Bloodhound’s Regression Instinct

Chapter 80

As the undead swarmed the castle, their energy diminished abruptly, causing them to glow even brighter. Banshees emitted chilling screams, while Durahans swung their greatswords toward the now-angry walls. Skeletons and zombies, fueled by the remaining life force within their prey, climbed the walls, driven by their hunger.

Yan surveyed the chaotic scene outside the fortress and swiftly issued orders to the team and Kasa.

“Right now, we need to descend and reduce the number of undead.”

“Wait, now? Can’t you see those monsters approaching?” Kasa pointed to the distant Abominations, their massive forms advancing across the land.

“That’s precisely why we need to go down immediately,” Yan replied.

“What?”

“If the Abominations meet the undead, it’ll be disastrous. The castle walls won’t withstand their combined assault, and the undead will pour through. Do you feel confident surviving in that chaos?”

Roman furrowed his brow, still puzzled. “Even if we go down, we can’t be sure we’ll defeat all the undead due to our stamina.”

“Exactly. Fight until you’re near exhaustion, but don’t risk your lives,” Yan instructed.

“But that’s hardly enough,” Crew muttered.

“We’ve got the holy water I provided earlier,” Yan reminded them.

In response, the team retrieved small vials of white liquid from their pouches.

“Apply it to your weapons,” Yan said.

Swoosh.

Together, they anointed their weapons with the white liquid from the vials. The swords glowed with an otherworldly energy—the divine power contained within the holy water now enhancing their blades.

Yan checked the weapons’ status. “It’ll last about thirty minutes. Don’t forget to return to the castle once the time is up.”

Cruel halted mid-leap. “But how long do we need to hold out? An hour? Two?”

He was referring to the recharge time for the makeshift warp gate.

Yan’s lips tightened. “We can’t leave until we’ve eradicated all the undead.”

“What?”

“We didn’t come here just to rescue trainees. We’re here to improve our skills,” Yan clarified.

“Understood. Is there a plan?” Roman asked.

“Of course.”

“Damn it.”

“Don’t die.”

“Easy for you to say, denying the obvious.”

“You seem most likely to die,” Cruel retorted.

Despite the swearing, Cruel held back. Easing tension before battle was essential.

“Let’s reconvene later,” Yan said.

The team nodded solemnly and leaped down from the castle wall.

Yan watched their backs. They were here not only for the trainees but also to address the Empire’s ongoing problem.

If we return having resolved the Empire’s thorn in the side, our achievements will be far-reaching.

With a wry smile, Yan prepared to descend. Two sturdy Black Wolves stood by his side.

Swoosh.

Yan and the Black Wolves soared through the midst of countless undead.

Ssshhhh!

The undead, witnessing Yan’s rapid descent, began converging toward his location.

* * *

Cruel swung his chainsaw blade like a madman.

Quajak! Quajak!

Skeletons and zombies fell apart as if sliced by a saw, piling up around him. However, the undead surged even faster than before.

“How long do we have to keep up this nonsense?”

Cruel cursed.

His gaze shifted to the side.

It was where Roman was fighting.

Eujuk! Eujuk!

Roman, sweat pouring down, smashed the undead with his fists. Unlike most trainees who wielded swords, Roman fought with brass knuckles. Consequently, he bore more wounds than Cruel or other trainees. His clothes were stained crimson, and blood trickled from long gashes on his cheek.

He fought as fiercely as Cruel, perhaps even more so.

“Refreshing to see someone fight like that,” Cruel muttered.

Inspired by Roman’s display, Cruel charged back into the midst of the undead.

Lorena, too, fought with intensity. Thanks to the Frost Crystal bestowed by Duke Beowulf, her Frost Blade was now incomparably powerful. Skeletons froze upon contact, and zombies split apart when she slashed their chests.

Yet many undead remained, trampling over the corpses toward Lorena.

“Huueeup!”

Lorena raised her sword deliberately. Her eyes grew cold.

The energy flowing from the Frost Crystal entered her blade.

Suddenly, a chilling aura enveloped her.

Ice crystals formed on the ground.

“Seolhon Style – Winter’s Beginning”

The cold spread far more powerfully than during the train journey. The undead’s advance noticeably slowed.

Meanwhile…

Taah!

Lorena’s movements became much faster.

She swung her sword relentlessly, extending it forward.

No more freezing pain, no more frosty breath escaping her lips.

Unlike before, her Seolhon was now under control.

A faint smile played on her lips.

Quazajazajak!

Her results were astonishing, too.

Wherever Lorena had passed, dozens of undead froze and shattered into pieces.

Kasa, who had been struggling to fend off the undead, stared in awe.

“What… are they?”

Not long ago, Kasa believed he was only slightly less talented than Lorena and Cruel. Perhaps just a paper-thin difference.

But now, compared to them, he felt lacking.

Could he still aim for the top, despite the overwhelming gap?

“Stop these distractions!”

Hueeeooh!

Kasa’s thoughts shattered.

This wasn’t the time to lose focus.

Cruel had become even fiercer, yet regained stability within.

Lorena appeared free but slightly awkward, yet she grew stronger.

And Roman, like a Dark Horse, possessed skills that couldn’t be ignored.

Despite his injuries, he didn’t hesitate, landing powerful punches.

Why is he intentionally fighting while getting hurt?

