Chereads / An Undead’s rise to Godhood / Chapter 11 - Intent, a Will to Protect

Chapter 11 - Intent, a Will to Protect

The spaces that the Warmongers occupied all had troop training as their main function. This was a risky play, as you have virtually no supplies to keep the line of production running, no self-sufficiency, but you can substitute for that cost by plundering. So, in line with the Warmonger's patron God, they commit wars and plunder the other spaces for their resources.

Next, their attention is on the Follower of Wisdom's Penthovia region, directly next to them. The Followers of Wisdom has five spaces to their possession, but very few of them have troop manufacturing as their core. Their preferred troops are Mages, taught with Magic from their patron God Sogthoth, and their other line of infantry is the Priests that can only be made in the central building of each space.

How the second floor functions is from its patron God. They can view from above, and only they can give definite orders. The one responsible for delivering the message to their followers, a Grand Bishop, will have to determine if the decision is a good one. Gods are Gods for a reason, but none are omniscient and all-seeing, not yet anyway.

First City, a land that's dedicated to training leadership, and have their first impressions of how Gods and their Miracles feel. There are numerous patron Gods with their churches, and that will never change anytime soon, since they're just replicas and mass-produced goods.

...…

The three made it out of the forest separation line safely. Once they're on enemy territory, they lay low in the high grass field that they've come out into.

"First, we need a solid plan. Assassin is probably rampaging around, but she probably won't expose our identity this early yet. Our main battle plan is to seize the central building, but going through from here to there will be difficult because there'll be troops in the way. Since we can't be fully stealthy with our number, we might as well incite a confrontation if the need arises. Alright, you got all that?"

"Yes… Okay, I get our strategy now."

"Good. And what about the girl? You received some kind of Quest with her?"

"Uh… yes, but that's not important to this, right? So please, don't mind her. I'll protect her so don't worry and focus on yourself."

"Hmph, quite something for a kid."

The Maiden was excluded from the conversation, but she won't be able to add anything useful so she remained silent.

As the operation begins, they gather their courage to head into danger.

"Stay behind me, I'll protect you no matter what. If I am to fall, run as far as you can. I will find you again, do not worry."

''O-Okay… but, please, don't overdo it, even if it's for my safety."

"No, I'll be fine. Please, when the time comes, don't look back."

The Maiden, an unknown woman who has knowledge about things she shouldn't have, if she's just any regular NPC that is. Her name is simply Maiden, displayed overhead for Seichi to see. Her name was in a crimson red, floating above her head.

'Cute… urgh, what am I thinking?'

He was entranced, feeling the first love of his life. His limited vocabulary was also expanding, as his Intelligence grows he's able to recall what words to use now. But, due to him not being familiar with this newfound intelligence, he just blurts out things in his mind.

'I need to protect her… for the Quest.'

He was about to get sidetracked again, but he refocused quickly.

The time of action has come once again. And with it, failures of Death on every corner.

...…

Assassin was having her fun, yes, but fun always comes with a price.

"Hupp… Hahh…"

Surrounded by elite soldiers instead of regular small fries, Assassin finds herself in quite a pinch as she tries to shake them off and escape from their encirclement. Her attempts were close, but never enough to fully make it out without paying blood each time. Her slender body had cuts all around, shallow and deep alike, and the amounts of blood spilled made her Stats decrease as time passed by.

"I'm really gonna get done in by fuckers like you, huh? If so, then what a shitty day."

She was tired. So tired she's ready to collapse there and then.

'What… can I do?'

She was starting to slightly regret her choice of separating with the others. But, regret doesn't really make a difference now. So, it's best that she lessen the burden on the others if she's going to die before they do.

"Alright, let's do-"

"Ack!"

Suddenly, before she could try anything, a scream was heard in the distance. Then, several more faint screams were heard.

"Your strength is something else! I didn't know you packed that much force behind those scrawny arms!"

Then, a booming voice of a woman was heard. The Assassin smiles faintly under her mask, and collapses out of exhaustion.

"Move out to intercept!"

"What do we do with her?"

"Take care of the commotion first. If we're lucky and beat them quickly, we'll get two bitches on our beds in the barrack tonight."

"Hahaha! Let's go then! I haven't touched a woman for so long!"

