Chapter 66. Berenburg (4)

Thud. Ruuumble….

The ceiling rumbled.

It was the sound of artillery fire.

It was proof that the operation was proceeding as planned.

The artillery, including the Hellfire rockets, had begun to pour down fire in the middle of the night.

Some troops advanced using siege towers as shields, and the Pegasus Knights took off.

What was surprising was the fact that all of this was a feint attack for me and the 60 members of the special forces.

It was an excessive investment.

It also meant that my current value was that high.

After all, I was the one who led a single mercenary band into the heart of enemy territory, cut off their supply lines and communication routes, and retook a number of strongholds in the double digits.

I even expelled the soul of the Indika curse-caster who had possessed Count Maenenwood, causing confusion by informing the rebels of their betrayal.

Of course, for now, only a few in the command staff knew this.

It was for security.

After the war, my achievements would be widely known.

Anyway, for such a war hero to volunteer for an infiltration, it would be disappointing if the feint attack was sloppy.

‘…It was probably an operation made possible because the Emperor showed interest.’

I couldn't be careless.

To the Emperor, I was just one of many cards.

He was an iron-blooded monarch who calculated everything in numbers.

He was surely preparing another method of attack to use when the card called the Ash Mercenary Band failed.

Naturally, I had no intention of giving him the opportunity to use those other cards.

And so-

Splash. Splash.

I was walking through the sewer, relying on a torch.

With 60 carefully selected unit members.

It was not a pleasant environment.

Neither for walking nor for fighting.

“Feels like a ghost is going to pop out.”

“Heh heh, I know, right.”

As the unit members said, the atmosphere was eerie.

Underfoot, a shallow swamp had formed with mud mixed with filth.

Bats were flying around on the ceiling.

Spiderwebs spun by palm-sized spiders would get caught on our arms or heads every now and then.

“Ugh, the smell……”

The pungent stench of filth was enough to make even the strong-stomached mercenaries nauseous.

Just then, I remembered a trait I had recently acquired and tried using it.

[[Selective Loss of Taste] is deployed.]

Hmm?

It was more refreshing than I thought.

They say that most of the taste we feel comes from our sense of smell, so it seemed it could be used in this way too.

I led the unit members, erasing one from my mental list of useless traits.

Anyway, despite the terrible environment, the worst was not the smell or the filth.

“Commander, there’s a fork in the road ahead.”

The path was complicated.

We had already passed more than ten forks.

It was common knowledge that a city's sewer system was originally complex, and it was a perfect place to get lost and die if you took a wrong turn.

However, Berenburg was particularly severe.

This place was practically a labyrinth.

Even the guards wouldn’t patrol outside of their designated areas.

According to the lore, it was because the ruins of an ancient city that had been built long ago were intertwined with the city’s sewer system….

Well, it wasn't important right now.

What was important was that there was a way to break through it.

Not long after Karen’s warning, we stopped.

Another fork.

Karen approached.

“I think it’s the right.”

“I agree.”

In fact, the method was simple.

This was a sewer system.

That meant water flowed here.

If it wasn't stagnant, the water flowed in one direction.

Of course, in the darkness, and relying on a single torch, it would be nearly impossible to read the flow of the filthy water.

But we had a half-elf ranger.

“Just a moment. Hmm…”

And a half-elf who could even read the flow of the wind using spirits.

“I’m sure. That’s the right way.”

She, who had closed her eyes for a moment, confirmed it.

She had used a wind spirit.

She must have read the flow of the air along with the water.

In terms of magic, it was a fairly high-level spell, but since it was spirit magic, the flow of mana was barely noticeable.

‘Is she really a half-blood? Could she be royalty?’

Spirit magic was originally an ability that only royalty among the elves could use.

My doubts were growing, but that was also a problem for later.

Based on Karen’s excellent senses, spirit magic, and the topographical information in my head, we found our way smoothly.

How long had we walked?

Suddenly, the air in the sewer changed.

Seeing Karen flinch, I deactivated the [Selective Loss of Taste] trait.

Another smell was seeping into the stench of the sewer that had been stinging my nose.

The smell of blood.

[[Lord’s Unyielding Mind] is deployed.]

“Comman… Urk?”

A notification window popped up.

A staggering Karen.

A scout who fell along with her while trying to catch her.

The scouts from the ranger background with their sensitive senses fell first.

