Chapter 8

It was extremely unusual for a roar to burst from Kamui's mouth.

Kamui, with his handsome and cold appearance, was known for his taciturn and cool-headed personality, and he rarely raised his voice.

For a roar, let alone a curse, to come from Kamui's mouth was as rare as the sun rising in the west.

‘Maybe I was the fool for having any hope.’

Kamui bitterly regretted trusting Auto.

He had thought that the good-for-nothing would finally come to his senses...

‘There was no plan from the start. It was just a lie to get out of the situation. I should have known when he said he would borrow money from the Solun estate. I should have... taken care of him myself.’

Kamui regretted not having killed Auto earlier, trying hard to suppress his boiling anger.

But now, it didn't matter anymore.

The debt to the Solun estate didn't need to be repaid.

After all, the Iota estate would be in ruins. What did a little debt matter?

"Everyone, from now on... no, forget it."

A sneer appeared on Kamui's face.

"Forget that bug. He's no help anyway."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, that's right."

"Son of a bitch!"

"Enjoy your life! You bastard!"

Everyone cursed Auto.

Even Kamui, who never crossed the line, used the term "bug" along with a curse. How much worse must the others have felt?

‘Father.’

Kamui thought of the late lord.

‘The boy has run away. He has abandoned the estate that our family has ruled for generations. But not me. I will stay until the end and protect Iota in Father's place. I will... die for the people Father loved.’

With this resolve, Kamui prepared for the upcoming battle against the undead army.

The news of Auto's escape spread quickly.

"That bastard! I knew it!"

"He's abandoning the estate to save himself? That son of a bitch!"

The knights and soldiers cursed Auto, grinding their teeth.

But that didn't last long.

"What did you expect from that guy? Ignore him. Let him enjoy his life."

"He never disappoints."

The knights and soldiers quickly lost interest in Auto.

It was more surprising that the good-for-nothing hadn't run away, so they all thought, ‘I was the fool for having any hope.’

* * *

At the same time.

"Ugh. It itches. Ugh."

Auto was scratching his ear in pain.

His ear was so itchy that he wanted to scratch it with an ear pick right away.

The problem was that he was wearing a helmet, making it impossible to scratch his ear.

"They must be cursing me pretty badly. Curse a little less. I didn't run away, you know."

Auto knew very well that the people of Iota, including Kamui, were cursing him.

But Auto really hadn't run away.

He had a plan, and he was executing it right now.

‘Is this the right way?’

Auto spurred his horse towards the northern mountain path.

The very direction the undead army was advancing.

‘Ugh. My butt hurts. How do people ride these things?’

Although he was a novice at riding, the horse was well-trained, so it wasn't too difficult.

After about three hours of travel.

"Neigh!!!"

The horse reared up and started to buck.

"Huh? What, what?"

Thud!

Auto fell off the horse, unable to control it.

If he hadn't been wearing armor, he would have been seriously injured.

"Neigh!!!"

The horse, having thrown Auto off, started to gallop back the way it came.

It had abandoned its owner and fled.

"That, that! Abandoning its owner? You ungrateful bastard!"

Auto shouted at the fleeing horse.

"Ugh... my back... I really feel like I'm going to die."

At that moment.

Chill!

Auto shivered from the sudden cold.

It felt like the temperature had dropped sharply.

It was already chilly walking through the mountain path at night, but this sudden cold was definitely strange.

Soon, red lights began to appear in the pitch-black darkness.

These red lights were not torches.

They were <eyes>.

The glowing eyes of the skeleton soldiers.

And...

Clank, clank!

A ghost horse [幽靈魔] made of bones appeared.

"Who are you?"

The entity on the ghost horse spoke to Auto.

His name was Nazrak.

One of the 100 lord characters in the game <Estate War>.

* * *

Nazrak was a powerful undead, a Death Knight and a necromancer.

In life, he was an excellent sword-mage, but he fell into corruption when he delved into black magic in his later years.

Ultimately, after becoming an undead himself, Nazrak attempted to build an undead nation, the <Undead Kingdom>, but was defeated by the surrounding countries.

He was sealed away, but after 500 years, he awoke and began his conquest to rebuild the <Undead Kingdom>.

This was the official setting for Nazrak in <Estate War>.

When playing <Estate War> as Otto de Scuderi, Nazrak and his undead army appear exactly two weeks into the game.

And 99.99999% of players fail to clear this stage.

It was impossible to defeat Nazrak and his undead army with the character's poor abilities and the Iota estate's military strength.

But Kim Dojin was different.

‘If I try to fight with force, I'll never win.’

After countless trials and errors, Kim Dojin discovered a strategy to overcome this crisis.

Not only that, but as the saying goes, "Know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster."

