Chapter 43

"Wow... There are so many monsters!"

The mountain, originally a barren land, was covered with rocks.

Thanks to the mountain path leading to the eastern country, we managed to proceed.

About 30 minutes after we started climbing, Filo kicked a monster away while muttering.

Our current items are recovery potions, healing potions for precaution, and antidotes because the air is mixed with poison.

Incidentally, before we set off, when we tried to leave the carriage behind,

"Hey! This carriage is full of Filo's memories!"

Filo threw a tantrum, insisting on pulling it, so we let her do it.

For a one-month-old, she sure talks a lot about life.

But I can understand her attachment to the carriage since she has been pulling it for most of her short life.

Most of the enemies are poison-type monsters like Poison Trees and Poison Frogs.

After defeating them, we diligently have the shield absorb them.

The conditions for the Poison Tree Shield have been unlocked.

The conditions for the Poison Frog Shield have been unlocked.

The conditions for the Poison Bee Shield have been unlocked.

The conditions for the Poison Fly Shield have been unlocked.

All of these shields have poison resistance replaced with status-boosting equipment bonuses.

The only exception is the shield that came from disassembling a Poison Bee.

Bee Needle Shield II

Conditions not unlocked... Equipment bonus, Attack +1

Special effect: Needle Shield (Small), Bee Poison (Poison)

The defense is almost the same as the Bee Needle Shield, with paralysis replaced by poison, making it performance-compatible.

Putting that aside, the enemies are appearing in large numbers.

They keep spawning one after another.

Indeed, the wind spreading the plague, the poison, and the miasma rising from the ground make it tough for ordinary adventurers.

"There's no end to them! Filo, let's charge through!"

Raphatalia and I got on the carriage and gave Filo the order.

"Okay!"

Filo pulled the carriage and charged forward with all her might.

Just that alone knocked enemies away, giving us a bit of experience.

On the way, we encountered a slime-like monster, but Filo knocked it away, so we didn't have time to have the shield absorb it.

After a while...

"Finally, the destination."

The source of the poisonous miasma and the stench of decay, the dragon's corpse, came into view.

It was about 10 meters long, a Western-style dragon as depicted in paintings... or so it was. Now, it's unrecognizable.

The decay has progressed so much that it's impossible to tell what color the dragon was, and only black skin is visible.

The fatal wound was likely a strike to the abdomen. There's a large wound on the belly, exposing the entrails and emitting a foul odor.

Poison Flies swarm around the dragon's decaying flesh, increasing the sense of disgust.

"I'm hungry..."

"Seeing that and still feeling hungry, you're amazing..."

Filo started munching on the crops in the carriage, and I couldn't help but comment.

"Raphatalia, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

I was worried that Raphatalia, who has weak respiratory health, might not feel well in this bad air, but she insisted she was fine.

"Take a break if it gets too tough."

"Okay."

We headed towards the dragon's corpse, defeating Poison Flies along the way.

The main parts like claws, horns, scales, skin, and wings must have been taken by alchemists and adventurers. Even the tongue is missing.

It's not an exaggeration to say that only bones and meat are left.

The air is filled with a nauseating stench. This is indeed tough.

I'm fine because I have poison resistance, but it might be tough for Raphatalia. Filo doesn't seem to notice.

"Filo, you'll handle the Poison Flies, and Raphatalia, you'll help me dismember the corpse. It's too big for the shield to absorb."

It's more reliable to have the shield absorb it than to bury it, and there's a risk of the ground rotting.

"Okay."

Filo, who had finished eating and had a full belly, nodded.

"I feel a bit sick."

"That's from overeating."

We approached the dragon's corpse to start the dismembering as planned.

Rustle...

"Was that just my imagination?"

"Um..."

The dragon's corpse seemed to twitch.

Maybe it was just the Poison Flies swarming around it.

Thud...

No, it wasn't my imagination.

The dragon's corpse started moving and got into a combat stance.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The dragon's head, without teeth or horns, rose and roared.

"How can it move like that?"

"Please calm down, Naofumi-sama!"

Facing the moving dragon corpse... a Dragon Zombie, I was shouting.

Come on, isn't this too much for us right now?

