Chapter 40

A somewhat spontaneous debate with the General Zombie began. As a living human, even if the zombie has intelligence, I can't lose to a brain-rotted zombie. I must win.

"You said this land is dead. Indeed, it is currently true. However, that doesn't mean it won't come back to life. The earth is eternal. You, who have defiled this earth and hindered its revival, have no right to comment on my efforts to restore it. You should be reborn and come back."

Perfect. Moreover, I even said something brilliant like telling the zombie to be reborn and come back. There's no way they can counter that.

"You said you came to level up. When did it become about restoring this land?"

...I think I said that. I can't afford to be on the defensive. If I don't push them hard, I'll be at a disadvantage.

"I need to level up to restore this land. There are various strong enemies like the Skeleton King, Lich, and King Zombie. Leveling up is a natural behavior. Didn't you say that you would prevent me from developing intelligence?"

"Yes, after spending a long time together, waiting for evolution, you brutally crushed my companions. They were quietly staying in this cave without bothering anyone, and you crushed them."

"Hahaha. In the end, you're just a monster. You used your companions as a meat shield to protect yourself. Despite calling them your companions, you didn't really care about them. You only cared about yourself, didn't you?"

"No. They sacrificed themselves to protect me. They were brave."

"You said, 'It's an enemy. Defend.' When I attacked, you just watched until the meat shield was almost gone. You only shouted when your own life was in danger, didn't you?"

"That's not true. I believed I could win. I trusted my companions."

I feel like I'm gaining the upper hand. I'll push through with force. Momentum is more important than detailed theory.

"Isn't your judgment too slow? Your companions were easily blown away. You should have realized it was hopeless immediately. Normally, you would have stopped them earlier or even sacrificed yourself to save them. You didn't care about your companions, did you? It's good that you're still alive. No, you're already dead, aren't you?"

"No. I'm not wrong. If I fall, who will guide them?"

Maybe you were actually thinking about and guiding your companions? ...No, that's not it. Don't be fooled. The opponent is a zombie. I can't afford to lose.

"You're wrong. You're still hiding behind your companions. Who will you guide when you're alone? Pu pu. Is this a delusion?"

"No. No. No, no, no— You guys, kill him—"

Ah, he snapped. This means I win. Following the General Zombie's snapped command, the zombies rushed in, and I mowed them down, quickly approaching and crushing the Zombie Mage and Zombie Archer.

Finally, the snapped General Zombie charged with a sword, and I crushed him. This is my complete victory. I defeated the remaining zombies, endured, and took the magic stone from the General Zombie.

I repeatedly cleanse myself from the disgust. Phew, it's quite large compared to other magic stones. Is it because it developed intelligence? Well, it's not a pleasant sight, so I'll quickly store it and go outside. I can barely tolerate the smell anymore.

***

Outside, I repeatedly cleanse my body. I can never get used to this smell.

"Yuta, what are you doing? You look like the villain."

"Aku yaku—"

"Kyu"

"A bit harsh, isn't it?"

The girls, especially Bell, scold me. I'm really worried about their words. I need to explain.

"Listen, Bell, Rain, Tulu. That battle was a fight for human dignity. It wasn't that bad."

"Son gen—?"

"Kyu?"

"Isn't it harsh?"

They tilt their heads, not really understanding. They're so cute.

"Yes, dignity. You can't lose to zombies in a verbal battle, right? So I fought with all my might. They also fought with all their might. It was an equal match, and it wasn't that bad. Understand?"

I watch Bell and the others, who are thinking with their arms crossed. How does Rain cross her fins?

"I understand."

"Kyu"

"Okay"

Phew, it worked. I need to remember that they saw the battle. I might end up being disliked. As I wipe my cold sweat, Shifi approaches with a disappointed look.

"Yuta, from now on, don't argue with the undead. Just fight without hesitation. You were almost tricked, weren't you?"

Ugh. She saw through me. In that situation, if the opponent wasn't a zombie, I might have come back convinced. I even thought it might be my fault.

"From now on, I'll do that. But, are there any good monsters? I thought maybe we could talk and understand each other."

