"Everyone, come over!""There's only one enemy!"Dozens of pirates swarmed onto the deck.Despite the overwhelming numerical difference, Pinch calmly opened his Subspace.From it, he pulled out a small potion bottle, the length of a finger, uncorked it, and gulped down its contents.Gulp.A burp escaped his lips. Simultaneously, his back began to bubble and boil."Kill him!"Just as the pirate leading the charge swung his sword, green tentacles burst from Pinch's back, grabbed the pirate's face, and slammed him onto the deck with a loud crash!"...!""What was that?"Squirming.The pirates hesitated. From Pinch's back, pale green tentacles, reminiscent of jellyfish, were rising."Why?"Pinch smiled chillingly."Is this your first time fighting a Necromancer?""This bastard...!""Everyone, attack!"The pirates charged simultaneously. From Pinch's back, multiple tentacles extended as if they had been waiting.Thwack!Bang!Crunch!It was a one-sided battle.The tentacles were elastic and their length could be freely adjusted. Pinch stood calmly in place, not moving an inch, even while facing dozens of people alone.'He's being careless!'A pirate who had slipped around the tentacles to the side aimed a crossbow at the back of Pinch's head and fired.With a thunk, the crossbow bolt embedded itself in the back of Pinch's head."Got him! I got him!"The pirate cheered."Hahaha! You were so arrogant, and now look at you...! Huh?"Pinch moved his arm. He grabbed the tip of the bolt that had pierced the back of his head and exited near his eye, then pulled it out with force.With a squelch, the bolt was pulled free, and a few drops of liquid splattered onto the deck.Pinch's face had already transformed into a green, liquid-like substance."Were you expecting something?"Thud.Pinch threw the bolt to the ground, and his face, now filled with liquid, had already returned to its original state."C-crazy!""What kind of monster is this?!"Swoosh!Pinch's tentacle, flying like a whip, grabbed the leg of the pirate who had fired the crossbow and threw him overboard. The pirate's terrible scream echoed like a distant wail before a splash was heard as he hit the water.Meanwhile, a pirate who had rushed to the side slashed Pinch's waist, but only green liquid oozed out like juice from his waist, and Pinch showed no sign of pain whatsoever."What in the world are you...! Cough!"Pinch extended his arm and grabbed the pirate's face."K-kyaaaaaaah!"Hiss!Smoke rose, and a horrifying sound of flesh melting was heard. A moment later, his entire head melted away, and only his body slumped to the ground.Seeing this, the other pirates backed away in terror."Do you understand the situation now?"Pinch showed a distorted smile."Who you've made an enemy of."Pinch was overwhelmingly strong. He took all attacks head-on, while simultaneously throwing a dozen people into the sea with his tentacles or wrapping around their necks to break their bones. Now, as he fought, he even scattered poison mist everywhere.From physical attacks to widespread chemical attacks. The pirates collapsed helplessly."C-captain!"A pirate looked at Gail with a terrified expression."We're no match for him! Captain, you really need to step in...!""Shut up, you fool!"Gail kicked the pirate's backside and said."Fight quickly! Or should I kill you before he does?!""N-no!"As he pushed the pirates into a deadly situation, Gail—no, Erzebet disguised as Gail—was sweating profusely.'What kind of body is that?'Pinch's body turned into liquid and flowed away no matter what attack he took. Erzebet's spider web restraints, her widespread piercing attacks. There was a high possibility that none of them would work.And that wasn't just some dark magic that turned the body into liquid. Erzebet was certain that he must have paid an enormous price to obtain that body.'If I can just get the Count out and escape... huh?'It was then. Suddenly, her vision spun violently, and she felt an intense dizziness.She knelt on one knee. But the other pirates seemed fine."Finally, it's taking effect."Thump. Thump.Pinch was walking towards her, knocking down the small-fry pirates."How does it feel? Undead."Erzebet was startled.Not only had her disguise been seen through, but he also knew she was an undead."I have a good nose."Pinch sniffed, as if smelling something."Undead have a unique scent. And I know you're far stronger than Gail.""