The Knock, knock! The door of the room buzzed, jolting Rossa from her sleep. She opened her eyes and found herself in bed with Arthur. While she sat on a chair, Arthur was already awake, he couldn't help but admire Rossa's serene sleeping figure.
Their peaceful moment was abruptly interrupted by the echoing sound of a knocking, shattering the tranquillity of the room.
Rossa caught Arthur in the act, red-handed. Another knock echoed through the room, and Rossa and Arthur turned their attention towards the door.
"Come," Arthur said weakly, urging the visitor to enter. The door swung open, revealing the figure who had disturbed their peaceful encounter. It was Joseph, standing outside the room.
"It's time for the honour ceremony," Joseph declared. Rossa was taken aback.
"Already?" she asked in surprise.
Joseph nodded, noting, *You've been asleep for a whole day, Rossa."
Rossa couldn't believe it. "What?"
Joseph reiterated, "Yes, get ready for the ceremony." He turned to Arthur and asked, "Do you need any help?"
Arthur eagerly said, "Yes!"
However, Rossa declined, saying, "No!"
Joseph then vanished with a reminder, "Remember, Arthur, ladies first."
Rossa helped Arthur get ready swiftly. Arthur wore a white shirt with black pyjama bottoms, while Rossa donned her priestess robe.
They made their way outside, exiting onto the deck of the ship. Ships Captains Joseph, Naro and Alen were already present.
The ship had come to a halt, surrounded by countless purple remains of the undead. In the green ocean, a colossal wooded structure loomed, filled with countless zombies.
The absence of their heads indicated severe damage from prior attacks, yet they persisted.
On the deck, a separate container formed a part of the octopus-like structure.
Rossa stepped forward, positioning herself at the edge of the ship near a zombie's corpse.
"We gather here to honour and pay our respects to the drifting world, freed from the curse of the undead," she began.
"The undead we fought yesterday were once human, stripped of their humanity by the curse. "
"They lost their very essence. Some became undead against their will, victims of circumstance. Others chose undeath, seeking a failed transformation."
Rossa continued, "We were the ones who released them from the ethereal prison of their undead bodies."
" They were trapped, seeking liberation from their lifeless forms. They cried out for help, forced to perpetrate terrible acts, even in death. We, the ones who freed them, gather here today."
She raised her voice in prayer, addressing the supreme god. "We offer a prayer to the deity they once worshipped, seeking freedom for these wandering souls. May they find solace in their afterlife."
"Amen," echoed from the lips of all the party members. As if in response, multiple bright and illuminating flower petals appeared, glowing with purity. They travelled towards the bodies of the undead, emanating a radiant light that purified their cores.
This honour ceremony served as a testament to the people's resilience in war-torn times. It was a gesture of gratitude for the battles fought, both inwardly and on the physical plane.
It also served as a poignant reminder that these undead beings were once human, now released from their earthly shackles. Now they were free from their cage their soul that was strapped become free!
They all collect the remained core from them they can't leave them it would result in monstrous things The undead core can merge and birth and power full undead that's why they collect all the core.
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Afterwards, all the party members found themselves seated in a room filled with numerous chairs.
They all sat in anticipation, with Alen positioned at the centre. The other party members gazed at him, awaiting his words. With a solemn expression, he spoke:
"It is unfortunate and heartbreaking that we lost Martha. "
After that silent descent in the room
"She was our responsibility, but circumstances forced us to part ways when an undead creature kidnapped her amid our race against the zombies. "
I am certain she is being held captive on that island. I cannot say how long she will survive, but time is of the essence. We must increase our sailing speed to reach Martha."
"We have to save her," the captain emphasized, his determination evident.
As the mysterious events unfolded, Alen made use of one of the ship's unique abilities, projecting a holographic window during the meeting.
It displayed a giant snake composed solely of bones, emanating a purple glow as it travelled through the sky and then delved into the earth.
"I regret to inform you all that I was unable to predict this occurrence," Alen admitted.
Hearing these words, the atmosphere grew tense among the party members. They understood the weight behind Alen's statement. Alen, known for his ability to foresee and calculate almost anything, even the behaviour of natural disasters and market fluctuations, was now unable to predict what awaited them.
This meant that they could not rely on his calculations to anticipate the upcoming events and adventures on the island. The uncertainty and danger of their mission had multiplied.
However, they knew that with more danger came greater rewards. They were determined to press forward towards the island, as their new goal was to rescue Martha from the clutches of the undead.
