OBT 32

chapter 32

Clairvoyance (2)

Linda and Nekamo peered down at the street through the half-broken, dangling second-floor window.

A skeleton soldier wielding an axe was limping about, searching for them.

“I don’t get why that thing keeps chasing us.”

“You smashed its kneecap with a stone, remember, Father?”

“That thing isn’t human. Do you really think it’s hunting us down out of revenge?”

“I think it instinctively targets those who’ve provoked hostility in it,” Linda whispered.

But when the axe-wielding skeleton below suddenly jerked its head up toward the second floor, Linda quickly ducked her head.

“Too late. It noticed.”

Nekamo’s face hardened as he stood, gripping his cracked shield. A deep axe mark marred its center.

If that axe struck again, his shield would surely shatter in two.

“I’ll go down and draw it away. You use that chance to escape.”

“Go alone? No. We’ll fight together.”

In Linda’s hand was the shard of a silver sword, wrapped in leather for grip.

It was part of the blade Josh had broken—she had kept it, just in case they needed to fight.

“If we combine our strength, we might actually kill that monster. Don’t lose heart, Father.”

“Listen to me!”

“I’m the one who brought you into this dungeon. I’ll take responsibility.”

Nekamo let out a long sigh at his daughter’s determined tone.

They had underestimated the dungeon. They should have thought and acted more cautiously.

“Alright, we’ll fight together. We’ve got to survive this cursed place.”

Even in the grim moment, father and daughter exchanged a faint smile.

Both knew the truth: escaping the dungeon on their own power would be nearly impossible.

But they didn’t want their last moments to be marked by sorrow. Their lives still belonged to them.

“There will only be one chance. While I block its axe, you must strike it with that silver shard.”

But as Nekamo stepped outside, his heart sank.

Not only the axe-wielding skeleton—other skeletal soldiers were wandering the street.

They emerged from the alleys, weapons swinging, closing in.

Two more burst from the back alleys.

And even atop the slanted roof of the house they’d stayed in moments ago, an undead monster had somehow crawled up, glaring down with burning red eyes.

They were completely surrounded.

“Damn it. Looks like this really is the end. You know I love you, don’t you?” Nekamo growled, eyes locked on the encroaching undead.

“I know.”

“Then we should at least take one of them with us. What do you say?”

“I agree.”

Linda showed no fear.

Perhaps because she’d grown up witnessing patients’ deaths and despair firsthand, she had learned early what death was.

Still, she briefly thought of the young lord.

‘Even without me, he’ll continue his studies well enough…’

Kyaaaa!

The axe-wielding skeleton roared and lunged.

“You bastard!”

Nekamo threw his full strength into blocking the downward swing.

Clang!

The axe smashed through the shield with a deafening crack, halting just short of splitting Nekamo’s forehead.

Shaking violently, Nekamo held the embedded axe fast in the ruined shield.

At that moment, Linda’s shard flashed—slashing across the skeleton’s ankle.

Slice!

A sharp sound rang out as fire burst from the cut ankle of the skeleton.

Kyaaaa!!

Enraged, it abandoned the axe and seized Linda by the throat.

Her feet dangled in the air, her face turning pale as a sheet.

“You… burn… and vanish soon.”

Her hand darted once more—slashing between its ribs.

Fwoosh!

Flames erupted, engulfing the skeleton soldier, licking dangerously close to Linda still in its grasp.

“Let her go!”

Staggering upright, Nekamo ripped the axe free from his ruined shield and swung with all his might—knocking the flaming undead back.

Boom!

It flew backward, then crumbled to ashes midair, scattering into the wind.

“Haa… haa… Linda! Are you alright?”

Exhausted, Nekamo dropped the axe and crawled to his daughter.

She lay unconscious on the ground.

Clutching her tightly, Nekamo swung the silver shard wildly into the air.

But his arms had no strength left.

The surrounding skeletons only bared their fangs in mocking laughter.

“Damn it all!”

Shielding his daughter with his whole body, Nekamo awaited death.

‘So I die without even spending the money I saved up…’

At the brink of death, his mind wandered absurdly to the stash of coins hidden in their home.

‘I hope no one finds it. Took me years to save.’

