Chapter 25: The Clue to Subjugation

The translucent monster that was shot was an undead.

Draped in what looked like tattered cloth and some even sporting a skeletal head, their forms were vaguely humanoid, like sketches drawn with diluted ink, with indistinct outlines.

That being said, they were only visible for a fleeting moment.
In the blink of an eye, they were evaporated by Shiraishi-san’s “Lightning Flash”.

All that remained afterward were the tattered cloth and a shattered core.
Apparently, these could be sold too, but they would only fetch about 300 yen altogether.

Wraiths are just too worthless.

Yet, for us, the undead are important research subjects. As the name suggests, the Undead King is an exceptional entity among undead. It’s the same relationship as the Angry Monkey and the Red Walker. Which means they likely have something in common.

…Were Angry Monkeys and Red Walkers really that similar?
The difference in strength was so great it was hard to believe they were of the same species.

But looking closer, they did have the same number of limbs. And the Red Walker had an enraged aura. Let’s just agree they had many commonalities.

“You’ve not lost your touch. If anything, you’ve improved.”
“I occasionally went to the forest, so maybe that’s why.”

“—What do you think, Isshiki? About Haruka’s magic?”
“It’s cool.”

“That’s not what I meant. Wouldn’t it be part of our strategy against the Undead King?”
“Oh…”

I simply praised her and totally missed the point. Shiraishi-san looked bashful, and I felt embarrassed. Kirishima-san seemed exasperated. We created a somewhat indescribable atmosphere.

I shifted my gaze upward to the right, pretending not to care. I also covered my mouth with my hand.

“Shiraishi-san’s magic has a much longer range than mine, so I think it will make our strategy a lot easier.”
“Really?”

Surprise registered on Shiraishi-san’s face as she looked at me. I felt immense trust radiating from her…a hint of overestimation.

“My magic assumes close-range attacks, so its range is limited. I’m skilled at mid-range battles. Long-range combat is my weak point, so it’s a great help.”

I considered creating a new spell to extend my range, but doing so would make it impossible to cover Kirishima-san. We needed a magic specialist capable of long-range attacks.

Shiraishi-san perfectly filled the gap in our team.

“It’s a huge responsibility. But I’ll do my best!”

Shiraishi-san, gripping her staff firmly, looked a bit more relaxed than before. Perhaps the actual combat experience eased her tension.

I crouched down near the undead’s corpse. Well, it’s called a corpse, but since it was a spiritual entity, no physical body remained. Just the tattered cloth and shattered core. I picked up the core for examination. Slightly larger than a skeleton’s. It was colorless and transparent. Was its value diminished because something was lost when it shattered, or were there other reasons?

“Kirishima-san, is it possible that the core was already broken from the start?”
“That’s right. That’s why wraiths fetch such low prices even when defeated.”

“So the core is initially hollow…or maybe its exposure holds a meaning. The cloth appears to have a solid form…I’ll go next.”

Collecting materials worth a combined 1,500 yen, we set out to find the next undead. It didn’t take long.

“There are quite a few of them.”
“Once you delve deep enough, they’re everywhere. They’re so cheap, no one bothers to hunt them.”

“Is that a survival strategy?”
“Monsters aren’t being sold with that intent in mind.”

“True enough.”

I ended up saying something quite foolish.

True to my word, I stepped forward alone this time.
Four of them stood in front of me. The translucent, cloth-draped monsters all turned to face me at once.

The undead’s attack involved making contact with their target. While they lacked lethal power, succumbing to them supposedly made one feel sluggish.

…I’m a bit curious. I wonder what sort of magic it entails. A small part of me wants to try getting hit, but I can’t risk my teammates for that.

I kept a measured distance while observing.
What were those translucent bodies made of? Just looking didn’t reveal much.

I approached. The undead moved slowly.

“[Frostbite]”

Using explosively growing ice fangs, I tore through the undead’s body—
There was a sensation akin to being pushed back. But only for an instant. Soon, the ice pierced the monster as usual.

The spirits dissipated, returning to mana, though it was imperceptible to the eye.

I see.

A wraith’s body seems to be made of mana, and because of this, it possesses resistance to magic that other monsters do not have. That resistance was the sensation I felt earlier.

—So, what happens with this?

The remaining three surged forward, encircling me. Just perfect.

No incantations. I didn’t dispel “Marine Snow.” It’s half-finished. That’s the correct way to utilize this magic.

