Chapter 1309: Grand General’s Mausoleum (7)

With the Singularity Reactor’s explosion, the entire plaza crumbled, and the ground sank.

Dead Flowers grotesquely entangled on the walls and ceiling, along with brain-dead humans, mingled among the debris and evaporated.

A tsunami of blue-flooded scorching flames. Conjunction Spell Masters and Cult Bishops were swept away by the explosion with screams.

“Aaaargh!!!!”

“No, it can’t be……!!!”

“I can’t escape—”

KWAAAHHHH!!!!!!

A sphere of blue light, distorted like a colossal star, swallowed the entire plaza and rotated.

The bodies of the Spell Masters and Priests, touched by heat energy that transcended all limits, vanished without a trace.

At the moment the Singularity Reactor’s gravitational pull, which had been binding the entire facility, was inverted into repulsive force and exploded right then and there.

Lennok and Aileen, their bodies enveloped in a Barrier, were flung out from the center of the explosion at tremendous speed and plummeted.

KWAAANGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!

Amidst the debris enveloped in burning flames, they crashed and bounced back dozens of times, fragments of the Barrier shattering.

Due to that impact, Lennok and Aileen’s bodies continued to fall into the unknown depths of the Mausoleum.

While protecting herself from the Singularity Reactor’s explosion, Aileen moved within the shattered Barrier.

“Martinez!”

Aileen, who had plunged her Gunblade into the wall, grabbed Lennok’s collar as he fell and twisted her body.

Stepping and leaping across the crumbling plaza floor fragments, she quickly reduced their falling speed.

KIIIIIK!!!

Amidst the falling debris, holding Lennok, Aileen’s body swiftly slid.

“I’ll get us down before we fall completely. Are you listening?!”

“I’m listening.”

Holding the Singularity Reactor’s core, which was distorting in his hand, and stabilizing it, Lennok spoke.

“In a little while, it will stabilize enough to be stored. I’ll rely on you for a moment.”

“I’ll do my best……!!”

CHWAAAK!!!

Sliding down the Mausoleum debris falling diagonally, they leaped into the unknown darkness.

The moment their feet touched the ground, they forcefully flipped their bodies, rolling on the floor, and crashed into a wall, stopping.

Above their heads, shattered debris rained down, emitting a tremendous roar.

KWAGWAGWAGWAGWANG!!!!!

Violently shaking throughout the Mausoleum, an ominous rupturing sound vibrated as if it would collapse.

Shockwaves and roars that could burst eardrums continued endlessly, only ceasing after a long while.

KWAAK!!

“W-we’re alive……”

Aileen, who had been bracing herself by plunging her Gunblade upside down into the floor, let out a small sigh.

She had hidden herself in the gaps where debris had piled up at the landing site, minimizing the impact as much as possible.

With her face thickly smeared with black soot, she tilted her head back, glancing back at Lennok.

“Are you alright? You’re still alive, right?”

“Thanks to you.”

Lennok, lying prone beneath heavy debris, replied.

“Perhaps because you’re a Ranger, your knack for escaping is quite good.”

“I don’t know what kind of prejudice you have, but Rangers aren’t tomb raiders or thieves.”

Aileen, with an exasperated expression, grabbed her Gunblade and stood up.

“Can you move? If it’s hard to stabilize the Singularity Reactor’s core, I can help—”

“It’s fine. It’s done.”

WHOOSH……!!

The Singularity Reactor’s core, held in Lennok’s hand and distorting space, glowed ominously like a dark jewel.

The form of a core that constitutes the heart of a black hole engine. Even though its material or specifications were completely unknown, its mere existence possessed a gravitational pull that crushed spacetime.

Perhaps with just this, it could be considered an over-achievement of their goal in coming to the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors, a remnant of rare and transcendent technology.

Carefully gathering his mana and will-thought, Lennok, who cautiously placed the core into his embrace, opened his eyes.