The required level is unknown, but in games, Dragon Zombies are often stronger than they were in life.

How does that work in this world?

The Dragon Zombie, regenerating its organs, turned to face us.

The regenerated parts were wings and a tail. It's unclear if it can regenerate teeth and claws.

The decayed flesh seemed to liquefy and transform into wings and a tail. The fatal wound appeared to be sealed.

It's impossible for me to handle this.

"We need to run!"

"But Filo is already..."

Raphatalia pointed at the Dragon Zombie.

"Here I go!"

Filo was just about to jump onto the Dragon Zombie and kick its head.

There was a good thud, and the Dragon Zombie reeled back.

"Maybe... we can fight it?"

Filo's attack power is high, and this Dragon Zombie lacks teeth and claws.

We might be able to win, but it seems to have no concept of stamina.

However, if we retreat, there's a risk the Dragon Zombie will head towards the village.

It might also claim this area as its territory, but it seems to be regenerating. If we don't defeat it now, it will be tougher for the next person to face it.

"Don't overdo it!"

"Okay!"

"Alright, we'll stop it here!"

"Okay!"

We were ready to fight.

I switched to the Chimera Viper Shield, which has the highest defense, and managed to block the Dragon Zombie's attacks.

But then,

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The Dragon Zombie's abdomen gurgled, and it released a purple gas from its mouth towards us.

Raphatalia and Filo, as planned, moved behind me to use me as a shield.

I also raised my shield to prepare for the breath attack.

But...

"What is this?"

"Cough, cough!"

The breath was a highly concentrated poison gas.

Even with my poison resistance, I felt a slight dizziness and shortness of breath. Raphatalia, behind me, was coughing and struggling to breathe.

Filo, unaffected by the gas, or perhaps holding her breath, took advantage of the Dragon Zombie's moment of vulnerability to kick it.

"Raphatalia, are you okay!?"

"Cough, cough, cough—"

Tears in her eyes, Raphatalia tried to say she was fine, but she couldn't stop coughing.

This is tough.

Filo and I can fight, but Raphatalia can't keep up.

"Quick, Raphatalia, get out of the fight. There are antidotes in the carriage. Take one and rest."

"Cough, cough!"

Raphatalia desperately pointed at the Dragon Zombie.

I followed her finger and was speechless.

The Dragon Zombie, with its large maw open, was about to engulf Filo as she fell from her jump.

"A—"

Bang!

A loud noise echoed, and crimson liquid dripped from the Dragon Zombie's mouth.

"Filo!"

I don't know if it was me or Raphatalia who screamed. My mind went blank.

Filo, the one-month-old bird who was always by my side, always wanting to be with me, was gone.

Memories of Filo flashed through my mind.

What happened?

What...?

The Dragon Zombie chewed its prey a few times and then swallowed it with a loud gulp.

"Cough!"

Raphatalia slapped my cheek hard, bringing me back to reality.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

She was telling me that just being in a daze would only make things worse.

But... anger at losing an important companion overwhelmed me.

--Do you want power?

I heard a voice from the shield.

Almost unconsciously, I looked at the shield and listened to the voice.

--Is everything hateful?

My heart beat strongly.

I felt darkness being generated from the shield.

This is the same as when I fought Genkou...

The shield's tree appeared in my vision.

Then, the tree screen flipped, revealing another tree with a background that was neither black nor red, but ominous.

Curse Series

Suddenly, this phrase flashed in my mind.

One shield was brightly lit.

Curse Series

Shield of Wrath

Ability not unlocked... Equipment bonus, Skills "Change Shield (Offense)" and "Iron Maiden"

Special effect: Self-Curse Burning, Increased Strength

A shield that brings out the heart's hatred...

I reached out to the shield, driven by my emotions, whether consciously or unconsciously.

The Shield of Wrath.

Intense emotions were released from the shield, and it changed with a red-black light.

There was a shield, red and adorned with ominous flames.

Thump... Thump...

My consciousness was consumed by anger.

At that moment, I hated everything in the world.

Everything in the world appeared as a black shadow mocking me.

This emotion took over me.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

A large, dark shadow roared and reached out to me.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"