episode_0170

The truly unbelievable story of the Empire suddenly falling.

Master, Guild Master, Knight Commanders of each nation, Clan Leaders of large clans, etc.

As if everyone’s brains had momentarily come out and then been reinserted, a considerable period of silence flows.

““……….””

In the silence whose end could not be known, the one with the right to speak first was naturally the Crown Prince.

With everyone looking at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince, with a pale expression, “Wh- what is that supposed to mean? The Empire has fallen…!!!!”

As if he had heard unbelievable news, the Crown Prince asks again, but.

The answer that returned was the same.

“Th- that can’t be true. Weren’t only at most two knight orders dispatched from the Empire!!!”

“A long time after the knight orders departed. A massive darkness rose centered around the capital!!”

The messenger immediately began explaining the situation.

The darkness that surged instantly.

And the countless monsters and black mages that appeared.

As if they had planned the invasion for a long time, moving swiftly, no contact came from the Imperial Family of the Empire, who were supposed to move everyone.

So the knight orders initially returned to the Imperial Palace, but.

The Imperial Palace was already burning by the black mages.

Furthermore, countless monsters erupted from the Imperial Palace and various parts of the Empire, beginning to destroy everything around them.

After evacuating the citizens and deciding to escape from the Empire according to the knight commander’s judgment.

They said they first sent himself, the fastest runner, here.

“The monsters began attacking various places, starting with the Empire’s capital, they said.”

“…What happened to my family? Are they all dead?”

“We don’t know the Emperor’s condition, but the First Princess is definitely dead, and the Second Princess is missing.”

From what was heard, the current Emperor of the Empire had 1 son and 2 daughters.

At the news that one of them was definitely dead, sorrow momentarily welled up in the Crown Prince’s eyes.

“I’ll go get some air for a moment.”

Everyone who was watching the Crown Prince’s retreating figure soon became certain that this was something that had actually happened.

In this place filled with veterans who had experienced countless things, they surprisingly quickly began discussing the next steps.

“So the reason the Pope declared a holy war was that he had joined hands with black mages and wanted to overturn the world.”

“Even so, does that make sense? The Ariel Church wouldn’t gain anything from that!!!”

“Putting aside the reason, the important thing is that such a thing has actually happened.”

“By the way, shouldn’t we return to the Empire then?”

“More important than that is driving out the Pope who is currently in the labyrinth city.”

“But there’s no way!!!!”

“And if we pull out troops to retake the Empire, the Church will immediately stab us in the back.”

It was truly adding insult to injury.

Starting from the terrorists of the black mages inside the labyrinth.

The Ariel Church’s declaration of a holy war and the attack on the labyrinth city.

These alone were absurd events that would overturn the continent.

Adding to that the news that the capital of the Empire, the hegemonic nation, had been taken by black mages.

“It seems the continent’s luck has run out.”

“Has the time come for the world to end.”

To the extent that such sad words were spoken.

“……. First, I think it’s best for everyone to compose themselves. I will also contact His Highness the Crown Prince, so let’s meet again after resting for about 1 to 2 hours.”

As the knight commander dispatched from the Empire made the decision on behalf of others, everyone immediately began leaving the tent.

I followed my master out last.

And then, to meet Noah, I separated from my master and headed towards a bonfire near the tent.

There were our party members, including Noah.

As soon as they saw me.

“I- Ivan! Did you hear?”

“The Empire’s capital has been taken by black mages….”

It seemed they already knew everything.

Could it be that we, who were having the meeting, were the last to hear this information?

“Do you think the Empire’s messenger was alone? As soon as he arrived, he spread the news everywhere, so how could they not know?”

“If it was such important information, he should have contacted us with a magic tool as soon as he entered the labyrinth city.”

“Perhaps they told him to deliver it directly to me.”

Turning my head at another voice I heard, I saw that the Crown Prince had approached.

The explorers sitting around the bonfire were startled and tried to get up, but the Crown Prince stopped them.

“It’s fine. This is not a time when such things are needed.”

The Crown Prince, who immediately looked at me and Noah.

“The wind is cool. Shall we walk for a bit?”

“…Yes.”

There was no reason to refuse.

The Crown Prince, I, and Noah.

And including the knight guarding the Crown Prince, a total of 4 of us walked slowly, feeling the night wind.

Because the buildings in Zone 0 were all burned and destroyed, it is now filled with buildings whose original forms cannot be seen.

