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Chapter 715: Meeting

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Rhode stood on the tall platform and gazed at everyone approaching him. He tidied his collar and descended the flight of stairs. At this moment, everyone finally saw the young overlord following Agatha's lead.

"Greetings, Earl Rhode."

Bayer flipped down from his warhorse. He took large strides toward Rhode, placed his right hand across his chest, and bowed respectfully.

"Shafir's 13th local army, abiding by Royal Highness Lydia's orders to provide reinforcements. I'm the army commander, Kolov Bayer."

"Don't stand on ceremony, Sir Bayer."

Rhode's expression remained the same as he nodded.

"I represent our Land of Atonement Fortress in thanking your assistance. It is definitely better to have more manpower to deal with the Undead Creatures and it is our fortune to have brave companions like you guys to battle alongside us."

Bayer felt much more assured now. The nobles in the Munn Kingdom had been judging Rhode as an arrogant and conceited person. Besides, he didn't appear to be someone who was respectful toward the elderly. Before Bayer's arrival, he was worried that Rhode would be dissatisfied with his men. But it seemed that even though this young man was expressionless, his words sounded rather nice.

Even though Bayer felt relieved, he continued to put up a solemn expression and nodded slightly.

"It is our duty to defend against the Undead Creatures's invasion. On the other hand, Earl Rhode, you're so young and you led your men to defeat the opposition's aggressive attack twice. It seems like an old man like me can't keep up with the times."

"You flattered me, Sir Bayer." Rhode shook his head humbly. "There's a saying in my hometown that old men have invaluable experiences of their own. Even though we have struck the enemies back, my men are only new soldiers, after all. They will surely be relieved to battle alongside experienced warriors."

Rhode and Bayer exchanged looks and they realized the smiles in each others' eyes. Even though this conversation was superfluous, this was a necessary motion for nobles to go through. Bayer flattered Rhode and the latter was well aware, which was why he returned the favor. Of course. In terms of official, polite set phrases...

This meeting between them was carried out in a friendly atmosphere.

They knew that this meaningless conversation was essential. The troops would be stationed in Land of Atonement Fortress for a long time and they might possibly become Rhode's most reliable reinforcements. As the Battle Angel Army was powerful, they might possibly be mobilized to other stricken regions. When that happened, only the army from Shafir would be the ones fighting alongside Rhode in this fortress. If it was possible, Rhode didn't wish for both sides to have a hostile relationship. Moreover, Bayer had expressed his goodwill and Rhode couldn't possibly walk around with his nose in the air, unless he didn't wish for future days of peace in his fortress.

At this moment, Rhode saw the young man with chestnut-colored hair striding toward him. Then, he bowed deeply.

"Greetings, Earl Rhode. I'm Frederick. I've heard your big name for a long time. I... Aiya!"

The young lady wrapped in white fur robe scuttled forward worriedly and obstructed him. She lifted her head and gazed at Rhode.

"My apologies, Sir Rhode. Please pardon his rudeness. He didn't mean to..."

"You are..."

Rhode gazed at the young lady and puckered his brows.

"Miss Serena?"

"Yes, Sir Rhode. I didn't think that you would remember me."

The young lady revealed an astonished expression. Back then, they didn't interact too much since she was in the diplomatic group, so she didn't carry too much hope that Rhode would remember her. But it seemed that he still did, which left her surprised. She extended her hand hurriedly and bowed with the Mage's etiquette.

"I'm truly sorry, Sir Rhode. Frederick didn't do it on purpose. He's just... erm..."

"It's fine."

Rhode waved his hand casually, at the same time gazed at the young knight. At this moment, Frederick was showing his cheeky smile. He looked at Rhode and stooped over slightly, but didn't show any sense of remorse or fear. How interesting.

"I know Mr. Frederick has no ill intentions. I have also heard of him in the past."

This time, Rhode wasn't exchanging pleasantries. In fact, a large part of the reason why he remembered Serena was due to Frederick. In the game, they were a popular couple, especially Frederick. In the Munn Kingdom, Frederick was considered a capable battlefield commander who was an expert in ambush and guerrilla warfare, which was rather similar to Rhode in style. Such commanders were common, but Frederick stood out against the Undead Army. This was especially so since Frederick was an NPC and not a player. However, there were extreme views on this commander with decent capabilities. In the game, Frederick was always seen battling with his fiancée, Serena. He led his men and recruited players to accomplish his mission, which was not much different from other NPCs. However, there was something strange with Frederick and it was his personality.

No matter in which situations, this talented commander was always carefree while his fiancée was the serious type. The most hilarious point for the players was that the couple's bickering resembled a crosstalk. Players played the game for fun and it was naturally a great thing for them to have additional entertainment during battles. Therefore, Frederick often had no lack of players under him. Many people had joined their forces for the sake of hearing their crosstalk. Besides, this young man had unique line of thoughts and often astonish others with his speeches.

Their fate in the game wasn't all that tragic. After Lydia was defeated and the Munn Kingdom perished, Frederick didn't form an army to go against the Undead Army like the others. Instead, he instantly led Serena and his men to the Mage Association. Then, he officially married Serena and became a member of the Mage Association with the identity of a Mage Guard.

Back then, many were surprised by Frederick's actions. Some thought that this was a wise choice. After all, the Munn Kingdom had perished and he had done all he could. Since the nation which he vowed to protect was no longer around, it wasn't wrong for him to take his personal love life into consideration seriously. Some judged him as laid back, sloppy, and had no loyalty and patriotism. Compared to the heroes who continued to fight after the Munn Kingdom perished, Frederick, on the contrary, had the mood and courage to sneak to the Mage Association and live off a woman.

But Rhode didn't have much thought about this since everyone had their own ambitions. Besides, he more or less understood Frederick's thoughts.

"You see, Serena."

Frederick instantly revealed smiles of exultation.

"I've told you. I did well in the North and nothing can go wrong with me around. You see. Even Sir Rhode has heard of my name. Doesn't this prove how capable I am?"

"You... shut up! Now isn't the time for this!"

Serena gazed worriedly at Rhode. Then, she glared fiercely at her fiancé.

"Can't you see the occasion? Really..."

"It's due to this occasion that I must perform well, isn't it?"

"You dummy. I'm not referring to that... You..."

This is interesting.

Rhode was unable to restrain a smile. He wished that he could sit down and admire the show. But, he remembered that this was a formal occasion and passed it off with a 'haha'. Since this couple would be around for a long time, he wasn't afraid of missing another chance...

This time, apart from Bayer and the couple, there was also the representatives for Glorious Flag and Honorable Blade. They individually brought 50 well-trained elite infantries as reinforcements. Even though the numbers weren't a lot, their qualities were much better than Rhode's soldiers. The two representatives were conservative and reserved. They greeted Rhode sternly and rigidly, but they loosened up a lot more after Rhode's 'sincerely' invited them to training his new soldiers.

Lastly, there were the noble representatives from Shafir. They used the chance to suck up to Rhode and their sickening words made him cringe. If it wasn't for the fact that they were considered his men, he would have drew his sword and slashed their mouths.

Only Marlene, Lize, and Gillian accompanied Rhode in welcoming the guests. Anne was never interested in such formalities and chose to sleep in her room. Meanwhile, Lapis was captivated by her newly built alchemy workshop and she might never even step out of it even after the Undead Army had arrived. On the other hand, Mini Bubble Gum was drilling the group of Clerics from the Church. Even though the Country of Law wasn't involved in the battle, the Church was. It was an opportune time to strengthen the Church's Clerics.

Canary was even busier. Her duties in recruiting Mage apprentices went smoothly. Many were eager to receive guidance from this young, beautiful, and outstanding legendary Mage. However, Canary was only responsible for teaching practical skills. As for the basic magical theories, the natives would still need to understand to a certain extent. But it was fine too. Even though the apprentices Marlene brought from the Mage School weren't powerful yet, their theoretical knowledge were great. Rhode picked two members in joining Canary's Spell Tower and they were responsible for teaching magical theory. Although everything was simplified due to the close approaching battle, there must also be a process too. Therefore, Canary didn't have the time to be responsible for other small, troublesome matters.

Orchid Heart and Christie didn't turn up either. The former was overlooking the military training while the latter wasn't fit to be on such occasions. This wasn't a family gathering, after all.

"Ah..."

Rhode let out a long sigh after Agatha led the others to their rooms.

"How's the situation?"

"I suppose... everything's fine."

Marlene shook her head.

"They appear fine, at least for now. The army doesn't seem to have any opinions about you, Rhode. But I'm not too sure about the nobles."

"I think that the chap named Frederick is rather interesting. Don't you think so, Master?"

Gillian let out a cheeky laughter and swayed her fluffy tail. Marlene and Lize was caught between laughter and tears. It was apparent that they had watched the crosstalk between Frederick and Serena. At this moment, someone spoke.

"Reporting, Boss."

"How's the situation?"

Rhode turned around and saw Joey. The latter lowered his head and bowed respectfully.

"Everything's settled, Boss. There's nothing suspicious with most of them. But a small group of them appeared sneaky. Some of them have entered the city and mixed with the crowd, but our men are following them."

"Oh?"

