episode_0152

Jung Yushin opened his eyes.

Sleeping while leaning against the wall in armor was a grueling task every time.

Maybe it was worse because he had a restless sleep due to many worries.

He rubbed his eyes and got up.

The party members were sitting around the extinguished bonfire.

“…”

No one opened their mouths. Yesterday, there was a small argument about whether to save Marie or not.

It had been like this ever since. He didn’t know if they were respecting the leader’s opinion or if they were dissatisfied.

He sat down in front of the bonfire, took jerky and biscuits out of his backpack, shoved them into his mouth, and drank water.

“Karin, how far have we completed the requests?”

“…There’s a little bit left of the bone fragment collection, and the magic stone request is over. I exchanged the food we had yesterday and got a lot of pretty good magic stones.”

I see.

Not bad.

“How far away is the transition stone from here?”

“It’s about a 5-hour walk.”

“Okay.”

The party members finished their meal, packed their bags, and went out into the hallway.

There was no conversation.

Only an awkward silence existed.

Karin seemed to know who Marie was, probably because she heard the story from Anne and Tarman. But she didn’t say anything else.

Delia seemed to have no idea what was going on, but she quickly shut her mouth, sensing the mood.

Barion was originally quiet.

The party continued on.

After walking down the hallway for about 2 hours, they sensed something was wrong.

A strong smell of blood came in through the helmet.

As they walked further, they saw the floor of the hallway stained with thick blood.

There were torn robe fragments and corpses scattered everywhere. Skeleton bones were also scattered on the floor, as if a battle had taken place.

“…”

Seeing the black robes, he felt a strange destiny. He had hoped not to encounter them so much, but they had come right up to him as if it were impossible.

He walked down the hallway as if possessed.

What will be in front of this?

It was a cruel thought, but he felt like he would be more at ease if he saw Marie’s corpse.

As he went a little further, he saw a few more corpses.

Humans, beastmen, dwarves, elves, various races were sprawled out. They were all wearing black robes.

“Delia.”

“Huh…?”

Delia flinched.

“What did you say the ‘Night of Death’ clan does?”

“I heard that they are a group that wants immortality. To be specific, they are people who gathered to revive the dead and overcome death.”

It was a more detailed explanation than what he had heard at first.

“I… I heard that they haven’t done any harm so far. This is true! Rumor has it that they are a group that quietly gathers and only does research.”

Jung Yushin opened his mouth and then closed it again.

One thought flashed through his mind.

Marie.

Could it be.

Does she want to revive Kaal?

He came to his senses and heard the news that his lover had died. How heartbroken must she have been to come all the way to this place without saying a word?

He understands. But at the same time, it was also a childish act.

“Barion, do you know why Marie came all the way here?”

Barion took out a pen and paper and scribbled.

‘I knew that she was sad after her lover Kaal died. But I didn’t know it would be to this extent either.’

Jung Yushin fiddled with the handle of his longsword.

‘I knew it.’

Was his prediction correct?

The smell of blood grew stronger.

What could it be?

He walked a little further and arrived in front of a wooden door.

“Ska.”

Karin looked at Jung Yushin.

He felt a strange sense of incongruity.

The world turns with cause and effect. Since all causal relationships cannot be grasped, it is called coincidence.

But.

The labyrinth is different.

It’s capricious.

Something new keeps appearing.

It’s malicious and experimental.

If someone isn’t involved, this kind of thing can’t happen.

He felt like the labyrinth wanted something from him.

Jung Yushin nodded.

If he left it alone, Barion would go by himself.

He looked like he couldn’t bear it, seeing him fidgeting.

“Let’s go. Let’s just rescue Marie and get out of here quickly.”

The party members’ faces brightened for a moment.

Delia bravely took the lead and Jung Yushin followed behind.

Bang!!!

He kicked down the wooden door and entered the room.

There were about 5 masked men wearing robes in the room.

Was his ominous prediction correct?

