Book 1 Chapter 75
“Leo! What in the world is that!”
Runia and Eiran rushed towards Leo.
“Skeleton King.”
At that, Runia and Eiran gasped.
Skeleton King.
One of the strongest undead a necromancer could wield.
“W-we should run…!”
Seeing Eiran, whose face was pale, Leo shook his head.
“No. It would be better not to.”
“Eiran’s right, we should retreat now! It’s not the time to be stubborn!”
Even though they were the top first-year students at Lumern and Seirun, they were no match for a Skeleton King.
Runia and Eiran’s opinions were entirely valid.
“If we flee rashly, it will only be more dangerous.”
Leo looked towards Kargo and Lauta.
“They won’t be content to just watch us retreat willingly.”
Runia gritted her teeth, and Eiran wore a frightened expression.
Indeed, escaping with a Skeleton King, the highest-grade undead, at their backs was a dangerous choice.
“Then what do we do?”
“What do we do?”
Leo stepped forward.
“We have to defeat it.”
Seeing Leo say it as if it were obvious, Runia’s eyes widened.
“Impossible!”
“It might be impossible under normal circumstances, but…”
Leo smirked as he looked at the Skeleton King.
“This Skeleton King wasn’t summoned by normal means.”
“What?”
“Lauta made a contract with Hell Kaiser through death to gain power. It seems they managed to summon a Skeleton King by combining that power with the power of the curse of the dead that is spread throughout this place.”
Leo gripped his sword.
“They barely met the summoning conditions. This Skeleton King cannot be maintained for long.”
The most basic condition of summoning magic.
It was the mana required to maintain the summoned target.
Necromancy, being a form of summoning magic, naturally meant that the summon would be dispelled if the mana to maintain it ran out.
“Then all we have to do is hold out until the mana to maintain the Skeleton King’s summon runs out!”
“But there’s Lauta and a Death Knight, not just the Skeleton King on their side. Can we really hold out?”
“We have to try. Runia, you handle Lauta. Eiran, you deal with the Death Knight.”
“Huh?”
“Are you planning to face the Skeleton King alone now?”
Seeing the two girls’ surprised faces, Leo nodded.
“Yes, that’s my plan.”
Seeing Leo speak so casually, Runia shouted.
“Reckless!”
“It may be reckless, but it’s the only way now. Trust me. If that Skeleton King is a top-tier undead…”
Leo pulled something out of his pocket.
Peep?
“I have the strongest familiar.”
At his words, Runia gritted her teeth.
‘Certainly, there’s no other way right now…’
Runia took a deep breath.
“If you die, I won’t let you off!”
“Pff.”
“What? Why are you laughing?”
“No, I heard the exact same thing before.”
Leo ruffled Runia’s hair, who was flustered, and grinned.
“Don’t worry. I won’t die to some old bone bag like that.”
***
“Hahahaha! Power! Power is overflowing!”
Lauta shouted, unable to contain his surging power.
“Skeleton King! Destroy the barrier before you right now!”
UOOOOOOOO-!
Following Lauta’s command, the Skeleton King placed a giant hand on the ground.
KWAHAK-!
With a gray light, a worn-out giant sword appeared.
GOOOOOO-!
The Skeleton King raised its hand to swing the sword, which was imbued with a chilling black aura.
HWAAAHAK-!
Merely by doing so, a powerful gust of wind arose, scattering the surrounding snow in all directions.
“This is amazing!”
In Lauta’s eyes, filled with exhilaration, Leo’s figure appeared.
“That guy! How dare he kill me!”
Lauta, whose eyes blazed, chanted a spell.
HWAAARUK-! KWAGAGAK-!
Arrows of black flames flew, targeting Leo’s back.
KWAGAGAK! POONG-!
However, a wall of red flames appeared, blocking the attack.
Lauta’s face contorted.
“I’m your opponent.”
Runia stood in front of Lauta.
“How dare you! You’re blocking me, your senior!”
