The relentless battle against the overwhelming tide of Undead Slimes, crawling and slithering across the ground, showed no signs of ending. Yet, everyone knew they could not stand idly by, and thus they swung their weapons with determination.
“Damn it, they just keep coming!”
A mercenary cursed, but there was no hint of despair in his voice. Encouraged by this, Gilbert managed a troubled smile and swung his battle axe once more at the wave of dark, viscous slime.
The murderous intent he had sensed earlier had dissipated, leaving him unable to pinpoint its source. Still, he occasionally felt a presence watching him.
“…I’m sorry to keep you waiting,” came a voice from behind.
It was Priest Sidney, who had been receiving treatment for his arrow wounds.
“Are you alright now? You shouldn’t push yourself too hard,” Gilbert replied, concern etched on his face.
“Haha, I can’t just give up here. For the honor of the Western Grand Church, I will witness the complete annihilation of these Undead Slimes!”
With that declaration, Sidney unleashed a Wide-Area Barrier, obstructing the advance of the Undead Slimes. Though he had been healed, it was clear he was still not at full strength, as the barrier did not completely seal them off. Nevertheless, it allowed them a moment to think.
“The problem is, we don’t know the full scope of this situation…” Gilbert mused.
“The floor beneath the Arena has a large hollow space supported by a foundation. Given the current circumstances, it’s likely connected to the underground waterways of the Royal Capital…” Sidney replied, his expression grim.
The Undead Slimes before them seemed to be at least ten times more numerous than those they had encountered in the Jiemeld territory. If there were even more lurking underground, the sheer volume was staggering.
“…! Priest Sidney, step back!”
Suddenly, one of Beresford’s knights shouted, raising his shield in front of Sidney. Gilbert and the mercenaries tightened their formation, on high alert. For just a fleeting moment, they felt a murderous intent directed at them.
As they squinted into the murky red sludge, a figure emerged, rushing down the slope.
“What is that… a magical beast? No, it looks like a human…?”
By the time the figure became clear, everyone held their breath. The upper body of a noble-looking man was grotesquely fused with the twisted limbs of a beast, covered in the same dark, viscous mud. It was a sight that could only be described as monstrous.
“That face… that’s Dylan Agreas Jiemeld! Be careful! He’s not just an Undead; he’s become a true abomination…” Sidney whispered, recoiling slightly.
“Is he out of his mind…?”
“By becoming Undead, he fused with the Undead Slimes and reconstructed his body…”
“Indeed, there are tales of beasts that can regenerate metal from what they consume. I’ve heard of other species affected by magical influences that exhibit similar traits,” a knowledgeable mercenary explained, sending a shiver down Gilbert’s spine.
Sidney and the clergy began to weave multiple barriers behind them, but even those were unable to fully contain the creature. The thought that even in that state, his Undead transformation might still be incomplete made Gilbert feel nauseous.
Eventually, the creature landed silently before them. The noble smile on its face was jarringly out of place in this dire situation, amplifying the eerie atmosphere.
“Ah, new Holy Knights, thank you for your futile efforts. I’ve come to put an end to this waste of time. Oh, what a splendid battle axe you have there… But in the end, it won’t be enough to catch up with me, will it?”
Gilbert couldn’t help but smirk at Agreas’s theatrical tone.
—What’s with this guy…? It’s infuriating, but there’s definitely more to him…
Indeed, Agreas was right; no matter how many Undead Slimes they defeated, it felt like they were making no progress. Even if they secured temporary safety nearby, the mountain of slimes in the distance showed no signs of diminishing. In fact…
“Are they… multiplying?”
Gilbert muttered as he gazed at the towering mound of red-black sludge behind Agreas. Earlier, the knights of Beresford had mentioned that the Undead Slimes had suddenly retreated. While it could be interpreted as them gathering in one spot, it felt like there was more to it.