“[Winter Echoes]”

Roughly 70%. I froze the mana I could manipulate. Not completely, but enough to reduce the amount of mana the monsters in the vicinity could use to 30% percent.

The wraiths began acting violently, writhing in agony, trying to flee from me.

“Kirishima-san!”
“I’m here!”

Before I called out, Kirishima-san had already blocked the wraiths’ escape routes.
—No, that’s wrong.

“Please, don’t do anything!”

The urgency in my voice made it sound almost like a shout.

Kirishima-san promptly retreated, and she seemed to realize the abnormality in the wraiths soon after.

“The wraiths are withering?”

Even without us laying a hand on them, the wraiths shriveled up completely and vanished. All that remained were tattered cloth and a broken core. After collecting these, I began to organize my jumbled thoughts.

“The body is mana…mana is the body. So…my magic caused the mana to deplete…yeah.”

When I rose to my feet, both of them were watching me. My deep concentration had led me to forget everything else.

“Are you alright?”

Shiraishi-san asked, sounding concerned.

“Sorry. I’m fine.”
“You’ve figured something out, right?”

In situations like this, Kirishima-san can be quite perceptive. Probably thanks to our time adventuring together.

“I think we’ve managed to solve the biggest problem.”

Both Kirishima-san and Shiraishi-san gasped simultaneously.

“So, in short…”

Their words were loaded with both hope and apprehension, to which I responded with a nod.

“We should be able to defeat the Undead King.”

◇

We decided to discuss further after returning to camp, showering, and eating dinner.

The cafeteria was open 24 hours and available to anyone staying overnight, making it an ideal meeting place.

Seated at a round table in a corner of the cafeteria, I twirled a ballpoint pen between my fingers. I was pondering which hand to write with when they returned.

For some reason, Kirishima-san was holding a tray. I wondered if she brought desserts. But no, it was a regular noodle dish.

“Isshiki, you ate less than usual today, didn’t you?”
“How did you know!?”

“You can’t do that. You’re still growing, so you need to eat properly. Udon is easy to eat, right? Here.”
“Huh? Huh? Huh?”

Before I knew it, a bowl of udon was placed in front of me. Topped with green onions, tempura crumbs, and seaweed, it looked luxurious.

“You were so focused on thinking that you neglected to eat, didn’t you? That’s no good. I won’t allow it.”
“Yuko, you’re like a mom…”

Shiraishi-san seemed surprised by how an old teammate acted. She likely hadn’t anticipated that the udon was meant for me.

I clasped my hands together again, picking up chopsticks.

“Sorry. Thank you for the meal. I’ll make sure to eat.”
“Isshiki-kun is just doing as he’s told…”

Shiraishi-san looked as if she’d witnessed something shocking. That’s right. This is the power dynamic between Kirishima-san and me. It’s our natural state.

The udon was delicious. The broth had a rich flavoring, though I couldn’t pinpoint the source.

After continuing to slurp for a while, I finished it. After putting away the dishes, we finally got down to discussing matters.

“Isshiki, here’s some green tea for you.”
“Thank you.”

Kirishima-san’s hospitality is impeccable, she could tell that I’d eaten less than usual and even brought me a drink for after the meal. Just having her in the party makes it seem like I could lead a healthy lifestyle.

Sipping on the hot green tea, I finally took the pen in hand. I felt like writing with my right hand today. Kirishima-san had compiled the information into a document, which was also provided to Shiraishi-san.

Now then.

“In the battle against the Undead King, there is a certain spell we must absolutely prevent from being used. Right, Kirishima-san?”

The data Kirishima-san gathered came from those who had fought the Undead King in the past. It wasn’t just the seven officially recognized subjugations. Some involved those who had confronted the Undead King and failed.

Kirishima-san nodded and began to speak.

“[Orgostra]…the Undead King’s trump card that destroys a wide area with gravity.”

Shiraishi-san squinted her eyes in disbelief as she examined the document.

“Wait a moment, Yuko. I don’t mean to doubt you, but is what’s written here true?”
“The information on that paper was consistently reported by at least five different parties. I don’t want to believe it either, but I don’t think it’s a lie.”

When I first saw it, I couldn’t believe my eyes either.

—Following the use of [Orgostra], all the Undead King’s prior injuries are completely healed.

Shiraishi-san nodded heavily, steeling her resolve.

“Then, we have to defeat it before it gets a chance to use that spell.”

“Indeed. So, how do you plan to defeat it, Isshiki?”

Receiving their attention, I took a breath and declared clearly.

“We’ll let it cast [Orgostra].”