Chapter 1307: The Grand General’s Mausoleum (5)
Thousands of Dead Flowers growing densely along the walls of the vast plaza.
The horrifying sight of humans falling, revealing their pinkish flesh.
Chwaaaap-
The Dead Flower buds stickily opened and closed, spilling out humans covered in slime.
Humans falling down the ramp were ground into chunks of flesh by a crusher, then re-swallowed by the Dead Flowers and resurrected.
A grotesque hell where humans were repeatedly resurrected by consuming their deaths and infusing them with life force, only to be killed again.
Each time, the accumulated energy of death was supplied to the Singularity Reactor, which spun endlessly.
Woo woo woo woo!!!!
“We’ve come all this way, and there’s still no sign of the Yaksha or the mercenaries. The Cardinal of the Cult is the same.”
Lennok raised his gaze.
“If they’re not visible even after entering the Mausoleum with us, it must mean we’re the first to discover this space.”
“These people are different from the corpses we faced inside and outside the Mausoleum.”
Thud!!
Aileen, looking at the humans falling from the Dead Flower buds with a heavy heart, spoke.
“Corpse Flowers don’t bloom on their faces, and they don’t regenerate. Outwardly, they’re just like ordinary humans.”
“The ones we dealt with outside the Mausoleum were for combat, and the ones here are for food, I suppose.”
Lennok replied.
“If they’re resurrecting humans to use death as power, they would need to revive them in a state closer to their original form.”
“That’s…”
“And someone conducting this hell is over there.”
Lennok, cutting off Aileen, raised his hand.
“Below the barrier… right in front.”
“…”
Thud, Thud…!!
Aileen, following Lennok’s words, turned her gaze and fell silent at the sight before her.
On either side of the majestic barrier etched with the Empire’s emblem, two Transcendent beings were butchering humans on two workbenches.
Dressed in blood-splattered golden armor, they mercilessly tore and dismembered humans placed on the workbenches with eerie gestures.
What hung above their broad shoulders was clearly a human head, but its face was already—
“…Ugh, ahh.”
“Guh-uh-uh-it.”
The faces of two middle-aged men with their skulls severed, revealing blue, glowing brains within.
Corpse Flowers, burrowing between the brains, writhed and stimulated the central nerves and brainwaves, moving their bodies.
Each time, the men’s bloodshot eyes rolled back, shedding tears of blood, and emitting unknown groans.
“Ah, ugh, haah…”
The pupils and focus of their blood-red, upturned eyes layered several times, grotesquely swelling like an insect’s compound eyes.
The sight of the decapitated brain-men, groaning bizarrely as they incessantly butchered humans and threw them into the crusher.
Lennok, watching them silently from a distance, shook his head.
“They’re completely broken… What on earth are those?”
He had faced corpses infested by Corpse Flowers many times, but these were entirely different from any case Lennok had seen.
Not only had their skulls been cracked open and flowers directly inserted into their brains, but their very presences were monstrously superhuman.
Their eerie movements, relentlessly grinding humans with strange screams, and their distorted eyes, as if under hypnosis.
They were alien and grotesque, like looking at extraterrestrial beings rather than fellow humans.
But Aileen seemed to recognize their identities the moment she saw the armor they wore.
Her voice, as she looked down at the backs of the two men, was tinged with undeniable pain.
“They are the Grand Generals of the Empire, interred in the Imperial National Mausoleum…”
“…Grand Generals of the Empire?”
“Heroes who fought on the front lines during the Unification War led by the Emperor… Superhumans permitted to be buried in their armor after death.”
Clutching her blade with trembling hands, she murmured.
“To think that meritorious subjects who died before Ars Nova’s fall and were interred in the Mausoleum… are being used like this…”
“…”
The Imperial National Mausoleum, which existed here before the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors became corrupted.
Were the Empire’s superhumans, interred as heroes after death in this mausoleum, being consumed by Corpse Flowers and exploited?