The wind, untouched by any obstacles, coolly passes through our bodies.

Countless people watching us.

The news that Noah is the Apostle of the Evil God has already spread.

And in a situation where it is roughly known that I am also not an ordinary mage.

With the Crown Prince walking together, it is impossible not to be the center of attention.

Noah is free thanks to her past achievement of closing the labyrinth city’s portal and the evidence that she has completely defected to this side. But perhaps because she is associated with black mages and the Evil God.

Among the gazes watching us, a few hateful ones were mixed in.

Noah, who was looking up at the sky, trying hard to ignore those gazes.

She spoke first.

“The Evil God must have descended upon the Empire.”

“…I know. I also detected him and fled from the Empire myself. But….”

The Crown Prince also stares blankly at the sky.

“To think it would collapse so easily. If the troops hadn’t been dispatched here, perhaps we could have fought sufficiently.”

Naturally, the Empire’s troops who came to the labyrinth city were an enormous number, befitting the Empire’s name.

Conversely, it means there was a lack of that many troops.

But even so, the fact that the Empire was overrun so quickly is difficult to believe.

“Do you have any idea about the current situation?”

“Unfortunately, they haven’t told me anything.”

“You clearly said that the Evil God is trying to take over your body. Then let me ask once. Can the Evil God only descend upon this world through your body?”

“…Probably. But since I escaped, he must have used some other method. For example. By bringing the labyrinth into this world.”

“……Difficult.”

We talked about various things after that. But no answer came out.

In a battlefield where the fate of the world, where nothing could be certain, hung in the balance.

We returned to the tent again.

“Is it okay for me to come in?”

Just a moment ago, hadn’t Noah been kept separate for security reasons?

But the Crown Prince, with a tone that didn’t seem to care.

“The world is on the verge of destruction, what use are such things? Both of you, stand behind me.”

Noah and I immediately stood behind the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince began making contact with various places using numerous magic tools.

After sending countless messages for a long time, time passed, and it became meeting time again, and people began entering the tent one by one.

Some of them glared sharply at Noah, but no one specifically said anything.

“…Let’s begin.”

“Your Highness!! You must lead all the troops and return to the Empire immediately!!!”

The knight commander proactively spoke as soon as it began.

The Crown Prince speaks quickly, as if he had expected it.

“What will happen if we return immediately?”

“That is….”

“What has happened in the Empire might be an entity that is impossible to deal with even with the remaining strength of the Empire.”

“But….”

“Am I not alive? The Empire can somehow be rebuilt. But if the world is destroyed, what use will the Empire be?”

Everyone was surprised by the Crown Prince’s words, which essentially meant abandoning the Empire.

In fact, I also thought it would be a natural judgment even if the Crown Prince immediately rushed to the Empire.

“What’s important now is for the continent to prepare to face the Evil God. Let’s talk while looking at the map.”

The Crown Prince immediately points to the map of the continent spread out on the table with a long stick.

As expected of the hegemonic Empire, the Empire was located in the center of the map.

However, objectively speaking, the Empire’s location was in the west of the continent.

The labyrinth city’s location was in the center of the continent, quite far from the Empire.

“As you know, the labyrinth city is a fortress to block the monsters appearing from the labyrinth, and at the same time, as a neutral territory, it built high walls so as not to be defeated by any nation.”

There are no cities larger than the labyrinth city on the continent at all.

Even the Empire’s capital. It is smaller than just two zones of the labyrinth city.

Such a place is entirely surrounded by high walls, and resources can be produced internally.

The phrase “natural fortress” truly suits it well.

“If this place is breached, everywhere on the continent is finished. All nations must join forces centered around the labyrinth city. We evacuate all citizens between the labyrinth city and the Empire, and meet the enemies here.”

The Crown Prince drawing lines on the map and everyone concentrating on his words.

Soon, countless opinions begin to emerge.

“Then if we collapse this canyon, we can slow down the enemy advance.”

“If we cut this bridge….”

“If we do this to this place….”

Immediately, the inside of the tent became a meeting time for the knight commanders.

The Crown Prince, seeing that.

“You all are more skilled in war and fighting than I am. I will leave the rest to you.”

“Then Your Highness…?”

“Since we must face the Evil God centered around the labyrinth city. Naturally, we must retake Zone 1….”

Around the time such conversations were happening.

Suddenly.

Ding!!

