N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 392
Raon scratched his neck as he watched the zombies and skeletons fall like leaves in front of the Light Wind squad's sword.
"It's a bit strange."
Originally, the characteristics of undead monsters are strong regeneration and weak defense.
The lowest-level undead, zombies and skeletons, are so weak that they have no defense at all, but the bodies of the zombies in this place seem to be as hard as a warrior.
"Prika."
Prika came over when Raon called.
"W, what's the matter?"
Prika, who was terrified by the rough aura of the Light Wind squad, approached with shaking shoulders.
"The bodies of the zombies and skeletons seem to be stronger than I thought. Do you know anything?"
"Uh..."
Prika's eyes widened in surprise.
"T, they're all being smashed to pieces, so how could you..."
He pointed to Light Wind squad easily handling the skeletons and zombies and shook his chin.
"Because they're different."
If they were ordinary zombies and skeletons, their bodies should have been torn apart even by the aura emitted by the Light Wind squad.
The bodies of the undead monsters in this place are several times harder than the original undead.
"As the vice-squad leader said."
Prika nodded as he looked at the zombies.
"Since the water level of the swamp has risen, the bodies of the undead have become harder. There have been a few cases where they didn't fall even when they were hit by an arrow in the vital spot or in the head."
"Even in this situation, they didn't send out scouts?"
"Of course, Wendy reported it to the head of the family, but she was instructed just to shoot twice if they didn't kill it with one shot, saying there was no reason to be afraid of zombies."
"Two shots..."
Raon laughed dryly. It seemed that Wigen was even more corrupted than he felt yesterday.
"Why doesn't the ranger squad leader move?"
"T, the person who hates going on a reconnaissance mission the most is the squad leader Bainder."
"And yet he sits in the top seat."
Raon twisted his lips as he looked at Prika, who couldn't continue speaking.
Tsk.
Wrath also frowned in disbelief.
As a family that is stuck in a swamp, there are only smelly trash.
'Yeah. Can't be recycled either.'
There were many clues to this strange phenomenon.
The rising water level of the swamp, the increasing number of monsters, and the increased strength of the undead's body.
Even if one of these phenomena had occurred, they should have immediately gone out on a reconnaissance mission, but Wigen would have ignored it, saying it was annoying and that nothing would happen anyway.
'It's all drawn in my head.'
The face of the head of the family with a belly who ignored Wendy, who begged him to check the swamp, and engaged in debauchery with other executive, came to mind.
The king of essence also sees it well.
Wrath put his hand on his forehead and clicked his tongue.
There were similar incidents in the devildom as well. The accidents are caused by those foolish heads, and the damage is borne by the people.
He made a gesture to cut his neck, saying that he was not worth keeping alive.
'Yeah. That's more urgent than the swamp.'
Even if he left his mission, he decided to definitely clean up Wigen and the executive for the sake of the people living in the Arian family l.
"How long are you going to waste time cleaning up the zombies?"
Raon stepped forward with his left foot. He raised his right hand, cutting through the fog that filled the swampland. The arm that stretched out like an island was hit by a strong storm.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!
It became a waterfall with mud gushing upside down, breaking so that the bottom of the swamp could be seen.
Kugugugugugugu!
Raon turned around. He looked at the castle of the Arian family, which was only vaguely visible, with a sharp gaze.
"I'm looking forward to it."
He wondered what excuses the pigs would make to keep their positions.
* * *
Advance chapter: tinyurl.com/Aldbnlf
Advance chapter (Indonesian): tinyurl.com/Aldbnlff
The third team leader of the ranger squad, Prika, held her temples as she ran through the swamp in the lead.
'What should I do?'
After guiding Raon and the Light Wind squad to the audience chamber yesterday, Bainder, the leader of the rangers, came to visit her.
He didn't like Bainder, so she said that she was tired, and tried to leave, but he grabbed his shoulder.
[Prika. It's time for you to move up, too, right?]
He asked if she was not interested in the position of ranger captain, saying that she would be stuck in the third team leader position forever.
Her steps naturally stopped. The ranger captain was one of the family's executive, and she could have money, status, and honor.
[The task is simpler compared to the reward. All you have to do is change the search location a little.]
Bainder smiled gently and spread out a map.
