1-48

　A merchant who trades for a living travels to the next city, camping out many times.
　Unlike large trading groups such as caravans, ordinary merchants hire mercenaries to guard them and continue their journey in the face of danger.
　On this day, three groups of merchants were about to spend the night on the plains under a night without even moonlight.

...... It's a bad night.
What is it?　You're freaking me out.
No, ...... I've got a weird feeling about this. My intuition has never been wrong.
Oh, that's great. I bet you make a lot of money at gambling.
No, I'm not. But when this intuition works, something bad always happens. You'd better be careful.
That's why you're scared, isn't it?
No!　If you don't believe me, that's fine. I'm getting out of here.

　The mercenary man who was on night watch thought it was just another ordinary night.
　The mercenary man on night watch thought it was a normal night, but he felt an inexplicable uneasiness welling up in his core, urging him to run.
　The mercenaries guarding the other merchants gave him some grief, but the man who had relied on this instinct for over twenty years didn't care, and looked at his sleeping companion beside him.

"Hey, wake up!
"Wake up!　What's this, a shift?　d*mn, ......, wake me up more gently.
No, wake up the other guys!　I can't tell you why. We gotta get out of here right now.
Hmm?　Ah, ......, always a hunch, huh?
Oh, ......, it's so disgusting. Yeah, I feel like I'm gonna die in here.
Okay, okay. All right, I'm gonna wake up the others right now, but keep your eyes open.

　My man acted quickly.
　He immediately woke up the client merchant and his family, while the mercenary man hitched his horse to the wagon and started preparing to leave the place at any time. The others also began to prepare to move immediately.
Everyone except the sleeping merchant knew that he had good instincts.
　They had known him long enough to know how to trust him.

What are you doing here so late at night, ......?
Just get ready to move, we're in trouble!
The others don't seem to be doing anything, do they?
Don't worry about the others, if you want to survive!

　The merchant reluctantly agreed, given his swordsmanship.
　He called out to the other mercenaries, but the mercenaries guarding the merchant laughed at him and ignored his warning.
No one thought that it would be the difference between life and death, so the man ignored them and hurried to clear the area.

"We're ready!
All right!　Let's move now!
Always a hunch. ....... It's saved my life many times, but honestly, staying up late is bad for your beauty.
You can't talk about beauty when you're dead.
I know, I know.

　They were very understanding and helpful.
　They left in two carriages, accompanied by their client, the merchant.
　At the same time, they discovered something stirring on the plain.

"Oh, hey, ...... thing. ......
Is that a ...... zombie?

　The body was parched, but the eyes were lit up with a different kind of light.
　If they were zombies, they would be wandering around like sleepwalkers, but these zombies were moving unusually fast.
　They rushed to the campsite where they had just been.

"Aaaaahhhh!
Don't come here...!
Oh, help. ......

　The mercenaries who didn't listen to the man's advice were attacked, and the family of the merchant who was also the client was also attacked by zombies and died.
　Those who are not sensitive to danger do not live long.
　They have given up their chance of survival.

"......, what a number.
"No, it's ....... What's that, .........?
Your hunch is right. ....... We're in trouble, ..........

　The rest of us, except for the man holding the reins, were speechless at the sight of the horrible situation at the camp.
　But this is not the end. The zombies and other undead will sense the living and attack them.
That means we are the next target.

We'd better get rid of the heavy bags.
No, no, no, no. ...... If I don't sell this, my business is ......
There's life in this thing!　When you're done, you can come back and collect it.
d*mn it, ......, but you won't be able to pay the commission.
We don't have a choice. We don't want to die either, so we'll let the city know about this and get paid for our information.



　With no time to spare, they abandoned their belongings in order to survive.
　Thanks to their efforts, the merchant's family and the mercenaries were able to reach the city safely the next morning.
　To the city of Nar-Haq.

　I'm not sure what to say.

