622
Chapter 622
SCREEEECH!
A horrifying creature bared its teeth and lunged at Baron.
Toward the creature, Baron extended a cocoon-shaped object the size of a fist that he was holding in his hand.
Then holes formed on the cocoon's surface, and tentacles shot out from inside.
SWOOOSH!
The tentacles sprang out and instantly wrapped around the attacking creature.
CRAAACK!
CHOMP, CHOMP!
With a clamorous sound, the tentacles began to devour the wrapped creature.
PLOP! PLOP! PLOP!
Soon, the remains of the partially consumed carcass fell to the floor along with sticky bodily fluids.
TSSS! TSSS! TSSS!
After completely swallowing the creature, the tentacles retreated back into the cocoon.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Having absorbed nutrients, the cocoon pulsated like a beating heart.
Though slight, it seemed to have grown larger than before.
Baron took out a box, placed the cocoon inside, and tucked it into the subspace within his robes.
Then he surveyed the unique space inside the temple.
The temple's unique space was a labyrinth,its four sturdy walls were covered with moss that expelled red spores, and between them, strange-sounding insects wriggled.
As this was where the Book of the Dead was sealed, the Demon King's power flowed most strongly here, seemingly transforming the ecosystem of the unique space created by the Great Sage.
As a result, the creatures existing within the space had changed into horrifying forms unrecognizable from their original shapes, and the surroundings were filled with toxic red mist.
An ordinary person would have either suffocated from the red poisonous mist upon entering or been devoured by the contaminated creatures.
Moreover, as this space was created to stop intruders who entered with impure intentions to steal the Book of the Dead, it was essentially a maze without an exit.
Therefore, the Demon King's power had pooled and accumulated here, affecting everything that existed in this place.
Originally designed as a labyrinth, the leaked power of the Demon King had transformed the ecosystem itself, turning it into a horrifying place unlike any other.
If Baron had carelessly entered this place without preparation, he would have eventually perished, tormented by terrible monsters in a maze without an exit.
Just then, a voice echoed in Baron's ear.
【Come, this way.】
The Demon King's voice guided Baron again.
Even in this exitless labyrinth, he could move forward following the Demon King's guidance that called to him.
The monsters that jumped out at every turn actually became excellent food for the cocoon Baron was carrying.
Baron smoothly made his way toward where the Book of the Dead was located.
As he advanced toward the central part of the labyrinth, a massive door appeared before Baron.
Baron examined the emblem engraved on the door.
'Two snakes intertwining their bodies with a sun positioned in the center.'
It was none other than the emblem symbolizing the Great Sage.
Baron realized he had almost reached where the Book of the Dead was kept.
The problem was the firmly closed door.
He approached the door and extended his hand.
CRACKLE!
As if rejecting Baron's touch, powerful magical waves shot out in all directions.
【Enter, come here.】
Again, the Demon King's whisper circled his ears.
Baron reached into his robes and took out a black box.
It was a smaller box than the one that had contained the cocoon earlier.
When Baron opened the box, a black pearl-like object could be seen inside.
He carefully lifted the black pearl. Then he swiftly threw it toward the door.
THUD!
The black pearl stuck to the firmly closed door like a magnet.
Soon, the black pearl attached to the door began to vibrate subtly.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Along with the vibration of the black pearl, the firmly closed door also began to shake.
As the vibration continued, tiny cracks started to form on the surface of the black pearl.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Black energy flowed out from the cracked surface of the pearl.
When the black energy met the concentrated demonic energy scattered throughout the labyrinth, an ominous reaction occurred.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The black energy rapidly crystallized and began to spread in all directions, like a metal tree growing.
CRAAAAAACK!
The black tree's branches took root in the walls, ceiling, and floor, then soon extended to the firmly closed door.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The black tree began to grow on the surface of the firmly closed door as well.
Soon, the rooted black tree continued to burrow inward while eating away at the door's surface.
CRACK!
CRAAACK!
The metallic black tree, like the black pearl, continued to cause fine vibrations while eating away at the door.
Then it soon came to cover the entire emblem of the Great Sage.
Simultaneously, one side of the door caved in.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Baron examined the gradually collapsing door gap.
Unable to withstand the rooted black tree, one side of the door sank, creating a space large enough for one person to enter.
HISSSSSSS!
From inside the space created by the distorted door gap, much more concentrated demonic energy flowed out like fog.
Even Baron could hardly withstand the density of the demonic energy flowing from inside the door.
He removed one glove from his right hand and extended his hand, rippling with black energy, forward.
The dense demonic energy then split to the sides, avoiding where Baron stood.
Baron entered through the distorted gap while keeping his hand extended forward.
The space inside the door was pure darkness.
It was darkness itself, where nothing could be seen or existed.
【This is the place. Come.】
In the darkness where nothing could be distinguished, the voice echoed again.
Baron slowly moved forward, following that voice.
Without knowing his goal or direction, he walked deeper into the darkness, guided only by the voice.
In that deep darkness, Baron continued to walk and walk, unable to sense time or space.
If he had been a knight with ordinary mental strength, he would have gone mad, unable to endure even a moment in this place.
But Baron remained steadfast and continued walking forward.
After an indeterminable amount of time had passed.
【You have arrived.】
Something was suddenly standing before Baron.
A being wearing a black robe, with hands so white they seemed pale.
This being, whose gender couldn't be determined by just the hands, stood before Baron.
