In dealing with undead monsters, ordinary weapons are ineffective. The best approach is to use weapons blessed by a priest or imbued with divine power—silver weapons being a prime example. Alternatively, weapons infused with magic can also inflict some damage.
Inside the Blue Mountains, an eerie silence prevailed. The only sound was the rustling of grass under our feet. Occasionally, a chilling wail echoed in the distance, but thanks to Go Yeon-ju’s advice, we all ignored it. To be drawn to those cries would mean an inevitable encounter with a banshee.
“Huff… huff…”
An Sol was already breathing heavily. Despite our deliberate slow pace, she seemed more affected by the oppressive atmosphere than the others. She would occasionally stop, as if sensing an inexplicable unease.
“I can’t believe it. Is this really the same Blue Mountains we saw from outside? How can the atmosphere change so drastically in an instant?”
“The presence of undead alone is enough to guess. This place is cursed. With every step, it feels like malice and resentment are pressing in. It’s ominous,” Go Yeon-ju replied, her voice tinged with discomfort.
Vivian clicked her tongue, clearly displeased. At least the two of them could still manage a conversation; the rest of the group was likely experiencing the same unease as An Sol. The atmosphere here was on a different level compared to the ruins we had explored before.
In my first expedition, our caravan managed to enter the Cave of Screams thanks to the sacrifice of a leading archer. The caravan leader back then was a hot-headed but skilled user. His efforts allowed us to reach the cave’s deepest chamber.
However, upon entering that final room, we encountered a nightmare. The leader, who had always led us with fervor, was torn apart, and the rest of us fled in terror, unable to resist. Nearly half of us were lost to the creature’s pursuit before we finally escaped the cave. Not that the outside was much safer.
“Brother, it’s dangerous,” An Sol warned, her face tense as she stopped in her tracks. Remarkably, she had a knack for sensing impending danger. I patted her trembling head and raised my right hand, signaling everyone to prepare for battle.
“User Kim Soo-hyun, this isn’t good. It’s not a banshee, but I hear a rhythmic thumping and a rustling sound,” Go Yeon-ju reported.
“A death knight, or maybe a lich. Worst case, both could appear.”
“Let’s hope not. A lich is even trickier than a banshee. Named monsters already? What is wrong with this mountain?”
“This is my first time here too. I don’t know everything,” I replied, feigning ignorance.
“Ugh, you’re impossible,” Go Yeon-ju grumbled, shaking her head. I pondered our options: confront or evade. Fighting wasn’t the issue; the noise of battle was. The area was already teeming with creatures sensitive to our presence. A loud fight could quickly lead to us being surrounded, possibly by banshees or worse.
Yet, I was even less inclined to run. While we had to consider all possibilities, encountering both a death knight and a lich at once was rare. Even if they did appear…
I made up my mind and began to move forward cautiously. This could be more dangerous than any foe we’d faced before. If Go Yeon-ju’s prediction was right and both a death knight and a lich appeared, we couldn’t afford to be complacent. The only solution was to swiftly defeat the undead before others could converge on us.
After about five minutes of careful walking, I heard Sol gasp. Ahead, through the dense trees, a sinister procession was approaching. A quick assessment confirmed half of my expectations: no death knight, but a skeletal figure in a robe, crowned and riding a ghostly steed—a lich. Surrounding it were skeletal soldiers, clattering their teeth as they guarded their master.
There were about a dozen of them, marching in a disciplined formation. They had spotted us too, and both sides halted at a distance. The skeletons continued to rattle their bones, and An Sol nervously raised her staff.
The lich seemed to recognize me as the leader. I felt its hollow eyes, burning with a cold flame, fixate on me. Its skeletal mouth slowly opened.
<Heeeeee…>
<Haaaaaa…>
I couldn’t understand its words, but I knew they weren’t good. The armored skeletons raised their weapons, hostility clear. We had already drawn our weapons, so there was no turning back. I didn’t want to give them the chance to strike first. I steadied my sword and spoke calmly.
“High-level undead, a lich. We don’t have much time, so I’ll explain the strategy quickly. Melee users, form a defensive line with me at the front. Ranged users, provide support from the rear. User Go Yeon-ju, you’ll be our keeper. I’ll handle the lich; the skeleton soldiers will be good practice for the others.”
As I spoke quickly, the lich raised its ancient staff. Without hesitation, I gave the order to charge.
“An Hyun and Yoo Jung, flank them from the sides. Let’s go.”
I sprinted directly at the lich. The skeletal soldiers tightened their guard, and the lich aimed its free hand at me.
Sssst. Bang! Bang! Bang!
Dark orbs formed in its palm and shot towards me in rapid succession. Dark Cannon. Dodging was ideal, but I couldn’t risk the others getting hit, so I deflected them with my sword. Though expressionless, the lich seemed momentarily startled.
