Chapter 38 : The Gardener

"I came to save this child."

'A woman…? Save?'

'What is she talking about?'

The adventurers, including the three elite-rank ones, were already quite fatigued. This was due to the prolonged battle against the vampire and her slave army.

Although they had resupplied while entering the dungeon, they hadn't expected another big battle to follow, so they only filled urgent needs.

However, Libertas's side was in fresh condition, having hardly fought any battles, and moreover, that weakling had already made many preparations knowing about the enemy.

This difference was enough to narrow the gap in their combat power by at least half a rank to one full rank.

"Damn. Something feels ominous."

"Ha. Even if that's really another Dungeon Lord, she can't be as strong as that vampire bitch."

-We can handle this.

However, they still didn't think they would lose.

As the saying goes, 'Even a rotten croaker is still a croaker.' There were three elite adventurers who could easily exert high rank or above power even when tired.

Due to this background, they were half a beat late in recognizing the battle and responding.

An opening created like this would soon change their thoughts very differently.

Whoosh-!

"Damn…!"

As soon as she recognized the adventurers' expressions distorting at her words, Libertas's form disappeared, swallowed by shadows.

"Behind…!"

As soon as her form vanished from sight, those who reacted were magic swordsman Alexis and a few warriors.

Summoning an arming sword in one hand and a blade made of similar-length flames in the other simultaneously, then immediately turning their bodies to check behind their mage and archer allies, showed the proper response of experienced adventurers.

Only this time, Rita's movement was not common sense.

"…It's not?!"

The place where Libertas appeared was right behind Alexis, who had turned his body in that spot.

In other words, it was just the front if Alexis hadn't quickly reacted to Libertas's shadow magic and turned his body.

"「Shadow Binding」."

As Libertas's foot touched the ground, her shadow, which had instantly merged with the cave's shadows, grabbed Alexis's legs.

The elite adventurer's resistance could instantly break that binding, but the problem was what came next.

A threat that couldn't allow even a moment's hesitation was falling towards his head.

-Clatter!

Whoosh!

What appeared from the cave's darkness merged with Libertas's shadow was a giant axe. The one holding it was Axe, the black Dungeon Lord's guard captain.

Now wearing plausible leather armor, adding to its already imposing, huge build, the skeleton appeared in the air above Rita and fell while swinging down its axe, which was like a guillotine.

"Kuk…?!"

Alexis twisted his body with all his might at that ominous wind sound, but the distance was too close, and he had no time to react due to the magical binding.

Before Alexis, who was suddenly about to receive a warrior's ambush from the front, could hastily raise his sword to at least slow its speed.

Bang!!

A short sword that looked infinitely small compared to the axe intervened from the side.

While containing a lot of magic power.

"A skeleton? Was the necromancer on this side…!"

"Protect Sir Alexis!"

"Damn it. What's going on here?! Are there really two Dungeon Lords?"

Linsia barely deflected the skeleton's unexpectedly powerful strength by infusing her body with magic power and using her sword.

When she alerted them to the enemy's identity, the warriors drew out blunt weapons, and some mages began concentrating.

"「Shadow Assault」."

However, before magic could properly activate, Libertas's mouth opened as she carefully watched Linsia and Jin Kyung.

As if prepared in advance.

Swish-!!

"「Flame」…Kuk?!"

"Attack that woman, no, monster!"

Intangible blades suddenly springing out from the bare ground.

This place was a cave.

Thanks to this, shadows that Rita could use overflowed everywhere.

As shadows assaulted the mages like that, they had no choice but to cancel the power they were drawing up and hastily dodge.

As soon as the mages who couldn't complete their spells due to their concentration being broken shouted, when high-rank adventurer warriors began to rush in with blunt weapons.

Rita turned her head as if those warriors weren't even in her sight.

"Deal with them."

-Taddak!

-Clatter.

Because three more figures were already falling in front of her.

"Additional skeletons! It's definitely a necromancer!"

"But these things…"

Clang! Whoosh!

"What the?!"

At first, the warriors tried to rush in, ignoring those beings, but soon, they had no choice but to approach cautiously with their guard up.

This was because they saw one holding a shield and one holding a staff block the arrows and magic that Linsia and Jin Kyung hastily shot.

Although it was shot in a hurry, a mere skeleton blocked an elite-rank attack. It was natural to think there must be some ability or item.

In fact, there was Libertas's invisible assistance, but there was no way for them to know that.