“Senior? Don’t make me laugh. You’re nothing but a traitor who has disgraced the name of Seirun!”
Seeing Runia’s eyes filled with contempt, Lauta’s expression changed drastically.
“It seems I need to teach you how to respect your seniors.”
Lauta summoned his staff.
And he struck the ground with that staff.
KOONG-! GOOOOOH-!
A magic circle appeared on the ground.
Simultaneously, undead began to appear.
Seeing this, Runia snorted and raised her mana.
HWAAARURURURK-!
Numerous fire familiars appeared.
The battle between the summoner and the necromancer had officially begun.
“Hehehe… there are no easier enemies to deal with than those who are terrified.”
Kargo gripped his sword and let out a chilling laugh.
Eiran took a step back, seeing Kargo.
“Ugh.”
Since entering the forest, Eiran had only been able to muster courage because Leo and Runia were behind her.
But now, Eiran had to face the Death Knight all by herself.
‘Can I do it?’
Eiran’s hands trembled.
Eiran, who disliked fighting, wanted to run away.
As Eiran backed away, she saw Leo and Runia.
‘If I can’t do it, Leo-nim and Runia-yang will be in danger.’
Eiran’s eyes, which had been wavering with anxiety, gradually calmed down.
Seeing Leo fighting the Skeleton King with a smile, she thought he was like a hero from a story.
Runia, cheering him on in her own way, seemed more radiant than ever.
‘I never thought about becoming a hero. But… but…’
The girl who loved hero stories entered Seirun with the wish to witness those hero stories by their side.
‘At least I can’t hold them back!’
GOOOOOO-!
A fighting spirit flickered in Eiran’s eyes.
‘This girl… her demeanor has changed?’
Seeing Eiran stop trembling and assume a stance, Kargo’s face hardened.
Leo, who had been charging towards the Skeleton King, smiled.
‘Having grand dreams doesn’t make one a hero.’
Ora flames wrapped around Leo’s body.
‘Sometimes, small dreams gather one by one to become a great hero. Although our personalities are different, in that aspect, you resemble Berkkia more than anyone, Eiran.’
Eiran’s ancestor, Berkkia, was like that.
Leo clenched his fist, recalling the little elf girl who admired the footprints of great heroes.
“Fiora!”
A powerful flame aura wrapped around Fiora’s body.
HWAAAK-!
GWOOOOORRRRRR-!
The Skeleton King’s roar echoed for a long time.
Hearing the sound, a black aura enveloped Leo’s body.
“The scream of the dead.”
A type of fear curse used by the undead.
The living who hear the scream have their defense reduced, while the dead have their attack power increased!
It was the worst curse in this situation.
But Leo smiled wryly.
“Fiora. Scream!”
PIYAAAAAAAK-!
Fiora’s clear, cute cry echoed throughout the forest.
The moment they heard the sound, a red aura enveloped Leo, Runia, and Eiran.
The power of a Phoenix, the cry of an unquenchable flame.
It was a blessing with the opposite effect of the ‘scream of the dead’ used by the undead.
“How long are you going to keep chirping?”
Leo burst into laughter and charged towards the Skeleton King’s sword, which was swinging towards the barrier erected by the former fairy king.
HWAAARURURK-!
Fiora, who had transformed from a small, cute chick into the beautiful form of a Phoenix, landed gently on Leo’s sword.
‘Summoning Magic – Manifestation.’
HWAAARURURK-!
Fiora turned into flames and imbued itself into Leo’s sword.
It was a technique that enhanced the power of familiars or spirits by having them reside within a body or weapon.
HWAAARURK-!
Flame wings formed at the tip of Leo’s sword, followed by a blade of flames.
The fiercely burning flame sword instantly grew as large as the Skeleton King’s sword.
Everyone looked at Leo with astonished eyes.
As Leo’s red eyes flashed, he swung towards the Skeleton King’s sword.
KWAAAAAAAH! KWAANG!
KWAAAAH!
GWOOOOORRRRRRRR-!
