# The Column of the Dead
In this place, everyone had one foot in the Domain of the Transcendent. That was what Ivan had put the most effort into teaching his companions.
So, the fact that they were driven to a crisis meant that the demon before them had not only entered the Domain of the Transcendent, but was also powerful enough to face multiple transcendents simultaneously.
*Crack!*
In the visualized flow of time, the vampire's right arm was torn off. The vampire reacted half a beat too late. In that split second, the axe blade was already embedding itself deep inside the creature's body.
Even for transcendents who could use neural acceleration, the difference was clear. It was the difference in how quickly one could reach the maximum enhancement of neural responsiveness.
If one had to make a comparison, it was like modern motorsports. How quickly could one reach zero to sixty, and how precisely could one control at that maximum speed?
In short, to summarize.
A transcendent who reaches maximum acceleration before their opponent can gain an overwhelming advantage in striking first. In battles taking place below the comma-second, that split second determines everything.
*Rip!*
So when the vampire turned its head, Ivan had already torn off its arm and was driving his next strike deep into it.
"—!!"
The shocked creature flailed as it tried to regain its posture. But it was too slow. It hadn't yet reached maximum speed. Its left arm, extending like it was swimming through air, shattered into five pieces.
Droplets of blood were suspended in the air. Blood sprayed like mist, stretching out as it couldn't withstand the pressure of the accelerated body.
And the axe blade came down again, dismantling everything in its path. The creature's pupils finally caught up to the speed.
*Clang!!*
It blocked the axe blade with its fangs and bounced back. The creature dispersed like smoke and retreated. And behind it—.
*Shing...*
Enrique Sergeyevika materialized from the mist, holding a dagger. The creature, having momentarily recovered its body, deflected Enrique's blade and staggered back. The axe and dagger intertwined and scattered multiple times.
The body, torn into dozens of pieces and reduced to tatters, reassembled itself in midair. Ivan and Enrique charged simultaneously through the blood droplets.
Since they knew each other's combat techniques clearly, their coordination meshed perfectly even without conversation. The vampire repeatedly shattered and reassembled, staggering back.
[Stop!!]
In battles within the Domain of the Transcendent, there is no sound. Most combat happens faster than sound, or at least faster than auditory signal recognition.
So the words heard during this fight didn't originate from vocal cords. The vampire, having become mist, was casting a spell to attempt communication inside Ivan's mind.
[Spider of Solitude, Ivan!! My master speaks to you!!]
Instead of answering, Ivan brought his axe down on the creature's head once more. A properly trained agent never attempts to communicate with a magical creature capable of speech unless it's been neutralized. Because unneutralized magical creatures are dangerous. (And after neutralization, there's no need for conversation.)
The creature's head crumbled and scattered into ash. Having lost its head, it retreated a couple of steps and reformed.
[If you wish to save your king, stop!!]
That was something Ivan couldn't ignore. His hand trembled for an instant. Though he was still continuing his next attack, at this level, that split second was enough time for the creature to dodge.
The vampire quickly withdrew beyond the seal. Ivan's gaze followed it.
"Huff— hah—!! Damn it, a creature that shouldn't be alive—!!"
The vampire spat blood as it staggered. As Ivan took his stance again, the creature quickly said:
"Come to the Krasilov Royal Mausoleum! My master wishes to see you!"
When Ivan ignored its words and charged, the vampire convulsed and released a spell. A blood-red barrier unfolded before his eyes.
Crack, crunch. The barrier crumbled after two axe strikes. Ivan reached through the gap, grabbed the creature by the collar, and reversed his axe. Since a vampire's weakness was always the heart, he gripped the axe handle like a stake.
Having finally realized that dialogue, persuasion, and negotiation wouldn't work, the vampire frantically waved its hands with a pale face. A skeleton had somehow appeared and was lunging at Ivan's axe.
"Petty tricks."
"Your k-king—"
"This country has only one king, and he is not in this city now."
"He is!! You monster! The king you've served your entire life is in this city!!"
