The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board

The energy that Galifa released was horrific.

A vortex of energy was launched toward Karen. Seol noticed people’s faces cursing Galifa in the vortex.

“Hmph!”

Karen must have felt the disturbing energy as well, as she quickly tried to dodge it.

However…

Fwoooooosh!

The vortex landed directly on her armor, twisting it.

“Argh…”

“Haha… it’s pointless! The dead cannot avoid this energy of hatred.”

Galifa, as expected from a necromancer, knew exactly how to fight a corpse.

Crumble…

Karen’s armor was fine, but her skin started to crumble.

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

Flaaare!

[Karen’s Pride activates.]

[For a short while, Karen ignores most damage.]

A portion of Karen’s body lit up to burn the negative energy. However, the vortex continued to stick to her.

“Now, in a few moments, your body will be in pieces! Kuahaha… It’s going to be a pain, but I’ll make sure to properly put your body back together with these old hands.”

After saying that, Galifa looked at Seol.

“Now, let us finish this!” said Galifa.

“Is it not over already?”

“It would take quite a while if she resists the corruption. Furthermore, if the hatred disappears, she will be able to run wild again. Well, the corruption should still continue regardless since she was already hit by the hatred.”

“...I understand.”

Seol gave Karuna a glance.

With determined eyes, Karuna charged at Karen.

Gloooow…

And Karuna swung Breath at Karen.

Seol believed that Karen had finally been cut down.

Clang!

But she was tenacious.

She resisted the corruption and held onto her decaying body.

“As always, you… aren’t answering me.”

“...Karen.”

"Oh, my brother, who has failed to keep his promise, you have abandoned the Empire.”

“Karen, I’ll explain everything. The Emperor is dead, and the Montra Empire has already long fallen. We’re in a new world.”

“Fall? Montra? No, there’s no way that could be true.”

“Wake up! Our time is already over! We’re… already dead.”

“Haha… yes, I died. But the Empire is still alive. I-It’s still here…”

Seol felt a chill.

Despite the blazing inferno that surrounded him, for some reason, he felt a chill.

‘No, it isn’t a chill.’

It’s something ominous.

Typically, Seol trusted his instincts.

And in that moment, Karen’s face formed an expression. She was smiling.

She had returned to herself when she was alive.

The way she spoke, her habits, her memories, everything… including her power.

“The Empire still lives on inside me. I am still a knight of Montra.”

Seol quickly started to shout.

“Karuna! Dodg—”

“What th—”

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Riiiiiiing…

Seol’s ears were ringing after that massive explosion.

Seol realized that things had gone awry, and Galifa noticed it as well.

“Oh my god… How could this be… my spells…”

[Karen used Final Comeback.]

[All status effects and damage received so far are delayed to later.]

[The delayed damage and status effects will have double the duration, intensity, and damage when Final Comeback expires.]

[The main contents of The Scorched One have changed.]

[The Scorched One has changed to Ember.]

Galifa started talking gibberish, as if he couldn’t understand the current situation.

“The hatred... disappeared? How? How could this happen?!”

Karuna turned black from the explosion, but he was still safe.

The explosion was simply a shockwave that occurred due to Karen recovering her powers, so it was not that destructive.

Regardless, as Karen wouldn’t decay from Galifa’s spell anymore, Seol and Galifa’s plans of buying time until she died went up in smoke.

Now, the predator and the prey have changed roles.

Awoooooo!

[Wolf’s Warning activates.]

[The wearer is currently in a dangerous situation.]

As Karen recovered her strength, the Wolf’s Warning Seol received from Kibo activated.

Seol didn’t even need to think twice about this. He was clearly in a very, very dangerous situation.

[Adventure 10-1. ‘Ember’

Karen, an ancient knight.

The honorable Red Lotus Knight stands before you, completely scorched down to her bones. Yet she still seeks an answer.

Archbishop Galifa has landed a critical blow on her who’s in a weakened, undead state, and has sped up her decay. Despite believing that you would be unable to defeat her earlier, you have gained an unexpected chance.

However, even with less than half her full strength, she was able to repel the powers of corruption and has delayed her death.

