Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 071
Chapter Title: Savior
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That was when it happened.
Suddenly, the security door burst open with a bang!
Lieutenant Roden stepped into view and announced,
"Prisoner number 32593, Lumia Edel. Emergency summons."
"??"
Walter blinked in surprise at the words.
"No way... Is it really happening?"
Meanwhile, in the central administrative district's city council chamber.
This massive cylindrical chamber was in utter chaos due to the emergency nighttime assembly.
Lights began flickering on one by one across the luxurious terraces encircling the central chairperson's seat.
Councilors from each family hurried to their assigned terraces and took their seats.
An announcer's voice boomed through the space.
"Councilors assembled for this emergency session, please take your seats immediately!!"
"A demon descending upon the Magic Tower?"
"Is that really true?"
"What in the world is going on in the middle of the night...?"
As Councilor Rockton quickened his pace toward the chamber, another councilor approached him.
"Martin. Heard anything?"
Rockton shook his head.
"Nothing at all. The chair just said Councilor Marshall suddenly requested the assembly."
"The Magic Tower hasn't allowed any outside intrusion for centuries. No idea what's really happening."
A message from the support team arrived on Rockton's communicator.
He quickly deleted the message after reading it.
'A descent ritual is actually underway?'
Rockton's eyes narrowed.
'Then it's highly likely Leberk's behind it.'
But for the Marshall side to bring it to public discussion first...
'What are they thinking?'
As he entered his assigned terrace, the lights around the chairperson's seat flashed on with a pop!
A white-haired chair appeared and gripped the microphone before him.
"Councilors who have taken your seats, please stand."
He gazed toward the highest terrace and continued,
"The representative of Luther will now speak."
The chamber's lights illuminated the opulent golden terrace.
All the councilors rose in unison, paying their respects.
"Homage to the great Luther."
"Homage to the great Luther."
"Homage to the great Luther!"
From the golden terrace emerged an elderly man in splendid attire.
He raised his hand, and all the councilors sat back down.
The chair picked up the gavel again and spoke into the microphone.
"Ahem. With most councilors present, we now commence the 85th Council Session's third emergency assembly."
Bang, bang, bang. The gavel struck down.
Immediately, one councilor switched on his microphone and asked,
"Chairman Roman. Is it true a demon is descending on the Magic Tower?"
"Esteemed Councilor Luden. I understand the urgency, but please request speaking privileges through proper procedure."
The chair continued,
"This session was convened at the urgent request of Councilor Simon Marshall. I have personally verified from him the authenticity of the demon descent ritual at the Magic Tower..."
Murmurs rippled through the terraces.
The chair tapped the microphone again amid the commotion and spoke.
"...and determined that urgent discussion of the incident is required."
A light flashed from one terrace.
Recognizing the request for the floor, Roman said,
"Councilor Koster. You have the floor."
"You just confirmed a demon is descending on the Magic Tower. Could you elaborate?"
"Councilor Marshall will explain that."
He turned his gaze aside.
"Councilor Marshall?"
"Yes, esteemed Chairman."
The chamber lights shifted to a terrace lower than Luther's but still quite high.
A massive hologram projected above the chair began broadcasting Marshall's image in real time.
The projected Marshall continued,
"And esteemed councilors of Dun City. This sudden nighttime assembly must have been confusing. But given the gravity of the situation, I'll be direct."
He gripped the microphone firmly.
"Just four hours ago, the direct line between the Central Secretariat and the Magic Tower suddenly went dead. It hasn't been restored for over an hour."
A few councilors wore strange expressions.
"The direct line to the Magic Tower cut off?"
"That's never happened before, has it?"
"Definitely suspicious."
"This is an extremely rare occurrence, so the Secretariat dispatched some staff to the Tower, but they too lost contact shortly after..."
Marshall's gaze swept over the councilors.
"Ultimately, on the Secretariat Director's judgment, the Investigation Bureau's special forces were dispatched. An hour ago, at 12:23 a.m., field agents reported anomalies at the Tower."
Councilor Koster, granted the floor, asked,
"Anomalies at the Tower?"
"The recon team attempting entry into the base village left comms records before going dark—evidence of a demon descent ritual."
Details included the eerily empty base village, sudden weakness outbreaks, mutated Tower knights, and more.
Sighs echoed through the chamber.
"Heavens..."
"No...!"
"What's happening at the Magic Tower...!"
Councilor Rockton, granted the floor by the chair, spoke up.
"Councilor Marshall, one question amid your statements."
"Ask away."
"You said special forces were dispatched on the Secretariat Director's judgment to assess the situation..."
His eyes sharpened.
"But according to my Intelligence Bureau report, the special forces were actually tracking and attempting to execute a fleeing Tower mage when they were stopped. Can you explain that?"
"!!"
"What?"
"Special forces did?"
The chamber shook with shock.
The chair shouted,
"Quiet! Silence, everyone!"
