episode_0157

“…You’ll have to die.”

At the combination of the benevolent tone and the murderous words that didn’t match, just as everyone was momentarily stunned.

I immediately launched a preemptive attack.

[Water Jet]

A powerful stream of water advanced instantly to cleave the Cardinal’s body.

However, the flying water reached the shield of light spread in front of the Cardinal.

Although it shattered the shield instantly with a clanging sound, the Cardinal had already dodged the Water Jet with swift movements.

‘…Did he already have a shield up from the start?’

It’s true that I can prevent anyone using the power of the Ariel faith from activating their Holy Magic.

But I cannot remove things that have already been created.

If foreign matter enters something being created, it will fail, but putting foreign matter into something already created won’t destroy it.

“…Wolf, handle the Apostle.”

Simultaneously with the Cardinal’s words, my expanded senses detected something falling from the sky.

But at my speed, I couldn’t even react and allowed the blow.

Kwaaang-

A powerful impact tore at my body, but the power of the robe given by my master completely nullified the first attack.

However, just because the attack was nullified doesn’t mean I wasn’t subdued.

Before I knew it, the werewolf was standing there, having completely subdued me.

The werewolf immediately raised its arm and brought down a claw filled with murderous intent to kill me.

I quickly used the staff’s protective ability to block it.

Jjaeng!!!

The slash created by the werewolf was blocked by the shield.

As expected of a staff given by the Crown Prince, its performance is outstanding.

Simultaneously, chap chap chap.

As cards started to be drawn.

『Combat Start. Draw 4 cards.』

『Energy 5/5』

『Joker Card – Draw 1 specified card additionally on the first turn.』

[Smite (1)] [Blink (0)] [Charge (1)] [Growth (2)] + [Rupture (4)]

Normally, I can sense killing intent, so why is it late this time?

My resentment towards the main deity was brief.

I quickly threw a card and got away.

[Blink]

Having escaped with a flash of light, I came out behind Jack and Luca, and the werewolf, with a fed-up expression, started running towards me.

The werewolf, as if completely ignoring the numerous explorers and knights around, started causing havoc inside with quick movements.

His goal was solely me.

Just by holding my gaze, the possibility of the Cardinal’s Holy Magic being dispelled would disappear entirely.

As expected.

Outside my field of vision, the Cardinal started weakening all the explorers using Holy Magic, specifically the Holy Magic of an apostate.

It’s easy to cancel something while it’s being cast, but it takes a long time to dispel something that has already been applied.

“We must kill the Cardinal…”

“Even so…!!”

Even though the Cardinal had completely turned into an enemy, they were still fighting, as if they couldn’t believe it, a truly chaotic situation.

But even so, they quickly identified the enemy and split into two groups, the werewolf and the Cardinal, and began their attack.

I also used a card to defeat the werewolf.

[Charge]

[Rupture]

As the enhanced [Rupture] activated, the mana rapidly exiting my body was sucked into the werewolf’s body, mixing its insides.

Cough-

As a mouthful of blood instantly gushed from the werewolf’s mouth, everyone around was startled and simultaneously unleashed attacks.

Although it dealt a considerable amount of damage for an enhanced 5-cost card.

The werewolf immediately healed its wounds and continued fighting.

“…It’s not easy.”

For now, I know from the series of events that its weakness is covering the full moon, but unfortunately, since I was ambushed, I couldn’t set a terrain manipulation card as the Joker card.

But even so, the werewolf was starting to be pushed back little by little by this large number of explorers.

The Cardinal is also just holding on from afar, only creating shields.

Gradually, the battlefield was shifting favorably towards us.

With so many 8th-floor explorers, of course, we have to win.

But despite that, the werewolf fights desperately inside.

Even if an arm is severed by a swordsman, or if its insides are burned by my magic.

It continuously attacks everything around it.

What’s most annoying is that it’s also, for now, ‘human’.

The recovery spell the Cardinal cast keeps healing it.

However, even after such a long time, both sides are still dragging on without significant damage.

We are the ones who are growing anxious.

Because we need to go help the knights quickly.

But things don’t always go as planned.

Enemies started to be added one after another to the previously balanced battlefield.

First, the Cardinal’s lackeys started to appear.

They blocked the path by surrounding it with shields, aiding the Cardinal.

“We need to get to the Commander…!!!”

It feels like I’m losing my mind with the werewolf causing chaos inside, but they are blocking the way to help Sir Kaiser, who is fighting the doppelganger.

We need to quickly join up because only by defeating the field boss will a way to escape be created.

The priests of the Ariel faith are blocking all of that.

“Uwaaaaaah!!!!”

Even when Karin ran forward with a sword imbued with aura, the shields of the Cardinal and the Ariel faith priests did not allow her to advance.

Moreover, that wasn’t the end.

Black mages started appearing one by one.

And it was clear what they had been doing so far.

As if boasting about their previous achievements, they brought the heads of the explorers they had killed.

One black mage even used a corpse to create a new monster.

“…Corpse Golem!!”

A dreadful monster created using human corpses as a medium.

Inside it, I found a familiar face.

The spirit user.

That explorer who hunted with us, ate with us, and interacted with us when the 8th floor was a swampy terrain.

Had now become a cold corpse, becoming nourishment for a monster.

“…David!!!”

“These bastards!!!”

Moreover, by the time you reach the 8th floor, the pool of explorers is smaller, so whether they had a good relationship or not, most of them knew each other.

The attitude of the black mages, as if they were openly teabagging.

