Simon plunged through the rift without hesitation.
’Thud.’
The sound of his boots hitting stone echoed in the damp, heavy air. The stench of mold and cheMikels assaulted his senses. It was a cave, a chaotic swirl of black, red, and brown. The floor was solid rock, and jagged stalagmites jutted from the walls. Somewhere nearby, water trickled.
"This place is..."
This was the Order’s secret base, but it was no simple structure.
"It’s a dungeon."
[Mwahaha! Indeed, it is!]
Kajan, Serne, Lorraine, and General Amin followed him through, their eyes wide with surprise as they took in the grotesque surroundings.
"Kajan, this place is..."
"Yes." Kajan let out a quiet sigh. "This appears to be the legendary Gold Mine Dungeon that existed in Tarados decades ago."
"I guess those adventurers didn’t destroy it after all," Serne remarked.
"Apparently not. It seems the Order seized control and turned it into their laboratory."
Lorraine raised an arm. "Simon, look."
She pointed to where a stream was flowing. Or more accurately—
"It’s all blood."
’Gush, gush, gush!’
A river of diluted blood, welling up from some unseen source, snaked through the dungeon. Corpses occasionally drifted by in the sluggish current. The sight alone was nauseating.
As his eyes adjusted to the gloom, the full horror of the place came into view. The dungeon was vast. Bodies hung from the ceiling, fed into giant, grinding contraptions that squeezed them dry. Others were impaled on spikes or smoldering in pits of fire. It was a vision of hell. The thought that the captured residents of Tarados had all met their end here made his stomach churn.
’How could human beings do this to each other?’
[Boy!] Pier’s voice cut through his thoughts. [Stay calm! They’re coming!]
’Clank. Clank. Clank.’
The darkness ahead began to stir. Hordes of undead soldiers swarmed toward them, their numbers far exceeding the patrol they’d fought outside. Behind them lumbered grotesque, medium-sized chimeras—twisted amalgamations of plants and animals.
Lorraine was the first to act. With a slash of her red dagger, the front line of undead soldiers split in two. But before they hit the ground, flesh writhed from the severed halves, regenerating the bodies.
"Just as I thought," she said grimly. "They’re the same as the ones outside."
Every single one of them was part of an immortal army.
Simon nodded. "And their regeneration is much faster in here."
Everyone assumed a battle stance. Simon unfolded the map from General Amin.
"The plan has changed. It looks like we’re in for an all-out war from the start, so let’s assign roles now." He turned his head. "Serne, take the side path. It leads to stairs going up. The captured residents should be there. I need you to rescue them."
Freeing hostages required more than just brute force. Among them, Serne, with her specialty in mental manipulation, was best suited for the task.
She shrugged. "Fine, fine. It’s a boring job, but I did agree to help for two coupons."
"It’s not boring; it’s a vital mission with lives on the line. I’m counting on you."
"I know." Serne winked and strode away, her ivory hair flowing behind her. Feathers scattered around her, coalescing into her summoned Feather Soldiers to act as her escort.
"Kajan, head to the laboratory on the second basement floor and retrieve Kal. I suspect the Order is using his power to maintain this dungeon."
"Understood."
"You can stick with us until we reach B2."
Securing Kal could be the key to destroying the dungeon and its immortal army. Simon handed Kajan the socket necklace containing Kal’s clone.
"Lorraine, you and I will break through to the third basement floor. We’ll take down Nirti and find the dungeon master."
"Got it."
"Finally, General Amin..."
Simon turned, intending to ask the still-recovering general to hold the rear and fend off any reinforcements. But then he saw it.
Beyond the rift, looming over their camp, were colossal monsters. Simon sprinted back outside.
A battle was raging there, too. Ten massive undead, each larger than a skyscraper, were roaring as they smashed through the tents, crushing the bandits and soldiers underfoot. The sheer aura of Jet-Black radiating from them told him they were incredibly powerful.
"Are those from the Order, too?!"
[No.] Pier’s voice was grave. [I don’t know what’s happened. I can feel it. Those are undead from Magnus’s 5th Legion!]
"Magnus?" Simon’s face went pale at the unexpected name. "What is he doing in Tarados?!"
If those were Magnus’s undead, their soldiers stood no chance. There might even be an Ancient Undead among them. Lisa, her brother, and the coachman were still in that camp.
’They’ll be annihilated.’ Cold sweat slicked his skin. ’What do I do? Fight Magnus today and deal with the Order tomorrow?’
"I’ll go." Lorraine appeared at his side. "You handle the Order as planned."
"But—!"
