Episode 984 The Gate of Death (8)
A dark aura of death, seemingly mocking the midday light, surged in from the west and swept across the entire Kingdom of Ronia, reaching as far east as the capital.
Everything changed after that.
Was the world originally this cruel?
– Forty-seven days after the resurrection of the Old King, the seventh aspect of Eon, Grave Ludworth –
* * *
When transferring from the Central Continent to the Great Hall of the Western Continent, he crossed dimensions with the help of Ignacia.Theoretically, it would be safer to use
Rather than going from the Central Continent to the Western Continent, then back from the Western Continent to the Central Continent to meet Ignatia and transfer to the Eastern Continent… …it was much more efficient to go from the Central Continent to the Western Continent through Ignatia, and then from the Western Continent to the Eastern Continent using the power of Verden.
Crackle crackle crackle.
When traveling from the Silent Desert to the Central Continent by collapsing space, errors occurred, such as the distortion of unstable spatial coordinates.Since this is due to a lack of proficiency, it is not a problem that can be solved overnight. Even if it is better than before, it will only result in a reduction of the error rate at best.
So, I will supplement it with artifacts.
Utilizing external elements is undeniably a wizard’s ability. Pure magical power is not the entirety of a wizard.
Immediately after entering the collapsed spatial coordinates, the coordinates of the southern part of the Eastern Continent were captured.
Gate
The magical power that spread out as the gray [Einber] flickered and faded threw open the space.Perhaps because it had evolved along with Verden, a circular entrance composed of a gray glow rather than the space’s characteristic purple hue manifested.
The function itself hasn’t changed… It’s mysterious. That thing called divinity.
Verden still had much he didn’t know about the power of the gods. The divine power was unkind, as if saying it wouldn’t reveal anything unless he gathered faith.
anyway.
The coordinates of the Great Hall and the Eastern Continent were connected.There was no error.The only flaw was that the
───!
Verden threw himself into the gray gap without hesitation.
A confusing smell. Anominous atmosphere swirling around.
In his blue eyes that appeared from the sky, the landscape of the Kingdom of Ronia in the southern part of the Eastern Continent, which I had never visited before and which bordered the Lower Beastmen tribe, unfolded.
The first city to be destroyed and captured greeted Verden. Castlewalls crumbled in places by rocks flying from afar, gates warped by the powerful impact, and countless bloodstains staining various structures and the ground.
“Is a siege breaking out? There is no sign of humans.”
I can feel the strong presence of the undead.It is a strange occurrence.If we had been attacked by a large number of undead on another continent, the scene should have been much more chaotic, but there were traces everywhere that looked like a war had been fought between humans.
Furthermore, there are no corpses.
It matches the clue found on the airship that flew in from the Kingdom of Ronia. Subsequently, Verden’s gaze naturally turned toward the interior of the city.
[Waaaaaaah───!]
A bizarre cheer brushed past my ears.
I’ll have to check that out.
Verden operated the [Black Hour Compass] as he headed toward the city. He equipped the magic stones containing the magical power of Cain, Grave, and others in succession.
Spinning around—
The compass needles rotated in search of the wizard did not all point in the same direction.To be precise, they resulted in two directions.
It looks like they divided into squads.
Judging by the state of the central region of the Kingdom of Ronia, it seems that something has swept through the entire kingdom.
I didn’t know what the situation of the kingdom was yet, but it was clear that they were alive.It was highly likely that Rateon and Adrian were also alive.
‘thank god.’
Cain is in the north,and Grave is in the west.
I don’t know the distance, but if a new central signal station is installed nearby, we should be able to contact each other. That is, if you are wearing a communication device on your wrist.
widely.
Thinking that, Verden entered the city that had been reduced to ruins.To the place where the cheers had been heard… As I moved a few steps forward, I saw a disgusting square where the air was slushy and pink flesh was scattered.
Hell was spread out there.
[Build an altar! An altar for the king!]
[Higher! Higher!]
The pale-skinned corpses of nobles ascended the platform and issued orders to the various undead, including zombies, ghosts, and skeletons.
Thump! Thump!Crunch! Crunch!
Rusty, blunt knives and axes crush soft flesh and shatter bones. Liches use telekinesis to tear off limbs and stack the body parts one by one.Extremely rare, naturally occurring Wraiths and Specters belonging to the non-material realm sing screams atop heads impaled on spear shafts.
slaughterhouse.
