Bloodhound’s Regression Instinct

Chapter 77

The Abandoned Fortress Within the Plateau of the Deceased

Exhausted trainees leaned against the fortress walls, resembling battle-weary soldiers. Their bodies pressed against the stone like fallen leaves.

“Come on, everyone. Just a little more effort,” urged Kasa, who seemed more optimistic than the others.

“We’re wrong… We’re all going to die here,” murmured someone.

“How can we escape? There’s barely any jerky left,” another replied.

“Don’t speak so weakly! Whether it’s reinforcements from the Special Forces, the frontline, or the royal palace, they’ll come!” Kasa’s words sparked a faint glimmer of hope in the fatigued trainees’ hearts.

But Kasa’s expression told a different story.

“Such a thing won’t happen,” he thought. It was a fact validated by numerous failed projects involving expendable trainees. Those who fell behind were abandoned, and there was no room for sentimentality.

And then there was the chief instructor.

He wasn’t the one to save those who hadn’t passed the second test.

Smack!

Kasa slapped his own cheek.

“Why even think like that?” he scolded herself. He was the only mental anchor for the trainees teetering on the brink of despair.

If he showed weakness now…

“Everything will truly be over.”

Kasa turned his gaze toward the outside of the fortress. The once-vibrant plateau now exuded a desolate aura. The soil remained barren, devoid of any vegetation, and the darkness within held the remains of skeletons and decayed corpses.

Soon, an immense horde of undead would crawl forth from that darkness.

Kasa approached a trainee with an upbeat tone. “James! Didn’t you say you’d join the Transportation Division if you survived?”

James, still buried between his legs, replied, “Well, if I make it out alive.”

“Then grant me free gate access. I’ve always wanted to ride it, but financial constraints held me back.”

“Gate access? Do you know how expensive that is?”

“You act like you’ll survive to fulfill my wish!”

James chuckled at Kasa’s antics. “Fine, fine. Even if it empties my entire salary, I’ll make your wish come true.”

“Hey, Sebastian! Your goal is to achieve fame through marriage, right?”

Sebastian, who had been absentmindedly staring beyond the fortress walls, turned his head. “With those fish-like eyes, what woman would fall for you now? Especially in times like these, maintain your composure!”

“Ugh.”

“Besides, even if you become more dignified, your face is still hideous.”

“What? This lunatic!”

As Kasa’s banter and Sebastian’s indignation spread, the trainees began laughing. Their faces brightened more than before.

It was intentional on Kasa’s part. Even hollow laughter was better than nothing.

But he felt a gnawing anxiety.

Naturally, it was bound to happen.

Someday, the trainees would experience the harsh reality firsthand…

“The worst is yet to come.”

Kasa keenly sensed it.

His actions were reaching their limits.

Some trainees, unwilling to break the mood, forced smiles.

Kasa straightened his head and shouted loudly, “We will survive! Each of us will achieve the dreams we’ve held!”

Though his cry felt empty, it had a positive effect. The trainees, who hadn’t shown determination in a long time, began to rally.

And so it began.

Outside the fortress, change stirred.

Thud. Thud.

Scratch. Scratch.

Uwaaaaah!

The corpses buried in the ground slowly rose. From skeletons and zombies to more elusive undead, they all emerged.

At least several thousand of them formed a relentless army.

“Hold on a little longer! Reinforcements will arrive!”

The trainees struggled to rise, clinging to the fortress walls.

And then, the undead charged.

Their grotesque appearance transcended mere horror, evoking images of hell itself.

Fear etched into the trainees’ eyes.

“Defend! We have to defend!” they shouted.

“Die, you bone-headed bastards!”

Thus began the forty-second siege, where the living faced the dead.

* * *

Yan and his companions rode their horses at breakneck speed along the Eastern Front. However, the expanse of the Dead Plateau was vast, large enough to contain several territories combined. Within this plateau, finding the castle would undoubtedly take considerable time.

[…Matap?]

As they entered the plateau, Momon muttered softly.

Yan skillfully guided the horse and asked, “What are you talking about? Matap?”

[I sense magic here that only Matap’s magicians can use.]

Yan raised an eyebrow. As far as he knew, Matap was…

“Wasn’t it just a fanciful legend?” he interrupted.

[No! Matap definitely existed.]

Momon’s denial was firm.

Yan’s eyes gleamed. The legendary Matap was a sanctuary of magicians that rivaled the power of an entire nation. Even now, countless sorcerers sought the ancient legacy buried within Matap, despite the lack of concrete evidence.

‘Could Momon be from Matap?’ Yan wondered.

But his curiosity quickly faded. There was no time to leisurely inquire about Momon’s background. The trainees were isolated in the castle, surrounded by undead.

“After this is over, we’ll have plenty to discuss,” Yan said, his usual humor replaced by seriousness.

[Understood. And if there are Matap’s magicians here, would it be possible to negotiate with them rather than fight directly?]

“Why?”

[…Answer me.]

Yan shrugged. “I can share stories, sure. But what’s in it for me? Those Matap magicians might try to kill me. It would only reveal my vulnerabilities.”

Momon seemed unable to argue further.

[That… don’t worry. If we gather enough trust, perhaps…]

Momon’s voice was barely audible.

Yan chuckled. “That’s fine.”

[…Did I reveal too much?]

As the sun began to set, undead creatures emerged from the ground all around them.

Whispers of “Du, Dura” echoed, and skeletons and zombies clawed their way toward the group.

Yan reached into his saddlebag and pulled out several vials.

“Holy water!” he shouted, tossing the vials to his companions. “Undead can’t be defeated by conventional means. Apply this to your weapons and fight!”

The trainees accepted the holy water, quickly coating their weapons. None stumbled from their horses.

Yan faced a rising skeleton.

“Hey! Why can you defeat them without using holy water?”

Cruel called out from behind.

Yan grinned. “Equipment advantage!”

The effect of “Halt” imbued in Ascalon allowed them to incapacitate the undead. Undead didn’t occur naturally; they needed a concentration of life force or energy from necromancers to exist. Without a smooth flow of energy, they were like lifeless scarecrows.

As night fell, undead creatures intensified their assault, driven by their affinity for life force.

Yan’s group continued their rapid charge, and soon…

“Waaah!”

“Reinforcements are coming!”

“Just a little longer! If we hold them off now, we can make it back!”

“Charge!”

The trainees defending the castle walls saw Yan and his group and renewed their hope. Word spread quickly, and the castle buzzed with anticipation, reminiscent of the first day of a siege.

When Yan finally defeated hundreds of undead, they reached a small side gate.

“Quick! Get inside!” Two trainees opened the gate urgently.

“Before those corpse creatures catch up!”

Yan and his companions dismounted and hurried through the gate.