“You have quite the intuition. Indeed, the slimes that have fed will continue to split and multiply,” Agreas replied, a smirk on his lips.
Hearing this, Gilbert exhaled sharply, his expression darkening. The existence of the Undead was already a problem, but if they began to multiply, they would be left with no options.
“Well, I must admit, I didn’t expect so many Holy Swords or such a formidable battle axe. I acknowledge my oversight. However, a contest of multiplication speed versus extermination speed is nothing but a waste of time,” Agreas continued, drawing a slender longsword from his beast-like torso.
There was no longer any energy left to be surprised. It was likely that he had utilized the reconstruction of metal from the Iron-Eating Beast.
“…Is he controlling the Undead Slimes?”
A mercenary whispered.
“Normally, slimes lack any form of thought. If this man is orchestrating everything, then he must be dealt with,” a knight from Beresford stated, and everyone nodded in agreement. The real question was how to defeat him. They had the numbers, but he was an Undead with a body that could regenerate infinitely, no matter how much damage they inflicted.
What made matters worse was that being an incomplete Undead meant that he wouldn’t simply vanish with a single blow like the Undead Slimes had. They had learned that from their recent skirmish with the enemy knight.
Even if the goddess’s blessing could halt his regeneration, it was uncertain how effective it would be against a body formed from multiplying slimes.
“An incomplete Undead can be destroyed by severing its head. But taking the head of a skilled fighter is no easy task…”
In reality, decapitating a foe in combat was far from simple. If they were facing a living opponent, there would be many ways to achieve victory, but this was different.
Moreover, simply staring each other down would only grant Agreas more time to allow the Undead Slimes to multiply. Perhaps that was his intention all along; he showed no signs of attacking.
Fortunately, it seemed that Agreas had no intention of shifting his focus to Flora and the others, likely due to the fact that he was currently outnumbered.
Gilbert and the others cautiously began to close the distance, knowing that their numerical advantage was their only key to victory in this situation. Inflicting wounds, whether to hinder regeneration or multiplication, was a gamble in itself.
Exchanging glances with the mercenaries and knights of Beresford, they prepared to launch a simultaneous attack.
The mercenaries and knights charged from both sides, but Agreas deftly evaded their simultaneous assault with his longsword, twisting his body gracefully. Seizing the opportunity, Gilbert swung his battle axe with all his might.
Yet, it missed entirely, embedding itself deep into the floorboards.
Agras, who seemed disinterested in engaging, read their movements with uncanny precision, dodging their attacks thanks to the enhanced agility granted by his beastly form.
“…Damn it, this isn’t working.”
Even with the goddess’s blessing, the battle axe was inherently disadvantaged in close combat. Unlike when facing the Undead Slimes, there was no area-of-effect lightning strike to rely on. Gilbert felt that his hesitation was the root of the problem.
“If he’s the source of all this, should we just end it here…?”
“I agree. He should be judged as a human,” Sidney chimed in from behind, echoing Gilbert’s thoughts. Yet, they had no clear means to achieve that, and it was uncertain if they could even land a blow.
“The question is, how do we—”
Gilbert raised his gaze to reassess Agreas’s position, only to notice a shadow flickering at the edge of his vision. He fell silent, then subtly signaled to the mercenaries. He took great care not to let his expression betray any hint of relief. The mercenary nodded, his face tense, before shouting.
“Gilbert! One more time! Don’t give up!!”
The mercenary’s shout felt somewhat rehearsed. The knights of Beresford seemed to sense something was amiss as well, letting out a collective battle cry as they charged at Agreas.
Gilbert, too, pulled on the Braided Cord to yank his battle axe free from the floor, raising it high above his head in a desperate swing.
Agras smiled, his expression one of complete confidence, effortlessly dodging all their attacks as he leapt back with grace.
Then, a blade pierced through his back.
“…It seems you lack practical experience; your back was wide open. Dylan Agreas Jiemeld.”
The one who had struck from behind was Lionel.