Rhode's brows twitched. Ever since the reinforcements arrived at the fortress, Rhode dispatched Randolf and Joey to investigate them. Marlene had reminded Rhode that many people were curious, mindful, and sure to probe about him. Rhode was mentally prepared for this. He allowed Lydia to investigate him because she was the Archangel, so there wouldn't be much trouble. However, these guys were different. Rhode didn't want them digging holes like rats. But he didn't expect them to be this anxious to take action so soon.

"What about their identities? Have you done your checks?"

"They're Taiman's private soldiers."

"Taiman?"

Rhode pondered and quickly recalled who he was. This man had also appeared in the representative team. But he wasn't eye-catching. If Rhode recalled correctly, Taiman was only an ordinary noble and his behaviors conformed with the norm of society. But in addition to Joey's information, the situation became thought-provoking. If Taiman was here to scout out information, he was rather too anxious. Could it be that he treated Rhode's men as a group of idiots who didn't realize?"

"You have men watching over the main forces, right? Be careful not to get caught."

"Don't worry, Boss."

Joey patted on his chest and said confidently.

"We sent out some men to trail them while the others are observing the main forces. We will receive reports as soon as they're any signs of trouble.

"Good."

Rhode paused and at this moment, Gillian's ears twitched. Then, she swept a glance at Rhode and he also seemed to have noticed it. He turned to the fox-eared young lady and received his answer from the spiritual communications.

The Undead Creatures had emerged.

Chapter 716: The Hunt

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

"Greetings, Sir Bayer."

Bayer subconsciously took a step back as soon as he met Agatha. Even though they had heard her self-introduction, they didn't see such creatures before. Although Agatha appeared harmless, humans were still vigilant against the unknown.

Bayer held his sword hilt before returning to his senses. A blush of embarrassment smeared across his face and he awkwardly lowered his arm.

"Is anything the matter?"

"This was what happened," Agatha said.

She looked at the guest with azure eyes that resembled emotionless gems. It seemed that she wasn't mindful about his reactions, or perhaps she didn't care. She stood quietly while her hair swayed, twisted, and hung down.

"Master is about to head out for a hunt. He hopes that everyone can join him if they're interested."

"A hunt?"

Bayer stared blankly. He couldn't figure out what was going on in the young overlord's mind. Hunting was indeed an entertainment for the nobles. But he would need to read the occasion too. Not to mention, hunting was usually done after lunch. They had just arrived at this place and didn't catch their breaths yet. It was rather rude to invite them so hastily, wasn't it? On the other hand, the Undead Army was lurking by the border and he still had the mood to hunt?

Although Bayer cursed inwardly, it was equally rude of him if he refused the owner's kind invitation. As a result, he nodded in agreement. On the other hand, Frederick was eager to give it a try. It seemed that he had had enough from the boring journey.

But they realized something strange after they arrived at the entrance. Bayer didn't find any the young man's subordinates who were always around his side. Instead, apart from Rhode, Marlene, Lize, and Gillian, there were only five mercenaries. There was also a sleepy-looking young lady in her twenties. She wore a set of thick, long robes that restricted her movements and held a heavy book in her hands.

They're going hunting in those outfits?

Bayer raised his doubts and even Frederick and Serena were equally curious. They recalled that nobles brought a large group of members for their hunts, but Rhode didn't arrange for that. Besides... who is that young lady?

"Greetings, Sir Bayer. I know you and your men are exhausted from the long journey. Please pardon me for inviting everyone over."

Rhode nodded to Bayer who rode over on his warhorse. The latter accepted his sincerity and he knew that there must be a reason behind this. On the other hand, Frederick peered out and gazed curiously at Rhode.

"Sir Overlord, what is gonna be our prey?"

"Nothing."

Rhode shrugged and answered vaguely.

"A bunch of walking skeleton, that's all."

"Huh?!"

The group was flabbergasted. At this moment, Bayer's relaxed expression became solemn.

"Sir Overlord, what you meant was... the Undead Creatures have attacked?"

"They sent out some scouts. It seems that our alliance has attracted the attention of those creatures lurking in the darkness."

Rhode gestured.

"Even though they're our guests, we should be aware of their intentions. As owners, we should be prepared to welcome them and ensure that they're gone forever. How about it? Everyone. Are you interested in heading out with us and playing a game of 'eagle catches chicken' with the skeletons?

"Great! Let's do it! Sir Overlord!"

Frederick nodded without any hesitations. In fact, he couldn't hold in his excitement any longer. Weren't they here to annihilate the Undead Creatures? Frederick thought that he would only have the chance to battle after the war commenced and didn't expect the Undead Creatures to send themselves to their doorsteps so soon. Besides, he was even invited to join in this early fight!

Bayer wasn't as thrilled as Frederick. He knitted his brows and revealed traces of determination in his eyes. Indeed. As a soldier, it would be best if he could grasp the opponent's strength and threat. But... he was rather concerned.

Although Rhode spoke leisurely, Bayer understood the meaning behind his words. It was apparent that there were Undead Scouts and Rhode was about to deal with it. But... Bayer felt worried. Everyone knew that the Undead Scouts were exceptionally strong. Moreover, they were hard to deal with as Undead Creatures and Rhode only had a few men with him...

"Sir Overlord, is this all the manpower you're bringing? Will it be sufficient?"

"Yes."

Rhode was unconcerned.

"There are only a small number of them and we will frighten them if we visit with great fanfare. This is sufficient, Bayer."

"A small number of them?"

Bayer gazed at Rhode in astonishment. If Rhode didn't strike the Undead Creatures back twice, Bayer would have believed that Rhode was just a noble who talked big. Indeed. There might not be a large number of them as Bayer didn't hear of thousands of dispatched Undead Scouts. It was due to their small numbers, which increased the possibilities that they were dangerous elites. Moreover, they were scheming and hard to deal with. But Rhode appeared to be confident. Bayer was speechless. After all, Rhode's accomplishment was known and as a Master Stage Swordsman, Bayer sensed the extraordinary aura emanating from the young man.

It seemed like the rumors of this young overlord holding strength in the Legendary Stage was true. Bayer spoke no more and nodded in agreement. Rhode read his expression, but didn't point it out. He urged his warhorse forward and revealed Orchid Heart at the back.

"This is Miss Orchid Heart. She's my companion and the military commander of this fortress. I hope everyone will listen to her commands. Everyone is a soldier, so I'm sure that you're aware of the importance."

"She?"

Everyone exclaimed in surprise. They scanned the young lady who was dozing off on her warhorse. After a few moments, the young lady seemed to sense everyone's gazes. She lifted her head and nodded to everyone as greetings. Then, she covered her mouth and let out a long yawn before lowering her head again.

"... This young lady is so... fascinating."

It was almost praise to a certain extent for Frederick to make such a remark. This young man with an unconventional approach to life gazed at Orchid Heart in astonishment. He let out a dry laughter and suddenly, he heard a scream.

"Ah—!"

"What's wrong, Serena? Didn't you always tell me to remain steady no matter what?"

Frederick instantly realized that it was the voice of his dearest fiancée. He turned around with a funny expression. It had always been Serena who educated him and he was used to it. Now that he finally had the chance for revenge, he wouldn't let it slip. However, he realized that Serena wasn't looking at him after he turned around. Instead, she gazed at the young lady before her with a pale expression and covered her mouth with her hand.

"What's wrong, Serena? You look as though you've seen a monster. That's too rude."

"How... how... how is this possible..."

Serena ignored her fiancé's bicker. She stared at Orchid Heart with widened eyes and muttered under her breath.

"She's a... Nafranka Spellcaster Scholar?"

Chapter 717: Ambush (I)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The group exited the fortress and snow shrouded everything in sight.

The battle aftermath had been completely covered by the huge snow. The warhorses stood still instinctively after stepping onto the graveyard of Undead Creatures.

"I didn't expect to see you behaving in this manner, Serena."

Frederick rode on his warhorse and teased Serena. The latter blushed and glared fiercely. However, Frederick was used to it. He put up a cheeky face and admired her embarrassed expression. Rhode didn't comment about Serena's lack of manners, which left her feeling anxious. Frederick knew that his fiancée was much more self-disciplined than most others and perhaps she regretted letting out a shriek in public as though she was possessed.

"Stop mentioning it, Frederick. I didn't do it on purpose. I was just surprised..."

Serena lowered her head shyly. At the same time, she stole a glance at Orchid Heart. The latter swayed on the warhorse back sleepily. Everyone else was worried that she might fall from the saddle anytime.

"By the way, Serena, what's that something something scholar that you mentioned? I've never seen you this shocked."

"It's the Nafranka Spellcaster Scholar!"

Serena raised her voice, but quickly held back. She understood that Frederick was giving her an out. From this aspect, he was rather considerate. But his nonchalant attitude often left her fuming.

"This... But... I'm not too sure. I..."

"Aiya. Come to your senses, Serena."

Frederick curled his lips.

"Aren't you highly regarded by the group of old men in the Spell Tower? Master Rowan said that you're gonna be the future star of the Spell Tower. Really... You've always been bold and confident in reprimanding me, so why have you become hesitant after meeting her? Don't tell me you were mesmerized by that young lady... I didn't know you had such interest. Could it be that you and Aisha... That's fine too. Will Aisha join us after our marriage..."

"Shut up! Nothing good comes out from your mouth!"

Serena rolled her eyes. Fortunately, she had been with Frederick for a long time. If not, she would have been angered to death.

"You don't understand, Frederick. A Nafranka Spellcaster Scholar is a legend of legends. It has been the dream of scholars and even the Sunset Sky Association pays close attention to it..."

