At first, we assumed the first hero's body was immune to becoming undead. Quickly, we found our assumption to be wrong as a hand grasped the edge of the stone coffin.
"He's… moving!" [Raon]
The first hero rose in the grave, allowing his two swords sticking out of his back to glimmer in the torchlight. As he pulled himself out, the first step filled the room with a sense of oppression.
("The hell is this?!") [Solace]
"Wh-what?!" [Yandel]
It was as if something was really pressing down on us. So much so that it forced everyone in the room to kneel.
"Command him to stop!" [Balyagha]
It appeared that even the caster was affected.
"First hero, withdraw your pressure!" [Yandel]
The weight lifted, but the threat was still there. In all his glory, the first hero stood upright with lifeless eyes glazed over. As we caught our breath, Yandel let out a small chuckle.
"A-As expected of the first hero. Such presence. Such power…!" [Yandel]
The necromancer then broke into hysterical laughter. Though I would say I thought he was crazy, it was already a given.
"Your next command, kill them!" [Yandel]
You know, he said "them". As in, plural. There's just one problem. That bastard pointed at me.
"Get ready-!" [Solace]
I blacked out.
"Alert: |Blooming Undying| activation confirmed. All debuffs have been dispelled. Health and mana have been restored. All stats increased by fifty percent. Sanity has dropped by ten percent." [Spirit Guide]
I awoke the first hero standing over me, staring directly into my eyes. His fist was red with blood, probably my blood.
"|Thunderbolt La-" [Solace]
I blacked out again.
"Alert: |Blooming Undying| activation confirmed. All debuffs have been dispelled. Health and mana have been restored. All stats increased by fifty percent. Sanity has dropped by ten percent." [Spirit Guide]
Once again, my eyes opened to meet the first hero's.
"Alt!" [Raon]
He lunged at the hero from behind, who only ignored him as Raon's blades bounced off his military jacket.
"It's… tough?!" [Raon]
"|Flux|!" [Leon]
A skill I haven't seen her use in a while. It was an ability used to pull something towards her. However, the first hero didn't budge.
"Eh?" [Leon]
She looked confused until we spotted the first hero's feet dug into the ground.
("He countered it like that?!") [Solace]
What a monster.
"|Lightweight|! |Thundering Palm|!" [Leon]
In a desperate attempt to deal some form of damage, Leon flew at him prior to hitting him with a lightning infused palm strike. Unfortunately, the electricity seemed to travel through his clothing before dissipating.
"His clothing is made of some kind of tough material! Aim for his exposed head!" [Fina]
Leon and Raon moved into action. Raon jumped with his leg raised while Leon pulled out a dagger and aimed for the neck.
"|Enrage|! |Physical Boost|! |Executioner's Drop|!" [Raon]
"|Cold Sting|!" [Leon]
Without even turning his head, the first hero caught Raon's leg and Leon's arm. There was enough force to make the ground beneath him crack and bend, but he still stood firm.
"This is ridiculous…!" [Raon]
As he began to fall upside down, Leon continued on.
"|Displacement|!" [Leon]
She split into four, one of them still with their arm caught. The three free ones rushed the hero, attempting to stab the throat again.
"|Cold Sting|!" [Leon] [Leon] [Leon]
Within an instant, they all vanished.
"...Eh?" [Leon]
I sensed great danger as the first hero slowly turned his head towards Leon.
("He's gonna kill her!") [Solace]
"|Holy Ray|!" [???]
The first hero released his grip on my allies before evading a golden beam of light. Turning towards the source, it looked like Fina successfully cured Wilharrow of the |Demonic Energy|.
"Someone fill me in! Who is that?!" [Wilharrow]
"It's the first hero! He's turned into an undead!" [Raon]
Wilharrow took up his holy sword and gripped its handle with worry.
"...Raon, Leon, Alt! We need to finish this quickly! Fina won't last long!" [Wilharrow]
("What?") [Solace]
That wasn't right. Wilharrow was finally up and running. Did Fina not cure him? Is what I thought until I saw Fina on the ground with |Demonic Energy| markings.
("...She transferred it to herself?!") [Solace]
It was stupid, but it was a Fina-like thing to do.
"Gods damn it!" [Solace]
We all rushed the first hero, who stood motionless.
"Solidify, Tenesaxum! |Molten Conjuration|!" [Raon]
"Deliver unto my victims divine retribution, Scika!" [Leon]
"|Physical Boost|! |Agility Boost|! |Blazing Trail|! |Divine Weapon Resonance|!" [Wilharrow]
"|Reinforce|! |Doppelganger|! |Thunderbolt Lance|! |Grygand|!" [Solace]
Raon encased his weapons with molten lava. Leon brought out her colossal greatsword. Wilharrow burned brightly with his divine sword radiating untapped power. Then there was me, summoning my clone where we both thrusted with immense speed and power. We all moved in sync, leaving no time for our opponent to deal with one of us at a time.
"Don't just stand there! Do something!" [Yandel]
And so the first hero did. He caught the combined effort of mine, my clone's, and Wilharrow's sword between the fingers of one hand. Our power singed his hand, but there was no sign of pain. As for Leon, she was countered by a kick the moment her sword was in motion, breaking both her arms. Raon got off easier. In a show of overwhelming strength, Raon's weapons were crushed within the palm of the first hero's hand.
