Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari

Chapter 43: Curse Series

The influence of the mountain has turned the land into nothing but barren rock.

We advanced slowly along a mountain path in the East of the country.

It’s been 30 minutes since beginning to climb, while Firo is running and kicking a demon.

Right now, we have treatment medicine and antidotes due to the poisonous air.

By the way, we left the carriage at the village and only bringing a wagon before heading out.

Firo: “No~! Many of Firo’s memories are in here~!”

Firo this fellow, she absolutely wants to pull everything, I’ll ditch you here.

You were born last month and you’re already talking about life?

Well, I can understand her attachment to the carriage because she has been pulling it for 90% of her life…

There are many demons here that are from the Poison class, such as Poison Tree and Poison Frog.

I diligently let my shield absorb it all after we defeated them.

Requirements for Poison Tree Shield have been revealed.

Requirements for Poison Frog Shield have been revealed.

Requirements for Poison Bee Shield have been revealed.

Requirements for Poison Fly Shield have been revealed.

All the Poison Resistance bonuses have been displaced, and have become status up as equipment bonuses.

The sole exception is the Poison Bee shield.

Bee Needle Shield Ⅱ

Unsealing completed… Equipment Bonus: Attack Power 1

Special Effect: Shield of Stinger (Small) Bee Poison (Poison)

The defensive power hasn’t really changed from the Bee Needle Shield, but the paralysis poison can now be changed to poison damage over time.

Well, enough of that, it seem the enemies are appearing quite frequently.

Even after defeating them, another one just takes its place.

Certainly, the wind is full of poison which scattered a plague, this is definitely too severe for a normal adventurer.

Naofumi: “There is no point to killing them all! Firo, run through!”

Raphtalia and I ride the wagon while giving instructions to Firo.

“Okay~!”

Firo pulled the wagon and ploughed through at full power.

Some experience was occasionally gained while running over enemies.

Along the way, Firo ran over a sludge-like demon, but because there was no time I didn’t get to absorb it.

And after a few minutes…

Naofumi: “Is this our final destination?”

I saw the corpse of a dragon, leaking poisonous miasma and releasing a foul odour into the air.

The size is around a 10 meters and it resembles a Western-style dragon…

However, the features can’t be made out any more.

The extent to which it is rotten has made it hard for even the original colour to be seen, all that’s left is black miasma-like skin.

It seems the fatal injury would be a single blow to the abdomen. There is a big scar in the abdomen, exposing its internal organs and releasing a putrid smell.

Poison flies gathered around the rotten meat of the dragon. This is quite disgusting…

Firo: “I’m hungry~”

Naofumi: “Is your appetite so great you can still eat after looking at that…?”

Firo began eating the food in the wagon.

Naofumi: “Raphtalia, are you okay?”

Raphtalia: “Y-Yup.”

I need to make sure Raphtalia is okay because her respiratory system is weak and the miasma will damage it even more.

Naofumi: “Take a rest as if it gets hard.”

Raphtalia: “Okay”

I checked out the other side of the corpse while swatting poison flies.

The fingernails, scales, skin, and wings are all gone. Even the tongue was taken. Seem to have been stripped by Ren and the adventurers

It’s not an exaggeration to call all that is left bones and meat.

Excluding an extremely small portion of skin there is nothing left.

The smell is extremely nasty. This is definitely severe.

I might be faring better than Raphtalia because of my poison resistance. I have no idea about Firo.

Naofumi: “Raphtalia, exterminate the poison flies. Firo, come dismantle the corpse with me. It’s too big for my shield to absorb.”

I should let my shield absorb all of it. There is a risk of the soil getting corrupted as well if I bury it.

Firo: “Okay”

Firo finishes her meal with a bloated belly and nods.

Firo: “I feel a little sick.”

Naofumi: “That’s because you’re over eating.”

I approached the corpse to dismantle it as planned.

Goso……

Naofumi: “…… Did it just breathe?”

Raphtalia: “Ummm……”

The dragon’s corpse seems to have begun to move.

Oh my, it probably looked like it because of the poison flies flocking on the corpse.

Gorori……

Yup.

Just my imagination.

The dragon’s corpse began to move, and got on its hands and knees in attack mode.

Zombie Dragon: “GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

The dragon raised its head and unleashed a roar with its fang-less mouth.

Naofumi: “How the hell can it move!”

Raphtalia: “Naofumi-sama, please calm down!”

The corpse of the dragon…… No, the zombie dragon began to move as I shouted.

What the hell. This is too much for us.

The Level is unknown and any ability this zombie dragon has is unknown.

