Ch.447Episode 17 – The Blood-Drinking Tree

Static crackles from the old radio.

Like a radio tuned to the wrong frequency, the transceiver’s noise carries a subtle eeriness, followed by a relentless, venomous voice.

-“…Wizards. I know you’ve appeared here. What are you doing in this place?”

A dark, ominous wavelength cuts through the air, enveloping the surroundings, while the echoing, unsettling static carries a malicious voice.

-“There are tens of thousands of apostles on this land, and you are isolated. The brothers you drove away with your own hands will soon find you.”

-“Wizards, clergy, soldiers, police. You unbelievers who close your eyes and ears, and you pagans who worship idols. The time has come to receive the glory of cognition. He encourages and preaches to countless ignorant ones who do not understand. Death and resurrection—remove the veil of ignorance, truly repent, and enjoy peace.”

-“The Lord endures your confessions, but do not dare test His mercy.”

Between venomous curses and eerie static, I stepped back after catching a faint signal.

As the waterproof tarp covering the window flutters with a gust of wind,

A pure white light pierces through the darkness of the desert, coloring the surroundings.

“……”

Amidst the profusely scattered light, I removed my keffiyeh and greeted him.

“You took your time, Ibrahim.”

“I was delayed a bit at the border. Are you ready?”

“Let’s go. I’ll guide you to the Necropolis.”

Episode 17 – The Blood-Drinking Tree

After our infiltration was exposed, the external security became incomparably stricter than before.

However, internal security remained at the usual level. This meant that once you managed to evade surveillance and enter the city, there was little chance of running into trouble.

I used the secret passage Joaquin had told me about to avoid ground checkpoints.

It was a hole created by some wizards of the Necropolis to bypass annoying entry procedures, and since only those in the know used it, there was no risk of being caught.

“This is a temporary base set up to avoid the eyes of cultists. It’s uncomfortable, but please bear with it.”

The Templar Knights looked at the collapsing house with curious expressions.

They didn’t seem particularly pleased about being assigned an abandoned house as quarters. Even to me, it looked like a dump.

“It’s not a problem. We plan to retrieve the target and withdraw.”

“I’ll hand over the necessary materials right away.”

“Thank you. May I ask one question?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Who is that person?”

Ibrahim pointed at Joaquin sprawled on the floor.

While the smell of burning mugwort permeated the air and peeling wallpaper gave off a moldy scent, the drug-using wizard was sleeping on a mattress of unknown origin.

“He’s a local who’s helping us, but you don’t need to worry about him. Just leave him be. He knows how to take care of himself.”

I guided Ibrahim inside.

An old table covered with a thick layer of dust. Under the dim lamplight, hazy dust particles floated around.

“I’ve located the cultists.”

Maps, documents, and several photographs were placed on the table.

“That’s good news. Have you also found St. Lucia’s blood?”

“I don’t know the exact location, but it appears the cultists have it.”

According to reconnaissance, the tracking device placed by the Sanya warlord still showed no significant movement.

Ibrahim asked:

“Do you have evidence?”

“We’ve confirmed that the cultists are searching for magical power storage devices. They were looking for capacitors of the same specifications as the magical device for blood storage purchased from a broker.”

I tapped on the information memo containing reports from questioning Necropolis merchants.

“A magical device is absolutely necessary to prevent damage to the blood. The fact that they’re looking for capacitors means they have a reason to store the blood long-term.”

The Templar commander, looking down at the memo, flipped through the photos and continued:

“If long-term storage is the cultists’ goal, they won’t stay here long. They might leave the city as soon as they secure the capacitor.”

My thoughts were similar.

The fortunate thing was that they hadn’t yet found capacitors of the right specifications. And that the Templar Knights had arrived in the Necropolis.

“They won’t get far anyway.”

I took out a cigarette and flicked my lighter.

“Let’s make a plan first.”

*

The sweep operation began.

The operation area was the Port of the Dead Whale, commonly known as the Necropolis’s Ash Tree Street.

The objectives were to recover Lucia’s blood and eliminate the cult members.