Kim Dojin had played as Nazrak, deeply studying the character's background, strengths, and weaknesses.

‘The strategy is simple. Just don't panic.’

Auto straightened his mind, knelt before Nazrak, and bowed.

"Yes, Lord of Death. I am Otto de Scuderi, the lord of Iota estate."

"Lord of Death... I have been called that. Do you know me?"

Of course.

‘I know you better than you know yourself.’

Having cleared <Estate War> as Nazrak, there was no way he wouldn't know.

"Yes, Lord of Death. I understand that 500 years ago, you tried to achieve great things but unfortunately failed."

"500 years is a long time. How do you remember me?"

"Yes, Lord of Death. There is a prophecy in my family that has been passed down for generations."

"A prophecy?"

"A prophecy that the Lord of Death would awaken and should be properly welcomed."

"Your family had a prophecy about my resurrection?"

"Yes, Lord of Death."

"Hmm."

"If you accept me, I will sincerely assist you in achieving your great goals."

"How can you assist me? Your abilities are poor, and your potential is limited."

"I know that."

"Yet you think you can assist me?"

"Yes, Lord of Death."

"Then how do you plan to assist me?"

"Strategy and diplomacy."

The key words that would capture Nazrak's heart flowed from Auto's mouth.

* * *

In the game <Estate War>, Nazrak was one of the most powerful lords.

However, Nazrak had a fatal weakness: strategy and diplomacy.

Nazrak lacked the ability to see the big picture and was inherently hostile to all factions.

As a high-ranking undead, a Death Knight and a necromancer, and with his subordinates being entirely undead monsters, who would like him?

It was only natural that living beings would be hostile to Nazrak.

Therefore, when Nazrak began his conquest, multiple factions often formed alliances to oppose him.

Surrounded on all sides.

This was why, despite his powerful military, he was always in a position to be hunted.

Thus, it was crucial for Nazrak to avoid being surrounded by neighboring countries and to form as many alliances as possible.

"Strategy and diplomacy...?"

Nazrak pondered Auto's words.

"That was the reason I failed to build the Undead Kingdom 500 years ago... Yes, that's right."

"Lord of Death."

Auto subtly coaxed Nazrak.

"I have spent a long time studying strategy and diplomacy, waiting for the Lord of Death to be resurrected. Please accept my humble abilities to assist you."

"If I accept you, can you show your abilities?"

"Of course."

"Very well."

Nazrak smiled with satisfaction.

"Then I will make you a high-ranking undead."

"Not yet, my lord."

"Why not?"

Anger crept into Nazrak's voice.

"You offered to be my servant. Do you refuse to become an undead?"

"Lord of Death. Why wouldn't I want the glory of becoming an immortal undead? However, if I become an undead, human lords will feel repulsed."

"Hmm!"

"Perhaps it would be better to delay my transformation into an undead for now."

"Your words have merit."

Given Nazrak's past struggles with diplomacy, it was natural for him to find Auto's words appealing.

"Very well. I will allow you to serve as the only non-undead among my servants. When we achieve our goals, I promise to make you a high-ranking undead."

"Your kindness is boundless!"

Auto bowed deeply before Nazrak.

[Notification: You have gained Nazrak's trust!]

[Notification: Nazrak likes you!]

[Notification: Nazrak's affection towards you has reached <Expectation>!]

[Notification: Nazrak is listening to your words!]

Thus, Auto successfully won the heart of the undead lord Nazrak and became his servant.

‘It's done.’

A faint smile appeared on Auto's face as he bowed his head.

* * *

At the same time.

"Sir Kamui!"

A knight approached Kamui and reported.

"A ranger who was on reconnaissance duty in the northern mountain path has sent an urgent message!"

"An urgent message?"

"The escaped lord... no, that son of a bitch Auto... has become a lackey of the undead army!"

"What do you mean by that?"

"The ranger reported seeing that bastard leading the undead army's vanguard."

"...What a scoundrel."

Kamui closed his eyes tightly after hearing the report.

"That bastard!"

"Ha!"

"What a despicable creature! Not only did he abandon the estate and run away, but now he's become a lackey of the evil undead army!"

Everyone was enraged.

Yes, they had somewhat expected him to run away.

But to become a lackey of the undead army?

Just how low could this man go?

But that didn't last long.

"Of course."

"Auto would do even more than that."

Everyone accepted Auto becoming Nazrak's lackey, saying, ‘It's Auto, after all.’

Given his despicable behavior and image, it wasn't surprising that Auto could do anything.

"Ah, and."

The knight added another report.

"The undead army has suddenly changed direction and is advancing towards the Solun estate."

At that moment.

- The plan is... to ruin the Solun estate. Exactly two weeks from now.

Auto's words flashed through Kamui's mind.

‘Could it be?’