Chapter 58

Chapter 58

The anomaly began one day, without any warning at all.

RUMBLE……

“What is this vibration?”

“An earthquake……?”

A vibration, as if an earthquake had struck, began shaking White Cloud Castle.

Just as the people passing by looked down at the ground in confusion, White Cloud Castle’s plaza exploded, and an enormous misshapen form shot upward.

BOOOM!

“Wh-What is that!”

“It is a monster!!”

“Why is there a monster in White Cloud Castle……!”

What broke through the ground and rose up was a gigantic cylindrical monster resembling an earthworm.

A monster commonly called a Landworm.

When it opened its mouth wide, countless monsters began pouring out from inside.

Gigantia, Arachne, Goblins, Kobolds, and more.

Their bloodshot eyes flashing as if they were being controlled, the monsters let out grotesque screams and charged at the people.

“Kyaaaaak!”

“How did those things get here!”

White Cloud Castle was already a Safe Zone, where the surrounding area had been stabilized.

Monsters should not spawn here, and regular inspections should have been carried out so that they could not even approach.

The people who had cried out in confusion widened their eyes when they saw the people who emerged from the Landworm next.

It was a man and woman dressed in gray priest robes.

“Th-The Downfall Order!”

“Sound the alarm!”

“Warriors of White Cloud Castle, evacuate the people!”

The Adventurers and warriors of White Cloud Castle present tried to respond, but the Downfall Order moved one step faster.

The man in gray clothes holding a Staff spread both arms and murmured in a low voice.

“Night of Downfall.”

A gray curtain covered White Cloud Castle.

***

“What in the world is going on!”

Jin Baek roared.

He had been in his office until just a moment ago, but he had suddenly been flung outside White Cloud Castle.

And that was not all.

All the notable forces of White Cloud Castle had been flung outside the city.

White Cloud Castle was covered in some whitish curtain, as though it had been trapped inside a gigantic fishbowl.

“Which wretched bastard dared to attack White Cloud Castle!”

“I-I saw a huge Landworm burst up from the plaza! The Downfall Order has invaded!”

He was the Guard Captain of White Cloud Castle.

At his report, Jin Baek’s eyes flashed.

“Is that true!”

“Yes! I saw it clearly with my own two eyes!”

“We break the Barrier! Everyone, help!”

Jin Baek drew his sword.

Following him, the warriors of the house and several Adventurers who had been flung out with them raised their weapons.

The moment Skills packed full of Mana were unleashed, there was a voice that blocked them.

“That will not do.”

Countless tentacles stretching from somewhere deflected every attack fired at the Barrier.

“The Order has decided to borrow White Cloud Castle for a while, you see.”

“Who are you!”

The expressions of the people who identified the owner of the tentacles turned bewildered.

Because the owner of the voice was far too young.

Was he around thirteen years old?

The small boy smiled unpleasantly and withdrew the tentacles back into his sleeves.

“What is a child doing here…….”

“……! Everyone, fall back behind me!”

“What? Do you know that boy?”

“Of course I do.”

For once, Jin Baek was tense.

He had met that boy a long time ago.

He muttered in a voice thick with dismay.

“Zenom Draut……!”

At the name Zenom, the boy’s eyes gleamed strangely.

He looked at Jin Baek and the warriors of White Cloud Castle, then giggled.

“It has been a long time, Jin Baek. I did not think you would still be alive.”

“You insane old monster, how dare you lay a hand on my castle!?”

“Your foul temper is still the same.”

At that shameless reply, Jin Baek’s face boiled with rage, but the others instead stiffened at the name “Zenom.”

“Elder. If it is Zenom Draut, is he not that…… ‘Grotesque Artificer’?”

“Who else would he be?”

The sound of people sucking in breaths could be heard here and there.

Zenom Draut.

A 7-Star Alchemist from the Magic Tower on the surface, “Akena Observatory,” and an infamous criminal with a Wanted Order issued throughout all of Ebla.

His crime was serial murder.

He was a monster who had devoured countless people and stolen their abilities.

His appearance was that of a young boy, but what lay inside was an old monster who had lived for more than two hundred years.

He had obtained eternal youth through the power of those he had devoured.

Because his deeds were so twisted and grotesque, he had come to be called the “Grotesque Artificer.”

“I heard he disappeared after he was declared a public enemy of Ebla and a Wanted Order was issued……!”

“To think he would have joined hands with the Downfall Order…….”

The sound of people swallowing dryly could be heard all around.

The fact that he was a 7-Star Alchemist was already despairing, and on top of that, he was famous for using the abilities of those he had devoured.

Even if everyone here rushed him together, victory could not be guaranteed against such a powerful enemy.

“Fall back. He is not someone you can handle.”

