The Spearmaster and the Black Cat Chapter 99 part1

The voice I heard is…
The voice of the feudal lord of this place, Earl Makfol.
To his left is his adjutant Bimiyal.
To his right is the middle-aged, hat-wearing bird knight who had a flashy showdown with me.
Behind the knight, his subordinate soldiers, who had a red feather emblem imprinted on their chests, tagged along as well.

“… Makfol-sama. What's wrong?” (Shuuya)

“Ohh, isn't that you, Shuuya!? Don't “what's wrong” me. After receiving an emergency report that the Large Tree of Holker revived and that a huge magic beast appeared all of a sudden, I rushed over here.” (Makfol)

I guess it was reported by the people who ran away after getting surprised by Rollo's gigantification.
After sending a silent glance of “Do not transform” to the black cat on my shoulder, I say to deceive the feudal lord.

“… A huge magic beast? It disappeared as if the earth had swallowed it, but… more importantly, I completed the request of the priestess. As you can see, the Large Tree of Holker has revived.” (Shuuya)

The feudal lord stares at the revived Large Tree of Holker.

“I-It seems so… However, for it to really revive. It's a vibrant and splendid large tree.” (Makfol)

“Yes, it is indeed.” (Bimiyal)

The female adjutant standing next to the feudal lord agrees as well.

“Shuuya, you are a man who keeps his promises. That's cool. I'm currently very deeply moved. As expected of my friend.” (Makfol)

“No, not at all. I just did my job.” (Shuuya)

“How upright. Leaving that aside, I heard that a magic beast… a huge magic beast appeared, but where is it?” (Makfol)

“Who knows. Given that it vanished in an instant, I feel like I saw huge shadow over there…” (Shuuya)

I shamelessly point my look and index finger in the opposite direction.
The priestess watches Rollo and me with a wavering gaze, but remained silent with her mouth in the shape of へ.

“What? East, you say? Got it. Bimiyal!” (Makfol)

“Yes, Makfol-sama.” (Bimiyal)

“You will head east. If it causes harm to this city, you will defeat it. And, if you capture it, I will be able to add it to the collection with the magic tool I possess. It might be possible to turn it into my family's, no, my city's guardian sacred beast!” (Makfol)

Makfol talks in an excited manner.

“””Ooohh!!”””

The female secretary Bimiyal and the soldiers cheer at the words of the feudal lord.
But, does such a magic tool exist?
Which reminds me, there were various collections in the feudal lord's mansion.
The feudal lord's party dashes away with a force that lets a cloud of dust rise into the air.

“Phew, there they go, finally gone. Thanks for staying silent.” (Shuuya)

While smiling I turn towards Priestess Marin.

“No, rather than that, we were talking about defeating the impurity, but…” (Marin)

“Yeah. It seems this wood splinter that was left behind by the gods will lead us to the defiled places.” (Shuuya)

Thereupon, Holker's wood splinter gave a reaction by trembling.
The wood splinter rotates like a compass on my palm. It points at a direction similar to an arrow.
While the tip of the wood splinter blinks with a green light, it points towards the west.

“… The wood splinter moved. Well then, I will go defeat the impurity for a bit.” (Shuuya)

“Ah, please wait a moment. You are talking without care as if you are going on a stroll, but will you be really all right?” (Marin)

“It's fine.” (Shuuya)

“Really? Then I want to come along as well.” (Marin)

Even if you say that.
The priestess is probably incapable of fighting. It would be the best if she waited here.
Besides, we have to talk about the reward as well.

“You must not, priestess. You have to protect the Large Tree of Holker. Besides, the request reward was the Sacred Flower of Holker, right? Won't I get that?” (Shuuya)

“Uh, t-that's right. Then I will wait while processing the Sacred Flower of Holker.” (Marin)

The priestess agreed reluctantly.

