Chapter 61 – Beache (３)

“You madman.”

Under Amalta’s blow, Kirgarf’s body had been utterly shredded.

It could no longer regenerate.

A massive hole, straight as an arrow, now ran from its head down to its groin.

“Huff… haah… huff…”

Amalta, having spent every ounce of his strength, landed and leaned on his spear, gasping for breath.

But there was a problem.

Why…

The Achievement completion message still hadn’t appeared.

That meant Kirgarf’s life hadn’t been extinguished yet.

Damn it.

This was ridiculous.

Surviving two such devastating attacks.

Even with its body reduced to a rag, it still clung to life.

What the hell are Monarchs made of…

Was this just a fraction of the power a Monarch wielded?

And the Monarch herself had said she hadn’t even fully recovered her strength yet.

[Move!]

Libre’s shout rang out then.

Right.

It had only been a short time, but his MP had recovered.

He couldn’t pour in Mana like before, but he could still use Skills.

Gijun broke into a run again.

And he unleashed a Skill toward the creature.

Strong Wind.

I’ll keep hitting you. If you heal, I’ll just hit you again.

The creature’s regeneration versus Jun’s attack power.

Which was stronger—this moment would decide it all.

Crackle-whoosh!

A Strong Wind swept toward the creature, coiling around its entire body.

Its body was sliced apart.

The creature tried to regenerate again, but another Strong Wind surged in.

Again, again, and again…

Rip! Shrr-shrr-shrr-shrrk!

The relentless gale’s terrifying cutting power had long since torn the creature to shreds.

Now, even his restored MP had run completely dry…

[Achievement Unlocked!]

“Ha, haha…”

The message finally appeared.

The Achievement notification.

That meant he’d finally taken the creature down.

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

Level-up messages followed in succession.

And then…

[Achievement Reward Acquired!]

[Harpoon of Annihilation]

-One-time Use Item

-When infused with Magi and used to attack, it seals the target’s Magi for 10 minutes.

-Charge Rate: 0%

‘…Ah.’

At last, the Harpoon of Annihilation was in his hands.

This was exactly what the description claimed: an item that could seal Magi.

But the catch was its one-time use.

And that it needed to be charged to 100% with Magi.

‘Still, if I can seal their Magi, it’ll be useful enough.’

He’d realized it just moments ago.

From now on, he’d be fighting beings with Monarch-level power.

And that difficulty would be unimaginably harsh.

‘Beache will be no different.’

If a minion wielded this much strength, Beache went without saying.

But if he could seal the bastard’s Magi for ten minutes…

‘I’ll bring you down, no matter what.’

That was Jun’s resolve.

He turned his gaze toward the fortress.

Still, the creature hadn’t shown itself.

‘Is that a display of confidence?’

If it had appeared while he was fighting its minion, the battle could’ve been far harder.

“Hoooh…”

Jun let out a long breath.

By then, Amalta, who had recovered a bit of Stamina, approached him as well.

“Shocking, truly.”

“Yeah. Just how many stronger bastards do we have to take down from here on out?”

“Give up if you wish. I’ll carry on the fight alone.”

“That’s nonsense.”

[Right. Do you see my master as a man who’d give up that easily?]

“….”

Amalta shot Libre a hurt look.

[Still, well done. As my servant, seeing you give your all was a fine sight.]

“R-really?”

[Of course.]

At Libre’s single word, Amalta’s expression brightened at once.

“I’ll do my utmost, O Flame Monarch! Watch over this body!”

[I shall.]

“Wah! Hahahaha!”

Libre muttered under her breath as she watched Amalta burst into delighted laughter, as if his earlier doubts had never existed.

[A tractable one, this.]

“…Hahaha…”

*

And so Gijun and Amalta entered the fortress.

“Quiet.”

“Tell me about it.”

Silence filled the fortress’s interior—a deafening calm.

Nothing like the fierce battle still raging outside these walls.

“Feels like he’s waiting for us, doesn’t it?”

“My thoughts exactly.”

They couldn’t help but think that way.

Beache was waiting for them both.

[An insolent wretch.]

Libre grumbled, clearly displeased.

[Had I my original strength, these creatures would not dare meet my gaze.]

That was no empty boast.

But here, the problem was that Libre hadn’t regained her full power.

And the general who’d wielded the Monarch’s strength at this critical moment would be a formidable foe for Gijun and Amalta.

‘Maybe I should’ve leveled up more before coming here?’

The thought even crossed his mind.

The pace was fast, but now—as quickly as Gijun grew stronger, the enemies were ramping up just as fast.

Still, if this is a game, there has to be a farming section somewhere.

He couldn’t help wondering if he was pushing ahead too eagerly, letting enthusiasm outpace the grind.

But then—

Whirrr!

“…Huh?”

The compass began to move.

Now?

Just moments ago, it had been pointing steadily in one direction—and now it was swiveling toward somewhere entirely different.

“What’s going on?”

“No idea.”

[Wouldn’t it be wise to follow it and see?]

“Guess so.”

Gijun and Amalta exchanged a nod, then started walking toward where the compass pointed.

Where they ended up was in front of a door.

Not the General’s Chamber.

