Chapter 72 Oblivion Whale (2)
The Oblivion Whale (2)
A golden giant stood upon the earth.
At the sight of it, the Holy Knights let out involuntary gasps of awe.
Those who lived in the Holy Kingdom had only ever heard of the Pope's strength through legends and tales.
But now, witnessing such power firsthand, their astonished murmurs wouldn't cease. To wield such a colossal form through Holy Power—it was beyond imagination.
Even the priests, stunned by this unexpected display, stood dumbfounded as they stared up at the giant.
All the whispers that the Pope had lost his power within the Holy Kingdom—they were nothing but baseless rumors, it seemed.
As those words spread, the restless murmurs among the Holy Knight Order gradually subsided.
Even those who had lost their will to fight at the appearance of the Oblivion Whale gritted their teeth and picked up their discarded weapons.
"His Holiness the Pope has stepped forward! And yet, why do you all shrink back?"
"Have you no shame before the Goddess? Lift your heads and face it with dignity!"
The furious shout of one Holy Knight jolted even those paralyzed by fear, forcing them to raise their heads again.
Kal, who had been drowning in sorrow over Yurp's sacrifice, clenched his eyes shut—then opened them again and gripped his spear.
If he stood idle and let Yurp die, then killing that monster first was the far better choice.
The fog spreading in all directions made it hard to see one another, but they couldn't just stand there and take it.
The priests began casting blessings upon the people to shield them from the effects of the Oblivion Incense.
Though the drain on their Holy Power had increased drastically compared to before, hopeful smiles now rose to their faces.
"You think we'd retreat just because it's an Oblivion Whale?! Do you even know how many brothers and sisters have died to that thing?!"
"If any of you want to run, do it now. We've no desire to keep cowards like that among our ranks."
Rough voices clashed as people gripped their weapons and rose to their feet.
Even the knights of the Black Crow Knights smiled faintly as they stepped forward.
Though they couldn't see an inch ahead, they knew Abel was beyond that fog, facing the Oblivion Whale.
Despite confronting a Disaster-class monster, their eyes burned with fighting spirit. Watching them, Abel smiled in satisfaction.
"I didn't raise them for nothing."
Then now was the time to begin the counterattack.
"First, let's dispel this irritating fog."
As he stretched out his hand, a massive magic circle began forming upon the earth.
An enormous amount of mana was being consumed in an instant, yet not a flicker of change crossed Abel's face.
No matter how much was spent, it was still negligible compared to the total mana he currently possessed.
Oooom...
A powerful magic began unfolding—so intense that those sensitive to mana felt their stomachs churn.
From the completed magic circle, a blindingly intense light began to seep out.
In the blink of an eye, the gray fog that had obscured their vision vanished.
To dispel the fog so easily with a single spell—the Pope clicked his tongue in amazement at Abel's considerable skill.
He had known the man had reached the realm of an Archmage, but to think he was this strong.
The powerless boy he had seen back then—had he truly grown into this?
"What are you all gaping at? It's your turn to show the Pope's power."
"Heh, very well. I shall."
Chuckling at Abel's prodding, the Pope stepped forward. For the first time in ages, he felt his heart pounding fiercely.
His mind, which he had thought weakened, had sharpened long ago after what happened to Yurp.
Even his aged body could still move well enough—so there was no reason to hold back any longer.
As he stretched out his bony hand, the giant raised its arm.
Clenching its fist, the giant swung it down toward the restrained Oblivion Whale.
KWAANG!
KUUOOOORR!
With a thunderous sound, the whale began thrashing wildly. Its flippers flailed madly, shaking the earth itself with each movement.
Because of that, the knights could only attack from a distance, sending slashes of sword energy rather than closing in.
Watching this, Abel stretched out his hand once more.
Countless magic circles formed in the air—and from them, white chains shot forth, piercing the creature's body.
The taut chains immediately locked down its movements completely.
"The Duke has bound it! Advance!"
"Cut it down! Tear it apart! Just because it's Disaster-class doesn't mean it's invincible!"
Led by Arin's battle cry, the knights' attacks surged toward the whale.
Her green flames surged like waves before engulfing the beast entirely.
Beside her, Pii spewed flames with all her might.
Watching this, the knights and Holy Knights exchanged glances—then nodded firmly.
"Brothers! Let's go!"
"Right, let's move!"
"Follow the Captain's lead! The last one to arrive gets punished!"
"OOOOH!!"