"Scholar?"

Frederick knitted his brows. He tilted his head and sized up Orchid Heart.

"What's strange with scholars? Don't our old man have a few scholars around him. Oh, by the way, that young lady looks rather amusing and seems different from the group of old men," Frederick said. "But Serena, there's no need for you to be this surprised, isn't it? Scholars and Mages don't differ too much. Both are knowledgeable, but Scholars can't cast spells, that's all. No matter how powerful that something something Scholar is, isn't she still a Scholar? They can't go on the battlefield and even if they know magic spells, they can't be compared to Mages, isn't it?"

"It's totally different!"

Serena held her forehead as she felt her head throbbed. But, she patiently explained.

"Although we don't seem to be too different, the level of research Scholars conduct is more detailed than what Mages would. The Nafranka Spellcaster Scholar is one of the representatives. Rumors has it that they use knowledge to obtain the presence of strength and rule power. In the eyes of the Nafranka Spellcaster Scholar, everyone's techniques and rules come from the same origin. They can use it to trace the source, seek the existence of the world at the beginning of its creation and receive answers."

"Oh... Sounds incredible."

Frederick gazed blankly. He scratched his head and spoke tongue in cheek. Of course. Serena knew that and she couldn't be more familiar with Frederick since they were childhood friends. Serena used another method to answer him.

"Rumor has it that there are no secrets in the eyes of the Nafranka Spellcaster Scholar. As long as they witness any techniques, they will record, copy, analyze, and use. No matter the swordsmanship, spiritual spell, or magic spell."

"That sounds powerful."

Frederick's vacant eyes glinted.

"They can use anything? That god-like? A Mage like you can't do that, right?"

"Yes, Mages can't do that. We perhaps can analyze low-level magic spells, but we are helpless against swordsmanships and spiritual spells. On the other hand, rumor has it that the Nafranka Spellcaster Scholar can unleash any techniques. In other words, if one displays one's swordsmanship that one has cultivated for decades, the Nafranka Spellcaster Scholar can copy and use the technique with the same or even higher level of mastery. Not only that, but even though the Nafranka Spellcaster Scholar doesn't have any weapons on hand, they can also release the skills."

"Oh my goodness. That's awesome!"

Frederick cried in awe. He whipped on his warhorse and headed for Orchid Heart. Fortunately, Serena swiftly pulled his arm.

"Wait wait wait. What are you up to, Frederick?"

"Don't you know? Since she's that powerful, I should use this chance to make her accept me as a disciple. Think about it. I can use any techniques that others have learned, even spiritual spells and magic spells. Hahaha. Aren't you interested too?"

"Teacher Brad will hack you to death if he hears that!"

Serena had given up all hopes on her fiancé.

"Do you know how long a Nafranka Spellcaster Scholar has to be submerged in the sea of knowledge before obtaining such strength? It has always been a mystery as to how one can become one. In fact, this special class lost its inheritance a millennium ago. I was lucky to randomly catch a glimpse of their records. The Sunset Sky Association has spent half a millennium, but failed to search for clues..."

"But didn't you say that the young lady is the something Spellcaster Scholar?"

"That's why I said... I'm not sure..."

Serena lowered her voice and glanced at Orchid Heart. The four silver rings embedded on her scarlet robe was glaring. The four silver rings were connected by seven golden threads and gathered to the center in a sophisticated way. That was the symbol of the Nafranka Spellcaster Scholar and represented the way of Order. The patterns were so exquisite that only those with the knowledge of Order could recognize. But it was so complicated that even the most impressive artisans couldn't reproduce it.

Therefore, Serena was uncertain. From one aspect, she was sure that this special class had vanished for a thousand year. On another aspect, the Order pattern on Orchid Heart wasn't a replica. But she was still a young lady, after all. She could possibly recognize at first sight if she was a Grand Mage, but she wasn't capable yet.

This is fascinating.

Rhode's eyes glinted with smiles as he overheard their conversation. Although they had purposely lowered their voices, he found it amusing. He finally understood why players loved to follow the couple for missions because they could hear their fascinating conversation during boring times. Rhode even had the intentions of bringing them for non-dangerous adventures in future. Anyway, Frederick's Shafir region and Serena's Spell Tower didn't have any hostile history with him, so he didn't mind cultivating a couple of alliances.

But now wasn't the time for crosstalk.

Rhode came to a halt and flipped down his warhorse.

Everyone behind him tugged their reins and slowed to a stop. Any animals would leave footprints on snowy field and snow was the best recorder. The trampled traces remained untouched and awaited for others to uncover.

Rhode knelt down and scanned the trampled traces. He knitted his brows and gently touched them. Then, he lifted his head.

"A team of Ghouls. A team of Skeleton Cavalrymen. Four Specters. One Death Knight."

Rhode said and looked forward.

"It seems that the Undead Army has come out huge this time, but we don't know if their commander is a Vampire or Lich. It should be a Lich since there are no footprints of Necromancers and Vampires aren't active in the morning."

"Sir Overlord, should we gather more men?" Bayer asked.

Even though he didn't know why Rhode was this knowledgeable about the Undead Creatures, he knew that Rhode had the right to make such judgments since he fought with the Undead Creatures. But, no matter if Rhode's observations were correct, Bayer sucked in a deep breath of air. The Ghouls and Skeleton Cavalrymen weren't difficult to deal with, but the Death Knights and Liches would be troublesome. High-level Liches were nightmares for any mortals. But Bayer knew that his suggestion would surely be rejected.

"It's not necessary."

As expected, Rhode shook his head and jumped on his warhorse.

"Those guys don't dare to get close to the fortress, but they're thinking of ways to go around it... We can head there earlier and ambush them."

"Ambush?"

Bayer said curiously.

"Sir Overlord, do you know where they're heading to?"

"Of course."

Rhode nodded. Then, he looked confidently at the system interface. It was a holographic map formed by golden rays and a team of black dots was advancing slowly.

"Let's give our guests a surprise."

Chapter 718: Ambush (II)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Rhode observed the black figures from the high cliff. Even though they were as small as sand, Rhode wasn't as short-sighted as ordinary humans after transcending into the Legendary Stage. He quickly recognized their formation.

Just as he had predicted, the pitch-black, shriveled Ghouls and Skeleton Cavalrymen were the main scouts. They were led by a Death Knight in pitch-black armor and a human-like figure clad in tattered black robe stood in the middle amongst the Skeleton Cavalrymen. Even though Rhode couldn't see the figure's appearance clearly, it was apparent from the white staff that it was a spellcaster. Four translucent spiritual creatures drifted around it and they were the most common scouts in the Undead Army—Specters. These convenient creatures were the favorites of the Undead Army.

"How strange..."

Frederick knitted his brows and put away the monocular in his hand. He patted his head dubiously.

"Strange? What's strange?"

Bayer took over the monocular and leaned back on the boulder. He curled up in the shadow to avoid direct sunlight from being reflected off the monocular lenses. They were here to ambush and not to be discovered by the enemies.

"Hmm... The Undead Creatures appear rather listless as though plants drying up from the scorching heat of the sun."

What an interesting analogy.

"Mr. Frederick is right."

Rhode smiled inwardly. In fact, this was the truth. Apart from the Liches who were surely in the Legendary Stage, the other creatures were about level 50. However, perhaps their levels weren't even above level 40 now because, as soon as the Undead Creatures entered his territory, they were instantly weakened by the enchanted field of the Holy Maiden Statues. This was also another reason why the Undead Army feared approaching the fortress. The three Holy Maiden Statues were laid out in a triangular position and he ensured that his fortress was within the overlapping enchanted fields. In other words, the closer the Undead Army approached, the weaker they would be. The Undead Army had realized this, which was why they took the long route.

But Rhode was clear that the Undead Army was like blind men who lit candles. The mountains extending from Land of Atonement reached the Wind Canyon and the enveloping range of the three Holy Maiden Statues had shrouded the entire front line. Strong gust of wind blew 365 days a year in the Wind Canyon. The Undead Army would be out of their minds if they wrapped around the fortress, headed for the Wind Canyon, and attacked from there. Moreover, they would reach others' territory if they headed even farther, which meant that they abandoned the Paphield-Grenbell battle line and was favorable for Rhode. It wouldn't be his concern if the other battle lines were overwhelmed by the Undead Army. He was only the overlord of a territory and not the king, after all.

But Rhode knew that this was wishful thinking. How would the Undead Army possibly abandon this battle line?

"Go according to plan."

Rhode turned around and gestured.

"Sir Bayer, lead your men and follow Senior Heart to the left. You will see a ditch where it leads to the Undead Army's rear. They will retreat instantly once they discover that something is wrong. You guys need to move fast to prevent accidents. I will lead the others and launch attacks from the front. We will work together and surround them."

Rhode drew a circle on the map.

"We'll strike if the Undead Creatures flee, but you'll wait for my orders if they stay. Understand?"

"No problem, Sir Overlord."

Frederick lifted his sword and nodded with a grin. It seemed that he was itching to get on with it. He turned to Rhode curiously.

"But I didn't expect you to be so familiar with this place, Sir Overlord. I'm sure you've often patrolled the area, right?"

"It is the duty of every overlord to be familiar with their territories."

Rhode gazed at the holographic map before him and said. He realized that his ability to lie through his teeth had improved tremendously after he came to this world.

