Lord of Rot

Living Earthlings were afraid of fire and light, but the dead ones had lost that fear.

He had soaked a few torches in oil from a Blazing Flame Demon Bear to make them last longer. Late at night, Leech directed the red-haired Corpse Ghost into the second cavern.

The moment he entered the cavern, he looked down and saw Jamie’s mangled corpse.

The Earthlings had probably pulled off his pants, only to find a soft, limp lump inside. In a fit of rage, they must have torn him to shreds.

’Could it be that they’re always eating that grass of life? Is that why their... appetites are so strong, and they’re so short-tempered?’

Leech used the Corpse Ghost’s claws to gouge a hole in the wall. The mutated ghost’s strength was immense—its claws tore through rock and soil as if it were a loaf of cheesy bread. He stuck a torch in the hole, wanting to prevent any Earthlings from sneaking out of the cavern while he was hunting inside... or fleeing, if the fight went badly. Trying to catch them outside would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

The men of Porcupine Territory would also be in danger.

He reached the familiar T-intersection and planted a torch in the middle, its light warding off all three paths. Fire and light could deter the Earthlings, but it wasn’t a guarantee. In a life-or-death crisis, any creature could tap into its hidden potential.

He chose the left path again. Even if he couldn’t exterminate them all today, he had to at least get something out of it—some spoils to take back.

He hadn’t even gotten close when cries of ”RAA! RAA! RAA! RAA!” echoed out. They had already sensed the torchlight. Three Earthlings, all sunken cheeks and skin stretched over bone, were crouched on the ground, cowering before the torch-bearing figure.

’You guys just stay in your cavern and don’t bother anyone. Normally, we could have just left each other alone. But I want what’s in here.’

Leech charged, torch in hand. The dancing flames made the Earthlings shriek in terror.

More cries of ”RAA! RAA! RAA!” came from the other direction, but the torch at the intersection blocked their path. They could only stand there and howl.

The mutated Earthling Corpse Ghost was incredibly agile. The three figures, though fearful of the flames, surrounded him.

He flipped deftly and stomped a foot onto the chest of a cowering Earthling. With the sound of CRACKING bones, its emaciated body was instantly crushed. The Earthling died on the spot.

Seeing their companion’s brutal death, the remaining two Earthlings overcame their fear of the flames and lunged. He tossed the torch at one of them. It shrieked in pain as the fire seared it, scrambling backward. That left only one charging him. He sprang high into the air, twisting his body and digging his hands and feet into the dirt ceiling. He hung there upside down like a spider, narrowly dodging the incoming claws.

He let go and dropped to the ground. His claws—longer, sharper, and stronger than a normal Earthling’s—slashed across the creature’s throat. The moment his feet landed, he charged the last Earthling, which was still howling in agony from its burns.

Catching it off guard, his claws plunged—SQUELCH!—into its head, his nails bursting out through the back of its skull.

He lifted his arm. The Earthling’s corpse dangled from his hand, swaying as he flicked his wrist.

’I should try to keep the corpses as intact as possible.’ Leech flung the dead body from his hand.

Aside from the one whose throat was slit, the other two corpses were too damaged to be worth repairing. It would be better to use that much gold to recruit Soldiers and form an army than to waste it on patching up corpses.

Before, he had no choice; he was just trying to survive. Now, he had to think about expansion.

Leech bent over to inspect his spoils. The armor wasn’t of a modern style; it looked to be several hundred years old. Having gone without maintenance for years, its leather straps had rotted away. The armor itself, once exquisitely engraved, was now covered in rust. It was also caked with keratin from the Earthlings’ ”nail clippings.” He picked up a breastplate in disgust and gave it a shake.

’Are antiques valuable in this world?’

’Doesn’t seem like it,’ he answered himself.

All in all, aside from one relatively intact corpse, he had gained nothing.

Leech had hoped for a quick score, but with little to show for his efforts, he had no choice but to pick up the torch and head toward the constant noise from the other passage. The rest of the Earthlings must be hiding over there.

The swaying torchlight stretched his small figure’s shadow long behind him. A dense crowd of silhouettes materialized in the darkness. The Earthlings watched him warily, snarling, yet cowering before the light.

Leech threw one of the lit torches he was holding. The Earthlings scattered in terror, and the burning brand instantly cleared an open space for him.

But in the dim areas where the torchlight didn’t reach, a dozen more Earthlings clung to the walls and ceiling. They hissed at him like cornered beasts making a show of aggression, but it was only posturing.

There were likely more deeper in the cavern.

’This is going to be a battle of attrition.’

Leech turned to leave. The Earthlings surged forward, trying to kill the intruder, but the torch he had planted in the passage blocked their way. They could only watch helplessly as he departed.

He retrieved the Warg Slayer’s greatsword. The cavern passage was wide enough to swing the large blade without it catching on the walls. When he returned to the standoff, the Earthlings were still roaring.

Leech gripped the sword by the middle of its blade, finding its center of balance.

The Earthlings didn’t understand his intentions.

But they were about to find out.

He aimed, and then he threw.

WHOOSH!

The greatsword flew through the flickering torchlight and plunged accurately into an Earthling’s chest, pinning it to the cavern wall. Its limbs went limp, and the corpse hung there, suspended.

The remaining Earthlings roared, charging forward in a frenzy. They almost broke through the defensive line of torches Leech had set. Leech, in turn, feigned weakness and steadily retreated.

Once the Earthlings regained their senses and realized they were about to be encircled by fire, they began to back away.

Everything was back to the way it was.

Leech picked up a dagger. Judging by its sharpness, the Earthlings probably used it to ”trim their toenails.”

He threw.

WHOOSH!

This time, it struck an Earthling squarely in the throat.

’I should find the corpses of some masters of archery or dart-throwing. If I refine them into my undead, perhaps I can master those skills myself,’ he thought.

He continued to attack in a similar fashion, but his throws weren’t always successful. The Earthlings had learned to dodge; the moment he raised his arm, they would scurry aside to avoid being hit.

After he had killed four more Earthlings, the method stopped working entirely.

Leech had no choice but to engage them in a battle of attrition. In the ensuing melee, his Corpse Ghost’s body was torn in several places, but he managed to kill three more Earthlings.

The torch was about to burn out. Leech dragged the Earthling corpses with him and left. As he departed the cavern, he heard the furious roars of the Earthlings within.

”Next time won’t be so easy,” Leech said.

Now he had two very intact Earthling corpses, ones that would require almost no gold to repair.