Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: 8-1. Purple Phoenix and Vampire Saintess
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Morning had already arrived, and Dennis's class was underway.
The red-haired mage turned to the knight in silver armor as she noticed the absence of the man who always wore his Black Knight helmet.
"Licht hasn't shown up?"
"Huh...? You're right, Kai. Haven't seen Helmet Guy?"
"He bolted out somewhere at dawn, so I thought he might've left something in the lecture hall..."
Kainel furrowed his brow, a sense of unease creeping in. It wasn't like him to vanish without a word.
"...Maybe he'll show for Drake's lecture?"
"Where the hell did he go? Helmet Guy..."
Ariel scanned the room, but the only one left wearing knight armor was Mardol.
"...That's weird."
Licht's sudden unexcused absence.
The white-haired girl had a gut feeling something was off. Her wolf ears twitched faintly inside her helmet.
The Hero Cult.
In short, a cult that still worshipped the four heroes summoned long ago.
Why a cult? Because those bastards had all fallen and become Demon Kings by now.
Truly, the namers were in their rebellious phase. If that's the case, they should've at least renamed it the Demon King Cult.
This led to a massive war, with Knight Heart and Black Heart frequently mentioned.
'The current Ten Heroes are the ones who ended that war.'
Nex and I had slipped out of Grand Hearts Academy and stopped at a certain spot.
A massive boulder, just as it appeared in the game—brushing against the school's barrier, exuding an unnatural aura.
Suspicious as hell. Someone must've cast a perception-blocking spell. Staring at the magic circle etched into the rock, I thought.
"This is the place."
My constitution, which resists magic well, was coming in handy right now.
"There's nothing here, just a big rock... Huh?"
"We need to smash this rock."
I tapped the house-sized boulder. In the game, this part would've blown away to reveal stairs.
"Whoa, for real. Touching it makes weird stuff visible now, junior."
A secret rendezvous point as the sun set.
Like the proverb about the darkest spot being under the lamp, an instance dungeon lay hidden right underground.
Traces of the Hero Cult were here in abundance—long explanations about their history, markings of their symbol with four holy swords, fragments of white cultist robes.
Plus, it was even named the "Rendezvous Point."
If someone vanished from the academy overnight, this was the most likely spot.
"Should I... smash it? Melt it with fire?"
"I'll handle it."
Her fluid form still lacked physical power. Even as a mighty phoenix, she wasn't fully mature yet.
"Tweet..."
Plus, worry for Sharutineth seemed to have drained her energy. Normally, maybe, but not right now.
"Guess I have to use everything I've learned after all."
I drew my sword.
Cracks everywhere, scraping against the scabbard as it came out. This should hold. I could squeeze out one or two more Void Slashes.
'Let's go with Reverse Scale Thrust for now.'
Finding the surest method, I adjusted my stance toward the target. The ground scraped under my feet.
Drake Style, Second Form.
The last of the three basic sword techniques—thrust, slash, deflect—its empty space.
A combo piercing a dragon's weak point. The second ploy crafted to easily stab even the toughest spots.
Every object has a weakness.
I focused on speed. My fingertips sharpened in sensation. I held my breath briefly.
Touch the reverse scale, and the dragon rages to devour the attacker—thus, the core of this sword form is slipping the blade into that preceding gap without fail.
A mere rock should shatter easily. Normally, it would pry even a dragon's sturdy scales.
"Step back."
"...Got it, junior."
I spoke calmly to Nex. I couldn't circulate mana in my body. Pure physical force meant total focus.
—Clang!
To protect the Nameless Saintess, I gave it my all. Failure wasn't an option here.
The clash of metal and stone rang out. Rocks crumbled with a patter. Time was critical. I had to cut faster.
—Ching!
A bit more. Faster.
Mixing in Shadow Slices, I deflected flying shards outward with wing flows. Poured in combos. Sword durability? Ignore it.
"Junior, what kind of swordsmanship is this?! It's not even explosion magic!"
Just a little more.
I was sick of seeing bad endings where someone died.
—Kagagagak!!
