The barrier of the Demon King’s Castle opened, and troops poured out.
Countless corpses dragged from death, puppets made of metal and rock, spirits composed of magical energy and attributes.
An immense quantity surged forth to obstruct the cadets trying to break through the barrier.
“Collision!”
The leading cadet, Gellyam, shouted and raised his shield. The shield, brimming with magical energy, emitted a unique wave.
Unique ability: Shield Magic. Plus, an extended ability: Protecting Barrier.
The widely spread wave enveloped the cadets in a translucent barrier. Gellyam wrapped more strength around the shield, preparing for the collision.
The first to collide was the horde of undead. Various corpse monsters charged headlong into the barrier without slowing down.
– KWA-GAA-GAA-GAANG!
The impacts battering the barrier continued. But the barrier held firm.
Gellyam nodded as he watched the undead scratching the barrier with their teeth and claws right in front of him.
“There’s no special treatment. Are they all just meat shields?”
The main strength of necromancy lies in overwhelming numbers. Assuming there’s sufficient magical energy, countless corpses can be clumped together to form an army.
This quantity offensive through necromancy is the primary tactic employed.
Of course, special entities can be created by modifying the undead, but nothing that looked special caught his eye.
“The bombardment has stopped! Clean up the riffraff first!”
“Got it!”
The cadets flanking Gellyam leaped out and swung their weapons. The swords and spears of those who usually coordinated with Gellyam pierced through the dull barrier.
The fatal strikes cleaved through the limbs and necks of the undead, while several of them were skewered by a hurled spear.
– KWA-AH-AH-AH!
The rear guard wasn’t just standing idly by. They cast relatively low-tier basic magic, projecting it right into the center of the undead horde.
– KEE-EE-EEECK…!
The undead horde was swept away in one fell swoop. The low-tier monsters, meant as meat shields, couldn’t effectively block the cadets.
However, the cadets remained vigilant.
– BUUUUUUUUM…
“It’s going to burst!”
Thus, they didn’t miss the forewarning. Just like a balloon being filled with air, the fallen corpses began to swell. The magically-infused corpses shimmered.
BOOM! Suddenly, dozens of corpses exploded at once. The barrier quivered with a tremendous explosion. Gellyam gritted his teeth and gripped his shield tightly.
One of the main tactics of necromancy: corpse explosion. This was something he had experienced before, battling against the green faction’s Choi Ji-yeon during external exercises.
If the undead can’t be used, they’re turned into bombs. Even low-tier monsters can yield significant output, and being caught in an explosion of several at once poses a danger.
– KUNG!
As the heavy footsteps approached, the impact of the explosion subsided. Gellyam squinted at the new figure visible beyond the trembling barrier.
A body made of rock and metal. Over it, thick armor was worn. It was at least over 4 meters tall.
“A golem… is it a summoned beast? Just how many techniques can it handle…?”
Gellyam felt a mixture of amazement and apprehension at Lee Ha-yul’s powers, who had only been a superhuman for a year.
A summoned beast is created by a magician and controlled. They are typically used for mundane tasks or experiments but can serve as meat shields to buy time for casting spells.
“That golem is acting as a barrier, just like the undead.”
If it was a carefully crafted golem, it would be different, but here a multitude of such golems were pouring out. They were too many to put effort into each one individually.
“Clear out the undead and golems quickly to get through.”
While the undead and golems tied the cadets’ feet, spirits were rampaging around.
The golem pulled back its fist. Gellyam held his shield firm. Even though it was an enormous fist, Gellyam wasn’t afraid.
He could block that heavy fist. He reaffirmed his confidence. He believed he could withstand it…
– WOOOONG!
The unique sound of fluctuating magical energy resonated in Gellyam’s ears.
The golem’s drawn fist traced a line of magic energy. The engraved formula glowed with magical energy flow. The circuits briefly shone from the fist to the shoulder.
Magic was rapidly activated. The golem’s durability and strength were boosted.
– KWA-RRRRR!
Pure magical energy was expelled from the joints of the armor. The fist, propelled by fierce magical energy, slammed down with force.
The barrier crumbled.
Gellyam gasped.
“What the—”
– BANG!
“Aaagh….!”
The scream was cut off. Gellyam’s vision darkened, and the massive fist crashed against his shield. A groan escaped his lips involuntarily.
CRACK! His legs were rooted deep into the ground. His bent knees trembled, and the arm gripping the shield felt like it was about to drop.
It was an impact beyond imagination. KWA-RR! The assault did not cease. The golem’s fist pressed down on Gellyam, shield and all.
“Special…!?”
Gellyam, startled into retaining his balance, was appalled. The golem had a magic formula inscribed on it. Additionally, the armor was designed to be used in combat.
This was a carefully crafted golem. Was this one a special entity? Or perhaps…
“Hey, hey! Don’t fall over!”
“What the hell is this advanced golem!?”