Zombies and skeletons that had suddenly appeared rushed like moths to protect their master. Dealing with each one wasn't difficult, but with the undead's characteristic tenacity, they were blocking Ivan's movements as much as possible.
The vampire, having barely composed itself, sat on the windowsill and sneered.
"Have you forgotten what's buried in the Krasilov Royal Mausoleum, Spider of Solitude?"
"I promise you."
It seemed as if all the zombies scattered throughout the city had been summoned. Though the corridor wasn't particularly wide, the zombies surging forward like a massive wall were filling the space between him and the vampire.
Even as he swung his weapon and crushed them, they filled the gaps again, buying time to protect their master.
Now, with his face barely visible behind the zombies, Ivan reached out beyond them and concluded:
"You will not live longer than today."
The vampire had to feel a chill as he stared at the gun barrel that suddenly protruded through the zombies and skeletons. Through that small gap among the pouring zombies, those ice-blue eyes were glaring at him as if to devour him.
As it transformed into a bat, bang, bang, gunshots rang out in succession. Half of the scattered bat swarm fell at that moment, their foreheads precisely pierced.
*Screech—!!*
A stream of magic shot out from among the bats, flying toward Ivan. The misdirected spell grazed Ivan and struck the interior.
The purple spell embedded itself in the middle of the cemetery lined with tombstones.
"Reanimated!"
Elfihera Grikenkos shouted as she read the magic of the spell. It was too swift a spell to counter with anti-magic. After all, the opponent was strong enough to push them onto the defensive while facing the entire group.
As Ivan turned around, an eerie laugh echoed from among the bats flying beyond the sky.
"Bury those you cherish most with your own hands again! Hahaha!!"
The tombstones began to stir. Ivan stared at them blankly, not even paying attention to the approaching zombies.
Zombie hands and skeleton jaws enveloped Ivan. Even buried among them, Ivan didn't move. His companions were rushing to save him.
He didn't see their urgent movements. Ivan was still staring at the tombstones with a dry gaze.
Those who had fought without reward.
Those who had died without honor.
Those who had been forgotten without names.
The spirits of all those comrades were there. He still remembered the names, causes of death, and lives of every comrade he had carried to burial.
And now the tombstones were stirring. The dry mounds of earth twitched.
Corpses under the spell were reaching out, craving life again.
White bones rose from among the dirt mounds. Crunch, the grasp swept the ground as it raised itself.
It all appeared in slow motion. Even without using neural acceleration.
This place must have been a gift prepared by Elizabeta Kirillovna Krasilov for him.
This mausoleum, which had been created in secret even from him, must have been a gift prepared by Elizabeta for him and for the spirits of all the heroes who had died in the past.
The cemetery, lined with beautiful shrubs and magnificent sculptures, was more splendid than sad. For those who had chosen death with dignity, at least after their end, they could be viewed with splendor by all.
Now, corpses were rising to defile this place, and comrades who had found peace were awakening from their long sleep under the vampire's spell.
His heart pounded. His mind reeled with directionless hatred.
Ivan moved his arm as soon as he confirmed the armament of the corpse that had risen through the grave. The zombie biting his shoulder shattered without resistance.
Crunch, crack, smash. The corpses were crushed and scattered. Ivan continued the slaughter silently and steadily. With an attitude so cold it was mechanical.
It was a slaughter so extremely numb. His companions stopped in their tracks at the sight.
"U-Uncle...?"
"Shh."
Enrique shook her head quietly as she covered Asidis Einarsdottir's mouth.
"Not now."
Instead, Enrique drew her sword and pointed it at the corpses rising from the cemetery. They were undead raised using the bodies of the Annihilation Squad.
Given that the spell was used in haste, it couldn't have brought out their full capabilities. So there was no danger of having to face the Annihilation Squad alone as they were in those days.
If that had been possible, the undead before them would have been powerful enough to face even the Seven Dragon Generals. They had actually accomplished that in life.
Perhaps the vampire who had tried to invade this place had been aiming for that. If it could have subjugated all of them, capturing Enrique would have been nothing.
But now that the plan had gone awry, those clumsily awakened undead were nothing more than a delaying tactic—
'But enough to buy that time.'
