Chapter 112: The Oncoming Calamity (1)

Chapter 112: The Oncoming Calamity (1)

The dungeon monsters keep offering sacrifices – 112

EP.112 The Oncoming Calamity (1)

The sun had disappeared. Light vanished, and only darkness enveloped the sky. Soon after, stars began to fall, and red dots started to fill the sky.

“What is that!”

Could it be a prank by the gods?

Faced with a scene they had never witnessed before, people were thrown into confusion. Was this the insignificance they felt in front of a massive natural force?

People looked at each other in terror, and then they remembered something they had long forgotten.

“Could it be!”

They gasped, recalling the existence of a catastrophe that had once terrorized the continent centuries ago.

The realization dawned that the being, once dismissed as legend, had returned.

“Everyone run!”

The fear etched in their memories stirred.

In the ensuing chaos, people pushed and shoved each other in their rush to escape. Adults clung to their children’s hands, but the crowd had already turned into a tumultuous mess.

In the midst of this, a child who had lost his mother’s hand cried sorrowfully.

However, no one paid any attention. Instead, the hurried footsteps merely overlaid the sound of the children’s cries.

This phenomenon was not isolated to one city.

Chaos unfolded across the entire continent of El Dorad.

====

***

====

Meanwhile, before the anomaly occurred.

Princess Elena had quickly completed the ritual. Although she had sacrificed one of her fingers for the ritual, she did not regret it considering the future events she had planned.

Still, the overflowing blood needed to be stopped.

The princess brought her hand close to a candle.

“Argh...”

She groaned as the flame burned her wound.

Pain surged through her.

“Haah... Haah...”

Her breathing became irregular.

After a moment of intense pain, the wound was somewhat stopped.

Princess Elena quickly wrapped her left hand with a bandage and concealed it with a generously sized glove.

At that moment, the space inside the room distorted.

“......”

The princess remained unfazed by the occurrence, as it was something she had experienced many times before. Shortly after, two beings emerged from the twisted space.

One was a shadow serving as a messenger for Celia. The other was a stranger to Princess Elena.

“Oh, we have a guest?”

The overall appearance was unmistakably that of an adventurer. However, the head was concealed by an iron helmet. The torso was clad in leather armor yet topped with an iron helmet. Even for a princess, the sight was discordant.

Nevertheless, she knew they had come to assist her and refrained from commenting. Instead, she quickly checked the note that the shadow had delivered.

“Your name is... Maru. Ah, I shall address you as Sir Maru,” she said upon reading the name written on the note. It was a somewhat endearing name.

The note also detailed the abilities that Maru possessed, including the capacity to wield divine power. With just this information, she could surmise the plan Celia had in mind.

Having met with the messenger, it was now Princess Elena’s turn to prepare. She donned silver armor, although properly arming herself would have required the assistance of her maids. Now, it was merely for show.

Thus, Elena hastily put on the superficially resplendent silver armor.

“Everything I do from this point is for the sake of the kingdom.”

Princess Elena murmured to herself before leaving the room.

With all preparations complete, the princess, accompanied by Maru, exited the room.

“Your Highness, everything is ready!” announced Lenon, the royal guard waiting outside. He reported immediately as Princess Elena emerged.

“But who is this person?”

Lenon inquired, glancing at Maru who followed behind the princess.

Elena produced a preconceived excuse in response to Lenon’s question.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com

“This is Sir Maru, who will be assisting us. He is currently an adventurer but once served as a holy knight.”

Lenon bowed his head at the mention of a holy knight. Although he was unsure why Maru was emerging from the princess’s chambers, now was not the time to question it.

If Maru had indeed been a holy knight, he would undoubtedly be a significant asset to their cause.

Once the introductions were hastily concluded, Princess Elena issued a command.

“Sir Lenon, let us proceed.”

Guided by Lenon, Princess Elena headed to the location where the knights were assembled. The entire knight order stood in formation, awaiting the princess’s orders. Among them were even five royal mages, included in the event of the White Order’s involvement and to be prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.

“......”

Princess Elena surveyed the knights. As members of the royal guard, their skill was not in question. Determination was evident in the eyes of all the knights. Above all, the royal knight order was a direct force under the king’s command, loyal and acting solely in the interest of the royal family.

Princess Elena raised her sword high.

“We shall surely be victorious! I will not forget your courage and loyalty!”

She proclaimed, intending to boost the morale of the knights before the campaign.

“Our first destination is the estate of Count Bearton. Let us march forth immediately.”

The destination had been predetermined, the estate owned by Count Bearton. Princess Elena mounted the white horse prepared for her.

“March forth!”

With the cry of the knight order, they moved out from the palace. Once outside, the knights surrounded the princess to escort her. Since the princess was not meant for battle, there was no need for her to lead the way. Apart from a few knights and the mages, everyone moved on foot.