『Name – Axe』

『Attributes – Health 35 Technique 12 Durability 21 Magic Power 4 Resistance 13』

-Grr…

'Damn it. Why is it so big…? Is it really a skeleton?'

Meanwhile, Alexis was facing Libertas's warrior who was at least equal to elite-rank in strength alone if nothing else.

Even though he was facing an enemy that looked like just a skeleton despite its huge size, Alexis somehow felt cold sweat running down his back. The ambush just now had been dangerous enough that he unconsciously reacted like this.

Moreover, ominous black magic power was being loaded on top of that giant.

"「I command」. 「Steadfast」. And 「Precise」. 「Resist」. My warrior."

-Kuwak!!

『Attributes – Health 38 Technique 23 Durability 33 Magic Power 5 Resistance 24』

Necromancy buffs transmitted through overlapping commands on Axe.

Axe's abilities, which were close to high rank but still lacking a lot, were instantly filled, and its close combat abilities rose enough to withstand an elite-rank warrior sufficiently.

There was no mistake in the buffs that accurately saw and conveyed those abilities. It's not for nothing that the most prominent ability of RPG game healers is a wide field of view.

"「Power against impurity…!」"

As soon as Libertas was seen buffing her soldier like that, there was one person who hastily opened their mouth.

A priest.

Those who must be recruited for any battle if there's enough money.

Clang!

"Kyaak?!"

"Keep going! I'll block…!"

And at the same time, they were the first targets aimed at by demons.

Because of this fact, she couldn't immediately continue the action she wanted to do. As soon as she opened her mouth, a sword strike came crashing in, and the guard warrior barely managed to raise his shield before she was hit.

Swish.

Next to the priest, what revealed itself from the shadows was the form of a longsword that didn't look sharp but seemed tough.

The one holding it was a swordsman skeleton whose aura emanating from its body was greater, though its build was much smaller than the giant from earlier.

Clang! Clang! Bang!

"Why, is this, so strong…! Hurry! Priest!"

"Y-Yes! 「Strength to repel impurity…!」"

Bang!!

"Kyaak!"

-Kahaa…

As soon as the priest started chanting, Evangeline, who was pressing sword against shield while exhaling black magic vapor from her mouth and ominously brightening her blue eye lights even more.

The warrior facing her felt his knees weaken.

Why on earth was this outwardly ordinary-looking skeleton so scary?!

"「Grant unto us!」, Kyaak!"

Bang!!

The warrior didn't know what happened behind him, but he couldn't move now.

It felt like his life would vanish in vain if he took his eyes off this terrifying skeleton.

"「Be tough」. 「And precise」."

『Attributes – Health 27 Technique 32 Durability 23 Magic Power 26 Resistance 22』

『Attributes – Health 37 Technique 42 Durability 23 Magic Power 26 Resistance 22』

The movements that became even more powerful and delicate while hearing the 'commands' given directly by her master added even more strength and skill to the actions of striking down and pushing aside the shield.

Bang, bang, bang!!

Then as Evangeline swung her sword greatly once and grabbed the shield to move it, the warrior's eyes widened as he stared at the sword approaching him as his shield finally flew off.

'Damn it, here…?!'

"「Hummingbird's Wing Beat」!"

Clang! Clang clang!

"I'm alive…?!"

"Move!!"

The warrior didn't die.

Linsia's rapid fire succeeded in deflecting Evangeline's sword.

However, the one who achieved her goal rather frowned. Although she succeeded in deflecting Evangeline's sword, none of the subsequent attacks succeeded.

By blocking or dodging all 7 consecutive arrow shots with her sword.

'How can it be so calm and agile…?!'

That skeleton didn't even move urgently.

Calmly placing the sword in the trajectory to deflect or bounce off, and finally spinning once to cut down a magic spell flying towards her and placing it at her feet, then letting the last arrow pass by her head quietly.

-Clatter.

Right after that, Evangeline stood in place, slowly looking around.

Not at Linsia, who shot at her, but as if observing the overall battle situation.

Rather, her quiet appearance felt intimidating.

'What is she doing…!'

Linsia, feeling frustrated, glared resentfully at the priest who hadn't used holy magic yet.

The hastily shot arrows not only failed to gain any advantage but also drew the skeleton's attention to her, and the priest she was originally trying to protect couldn't even secure time to chant spells.

Bang! Bang! Bang!!

-Grrrr…!!

"Why is it so strong…!!"

"H-Help me…!!"

Lin Xue, who was at her peak in both magic power and health with 'Madness' fully activated, was toying with two other warriors while continuously pounding on the priest's barrier.

