Pick Me Up!

Supporting Eolka, I walked slowly towards the plain.

The battle on the plain was winding down. The goblins had been depleted, and only a few ogres remained, swinging their maces and bellowing, although their roars would soon subside.

Of course, our side had also suffered significant losses.

“There are about 100 soldier survivors.”

The city defense forces had already sacrificed many before the cavalry joined the fray.

Half of the cavalry had perished while facing the ogres, and the majority died when the remaining goblin riders joined the battle. If we hadn’t used fire, they would have been completely wiped out.

The forest behind us was still ablaze.

At this rate, it might all go up in flames, but that didn’t matter. It might even be for the better. After all, it was a major goblin habitat. If it burned down completely, the goblins would be eradicated as well.

Jenna and Aaron joined us from a distance.

Both Jenna and Aaron looked in a mess, their leather armor stained with rain, blood, and scorch marks.

Jenna quickly wiped the blackened soot off her nose, her expression weary from the relentless battle.

The last remaining ogre was putting up a fierce struggle, but its strength was waning. Dozens of arrows were embedded in its massive body, and its swings with the mace were gradually slowing down.

The plain was a grim scene of carnage, strewn with bodies of humans, goblins, horses, wolves, and ogres. Limbs were missing, and the gruesome aftermath was covered in a mix of blood, mud, and rainwater. Aaron’s face showed a mix of disgust and sorrow.

Finally, the last ogre fell to the ground, defeated and lifeless.

As the city’s north gate swung open, a white horse-riding cavalry leader removed his helmet. He engaged in conversation with a man who seemed to be the defense captain. The distance was too far for us to hear their words, and honestly, we were not in the mood to care about their discussion.

Edis, standing in a secluded corner of the outer wall, waved at us, signaling that everyone appeared to be unharmed. It seemed that no casualties had occurred among us.

Surprisingly, there was no message indicating our return to the Goddess’s embrace, which usually followed successful missions.

“Thank goodness no one seems to have died,” Jenna said with relief.

“We’re definitely in a different situation from the 5th floor. But why isn’t the stage ending? Shouldn’t the mission be over?” Aaron questioned, his curiosity mixed with frustration.

“Perhaps we need to put out that fire?” Jenna suggested, looking at the still-burning forest.

Aaron sighed, feeling clueless about how to accomplish that task. “How on earth do we do that?”

As the two of them followed me, I couldn’t help but feel that something was amiss.

‘Something’s odd.’

We had already dealt with all the monsters that plagued the plain. Only the remnants of human forces and us were left.

However, the stage-clear message didn’t appear, leaving us puzzled.

Surveying our surroundings, we saw a grim sight of lifeless bodies scattered across the plain. The city walls stood tall and strong, but the siege tower was now in ruins.

There was nothing to do anywhere.

[Now Loading…….]

Suddenly, the sky darkened, making us look up with concern.

[Restoring…….]

[An error occurred in the server, and the connection was lost. Please wait a moment.]

“…?!”

Next to me, Jenna and Aaron appeared to be having a conversation, but their words halted, and they froze in place.

I glanced around once more, taking in the strange stillness that enveloped everything.

Aaron and Jenna remained frozen mid-discussion, the officers atop the wall stopped in their tracks, and the soldiers attending to the wounded were motionless.

Everything seemed to be frozen in time.

I found myself alone, the only one in motion.

“Look behind you,”

I turned around, and there it was—the burning forest. Amidst the swirling smoke and dancing flames, a presence watched me intently.

Their features remained obscured, making it impossible to discern their form, yet I knew without a doubt they were there. Hovering above their head, a message revealed their enigmatic identity.

[SS▩SH黑⊙∈※ Lv.999]

“You… you bastard…”

Beside them stood an eerie figure draped in black robes.

[Black Priest Lv.15]

The enigmatic figure gave me a brief glance before vanishing deeper into the engulfing inferno.

“You…,” an unsettling voice reverberated in my mind.

“I will be waiting for you,”

[Restoration Complete!]

[Reconnecting to the server. We apologize for the inconvenience.]

The sky brightened once more, and time resumed its relentless march.

I remained rooted to the spot, unable to locate those scary guys anywhere.

I clenched my teeth in frustration.

The Black Priest.

A fearsome monster that had never been reported on the lower floors.

Its distinct characteristics…

Its features…

“Hyung-nim, is something amiss?” Aaron inquired.

I scanned the surroundings.

The plain was now strewn with various corpses.

City walls, ground level, entrance of the gate, and inside it—all marked with the grim aftermath of battle.

I spoke firmly.

“Listen closely, all of you.”

“Yes?”

“Make your way straight to the city. To the same place where we first emerged. Pay no heed to what’s happening around you. Stay focused on the task at hand. Understood?”

“What do you mean?”

“Our mission isn’t over yet.”

My gaze was fixated on the gate’s entrance.

The cavalry leader and the defense captain, who had been conversing before, were now drenched in blood.

With a weakened grip, the leader tried to speak.

“Roaaaar!”

What came out of his mouth wasn’t a triumphant roar but rather a wailing sound that seemed to come from the depths of his chest.

The soldier he had been carrying on his back suddenly had a hole in his chest.

The one who had been dead until a moment ago was now writhing and crawling out.

“What… what is this…?”

There were no hints.

It was a completely random pattern designed to mock the masters.

Yet, there was one thing…

I could never forget it.

The voice of the mastermind who lured me into this nightmarish realm.

Corpses littered the ground, and they were stirring to life.

[Living Corpse Lv.??? X 2436]