Chapter 13: Towards Oz – 12
As I gathered Magic Stones and disposed of the remains of the Golem, the sun had completely set. It was too late to rush back with the carriage, so I decided to stay overnight at a nearby farming village.
Thanks to Shizuna, my worries about the sudden visit were unfounded. In fact, the villagers welcomed us as if a priestess had graced them with her presence, leaving me somewhat taken aback by their enthusiasm.
Due to our large number, we had to split up for lodging. I found myself sleeping in the same area as the male members of the “Drunken Tiger.” In the middle of the night, I suddenly sensed a presence and woke up.
It seemed someone was outside. The aura didn’t feel ominous, so it was likely one of “Soul’s Guidance.” I quietly slipped out of the house and stepped outside.
Bathed in moonlight, I could see about ten wooden houses surrounded by a wooden fence, along with several fruit trees.
In the distance, the hills and forests were visible, and about a hundred meters away, the road leading to the capital faintly emerged in the moonlight.
Amidst the tranquil scenery stood Freinir.
“Freir, can’t you sleep?”
“Oh, I apologize, Soushi-sama. I woke up because I sensed a strange presence.”
“A strange presence? An Undead?”
“Yes, it seems so. It feels like it’s approaching from afar… over that way.”
Freinir pointed towards the road leading to the capital.
Listening closely, I could indeed hear faint sounds. It resembled the noise of hooves and wheels. Could it be that the Undead were riding in a carriage?
“Freir, just in case, wake up the other members. I’ll head to the road and check things out.”
“Understood. Please be careful, Soushi-sama.”
After parting ways with Freinir, I walked towards the road. Straining my eyes, I could see something resembling a carriage approaching from a distance. It was a four-wheeled cart without a canopy, and it appeared to have several people on the cargo bed.
The problem was the horses pulling the cart.
“Are those… Skeleton horses?”
Two skeletal horses were indeed pulling the cart. So that was what had triggered Freinir’s Skill.
The cart, drawn by the bone horses, was making its way from the capital towards the border in the dead of night. No one could mistake this for a normal situation, and it was safe to assume the people on the cart were anything but ordinary.
I retrieved a torch from my Item Box. It was something I wouldn’t use in a Dungeon, but it was a useful item for camping.
Standing in the middle of the road, I waved the lit torch vigorously, signaling them to stop. I half-expected them to charge right at me, but the cart gradually slowed down.
There was one driver and three other individuals on the cart. As it came to a halt, two of them dismounted from either side. Both wore hooded robes, but judging by their build, they were men. They approached me silently, flanking me.
“Sorry, but there’s a big monster up ahead, and passage is currently prohibited.”
I thought my words sounded rather foolish in front of the skeletal horses, but then the man on my right spoke up.
“Oh, I know. It’s a monster summoned by my companion.”
At that moment, a silver flash gleamed under the moonlight. The man lunged at me, using Swift Run to slash with his sword.
However, his blade was deflected by my arm, cutting through nothing but air. With my Adamantine Body and Iron Wall skills, my defense was already on par with Mithril.
“Ga…!”
In return, I delivered a punch to the man’s solar plexus. He seemed to possess a high-level Tough Body skill, but against my striking power, his cloth armor was as effective as paper.
“What!?”
He gasped in shock, but the other man was already thrusting his sword at me. I deflected his blade as well and delivered a hook to his temple. I held back, but I still heard a sickening crack… damn, that felt unpleasant.
Seeing both men go down in an instant, the driver lashed the skeletal horses. I pulled a mace from my Item Box and smashed the two horses, then grabbed the driver and slammed him into the ground.
“Ugh!”
The driver rolled his eyes back and fainted. Glancing around, I noticed the last remaining man had already abandoned the cart and was running back the way he came. As I tried to pursue him, he suddenly stopped mid-stride and began to act strangely. He placed something on the ground and started muttering what sounded like a spell.
“Summon, Golem.”
As he uttered those words, the ground began to swell, and a massive humanoid figure—standing at least five meters tall—emerged. A Fresh Golem had appeared. So, he was Mazero the Corpse User.
The humanoid Golem advanced towards me, its thick legs moving forward. However, I didn’t feel the same intensity as when I had fought it before. I must have grown stronger since then.
I countered its descending arm with my mace, shattering it, and unleashed a full-force Shockwave against its core. With a resounding crash, the giant Golem exploded into five pieces, scattering around me.
“What!? One hit!?”
Mazero shouted in disbelief as he turned to flee.
“Wait!?”
An arrow struck his thigh. His movement halted for a moment due to the effect of Action Stop.
Seizing the opportunity, I lunged at Mazero and pinned his muscular body down.
“Thank you, Sfenia.”
“You’re welcome.”
When I turned around, I saw Sfenia at the forefront, bow in hand, followed by our party members in their nightclothes, along with the four members of the “Drunken Tiger.”