Chapter 227
The Ragneif Magic Republic, which once possessed three strong individuals, was now a thing of the past.
The Tower Master died, and this led to a fallout with Fliegel Knight, the Assassin Guild Master.
Moreover, Moriphis, as widely known, was exposed to the public for attempting to manipulate the Holy Saint and suffered a direct backlash.
They should have tried to negotiate with the Holy Saint earlier to get Moriphis back.
However, belated self-reproach was of no help in the current situation.
Not long after the declaration of an emergency war situation, all magic armies assembled at Gehennid Central Plaza.
Among them, the five knight orders, from the 1st Magic Army to the 5th Magic Army, which were elite forces, were tasked with dungeon subjugation.
The Gate, which seemed to have grown even larger, was as imposing as the city gate of the Giant Nation.
From the Gate, Demonic Energy, unlike anything experienced before, surged forth. It was undoubtedly SS-rank, and perhaps even approaching SSS-rank.
“All troops, enter!”
As the general commander of the magic army shouted, forces composed of Demonic Swordsmen, mages, and white mages began their advance.
It was when those at the forefront were about to take a determined step into the vortex.
“Aaagh!”
Those who were about to enter screamed.
Black flames enveloped the front of the Gate, refusing the subjugation team’s intrusion. The general commander was flustered.
“Unable to enter?”
At that moment, an anomaly occurred in the sky of Gehennid.
It was clearly midday in Gehennid.
But in an instant, the sky darkened, and night descended.
“I-is it an eclipse?”
The astronomical phenomenon was not of the moon covering the sun. It was closer to darkness devouring the sun.
Gehennid, known as the sleepless city, was instantly plunged into darkness.
As mages lit up the surroundings with magic amidst uneasy murmuring, three light sources also appeared in the sinister night sky.
A crescent blue half-moon.
A bleeding red full moon.
A melting purple crescent moon.
The half-moon and full moon were in their southern meridian, and the crescent moon hung ambiguously at the 11 o’clock direction.
The arrangement resembled the hands of a grandfather clock just before midnight.
Naturally, the subjugation team couldn’t fail to recognize those distorted Demon Realm Moons.
“Wh-what?! Why are the Demon Realm Moons manifesting outside the dungeon?!”
“And all three of them……!”
Even the general commander gazed at the ominous signs with anxious and fearful eyes.
Then, the commander of the 6th Magic Army, who was in charge of evacuating patients, approached with a grim face.
“General Commander, we have a problem.”
“Is there a more important problem than this right now……?”
The general commander let out a bitter laugh. But the commander of the 6th Magic Army reported steadfastly.
“Escape from the central street out of Gehennid is impossible. The Spatial Teleportation Stone is not working.”
“What did you say?”
Only then did the general commander look as if he had been struck hard on the back of the head.
In reality, the Spatial Teleportation Stone not working implies only one situation.
A sense of crisis exploded at his crown. He shouted, turning pale.
“Everyone, get away from the Gate!”
It was the very moment the order was given.
The dark green smoke that had been leaking out suddenly stopped completely.
Screeeech!
Within a 5-meter radius of the Gate, the bodies of the Demonic Swordsmen in that semi-circular area were horizontally split in two.
Soon, a ripple spread from the Gate, and an anomalous entity revealed itself in the human world.
A gigantic skeleton, only its upper body, wearing a black robe and holding a Grim Reaper’s scythe.
It was the S-rank demon, Grim Reaper Lord, whom Aillet and Tesillid had previously faced in the ‘Pandora’s Bottom’ dungeon.
Not one, but two Grim Reaper Lords.
With them at the forefront, demons slowly began to emerge into the human world.
Clatter clatter!
<Uwooooh……!>
<Kihuhuhuhu……!>
Vengeful skeletons, wicked clowns, ball-jointed marionettes, seductive Incubi, eerie vampires, bizarre chimeras crawling on the ground…….
As if it were a Halloween parade, the demons leisurely emerged onto the streets and began to roam the city.
Simultaneously, the city’s appearance transformed anomalously.
What was originally a bustling street lined with magic tool shops transformed into a demon market.
Magic streetlights became pumpkin lanterns with torn mouths, square shop signs turned into black bat shapes, lush metasequoia street trees became dead trees with only withered and gloomy branches, and well-maintained boulevards turned into a cemetery with mounds and gravestones sprouting up.
The environment of the Demon Realm was superimposed onto the human world. The entire city of Gehennid had undergone Demonization.
As if on cue, people shouted.
“Th-the Dungeon Burst!”
The scream served as a signal. The demon army, nearly 10,000 strong, glared with red eyes.
<Kill them! Kill the humans!>
<Let’s hunt humans!>
The parade was over.
The demons revealed their true colors and began indiscriminately attacking humans. It was a carnival of slaughter.
“Magic Army! Counterattack!”
Amidst the pandemonium, humans struggled for survival.
✠At the same time. Pan-El, the capital of the Elfenheim Holy Theocracy.
In front of the Pontifical Palace’s main gate, citizens competitively pushed, pulled, and trampled others.
“Aaahh! We have to go in! We have to go inside the Pontifical Palace!”
“Get out of the way! Get out of the way!”
