the attire of a typical mercenary. With his Zeke Murray identification in hand, he headed to the adventurers’ guild.
The guild building, usually bustling with adventurers seeking dungeon permits, was oddly quiet.
Zeke approached a staff member engrossed in a crossword puzzle. “Why is it so empty here?”
The staff member looked up and clicked his tongue. “Haven’t you heard? Monster Alert Level 3 has been issued.”
Level 3 meant high-risk monsters were appearing in the mountains.
Zeke, puzzled, asked, “Level 3? Are there ogres roaming around?”
“Not just ogres. There are orcs, and even cyclopes have been spotted.”
Cyclopes were fiercer and stronger than ogres, but they were rare outside deep dungeons.
Zeke sensed something was amiss in the Giant Mountains.
“Could it be because those hunting dogs were poking around the mountains?”
The hunting dogs Zeke had encountered in the Kaishir dungeon had all been torn apart by the Barbarians. Perhaps other hunting dogs had stirred up the mountains, but Zeke felt there was more to it.
With a Level 3 alert, even the regular carriages to the base camp wouldn’t be running. He’d have to make the journey to the Barbarians’ territory alone.
“Well, I have enough water and food in my inventory, so I might as well head up now.”
With plenty of monsters around, he could replenish his energy through his gluttony ability, so it wasn’t a major concern.
Resolute, Zeke began his ascent of the Giant Mountains.
It wasn’t long before he understood why the Level 3 alert had been issued.
“Why are there gnolls at the mountain’s entrance?”
Gnolls, baring their sharp teeth, charged at Zeke.
Whoosh!
Zeke deftly dodged their attacks and swung Bahamut.
Slash!
The gnolls were sliced into pieces, scattering across the ground.
[You have defeated a wild gnoll. You gain 5 Karma Points.]
Zeke noticed that as he grew stronger, the points he earned from defeating monsters decreased.
“Still, every little bit helps.”
Recalling the saying “many a little makes a mickle,” Zeke continued to dispatch the swarming monsters.
As he climbed the mountain, Zeke sensed movement ahead.
“Aaahhh!”
Hearing a scream, Zeke cloaked himself in stealth and approached the source of the commotion.
From a vantage point in a tree, he observed a party of adventurers surrounded by a horde of monsters.
Thwack!
An archer loosed arrows at the monsters, while a mage created barriers to block their advance. A swordsman pushed back the approaching monsters, striking at their vital points. Another mage cast long-range spells to keep distant monsters at bay.
They seemed to be seasoned adventurers, adept in combat. But the sheer number of monsters was overwhelming.
Zeke tilted his head, puzzled by the sight of the monsters attacking the adventurers.
“What is this? Orcs, gnolls, and even a minotaur? Why are different species of monsters working together?”
Orcs and gnolls were not on friendly terms, often clashing due to their similar habitats and environments. Yet here they were, cooperating, with a minotaur supporting them from behind. Even with all his experience, Zeke had never seen anything like it.
He activated his dragon’s eye to survey the area.
When such strange occurrences happened, a dark mage was usually involved.
Through his dragon’s eye, Zeke detected an unusual aura emanating from a cave nearby.
He immediately dashed toward the cave.
Whoosh!
As Zeke entered the cave, gargoyles guarding the entrance lunged at him.
Screech!
With skin as hard as stone, gargoyles were a nightmare for adventurers, as neither swords nor magic could easily harm them.
But for Zeke, they posed no threat.
Slice—
Bahamut cleaved through a gargoyle’s head in one swift motion.
A figure in a black robe, witnessing this from the shadows, retreated in shock.
『A reinforced gargoyle, taken down so easily…?』
Zeke sensed something off about the robed figure.
“Doesn’t seem like just any necromancer… A lich, perhaps.”
A high-ranking dark sorcerer who turns themselves into an undead to extend their life—a forbidden art.
As a lich, the sorcerer gains the ability to wield even more powerful dark magic, at the cost of becoming undead.
The lich pointed a bony finger at Zeke.
“Curse you, meddling adventurers! Leave this place at once!”
Suddenly, skeletons crafted from monster bones rose from the ground.
With a chilling screech, they charged at Zeke.
But as soon as they met Zeke’s blade, they crumbled to dust in an instant.
The lich was taken aback, watching Zeke effortlessly destroy the monster skeletons, which were far stronger than ordinary ones.
“You… you’re no mere adventurer. A knight, are you?”
“Do I really need to spell it out for you?”
Zeke clicked his tongue and rushed toward the lich.
Swish!
Bahamut sliced through the lich’s arm.
From the severed limb, black smoke billowed out.
The smoke coalesced, and soon the lich’s skeletal arm regenerated.
The lich glared at Zeke.
“Arrogant knight. I’ll turn you into a death knight and make you serve me for eternity.”
As the lich finished speaking, black smoke enveloped its body.
The smoke transformed into sharp spears that flew toward Zeke.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Zeke, clad in dragon-scale armor, remained unscathed by the lich’s dark magic.
Then, an idea struck him.
“Could purification work on this one too?”
Zeke pulled out Agamemnon’s Mask and activated his purification skill.
A golden wave radiated from Zeke’s body.
Focusing the energy into his sword, he swung the purifying force at the lich.
Slash!
The golden aura clashed with the black smoke surrounding the lich.
Sizzle!
“Aaargh!”
As the purifying energy touched it, the smoke turned to ash and scattered.
The lich writhed in agony, trembling all over.
“Not bad,” Zeke mused, deciding to try a soul-binding technique as well.
With a swift motion, chains shot out from Zeke’s arm, wrapping around the lich.
“Gah!”
Bound by the chains, the lich was immobilized.
As Zeke approached, the lich quivered and pleaded.
“Spare me, please!”
“Spare you? Aren’t you already dead, being a lich and all?”
“Well, it’s… a bit more complicated than that.”
“Complicated or not, I see no reason to let you live.”
Capturing a high-magic undead like the lich would earn Zeke significant points.
Without hesitation, Zeke brought the golden aura closer.
“Nooo!”
Sensing imminent destruction, the lich cried out desperately.
“My lord! Spare me, and I’ll give you treasure!”