Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Dungeon (2)
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Azure Flame.
A member of the sect "Undying Burners" and one of the Order's Five Great Saints.
Every one of the Five Great Saints was a monstrous existence. Even master-class transcendents were like children compared to them.
Demian had fought and defeated every single one of the Five Great Saints.
If asked who among them was the strongest, he would unhesitatingly name Azure Flame.
That was how extraordinary Azure Flame was. Even Demian remembered him as a dangerous opponent.
Agnes was Azure Flame's direct disciple.
A direct disciple meant his most recent personal student. She was one of the rare few receiving instruction straight from him.
*Curious.*
In his previous life, Agnes must have died during this very subjugation.
The proof was that Demian, despite knowing Azure Flame's direct disciple existed, had never heard of a Holy Knight named Agnes.
That was why he was curious.
Just what kind of raw talent was she?
"I dedicate this battle to the Lord."
Blue flames began to spread across Agnes's armor.
The blue flames exploded. In the blink of an eye, Agnes closed in right before the flesh golem.
A chain of explosions.
The blast starting from her elbow propelled her fist forward. The accelerated punch slammed into the flesh golem's solar plexus.
With the resounding clang of metal, the flesh golem crashed into the wall.
Agnes moved again. Amid another explosion, she appeared behind a different flesh golem.
Two consecutive strikes hammered the flesh golem. Blood erupted from its mouth.
*She's already perfectly mastered Azure Flame's combat style.*
The Holy Knights of the "Undying Burners" sect could wield powerful flames that incinerated all things impure.
But Azure Flame used this power a little differently.
The authority of the Undying Burners never harmed its wielder. Explosions were no exception.
Azure Flame had devised a acceleration-based fist technique that harnessed explosive force.
*It has the drawback of being mostly linear attacks that are easy to read...*
But Azure Flame's fist technique overwhelmed that flaw with sheer, devastating speed and power.
Before long, all the flesh golems lay sprawled on the ground. Agnes turned to Demian and said,
"Sir Demian, it's over..."
That was when Demian suddenly lunged toward Agnes. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and spun her around.
At the same time, he lashed out with a back kick. The flesh golem lunging at Agnes was sent flying.
-Kieeeek!
The flesh golem slid backward. It glared at Demian with eyes brimming with murderous intent.
-Kieeeek!
-Kieeeek!
The other flesh golems rose again, howling.
They had merely been stunned by the impact; the flesh golems were unharmed.
Their sturdy carapaces had protected them.
"You took my master's power head-on and you're fine...?"
Agnes muttered in disbelief. Soon, murderous resolve lit her face.
"Sir Demian, please watch again. This time, I'll burn them all to ash."
Azure flames began to blaze across Agnes's entire body.
She seemed intent on pouring out her holy power to reduce the flesh golems to cinders.
*She has talent. But she's still got way too many rough edges.*
Demian clicked his tongue inwardly.
At full power, the authority of the Undying Burners could incinerate these puny flesh golems in an instant.
But with no telling how long the dungeon delve would last, they couldn't afford to waste energy now.
"Lady Agnes, calm yourself."
With her talent, Agnes could prove a great asset to the Order.
For the sake of her growth, Demian offered one piece of advice.
"It's not about quantity. Density is what matters."
Demian summoned his Aura. It gathered on his holy sword, the blue haze rising far thicker than usual.
-Kieeeek!
One flesh golem charged at Demian. It was the one he had just kicked.
"Raise the concentration of your holy power. Don't think of fire—think of magma. Not burning, but flowing so thickly with holy power."
Demian swung his holy sword. The carapace that had withstood Agnes's punch split like paper. The flesh golem died on the spot.
"Did you see that?"
Demian turned to Agnes. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him.
"You can do it too, Lady Agnes. Remember what I said and try to emulate it."
Encouraged by Demian, Agnes gripped her knuckledusters. Blue flames converged on them.
The flames died down. A crimson glow gathered on her fists.
Agnes moved. She charged forward and smashed a flesh golem.
Its carapace shattered like a cookie. The core inside crumpled and burst.
A faint smile touched Demian's lips.
To grasp it so quickly. Truly, talent worthy of Azure Flame's discipleship.
She might even reach the master realm someday.
*Glad she joined the subjugation force.*
Watching Agnes press the flesh golems, Demian felt immense satisfaction.
* * *
After that, the subjugation force fought several more battles.
As they pressed deeper, they emerged into a vast chamber.
"Huh? The path splits into five ways?"
Margata pointed ahead. Five entrances gaped in the wall.
"Looks like the real dungeon starts here."
Gamal muttered, eyeing the five entrances.
"We'll rest here for a bit. Soldiers, prepare rations. Margata, Sanus—you two, come with me. We need to discuss those."
With that, Gamal turned sharply on his heel.
*Why's he suddenly playing captain?*
Margata eyed Gamal with displeasure.
*Well, he's always loved sticking his neck out.*
"You seem to know Gamal well~?"
"What do you mean 'well'? I just know because he's always like that."
"Margata~ Let's go~."
Margata headed toward Gamal. Sanus followed.
While the Grade 2 Holy Knights conferred, the soldiers began preparing their meal.
They brought out jerked meat and hardtack.
"Sir Demian, stay here. I'll fetch yours."
Before Demian could move, Agnes spoke first.
"No need."
Both turned toward the voice.
Dionysio of the "Entwined Blizzard" sect stood there, food in hand.
"Here, take it."
Dionysio held out the food to Agnes. She accepted with a brief thanks.
"Thanks."
