Episode 942

“Seal!”

A voice much rougher and deadlier than usual ripped its way out of Lee Han’s mouth.

In an instant, the blasphemy knight’s gaze—so full of malice moments before—shifted to pure shock.

The Prahgal power it had just tried to unleash had been cut off.

-Another undead who will fall before me. It doesn’t matter what minor god you wag your tail for. As long as you’re undead, your power is useless against me!

Mahuda declared, moving Lee Han’s body. Aura flared brightly, only to be instantly drawn into the sword in rapid cycles.

-Interesting!

“You should probably focus.”

-Ah, worry not, magician! I won’t forget the favor you’ve shown me. I am never careless, not once in all my undead-hunting!

Abandoning the self-destruct, the blasphemy knight switched to another power.

Its armor collapsed and shape dissolved—looking like a slime, but even more like a vapor. In an instant, the knight became a sticky, putrid miasma.

Mahuda, however, was unfazed.

-How utterly cliché for a blasphemer. This is the 162nd time I’ve seen this. Still hasn’t changed. You think that will work on me? …Seal!

Once again, the enemy’s power was sealed. The blasphemy knight reverted to its original form.

People of the Empire were easily mistaken, thinking undead and demons were basically the same (usually necromancers hated this stereotype most), but in fact the two were fundamentally different beings—and usually did not get along.

From the demon’s perspective—needing to exploit the emotions of mortal souls—undead, who cut off that source altogether, were intolerable.

And among demons, Mahuda especially loathed the undead.

Long ago, by chance summoned and humiliated unforgivably by an undead, this demon swore by its true name to hunt undead and insult them until the world’s end.

As a result, Mahuda amassed knowledge and experience unrivaled in undead hunting.

-An unusual undead. An undead who worships an evil god?

‘Worshipping an evil god?’

Lee Han marvelled at Mahuda’s words.

Undead were typically lacking in faith. Their existence itself was fundamentally opposed to divinity, even aside from Skull Headmaster.

And yet—worshipping an evil god? Lee Han hadn’t imagined what he’d sensed earlier was correct.

“Whatever the reason, that’s not good for us.”

A strong foe empowered by an evil god’s power would be an even more troublesome fight.

The fusion of undead and divinity?

-Hah! Don’t be worried, magician.

But the demon was supremely confident.

-As long as it’s an undead, my sealing power is almost impossible to break!

“Hm. This might sound odd, but you’re much nicer than Amphursas.”

-Of course! You, magician, have treated me far better than Amphursas. Gratitude is only right.

“……”

Apparently, Amphursas, upon sinking deep into the bracelet, had spent his time muttering curses about Lee Han.

Lee Han recalled how much the demon of conflict and battle, Amphursas, had pestered him.

‘Ungrateful bastard.’

He’d begged and pleaded to borrow the magician’s body, was used until sore, and sulked afterward. To badmouth his benefactor after that?

-Plus I get to freely wield my undead sealing powers like this, thanks to you. Seal!

Unlike Amphursas, Mahuda, having hunted undead on earth, had become rather sociable.

With Lee Han’s willingness to lend his body and supply plenty of mana, Mahuda naturally became all the friendlier.

As you sow, so shall you reap.

“You’re not Wardanaz. Who are you?!”

Alsicle shouted with deep wariness.

No matter how much Lee Han altered his appearance, the powers just shown were way too unfamiliar.

-I am Mahuda—a demon called by a magician to hunt the undead!

“Stop talking nonsense and bring back Wardanaz!”

Radiating power, Alsicle looked ready to attack any second.

He knew that fighting amongst themselves, with enemies present, was a terrible idea, but it was simply too much to let go.

A demon seizing a comrade’s body was a dire threat. It could mean the owner never returned.

“I’m fine. Just lending it for a bit.”

“……”

Alsicle was so flabbergasted by Lee Han’s casual answer he could only gape, mouth agape.

What the…?

---

Lo-o-ok!

The battle in the air was becoming steadily fiercer.

Revealed to be allied with Prahgal, the blasphemer began overtly using that power.

The armies of decay, separated from the main body, gained the power of regeneration—their numbers and size ballooning exponentially. The Death Knights’ chains screamed.

-This one’s no joke. Its power won’t drop!

-Is it Prahgal’s power? Why is an evil god with the undead?

-That’s not what matters right now. We may need to change strategy!

The Death Knights conferred rapidly.

The chains binding the air and dimensional gate weren’t ordinary—they were artifacts personally forged by their master, Gonadaltes, out of meteoric iron.

That was why, despite the chaos, the palace’s exterior remained as serene as ever.

They’d meant to isolate the blasphemer, then whittle it down with siege engines and reverse-summon it.

That had been the Death Knights’ original strategy.

Yet, even as it was assaulted by the beast and pounded by siege engines, the blasphemer kept swelling.

If three more links failed, they’d have no choice but to go fully on the offensive, even at the cost of collateral damage.

-Beast! Is there any way you can attack harder? We’ll support you!

‘Should I just kill them all?’

Burning the blasphemer’s flesh with power after tearing it loose, the beast seethed.

