The deafening explosion of a fireball echoed into the courtyard.
Lyle stood silently on the neatly trimmed lawn, his gaze, visible from beneath his hood, fixed on the European-style castle ahead.
The main gate had already been reduced to ruins, with thick smoke billowing out from within.
"Wiped out in an instant? Truly impressive."
Lyle sensed that the dozen or so undead he controlled had been annihilated by a single fireball attack, severing their connection, and he praised it.
From the guards he had killed, he had already learned that the 'Eight Fingers' had, unusually, all gathered today. Although he hadn't found out why, Lyle wasn't interested in knowing.
He glanced at the experience points on his attribute panel.
[Experience Slot: 20973 / 10000]
The dozen or so members of Eight Fingers had given him over 800 experience points.
In Lyle's eyes, the 'Eight Fingers' security department's garrison was not only loosely guarded but also very understaffed. In reality, the average level of these stationed personnel was between 'level 6 and 8'.
At a normal human level, they were already considered skilled.
Boom!
A damaged wooden door, charred by flames and carved with a majestic lion, was flung out, crashing heavily onto the lawn with a loud thud.
The next moment.
Several figures emerged from the thick smoke, one after another.
"Hehehe, there really is only one person."
'Blood Moon Scimitar' Edstella, dressed lightly in sheer gauze, twisted her slender waist and chuckled, "Excuse me, sir, are you sure you've come to cause us trouble?"
As she walked, the golden rings on her wrists and ankles clinked, producing a crisp sound.
'Thousand Kills' Mamviste, casually draped in a bullfighter's suit adorned with gold-embroidered patterns, was the second to emerge.
"My clothes are very expensive, and they'll be unwearable if they get smoked."
'Thousand Kills' Mamviste grumbled, holding a slender rapier in his right hand, its tip pointing to the ground and slightly swaying.
Immediately after.
'Spatial Slash' Peshurian, 'Phantom Demon' Shakulonte, and 'Undead King' Divanok also followed out.
"Hmph, the boss is very angry." 'Phantom Demon' Shakulonte's gaunt face showed malice as he scrutinized Lyle from afar, then turned his head to 'Undead King' Divanok: "What's the deal with this guy?"
"He's not like me."
'Undead King' Divanok's red, ghost-fire-like eyes revealed a hint of disappointment.
As a naturally born Archlich, it was only by relying on his abyssal desire for magic that he suppressed his innate hatred for the living.
He accepted 'Fighting Ghost' Zelo's invitation to join Eight Fingers precisely to use human wealth to learn the magic humans possessed.
This was the first time he had encountered someone who surpassed him in necromancy, which made 'Undead King' Divanok think he had met a kindred spirit.
But alas!
There was no trace of death aura on Lyle's body.
As soon as he spoke, the atmosphere among the several people present solidified, and a grave expression appeared in everyone's eyes.
"To dare break into our stronghold alone, he is indeed a dangerous fellow." 'Spatial Slash' Peshurian's low, hoarse voice came from his helmet.
Everyone was well aware of 'Undead King' Divanok's strength, and moreover, as an undead, he couldn't gain an advantage in controlling the dead.
What this implied was self-evident!
The mysterious figure wrapped in a black robe opposite them likely possessed strength close to the Hero Realm, or perhaps had already entered that realm.
Thump!
Thump!
Heavy footsteps approached, and the members of the Eight Fingers uniformly made way.
'Fighting Ghost' Zelo, covered in beast tattoos and muscular, exuded a dangerous aura, his clenched fists cracking as he walked out.
"Our stronghold was attacked; you've made me lose a lot of face."
"I am a magnanimous person, but I am very angry right now, so I'm only giving you two choices."
'Fighting Ghost' Zelo looked at Lyle with fierce eyes: "Either become my subordinate, or die!"
The atmosphere became oppressive at this moment.
Six gazes, containing arrogance, solemnity, disdain, curiosity, and more, focused on him.
Facing a lineup of six Mithril-level individuals, even Lyle felt a certain pressure.
"All six of the strongest members of 'Eight Fingers' are here; my luck is truly not just ordinarily good."
Lyle's sigh sounded, and the eyes hidden beneath his hood had grown a few shades more serious.
No matter how much he underestimated them.
The six individuals before him were all above level 20. Although level was one thing, strength was another.
For example, the weakest, Phantom Demon, despite his high level, had a class structure of 'Light Warrior' plus 'Illusionist'.