Marie and one other person were visible.

And there was a red orb in the center of the room.

The worst situation.

“Marie!!!”

Jung Yushin shouted.

Marie flinched, turned around, and looked at Jung Yushin.

“Ska…?”

Marie’s face was haggard. Dark circles were deeply etched under her eyes.

“Oh, dear.”

The person standing next to Marie took off his hood and revealed his face.

Jung Yushin’s eyes widened.

A man wearing glasses.

Diego Perez.

Wasn’t he a mid-level priest who was conducting classes at the temple orphanage when Mion was away for a while?

He thought he was a good person because he taught the classes meticulously.

The back of his head felt numb.

What on earth is this man doing here?

Diego’s head tilted to the side.

“Aren’t you Ska?”

“…”

“That reaction, I think it’s right. I almost didn’t recognize you because you were wearing a helmet, if it wasn’t for your voice.”

“What on earth are you doing here?”

Perez pushed up his glasses.

“Do you really not know even though you saw us with the Night of Death?”

“…”

“Barion was here too. Nice to see you.”

Diego smiled and waved his hand, then raised his finger and pointed to the red orb.

“Look at this red orb. Isn’t it beautiful?”

“…”

“The one who revives the dead and grants eternal life is asleep inside.”

“That’s a trap. It’s a passage to another world.”

Diego gave a rotten smile.

“Is that so? But it doesn’t matter. Wouldn’t it be better than the incompetent spirit gods? It’s a funny story that things that can’t even save one person properly are gods.”

Diego continued, spitting as he spoke.

“Ah. I have been dedicating myself for a really long time. For our god, our living hope. For the Great Earth Mother. But isn’t it funny? I’ve been believing in it with all my heart, but my younger sibling was killed by a damn mercenary group. While coming from the countryside to the labyrinth city to see me. Do you know what’s even more interesting?”

“…”

Jung Yushin remained silent.

Diego had a look on his face that he couldn’t bear without saying it.

“When I heard that news, it was around dawn, the time when I was reading scriptures and meditating.”

“Hey…”

“How ridiculous. Are you repaying my dedication like this? Such blasphemous, such bullshit…!”

Diego ground his teeth with bloodshot eyes, then became quiet again.

“Hoo. It’s not a big deal anymore. From the moment the first explorer brought the red shard, that person promised me eternal life and resurrection. I don’t need such ridiculous spirit gods anymore.”

Diego put his hand on Marie’s shoulder.

“Marie agreed too. Now get out of the way. Barbaroi. Don’t interfere.”

“Priest Diego, I’m not majoring in theology, so I don’t know much. But you definitely seem to have a mental illness. There can’t be such sweet offers in the labyrinth, right? Marie, come here. Anne and Tarman are waiting.”

Marie’s eyes shook violently for a moment.

“No. Marie is with me. Barbaroi, go your way.”

“This guy doesn’t listen.”

Jung Yushin grabbed the handle of the single-edged sword on his back.

Diego’s eyes were flickering with madness. He had crossed a river that he could never return from.

Persuasion impossible.

He approaches with Gale Sword in an instant and cuts off his neck.

The man next to Diego raised a torch and brought it to the red orb.

“Damn it!”

Jung Yushin drew his single-edged sword and rushed forward.

Clang!!!!!

“What…?”

The Gale Sword bounced off right in front of Diego.

Diego, surrounded by a transparent barrier, fiddled with his necklace and laughed.

“Priests who go in and out of the labyrinth have a lifeline each. And your rumors have already spread widely in the labyrinth city, so don’t you think you’re underestimating me too much?”

At that moment.

Flash!!!

The red orb reacted to the torch and emitted a tremendous light.

“Ska!!!”

The party members were running from behind.

The tremendous amount of light filled the room.

He reflexively closed his eyes.

And the feeling of floating.

He opened his eyes with the sensation of stepping on the floor.

“What is this…?”