"Councilor Marshall. Nothing from the Investigation Bureau on this?"
"......"
Marshall stared piercingly at Rockton in silence.
But only for a moment. A smile crept onto his lips.
"For that, you should hear from the witness, not me. Chairman, permission for the witness to enter?"
"...Granted."
The chamber lights illuminated the central witness stand.
A middle-aged man in a high-end suit with pomaded hair stood there.
He spoke into the microphone.
"Ahem. Investigation Bureau Director Philip Schroeder."
Turning to Rockton, Philip continued,
"Yes... Regarding that, I also received a report of unauthorized actions by part of the special forces team."
"Unauthorized? Do you think that's acceptable, Director?"
"I fully understand your point. To elaborate..."
The director wiped sweat from his brow with a handkerchief and cleared his throat.
"The dispatch for assessing the Tower included the recon team and Special Team 3, suspected of the rogue actions. But shortly after entry, recon went dark. Special Team 3 was no exception."
He spoke again.
"Yet despite surviving, Team 3 didn't return and instead tried to kill a fleeing Tower survivor. We suspect they were possessed by the demon."
"So they were under demonic control?"
The director nodded.
"Why else would Investigation Bureau special forces try to kill Tower survivors?"
"Reports say some cornered Team 3 members suddenly died there, neural data chips wiped?"
"That was the special forces commander, belatedly noticing Team 3's anomalies, activating emergency protocol out of possession fears."
The director addressed Rockton directly.
"If needed, summon the special forces commander as a witness. I know it looks suspicious, but please trust the Central Investigation Bureau acts solely for Dun City's security."
"Evidence that Special Team 3 entered with recon?"
"Of course."
Murmurs spread among the councilors.
"...The Bureau aiding demons? Unlikely."
"Seems like a misunderstanding."
"Still, worth clarifying."
"......"
Only then did Rockton realize why Marshall had called the emergency session.
'Clever. Preempting us like this.'
The Bureau's tail was already stepped on.
At this rate, it was only a matter of time before he learned of the Tower anomalies.
So Marshall called the session first, discussing countermeasures to cut ties with the descent culprits early.
And swiftly prepped the director as witness, aligning stories to blame rogue possession actions.
It all fit together too seamlessly.
As if he'd anticipated this exact scenario.
Had influential Rockton pushed a full inquiry, the mood would be far different.
'But this means abandoning the Tower.'
He glared at Marshall.
'What are you planning, Marshall?'
"Regardless! If the demon descent is confirmed, what are we waiting for?!"
One councilor shouted.
"We should incinerate the Tower right now!"
"Incinerate? The Tower's centuries of wisdom! Even so, rushing to burn it..."
"Then what? Humans as sacrifices for descent! Can Dun City handle the demon now?!"
"That's...!"
"Everyone! Calm down! Please calm yourselves!"
As the chair sighed and quelled the uproar, Marshall took the microphone again.
"Esteemed councilors. I fully understand your views."
"Councilor Marshall."
"Normally, incineration protocol would proceed immediately. However."
He scanned the councilors.
"I propose the council give the Tower a slight chance."
"A chance? To a Tower mid-descent ritual?"
"Because survivors are still resisting inside."
"Survivors?"
The chamber buzzed again.
"Please watch this."
Marshall inserted a storage device into the terrace console. A figure appeared on the massive central hologram.
'That's!'
Rockton's eyes widened.
'The Sage...!'
The Sage in the video spoke.
The poor-quality, static-ridden video briefly cleared.
The feed cut out, leaving the council in stunned silence.
"That was just now..."
"The Sage?"
"Survivors still in the Tower?!"
Marshall added,
"This video arrived 30 minutes ago via familiar directly to the Secretariat from the Sage. It confirms the Sage and survivors are resisting...
"...and depending on circumstances, resolution may still be possible."
"!!"
Another councilor with the floor asked,
"So, based on this video, you're suggesting delaying incineration?"
"Yes."
Marshall emphasized,
"A ritual of that scale won't complete in a day. We have time—seal the Tower perimeter tightly but grant a brief reprieve?"
"Hmmm..."
Many councilors murmured thoughtfully.
Even with a demon descent, incinerating centuries of Magic Tower history weighed heavily.
Especially with potential for resolution.
Rockton, grasping Marshall's intent, muttered unwittingly,
"That sly old fox..."
The video was either fabricated or a impersonation.
Either way.
'Not a day.'
'Just 4 hours until the ritual ends.'
Marshall never intended to abandon the Tower easily.
Everything clicked for Rockton, his face twisting.
This was the true reason for Simon Marshall's emergency session.
'Buying time until descent...!'
He gripped the terrace armrest, grinding his teeth.
'I see...!'
Descent didn't mean the demon revealing itself.
'Depending on the contract, it could lurk behind Leberk, using the Tower as a foothold.'