“B-But, Elder…….”

“Did you not hear me? Fall back.”

Jin Baek ordered the people back.

An unexpected powerful enemy had appeared.

Even his 7-Star rank was information from decades ago.

By now, he would be far stronger, and even with the people present here, victory could not be guaranteed.

“You must quickly report this to the Temple.”

“And you, Elder…….”

“I have business with that man.”

He walked alone toward where Zenom stood.

‘This is…… “Night of Downfall,” is it?’

After examining the properties of the Barrier, he frowned.

It was a Barrier that trapped beings of 5-Star or below and flung all beings above that outside.

If so, there would also be members of the Downfall Order inside.

‘I certainly did not hear that they were coming…….’

Even though the entire Second Floor was under surveillance, he had not heard any news that they were coming.

There was no way there was a traitor in the Temple, so it surely meant they knew a separate route that allowed them to move between floors.

“There should be someone chasing you.”

“Ah~ Do you mean that whelp?”

Gordon Lansher.

He also knew that the Knight Captain of the White Night Knights was chasing him.

Because Gordon, who had stayed on the Second Floor to reorganize, had told him about it.

“Was it Gordon Lansher? It is true that he made things troublesome.”

However, Zenom replied with an expression that showed he did not care in the slightest.

“It does not matter. Even if he knows I am here, it will be impossible for him to chase me. By the time he arrives at White Cloud Castle, I will already have achieved my goal and disappeared.”

“…….”

Jin Baek let out a low groan.

Currently, Inspection had been strengthened on each floor in order to root out the Downfall Order.

No matter how quickly Gordon tried to pursue him, as long as he was caught by the Inspection, he had no choice but to be delayed little by little.

The trap meant to catch the Downfall Order had instead come to strangle their allies.

“……Fine, old monster. I will face you myself.”

“To call me an old monster after seeing this cute face… Are your sensibilities not far too dried up?”

“Stop spouting nonsense!”

“Heh, you want to fight me? Against me, whom even Hildegard could not kill?”

“…….”

Jin Baek had met him ten years ago, during the time he belonged to the Vityaz Expedition.

At the time, Zenom had attacked, targeting the Adventurers of Vityaz, the greatest expedition of that era.

Fortunately, Hildegard had repelled him, but even she had only driven Zenom away and failed to kill him.

Hilde’s Star Rank at the time had been 9-Star.

He was a powerful enemy even an Adventurer who had reached the very end had failed to kill.

“You people cannot defeat me.”

“……We can at least buy time. Then not only the Temple’s Enforcement Division, but even those Observatory bastards who hold grudges against you will come running with bloodshot eyes!”

They only had to endure for one hour.

If they did, the Temple’s forces would come running with their eyes overturned.

However, even at Jin Baek’s words, Zenom merely chuckled.

“It will take an hour. That much time is more than enough for me to accomplish my purpose in coming here.”

“What……?”

“There are so many bodies I covet in this place~”

He pointed at the Barrier behind him and smiled broadly.

“The one Admon spoke of, Hildegard’s daughter, and even your grandson are all in there, are they not?”

“You bastard……!”

“Hehehe…… I am curious! About the possibilities those young things possess!”

The boy burst into laughter like a madman.

“I will devour them all and make them mine.”

***

DING DING DING!

A noisy alarm bell rang throughout White Cloud Castle.

I, who had just been getting my body in order, stood up in confusion.

“What is that sound?”

“It is an alarm. It rings when some threat has come to White Cloud Castle.”

Jin Sohwi’s expression became more serious than ever.

A threat had come to White Cloud Castle.

At the moment, I could only think of one reason.

“It is toward White Cloud Castle’s east gate!”

We hurried toward the town.

Following the warriors who were already moving in perfect order, we arrived at the town plaza. When I saw the scene there, my expression hardened slightly.

“That is…….”

The plaza had already been destroyed, and flames were rising here and there.

On top of that, monsters whose origin we could not identify were turning the town into a mess.

How on earth had this happened?

It was not difficult to find the culprits.

Because they were standing motionless in the ruined plaza.

“The Downfall Order!? How did they come up here?”

“Kugh! I do not know. There was no warning at all……!”

At that moment, a warrior who had spotted Jin Sohwi rushed over in a hurry.

“Young Master! You are here……!”

“What on earth happened?”

“That man spread a Barrier, and all the elders of White Cloud Castle were flung outside!”

They had driven out the main forces of White Cloud Castle, including Jin Baek.

That meant this was a planned attack.

As I looked around the Barrier, Hyeollyeo spoke.

[It is a Barrier Art called “Night of Downfall.” It flings out all beings of 6-Star or higher and traps only those below that. This has become troublesome.]

Ah, that fish pen.