...""That medicine is a reagent I developed myself, effective only on undead. I've mixed it into this poison mist and sea fog and spread it around as a gas. It's colorless and odorless, and small amounts have no effect, but it gradually accumulates in the body until it reaches a certain threshold, then the effect appears all at once."Erzebet stood up. She staggered but held her stance firmly."Troublesome, troublesome."Pinch frowned."My thesis stated that injecting more than 4,760 ppm into an undead would completely incapacitate them, regardless of type, but there was a variable right in front of me, wasn't there?"Swoosh!More than twenty tentacles violently shot out from Pinch's back. "To ensure the completeness of my research, you'll have to die. And I'd like to dissect your body, which is an exception!"Dark blue Jet Black shimmered on her fingers, forming spider webs.Just as the two were about to exchange blows.Rumble rumble rumble!Once again, a massive impact shook the ship. Another pirate ship, having pierced through the sea fog, had rammed into their vessel."Aaaargh!""W-we're falling!"The unprepared pirates were flung from the deck and fell into the sea, while Pinch and Erzebet braced themselves with Jet Black. She shot a spider web to securely fasten Shun to a pillar."What is it this time?!"Pinch violently turned his head.The three large pirate ships were now chaotically intertwined and damaged, and from the deck of the ship that had just rammed them, two silhouettes emerged through the fog.'Ah, Commander!'Erzebet's face brightened. Shun, who was tied up, also shouted loudly."Simon Hyung!!"Crossing the deck were none other than Simon and Pier. Pinch clicked his tongue."To come all the way here, you're inviting death.""We'll see about that."Simon said with a crooked smile."Erze, take Shun and step back.""Yes!"[Kuhuhuhuhu! Excellent! Is it finally my time to shine?!]As Pier shouldered his greatsword and tried to step forward, Erzebet raised her arm to stop him."Pier! You must not come closer."[What is it?]"A reagent that affects undead is spread everywhere. Even a little exposure will make it difficult to control your body properly."Swoosh!As if not giving them time to talk, over twenty tentacles flew at them all at once.They dodged by leaping in different directions. With a loud roar, holes were punched into the deck wherever the tentacles struck."Junior! You're bringing interesting undead with you!"Pinch extended his arm. The tentacles all changed direction at once and flew towards Simon."Kugh!"[Get out of the way!]Pier lunged forward and blocked with his greatsword. The tentacles, deflected by the greatsword, changed direction in mid-air again and flew towards Simon.As Simon leaped, treading on Jet Black, holes were punched into the deck one after another."Simon Hyung!""I'm fine!"Simon gestured to Erzebet, signaling her. She nodded and ran towards Shun.[Hmm, indeed!]Pier frowned.[That strange medicine is spread throughout the ship! The space is confined, so we have no choice but to keep fighting while under its effects!]"Then what should we do, Pier?"[There's one way. Though I'd rather die than do it!]Whoosh!Before their conversation could properly continue, Pinch kept sending tentacles.His back bubbled, and the number of tentacles continued to increase.'Crazy!'Simon quickly dodged. He twisted his head and bent his legs and arms into strange positions. The pale green tentacles grazed Simon's body by a hair's breadth.Hiss!Poison was even attached to them. Fortunately, the defensive magic inside Kizen's uniform held up, preventing his body from melting.As Simon landed on the deck from mid-air.Thump!"...!"The deck, corroded by poison, collapsed, and he fell to the floor below. It was a dusty, warehouse-like place, and the smell of rum from the barrels stung his nose.Crash!Thud!Splat!Holes were punched in various places on the walls and windows of the lower floor, and tentacles relentlessly pursued him.Simon ran frantically. When he was blocked by a dead end, he simply ran along the wall. The tentacles came down sequentially, slamming! slamming! slamming! making holes in the wall."Hoo!"Simon leaped, treading on Jet Black, and grabbed a ladder connected to the ceiling. Then he immediately climbed the ladder back onto the deck."Pier!"On the deck, Pier and Pinch were fighting.Pier seemed to be in poor condition due to the reagent, frowning, and Pinch also looked considerably surprised. The tentacles directly severed by Pier's greatsword were not regenerating."I've never seen such a powerful intelligent undead before. Fascinating!"Pinch muttered, then saw Simon, who was just climbing onto the deck, and sent tentacles his way. Pier quickly jumped in front of Simon and scattered the tentacles with his greatsword."I don't understand! Why would an undead like you serve such a brat?!"Pier chuckled and spoke into Simon's mind.