A deafening war cry spread through the air. Their morale, having surged once more, showed no signs of faltering as it soared even higher.
As if empowered by this energy, the holy knights and knights began launching reckless attacks toward the Oblivion Whale.
In a feeble attempt to resist, the beast spewed out its mist, but thanks to the Priest's blessing, the damage was nearly negligible.
Though the depletion of Holy Power was severe enough to be exhausting, their faces were alight with hope.
BOOM!
The giant's fist descended upon the creature once more.
The whale, which had been shrieking incessantly, now let out only shallow whimpers—its consciousness clearly fading.
Just as the subjugation was progressing smoothly, a Brand—visible only to Abel—suddenly flared crimson.
"Fall back!"
A sense of foreboding struck him, and he immediately barked the order. At his command, both the knights and holy knights retreated without hesitation.
Even these seasoned warriors could sense something ominous in the Oblivion Whale's shifting momentum.
Grrr...
Crackle.
A sparking sound erupted as a dense golden energy began engulfing the whale.
The knights and holy knights couldn't see it, but to those who had reached a higher Realm—the Pope, Abel, and Arin—the phenomenon was unmistakable.
"Tch. Cheap tricks."
"Pathetic theatrics."
The Pope sneered before swinging his arm once more. Simultaneously, the giant interlaced its fingers and brought them down like a hammer.
KWAANG!
A thunderous impact sent dust billowing in all directions. But instead of the expected scream, only an eerie, grating vibration reached their ears.
Oooong...
When the dust settled, the Oblivion Whale finally revealed itself.
It no longer resembled a living creature—more like a puppet, a zombie bound by invisible strings.
'Tch. Persistent bastard.'
Abel clicked his tongue and raised his staff again.
§
THUD!
The interior shook violently from the impact outside. Likely, Abel and the subjugation force were still assaulting the whale.
Right now, my top priority was rescuing Yurp.
[This place is absolutely vile.]
The stench was so revolting it made me gag.
Had I eaten breakfast, I probably would've vomited on the spot.
And this was just past the esophagus—if the stench was already this bad, the deeper I went, the worse it would get.
Letting out a sigh, I pressed forward. Silpi, standing beside me, asked pointedly:
[You're maintaining the wind for breathing, right?]
"Obviously."
Folding his arms, he raised his voice in warning.
[Remember—light breaths only. Anything deeper, and you'll inhale the mist permeating this place.]
"What happens then?"
Curiosity got the better of me. Silpi exhaled sharply, hesitating as if the words themselves were distasteful.
Finally, he answered.
[Three hours of exposure to this mist, and you'll lose all your memories.
You'll become an Empty Shell—nothing more than docile prey for this whale.]
"Then Yurp is also..."
My voice trailed off. Silpi nodded grimly.
[We need to find her fast. Three hours isn't long.]
Even if he pretended otherwise, his voice carried an unmistakable edge of anxiety.
I felt the same. We had to hurry.
"...Got it. We'll move quickly."
Grrr...
I hadn't taken more than a few steps before something—multiple somethings—turned their attention toward me.
Among them were several humans clad in priestly vestments. Their hollow eyes locked onto me before they slowly rose to their feet.
They looked like zombies—mindless, shuffling husks.
So this is the fate of those who've lost all their memories... Empty Shells.
"Khehehe..."
Their laughter was deranged. Without hesitation, they lunged at me.
I swung my rapier, severing an arm, but they didn't even flinch—just kept coming, jaws unhinged, ready to tear into me.
I couldn't afford to waste time. With a grimace, I beheaded them.
Glrk—
The sound of their bodies collapsing made me grit my teeth involuntarily.
The sensation of cutting through flesh was something I'd never get used to.
And I never wanted to.
'...Really?'
A voice—sudden and unexpected—made me turn my head instinctively.
The same voice that had helped me resist mental intrusion before.
But no matter how much I scanned my surroundings, I couldn't find its owner.
[What's wrong?]
"Nothing. It's just... that voice again."
[...I didn't hear anything.]
Taking a steadying breath, I refocused on finding Yurp.
Right now, saving her took precedence over deciphering mysterious voices.
Just as I was about to step forward, the vacant eyes of the fallen caught my attention.
Haunted by their empty gaze, I hesitated—then tore the crosses from their necks.
[Returning them?]
"Yeah. It's the least I can do."
I tucked the crosses into my leather bag before moving on.
No matter how urgent things were, the dead deserved at least this much consolation.