Chapter 77: Sanctuary of Restful Purification — Final Battle (3)
Chapter 77: Sanctuary of Restful Purification — Final Battle (3)
Bartimir, carrying me on his back, hopped back toward the Sanctuary of Restful Purification.
Around the temple, a massive ring of pure white shields had been planted in the ground. The monster army could not cross beyond them.
“What’s that? We can go in and out freely, but they can’t.”
“That is the authority of the armor relic Tireon. Only those who hold faith toward Arteine can pass through the barrier of shields.”
“Ah, so in this labyrinth we’re Harmony Church believers?”
“More precisely, Guardian Church believers.”
Because of the labyrinth’s gimmick, even public cultists and black mages from the era of the Great Holy War could cross the barrier freely.
However, the shield wall was under continuous attack.
At most it would last three days.
By that time reinforcements from the Kingdom of Rumes should arrive.
In theory, holding out was easy.
But when had a labyrinth ever worked in favor of explorers?
Another variable might appear.
Just like in the Nightmare World, where an unexpected new event occurred when the future Leria healed the King of the Dead.
Still, as long as we did not grow careless, we could respond to anything.
I had already warned the Saint about possible unforeseen incidents.
“Everyone, watch the right side!”
When we reached the white shield barrier, a familiar voice rang out.
Valentin, vice-captain of the Spear of Order.
The Holy Knight nicknamed the Heretic Crusher was cutting down golems and puppets mercilessly.
“Arteine watches over us! Our will and bodies shall never break!”
Crunch!
Most of the non-living monsters approaching were destroyed by Valentin’s assault.
His bravery was so overwhelming that the other Holy Knights occasionally glanced at his fight while battling.
“Ilia!”
“Yes, I understand.”
Holy Knight Ilia infused divine power into a round sacred device.
A tense, passionate hymn suitable for the battlefield began to echo.
—Heretics, tremble. Innocents, shelter behind us.
A crimson wind swept through the air.
The charging golems and puppets faltered, while the allies’ fighting spirit rose sharply.
“Glory to Arteine!”
“Blessings to the Saint!”
“Ha!”
The Holy Knights, empowered by future knowledge and preparation, shattered the incoming golems and puppets fiercely.
For now, there was no need to worry about being pushed back.
“Whew. They fight incredibly well.”
Once we entered the shield barrier, Bartimir muttered while catching his breath.
“Is it because of the Saint’s mystic?”
“Not only the effect of Immaculate Earth, but also the level difference. After all, this is only a C-Rank labyrinth.”
Golemophia was an A-Rank labyrinth, but the true main force of the non-living army appeared later.
Protecting the Saint for three days was a condition designed for explorers around Level 5–6.
“Let’s go help them now.”
“Oh yeah!”
“Let’s go!”
Bartimir immediately loosened the bandages wrapped around his arms and ran toward the battlefield.
Pendrick followed with Astrimia coated in aura.
“My body feels light!”
Bartimir rampaged through the enemy lines, cutting down countless golems.
On a battlefield, demons grew several times stronger than usual.
It was a place overflowing with negative emotions—killing intent, fear, hostility, anger.
Even as a Level-3 black mage, Bartimir fought like a Level-5 warrior.
—Inferior demon detected. Commencing elimination.
“Come at me!”
A swordsman-type elite combat golem swung its heavy blade, slicing Bartimir’s side.
Yet he simply grinned happily.
Swinging his demonic-energy bandage like a greatsword, he split golems in half and beheaded puppets like a warlord reborn.
—Don’t overdo it, Pendrick!
“Got it!”
Meanwhile, Pendrick fought steadily.
Slash!
Unlike Bartimir, he calmly cut down enemies one by one.
Astrimia was regulating his pace.
—Human with strange sword detected. Caution target.
“Strange? She’s beautiful!”
Offended by the insult toward his beloved weapon, Pendrick suddenly charged forward.
The golems and puppets immediately stabbed his body with iron weapons—
Clang!
Clang!
But the super-genius swordsman’s body transformed into black iron harder than steel, deflecting every attack.
Body of Resistance.
Trusting the mystic that adapted his body to attacks that injured him, Pendrick advanced boldly while swinging his sword.
“O Arteine!”
Because Lucius was there to heal him.
—Ah! Pendrick, calm down!
Astrimia panicked.
That small flaw could be overlooked.
One kiss of affection would calm her down anyway.
《Because of you, that promising warrior has developed a terrible habit of overworking his body….》
I dismissed the floating message and stepped toward the battlefield.
Crackle!
Time to stretch my body again.
Night of the second day of the golem wave.
Despite the overwhelming numerical disadvantage, the battle with the non-living army remained evenly matched.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that the reason was the overwhelming presence of Saint Seraphina, a Level-9 priest.
Everything is proceeding smoothly.