　After possessing the corpse, Sharanra and the other evil spirits were faced with a big problem.
　They had planned to turn the zombies against them and invade the city by posing as victims, but the zombies did not listen to them.
　Instead, they followed their instincts and took the initiative in attacking the creatures.
　They attacked three villages in one day, moving on their own to wherever life abounded. And it does it with more men.
　The speed of his march is frighteningly fast.

"Miss ......, what are we going to do?
"This is getting out of hand. Let's move to another city.
"Leave that thing alone?
There's nothing we can do. We're here for a reason, and that's to get away from those zombies!
"No doubt. Then let's just move along the street and hit another city.

　Thus, Shallanra and the others decide to move on to another city.
　But at this time, Shallanra and the others made a big oversight. They also realized that their personalities had become abnormal and they too were beginning to transform into demons.
　They were completely unaware that their intentions of resurrecting themselves by taking on flesh had begun to turn into a goal of attacking living creatures.
　And there's another problem.

"Heck, I'm sorry, but that's it. I'm sorry, but that's it. You guys can run off on your own, and we'll do whatever we want.
"Hey, you guys!　You're gonna betray me?
Why do I have to be on top of a woman's ass? I prefer to ride on top of women, and now that I know how to come back to life, I don't have a problem with you.
Wait!

　A betrayal.
　Some of the souls rebelled against Sharanra's will and separated to possess other zombies.
　This kind of separation rarely happens in Legion. Thus, half of the enlarged Legion begins to act on its own, and its power is reduced by half.
　And then, blending in with the running zombies, the separated demons disappear into the darkness.

You beat me to it. You played your cards right.
'd*mn it. I'll get the next one.
Let's hit a town or something.
You guys remember .........!

　Shalala was not a good man.

　I'll be right back.

　He was woken up early in the morning by Luna Sark's guards while he was sleeping at the inn.
　When he went down to the first floor of the inn, rubbing his sleepy eyes, a man who seemed to be the commander of the guard bowed reverently.

What's going on?　Huh~......
Yes, a while ago, a merchant's carriage fled into town.
Was it attacked by a demon or something?
...... It's a zombie horde.
"......... What?

　The zombies I know aren't that strong.
　They were small fry in the dungeon, not intelligent enough to attack in large numbers.
　Their movements were slow, and they were considered to be easy opponents for gaining experience. However, this is not necessarily true.
　There are differences in individual abilities among the undead, including mutants.

It's a zombie, right?　I thought they weren't that strong.
"But the mercenaries who came running in said they were moving very fast. They said it was close to the carriage.
A carriage?　I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but I think it's a good idea.
I've heard that two sets of merchants and the mercenaries guarding them were attacked, and they were chased by the mercenaries who sensed the danger and fled.
Isn't that a ghoul?
A ghoul's body may be damaged, but it's not dried out. And ...... some of the zombies were badly damaged.
......... No way, other villages and towns have already been attacked.

　Zombies and ghouls have one thing in common, the ability to multiply their ranks.
　In addition to the natural occurrence of zombies, the basic knowledge of how to increase the number of zombies is to plant a kind of magic seed in the person you kill, which will take in the surrounding magic and spirits and become a new zombie.


　Ghouls can infect their victims with altered germ-type demons while they are being eaten, or they can create companions by possessing the demons and spirits lurking in the shot.
　This is a unique ability of the undead, and the newly created zombies and ghouls are relatively weak.
　Also, if they do not attack their prey, they will weaken over time.

Zombies have rotting brains, so they shouldn't be that strong, right?
If they're moving in packs, they're definitely not like zombies in dungeons.
They look like something out of a movie: ....... Did some company release a virus?　Did they cause a biohazard or something? ......
Huh?

　Obviously, the information was different from dungeon or naturally occurring zombies.
　Zombies running after people fleeing in wagons. As far as I know, I've never encountered such an individual.

"Keep an eye on the direction those mercenaries were running from. Also, if there are towns or villages in the opposite direction, I think we should run a fast horse to warn people to evacuate.
"Sure. ....... Then.
Yes, I want you to act before the damage is done. Even if we defend this town, the zombies that have drifted elsewhere may attack other villages. In some cases, it'll be a siege.
"All right. I'll tell them to prepare for a siege. We will now follow the instructions of the hero.
"Tell the lord of the city, please.