I had thought it looked like that from the color, and it seemed I was right.

‘Then the one who used it is most likely that guy.’

At the center of the ruined plaza.

There stood a tall man and a masked woman standing as if guarding him.

The one who had spread the Barrier was probably the man holding the Staff.

“That man spread the Barrier. And that woman uses some strange Wicked Arts! She fired light from her hand, and the Wounded Areas vanished as if burned away! Several people have already fallen to her……!”

“……I understand, so get treated first.”

While Jin Sohwi checked on his subordinate, Persica and I examined the battle situation.

“Do you think you know how they got up here?”

“I am not certain, but roughly.”

I could think of a few ways to break through the surveillance, but among them, the one I gave the most weight to was that masked woman over there.

Because she had been giving off unpleasant Mana for a while now, and she did not feel like a person at all.

[Be careful. That is not a person.]

‘As expected.’

Since Hyeollyeo said so as well, her identity was obvious.

Something Jin Ryeon’s Thought had warned me about not long ago.

A Longtime Resident of the Sixth Floor, and an existence that could rarely be acquired and used as a familiar.

‘A Puppet.’

It was a puppet from the Sixth Floor.

And if it was so human-like that it could not be distinguished from a person, it was practically Leader-Class.

Looking at it…… I somehow had a guess as to what their infiltration route had been.

‘The Styxia River.’

The Aquatic Monsters living in the river were atrociously vicious, but they only attacked living beings.

And although Puppets resembled people, they were strictly inanimate objects.

‘Did they put people into a Subspace or something and then have the Puppet carry them……?’

Some high-level Subspaces could store people while they were alive.

If they hid people there and had the Puppet carry them, then even if it jumped into the river, it might not be attacked by monsters.

‘Damn it, I was thinking too carelessly.’

This was something I had thought of, but had never actually tried.

Not only were Puppets themselves difficult to obtain, but there was also no guarantee that it would truly work.

In the first place, entering the river was an insane act no one would do unless they were truly extraordinary.

I had thought of it, but never tried it, and therefore I had never shared it either.

So I had unconsciously thought other people would not use it either.

‘That was arrogance.’

If I had thought of it, someone else could have thought of it too, but I had overlooked that far too much.

“U-Uaaagh!”

At that moment, the Puppet began to move and emitted light from its clenched fist.

The fist flashing with bright yellow light turned the sword of the warrior blocking it into ash with intense heat.

I quickly rushed forward and struck away the Puppet’s fist.

“B-Be careful! If you touch the light, you will burn away!”

I knew.

I could also guess what Skill that was.

Just as I was about to clash with the Puppet, the man moved.

Gray Lightning flew from his Crozier.

CLANG!

When I struck the Lightning away with Parrying, a strange light appeared in his eyes.

“You must be the one Admon spoke of.”

“I do not know who you are.”

“My name is Jurgen. I am a lamb who serves Downfall, and undeservedly, I hold the position of Bishop in the Order.”

A Bishop of the Downfall Order.

The Puppet and the swarm of monsters were already burdensome, and now a dangerous-looking man had been added to the mix.

Truly, I could feel a powerful will that said they were determined to kill me this time.

“Miss Puppet. Please prioritize the man over there.”

“…….”

The Puppet that received the order stood before me.

Was two against one not a little too much?

‘By the way, these guys are not saying that I am the Great Master.’

If they said it, they could cause even more confusion on our side, but it felt as if they were intentionally avoiding saying it.

As if they did not want other people to know.

“Persica.”

“Y-Yes!?”

Persica looked back in surprise.

“Do what you have to do. This is not the time to stand there blankly.”

“…….”

She pressed her lips shut.

It had happened suddenly, but this was a real battle. It was time for her, the leader, to give orders.

“……Jin Sohwi. Take the Adventurers and deal with the monsters. I will evacuate the people.”

“Understood.”

“Isran, you…….”

She looked worriedly at the enemies before us.

A Bishop and a Puppet.

No matter how well I fought, they would be too much for me to handle alone.

“Will you be all right?”

“Normally, I would not be able to win. If I were alone.”

“What does that…… Ah.”

At that, Persica’s complexion turned strange.

It was because she had thought of a girl still left at the residence, who had not yet run over here.

“Do not tell me you predicted this?”

“Of course not. It was only insurance.”

I was sick of always falling for these bastards’ schemes.

Now it was time for us to give something back too.

That was how the balance of the universe would be maintained, was it not?

“Have a taste of a Master.”

***

Inside a quiet residence of White Cloud Castle.

The girl sitting on the Wooden Porch, Lavina, rose to her feet.

[Tsk.]

The people in utter panic, and the Barrier covering White Cloud Castle.

Facing them, “he” possessing her clicked his tongue briefly.