Furthermore, they weren’t even attacking but maintaining distance, only blocking the path to Sir Kaiser.

Everyone’s emotions surged with frustration.

“…This isn’t good.”

The anger of all the explorers and knights was steadily rising.

But the more so, the stronger and faster the werewolf became.

Then little by little, very little by little.

“Karak!!!”

Casualties began to occur.

There’s no solution like this.

Based on the circumstances, it seems all other 8th-floor explorers are already dead, and the number of enemies is greater than expected.

If Sir Kaiser defeats the doppelganger and returns, will it be resolved?

That… is unlikely.

But then, the knight order’s guide with clairvoyance shouted.

“The Commander is returning!!!!”

As soon as he finished speaking, a knight wrapped in dark crimson aura was running fiercely from a distant sand dune.

However, perhaps the other knights who were with him were already dead, only he returned alone.

“Could it be that he defeated the doppelganger?!!”

Momentarily, a hopeful atmosphere returned to the knight order.

But I wasn’t.

“Karin, that’s probably…”

“Commander!!!”

Sir Kaiser, who rapidly leaped towards us.

But anyone could see a strong atmosphere of the priests and black mages intentionally letting Sir Kaiser pass.

But in the chaotic situation, as if unable to make a rational judgment, Karin hurriedly went out to meet Sir Kaiser.

Pwook-

Sir Kaiser, no, the doppelganger’s sword perfectly pierced Karin’s body.

“Noah. Can you open the passage those black mages are using?”

“…I’ve been preparing for a while. I can open it anytime.”

Now is no longer the time to hide whether I am an apostle of the evil god or the main deity.

I have to survive here somehow.

“Open it. And go all out.”

“Haa, I was already thinking it’s about time hiding would be meaningless anyway.”

Noah instantly started emitting dark mana.

Although the surrounding explorers who saw that sight appeared flustered.

Noah, not caring even 1 bit, immediately tore space and poured out countless monsters and avatars.

And all the monsters rushing towards this area stopped moving and bowed their heads.

Because one of the true masters of monsters had given a command.

“H-He’s a black mage?!!”

Although all eyes were fixed on Noah’s suddenly changed appearance, Noah had already entered ‘I don’t care’ mode and started relentlessly attacking the werewolf.

Then, as the werewolf retreated, the doppelganger rushed in.

Jjaeng!!!

As the doppelganger, resembling Sir Kaiser, swung a sword imbued with dark crimson aura, Noah’s avatar shattered instantly.

“…Damn it!! That’s ridiculous!!”

“Leave it to me!!!”

But then, Jack leaped out and blocked Sir Kaiser’s attack.

Ka-ang – The clear sound of a successful Just Guard was heard, and the doppelganger was pushed back significantly.

The performance of Just Guard, more ridiculous than expected.

Jack grinned and gave a thumbs-up.

His reddened eyes returned to normal.

“You’re ridiculous, aren’t you?”

“I can’t block the next attack.”

Perhaps it seems he can perfectly calculate the timing just once, related to those red eyes.

Anyway, what’s important right now is not that.

As Noah swung the avatar’s scythe and slashed the air, space was torn open, and a door leading to the labyrinth’s passage opened.

The explorers who saw that instinctively seemed a little hesitant and tried to move away.

“No time for explanations! Everyone escape into here!!!!!”

They might not be able to believe Noah, but they would be able to believe me, the Archmage’s disciple.

All the things I had built up until now became a single belief, and everyone quickly started evacuating into it.

But as if determined not to let us go, the priests and black mages, and even the doppelganger and the werewolf, rushed towards us.

A truly desperate situation.

The card I had been saving until now for this moment, I now reveal.

“Spit it out.”

When I commanded, the card-shaped spirit of memory in my arms spat out a card, and the card soon melted into the air.

[God’s Deputies]

Instantly, a powerful pillar of pure white light poured onto me, and God’s Deputies began to appear instantly. And among them was the Saintess.

The eyes of the explorers who saw that sight were focused on me, but they first fled inside as I told them.

……

God’s Deputies who began their activity even before I gave a command.

2 Paladins went to block the werewolf, and 2 Priests created shields, protecting them so they could escape safely.

And the Saintess.

“……They really pulled this stunt. They should have contacted me earlier.”

It was an expression that showed she knew something.

“What?”

“What do you mean? The Pope made a gamble on his life.”

There was no time to ask for details.

The doppelganger who broke through the shield and entered immediately.

The opponent of that doppelganger was the Saintess.

“Doesn’t seem like a knight… is it really a doppelganger? You found out a lot.”

The Saintess, punching the doppelganger relentlessly with fists imbued with light and moving away from the surroundings.

Since there was no need to worry about the Saintess’s safety, I also slowly turned my body towards the labyrinth passage.

While most had gone inside, having seen Karin, who had recovered after receiving treatment from a priest, also enter, I threw myself towards the passage last, together with Noah.

*

An entirely dark space.

A space where a dark expanse stretched on and on, like when Noah and I first met.

Inside it were the surviving explorers and knights.

“…Thank you.”

Karin, who seemed a little calmer, spoke as if resigned.

And….

“Just who are you guys…?”

“It’s not time to talk about that yet.”

Noah cut her off.

As she said, we hadn’t completely succeeded in escaping yet.

As Noah moved her hand, the black space shifted, and soon it became a long, long passage.

A passage whose end couldn’t be seen, feeling similar to an old aqueduct.

“Everyone follow me.”

Noah ran out first, and the rest followed behind.