　The guards left the inn and immediately started running towards the camp.
　In the event that you are a brave man or woman, the authority to give all orders takes precedence over the lord, the brave man or woman. The lord will have no authority to interfere.
　This is a characteristic of religious states in other worlds.

"Nevertheless, ......

　Zombies chasing a carriage.
　The zombies that I know outside of dungeons are based on the movies I've seen in the original world, where the body's limiters are removed and they display incredible strength. They can even climb vertical walls.
　They ignore physical damage and use their grip strength alone to damage walls and create footholds. It's not something an ordinary person can do.
　Some of them are fused with other zombies and take on a monstrous appearance.
　There are also animals such as birds and dogs, but they are caused by some unknown virus. But I wonder who would create such a thing in this other world.

"So it's not man-made, but a naturally occurring zombie?　I don't know why all this trouble keeps happening!

　It's a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find anything that might help you.
　They've been moved east and west almost without a break, and they've even been forced to sort out paperwork related to internal affairs. To be honest, I feel like leaving this country.
　Already, only a quarter of the brave have survived since they were summoned, and those who are missing are effectively considered dead in battle. In the event that you've got any questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site.
　To put it bluntly, we were short on manpower.

I'm not sure what to make of this, but I think it's a good idea.

　Regardless of my weakness, there was no way that someone who was not present would appear in this place.
　Realizing the absurdity of the world, Manabu went back to his room to change his clothes.

　At that time, some old men were sleeping at the inn across the street.


　The gates of the city were closed.


　The city gates were closed and the city of Luna Sark was immediately put on high alert.
　Guards and guardsmen are running around busily, preparing for a defensive battle.
　At the same time, the mercenary guilds were notified, and it seemed as if the city had instantly entered a state of war.

What about the restocking of arrows?
"Only the ones we have in storage!　That's the last of them.
d*mn, the budget cuts are coming back to bite us now!　You'll have to answer to your superiors.

　The collapse of Maha Rutat had destabilized the political situation, and the defeat at the Ruda Ilulu Plains had taken its toll.
　There was a shortage of manpower everywhere, and budgets were being cut, with the military being the biggest culprit.
　In addition, since magic potions like those of neighboring countries are forbidden, priests and priestesses are often in the rear under such circumstances.
　Knights who can use sacred magic also belong to the Holy Order, so these garrisons and other knights will have difficulty recovering from their injuries.
In the event that you're not sure of the number of zombies swarming around you, you can't attack them yourself.

It's a good thing we're dealing with zombies. They're just moving corpses, they're not that strong.
That's true. This Tanegasima would be a lot easier if they were deployed a little more.
They're not making explosives very well. There's nothing we can do about that.
You think it'll work on zombies?
I don't know. But it's better than nothing.

　At this time, the guards and the guarding knights were optimistic that it was only a zombie.
　They also believed that zombies were weak and would not be a problem even if there were many of them. This perception was not wrong.


　At least until yesterday, that is. .......

How prepared are the mercenaries?
We've been assembling them since this morning, but not too many. About a hundred and fifty, I think.
Hmm. ...... Well, we can at least get rid of the zombies. Each of us can easily take on ten of them.
What's the point of having a siege?
We can't tell you anything since it's your order. Well, it will be easy.

　There are mercenaries waiting at the gate, waiting for their turn.
　Trade from neighboring countries has ceased, and their work has been idle. If they did not earn money here, they would have a hard time making a living.
　Only trustworthy people are entrusted with guarding merchants, and those who are on the brink of ruin are always poor. Some of them didn't even have money to drink today.

"I see them!　First line to the east.

　The guards confirmed the sight of the first group of zombies.
　The report was immediately relayed to those in command.

"Here they come. How many spearheads?
About twenty, not too many zombies as far as I can tell.
Hmmm. ...... Shall we send the mercenaries out first and see what happens?
But there's always the possibility that they're hiding in the surrounding grass.

