Chapter 22 The Lion of Nemea
Then the ten skeletons stood before him once more.
Yara's heart sank.
There seems to be something odd about these things?
However, now is not the time for deep thought...
His brain told him to use force and break them apart once again!
So, while the exposed wound on the forearm was still covered by new flesh...
He used up all the strength that had not yet dissipated.
He unleashed another powerful punch—
The airflow once again swept the skeleton backward dozens of meters, and the skeleton exploded in the air like fireworks...
However, just as the ominous premonition foretold, the bones that had been blasted away by the immense force were once again drawn together by an invisible force and reformed.
Once again, he stood between the crowd and the lion.
"They...have come back to life..."
A sense of terror rose in their hearts.
Monsters aren't scary...
Even those endless corpses have heads as their weak point.
However, these skeletons in front of us have no weaknesses.
Nearly immortal!
How could there be such an illogical monster in this world?
"They cannot die..."
"This is a curse—"
"The souls of these warriors will serve the lion like servants..."
"There is no escape, not even for eternity..."
Old Tyr's deep voice trembled, carrying a mixture of horror and sorrow...
These are all valiant warriors, their names and achievements should be engraved on bronze pillars for all to know, and their stories should be passed down by word of mouth in that blissful underworld...
"Master Tyr..."
"Would it be the same if we died?"
Pan looked at the skeletons with a sorrowful gaze.
They wore the same style of bronze armor as him, and they carried the same shields and spears as him...
They were hollow and decaying, but he was full of flesh and blood.
He seemed to see his own future...
If even Yara's divine power cannot work.
So let's welcome the best ending for them...
That is death!
But here... even death has become a luxury.
"No!"
"They are not immortal!"
Dick, who had been observing silently, suddenly spoke up.
"I don't know if you noticed just now..."
"Those skeletons...after being scattered, they all sank into the water..."
"They crawled out of that water!"
Old Tyr and Pan turned to look at the soaking wet skeletons and indeed found something strange about them.
The lake water was unusually viscous, not like the usual clean water, but more like a slightly sticky, fermented liquid—a liquid that Old Tyr and Pan were very familiar with.
Blood!
Instantly, a chill ran down their spines and into their hearts.
It's terrifying!
When the group looked at the tranquil and beautiful lake again, they found that everything had changed.
That's not a clear lake at all!
It was a lake of blood, a mixture of countless drops of blood and pus, exuding a strong stench and a putrid smell!
The surrounding area wasn't filled with shrubs and trees, but rather with countless severed limbs and broken bones stuck in the ground, forming a forest of flesh and a thicket of bones...
And those things floating in the air, emitting a faint glow, were not fireflies...
Rather, it was the eerie ghostly flames emanating from the countless tragically deceased...
The riverbed beneath their feet was covered with countless fragments of bone dust.
Dick watched all this with a deathly pale face, and then he voiced his guess—
"That blood lake might be the source of these skeletons' continuous regeneration..."
"Each time those skeletons crawl out of the blood lake, they bring with them some blood and consume it..."
"If we confront those skeletons head-on."
"We could fight to the death and still not be able to completely kill them!"
"The blood of no fewer than tens of thousands of people is gathered here!"
Everyone was stunned by this hellish scene. Even the seasoned warrior Pan and the knowledgeable old Tyr remained pale and their throats were dry...
Dick's longbow was already drawn to its full extent, the arrow nocked and ready to be released. He glanced at the silent Yara and the two golden warriors beside him, and shouted, "End all this..."
"We must break through them and kill that lion directly!"
"Listen, I have an idea!"
The group gripped their weapons, keeping their eyes on the slowly approaching skeletal monster while following Dick's lead.
"Yara broke through their obstruction and went to attack the lion directly..."
"And I, Pan, and Master Tyr are doing our best to shield you from these skeletons!"
"Brother, let's take care of that lion before we die!"
Dick yelled at Yara.
The group had already developed a deep understanding during their long journey, and when Dick's idea reached their ears, they did not hesitate at all!
Yara immediately used his dagger to peel off the still unhealed, newly formed skin.
In order to inflict more pain, he reached out and violently churned the flesh inside the wound.
He trembled all over in pain and couldn't help but roar.
And with that roar, that power surged from the soul.
Instantly, he shot off like an arrow, breaking through the skeleton's obstruction...
They rushed to the sleeping lion's side.
And when those skeletons, once again blasted away, tried to crawl out of the blood lake to stop Yara—
Nadik, Pan, and Old Tyr had already taken up arms and blocked their path.
"Do not... disturb... the king's slumber..."
"Your king will soon be blown away by the messenger of God!"
Dick roared, and several arrows were swiftly fired at the skeletons' vulnerable joints...
Old Tyr's longsword sliced through space, emitting a faint sword hum, as it clashed with the several skeletons.
Pan roared with bloodshot eyes, like a berserk warrior, wielding a spear and shield, hoping to find peace for the restless souls of those heroes who could not die through physical means...
Meanwhile—
Yara clenched his fist, exerted all his strength, and delivered a powerful elbow strike!
It crashed down on the head of the sleeping lion.
However, just as Yara, wielding immense and terrifying strength, was about to strike the sleeping demon lion to death—
A light, melodious voice rang out from the lake of blood:
"Mortal, you must not kill that lion..."
at the same time.
An indescribable radiance surged from the blood lake.
When the light touched everyone.
They were horrified to discover that they were unable to move.
It felt as if my whole body was firmly bound by chains, and the more I struggled, the more secure the chains became.
Even if Yara's power surpassed that of the Golden Warriors...
In a short period of time, it is not easy to break free.
Everyone turned in horror to look at the source of the sound above the blood-red lake—
A woman, clad in a sheer, slender dress, with delicate, translucent wings like cicada wings sprouting from her back, hovered barefoot lightly above the blood lake. Her jade-like toes gently touched the crimson surface, creating ripples that spread outwards...
The woman's beauty was almost flawless, surpassing any prostitute Dick had ever seen in the tavern, any ordinary woman renowned for her beauty that old Tyr had ever met in his life, and any royal lady Pan had ever seen in the court.
Perhaps only the legendary daughter of the King of Argos could compare to her...
Dick stared, his eyes wide, involuntarily drawn to the exposed, white skin that the veil could not conceal.
Although he was bound, his Adam's apple bobbed a few times, and he couldn't help but curse out:
"What the hell is this bitch?"
...