He pointed in a direction that would take them far from the swamp of death's end, leading them to an entirely different place.
[No need to worry. From this point on, we'll only need to change direction at a minimal level. He won't notice.]
He smiled and said that even though Raon was a master level, he wouldn't know the direction of this swamp, being his first time here.
[If you accomplish this, you'll become a captain within a year.]
When she asked what he would do if there was really something dangerous at the end of the swamp, he said that he would just send the Imperial Sword to deal with it after the Light Wind squad had left.
[We have to live first. If the Light Wind squad finds out, it'll be revealed to the house Zieghart. Not only the executives, but us the rangers will be held responsible too, right?]
After the carrot, there was the stick. She also couldn't say that she was clean, so she bit her lip.
[I'll tell Wellis too, so I'll be waiting for your wise choice.]
Bainder said that and left. Even though she had to refuse for the sake of Wendy, who had provided a lot of help, she couldn't find the words.
"Hey, team leader."
While Prika was biting her lip and thinking, Wellis came up to her. He spoke using the ranger's code.
"When will you do it?"
Wellis rolled his eyes, looking anxious, and sent a signal that it would be far away if they had to turn here.
"Huff..."
Prika closed her eyes and recalled her conversation with Wendy that morning.
[Please do your best tomorrow. If we miss this opportunity, this family will never be able to escape the swamp.]
Unlike Bainder, she didn't give her a carrot or a stick. She just came to ask as a person.
'Wendy Arian...'
The most stupid woman I know.
Wendy was a person who could have lived a much more comfortable life, but she lived a much more difficult life.
She wore sandbags when the nobles wore bracelets with jewels, and she ran in the hot sun with a sword when the nobles held parasols.
It was a sincere word from a warrior who had put everything on the line to change the family, so it was attractive even without a carrot, and it hurt even without a stick.
'Damn woman...'
It wasn't affection or kindness. It was Wendy's life, which she had seen from childhood, that was blocking Bainder's proposal.
"Team leader!"
Prika woke up and opened her eyes when she heard Wellis's cry again.
"If we go over here, it'll be too late to change direction."
"I'm sorry, but..."
Prika smiled with a straight gaze as she looked ahead.
"This way."
"What? What is this..."
"This is our last chance to change this family."
"Ill-gotten gains! Do you think you can get away with this, team leader?"
Wellis scolded her, asking if she hadn't also stepped into the mud.
"I guess Bainder told you to threaten me like that?"
"Well..."
"It's okay. I don't intend to pretend to be clean."
Prika nodded her head as she looked at Raon running up behind her.
"I'll pay my dues too. I don't want to do anything that makes my heart ache anymore."
"Team leader!"
Ignoring Wellis' call, she sped up even more, running through the swamp.
* * *
A day had passed since they entered the Swamp of Death.
Thanks to the Light Wind Squad rapidly destroying hundreds of undead, it seemed like they were close to reaching their destination at the end of the swamp.
Raon watched with a faint smile as Prika, who was running ahead with fiery determination, seemed to radiate determination.
'It seems like this family isn't completely ruined.'
He knew that Prika had different thoughts.
Wendy had asked him to trust her, so he had waited without pressing her, but she seemed to have gathered her resolve. There was no hesitation in her steps.
'Ranger squad leader, huh?'
If Prika and Wellis were rangers, then the one who gave them orders must have been Binder, the Ranger leader.
"It must be the direction."
In this vast Swamp of Death, even a slight change in direction could prevent them from reaching their destination.
Bainder must have tried to show that there was nothing here by leading them to the outskirts, not the center of the swamp.
'It probably wouldn't have worked anyway.'
To Raon who has ring of fire and legendary sense, this level of fog and swamp had no effect.
If Prika had led them in another direction, he would have also been targeted for punishment after returning.
Raon turned to look behind.
'There's no problem over there either.'
The members of the Light Wind Squad had fought and run tirelessly all day, yet not a single one of them showed signs of exhaustion.
In fact, it seemed like they were relieving their stress by smashing undead monsters.
'Yua and Yulius are admirable.'
Despite sweating profusely, they bit their lips and ran to keep up with their seniors. They are admirable kids.
'When we get back, I'll plan special training for you.'
Th-that's not a reward, is it?
