Chapter 108 – New Port (2)

Zombies were climbing the container walls stacked 7-10 layers high like ants.

The undead climbing the container walls wasn’t because they had gained some special ability.

They were simply grabbing onto whatever they could and climbing mindlessly.

Zombies and skeletons gripped edges, placed feet on protruding bolts, and pulled container handles to climb up.

Though they looked like professional rock climbers from the outside, in reality they fell more often than not from failing to get proper holds.

*thud* *thud* *thud*

Even now undead were falling to the ground every few seconds.

Who knows how many had fallen – dried bloodstains, torn flesh, and severed limbs littered the ground.

It was a horrific sight, but having seen too many hells, both party members and U.S. forces just frowned.

If humans were climbing, these container walls would be impregnable, but unfortunately the climbers were undead who ignored injury and death.

Fallen undead sprayed black blood and clung to the containers again.

Though the truck and bus stopped near the walls, the undead paid us no attention.

While this let us assess the situation without fighting, it also made entering the port difficult.

Watching the climbing undead, Hoffman spoke:

“Seems we need to clear this first before anything else.”

I agreed, but it wasn’t as easy as it seemed.

On flat ground I might manage alone somehow, but now all the undead were clinging to containers.

No telling how long it would take to clear them one by one while climbing the walls.

As I pondered this difficulty, Zahina approached:

“It would be easier to deal with them if we made them all come down, right?”

At Zahina’s calm words, I looked up at the container walls again.

Though undead weren’t clinging to the entire length of the wall, they still covered over 100 meters of it sideways.

Making all these undead come down – this wouldn’t be easy even for an archmage.

Was this what she discussed with the U.S. forces earlier?

Before I could ask her method, she moved first:

“Then I’ll take that as permission to start.”

Zahina spread both hands and gathered mana in them.

*whoosh*

Though I didn’t know what she planned, I trusted her and waited for her to use her ability.

As Zahina gathered mana, Ye-rim approached from the opposite side.

She looked at Zahina then whispered to me:

“I have something prepared this time too. It will definitely help.”

At these unexpected words, I looked at Ye-rim.

She wore an expression of firm determination.

Seems she felt bad about not being helpful during this reconnaissance.

But it was natural she wasn’t helpful. No, it would be a problem if she was.

Not being a combat priest, priests being helpful would mean everyone was severely injured.

Though I was curious what she had prepared, there was no time to check.

The people pushing back undead on the wall were in immediate danger.

Someone had nearly fallen earlier, and another was bitten.

Any later and the undead would surely cross the walls.

Fortunately, Zahina finished preparing without delay.

Instead of releasing her gathered mana, she shouted back loudly:

“Now! Blow it!”

“Hit it!”

At her words the U.S. commander shouted again, and simultaneously a significant explosion sounded behind us.

*boom*

It sounded like a grenade or small explosive.

Turning around in surprise, I saw water shooting into the sky.

*splash*

A fire hydrant by the road had burst. No, this time it was deliberately burst.

As water shot up, the mana gathered in Zahina’s hands moved.

As the mana moved, the rising water stream changed direction.

“Whoa, it’s really moving!”

“It’s a water dragon!”

As the surprised sailors said, the water stream rushed forward as if alive.

It passed over my head, rushed across the road, and struck the container wall where undead clung.

*splash*

Several undead directly hit by the water stream fell.

Other undead nearby got soaked but kept clinging to the wall. Unfortunately the impact wasn’t enough to make them fall.

“Ah… this isn’t enough?”

Disappointed voices came from behind.

But I hadn’t lost hope yet.

Zahina wouldn’t end it like this. Her mana was still moving.

Zahina kept changing the water stream’s direction with her mana.

She sprayed water over the entire wall where undead clung.

Perhaps due to the stream’s quick movement, no more undead fell after that.

Soon the water stream weakened. Probably used up all the water in the pipe.

Though people seemed more disappointed as the stream weakened, Zahina didn’t lower her hands.

The mana she was spreading changed nature once again.

The moist energy caressing the water settled into coldness.

“Achoo! What’s this cold wind?”

Along with surprised voices, the thinned water stream began freezing.

