Chapter 79: Sanctuary of Restful Purification — Final Battle (5)
Chapter 79: Sanctuary of Restful Purification — Final Battle (5)
The Saint charged without hesitation toward the massive golem.
“Arteine will protect us!”
The commander of the Torch of Purification raised his sword and ran after her, while the Holy Knight unit surged forward toward the enemy army swarming in.
No one hesitated.
Of course they didn’t.
Every one of them had cast aside worldly wealth and honor to come to the Sanctuary of Restful Purification, foolish idiots who feared not even death in order to care for the weak.
Boom!
Seraphina leapt high and slammed the buckler relic Clericium into the giant golem’s knee.
A blow powerful enough to visibly shake the enormous body.
She already possessed exceptional physical ability, and with the buff from Immaculate Earth, her strength and speed now surpassed even that of most Holy Knight captains.
—You’re really going to attack, huh!
The peacock golem flapped its wings and giggled.
《Peacock-Type Commander Golem (Level 6)》
《One of the entities commanding the non-living army pouring out of the dungeon Golemophia. Possesses extraordinary intelligence—eliminate it quickly.》
Originally, this strategy-specialized golem should have appeared on the fourth day of the monster raid.
The early arrival of the Gigantic Destruction Golems was likely because of it.
Perhaps the white temple had been dismissed as nothing more than a speed bump on the road toward the heavily populated Kingdom of Rumes—until unexpected resistance forced the commander golem to summon higher-level units earlier.
—Sentient beings whose thinking organs are protected by mere bone are truly foolish! Kill them all!
The peacock golem soared into the sky.
—Destroy them!
—Commencing annihilation!
All the giant golems took position and roared.
Kuuuu—
Their mouths opened wide—each the size of half the temple—and blue beams of light erupted simultaneously.
The Rank-7 pure-mana mystic, [Transcendent Mana Beam].
“Arteine supports our backs!”
When the white buckler was thrown into the air, the straight-flying beams bent sharply, converging into a single point—and were completely blocked.
The peacock golem opened its beak in shock.
—…How can a mere human possess equipment of such absurd performance?! Everyone, use [Light Shell]!
Following the commander’s order, the giant golems deployed hundreds of long cannons from their bodies.
BOOOOM—! BOOOOM—!
Another deafening barrage shook heaven and earth.
The bombardment of [Light Shell], an upgraded form of [Mana Bullet], ravaged the entire temple area.
When the rising dust finally cleared, many Holy Knights lay scattered across the battlefield—some with less than half their bodies remaining.
Thousands of golems and puppets had also been destroyed, but the enemy did not care.
—Inferior life-forms.
—You were meant to die.
—Ki, ki, kiii!
The non-living monsters tore apart the corpses of the fallen Holy Knights.
These beings possessed intelligence far beyond normal limits, yet lacked any empathy toward living creatures.
The mages who designed them for war had deliberately removed such traits.
“…Arteine!”
White light burst from Seraphina’s body and spread across the battlefield.
The mystic used in the treatment ward—
[Arteine’s Touch].
A mystic that pushed allies as far as possible away from life-loss and negative status effects.
A desperate measure.
Its divine power consumption was enormous, so she would have preferred to save it.
But if she did not use it now, more would die.
“I will protect the weak!”
Breaking through the storm of fire, ice, and lightning raining from the giant golems, Seraphina thrust the spear relic Sighea into one golem’s groin.
Crunch!
The white spear drove itself through the enemy’s body and burst upward through the top of its head.
—S-System error!
But the Gigantic Destruction Golem did not collapse.
Its body was made from metal stronger than black iron.
Seraphina was among the strongest Level-9 individuals, but even she could not simply destroy something that large.
Still, the golems’ attacks felt weaker than I remembered.
They must have pushed themselves too hard to get here.
The mana and fuel required to sustain those massive bodies would be unimaginable.
High-speed movement was never part of their design.
Forcing war golems meant to march slowly across battlefields to rush here likely caused numerous internal malfunctions.
“Are you all ready?”
Before the golem’s self-repair systems restored it completely, we had to destroy at least one.
Otherwise it would break the barrier and destroy the temple.
