Chapter 30: False God and True God (2)
by fnovelpia
In the gloomy and dark castle at the center of the fifth floor of the Labyrinth Tower, a group of paladins, having fought their way through a horde of zombies, finally reached the castle gates.
“What an evil aura this place has,” Kenyon remarked, his face hardening as he gazed up at the dark castle.
“But Deus is with us!” he declared resolutely.
“Yes! As long as Deus is with us, defeat is not an option!” echoed his comrades.
Despite the terrifying atmosphere that would make even grown men wet themselves and run, the paladins remained unshaken.
“…Indeed, He will be with us,” Kenyon reaffirmed, though doubt gnawed at his heart.
Is Deus truly with us?
Is Deus truly the one to save us?
To find the answer, Kenyon resolved to conquer this castle.
With that, he led the charge into the castle.
– Screeech!
Zombies burst from the walls.
– Grrraaagh!
Zombies rose from the ground.
– Raaawwrr!
Countless zombies rushed at the paladins.
“We’ve come too far to be stopped now!”
“By the light of Deus!”
Having experienced many battles, the paladins were seasoned in fighting the undead, and the zombies were no match for them.
“At this rate, we’ll conquer this castle easily!” one of them exclaimed with a brightened expression.
The heart of the castle was within reach, and the conquest of the fifth floor of the Labyrinth Tower was almost in sight.
Though filled with hope, Kenyon’s face was not as bright as his comrades’.
‘Are you truly with us? Are you guiding us, Deus?’ Kenyon pondered.
They had entered deep into the castle without encountering any obstacles.
Nothing had been able to stop them.
Was it really because the deity was with them?
Was his doubt unfounded?
Somehow, he felt that the answer lay at the end of this castle.
Following the corridor and repelling the zombies, the paladins finally arrived at the grand banquet hall at the very heart of the castle.
Standing before the enormous doors, Kenyon turned to his followers.
“Beyond this door lies a formidable enemy, the master of this castle and the one who has awakened the undead. He is likely our final goal at this level.”
The main quest target, whose defeat would clear this level, stood before them.
The paladins steeled their resolve.
“We are about to face the strongest enemy since we entered the Labyrinth Tower. It will not be an easy fight. He is likely stronger and more dangerous than any enemy we’ve faced. But who are we? Tell me, who are we?”
“We are the warriors of faith, followers of Deus!”
“We are the divine sword that smites the enemies of Deus!”
“Yes! We are the sword of the great Deus! Armed with the weapon of faith and clad in the armor of His word, we are His warriors! No enemy, no matter how powerful, can block our path!”
“Nothing can stop us!”
“Today, we will display Deus’s glory here, and His name will resound through heaven and earth! For Deus!”
“For Deus!” they roared in unison.
Bam!
The paladins kicked open the banquet hall doors and charged inside.
A crimson mist filled the room.
“What is this…!”
“What happened here…!”
The paladins found themselves surrounded by human body parts strewn across the room.
At the center stood a man with skin so pale it was almost inhuman.
“A human, is it?” The man’s red eyes glared at the paladins.
“Hmph… mere minions of a god.”
“A vampire!” one paladin shouted, recognizing the creature cursed by the divine, unable to live under the sunlight.
“Foul fiend, we will judge you in the name of Deus!” Kenyon declared, brandishing his hammer imbued with holy power.
“Hahaha! You think you can?” The vampire clenched his right hand.
Boom!
The scattered body parts in the banquet hall floated into the air.
“Feeble beings who do nothing but shout the name of a false god.”
Arms, legs, heads, and even organs rose and flew towards the vampire.
“Weaklings whose only skill is to cry out the name of their god in vain.”
Crack!
Once-functional parts of humans burst into pieces, turning into a shower of blood.
Rain of blood fell around the vampire.
“Witness the power of a true strong being and lament your own frailty!”
Wings of blood spread wide from the vampire.
“Filthy demon! Spouting nonsense! Warriors of God, judge this cursed monster in the name of Deus!”
“Deus wills it!”
“Glory to the almighty Deus!”
Kenyon charged at the vampire, followed by his fellow paladins.
A formation powerful enough to hunt even a lich was centered around the vampire.