“Yea, well then.” (Shuuya)

I start running towards the spot indicated by the wood splinter.
As I'm running, Rollo, who was on my shoulder, jumps down.
At the moment she landed on the ground, she changes into the medium-sized black panther mode with a billowing.
From that size, she grows even further.
It became a shape that was a combination of lion and thoroughbred horse.
She turns into RollodeenHorse Lion Mode.
That's nice, isn't it? Her body is bigger than her usual combat modeBlack Panther Mode.
A few of Rollo'sBlack Cat Mode facial features remain on her aerodynamic face, but the black hair that's covering her entire body is glossier than before. The chest, which has a size that can be understood even through the fluffy black hair, has become thick and the lion muscles are imposing and ferocious… she looks like a particularly wild beast.
Her long tail, which is stretching out erectly, curves cutely like the handle of an umbrella.
Since its tip is trembling slightly, it can be considered as proof of trust.
Going by an overview, Xiang Yu's Zhui, Cao Cao‘s Shadow Runner, Lu Bu's Red Hare and Maeda Toshimasu's Matsukaze.
And the Black King edition which was mounted by Rao○.
The favourite horses of those great commanders, brave generals and strong warriors…
It's not like I have actually seen them, but Rollo brings about an air that surpasses those famous horses.
The six tentacles growing from around Rollo's neck are also cool.
When I was staring at the gallant running figure of her horse lion mode, she smoothly extends two of the tentacles, which grew at the nape of her neck, towards me.
The tentacles twine around my torso by going around my waist and forcibly placed me on top of her back which turned into the size of her horse lion mode.

“Nyanya.” (Rollo)

I see, ride on my back, huh?
In addition, a tentacle extends in front of my hands like reins.
Steer with this?
The instant I grabbed that tentacle, the tips of two tentacles tightly clung to the back of my neck.
Oooooh, got it. This is amazing.
It's a sensation like sharing the consciousness with RollodeenHorse Lion Mode while running as one body.
※Piiing※ ※Divine Beast Riding※ Permanent Skill acquired.
※Piiing※ ※Unity of Mount and Rider※ Permanent Skill acquired.
※Fusion of , and ※
※Piiing※Divine Beast Serene Mind ・ Soaring※ Permanent Skill acquired.
Wow, amazin'. I even acquired skills.
Something like that is possible as well, huh?
My head can't catch up with understanding the skills.
Anyway, rather than that— she's fast.
The black cat that transformed into a size equal to that of a horse, or rather, the horse-like black lion is fast.
A tentacle is closely sticking to my body so that I don't fall off due to the speed. It's a strangely fitting feeling making me believe that a saddle and stirrup are unnecessary.
She runs as if weaving her way through the crowd.
Moreover, barely avoiding people, she skilfully dodges the crowd of people.
We passed through the congested west gate in the blink of an eye.
There RollodeenHorse Lion Mode eases up on the speed and starts to walk comfortably.
Rollo is definitely a sacred beast.
She possesses great speed with stability.
She easily exceeded the speed of Popobumu and the full gallop of a horse.
It feels as if she has the ability to accelerate like a large motorbike with rocket engines added to it while at the same time having an excellent braking function.

『It's a wonderful speed, Rollo-sama.』 (Helme)

『Yeah, it's really great.』 (Shuuya)

At the moment we leave the west gate and are praising Rollodeen, Holker's wood splinter changes direction from left, which is the western direction, to north.
— North, eh?
The moment I consciously thought of north, Rollodeen turned north and headed that way.
Even without me handling the tentacles that have become reins, my thoughts have gotten through to her.
She runs north following along the west gate's wall.
Before long, on the left side, an area with many dead trees and a graveyard became visible.
After we advance up to the graveyard, the blinking green light of the reacting wood splinter lights up once more and then turns dark.
The wood splinter radar repeatedly trembles with a *guiin guiin* sound.
It seems that around here we will find the place to allow us to go underground.
Large crows are sitting on the withered trees. They glare at me as if monitoring me.
A graveyard that's disconnected off the city, huh…?
It really has an ambience of being impure.
I raised my legs and turned around as if dismounting a horse saddle, and jumped off Rollodeen.
I firmly land on the ground of the gravesite, which is showing signs of the surface depressing, with a perfect posture.
The crows, who sit on the branches of the dried trees, all at once take off, as if running away, as they are seemingly surprised by me who descended in a grandiose manner.
RolloBlack Cat Mode chased after the fleeing crows, but giving up in the middle of it, she returned to my shoulder.
Even while such things are going on, I haven't forgotten to use my Magic Observation and Grasping Perception.
Omitting the dead trees, I search underground…
Oh? The wood splinter once again reacts by lighting up.
The trembling of the splinter becomes even stronger with a *bweeeh*.
— Found it.
Longboards have been laid out in order to cover the hole leading underground.
It's blocked by boards, but this is the hole continuing to the underground.
There's probably only one entrance.
I hit the cover of longboards with my Magic Halberd and destroy it.
A pit became visible below the destroyed boards. Since the hole's dark, I activate .
The bottom seems to be a short distance away. It doesn't look like it's that deep.