　The area around the city of Luna Sark is a plain of dense grass.
　There are also a few forests around, and it is possible that another team is coming from there. There was also another problem.
　It was--

"You're being very cautious with a mere zombie. A brave man is still a child, and if he gets the credit here, he might be able to top me.

　-The captain of the guardian knights has a desire for advancement.
　I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do this, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.

"Send out the mercenaries!　I'll give you a guess and reduce the enemy numbers while I can.
"Are you sure?　Don't you think you should ask the brave man for instructions here ......?
I'm not going to let the brave man's hand suffer. I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure you'll do fine.
Ha, ha. ......

　Then, the closed gate was opened and the mercenaries set out as the first group.
　The next moment, the guards who were watching saw an amazing sight. The mercenaries came out of the gate and headed straight for the zombies.
　But suddenly, other zombies rose up from the grass and started moving towards the mercenaries at once.

What?

　There were over a thousand of them.
　If you looked closely, you could see animal zombies, and even goblins and orcs.
　In the blink of an eye, they rushed the mercenaries and blood splattered.

"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
I'll save you. ......
What the hell?　What the f*ck are they doing?
Don't come, don't come!

　In a short time, the spearhead team of mercenaries was wiped out.
　And the zombie horde rushes towards the Luna Sark.

Mercenaries, all dead!　The zombies are moving towards us!
No!　Close the gate immediately!

　The zombies were moving fast.
　We barely managed to close the gate, but it was already overrun with zombies.
　In addition, the corpse of the mercenary who had just been attacked rose up and joined the crowd as a new enemy, resulting in more enemies.

No way. ...... They're turning into zombies too fast.
What the hell is wrong with these people ......?

　It was a far cry from what they knew.
　Many people in this world did not know. The same goes for the source of the zombies.
　The providence of this world we live in has already gone awry, and the zombies that were normal yesterday are mutating into something else today. .......
　The dead do not come back to life. When they die, only their corpse remains there, and even if their spirit exists, it will never return to their body.
　In the first place, the existence of zombies is different from the original, and they are demons born when evil spirits gain powerful magical power and possess them. In the natural world, corpses return to the earth first, so they do not appear in large numbers.
　The fact that they appear in large numbers is in itself unnatural, and similar phenomena occur only in dungeons. Only a resurrected god would think that this situation is abnormal.
　And many people have a fixed idea that zombies are weak, and take it for granted.
　But that is not always the case. The effects of a distorted being can create further distortions and bloat.

"Shoot the arrows!　Fire arrows!
Copy!

　In their impatience, the guards and knights try to cremate the zombies.
　Fire arrows are fired at the zombies from the top of the defensive wall.
　But--

Why isn't it burning? ......


On the contrary, it's ......
Oh, ......, you're on fire?　That's impossible!

　Even though their entire bodies were engulfed in flames, the zombies did not burn up.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to be doing.

"Oh no, the battle has already started. Why haven't they contacted me?
"It's the brave one, .......
The hero has arrived!

　The Holy Knights, led by a brave man.
　It is the strongest unit of the Holy Law God Kingdom of Metis, and all of them are elites who can use sacred magic. The presence of these men gave those present hope.

The situation looks ...... bad. Our weakness, fire, is ineffective, so we'll have to purify it. ....... Prepare to be cleansed, the range is short so aim well.
「「「「「「「「 Ha! 」」」」」」」

　After a delay, the heroes entered the battle against the zombies.

　I'll be back.

　--Boom!　Boom!　Kung!

　Alarm bells are ringing in the city of Luna Sark.

"What the hell is .........?
"What the hell, ...... people are sleeping comfortably?
"Ad, are you a bad sleeper?　You're in a really bad mood.
You've just been released from the wild, you've finally had a decent night's sleep, and now you've been woken up from a good night's sleep.　It's no wonder you're in a bad mood.
"You're exaggerating after only a day in the field.

　Xellos and the others who were sleeping at the inn were roused from their reverie.
　To be honest, I would have liked to sleep a little longer, but with all the noise, I don't even feel like going back to sleep.