Now, the situation is much simpler than before.

Survive until she is dead or die.

Objective: Survive for 5 minutes.

Remaining Time [04:37]]

‘This is dangerous!’

As she was no longer a mindless undead, Karen was an exceptionally difficult opponent to face.

Seol wasn’t sure what the majority of her skills did, and he also didn’t know how powerful they were.

There was only one thing that he was certain about.

‘I have to survive until the remaining time runs out!’

He had to do anything to survive the next four minutes.

Galifa, despite being shocked, seemed to have come up with a way to overcome the situation. He immediately spoke to Seol.

“Then… the only option is this. Kindrick, I still have one last trick up my sleeve.”

“What is it?”

“...This.”

Crumple…

Galifa scrunched up at a quick pace. He looked much older than before, like he had aged.

Like an old man moments before death, Galifa huffed for air and spoke.

“Everyone… will die.”

* * *

[Galifa used Unique Skill: Corpse Night.]

[Galifa’s lifespan is reduced.]

[All corpses within a certain radius will arise.]

[The corpses will fight for Galifa.]

[The corpses will explode when they come into contact with a lifeform.]

[The corpses will explode when they are struck.]

Snap… Crack…

The corpses started to stand up at Galifa’s gesture, as if the melody had changed. The corpses, which had died from Galifa or were burned by Karen, slowly raised their heads and looked toward Karen.

“Guaaaaah…”

“Uarghhhh…”

As the dozens of walking bombs stood up, Galifa laughed triumphantly. And then he made a statement.

“All of you, die.”

The corpses charged at his command. They charged at the burning Karen, but they also charged to Seol as well.

Seol shouted at Galifa, not sounding too surprised by it.

“Archbishop! What are you doing?”

Galifa didn’t give Seol’s bold attitude a second thought and simply revealed his true intentions.

“Hahaha… Did you think I wouldn’t know? How would a stupid envoy who doesn’t even know church law survive in a terrible place like The Church of Eternal Life? You should’ve said something realistic… Your use ends here. She is mine!”

The majority of the risen corpses headed to Karen, while only a few were sent to Seol. It was because Galifa knew that those corpses would be enough to take care of a stupid summoner who was away from his summon.

“How unfortunate, Galifa. I thought we’d be able to work together for longer.”

“Don’t make me laugh! Now, become one with my corpses!”

“If you want it that badly, sure. But unfortunately for you, the one that’s going to become a corpse isn’t me…”

During their conversation, the corpses had nearly approached Seol.

Seol then ducked.

“It’s you,” said Seol, finishing his line.

“Hmph! You talk way too much!”

Glow…

Fwirl!

Galifa expected Seol to explode with his corpses. That was how confident he was in his abilities.

But as black light radiated from Seol’s hands, the lifeless body at the vanguard suddenly grew taller.

“Guaaah…”

A huge hand was gripping the corpse’s head. The corpse only appeared to be taller because the hand was carrying its head.

“Jamad, I leave it to you.”

“So it won’t pop to a shadow like me as long as I don’t grip it too hard. Got it.”

[Jamad used Rock Armor.]

[Mountain Fists’ Bonus Effect activates.]

[Snowman also receives Rock Armor’s effects.]

“Y-You had another summon? You had another monster that strong? O-Oh no… Come back! Protect me!”

“Guaaaaah…”

The corpses furthest back among the corpses sent to Karen started to return to Galifa.

But it was too late. There was already too much distance built within them.

Jamad and Seol ferociously charged at Galifa.

Flash!

Jamad lifted a corpse.

Fwooosh!

And threw it somewhere.

Baaaaang!

[The corpse explodes.]

[Everything within the explosion radius will corrode.]

In the end, Seol’s decision to hide Jamad was the right decision.

Galifa, who rashly attacked Seol too soon, didn’t know what to do.

“N-No. Don’t come any closer!”

As Jamad sprinted toward him while throwing corpses to the other side, Galifa tripped over himself trying to retreat in fear.

Seol let out a sigh after he escaped from the range of the corpses.