A terrible desecration, in the heart of the sacred land they once protected and guarded, they were now killing and resurrecting their own kind.
“…They must have directly embedded the Corpse Flowers into their brains because these weren’t humans who died in this Demonic Realm.”
Lennok said.
“Since they were corpses that died before the Demonic Realm was even created, is that why they had to be handled this way?”
Most of the corpses interred in the Imperial National Mausoleum were nobles from Ars Nova.
Perhaps with the corpses of nobles, rather than ordinary humans, Corpse Flowers could only be used in such a manner.
It’s even known that noble genetic information differs from humans by nearly 2%, so Corpse Flowers might not work properly on them.
But Lennok didn’t voice such conjectures, unwilling to disturb the noble standing beside him.
“The Grand General of Brilliance was a conqueror who made immense contributions during the Empire’s Unification War, famous for commanding many outstanding generals and warriors.”
Aileen said with a pale expression.
“If they are directly guarding the entrance to the crypt, then both Grand Generals must have been top-ranking commanders who closely served the Grand General of Brilliance during their lives…”
“They are monsters who maintain their hierarchy even after becoming corpses… they might have been even greater Transcendent beings in life.”
Lennok slowly cracked his knuckles, limbering up.
“Either way, there’s no doubt they are the last.”
At this moment, the transcendent presence of Ars Nova Empire’s Imperial Palace’s Grand General of Brilliance was palpably close.
It was clear that these two Grand Generals, standing guard before the barrier blocking the crypt, were the final obstacle.
“I understand how this space exists now.”
Aileen, trying to maintain her composure, averted her gaze.
“They are sacrificing humans by killing them, but they’re not actually offering the sacrifices to the Outer Sea. Instead, they’re resurrecting the sacrifices just before offering them, forcibly stimulating them.”
“So, they’re deliberately drawing in the Outer Sea’s power by letting the ritual of offering idle without completing it?”
“Because only within this Demonic Realm, corrupted by the Outer Sea’s power, can death function as a power source.”
Aileen nodded.
“A corrupted Perpetual Motion Engine exists here, creating the Demonic Realm with the Outer Sea’s power drawn in by initiating the offering ritual, and within that spacetime, constantly recycling death to gain energy without completing the ritual.”
“…And they’ve been maintaining that created Demonic Realm using the Grand General’s blood as a material.”
A bizarre idea, not merely offering humans and gaining power, but seemingly attempting to indirectly ‘use’ the Outer Sea through the offering ritual.
As if it were built with the technology of an alien civilization that deeply understood the Outer Sea, rather than the dooms of the Outer Sea itself—
“I don’t know what they intend to use all that energy for, after going to such lengths…”
Lennok slowly leaned forward.
“From there, we can ask the mastermind behind this hell. We’ll know everything once we enter the Grand General’s crypt.”
“If the entire Mausoleum facility is consolidated, relying on the Singularity Reactor’s gravitational pull, then we’ll have to stop the engine to enter the crypt.”
The problem was that a real-time massacre was unfolding across the entire plaza where the Singularity Reactor was located, with humans dying and being resurrected.
The grotesquely dense Dead Flowers blooming on the ceiling and walls, and the human flesh being ground between them.
Even the presence of the two broken Grand Generals, endlessly butchering and dismembering living humans in front of the barrier.
Even if they moved to stop the Singularity Reactor, could they avoid detection the moment they entered that plaza?
“Let’s infiltrate. I’ll buy us time.”
Aileen drew her blade without hesitation.
“You know what Rangers do best, right? I’ll try to lure those monsters away, running as much as I can. In the meantime, you can steal or seize the Singularity Reactor, whatever you want.”
“I don’t know why you’re talking as if I’d obviously try to take the Singularity Reactor.”
Of course, Lennok also had no intention of passing up that massive black hole engine.
The Singularity Reactor was a transcendent power source, so much so that even Olivera doubted its existence. It was a cosmic-scale engine, capable of operating even outside the Outer Sea.