“The explosion…… it’s almost over. What happened to the forces of the Alliance and the Cult?”

“They’re over here.”

Aileen, who cut through the debris with her Gunblade, revealing the surrounding scenery, turned her body and replied.

“Most of them, it seems…… didn’t escape the explosion you set off.”

“……”

Debris where fallen Mausoleum fragments were piled up in layers.

The corpses of Spell Masters and Bishops, their breath cut off, were scattered everywhere.

A Spell Master’s corpse with ruptured blood vessels throughout their body. A Bishop with only their face barely remaining, as if gnawed away.

Most were swept away, unable to avoid the Singularity Reactor’s explosion, or were corpses that suffered unexpected attacks in its aftermath.

As the plaza collapsed, a colossal ruin formed in its place. An impenetrable, dense fog obscured their vision.

[Misty Palace]

WHOOOOOOOSH!!!!

Lennok, who immediately recognized the spellcraft’s true nature, tilted his head.

“It’s the Yeonri Spell Master’s spellcraft…… Did he envelop the entire space in mist to create a labyrinth of fog?”

“He’s entangling smoke with the ruins, expanding the spellcraft’s scale and obscuring directions.”

Aileen said in a cold voice.

“At the point where he couldn’t stop the Singularity Reactor’s explosion, he gave up on going ahead first and intends to impede us. Should I call that typical of the Yeonri Spell Master?”

“…….”

He willingly revealed a powerful trump card like Soundless to kill the Left Grand General and the Right Grand General, but as expected, he had ulterior motives.

Even after facing the worst-case scenario of Lennok exploding the Singularity Reactor, the Spell Master quickly accepted reality and covered the area in fog.

“The advantage of Yeonri Spellcraft lies in its overwhelming spellcraft range and versatility, based on gas manipulation.”

Lennok, lost in thought, spoke.

“Through the dispersion of clouds and smoke, he expands the spellcraft’s range, and can manipulate it even with particle density lowered to its extreme. In that process, he can even degrade his own presence, making its applicability very high for both combat and reconnaissance.”

“Among the Order Alliance’s Grand Spell Masters, are you saying that’s why he was chosen for the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors conquest?”

“The reason he refrained from deploying a fog labyrinth of this scale, despite being able to, is likely because its effectiveness is only maximized in moments of escalating chaos like now.”

Lennok tilted his head.

“If he had been caught in the Singularity Reactor’s explosion, he wouldn’t have been able to avoid damage, but since he deliberately deployed the spellcraft, he must have employed all sorts of tricks to confuse our senses.”

The Yeonri Spell Master deployed a labyrinth of fog in this vicinity to make them lose their way, because he was certain that the final destination was right ahead.

The Imperial Palace’s Grand General, governing and maintaining the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors, lies beyond.

Now, when it’s unknown what will happen against the Grand General, they should preserve as much strength as possible.

For that reason, the Spell Master, instead of fighting Lennok directly, deliberately cast spells to prevent them from pursuing, didn’t he?

As Lennok gathered the methods that came to mind, thinking thus, Aileen unhesitatingly stepped into the mist.

“……Aileen?”

“You could find a way even in this situation; that’s why you could blow up the plaza, right?”

From Aileen’s fingertips as she spoke, blood was dripping.

Blue droplets of blood, drawn by gravity, fell beside Aileen.

“Let’s go. I’ll lead the way.”

“You must have used a lot of blood to get here. Can your body withstand it?”

From outside the Demonic Realm, to overcome various difficulties, she had already consumed a considerable amount of blood.

Not only in battles against Apostles or Spell Masters, but even within the Demonic Realm, she had used True Blood as a tool multiple times.

Although she didn’t show it outwardly, the amount of True Blood Aileen had shed in a few days must have been considerable.

“It’s fine. We’re all pushing ourselves, it’s the same for everyone.”

But even after hearing Lennok’s words, Aileen didn’t stop tearing open her wound.