Things that were clearly human, from young children to adults, were released. Even fetuses that had not yet taken on a form were used as material.
A ‘mountain of corpses’ was piled up in the middle of the square.
This was a terrible ritual site consisting of thousands, even tens of thousands.
Death fills every side.
Even Verden had never seen such a sight before. It was not even in the memories of the first Necromancer who had experienced the War of the Transcendents.
Standing tall.
[The next sacrifice has come.]
As a corpse of a noble grinned, the undead glared at Verden in unison.
* * *
[It looked like they gathered everyone around. Did they come from another region?]
[Wouldn’t you agree? To have survived outside and made it all the way to ‘Rosella’. You seem to be quite a powerful sorcerer.]
[The more sacrifices, the better. The stronger, the better.]
Two noble corpses, having preserved their human form intact without any decayed parts, looked down at Verden and exchanged words.
[Wouldn’t the material be a waste to keep it as a reserve offering… to chop it up? How about a fellow countryman instead of a sacrifice?]
[Well, since we have prepared the necessary sacrifice, that wouldn’t be so bad. If we take something like that with us, our fellow countrymen will look up to us.]
They showed interest in Verden’s appearance and discussed his treatment. Sacrifice and compatriot. Significant words followed amidst the brutal conversation.As if completely controlling their surroundings, the undead silently adorned the mountain of corpses.
Then, Verden said.
“compatriots?”
[‘The Gates of Death’ have opened, and death has arrived. Will you become part of a mountain of corpses, or will you pile up a mountain of corpses for the Lord of Death? Choose if you wish to live.]
[Rejoice, for the opportunity to choose is not given to just anyone.]
The Knight of Death brought a female corpse and threw it in front of Verden. It was an ordinary woman. Judging by her brutally distorted face and the traces of wounds, it appeared she had died after being severely tortured.
[Commit the crime, cut into six pieces, and build an altar for the living. Then you will receive the protection of the Lord of Death and escape death.]
[Color the vitality with evil.]
The corpses of nobles made absurd demands without proper explanation. However, that did not mean there was no key information.
“Does the Gate of Death refer to the nine rifts Isabella saw? Also, the fact that one can become a kin in this way… … .”
Srrk.
Verden personally closed the murdered woman’s half-closed eyes.Then he asked.
Were you originally human?
The emblem of the Kingdom of Ronia is attached to the collars of the clothes worn by the corpses of nobles. It is an object symbolizing the authority of the kingdom granted to those of the rank of Count or higher.
The corners of the noble corpses’ mouths parted unsettlingly.Their eyes gleamed, intoxicated with a sense of superiority.
[I am a chosen human.]
“select…….”
Verden, understanding what had happened to the kingdom, gestured with his chin.
Call out the one at the altar.
From the mountain of corpses itself, which the noble corpses called the Altar of the Living, a presence distinct from that of the high undead emerged.Even while hiding wrapped in corpses, one could not escape Verden’s insight.
[Hmm, so you want to remain human no matter what? No one will spare you just because you act high and mighty. You should just follow your instincts.]
[I refused the choice… … I’ll spare at least that skin of yours.]
A corpse of an arrogant nobleman, spouting rude remarks, licked its tongue and threw itself onto the altar. As it vanished, instantly buried in a mountain of corpses, immense morale surged.
Crunch!
A massive arm sprang out, crushing the severed corpses. And a huge human head with gaping eye sockets emitted a unique psychic wave that triggered extreme suicidal impulses.
[Even a powerful wizard is nothing but a mere insect before the power of the Lord of Death.]
“…….”
[Pole out your own eyes… … and chew and swallow.]
A powerful command contrary to vitality disturbed Verden’s mental realm.
The Gate of Death opened in the Kingdom of Ronia.
Humans affected by it could fall into the undead under the pretext of choice, and be reborn as powerful beings by piling up mountains of corpses.In other words, it was betrayal.Humans who became undead out of a desire not to die, whether out of fear or anything else, maintain their egos while attempting to grow stronger by using other humans as sacrifices.
For the old king.
“Perhaps the Gate of Death is a ‘means of production’ for creating an army to command the old king,” Verden speculated as soon as he arrived in the Kingdom of Ronia.
I guess I’ll have to close the doors to end the situation.
The Aspects of Eon who have lost contact, and Adrian who came here to find them, might have made the same judgment.
Immeasurable magical power concentrated in the hand Verden extended straight forward.
