The Black Goat leaped freely across the moonlit grassland.

After Yulia set me down, I began briskly slaughtering the ever-present Corpse Eaters in the Hunter Settlement.

Bolstered by Yulia’s enhancement magic, my body felt lighter than ever. I stood boldly in the settlement square, joyfully cutting down Corpse Eaters.

I sliced them in two, hacked them apart, severed heads, and pierced hearts with a single thrust. Holding my pale blue bone blade, I laughed gleefully amid a sea of Corpse Eater and human corpses. My clear, bell-like laughter mixed with their hoarse roars, forming a brutal symphony.

I swung my long blade nonstop, releasing myself completely. Like a goat on the vast prairie, I bounded without restraint—slashing any foe, killing any ghoul.

At the center of the horde, I became a dark celestial body with strange gravity, pulling countless Corpse Eaters toward me. They surged in a black tide as I swung my sturdy bone blade, taller than myself, its eerie blue light flashing.

Every Corpse Eater near me stretched, compressed, overlapped, and turned to pulp—lost to the endless river of death.

Their attacks either missed me or were blocked by Yulia’s wind walls. I chopped off claws aimed at me, ripped out fangs bared at me. The ghost wielding the blade ruled the lives of mad, dull-witted Corpse Eaters; the silver-haired, crimson-eyed ghost commanded the flesh of hideous ones.

“Hahaha, Yulia! Your enhancement magic is incredible!” I shouted up to her, grinning.

“Thanks! Keep this up, Alice. Many Corpse Eaters are returning to the defenses—their numbers may grow.”

“Hahaha, the more, the better! I can’t lose now.”

So I slaughtered tirelessly through the settlement.

Gradually, deep red Corpse Eater blood soaked me. My bone blade, corroded by their gore, lost its blue sheen, turning dull red-black. But it still cut well enough. With Yulia’s help, I ignored their attacks, focused on turning every visible Corpse Eater to bones.

Suddenly, a Tearmarked Ghoul hidden in the shadows aimed at my blind spot. It swung a spear stolen from a dead cavalryman, thrusting at me.

Seriously? After being slaughtered one-sidedly for so long, you idiots never learn?

A wind wall blocked the spear. I darted beside the Tearmarked Ghoul and swung my blood-blackened blade, severing its spear-wielding arm.

“Yulia, perfect!” I taunted the one-armed ghoul while praising her.

“No problem. My magic’s draining slower than expected—I can hold on for half an hour more. Go all—”

Yulia’s words cut off as black arrows shot from the forest depths, targeting her midair. Luckily, a snow-white young Unicorn materialized under the silver moon, leaping to block the surprise shots. Yulia dodged the rapid arrows like a nimble hummingbird.

Then, a spear-wielding Corpse Eater and an archer Corpse Eater emerged from the forest.

“Corpse Eaters using weapons? Ancient strains! Alice, prioritize killing those two fresh from the woods!”

But as I charged them, the spear-wielder growled low, aimed at Yulia, and hurled its iron spear with a desperate heave. The spear whistled through air, shattering the young Unicorn’s spirit form. Faster than lightning, it pierced Yulia’s body as she dodged arrows.

Yulia drifted down like a broken butterfly, landing on the settlement street, surrounded by Corpse Eaters.

“Yulia!” I spun back, ignoring the strange ghouls, sprinting toward her. But another Tearmarked Ghoul dropped from a rooftop, stabbing my back with a stolen cavalry spear. Without Yulia’s support, the fine weapon pierced my chest, pinning me to the ground.

“What a joke!”

Agony flared in my chest. Lying prone, I glared at Yulia, motionless and being approached by ghouls. Damn it—we held out nearly an hour. Dante, where’s your promised backup?

I struggled to crawl toward her, but the Tearmarked Ghoul pressed its foot on my back, forcing my head down. Far off, Corpse Eaters tugged at Yulia’s frail body, ready to devour her.

What a joke. Filthy Corpse Eaters—don’t touch my Yulia.

“If you dare lay a finger on Yulia, I’ll kill you all!” I roared in Great Ghoul Tongue, activating an Intermediate Incantation. The feeding Corpse Eaters instantly froze, obedient.

But the Tearmarked Ghoul slashed my shoulder, roaring loudly to break my Word Spirit.

The ghouls snapped awake, lunging at Yulia again.

What a joke. I told you not to touch her! Don’t you hear me?

I writhed free, ignoring chest pain and the spear pinning me. Crawling, I let the spear’s edge slice from chest to shoulder, leaving a long gash. Finally free, I stood.

The Tearmarked Ghoul hesitated, surprised, then charged.

Gritting my teeth, I poured every drop of remaining magic into Dark Magic Fire.

“Impale them, Corpse Eaters,” I chanted in Great Ghoul Tongue.

Flames erupted as countless spears, piercing the Corpse Eaters surrounding Yulia. Ugly ghouls barely reacted before black-flame lances impaled them from below. They writhed, burned, and soon breathed their last.

The despairing black spears glowed faint blue in the night—eerie, ominous. Silent and threatening, they stood like death’s sentinels, separating the ghoul horde from Yulia.

Yulia lay safe within the ring of fiery spears, unharmed.

--Illustration 6

Yulia slowly rose in the spear circle, clutching her stomach wound, waving exaggeratedly at me—trying to say something.

Honestly, that girl. Always so jumpy till the end. Whatever she wanted to say could wait until we were truly safe.

I waved back, relieved.

Before I could react, the wounded, magic-drained me was tackled by the Tearmarked Ghoul. It savagely bit my flesh. Other Corpse Eaters swarmed, tearing at my bloody body, dismembering my weakened form.

I lay content, enduring the cute Corpse Eaters’ gentle nibbling.

Ah, what a shame. I won’t get to hear Yulia’s final words after all.