Chapter 222

One month ago.

A group of men walked through a dark, dimly lit space. It seemed to be deep underground. Their faces were grim, their bodies tense. A heavy silence hung in the air, broken only by the sound of their footsteps.

One of the men finally spoke, his voice laced with worry.

“…Are we sure it’s wise to release him? He’s far too dangerous…”

“That is not for you to decide,” the old man leading the group replied, his voice dry and sharp.

“But he’s a menace, a threat to…”

“Enough,” the old man cut him off, his voice brooking no argument. “We all know what happened to the dark

mages. They were lured into a trap by the Church and met a gruesome end. Our turn will come soon enough. To do nothing is to simply await our own destruction.”

Silence fell over the group again. The old man’s words hung in the air, heavy with truth.

“We have no other choice.”

The old man’s voice was firm, unwavering. No one dared to challenge him.

They continued walking in silence, their footsteps echoing through the underground tunnels. Finally, they stopped in front of a heavy iron cage, reinforced with multiple layers of bars.

“Open it,” the old man commanded.

“B-But, sir…” one of the men stammered, fear evident in his voice.

“Do not hesitate now,” the old man snapped, his eyes flashing with impatience.

The man fumbled with a key, his hands shaking as he unlocked the cage. The heavy door creaked open, and the old man stepped inside without hesitation. His subordinates quickly surrounded him, forming a protective circle. Their eyes were fixed on the figure inside the cage, their bodies tense with apprehension.

A man sat chained to the floor, his arms and legs bound with heavy shackles. His hair and beard were long and unkempt, obscuring his face and making it impossible to guess his age. His eyes stared blankly into the distance, as if seeing something that wasn’t there, and his lips moved silently, muttering to himself.

“Yes, yes, you were right. They’ve come, they’ve come,” he murmured, his voice surprisingly gentle, as if speaking to a lover.

The men surrounding the cage shuddered, a chill running down their spines. The man’s vacant eyes and incoherent mumbling sent a wave of unease through them.

The old man ignored his subordinates’ discomfort and addressed the prisoner directly.

“Mesker.”

The man’s head snapped up, his eyes focusing on the old man for the first time.

“What is it, Elder?” he asked, his voice calm and even.

“I will give you a chance to redeem yourself,” the old man said, his voice low and serious.

Mesker let out a chilling chuckle, his eyes gleaming with a disturbing light.

“Redemption? For what? For following the will of the goddess?”

He turned his gaze back to the empty space in front of him, his lips moving again in a silent conversation with an unseen presence.

“I love you. Thank you. It was a good omen, as you said. It’s all thanks to you. I’m happy to be anywhere with you, but there’s more to enjoy outside, right? Hahahaha.”

He laughed, a high-pitched, unsettling sound that echoed through the chamber.

The men watching exchanged uneasy glances. There was no doubt in their minds: Mesker was insane.

Mesker, the Madman. He had been a prodigy among the necromancers, a beacon of hope for their hidden community. But then he had snapped, brutally murdering his fellow necromancers, even his own master. He claimed it was the will of the goddess, a divine revelation that drove him to his horrific acts.

He should have been executed, but the old man, their leader, had intervened. He had seen something in Mesker, a potential weapon that could be used against their enemies.

And today, it seemed, the old man was ready to unleash that weapon.

“However,” the old man said, his voice cutting through Mesker’s laughter, “there is a condition.”

Mesker’s laughter died abruptly. He turned his gaze back to the old man, his eyes narrowed.

“Ah, I knew it. A sly old fox like you wouldn’t do a good deed for free,” he sneered.

The old man ignored the insult.

“You understand. There’s always a price to pay.”

“Yes, yes, get on with it, Elder. What’s the price?”

“The Holy City.”

“The Holy City?” Mesker’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Paint it with blood,” the old man said, his voice cold and hard.

Mesker burst into laughter again, a manic, unsettling sound.

