Despite being the dead, they showed hostility towards Shine, which was quite peculiar considering the spirits usually targeted the living.
However, what made Shine feel strange was not that.
Ancient spirits?
"Who cares."
They were enemies to be cut down anyway.
And it didn't bother him much.
If the goal was annihilation, he might have marveled at the vast army of the undead, but his goal was to break through, not to annihilate.
Then, what was bothering him?
"...Why?"
Rustle.
Shine slashed through the rushing ancient spirits with a single stroke, cleanly cutting down dozens of the undead.
However, his thoughts continued.
"Why... me?"
In fact, there was no one else.
A braggart Pathfinder? Forget it. That guy would have become a meal for the starving undead the moment he entered the barrier.
Sangnim? Same thing. In Shine's eyes, he was only slightly better than the braggart Pathfinder.
But...
"Why doesn't he step forward?"
He knew the intention.
Operation name: Early Bird.
Of course, this ridiculous operation name only existed in Aster's mind, but did Shine not understand the inner workings?
Evil spirits. They are chaotic and incapable of higher thought.
However, the necromancer had been sending evil spirits to spy after leaving the Fourth Base Camp.
"Surely, he's up to something."
Perhaps, that was the reason.
If the enemy had noticed their presence, they wouldn't give them time to respond.
Although Shine had lived his life far from military tactics and strategies, this was the most basic of basics.
But, if that were the case...
"What's the point of me stepping forward?"
He wasn't undervaluing himself.
He was Shine von Remy, the legitimate heir of a once-renowned swordsmanship family and a genius who shook the continent.
Though he had lost his body and was only a half-transcendent, and even then, he couldn't fully utilize his limited energy source...
As a Master Knight, his senses and vision remained.
But.
"It's a matter of efficiency."
Mages, in general, value efficiency.
Though the necromancer was an unorthodox mage, this was not just a matter of mage-like efficiency but something that could be calculated with common sense.
"Mana accumulation array? How much help could it be?"
Of course, it would be helpful.
This was the Hameln Great Forest.
The mana density was unusually high, making the efficiency of the mana accumulation array several times greater than outside.
But.
"Even with this body running rampant, it would be quite a burden for him..."
What if their roles were reversed?
If he stayed at the waiting area to guard Obern and the braggart Pathfinder, and the necromancer directly attacked the black mage...
Shine stopped in his tracks right then.
"Grunn."
A low groan. Meanwhile, his sword cut through the air gracefully.
However, the line was rougher than before.
Click.
As the sword blade returned to its sheath, a spatial line appeared within Shine's field of vision.
Swishâ
The bodies of the undead collapsed at that moment. Not just the undead, but the withered trees, twisted by the evil aura emitted from the Deathrow, also crumbled.
Alone in the open space, Shine looked up at the sky.
"Damn, I can't understand... That's why I don't get close to mages. Grunn."
No, the problem wasn't the mage.
"That devious one..."
Though they hadn't spent much time together, perhaps because their spirits were connected, he could naturally read the necromancer's every move and intention.
By piecing together his minor actions, he could define the necromancer as a person...
"Damn scoundrel."
Yes, there was no better description.
"A guy who would rather lose ten coins than let someone gain one."
A guy who would give up his own bones to cut someone else's flesh.
A guy who would willingly go to hell to torment someone he dislikes, even if they could be happy together.
This was why Shine felt so uneasy.
Initially, he couldn't trust him.
"Is he... executing the plan with such constructive intentions, using my precious mana?"
Ridiculous.
His thoughts deepened, and his head grew more complicated.
- Hey, worm, move faster.
- Worm, worm!
"Damn it..."
With no change in his mana, the necromancer quickly used their spiritual connection to nag.
Shine sighed lightly as he reluctantly responded.
Ideally, he didn't want to move forward until he understood the necromancer's intentions...
- ...I'll go.
With those words, Shine took a step forward.
- Yeah, you should. The array is complete, so go wild. Use as much mana as you want.
Damn.
Even if he could, how could he go wild with only half a core?
Of course, the mana he had stored was not insignificant, but it was for emergencies.
In other words... yes.
"Freedom."
He said it was for preparation, but it was more like emergency power for when he gained freedom in the future.
In any case, despite his inner thoughts...
- Got it.
Shine obediently responded and took a step forward.
"From here, I just need to go straight, right?"
He glanced back to gauge his trajectory.
It was a distance that would disorient a normal person, but a Master Knight's sense of direction was different.
Thud.
Shining kicked off the ground and leaped forward.