—Cease this meaningless resistance!
“That speech pattern really pisses me off.”
Bartimir stepped beside me and bent down.
I climbed onto his back and looked around at our gathered allies.
“Captain, we’re ready!”
“We are as well.”
Pendrick and Bartimir of the Moonlight Expedition, and the Harmony believers Valentin, Lucius, and Ilia.
Comrades who had entered the labyrinth to help.
After looking over them, I faced forward.
“Let’s move.”
“Let’s go!”
Bartimir charged first with me on his back, and the others followed diagonally behind.
Our target—
The rightmost Gigantic Destruction Golem.
“From now on we will target its weakness!”
While scattering black lightning to aid nearby Holy Knights from the Torch of Purification, I continued.
“The mana core of the Gigantic Destruction Golem is located where a human heart would be! The only way to reach it is through the mouth!”
Kuuuu—
Right then, the golem fired another mana beam, striking the barrier [Unpolluted Firmament] protecting the temple.
Cracks began to spread across the previously flawless shield.
Even the Saint could not fight the golems and maintain that barrier simultaneously.
At best, it would hold five minutes.
We finish this before then.
The path to the golem was not open.
Countless non-living monsters attacked us from every direction.
“We will open the path! Ilia!”
As soon as the order came, Ilia activated the sacred tool.
—The protector of all is beautiful, radiant, shining! Lalala! Lalala! Lalalalala!
A children’s hymn personally composed by the modern Saint Ferris echoed across the battlefield.
White light wrapped around our legs.
A blessing that increased Agility by 2 for a short time.
“We will protect all innocents!”
Valentin swung his sword wrapped in a vortex of divine power.
Pieces of golems and puppets scattered like petals.
Heretic Crusher.
The nickname that contrasted so strongly with his clean smile made perfect sense.
“Aaaaah! Here we go!”
Thanks to Valentin and Ilia, a path quickly opened toward the giant golem.
Bartimir kicked aside enemies with his petrified foot and charged forward.
I unleashed black lightning that struck the mana cores and circuits of the non-living army.
Occasional attacks struck me.
I ignored them.
—O star!
Astrimia ignited the third star, Phecda, covering me with a protective barrier.
Trusting only that shield, we approached the giant golem bombarding the temple.
It did not even notice us.
Compared to the Saint or the commander, our soul rank was far lower.
The efficient design that ignored weaker enemies to conserve mana and fuel would now be its downfall.
“Everyone be careful!”
I jumped down from Bartimir’s back and shouted orders while dodging attacks.
“Lucius! Please grant strength blessings to the other two!”
“Understood!”
While Lucius hurriedly cast the blessing, I burned approaching enemies with black lightning.
Crackle!
—It stings.
—Ineffective.
—Heeheehee!
More enemies were appearing that resisted electricity.
These were newer combat golems equipped with built-in mystics to counter their electrical weakness.
Recognizing Lucius as the one casting blessings, they rushed toward him.
Fwoosh!
I created a wall of flame with my left hand, separating them from my companions.
Which meant—
I stood alone with the golems.
My main role in the expedition was drawing aggro.
—Strange behavior detected.
—What are you?
“What else? A meat shield.”
Lightning crashed onto their heads.
They trembled briefly before launching a coordinated assault.
Swords.
Spears.
Arrows.
Mana blades.
My body was shredded from every direction.
“…It’s useless.”
I endured.
Even against a concentrated assault from monsters above Level 6, I could survive.
The effect of Arteine’s Touch had nearly faded.
But that was fine.
《Multiple mystics are affecting you. Your life force is decreasing at a very slow rate!》
Membrane that Delays Wounds.
Ghoul Mobility linked with Thundercloud Rumble.
And the core of the Immortal Cultist build—
[Life · Reverse · Action].
Its effect was conditional super-regeneration.
“No matter what you do, you cannot kill me right now.”
Activating Life · Reverse · Action temporarily boosted my Vitality massively.
《A layer of Dark Solitude has covered you!》
But each activation stacked a debuff called Dark Solitude.
At ten stacks, I would die and become a mindless undead.
A classic high-risk, high-return mystic.