"Remember what your client said? If that experiment is completed, the entire continent is in danger. We’re racing against the clock."
"I will help as well," General Amin added, stepping out of the dungeon. "Those are my soldiers. It’s my responsibility to lead them. I will ensure not a single enemy enters this dungeon!"
Simon bit his lip. He was worried, but he had to trust them. "Stay safe, General Amin. You too, Lorraine."
"Simon?" A massive wave of Jet-Black erupted from her as her red eyes began to glow. Her black hair whipped around her like flames. "Have you forgotten whose daughter I am?"
A thrill ran through him at the display of power. He nodded vigorously. "Sorry for worrying. See you later!"
Simon re-entered the Gold Mine Dungeon. The undead horde had already reached the entrance. Kajan was picking off the fastest ones with long-range slashes from his fingernails, but they just kept regenerating.
"Simon!"
"Right. We’re done talking." Simon moved to stand before Kajan, raising a hand above his head. "From now on, I’m not holding anything back. I’m unleashing the full power of the legion."
’Clack!’
Pier’s skull, now a helmet, materialized in his hand. He pulled it down firmly, and dark blue magic flared to life in the empty sockets.
Pier’s bones snapped onto Simon’s body like magnets. He drew his arm back, then flung it wide, tearing open a colossal subspace. From within, the countless dead of the 7th Legion began to crawl forth.
Skeletons, zombies, corpse spiders, skullwings—a tide of over a thousand undead that Pier had collected over the years poured out, instantly matching and then surpassing the numbers of the Order’s immortal army.
[It has been too long since this maiden has sortied with her Lord Commander.]
"I’m counting on you, Erze." The Spider Queen, Erzebet, materialized beside him.
A bolt of black lightning struck a nearby zombie, and from the smoke strode a young master in a pristine uniform.
[Yo, Simon! You better have a worthy stage set for this hidden card!] It was Prince, commander of the zombie unit, throwing a few playful jabs into the air.
"Of course. The stage is all yours."
Simon and Prince bumped fists. The charge was ready. Taking one last, deep breath, Simon began to sing.
[Der König ist Zurück―!!]
The dirge washed over the legion, and a dark blue light ignited in every undead’s eyes.
-Woooooooooooooooooooooo!!
As the massive host of the dead let out a deafening cry, their morale surging, Erzebet and Prince stared at him in shock.
[Lord Commander?]
[Wh-What was that? What did you do?]
Simon just smiled. ’Everything I learned at Kizen becomes my strength. My experience as a commander fuels my growth at Kizen.’
He leveled his greatsword. "[All troops—]"
The dead legion growled, crouching low, their hands touching the ground, ready to spring.
"[Follow me.]"
With an Absolute Command, Simon dashed forward. Erzebet, Prince, and Kajan fell in behind him, and the entire legion surged forward as one.
-Kiiiiiiii!
The army of thousands of undead crashed head-on into the immortal army. At the vanguard, Simon swung the Greatsword of Ruin.
A clean line was carved across the battlefield, bisecting every immortal soldier in its path. Before they could regenerate, the legion’s zombies swarmed over them, tearing them to pieces.
-Kiriririk!
Corpse spiders shot webs to the ceiling, swinging over the battle and raining down poison, webs, and nets.
’Fwip!’
Skullwings scattered cursed feathers, swooping down to snatch immortal soldiers and drop them into the river of blood.
"[Keep going!]" Simon roared.
[Der König von Undead fiel hier nieder――!!]
Empowered by the dirge, a stronger, wide-range Absolute Command infused the legion. With enhanced strength and speed, they smashed through the enemy formation, advancing like a spear. The regenerating immortal soldiers were simply trampled underfoot, neutralized by the legion’s relentless charge. The difference in quality between the two undead armies was staggering.
[Mwahaha! We’ve broken through, boy!]
In an instant, the legion shattered the enemy’s encirclement. Simon’s party and their undead horde poured through the gap. Ahead, the path to the first basement floor came into view.
"Unbelievable," Kajan muttered, a hollow laugh escaping him as he slashed at an enemy. "So this is the power of a legion."
[I will not be outdone!] Erzebet cast a vast web, shredding a squadron of flying undead into fragments.
[Hidden Card Punch!] Prince sprinted along the web and threw a punch, the sheer force of the blow sending a wave of immortal soldiers flying.
Simon, at the very front, kept swinging his greatsword, pushing their speed. Far in the depths of the dungeon, the stairs leading down came into view. Dark blue sparks crackled in his eyes.
’I’m coming for you, Nirti.’

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