<705 – Poor Child (5)>
The second expedition to the Catacombs, started by Velvet’s colossal kick, displayed a vastly different pace of advancement compared to the first expedition, which struggled against overwhelming numbers.
“Let’s take the lead.”
One of the Four Kings of Class 980, the White Knight Roe, raised his blessed sword high, sharing the sword’s blessings with everyone.
[Blessing Broadcast]
[Undead Special Attack Power Increase Blessing]
[Ghost Special Attack Power Increase Blessing]
Seeing Roe utilizing sacred magic on his own without borrowing the power of God made Jezel’s expression stiffen among the Class 981 students.
‘Knight Roe is a devoted follower of the Faith Meta, using the power of divine execution with the help of the three benevolent deities. For him to exert combat power above a certain level without divine assistance…’
This indicated that future class competitions against Class 980 in various academy events would be challenging. The power of the sacred magic he had acquired by reinterpreting the gods’ authority was so potent that even the low-ranking class members, who were merely filling numbers, could effortlessly sweep through the undead like slicing through straw.
“Humanity could lead a cozy life due to the mercy of the gods, but just like a child leaving their parent’s embrace, there comes a time when humans must step out of divine protection and navigate a harsh world. This spell encapsulates our respect and gratitude toward the benevolent deities, growing stronger the more we seek their guidance, showing that humanity can walk the right path without them.”
“Don’t get all cocky. Everyone has advanced in their own way.”
The Illusion Stack known as Nine Lives, which lets the Four Kings of Class have up to eight extra lives stored, proved its worth in the sudden emergence of the undead ambush during the battlefield.
[Double Suicide]
[Activation Conditions: Undertake an action with the intention of exchanging lives with the enemy while risking your own life.]
[Effect: Exceedingly high increase in attack power for that action.]
[Curse of the Cat]
[Effect: Casts a potent mental breakdown curse on enemies who inflict mortal or equivalent damage to oneself.]
[Dead Cat's Eye]
[Effect: Pierces through the opponent's body and soul, being able to inflict harm upon their form with the perspective of the realm of death.]
[Magic Claw]
[Effect: Launches claw attacks forward.]
[Multi-Hand]
[Effect: Increases the number of attacks.]
[Remote Strike]
[Effect: Can inflict damage from a distance without approaching the enemy.]
[Damage Delusion]
[Effect: Self-brainwashing to assume unreceived damage as real, allowing for the use of techniques conditioned on injury.]
The moment the curse struck the souls of the undead and their locations were revealed, the charge of death-defying assaults and the countless strikes from splitting hands cleaved through hundreds of undead in one strike.
Crunch.
Shiver shiver.
The undead army, which seemed an infinite legion of terror to the first expedition, surprisingly reduced in both speed and scale of rejoining compared to before. They suffered tremendous damage before the corpses and souls could even reach the coffins that would imprint their souls and bodies.
“Jezel, did you see? That senior just…”
“… Shush. Don’t mention this to anyone, Miss Dorothy. It could drop the morale of our fellow students significantly.”
Even without incurring fatal damage, Deadcat could fire high-cost techniques like High-Cost without using her life, as long as she deluded herself into thinking she was suffering that much damage.
Using techniques based on a high cost and risking her own life felt like a deceptive art, revealing how meticulous Deadcat’s research to become stronger was. She had even mastered great army assault methods, so now she was powerful enough to take down over a thousand Class 981 students before collapsing from exhaustion.
The once pathetic seniors, manipulated by Oknodie’s rainbow eyes, had now become masters who couldn’t be overlooked.
“Waaah! The souls that should return to the cursed sarcophagi of the Catacombs are being distorted and wandering underground. We must clean this up before Professor Sadako realizes this crisis!”
“What’s that? That undead wasn’t here earlier.”
“It’s a skeletal magician.”
Although she hadn’t personally traversed the Catacombs, Jiang had meticulously attended Professor Sadako’s lectures and sought out the few seniors who attended to assess future progress. She spoke as she wiped the blood that splattered on her mask with her finger.
“Typically, the ordinary undead battalions are reliant on the knowledge and abilities their supreme commander possessed in life, focusing in one field, but Professor Sadako’s undead battalion does not limit itself to one type.”
“Does that mean… Professor Sadako possesses knowledge and skills in every field?”
“Perhaps so. The professor, known as the Vampire Queen in life and the Undead Queen after death, wouldn’t be surprising to summon special types of troops we’ve never encountered.”
As the undead magicians who managed the facilities from the rear of the Catacombs spread their magic, the students watched.
[Burning Mana]
[Corpse Explosion]
[Shadow that Consumes Remnants]
[Bone Wall]
[Demonic Infusion]
They disposed of low-quality mana from the undead remnants left in the battlefield and thoroughly dismantled corpses, sweeping the debris into the shadows for cleaning. Gathering the bones and spirits that had yet to find vessels, they would forcefully contain them in a single point, making transport to the coffins easier.
