Chapter 26

The King of the Land of Death

โ€œIt should still be a shallow layer here, so I think we can escape quickly if we hurry.โ€

Milphobia, while holding my hand, advances while knocking down the zombies that occasionally appear in front of us.

โ€œBy โ€˜layer,โ€™ does that mean this so-called dungeon extends deep underground in multiple levels?โ€

A dungeonโ€ฆ

Itโ€™s a term unfamiliar in the kingdom.

However, it seems to be part of common knowledge in the demon country, as Milphobia quickly answers.

โ€œDungeons can take various forms, some exposed on the surface, while others continue like tunnels. But in this case, since weโ€™re going downhill, it seems to be an underground type.โ€

โ€œOh? How deep does that get?โ€

โ€œIt varies. Some say it goes down to a hundred levels underground.โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s an incredible scale.โ€

โ€œYes. And to think it was hidden in a place like thisโ€ฆโ€

โ€œIs that a strange thing?โ€

โ€œOf course!โ€

Milphobia frowns.

It looks less like she is blaming my ignorance and more like she is doubting her own common sense.

โ€œThis has been the Demon Kingโ€™s castle since the establishment of the demon country. If such a dangerous thing as a dungeon had naturally occurred, it wouldnโ€™t have been left alone until now.โ€

โ€œโ€ฆHmm.โ€

When asked like that, it does seem strange.

Itโ€™s been nearly three hundred years since the establishment of the demon country.

Then, the only conceivable possibility is one.

โ€œThereโ€™s nothing strange about it. I simply have existed here longer.โ€

A hoarse voice, not mine, echoed from ahead of us.

I involuntarily widened my eyes.

From the depths of the pitch-black darkness, small blue flames gradually lit up one by one on the torches mounted on the walls, illuminating the area in front of us.

โ€œThis is the โ€˜Land of Deathโ€™ that I govern. Long before that โ€˜piece of garbageโ€™ who calls himself the Demon King ruled this land.โ€

The owner of that low, dried voice slowly glided toward us, as if floating in the air.

Then, he landed quietly a few meters in front of us, as if blocking our escape from the dungeon.

The face that appeared from beneath the crimson hooded robe was that of a desiccated mummy.

โ€œOh, you also look like a zombie, donโ€™t you?โ€

โ€œHow rude, call me โ€˜King.'โ€

โ€œKing?โ€

โ€œIndeed.โ€

The zombie claiming to be the king snorted in dissatisfaction.

โ€œEver since I lost to the first Demon King over this land, I have hidden myself along with this underground dungeon, building the โ€˜Land of Deathโ€™ filled only with my undead servants. And even now, I am in the midst of gathering military strength in preparation for the coming timesโ€ฆ and you, human, will also become one of my soldiers.โ€

The zombie claiming to be the king harbored a black light in his hand.

Then, as if vanishing, he moved and got behind me.

โ€œNow, reverse your โ€˜Holy Powerโ€™ and become a corpse while writhing in agonyโ€ฆ!โ€

The king reached out to touch my face, butโ€”

โ€œDonโ€™t touch Alaya-sama; Iโ€™ll kill you!โ€

Milphobiaโ€™s rapid roundhouse kick cleanly severed the kingโ€™s head.

โ€œWhat do you think you are, touching someone under the protection of His Majesty the Demon King? Do you think a mere undead like you can casually touch someone of that caliberโ€”โ€

โ€œI like violent women; they make me want to subdue them.โ€

As soon as the king interrupted Milphobiaโ€™s words, zombies began to pour out from the ground and walls, swiftly grabbing hold of her arms and legs.

โ€œWhaโ€ฆ?!โ€

โ€œIt wonโ€™t work, you fool. I can nullify all physical attacks of your level. Itโ€™s a necessary preparation for a magician.โ€

The king scanned Milphobiaโ€™s figure, and then with a โ€˜tch,โ€™ he clicked his tongue, deepening the wrinkles on his already weathered face.

โ€œYouโ€™re a succubus, arenโ€™t you? Then itโ€™s decided; Iโ€™ll have my servants violate you for ten years before turning you into a specimen.โ€

โ€œUghโ€ฆ let me go! Iโ€™ll kill you!โ€

โ€œBe quiet, you lustful witch. Right now, itโ€™s this โ€˜humanโ€™ that matters.โ€

The king slowly approached me.

โ€ฆThis is bad. I want to run, but thereโ€™s no way I can escape from someone who could easily capture even Milphobia. Besides, I donโ€™t want to leave her behind.

Then the only option left for me is one.

โ€œYou mentioned turning me into military strength, but how exactly do you plan to do that?โ€

A conversation.

My weapon isnโ€™t brute strength.

I have no choice but to look for an opening in the flow of the conversation!

โ€œYou just mentioned โ€˜reversing Holy Power,โ€™ but could it be that youโ€™re applying a theory to โ€˜replace life force with physical strengthโ€™? Although its realization should be nearly impossible, have you perhaps invented an innovative technique that makes it possible?โ€

โ€œO-ohโ€ฆ?โ€

The king opened his eyes wide and seemed somewhat pleased as he stroked his chin.

โ€œInteresting. You seem like someone who can talk.โ€

โ€œI have a fair amount of knowledge.โ€

By offering living humans as sacrifices, one can perform a myth-level dark heal, something I had summarized in my paper previously. Itโ€™s likely that the king is using something close to that technology.