“Your use ends here, Galifa,” said Seol.

“No, stop! Don’t do it!”

“Jamad.”

Jamad, before Galifa knew it, had arrived in front of him and was slowly approaching him.

“Have a good night, geezer.”

“Noooooooo!”

CRUSH!

[You have defeated Archbishop Galifa.]

[You have earned the achievement ‘A Friend of a Friend.]

[You have earned the title ‘Conman’.]

[You have received additional rewards.]

Seol saw a bunch of messages come up, but they weren’t what was important right now.

As soon as Seol killed Galifa, he turned around to look at Karen.

[All of the corpses will explode due to the caster dying.]

[Everything within the explosion radius will corrode.]

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Great Forest shook once more at the continuous explosions. Luckily, as Karuna was not targeted by the corpses, he was able to watch the explosions from a distance.

‘They’re immensely powerful.’

Unique skills like the one that Galifa had were all incredibly powerful. The problem was that it required just as much in cost to cast them.

Seol confirmed Karen’s status as he recalled Galifa’s wickedness. He was hoping that Galifa’s horrific powers would at least weaken her a little bit.

Flare…

“...No way.”

Karen was completely fine.

Even if she used Final Comeback, he didn’t expect her to withstand all of this.

And then Seol thought about one of the messages he saw a while ago.

[All status effects and damage received so far are delayed to later.]

‘If it’s all status effects… Don’t tell me, does the undead penalty disappear too?’

The undead penalty reduced a corpse’s power by half. And in that moment, Karen had removed even that.

And this also made one thing true.

‘This… can’t be cleared.’

Seol used his wits to successfully destroy the campsite and injure Karen, but everything after that was unclear to him.

Would he be able to hold back Karen when she was at full strength for the entirety of the remaining time?

Seol came to the conclusion that it was impossible.

But then Karuna started to talk to Karen. Seol believed that escaping now in a situation where everything was turning for the worse was the best option, but a completely unexpected situation arose.

“Karen, I tried to keep the promise.”

“Don’t lie to me! How dare you say that when you threw away Montra—”

“No, it’s the truth. I was heading to the capital that day.”

“You traitor!”

Claaaaang!

[Karen used Red Lotus Slash.]

Karen ignited her half-sword in flames. Karuna also used the power of the moonlight to not lose to her.

[Karuna used Full Moon Slash.]

Claaaaaaash!

Karuna was obviously the one who was pushed back by their clash.

But then, something strange happened.

Thud!

“Krgh…”

Karuna was repelled by Karen, yes, but he wasn’t injured to the point that he couldn’t recover from it. It was definitely strange.

Seol, seeing that, surmised something.

‘Karen… is hesitating?’

Karuna should have been pushed back much, much further based on the difference between their stats and skills. Karen could kill Karuna whenever she wanted to with just a swing of her sword.

But… she wasn’t doing it.

‘Her objective isn’t to kill us!’

That was the conclusion that Seol arrived at.

“You’re weak, Karuna. You’ve become so weak. Has the world you chose by giving up the Empire made you this weak?”

“Urgh… I didn’t abandon the Empire.”

“Stop it! Stop it! How dare you lie until the end! You… You’re…”

Fwooosh!

As the two were having their conversation, Jamad aimed for the opening and attacked Karen.

But that… was a meaningless swing.

Karen spun and kicked Jamad away at a speed Seol couldn’t keep up with.

Fwoooosh!

Thud…

“Krgh… What is that strength…”

Jamad was blown away by Karen’s kick.

Even though Jamad was double her size, Karen was strong enough to send him flying.

But still, as expected, Jamad didn’t die. Seol then nodded his head.

It was clear that Karen planned on letting Seol’s party live.

“Why are you butting in? What is Karuna to you?”

“Kuahaha… Stop hounding that lump of steel… Or why don’t you fight me too, you monster?”

“A monster? Me?”

And now, her delayed death had finally arrived.

[The effects of Karen’s Final Comeback have expired.]

[All of the delayed damage and status effects return in double.]

Crumble…

Karen’s pupils faded away once again.

And then, her skin started to shrivel.