Kasa couldn’t fathom his purpose, but it seemed deliberate.

He bit his lip.

Anxiety crept in.

He felt left behind, isolated.

His family’s revival seemed on the brink of collapse.

Mid-battle with the undead, Kasa glanced toward Yan.

He casually dispatched the undead, the gap between him and the trainees overwhelming.

Did Cruel and Lorena accompany him to the north?

Should he have humbled himself and joined Yan?

Had coming to the east to gather support been a mistake?

…

Conflicting thoughts swirled in her mind.

Kasa shook her head.

Now wasn’t the time for distractions.

“First, focus on survival.”

Survival came first.

* * *

The Abomination that had blocked Yan’s path disintegrated into particles, vanishing under the onslaught of divine power.

Yan wiped the sweat from his forehead. Normally, such a struggle would leave him exhausted, but somehow, vitality surged through his body.

Is it because of the divine energy?

Regardless, it was a fortunate turn of events.

In that moment, Monmon sensed the extraordinary morale Yan had absorbed and chuckled to himself.

[Remarkable morale—enough to sustain a century! This amount doesn’t occur naturally; perhaps there’s a Necromancer nearby?]

Monmon’s intuition was truly impressive. He knew about the existence of Necromancers from their battles during the Ancient Lich’s time and the insightful advice he provided.

However, this level of intuition was exceptional.

Yan smirked and asked, “Could that Necromancer be the Mage of Matap?”

Monmon bristled with indignation.

[That rascal! Is he suggesting that a Necromancer emerged from Matap, where Ich and the Laws are studied? Surely the wretched creature has captured Matap’s disciple!]

Indeed, it was an extraordinary level of trust.

Yan shrugged and surveyed his surroundings.

His companions were inspired by his actions, darting around and dispatching the undead.

Roman and Kasa had grown significantly, surpassing their peers. Their skills were far ahead.

However, they didn’t shine as brightly as Lorena and Cruel.

Lorena froze the undead with her icy breath, then shattered them. Cruel’s characteristic ferocity drove the undead horde back.

Given a little more time, they could eradicate the remaining undead on this plateau.

But time is running out.

The Abominations were already closing in, mere meters from the castle walls.

Now, only six Abominations remained, along with the Necromancer, the Lich Eamon, who controlled them.

Many challenges lay ahead.

“Are we still far away?” Yan asked.

[We haven’t even filled a third of the quota, you fool. Perhaps absorbing some of the monsters’ and the Necromancer’s energy might help?]

Yan shouted, “The four of you handle the two Abominations!”

His stamina wouldn’t suffice to deal with them alone.

Cruel and Lorena, both at the brink of reaching Grade 6, along with Roman and Kasa, could handle the task.

“Ridiculous! Are you saying you can handle the remaining monsters?”

“Exactly! Even if you’re strong, can you handle all those monsters?”

Roman and Kasa protested Yan’s words.

Although they had already defeated one Abomination, the fatigue from that battle was significant.

Handling four monsters alone was impossible for a human’s stamina.

However, Yan was already sprinting toward the distance.

As Kasa watched him, lost in thought…

“Heng!”

Cruel smashed three Duhrhans, grinning.

“Just do what that guy says. He’s breaking your common sense.”

“Even if he breaks our common sense, this…”

Lorena interrupted Kasa.

“Things were worse in the north. This isn’t anything special.”

Most of the undead here couldn’t even handle mana properly. They were like beasts seeking life force.

In the north, they faced various challenges.

They fought terrorists on the train, prevented a derailment, and even clashed with a savage horde alongside Duke Beowulf’s knights. They briefly faced a formidable giant.

Compared to those situations, although physically exhausting, this task wasn’t impossible.

Cruel and Lorena’s unwavering trust in Yan left Roman and Kasa speechless.

Although Yan wasn’t visible, these two trainees also possessed remarkable talents.

If Yan hadn’t been here, anyone could have claimed the top spot.

Frowning, Roman turned away. Then he clenched his knuckles.

“I’ll take on the monsters first.”

Cruel chuckled and waved his hand.

“Go ahead. Can you handle it just because he said so?”

* * *

Cruel watched the two advancing toward the Abomination, licking his lips.

“I wanted to go first, but my turn got stolen.”

Kasa glared at Cruel with sunken eyes.

At first, during the Dragon Knight Project, he wondered if this guy was obsessed with combat.

“…You’ve changed a lot.”

“What? What did that brat say?”

Kasa chewed his lips thoughtfully.

He had questions, but his pride held him back.

Even until the first test, he was confident he’d be above this guy no matter what.

Now, he found himself significantly surpassed.

As Kasa’s eyes reddened, he put all his strength into his foot.

Whooosh.

Wind Stride, learned on the third floor of the Royal Palace.

When mana flowed downward through his lower body, light erupted from Kasa’s feet.

At an incredible speed, he charged toward the Abomination.

He moved like a cheetah.

Watching from behind, Cruel’s expression darkened.

He didn’t know the Abomination’s strength, but one thing was certain.

“At least he’s stronger than that guy.”

Cruel chuckled in frustration.

“Did he develop an inflammation from living?”

If you’re going to die, don’t harm others.

“Ugh.”

Kasa sighed, and his silhouette blurred.

He had unknowingly stepped into the realm of inferiority.

Kasa remained unaware of this feeling called “inferiority.”