The overwhelming wave of holy power surged forward, but the vampire sneered.
Boom!
Holy light filled the banquet hall.
A massive force of purification, impossible for the undead to withstand, exploded from where the vampire stood.
Kenyon believed without a doubt that the vampire had been obliterated.
But.
Woooong.
“Foul holy power.”
The vampire emerged from a puddle of blood.
“It does not reach me.”
He had turned his entire body into blood to avoid the paladins’ attack.
The vampire raised his hands.
“Ugh!”
Danger!
Kenyon shouted, “Everyone, arm yourselves with holy power!”
Even before he finished speaking—
Boom!
A storm of blood swept through the hall.
“Aaargh!”
The pain felt like his entire body was being sliced apart.
Despite wrapping himself in holy power, the blades of blood tore through his defenses.
Cuts appeared all over Kenyon’s body.
‘Hold on… hold on…!’
Kenyon fought to stay conscious, despite the overwhelming desire to give in.
After what felt like an eternity, the storm subsided.
“Urgh…!”
Kenyon spat a mouthful of blood, using his warhammer to support himself.
Around him, his comrades lay in unrecognizable pieces of flesh.
‘Everyone…’
“You’re alone now.”
The vampire approached Kenyon leisurely.
“There were so many of you.”
“But even one is a significant difference,” Kenyon spat out blood and surrounded himself with holy power.
“Is that so?”
The vampire’s mouth twisted into a grin.
“Is it?”
Woooong.
A wave of blood radiated from the vampire.
…What is this!
“Then show me.”
Clatter.
The chunks of flesh that were once his comrades began to move.
They rose as undead, their former humanity erased.
“Show me how you will fight your comrades!”
– Screeeech!
The zombie paladins lunged at Kenyon.
“Damn!”
Kenyon desperately defended against their attacks, retreating.
– Screeeech!
Twelve zombies relentlessly attacked him.
“Tch…!”
Smash!
Even Kenyon, despite being a powerful paladin, was severely wounded and struggled against the combined assault of the zombie paladins, now undead abominations.
“There doesn’t seem to be much of a difference,” the vampire mocked as Kenyon fought desperately against his former comrades.
Deus, is this the end for your followers?
Smash!
Kenyon destroyed a zombie’s head, pushing his battered body to its limits.
We fought for your glory.
We fought looking only at you.
And yet, this is our fate?
Unlike other players who died in a blaze of light and respawned, Kenyon and his comrades had become hideous undead servants of the vampire.
Is this truly the end for the warriors of a god?
-Screeech
Smash!
Kenyon avoided a zombie’s bite and crushed its head with his warhammer.
You are omnipotent, aren’t you, Deus?
Can you not eradicate all evil and save your servants?
With rising fury and desperation, Kenyon’s holy power began to wane.
If you are truly a god!
If you are our god!
Show me your miracle!
Smash!
The last zombie’s head shattered under Kenyon’s warhammer.
Thud!
Having used the last of his strength, Kenyon’s leg buckled, and he fell to one knee.
Without faith to sustain him, his holy power faded.
He could no longer stand.
He could no longer move.
God, why have you forsaken us?
No longer wanting to move, he collapsed.
Clap, clap, clap.
The vampire clapped as he looked down at the fallen Kenyon.
“You are different. A little bit.”
Snap!
The vampire snapped his fingers.
“Your flesh will make a fine material.”
– Grrraaagh.
The zombies Kenyon had defeated began to regenerate, standing up again.
“Shouting the name of a false god, they all perish the same. In the end, your god will not help you,” the vampire said, pointing a finger at Kenyon.
“Now die.”
– Screeeech!
The zombies rushed at Kenyon once more.
Is faith in a god itself a mistake?
Is there truly no god who cares for humanity?
Are humans…worth so little?
Was my entire life a mistake?
Kenyon’s life, lived in service to Deus, flashed through his mind like a panorama.
Even his final moments were in service to his god.
What have I been living for?
Just as he was about to give up on everything…
Ding!
– Achievement Unlocked!
…?
– As the first to achieve this, you have been awarded a class.
– Would you like to change your class?
A radiant hammer, as if crafted by the hands of a god, descended upon him, bringing with it a light of salvation.
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