"I'm only bringing it because you're like a big sister."
With that, Dionysio turned away.
Before leaving, he shot Demian a sharp glare.
He clearly hadn't forgotten his defeat the other day.
"Sir Demian, here you go."
Agnes divided the food and handed half to Demian. He chewed a strip of jerky and asked,
"You seem close with that Holy Knight."
"Dionysio? When he was still a regular Holy Knight, I looked after him a few times."
Agnes held her bread in both hands and nibbled away.
"He kept yapping about joining Undying Burners to follow me. Ended up in Entwined Blizzard instead."
Regret colored Agnes's voice. They must have been quite close.
Demian and Agnes ate in silence for a moment.
As she ate her bread, Agnes kept gazing into the dungeon depths.
Her face was calm, but deep in her eyes burned a strange flame.
"Why do you chase necromancers?"
Demian asked abruptly.
All Holy Knights loathed black mages. They defied the gods.
But Agnes's hatred seemed more personal.
"...You ask about personal history so casually, Sir Demian. You're a heartless one."
"You don't have to tell me."
"No. You've come all this way for my sake, so hiding it would be rude. ...And you gave me valuable guidance."
Agnes took a swig from her canteen. She looked somehow stifled.
"Do you know how necromancy first came to light?"
"From what I know, it started with the incident where an entire large village was turned into an undead den."
"That village was my hometown."
Demian couldn't help but be shocked by the revelation.
He hadn't expected any survivors from that village.
"I still remember it vividly. It was the day my brother returned home after so long."
Agnes sighed and continued.
"My brother was a Holy Knight. From Undying Burners, like me. I heard he was the most promising one."
Agnes's talent was exceptional. Her brother must have been a remarkable Holy Knight too.
"I loved hearing his stories. That day, I was begging him to tell me about his latest mission from the Order."
Agnes's expression softened slightly.
"Then screams came from outside. My brother rushed out. I followed, clueless, and... I saw them."
Monsters were swarming in from outside the village.
Not human, not beast, not monster—things slaughtering the villagers.
"I think my brother sensed then that he couldn't handle it alone. He shoved me into a big chest at home."
Agnes's softened expression hardened again.
"Then he pressed something into my hands. I later learned it was a stealth holy relic, specially issued by headquarters to protect promising Holy Knights."
The young Agnes huddled in the chest, trembling in fear.
All she could see was the faint outside view through the chest's cracks.
"Screams kept coming from outside. Cecil from next door, Uncle Obel across the street... People I knew, all screaming. Then, finally, I heard my brother's voice."
Agnes's hands, holding her food, began to tremble faintly.
"I stayed trapped in that chest, not knowing if he lived or died. Hungry, thirsty, but I couldn't leave. I couldn't forget his plea to stay hidden until someone opened the door. When my mind grew hazy and my body went limp... the chest opened."
It was the subjugation force dispatched by the Order.
After clearing the undead, they found Agnes while searching the village.
Thereafter, she was under the Order's protection. Only after recovering did she learn the truth.
A black mage necromancer was suspected.
And Agnes was the village's sole survivor.
Agnes turned to Demian. Her eyes were gloomy as a dried-up well.
* * *
"Eating well?"
Margata returned some time later.
"Gamal and I discussed plans ahead. With five entrances, whether to split the force or clear them one by one."
Margata stuffed a handful of jerky into her mouth and chewed.
"What was your opinion, Lady Margata?"
"Me? I said split up. The entrances are small, passages narrow—crowding in would just be a hassle."
Even after seeing the flesh golems' strength on the way here, Margata casually suggested dividing forces.
Probably confidence.
A Grade 2 Holy Knight from a sect had the right to such arrogance.
"Sanus agreed. Gamal wanted to go all together, but with me and Sanus pushing to split... what could he do?"
"So it's settled—we split and enter separately?"
"Pretty much. When we divide the units, your role gets big. You're the strongest without us."
Margata winked.
"You're a lifesaver for coming. No casualties, conserving strength—all thanks to you."
The flesh golems blocking the entrance were no joke. Without Demian, there would have been deaths.
Same for the carapaced ones. Their stealth nearly cost the unit dearly.
"Keep up the good work..."
Something snagged in Demian's senses. He rose, holy sword in hand.
"What is it?"
Margata asked, puzzled.
Right then, eerie noises echoed from the five entrances.
The subjugation force leaped up, weapons ready. Soldiers and Holy Knights alike stared tensely at the entrances.
One flesh golem emerged from each entrance.
Four long, monkey-like arms dangled from them. Their lower bodies were serpentine.
All five nearly brushed the ceiling. They exuded black magic so thick it choked the air.
"Tough customers."
Margata muttered, licking her lips.
"Agnes, Demian—you two stand back. Looks like this is for us."
Agnes gripped the metal lump at her waist.
Demian couldn't help but be stunned.
*What? That was knuckledusters?*
He had thought it a blunt crushing weapon. Turns out it protected her fists.
The other Grade 2 Holy Knights seemed to think the same.
Gamal drew his spear for the first time. Sanus hefted a guillotine-sized axe.
"Gamal, I'll lead the attack. You support."
"Bullshit. You're my support."
"Everyone~ Stop fighting~."
Grade 2 Holy Knights from sects.
Disciples of the Five Great Saints, no less.
Even without drawing holy power, an indescribable pressure emanated from the three.
"Ah, whatever. Not fighting you. I'll team with Sanus."
"Childish..."
As Margata and Gamal bickered.
A massive boom erupted from beneath their feet.
The ground under the subjugation force collapsed all at once.