After leaving those words behind, Louisa's figure became a blur as she disappeared. Meanwhile, still sitting on the tree branch, Owen kept his gaze up to the sky. "... That's quite a lot of resentment." He muttered. He could feel various anger and hatred in those words.
"Well then... shall we see how you deal with your third challenge; I hope your mind won't break so quickly." After saying those words, Owen closed his eyes.
Meanwhile, Ethan continued to traverse through the forest while cutting down all the undead that obstructed his path. As he continued on his way, the number of undead only kept decreasing more and more.
"Looks like we were right. That lich really is running out of undead." Ethan said as he continued to traverse through the forest.
[But even so... do not let your guard down; liches are also very skilled in the art of magic as well] Grim warned.
"Yeah, I know... I definitely won't let my guard down." Ethan said as he swung his sword in a horizontal arc, cutting down the last of the undead in the surrounding area. However, they didn't know that the decreased number of undead wasn't because the Lich was running out of undead; it was because he couldn't focus on creating them!
After the death king had awakened his consciousness, the lich no longer had control of him. Furthermore, Owen had also partially broken free from his control some time ago, making him restless. It was a complete miscalculation.
...
"Tch, that bastard!" The lich cursed. If he had known this would have happened, then he wouldn't have bothered summoning him.
'What am I supposed to do now? This task was supposed to be easy; I can't keep using undead on these two.' The lich sighed.
The goddess Eva was the one who gave him the responsibility to stock up on some more undead using the corpses of the villagers. But now that will no longer be possible.
"I guess I'll have to retreat for now and find another remote village." That woman won't be happy about the outcome of this mission.
Lich's eyes glowed with an ominous light as it contemplated.
"... However, I shall leave behind a little gift for you, my friend." Saying that, the Lich snapped its fingers. "Soul destruction." The lich chanted.
"I hope you get to enjoy the little time you have left." The lich said as a dark mist enveloped its body until it completely disappeared.
...
Meanwhile, somewhere in the forest.
"Cough! Cough! Cough!" Owen, who sat on top of a tree branch, coughed out blood as his breathing became rough and uneven. He was suddenly assaulted by an intense pain that seemed to come from the depths of his soul.
"I see... so you chose to dispose of me in the end," Owen muttered as he placed his hand onto his chest. He could feel his soul was slowly being devoured and crumbling away. It wouldn't take long before his soul was destroyed and lost forever.
His reincarnation is no longer possible now that his soul would be gone forever.
Owen wipes the blood from the corners of his lips as he gazed up at the vast cloudless blue skies above his head. "Sigh, it seems I only have an hour here. I might as well have some fun." Owen got to his feet, and his silhouette became a blur as he vanished from that spot and moved through the forest.
...
Meanwhile, Louisa continued on her path to the eastern side of the forest. Her usual cold and indifferent blue eyes now had a tinge of murderous intent within them.
Along the way, she was attacked by some undead that had managed to separate from the rest. However, Louisa cut them down with apparent indifference.
She wasn't in the right mood to waste her time on undead.
She gracefully and swiftly moved through the vast forest. Her speed was held back a bit, but even then, it would be difficult for one to follow the movement of her body.
Her seductive body moved enticingly as she brandished her golden spear skilfully, beheading all the stray undead that would sometimes attack her as she moved.
Louisa's movements came to a halt as she stood in a meadow of fields. A gentle gust of wind caressed her body, causing her long golden hair to sway gently. The strand of her front hair that covered her left eye swayed, revealing her beautiful blue eyes.
The tall wet grass reaches a little below her knees. The scent of grass and exotic plants entered her nose. The field was peaceful and filled with an air of serenity that would make one's mind calm and at ease.
However, the indifference in Louisa's blue eyes didn't waver at all! On the contrary, the peacefulness of the fields was annoying her. "Tch, don't waste my time!" Louisa exclaimed as she swung her golden spear in a wide horizontal arc.
Most of the grass was easily severed, and pieces of its strands fluttered in the wind.
"Come out! And stop wasting my time!" Louisa bellowed. "... Well. Someone is in a bad mood... though I don't quite understand why you're so angry; weren't you the one who said illusions are nothing but mere illusions?" Owen's voice sounded.
"Your anger is quite unreasonable, don't you think?"
"Why don't you come here and say that to my face?" Louisa mocked. "Ahaha... no thanks, I only have a little time left; I can't let myself be killed right now." He added.
However, Louisa raised her eyebrow and frowned when she heard his words. "A little time left, what are you talking about?" She asked, squinting her eyes in apparent suspicion.
"Don't sound so surprised; you should already be aware, right? I'm no longer under that lich's influence. And so, it decided to dispose of me." He explained.
Owen's voice sounded indifferent even as he explained his life was about to come to an end sooner than he thought. "... I see. So that's the case. Well then, I guess it just means I have to kill you before your soul completely disintegrates." A cold smile appeared on Louisa's beautiful face as she said that.
Owen's body shuddered slightly as he felt her murderous intent. "... Such hostility." Owen couldn't help but smile bitterly. "Well then, if you want to kill me so badly, you'll have to find me... but I do wonder if you have the mentality for what's next." His voice grew distant after that.