These were the two goals.

“First, let me share some information you should know.”

Before establishing the operational plan, I provided Ibrahim with information—details essential for completing the mission.

“Ash Tree Street is an area densely populated with cultists. Most religious groups residing in the Necropolis are located there, and given their nature, they’re hostile to the Church.”

In other words, to recover the blood, we would need to enter a hostile environment.

Ibrahim’s response indicated this wasn’t an issue. For the Templar Knights, fighting in a den of cultists was nothing new, so his attitude was understandable.

“If you say so, I have nothing more to add. But we encountered a problem during information gathering.”

“What kind of problem?”

“Our activities were detected by another cult group.”

I answered honestly. I explained that while making contact with the Abyssal Devourers to locate the cultists, an informant’s identity was exposed.

Of course, I had to hide the fact that I had Francesca as an informant, so I fabricated a story about Joaquin being discovered.

Ibrahim, stroking his beard, responded:

“Hmm, if the identity was exposed, these Abyssal Devourers might interfere. Are you monitoring them as well?”

“Yes, we’re keeping an eye on them. Fortunately, there’s been no notable movement yet.”

“Then let’s proceed with the operation.”

Ibrahim proposed stealthily eliminating the cultists and recovering the blood. But I objected.

The Abyssal Devourers, second to none among major cults, had discovered Francesca’s infiltration. In preparation for such a situation, I had inquired about useless information to make it difficult to deduce our true purpose, but even fortune-tellers can’t predict their own futures.

“What will you do if the Abyssal Devourers notice and attack while you’re entering the building? Even if it’s not them, cultists are everywhere. If you go in without a reserve force and get surrounded, you’ll be trapped here.”

After arguing for the necessity of a reserve force to cover the Templar Knights, Ibrahim slowly unfolded his arms.

Of course, Ibrahim would have prepared for the possibility of being surrounded by cultists. But unexpected situations always exceed expectations.

Seeing the logic in my argument, he studied the map for a moment before asking:

“Very well, let’s do it your way. But where will you get the reserve force from?”

-Flash!

Light burst from within the abandoned building in the desert. Amidst the scattering blue magical energy, a person carrying a duffel bag emerged.

I unfolded my arms and pushed myself off the wall.

“You’re early, Matt.”

“I took a teleport as soon as I got the call. Cheap one though—makes me queasy.”

“Take your complaints to the R&D department. I don’t do magical research, the researchers do. Anyway, good to see you. Any issues with Asen and Sanya?”

“Well, except for Asen warlord’s shells hitting the city and killing dozens of civilians. Same old, same old.”

Matt, dressed in civilian clothes, wore a disgruntled expression. After complaining about the company-issued magical device’s performance, he looked around and moved forward.

Intelligence officers from the operations team followed behind him. They had arrived via the teleportation magic circle immediately after receiving my request for support and would serve as the reserve force to cover the Templar Knights.

That’s how people gathered in the dilapidated abandoned house in the Necropolis.

“I’m Ibrahim.”

“Matthew.”

Matt and Ibrahim exchanged a brief handshake.

The operations team members entered the room to unpack, avoiding the Templar Knights, while a Templar soldier who had taken out a Bible began reciting prayers, creating a barrier. It was a barrier that prevented both visual observation and sound leakage.

Though they were strangers to each other, the reason they had gathered was clear. The intelligence officers and soldiers focused on their respective tasks without paying attention to each other, while I explained everything to Matt and Ibrahim.

The cultists’ location and numbers, the tracking device’s response to detection magic, testimonies from nearby merchants and residents, and the general information provided by the Abyssal Devourers.

Finally, the risk factors.

“You say your informant was exposed to these Abyssal Devourers?”

“Yes. Actually, it was a collaborator…”

A shrill scream suddenly erupted from behind.

“AAAAARGH-!”

Joaquin, who had abruptly woken up, was screaming. The operations team members who were unpacking reached for their holsters, and the Templar Knights who were maintaining their weapons were startled.