With a tremendous explosion, the Skeleton King’s arm shot into the sky.
Staggered by the impact, the Skeleton King collapsed.
KUGEGEGE! KWAANG-!
Several trees fell as they were swept away by the giant body.
Leo used magic to lift himself into the air.
HWAAAK-!
Fiora, disengaging from the sword, fluttered gracefully and landed on Leo’s head.
[Wow! Leo! You can even use Manifestation?]
Kirian, who had been watching the situation, was speechless.
Manifestation was a technique that even seasoned summoners found difficult to use.
[You’re still a kid, but you’re quite good?]
At Kirian’s words, Fiora chirped and proudly lifted its chin.
[Hmph. That’s enough to be my subordinate. From now on, I’ll make you my subordinate 1… Ow! You damn chick! I’m not food!]
Kirian, whose head was swallowed by Fiora’s beak, struggled.
“Stop playing around.”
At Leo’s words, Fiora spat Kirian out with a ‘Ptooey-!’
KOONG-! KUGEGEGE-!
The Skeleton King got back on its feet.
Although it was blown away by Leo, it hadn’t sustained a critical blow.
KOONG! KOONG!
The Skeleton King, now standing, its gaze fell upon Leo.
HOOK-! KWAOOOOOOOAK!
The Skeleton King’s sword swung with tremendous speed.
KWAGAGAGAGANG-!
The spot where Leo had stood was instantly devastated.
The Skeleton King’s gaze moved to the tip of its sword.
Leo, whose eyes met the Skeleton King’s red glow, pointed at the Skeleton King with his fingertip.
“Kirian.”
[Yeah? Oh?]
HWAAAK-!
A faint silver light flowed from Kirian’s body.
“Assist me.”
[Got it!]
Runes appeared on Leo’s fingertips.
It was none other than fairy magic.
“Luminance Ray!”
FLASH-!
A star magic circle formed at Leo’s fingertip, and a powerful light projectile was fired.
KWAANG-!
GWOOOOOR-!
The Skeleton King, struck directly in its right eye, let out a monstrous roar.
HWAAAK-!
As the Skeleton King wildly swung its sword, Leo hastily disengaged.
‘The mana consumption is severe.’
Leo sighed.
The magic he had just used was a high-level spell that he couldn’t normally use.
Yet, Leo could use it thanks to Kirian’s assistance.
He had used his mana to draw out Kirian’s potential.
Fairies were also powerful magic users.
Although it was a magic calculation he couldn’t implement on his own, he was assisted by Kirian’s power.
‘If Kirian’s power had been at full strength, I could have used it without much trouble.’
Although the magic had indeed dealt damage, Leo had also suffered mana overload.
TADAK-!
Leo landed on the ground.
GWOOOOOR-!
The Skeleton King’s destroyed eye glow recovered.
‘The difference in class is too great.’
Leo wiped the cold sweat dripping down his forehead.
The two attacks were beyond what Leo could currently handle.
‘But all I have to do is buy time.’
Leo’s objective was, after all, to stop the Skeleton King.
As Leo lowered his stance to prepare for the next attack.
SWISH-!
The Skeleton King raised its sword again.
‘No matter how powerful the undead, it’s impossible to unleash its full power without the support of a proper necromancer.’
Undead are like familiars.
Just as Leo couldn’t fully utilize Fiora’s power, the Skeleton King summoned by Lauta couldn’t exert its full strength.
‘If I just buy time, I can stop it…’
WOONG-!
Suddenly, the Skeleton King’s sword glowed crimson.
Seeing that, something flashed in Leo’s mind.
At the same time, Leo instinctively swung his sword to the side.
HWAK-! KWAK-!
“……!”
Sensing pressure from the side, Leo gasped.
As if moving through space, the Skeleton’s sword was suddenly beside Leo.
Before he could even register it, Leo instinctively blocked and gritted his teeth.
KWAGAGAGAGANG-!
Leo was thrown back from his position.