Chapter Ten

Otto clutched his chest, his breaths coming in shallow, strained gasps. He took a good, hard look at the blade that was mere inches away from his face and thought about how narrowly he had escaped its deadly kiss.

Drizzle. Cold sweat trickled down his back like thawing snow.

“You’re a rat, a rat trapped in this stony grave.” Regardless of your efforts, you will not evade my retribution. Nazrac forced his skeletal body into the crack.

“Nooo!” Otto staggered backward, dodging the undead lord’s advances and seeking deeper refuge within the vast mound of rubble. However, with each retreat, the walls seemed to close in on him.

“Huh?”

Otto gasped when he felt the cold, hard touch of stone against his back. He had nowhere else to go now. The dreary cackle of the undead lord grew increasingly louder with each second.

I-Is this the end? Otto’s mind went blank. He had never been in such a tight spot before. Sure, he had aggro-ed undead monsters away in his previous run-throughs of the game, but he never had Nazrac, possessing the body of an undead monster, come for him directly. A chilling realization dawned on Otto—the world he was in right now was real; he was not in a game.

Is this where I die? Otto’s hope was beginning to dwindle when his eyes caught something.

T-that’s it! Otto spotted a precarious outcrop at the base of an arch of jagged rocks.

Please let this work... Please! Desperately clutching at straws, he kicked the rock with everything he had. With a resounding crash, the unstable arch of rocks buckled and collapsed onto Nazrac.

“Gaaaah!” Nazrac, now trapped beneath the rubble, howled in agony, thrashing wildly like a beast. He was so close to getting Otto...

“I’ll kill you eventually... You treacherous bastard!” Nazrac let out a terrifying roar, swinging his sword at Otto with all his might.

Whish! Swish!

Much to the undead lord’s chagrin, Otto remained out of his sword’s reach. The pile of rubble covered him from the waist down, making further approach impossible.

“It... c-can’t reach this far,” Otto stammered.

He released a sigh of relief upon realizing that Nazrac’s attacks couldn’t reach him. He really thought he was done for and was about to succumb to the necro-lord’s threats.

“Swindler! Deceiver! Trickster! Come hither! Come here so that I can give you what you’ve earned! Never have I allowed a snake in the grass to slither away! Never!” Nazrac squirmed, attempting to slay Otto, but to no avail.

With the lower half of his body pinned, his swings were feeble and flailing, and he couldn’t muster the power to inflict a fatal wound on Otto.

“Come here! Come, you fool!”

“No, I think I’m quite comfortable right here.”

“You son of a b*tch!”

“Oh, do try a bit harder and kill me already!” Otto taunted. “Just as I thought. Your bony arm and that janky sword can’t reach me!”

“I’ll cleave you from groin to gullet, you wretched bastard!”

“You can’t understand the current situation, can you? Oh, I forgot. Your head’s all bony and empty up there.” After saying that, Otto kicked Nazrac’s thrashing head.

“Grr... You little...”

Nazrac was absolutely livid, but he couldn’t act on his fury because he was haplessly incapacitated. If he had possessed the body of a high-level death knight, escaping from this situation would have been easy. However, for the skeleton knight, it was an impossible feat.

“I’m terribly sorry for the inconvenience.” Otto snickered condescendingly as he continued conversing with Nazrac. “I must say, I’m quite grateful.”

The hatred and malice in the undead lord’s eyes intensified.

“Thanks to you, I acquired three realms for free.”

The necro-lord remained silent as Otto continued.

“Solun, Lassenou, and Orte. You see, Nazrac, these realms were direct competitors of mine. Geographically, they would’ve posed a hindrance to my territorial expansion.”

“Wh-what are you saying?”

“You made things easier for me by sacking them. Fighting them directly would’ve been too bothersome and exhausting on my part, but thanks to you, I didn’t have to lift a finger.”

When facing an unbeatable enemy, exploitation was more effective than direct confrontation. Then, once their usefulness had run its course, it was time to blindside them for a quick kill. Such maneuvering formed the cornerstone of his playstyle. He was a greedy opportunist, relentlessly pursuing gains through a meticulously plotted scheme...

“Why, you little... How dare you use me?”

“What? Did you think I’d willingly become a thrall to an undead monster like you?” Otto retorted, tapping his skull. “Try to think with that bony head of yours.”

“Ungrateful mongrel... You really have the audacity to bite the hand that feeds you...”

“Tsk, tsk. Maybe it’s because being undead means you lack a brain. You’re a bit on the slower side of things, aren’t you? Your ill-conceived attacks five centuries ago spelled your doom in pretty much the same way. Clearly, the importance of strategic thinking and diplomacy is beyond you.”

