A New World, An Immersive Game Experience

Recently, the surroundings had become more 'lively'. Though, of course, everything around them was undead.

Well, the surrounding plants weren't truly undead. They still grew, after all; which would make them living things in this land of the dead. However, they were filled with the aura of death, so much so that magic would declare them part of the undead.

And now, they had reached their final destination. A grand city welcomed them as they passed through her gates. The large spikes covering the black walls the most clear sign it was a city of the undead.

Perhaps one would expect the city of the undead to appear dilapidated or run down, but that was far from the truth.

Sure, the walls were black, and the air was heavy. But things weren't rotten. Stone was used for most construction—until they came to the human farms.

Passing through the fields, Adriana and the rest could feel their spirits being revitalized, despite the dismal surroundings they found themselves in. The city had only three types living in it: demons, undead, and slaves.

Of these three groups, the slaves were second only to the undead. Which was natural, as their numbers were used to ensure the undead grew stronger.

The reason she and the rest with her felt revitalized while walking through the place where the undead farmed humans—a place of true horrors for living beings—was quite simple.

Their collars protected them from the drain of the dead lands, but it was the equivalent of using a mask to survive in a toxic environment. There was no comparison to breathing in the stuffy air of a mask compared to the fresh air of the countryside.

The rulers of the city considered it too great a bother to collar each human and instead used the city's formations to allow life to live within it. Thus, this was the first time in weeks that their group breathed natural air. That the collar was no longer necessary for their survival.

Sadly, they could not pause to enjoy the sensation. But that was also for the best. Should they stay for any longer than to move through the area, they might start to think of the lives of those being kept here, being farmed here.

Their tax was not in gold or copper, but instead in children. It was expected that they married young and produced kids every two years. With every second child being taken by the state for 'tax' at the age of sixteen.

And the age wasn't so old for sympathy or malice. Younger ones were simply useless when turned to undead after they died from grueling labor or services. It was more economical to take the 'tax' once they were strong enough to be useful as both living and undead.

"Move it!" Their skeletal master ordered. Kicking those who had paused to take in the fresh air. Their carriage, as one would expect from a rotten carriage, had broken down. Though it had survived a long time.

Thanks to their unending journey, they were all tired to the bone. A continuous journey in a rotting carriage was no easy life. These past days had been horrendous. Their surroundings ruined the little sleep they had managed.

It was honestly only thanks to their strength as Tier 5's that they still contained their wits and lives. Any normal person would have died from the rattling carriage ride. After all, the undead cared not for such little things such as comfort.

They would never even consider fixing their roads or adding suspension to their carriage. It was a waste of money and time, that was all they saw it as. In fact, their roads were simply trodden paths, not actual roads.

Adriana wished she could fight, or do anything to resist. But time had thought them it was impossible. All her attempts to sneak magic past her collar had resulted in her being paralyzed by the resultant magical jolts. Wreaking havoc through her body as it disturbed her mana flow.

However, recently, she had grasped something she had never felt before. When the mana backlash happened, she could feel a connection to magic she had never felt before. If only their journey would have taken a few more days... if only...

She was certain she would have managed...

Pushing her depression from her mind, she instead turned her focus on why they had been brought here.  Far, far from the borders to the central parts of the land of the dead.

"Enter." The skeleton commanded, filling them into a room near the castle—the heart of the city.

Their room was little more than a cell, but it was the first time in weeks that they could properly rest. So everyone fell to the ground to regain their strength, discussing their plans to escape.

They all knew it was impossible. That didn't matter. That they had been brought this far meant one thing, and one thing only. They were to be guinea pigs. There was no other reason they would have been fed for weeks.

"I'd rather die than help them by being their lab rat." Craine muttered. His fists clenched as he strengthened his resolve. The others did the same, everyone preparing themselves to fight.

Hearing their resolve, Adriana wasn't about to sit by and watch. She wanted to fight, too. They were all ready to die. Whether this happened by sword or collar, it didn't matter. Their goal was simple. Don't be useful to their enemy.

Sure, the undead would turn their bodies into more of the same. But not allowing their enemy to perform their experiment after incurring the cost of having them be brought here alive. That was an insignificant victory they were all too happy to grasp.

It would mean nothing in the grand scale of things, but to them, it was like being able to leave a foal tasting sensation in the mouth of their enemy. It truly was insignificant, but it was more than enough for them to smile at the thought of dying.

'If we're doing this, then I might as well try my best!' Adriana thought, bringing her hands to her collar and guiding her mana to flow to them. Immediately the collar activated and sent its own waves of mana to suppress her.

Normally, this would cause her to lose consciousness within seconds. But repeated attempts had allowed her to grow accustomed to this pain. And more importantly, she had learned to ride along its waves.

As the collar's mana crashed through her body, she moved her mana to the same rhythm. And as she did, her organs were squashed.

She coughed out blood and fell to the side, but she did not relent. She had needed a few more days, but they had no time.

Pushing through the pain as her eyes started to bleed, she could feel her mana swelling. Soon, blood even seeped through her skin, but she did not stop. Nor did the others attempt to stop her, either.

Noticing what she was trying, they moved quickly. Some went to keep watch, while the others attempted to ease her pain.

After what felt like an eternity, they heard a click. And then the collar around Adriana's neck turned to dust. She looked absolutely terrible, every inch of her covered in her own blood. Despite appearing like death itself, she and everyone else were smiling.

After a few minutes, having taken her time to heal her injuries, she asked, "Who's next?"

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