“Puhahaha, what’s gotten into you, old man? Stirring up trouble with the Church, and in the Holy City of all places? Are you terminally ill or something?”

He paused, his laughter fading into a sly grin.

“But it’s interesting. Do you trust me? I have no obligation to do that troublesome task for you. What are you going to do if I don’t?”

“Swear it. Then I’ll release you.”

“Pfft, swear? I can swear anything…”

“Swear to the goddess. To your goddess.”

The moment the old man uttered those words, a wave of pure madness erupted from Mesker. The air crackled with energy, and the men surrounding the cage staggered back, gasping for breath.

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Don’t you dare speak my goddess’s name with that filthy old mouth! Do you want to become a miserable pile of bones, unable to live or die? You damn old man!”

His voice was a furious roar, filled with unbridled rage and madness.

The old man stood firm, his eyes locked on Mesker’s. He had anticipated this reaction, and he was prepared.

“Swear to your goddess. Or I will leave you here to rot.”

“I said shut up! Don’t you dare speak her name!”

“Swear it,” the old man repeated, his voice unwavering.

“Aaaaaargh!”

Mesker unleashed a wave of pure, unadulterated madness, a psychic blast that slammed into the old man with the force of a physical blow. Blood trickled from the old man’s ears and eyes, but he didn’t flinch. He had endured worse.

His unwavering resolve seemed to have an effect. Mesker’s rage subsided, replaced by a chillingly calm smile.

“Ahaha, you were right again. You said he wouldn’t back down because the situation was so dire, and you were right. I can’t help it. I’ll do this one job, even though it’s a pain. What? You said it would be fun? Haha, then it’s perfect. Alright, I swear. I’ll have fun with you and kill exactly 100 people in the Holy City. Huh? Not enough? Then 500? 1,000?”

His voice was gentle, almost affectionate, but his words sent a chill down the spines of the men listening.

The old man’s expression softened. He had accomplished what he had set out to do.

The necromancers would not go down without a fight. They would strike first, a preemptive blow to the heart of their enemy.

“Release him.”

And so, the worst madman was unleashed upon the world.

* * *

Thud!

“Hey, watch where you’re going!” a gruff voice shouted.

A man with a menacing face and arms covered in tattoos glared at the person he had bumped into.

“Ah, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” the other man mumbled, his voice weak and apologetic. He was pale and gaunt, his eyes sunken and shadowed.

“Tsk, be careful next time!” the thug spat, turning away in disgust. He had been hoping for a fight, a chance to extort some easy money, but the man’s meekness had deflated his aggression.

“Lucky bastard,” he muttered under his breath.

He would never know how lucky he truly was. How close he had come to a gruesome end.

– Annoying human. Why didn’t you kill him? a voice whispered in his mind.

It was a sweet, childish voice, belonging to a fairy that only he could see.

“Haha, I can’t ruin my fun plan because of one insignificant guy,” Mesker replied, a manic gleam in his eyes.

– Hmm, is that so?

“Yes, it is. It’s a plan I’m really looking forward to, after all this time.”

Mesker’s eyes sparkled with excitement. The Holy City was a delightful place, especially the Holy Lepheria Academy. He felt his power surge whenever he was near it, as if it was responding to something hidden within its walls.

It was a good feeling. A very good feeling.

Because here, in this city, he might finally be able to achieve what he had been striving for all these years.

– Then let’s go now. I want to see lots of blood, the fairy urged, her voice eager.

“Sorry, sorry. I have to wait for the moon to rise,” Mesker replied, his voice soothing.

– Hmm, then I can’t help it. I’ll wait.

“Ahaha, you’re the best, goddess. You’re the only one who truly understands me. I love you. Thank you.”

– Me too, the fairy replied, her voice filled with adoration.

Mesker smiled, a chillingly cheerful expression, and settled down on a bench. He would wait. He had all the time in the world.

* * *

“Are they selling well?” I asked.

“Be honest,” Camian said, giving me a suspicious look. He seemed to have an idea what was going on.

“Huh? What?”