Rising as if about to kick off his bedding, Joaquin crawled across the floor with a “patabak! patabak!” sound, then stuck to the wall. He pointed at the Templar Knights.

“AAAACK-! W-why are the C-Civil Templar Knights here! Oh my god, neighbors! Francesca! We’re doomed! Let’s run away right now!”

“……”

“…What is that person doing? We’ve set up a sound barrier.”

“Just let him enjoy himself.”

I waved my hand dismissively.

Joaquin was putting on a show while holding onto the rusty door that was about to collapse. He was pushing against a door that needed to be pulled to open—it wasn’t going to budge. The drug effects hadn’t fully worn off, it seemed.

While the soldiers and intelligence officers blinked at the sight of the crazed wizard running amok in the abandoned house, the meeting at the table continued. I held up a map and marked the route to the target location, while Ibrahim and Matt reviewed the building blueprints and photographs, coordinating the operation.

“It’s impossible to move on foot to Ash Tree Street. The Walpurgisnacht festival starts this evening. All routes will be controlled by crowds and organizers. Instead, going through the sewers should allow us to move smoothly to the target location.”

“Both the front and back doors look sturdy—how do we breach them? Do we have explosives?”

“We have explosives for pathway clearing. We’ve also prepared cutters and torches.”

“Let’s position a sniper team on the rooftop of this taller building. They should be able to see into the inner courtyard and the second and third floors.”

“The perimeter team will monitor along the fence outside, and the entry team will be divided into two groups to enter the building. For convenience, let’s designate the buildings within the target area as Building A and Building B…”

*

As the late afternoon arrived, the abandoned house became even more desolate.

The Templar Knights and operations team each took rooms to rest. They cleared away dust and trash as best they could and used their gear and helmets as pillows to catch some sleep.

Occasionally, the sound of people moving could be heard. After footsteps echoed through the corridor at regular intervals and gradually faded away, the sound of a door closing followed from a place that felt quite distant.

“……”

An intelligence officer returned to the abandoned house after emptying a bottle of urine. Since I had seen his face a few times in passing, we exchanged small nods as greetings.

“So noisy…”

Kehr, who had trouble sleeping due to the footsteps, frowned irritably.

Even though I told her to go into a room, she said she was more comfortable in confined spaces and went into an abandoned wardrobe, but it seemed she couldn’t sleep properly because of the human activity.

I carefully moved outside, trying to minimize noise. With a keen-nosed therianthrope present, I had to go outside to smoke.

“Hoo…”

Cigarette smoke rose in the underground city.

I put the cigarette inside the rifle’s grip and exhaled smoke toward the shadows.

“You should quit smoking.”

“……”

“It’s very harmful to your health.”

Francesca, who had appeared out of nowhere, said with a smiling face. She was concerned about my health.

“Shouldn’t you be saying that to your friend? He’s the one doing drugs.”

“You might not know this, Officer, but cigarettes are much more harmful than marijuana.”

I chuckled mid-puff.

“Has Joaquin calmed down?”

“Yes. He was quite shocked to see the Templar Knights when he woke up, but after drinking some cold water, he seems to have regained his senses.”

“What’s he doing now?”

“Probably having his own time?”

That meant he was smoking marijuana.

I couldn’t help but laugh. Smoking weed after seeing the Templar Knights. I wondered if he had any sense at all.

Perhaps he was celebrating his near-death experience by getting high.

“Is it tonight? The raid on the cultists?”

“We’ll depart at 21:00. We should arrive at the scene by midnight at the latest.”

“Are you going with them, Officer?”

She sat down beside me and asked.

It wasn’t pure curiosity. Her voice carried a hint of concern rather than just wondering.

“I have to.”

My answer prompted another question.

“Why?”

Francesca tilted her head quizzically.

“I don’t see why you need to go with the Templar Knights. Isn’t this different from what you said initially?”

“……”

“Is there another reason?”

“What are you curious about?”

A smile that could be either bitter or genuine began to form. Her slender eyes curved, creating a smile, and her lips parted slightly.

The beautiful face was smiling silently, but I couldn’t help thinking it was a fabricated smile.

