Clack Crack Clang Crackle

The sound of bones moving and rotating about, the sounds of bones breaking, the sound of metals ringing as the pieces struck one another, and the sound of flames burning fiercely. Such a cacophony echoed in the snowy landscape.

It was fortunate that the skeletons did not possess any vocal cords, otherwise, loud screams would have pierced through everyone's ears as they writhe in excruciating pain and agony as golden chains bound them and golden spikes pierced through them, rendering them unable to move.

Not even the Skeleton Tyrant whom Grey and the others struggled against could save itself from the trap. With the nature of the array, it was the one which suffered the most, bound by thousands of chains and impaled by thousands of spikes.

"Damn... What a powerful array..." ［Fizzel］

Cold sweat trickling down his forehead, Fizzel could only smile wryly as he looked at how the enemies suffered before the indescribable array before him. As he watched them burn in the flames of holy light, he could only laugh at their previous efforts.

Undead monsters... One of the five types of monsters than can be found in Merusia along with "Warriors" like goblins and orcs, "Elementals" like golems and treats, "Demonic Beasts", and lastly, "Demons".

They are monsters which resemble the dead or that of ghosts or souls which people believe to be remnants of the departed. Amongst the monsters, they would be the ones one would easily think of when the word "nightmare" is mentioned.

And just like the other types of monsters, they also have their fair shares of strengths and weaknesses. In fact, all undead monsters share two features with each other. That which relied on the time of the day and the magic used.

While the undead retains their strength at night, during the day, they can only muster about 70% of their strength. On the other hand, when there is a new moon when the world is at its darkest, their power increases to 150%. It was a relief that the latter didn't occur during the battle.

In addition, the undead are also weak against light and holy magic, and in relation to that, that means that they are strong towards dark and curse magic. It was the reason why healers and priests, practitioners of holy magic, are crucial to fighting them,

Not only was the sun still up in the sky, the array was also a combination of both light and holy magic. All weaknesses of the undead stacked upon one another, there was only so much the skeleton army could do.

"Don't let the chance slip by! Attack!" ［Reisner］

"Knights, heed our Lord's command! Destroy the enemies!"

"Everyone, charge! Don't let a single one survive!"

The Lord on the lead, the knights and anventures flooded the still incapacitated army of skeletons with a goal of destroying them. Loud roars and battlecries resounding all over the fields as they charged through.

Warmages and warriors in the front, mages and support in the rear, and the magic devices on the side, the enemies have now way of escaping. Blades, spells, and arts rained down upon the army of the dead, eliminating them hundreds at a time.

Clack Clack Whooonngggg

"Not on my watch! 《Soaring Falcon's Echo》!" ［Reisner］

The Skeleton Generals and Skeleton Kings tried to attack from the sky, but with a single, powerful thrust on the Lord's sword, all the attacks were canceled, taking down a couple enemies from the sky at the same time.

Normally, it would have been impossible for the Lord to cancel S-rank enemies' attacks, but with them in such a weakened state, such impossibility was now more. Not to mention he was also receiving buffs from the array. He had never felt so powerful.

《Howling Cleaver!》

《Fire Trident!》

《Lightning Parade!》

Not just the Lord, everyone inside the field also received the same buffs, enabling them to slay the enemies with ease. A storm of mana filled the field as the enemies were slain one after another, leaving various drops behind.

BOOM BOOM BOOM

At the same time, an even fiercer battle occurred up in the air. Even when it was already restrained, the Skeleton Tyrant still put up a good fight against Grey, Yuna, and Fizzel. Though it was much easier, it still wasn't easy enough.

Whilst the Skeleton Tyrant was already bound by the Hall of Judgement's chains, Grey restricted its movements even more with the Divine Chains, sucking away its mana like a starving hounds at the same time.

"Yuna! Lord Fizzel! Now!" ［Grey］

《Star Torrent!》 ［Yuna］

《Golden Peregrine!》 ［Fizzel］

Arrows of light and gold painted the sky as they struck the Skeleton Tyrant like a relentless storm. The sound of bones breaking and armors cracking echoed loudly in the air like resounding thunder as it suffered the full brunt of their deadly combo.

A tempest of arrows and spells continued to rage on, whittling down the Skeleton Tyrant's defense and health slowly but surely. Of course, it tried to counter their attacks, but everytime it did...

《Iron Fortress!》 ［Grey］

... Grey's timely protection would always shield. It was all thanks to the Divine Shield that they could all last long. Not to mention the counter the Divine Shield launches every single time it receives sufficient damage. The boss was trapped in all corners.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

What's worse, every time Yuna and Frizzel rested to prepare their next attacks, the familiars would take over, raining down a series of destructive beams and blasts on the poor enemies' bony body, cracks starting to show more and more.

