Sword Saint's Reincarnation

Book 3 Chapter 41: The Shaded Catacombs (1)

The group continued to head deeper into the Dungeon with Aelfric in the lead. A few meters behind his younger brother, Rylan paid attention to their whole surroundings, from the ceiling to the floor. Aelfric shifted uncomfortably as he walked, throwing glances at the skulls lining the walls, as well as the open coffins. His breathing was hurried, and his grasp around his wand was tight enough that his knuckles had turned white. Sweat flowed down his brow.

“Relax, Aelfric. Anxiety makes you more prone to mistakes,” Rylan said after a few seconds of observing his brother. “Breathe the way I taught you.”

Aelfric nodded without turning around and started breathing rhythmically, just like Rylan. As he continued, Rylan could see his shoulders relax a bit, making him nod.

“I know you’re here and that we’re safe, but I don’t like it,” Elizabeth said, making Rylan glance at her. She had furrowed her brow.

“We all need to fight and train,” Gerard replied as he laid one hand on her shoulder. “It’s the only way for us to be ready for what’s to come. I know you’re worried, but Rylan is here.”

Her expression didn’t change, but she nodded.

“Who’s going next?” Regis asked from the side. “I can go.”

“Are you just trying to get it over with?” Lillia asked in reply. “You do know that we’re going to have to go through something like this many times, right? You’ll have to get used to it.”

Regis flinched, making it obvious that she’d hit the nail on the head. Lillia chuckled at him, but Rylan could see her shifting uncomfortably as she threw rapid glances at their surroundings, her eyes going from left to right. Rylan smiled as he looked at them.

They have very little battle experience.

Of course, even though they had gone through classes like Alice’s Battle Fundamentals, where they had been tasked with fighting monsters, it was completely different from fighting with their lives on the line in a real Dungeon. In the safe environment of the Academy, Regis and Lillia hadn’t left the Academy grounds to raid Dungeons more than a couple of times. This time, they would fight alone, as well, even though Rylan was watching over them.

Well, this is an even safer situation.

He was here, and so were four Sixth Circle Mages. It was even safer than Battle Fundamentals’ battles. Both Regis and Lillia likely knew this, but the Dungeon was too much of a haunting environment.

They don’t seem to be too anxious. Keeping them on edge will be helpful.

As such, Rylan turned his head to look ahead without saying anything. They also needed to get used to the prickling feeling of possible danger. Of course, getting as anxious as Aelfric was too far.

The party moved cautiously and slowly. After a few minutes, Rylan perceived what he had been waiting for.

“A group of undead,” he said almost immediately, making everyone look at him. “Around four hundred meters deeper in. Eight of them.”

Aelfric flinched before looking ahead. Despite his clear nervousness, he continued to breathe rhythmically. Rylan nodded in approval.

Good.

“How can you even tell?” Melvin asked from the back, his voice carrying traces of wonder. “I just felt their mana, but you’re only in the Fourth Circle.”

Rylan grinned at him.

“Trade secret,” he replied.

Melvin scoffed, while Philip and the two women smiled.

They continued to walk. Once they had walked for one hundred and fifty meters, there was a change. Rylan’s improved eyesight pierced through the dim lighting from the green torches to look at the undead soldiers.

The undead were even more chilling than he expected. Monsters made of corpses animated by dark mana, the human figures made of decaying, rotten flesh and cracked bones stood upright, wearing rusted metal armor and holding damaged weapons. Most still had some flesh on them, though the skin was dark and torn apart, revealing the damaged muscles underneath. Pustules and ulcers adorned the faces of those who still had one, while there were others with nothing to show except for their skulls. At the back, there were two different ones, dressed in robes instead of armor and holding staves made up of rotting wood.

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Rylan frowned.

That’s not going to be a good sight for the kids.

For a second, he considered his options, quickly reaching a decision. He stopped walking and raised his hand.

“Everyone, stop,” he said.

Aelfric stopped walking and turned around as the others also stopped and looked at Rylan.

“I don’t want to let the kids see the undead soldiers,” Rylan continued. “I expected skeletons or something along those lines, not… those. They’re too young to look at decaying corpses that will try to kill them. Philip, Melvin, Krysta, and Cecilia, you four will stay here with everyone. I’ll go to them with Aelfric, just the two of us. We can walk and get a bit closer, but no more than one hundred more meters.”