No matter how clumsily cast the spell was, the material was the Annihilation Squad. And here were Ivan and Enrique. People who would struggle to control their emotions when facing the fallen members of the Annihilation Squad.
Though it might not have been intentional, what the creature had done was now forcing Ivan into a terrible rage.
*Crack, crunch.*
So Ivan was moving with his emotions deadened. If he were to give in to his emotions even slightly, he didn't know what he might do, so agitated was he. Enrique noticed this and had to stop the companions from approaching Ivan.
Finally, when Ivan had cleared away the approaching zombies and blocked the entrance with their bodies.
Armed corpses had risen from all the graves and were looking at him.
These were remains that had been buried for more than four years. Countless remains had lost some limbs in fierce battles during their lifetime.
But it wasn't difficult to recognize most of them.
Their height, the external features inferred from the shape of their skulls, their physical characteristics, the types of injuries they had suffered just before death. He remembered every single one of those things.
"Ah...."
Ivan lowered the axe he had been holding. The eyeless skeletons were still standing there, looking at him.
This wasn't the kind of reunion he had wanted.
As Ivan silently looked at them, one skeleton at the front took a step forward.
"Stand back, Lord Yeremov."
Oskar de Satieon blocked the way. It would be too cruel to ask Enrique or Ivan to face them. If it had to be done, he should do it instead.
But the approaching skeleton stopped outside the range of his sword and just stared at him quietly. As if it had no intention to attack.
*Click.*
The skeleton at the front clacked its jaw strongly. The ghostly fire flickering beneath its eye sockets somehow wavered as if containing a hint of laughter.
Again, click. Click. The skeletons lined up behind it responded by clacking their jaws.
Since they had no vocal cords, they couldn't attempt conversation. There was no proper way to transmit vocal signals. And they couldn't weave spells to substitute for sound, as they were just skeletons without a drop of magical power.
So, click.
As if asking to be heard. Looking at Ivan, substituting for laughter.
"Ah, aah...."
Ivan remembered this skeleton's face. Beyond vision, memories were overlaid. On the deep eye sockets, the face of a person from the past appeared as if being colored in.
He smiled. Looking at Ivan, he was smiling exactly as he had in those days.
"Sasha."
*Click.*
Yes, Colonel. Well, your expression is worth seeing.
The scout who always walked ahead of the group with a playful smile. The man who had held out until the very end against Aviditas's curse before falling.
Behind him, faces were again overlaid on the skeletal forms. In Ivan's memories, in his nightly nightmares, the faces of comrades who had always been with him appeared.
One by one, they knelt. Kneeling on one knee, extending their fingers to touch the ground. In the posture of reporting for duty after disarming, just as they had in those days.
*The surviving members of the Annihilation Squad report for duty, Colonel.*
He heard sounds that couldn't possibly be heard.
When Ivan couldn't answer, Sasha raised his head and said with a smile:
*Let's proceed with the next operation orders.*
"How...?"
He didn't believe in miracles. Nor fate, nor any coincidence.
Such things had never been on his side in his life. So he had never believed in them from the beginning.
But at this moment, Ivan could believe in miracles. There was no other way to explain the scene before him.
When the dead are resurrected, it is known that only two instincts remain.
The will they held so deeply that it remained as a lingering attachment after death.
Or, the will of the caster who resurrected them.
So, if there's a reason they can ignore the caster's will and act on their own, there's clearly only one.
Even after death, held so deeply that it remained as a lingering attachment.
The will of those who had sworn to protect this country.
That will was now looking up at Ivan. Asking for the next order, for the final mission they couldn't complete in life.
Ivan lowered his head and answered in a low voice:
"Save your king."
*All members of the Annihilation Squad acknowledge the order.*
The skeletons rose from their places. Carrying their personal weapons that had been buried with them, click, click. Clacking their jaws cheerfully. Smiling.
The dead walk. In formation. Those who forgot life but not duty walk.
In the polar night of Pritzenkaya. In this city where life and death are distorted, the dead rise to face death to save the living.