“Otto... How dare you... Otto!”

It was then that the moment Otto had been waiting for arrived.

Thud!

Nazrac’s head slumped down, the ghastly glow from his eyes now replaced by two black voids.

[Notification: You have cleared the quest “Survive the Battle, Otto de Scuderia!”]

At the same time, another notification window popped open. Ten minutes had passed already.

[Notification: Nazrac’s scenario has been deleted!]

This meant Nazrac had lost his position as one of the hundred lords and would be removed from the game’s storyline. Such a phenomenon occurred when one lord triumphed over another.

It also meant the player could no longer enjoy his unique scenarios, various quests, and other benefits of using that character. In other words, it signified that Camille had successfully destroyed Nazrac’s portrait.

“Huzzah!”

“We won! Victory is ours!”

“Hooray for Eiota!”

“Hip, hip, hooray!”

“We’ve put the evil undead back in their places!”

The triumphant soldiers of Eiota filled the air with their cheers, evidence of Camille’s success.

“I really thought I was done for.” Otto let out a long sigh of relief and attempted to slip out of the rubble. However, much to his horror… “Uh, how do I get out of here...?”

The collapsed rocks had sealed the opening, leaving him no way out.

Am I... trapped?

* * *

The soldiers were busy in the aftermath of the battle when they realized something was amiss.

“The lord! Where is our lord? Has anyone seen him?”

As soon as Camille had destroyed Nazrac’s portrait, he rushed to the courtyard in search of Otto.

“I saw him running off somewhere... I’m not sure exactly where, though.”

“He headed in that direction earlier...”

Amidst the chaos of battle, the soldiers had lost track of Otto’s whereabouts on the battlefield.

“Tend to the wounded!” Camille shouted. “Identify the fallen and make sure every soldier is accounted for!”

“Yes, Sir Camille!”

Camille also ordered his soldiers to search for Otto, but no one could find him. The collapsed pile of rubble was too deep, muffling Otto’s cries for help.

“We will withdraw from the citadel for now.”

After several hours of fruitless searching, Camille finally gave up and ordered the army to pull out.

He must have another plan in mind. Otto’s sudden appearances in various locations over the last few days had convinced the knight that his lord had another masterful plan up his sleeve.

“Hey! You buffoons! Please don’t tell me you left me behind! Did you forget about me, huh?” Otto seethed from the rubble mound, furious that his men hadn’t come to his rescue.

However, with the army’s withdrawal, he found himself trapped in the debris, suffering from cold and hunger. He remained in that state for a full three days.

“H-help me... I’m here... P-please...”

“Wait, I think I heard something!” shouted an Eiotian soldier. “Is that you, Your Lordship?”

“I’m... in... here...”

The same soldier, who had his ears pricked up, hollered, “Here! He’s here! Come quickly!”

The rescue team dispatched by Camille unearthed Otto from the rubble, ensuring his safe return to Eiota. Sensing something amiss when Otto failed to return even three days after the battle, Camille had his men do another sweep of Nazrac’s citadel for good measure.

Upon safely returning to his castle and taking two days to recuperate, Otto confronted his knight, pouring out his pent-up feelings of resentment and betrayal.

“Traitor,” he uttered, his eyes narrowing with anger.

“No, my lord. I would never betray you.”

“I don’t believe a word of it. Your lord went missing, and you packed up your bags and just left.”

“W-well, that’s...”

Otto leaned in. “Didn’t you wonder whether I died or not? Hmm? Or were you hoping I’d remain missing?”

“Never, my lord. Never.”

“I find that hard to believe, especially since you ditched me.”

“F-forgive me, my lord.”

Otto’s brows shot up. “What? Forgive you? If a mere apology could appease everyone, the world would be an absolute paradise, Sir Camille.”

“No, my lord—”

“Quit saying that,” Otto snapped. “It gets on my nerves.”

“Yes... my lord.”

Otto drummed his fingers on the table. “So, were you planning to seize my lands and title if I died or went missing?”

Camille wanted to retort, No sane man would want to take over this failing rural realm, even if it was for free! but thought better of it and bit his tongue. “No. That’s not true at all, my—”

“What’s that now?” Otto glowered at his knight. “I said I didn’t want to hear that word anymore, didn’t I? It vexes me greatly.”

“Forgive me, my lord.”

“And stop apologizing. That’s even more irritating.”

Otto reprimanded Camille for nearly two hours. Having endured three days trapped and starving inside the cold rubble, he found it hard to shake off his frustration.