'The mentality for what's next, what does he mean by that?' Louisa wondered; for some reason, she had a bad feeling.
Louisa gritted her teeth and tightened her grip on her golden spear as she moved through the meadow. Several hours passed as Louisa continued traversing through the grasslands.
No matter where she looked, all she could perceive were grass and mountains that stood tall in the distant forest.
Louisa's feet came to a halt as the soft wind blew, causing her long golden hair to sway. "How much further do I have to go?" She muttered. Louisa was really starting to run out of patience now. 'As expected, maybe I should just destroy everything until he decides to show himself.' She thought, as she raised her golden spear... However, something happened at that time...
"Please... run, Louisa!" As Louisa was about to release her aura, she heard a distant voice. Turning her head, Louisa's pupils shrank when she saw someone very familiar to her.
A young girl who seemed to be 12 years old, with long brown hair and dressed in a dirty, torn, bloodied gown. "This... don't tell me!" Louisa's body trembled as she saw the sight before her.
The young girl before her was an old friend she had met when she was an orphan.
After she lost her mother, she was taken to an old orphanage where she met many other orphans like herself.
Among them, the young brown-haired girl was her best friend, someone who helped her recover from the emptiness of losing her mother.
However, after the orphanage was attacked by an army of undead, Louisa saw many of her fellow Orphans and even the ones who took care of them get eaten, only to be turned into more undead.
The young brown-haired girl, Chloe, was the one who helped Louisa escape, as she was bitten by an undead.
...
The scene changed; the surroundings were filled with smoke and flames. A young blonde-haired girl sat in a corner as she was surrounded by an army of mindless undead.
The young blonde-haired girl saw many of her fellow orphans die right before her eyes. Even her best friend died a pointless death just to allow her a chance to escape. However, it was useless as she was once again surrounded by a larger number of them!
"P-Please someone... please save me." The young blonde-haired girl muttered weakly. The creak of the wooden floors resounded as the undead drew closer.
Louisa closed her eyes in fright as she saw them slowly approaching her. However....
Whoosh!
A gentle gust of wind blew, following that light breeze. "Argh!" The cries of the undead grew louder as they lost their heads one after another.
Louisa fearfully opened her eyes as she saw a silver flash cutting down the undead and gradually reducing their large number.
In a matter of minutes, the hall was filled with headless corpses and the stench of blood. Standing in the middle of that was a young, handsome youth with long black hair that extended down to his waist.
He donned a black coat that moved freely as though it had a mind of its own. Louisa's blue eyes met with the young man's blood red eyes that showed no emotions at all.
The black-haired man, Ellard, slowly approached her and extended his hand outwards to her. Louisa hesitated before reaching out her own hand. Unlike Ellard's hand, which was soft and clean, Louisa's hand was stained with blood and wounds.
Louisa thought that her hand was unworthy of touching his own. Not only was he handsome, but he was also strong; he was capable of not only protecting himself but others as well... he was completely different from her, who needed to be protected. Louisa bit her lips with a feeling of frustration. However, Ellard narrowed his eyes as he saw through her thoughts.
"... Do you have the conviction to fight? As long as you do, you can become strong." Ellard said those words to her.
...
Back to the present time...
When Louisa looked around, she realised she wasn't in the meadow anymore, but in a familiar orphanage. The smell of smoke along with the cries of various people resounded.
"You bastard! Why are you showing me this?!" Louisa exclaimed. Behind the young brown-haired girl, an undead appeared. Faster than what could be physically perceived by the eyes, Louisa appeared and swung her golden spear.
However, instead of cutting down the undead as she expected, Louisa's spear went through it as though it was a ghost. The undead used its bloodied hand and pierced the heart of the young brown-haired girl.
Her icy cold expression broke as crystalline tears trickled down Louisa's cheeks as she witnessed such a sight. How long had it been since she last cried? Louisa didn't know... ever since that day when the orphanage was attacked, Louisa lost everyone whom she came to cherish after she lost her mother.
She had completely lost the will to live at that moment. The scene continued. Louisa desperately tried saving everyone, but it was fruitless. All her efforts were wasted as the undead slaughtered everyone one after another!
Louisa's delicate body trembled as she was surrounded by a dark and dense aura! "Are you done?" Louisa exclaimed. "Ahaha... I did tell you, you shouldn't underestimate illusions, right? Something that you believe is nothing, but an illusion can be just as real as your own heartbeat." Owen's voice sounded.
Swoosh!
Louisa didn't have time to say anything as, from the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow swooping in on her. She instinctively held her spear in a defensive stance.
BOOOOOOM!...
"Guh."
Louisa's face grimaced as she was forced back when a sword with a silver blade connected against her golden spear. "You!" Louisa's blue eyes widened when she saw the face of the person before her.
Long silky black hair that reached his waist, deep red indifferent eyes as though they had seen everything the world has to offer.
A long black coat that moved as though it was alive. And two white wings spread outwards from his back.
The person who appeared before her was none other than the "Overlord" Ellard!
"... Why?" Louisa's lips parted softly as she muttered absentmindedly. However, Ellard didn't answer her question; instead, he indifferently swung his sword in a vertical arc. Aiming towards her chest.