For now, the Saint and the Holy Knights under the influence of Immaculate Earth alone were enough to hold back the enemy.
At least for the moment.
Once the fourth day arrived, things would begin collapsing just like the original history.
—Temporary force reorganization.
Following the command of a Level-7 elite combat golem, the monster army retreated.
They had learned the previous night that nighttime strengthened Arteine’s influence—especially over races weak in darkness.
《The golems and puppets from the future possess extremely advanced learning capabilities. They will not repeat dangers they have already experienced.》
The sight of the Saint single-handedly destroying several Level-7 elite combat golems the night before had been overwhelming.
Until stronger units arrived, the non-living army would likely hold back.
That was good news for us, who were under tremendous pressure.
“You all worked hard today.”
Inside the temporary command post built in front of the temple with parasols and wooden boards, the Saint spoke in a slightly tired voice.
She held her helmet at her side, her bangs soaked with sweat.
“We survived today largely thanks to all of you.”
“No, we simply fought with everything we had.”
Pendrick answered politely.
Crackle.
A suspicious intention from the exalted being above appeared.
Our handsome boy looks charming when he smiles brightly.
Watching another man with satisfaction…
A tiny jealousy stirred inside me.
“We only need to hold out one more day.”
At Seraphina’s words, the commander of the Torch of Purification nodded.
“I sent our fastest knight as a messenger. The reinforcements should arrive in half a day. We just received word—he should reach the Kingdom of Rumes soon.”
“That’s great news.”
Bartimir grinned.
Seraphina also smiled slightly and turned to me.
“Now only Kar should remain. The others may go rest. I must discuss something that others should not hear.”
“Yes.”
After the party members left.
Seraphina stood holding the parasol pole.
“How do you see it? Do you believe we truly need to hold out only one more day?”
“…In theory.”
“Yes. But something bothers me.”
“I feel the same. Let us share our thoughts.”
My concern was new content.
Unexpected variables not present in the game.
“Labyrinth reinforcement.”
Looking at Seraphina, who shifted uncomfortably in her armor, I continued.
“In labyrinths ranked B or higher, there is a chance the world itself changes and the difficulty rises drastically.”
“But this labyrinth is C-Rank, correct? If so, that phenomenon should not apply. Unless you experienced something unusual before.”
As expected from the Saint who served the Goddess of Wisdom.
She understood instantly.
“Yes. I once experienced a C-Rank labyrinth becoming strengthened.”
“Then perhaps it may happen again.”
“Perhaps. Still, caution never hurts.”
“Indeed…”
Seraphina nodded seriously.
“I had similar concerns. Compared to the original history, we prepared far better. Especially thanks to the lightning-related shared mystics you recommended.”
That was true.
Considering the numerical disadvantage, the battle was practically in our favor.
But would that continue?
“Perhaps our repeated victories have caused the monster army’s main force to advance sooner.”
“I think the same, Saint.”
We reached the same conclusion.
“Arteine always teaches us that protecting the weak requires constant vigilance.”
“I agree. I always assume the worst.”
《Your views resemble those of that hypocritical goddess… though your intentions differ greatly.》
“I will remind everyone to stay vigilant until the end.”
The Saint stretched her aching back and looked toward a stack of crates.
“And the items you requested are inside.”
“Thank you.”
Dragging a heavy box to the center of the camp, I opened it.
Creak.
Inside were blue stones.
Mana cores from golems and puppets.
Opening another box revealed something different.
Human heads.
“These belong to patients suffering from Head Proliferation Syndrome,” Seraphina said, frowning slightly.
“A disease where new heads continuously grow from the back of the skull. We stored them because we did not know how to deal with them.”
“Then I will dispose of them.”
“But will this really be enough?”
Seraphina glanced upward nervously.
“Leaving the heads aside… aren’t mana cores somewhat lacking as offerings?”
“Not necessarily.”
“Really?”
“Please ask why.”
“…Why?”
“Because mana cores are the core component that forms a golem’s operation and self-awareness. A spirit without consciousness is sealed into a magic stone through black magic, then processed until it develops an ego. That means it possesses body, mind, and soul. Perfect for offering.”
I could have explained more, but this was enough.
Taking materials from my subspace storage, I looked up at Seraphina.
“Would you help me?”
“That is quite the request.”
She hesitated briefly.
“…But I will help.”
For the first time in history.
A Saint-assisted offering ritual was about to begin.
“But Kar, you do not serve only one Evil God, correct?”
Seraphina looked at me carefully.
“To which Evil God will you offer these sacrifices?”
《:)》
Crackle.
The Evil Gods were watching.
The materials were limited.
I could not satisfy them all.
So I spoke the names I had already decided.
“I will offer them to Lidni and Sue’je.”
Then I gently touched the snake tattoo on my left hand.
“That was a lie. Leria, please look forward to it.”
Today’s ritual would bring me one step closer to completing the Immortal Cultist build.