"Is there something wrong ......?

　I opened the curtains and looked at the town, and I saw the brave man I saw yesterday running out of the inn fully equipped.

It's a good idea to take a look at the website to see if there is anything you can do to help. I think something pretty bad happened to him.
Is that the zombie-making machine?
I don't know if it's a machine, but it might be. What do you say?　You wanna go check it out?
I don't want to go, but I think I have to. It's my job. ......
Yeah, right. ......

　They were dull, unmotivated old men.
　But this is also a job. We are in a position where we have been commissioned by the dukes, so we are afraid of what will happen if we abandon the project here.
　Above all, we don't know where the Duke of Delsacis' spies are lurking.
　It is unlikely that Duke Delsacis, who is capable of gathering inside information, would overlook the negligence of Xellos and the others. Even if there are no spies, it is conceivable that they could get information from somewhere.

I don't want to make an enemy out of him, so I have to go looking for clues, even if it's a hassle.
He's too scary to make enemies with, so I guess I'll just have to give up. ......
I'm sleepy.
I'm sleepy. ......
"............

　The overnight stay in a warm bed had taken the motivation out of both of them at the root .
　They let their minds wander for a while, but then they had no choice but to get dressed together.
All the while, they were so sleepy that they didn't utter a single word.

"...... Oh, by the way, did I teach you how to use a gun?
What?　I'm sure you're not the only one who has a problem with this.
It looks like a gun, but it's constructed a little differently. It fires bullets by triggering a magic formula in the chamber, so basically no shells are needed. That's why they can hold a lot of bullets. Except for shotguns.
I'm sure you've heard of the ...... that consumes the user's magic power. Is it dangerous to let too much magic flow?
I also told you that magic can be added to bullets. It's an alloy of iron and lead mixed with magic stone powder, so I think the magic will be activated as soon as the bullet lands.
That's a bad idea, isn't it?　Our magic is .......

　You can give one magic per bullet regardless of the power of the magic. There is no limit to the type of magic, from single shots to wide range magic.
　It was more dangerous than Earth's heavy weapons in terms of power.

It was more dangerous than Earth's heavy weapons in terms of power. "Well, we couldn't make bullets with magic stones, so we mainly used lead balls. Even so, the power will increase depending on the magic power, so you should be very careful when using them.


"...... is not safe. If this stuff gets out, the world's military balance will collapse.
I'm not selling it. If we're going to use it, we'd better make it ourselves. It's made of an alloy of mithril, orichalcum and heliogane, so it's the worst in terms of cost.
That's a national treasure, isn't it?　You can't just make something like that.

　The two of them walked down the stairs of the inn, talking idly.
　As they walked down the stairs of the inn, the innkeeper began to lock the door in a panic, even though it was business hours.

"Sir, you're in trouble!
What's wrong?
The city has been put on high alert, and the guards have informed us that residents are not to go outside. ......
Oh, come on, is there a war going on?
I don't know the details, but it seems that a large army of zombies is approaching the city, and they're telling us to lock our doors and not to go outside, just in case. It's bad for business.
"Zombies?

　They both had an idea.
　The village of illegal immigrants had been attacked by a mysterious entity, and all the inhabitants had turned into zombies.
　And this time, the zombies were legion. So it's very likely that some village or town was attacked.

"Master, are there any villages or towns beyond this city?
"There are about nine copper mining towns and villages. ...... No way!
Those towns and villages have probably been wiped out. ....... You've attacked a progressive village and your forces have expanded. What the hell kind of biohazard is this?
What kind of biohazard?　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing and how you're doing it.

　Zombies make friends with the people they attack.
　This is a great way to make sure that you don't end up in a situation where you're not the only one.
　This happens when the miasma of the evil spirit possessing the zombie contaminates the soul of the victim, causing it to join the group. The more of them there are, the higher the concentration of miasma, and the higher the probability of zombification.
Also, all dead bodies will be affected, and zombies may appear from the grave.
　Aside from the former, the cause of the latter has yet to be determined.