Above and below, the battle was fierce. As lights of white and gold filled the sky, bolts and flames of red and yellow scorched the ground. The snow which one colored the ground white was now thawed, puddles to be seen here and there. It was the hottest day everyone ever felt in the north.

Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh

Enraged, the Skeleton Tyrant released a barrage of blades of mana in all directions. Some chains were but hundreds more still remained. With its weakened state, it didn't take much effort for Grey and the others to dodge such reckless attacks.

Time passed and clouds moved, cracks appeared all over the Skeleton Tyrant's tattered body. But no signs of resignation could be seen in its empty eye sockets. Rather, there were only undying black flames, raging like a wrathful wildfire. The flames of a destroyer continued to burn.

Suddenly, the enemy stopped, floating motionless in the air. The flames which once burnt ever so fiercely were suddenly extinguished, its bones and joints loosening up and an uncomfortable silence swallowing the air.

"I don't know why you stopped, but I won't let this chance slip!" ［Fizzel］

Pouring it his all, Fizzel drew the bowstring once more, a golden arrow forming out of thin air. But rather than joining Fizzel's assault, Grey and Yuna only felt a strange and eerie discomfort brew inside their hearts.

"Sh*t! Everyone, take cover!" ［Grey］

As Grey's words boomed throughout the whole battle field, the raging balck flames once again burst wildly and the skeletons above and below started glowing brightly, painting the landscape blue and black. A storm of mana started to roar.

Unfortunately for Grey, his warning was far too late. The skeletons, one after another, have started to explode in a colorful manner. Even the Skeleton Dragon the Skeleton Tyrant has been using as a mount also started glowing with a dangerous light.

'This damned bastard...!' ［Grey］

Urgency in its highest, there was only one thing Grey could do. As fast as he could, he once again raised the Divine Shield, barriers covering his body, and utilizing all that he could. Grey braced himself for the worst which could happen.

《Guardian's Will!》 ［Grey］

BOOOOOMMM

The ground was incinerated and the sky was ruptured, violent shockwaves shaking the air. A large mushroom cloud grew hundreds of meters towards the sky, a rare spectacle to be seen kilometers upon kilometers away. A sight which only incurred fear in the heart of many.

As the explosion sent shockwaves all over the place, the array didn't remain safe either. The array which hundreds of people worked so hard to make for several hours was annihilated in just a single instant, not a single rune left to be seen.

But surprisingly, as the clouds of smoke cleared out, there wasn't a single injured person to be seen. Everyone was unharmed, not a single hair on them was scorched. It was nothing short of a miracleー Well, not really.

Flying freely in the sky, a certain person could be seen, his body held in the same position from before. He was in no way unharmed. Burns and injuries covering his body, blood dripping down his wounds, and excruciating pain running throughout each and every single one of his nerves.

Cough Cough Cough

Grey finally gave in, his knees down for the count as blood splattered all over Polaris' back. His whole body was trembling, his senses going awry, and heart thumping like crazy. It was the most pain he had ever felt throughout his two lives.

What he just used was no normal art. It was one exclusive only to the "Guardian" class. An art which redirects all the damage received by all allies in a certain range towards oneself. In other words, it's a special technique which is made which can be called the ultimate sacrifice.

If it wasn't for the fact Grey had both the Divine Shield and Divine Amulet, and the high number of barriers covering his body, he could only imagine what could have happened to him. Death was not too far of a possibility.

"Grey!" ［Yuna］

"Kid!" ［Fizzel］

"""Master!!"""

Yuna, Fizzel, and the familiars immediately and hastily rushed towards Grey's side the moment they saw what state he was in. Yuna was especially in panic, tears forming in the corner of eyes as she jumped towards him.

《Perfect Heal!》 ［Yuna］

"Master, brace yourself!" ［Kentaurus］

Thankfully, Grey wasn't the only one who was knowledgeable about holy magic. With Yuna and Kentaurus' healing magic and Polaris slowing down the damage with law magic, they were able to quickly give him aid and heal all his wounds.

The very next moment, Grey's breathing stabilized, his body restored to its former glory. It wasn't long before he opened his eyes again, a bitter yet bright smile blooming on his face as he looked at Yuna.

"Hahaha... It seems like I underestimated that blast... Hahaha..." ［Grey］

"Stop laughing, you idiot...! Did you know how scared I was?!" ［Yuna］

"Hahaha, sorry, sorry, I'll make sure to do better next time." ［Grey］

"No! There won't be any next time!" ［Yuna］

Tears continued to trickle down her pretty face, Yuna scolded Grey again and again. Meanwhile, Fizzel could only heave a sigh of relief. Still, he didn't forget to keep his guard up and scout the surroundings.