Seeing the holy magic barrier repeatedly breaking and restoring, it seemed she had no time to pay attention elsewhere at all.

Xue's combat ability stats were originally close to high rank. Still, now that her madness had nearly peaked, she could fight evenly or even overwhelm three elite-rank novice or intermediate adventurers in 1-on-1 combat.

So it was natural that high-rank adventurers couldn't keep up.

-Tack!

Whoosh!

While Xue was toying with the priest and two warriors like that, Evangeline's eye lights, who had retreated and were alternately watching that scene, and Linsia flared up.

'Here it comes…!'

Clang!

It was inevitable for Linsia to be wary of the skeleton's movements, which looked ordinary on the outside but had monstrous abilities.

"Get… away!"

-Taak!

Clang!

Linsia, who gritted her teeth as the sword strike brushed past the top of her head, tried somehow to shake off the enemy, but this skeleton's speed was faster than her tired self.

Although she could somehow block with her short bow and short sword, thanks to her innate abilities, that appearance was extremely precarious.

From the beginning, this cave was not a place where she could be active.

It was natural for an 'archer' who snipe from afar when outside and activate shooting mode in a thoroughly protected environment in narrow places.

"Alexis!!"

"Take care of that yourself! This is no joke here either!"

"Damn it!"

Bang!!

-Grrrr…

At that, Linsia called out to the one with the strongest close combat ability, but he was still caught by Axe.

Axe, knowing its skills were far from adequate, inserted its body into Alexis's sword and struck magic with its axe, relying on its master's durability and resistance enhancement and encouragement.

Alexis, who had seen that axe deeply carved into the cave floor or walls several times, absolutely couldn't easily turn his back on it.

Bang!! Bang!!! Bang!!!!

Axe, who had put all its remaining magic power given by its master into supporting its health, was chasing after him with tremendous speed and reckless momentum, befitting its huge body.

With a two-handed axe in one hand and a disproportionately cute short sword in the other.

It was a pressure that felt like his forehead might be split in two or his heart pierced if he made a mistake.

Crack! Clang!

"What the hell! That arm!!"

Clearly, this skeleton had many openings. It's just that aiming for those openings was useless.

Half of the decisive sword strikes aimed at openings got tangled in joints that had become strangely hard, and the rest were continuously blocked by the short sword in the left arm, which moved strangely separately and was imbued with black magic power.

High-level mental concentration control where most of the giant skeleton's movements were left to itself, but Libertas herself handled part of the defense.

However, there was no way Alexis could know that.

-O light, come…!

Meanwhile, Jin Kyung, who had confirmed that the source of the simultaneously summoned skeletons was the 'shadows', tried to call light into the dark cave.

She wanted to stop the enemy's additional support at least and stabilize the situation.

"「Silence」. You're quick-witted."

However, that attempt was blocked just before.

By a simple curse from Libertas, who knew well about her abilities thanks to the explanation from a cheap knight.

-Clatter.

-Taddak.

Chop!

"Ah…"

Moreover, she was subdued by a coordinated consecutive attack along with the three skeletons beside her.

Although she had formidable physical abilities as an elite adventurer, as mentioned earlier, they were already exhausted and now, with her main skills sealed, it was difficult.

The priest or other warriors she would have normally kept around to protect that weakness were also unable to come to their senses while being beaten by the werewolf.

"Is there no one to help?!"

"Damn it. Shit…! I'm dying!"

"Don't talk nonsense! Who in a place like this…!"

Thus, while Alexis was being chased by Axe, Xue toyed with the priest and two warriors, Linsia was entangled with Evangeline, and finally, Jin Kyung was subdued by Rita.

"Why are skeletons so strong…!"

"It's using spear techniques…! Crazy-!!"

Figures kept appearing from between the cave shadows. They joined in with weapons in their hands and were wearing down the remaining four adventurers.

The final number was twelve, excluding those beside Rita.

Although all the adventurers were high-rank or above, this was possible because each skeleton had formal intermediate or above strength and skills.

They were elites trained by Libertas developing her true self's abilities and Evangeline drilling them.

"「I command」."

And on top of that, Rita's overall command was being issued.

"Take care of your bodies. My children. I'll definitely treat you if you get hurt, but I'll be quite sad."

-Clatter!

-Tack!

As soon as they heard their beloved master's words, the skeletons' movements became even more reckless, intense, and brisk than before.

"Stop!! Don't come! Don't come…"

"Sa… save me! Kuaak!!"

Thud!!

In the end, it didn't take long for silence to fall inside the cave.