What is wrong with this world!

The zombie dragon turned to face us while regenerating each organ.

A part of the wing and tail is regenerated. I don’t know whether the fangs and claws will regenerate too.

It seems to be liquidizing the rotting meat and turning it into its wings and tail.

The fatal wound on the abdomen was closing and the internal organs were regenerating.

Dealing with this is impossible for me!

Naofumi: “Let’s escape!”

Raphtalia: “But, Firo is already–!”

Raphtalia pointed at the dragon zombie.

Firo: “Terya!!”

At that moment, Firo jumped on the zombie dragon and kicked it in the head.

There was a nice smack and the dragon zombie bends backwards.

Naofumi: “That’s unexpected…… Can we fight it?”

Firo’s offensive power is high and there are no fangs or claws on this zombie dragon.

We may be able to win, but the opponent does not have the concept of stamina……

However, there is a risk of the zombie dragon coming for the village if we escape there.

Of course, there is also the possibility of it returning to its territory. But it might regenerate everything next time, so it must be defeated now.

Naofumi: “Don’t be rash!”

Firo: “Okay!”

Naofumi: “Alright, we’re stopping this thing here!”

Raphtalia: “Okay!”

The dragon roared threateningly and attacked.

I change into the Chimeric Viper Shield which has the highest defence, and I am able to block the dragon’s attack.

But……

Zombie Dragon: “GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

The zombie dragon shoots purple gas from its mouth at us.

Raphtalia and Firo run behind my back.

I set up my shield and prepare to block the attack.

Naofumi: “Ueh……What is this!”

Raphtalia: “Cough, Cough”

The real nature of the breath attack is high-concentrated poisonous gas.

Even with my poison resistance, I felt breathlessness and dizziness.

I had a coughing fit while Raphtalia behind me is barely able to breathe.

While the zombie dragon was shooting its breath, Firo who seemingly unaffected by the gas kicked it and made it stop.

Naofumi: “Ra-Raphtalia, are you all right!?”

Raphtalia: “Coughcoughcough-”

Raphtalia wanted to answer me with tears in her eyes, but she was just coughing non-stop.

……This might be really bad.

Firo and I can fight, but Raphtalia is out.

Naofumi: “Raphtalia, hurry up and get back, there is an antidote in the carriage. Drink it and rest.”

Raphtalia: “Coughcough”

Raphtalia desperately points towards the zombie dragon.

I turned around and see what’s happening.

In just a second, the zombie dragon opened its mouth and swallowed Firo who is jumping over it.

Naofumi: “A—”

Bagun!

A loud sound echoes, and from the zombie dragon’s mouth crimson liquid drips down.

Naofumi: “FIROOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

My mind blanks out and I don’t understand anything that Raphtalia is doing.

The bird who act like a pampered child ever since being born a month ago, always clinging to me, hugging me……

Memories of Firo were recalled and shown like a revolving lantern.

What happened?

Something……

The zombie dragon chewed its mouth several times,something red leaks out of it, and then the zombie dragon swallowed with a large gulp.

Raphtalia: “Cough!”

Raphtalia slapped my cheek strongly.

I have tears in my eyes.

The situation is only getting worse as I am lost in my own world.

However, all I felt was the anger from my heart after losing an important companion right before my eyes.

—Power, Do you desire it?

I thought I heard a voice from the shield.

I looked at my shield almost unconsciously and listened for the voice.

—Everything, Do you wish for it?

Dokun.

My heartbeat is stronger.

I remember the feeling that is produced from the darkness shield.

This… It’s the same feeling after that fight with Motoyasu……

The skill tree section of the shield appeared.

The skill tree screen turns inside out and a weird background that is neither black nor red appeared another skill tree.

Curse Series

This phrase reverberates in my mind.

The shield glows brightly.

Curse Series

Shield of Fury

Mortar Shield

Unsealing completed… Equipment Bonus: Skill “Change Shield (Attack)” “Iron Maiden”

Special Effect: Self-Burning Curse Physical Strength Improvement.

Being born from the heart, Killer Shield.

On this shield is a particular explanation…… Am I even conscious? I hold my hand over the shield with these feelings.

Shield of Fury

Intense feelings were released from the shield and the shield changes with a red and black light.

There was a crimson shield with decorations of abominations and flames.

Dokun……Dokun……

Consciousness was swallowed in anger.

I hate everything in this world.

Everything in this world is black, all there is left are shadows sneering at me.

I am ruled by a single emotion.

Zombie Dragon: “GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO”

A big black shadow stretched its arm towards me.

Naofumi: “UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH”