Chapter 42: One Man Army: The Slaughter In The Grand Hall

The silence in the hall didn’t last long.

Reiji stood still for a moment, his eyes scanning the entire battlefield. Then he moved.

BOOM!

The ground cracked beneath his feet as his body vanished forward.

SLASH!

A high-ranking Undead’s head flew into the air. Before it even hit the ground...

SLASH!

Another one split apart. The hall erupted instantly.

"What is this speed?!" One of the Undead King’s Generals blurted out.

"I don’t think it’s normal speed..." Another said.

"It’s like he’s traveling from one point without moving."

"No, I think you’re wrong. It’s both..." The Undead General in the middle spoke, the flames in its eyes flickering.

"That’s not the point right now! Intercept him!"

"Don’t let him move freely!"

But Reiji was already inside them.

BOOM!

A D+ Rank Undead swung its blade down with full force.

Reiji tilted his body slightly.

CLANG!

The attack missed by a hair’s breadth. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

SLASH!

The Undead collapsed, headless. The system chimed immediately.

Ding!

[Host has killed a D+ Rank Undead Soldier.]

[+2 EXP]

[Host has gained an Undead King’s Soldier Core.]

Reiji didn’t stop. His body twisted mid-air.

SLASH! SLASH!

Two more fell. But this time the undead finally reacted as a unit.

"COVER HIM!" a General roared. The remaining undead moved together, not randomly, but in coordinated formation like a massive, bone-filled wave crashing forward.

Reiji’s eyes narrowed slightly.

’A formation? Interesting.’

He grinned. This was exactly what he needed, more targets, more EXP, more cores.

He activated Shadow Step once more, his figure flickering like a ghost through the ranks. The long bone sword in his hand became a whirlwind of death. Low-ranking skeletons were mowed down by the dozens. High-ranking ones lasted only seconds longer.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The notifications rang in his head nonstop. Reiji’s EXP bar climbed as hundreds of undead fell, despite gaining only one or two EXP from killing them, his EXP bar was still rising like crazy because of their number, while also gaining their cores, and what’s more, he wasn’t even feeling tired.

BOOM!

Bones shattered, armor cracked, and the once-immaculate grand hall turned into a graveyard of broken skeletons.

The Velsra, still hiding behind a pillar near the entrance, peeked out with wide eyes.

"My Lord is... a monster," it whispered in awe, its earlier fear completely replaced by excitement.

The Six Generals watched the slaughter with growing disbelief. Their army, thousands strong, was being dismantled by a single human.

"Enough!" the central General bellowed. "All Generals, attack! We end this now!"

The six elite skeletons leaped from their thrones simultaneously. Each one radiated an oppressive aura far stronger than the regular troops. Their crimson eye flames burned like blazing torches as they descended upon Reiji from multiple directions.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Six powerful attacks landed almost at the same time. Reiji blocked two with his sword but was forced back by the sheer combined force of the others. The impact sent him skidding across the floor, his shoes carving deep grooves into the stone.

’Tch. Not bad,’ Reiji thought, wiping a small trail of blood from the corner of his mouth. The Generals were D++ Rank; they weren’t far behind the Undead King and because they were now working together, their coordination made them far more dangerous than the King had been alone.

They didn’t give him a moment to breathe. One General swung a massive war hammer while another thrust a spear from the side. A third unleashed a wave of dark energy that restricted Reiji’s movement.

Reiji dodged and parried desperately, but the numerical advantage was real. He was pushed back again and again, barely avoiding fatal blows. A grazing hit from a General’s axe tore through his shoulder, drawing fresh blood.

"Ha! The creature bleeds!" one General laughed triumphantly. "Surround and crush him!"

The six closed in like a cage of death.

Reiji’s eyes flashed coldly.

’Time to stop playing around.’

"Mana Manipulation!"

He poured his mana into Sword Dancer, amplifying its effects. The skill responded instantly, the world around him slowing even further. Every swing, every step, every opening in the Generals’ formation became crystal clear.

Ding!

[Skill: Sword Dancer has met the required conditions and leveled up to LV2!]

[Skill: Sword Dancer has met the required conditions and leveled up to LV3!]

Power surged through Reiji. His movements became impossibly fluid, like a deadly dance where he was both performer and conductor.

"Now... let’s end this."

He activated Soul Torture Flame. Amber flames exploded along the long bone sword, turning it into a blazing weapon of torment. The flames licked hungrily, carrying the soul-burning property that had once terrified even the Undead King.

Reiji vanished.

SLASH!

The first General never saw the attack coming. The flaming bone sword carved through its neck and chest in one smooth arc. Dark flames immediately spread across its body, eating away at its core.

"Impossible...!" it screamed before collapsing into burning ash.

The remaining five Generals roared in fury and attacked together, but Reiji was no longer the same. With Sword Dancer at LV3 and Mana Manipulation boosting every motion, he danced through their strikes like they were standing still.

SLASH! SLASH!

Two more Generals fell in quick succession, their bodies bisected cleanly. Soul Torture Flame burned their cores even as they tried to regenerate.

The last three fought desperately, combining their auras into a powerful shield. But Reiji simply poured more mana into the blade and unleashed a devastating overhead strike.

BOOOOM!

The flaming sword shattered their defense. One by one, the final Generals were cut down in a storm of slashes and amber flames. Their screams echoed through the hall as they disintegrated.

Ding!

[Host has killed a D++ Rank Undead King’s General.]

[+10 EXP]

[Host has gained an Undead King’s General Core.]

Ding!

[Host has killed a D++ Rank Undead King’s General.]

[+10 EXP]

[Host has gained an Undead King’s General Core.]

...

Silence returned to the hall. Thousands of undead lay destroyed. Only broken bones and lingering flames remained.

Ding!

[King’s Summon (D) has been unlocked!]

[You have collected enough cores from the Undead Legion. The skill is now fully available.]

Reiji stood in the center of the carnage, breathing steadily, the flaming sword still in his hand. He felt stronger than ever.

The Velsra burst out from its hiding spot and rushed toward him, eyes sparkling with worship.

"My Lord! That was incredible! You slaughtered them all like they were nothing! The way you moved, so majestic! So powerful! You truly are the new ruler of this palace! I knew from the moment I saw you that you were destined for greatness! Please allow this humble servant to..."

Reiji ignored the nonstop praise, walking past the excited creature without a glance. Velsra continued babbling happily behind him, undeterred.

Ding!

[Main Quest (2): I Came To Conquer Completed!]

[Congratulations, Host! You have gained 0.5% of an Origin Divine Inferno Dragon Bloodline, 3 Bronze Mystery Gift Boxes, 5 Mystery Items, +5 added to all stats, ownership of the Undead King’s Palace!]

Ding!

[As Master, you may now rename the palace as you wish. Would you like to change the name? [Y/N]]

Reiji smirked as he looked around at his new domain. The ruined hall, the mountain of cores and bones, and the loyal and annoying Velsra at his side.

This was only the beginning.