How long did I wait?

After taking a deep breath, she finally spoke with an anxious expression.

“You and the Saint.”

“……”

“What exactly is your relationship?”

*

“Team leader. Preparations complete.”

Matt nodded toward the operations team member.

“We’re ready here. How about your side?”

“The same.”

The members of the Templar Knights’ 92541st Unit checked their equipment.

Some reached behind their backs to ensure they could grab their cutters, while others pulled charging handles to verify that rounds were properly chambered.

The operations team looked similar.

As someone handed over a pistol after pulling the slide to chamber a round, a colleague who was plugging wires into communications equipment took it, and an agent who had tightened his body armor checked his primary weapon by pressing the light and indicator.

“Kehr?”

The therianthrope, who was fastening a waterproof gun case, perked up her ears in response.

Kehr, who had gathered magazines and grenades, picked up the heavy gun case.

“Done.”

Kehr flipped over a cloth and stuffed in the magazines. It was a magazine pouch for a Kiyen Empire military automatic rifle.

Not the old, moldy magazine pouch, but a new model. The old, heavy automatic rifle had been replaced with a submachine gun, and the Kiyen Empire special forces uniform had replaced the traditional Mauritanian continental attire.

Matt nodded as he looked around at the team members disguised as Kiyen Empire soldiers. After picking up his helmet, he looked around while conversing with Ibrahim.

“Where’s Frederick?”

“I’m here.”

A voice came from afar.

Frederick, who had just exited the abandoned house, was coming down the stairs. Wearing body armor over his uniform, he was trudging along with a shortened rifle.

“Is something wrong?”

Matt, who was putting on gloves, asked with a puzzled look, and Frederick replied:

“No.”

“Then who are those people?”

Matt’s finger pointed upward.

A small commotion was occurring from the direction of the abandoned house. A wizard wearing a cape was leaving the entrance, while Joaquin, carrying armfuls of belongings, shouted something at the back of his head, but the wizard didn’t look back.

“……”

Frederick, who had been staring blankly at the scene, turned his head. Then, tightening the chin strap of his helmet, he answered nonchalantly:

“I asked them to leave the city. The two will wait on the surface with Nymph.”

“Why?”

“Is there any need for non-combat personnel to remain at the scene?”

His tone suggested no other reason was necessary.

Matt pursed his lips and shrugged. It meant he didn’t care either way.

Frederick, now wearing his helmet, began guiding them through a back alley.

After walking for 15 minutes, they arrived deep in a back alley. They tore away overgrown vegetation and cleared away waist-high piles of garbage and junk.

Finally, a sewer entrance hidden by the city’s filth revealed itself.

Click—a light began to illuminate the darkness. Frederick, who had entered the sewer by stepping through the stagnant water, crouched and looked back.

“Let’s go. We don’t have much time.”

Kehr jumped up, received the waterproof gun case, and followed Frederick inside.

Matt and Ibrahim followed, and soon after, the Templar Knights and operations team intelligence officers entered the sewer.

When the rear security team, the last to enter, pulled the vegetation on both sides to cover the entrance,

A faint noise began to echo over the discarded garbage and junk.

*

“Hey! Hey! Stop right there!”

A therianthrope licking the bottom of an ice cream cone looked startled at the sudden shout.

“No, just listen to me!”

“……”

“I’m going to die at this rate! How can someone have such good stamina…!”

The usual appearance of dim magical lamps was nowhere to be seen. The streets were unusually bright.

At a time when human traffic should have ceased and no one should be around, normally only a few shops would keep their lights on like lighthouses illuminating treacherous sea routes, but tonight all stores had their lights on simultaneously.

Because tomorrow was Walpurgisnacht.

“Wooooow!”

“This is beer brewed today! Come and taste it!”

“Children! Don’t run!”

With Walpurgisnacht just a day away, a festive atmosphere was in full swing in the Necropolis.

Wizards and religious figures, therianthropes and humans, goblins and orcs—numerous races gathered in the city poured into the streets to enjoy the festival atmosphere.