Shall we go check on them?　If the knights and guards are defeated, it looks like we're in trouble too.
We've come this far, we can't afford not to go.

　They were both good at their jobs.

Are you going, sir?
Well, if the knights are defeated, we'll have to wait and see.
Be careful, okay?　I've prepared a meal for you.
I'm going to get some exercise before breakfast.

　It's too late for breakfast.
　It'll be noon in a couple of hours.

Let's go, then.

　Flipping on their robes, Xellos and Ad leave the inn.
　We're going to the wall where the heroes went, where the battle has already begun.

　I'm not sure what to say.

　When they arrived at the wall, the battle had already begun.
　They seemed to be resisting by shooting fire arrows from above, but from the looks of it, it didn't seem to have much effect.
　It seems that the zombies are rushing around the city gate.

...... Looks like you're doing great.
It's a fight for survival, so everyone's going to be desperate. And that's what they do.
Isn't it more dangerous than the SDF mission?
In a way, yes. The pay's low, though.
I bet some of them run away in the middle of the day, don't they?　I don't think morale is as high as it is on the eastern and northern borders, how do you see it, Xelloss?
"There hasn't been a war on the south side of the border for a while. They may be training, but I don't think they have a sense of urgency. If it becomes a long war, they might run away on their own.

　Guardsmen and guardswomen are poorly paid. Ordinary knights are paid more than guards, but the same as the commanders of the guards. Compared to an elite position such as a holy knight, the difference was obvious.
　The reason why we are talking about salaries here is because it is a matter of morale.
　Guardsmen and guardswomen were recruited from the general population, while knights and holy knights were often the children of priestly families. In order to become a knight, an ordinary person had to make a worthy achievement or pass an annual examination.
　There were many who wanted to be paid well, but the path was steep and narrow. An incompetent person with only power could not even become a knight.
　Naturally, the uneducated and rough people who were just after money would be left behind, and it was unlikely that such people would continue to protect the city until they died.
　In addition, although the city of Luna Sark faces the magical kingdom of Solistair, it is unlikely that any small country would attack a large country, and the sense of security of the difference in military strength is a bomb of carelessness.
　At this point, the guards of the city of Luna Sark were completely unprepared for the advance of foreign enemies, and although they did their job, there were few who would die for their country in a life-threatening situation.
　Fortunately, the Holy Knights led by the heroes are there, and even those who are lazy are quietly following their command. Because the enemy was a zombie, they were ostensibly serious, but inwardly they were in a state of carelessness.



The one commanding on the outer wall is the hero you saw yesterday?　It looks like you're having a hard time.
I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out.　At least the ones we fought were normal zombies, have they evolved?
They were like third-rate horror games or movies. It was a pain in the ass to deal with them, so we cremated them immediately.
I'm not sure what to make of it.　I'm not sure that their purification magic will work as well as theirs.

　I'm not sure what to make of it.
I can't help but feel that they're fundamentally different from the skeletal undead we found when we excavated Ether Lante. This is just a vague hunch.
　It's just that they weren't the enemies of the two cheats, and they are in a situation where they are too strong to grasp how strong they would be against a hero or a holy knight.
　In addition, the place where they are now is as good as hostile territory for Xellos and the others. To be honest, they don't want to take the initiative to stand out.

"Should I change my gear and head out?　I've brought my best gear.
"I'll hide my face with a mask, though. Next, let's see how the heroes fight. It would be tactless for us to go out on a limb.
There will be casualties, right?
That's their job. We're just doing our job.
Let's see what they can do. ....... So, if a zombie invades the city, we'll be there?
That's good enough. Let's see what the heroes of Metis can do, shall we?
You didn't just want to say that line, did you?　You're not leading me on with your words, are you?　I think it's usually a bad idea when someone breaks into the city. ......

　Ad's suspicions are painful .
　I'm not going to sacrifice others just for a line I want to say, no matter how old I am. It's just a coincidence.
　However, since there is a precedent in Sword and Sorcery, it seems that Ad does not trust him.
　Feeling a little sentimental, the old man lit a cigarette.