“Let's go. Helme, just in case be ready to come out, okay?” (Shuuya)

“Nya.” (Rollo)

『Yes.』 (Helme)

I jump into the hole.
I landed at the bottom with both feet on the ground.
Due to the sensation of the soil, there isn't much of an impact towards my feet.
I confirm my surroundings. The pit has a height of around 5 m.
A slightly smelly and moist air is blowing through.
With wind passing through, it means that there's several other holes as well.
Although there's a mud wall to the left and right, the cave continues to the front and rear.
The reaction of the wood splinter still comes from the front.
I walk forward in the cave while staying careful.
It has a width to the extent that two people can walk side-by-side…
Oh? There's a mark.
Some kind of symbol is drawn on the mud wall with blood.
There are several earthen hallways besides this one, I guess?
However, this wall, feels like soil, or rather, hard rock.
It seems that it was created by digging through hard bedrock.
It's a cave that was likely made artificially and not naturally.
The remains of mines, I suppose.
We head towards the spot inside the cave indicated by the green light of Holker's wood splinter.
Mmh? There's a magic source response.

『Helme, lend me your sight.』 (Shuuya)

『Yes!』 (Helme)

Grabbing the deformed Helme that appeared, I activate Spirit Sight.

『A…』 (Helme)

The voice of Helme, who vanished from my view, became a lot quieter.
It seems she's doing her best in her own way.
I grasped something moving sluggishly from the area where I got the magic source reaction.
The shape shown by the temperature sensor is still unclear.
Then, as if reacting to the sight, countless squirming hands start to grow out of the hard walls and ground.
The manifested, filthy hands are deprived of nails, but without minding that, they start to dig up the surrounding soil.
Before long, a large amount of soil was gouged out and the faces of people that got crushed on one side became visible. Naked torsos with rotting intestines jumped out.

“Ugooooo.”

“Oveeeeeer.”

It's groaning and wriggling corpses. Living Dead. Zombies.
A large amount of zombies started to appear.
The zombies are rotting corpses with maggots squirming within them, but they are breaking through the tough ground…
They have blood-stained, smelly mouths.
Their groaning is annoying.
The movements of the zombies, who crawled out of the ground, are slowly approaching us.
It's scary as it seems I will be zombified or get infected with a disease if bitten by them.
Thus, it will be a ranged battle.
I want to put on a cowboy hat like a former police officer. (T/N: Most likely reference to some zombie movie)
Instead of a magnum, I will use . I swiftly use the skill.
— , , , .
Next I activate five instances of the skill in succession.
The heads of five zombies are pierced by light spears in one go.
After showing a reaction as if numb from getting stabbed by the light spears, the zombies are destroyed by a fire with a bluish-white, phosphorus effect.
Turning into blue dust, their entire bodies vanished.
That's a cool way of disappearing.
Well, I guess that being weak to light is only natural, huh?
Rollo changed into the middle-sized panther mode and shot her six tentacle bone swords over and over again like a gatling gun.
The zombies get skewered by the bone swords.
Those bone swords are shining as if their colour has changed from white to silver?
Furthermore, it seems like their blades became sharper and longer.
However, the zombies don't die since she's stabbing the torsos and necks, not the heads.