“There’s someone underneath……, Aaagh!”
Crowds desperately trying to force their way into the Pontifical Palace.
A scene of hell unfolded before the pure white marble triumphal arch that seemed to lead to heaven.
There were those observing this scene from high up in the Pontifical Palace building.
“We have accommodated 60% of the city’s population. Any more is impossible, Holiness.”
“……Close the gates.”
Immediately upon Benedict’s command, the captain of the guards led the Holy Knights down to close the gates.
As the gates of salvation closed before their eyes, screams echoed on the ground. Wails and shrieks pounded against all the walls of the Pontifical Palace.
Facing the disaster, the Pontifical Palace made a choice opposite to that of the magic tower.
The Pontifical Palace judged that with only the capital’s forces, there was no chance of victory against a demon army of 10,000, including several S-rank bosses.
Thus, the Cardinal Council decided to fortify the Pontifical Palace instead of incurring meaningless troop losses.
The accommodated population was 60%. The population estimated to have escaped on their own through the city’s outskirts was roughly 10%.
It was a strategy that openly abandoned the lives of 30% of the citizens. Furthermore, if the Pontifical Palace fell, even the lives of the 60% could not be guaranteed.
However, the Church entered a period of endurance, having a certain ace up its sleeve.
“……Hoo.”
Currently, Saintess Muriel was presiding over an important ceremony in the Grand Chapel, under the watchful eyes of the cardinals.
“Are you alright, Saintess Muriel?”
“……Yes, I’m fine, Cardinal Decal.”
Muriel replied with a pained smile, despite her face being beaded with cold sweat.
It was truly the appearance of a true saint, gladly enduring hardship.
“Indeed, she is the 8th Divine Power Tier Saintess bestowed by God.”
“Truly, she is an example to all believers.”
“That is indeed true.”
Beginning with one person’s praise, many cardinals echoed in agreement.
In fact, it was natural, as Muriel Philise held their very lives in her hands.
In front of Muriel, a flagpole much taller than her own height was erected.
The flagpole stood perfectly vertical without the slightest tilt. From its top, a long golden flag vigorously fluttered despite there being no breeze.
The artifact, Holy Ground Construction.
Muriel was pouring her 8th Divine Power Tier into it to maintain a safe zone encompassing the entire Pontifical Palace.
This ensured the safety of the people inside the Pontifical Palace from the indiscriminate massacre by demons.
If they waited in this safe zone, external relief forces would arrive and resolve the situation.
The Holy Saint and the Master of the Holy Sword, being servants of the Church, would come out of obligation, and the kingdom and duchy would also not idly watch the crisis of the theocracy and would send support troops.
This is because if left unchecked, a Dungeon Burst would cross borders and engulf the entire continent.
The cardinals had no idea that the capitals of other nations were in similar situations. So, with hopeful thoughts, they suppressed their anxiety and unease and offered prayers.
“‘Strict Order and Goodness’, please watch over us.”
“We pray to the omniscient, omnipotent, and supremely good God. Please save our theocracy from crisis……”
Swelling voices filled the Grand Chapel.
Muriel, who was concentrating on Holy Ground Construction, also closed her eyes for a moment and offered a prayer.
‘Please, before this humble servant’s Divine Power runs out and the Pontifical Palace falls…….’
For the disaster to end. Or for the life of the Master of the Holy Sword to end.
She earnestly prayed for this world.
✠The situation in Peronsa, the capital of Hispenril Duchy, was better than Gehennid or Pan-El.
The Dungeon Burst occurred in the circular plaza located in the city center of Peronsa.
Hispenril’s tactic to counter the demon army pouring out of the Gate of Destruction was simple.
Four wide avenues extending from the plaza.
The strategy was for forces divided into four sections to block each of these roads and engage in defensive warfare.
The northern street was located directly facing the Gate. Therefore, it was expected that the largest number of demons would rush in, but in reality, fierce combat did not occur.
This was thanks to the presence of one person who could turn the tide of the war.
“Ura-cha-cha-cha! Hyaap!”
Duke Hispenril forcefully threw a straight punch. As his right fist cut through the air, the air ripped apart, swirling fiercely.
No demon was directly hit by Hispenril’s punch.
However, he was an Aura Master.
His punches carried tremendous power along a linear trajectory.
Kwagwagwagwang!
<Kueeek!>
<Kyaaah!>
Clatter-da-da-da…!
Demons struck by the Aura Cannon screamed their death throes and melted away.
In a single blow, the demons within a 50-meter linear range in front of him were annihilated.
And that wasn’t all.
Fragments lifted as the ground was pushed away by the punch’s force and shockwaves alone.
A wide boulevard, capable of accommodating four carriages abreast, suddenly transformed into a gigantic furrow. It was wide enough to plant street trees.
An Aura Master who is a pugilist does not wield flying swords like a swordsman.
However, when the penetrating power characteristic of pugilism is combined with master-level mastery, it can unleash destructive power comparable to a siege weapon.
“Our Duke, you’re amazing!”
“As expected of the continent’s best sword, no, fist!”
“Hyung, I love you!”
As the fleeing duchy citizens cheered, Duke Hispenril’s pectorals dynamically and shyly rippled.