Too shabby and unimpressive to be the entrance to the General’s Chamber.

But then—

Shhhhh—

Something emerged from inside.

A ghost.

“Wha—what the hell?”

“A ghost, all of a sudden.”

But what was more shocking was—

[You came looking for me?]

The ghost spoke.

And its tone was surprisingly friendly.

“W-what are you?”

Amalta asked, and the ghost replied.

[I’m called Riri. I’m a ghost who’s been hiding in here for a very long time.]

“…And what are you doing here?”

[I’ve been waiting for you. For a very, very long time!]

“….”

Gijun couldn’t make heads or tails of any of this.

“But is it okay for you to be here? This is the General’s fortress, isn’t it!”

[You don’t need to worry about that. If you step inside this door, the General will never be able to find you.]

The fairy named Riri whirled around Gijun’s body once as she spoke.

[Come on in, quickly. You’ll definitely need my help to fight the Monarch!]

“….”

As Gijun stood there mulling it over, Libre’s voice reached him.

[Go inside. That girl named Riri is someone you can trust.]

*

Around that same time.

“…This place….”

Someone materialized in Tartaros.

“Tartaros.”

The one who now stood in Tartaros was Hera of the Saint guild.

She stepped into Tartaros backed by a groundswell of support.

A consensus had emerged among many—send Hera first into Tartaros.

That was how she’d gotten her hands on Manta’s Jewel.

So she entered Tartaros driven by ambition, but—

“…I can’t see a damn thing.”

Tartaros was nothing but an endless expanse of black, pitch-black earth and sky—completely empty.

It was a thoroughly unpleasant place.

Still, she couldn’t just turn back after being sent in with everyone’s backing.

‘First, I should at least scout the area.’

She started walking without a set direction.

Moving ought to bring something to light—a monster, an NPC, she figured.

*

“What’s this now….”

The room she’d followed the ghost into.

It was a completely different world.

Or rather—a hidden forest nestled inside the castle.

[I told you! Even the General of the Underworld can’t find you here.]

“Right. You did say that, but….”

She never imagined this would happen.

“Remarkable.”

[In any case… You are Lady Libre, are you not?]

[Yes.]

The ghost Riri and Libre seemed to know each other.

“How do you know her?”

[If my guess is correct, this child is a ghost serving the King of the Dead.]

[That’s right. I am a vassal serving the King of the Dead.]

“The King of the Dead…?”

[He was once the ruler of the Underworld. But I’d heard he was driven out by the current monarchs and disappeared. So this is where he’s been hiding.]

[Correct. My king once ruled this Underworld for ages, but he’s no longer in a position to be called king.]

“…Ah.”

Gijun hadn’t expected this backstory.

Was this place called Tartaros originally the land of these ghosts, not the monarchs?

[In any case, we too have been waiting for this day. For someone who chases the light to appear in this Underworld.]

Riri looked at Gijun as she spoke.

[Please follow me now. My king awaits you.]

With those words, Riri moved forward.

*

The place Riri led him to was deep in the forest.

It was packed with countless ghosts.

The moment Gijun arrived, they gathered as if a spectacle had appeared.

Whispers of ghosts came from all around.

Yet those sounds didn’t feel unpleasant at all.

And there, ahead, among the countless spirits, was the most striking one of all.

[Lv. ??? King of the Dead, Mahabi]

Mahabi.

Just like when he met Hamal, the level wasn’t displayed.

Then Mahabi took a step forward.

He had an appearance reminiscent of an Elf.

Androgynous in looks.

He had a look that blurred the line between man and woman, leaving it ambiguously in between.

But one thing was certain—he was breathtakingly beautiful.

[Libre.]

Mahabi greeted Libre first among them.

[I never expected to find the King of the Dead in a place like this.]

[I am ashamed to show myself like this.]

[Well, it cannot be helped. I myself am reduced to this state.]

Mahabi nodded in agreement.

[With the Ancient God fallen into slumber, it was inevitable. Yet the mere fact that you have begun this journey to gather your scattered powers, one by one… does it not already prove that the great current has been twisted?]

[Yes. You speak truly.]

Mahabi turned his gaze elsewhere.

Toward Gijun and Amalta.

[…You are the son of the Earth Monarch. And at the same time, you serve the Flame Monarch. Remarkable. A great talent indeed.]

With a single glance, Mahabi saw through Amalta entirely.

“…Ah. Th-That is so… no, yes, that is correct.”

Amalta scratched his head, flustered and at a loss.

[Do not trouble yourself. I am merely who I am—neither your liege nor your parent.]

“Ahem, hrm.”

Then Mahabi turned to Gijun.

[You who embark on a difficult journey.]

“…Yes.”

[An interesting fate you carry.]

Mahabi let those cryptic words slip.

“….”

[On the day the Monarchs drove us out, I was cast away without even a chance to resist and had to hide myself here.]

A single line steeped in regret.

But he soon composed his expression and spoke.

[Yet it was not merely a matter of being driven out.]

He reached his hand into the air.

In that instant.

With a soft hiss—

Something surged up from beneath the ground, wreathed in light.

It was a sword.

[This sword holds a fragment of my being.]

“…?”