'That's a reward. It's a way to grow faster.'
That's your opinion! Pineapple Girl doesn't want such rewards!
Wrath gritted his teeth, saying that he wanted to open his head..
'Then I will ask later…'
When Raon turned his gaze back, there was a powerful presence ahead.
Groooowwwl.
A deathly aura that was completely different from what they had encountered so far. It was definitely a high-level undead.
'So, they had this level?'
He laughed. Just the existence of that guy would allow him to torture the fat cats of the Arian family.
"Light Wind Squad."
Raon raised his hand with a faint smile.
"There are enemies ahead. Let's clean them up as quickly as possible."
"Yes!"
The Light Wind squad answered in unison and rushed out ahead of the Rangers.
*Screech!*
About 10 minutes later, a corpse with a similar appearance to a zombie, but with a movement speed four times faster, ran out from behind a tree on the left.
On the other side, a skeleton with bones that were a dull gray color was approaching with a sword and shield.
"Oh my..."
"G, ghoul!"
"It's a skeleton warrior!"
Ghouls and skeleton warriors are stronger and more durable than zombies and skeletons, and they are faster.
They also have poison, so if you underestimate them like zombies, you will suffer great damage.
Chirring!
The Light Wind squad kicked the swamp harder. The various sword energy that bloomed from their swords poured towards the ghouls and skeleton warriors.
Quaaaaaah!
The surface of the swamp cracked like a spider web, and the ghouls and skeleton warriors that were running towards them were cut into dozens of pieces and sank.
"They're still coming!"
"Snap out of it!"
As Burren and Martha ran towards the ghouls and skeleton warriors, a giant horse jumped out from between the vines on the right.
Kiiiing!
The body was black, the size was twice that of a normal horse, and a giant man wearing red armor was riding on it.
However, the head that should have been on his neck was on his left arm, and in his right hand he held a large axe that was the size of an adult male's torso.
Burren raised his aura to full power when he saw Dullahan.
"I'll take care of that head!"
Martha charged forward, kicking up the swamp.
"Is that head heavy?"
Runaan raised her sword, looking at the head Dullahan was holding.
The three captains advanced first and struck their swords simultaneously. When the three lines of sword energy blended together like constellations, Dullahan swung his axe in his right hand.
"Grrrrrr!"
The aura of death that emanated from the axe perfectly blocked the sword energy of Burren, Martha, and Runaan.
"Hooo!"
Dullahan didn't stop at defense, and he raised his axe from the bottom. A blackened aura shot towards the necks of the three people.
"Tuur!"
Runaan stepped forward and released the power of frost. The cold that spread out like a wave enveloped the aura and froze it.
"Huff!"
Burren emerged from behind Runaan and struck his sword like lightning. The gale carried by the blade pierced Dullahan's aura and cut through his armor.
"Krrr!"
The red light from the head Dullahan was holding in his left hand shone. He charged forward as if he was going to crush Burren.
"Kuuu!"
The hooves of the horse, wrapped in aura, were about to crush Burren, when Martha charged from the right. She raised all of her Titan aura and thrust down her sword with both hands.
"Kikikiki!"
Dullahan raised the axe handle and swung it towards Martha's sword strike.
"Kuwaaaaang!"
A violent explosion occurred in the center of the swamp due to the collision of power, and Dullahan and the three captains each retreated to the back.
Raon licked his lips when he saw the armor on Dullahan's shoulder that had cracked and fallen off.
'Now it's clear.'
The undead here are strong in the power of death.
It was ambiguous because zombies and skeletons were too weak, but it was confirmed thanks to Dullahan.
Even though Dullahan has extremely strong physical strength and defense among the undead, it doesn't make sense that he only suffered that much damage from the attacks of Burren, Runaan, and Martha.
The undead here seemed to exude more significant aura compared to ordinary ones.
"This guy is too tough!"
"There's no good place to attack because there's no head!"
Burren and Martha bit their lips as they retreated from Dullahan.
"Let's start from the body."
Runaan glared at the horse Dullahan was riding and let out a cold air.
Kreu!
Dullahan exuded even thicker aura of death even though his armor was crumpled and bones and flesh fell off here and there.
"Why are there so many of these guys!"
"I told you it was nothing!"