A human with bronze skin and traditional clothing played an instrument, cards in a goblin’s palm disappeared before one’s eyes, and when someone started singing loudly, people began to dance.

Everyone held drinks and chatted, creating a fascinating scene.

“Huff…!”

While catching her breath from running, Francesca heard cheerful singing. Turning her head, she saw an old tavern bearing the traces of time.

Tearing into freshly baked bread revealed steaming white flesh through the rising vapor, and carefully bringing a glass to her lips to avoid spilling precious beer, the foam tickled her nose.

After hastily wiping away the foam overflowing from the frozen glass and taking a quick sip, she raised the glass high, and cool beer began to pour down her throat.

“Burp-“

“Ugh, that’s disgusting.”

“Says the one eating rat meat while pretending to be fastidious.”

An orc smoothly wiped the foam from his jutting chin. A therianthrope frowned in disgust before tearing into a roasted cave rat.

The heat of the Necropolis’s biggest festival, Walpurgisnacht, filled the city. Though time remained, the city was already immersed in the festival atmosphere, and everyday spaces transformed into spaces of freedom and deviation.

Some laughed, some cried.

While some showed anger or wore gloomy expressions, eventually everyone smiled.

Brilliant lighting against the darkness as a backdrop, the bustle of crowded people. With light and darkness creating a dramatic contrast,

The brightly lit streets in the sleeping city seemed almost alive.

The nighttime cityscape was so beautiful.

“……”

Amidst the pouring lights and noise, as her mind began to drift, faint words started to flicker.

‘Why are you suddenly asking that?’

‘Is it a difficult question to answer?’

‘……’

‘To be honest, I don’t understand. Why you need to follow the Templar Knights, why you’re confronting cultists despite the risks.’

‘…What are you trying to say?’

‘Let’s go back.’

‘……’

‘Come with me to the surface. This isn’t a place for either of us, and since we’ve achieved our goal, there’s no reason to stay. So…’

‘You go first. I’ll follow soon.’

‘……’

‘I’ll see you up there.’

Excited breaths escaped through her lips.

Francesca, who had momentarily stopped walking, tried to regulate her breathing.

As her soft hair became disheveled, she brushed it back with her hand and raised her head.

“……”

What am I doing here?

Running like a madwoman, coming to an unknown place, what was I trying to do?

I don’t know why I was running, or where I was trying to go. I don’t even remember why I started running.

Should I go up to the surface and head to the camp? Or return to the magic tower?

Or perhaps even now,

“Oh my goodness…! I said stop for a moment, but you just keep running…”

Joaquin, who had arrived with urgent steps, raised his voice.

His gasping for breath made him look like a patient on the verge of death.

After catching his breath with “sssip, hoo,” Joaquin began to sway as soon as he straightened up.

“This is driving me crazy… I thought I was going to die! Y-you’re determined to kill me, aren’t you?”

“……”

“I might really die at this rate. You should quit drugs soon…”

While Joaquin was complaining, a cold gaze swept over him.

Charnoi shook his head as he watched the wizard who was coughing so violently it seemed his lungs might come out.

At that moment, Francesca, who had been standing frozen in place, opened her mouth.

“Joaquin.”

Joaquin, who had been coughing, barely managed to hold onto his sanity.

“Uh, yes, did you call me?”

“Let’s go.”

“Where?”

The alchemist’s gaze turned toward the wizard.

Amidst the brilliant lights, crowd laughter, lively songs, and heated atmosphere,

Her pink lips moved in the flickering light.

*

The joy of the festival spread tumultuously.

The crystal lights illuminating the city created dancing shadows. The cheers echoing off ceilings and buildings could be clearly heard even from distant alleys.

Those chaotic sounds seemed like they were coming from a distant dream. The distant cheers and laughter must have excited the hearts of the little ones who held hands and ran toward the lights.

The alley wrapped in darkness even seemed mysterious. Something glimmering under the faint light emerged from the alley.

“……”

The figure that emerged from the alley began to writhe.

A shadow moving slowly, as if surveying the surroundings.