On the other hand, Serena watched the black dots in the distance dubiously. Then, she turned to Rhode.

"Sir Rhode, why will the Undead Creatures flee? They have a Lich among them, so... The differences in strength between us aren't that huge..."

"The differences weren't that huge, but it is different now, Miss Serena."

Rhode laughed in his head.

"But, now isn't the time for this. There's a saying that seeing is believing. Oh, by the way, Miss Serena, don't treat the Lich as a legendary creature when you face it later. Treat it as..." Rhode paused and pondered for a few moments. "An enemy between intermediate to high-level strength in the Middle Circle."

"Huh?"

Serena gazed in disbelief. Everyone knew that Liches were creatures in the Legendary Stage and this was why they were terrifying. Of course. There were also exceptions, such as the Lich who used an Angel as the phylactery in the past. But it was a rare case, after all, and most Liches weren't that brainless. Since the enemy was a Lich from the Country of Darkness, it would be the real deal in the Legendary Stage. But now, Rhode told her that this Lich was weaker. What did he mean...

"Alright, Serena, let's go."

Frederick dragged her away impatiently. Serena stared blankly at Rhode and hoped for a clear explanation. However, Rhode watched her back vanishing around the corner. He shook his head and stooped over to observe the enemies through the gap.

The Undead Creatures were moving quickly and getting closer to Rhode's men. He had to admit that the Undead Creatures were great with choosing spots. Even though they couldn't climb over the steep cliff and precipitous rock faces, there were natural rock platforms on the mountain waist, which made great lookout posts. Although it would be hard to come down after they climbed up, they didn't need to consume food and water, after all. In fact, the Undead Creatures' lookout posts were often set up this way in the game. The players watched helplessly from the foot as they couldn't climb up.

But the Undead Creatures didn't appear to be in high spirits. On the contrary, they moved with heavy feet. The Specters floating around the Lich appeared lifeless. The Death Knight leading his army seemed powerless. His long, black tail feather hanged down from his helmet as though he had lost a battle.

Heh. You didn't expect this, did you?

Rhode let out an inward, gleeful sneer. In the game, it was challenging to scout out the Undead Creatures. Apart from their tough defensive line, their stench was also a huge problem. Ordinary humans lasted for half an hour at most and even players were affected by the weakening effects in the stench. The players escaped the sufferings after they put on their blessed armor and weapons. Back then, this annoyed the humans greatly and now was the time for them to have a taste of their own medicine.

The Undead Creatures were vigilant, but the Holy Maiden Statues' enchanted fields had held their attributes down, where perhaps they couldn't release half their strength now. Rhode silently shifted his position along the edge of the boulder and arrived by the enemies left. He squinted at the holographic map before him. A few light dots had successfully dodged the Undead Creatures' search and arrived at their destination.

Everything's ready.

Rhode lifted his head and stared at the Death Knight.

It's about time to let you have a taste of an ambush.

Chapter 719: Ambush (III)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The Undead Creatures didn't expect to be ambushed by their enemies.

They were stunned after realizing that Rhode leaped up from behind the boulder. However, their reactions were quick. In the blink of an eye, the Skeleton Cavalrymen got into position while the Ghouls let out sharp, menacing screeches and extended their razor-sharp claws.

Rhode was mentally prepared. His movement speed had greatly increased after transcending into the Legendary Stage. He dodged the oncoming enemies and led a trail of afterimages over their incomplete defense. The holy white word in his hand emanated a dazzling radiance as he brandished.

At this moment, the Death Knight let out an outburst of anger. He drew and swung his long sword.

Clang!

The crisp collision of steel rang in their ears. The silver-whitish holy flames erupted from Rhode's blade and instantly engulfed the Death Knight. The skeleton warhorse under him let out a sorrowful neigh before shattering into bits as though a discounted artistic piece breaking into pieces. The Death Knight above the warhorse rolled away desperately using the impact from Rhode's attack.

Hahaha. How does it feel?

If Rhode wasn't used to putting up an expressionless face, he would have burst into laughter. The Death Knight's powerful defense was extraordinary among the Undead Creatures. However, it became so fragile after being weakened by the enchanted field and burned by the holy flames. Rhode felt that his blade slash was as though slicing through butter.

That was a satisfying sense of revenge. In the game, it was always the Undead Creatures who used their enchanted fields to weaken the players before swarming forward. The tides had turned now and it was finally his turn to enjoy the results!

This thought flashed in his head for only an instant. The moment he landed on the ground, he darted forward with his shimmering blade and the Death Knight frantically laid his sword before him to negate his attack.

The Skeleton Cavalrymen and Ghouls turned around hurriedly and pounced on Rhode. But at this moment, they heard a crisp voice.

"Finty Nue Maira!"

An enormous fireball whizzed across the sky, landed among the Skeleton Cavalrymen, and exploded into air streams that engulfed them entirely. Marlene stared at the enemies sternly while Lize stood beside her with her arms raised and magical runes flickered above her palms.

A translucent, golden barrier emerged as soon as the fireball exploded as though a wall protecting the young ladies. Not only did the wall resist the storm and flames, but it also stopped the Ghouls pouncing on them. The shriveled, pitch-black, and putrid creatures revealed their razor-sharp claws, but crashed into the barrier. However, they didn't give up. They rolled on the snowfield and stood back up...

Scarlet waves of flame devoured everything.

Gillian sat on a boulder with a wide smile. She extended her right, dewy index finger and lit up a tiny flame. Then, she threw it forward.

A wall of scorching flame extended to form a solid wall that blocked the Undead Creatures from advancing. In the blink of an eye, the Undead Creatures were stopped completely. The Skeleton Cavalrymen and Ghouls were unfortunate as they weren't especially powerful creatures, to begin with. The Skeleton Cavalrymen were quick in their movement and nimbleness while the Ghouls were protected with strong skin and had razor-sharp claws and poisonous fangs. It would have been through for Rhode's team if it was a face-to-face battle. However, Rhode had had countless experiences in eliminating thousands of Undead Creatures, so how was it possible for them to fail? Moreover, with the restriction of space and effects of the enchanted field, the Skeleton Cavalrymen and Ghouls weren't even worth a mention. Most of them were instantly dead under Marlene's fireball attack and Gillian's wave of flames.

On the other side, Rhode struck off the weakened Death Knight in a couple of slashes. He didn't want to drag this on anymore. He brandished his blade, but this time, he targeted the Lich behind the Death Knight.

Everything happened in less than half a minute even though the battle seemed long. Although Rhode was confident that he could take down the Death Knight instantly, he held back after considering the Lich at the back. Liches were extremely cunning creatures. If Rhode appeared too threatening, perhaps the Lich might abandon this physical body and transfer its soul to escape, which would be a wasted opportunity. Even though Rhode had ways to deal with that move when it happened, there was insufficient time. This was why he purposely dragged his fight with the Death Knight to give the Lich a misconception that Rhode had the upper hand because he was the one who ambushed, but wasn't capable to defeat them at all.

Now was the time to see if the Lich would take the bait. After all, they were here as scouts to gather information. Besides, Liches were mostly confident in themselves. If the Lich believed that Rhode's men weren't threatening enough, most likely it would stay for a killing before heading back... If it had such thoughts, Rhode guaranteed that it would be dead.

Rhode knew that he must make the Lich take the bait and not fall for the Lich's bait. If not, he would be doomed.

"Oh my goodness..."

Frederick and the others waited to provide assistance as they watched from the rear. They were speechless. Bayer had also widened his eyes in amazement. There were about 30 Undead Creatures in this scout squad which included the Ghouls and Skeleton Cavalrymen. But Rhode and his three other subordinates instantly wiped out more than half of them. Even though Bayer didn't have experience in dealing with Undead Creatures, he knew that they were doomed, judging from the situation. The best case scenario for the Undead Creatures would be to have one or two of them escape. But, Rhode would definitely disallow it.

No one noticed that Orchid Heart was also observing the battlefield. She mumbled under her breath and placed her right hand on the opened book. In an instant, large runes and strange texts hovered above the white, empty pages.

Rhode deflected the Death Knight's attack and his pupils shrunk abruptly because the Lich had raised its staff. Two of the four Specters hovering around it pounced forward while several pitch-black rune emerged on the Lich's body.

The Lich is escaping!

"Lize!"

Rhode called out hurriedly. Lize instantly pushed her hand forward and blasted a silver-whitish beam from her palm that struck the ground around the Lich. Then, the silver-whitish beam expanded and washed away the pitch-black runes on the Lich.

"All settled!"

Rhode heaved an inward sigh of relief. Fortunately, he had made Lize prepare for the spiritual spell, Dimension Blast. Dimension Blast could disrupt and destroy a teleportation spell and the victim wouldn't be able to use its teleportation spell for a period of time. However, this would only be effective after the victim had begun casting its teleportation spell. Only an experienced player like Rhode could instantly detect the Lich's intentions from its moves.

Since the Lichs couldn't escape anymore, Rhode wouldn't need to hold back now. He unleashed all his strength on the blade that punctured the Death Knight in a single brandish.

That's an afterimage!

Dazzling, meteor-like blade rays erupted and engulfed the Death Knight entirely. This time, the Death Knight couldn't defend itself anymore. It clutched its long sword helplessly as the meteor-like rays continuously slashed its pitch-black armor. The sword in its hands shattered and as though a signal to the blade rays, they coalesced into one enormous, dazzling blade of light that struck and pierced into its body.