For now, its rank was low and heavily restricted, but once combined with supporting mystics later, its power would become extraordinary.
—Living being that does not die. Analysis required.
—Mana bullets ineffective. Switching to melee combat.
—Disgusting! Emotional circuits should be removed!
The non-living army abandoned ranged fire and rushed me simultaneously.
Spears pierced my heart.
Mana blades sliced my brain.
Clubs crushed my spine.
“Ahaha… ahahahaha!”
《Dark Solitude has stacked five times!》
《Stacks remaining until death and undead transformation: Five》
Still fine.
I had only reached the halfway point.
If I did become undead, my companions could simply leash me and continue exploring.
Not the worst outcome.
“Kar, it’s ready!”
Finally the voice I had been waiting for.
I blasted lightning outward like a wall to force the golems back.
“Pendrick, carry me! Bartimir, throw Pendrick toward the giant golem’s head!”
“…What?”
“…Huh?”
Pendrick’s eyes widened and Bartimir flinched—but they ran toward me immediately.
They knew hesitation would doom not only us, but every patient in the temple.
“Whatever! Let’s just do it!”
Bartimir grabbed Pendrick’s leg while he carried me.
Absorbing the negative emotions saturating the battlefield, the demon lifted us easily.
“Hyah—!”
Pendrick shot upward toward the giant golem’s waist.
Grabbing one of the cannons protruding from its body, he balanced himself.
He climbed precariously atop the cannon.
“Captain, this will hurt!”
A torrent of starlight aura surged upward.
My vision shook.
The aura peeled my skin like burning waves.
《Remaining Life Force: 6/100》
《Remaining Mental Power: 2/100》
My body and mind were completely wrecked.
But I had reached the destination.
“…Hah….”
Atop the head of the Gigantic Destruction Golem.
Barely raising my arm, I created a small lightning sphere and swallowed it.
A massive headache surged.
《□□□ □□ □□□ □□ : 0/100》
《□ □□! □□□□!》
…What were these letters?
Where was this?
What was I doing?
I didn’t know.
Nothing came to mind.
“Wondering why the Saint didn’t abandon the patients and run away?”
A voice suddenly spoke.
Turning slowly, I saw a girl with particularly beautiful eyes.
“Imagine you’re about to die. What would you do?”
Ah.
I remembered.
This was the Sun Orphanage.
The place where you died meaninglessly.
Sorry, Yoonji.
Sorry I ignored your plea to stay with you and went to school instead.
Sorry I didn’t understand your feelings.
Sorry I only thought about not skipping school because we couldn’t afford private academies.
“Of course you’d try to save them somehow, right? Exactly.”
Yoonji approached and smiled.
The only person at the orphanage who ever smiled at me.
A bright expression that calmed my heart just by looking at it.
“To protect people. That’s probably the only reason. It’s not logical, but I think that’s enough.”
I want to save them.
I must protect them.
But who?
From whom?
Crackle!
Suddenly lightning burst from my collarbone.
A powerful will accompanied it.
A sharp voice echoed in my mind.
【Kar, my child. Come to your senses! Will you exhaust your faith like this?!】
The intense voice caused splitting pain in my head.
Blood trickled from my mouth.
And slowly—
My fading memories returned.
“…I trusted you.”
I looked once more at Yoonji’s fading eyes and stood up.
“Now you understand why the Saint didn’t run, right? Then hurry and finish the strategy. I’m curious how the story ends!”
“…Yeah.”
With legs already transformed into lightning through [Sin: Gluttony], I walked toward the giant golem’s mouth.
Then I turned back and forced a smile.
“I love you. Maybe… we’ll really meet again soon.”
I do not want to die in a labyrinth ranked B or below.
But I will not refuse a mission that requires risking my life.
“To all divine beings watching this fragile cultist Kar.”
I am about to risk my life for people trapped in this labyrinth, forced to die and revive endlessly.
An irrational and emotional decision.
But so what?
I lived rationally once—and failed to protect Yoonji.
From now on, I will simply follow my heart.
“Please illuminate the path before me.”
I took a step forward.
Win—
or die.
It was time to wager my life.