"Some people control monsters and have skills. So, you can't just fight all monsters without hesitation. But if you keep talking like this, you'll eventually lose your life. Basically, eliminate monsters. Got it?"

"Got it. From now on, I'll fight monsters without hesitation."

"That's good. That way, we'll have a bit more time to move. Should we rest here today?"

"Hmm, yeah. I'm a bit tired, so let's rest here today. Tulu, can you collapse that hole? It's bigger than usual, but can you do it?"

"...It's fine. I can do it."

"Thanks, Tulu."

Tulu approaches the hole and uses magic, and the soil starts to move and flow into the hole. Magic is so convenient. At first, I just used a hammer to collapse the nest, but now that Tulu does it, it's much cleaner.

"Thanks, Tulu."

When I pat his head, Tulu smiles. The quiet boy seems to be getting used to everyone and is showing more expressions. That's good.

Well, the biggest contributor is Tama, who isn't here. Tama's charming fur seems to have captured Tulu's heart. Seeing Tulu gently petting Tama is heartwarming.

After destroying the monster's nest, we set up a camp and have an early dinner. For dinner, we have seafood as usual, but the addition of Oil Leaf is appreciated.

It doesn't seem to suit Bell and the others, so only I eat it. Telling them to eat vegetables for health doesn't work on spirits.

"Yuta, are the vegetables delicious?"

As I happily eat the Oil Leaf, Bell asks, seemingly interested. She seems to doubt if they are really delicious. She used to dislike bitter things.

"They are delicious. I didn't like vegetables much either, but I've come to like them over time. Bell might like them when she grows up."

Bell twists her head, holding a fish. She seems to doubt if she will ever like them. Rain and Tulu also ignore the vegetables. Maybe their taste buds are still like children's.

After dinner, I discuss the future plans with Shifi while watching Bell and the others play in the night sky. In the darkness, the young girl, dolphin, and boy are playing tag under the moonlight. It's a fantasy scene.

"Shifi, what kind of opponent is the Lich?"

Now that I've defeated the General Zombie, my attention is finally on the Lich. Is it a typical opponent?

"Hmm, a powerful magician with a strong attachment to magic can become a Lich when they turn into an undead. They have intelligence and a strong attachment to magic, so they will use various spells."

Not a pleasant opponent for me, who focuses on physical attacks.

"Can I just charge in and win?"

"You might land a one-hit kill, but if you miss, it will be tough."

That's not good, is it? Today's battle taught me that just swinging a hammer won't work against intelligent opponents. And they're good at magic, which is troublesome.

"I can't fight the same way. Can you give me some advice?"

"Yuta, you have a contract with spirits. It's important not to rely too much on spirits, but you should also use their power. If you do, you can win with plenty of room to spare."

Rely on Bell and the others. ...Using their power at key moments... Will it work?

"Hmm. What should I do..."

"Talk to Bell and the others more. They can do a lot more than you think."

Hmm. I thought I was communicating well... But thinking about it, I only saw simple magic from them during battles. It's important to talk to Bell and the others to expand my fighting options.

"Thanks, Shifi. I'll talk to them."

First, I need to check my status after this battle. I'll confirm what I can do and have a strategy meeting.

Name: Yuta Morizono

Level: 36

HP: B

MP: C

Strength: C

Intelligence: B

Dexterity: A

Luck: B

Unique Skills:

Language Understanding

Pioneering Tools

Skills:

Life Magic

Hammer Technique

Night Vision

...Oh, I'm level 36. I've been steadily destroying monster nests and was at level 33, so I've gained three levels. I must have gained a lot from defeating the General Zombie and a large number of Zombie Knights and Zombie Soldiers.

Small nests don't have many Zombie Knights. As Shifi said, large nests are more efficient. But my magic rank hasn't increased. It would have been easier if it had... No new skills either. I still have a long way to go.

I call Bell and the others to confirm what they can do. They don't seem to understand much, so I have to give them a general idea and check if they can do it.

It's quite difficult. Trying to teach them magic and techniques I've seen in manga and anime takes a lot of time. It's honestly quite challenging.

Thank you for reading.