With lewd thoughts, the elite soldiers that were deprived of a woman's touch rushed out to finally claim what they lack.

To the battlefield, a scene of carnage lay bare for the elite soldiers of nine to see. Dozens of soldiers, either severed in half or reduced to meat and blood paste on the ground. And engaged in battle, two people could be seen battling their own battles.

"Stay behind me, Maiden!"

Seichi was struggling on his own, watching and sensing everything around him so that the Maiden wouldn't get injured. He struggled pretty well, and the soldiers that came were unable to touch a hair on his body but instead were sliced into two.

"H-How can a shabby sword like that be so strong! Ack!"

"His strikes are so powerful! W-What is he?! Argh!"

[Activating Burst Instinct]

[Increasing Perception Speed]

His Skills also helped, especially the Burst Instinct that made all this possible.

'Left! Right! Above!'

He accurately read out the moves the soldiers were about to do around him. His Dexterity helped him with the movement of his blade, and his Agility allowed him to barely be able to reach in a small space, and not to mention the ridiculous Strength that few have in this Floor.

"Kuh! Ack!"

But, even with the Stats it's still overwhelming for him to deal with five soldiers all at once, rushing at him and targeting the Maiden at the same time. His Vitality was the source of him not dying so easily, but it's the third lowest of his converted Stats.

'I… need to persevere!'

[Activating Undead Perseverance]

[Your determination is weak!]

[Enhancing Vitality from 21 to 24]

Right on que, one of his signature abilities activated and gave him a miniature boost. Though the words it gave him weren't quite what he wanted to read.

'...Welp, can't argue with this thing.'

He manages to scrape by and kill the rest of the soldiers.

[You've Leveled up!]

[You've completed the Legacy Quest Stage 1.1]

[Undead Perseverance has been updated]

[An interesting Event will happen once you activate Path of Undeath]

'Hah… hah…'

After a hard fought battle, he was able to catch a hard earned breather. He slumped down to one knee, gasping hard for air. Seeing this, the Maiden approaches him and puts her hand on his back.

''W-Wha-"

"Shh, don't worry. Your fatigue will be washed away soon."

Then, her finger traced something on Seichi's back. It glowed green, and his fatigue slowly melted away.

[You've been revitalized!]

A window popped up to inform him of some good news. He could feel his body back to tip top shape again after the Maiden did whatever she just did.

"Wow… thank you, Maiden."

"I-It's nothing. It's the least I can do to release some of your burden in protecting me."

[The Maiden's heart throbs with anticipation]

"...Well, thanks for your kindness. I'll do better in protecting you, promise."

[The Maiden's heart is slumped with disappointment]

'...Really what is this thing on about?'

The windows were… hard to understand at some times.

"...More are coming, stay behind me."

"Hohowow! What do we have here, a knight protecting his lady?"

"Stand back, Maiden."

The elites finally showed up. Four of them went to Seichi, while five went to subdue the rampaging Paladin on the other side of the battlefield.

"She doesn't look half bad, but that horn…"

"Ah, who cares. If she's got a hole and is good in bed, I'll take it even if she's not alive!"

"Wow, what a weirdo you are man."

The elites unsheath their swords. They were ready to kill for their privilege of being a man again.

"Hurry it up so that we can enjoy three extra meals tonight, boys!"

"Woohoo!"

Their vulgar words were putting the Maiden in a tough mental spot. Seichi focused on assessing their battle prowess, and the results were a lot tougher than the last battle which he barely managed.

'Shit… four strong ones, but I have more Stats now. That should give me something.'

Even though his Stats are absolutely fine in combat, with high Strength, Agility and Dexterity, he still lacks the skills and proficiencies these trained warriors have.

"Haha! What a moron!"

So, unlike last time, this fight was harder on another scale. Teamwork, something that he as an individual lacks. The elites were easily able to corner them and then trash him quickly. With his Vitality only at 22, he's close to a goner a few seconds later.

'Kuh… fuck, I need, to make an escape route for Maiden.'

He's dead for sure, yes, but he's not about to let his Quest fail. He has a duty to protect someone, something he didn't have the capability to do when he was in his past life.

"Go when I manage to kill one of them."

