...

The being merely glanced at them.

And that single look made Lynch feel as if his soul were about to fly from his body, as if he were on the verge of death.

The Skeleton army at his side froze in unison. The Soul Fires in the eyes of his Soul Fire units flickered wildly, like candle flames in a tempest, threatening to go out at any moment.

The three girls grunted, their faces turning as white as paper, as if their souls had been ripped from their bodies in an instant.

Even the recently subjugated Abomination let out a terrified whimper, its massive body trembling and cowering.

The Naga led by Serena were also trembling so badly they could barely hold their weapons.

Conversely, the ordinary Skeleton Servants were less affected, but that was clearly because they had no souls or consciousness and did not know the meaning of fear.

Only the Silver Armored Corpse silently guarding Lynch remained motionless, though a defensive light shimmered across the surface of its silver body.

As if sensing that Lynch and the others were in danger, it suddenly took a step forward, shielding Lynch and the three girls.

The moment it stepped forward, most of the chill that had seeped into the depths of Lynch’s soul was instantly dispelled, clearing his mind considerably.

In this life-or-death moment, his mind began to race.

’First, I need to assess the situation.’

’This current situation...’

’That madman, Viscount Golding, must have seen that his plot was exposed. With his long-held plans on the verge of ruin, he decided to burn his bridges and forcibly activate this Sacrificial Array, even without all the necessary sacrifices.’

’He’s trying to contact the Netherworld Demigod, Pale Elegy, to achieve his goal.’

’As for the elegantly dressed girl in that ornate crystal coffin... is she a sacrifice, or something else?’

’Judging by that fanatic’s crazed eyes and the scene here, the girl is most likely his daughter. Only a daughter could drive a man to such madness.’

’He caused such a huge mess, captured hundreds of girls, and colluded with a Necromancer... so his ultimate goal was... to resurrect his daughter?’

’How foolish and naive.’

Lynch couldn’t help but curse inwardly.

As a Transmigrator, his way of thinking was more pragmatic than that of many natives of this world.

If resurrecting the dead were so easy, wouldn’t all the lovers, children, and dear friends of the all-powerful emperors, kings, generals, and legendary experts throughout history have been brought back to life?

’If that were the case, this world would have descended into chaos long ago!’

As far as he knew, what Necromancers called "resurrection" was either transformation into some kind of undead creature or magic that manipulated remains, like "Raise Skeleton" or "Animate Dead." It wasn’t true resurrection in any meaningful sense.

Even that brilliant fellow Transmigrator, Lester, who had spent his entire life researching the Resurrection Technique, had apparently failed to fully succeed and even brought disaster upon himself in the process.

True "resurrection"—returning the dead to life in their complete, living form—would undoubtedly involve the most fundamental laws of this world. The requirements would be exceedingly strict; it might even be a complete dead end.

’What made Viscount Golding think that with the help of a mid-tier Necromancer, a half-assed Sacrificial Array, and the sacrifice of a hundred innocent girls, he could get a Netherworld Demigod to perform such an impossible miracle for him?’

’He was, without a doubt, asking a tiger for its skin.’

’Even if Pale Elegy did answer him, the so-called "resurrection" would probably just twist his daughter into some kind of Undead Monster. Or it could be a complete sham, with the sole purpose of harvesting souls and sacrifices.’

It was perfectly clear that Viscount Golding couldn’t accept reality and had become obsessed.

Meanwhile, Lynch was also rapidly making his own calculations.

’Just how strong is this "Pale Elegy" before me?’

’If this were a true projection of the Demigod, even just a wisp of its manifested will, crushing our group would be no different from crushing ants. As strong as the Silver Armored Corpse is, it’s only a Tier Seven or Tier Eight unit. It’s nothing before a Demigod.’

’But!’

Lynch forced himself to analyze the situation calmly.

’This isn’t the Realm of the Dead, nor is it a special region deeply connected to the Netherworld.’

’This is the Grimsby Empire, the prime material plane, where the influence of the Holy Light Church is deeply entrenched.’

’For a Netherworld Demigod to make its projection truly descend here would be no easy feat. It would surely be repelled and suppressed by the laws of the world, and it would require a powerful energy channel to support it.’

’This Sacrificial Array was clearly activated only a short time ago. The dozens of girls intended as "sacrifices" are still alive, which means the offering is incomplete, and the energy channel isn’t stable.’

’Although Pale Elegy’s phantom is terrifying and its aura seems overwhelming, it feels more like a "gaze"—a precursor to its arrival, not the arrival of its true projection.’

’If that’s the case, then there’s still a chance to survive.’

His brain was working at lightning speed, his thoughts becoming clear in a flash.

’Retreat. Retreat immediately.’

’Even if I have to sacrifice every last Skeleton, even if the Silver Armored Corpse and the Soul Fire units die.’

’As long as I can escape with the three girls, it’s a victory.’

’As long as the green hills remain, there will be wood to burn.’

As these thoughts raced through his mind, Lynch quietly began to back away on Red Rabbit, giving a meaningful look to the three girls.

Having worked with Lynch for a long time, the three girls understood instantly and hurried to his side.

At the same time, all the Skeletons, whether they were Soul Fire units or not, quietly pressed forward. If they could delay the enemy for even a single moment, it would be a success.

In a moment of life and death like this, no sacrifice was too great.