“Rollo, the head's their weak point. Pierce their heads several times.” (Shuuya)

“Nn, nya.” (Rollo)

Just as instructed, Rollo killed the zombies by aiming at their head.
A skill, which shoots light spears is still not usable.
Thus I will use .
The chain released from my left hand pierces the head of a zombie and smashes it.
Sometimes I delay the zombies' advance by crushing their legs.
However, as of yet…
Zombies continue to be created from the walls and ground.
Just like in zombie movies, they are persistent.
I liked Romero's works, but I'd like you to excuse me from getting attacked in reality.
Though it's little by little, their numbers decrease and we advance while annihilating them.
Which reminds me, at the time when I just came to this world—
I fell into a deep underground hole—
And had to defeat zombies in such manner as well, didn't I?

“Nuooo—”

An eerie voice reverberates from behind me when I was reminiscing on the past while shooting like a gun.
Fuck! Enemies are also gushing out from behind.
Front and back. Tiger zombies at the front gate and dragon zombies at the rear gate, that's the feeling I get here, I guess?

“Nn, nya, nyaa.” (Rollo)

As I'm pondering about such forceful pun, RollodeenBlack Panther Mode steps out in front of me as if telling me 『Leave them to me nya』 without retorting with “They are all normal zombies, aren't they?”
Oh? Will you do something about them?

“Gooowwwrr!” (Rollodeen)

At the instant she raised a throaty growling voice— a large and wide flame breath is released from her panther mode mouth.
— Uhyaa, the sound is amazing as well, but will that be alright in this cave?
Something like carbon monoxide poisoning due to the sudden loss of oxygen…
It has a power to the extent that gives me such anxiety.

『— T-This is… Rollo-sama, amazing. It's a grand flame spell that has the power of around Extreme Class, no, King Class top-ranking magic.』 (Helme)

It's as Helme says.
Although I'm right behind RollodeenBlack Panther Mode, my entire body is wrapped up by a hot wind.
Oh, the ceiling ahead shakes loudly.
It looks like the fire blew away boards which were covering another hole above.
Oxygen won't be a problem anymore, huh?
It seems like there are plenty of entrances like the hole I entered through in this cave.
However, as it seems that Rollodeen's flame breath reached all the way inside the cave, the zombies that were gushing out in front vanished after turning into dust once and for all.
The wall, which makes popping sounds as steam rises from it, has changed into a melted, sticky fluid due to the heat.

“… Amazing, Rollo-sensei! You are the Flame User Rollo, aren't you!?” (Shuuya)

“Nyao.” (Rollo)

She wears a triumphant look.
However, let's allow her that for this time.

“Rollo, you are remarkable. However, be careful with its use from now on, okay?” (Shuuya)

“Nn, nya!” (Rollo)

Once Rollo gave me a reply that sounded like 『Roger nya』, zombie voices resounded from behind us.
I will ignore the zombies in the rear.
RollodeenBlack Panther Mode and I advanced into the cave following the response of the wood splinter.
Once we leave the twisting and turning cave, we come out in a vast area.

『Your Excellency, the intersticeVeil is thin around here. It's a special place where it's easily influenced by the power of the gods living in Sebdola and Seuros. Please be careful.』 (Helme)

It's that kind of area, eh?
The centre of the vast underground area is brightly illuminated by what seems to be a bonfire.
I cancel .
I walk towards the light centre.
The impurity; is it this light?
There's also a magic source response. The wood splinter's reaction is already at MAX.
The colour of the wood splinter that's trembling completely changed into green.
The response of the magic source is strong as well. A nasty stench hung in the air… the full details became visible once I approached.
Guehh… What's dat…
Are those perhaps women who died?
A lump of corpses? A lump of piled-up female corpses like puppets…
The shape is that of a tree? An ominously swaying darkish aura and smoke rose up from the entire distorted corpse tree.
Guehh… how disgusting.
This has been made as a copy of the Large Tree of Holker?
Don't create some objet d'art by putting together corpses.
No matter which corpse, all of them have their hearts pierced with the left nipple missing. Although they still got their heads, they have been stabbed in the eyes and skulls.
For some reason there are many black, irregular lines sewn on the corpses' heads.
Reality is stranger than fiction.
Then, as if the spot with the accumulated corpses is moving, the sound of something crushing reverberates with a swoosh.
I felt a powerful magic source response.

“… Who are you?”

“The sanctuary has become remarkably weak. Is this the guy who violated our sanctuary?”

Chapter end