Dark Fantasy’s Extra Chapter 199

In Eric’s opinion, the most difficult part of this mission was deceiving Lady Rusalka’s eyes.

Though Rusalka was a tyrant worthy of the throne, she was also extremely hands-on with matters on the ground below her throne.

She would even personally take the field alone if necessary.

As her vassal, he wanted to beg her not to do such things, but he had fallen for her including that personality, so it couldn’t be helped.

However, that disposition was only hindering this matter.

The forces Eric brought were three thousand undead and one slightly stronger undead to coordinate them.

Though this much force was just to kill one lower-ranked hunter, Eric had not only avoided any complacency but came prepared to stake his life.

He absolutely had to kill that guy.

He had to find and eliminate that cursed being who was clouding the eyes of his lord, Little Mermaid, Empress of the Ocean Rusalka.

However, after arriving at the Ivan Mountains where that guy was supposed to be, he bitterly regretted his own complacency.

Though he had no intention of being careless…

“Charmol, I was foolish to trust someone like you.”

Eric said while taking his stance holding the national treasure Moby Dick.

“Just what are you? Where did someone like you come from?”

“I hear that often/” 

Maia answered while casually spinning the spear in her hand.

Blue electricity crackled at the tip of the spinning spear, leaving bright trails.

Jupiter Thunder Spear, one of Maia’s collections specialized in electrical attacks.

Among the various weapons in Blue Paper Moon, it was second only to the harpoon ‘Mermaid Hunter’, a relic of Kenken, in effectiveness against Rusalka’s Beasts.

However, more than the weapon’s performance, Maia herself was overwhelmingly strong.

After crossing weapons a few times, Eric vaguely realized his opponent’s capabilities exceeded his own.

“If I had to say, I’m Eugene’s greatest supporter.”

“Tch…”

He hadn’t heard there was such a monster.

Charmol, who obsessively investigated everything about Eugene, must have known but deliberately didn’t tell him.

Perhaps even the Order’s plan to lure and kill Blanc was fake from the start.

Rusalka’s words about not trusting behemoths flashed through his mind, but it was too late for regrets now.

He could only press forward.

“…Then you’re quite a poor supporter.”

Eric said after thinking for a brief moment.

“While you’re facing off against me, Eugene will be dying. I have an army of thousands of undead! Do you think that weak lower-ranked hunter can escape from this encirclement?”

Though Charmol’s betrayal was unpleasant, the situation wasn’t that bad.

Even if Maia was stronger than Eric, the difference wasn’t so overwhelming that he would be instantly killed.

If they fought and dragged out the battle, the undead horde would find and kill Eugene.

“Well, maybe so. Then the solution is simple, isn’t it?”

Maia stopped spinning her spear and pointed it at Eric.

“I just need to defeat you quickly and go protect Eugene.”

“Think I’ll go down that easily!”

Eric swung Moby Dick, releasing a massive yellow energy blade.

A power comparable to Zepetia’s latest masterpiece rail gun.

Of course, for Eric who was a behemoth, it was just an ordinary strike.

“You will go down that easily!”

Maia flew like an insect to dodge the attack and charged forward with her spear leading the way.

* * *

I continued down the mountain carrying Vasilisa on my back.

Though we had managed to avoid one group of undead earlier thanks to Bari’s curse, there were too many enemies.

Several times after that we were surrounded with no gaps to escape through.

Though we managed to get past thanks to their curse, I had an unsettling feeling as we descended further down.

That there must be an intelligent field commander down there.

The proof was that the undead we encountered lower down had more disciplined movements.

And above all…

“Something’s there. Someone who smells bad like a fart.”

Vasilisa said.

It was clearly different from the puppet skeletons until now.

Assuming these were Charmol’s undead, the only undead I could think of was the mid-tier Beast ‘Nightmare Shadow’.

While immune to physical damage itself, it had the effect of strengthening nearby undead and was often seen in Charmol’s territory.

Though not exactly called a commander, it was the only one of Charmol’s subordinates that could control surrounding undead.

It was large and looked like a mass of black smoke, so I used to call it a fart too.

Immune to physical damage but conversely specialized in mental attacks itself.

Though not particularly powerful, it was quite annoying since it always appeared with lots of minions and could accurately detect players even from very far away.

“What should we do…”

Though Maia wouldn’t lose to Eric, I couldn’t guarantee when their battle would end.

Moreover, if it was like the game, Nightmare Shadow’s detection abilities would be powerful too, so we could be discovered at any time.

But there was no other option besides going down.

We just had to somehow avoid Nightmare Shadow.

I continued descending with Vasilisa.

But being cautious of Nightmare Shadow made our pace quite slow.

“There…” 

Vasilisa pointed ahead.

I immediately stopped, crouched low, and carefully examined the direction she was pointing.

“…”

Though it was dark under the night sky in the forest, a hunter’s night vision could spot the large mass of smoke in the trees.

It was roughly a 2m spherical shape, but human faces twisted in agony kept bubbling up and disappearing on its surface like boiling water.