*crack* *crackle*

From above our heads to the container wall – the entire water stream turned to ice.

The water sprayed on the containers was the same.

*crackle*

Ice covered the container walls.

A massive ice wall gleaming in sunlight spread before us.

*thud* *thud* *thud*

The undead clinging to the containers fell down.

The sight of over a hundred undead falling simultaneously was truly spectacular.

Watching all the undead fall, Zahina lowered her hands while panting:

“*huff* *huff* With insufficient power I could only freeze the water. What a shame. In our world, I could have frozen everything… Still, being frozen with mana, it should stay frozen for several hours.”

I could only stare at Zahina with an astounded expression.

To call that disappointing.

Though not using tremendous mana like archmages’ magic that could blow away entire areas, this too was an amazing ability.

She freely controlled powerful water streams and froze water across such a wide area.

Watching Zahina catch her breath reminded me of when I first met her.

Though it didn’t show on her face then, she struggled greatly with each use of her abilities.

She had clearly said she couldn’t properly use her abilities after coming to this world.

But that statement seemed to need canceling now.

Though Zahina was still disappointed, this level of ability was far more useful than most mages.

The grounded undead rushed toward us, unable to climb the walls.

Seeing the undead charge, I gripped my sword.

“Then, is it my turn now.”

Though not few in number, this much was manageable.

But before I could step forward, Ye-rim spoke:

“No. It’s my turn.”

Stopping my steps with those words, she clasped her hands and prayed:

“I pray to the divine. I offer myself to you, please save these fallen to evil.”

Her prayer wasn’t much different from prayers I’d heard often in my previous life.

But I had to harden my expression.

“What did those people teach you!”

Though I yelled at Ye-rim, I couldn’t stop her prayer.

The prayer had already begun, and her holy power was spreading toward the approaching undead.

Instead of stopping her, I could only bite my lip in self-reproach.

It was wrong to let her get close to the priests who crossed the gate.

I had forgotten how crazy humans who dedicated themselves to the divine were.

*whoosh*

The approaching undead burst into flames the moment they touched the holy power.

It looked similar to when undead burned after entering safe zones.

But there were no holy items here, nor priests helping her.

Moreover, unlike in safe zones, the flame-engulfed undead turned straight to ash.

The undead disappearing to powder seemed saved by fire as in her prayer.

A proper cremation leaving no remains.

The holy power kept spreading, burning all approaching undead.

Hundreds of zombies and skeletons turned to ash in an instant.

Finishing her prayer and seeing this sight, Ye-rim smiled brightly at me:

“Wow, it really worked. Did you see? I handled them all.”

But I couldn’t smile back.

I put away my sword and glared at her.

“Do you know what you just did?”

“Oh. You knew?”

At my words, Ye-rim hung her head low.

“How much did you use?”

“Ah… you knew that too? Not much. Um… 6 months.”

Mumbling quietly, Ye-rim finally confessed under my questioning.

Six months of lifespan.

Though thankfully shorter than worried, using lifespan at all was the problem.

I spoke to her in an icy voice:

“If I could, I’d make you stand all night in punishment in place of your dead father.”

“I’m sorry. But I felt I should try what I learned at least once…”

“This is forbidden. Never use it except in truly dangerous times, and only when I tell you to.”

“Uh… yes.”

Seeing my hardened expression, Ye-rim hesitated then nodded.

Though sorry to Ye-rim who wanted praise, I had to be strict.

Self-sacrifice spells using lifespan.

They were spells proven effective against undead, to the point where safe zones were said to be based on self-sacrifice spells.

But they were equally dangerous spells and prayers.

Being so effective, priests had to use them whenever in danger, and ultimately died losing all their lifespan.

When being pushed back by undead then, I had seen a priest die that way.

A priestess who died with a wrinkled face after saving our unit.

I still couldn’t forget that smiling aged face I saw then.

I couldn’t let my party member end up like that.

Would have been better if she never learned it…

Letting her accompany the priests was truly a mistake.

In the end, thanks to my party members, I was able to enter New Port without swinging my sword once.

The door of the lowest container in the wall opened, and people came to greet us.

We were greeted by soot-covered sturdy men.

They were the port workers left behind at New Port.