Tears fell onto his daughter’s forehead.

‘Sorry, my child. That money was meant for you.’

As he sobbed, something felt strange.

By now, his body should have been hacked apart by swords and axes.

But silence lingered.

He raised his head slightly.

The undead that had surrounded them were now charging off in another direction, frenzied.

‘What’s going on?’

Then, piercing high-pitched sounds rang in his ears.

Fweeee! Fweeeeee!

‘That sound… could it be?’

He looked up.

High above, nearly reaching the crimson moon, several fire arrows shot skyward, emitting the piercing noise.

“Signal arrows!”

He remembered seeing the castle guards practicing with them.

The undead seemed to be chasing after that sound.

Staring dazedly at the fire arrows, Nekamo whispered with hope on his face:

“Linda… we might live after all.”

He quickly hoisted his unconscious daughter onto his back and followed the direction of the arrows.

At the village entrance, chaos raged like a battlefield.

The skeleton soldiers, once dozens, had swelled into hundreds.

The guards fought bravely, but injuries mounted and the ground was slick with blood.

‘Too many. Far too many.’

At the overwhelming numbers, Ian’s gaze sharpened. He ordered Rondo:

“Rondo, we fight too. Follow me.”

“My lord! You mustn’t join the battle!”

Rondo stretched out his arm to block him.

But Ian had already slipped past, standing in the thick of battle.

‘When did he—?!’

Startled, Rondo rallied the unused guards—those who had been holding back to protect the lord—and rushed after him.

“My lord! Please, just wait there a moment!”

“If you want me to live, then fight! That’s an order!”

Drawing his silver sword, Ian warped through the horde, slashing swiftly.

Everywhere he passed, skeletons erupted into flames and cracked apart.

Kyaaaa!

He ducked beneath a skeleton’s blade, then spun and cut straight from skull to groin.

The split monster vanished with a bang.

—So you finally show your true power. Desperate, are we?

Blanzorre’s voice circled him.

“Who cares? We’re all about to die. Do you know how much it costs to train new elites?” Ian muttered under his breath.

Then a sudden burning sensation on his shoulder. He turned—

A skeleton stood there, bloodied sword in hand.

“You bastard! That hurts like hell!”

Warping behind it in a blink, Ian drove his silver blade through its skull.

“Now I’m bleeding because of you!”

—How is that my fault? It’s your own lack of skill.

“What good is an Emperor’s Guard Captain if you’re useless in a fight?”

Even as he spat words, Ian never stopped moving.

In the chaotic melee of hundreds, his warp strikes were devastating.

“Harmond! Is that really the lord fighting? Am I seeing right?!”

Harmond, cutting down a skeleton diagonally, shouted at Rondo.

“Who else would it be?!”

Rondo spun his dual silver swords like windmills, clearing several enemies at once.

‘He fights without fear… When did he gain such skill?’

Harmond couldn’t take his eyes off Ian, but soon forced himself back into the fray, yelling:

“Everyone, take heart! The lord himself fights beside us!”

The battle reached its climax.

Elite soldiers, trained to their peak, fought with savage ferocity, smashing undead with merciless silver steel.

The wounded gathered in circles, forming defensive perimeters while resisting the oncoming tide.

Had the undead been human, the rivers of blood would have been unthinkable.

‘The end is in sight.’

Ian’s eyes brightened at the dwindling number of enemies.

No more endless waves poured in.

Only a few remained, and they would soon be cut down by the furious guards.

“My lord, are you alright?!”

Rondo, swords dripping, finally noticed Ian’s bleeding shoulder.

“It’s nothing serious. Just grazed.”

“My failure, my lord.”

“Forget it. Injuries happen in battle. More importantly, I don’t see Linda or Nekamo. Quite some time has passed.”

“I’ll send soldiers to search the village once this fight is over.”

Ian stared at the village quietly.

The soldiers were exhausted, many injured. Sending them in immediately would be reckless.

And there could still be more monsters lurking inside.

They needed time to regroup.

“No, for now let’s—”

—Look up.

Blanzorre’s sudden voice cut him off. Ian lifted his gaze.

Against the crimson moon, a shadow floated in the sky.

It was still far away, but drawing closer quickly.