"W-What?! No! I-I can't-"

"Just listen and run!"

With his scream as the que, he rushed forward and stabbed one through the guts. He then quickly shifts towards the nearest one, separating the one that the sword is stuck to in half, only to be met with several slashes to his body and then decapitated cleanly.

"Damn, we lost Trevor."

"Oi! She's getting away!"

"Catch her then, you idiots!"

Darkness envelops him, and so he fails to even protect once more.

...

[An Event has been triggered]

[Summoning a Trainer for the Chosen Undead to learn from]

[Please choose your preference]

{Sub-class}

[Physical]

[Magical]

A window lay in front of my eyes, glowing faintly as I look through it slowly.

'...Physical.'

I choose the one I'm versed in, and more options appear before me.

[1. Sword]

[2. Bow]

[3. Hammer]

[4. Dagger]

[5. Spear]

I once again choose the one I'm most familiar with.

[You have chosen the Sword]

[A Trainer is being prepared for you]

[One has been picked, transporting Trainer to Chosen Undead after a moment]

I stand up, preparing to learn something from whoever this Trainer is. Soon, a figure manifests in the darkness in a white glow. After it subsides, the figure reveals to be an old man, but his muscular, large as a wall body contradicts his old face.

'Woah…'

"You, are you the Chosen Undead?"

"U-Uhm? Y-Yes, I-"

"Answer with conviction. Do not stutter, do not hesitate."

"...Yes, I am the Chosen Undead. May I ask who you are?"

The old man, with his arms folded now, looked up a bit and with a very obvious condescending look, snickers.

"Well, I am the Trainer that will teach you the Sword. I guess that thing beside you will be your tool in our training?"

Beside me was the Lost Sword, my weapon until now.

"Yes, I hope it'll live up to my expectations."

"Hmph, a sword can be anything, and with conviction, even a sword as fragile as yours will be able to cut mountains some day."

"R-Really?"

The old man doesn't answer, instead he manifests his own sword. A greatsword, large enough to flatten me with its broad side.

"This here is my treasured sword companion. I'll teach you what I'm good at, and in turn you create something more of it. Can you promise me that?"

"Alright, I'll try, Trainer."

"Call me Teacher, it suits this situation better. The thing I'm going to teach you will be the basics, Swordsmanship, and my specialty, Sword Eye. Let's begin then."

I nodded, confirming that I'm willing to commit myself to improving.

'I need to learn fast… I need to get back, to the Maiden.'

Even in this state, he's focused on his Quest. Even if it has another benefit for it.

"First, do you know the basic swing?"

"Yes."

"Alright, then do this."

Teacher stabs his giant sword down into the dark ground and slaps the broad side of it a few times.

"Take a practice swing, I'll fix anything I can find you lacking."

"Alright, I hope my swings won't bore you, Teacher."

I take a stance like I did when I practiced swinging for the first time. I bring the sword back and swing with all my might, my eyes slightly unfocused for a second.

"Woah, hold it, nope!"

Teacher screamed at me and stopped my blade immediately even while it's in motion.

"First, do not ever close your eyes. Second, you lack the intent."

"Uhh… no closing eyes, but, what do you mean I lack intent?"

"Every user of the Sword must have something dear to them. A wish, a dream, whatever it is, that is what we Swords call Intent, the Intent is important because it determines what your Sword will be like. Will it be to protect, or to slaughter. Intent is fundamental if you want to learn the Sword, have you really no knowledge of such a common thing?"

Teacher was rambling on about something I'm not too sure about. Intent, what, purpose?

'Intent… I want, right now, at this moment… to get back to the Maiden.'

[You have designated an Intent for your Sword]

[Lost Sword is resonating with your Intent]

[Strength has been increased by tenfold due to the Hidden Effect {Will of the Fallen} of Lost Sword]

"...Try again."

Teacher let go of my sword. He takes a few steps back, I could perceive it with my hearing, but right now I'm solely focused on the sword that's between me and my Quest.

'Intent… I intend to breakthrough and return!'

With a swing filled with my Intent, the sword I held in my hand was enveloped in a dark crimson flame. The swing now, without fail, cut through the thick sword in front of me.

"...Puhahahahaha! Great show, great show! Student, you show promise!"