After carefully looking around the street, the shadow glanced at the alley and extended its arm.

The hand thrown behind its back gave a signal. It meant the area was secure.

As the signal continued, people who had been waiting with lowered postures moved. A team member leaning against the corner watched the balconies and windows of the opposite building, while another member behind cover aimed his muzzle at the road.

At that moment, a communication term meaning they had passed a specific point was heard on the radio network.

“Haifa passed.”

A manhole cover rattled and rose.

With a sound like the city’s heart beating, the sewer opened, and the small noise of splashing water echoed.

The world seen through the scope was green.

As a laser visible only through night vision swept across windows and balconies, Templar Knights hidden in shadows that were hard to discern even in outline were there.

“Move.”

Hearing the radio, the Templar Knights emerged from the shadows and crossed the street. The operations team intelligence officers followed, and the rear security team came last.

The process of moving to the target location was extremely cautious.

No talking to avoid being detected by civilians.

Radio use restricted to the team leader until arrival.

No running or making loud noises.

The soldiers at the front constantly adjusted their pace. Sometimes fast, sometimes slow.

“Essera passed.”

As they approached the target location, the intervals between radio communications shortened.

Ibrahim sent a radio message each time they passed a checkpoint, and his voice was transmitted to everyone through the network.

The sound of combat boots stepping on sand and gravel could be heard, but neither the intelligence officers nor the team members spoke.

“Sarbat passed.”

“……”

Ibrahim’s words on the radio awakened my senses.

Nerves stretched taut like rubber bands pulled to their limit, and Matt, after checking the surroundings through night vision, whispered softly.

“These are the buildings we saw in the reconnaissance photos. We should arrive soon.”

I know.

Every time the gear shakes, a rattling sound hits my ears, and the noise of gravel and sand being crushed under military boots is audible.

In the heavy silence of Ash Tree Street, about 400 meters after leaving the sewer:

“…Stop.”

The Templar Knight at the front sent a radio message along with a hand signal. This was someone who hadn’t spoken once in the past 30 minutes.

Ibrahim and Matt instructed everyone to lower their posture. Then they carefully turned their gaze.

“……”

Looking forward, I opened my pants pocket. I put down the rifle hanging from the sling and activated the detector.

“……”

The detector’s intense light pointed forward.

I nodded at Ibrahim and Matt. Ibrahim then signaled to his subordinates.

Carefully rising from their positions, the Templar Knights approached the building.

The three-story building was constructed in a common style in the Necropolis. It wasn’t made of mud like rural houses in Afghanistan or the Mauritanian continent.

High stone walls, three stories tall, a fig tree planted in the yard—exactly as seen in the reconnaissance photos Kehr had taken over the past few days.

“…Huff.”

The team members who approached the wall lowered their posture and watched the surroundings. While three members held their rifles ready, one member took out something secured to his gear.

The member who approached the door checked the material.

“Metal door confirmed.”

And with skilled hands, he began installing the device.

Meanwhile, Matt led the intelligence officers to bypass to the north.

After a brief exchange on the commander-only network between the two team leaders,

The member who moved away from the door reported to the commander.

“Installation complete.”

Soon after, Ibrahim’s order came through the network: ‘Wait a moment.’

Putting down the radio, he began to stare at one Templar Knight—a member kneeling on one knee and praying.

While the member with closed eyes recited prayers, a shadow descended from the sky like diluted paint and melted into the surroundings.

Like a dome over a baseball stadium.

The member who finished praying made the sign of the cross.

“Curtain ready.”

Ibrahim nodded. Then he muttered something.

Though I couldn’t hear the radio content, I could easily predict what instructions he had given.

The Templar Knights leaning against the stone wall turned their heads away from the door. The member who had checked the door also turned his head.

The member holding the device shouted into the radio:

“Blast, blast, blast!”

Click. The detonator was pressed. The tense team members closed their eyes. The Templar Knights lined up along the stone wall all turned their heads and closed their eyes as the explosive merged with the metal front gate,

-BOOM ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ !!

Exploded with a thunderous noise.