716. [STAGE 41] Ghost King (3)
When the Ice Spirit King froze the Ghost King’s legs, he could not move, and our magic bombardment continued to fall on the Ghost King’s body.
Wow…!
The Ghost King twisted his body in pain. Seeing this, Zenith wiped away tears of joy.
“Hehehe, you’re the best, my son…”
Hannibal seems proud of having accomplished something.
Chief priest Rosetta, who was looking at Zenith as if she was pitiful, nodded to me.
“I don’t think we need to come forward. majesty.”
“I guess so.”
I crossed my arms and looked at the crumbling figure of the Ghost King on the other side.
I wanted to test the rest of the equipment, but the Wraith King had collapsed before that, so strictly speaking, there was no condition to test it.
The Oath series provided to Zenith and Rosetta is specialized for fighting against small mobs, and the equipment provided to captured monsters is also difficult to use against super-giant monsters such as the Ghost King.
In the case of Jormungand, it might be quite useful, but…
‘there won’t be any left around.’
The equipment given to Jormungand, [Flesh of the Old God], is equipment that transforms you into its prime form for 3 turns.
In other words, this little Jormungand can be returned to its former large form for 10 minutes.
It would be a good size match with the Wraith King, but we are a little too close to engage in a fight of that scale, and since Jormungandr’s physical charge ultimately deals physical damage, it would be difficult to defeat the Wraith King, who is immune to physics.
So, I decided to test the rest of the equipment later and finish it off with a barrage of magic…
《Koooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
the spirit of the Ghost King, who was silently being beaten by magic, suddenly changed.
Blah blah blah!
Suddenly, bright blue incontinence spread in all directions across the entire body of armor that made up its body. I flinched and shook my shoulders.
‘That’s not the damage we did!’
The energy swelling from inside the armor seemed to have inflated the entire armor as if it would burst at any moment.
The entire armor began to break apart from the inside with a crackling sound, and eventually blue and pale energy poured outward through the exposed cracks.
I shouted, raising my hands in the air.
“Stop shelling! Switch everyone to a defensive stance!”
The soldiers who were firing cannons urgently threw away their cannons and retreated, and the wizards also stopped using offensive magic and switched to defensive magic.
Evangeline shouted as she ran to the front holding a temporary shield instead of the shield she usually used.
“Senior, then that is…!”
“okay. His final pattern…”
I was shocked by the unexpected development of the situation.
“The main body inside the armor… It is the final blow that releases all the condensed ghosts at once!”
Like the Ghost Knight in Stage 1, if the Ghost King’s armor is destroyed, the ghosts inside the armor pour out.
In the case of the ghosts poured out by the Ghost Knight, it ended up inflicting simple mental status ailments, but the ghosts poured out by the Ghost King inflict direct damage to the soul of the hit person in addition to the mental status ailments.
‘I can’t believe you used it yourself!’
Realizing that there was no way to overcome the current situation, he decided to destroy the armor himself and divert all his remaining energy into emitting ghosts. This crazy monster bastard has always been good at fooling around!
At that time, Lucas, who was preparing defense next to Evangeline, could be heard strutting strangely.
“It’s a pattern that all ‘original members’ who have been with the lord since the first defense battle know.”
“Oh really! “Don’t be a campaigner, man!”
Evangeline grumbled.
The two were bickering and relieving tension as usual, but for some reason, there was still an awkward and strange atmosphere flowing between them.
In the past, Evangeline would have just slapped Lucas a few times. Otherwise, Lucas would have played more pranks on Evangeline first.
It’s really far away now. They don’t even make eye contact with each other.
‘Uhm…’
Are you okay? Those two.
…Oh no, now is not the time to worry about such fresh emotions. They tell them to solve those problems on their own.
Fuuuh-!
With a terrifying bursting sound, the Ghost King’s entire armor was torn into pieces. As if a bomb had exploded inside.
Amidst the armor fragments falling like firecrackers in all directions… a group of blue and pale ghosts spewed out at terrifying speeds, making deafening noises.
It truly looks like a storm of ghosts.
“Hey!”
“Aaaah-!”
It was a truly shocking sight. The experienced soldiers had seen worse situations before, so they calmly maintained a defensive posture and endured, but the volunteer soldiers were completely confused. Many people dropped their equipment and fell to the floor.
‘Is it still like this even though [Indomitable Commander] is in effect?’
Indeed, the ghost king. Moreover, because it is a kind of suicide attack, the momentum feels even stronger.
‘If it’s a mental abnormality, I can neutralize it, and I’ve prepared a defense system in advance against the ghost’s soul attack…’
Still, the momentum of the pouring ghosts is unusual. I think I will be able to withstand it, but I may suffer more damage than expected.
‘Would you like to test my new equipment?’
I took a step forward and took a deep breath.
After glancing down at my new equipment [Jade Ring] on my right ring finger, I said,
“I am the commander of the World Defense Front.”
I slowly spit out the starter word.
“I represent everyone on this front.”
The ring, which did not have any patterns engraved on it, was filled with symbolless black. It was a symbol of the world defense front.
“Therefore, all responsibility lies with me.”
The buck stops here.
After turning around and glaring forward,
I made a fist with my ringed hand and punched the air in front of me.
Flash!
Then, the royal seal was imprinted in the empty space, as if a seal was engraved in the air.
And the next moment.
Churrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Transparent white energy began to swirl around the symbol in the air.
This white energy was flying in and gathering from the Crossroads, and it was also rising and condensing, one by one, from everyone gathered here on the battlefield.
