Episode 287
"Then shall we check it one last time?" Ramon asked.
I protested, "Again? Senior, this is already the third time you've said this."
"Isn't it good? There is a saying that everything good comes in threes."
"It isn't like I have the right to say no to you, right?"
"Haha, well. In any case, did you pack your weapons and clothes properly?"
"I did."
"Then let's check the supplies. A compass, an hourglass, a bag of salt, disinfectant, bandages, oil, rope, matches..."
"I've packed them all. By the way, I can create a fire on my own, you know."
"I know, but bring them anyway. Matches aren't that heavy."
"That is true."
"What about towels, cloths, and scissors?"
"I packed them. By the way, what are the scissors for? If there's something to cut, I can just use my sword."
"That is true. Then how about the most important energy bars?"
"I packed five," I replied.
"Add five more. In an emergency, you can nibble on them little by little. They have a lot of calories, so one a day should be enough. Normally, you should bring plenty of drinking water, but that isn't necessary in the north. In extreme situations, you can sprinkle salt on ice and lick it."
"Right. I just have to be careful not to get infected."
"Yes. Then that is the end of the preparations." Ramon glanced at the door before saying, "Let's head out."
***
By lunchtime on the sixth day, Lanfero still hadn't returned. After we finished our individual preparations, we gathered at the mansion rented to us by the village chief.
The living room felt particularly cold today. Perhaps it was due to the broken window, or something else. The weather was exceptionally fierce. It wasn't far from the northern building to here, but Ramon and I ended up looking like a pair of snowmen.
"It's hard to remember that it is spring."
"Yes."
I was warming up with Ramon in front of the fireplace when Verita came down from the second floor with unexpected news. "Both the village chief and the church member that Brother Luan captured have committed suicide."
"What?" I was surprised by the news.
Sandra had come down with Verita. Now she sighed and apologized, "I'm sorry. It was my turn to watch them, but they died when I was away for a while."
"What was the cause of death?"
"Suffocation."
I was taken aback by the answer, asking, "Did they hang themselves?"
"No. They suffocated where they sat without using any tools."
"Is that even possible?"
"Under normal circumstances, it is impossible for someone to hold their breath until they suffocate."
She was right. A trained warrior would possibly be able to choke themselves or forcibly stop their hearts, but the village chief wasn't that kind of person. Except for the fact that Snero was a member of the Dark Church, he was otherwise just an ordinary person. Such a technique would be impossible for him.
"It is possible for church members," Verita interrupted calmly. "The moment someone becomes a church member, their life is basically pledged to the demon king. Suffocation is nothing. A sudden death in such a cold land isn't strange."
"Are you saying that the demon king killed the chief?"
"It is more likely to have been one of his agents, probably someone of at least a priest level."
I had expected as much, but this moment confirmed it. There really was a priest beyond the stone door.
Araxad asked, "Did you learn anything from the corpses?"
"Unfortunately, no."
"Mm. I have one more piece of unfortunate news to deliver to the residents."
From the villagers' perspective, the chief was still a victim who had been lured to join the church.
"In any case, let's get moving if everyone is ready."
Those who would go through the stone door had been decided: myself, Araxad, Ramon, Verita, and Mir. There was one more person, but they were excluded from the main force because they couldn't be considered as part of our combat strength.
Sandra would be left behind because we needed someone to protect the village, observe the situation, and most importantly, relay the story when Lanfero arrived.
To be honest, I was a bit uneasy about Ramon's company. This goblin was a hero in his own right, so it wasn't like he was lacking in combat power. However, it would be difficult for him to keep up with the situations that would occur beyond the stone door.
Ramon had insisted, however. He thought we needed every bit of strength possible.
I couldn't ignore him, as Ramon was a senior. It wasn't just a title, either. I sincerely thought of this small goblin as a senior. Aside from his combat ability, his experience as a hero was far superior to mine.
The five of us went down to the basement and stood in front of the stone door. Somehow, the four others were just standing there blankly.
I had to suggest, "Should I open it?"
"Didn't you open it last time, Young Master?"
"Yes, that is true."
"It is better to recreate the same conditions as last time just in case something happens."
"I understand."
This was irrefutable logic, so I grumbled and placed my palm against the stone door. I could feel the wind through the door like last time.
I pressed my palm firmly against it and pushed. There was a deep, heavy sound, and the stone door finally opened.
***
The moment I stepped through the stone door, I immediately sensed that the atmosphere here was drastically different from last time. It wasn't easy to breathe, and my head and body were both heavy.
I knew what was causing these symptoms. I muttered, "It's miasma."
"Mm."
I realized that it was natural for Dark Qi to appear here.
If this really marked the descent of a demon king, or a demon with comparable power, such a phenomenon was inevitable.
"This is intense. At this level of concentration, any living being without resistance will mutate."
"Is it the first stage? Are the seniors okay?"
Mir and I came from Great Families, so we were resistant to Dark Qi.
Meanwhile, Verita was a member of the Seventy-Two Churches, and above all, a Colorless believer. Dark Qi wouldn't be a problem for her.
On the other hand, Araxad and Ramon were from lesser races. Did they have any tolerance?
"Don't worry. I have magic tattoos on my body," Araxad said.
I looked over and saw that Araxad had black tattoos all over his body. They seemed to be a spell with an anti-demon attribute. I once again realized that the lizardmen's spells were quite advanced.
"I have a relic," Ramon said before hanging a pocket watch around his neck.
I had seen him take it out now and again to check the time. I'd never imagined it was a sacred relic imbued with anti-demon power.
In any case, this meant everyone had the minimum countermeasures.