Boom!

The Death Knight collapsed to the ground lifelessly. Rhode shifted his attention to the Lich. He didn't need to worry about his back with Lize, Marlene and Gillian supporting him. He darted forward and skimmed across the snowfield with his flickering blade.

Ever since Lize's Dimension Blast disrupted the Lich's teleportation, it knew that something was gravely wrong. It raised its bone staff and floated to midair hurriedly. The four Specters around it transformed into a strong gale that assisted in its retreat. It was apparent that they were fleeing!

At this moment, Orchid Heart's brows twitched.

"It's our turn."

Chapter 720: Ambush (End)

"Attack!"

Frederick couldn't wait any longer. He raised his sword and charged forward. Serena and Bayer jumped out from their concealment with the remaining three soldiers and formed a row to stop the Lich from escaping.

The Lich was taken aback, but it swiftly pointed its finger forward and emitted a black ray of light at Frederick.

"Waa!"

Frederick shrieked in horror, but he swiftly rolled aside safely, struck his blade into the snow, and slashed upward.

"———!"

The fluttering snow blocked the Lich's line of sight. Even though Frederick appeared as a careless person, he was actually experienced in battles. But, this was to be expected since he had led his men in the Northern mountain battles. However, he was too inexperienced in dealing with a Lich.

The Lich didn't slow down. As an Undead Creature, it had a unique way of viewing this world unlike humans. Therefore, the snow didn't affect it too much. It wasted no time and swung its arms to sweep the snow away. However, Bayer and the others had already surrounded it.

The Lich let out a snort. It clapped its hands and a black flare emerged before it. Thick billows of smoke burst out from the black flare and formed human shapes that held magic blades in their hands while their eyes emanated an ice-cold radiance. They looked as though human-shaped clouds wielding weapons and pouncing on everyone.

"It's the Nightmare Warriors! They're non-physical creatures! Don't get too close to them! Attack the coalesced point in their foreheads!"

Serena yelled out and raised her arms.

"Nuy mira!"

The earth trembled. Sharp, crystal-clear ice blades burst out from the ground, struck the Nightmare Warriors, and ripped through two of them. However, they merely took two steps back and restored their damaged body.

Serena gritted her teeth. Even though she didn't have experience in facing Undead Creatures, she had heard a lot about them. She knew that the Nightmare Warriors were tough to defeat unless they could take down their summoner or strike the only coalesced magic point on their foreheads.

But... Oh no!

They weren't here to deal with the Nightmare Warriors! She lifted her head hurriedly and spotted the Lich flying across them. At the same time, Frederick emerged after breaking free from the Nightmare Warriors.

"Make way, Serena!"

Frederick shouted and raised his sword that was shimmering in a green brilliance of wind. Then, he brandished.

The green, wind-elemental gale whizzed like a cheetah leaping in midair with its widened mouth and razor-sharp teeth—this was the swordsmanship which Frederick inherited; Wind Hunter Blade.

However, the Lich didn't stop as three spinning bone shields emerged around it. At this moment, the green wind cheetah crashed into them and shattered into light dust instantly. On the other hand, the shields cracked into bits.

"Hmm?"

Serena stared blankly. As a Mage, she was well aware that the bone shields were one of the most common spells of the Necromancers and on the contrary, the bone shields cast by the Liches in the Legendary Stage were extremely solid. She was clear that Frederick's strength was in the Basic Master Stage, where he had been pacing back and forth for years. But now, it was almost unbelievable that his sword technique crushed the Lich's bone shield.

Or... Is this Lich an imitation?

"Heyaaaah!"

Frederick arrived at the Lich's side as quickly as the wind cheetah. The Lich didn't expect that its bone shields would be destroyed and Frederick wouldn't let this chance off. He clutched his sword hilt with both hands and punctured the Lich with the razor-sharp blade.

I did it!

Frederick exclaimed in joy inwardly. However, he heard a crisp voice.

"Back off!"

That voice was rather familiar. It was the voice of the sleepy-looking young lady from before. Even though he didn't understand why he couldn't deal the final blow to the Lich, his sharp senses as a warrior made him withdraw his sword and retreat instantly. At the same time, he felt a breeze blowing against his face and a sharp wind blade almost cut off his throat. He looked up and discovered the scarlet radiance emanating from the Lich's furious eyes. Even though he had heard of how terrifying it was to deal with the Undead Creatures, one would only know it after personally dealing with them. His blade attack was stored with wind elemental powers, where living creatures would be gravely injured if not dead by now. He didn't expect that the Lich was this unfazed and perhaps he wouldn't even know how he died if he darted forward to deal the killing blow.

Even though Frederick had always been sloppy, he knew the crucial points in situations. He somersaulted, landed safely on the snowfield, and retreated vigilantly while fixing his gaze at the Lich.

The Lich had no intentions of continuing this battle. It took a step back with the thoughts of fleeing.

But it wasn't that simple anymore.

A golden, holy barrier in the shape of an arc emerged out of thin air and stopped the Lich from escaping. At that moment, Serena and Frederick saw a person approaching the Lich's back. Orchid Heart casually rode her horse while holding onto the thick, black, hardcover book. Serena noticed that the pages were full of densely written words.

"..."

The Lich turned around and stared at Orchid Heart with menacing, scarlet eyes. Then, it raised its staff.

At the same time, Serena saw that Orchid Heart placed her right index finger on the page and spoke increasingly faster as though she was chanting. Several bone spears emerged above the Lich and shot toward Orchid Heart.

"Be careful!"

Serena and Frederick exclaimed in horror. They weren't that powerful, so they empathized with Orchid Heart's strength because she appeared to be an ordinary human without impressive magical powers, swordsmanships, and constitution. The chances of her surviving this attack were slim.

Suddenly, Orchid Heart pointed her index finger forward.

"———!"

The incoming bone spears shattered into dust and vanished entirely. Then, three bone shields emerged out of thin air and spun around her slowly.

What's this situation?

Serena and Frederick were stunned.

Chapter 721: A Scholar's Battle Style

"Isn't that..."

Serena stared in disbelief at the bone shields revolving around Orchid Heart. The bone shields should have been from the undead spell which only Necromancers and Liches could cast. Orchid Heart was obviously a living creature and not an Undead and it was apparent that the holy barrier was cast by her because that there weren't too many spellcasters around. Bayer and the soldiers were occupied by the Nightmare Warriors, so it was even more impossible for them to cast it. Serena was a Mage, so she was out of the question. Whereas for Frederick, he didn't have any conceptions about spiritual spells at all. But not only did Orchid Heart cast a spiritual spell, but she also released an undead spell?

Serena bit her lower lip subconsciously.

Could it be that she is...

The Lich stared blankly at the bone shields. It was apparent that the Lich was fired up even though its expression was concealed by the hood. It took two steps back and scanned the young lady cautiously with its staff in hand. It felt that this situation was extremely odd.

But Orchid Heart didn't have any intentions of giving it a chance to survive. She stroked her finger across the page and pointed forward...

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Deep explosions filled the sky. Everyone witnessed thick billows of smoke erupting around Orchid Heart, which quickly transformed into ten, black human-shaped figures in a row. They stood by her left and right and were made entirely out of dark smoke. They held blades coalesced from magical powers and their eyes burned with spiritual flames as they fixed their gazes at the target before them.

"What...? This... can't be."

Serena stared in disbelief and even Frederick realized that something was terribly off. Oh my goodness, aren't those the Nightmare Warriors that the Lich summoned to deal with us?

Orchid Heart wasn't in the mood to admire the amazed expressions. She pointed forward and the Nightmare Warriors raised their weapons and pounced on the Lich.

The Lich was in for a pitiful time. The Nightmare Warriors were Undead Creatures and due to the principle behind attribute immunity, the Lich's spells were ineffective on them. Of course, it could target Orchid Heart who was the mastermind over the Nightmare Warriors. However, also due to the same principle, the Lich's undead spells were useless on Orchid Heart as she was protected by the bone shields around her. The bone shields could still be destroyed by high-level spells, but under the enchanted field, the Lich had weakened and fallen off to the Master Stage. It showed what miserable state it was in for Frederick to shatter its bone shield in a single strike. Besides, even though Frederick destroyed its bone shields, it was due to the difference in elemental attributes, after all, so there wasn't any immunity or weakening effects. However, it was different from the Lich. It could only cast spells of the same attribute. Even though, as Mages, they had also learned other spells for emergencies, they were limited, after all. Moreover, some elemental spells were totally the sworn enemies to the Undead Creatures, just like how some Liches couldn't learn the 'Tongue of Flame' spell.

But there were still other solutions.

The Lich raised its staff and chanted. The dull-looking bone staff in its hand instantly brightened in a glaring radiance. Then, bolts of lightning struck out like lashing whips and two to three Nightmare Warriors turned into dust, which revealed an opening in the tight row of defense. But at the next instant...

A scorching, pure fire-elemental wave of flame pounced on the Lich. The high temperature melted the snowfield and steam filled the sky. In the blink of an eye, it engulfed the Lich and three Nightmare Warriors. But shortly after, a strong gale from within the flames blasted an opening, where the Lich desperately escaped from. It clasped its staff, but it was no longer as confident as before.

"That's strange..."