For all their polite words, the Death Knights’ intent was arrogant:

If you’re strong, prove your strength!

What made it all the worse was how the situation left little room to argue.

Normally, the blasphemer, a fat blob, was only interested in decay and corruption, but fused with an evil god, its power was frightening.

No matter how the beast changed form, bit, or tore it to shreds, it regenerated immediately—sometimes growing even larger through that process.

If it had time, the beast could have changed the enemy’s body so it couldn’t regenerate, inflicting a fatal wound. But the blasphemer wasn’t stupid.

Even while getting battered, its roving eyes kept scanning for a chance to catch the beast off guard and finish the fight.

A relatively slow-moving, nearly unfair regeneration power made the blasphemer a threat.

The beast was quick and agile, but if struck once, it could be forcibly reverse-summoned before it could recover.

There was no room for mistakes for the latter….

CRASH!

With a boom, half the palace roof broke apart and a wizard shot into the sky.

But instead of a staff, the magician held a spear. Green mana seethed and shimmered, sizzling the air around.

-Lord Nago!

“Die, undead!”

The green spear spun through the air, space twisting and folding into it.

The blasphemer’s minions were dragged in, unable to resist. It was a power targeting only undead.

‘Swordplay? No… spearplay?!’

Lee Han marveled at Mahuda’s spear technique.

This demon, astonishingly, had honed spear skills and embodied them as a supernatural power.

It wasn’t strange—there were fiends who used magic, so why not those who used sword or spear?

Yet demon magic was fundamentally different from human magic. A race born with innate powers could hardly have the same sort of magic.

And sword or spear arts demanded even more discipline and training. For a demon—already in possession of many powers—to refine such skills was surprising.

-To hunt undead on earth, magician.

Mahuda replied to Lee Han’s silent question.

Demonic power was violent and strong, yet rather simple and thus easy for undead to counter.

That’s why Mahuda had trained and trained over many ages—

Solely for the purpose of killing undead.

-Once more!

“!”

The green spear shot out again, decimating the blasphemer’s horde in an instant.

It was only on this second strike that Lee Han realized the attack was not merely spearplay, but similar to a Small World.

‘Amazing!’

He had seen expert swordsmen fight with willpower-reinforced aura, use semi-magical techniques, but an art honed to the level of Small World—was truly astounding.

Thrown javelins made solely for the extermination of undead!

-That’s… that’s Mahuda’s spear! How does he know that spear technique!?

Some Death Knights recognized Stedal’s spear arts and cried out in shock.

As ancient undead themselves, they knew full well the lore of demons who pathologically hated the undead.

But to see a mysterious noble suddenly display this ancient art!

Between the spells he used and his spearplay—he was a complete enigma.

‘Astounding! For such a person to appear out of nowhere. Worthy of being an Einrogard professor!’

Soaring gracefully inside the chains, Stedal seemed wholly unconcerned even amidst a clash of Transcendents.

It was the attitude of a mortal proud of his status, regardless of the difference in power.

Once again, the Death Knights were impressed.

‘He must have fought countless blood-soaked battles.’

As soon as this battle was over, the Death Knights resolved to report to the Skull Headmaster about a remarkable new magician.

Perhaps a new professor for Einrogard.

And while they were at it… maybe petition to get Professor Ver… out of there…

I’ll K-I-L-L you!

With its precious horde vanishing in a flash, the blasphemer’s rage turned on Lee Han.

Not knowing the Death Knights’ growing misconceptions, Lee Han cried urgently,

“It’s looking this way!”

Mahuda ignored it, however. Instead, with eyes full of hate, he looked down haughtily at the blasphemer.

-Come, undead.

A-R-R-O-G-A-N-T!

‘Is this guy insane?’

Lee Han was flabbergasted inside.

It’s all well and good to fight, but did he really have to provoke the other side, too?

Hating undead was one thing, but Lee Han preferred to avoid anything that might derail the plan.

-Help Lord Nago!

“No, fall back!”

Lee Han raised his voice for a moment. The Death Knights hesitated, but withdrew without complaint, like seasoned warriors.

The beast, feeling something strange, also drew back on its own. Only the blasphemer charged forward.

“Seal!”

With the shout, the blasphemer’s gigantic form weakened. But it did not halt.

It wasn’t some mere minion capable of being instantly shut down.

“Javelin!”

All the javelin attacks so far had not been at full strength. Mahuda now poured Lee Han’s mana and strength without reservation into the anti-undead spear.

The blasphemer’s body, struck dead-on, could not regenerate as before. Yet still, it pressed on.

-The magician was right! You’re far stronger than I expected. Relying on the power of a minor god. Couldn’t have foreseen this.

“It’s coming. Focus!”

-I know!

Roaring with polluted rage, the blasphemer reached Lee Han. Whether to stab or just swallow him whole, its intent was lethal.

At that moment, thunder and lightning erupted in an enormous pillar, rising from earth to sky, piercing the blasphemer.

Die, disgusting thing. How dare you force the Lord of Thunder to lurk in the dark!