He didn’t know if it was in perfect condition yet, but given that the engine was currently operating, he had no intention of ignoring it from the start.
However—
“…No. I know what you’re thinking, but there’s no need to take such a long way around.”
Lennok narrowed his eyes, looking down at the two Grand Generals butchering humans in front of the barrier.
To be precise, at the corpses they had placed on the workbench and were busy dismembering.
But instead of taking time to explain the situation, Lennok drew upon his magic, rotating the Corrupted Golden Rule.
The presences moving around the plaza. The Grand General’s presence felt beyond the barrier. Even the Grand Generals and the Singularity Reactor blocking the way ahead.
“Since we’ve come this far, I planned to break through everything head-on.”
“Huh?”
“Grab on.”
Kiiii-ing-
Lennok, gripping Aileen’s wrist and staring at the golden light fluttering before them, took a step.
“We’ll go straight to the Singularity Reactor from here.”
“Wait a minute. That’s so reckless…!”
Bwoong-
Lennok’s body, stepping from the plaza entrance, floated into the air and glided across the sky.
The petals of the Dead Flowers slowly bowed all around. Corpses fell blankly past, staring at Lennok.
He floated through the heart of the hell where pink flesh rained down, as if gravity didn’t exist.
And effortlessly, he lightly landed in front of the Singularity Reactor, located in the middle of the plaza.
“…?!!”
Aileen gasped, terrified, but the two Grand Generals, standing with their backs to the barrier, showed no sign of turning around.
Not only the Dead Flowers growing on the ceiling and walls, but also the writhing humans and monsters all around seemed oblivious to Lennok.
“I read the moment they would ‘fail’ to perceive our presence in this plaza.”
Lennok whispered lowly, passing Aileen who was frozen by the incomprehensible result.
“If you limit and induce the worst possible outcome in a specific space, it’s sometimes possible to capture that moment.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying. Ever since…”
Aileen shook her head as she followed Lennok towards the Singularity Reactor.
“I’ve been thinking this since earlier, but haven’t you changed somehow after entering the Mausoleum?”
“Quiet.”
Lennok said that and slowly approached the rotating Singularity Reactor.
“From now on, I will stop this engine’s operation to open the crypt’s door.”
Woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woong…!!!
The form of a black hole engine, with hundreds of thousands of layers of light rings strangely overlapping and rotating.
At the engine’s core, an endless darkness was compressed to its extreme, gathering and exerting a powerful gravitational pull across the entire space.
Lennok, gazing blankly up at the Singularity Reactor’s form, placed his hand on the complex mana circuit connected within the engine.
Chiii-ik-!!
Lennok, slowly drawing in mana to examine the interior, tilted his head.
‘I suspected it, but the internal structure is even stranger than I imagined…’
The Singularity Reactor, using a black hole born from a dying star as its engine, was one of the most powerful power sources in this world.
He had thought the engine’s internal structure would be incredibly complex, but this was beyond Lennok’s expectations.
It wasn’t a level where he could analyze it by dissecting the mana circuits; rather, the entire engine was connected as one massive circuit, idling.
Even Lennok, directly projecting inside, couldn’t immediately grasp its principles.
Its complexity was on a different dimension compared to Maleon’s Promotion Magic Circle that he had analyzed in Kundara.
“Can you do it?”
“It’s not impossible with a shortcut… but I’ll need some time.”
To perfectly understand and analyze the Singularity Reactor, even a month wouldn’t be enough, but that wasn’t his immediate goal.
If it was merely to stop the Singularity Reactor’s gravitational pull, which consolidated nearby facilities, it should somehow be possible using the Corrupted Golden Rule.
He needed to use his Quasi-Authority to perceive the Severed Plane of Causality within the Singularity Reactor and halt it.
The estimated time required was about 3 minutes.
Just as Lennok thought that and was about to answer Aileen.
Pat!!
Dozens of superhumans appeared at the end of the passage behind the plaza, leaping down at high speed.