Serena knitted her brows. She was sure that the Lich was incredibly weak right now. Of course, she would be asking for death if she charged forward. But the Lich's reactions were odd. The spells that it cast weren't high-level ones and they didn't seem stable.

But, there was something even more odd.

The Lich wasn't in a safe territory yet after dodging the fire wall. Orchid Heart tapped the book in her hand and an enormous fireball emerged in the air which blasted forward. The Lich raised its staff and cast a bone shield before it. Shortly after, it released a web of lightning bolts that formed a barrier. At this moment, the enormous fireball had arrived before it and exploded completely.

Boom!

The explosion blasted in all directions. But Orchid Heart's hand didn't stop moving. She sat upright on her warhorse like a statue and didn't move the slightest. She held the page down with her left hand while moving her right hand about like an orchestra conductor. Serena witnessed a streak of dazzling lightning bolt emitted from Orchid Heart's fair fingertip that headed into the explosion.

Boom!

A series of contrasting white radiance flickered in the thick, black smoke. The Lich frantically flew out of it and it was apparent from the dancing electricity on its body that it was seriously injured.

But everyone's jaws dropped at the next moment. Orchid Heart swept a glance at the Lich. She lifted her right arm and brandished!

A green blade ray erupted along with her movements. The wind cheetah snarled as it leaped into the air and bit merciless onto the Lich's shoulder. The Lich finally couldn't escape. It crashed heavily into the holy barrier behind.

"What in the world?!"

Frederick exclaimed at the top of his lungs. He widened his eyes and stared at Orchid Heart in disbelief. Of course, he knew what was that move. It was his Wind Hunter Blade technique. However, even he required the wind-elemental 'Raging Storm' magic sword to achieve such a perfect result and yet, this young lady cast it with bare hands!

Could it be that this young lady is a Sword Saint?

Serena watched with an ashen expression. She finally realized what Orchid Heart had done. When the Lich cast its spell, Orchid Heart had been watching its every movement. After the Lich cast its spell, the empty page beneath Orchid Heart's left hand emerged with lines of text and magical runes. Just like how the line of words emerged above the page when the Lich released the lightning chain spell to strike off the Nightmare Warriors. Moreover, the instant the Lich was caught in the fireball explosion, Serena noticed that Orchid Heart lithely swiped her right hand across the line of words before pointing forward. Then, she emitted a lightning chain from her fingertips that struck the Lich.

All in one...

Serena trembled in shock. She finally understood why Orchid Heart remained silent after the battle began. She had been analyzing the spells used in battle and only released them now. This was extremely terrifying. Just think about how terrifying it was for one in battle to face an opponent who could copy one's techniques and use it as their own...

"Is it over?"

Rhode said and startled Serena. She returned from her daze and looked forward with a complicated gaze. The Lich didn't seem to have any strength left anymore. It leaned on the holy barrier in silence.

"It's your turn now, Rhode... Yawn..."

Orchid Heart tilted her head, rubbed her eyes, and moved aside. Rhode nodded and stepped forward. He sized up the powerless Lich and stretched out his right arm.

[Activate Spirit's Prisoner — Spirit extraction activate. Choose your target]

Rhode pointed forward.

But the next scene stunned him.

"Argh!"

Logically speaking, Rhode should have extracted the Lich's spirit right after activating this skill. However, the Lich stood up abruptly, clutched his chest, and let out a blood-curdling screech before falling on its head lifelessly. Then, Rhode saw a spiritual radiance streaking across the sky like a meteor and it entered the necklace hanging on his chest.

[Imprisoned Spirit — Undead Spirit (Dark Attribute Resistance +10 / Spiritual Capacity Expansion 100 / Overall +9)]

"Huh?"

Rhode gazed in astonishment at the Lich before him.

Isn't this a Lich? Why has it become an Undead Spirit? Both should be presences on entirely different levels.

Rhode stepped forth, drew his sword, and flipped the Lich around. He slashed the cloak open and witnessed its true identity.

"What's going on?"

Chapter 722: Zombie Puppet

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

In fact, it wasn't a Lich. It was a dead human instead. Even though Liches were also dead, there were significant differences between them.

It was a corpse of a young lady laid who appeared to be 17 years old and with an adorable face. It seemed as though due to malnourishment, she had become sickly in appearance and her ashen, stiff body proved that she was dead for a long time. Strangely enough, she didn't rot and her corpse was still in perfect condition. At this moment, everyone crowded around and was astonished.

"Sir Overlord, is this a... Lich?"

Serena asked hesitantly. It wasn't surprising for her to raise this doubt because Undead Creatures were mostly fleshless and only structured with skeletons. Apart from the Abominations, the Undead Creatures were basically bones and this was no exception to the Liches. It could also be said that as a magical body, Liches had removed all their flesh and even stronger-tiered Liches didn't even need a human body as they roamed about in their naked, skeleton body. On the other hand, apart from appearing a little malnourished, this corpse seemed like an ordinary human.

"Should we kill her?"

Frederick scratched his head and said in uncertainty. He thought that a Lich was a terrifying-looking creature, but felt that something was wrong after witnessing a young lady. Rhode shook his head slightly.

"No, she's already dead. It was only her corpse that was fighting us."

Rhode knelt down and stripped her clothes in a single tug. Serena shrieked, but before she said anything, she was stumped. A black crystal was embedded in the middle of her chest. Blood vines-like presences were deeply rooted into her skin and spread around it. The black crystal was lifeless and dull like an unremarkable stone.

"What a pity."

Gillian skipped toward Rhode from the other side. She knelt down and poked the corpse's cheek.

"Ah, it is so hard and cold, Master. Do you want me to heat it up for you to have a go?"

"What are you talking about? Do you think that I'm such a person?"

Rhode shot a look at her.

"You must at least clean and disinfect her first."

"I knew it. Master, you're always attentive to the details."

"Alright, cut the crap."

Rhode accepted Gillian's 'praise', stood up, and scanned the corpse with puckered brows. If he wasn't mistaken, this corpse should be a 'Zombie Puppet', which was a manipulation technique that the Liches had come up with. Simply speaking, the Liches used the 'Life Rock' to connect their spirits with the corpses before manipulating them as puppets. However, this wasn't all that rare because there were countless manipulation spells that the Liches were capable of.

Not only could the 'Zombie Puppets' serve as 'scouts', but they could also inherit and utilize all the Lich's abilities within a short period of time like clones with similar powers. When the clone was destroyed, the Lich wouldn't be harmed because the Lich had targeted the clone to receive all damages on their behalf.

"How cruel."

Serena knitted her brows.

"Why must the evil Undead Creatures use such a method?"

"Even though they're the Undead Creatures, they aren't truly 'undead'. It is the same even for Liches who possess a phylactery."

Rhode spread his arms apart.

"Indeed. If we don't destroy the actual Vampire and Lich, they could revive, albeit requiring processes and some time. Besides, no matter what, they will also be hurt from battles and the damages are on a spiritual level, which won't fade quickly. On the other hand, the Undead Creatures don't only have us as their enemies. I guess you're aware of this, Miss Serena. The internal struggles for authority among the Undead Creatures has always been serious. If any of the Liches are killed by us, perhaps their positions will be snatched instantly while they used the phylactery powers to revive themselves. This is why they created the 'Zombie Puppet'. They choose the victims who have the closest spiritual undulations with them as vessels and carve the 'Life Rock' on them. This way, the victims will become their clone and they can manipulate it to release its powers. Whereas for being attacked..." Rhode gestured. "... Just like this. The Lich can use the victim's spirit as a shield while it remains in its sanctuary. When this happens, it will simply lose a puppet while ensuring that its safety, which is a reasonable trade to the Undead Creatures."

If Rhode recalled correctly, it was during the late game when the Zombie Puppets first appeared. Back then, the Battle Angels and players held similar techniques to directly deal damage to the spirits of the troublesome Liches and other presences, which eventually prompted the Undead Creatures to create this 'Zombie Puppet' technique. Players were disgusted because Zombie Puppets could possess all the Lich's powers in a short period of time. Therefore, many players met these creatures when they headed into the underground city. They held the powers of the BOSS, but didn't drop equally outstanding equipment. Moreover, every Liches raised several Zombie Puppets to harass and annoy the players.

But no matter how disgusting they were, they weren't comparable to the despicable and shameless players. The only flaw that the Zombie Puppets had was that when they were activated, the Lich's spirit had to be inside their bodies. Even though the Zombie Puppets possessed the Lich's strength, they lacked the magical and physical resistance which the Lich had. During this process, the Lich was unconscious, which was why the players didn't bother to fight the Zombie Puppets. They simply cast entrapment spells like the ice cage to capture the Lich's consciousness inside the Zombie Puppet. Then, if they were lucky, they would charge their way to the Lich and slaughter it before it broke out from the entrapment spell and regained its conscious. Even though the Lich might regain its conscious before the players arrived, the latter merely treated it as an ordinary BOSS fight. After all, no matter how godly the Lich was, it couldn't possibly manipulate Zombie Puppets and resist the players simultaneously.

Rhode let out a sigh of regret. He had rich experiences dealing with Zombie Puppets. But, he didn't expect that the Zombie Puppet that would emerge only in the late game actually turned up now. He only treated it as an ordinary Lich and if he were aware of the truth, he would have ordered Lize to cast the 'Spirit Imprisonment' spell and captured it. The Lich had perhaps detected that its spirit was extracted and instantly abandoned this vessel. It was no wonder that the system described the spirit as an 'Undead Spirit' and not a 'Lich'.