"Alright, you two lovebirds, you can continue the flirting later. We still have a job to finish." ［Fizzel］

"Yeah... I know..." ［Grey］

Unfortunately, even with how powerful the explosion was, the Skeleton Tyrant was still not finished. And now that the array was broken, the only thing restraining it is the fact that it was still daytime. It has now regained most of its strength.

The only silver lining was that it hasn't started to attack yet. As the smoke cleared out, it took its time to recover both its health and mana. The intelligence of a Calamity-Class monster really was high. Dangerously high, that is.

"Archduke Farmalte, please have everyone evacuate the premises right now. Things are going to get dangerous." ［Grey］

"... I see... Then I wish you all good luck. May fortune smile upon you," ［Reisner］

There was only a slight pause in the Lord's worcs but he quickly agreed to Grey's terms. He knew full well that they would only be liabilities if they stayed. The least he could do was lessen their burden and wish for their safety.

With the Lord's orders, everyone quickly fell back, leaving only Grey, Yuna, Fizzel, and the familiars behind. And while the Skeleton Tyrant tried to recover itself, they also did the same, healing their fatigue and recovering mana at the same time.

While it would have been the best to finish everything as soon as possible, the others were still not far enough. If they tried to rush everything, they could get caught up in their clash. All they could do was wait and recover.

"Alright. It seems like they're already far enough. Then, let's get thisー" ［Fizzel］

Whooosh

Fizzel couldn't even finish his words. The moment the Skeleton Tyrant saw him draw the bowstring, it quickly disappeared from sight. But rather than charge towards them like it usually does, it suddenly rushed past them not sparing them a single glance.

"That f*cking bastard...!" ［Fizzel］

The enemy's aim was none other than the people who were retreating towards the city. It has already learnt that Grey and the others wouldn't attack while the others are still present. It is using such a logic to its advantage to recover as much health and mana as it could.

In just a fraction of a second, the Skeleton Tyrant already ran past several dozen meters away from them. Of course, they didn't just let it go freely, chasing after it at inhumane speeds, bursts of wind rampaging in the battlefield.

"You're not going anywhere! 《Hunter's Judge》!" ［Fizzel］

A thundering bolt darted across the fields towards the Skeleton Tyrant, making it stop. It already knew he wouldn't be able to dodge the arrow so it leapt in the air, and as the arrow took some time to readjust its trajectory, it quickly struck it, destroying it once and for all.

Unfortunately for it, the arrow was all but bait. As soon as it leapt in the air, Grey quickly caught up towards him, hundreds of chains reaching out on its body like hungry beasts hunting down its prey.

Grey might be incapable of dragging the Skeleton Tyrant, but such a logic only applies if it has footing to apply force on. Now that it voluntarily leapt mid-air, he immediately grabbed the chance and got a hold of it, throwing it higher in the air, a certain bunch of platinum dragons waiting from above.

WHOOOONNNGGG

Seven beams from all directions shot towards the Skeleton Tyrant, but it didn't just set still and let itself be hurt. Utilizing the momentum from which Grey threw it at, it quickly spun in the air, scattering most of the beams heading towards it.

Some cracks could still be heard as it suffered quite a bit of damage. Even then, due to its actions, it was significantly lesser than what should have been. It managed to avoid the worst outcome, landing itself skillfully towards the ground.

《Star Torrent!》 ［Yuna］

But Yuna didn't let it rest. As soon as it landed, a heavy and violent barrage of light missiles rushed towards it, each one packing enough destructive power to annihilate any monster below B-rank with relative ease, not leaving a trace of their existence.

The Skeleton Tyrant, having to other choice, swung its sword like a relentless stream, each strike destroying a missile, a series of explosions following it soon after. The battlefield had once again turned into a pandemonium.

《Golden Peregrine!》 ［Fizzel］

As it dealt with the barrage of missiles in the front, a golden arrow was shot from behind. It was one which was a combination of archery and light magic. Being an undead, it would undoubtedly suffer a lot of damage if such an attack were to hit it.

But surprisingly, the Skeleton Tyrant remained calm. With a wave of its hand, a small storm of mana brewed behind it. Soon, a couple of bare skeletons appeared out of thin air, not a single weapon in sight.

BOOOOOMMMM

The skeletons' lives were a short one. They were summoned just to act as a meatー or should I say "bone shield", for the Skeleton Tyrant. They were of the lowest rank as well so the latter didn't have to spend a lot of mana to summon them, continuing to deal with the missiles of light.