The densely packed undead rushed at him, but he paid them no mind.
"Sure, I'll use it as you wish."
Indeed, the mana supply was smoother than before. It was a decent level.
How far did he advance at such a speed?
"...Is this the place?"
A sinister aura caught by Shine's senses.
Though the evil aura was already thick, it was incomparably denser here.
The source was underground.
And...
"...I found it."
The black mana aura above. Shine smiled faintly.
Regardless of the necromancer's devious intentions, he erased them from his mind at that moment.
Right in front of him, the damn black mage.
It wasn't a peaceful sleep, nor a restful death...
The one who dared to wake him from a long slumber without permission and use him like a lowly beast.
A being who, even if torn into a thousand pieces, would still not satisfy his rage.
Boiling anger.
Thud.
Shine stopped in his tracks.
"Killing you might be difficult, but... I should at least greet you."
Shine assumed a stance.
Swoosh, huff.
He took a deep breath.
Though his body was already dead, breathing was unnecessary. However, the transcendent spirit didn't care about such things.
It was just a matter of feeling like he was breathing.
With the inhalationâ
Sss...
The world disappeared.
Hyperfocus.
By pushing his concentration to the extreme, he erased the world and felt only himself.
This state of enlightenment was rare for a normal person but easy for a genius who defied common sense.
Then...
A presence entered the white world, besides Shine.
Pfftâ
The black mage's aura was clearly sensed.
This was another form of hyperfocus.
"Though it's lacking... it should be enough for a greeting."
Shine smiled as he heightened his already heightened state of mind.
Sssâ
The blade hidden in the sheath caught the sunlight. The speed was infinitely slow.
Without even a sound of breaking the air.
A single streak of killing intent cut through the twisted trees of the forest and rushed towards the enemy.
And.
It seemed to be heard.
"..."
The black mage gasped. His eyes widened, and the hastily erected barrier shattered.
Though he didn't see or hear it directly,
Shine, in his hyperfocus state, could vividly picture everything.
"A bit... shallow."
The sword strike left a scratch on the neck and disappeared.
It was quite disappointing.
It was a perfect strike, taking advantage of the element of surprise, but it failed to sever the neck.
In his past life...
"No, in my past life, an ambush would have been shameful."
Just charging in and trampling the enemy would have been enough. There would have been no need to draw the sword.
But.
"Don't be disappointed. We have plenty of time."
Sssâ
Thick killing intent rose from all directions.
Was it because he was a Death Knight? The killing intent materialized as dark red energy.
Now that his presence was known, hiding his aura was meaningless.
Just charge in and trample the enemy.
But then.
"Huh, this guy...?"
Shine burst out laughing in disbelief.
Indeed.
Grin.
The black mage's lips curled up as if nothing had happened.
He was incredibly arrogant.
Even though he had just experienced a powerful strike, he should have been cowering behind the undead.
'So, one more time...'
Shine prepared for another strike.
It was a powerful strike that consumed a lot of mana, but once was fine.
Just as the sword was about to cut through the air again.
Right then.
"!"
Sssssâ
Sinister auras surged from all directions. The black mage's unique black mana swirled.
No, that wasn't all.
"Kiaaaahâ!"
"Kiaah...!"
Countless evil spirits rose from the ground like mist.
Shine had a premonition.
"...Curse!"
Not just any curse.
The rising evil spirits withered and seeped into the magical array on the ground, activating it.
When the curse finally bloomed.
Shine realized.
"This damn...!"
The curse wasn't directed at the black mage.
It was aimed at the devious one who sent him here.
Somehow.
Even though the necromancer didn't step forward and lost precious mana, he insisted on sending him.
"Is this what you had in mind...!"
"Ah, as expected."
As Shine shouted in frustration, a voice echoed in his mind.
"Operation name: Early Bird. The early bird catches the worm. But this isn't a real operation."
The usual incomprehensible nonsense.
Operation name? He had never heard of it.
He just went along with the necromancer's whims.
"What? What bird?"
Shine swung his sword to cut through the incoming curse, but it didn't work.
In the midst of this, a voice pounded into his head.
"The real operation name is... 'Test the water before crossing the bridge.'"
Though there was no explanation, he could easily tell how ridiculous the plan was.
Boiling anger.
"I am not your caneâ!"
As his fierce cry cut through the air.
"Code name: Cane. Go wild as much as you can. There shouldn't be a single trap when I arrive."
Aster's voice ended there.
Shine had no strength to respond.
"...Damn it!"
Whooshâ!
The curse prepared by the Golden Demon Snake was about to overwhelm him.