Chapter 234

The Basilisks on the 84th floor.

They were always a tiresome challenge.

Because of their impenetrable defense.

Our attacks wouldn’t work, and their attacks were a constant threat, putting us under immense mental pressure.

And the fact that they were undead made them even more troublesome.

But.

‘Today is different.’

A faint smile appeared on my face.

Because there was a weapon that could easily exploit their undead nature.

Holy Light.

The scroll that had been effective even against high-ranking undead like Death Knights.

It meant that it was a guaranteed weakness for any undead, regardless of their type.

Whether it was a Basilisk or something else.

“What are you waiting for? Use them.”

I urged him on, my voice laced with a provocative smile.

A formidable enemy for us meant a trump card for him.

If we could instantly neutralize that trump card, even a madman like him would be shaken.

We could seize the momentum.

And use it to crush him.

“You’re amusing. Amusing. Very amusing. Ahahaha.”

Mesker laughed, his voice filled with mockery.

But there was also a hint of confidence in his laughter.

He had no doubt.

That his undead Basilisks would tear us to shreds.

“So that’s how it is. You’re full of unfounded confidence. Well, I guess that’s why you’re so clueless and keep getting in my way.”

“Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing?”

I retorted, delivering a sharp verbal counter.

“Ahahahaha.”

He laughed.

“Ahahahaha.”

I laughed back.

“Ahahahahahahahaha!”

He laughed louder.

“Ahahahahahahahaha!”

I matched his laughter…

“Stop mimicking me, you bastard!”

The mad necromancer snapped, his eyes wide with rage.

Huh? This was working quite well.

I mimicked him again.

“Stop mimicking me, you bastard…”

“You son of a bitch!”

He screamed, his voice cracking with fury.

“Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!”

He roared, his killing intent exploding outwards, filling the room with a suffocating pressure.

It wasn’t just an empty threat.

Because they were starting to move.

The Basilisk corpses that had been lying on the ground.

“They’re coming.”

I said, my expression turning serious.

“Ugh, more undead.”

“I’m sick of this.”

“Everyone, focus.”

Even in the face of the menacing undead, our group didn’t back down.

We didn’t falter.

We had climbed this far, defeating countless undead along the way. It wasn’t due to luck.

It was skill.

And the confidence that came with it.

But.

These undead were especially dangerous.

Knowing that, I added one more thing.

“Everyone, scrolls.”

That single word was enough.

We weren’t a disorganized mob.

We had climbed this far with the unity and cohesion of a veteran unit.

Thump, thump, thump, thump!

The Basilisks lumbered towards us, their massive bodies shaking the ground.

They moved in a surprisingly organized formation, none of them charging ahead recklessly.

It was typical of creatures that hunted in packs.

Even as undead, their instincts remained.

It was actually beneficial.

For using the scrolls.

I waited patiently.

For the perfect timing.

Thump, thump, thump, thump!

The Basilisks drew closer.

And then.

“Now!”

I shouted.

And tore a scroll.

Right in front of the approaching Basilisks.

Holy Light erupted, engulfing the Basilisks.

More Holy Light erupted from the left and right.

Everyone had used their scrolls.

Screeeeeech!

Screeeeeech!

The Basilisks screamed in agony as the Holy Light washed over them.

I wished it was over, but I knew.

Their tenacious vitality wouldn’t be extinguished so easily.

But I knew their weakness.

The weakness that could end them.

“Flip them over!”

I shouted, charging towards a Basilisk and shoving it with all my might.

Basilisks had a high center of gravity.

So if you flipped them onto their backs, they couldn’t get up on their own, no matter how much they struggled.

It was a fatal weakness.

But exploiting that weakness when they were alive was nearly impossible.

They wouldn’t just stand there and let you do it while they were rampaging and attacking.

But it was different now.

They were in pain, their bodies weakened by the Holy Light, unable to move properly.

When else would Basilisks look like such easy prey?

If we couldn’t take advantage of this opportunity, we deserved to die.

We had to chew them up and spit them out, like a steak served on a silver platter.

“Push!”

I shouted again, putting all my strength into the shove.

And then.

Thud!

The Basilisk lost its balance and toppled over onto its back.

“Heh, good.”

I chuckled.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

As if waiting for that signal, more Basilisks were flipped over, their heavy bodies hitting the ground with a series of satisfying thuds.

Now there was only one thing left to do.

“Everyone, attack! Focus on one spot!”

I kindly explained the method.

It always hurt the most when you hit the same spot over and over again.

It was the same for Basilisks.

No matter how tough their scales were, they would eventually crack if you kept hitting the same spot.

That’s how you cooked them.

Those lizards.

Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack!

Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack!

The sound of our group relentlessly hammering away at the Basilisks’ scales filled the room.

It sounded like a butcher tenderizing meat.

The fact that the “meat” was a ferocious monster called a Basilisk was a dark comedy.

And finally.

Stab, stab, stab, stab, stab!

Stab, stab, stab, stab, stab, stab!

The sound changed to that of skewers piercing through well-tenderized meat.

Screeeeeech!