Reaching the lich first was inevitable. I leaped over the skeletal soldiers blocking my path, seeing the lich aiming its staff at me. Should I use a special move or leap again?
There wasn’t much time to decide. As a dark energy surged from the staff, I infused my feet with magic and vaulted into the air. Flipping over the lich, I heard Go Yeon-ju gasp in awe. She would recognize the skill level of my maneuver.
Using the momentum, I swung my sword down at the lich’s head. The lich turned translucent, its mouth opening in a grin. I matched its grin and swung harder.
Splat!
My sword cleaved the lich in two, its body dissipating like smoke. Normally, it would have reformed, but not this time. I had also sliced through its ghostly steed, causing the lich to crumble.
A lich doesn’t die unless its life vessel is destroyed, but that didn’t apply to me.
The lich’s body was in chaos. It had tried to evade my attack with a phasing spell, but I had cut through it regardless. Watching its bisected form, I snapped my fingers. Flames engulfed the lich, and I couldn’t help but whistle lightly.
It took less than eight seconds to deal with the lich. Seeing my companions staring in disbelief, I clicked my tongue and turned my sword towards the skeletal soldiers.
With the lich gone, the skeletons were no longer a threat. Despite their armor, they couldn’t withstand the combined assault of our magic users. The undead had been formidable only because the lich supported them with powerful spells. By taking out the lich first, we could easily handle the remaining skeletons.
After wrapping things up, I quickly left the scene, but I couldn’t shake off Go Yeon-ju’s gaze following me the entire way. She looked at me with a slightly exasperated expression, and I could somewhat understand how she felt.
This time, I had been a bit more serious with my opponent, but even I hadn’t expected to take down the lich so easily. It suddenly struck me that each of my abilities was like a cheat code. At least this battle confirmed one thing for me: choosing “Sword Specialist” over “Spell Sniper” at the start of my second playthrough was the right decision. No mage could stand against me.
Go Yeon-ju’s sidelong glances were because of that very fact. My recent battle had effectively halved the value of the mages in the whole plane. Unless they attacked in droves, I doubted any single mage could take me down one-on-one.
The group’s mood had lightened, if only slightly. Initially, they had been somewhat unsure of themselves, but after I took down the lich and they handled the skeletal soldiers, their confidence seemed to return.
Though we encountered a lich at the start, the two groups of undead we faced afterward didn’t include such high-level monsters. At most, there were Abyss Knights.
With that, An Sol and I agreed on a direction and continued deeper into the mountain range.
The further we went, the more undead we encountered, and we kept moving as soon as we dealt with them. After over two hours of tense battles, we finally crossed the second mountain peak, reaching our target point. I activated my Third Eye and began to calmly survey the surroundings.
The place we needed to find was a valley with a stream. The location of the “Cave of Screams” was near a stream, nestled in a valley within the mountains. As we traced the sheer cliffs of the valley, we would come across a marsh, surrounded by a circular cluster of trees and bushes.
Recalling my past memories, I descended a slightly sloped path, and soon, the faint sound of trickling water reached my ears. Following the sound and peering down, I saw the expected long, sunken terrain below. Now, all that was left was to find the narrow, oval-shaped passageway somewhere at the bottom of the valley.
“We’re entering the valley now. We’ve reached our target point, so everyone, stay alert.”
I spoke quietly to the group and then turned to An Sol. She seemed to have no objections to entering the valley, cautiously stepping down the slope.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
At last, the “Cave of Screams” has made its appearance. In the next part, we’ll be venturing inside. Thank you to everyone who has been waiting for this moment. The process of defeating monsters, acquiring items, and collecting treasures should be quite enjoyable. :D What kind of monsters and treasures await our party in the “Cave of Screams”?
And now, the results of the popularity poll. Despite excluding Go Yeon-ju, many of you still voted for her. Hang in there, Han-byeol! When the real character poll comes around, I’ll make sure you get plenty of votes. ㅜ.ㅠ
An Sol: 21 votes
Vivian: 15 votes
Go Yeon-ju: 7 votes
Kim Han-byeol: 6 votes
Lee Yoo-jung: 5 votes
Jung Ha-yeon: 5 votes
Seraph: 2 votes
Female Monkey: 1 vote
These are the current standings. Although this is just a mid-term tally, the character who ranks first in the final poll will likely receive some special treatment. Perhaps something like the “Delicious Ahihihihih” that some readers always mention (borrowing the expression from Cheon Mo-nim, with permission). Haha.
P.S. I didn’t extend the chapters just for the readers, okay? It’s just that… yes, I wanted to get to the Cave of Screams quickly. Hmph!
Your recommendations and comments are the driving force behind these extended chapters. (This is the truth.)
I always read all the comments repeatedly.
Please don’t feel too disappointed if your comment isn’t featured.
If you’re really curious about something, feel free to send me a message, and I’ll reply!
That’s all for today.
I hope you always read my work with a relaxed mind.
Favorites, recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.