The War of the Dead

Just then—

"Rumble!"

Another mountain-shaking tremor came faintly from another direction!

Tales shuddered violently and suddenly heard several strange voices:

[Sa-da, Rocksada!]

[Sel, Sel, Selrike!]

The next moment, several figures suddenly emerged from the rock wall above. They were just as withered, terrifying, and shrouded in black mist, but their builds and features were completely different.

Black mist also swirled around these dead souls, but most of their bodies were huge and heavily muscled. Their clothes resembled neither those of the Empire nor those of the Northern Land.

Their eyes were a ghastly white, their noses more prominent, and their teeth sharper. Their rotten, withered skin looked pale and horrifying.

Yet something astonishing happened.

Those dead souls... those strange newcomers, cried out in a language Tales could not understand at the dead souls already here—Kainkamur and his companions:

[Kruri... Sel... Sel...]

This scene appeared in every corner of the cavern. Almost every newly arrived dead soul descending from above—usually dead souls with unusual forms—let out the same terrifying roar at the dead souls on Kainkamur's side.

Black mist continuously spread through the air, and the number of dead souls arriving here gradually increased.

Tales stared at the scene before him in astonishment.

"Enough." The Silver Shadow released Tales's shoulder and said flatly:

"Stop."

The silver radiance around him transformed into something resembling a barrier and covered the two of them.

"It's here."

At last, a thunderous growl rang out from nearly every corner, setting the surrounding layers of rock trembling in resonance.

[Kruri...]

[Skanar, Nadalelis...]

The growl continued. A massive, rotten arm, as thick as a human thigh, slowly emerged from the rock wall above and gripped the surrounding rock.

As the growl grew louder, the arm's owner slowly hauled its entire body out of the rock wall. Its enormous