As soon as the barrage of light was over, the Skeleton Tyrant turned around and once again headed towards the retreating force. Grey and the others continued to chase it, doing whatever they could to take it down as quickly as they could.

"This damn bastard... How is it learning so quickly...?!" ［Fizzel］

It wasn't just Fizzel. Both Grey and Yuna were also in shock with how quickly the Skeleton Tyrant learnt and grew. It was no simple monster. At the rate things are going, the longer the battle goes, the more disadvantageous it would be for them.

"Yuna, I'll head left. You go to the right." ［Grey］

"Un! Got it!" ［Yuna］

"Then I'll support you both from the rear!" ［Fizzel］

With their plan in mind, Fizzel suddenly stopped his pursuit, pulling the bowstring with all his might, releasing it thereafter. He didn't use any arts anymore, simply shooting as many arrows as he could towards the enemy.

They may not be powerful, but it wasn't a normal bow he was using, it was the Divine Bow which possessed the ability "Detonation". The moment it hits something, it will immediately explode. An explosion which could deal quite the substantial amount of damage to even the likes of the Skeleton Tyrant.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

A series of explosions echoed one after another as Fizzel fired arrow after arrow. And with Grey and Yuna attacking it from the flanks, their combo left the Skeleton Tyrant unable to take a breather, always dodging and parrying attacks from three sides.

Not to mention the familiars which shot down beams and blasts towards it. If it was any weaker, it would have already lost long ago. It was literally a scene from hell.

Unfortunately, even with all their efforts, the Skeleton Tyrant managed to close in towards the retreating force, albeit slowly. The jet black flames burning on its eye sockets, still as lively and ferocious as it has always been.

《Star Torrent!》 ［Yuna］

《Hunter's Fest!》 ［Fizzel］

《Cobra Burst!》 ［Grey］

A barrage of arrows from behind, a torrent of light missiles from the right, a cascade of bursting chains from the left, and a downpour of beams from above. Such a hellish bombardment headed towards the Skeleton Tyrant, a loud explosion booming soon after, clouds of smoke lingering everywhere.

But even such a destructive combo wasn't enough. Although the Skeleton Tyrant suffered heavy damages, it was still standing proudly. A large number of destroyed skeletons to be seen all over the place, probably used as bone shields once again.

Time ticked and snow continued to fall, yet the battle was yet to finish. Everyone already knew that something was off with the enemy who was only defending and never attacking actively, but it was only when the sun started to descend that they realized... It was only buying time.

The Skeleton Tyrant already knew that it was at a disadvantage with how low its mana reserves were. And in lieu to such a circumstance, it has been conserving mana as much as it could during the battle and tiring its enemies at the same time.

While it only recovered about a tenth of its mana reserves, such was already more than enough for it to fight comfortably. Not to mention that the sun was about to set. The limits which bounded its powers are soon to be undone. The tables are about to be turned.

"Archduke Grey. It seems like this is as far as we can go." ［Reisner］

What's the worst was that the Skeleton Tyrant had already caught up to the retreating forces. Not only are they now too tired to run, it is also practically impossible now. The only thing left they can do is face the enemy head on and brace themselves for the worst.

"Archduke Grey, we'll be fighting with you." ［Reisner］

"Alright, then pleaseー" ［Grey］

"Grey!!" ［Yuna］

It was all too sudden. In just the short moment Grey tried to give instructions, the Skeleton Tyrant who had been on the defense, suddenly went on the offense. A pitch black sword was lunged towards Grey's direction at breakneck speed.

Grey didn't let his guard down and had quick reflexes, but he wasn't quick enough against the Skeleton Tyrant who was at the upper ranges of Calamity-Class. All he could do is rely on the Divine Amulet's ability to revive him as he closed his eyes.

Clang

But the pain he expected never arrived, rather, there was only a resounding clang, two pieces of metals hitting one another. A fraction of a second later, strong bursts of wind followed, furious howls echoing in the air.

Grey opened his eyes again, welcomed by an unfamiliar figure in front of him. He was a well-built man who seemed to be on his mid-twenties, a pair of azure longswords held by his hands, his long, black hair fluttering in the wind

As for the Skeleton Tyrant, it is now a couple dozen meters away, traces of being forcefully pushed back engraved on the snowy ground and a couple cracks to be seen on its sword.

"Looks like I arrived just in time." ［???］

The man's gentle voice echoed in the air as the sky turned amber, the golden sunlight illuminating the ground and highlighting his body. His eyes, deep as the blue ocean, looked at the enemy before him, a fierce glow gleaming sharply. He possessed the eyes of a predator.

CHAPTER 187 END