Soon, the knights and soldiers also clutched their heads, staggered, and fell to their knees.

“Com…mander, run…”

Unable to finish his sentence, Olif’s head dropped.

I walked around and laid the members on their backs so they could breathe.

It wasn't something to be flustered about.

I knew what this situation was.

Naturally, this was not the first time I had conquered Berenburg either.

In all my time playing this game, the number of times I had toppled this impregnable city was in the dozens.

More than half the time, I attacked through the sewers.

Therefore, I also knew why the Emperor had not chosen the sewer as an attack route, and the danger the Archduke had warned about.

What had just knocked out my unit members was a curse cast by the ghost of the sewer.

It was a powerful trait that inflicted a stun status effect on all heroes and troops of level 6 or lower.

There was only one way to break it.

To defeat the one who cast the curse.

[Khuhuhuhu….]

Laughter echoed through the passage.

Scrape. Splat….

A bizarre noise.

Something scraping, splashing, and the unpleasant sound of dripping.

Listening to the ever-approaching noise, I thought for a moment.

There were ominous rumors about Berenburg’s sewer.

That when the city was built, the ruins of the ancient city that was originally there were pushed aside and built on top of, and that ancient ghosts roamed the sewers, kidnapping lost vagrants.

[It has been a long time since I have had prey.]

Surprisingly, it was true.

The ghost was real.

I readjusted my grip on my sword.

I could see him.

An emaciated body and a long, flowing robe.

A crushed nose and more than half of his teeth missing.

[Kilkikil. Fresh souls, not those on the verge of death.]

His mouth opened.

The way to deal with a spellcaster was simple.

Don't give them time to speak.

[Hmm? You are awake. Did the curse not work? Even so, if I just take your soul first, it will be enou—Aargh-]

[[Tuivat High Priest's Swift Sword] is deployed.]

The fellow, cut in half at the waist, staggered and fell.

* * *

There were heroes who did not belong to any faction.

The so-called neutral heroes.

Heroes who basically acted for their own purposes, and who could be hostile or persuaded to become allies depending on the situation.

The ghost of the sewer was one of them.

This fellow, who lived in the underground of Berenburg, was an ancient necromancer.

The moment someone entered his territory, he would relentlessly pursue them to steal their soul.

He used his specialty to seize the entire soul of the living, and then he would mix the body and soul to create his own army of Necro Ogres.

Unlike most neutral heroes, he was a type that was almost impossible to persuade.

Therefore, he was also the biggest obstacle in conquering Berenburg through the sewers.

No matter how many troops you brought in, they would have their souls stolen and become his minions in just a few minutes.

There were two ways to defeat him.

Either pour in so many troops that they overwhelmed his spells.

Or, use a small number of heroes with a good matchup to target him alone.

For reference, the hero with the best matchup was a necromancer.

“Keuh, heuh…”

I looked back at the bisected body.

He was gasping for breath.

It wasn't over.

The ghost of the sewer wouldn't die from something like this.

If he had died in the first place, the unit members would have woken up.

All the members, including Karen and Olif, were in a deep sleep, breathing softly.

As I watched from a distance, the body soon stopped its shallow breathing.

I could feel it.

His soul leaving the rotten corpse and heading somewhere.

“Kkumteuli.”

‘Ready. Just say the word.’

I followed.

The ghost of the sewer was a high-ranking undead called a lich.

He would not die until his life vessel was destroyed.

If I ignored him and left, he would pursue me more powerfully and quickly with his [Soul Hunt] trait.

[[Small Subspace] is deployed.]

While pursuing from a distance, I called for the ‘Nameless Tentacle.’

The subspace opened and tentacles covered my vision.

Swoosh-

I felt a sensation like applying a thick layer of sunscreen for a moment, and then it disappeared.

My attire was replaced with Tribus' leather armor, a red robe, a staff, and a white mask.

The sacred relic of the Theocracy.

The ability of the ‘Nameless Tentacle’ statue.

I found out recently that this ability could also change my attire.

It couldn't change my body itself, but considering that, it was a more useful ability than I thought.

Splash. Splash.

I ran through the passage.

Following the trace of the soul.

I didn't need a torch.

My vision was completely bright with the white mask.

Before long, I entered a large cavern.

A cavern where over a hundred Necro Ogres stood like statues, and a small urn and a few corpses were scattered in the center.

[You are?]

