Overlord (LN)

With perfect coordination, they split in two from the center, leaving a space between them that was roughly twenty skeletons in size. Within that space was a figure.

It was not very large. Even at a distance of two hundred fifty meters, it was clearly smaller than Zaryusu.

It wore a black robe, and radiated a dreadful aura of evil. It looked similar to the Elder Lich they had fought yesterday, so it was probably a magic caster as well.

However, the key difference between the two was their power.

A chill ran up Zaryusu’s spine as he saw it. His instincts told him that the difference between the being before him and the Elder Lich from yesterday was like the difference between a warrior and an infant.

Even at this range, he could feel the ice-cold and malevolent presence it emanated. In addition, its equipment was in a league of its own.

It was like an avatar of irresistible death — an absolute ruler.

“A ruler of death... is it?

The words which fell unbidden from Zaryusu’s mouth perfectly described the monster before him.

Indeed, that person was a king that ruled death.

“...Oh!”

What did this ruler of death have in mind?

The Lizardmen panicked as one as they looked at that lord of extinction. Just then, an magic array roughly ten meters across expanded from around that magic caster in a hemisphere.

On the hemisphere were translucent sigils that resembled letters and symbols, glowing with a bluish-white light. These sigils shifted with bewildering speed, each different from one moment to the next.

The clear blue light changed shape continuously, illuminating the surroundings in phantasmagoric radiance. If this were not the work of an enemy, perhaps they might have been entranced by it, but right now they were not in the mood for such things.

Zaryusu, unable to understand what was going on, felt confused.

Most magic casters would not project magic arrays like that into the air when casting their spells. The enemy’s actions were far beyond Zaryusu’s knowledge. Therefore, Zaryusu asked the female who knew the most about magic:

“What is that?”

“I, I don’t know. I don’t know what that is either—”

Crusch’s reply sounded a little afraid. It would seem her knowledge of magic made her even more frightened of this unknown phenomenon.

Just as Zaryusu was about to comfort her with a pat—

Perhaps the spell had cast, but the magic circle fragmented and transformed into countless motes of light, which flew to the sky. And then, they spread from the air, like an explosion —

—And the lake froze over.

Nobody had any idea what was going on.

There was the outstanding chief Shasuryu, the incredibly talented priestess Crusch, and the widely-travelled Zaryusu. Even these individuals, who were extraordinarily gifted in their respective fields, could not immediately comprehend what was happening at the moment.

They had no idea why their feet were stuck in the ice.

Soon — after their brains managed to parse what was going on — the cries of despair rang out.

Indeed, every Lizardman was wailing.

Even Zaryusu was doing so. Crusch, Shasuryu, and even Zenberu, the boldest of them all, was no exception. The terror which sprang from the deepest reaches of their souls drove them to cry out in fear.

The scene before their eyes was too horrific to bear. The lake which could never freeze, which had never frozen ever since they had been born, was now a solid sheet of ice.

The Lizardmen hurriedly raised their feet. Fortunately, the ice was not very thick and broke immediately, but the shattered portions immediately froze back over. The bone-chilling cold from below proved that this was no mirage.

In a panic, Zaryusu hurriedly scaled a dirt wall and looked around, and then he was dumbstruck by the ridiculous sight around him.

Everything, as far as his eyes could see, was frozen over.

It was impossible to imagine that such a huge lake could have frozen solid, yet the glittering ice before his eyes was reality.

Zaryusu feared for the fish farms, but now was not the time to worry about such things.

“No way...”

Crusch, who had climbed up with Zaryusu to look around, was just as dumbfounded as he was. A despondent voice came from her gaping mouth.

Much like Zaryusu, she could not believe what she was seeing.

“Monster!”

He cursed loudly. At the same time, he hoped that the cursing would somewhat ameliorate the terror in his heart.

“Get them up here!” his brother Shasuryu bellowed.