Chapter 18: Imperial Capital – Martial Arts Tournament
At my signal, Freinir and the others in the VIP seats sprang into action. I could see subtle movements throughout the audience as well.
Surrounding His Imperial Majesty were General Dominate and the Royal Guard Knights, forming a protective barrier. Nearby stood the figure of Lady Dorozitte.
Soon, a middle-aged woman dressed in noble attire appeared at the entrance to the stage. Her resentful gaze was directed at me, unmistakably belonging to the Marquis Fulcrum, whom I had encountered at a previous party.
She brushed past the attendants and strode purposefully toward us. Princess Marishielle noticed her approach and discreetly checked the hilt of the Fate Whisperer.
“Count Okuno, I have something to discuss!”
Marquis Fulcrum ascended the stage, her eyes narrowed in anger. In her hand was a short staff, but its grotesque shape was inappropriate for a noble’s possession.
“I apologize for the unfortunate incident involving your son yesterday, Your Grace, the Marquis Fulcrum.”
“Words alone will not suffice. What I desire is a display of sincere action.”
“What is it that you wish from me?”
“You know what I seek, don’t you? I want a corpse with exceptional abilities to replace my son. A corpse… Kuhiha!”
With a strange laugh, the anger on the Marquis’s face vanished, replaced by a sinister smile that radiated madness.
Though she still appeared as the Marquis on the surface, I felt as if her inner self had transformed in an instant. This was not the first time I had witnessed such a change. It was identical to what I had seen with the young Momental yesterday. In other words, she too was likely no longer alive.
The being that had once been the Marquis Fulcrum dramatically spread her arms and continued speaking.
“As I mentioned before, your body will be carefully taken as a corpse. Well, this time, I intend to take along the ten thousand corpses that are present here as well.”
“I recall those words. Was it that fellow Isunani from the Mecalinan incident?”
“Impressive memory. Indeed, I am Isunani, the Candlestick of the Netherworld, one of the Three Candlesticks. Previously, I summoned the Lich Legion, but this time, I shall call forth an even more interesting opponent. Kuhiha! It is already too late to attack; the summoning has already begun.”
As I prepared to swing my mace, Isunani, who had once been the Marquis Fulcrum, declared this.
Sensing the strange atmosphere on stage, the cheers from the audience quieted, replaced by a growing murmur of unrest. I noticed attendants guiding nearby spectators toward the exits. This must have been a preemptive measure.
“Hmm? I thought the response to me was odd, but it seems preparations were made. Could it be that our true identities were discovered?”
“That fool from yesterday was so confident of victory that he babbled on. We were able to prepare accordingly.”
“That idiot Sarasa! This will not gather enough corpses. Well, it matters not; what I desire is your corpse. Now, arise, you who defy the heavens and lament your fate upon the earth!”
As Isunani raised her staff, multiple magic circles appeared above the stage.
Complex and sinister patterns glowed ominously, and from these circles, large Undead monsters began to materialize. More than twenty in number.
They resembled human skeletal specimens known as Skeletons, but stood nearly five meters tall, with skeletal wings sprouting from their backs. They wielded massive one-handed swords and round shields, adorned with golden rings upon their heads.
To put it bluntly, they appeared to be Skeletons of “angels.” If Isunani’s incantation held any meaning, they were Undead fallen angels, cast down for attempting to ascend to godhood. Whether such beings truly existed, I could not say.
“O warriors of the angelic race, who once boasted of their glory in ancient times! You foolish ones who sought to ascend to the heavens and become gods, only to fall to the earth in failure. How foolish it is to think that true gods reside in the heavens! Kuhiha!”
Perhaps caught up in her own excitement, Isunani began to boast. While her explanations were merely grating to my ears, perhaps there was something to glean from this atmosphere?
“What is your objective? This seems unnecessarily convoluted.”
“Do you wish to know? Our goal is to summon the Lost Princess to this world. The roundabout method is due to the limited means available to achieve that.”
“What is this Lost Princess? How can she be summoned?”
“It seems you won’t have the time to ask that. Kuhiha!”
The hollow eye sockets of the summoned angelic Skeletons glimmered faintly with a red light. It appeared they were about to spring into action.
The audience was in a mild state of panic. However, as the participants of the martial arts tournament and their party members gathered around the stage where we stood, the chaos began to subside. This must have been the Emperor’s strategy; indeed, it was an effective way to restore order.
Of course, all members of the Soul’s Guidance also emerged from the exits, rushing toward me.
“Kuhiha! How fortunate that so many usable corpses have gathered here. Now, I think I shall enjoy the show. I missed the crucial final match.”
Isunani glided into the midst of the angelic Undead. Centered around her, the more than twenty angelic Undead began to advance toward the audience. The nearly one hundred adventurers who had gathered spread out to confront them.
“Lord Soushi! Are you alright?!”
Freinir rushed toward me, her expression filled with concern.
“I’m fine. More importantly, Frei, use the Divine Halo immediately. To its maximum power, please.”
“Understood! Here I go!”
Since our opponents were Undead, the attack spell Divine Punishment would suffice, but it would be better to weaken the entire group rather than target a single foe.
In an instant, the entire arena was enveloped in dazzling light.
The spell, enhanced by Multiple Magic, Range Expansion, Charge, and Divine Spirit, was unleashed with First Strike. The angelic Undead, who had been poised to attack with their swords raised, froze in place, writhing in agony.
“Kuhooo… This magic… is the accursed Divine Attribute…! I had forgotten about the existence of the Saint of Arshuram…!”
Isunani was suffering just as much.
While the true identity of Isunani remained unclear, it was not surprising that the body of the former Marquis Fulcrum was treated as Undead. She knelt on one knee, but it seemed she had not sustained any further damage.