Given its mental attack and undead control abilities, it must certainly have intelligence despite its appearance.

I couldn’t be sure how well the disguise using Bari’s curse would work.

Moreover, I couldn’t even tell where its eyes were, and perhaps it had no blind spots.

I looked around but couldn’t see any of the undead hordes that had been appearing constantly until now.

Perhaps after all this time, almost all the undead had gone up the mountain searching for us.

“…”

I had no choice but to… gamble.

We’d already come quite far down the mountain, and could probably escape if we went just a bit further…

“Vasilisa.”

“What?”

“I’m going to run now, so hold on tight. Got it?”

“Yes!”

I took one final deep breath and stood up.

Then I used [Acceleration] and ran forward.

“Ahhh…!!!”

Nightmare Shadow let out an unpleasant moan upon discovering us.

But even for a mid-tier Beast, I had Karen’s curse making me faster than normal [Acceleration]…

“…!?!?”

After taking a few steps, Vasilisa squeezed me too tightly.

It felt like a giant gripping my body with one hand.

In the end, I stumbled and rolled forward before getting away from Nightmare Shadow.

“Huaaaah…!!!”

Nightmare Shadow’s fierce moans drew closer.

“J-just a bit looser…!”

“Huh?”

Even after rolling around, Vasilisa was still squeezing me.

My chest was so compressed I could barely breathe.

Of course, she probably thought she was just holding on tight…

How should I explain this?

“Hold on a bit more gently!”

“Oh? Ah, okay.”

When Vasilisa loosened her grip, air instantly rushed into my freed chest.

I tried to get up as quickly as possible to run again.

But perhaps due to the unexpected breaking of [Acceleration], I staggered unable to immediately recast the magic.

Magical power was chaotically circulating through my body.

Even at this moment Nightmare Shadow must be approaching…!

“Damn… it…”

I somehow managed to take out and set off a smoke grenade.

Though I wasn’t sure if it would be effective against Nightmare Shadow, I had to try something.

And the moment I took a step, Nightmare Shadow appeared right in front of me through the smoke.

“…!?!?”

“Huaaaack…!!!”

The agonized faces that kept appearing and disappearing on Nightmare Shadow’s surface.

The moment I met their eyes, everything grew distant…

* * *

In Tramina, the heart of the deep sea and Little Mermaid’s palace.

A royal guard approached Rusalka who sat on a throne that was now somewhat smaller and plainer than the massive one of old.

“What is it?”

“Charmol has sent a secret letter.”

The royal guard knelt on one knee and presented a scroll.

“From Charmol? I trust it’s not some cursed item?”

There were plenty of scrolls that would release curses when opened.

Though Rusalka and Charmol cooperated behind the scenes, neither truly trusted the other.

If anything, Rusalka was more wary of him.

Of course, it wasn’t just Charmol specifically – she had been cautious of all behemoths since Kenken’s appearance.

“No. The magus have verified it.”

“I see. Bring it here.”

The royal guard carefully approached and handed Charmol’s letter to Rusalka.

Rusalka opened it and slowly read the contents.

After reading to the end, she tore it to shreds.

“…!”

The nearby royal guard flinched.

But Rusalka showed no concern as she stood and gripped her trident that was placed beside the throne.

“Prepare the troops.”

“Y-yes! How… how many…”

“All royal guards remaining in the palace. And as reserve forces, three magus and two sea dragons.”

Excluding those royal guards who were away, there were seven currently in Tramina.

Adding five of the strongest regular forces apart from royal guards – the Deep Sea Folk mages and sea dragons.

It could only be called a tremendous scale.

“I-I obey! Where shall we march to?”

“The Ivan Mountains in the far east.”

“What? Ah, yes! I’ll prepare right away!”

Though momentarily startled by the unexpected location, the royal guard saw Rusalka’s unusual mood and immediately ran toward where their comrades were.

Questioning at times like this would be utterly foolish.

What was needed was absolute obedience.

All of Rusalka’s subjects were completely devoted to her.

Yet…

“Eric… how dare you…”

The contents of Charmol’s letter were simple.

The plain fact that Eric was leading undead to encircle and kill Eugene at the Ivan Mountains.

But when Eric left Tramina today, he said it was just for information gathering.

He only said there were suspicious Order movements at the Ivan Mountains and after combining it with Charmol’s information it seemed quite important, so he needed to handle it personally.

“…”

Rusalka hesitated for a moment.

For a moment – far too long a time to hesitate.

Even though a traitor’s punishment was obvious.

That’s how special a subject Eric was to Rusalka.

Her one and only knight.

Though there were many warriors and fighters among the royal guards, Eric was the only knight.

“…Though difficult, I’ll need to find a new knight.”

Knights were special.

It would be hard to find someone who could replace Eric.

There was Eric’s history of loyalty until now, and finding a suitable candidate was also an issue.

However, the name of a certain hunter immediately came to Rusalka’s mind.

And without a moment’s hesitation, she decided to make him her second knight.