One of the corpses rose.

Grotesquely, like a puppet on a string.

Because I had changed my attire and face, he didn't seem to recognize me.

However, was it because his guard was raised?

He immediately began to chant a spell.

It wasn't a stun curse.

It was his core trait.

Soul Steal.

[Give me your soul…!]

He held out his hand.

Muttering an ominous spell, mana danced at his fingertips.

An unpleasant sensation pricked my chest.

A feeling like a string was connected to my soul.

Of course, it didn't work.

[[Lord’s Unyielding Mind] is deployed.]

[Kyaak! Why…!]

The flustered fellow waved his arms and retreated.

I extended my staff.

[[Soul Absorption] is deployed.]

[Hkeo-eo-eo……!]

A turbid, grayish-white energy was drawn out.

The corpse the fellow had inhabited began to shrivel, as if rapidly weathered.

High-ranking undead, by their nature, had difficulty defeating necromancers.

This was because a lich's life vessel was no different from a soul core.

Therefore, when playing as a necromancer, I would often deal with all the Necro Ogres, then extract his soul from the life vessel, store it in a special soul stone, and use it as a kind of familiar.

Of course, I didn't have time for that now.

The Necro Ogres, having lost their control, began to rampage.

Grawk! Grrrk!

Gwoooar-!

The masterless fellows instinctively rushed forward.

Towards the nearest living being.

A number that would normally be difficult to handle.

However, the life vessel, which was no different from a soul core, was temporarily supplying me with power.

Using the extracted lich’s vengeful spirit as a power source, I brandished my staff.

[[Hebrun’s Crimson Bloodbird] is deployed.]

The unique magic of the Princess of Blood, which I had used to slaughter Bakmut in Gunterburk.

Chwa-ja-ja-jak…!!

Torn.

Crushed.

Hundreds of blood-red afterimages extending from the staff cut and split everything they met.

The wide cavern was filled with a fleeting flash of blood-red light.

After that momentary flash, there were no more roaring Necro Ogres left.

Swoooosh…….

“……”

It was an unrealistic sight.

Pieces of meat and blood raining down like a shower.

At the same time, I could feel it indirectly.

How powerful a being the Princess of Blood, a hero of the 8th tier called a high-ranking mage, was.

“Heok…”

I stumbled.

My vision spun.

I leaned on my staff and gasped for breath.

The amount of mana consumed by a 6th-tier unique magic was certainly not to be underestimated.

To think it was this much even when I cast it using the lich’s soul as mana.

“Hey, are you dead?”

While taking a short break to catch my breath, I poked the fallen lich’s body.

It was a given that he was dead since his life vessel was broken and his body was shriveled, but this was to make sure.

‘…Desecrating the dead. Was that your personality, master?’

“He was already dead. He was an undead.”

‘Then you’re desecrating the twice-dead. Does that mask have the power to change one’s personality?’

“……”

What was he talking about.

Was that something a demon who had destroyed the world thousands of times should say?

Anyway, the lich seemed to be definitely dead.

An achievement window just popped up.

[Achievement Unlocked! You have defeated a high-ranking undead for the first time!]

[You will acquire a random trait.]

[Marathoner.]

[You do not get tired easily even after running for a long time.]

[Achievement Unlocked! You have overcome the crisis scenario ‘The Spectre of the Sewer’!]

[You will acquire a fixed trait.]

Again, there was a reason I chose the sewer route.

Three main reasons.

One was that this was the fastest route and one that the enemies would not expect.

Another was that I could solve the ‘Spectre of the Sewer’ crisis, which might have caused some trouble in the mid-game of an Empire playthrough, in advance.

And finally….

[Spliced Death]

[As long as there are corpses, you can instantly create Necro Ogres, ignoring the creation process. The stats of the Necro Ogres will be adjusted slightly depending on the type of corpse.]

…that by solving that crisis, I could obtain a trait I needed.

It had been a long time since I had put on the guise of Tribus as my second identity.

However, this was the first time I had obtained a trait necessary for creating undead.

‘Oh, master. You’ve gone from a necromancer in name only to a real necromancer.’

I wouldn't be able to use it right away, but it would be necessary someday.

In the late game of this game, Necro Ogres were like the infantry of a necromancer.

Anyway, with this, I had overcome the first hurdle in conquering the impregnable city of Berenburg.

Now, there were two left.