Like an excavator gouging earth, the rock splintered and ground away. The screech of iron and stone vibrated the ground like construction noise.
"...Done."
My hands tingled as I caught my breath. Tough, but doable. I'd handled bigger ones during all-nighters with my master.
"Whoa... You did all that...? You really are Drake's disciple, junior."
"You thought I was lying?"
"Yeah, honestly, there are tons of imposters."
In mere minutes, the cornerstone-like boulder was shattered and flung aside. Even Demon Kings would fall eventually—this was nothing.
What emerged was a single set of stairs exuding an eerie chill.
Its presence screamed "do not enter," sending shivers down my spine with the cold air.
"...But how'd you know this without being the Sage's disciple, junior?"
"Suspicious, right? Who puts a boulder like this on the academy's flat grounds anyway?"
"I guess..."
I barely dodged that. Or did he see through me? No way Nex's sharp eyes missed it. His purple gaze flicked between the stairs and me, signaling doubt.
"Whatever, doesn't matter now. This is the place, right?"
"Yes. It is."
But he seemed to let it go. Resolve hardened his serious expression as he looked at me.
'He knows I'm lying but trusts me anyway.'
Calling for backup was risky—who knows what might emerge—and waiting for guards would take too long.
'Status window... Not popping up means there's still a chance.'
The percentage dropping since morning hit 47%; now it's gone. This must be the fork in the road. No time to waste.
"Even if we run into trouble, the Ten Heroes might come looking."
"No time to hesitate. Let's go down."
"Understood, senior."
The two men plunged into the pitch-black underground, devoid of sunlight.
The knight and spirit mage party entered the instance dungeon.
"Creepy, huh, junior."
"At least the phoenix helps."
"Tweet."
Purple flames flickered like lanterns even in the dark, dimly illuminating ahead.
In the game, light magic like Merak's was essential for dungeons... but not for me now.
The other day came to mind. I knew magic worked through mediums or proxies instead of circuits, but why learn it in the crown prince route?
My head throbbed. If the Saintess route locked in, the status window would show her name—how great that'd be. Still so much unknown.
This dungeon too—its layout differed from what I knew.
"This path is way too rough."
"Yeah, looks like it."
Twisting passages like an ant colony. Ahead lay a maze to escape.
Normally, looping around led to a straight path, then a clearing with the boss room at the end.
'The starting structure's more vicious than the original.'
Lost in thought. Unlike my past life, lives were at stake now. Needed a way through.
Ah, that method.
"Nex senior."
"Yeah, Licht junior?"
Even in a game, this world was real. I'd forgotten that momentarily.
Structures aren't invincible.
Destroying dungeon layouts was impossible normally, but not here.
"Let's punch through the walls."
"...What?"
"No time. It's a maze ahead anyway, like the path so far."
I drew my sword again. Palmed the cave wall. Good—soft enough. Reinforced with magic barriers like the rock, maybe.
"I'll make the path."
"What...? Possible? The spells differ at every junction—advanced barrier magic..."
"It is."
Sucks for the Hero Cult, but it doesn't work on me.
Same magic? I can't even coat my blade with mana. That's why it's so chipped.
"Hold your breath."
I unleashed Void Slash straight ahead. Thud-kwang! Layers of rock crumbled away.
"...What the. That's Emperor's—no, Void Slash...?"
Like a bomb blast, the maze-blocking path powdered, opening a long forward route.
"...Tweet."
Nex paled. Even the sparrow trembled, staring at me. Why? Without this, learning Drake Style was pointless.
It wouldn't even scratch a Demon King.
"If you had that, why not use it sooner, junior...?"
"Durability's lacking. Thought of carrying spares, but the wind pressure shreds them too."
Wish I had my old game sword; probably not here though.
"...How does Drake even use it?"
"Sword made from dragon fangs. Mass-produced stuff can't compare."
Honestly, moments like this made me envy my master. Gimme a hidden piece monopoly or cheat item. Hell, even a holy sword... Right, I'm not a hero class.
"Just head forward."
"Yeah."