One basic warrior class, one basic magic class, a class structure with absolutely no mutual bonuses, resulting in his true strength being only at the level of a dozen or so.
No wonder he was later taken down by the novice Climb.
In fact, this kind of class build was rather common among the natives.
Conversely, the strongest, 'Fighting Ghost' Zelo, was somewhat exaggerated and abnormal. Even Brain, the 'Nail Clipper', had to chug two potions.
"So what's your choice?" 'Fighting Ghost' Zelo asked.
"You must have misunderstood."
"What I mean is, this will save a lot of time." Lyle spoke: "Harboring undead, you are truly deeply sinful."
All the members of the Eight Fingers stiffened, their faces turning cold.
"I've seen many self-righteous people, but I've seen more who knelt before me, weeping, wailing, and begging for mercy."
'Fighting Ghost' Zelo grinned, a sinister expression on his face: "I'll take your head as a room decoration, to tell all the fools who challenge the Eight Fingers what their fate will be!"
Lyle swayed slightly: "Too much chatter."
"Reduce!"
In an instant.
Lyle's figure vanished from his original spot, moving with extraordinary speed. In a flash, he had already rushed from dozens of meters away to stand before the group.
"So fast!"
Everyone's faces showed shock.
This was simply not the speed a magic caster should possess.
'Fighting Ghost' Zelo narrowed his eyes and quickly raised his fist.
'Thousand Kills' Mamviste and 'Spatial Slash' Peshurian also reacted immediately. As for the other three, they remained standing, still somewhat dazed.
"Dark Wave!"
Lyle saw the people before him and uttered three words.
A dark, eerie cursed energy immediately spread out from Lyle, expanding to a range of 5 meters after 'Cursed Knight' was raised to level 3.
The power of the curse penetrated their bodies, and everyone's movements stiffened and stopped.
And at this moment.
Lyle was already standing in the middle of the six, a steel sword appearing in his palm simultaneously.
If it came to a real fight.
One against six, he wasn't confident.
This group of people were not weak. Once they spread out, that would be troublesome. And to control this group, he had to crush them with absolute strength!
Therefore.
Utilizing the advantage of his skills, he gave the people before him no chance to act, resolving the battle in the shortest possible time.
"Quadruple Light Slash!"
Brilliant cold light instantly flashed in the air.
'Fighting Ghost' Zelo, 'Phantom Demon' Shakulonte, 'Thousand Kills' Mamviste, and 'Blood Moon Scimitar' Edstella were the first four whose bodies erupted in a burst of soaring blood.
After attacking the four.
Lyle twisted his ankle and delivered a heavy kick, aimed squarely at 'Spatial Slash' Peshurian.
Among the six present, only he wore full body armor. If the previous attack had landed on him.
Lyle highly suspected that the steel sword, already gradually crumbling under the curse's influence, would probably shatter the moment it collided with his full body armor.
Boom!
The double damage, augmented by the curse's power, exploded on 'Spatial Slash' Peshurian's chest. His seemingly hard armor directly caved in a large section.
'Spatial Slash' Peshurian screamed, his figure blasted away, crashing into the mansion.
"Ah!"
"Ah!"
"Ah!"
Immediately following, three screams also rang out simultaneously.
'Phantom Demon' Shakulonte, 'Thousand Kills' Mamviste, and 'Blood Moon Scimitar' Edstella collapsed to the ground.
Large amounts of fresh blood continuously gushed from their wounds, causing the three to instantly lose their ability to fight.
Human physiques simply couldn't compare to ogres.
Bang!
The ground shook.
'Fighting Ghost' Zelo awoke from his dazed state. The intense pain and the aura of death activated his long-trained reflexes.
He stomped hard on the ground, quickly creating distance.
Even though he hadn't fully understood what had happened, his body had already reacted first.
"How is this possible!!"
"Who exactly are you?!"
It wasn't until he had created about ten meters of distance that 'Fighting Ghost' Zelo stumbled to a halt, looking at Lyle with disbelief and terror.
The 'Eight Fingers' had been—crushed in an instant!
"Monster, monster."
'Phantom Demon' Shakulonte lay on the ground, his face deathly pale, a pool of blood already beneath him:
"I don't want to die, I don't want to die."
The feeling of blood constantly flowing out, life slowly fading away, made him tremble all over.
'Blood Moon Scimitar' Edstella and 'Thousand Kills' Mamviste also lay on the ground, almost in despair.
"Humans truly are fragile."
Lyle glanced at the several individuals, threw the shattered steel sword in his hand to the ground, and looked up at the sky.