With a series of processes repeated countless times, the undead magicians in the Catacombs unleashed spells at a terrifying pace, taking mana from the spells cast by the students, causing nearby corpses to explode, and compelling additional mana use to shake off the shadows that clung to them with each step.
“Icefield.”
The temperature in the already cold underground tomb drastically dropped after Northern Grand Duchess Irene pointed her combat magic wand at the ground.
The corpses and shadows plaguing everyone froze simultaneously, while the expressions of the students chanting auxiliary spells rapidy brightened, startling the necromancers who had been summoning their spells.
“The mana hasn’t been incinerated.”
“The magic is still in play!”
The reason the powerful freezing magic had no effect on their allies was, of course, due to Irene’s Domain Expansion.
‘Expanding attributes across the entire space is Domain Expansion. If you stretch the expanded domain even further, it becomes Domain Extension. Processing the expanded and extended area makes it Domain Specialization.’
Irene hadn’t yet reached the realm of marked domains where she could manifest attacks at will by imprinting her will upon the surrounding space, their advanced area level four. However, through observing the numerous pranks by Oknodie and the fierce strength of Warrior Ishtar, she had refined her mana control to elevate her magic to a higher level…
[Domain Level 3: Freezing Domain]
[Conditional Control Formula: Designated Nullification]
A different power unfolded than Sing’s third-stage specialized domain Origin Point Domain, which allows for instant returns by setting an origin point anytime, anywhere. Though she could massively intensify the chill and cold embedded in any space, she discovered a unique method that only lowered the temperature across all spaces without allowing for any upwards adjustment.
When disregarding the past trauma of risking freezing the soldiers around her, there lay the icy domain on Irene’s dark evolution route.
Freezing to death every approaching existence.
Before the final breath escapes their mouth and nose.
Though the freezing factor may have been lowered, the Freezing Domain specialized in precise strikes to any desired location while considering ally protection.
Instead of seeking to face off against great powers alone, she chose to protect her forces and cooperate with the strong.
[Designated Nullification] [Designated Specialty]
Based on two main techniques, Irene’s radiant evolution route, the Freezing Domain, adjusts the activation range and shape of her magic utilizing her highly advanced mana control and perception at every moment.
A chilling northern wind encasing the sphere within a designated range.
Ice blades that harm only massive beings exceeding a certain height.
Crevices that engulf only those without the designated nullification inscription.
[Catacombs High Mana]
While unable to induce geographical changes, her auxiliary magic was adequate to agitate the skeletal magicians, allowing the Class 980’s second expedition to swiftly repel even the hidden undead battalions of the initial phase.
Click. Click.
“Well done. I’ll commend you for not letting my pace slow.”
Velvet walked across the battlefield lazily while being distracted by her underclassmen’s skills even amidst the turmoil.
“But, you’re catching up?”
“… Senior is providing us with an opportunity. It’s our turn to demonstrate our skills before the Seoguyeon seniors step in.”
The Western Noble Union of Duke Andersen’s Class 981, the Dark Trading Company of Jezel, and the Organization that Plays with Oknodie, without Oknodie.
While formidable organizations rushed in, they rapidly crossed far more doors than those reached in the first expedition.
“Well, more have come. Let’s show them the strength that cannot be overcome merely by increasing numbers.”
Magic rained down as metal clashed, shaking the facilities with immense magical attacks. Drawn out by the clamorous sounds was the skeletal instructor in black armor.
The very one who made the first expedition taste the bitterness of defeat raised his enormous sword again.
[Whirlwind Assault]
[Charge of the Battlefield’s Lion]
With red traces tearing through space, the huge sword swung, smashing the forms of all students against the Catacombs’ walls and ceiling before slamming them into the ground.
No student could withstand the blow, collapsing, yet the skeletal instructor quickly realized the anomaly.
“The flavor of smashing bones is lacking.”
“Ah~~hahaha! Thank you for the precious feedback. I’ll need to experience the sensation of breaking other students’ bones without reservation to improve my replicate rate. Though I might end up becoming the antagonist princess in the process?”
Beyond the deafening sounds that vanished like phantoms were the numerous magic circles and students preparing for a full-on assault.
In their midst stood Mandela Agassi, characterized by her distinctive drill hairstyle, who had been caught recovering from using Sound Sphere Magic.
Utilizing sound waves to empower her False Combat Sound, her computational ability, expression, and comprehension had already far surpassed that of a mere student, allowing for such deception.
“This is the end. As Lady Mandela’s laughter lengthens, the tide of victory decisively tilts. No one has ever lasted through such a long laugh.”
“Wait, what is that senior doing? Sudden ominous statements?”
“Senior, please be quiet!”
“Do you want to be scolded by the juniors? Go back and deal with the undead charging from behind.”
“…”
One senior who wished to flex their knowledge in front of their juniors sulked in silence, overwhelmed by the flood of criticisms pouring in from every direction.