The ice cave wasn't dark; its walls and ceilings glowed, and it was remarkably large. We didn't move in a strict formation. We just kept a reasonable distance from each other as we moved forward. If anything were to happen, it would be better for us to respond from our own positions in our own way.
We walked like that for an indeterminate distance before I suddenly stopped.
"What's going on, Luan?" Mir asked.
I looked around before replying, "This place might be different from where I arrived last time."
"A different place from last time? Are you sure?"
"Maybe."
Araxad asked, "Do you have any proof? Ice caves like this are featureless, so they all look the same."
I checked my surroundings again. Last time, I'd been caught up in everything and a whole week had passed. Perhaps my memory was distorted.
However, I insisted, "I'm certain about the spot where I found that kid. You know, the one possessed by a church member. We should've arrived by now, but the surroundings are very different."
"Mm." Ramon paused briefly before saying, "Since you said the area beyond the stone door is a separate space, the coordinates might've shifted completely. It seems better to hurry. It is clear something is changing here."
There was a high chance that the enemy had already noticed our intrusion. That meant this peace wouldn't last forever.
I didn't tell them that fact and kept going.
Kyaaaaack!
Suddenly, a piercing scream filled the cave. We all stopped at the same time. It seemed to come from a fairly close place, but it was hard to be certain due to the cave's terrain.
Then another sound followed.
"Hu, huhuhu..."
A ghostly voice came from somewhere.
No, rather than it being a demon, it was a human voice. "H-huhu... please... save me..."
We quietly drew our weapons and moved toward the source of the voice, feeling the surroundings growing darker with every step.
As the darkness deepened, the presence of the Dark Qi thickened in response. The chilly darkness felt like it was freezing our fingertips. We were still walking, but the tension gradually increased.
The path was narrowing. At first, the five of us could walk side by side. At some point, it tightened to three, then two, and finally to one person at a time.
I took the lead. Honestly, Araxad would normally be the ideal first person because he had a shield, but his large size risked blocking the view of those behind him.
I could hear the sound of metal clashing. There was an unpleasant heat in the air that didn't mix well with the chill.
The space eventually opened up in front of me, leaving me speechless. What kind of place was this?
A battlefield spread out in the dark ice cave.
Wait. Is it really a battlefield? At first glance, I thought the heroes had ended up arriving earlier than us, or the native people of the north were fighting against the church.
However, it was a bit different. Looking closer, most of them were engaged in one-on-one battles. There were dozens of them happening simultaneously.
There were a number of raised watchtowers, positioned as if to watch the duels. They were simple structures only big enough to fit one person. The people sitting there seemed to be church members based on the way they were dressed.
"Duel number 17. Red wins."
"Duel number 25. Blue wins."
"Duel number 41. Blue wins."
"Duel number 56. It is a tie."
Low voices quietly declared the winners underneath the sound of metal clashing. They were simple announcements, but the losers' wounds were severe. Most of them were in critical condition with bones visible, and some even gasped for breath before dying.
"What on earth is going on?" Mir muttered, dumbfounded. We didn't say it, but we all felt the same way.
Then Verita said, "It is a ritual."
"A ritual? This?"
"Yes. The Golden Horned Demon King, Kingarodtus, loves war and slaughter. There is no better ritual to satisfy him than this."
So she meant that such battles were part of the ritual, just like dancing during certain ceremonies? I'd thought the church members were crazy, but this was more than I imagined.
Araxad said, "There don't seem to be any combatants beside those fighting. The only ones present are those sitting in the watchtowers."
"Then?"
"We should scatter and attack at the same time. There are eight watchtowers in total. Luan, Sister Verita, and I will take care of two each, and the others will take care of one."
The decision-maker right now was Araxad. Due to that, I was planning to obey him as much as possible.
Instead, I suddenly said, "Wait. Senior, there is something wrong."
"What?"
"Look at those who are fighting now." I looked at the dozens of battlefields before continuing, "Most of them are warriors."
There were a variety of races. They weren't just humans. There were also giants, beastmen, dwarves, fairies, and even members of the winged race. Most of them were warriors who clearly didn't fear combat.
"Senior, as you said, there are no combatants from the church right now. Then why are they fighting each other while risking their lives? If they all joined forces, they would definitely have the upper hand against the church members."
Araxad frowned. His cold, reptilian eyes narrowed as he looked back toward the battlefields. He said, "They are afraid."
"That's right."
"Afraid of what? The church members? Or the church itself?"
"Who knows? Maybe the church has taken hostages, or..." I trailed off.
I had a sudden premonition and looked up. In the distant, lofty ceiling of this vast space, a brilliant light poured down like shards of glass. Then it instantly dimmed as if a dark cloud had passed between us and the light.
Then, I heard the faint sound of bells somewhere. At that moment, I truly felt death. There was a sudden ringing, and my head hurt as if a piece of metal was roughly scratching at the surface of my brain.
It was difficult to breathe as the fragment of a great evil pressed down on my entire body.
A massive eye looked down on us. It emanated no killing intent, and I could only sense an intent to watch. Yet the malice that could be felt from its gaze was terrible. We were like prey, numb before the breath of a dragon.
"Gasp!"
Ramon's anti-demon ability was the weakest among us, so he collapsed to the ground while foaming at the mouth.
That was why I remembered my eldest senior brother's warning. The fact that he'd advised me not to go beyond the stone door meant that this place was extremely dangerous.
The next thing that came to mind was something that Verita had told me.
"Recently, I heard that they were preparing to summon a legion commander."
"Maybe they have already succeeded in summoning it."
The final purpose of the Golden Horn faction was still unknown. However, they might've already achieved their first goal.
The demon legion commander had already been summoned.