The trembling volunteers were all bewildered when a ray of white energy surged from their bodies and flew in front of me.
This is the function of the [Jade Ring].
[Jade Ring (EX)]
– You can gather the will of the members of the organization you represent and manifest it as power.
I can unite the will of the people under my command and use it as my power.
‘Currently, I am the tribal god of mankind, but although I have achieved godhood, I am actually having difficulty exercising my power.’
During the decisive battle with the black dragon, all of humanity desperately wished for ‘morning’, so they were able to use the sunlight to put an end to the Night Bringer.
Usually, the will of the entire human race does not come together as one, so humanity is a species that has developed by opposing and fighting with each other and pursuing differences.
For a grandiose name like ‘Tribal God’, it surprisingly doesn’t have much power.
This [Jade Ring] can be said to be a device that assists me in that respect. I narrow down the scope of the people I represent, concretize their clear will into one, and use it as my power.
I chanted while looking at the symbol of the World Defense Front engraved in the air.
“I make this wish on behalf of the World Defense Front.”
And now, there is only one thing that those gathered here desperately wish for.
“I hope that horde of nightmares… never invades our world!”
Churrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Then, the white and transparent energies gathered in the air began to quickly transform.
White energies, like tetrapods piled up as breakwaters on the beach, lined up in front of my magic castle wall.
And above that – a tidal wave of ghosts crashed in.
Quaaaaa!
Like a stormy beach scene.
The pouring waves of ghosts were unable to break through the breakwater created by the will of mankind and shattered.
Kyaaaaa…!
In front of the group of ghosts scattering like bubbles, I took a deep breath.
If what is pouring down on us now is the will of monsters and nightmares to destroy this world, then
I represent the will of the people of this world.
I want to live just one more day in this world… that will to live!
“From here on out, it’s a man’s world.”
I was furious.
“Go away, monster!”
The vengeful spirits unleashed by the Ghost King did not give up and continued to crash against the breakwater. My castle walls stumbled several times.
But I endured it in the end.
When the storm that seemed like it would never end ended and people raised their heads one by one… there
was no trace of the ghosts that were attacking us, and dazzling sunlight was falling from the clear sky.
“….”
The events of Stage 1 suddenly flashed before my eyes.
For a moment, I was filled with an unknown emotion and looked at the battlefield where the enemies had disappeared.
Turning with my back to the sun, I looked down at my soldiers.
Everyone is looking up at me.
I cleared my voice and shouted.
“Over the past three years, we have stopped all kinds of legendary monsters.”
On this front line made of tombs.
We are still alive and breathing like this.
“And this winter is the last time we will weather this storm.”
Before we knew it, the long three-year journey was coming to an end.
This is our last season.
“Once this winter passes, this war will end in some form. “One way or another, we accomplish our mission.”
I strengthened my voice.
“And if it’s going to end anyway, I want to win!”
“…!”
“I want to achieve victory after shedding my best blood and sweat until the end. “I want to achieve a happy ending for all my comrades who sacrificed their lives for this war.”
I asked out loud.
“What about you!”
thud!
The heroes and skilled soldiers responded by simultaneously slamming their weapons on the ground.
I looked at the volunteer army and asked one more time.
“What about you!”
The volunteers quickly got up and fixed their uniforms, but at the same time they also slammed their weapons on the ground.
thud!
It was a bit sloppy, but it was a sufficient answer.
“Come on, my people!”
I clenched my fists and raised one arm upward.
“Will you fight with me until the end?”
thud-!
“Will you live with me until the end?”
thud-!
After looking around at my soldiers, who were now slamming their weapons on the ground in complete unity, I smiled broadly.
“Okay, let’s go! To the final battlefield!”
The final great monster battle of 10 rounds.
The first start was a complete victory.
“Together until the end…!”
***
[STAGE 41 – CLEAR!]
[STAGE MVP – Jupiter Junior (SSR)]
[Level Up Character]
– Hannibal (N) and 10 others < Expand list >
[Dead and Injured Characters]
– None
[Acquired Items]
– Wraith King Magic Core (SSR): 1
– Wraith Knight Magic Core (SR): 100
[Stage clear reward has been paid. Please check your inventory.]
– SR grade reward boxes: 10
> > Get Ready For The Next STAGE
> > [Next STAGE: Lake Kingdom (2)]
***
***
“….”
Same time.
On top of the Crossroads walls.
Hecate was squatting down, looking across the south with a blank expression.
At that moment, the sound of creaking crutches rang out from behind. Hecate glanced back.
I saw a warlock chain approaching with an uncomfortable gait.
“….”
Hecate looked ahead again. Chain staggered over and stood behind Hecate.
The two men, who could no longer stand on the battlefield, quietly stood side by side there.
After a long moment of silence, Hecate muttered carefully.
“Right now, my colleagues are engaged in a fierce battle in front of the Black Lake.”
“….”
“What is the point of me remaining here on the front line, since I can no longer be of any help and cannot go to the battlefield?”
Chain, who had kept his mouth shut, asked.
“Is there a place to go if you leave?”
“…no.”
After a short period of thought, Hecate answered.
“no.”
“So where were you planning to go?”
“….”
Hecate pursed her lips and winked.
“Mr. Chain, do you have somewhere to go?”
“There is a place to go.”
Chain let out a long sigh.
“I don’t know if they will accept me there….”
“….”
While cheers of victory rang out in front of the southern black lake.
The two retirees who remained at the front, unable to fight any longer, were lost in silence, unsure of where to go or what to do.