Wall crumbled with a rumble, opening a wide space. Breeze ventilated the narrow passage.
"This seems like the right way, junior."
"Let's hurry."
Unlike before, an exit with light ahead.
But something felt off. Each step forward stung my nose sharply.
"Ugh, what smell is this...?"
"Rotting corpses... Damn these bastards."
Inside reeked. Decaying flesh. Lingering blood tang. It all meant one thing.
An arena-like space ringed by iron bars appeared.
"...."
Nex and I fell silent at the sight.
Two piles of bodies in white robes stacked on either side.
Hands and feet protruded from heaps, crudely intertwined into masses.
"Insane..."
"Expected it, but still ridiculous."
Blood still trickled below, staining the floor. My step smeared footprints.
We advanced into the arena. Nex, flustered, spoke up.
"...Corpses? But why kill their own Hero Cult members? Not human sacrifice...?"
"They stabbed each other."
I knew from the sequel's follow-up, but here they weren't just bones.
My face twisted. Breath caught. Head spun.
"Common punishment method."
"So not voluntary?"
"Label them heretics, and this happens."
Saw it plenty in-game. No long explanations needed for villains.
"Mistakes like calling heroes Demon Kings."
Hero Cult? Why Demon Kings? Flashback to this scene.
Black Heart... Saw it properly there. Breadcrumb payoff or whatever.
Damn creator loved brutality. Skipped in the original.
Clearing quests tied to them brought sad tales. I sighed, heart heavy.
"Herd 'em into the arena... Let 'em dogfight to death."
"...And they like that? Why?"
Thoroughly mad bastards. Reviving dead, granting wealth and fame, revealing futures, bestowing immense power... in exchange.
"Unless it's that extreme, they won't even let you join."
Forcing absolute faith—a true cult.
Nex, questioning the knowledgeable me, started probing.
"...Heard rumors they revive the dead. True?"
"Just lookalikes wearing their skin."
"Futures?"
"Recommend it if you wanna go mad."
"...Pass, junior."
All illusions. Demon King powers, not heroes'. Can't apply right to the world.
"Total trash..."
"Now you see why the Ten Heroes hold back."
"They're truly vicious. So if they get distracted here..."
"Strong enough to attack the academy while heroes are away."
The purple-haired man nodded faintly.
Understood why the Ten Heroes refused despite his pleas to save Shar.
"Good we came alone."
"I'm about to hurl... How're you so calm, junior?"
"I've lived rough too."
Even Nex, a Ten Heroes' heir, lost composure and dry-heaved.
Good call not bringing Kainel and Ariel. They'd lose sanity.
Hell, calling the crown prince a companion was a misstep too.
'Demon King, on second thought, everyone's alive here.'
Happy ending in this world? My wish was too greedy.
"You got hit by the Hero Cult too, huh."
"...Something like that."
No lie. Post-possession, surrounded by wolves like on death's edge.
Even after beating Truth Demon King Magic Hat, Nameless Saintess died in countless bad ends. My chest weighed like lead.
"Let's hurry. Sharutineth senior should be ahead."
"She's... alive, right...?"
"Probably. That's her type."
I bit my lower lip. Obsessed with life counts. Doesn't kill without calculation.
Thorough in the opposite way. Status window silent. Failure would've pinged immediately.
"Tweet... Tweet!"
Nex's phoenix flapped anxiously. Must've heard from the house head. Spirit overreacting.
"...Demon King ahead?"
"No. If so, we wouldn't have found this place."
"...What?"
"At most, one apostle."
Certain. Probably stationed a minion while watching from afar.
I looked up. A red-painted door ahead.
Boss room, likely.
If memory served, the dungeon's boss remnant was an apostle, not Demon King.
He avoids direct involvement.
"..."
Other Demon Kings possible? Only one reason to think otherwise.
Librarian Laplace, managing the Akashic Record library among Ten Heroes.
The power disabling all sages' future-sight...
'Omniscient Demon King.'
Final boss of original Knight Heart.
Had to be him.
"We can save her. Still outside the head's calculations."
"...I'll trust you, Licht junior."