[He's a human full of inferiority complex!]'Pier! More importantly, what was that method you mentioned earlier?'Pier's lips curled into a grin as he replied.[Boy, wear me!]"...!"More tentacles flew. Pier swung his greatsword to cut them, and Simon lowered his stance to dodge. 'That was possible?'Bone Armor using Pier.Strictly speaking, Pier was also a skeleton-type undead.[I can't properly control my body because of the reagent! It's impossible to fully protect you in this state! So you must take my power and defeat him!]Simon's heart began to pound wildly with excitement.The Priest he met in the Forbidden Forest.Erzebet.Ellen Zyle.Serene Eindark.All the formidable foes that Simon had struggled to handle had received Pier's help. More accurately, Simon had only watched from behind Pier.In fact, as a Legion Commander and a commander, such a position was natural, but Simon had always felt regret and thirst for not being able to resolve situations on his own.But now, things could be different.He could fight with Pier's power.[But I am an Ancient Undead! Connecting to my consciousness will be more difficult than you can imagine. One wrong move, and your mind might collapse first, turning you into a vegetable. Will you still do it?]Simon nodded without any hesitation.'Of course. I will definitely succeed!'[Prepare! The moment I signal, you wear me!]Tap-tap.Tap.Simon and Pier ran towards each other simultaneously, dodging the tentacles.[One!]Swoosh!Pinch's tentacles, spread out in all directions, descended simultaneously from the air.[Two!]Pier lunged forward to protect Simon.[Three! Now!]Crack!Pier's body, struck by the tentacles, shattered and disintegrated into bone fragments.Pinch's face brightened, as if he finally thought his attack had worked, but it was a misconception.It was a precisely intended movement.Simon, who had been closing his eyes to concentrate, suddenly snapped them open.'Bone Armor!'Pier's disintegrated body flew towards Simon. Simultaneously, the mental link between the two was activated, and Simon successfully connected to Pier's consciousness.'...!'Plop.A drop of water fell into a pond.Simon was merely a single, infinitely small drop of water. And Pier was a vast pond.The drop of water was swallowed by the pond, and Simon's presence slowly faded.[Concentrate, boy.]Pier's voice was heard.[Don't be swallowed by my consciousness. Focus your mind. Maintain your will within the will of another body.]'Yes.'Before his consciousness was completely swallowed and blurred, Simon quickly recovered his mind and recognized himself.'Focus, focus, focus.'On the transparent and calm surface of the pond, like glass, the fallen water drop created ripples.The expanding ripples soon became crashing waves, and the waves became a torrent, and the torrent became a new current. The pond began to swirl like a whirlpool.Pier's lips stretched into a wide grin.[Kuhuhuhu! As expected of Richard's son! Perfect!]Whoosh!Simon, having emerged from his mental landscape, returned to the original world.The countless bones that formed Pier's massive body, over two meters tall, disintegrated in the air and began to attach themselves to Simon's body one by one.Clack!Clack-clack-clack!Pier's bones seamlessly enveloped Simon's body, forming his upper and lower halves.Behind his back, Pier's shadow cloak settled, and Pier's fractured skull covered Simon's face, transforming into a skull helmet.Simon's right eye was covered by Pier's skull, and a dark blue flame ignited within it.Flutter!The large shadow cloak fully settled on Simon's shoulders.Pier's hand bones covered Simon's palms, transforming into gauntlets. Only his right arm was armored with Pier's bones, and Simon's left hand remained empty.Bone Armor required two skeletons as a set. There weren't enough bones to fully arm him with just Pier's body, so the helmet and arms were only armored on the right side.Nevertheless.Thump-thump-Simon felt an exhilarating power flowing through his body, something he had never experienced before.Swoosh!As tentacles surged like waves from all directions, Simon walked over and grabbed Pier's greatsword, which was stuck in the ground.Slide.As if welcoming its master, the greatsword, which he couldn't lift before, was now easily lifted.Pier's voice was heard.[Let's go! Boy!] 'Yes, Pier.'
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