“Since we’ve come this far, we can’t hand over the Mausoleum to the Alliance or the Cult. If one of them gains the power of the Demonic Realm, the central balance itself will collapse.”

“…….”

As if unwilling to hear more from Lennok, Aileen advanced, dripping blood.

Mausoleum debris was piled high like mountains everywhere, a vast ruin where vision was obscured in all directions.

Amidst it, a dense fog settled, a labyrinth of clouds confusing the senses and making them lose their way.

“The Grand General’s Will-thought, pervading inside and outside the Mausoleum, has grown stronger. From now on, we’ll need to be much more careful.”

Lennok lifted his gaze.

“Because I extracted the Singularity Reactor’s core and stopped the supply of True Blood, the Grand General’s state has changed.”

“……In the worst case, the Grand General might awaken before we even reach the tomb chamber.”

The Singularity Reactor had been playing the role of a heart, supplying the Grand General’s True Blood throughout the Demonic Realm.

At the moment Lennok extracted the core, it was clear that the phenomenon of the Grand General’s True Blood being drained had stopped.

As the Grand General’s condition, who had been constantly drained of True Blood, improved, was his Will-thought growing stronger and more sensitive?

It was something they had prepared for to obtain the Singularity Reactor, but from here on, they couldn’t be certain of the Grand General’s state.

“It might be best to proceed in a way that minimizes provoking the Grand General’s Will-thought. However…….”

Lennok, casting a sidelong glance, raised his mana.

“Whether the Cult and the Alliance will care about such things is another matter.”

“…….”

CHWAAK!! SPLASH……!!

With every step they took behind Aileen, corpses became more numerous throughout the labyrinth, and the smell of blood and the sound of tearing flesh grew more intense.

The corpses of dead Spellcasters and Priests were torn to shreds and scattered, bleeding profusely, vast enough to form pools beneath their feet.

In the center where a river of blood flowed, a disheveled Vampire Apostle was rampaging like mad.

CRUNCH!! GRRRRND!!!

“Ugh!!”

“Gurgle……!!”

“KIEEEEK!!!”

Every time her bat wings violently flapped and bristled, Alliance Spellcasters, who had been chanting spells from all directions, were flung back, scattering blood.

Continuously shredding hundreds of corpses charging from beyond the mist, and even killing the Spellcasters blocking her path, with overwhelming martial might.

Aileen gasped, seeing the golden axe held in the hand of the 7th Apostle, Lariata Armush, who was rampaging uninhibitedly in the middle of the labyrinth.

“That’s……”

“Ahahahahat!! Martinezzz!!”

CHWAAK!!

Piercing a Spell Master’s heart with one hand, the 7th Apostle, who lifted the corpse high, sharply turned her gaze.

Shedding streams of bloody tears, Lariata, who looked up at Lennok standing amidst the ruins, smiled brightly.

She too, it seemed, couldn’t avoid the aftermath of being caught in the Singularity Reactor’s explosion, with about half of her body melting and regenerating repeatedly.

CHIIIIK……!!!

“Aha, as expected, even after blowing up the Singularity Reactor, you’re perfectly fine… how repulsive.”

With a grotesque face from which flesh dripped, the 7th Apostle, who turned, displayed a ghostly smile.

“Kekekekek…… Logically, if you self-destructed, you yourself should be dead. Can’t you just stop messing around and die already?”

“And you, I clearly saw your insides ripped out fighting the Empire’s General.”

Lennok’s chilling gaze sharply swept over Lariata’s entire body.

“Even after taking the Singularity Reactor’s explosion head-on, you repaired your injuries so quickly? What a truly repulsive recovery ability.”

“Khheet. How chilling.”

Lariata grinned and abruptly hoisted the Satellite Shredder onto her shoulder.

“Only after coming this far do you finally intend to properly fight? Not bad. Shall we fight exhilaratingly until death here?”