Gerard, Lillia, Elizabeth, and Regis nodded almost at the same time. Sarah smiled at Rylan as she held Andy’s and Laura’s hands a bit tighter.

“Thank you, young master,” she said. “I really appreciate it.”

Rylan nodded at her with a frown.

“I’m not letting kids look at those,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mar’s Mages were staring at him, exchanging glances.

“You can see them that clearly?” Krysta finally asked with a furrowed brow. “Under this darkness, from this distance?”

Rylan looked at her.

“Yeah.”

She frowned in confusion.

“Is it one of the abilities of Mana Cultivation when trained to a high enough level?”

Rylan nodded.

“Something like that.”

Philip whistled.

“Damn, that’s so useful. I really want to learn it,” he said, making Melvin slap his shoulder.

“We’ll get to it once we get to Mar,” Melvin said, then looked at Rylan. “We’ll stay here and protect everyone. I assume you can get back quickly if something does happen?”

Rylan nodded at him.

“Yeah, don’t worry. I can cover the distance between our current position and the soldiers fast enough,” he replied.

Melvin smiled at him.

“Alright. Go fight them.”

Rylan smiled back and turned to look at Aelfric.

“Ready?” he asked his younger brother.

Aelfric nodded nervously.

“It’s now or never,” the young man replied.

Together, the group walked for one hundred more meters before the rest of it stopped in place. Rylan advanced with Aelfric.

“Do you have any tips?” Aelfric asked Rylan after they walked for fifty more meters. “I know I have to aim for the head and destroy it completely, but you said there are eight of them. I’ll need to handle their attacks as I cast.”

“There are two Undead Mages, too. You’ll need to watch out for their spells,” Rylan replied.

Aelfric flinched.

“…Can I really do this?”

Rylan tapped his shoulder.

“Aelfric. Do you remember what I told you a long time ago? That you’re gifted with magic.

Aelfric nodded.

“True talent only develops through battles. I’m certain that once you acquire more experience, your abilities will truly start to shine. Have some confidence. I’m sure Luna will be glad to know that you’ve become a capable fighter by the next time you see her,” Rylan continued. “I’m here to help you if you need me.”

Aelfric sighed, then nodded and straightened his posture.

“Create some distance from the soldiers but watch out for the Mages’ spells,” Rylan continued. “As you said, go for the head. They’ll probably try to overwhelm them with their numbers and rush toward you, so keep that in mind. I’m sure you can do this.”

Aelfric kept breathing rhythmically as they drew closer. Finally, after walking for a while, he seemed to finally notice the group of enemies. Rylan looked at the eight undead, all of which had turned toward them and were staring at them with their empty eye sockets. They started moving slowly.

“Go,” Rylan said as he drew Silver Twilight. “Fight well.”

Aelfric inhaled sharply and pointed his wand at the undead at the very forefront. The battle began. The Undead Soldiers rushed toward him with surprising speed, their gait a shambling mess that allowed him to quickly cover the ground between them and Aelfric all the same. It was as if their damaged muscles didn’t hinder them in the least. At the same time, the Undead Soldiers at the back raised their rotting staves, a weird, clacking sound leaving their bony mouths. Rylan raised an eyebrow.

Is that chanting?

Aelfric’s mana coalesced into the shape of pure ice in front of his wand, then molded itself into the shape of icicles. A moment later, the icicles shot forward, piercing through the air straight toward the heads of the two Undead Soldiers at the front. However, once they were only a meter away from their targets, the Soldiers abruptly shifted their bodies to the side, their rusted greaves sliding on the floor to grant them balance. The icicles passed them by harmlessly. In a moment, they righted their posture and continued running. Aelfric flinched.

“This is a Fifth Circle Dungeon,” Rylan said from behind. “It won’t be that easy. They’re also stronger because of the Boss.”

Aelfric gritted his teeth and continued casting. Earth Spikes rose from the floor to impale the Soldiers’ legs, but they only jumped over them, stepping on them to speed up even further. Meanwhile, the two Undead Mages finished casting their spells. The darkness around the one on the right thickened, then rushed toward Aelfric like a black curtain. In front of the one on the left, the green flames from the torches flowed to take the shape of a fireball.

Rylan lowered his center of gravity, ready to intervene.

Now, he’ll have to struggle a bit.

For his own sake, Aelfric would need to learn how to fight against superior enemies.