But judging from the state of this 'Life Rock', this Zombie Puppet didn't seem as experienced as the ones that he had faced in the game. Perhaps this was only in the testing phase?

Rhode let out a snort. If he didn't guess it wrongly, the manipulator of this Zombie Puppet would be the inventor and it was apparent that the inventor had used this chance to experiment. Based on this situation, Rhode and his men had become its perfect testers, but it was fine too since the Lich would continue its development after being successful this round. Of course. It wasn't aware that Rhode had ways to deal with its genius invention and he wouldn't mind teaching it a lifelong lesson.

"What should we do now, Mr. Rhode?"

Lize was bewildered. She revealed uncertainties in her expression. Rhode shook his head and threw his thoughts to the back of his head temporarily. He looked at everyone and said.

"Bring her back with us."

"B-Bring her...?"

Frederick shrieked and stared at Rhode with widened eyes.

"But, Sir Overlord, she's... already dead, isn't it?"

"That's right."

Rhode nodded.

"Sometimes, the things that we can get from the dead aren't anywhere less than from those alive."

Chapter 723: The Dead & Alive

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Rhode had to admit that this statement was quite the style of a 'Necromancer' and even Bayer had a whole new level of respect' for him. Rhode got someone to place the corpse above the horse back and brought all the 'spoils of war' back to the fortress. Upon sensing the aura of death, one of the Battle Angel inquired and Rhode came clean with everything since he wasn't the one who cast the evil undead spell anyway. After confirming that there wasn't any evil aura exuding from him, the Battle Angel left without saying a word. Bayer and Frederick were equally speechless.

Thereafter, Rhode invited them to inquire about the 'Zombie Puppet'. Serena hesitated for a moment and eventually nodded after failing to resist her curiosity. On the other hand, Bayer refused politely, but this didn't mean that he bore a grudge against Rhode. Instead, this was his first battle with the Undead Creatures, after all, and the treacherous enemies had left him baffled and mentally exhausted. He felt even more uncertain after hearing Rhode's description of the situation, which was why he looked for his men to talk about his 'personal experiences' in dealing with the Undead Creatures. Whereas for the 'Zombie Puppet', he wasn't too mindful. Since Rhode had arranged a time to share with him the findings on a later date and Serena and Frederick were also with him, he didn't have much to worry about.

Bam.

Rhode tossed the corpse on the ice-cold floor in the prison cell and the deep sound echoed between the walls. Serena knitted her brows in silence while Frederick whistled as he was more interested in this underground prison than the corpse.

Rhode had chosen the cell at the extreme end. Back then, the designer of this prison seemed to have the intention of imprisoning massive creatures, which explained the enormous, circular space with manacles and leg-irons. Rhode currently didn't have anyone worthy of being imprisoned in this special cell, but for the sake of avoiding panic and trouble, he had chosen it.

The underground prison was dark and dim. Chilly air shook the candle flames and sent chills down Serena's spine. She had never been to such a place. She looked around while trembling with fear. The echoing mourns of grief from the prisoners left her uncomfortable.

"Sir Overlord, how do you intend to..."

Frederick pointed at the corpse curiously. After a few moments, he felt that something was amiss. He approached the topic from another direction, but didn't know what to say. He let out an awkward cough.

"... do it?"

"You guys will know soon."

Rhode didn't give a specific answer. As a player who had fought against Undead Creatures for years, he knew what condition this young lady was in. Indeed. No matter how they saw it, she was a corpse, but the situation wasn't this simple. Rhode spotted traces of corpse solidification. In other words, her body had been modified when she was alive perhaps for the sake of maintaining this form after her death. For example, they could treat this young lady like a human-shaped balloon. When she was filled with spiritual energy, she wouldn't be different from ordinary humans. But, when spiritual energy left her, she would deflate and become a corpse.

Since that was the case, it would work after pumping spiritual energy into her like a balloon.

Rhode held the necklace hanging on his chest and injected spiritual powers.

"Ah...!"

Everyone widened their eyes in disbelief.

The young lady's stiff, ashen skin slowly softened and 'restored' with signs of life. Her stone cold body became warm and in the blink of an eye, a show of the resurrection of the dead was staged before them, where even Lize and Marlene were baffled. They had never seen similar things happened...

"Argh..."

The bewildered young lady opened her eyes and groaned weakly. Frederick stared at Rhode at a loss.

"S-She revived?! Sir Overlord, how did you do it?"

"Argh...!"

Frederick's scream resounded in the chilly underground prison. The young lady knitted her brows and was horrified as soon as she saw the people around her.

"W-Who are you people?!"

She cowered at the corner and widened her eyes in terror. Lize went up to console her, but Rhode pulled her back. Then, he approached the young lady.

"Think harder. You should know who we are."

The young lady quietened and became calm. But shortly after, she turned terrified and acted cautiously.

"Y-You are from the Light Mainland?"

Serena, Frederick, Marlene, and Lize felt rather fresh with her inquiry. They had never been asked this question. After all, most humans lived under the Light Dragon's soul protection and were basically the people of Light Mainland with only differences in the regions and countries where they resided. This young lady's strange way of asking proved her identity.

"That's right. Do you still remember what happened?"

Rhode didn't feel anything wrong. In fact, he was also amused when someone asked him this question when he first arrived in the Country of Darkness. However, he had gotten used to it after all these years.

"..."

The young lady lowered her head as though trying hard to recall. Then, she muttered.

"My... my master ordered me to head into Light Mainland... to... investigate. T-Then, we met an ambush... Master lost... and... I... I..."

She shuddered, lifted her head, and revealed the look of fear again.

"M-My spirit. Master has..."

"Your spirit is with me, young lady."

Rhode lifted the necklace on his chest and swayed it before her eyes. She fixed her gaze on it and after a few moments, knelt respectfully as she laid her forehead on the ground.

"Dear master! I beg for your kindness. Please don't destroy my spirit. I'm willing to heed all your orders. My body and spirit shall belong to you forever. You can do whatever you want to me, but please don't punish me. I'm willing to be your most despicable, lowest servant..."

"S-Sir Overlord?"

"Mr. Rhode?"

"Rhode?"

Perhaps due to the drastic change in the young lady's attitude, everyone was speechless, except for Gillian who laughed cheekily at the side. Rhode wasn't surprised by the young lady's behavior. Even though there wasn't such customs in Light Mainland, this was extremely common in Dark Mainland. Spirits were more like a currency for transactions. Almost everyone's spirit belonged to their masters and as long as they committed a mistake, their masters would torture their spirits as punishments, which was the most unbearable pains in this world. The pain spread from inside out to every corner of their spirit, where even death wouldn't rescue them and vanishing in a puff of smoke was their biggest fear. It was due to this that they treated their masters who held their spirits as superior beings.

"Anyway, stand up first."

Rhode was a modern man, after all. He didn't find it interesting for a young lady to shudder and sprawl before him. He took two steps back and put away the necklace. The young lady hesitated before slowly standing to her feet. But even so, she wrapped her arms around her fearfully like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bow. Everyone couldn't imagine her being the sly Lich. After all, both of them felt so different to them.

"Tell me your name."

Rhode said. The young lady kept her head low and replied softly.

"Reporting, my dearest master. My name is Sara... I was Sir Cullen's Corpse Slave."

Chapter 724: An Unfamiliar Country

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Cullen?

Rhode twitched his brows. Then, he quickly scanned for the relevant data in his head.

"Cullen Fachel. Patriarch of the Night Lich Family?"

"Yes, dear master."

Sara lowered her head and responded hurriedly. On the other hand, Serena turned to Rhode curiously.

"Night Lich? Sir Overlord, are you familiar with them?"

"Understanding the enemies is always the first step in war. Intelligence is essential, Miss Serena."

Rhode strongly believed that his ability to 'lie through his teeth' had gone through the roof.

"The Night Lich Family is one of the stronger Lich families in the Country of Darkness. They are one of the core forces under the 'Undead Tide' army and also the trusted aides of 'Spirit Chaser' Balende. This family is expert in undead alchemy and knowledgeable in magic spells. Their purpose under Balende is similar to..." Rhode paused. He turned to Marlene and continued. "... the Senia Family's in the Munn Kingdom. They are responsible for providing firearms to the Undead Army. Of course, they manage the transformation and strengthening of the Undead Creatures. Apart from that, they are one of the rarer family who are closer in relationship with the Vampires within the Undead Tide. That is how they got the name of Night Lich. Cullen is an expert in air battles. It seems that we're facing a large group of air forces like the Gargoyles..."

Rhode shook his head, but the corners of his lips raised to show an unnoticeable smile. Back then, the Undead Army lost terribly on ground, so it was a perfectly reasonable choice for them to go the air route. Perhaps the situation would be tricky if this happened months ago. But now, air force? Ha! Rhode imagined countless EXP flashing by eyes after taking them down.

"Since you're here to investigate as Cullen's Zombie Puppet, you should know the specific progress of the Undead Army that is mobilized here, right?"

"Just a little, dear master."

Sara lifted her head and gazed curiously at her new master. She had served Cullen for years and it went without saying that she knew that the Zombie Puppet was his scheme, which was why she had become the experimental product. Sara knew that every spell caster's experiments were absolute secrets. But she was astonished to find that her new master appeared to be familiar with it. However, the years of habit made her hold back her doubts.

