Hilda and Lara were able to hold off the fake villagers as Ren was fighting the Elder Lich. The fight against the fake villagers wasn’t as hard as the two girls expected. The fake villagers were indeed stronger and faster than some monsters, but they acted on instinct with no thought whatsoever. Their movements were predictable and they had no battle skill. Overall they were nothing but a pack of wild animals.

Though it was easy to predict their movements to evade and counterattack, it was hard to kill the fake villagers. Seeing as their endurance and regenerative abilities were top class. If you aren’t able to blow their heads off in one shot, they will still regenerate. Even if you cut off their heads and it separates from their bodies they could still regenerate somehow. The only way to kill them completely is smashing the whole head or to make it explode.

Among the two girls only Lara has the ability to do that, so while she was concentrating on gathering mana and using intermediate level spells from the back, Hilda protected her.

…

While the two girls were nearing the end of their battle. Ren and Alfred’s battle was also reaching its climax. The six sword like needles pierced into Ren’s right arm sucking in blood. Alfred who saw this was surprised, a weapon that needs the owner’s blood to function was something he has never seen before. Yet what surprised him even more, was what happened next.

Ren was suddenly being surrounded by black mana and this mana formed into something like a black cloak with a hood. When Alfred saw this black mana surrounding Ren, he quickly understood what it was seeing as he too was using the same kind of mana. This was Death energy, yet unlike Alfred’s, the Death energy surrounding Ren was of a much purer quality. It was like Ren was the personification of Death itself. Well that’s what it felt like but of course Ren was still far from controlling this energy adequeatly.

“I see so the weapon you are using is from a God of Death. I wonder which one bestowed you with its weapon…” Ren didn’t bother to respond, which made Alfred chuckle.

“It doesn’t matter as long as I win, I will have all the answers. [Mass summon undead] my subjects protect me.” Alfred used a larger amount of mana to summon a dozen undead to protect him, this time the summons were of a much higher quality than the last. Half of the undead were fully equipped warriors and the other half were archers.

“Icy frost that makes the bones tremble, shivering cold that makes the soul quiver-” Alfred then started to chant, this was a Master level spell. If Ren allowed Alfred to finish his spell, he was sure that he, Lara, and Hilda, the three of them will die.

Seeing this Ren was about to ask Silika something, but as if anticipating his question, Silika answered before he could ask anything.

‘Master even if I suck your blood dry, at our current state we won’t be able to face that spell head on. The best I can do right now is either to strengthen the mana of death surrounding you to somehow endure the spell, or to teleport you above ground and if you want to save the two girls you need to be beside them before teleporting.’

Hearing Silika’s advice Ren still decided to continue the fight and used [boost] and [enhance] as he charged forward. The undead Alfred summoned obviously blocked his path. Ren slashed at them, as he was about to slice through all the five warrior undead Alfred Summoned, the undead archers fired arrows at him. Ren seeing as there was no time to even make a pseudo [magic barrier], or evade Ren decided to take the hit as he sliced through all the undead warriors.

An arrow had pierced through the mana surrounding him and got stuck on his shoulder, and another one was stuck at the left side of his chest. Ren had no time to be bothered by this as he went onward and destroyed the remaining undead summons.

When Ren was done, he heard Alfred’s chant was nearing its end. He now had three paths available to him. The first path was that he defends himself from the incoming spell and after he endures it, Alfred who has used up a lot of mana and will not be expecting him to survive could be easily ambushed.

The second path was that he rushes towards his two companions and retreat from battle. The final path would be Ren would risk it all and attack Alfred. It would either end with Ren killing Alfred before he activates the spell or Ren and his companions dying to Alfred’s spell.

If this was the former Ren he who would have risked it all and attacked Alfred. Yet the moment he thought of this, the faces of his parents, Valdel, Lara, Lisa, and even Hilda came into mind. Ren even remembered that promise he made with Valdel that only he knows.

…

Alfred was finally done with gathering mana, and finishing the spell words, he then activated his spell. “[Cocytus]” once Alfred activated his spell, the whole underground area was suddenly covered in thick ice. Afterward, the whole area was filled with piercing icicles from below and above, the only safe spot was were Alfred was standing.

Everything underground at the moment the spell activated was either dead or sealed in ice. Alfred surveyed the area and saw no trace of Ren and his companions.

“So they escaped, how unexpected… I really wanted to know the boy’s origin, as well as the origin of the weapon he was using, but…” Alfred felt the amount of mana he had at the moment was minuscule. If Ren decided to come back and finish him off, it would be as easy as killing an ant.

‘I’m sure he and I will be able to meet again. For now, I need to escape and regather the mana I lost today..’ After thinking this Alfred left the underground tunnels.