[Killing intent detected. Drawing 4 cards.]

[Joker Card – Draw 1 designated card additionally on the first turn.]

The 5 cards that were somehow drawn.

As Noah and my master’s expressions turned grim upon seeing them, those with good intuition began to sense something.

But the one who moves first is always me first.

I immediately materialize the holy sword in ring form and simultaneously use a card.

[Purgatory]

A single black dot marked above us.

Simultaneously, something begins to enter, piercing the tent ceiling.

While a giant sword of light falls, tearing through everything.

Countless paladins were falling around that sword simultaneously.

Purgatory momentarily stops the movement of the giant sword of light, and my master’s massive fire magic destroys the sword of light.

“Is it the Pope’s personal guard…!!!”

Here, there are also just ordinary high-ranking officials, but most are knights capable of combat.

They try to meet the paladins with swords wrapped in aura, but.

“……?!!!”

An unknown sacred magic that had already been activated begins to envelop our surroundings.

A giant square pillar-shaped barrier.

A sacred magic, as if containing the intention to isolate us, is activated.

“If we had known beforehand…!!”

We could have dispelled it, but unfortunately, something that has already been activated is not easy to dispel.

Immediately, the Pope’s personal guard spread out in all directions and began attacking everyone.

And simultaneously, spirits appeared rampantly from the sky and began attacking everywhere.

“……They were quiet for a while.”

“Were they waiting for us to gather?”

“Master of the Magic Tower!! Didn’t you install a hindering magic?”

“……They tore through it with that giant sword and entered.”

Putting aside being overwhelmed by their numbers, we must quickly deal with the situation first.

“Break it!!!!”

Even before the Crown Prince could speak, the knights began breaking the sacred magic that had isolated us, using swords wrapped in aura.

However, even though people renowned throughout the world had gathered, they could not inflict a single scratch on the barrier.

…More accurately, the swords didn’t even reach it in the first place.

“It comes out on the opposite side?!!”

“What in the world is this?”

These are not barriers.

As if space is isolated, attacks that went in from the west fly towards us from the east.

A knight who ran north appears from the south and joins us.

It is truly peculiar magic.

“Don’t use power recklessly!! We could end up taking our own lives!!”

“Space magic to go outside is not activating.”

My master, who failed at space magic, immediately tried to figure out the magic that had trapped us, but.

Unfortunately, sacred magic and ordinary magic are different.

He seemed unable to easily find a way.

Of course, there were several paladins from the Church here as well. They were the same.

As if they had never seen such sacred magic, they were in a state of confusion.

But I.

Felt like I understood.

Even though it seemed like the first time seeing it. The feeling of all the magic circuits being drawn in my head.

“……I can dispel it.”

I immediately plunged the materialized holy sword into the ground.

Only then do I feel it.

If I pour even greater divine power into this circuit and overload it, this will be broken.

“P- Paladins. Give me divine power.”

“Understood!!”

All the paladins who were here attached themselves to me.

And then immediately poured divine power into the holy sword.

With a flash of light, a slight crack began to appear in the wall.

“Oh, oh, if it’s like this…!!”

But it’s not enough.

As if this top-grade sacred magic was nowhere near enough with this number of people.

They all fall away, unable to even fill half.

Paladins collapsing in droves.

Only after seeing that sight did everyone’s expressions begin to sour, realizing that the situation was not so good.

“Haa haa…. If only I had a little time.”

Fortunately, after obtaining the holy sword, the regeneration of mana and divine power in my body has become very fast.

But even so, it takes too long to fill it alone.

Now is a situation where every second is precious.

Is there nothing that can reverse this situation?

In the worsening situation.

Just then, only the voices of numerous knights echoed.

I heard the footsteps of someone walking from afar.

Walking step by step with feet imbued with divine power. As if walking on water, waves spread and reach my body.

Someone slowly approaching towards me, where I had immediately turned my head.

As if it didn’t matter even if the spirits were destroying everything around and the explorers were fighting. Someone who approached.

Naturally, everyone’s gaze also began to turn in that direction.

Someone wearing a deeply pulled hood immediately took off the hood, revealing their face.

“Apostle-nim, were you perhaps waiting for me?”

As if having suffered greatly, dark circles descended to the nose.

Hair tangled and matted as if unable to wash properly.

Even the two eyes with veins visible on the pale face.

The Saintess of the current era.

No, the excommunicated Saintess appeared proudly before us.