"I know that Sir Burks' and Sir Duran's armies have arrived at the front line. I'm more familiar with Sir Cullen's situation. Currently, he has around 50,000 Gargoyles and Soul Griffins and 10,000 Black-winged Knights. There is a total of 100,000 troops currently under the Undead Army. But this is just what I know. I was only Sir Cullen's Corpse Slave, after all, and I'm not too familiar with other situations."

"Burks and Duran, is it...?"

Rhode puckered his brows. They were true noblemen with authority in the Country of Darkness and core strength of the four largest families. It seemed that the new and rising noble families in the Country of Darkness had taken a hit, which explained why the four legendary generals had decided to move out their troops. Rhode knew what they were planning. If the new and rising noble families lost, not only could the four legendary generals, also known as the experienced veterans, expand their forces, but they could also quell the insignificant ones. This would re-stabilize the entire Country of Darkness. But Rhode wasn't willing to fight for the sake of the enemy nation's stability. If the four legendary generals didn't send out their direct subordinates, Rhode wouldn't mind making them lose all the way. Failure was the sharpest blade to slash through contradictions. Rhode couldn't ask for more if he could send the Country of Darkness into a state of turmoil even though the possibilities weren't high.

"Corpse Slave?"

Frederick was more mindful about this term.

"What is that?"

"Just as the term suggests. Corpse Slaves are slaves produced from corpses."

Rhode replied plainly and pointed at the young lady.

"Just like what you've seen. Liches will extract the spirits from humans before specially modifying their bodies which includes anti-corrosion and maintenance modifications. Then, they will inject their spirits into spirit crystals, which will produce Corpse Slaves who can serve them. Corpse Slave won't rebel and obey orders perfectly. Besides, they are much stronger than the skeleton creatures. This is the reason why most Liches have Corpse Slaves around them."

Rhode turned to Sara.

"Am I right?"

"Master is truly knowledgeable. I've never known that people in the Light Mainland understand our situation this well."

Sara answered frantically.

"Just as master has said. I've served Sir Cullen since 30 years ago. Due to my impressive performance, Sir Cullen turned me into a Corpse Slave..."

"Hey, w-w-wait!"

Frederick interrupted with an odd expression. He stared at the young lady dubiously.

"My ears are fine, right? Why did he turn you into a Corpse Slave due to your impressive works? What is going on? Didn't you do well? Why did that fella treat you this way? Is his head still working well over the years?"

"Sir Cullen turned me into a Corpse Slave as a reward for me. Humans will eventually die due to old age or sickness. On the other hand, we won't fall sick, feel hurt, or die of old age after turning into Corpse Slaves. Besides, we can continue to support our masters with our experience and wisdom. Doesn't this make sense?"

"This..."

In an instant, apart from Rhode and Gillian, everyone was stumped and speechless. They stared blankly at Sara with puzzled expressions and felt chills running down their spines like electricity current. In the past, if their fear toward the Undead Creatures of Country of Darkness only hovered on the surface, they finally understood the frightening truth of this nation of undead now. It was a complete subversion and betrayal of their values and the world as a whole. It was the existence of fear that had almost infiltrated their bones.

"Oh my goodness..."

Serena placed her hands on her chest and muttered under her breath. Lize shook her head, turned around and was speechless. On the other hand, Frederick scratched his head and said.

"So... Miss Sara. What will happen if you perform badly?"

"Master will slaughter the servants who don't fit his requirements and turn their corpses into Undead Soldiers to guard his territory. The spirits of losers will turn into materials for his spell castings and experiments."

Sara spoke about this terrifying situation in such a calm, monotonous tone that it left them shivering. Rhode crossed his arms and observed everyone in silence. He thought of this as a great opportunity for them to experience the horrors of the Undead Creatures, which would strengthen their consciousness of their heavy responsibilities. The Undead Creatures' infiltration wasn't as simple as a war between the two countries. It was more of a conflict of values between the undead and mortals.

"In other words, death is the only end?"

Frederick muttered in disbelief. Sara shook her head.

"That isn't true, Sir. Even though one can't fulfill their master's request, many of them continued to live on as humans. After all, masters need slaves to reproduce the next generation, so there are many human ethnic groups and towns in the masters' territories. The humans will live within and serve their masters by reproducing. Those who perform well will be rewarded with honor and status."

Sara pushed out her chest rather proudly.

"My mother has given to a dozen children with over 20 men and was awarded with supreme honor from Sir Cullen. This is also the reason why I was fortunate enough to serve Sir Cullen and become his Corpse Slave."

"Over 20 men? Tsk tsk tsk!"

Frederick shook his head.

"I admire your mother. Her husband must be so generous. If it were me, I can never accept that. If it's my wife... Hey, why did you kick me? Serena?"

"Husband?"

Sara tilted her head curiously.

"What's that?"

"That is... a form of address used by a woman to the man after they marry each other."

"What's marry?"

"Marry..."

Frederick was at a loss for words. He scratched his head and turned to the other young ladies around him, but their minds seemed to have shut down like a computer that crashed. After pondering for a few moments, Frederick braced himself as whoever started the trouble should rightfully end it.

"Simple speaking. A pair of loving man and woman marry, form a family, live together, and give birth to children... Don't you have such customs over there?"

"No."

Sara shook her head firmly.

"It is the duty of all females to give birth in our territory. As soon as we reach adulthood, we will need to give birth as much as we can. In fact, if I didn't serve Sir Cullen for a long time and become a Corpse Slave, perhaps I would be working hard like my sisters."

Marlene and the others felt as though they had returned to the world where they belonged upon exiting the underground prison and feeling the dazzling sunshine pouring on their faces. As humans and females, they felt as though they had fallen into the darkest abyss after hearing Sara's story. Serena didn't take it well. She covered her mouth all the way while exiting the underground prison and finally threw up. Just imagining the scary scenes was enough to make her faint.

"Oh my goodness... I've never thought that... the humans living in darkness are leading such lives."

Lize clutched her hands before her chest and looked down on the ground. Even though they had heard of rumors regarding the Country of Darkness, most of them were unfounded and altered to satisfy the listeners' ears. But now, the harshest truth was presented to them. If they didn't witness how Sara returned from the dead and confirmed that she was one of the Undead Creatures who they had fought, perhaps they would never believe that her words were true. Compared to her confessions, the rumors about the evil, scheming Undead Creatures were nowhere close in reality.

No. At this moment, they hoped that the young lady was lying to them, which was shameless fun to the Undead Creatures. They rather believed that the young lady was exaggerating on purpose because it would be horrible if such things existed in this world

Perhaps it wasn't this situation that was frightening. Instead, it was how Sara behaved as though everything was inevitable and right when she spoke. The moral values, social order, and common sense in the Light Mainland were non-existent. Even though social order existed on the land of darkness on the other side, they were that twisted, evil, and fearful.

"..."

Marlene appeared to have accepted it much better than the rest. Rhode noticed that she placed her hands on her chest and calmed down after taking a few deep breaths. Just this determination was a world of difference from the pale, miserable Serena who seemed to have taken a huge hit.

"Rhode. That young lady... what do you intend to do with her?"

Marlene knitted her brows and asked worriedly. Rhode put Sara alone in the cell and wasn't concerned that she would escape since her spirit was in his possession. Manipulating spirits was a profound strength. No matter what the other party was thinking or doing, Rhode was well aware of them. Whenever he gave an order through the spirit, he could make the other party abide obediently. Although he knew that Sara wouldn't leave the cell even if he didn't lock the gate, he had chosen to lock it to make others feel at ease. Sara was a Undead Creatures and didn't need to survive on food and water. Besides, she also wasn't fit to roam around in this situation.

"Lock her up for the time being and talk about it when the time is right. She has given us valuable insights albeit the lack of information. I'm sure we can obtain a more specific number on the Undead Army after she thinks over it," Rhode said.

In fact, Rhode knew that the difference of opinions between the Country of Light and Country of Darkness weren't that simple. Twisted Order was still Order, which was one of the reasons why the Country of Law wasn't concerned about this situation which Marlene and the others treated as insane. The second reason was that in the Country of Darkness, this traditional and ancient rule had lasted for millenniums, where it could also be said that even though the humans residing in the Country of Darkness were humans in appearance, their moral values and views on life and death were entirely different from the Light Mainland. It was just like how Marlene and the others were baffled by what Sara felt proud of living to reproduce. But... this was the truth.

"Organize a battle meeting. We have to inform others of this information. The Undead Army are coming in aggressively this time. We need to strike them back and tell them that this isn't the place for the skeletons like them to stay... Not in my territory."

Rhode lifted his head and gazed into the distant sky which presented an azure brilliance under the protection of the Light Dragon Soul. But he was clear that the situation wasn't this simple.

"——!"

At this moment, a crisp warble rang in their ears. Everyone witnessed a homing pigeon descended and landed on Gillian's extended hand. She took over the letter from its feet and scanned it through. Then, she revealed a meaningful smile.

"Master, there's good news."

"Hmm?"

Rhode retrieved the letter and read. He puckered his brows and displayed an obvious smile.

"Those Parliament idiots. I didn't expect them to fall this quickly."

"What's wrong, Rhode?" Marlene said curiously while he shook his head slightly.

"It's nothing, Marlene. It's just some idiots who are looking for a scapegoat."