“How much did you bribe the princess?”

“Cough, cough!”

Annette coughed, surprised by his unexpected words.

I had no idea what he was talking about.

“What are you talking about?”

“Why is the princess promoting the scrolls for you?”

“Huh?”

Promoting the scrolls?

What nonsense was this?

I blinked and looked at Annette.

“Well, you see…”

Annette explained the situation. Apparently, Princess Oscar had been spotted carrying some of the Holy Light scrolls and had even commented on them being a good souvenir. This had led to a surge in popularity for the scrolls, especially among the second-year students.

“Puhaha, is that what it is?”

I burst out laughing at the amusing situation.

Free publicity from the princess.

I hadn’t expected that.

She really was an oddball.

A dangerously oddball, that was.

But I had to admit that she had been helpful this time.

Because it would reduce the casualties among the second-year students, the most important class.

“Feeling defeated, are you?”

I teased Camian.

Just by hearing the situation, I could guess how he was feeling.

No one knew the protagonist better than I did.

“N-Nonsense…”

Camian immediately denied it, but his expression wavered.

I knew him too well.

“Give it up, you can’t compete with the ultimate social butterfly. Just be content with being in the middle.”

“Seriously…”

“But it’s good that you’ve become closer to Leon, Slain, and Lucia after the island incident. As expected, nothing beats the camaraderie of comrades who have faced death together…”

“Ugh, seriously! Are you a stalker? Were you watching everything, you?”

“Hehe, I know everything about you.”

“Eek?!”

Camian shuddered, as if he had goosebumps.

I chuckled.

“Dude, I’m kidding, I’m kidding. I’m not a stalker. I was on the island too, don’t you remember?”

“…”

Camian shook his head with a sour expression.

Then he said,

“By the way, why are you hanging around us so much today? Aren’t you usually busy learning this and that?”

“You’re right. But today’s a holiday, a holiday.”

“Holiday?”

“I made a special donation, so don’t I deserve a day of rest?”

I said that, but I was fully prepared.

I had brought my sword, bow, and even a full set of scrolls.

With my life on the line, I couldn’t afford to be careless.

“…Well, if you say so. I’m going to the training hall to practice.”

As expected of Camian.

He never neglected his training for a single day.

But there would be no need to go to the training hall today.

Because he would have plenty of life-or-death training in the real world.

I looked at the clock tower.

About an hour after classes ended.

It was around 6 p.m.

It wasn’t dark yet, but it was time for the moon to rise.

The beginning of everything was imminent.

And I saw him.

A haggard-looking man walking towards us.

I couldn’t mistake him.

He was Mesker, the mad necromancer, the culprit behind this tragedy.

‘So far, everything is going according to plan.’

The location of the first massacre was in front of the clock tower.

And the victims were Max and his gang.

They would be brutally murdered after picking a fight with the suspicious-looking guy with the unpleasant face.

Max would be the first to die.

Me.

Even though I knew that, I deliberately came to the clock tower.

Because I needed to be in physical contact with Camian and Annette the moment Mesker turned the moon red.

And to do that, I had to witness the beginning.

‘But things will change from now on.’

I was here, but I had no intention of picking a fight.

And my gang didn’t exist.

They were probably training in the training hall.

Because they had changed too.

So how would things unfold here?

“Wait.”

I stopped Camian.

“What is it?”

“I have something to tell you, just give me five minutes…”

I couldn’t finish my sentence.

Because I saw it.

The mad necromancer bumping into a first-year female student.

Thud!

“Eek!”

The female student spilled her coffee.

Her uniform was stained with coffee.

It would have been just a minor incident.

But my expression turned serious.

Because I knew who he was.

“What the hell, man?”

A sturdy-looking male student, who seemed to be her boyfriend, frowned.

I realized.

This couple was destined to be the first to die this time.

Should I leave them alone?

If this was a game, I would have.

But I had already made up my mind.

To save as many lives as possible.

I drew my bow without hesitation.