“…!!!”
High-ranking Spell Masters of the Order Alliance, gathered around the Yeonri Spell Master, sped through the left passage of the plaza.
Rectification Knights and Bishops, following the silently laughing Seventh Apostle, crossed the right ramp.
Had the main forces of the Cult and Alliance, delayed by Lennok, only now arrived in front of the Singularity Reactor?
But Aileen realized what the Cult and Alliance were aiming for the moment she saw their movements.
“Those bastards, surely…!”
The superhumans of the Cult and Alliance bypassed the Singularity Reactor, moving secretly past the eyes of the Empire’s Grand Generals.
Among them were Spell Masters or Bishops who looked up at Lennok with scorn, or sneered as they approached the crypt.
Did they grasp the situation the moment they saw the plaza’s landscape, planning to enter the crypt immediately once Lennok stopped the engine?
Kuooooo!!
Thud, Thud!!
Buds opened, and naked humans rained down from above.
Humans slipped close enough to brush against cheeks, and the leaves of the Dead Flowers tickled noses in the tense air.
Dozens of superhumans from the Cult and Alliance walked, concealing their presences, avoiding the swaying Dead Flowers and monsters all around them.
Holding their breath, they used Concealment Barrier Spellcraft, covered their bodies with blessings, hid in exquisite spots out of sight, and shrouded themselves in mist.
The superhumans of the Cult and Alliance approached the crypt quickly, making no sound even as they stepped on the slime-covered floor and leaf stems.
“…Those people, they’re planning to move first while we stop the engine.”
Aileen, grabbing Lennok’s shoulder, said quickly.
“If we stop the Singularity Reactor now, we might just be doing them a favor. Should I try to deter them?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Lennok replied.
“Because we won’t be the bait, anyway.”
Saak…!!!
The high-ranking Spell Masters of the Alliance commanded by the Yeonri Spell Master. The Bishops and Rectification Knights of the Cult led by the Seventh Apostle.
The elite superhuman unit reached the crypt entrance without a single mistake and halted.
As if waiting for the moment Lennok stopped the Singularity Reactor, the Seventh Apostle, concealing his presence from the two Grand Generals, slowly extended his hand.
KWA-AAAAA-ANG!!!!
The vast plaza wall exploded, and corpses consumed by Corpse Flowers poured out from holes in all directions.
“…!!!!”
“Are we caught?!”
“No way. The infiltration should have been perfect!!”
The bewildered Spell Masters and Bishops hastily looked around, only to see the fallen humans across the entire plaza simultaneously turning to face them.
Insect-like creatures, born from splitting open human bellies, spewed grotesque screams at the Bishops and Spell Masters.
The giant Dead Flower, endlessly spewing humans, bared its teeth between its petals and shrieked eerily.
Kieeeeee!!!!
“Intru…der…”
“Ugh… iiik…”
The Empire’s Grand Generals, guarding the crypt entrance, rolled their eyes back and gritted their teeth, slowly turning their heads.
Their mouths, distorted with brains eaten away, formed a grotesque, wide smile as if someone had forcibly pulled them open.
The moment the Right Grand General and Left Grand General, holding the human heads they had been dismembering on the workbenches, each turned towards the Alliance and the Cult.
Aileen, having properly faced the two Grand Generals standing before the barrier, froze stiff.
“…No way.”
The severed heads of corpses they had been haphazardly dismembering on the workbenches just moments ago.
The heads of the Yaksha and the Cardinal, dripping blood, were held in the two generals’ hands.
“They’ve been holding, dismembering, and tasting those corpses for quite some time. They wouldn’t have sensed anything other than the aura of the corpses they had already absorbed.”
“…”
“Stop the Singularity Reactor within 3 minutes, abandon those bastards, and reach the Grand General’s corpse.”
Lennok’s eyes glinted as he watched the two monsters walking down, clutching the Yaksha and Cardinal by their hair.
“The Cult and the Alliance. After making a pact, they might finally be useful now.”