Chapter 184: [184] Transferred Aggression

“Ghouls? What the hell are ghouls doing here?!” David asked as he held his sword up, facing the ghouls behind them.

“Quite an unexpected find indeed…” Ash commented.

Artie stared at the monsters with a nonchalant look on her face. ’It seems Eliron’s suspicion was right on point.’ Artie thought as she stared at the beasts.

They were not the cause of the magic interference that he had sensed, but if they were here, they were certainly guarding something.

Someone didn’t want them there.

“How long have these monsters been slumbering here? Don’t we do patrols each week?” Duke’s face was locked in a grimace.

“We do, my lord. The last search was just yesterday, Samuel was in charge of the inspection.” David glanced back to reply.

Samuel nodded. “That is correct. There was no indication of any signs of the undead. Tch.” He clicked his tongue. “Anyways, we need to focus on countering—”

“I’ll handle them.” Artie interrupted him, stepping forward and pulling out her wakizashi.

Samuel furrowed his brows as he stared at her.

“Are you mad? Or are you just foolishly ignorant? A single ghoul is able to take on a knight trainee alone, but a vampire ghoul? It can wrestle a knight to submission.”

“He’s right.” David cut in. “Our best chance against them is to work together.”

Artie frowned. “I’m in a pretty bad mood today. Unless you want me to take out my anger on you three, I’d advise you to leave them to me.”

Duke placed his hand on his chest as though to ask. “What did I do?”

David stared at her, speechless, while Samuel angrily glared at her, his jaw tight.

“Let’s leave it to Lady Artie.” Ash tapped David’s shoulder, sheathing his sword. “Ghouls are of no consequence to her.”

“Do as you wish, but I will not sit by and watch you die. As shameful as it sounds, I owe you for saving my life, and I always repay my debts…”

Artie smirked. “Sure thing, kid.”

“I’m not a ki—” he was about to say when Artie sprinted forward.

The two ghouls were progressing from the back, getting ready to charge while Artie was countering the one in front.

“Hey, what are we supposed to do? Stand still while they eat us?!” David barked, preparing for the attack.

She glanced at them and waved her hand in their direction, a wall of transparent light sealing them from the beasts.

Bang!

The ghouls rammed their fists into the wall. The tunnel shook, the light shimmering with each devastating hit.

Artie appeared in front of the first ghoul, her sword carving a path through the air.

Clash!

The adamantine claws of the ghoul met her sword, blood reign, sparks erupting as they created a loud screech.

Artie redirected the blade, pushing it between the ghoul’s fingers and cleaving into its tendons, spewing black blood.

The moment the blood touched the blade it drank it all up, giving off a faint crimson glow.

The ghoul let out a loud screech. Its body bubbled, releasing a black smoky substance.

’Poison?!’

Artie jumped back two steps just as the ghoul launched the poison at her.

’Tsk.’

[Light Distortion Magic]

Artie’s body flickered, her presence completely vanishing right before the monster’s eyes.

The monster looked around, confused, just as Artie appeared right behind it.

Sckhhhh—!

Artie drove her sword right into the space between its neck and shoulder, black blood splitting up into the air, splashing on her cheeks.

Skreeee—!

The ghoul screamed, trying to use its claws to slash at her.

Artie smirked, a dark look in her eyes as she twisted the blade repeatedly, jabbing it deeper and deeper.

She poured her anger into each slash, using the ghoul to let out some pent up rage.

“What the hell? Did she just teleport?!” Samuel asked, his eye wide as he watched her.

“No… it was something else.” David said thoughtfully. “An illusion maybe?”

Artie held the little hairs on the head of the ghoul, pulling its head back before slashing its eyes out.

Then she jumped off its back, doing a flip and landing in front of it.

The ghoul held its face, stumbling back and screaming in pain.

Swish!

With one final strike, the ghouls head was detached from its body, rolling over to Artie who stomped it to mush.