Leberk, empowered by the demon, would swiftly dominate all magic clans.
Then it was simple.
Leberk brazenly appears here claiming resolution.
'Sage sacrificed, Leberk emerges as new Tower Lord.'
But the outwardly peaceful Tower would no longer be what they knew.
Most mages turned demon thralls—a true tower of evil.
'Marshall, you bastard...! To that extent!'
As he glared, Simon Marshall glared back fiercely.
The chair shouted,
"All councilors, stand! The Luther representative speaks!"
"...!"
Councilors halted debate and rose as one.
Lights bathed the golden terrace again. The splendidly attired elder slowly stood and spoke.
"By Luther's will: Councilors, heed well.
"Luther concurs with Marshall on this matter. Unless a majority objects...
"...incineration of the Tower is deferred until dawn."
"......"
"......"
"Any objections? Light your terrace."
Rockton closed his eyes.
No majority meant nothing.
"Chairman."
The chair nodded at the representative and raised the gavel.
"No sufficient objections. Seal the Tower perimeter thoroughly; defer incineration until dawn!"
Bang, bang, bang!!
Rockton shot up from his terrace the instant the gavel fell.
"This concludes the third emergency session temporarily..."
Bam! He stormed out the chamber door, aides trailing.
"Contact Gordon now!"
His face contorted.
"We have less than 4 hours left!"
Kyle descended from the tree after recon. A familiar message appeared before him.
+ All Stats +Additional from High Rank
+Reinforcement Skill Points awarded
'Demons, huh.'
Kyle pondered inwardly at the long-forgotten term.
'Conveniently, I have a fitting skill tree.'
His gaze turned to the [Montena's Holy Flame] tree.
[Montena's Holy Flame]
The exorcism secret arts of the Montena Kingdom's holy knights from centuries ago, now long lost.
The first skill:
Holy Flame Ignition
Use mana to ignite holy flame, which can be infused into a holy sword.
Kyle focused on the infusion part.
'In the fight with the archbishop, the demon repel came from accumulated holy flame in the sword.'
Holy knights likely fought by pre-charging swords with holy flame.
Without hesitation, he invested skill points into [Holy Flame Ignition].
Holy Flame Ignition [Enhanced]
Use mana to ignite holy flame and infuse/charge into holy sword. Mana cost halved.
'Not bad.'
Since [Montena's Holy Flame] centered on sword-charged flames, better efficiency was solid.
The next skill unlocked.
Light of Holy Flame
Condense holy flame at sword tip, shoot straight beam of holy light. Demon-type enemies exposed have innate abilities/traits greatly weakened. Effect varies by foe's rank/class.
'Weakens innate abilities and traits.'
As expected.
'Truly specialized for slaying demons.'
But it didn't end there.
"!!"
[This woman's mana... not bad.]
Deep in the Tower.
A grotesque goat-headed minion slammed the bloodied Liz into a black puddle.
The once-grand hall was now long a nest for the demon descent.
Black pools dotted everywhere floated unknowing mages, alive or dead.
[Their mana, flesh, and blood will melt into offerings.]
A pulsating cyst-like mass at the hall's center pumped black fluid through vein-like growths along the stone walls.
All toward the Tower's pinnacle.
The hall itself was a converter melting people whole into mana.
Amid ritual adjustments, Otto Leberk—next heir of Leberk—spoke.
"A potentially troublesome being may soon arrive."
[Troublesome? That butcher?]
"Yes."
Half-corrupted by the demon, his unfocused eyes continued,
"The doll ritual failed due to the caster's inexperience..."
Mobs, dragons, liches mobilized—yet failed to kill.
"That's the butcher."
[Just a human mage.]
The goat-head sneered.
[No worries. Any mage entering this Tower falls under mana-draining curse immediately...]
Even if miraculously overcoming it.
One ability from his demon master: 'Paradise Venom'.
His claws oozed soul-melting poison—any human died in hellish agony.
The minion chuckled unpleasantly.
[Humans can't escape death, pathetic things.]
"...True enough."
Even without, the goat-head was a mighty minion.
Doted by the demon, magic—the butcher's mainstay—would barely faze him.
'Yes, even if the butcher comes, powerless.'
This time, a miserable death as offering.
Then, the goat-head asked,
[Vault mages still holding out?]
Their gazes turned to an empty pool. It cleared, reflecting Sapientia's Fleetwood estate vault.
Tower mages there desperately reinforced barriers untouched by curse.
"Unexpected. Who'd think Fleetwood's vault held an angelic relic."
Its barrier let them endure.
But limits neared—minion assaults cracking it bit by bit.
[Pitiful, wretched things.]
The goat-head laughed lowly.
[No matter how desperately they struggle... no savior exists for them.]
Yet fine entertainment.
[Despair deepens with a thread of hope.]
When barriers shatter, demon's grasp invading.
The hellish minion grinned.
[They'll make excellent offerings.]