Chapter 733

Chapter 733

Open field near the temple.

"I brought lunch, Father!"

Hannibal lifted a basket with a bright smile.

"With another big battle coming up in a few days, we need to make sure to get proper nutrition! Come, let's eat together!"

"Well, thank you for bringing lunch, but..."

Zenith was sweating nervously, glancing around.

"Why is High Priestess Rosetta here...?"

"..."

Likewise, Rosetta, who had also been dragged out by Hannibal, looked flustered.

Hannibal, who had brought both of them together, simply tilted his head innocently with a carefree smile.

"Isn't it nice to eat together? Don't you think so?"

"Uh, yeah, it is... but..."

"..."

Quietly sweating, Rosetta nudged Zenith in the side. Startled, Zenith turned to look at her, and Rosetta whispered under her breath.

‘Why is he doing this?’

‘I have no idea, sister.’

Hannibal had recently been making frequent attempts to bring Zenith and Rosetta together.

Both Zenith and Rosetta were bewildered, but telling Hannibal to stop felt weird and seemed to make them more conscious of each other, so they just let it be.

But how long were they supposed to let this go on...?

"Hmm. So, Zenith."

Rosetta called out to Zenith and then frowned.

"By the way, changing your name from Zenith to Xenith... it's just a cover-up, isn't it?"

Zenith looked sheepish.

After his fake funeral, he had tried to take on a completely new name, but it didn’t work out, so he had changed it by just one letter as a stopgap measure.

"The pronunciation is slightly different."

"Whatever. Anyway, Zenith."

Rosetta spoke seriously, and Zenith straightened up.

"Yes, sister."

"We're facing zombies in the upcoming battle, right?"

"Yes."

"Holy power is the most effective against the undead. So most of the priests will be on the front lines this time."

Zenith swallowed hard at Rosetta’s words.

"Many may get hurt or die."

"..."

"Even though you’ve already experienced a symbolic death as a priest, I’m asking you... protect the temple members as much as you can. I know you can do it."

Since his fake funeral, Zenith had fought as an independent mercenary. Sometimes he cooperated with Rosetta on missions, but he kept his distance from the priests, thinking it was the right thing to do.

However, Zenith had also learned something while rolling around in death on this front.

You have to stay alive to discuss what’s right.

"I will, sister."

Zenith nodded readily.

"Trust me. I’ll make sure all those zombies are sent back to the Goddess in accordance with the natural order."

"..."

Rosetta looked at her boastful younger brother with a complicated expression.

"Alright, enough of the heavy talk!"

Hannibal jumped in between them.

"If necessary, I'll summon the Spirit King to protect everyone! So don't worry too much about the upcoming battle!"

Hannibal placed sandwiches in Rosetta and Zenith’s mouths.

"Let’s just enjoy our meal now!"

"..."

"..."

Both of them chewed on their sandwiches, pondering.

Why on earth is Hannibal doing this...?

***

Ariane Kingdom’s military camp.

"..."

Yun lay on a bed with a much-improved complexion, but she still hadn’t regained consciousness.

Kuilan, who visited her every day, was once again sitting beside her, quietly gazing at her face.

"Once this next battle is over..."

After a long silence, Kuilan spoke.

"And the next one after that. Once the war against the monsters is finally over."

Kuilan reached out and gently stroked Yun's pale cheek.

Serenade’s face turned bright red, and she leaned towards me.

Startled, I leaned back. But my back hit the sofa, and I couldn’t go any further!

Serenade, like a feline predator, licked her lips and gradually closed the distance between us... Eek!

"Wait! Serenade! Let’s calm down and talk first...!"

"I’m leaving tomorrow and won’t see you for a while, and you keep talking about other people’s love lives...! It’s time to seriously consider our progress too! We’re moving to the next stage today!"

"Your eyes are scary, Serenade! Calm down! Aaaah, wait! Wait!"

Aaaah...

My desperate screams didn’t carry far beyond the office and soon faded away.

***

And time flew by...

The next defense battle, Stage 45, was just around the corner.

***

Lake Kingdom Dungeon, Zone 10.

Abandoned Cathedral Forward Base.

With the magic wall I regularly installed, the wall of will I manifested from the survivors, and various defensive artifacts and fortifications provided by the human side,

The abandoned cathedral had already become a formidable fortress. Zombie

monsters couldn’t even attempt to breach it.

Having regained some composure, the demon legion contacted other surviving monster legions, sharing defensive resources with them.

Now, survivors had set up fortresses throughout Zone 10, where zombie monsters were being destroyed and repelled.

‘One more day.’

The old demon, the 'Elder,' thought while inspecting the state of the abandoned cathedral.

‘At this rate, we can survive without any issues...’

Yes, they could survive.

But...

"..."

It was then.

"Elder! We have a big problem!"

A subordinate guarding the main entrance rushed in. The Elder looked at him, puzzled.

"What is it?"

"The zombie monsters... their movements are strange!"

"Strange? How?"

"See for yourself!"

The Elder hurriedly followed his subordinate and looked outside the main entrance of the abandoned cathedral.

And he saw it.

"...?!"

The zombie monsters, which had been surrounding the cathedral densely, were now all moving back in a swirling motion.

Groaa...

Groaaaar!

The countless hills of corpses, which had been standing in disarray, began to shift as if collapsing.

It was a chaotic, disorderly movement, but clearly, they were all making way for something.

As if someone was commanding these zombies...

"No way...!"

Rumble!

The hills of zombie monsters around the cathedral exploded and crumbled like a landslide. Flesh, bones, and blood flew everywhere.

The zombies forced their way, creating a path.

And then,

Thud-!

Through the path of corpses, she appeared.

Her ornate masquerade mask clung to her face, and her torn dress was blackened with blood.

Her once sensual red-skinned body was now swollen and decayed, turned black, and grotesquely enlarged.

Her iconic large antlers, which had grown endlessly like branches, were filled with an eerie green energy, connected to the surrounding zombie monsters.

"Aah...!"

The survivors gasped in unison when they saw her.

"Lord Cromwell...!"

The Demon Guard Legion Commander, and the leader of the zombie monsters.

"Graaaaah-!"

Cromwell let out a terrifying roar and charged towards the main entrance of the abandoned cathedral.

--TL Notes--

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at /MattReading

Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/jB26ePk9