Arcane: Magic Fusion
The noble’s corpse stiffened at the sudden, crushing pressure that enveloped his entire body. A radiance of blue magic exploded in his eyes.
Kwagwagwagwagwa!
A massive beam of magical power swallowed everything in its straight line. The light pierced from the square of the city of Rosella beyond the city walls.Not only the buildings in its path, but even mountains of corpses vanished completely.
[Rinchel… … Count?]
The noble’s corpse turned its head.
Count Linzel, having received the power of the Lord of Death through the altar, vanished. Where he had been, there was nothing but the trace of a rupture running across half the city.
[Did he die…?]
Madou
Verden dealt with the Death Knight in an instant and trampled the head of the remaining noble corpse. The creature exposed to the dark red magic let out a scream.
[Aaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!! Aaaaaaaahh
To go to such lengths just to survive. It is utterly hideous.
[Gaaa
“Where is the gate of death?”
As soon as I let it breathe a little, the noble’s corpse desperately opened its mouth.
[You, you say I’m ugly…?]
Crackle!
[Aaaaaaaah!!! West… … !! It’s in the west… … !!!!!]
west.
This is where the grave is located.
[And!! And, to the north… … ! The noble forces have moved… … To kill… … the humans like me… … ! P-P-the humans gathered in the north… … !]
So is that why Cain is in the north?
It was comfortable to yield to the pain and slip away information that wasn’t even asked for. After all, a bastard who betrayed humanity, became an undead, and piled up mountains of corpses couldn’t possibly keep his mouth shut.
Crunch, crunch.
The noble’s skull was twisted until it was on the verge of being completely crushed.One more piece of crucial information remained.
[Gaaaaak… … !!!]
“Who opened the gates of death?”
[W-Woman… … !! Beautiful, woman!!!!]
Beautiful woman.
The noble corpse kept repeating the same word as if that was all it knew.
Is it a transcendent doll?
Verden, realizing that the noble’s corpse was telling the truth, kicked his torso. The fellow, sent flying from the platform, trembled and then shouted loudly.
[That I… … am ugly… … I… … !!!!! I just wanted to survive!!]
[Kaaah!]
The undead, having abandoned the human corpses, swarmed in from all directions. High-ranking undead were included, but it was of little significance.
[What kind of human would choose to be devoured by the undead just like that… …! Because they are human, they had no choice… …!! What’s so ugly about that… …! Now, do you think it would have been different if you were me!!!]
As a human, he should have done even less.
Flames bloomed from the gray gauntlet.
Where is the dignity in your choice?
[John… … Um… … ?]
The noble’s corpse muttered blankly, then opened its eyes wide as if to tear. Memories of his life, which had faded since becoming undead, flashed.
Do not undermine the dignity of the intellect.Do not restrict freedom.Recognize your responsibility.
The three commandments that the King and nobles of Ronia had feared so much came to mind. At the same time, the face of the Transcendent One who established the commandments in the world became clear.
[Poetry, Divinity.]
The corpse of the noble, having witnessed the leader of Eon, instinctively began to run backward. Even he did not know if it was simply because he sensed his death, or because he had many things to hide from his days as a human.Perhaps it was because he was ashamed of himself for failing to uphold his dignity…
In the midst of time that seemed to be flowing slowly, the corpse of a nobleman hurriedly took a step, and a bright yellow light surged strongly behind him.
Hwayeon’s Backflow
Rosella—a city once famous for its rose gardens but reduced to an altar of death where every living person was offered as a sacrifice—destruction.
* * *
Sparkle.
The communication device lit up.
However, no one responded to the signal, so the communication device turned off a short while later. There was another call, but there was no one nearby capable of receiving the signal.
and.
There was a prison somewhere far from where the communication devices and other equipment were stored.
“Fuck…… shit.”
Mauler leaned his head against the prison wall, repeatedly spitting out saliva mixed with blood. His entire body was etched with numerous sword marks from the blade of a ‘light sword’.His arms and legs were restrained with the finest metal.Since there was no time to leisurely stitch up his wounds, the prison floor was soaked in blood.
“Hey, are you dead?”“…….”
Traces of being struck by fists time and time again… Adrian, bound and severely wounded just like Mauler, raised his head.
“shut up.”
Eon’s Transcendentalist and Delharun’s Transcendentalist were imprisoned in the same prison.
“Because I’m thinking about how to escape.”