Screeeeeeeeeech!

Their final screams.

Even undead couldn’t withstand the pain of being turned into minced meat and skewered on the spot.

The Basilisks, their bodies writhing in agony, finally went limp.

They had died twice.

And the second death was far more painful.

Resurrection was impossible now.

There was no such thing as infinite lives.

Even undead only had one life.

“Wh-What? What is this? Huh? What? What? What?! This is impossible! This is impossible! R-Right? Right? Right?”

Mesker.

As expected, he was in shock.

His eyes were wide with disbelief, his hands clutching his head as he mumbled incoherently.

Now was the time.

To break his spirit.

I sneered.

“What is this? You’re weak, and we’re strong. That’s all there is to it.”

“N-No! I’m strong! I’m strong!”

“Oh, really? You’re so strong that you had to summon these pathetic weaklings to kill us?”

Thwack!

I kicked the head of a dead Basilisk as if it were trash.

Mesker flinched.

“Th-That’s…”

“Stop whining, you weakling!”

I roared, my voice filled with confidence.

It was a masterful bluff.

“Eek!”

Mesker whimpered and stumbled backwards.

His mind, already unstable, seemed to be in complete turmoil.

His reaction just now had confirmed it.

I knew him.

He might possess great power, but his mental fortitude was weak.

He only seemed strong because he was insane.

I knew exactly what would happen to him the moment he started doubting his own power.

I had witnessed his pathetic downfall countless times when he was cornered.

He was definitely strong.

He could summon hordes of undead, and his bone magic was deadly and dangerous.

But he was mentally immature.

He couldn’t even make his own decisions, creating an imaginary personality called “Fairy” to share the burden and responsibility.

He was a half-baked villain.

He couldn’t even compare to “real” villains like the princess or Natasha.

I had died to someone like him?

Unacceptable.

I wouldn’t let it happen again.

By ending him myself.

“I still have over a hundred scrolls left. What are you going to do? What can you do? Huh?”

I bluffed again.

We were almost out of scrolls, but it didn’t matter.

He couldn’t see how many we had left, and all I needed to do was break his spirit.

“I-I…”

Mesker continued to back away, his confidence shattered.

I had successfully seized the momentum.

I had to finish him off before he realized something was wrong.

My hand slowly reached for the hilt of my sword.

And then.

Thwack!

I kicked off the ground and charged forward.

– Speed Slash Form.

My fastest swordsmanship technique.

A surprise attack to finish him off while he was still reeling from the loss of his trump card.

I reached him in an instant.

Shing.

My blade scraped against the scabbard, creating friction.

The friction built up,

And then exploded outwards in a single, powerful burst.

Slash!

“Ugh?!”

My blade aimed for his throat.

His reaction was definitely too slow.

This was it.

The end.

Slice!

A line appeared on his neck.

Blood splattered.

But.

‘Tsk.’

It wasn’t deep enough.

Mesker, his neck only slightly grazed, jumped back in alarm.

“C-Coward! You coward! D-Don’t come any closer! Stay back!”

A wall of bone rose between us.

That alone wouldn’t have been a problem, but…

Clatter. Clatter. Clatter.

The sound of bones rattled from all directions.

“Ugh, more undead?”

“Sigh, I’m so tired of this.”

“…Focus.”

“Damn it, how many are there?”

Skeletons.

And not just ordinary skeletons.

It was a skeleton army.

Equipped with shield bearers, spearmen, swordsmen, archers, mages, lieutenants, and even a commander.

A fully organized military force.

This was Mesker’s final trump card.

It was undeniably a threat.

But.

I wasn’t alone.

I had…

Reliable comrades.

It was because of them that I could face the mad necromancer.

It was because of them that I had come this far.

“Good luck, everyone!”

I shouted.

They understood.

I was asking them.

Entrusting them.

With my back.

With the skeleton army.

“Y-You too, senior!”

Cute Annette.

“Finish him off, leader!”

Plain Allen.

“Sh-Show him what it means to be her fiancée!”

Baguette Senior.

“Oh, you’re so cool, junior.”

The senior who looked prettier without her glasses.

“Hmph… Showing off all by yourself.”

Mask.

“Good luck to you too, senior.”

The younger brother who was much more talented than his older brother.

“Good luck.”

…Are you being blatant now, Named Boss?

“You’ll achieve the expected result, senior. Because you’re you.”

Even the not-so-cute protagonist.

I had received quite a lot of encouragement.

I guess I hadn’t lived my life in vain.

I think the weird guy with the mask said something strange, but let’s ignore him.

Anyway,

I couldn’t lose after receiving so much support.

I would win.

For myself, of course.

And for everyone else.

“You’re going to die here. No matter what.”

Thwack!

I kicked off the ground and leaped high into the air.

Over the bone wall.

I saw him.

Mesker, his face contorted in panic.

He had hurriedly summoned his skeleton army, but this was a one-on-one fight between him and me.

I had forced him into it.

Because my comrades would fight behind me.

– Falling Slash Form.

My blade descended upon Mesker.

Like the talons of a diving hawk.