‘Indeed, it is inconvenient without a finger.’

For the princess, it might have been more comfortable to walk than to ride, as the absence of her little finger made horseback riding uncomfortable. However, she had to endure it. For the greater cause, such pain was trivial.

As if on cue, another group of humans came into view. At Necros’s command, the skeletons charged towards the humans.

“Aaahhh!”

The General Manager Celia had proclaimed her intent to save the kingdom and spread the will of their master, the ultimate goal. However, the White Order had already infiltrated the Sael Kingdom. There was no avoiding confrontation with them.

To stand against the White Order, the monsters initially assigned to Necros were not sufficient. That’s why he had been turning humans into skeletons, bolstering his forces. Even now, Necros’s horde continued to swell, and he meticulously recorded each process in his ledger. Even as a guardian of the hierarchy, he maintained his role as an inspector.

Necros, saved humans by turning them into skeletons. This is a commendable act.

The Death Knight is not visible. Tardiness is a reason for demerit.

Necros nodded to himself. He planned to increase his forces just a bit more before confronting the White White Order. He had been certain of his plan, but then—

– Boom! –

An enormous explosion sounded, and the skeletons that had advanced ahead were swept away in the blast.

“Clack?”

(What was happening?)

Necros surveyed the battlefield, trying to comprehend the sudden turn of events.

Among the knights, Necros spotted a figure.

“Clack!”

It was Maru, standing amidst the knight order.

‘Clack, clack.’

(This was unexpected.)

Celia had mentioned that Maru was central to this operation, but Necros had encountered him far sooner than anticipated.

“Clack, clack!”

(Everyone, fall back!)

Necros acted swiftly. The priority was to retreat and regroup. At his command, the remaining skeletons began to withdraw.

“There... the owner of the demon sword is-”

The Dullahan started to speak but promptly closed its mouth when Necros looked its way.

– Shows an obsession with the demon sword. This requires correction. –

Even in a potentially dire situation, Necros did not stop recording in his ledger.

– Maru, true to being a knight serving our great master, excels at infiltration. This is praiseworthy. –

– Death Knight still has not shown itself. This is a serious disqualification for a mid-boss. –

As Necros diligently made notes, the sky darkened. Shortly after, red dots filled the heavens.

Necros could feel it. It was a sensation similar to when he became a guardian of the hierarchy. He could even sense the source of the power emanating from the sky.

Necros nodded.

– Death Knight, as expected, performs well. This is commendable. –

====

***

====

“You foul creature! Have you truly betrayed humanity?”

The High priest glared at Count Bearton, clutching his wounds.

“No, it’s not like that—”

“No excuses are necessary!”

The count tried to speak, but the Priest would not allow it.

“Priest! We must evacuate this place at once!”

Gerard, the commander, urged the High priest. However, the Priest stood his ground.

Just moments ago, the situation had been favorable for the White Order. But now, the scene had drastically changed.

The majority of the White Order’s holy knights had been slaughtered, and the same fate had befallen Count Bearton’s knights.

Initially, the extinguishing of lights in the banquet hall was the only sign of trouble. But then darkness descended from the sky, stars fell, and countless red dots replaced them.

The High priest and Gerard, the commander, knew all too well what this portended, as did everyone present. They recognized it as the resurgence of a past calamity.

But by the time they grasped the situation, it was too late.

“Why...!”

The High priest lamented in a grief-stricken voice.

Then he noticed the entity standing beside the count.

‘Dangerous... This is a being I cannot contend with.’

Beside the count stood a being from which death itself seemed to emanate. As soon as this entity appeared, the holy knights fell, all succumbing to instant death.

“Ugh...!”

Merely laying eyes upon it was enough to drive one to madness. To lose one’s mind here would mean tasting death immediately.

“To think the calamity has been awakened...”

A 7-star monster that once plunged the continent of El Dorad into terror. The Empress of Darkness, Syllestra. While the being beside the count was not the Empress of Darkness herself, it was clear that it was a being of comparable dread.

How could the count have known to unleash such a force? No matter how much the Priest racked his brain, no answer came.

“Goddess above...”

What is to be done with a lost lamb?

The Priest muttered, as if in a trance. The horrific being before them wielded a pickaxe, but that was not what mattered most.

It was the sword slung across its back. The chilling power emanating from that blade could be felt on the skin. How much blood must it have absorbed to carry such a ghastly aura!

Could the entire White Order stand against it and prevail?

The High priest shook his head, unable to muster any certainty in the face of such overwhelming dread. His gaze then shifted to the shield in the opposite hand, upon which hung a maid’s outfit, the kind a servant might wear.

“Oh... Goddess...”

Are you truly forsaking us?

Even in this moment of despair, the High priest was concerned for the future of humanity.