"Lastly, we have a wounded comrade who is also cursed, but there is a method to cure it on the island," Alen shared, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty.
Rossa voiced her question, "So what do we do now?"
Joseph responded confidently, "As we always do, we will find a solution to the problem."
Arthur interjected, "But all we know is that the island we are heading to is one of the legacy battlefields. What makes it unique?"
All of them were aware of legacy battlefields, which were created by ancestors to pass on their teachings and achievements to future generations.
These battlefields served various purposes, such as finding a successor or providing a suitable body for the souls of evil elders. Some even arrived from other worlds carrying the legacies of those worlds.
However, each legacy battlefield was distinct, with its own set of rules and criteria for fully inheriting its legacy.
"This specific island is known as the Island of Fortune and Misfortune," Joseph explained. "It is situated on the periphery of the continent and considered abandoned. Once, it teemed with life and vegetation, until a day when all the living inhabitants of the island turned into undead beings."
Moreover, the island held a unique aspect. Whoever killed an enemy on this battlefield would inherit their memories, along with their equipment and artefacts. In fortunate cases, the winner could even gain new skills and abilities. These outcomes were determined through duels, assassinations, and sometimes even wars.
"However," Joseph continued, "there is a concern regarding the involvement of righteous elders. They occasionally pass on another legacy through this battlefield. On the other hand, some wicked elders lay traps, using the battlefield to take control of someone's body and regain their own life."
"In some instances," Joseph added, "legacy battlefields from other worlds emerge, bringing with them treasures and knowledge exclusive to those worlds."
Alen remained silent, observing all the members of the party, including the captain. He finally spoke, "We all believed that this legacy battlefield was forgotten and left abandoned. But that's not entirely true."
"There is still a secret hideout on this island, associated with an imprisoned emperor," Alen revealed. "Unfortunately, I cannot speculate which emperor it is. Our goal is to reach this hideout, as there is a possibility that they have rescued Martha from the clutches of the undead."
Everyone absorbed this information, contemplating the gravity of their mission.
"Hmm," Joseph mused, "We must proceed with caution, aware of the unknown dangers that lie ahead. The secrets held by this island are far more intricate than we initially realized."
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[Onver PoV]
I was seated in the lotus position, absorbing the essence of the purple marble. After some time, I attempted to manipulate the mana, and to my surprise, I succeeded within an hour.
Initially, it took me days just to make them vibrate, but now I can slightly manipulate and propel them short distances. However, I am disappointed that I cannot merge them or cast any spells. I can't even envelop them around my limbs.
This was my triumph on this mysterious island.
Sighing, I thought about how refreshing it would be to kill those fake human-like creatures. My perception of the skeletons had changed, and I no longer viewed them as humans.
When I confront them, I see nothing more than moving bone structures. I should kill more of them.
While eliminating the skeletons, I had a realization. The intrusive thoughts of killing had diminished, almost disappearing. But through some experiments, I discovered that if I don't kill anyone for a certain period, the thoughts return, stronger than before.
I become mentally impatient and crave the addictive act of killing. However, I vow to only kill skeletons or undead beings, sparing any living humans. I may kill some animals or beasts since they are not human, but I won't harm any intelligent creatures. I remind myself not to be racist towards other living beings.
With that in mind, I stood up and turned towards the place where I attempted to make a flute. Countless failed attempts had left me with only two bones. I needed more bones to create a proper flute, so I decided to venture out of the cave and kill some undead.
However, something was different this time, there would always be a skeleton army waiting for me outside. But today, the area outside the cave was devoid of any presence. There were no skeletons in sight. Realizing I was alone on this eerie island, a deep-rooted fear began to take hold of me.
I questioned why they had vanished. Were they afraid of me? Had their fear of me grown so strong that they chose not to fight anymore, or was it due to something else entirely?
Pondering for a while, I suddenly spotted a skeleton in the distance. It had no legs, and only its ribcage was visible, with its head and skull intact. Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to follow it. The skeleton moved slowly, like a snail. Though the thought of killing it crossed my mind, I suppressed it.
As I followed, a cool breeze caressed my body, and a fog of purple gas enveloped the surroundings. The atmosphere became eerie, devoid of any life-sustaining sensation, and a sense of dread washed over me.
Finally, the long journey came to an end as the skeleton's body dispersed into the air, merging with something gigantic. With my gaze fixed upon it, I felt a deep-rooted fear overwhelm me. It was a colossal skeleton adorned in bone armour, its skull emitting a haunting purple glow.