“…….”

The opponent was a Vampire Apostle who, despite suffering severe injuries with all her insides torn out, recovered in less than five minutes.

Even within the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors, she was undoubtedly unique, a serial killer who had killed countless monsters and lives.

As a True Ancestor Vampire and an Apostle, she possessed so many abilities, her inherent power level was that of a mighty monster.

To kill her without leaving any room for recovery, it would inevitably take time.

KUOOOOOH!!!

The moment Lennok and the 7th Apostle raised their mana, and Aileen aimed her Gunblade at Lariata amidst the crushing air pressure.

Lariata, who glanced back at Aileen from amidst the ruins, lowered the Satellite Shredder from her shoulder.

KOOOHNG!!

“……?”

“Khheet, as expected, it won’t work.”

Putting down the colossal axe, the 7th Apostle, who crossed her arms, chuckled.

“No matter how I look at it, if we continue like this, only I’ll lose…… I’m so angry I want to kill everyone, but being dragged around continuously makes me even angrier, I can’t stand it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Grand Spell Master. He’s intentionally luring all the corpses and forces in this fog labyrinth towards me. What does that mean?”

The Vampire Apostle pointed alternately at Lennok and herself.

“In this labyrinth, he can’t read your presence, but he can read mine. That’s why he’s going through all this trouble to at least tie me down.”

“…….”

“If I spend time fighting to the death here and fall behind the Alliance, only I lose…… Returning empty-handed is fine, but our Priestess won’t tolerate the Alliance taking our achievements.”

CHUL-KUK!!

Lariata, who lifted the Satellite Shredder, slowly turned her body and spoke.

“Ranger. You know the way, don’t you?”

Lariata stared intently at Aileen with her red eyes.

“Lead the way. Then I’ll go first.”

“What, nonsense—”

“Oh? You still don’t know? That the Grand General’s Will-thought in this vicinity is growing incredibly strong.”

Lariata, who lifted the Shredder, cackled.

“While draining the Grand General’s True Blood using the Singularity Reactor, he was deliberately suppressing his power. Now that it’s stopped, it’s only natural for his Will-thought to grow stronger again.”

“…….”

“But a way to approach the Grand General without provoking him. I happen to have it, don’t I?”

“……Indeed.”

Lennok lifted his gaze.

“You intend to use the Shredder to clear away the Grand General’s Will-thought and enter? In exchange, you want us to lead the way?”

The axe Lariata was holding, the Satellite Shredder, was the unique armament used by the Grand General of Brilliance during his lifetime.

Therefore, within this Mausoleum, only that armament could clear away the Grand General’s Will-thought without provoking it.

While preparing for the worst-case scenario of awakening the Grand General of Brilliance when approaching the tomb chamber, and a way to avoid clashing with the 7th Apostle right here. It wasn’t a bad proposal.

Since Lennok possessed the Quasi-Authority anyway, it would be difficult for the Grand Spell Master or the 7th Apostle to tamper with the Grand General’s corpse.

If only he could reach the Grand General of Brilliance somehow, then Lennok would have far more options.

As Lennok thought so, the moment he exchanged glances with Aileen.

“Ahahahahat!!! As expected, I like quick comprehension!!”

Lariata, who let out a wild laugh and sharply turned her body, drew the Satellite Shredder and raised her mana towards the charging corpses.

“I’ll kill everything and go. Follow well. If you fall behind, I’ll kill youuuu!!!!”

KWAAANGGGGG!!!

As the mountain-like piles of debris exploded, the Vampire Apostle who burst out unleashed a crimson glare.

The moment she flapped her bat wings and swung the Satellite Shredder, dozens of corpses caught on the axe blade were crushed and exploded.

With intense shockwaves, she pushed the waves of corpses charging from all sides of the ruins far away.

KWAGWAGWAGWAGWAGWA!!!!!