【Come.】
Baron raised his head, looked at the being, and said,
"I have come to take the Book of the Dead by the command of the god I worship."
Despite being guided by the Demon King's whispers, Baron's mind was still directed toward Arthur Draker.
The being in the black robe spoke to Baron again.
【Come this way.】
The pale hand led Baron.
Baron had no choice but to follow that hand somewhere again.
Passing through and through the darkness, Baron followed behind the black-robed being.
But in this darkness where time and space were unknowable, Baron was still just following behind that being.
After walking through the darkness for an unknown amount of time, Baron spoke to the pale-handed being.
"Where is the Book of the Dead?"
The pale-handed being did not answer Baron's question.
It just kept walking and walking through the darkness.
Then Baron removed the glove from his left hand as well.
Drip, drip.
Black energy dripped from his left hand.
The black energy mixed into the complete darkness.
The black-robed being leading him whispered in his ear again.
【Come this way.】
Baron, disregarding the whisper, continued to release black energy from his hand.
TSSS! TSSS! TSSS!
The black energy he released began to wrap around the black robe.
The pale-handed being turned to face Baron.
【Why do you reject my guidance?】
"All I need is the Book of the Dead and the soul contained within it."
TSSS$ TSSS! TSSS!
The black energy rippled and wrapped around the pale-handed being.
Then the being spoke to Baron once more.
【Accept me.Then you will gain power comparable to a god】
The whisper continued to tempt Baron.
Nevertheless, Baron shook his head.
"There is only one god for me."
When Baron tightly clenched both fists, the black energy began to rotate.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A huge vortex sucked in not only the pale-handed being but all the surrounding darkness.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
As the vortex gradually subsided, cracks began to form in the surrounding darkness.
SCREEEEEECH!
With a terrible sound, the darkness began to collapse, cracking like glass.
CRAAASH!
The black darkness surrounding everything shattered like glass.
Baron raised his head again and looked ahead.
He was standing exactly where he had entered through the distorted gap, having moved only a few steps.
The darkness surrounding him had disappeared, and instead, a huge cavity stretched out before him.
As Baron approached the cavity, he saw something in front of it.
WOOOOO!
In the middle of the cavity was a glass tube causing slight vibrations.
As Baron approached, he saw a black book floating inside the glass tube.
'The Book of the Dead.'
The Book of the Dead, where the soul of the Demon King is sealed.
I knew that half of it was sealed here, but seeing it with my own eyes filled me with overwhelming emotion.
Baron approached the glass container where the book was sealed and reached out his hand.
CRACKLE!
As expected, a security barrier must have been deployed around the glass container, making it impossible to approach carelessly.
Baron took out a small box from his chest again.
This time, it wasn't the box containing pearls, but the Cocoon that had devoured the monsters earlier.
He opened the box and placed the black cocoon on the floor.
Then, holding a dagger, he cut his palm.
The black blood flowing from his palm dripped onto the cocoon.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
The cocoon, having absorbed Baron's black blood, began to pulse again.
The cocoon gradually swelled up.
It looked like a giant's heart.
And soon, the upper part of the swollen cocoon split open, revealing a four-pronged mouth with sharp teeth.
GRRRRRR!
A terrible sound emanated from inside, along with a foul stench.
However, Baron didn't even blink as he poured more blood into the open-mouthed cocoon.
HISSSSS!
The cocoon, having consumed Baron's blood, continued to swell and grow larger.
GRRRRRRRR!
A sound like something boiling from within the monster's stomach echoed around.
Simultaneously, something rose from the monster's mouth.
GRRRR!
Cocoon-like objects that resembled eggs surged upward.
PLOP! PLOP!
The wriggling eggs began to pile up everywhere.
Soon, the eggs cracked open, and something emerged from within.
TSSSSSSS!
The beings that emerged from the eggs were mages harboring ominous energy.
The mages, dressed in bizarre robes that looked like they were hastily stitched together from cut leather and wearing black masks on their faces, rose to their feet, soaked in moist bodily fluids.
Baron spoke to the mages who had emerged from the eggs.
"What our god desires is right there."
He pointed at the glass container and commanded.
"Bring that. We will offer it to our god."
As soon as Baron finished speaking, the mages lined up around the glass container.
They pulled out daggers from their robes, daggers engraved with monstrous forms, and held them in both hands, bringing them to their chests. They began chanting in an unknown language, reciting an ominous spells filled with dark energy.
TSSSSSSS!
Blood-red energy surged from the mage’s bodies.
That energy enveloped the glass container, and soon a dark red mist rose.
CRACKLE!
The mist, permeated with ominous energy, collided with the glass container.
CRACKLE!
But at that moment, a magical lightning strike occurred and struck the chanting maged.
HISSSSSS!
Surprisingly, the lightning dissipated before it could reach the mages.
From behind, Baron had raised both hands and neutralized the attack with distorted causality.
Immediately after, the dark red mist enveloped the glass container, boring into it, and soon cracks began to form on its surface.
CRAAAACK!
The cracked glass container continued to vibrate along with the magicians' spells.
Then, in an instant, the glass container couldn't withstand and shattered.
CRASH!
The moment the glass container broke, a tentacle shot out from Baron's wrist and snatched the floating Book of the Dead.
Baron trembled once with joy at finally obtaining the Book of the Dead.
"Finally..."
He exclaimed softly as he held the Book of the Dead and was about to turn its first page.
"...What's this?"
There was nothing written on the Book of the Dead he had turned to view.
Baron suddenly raised his head in surprise.