While Gellyam struggled to hold firm, the same thought ran through the minds of the cadets around him as they crashed into the ground. The spears and swords from either side aimed at the golem’s wrist pressing against the shield.
– KWA-DUDU-DUDU!
“Whoa, it’s damn tough!”
The cadet who struck down with his sword was flabbergasted.
The strike brought forth with all the might of infused energy and unique abilities. Yet, it couldn’t sever the wrist. Instead, it left only a trace of something more akin to a crushing blow than a clean cut.
“Quick! Keep attacking!”
However, the assault didn’t end with just one strike. Elegant swordplay surged toward the golem. The opposing cadet continued to thrust his spear into it.
– KWA-DUDU-DUDU!
No matter how tough the golem was, the cadets’ consecutive strikes gradually accumulated damage on its body.
“Shit, this golem can use martial arts too…!”
It didn’t collapse easily. The golem moved with a grace reminiscent of a person, skillfully maneuvering its legs and throwing down its fists, posing a threat to the smaller cadets.
The cadet, drenched in cold sweat from an unknown number of close calls, thrust his sword out.
– CLANG!
“Huh?”
The sword bounced off. The mark of the impact remained. It was puzzling.
‘But I just cut right through it…’
In the sluggish world around, her gaze was fixed on the damaged section.
The surrounding area squirmed like mud, mending the broken parts.
It was no strange occurrence. After all, since the golem wasn’t a living being, it could patch itself up like that.
But even its functionality was restored. The quality of the armor and body, the spell binding the golem, its enhancement spells, and numerous spells inscribed on the armor—all restored at an incredible speed.
‘???’
For a brief moment, she was stupefied at the sight that defied her common sense.
– KABOOM!
“Ugh!”
“Isabel!”
The golem’s fist struck her while she was suspended in mid-air. Though she raised her sword to block it, the fierce impact sent her flying like a baseball.
“Ow…”
Barely landing on the ground, she rubbed her aching arm. A light burst, and the revealed skin turned a shade of blue.
Of course, being in the Tower of Growth meant minimal pain, but her head felt as if a hammer had hit it.
“Hey, it’s even restoring spells over there?”
“I just saw that too.”
Gellyam, who rushed over to her side, stiffened his expression as he responded.
“Could it be that golem is doing all that nonsense?”
“Seems like it… but it appears to be some kind of special entity.”
Indeed, the golem that Gellyam and the cadets were facing was larger and more impressive than other golems.
“Did they create it as a commander entity? Magician, can’t you do something like that?”
“…A magician might be able to pull it off with enough effort.”
“Wow… So that Lee Ha-yul junior got a magician’s calling card in just a year? That’s insane.”
“Hey, but even magicians might not be able to do it.”
“Whoa.”
As Gellyam absorbed the playful banter flowing between the tension, he subtly glanced around.
Since Gellyam and his group had approached the barrier, the barrages of attacks had ceased.
Thanks to that, other cadets surged in, and the area near the barrier became a chaotic mess.
Undead and golems, cadets and spirits, all intertwined in a free-for-all brawl.
What was peculiar was that there weren’t only blue faction members like Gellyam, but also red and green faction members.
They weren’t obstructing each other and were cautiously pacing as they sought to breach this Demon King’s Castle.
– WOOF WOOF!
“Hey, hey, hey! Attila! Quick with the elemental barrier—cough!”
“Ah, sorry.”
Among the clash of forces, the spirits were particularly eye-catching.
Dark clouds gathered in the clear sky, and bolts of lightning poured down like crazy.
Fierce flames enveloped the cadets, and a windstorm battered the front lines like a bomb.
The ground they stood on shook and monstrous spikes surged up in hundreds, while cadets swept away by raging waves froze solid.
The fire-formed puppy spirit’s headbutt blew away a junior cadet. As the light exploded everywhere, Gellyam had a dazed expression.
‘That’s a mid-tier spirit…?’
It was a grotesque sight to see cadets, capable of at least one full contribution in such peril, perish from a single kick from a puppy spirit.
While the undead and golems kept the cadets pinned down, a few spirits darted through the chaos.
‘Oh my god…’
As Gellyam surveyed the battlefield, he couldn’t believe it. He had never thought they would struggle so much against the forces that burst forth from within those dozens of barriers…
And even though the three factions were somewhat cooperating, it was still a mess.
“What the hell is going on…?”
Just as Gellyam murmured in a daze, the fire spirit that had taken care of a few cadets stomped the ground. A long column of flames reached for the sky. Many were wondering what kind of bizarre thing the spirit was about to do.
“Huh?”
Someone exclaimed. The cadet checking the state of her sword beside Gellyam blinked.
The fire spirit, soaring towards the sky, descended upon the helmet of the presumed commander entity golem they had just been clashing with.
– WOOF!
The fire spirit assumed a stance atop the helmet, barking cutely.
That wagging tail was undeniably adorable. But considering the number of cadets wrapped up in that spirit’s antics, she couldn’t feel affectionate in the least.
Instead, she gulped, wondering what the spirit was trying to do.