He couldn’t help but gape at the bizarre sight that came into view.

Faintly burning stars and a vast universe stretched out above his head.

Looking around, the party members were also standing there blankly.

Did everyone come?

“Hahahahaha!!! Oh, Chaos who walks the stars!!! I have come!!! My younger sibling… uh…?”

Diego, who was laughing wildly, stopped talking and made a blank expression.

Sloppy flesh squirmed and rose from the floor, surrounding the people.

It was like being trapped in a cage made of flesh in the universe.

People rose from the flesh floor dotted with viscous fluids.

Humans, elves, dwarves, beastmen, and even unheard-of monsters. All of them were skinny and naked, chained.

They were struggling with terribly distorted faces, as if they were being tortured.

“Aaaaaah.”

“Ki… kill me.”

“Me… Mercy!!!”

Each of them was appealing for pain in a sorrowful voice.

Diego looked around and muttered.

“Oh, Chaos… what on earth is this…?”

Once again, a huge egg rose from the floor.

Should it be called an egg?

It was right to see it as a pulsating mass of flesh surrounded by a red, glistening membrane.

“What…?!”

Diego stared blankly at the egg.

The egg wriggled.

Bbooaaah!!!

Tentacles sprouted from the red egg.

Tear!!!

The egg tore open and dozens of eyes appeared.

A shape that blasphemes the creator with its mere existence.

An unholy being that should not exist in the mortal world has come here.

“Kikikikiki.”

The egg made a bizarre laugh.

Diego stammered and retreated.

“Ah…? What is this…?”

Not at all. It wasn’t such an evil voice. It had soothed his sadness with a gentle and soft voice.

One of the black-robed humans standing behind cried out.

“We’ve been tricked!!! It’s another guy!!! The Cleaner of the Abyss, Sweeper!!! We’re all doomed…!”

“Kikiki!!! Stupi. D fools.”

The giant egg monster called Sweeper shook its tentacles and laughed.

Diego turned around and tried to run away, but the tentacles quickly flew and grabbed Diego.

“Le… let go of this!!!”

Diego struggled.

The tentacles grabbed Diego’s arms and legs.

As the force gradually increased, Diego’s screams grew louder.

“Kkeuaaaaaaaaack!!!!!”

Tteojeojeok!!!

Diego’s body was torn in half, and blood and entrails poured out.

Pudeudeudeuk!!!

Marie, who was right next to him, opened her eyes wide and saw Diego’s death.

Jung Yushin raised his sword and ran.

The Cleaner of the Abyss and the sh*t, he didn’t care about any of that.

[Mind Protection]

[Light]

[Sacred Barrier]

Barion instantly chanted magic. He poured out sacred magic in succession, as if he would not leave behind even a single handful of magic power.

As a small light rose in the dark universe, the eyes of the egg-like creature frowned.

The tentacles aimed for Marie, who was closest.

Jung Yushin jumped in, hugged Marie, and rolled across the floor.

Whack!!! Whack!!! Whack!!!

The tentacles narrowly missed Jung Yushin, pierced the floor, and went away.

“Barion!!!”

Jung Yushin quickly turned around and ran to the party.

Dozens of tentacles flew after Jung Yushin’s back.

“Ska!!! Be careful!”

Delia held up her shield and took a stance.

Thud!!! Thud!!! Thud!!!

When the tentacles struck the shield, Delia was pushed back.

Jung Yushin put Marie down next to Barion.

“I’m… I’m sorry. I’m… really.”

“Let’s talk later. Barion, I’m counting on you.”

Barion nodded.

Jung Yushin raised his sword and took a stance.

He didn’t know what kind of monster that was, but he had to catch it and kill it to survive.

How should he deal with a monster he’s never even heard of?

He wracked his brain, but no answer came out.

Jung Yushin raised his sword high above his head.

“I’ll just have to f*cking kill it. All right, let’s do it! Come on in! You ball-tentacled bastard!!!”