* * *

After the extended castigation, Otto had finally calmed down.

“So, how are you holding up? Any injuries?” Otto asked Camille.

The knight didn’t seem to be in good condition, having sustained injuries while battling the guardian monsters protecting Nazrac’s portrait.

“These wounds are nothing, my lord.”

“Well, that’s reassuring to hear.”

Camille grazed the bandaged wounds. “In fact, I feel rather good.”

“How so? Enjoyed the feeling of blood pumping through your veins after so long, didn’t you?” Smirking playfully, Otto continued. “Or maybe you’re pleased to have gained valuable insights into swordsmanship during the tough battle?”

“H-how did you know that, Lord?” Camille asked, surprised.

“I have my ways, Sir Camille. I have my ways.”

A self-satisfied grin spread across Otto’s face as the knight stared back at him in disbelief. “I know more than you think, and I see everything with these eyes.”

Camille’s capabilities were intended to increase significantly upon the completion of the mission to destroy Nazrac’s portrait. This growth was fueled by the experiences gained in battle.

“Anyway, it all worked out well in the end.”

“Thank goodness it did. By the way...” Camille took out a violet crystal orb and handed it to Otto. “I obtained this item after destroying the undead lord’s portrait.”

“Oh, yes. I forgot about this thing.”

Camille glanced up at Otto. “Do you know what that is?”

“That I do,” Otto replied as he accepted the orb.

[Notification: You have obtained the Orb of Destruction!]

The item’s description was as follows:

[Orb of Destruction]

An orb that once belonged to Nazrac, who attempted to establish the undead realm known as the Immortal Kingdom. Its purpose has yet to be discovered.

Type: Jewel (orb)

Tier: Unique

Durability: Invincible

Notes: Information about the orb may be discovered through researching ancient texts and literature.

I finally got my hands on one item. Otto’s eyes lit up with anticipation. The [Orb of Destruction] was one of the essential materials needed for the awakening event. It was a precious item used to turn the infamous trash-tier character, Otto de Scuderia, into an overpowered lord.

I’ll stash it for now. It won’t be useful until I collect the Orb of Hatred and the Orb of Terror. Otto carefully tucked the [Orb of Destruction] into his magical pocket, also known as the inventory.

“Good work, Sir Camille.”

“Your words are too kind, my lord.”

Otto raised a finger. “Oh, and one more thing. Being a sensible lord, I’d hate to say this to an injured subject, but... we’ll have to postpone your rest for a while.”

“My lord?”

“Summon the entire army and prepare for battle.”

“Right this moment?” Camille asked, his eyes growing wide.

“The ground is littered with ripe pickings, my dearest Knight Commander, and we owe it to ourselves to harvest them before someone else does.”

“I don’t quite understand what you’re saying...”

“Solun, Lassenou, and Orte,” Otto listed. “Should we leave those realms unattended?”

In an instant, realization flashed in Camille’s eyes.

“Now is our chance. With our current military strength, we can effortlessly claim those lands. Don’t you agree?”

Camille was rendered speechless by Otto’s suggestion.

Did he plan to exploit the necro-lord from the very beginning? If that’s the case, then all of this has been the result of a single, terrifying strategy conceived in his mind... Is he still the man that I knew? It’s almost as if... he’s a completely different person.

Oblivious to what Camille was thinking, Otto interrupted him mid-thought. “Sir Camille,” he called, beaming as he addressed his mightiest night.

“Here and at the ready.” Camille kneeled on one knee without hesitation.

“Assemble the army, for we will ride to Solun, Lassenou, and Orte to claim these lands in my name!”

“As you command, my liege.”

This was a golden opportunity for the lowly state of Eiota to expand its borders. Therefore, Otto had to act quickly. He couldn’t give the burning realms enough time to regroup for a defense.

“Rise, knight of Eiota, and let us go.”

“Will you lead this campaign?” Camille inquired, visibly surprised.

“Shall I just sit back and eat more grapes?”

“Your body is weakened from the days of starvation, my lord.”

“It’s not like I’m going to fight on the frontlines.” Otto waved his hand dismissively before taking a step forward and glancing back at his knight. “I must demonstrate to the troops that I’m leading them. They need to see that I’m with them every step of the way.”

“That is... a fair point.”

“So, tired and gaunt I may be, this journey I must bear.”

“Then I shall be your sword and shield, my lord.”

As he watched Otto take the lead, Camille couldn’t help but sense the echoes of the former lord’s presence lingering in his son. The mightiest knight of Eiota trailed behind his lord, a subtle smile playing on the corner of his lips.