โ€œWell, well. Then perhaps you might understand this discussion? It seems you know the basic theory, so Iโ€™ll skip the explanation and get to the point: fundamentally revising the idea that โ€˜Holy Power and Life Force are equalโ€™ and instead asserting that Holy Power and Magic Power are the sameโ€”โ€

And he began to speak.

This is just a guess, but perhaps he had been starving for a conversation partner?

Those who accumulate knowledge often want to share it with others.

I understand that feeling well.

โ€œPerhaps the three special zombies from earlier were also made using a similar method?โ€

โ€œOh, you understand? You are quite a clever man.โ€

The king responded happily.

โ€œAlright, let me introduce you to those three. They are the greatest forces of the Land of Death.โ€

He raised one hand toward the end of the passage.

Then, he spoke with an air of solemnity.

โ€œCome forth, my servantsโ€”โ€™Zombie Soldier,โ€™ โ€˜Zombie Thief,โ€™ and โ€˜Zombie Queen!'โ€

His words echoed through the corridorโ€ฆ

However, nothing happened.

โ€œโ€ฆHuh? Whatโ€™s the matter? Come forth!โ€

The king repeated his command, but still, there was no response.

โ€ฆWell, thatโ€™s to be expected.

While I shoved my hand into my lab coat pocket, I sighed internally.

What on earth am I going to do now?

Those greatest forcesโ€™ brains are what I just used my dark heal on.

I probably canโ€™t give them orders anymore.

โ€œThey usually come right away when I call themโ€ฆ Come forth, โ€˜Zombie Soldier,โ€™ โ€˜Zombie Thief,โ€™ and โ€˜Zombie Queen!'โ€

The king shouted repeatedly as if trying to show off how well his pets obeyed, but they still didnโ€™t come.

โ€ฆIf I reveal that itโ€™s my fault, will he get angry? He probably will. I should keep quiet.

Just as I resolved to stay silent,

[Uโ€ฆ Uahโ€ฆ]

Stumbling,

From the depths of the corridor, a female knight zombie, presumably the one called the Zombie Queen, appeared.

โ€œYouโ€™re late! What were you doing?!โ€

The king pointed his finger at the Zombie Queen, as if accusing her of a crime, and shouted angrily.

โ€œYou shameless creature, bringing shame upon your master is unforgivable! Shall I make you remember the pain and humiliation of that day when I dragged your body into decay and the path of evil?โ€

The Zombie Queen stopped dead in her tracks as if reacting to his voice, slowly turning her murky white eyes toward the king.

[Vah]

โ€œVah?โ€

[Vahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!]

With a mouth wide enough to split open, she let out a furious roar and kicked the ground. In an instant, she sliced into the kingโ€™s body.

โ€œHuh?โ€

The king, eyes wide with shock, had his raised arm severed and fall to the ground, and soon after, rotten bodily fluids sprayed from the deep diagonal wound that appeared on his torso.


Defected Dark Healerโ€™s Rise to Wealth

Defected Dark Healerโ€™s Rise to Wealth

็•ฐ็ซฏใฎใƒ€ใƒผใ‚ฏใƒ’ใƒผใƒฉใƒผใŒ้‡‘ๅ„ฒใ‘ใงใใ‚‹ใจๆ€ใ†ใชใ‚ˆใฃใฆ๏ผŸใ€Œใใ‚Œใชใ‚‰ไบกๅ‘ฝใ—ใ‚ˆใ†ใ€ใ€‚ไฟบใฏไบกๅ‘ฝใ—ใŸใ€‚้ญ”ๅ›ฝใงๅƒใ„ใŸใ€‚้‡‘ใ‚’็จผใ„ใ ใ€‚ๅ‡บไธ–ใ—ใŸใ€‚ๅฎถใ‚’ๅปบใฆใŸใ€‚ๅฆปใŒใงใใŸใ€‚ไบบ้กžๅ›ฝๅฎถใฏ่กฐ้€€ใ—ใŸใ€‚, You think an unorthodox dark healer canโ€™t make money? 'Then Iโ€™ll just defect.' So, I defected. I worked in the demon kingdom. I earned money. I got promoted. I built a house. I got a wife. The human nations declined.
Score 9.9
Status: Ongoing Type: Author: Released: 2024 Native Language: Japanese
In order to make money, the young man "Kiwi Alaya" was running a clinic as a dark healer in the kingdom. However, with the outbreak of war between the kingdom and the demon kingdom, he was labeled a heretic. Threatened by the kingdom's army that he would be burned at the stake for heresy unless he closed his clinic and assisted in torturing captured demon soldiers, Kiwi immediately decided: "If that's the case, I'll just defect." Since he couldn't make money in the kingdom, he devised a plan to defect and decided to work in the demon kingdom. Although his initial motive was purely self-interest, his sincere and responsible work ethic, along with the demonsโ€™ favorable misunderstandings of him, allowed Kiwi to steadily build trust and wealth in the demon kingdom. Meanwhile, in the kingdom that let Kiwi slip away, the soldiers of the demon kingdom, who seemed to recover quickly from their injuries, began to pressure them, causing the once advantageous war situation to gradually shift...?

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