"Don't stop! I'll make an opening!" [Raon]
Raising his fist, Raon slammed it into the ground.
"|Volcanic Arena|!" [Raon]
Lava erupted from below, creating a small obsidian floor beneath our allies. As for our enemies, the two demons simply flew. The first hero, however, was somehow capable of walking on lava.
"|Obsidian Arms|!" Raon]
Lava hardened around Raon's arms as he dove into the lava, similarly to how he fought me in the tournament. I can't blame him for reverting to old ways. His weapons were broken. In the meantime, the hero simply approached us slowly.
"|Wind Edge|!" [Solace]
I tried supporting Raon with a few long range spells, but they simply bounced off the hero's clothing. Raon then leapt out of the lava, striking from behind.
"|Shattering Blow|!" [Raon]
His |Obsidian Arms| blew apart on impact, pelting the first hero with shrapnel. Even so, it looked like a mild annoyance when the hero turned around before slamming Raon into the ground.
"Raon!" [Wilharrow]
"|Liquid Blast|!" [Solace]
I created a path in the lava by turning it into obsidian, allowing us to rush over.
"Stop messing around, first hero! Just kill them!" [Yandel]
The first hero raised Raon again.
"Stop!" [Wilharrow]
As we tried to come to Raon's rescue, he was slammed into the floor once again, shutting off the |Volcanic Arena|. Only then, did the hero release Raon. I watched as my ally hit the ground, limp with blood oozing out of his head.
"Y-You bastaaard!" [Wilharrow]
Wilharrow casted |Summon Flame| to fire at a distance, and |Holy Blade| once he got closer. The first hero responded by swatting away the fire before sidestepping Wilharrow's shining slash. He then retaliated with a blow to Wilharrow's chest, completely drilling a massive hole straight through.
"W-Wilharrow!" [Solace]
Even when I knew he'd revive, I feared that Wilharrow would become a corpse if he was killed again like I did. I jumped in with Doppel in order to secure either Wilharrow or Raon. Hopefully both.
"Doppel, distract him!" [Solace]
I dove to grab Wilharrow first, but felt an intense pain in my legs.
"Agh!" [Solace]
I fell helplessly, turning to see what happened.
"M… My legs!" [Solace]
They were both bent in an unnatural direction, and Doppel was limp on the ground.
("He killed Doppel?!") [Solace]
I don't even know why I was surprised. I was already killed twice without being able to react already.
"|Small Cu-" [Solace]
As if reading my intentions, the first hero grabbed Wilharrow's sword and cut off both my arms.
"Ack! Fuck!" [Solace]
Blood spewed everywhere as I cried out in pain, which was interrupted with a swift kick.
"Ugh!" [Solace]
I was sent flying to a wall, unable even to fall because that first hero asshole threw Wilharrow's sword to skewer my guts and pin me there. It was as if he knew I'd revive if I died and decided to leave me teetering on the edge.
"Urgh…!" [Wilharrow]
Wilharrow let out a painful groan as the hole in his torso completed its healing thanks to the effect of |Last Stand|. There must be something the first hero did because this regeneration usually is faster.
"Hurry! Kill them!" [Yandel]
The first hero took one step towards Wilharrow before stopping in his tracks. He looked confused, until he looked down.
"...Raon?" [Wilharrow]
A hand was firmly latched onto the first hero's ankle. Namely, Raon's hand.
"..." [First Hero]
As if he was tired of Raon's persistence, the first hero reached for the black sword sticking out of his back.
"S-Stop him!" [Solace]
I tried pulling myself through the sword, yet I was unable to get past the wide guard near the handle.
"|Holy Ray|!" [Wilharrow]
He fired it off from point blank. Such holy power should've done something to an undead. In spite of that, the first hero tanked it and grabbed his sword.
"...Eh?" [Wilharrow]
What came next was a surprise. Instead of unsheathing the blade, all the first hero did was drop his hand before shaking intensely.
"What are you doing?! Are you defying my orders?!" [Yandel]
The quaking of the first hero came to a stop, then a sigh was released.
"...To think I would be taken advantage of even in death." [First Hero]
His voice was deep and melancholic. Almost… nostalgic.
"Wha-?! He's gained consciousness?!" [Yandel]
"Calm down! He's still under your necromancy!" [Balyagha]
"Th-That's right! First hero, kill the humans before you!" [Yandel]
We all watched the first hero for his next actions, expecting some form of violence. Instead, he just cracked his neck and started stretching.
"My body is quite stiff from being dead." [First Hero]
After finishing up his stretching session, the hero faced the two demons. As soon as his eyes laid upon them, his casual demeanor shifted into rage.
"Foul demons… Rotten mongrels…! Abominations unfit even to be used as scraps for the beasts! You dare defile my tomb and disgrace my people?" [First Hero]
Bro had mad hate piled up.
"I will rend your flesh, grind your bones down to powder, and feed your souls to creatures unspoken in the worst hell there is. This, I swear, as the Hero of all that is Human. I, Kaniard Parthenos, swear by the gods. You all will perish by my hand." [First Hero]