When she turned to stare at the group, they swallowed, silent. At least it was quiet, up until—

Crash!

Right behind them, the shield of light was shattered to pieces, the ghouls sprinting towards the group.

David, Duke and Samuel raised their swords, ready to defend themselves, but the ghouls never got to them.

Gold sparks appeared in Artie’s hand, a magic staff taking form in between her fingers.

The wooden shaft was as black as the night, runic marking etched on the wood all up to its crescent moon tip.

And floating in the semi-circle was a crimson orb that shone like heated coal.

Samuel stared at her, wide eyes as she raised the staff at him.

’A magic staff? Are you telling me she is a mage as well??’

Considering her exceptional skills with the sword, he had thought she was a high level swordsman.

Artie stared at Samuel, a small smirk on her lips.

White currents swirled around the staff, curling around the wood and surging around the crystal.

Artie’s hair levitated, blown by the wind. Her ruby red eyes sparkled, the light reflecting in her eyes.

“Minor Lighting.”

Swooosh!

The lightning tore through the ground, tendrils scorching the wall as they raced towards Samuel.

He immediately jumped away, rolling across the floor as the lightning cut past him.

David had his sword up, ready to defend against the first ghoul. But Ash just stared at the approaching monster with a mildly serious look on his face.

Just as the ghoul reached them, its claw raised to strike down, the lightning tore right into it, burning its body to a crisp.

“What the—” David’s eyes widened.

Artie redirected her staff, the lightning following even the slightest motion.

Ash immediately grabbed both him and Duke, pulling them to the floor as the lighting cut over where their heads had been.

The final ghoul was split in half, its body scorched beyond recognition. The smell of burned flesh waffled into the air, as Artie lowered her staff.

“Haaa— that felt good.” She smiled.

Duke, David and Samuel stared at her, their mouths half open, while Ash had an aloof look on his face, already used to Artie’s antics.

“A-are you crazy? You almost got me k-killed!” Samuel screamed, his hand balled into a fist.

Artie turned to stare at him. “You were in the way.”

Samuel opened his mouth, then closed it. Cursing as he got to his feet.

“Let’s not waste any time. We have a job to do.” Artie said as she continued walking forward, her staff resting on her shoulders as she marched happily.

“I wish I see more of them…” she muttered.

The rest of the walk was done in relative silence. Most of them had two things in mind.

Why were they ghouls down here? And more importantly we’re they really safe with this elf around??

They had been in far more danger from her attacks than what the ghouls had ever done.

Surprisingly, there were no more undead on the path and eventually, they arrived at the cause of the disturbance.

In front of them was a colossal door that towered up to the roof. There was a complex magic circle, etched into the door and giving off a green glow.

“So this is it…” Artie muttered as she stared at the door. “Was this always here?” She turned to ask Samuel.

“It was. But the magic circle is new.” He answered grudgingly.

“To think this all happened under our noses.” David’s hands balled into a fist.

He walked up to the door to inspect it. “This is a complex spell, we need to find someone good at dispelling these kinds of—”

David paused when he realised Ash, Samuel and Duke were standing several meters away from the door.

“Huh?”

He turned around to see Artie pointing her staff at the door. “Stand back.”

“Wait, wait!”

He sprinted away, just as an explosive wave of lightning pounded into the door.

Three defensive magic circles appeared, pushing the lightning back a bit, but Artie kept pouring lightning into the door.

Crack!

The first one shattered like glass, followed by the second and third. Then finally, the lightning tore through the door like a battering ram, sending chunks of stone crumbling into the floor.

Artie walked into the room, a slight grimace on her face. “Hmm, what an unexpected find.” She breathed out calmly.

The rest of the party then walked towards the door, immediately pausing when they got close, holding their noses.

The room… it smelled of death…

Littering the ground were more than a dozen corpses, each with varying degrees of wounds.

David stared at them wide eyed, his eyes glinting with recognition.

“My God. Wh-what is the meaning of this.”

These people, they were…

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