"Shut up and just catch them!"
Since the captains were blocked by Dullahan, the other Light Wind squads were also unable to advance due to the number of approaching ghouls and skeleton warriors.
When Raon was quietly watching the battlefield, Mark Gorton approached.
"Vice-squad leader. I'll go out too."
"No."
When Mark Gorton attempted to draw his sword, Raon lowered his head and said, "They can handle it."
While it was true that the undead here were formidable, the Light Wind squad was by no means incapable of dealing with them.
"Light Wind squad."
Raon took a deep breath and injected his voice with authority.
"Did I train you too gently? I told you to clear them quickly, but there are still too many left. We'll need to prepare new training."
As soon as those words left his mouth, a deep fervor began to emanate from the members of the Light Wind squad.
"No, please, absolutely not!"
Dorian shouted, extending his sword, and the wall of skeleton warriors in front of them collapsed.
"Charge!"
"Aaargh!"
"Sweep them all!"
The Light Wind squad ignited with fiery determination, tearing through ghouls and skeleton warriors as if they were facing mere zombies.
Watching the undead crumble under the swordsmen's strikes made it seem like they were battling zombies rather than ghouls.
"We won't accept any new training!"
Burren jabbed his sword into Dullahan's mount's torso as he sniffled.
"Let's get some rest later."
Runaan unfurled his Frost Blossom blade, which emitted an elongated silvery aura. The silver petals, denser than before, wrapped around Dullahan's body.
Roaaar!
Fragments of cold energy, similar to Blaze but with a different essence, froze Dullahan's disoriented body.
Szzzreeeeeng!
Burren, Runaan, and Martha charged simultaneously, mercilessly shattering the frozen Dullahan.
Crunch, crunch, crunch!
The three captains and the Light Wind squad turned to look back after tearing through the undead without mercy.
"Ugh!"
"G-Ghouls and skeleton warriors fell this easily..."
"Dullahan turned to pieces!"
"We knew they were strong, but to this extent..."
The Rangers swallowed hard, watching the Light Wind squad effortlessly dispatch the undead brimming with intense aura.
Raon observed the Light Wind squad with a leisurely nod.
"You see? It's that simple. Why waste time?"
His words only fueled the fervor in the Light Wind squad's eyes, which burned with newfound intensity.
"Ugh..."
"That damn bastard!"
"Just standing there..."
"Weakness is a sin."
The Light Wind squad clenched their fists, unable to argue.
"Prika."
Raon gestured to Prika, who had her mouth agape in shock.
"Now that it's almost over, let's move quickly."
"Oh, okay."
The Rangers took their positions again, leading Raon and the Light Wind squad. The fog thickened steadily, but no more monsters appeared.
Without encountering a single zombie after Dullahan, three distant pillars at the end of the swamp began to faintly appear.
"Is Dullahan really the end?"
"Seems like it."
"Luckily, it ended easily."
Just as everyone was about to relax and smile, Raon raised his hand.
"Stop."
At his command, both the Light Wind squad and the Rangers halted in their tracks.
"Raon?"
"Why suddenly?"
Raon smiled while pointing below the pillars.
"Because the swamp's owner is coming up."
Before the words were even finished, the swamp beneath the pillars began to bubble and boil ominously. Muddy, yellow-green sludge dyed dark erupted as white skeletal figures gradually rose.
Goooooo!
The skeletal figure was clad in pitch-black armor all over its body, and from its hollow eye sockets, it emitted eerie flames.
Crunch, crunch, crunch!
This was on a different level from any undead they had seen before, causing not only the Rangers but also the Light Wind squad to hold their breath.
"Ugh!"
"D-Death Knight?"
"Why is such a being here...?"
Under Death Knight's profound aura, the Rangers not only quivered but also took a step back.
The Death Knight, shrouded in death's grimness.
"Ugh..."
"Is this the Death Knight?"
"We're seeing quite a lot..."
The Light Wind squad, led by the three captains, gathered their energy and confronted the Death Knight's aura.
Raon observed both the Death Knight and the Light Wind squad and raised the corners of his mouth.
"A fine stage has been set."
At his chilling words, the Light Wind squad's shoulders trembled even more intensely than when they faced the Death Knight for the first time.
Are you sure that line fits here…?