– WHOOSH!
As if to fulfill that expectation, the fire spirit melted away. The pure flames transformed energy and seeped into the golem’s helmet.
“Whoa.”
A distinctive resonance and presence. The complexion of a nearby cadet, who had learned necromancy, turned pale, while the spirit fighting alongside trembled.
Spirit Fusion.
Similar to how the previous sky-feather was a vessel, this was a spell using the golem as a vessel.
The spell woven into the golem for the sake of the “spirit” had activated.
– WHOOSH!
The black armor began to glow red and yellow. Torrents of flames erupted from the seams of the armor.
The ground where the golem stood melted, and steam rose as fire spread.
The fiery mane trailing from the helmet whipped around fiercely.
“…Whoa.”
The brutal momentum surged rapidly. The red light glimmering from within the helmet made everyone break out in a cold sweat, soon evaporating even that.
– FIZZ… WHOOSH!
Additionally, something flew from the top of Rock Mountain. Flames close to orange shot out rapidly, striking not at the cadets but at the golem.
Gop-hwa’s flames mixed with the golem’s blaze.
– WHOOSH─!
The fire expanded dozens of times.
Hellfire descended upon the chaotic battlefield.
*
‘…They’re fighting well.’
At the summit of Rock Mountain, sitting in a rocking chair positioned at the heart of a keepsake, Lee Ha-yul surveyed the battlefield.
The golem fused with the fire spirit was going on a rampage.
Dozens of cadets clung to take it down, but even then, the golem showcased its might, breaking them apart.
‘There’s merit in having withdrawn my magic and infused spirits. Growth is incredibly fast.’
Its power was continuously rising. The spirit fused with the golem was growing in real time.
The additional growth blessing active within the Tower of Growth applied not only to the cadets but also to the spirits contracted with them.
Most spirits hadn’t been mid-tier for long, but since there were apex ranks left, they weren’t about to settle here.
Moreover, the spirits voluntarily dashed into the battlefield due to boredom, so really…
‘I’d say they already looked suitable, and spirits can just grow as they go.’
Lee Ha-yul observed the focus of drones aimed at this area and lightly propelled the rocking chair with his toes.
The rocking chair, manifested by the Power of Knowledge, didn’t produce the creaks of a regular one.
‘The Power of Knowledge.’
It was, unlike the other two powers, not a complete one. To be precise, the parts I couldn’t handle were locked away, with basic settings made for easy use.
Thus, upon obtaining the power, my memories were instantly organized, and I could manage the basics.
The function I utilized now was its application.
Should I call it a kind of copier?
The ‘book’ processed through knowledge holds what’s necessary recorded, allowing me to pull it out when needed and invest magical energy to print it.
Of course, it wasn’t an entirely easy ability.
Even though it’s called a power, its performance changes depending on the user’s skill.
If someone was lousy, making a common chair might be difficult; if proficient, then complex spells from a large scale would be readily available.
‘Ugh, my head…’
Feeling the swaying motion, I casually rubbed my temples.
From outward appearances, everything seemed comfortable and peaceful, yet internally, my brain was spinning like mad.
The information I had gathered through my observational power was slamming me with double the amount of information at each moment.
Sorting through it all, making correct judgments to cast spells, coordinating attacks, controlling the golems and undead, and maneuvering the spirits…
Some might think I had it easy, but the situation was quite taxing.
“……”
There was no creak from the rocking chair, but I caught myself wishing that it would make a sound.
A rough keepsake heavily embedded with defensive spells. Unlike the Tower of Knowledge, where no human traces were to be found, it felt cold.
But back in the Tower of Knowledge, there was Ariel.
I hadn’t been alone in that rocking chair. Ariel always sat there, and I curled up in her embrace.
There was warmth and a soft touch.
The gentle hand that would stroke my head, the one comforting my back.
Now there was none. I sat alone in the rocking chair, pushing it forward with my toes.
As I thought that, my heart sank.
I felt lonely. It had hardly even been a day, and just this morning, someone had been with me, yet I felt uneasy.
I can sense the presence of other people through observation, yet it didn’t bring satisfaction.
I felt lonely.
Pouting, I opened a spatial pocket. A pristine white staff shot out as if it had been waiting.
The purification artifact used by Ariel. Gripping the shimmering purification tightly as if holding onto something that might scold me for calling it late, I clutched it to my chest.
…A bit better, but still lonely.
I felt isolated.
– THUD!
My heart thudded. In an instant, the squeezing sensation around my heart made Lee Ha-yul frown.
There still remained some time before the entrance ceremony finished. Plus, there were still events to commence from the flag…
‘…Who should I bring along…?’
Lee Ha-yul felt a little spark of impulse.
*
Meanwhile.
“From now on, the provisional Demon King’s Castle operation… We will begin the meeting.”
Occupying point 1, near Rock Mountain, and occupying point 4, the plains.
The provisional commanders of all three factions gathered to start the meeting for the assault on the Demon Castle?
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