Monsters with Parasitic Flowers blooming on their faces, otherworldly creatures that gained intelligence and grew by using humans as a placenta.

The Vampire Apostle alone frantically tore through the tsunami of flesh, where humans and monsters were mixed and pouring out, opening a path and advancing forward.

Not only enduring the weight, speed, and power of thousands of individual entities, but her monstrous martial might and power level began to push them back.

While marveling at the 7th Apostle’s overwhelming power level, Lennok and Aileen simultaneously began to run, following behind the Vampire Apostle.

DU-DU-DU-DU!!!!

“It’s that way!!! Beyond here—!”

KWAAANG!!!

Shattering and crumbling walls and waves of flesh as if bursting them, she tore through the piles of ruins, breaking through in a straight line.

Without even caring if what was in front was a monster or debris, a power like a shredder that ground up everything in sight.

“Kyahahahahahahat!!!!”

Every time they ran behind the 7th Apostle, who had begun to smash through the deepest part of the Mausoleum alone, the surrounding scenery and air began to change.

“The sound……!!”

The surroundings grew quiet, and the air became thin.

The sticky flesh and corpses beneath their feet transformed into dried skin and corroded bone fragments.

The scattered corpses of Spell Masters and Priests turned into ancient remains, screaming or laughing.

CLATTER, CLATTER!!

Dried skin thickly covering the walls. Barriers formed from intertwined black vines and bone fragments.

Laughing skulls trampled underfoot formed mountains, creating tall, tiered stairs like a colossal altar.

Human fingers bloomed like flowers everywhere, beginning to scatter ominous necrotic energy.

“Haa, haa……!!”

“…….”

The entire Mausoleum, using human corpses or traces as material, presented a gruesome scene that appeared to be processed and decorated.

Aileen’s complexion, as she ascended the stairs, instantly turned pale, and the moment Lennok unconsciously stopped in his tracks.

From atop the altar, built with thousands of dried-up skulls as stairs, Lennok felt a presence and lifted his gaze.

“……Found it.”

“Ah……!!!”

“Hahahahaak!!!!”

An altar created, supported by countless hands, decorated with thousands of human wrists cut off and arranged like flowers upon it.

Aileen and Lariata realized the true nature of what was located at the end of the altar and instantly gasped.

Someone was sitting atop the altar, decorated with human corpses chopped into pieces and used as material.

A human figure, with arms propped, as if looking down upon the corpses below, stretching out hands and screaming.

A burly man with a handsome face and long black hair, grown to his waist and unbound, sat with his eyes closed.

“That is……!!!”

The flesh visible between the golden armor was completely dry and shriveled, pale and discolored.

Already deceased for decades and interred in the tomb. Originally enshrined as the master of this colossal Mausoleum.

Yet, with that corpse alone, emitting a transcendent Will-thought greater than anyone else present, the remains of a great conqueror.

The Grand General of Brilliance (狂城大將軍) of the Ars Nova Imperial Palace lay dormant there.

And then—

“Ah, you’ve arrived.”

Arthur, who had been standing before that Grand General, turned his head, looking at Lennok.

“I apologize, but would you wait a moment? The preparations will be complete soon.”

“Arthur?!! How are you here……!!!”

Aileen, startled, faced the scene inside the tomb chamber and her complexion turned deathly pale.

The Grand General’s corpse leaning on the altar of human flesh. A grotesque sight of its belly slit open, intestines removed and placed all over the altar.

The Grand General of Brilliance’s corpse, laid on the altar, was disassembled organ by organ, prepared as if to make an ‘offering’ to someone.

In the center of the carnage, where a Transcendent’s organs and corpse were disassembled and scattered, Arthur stood alone.

“For the first time since the fall of the Imperial Palace of The Empire, the true body of an Outer God will descend upon this world.”

Arthur’s eyes, as he spread his arms, slowly became stained with black, inverted eyes.

“From now on, I intend to make a wish to a god, would you like to watch with me?”