episode_0010

Thump. Thump. Thump.

“Help me…”

The sound of knocking on the door echoed steadily inside the shelter.

The number of knocks on the door gradually increased.

Whenever the sound of knocking on the door was heard, a chilling sensation ran down the spine.

I stood at a crossroads.

Balancing conscience and survival, I had to weigh the options.

Since the beginning of the apocalypse, this had always been the dilemma presented to me.

If I had the luxury, I would choose morality and conscience.

But if I didn’t have the luxury, I would prioritize survival without hesitation.

“Don’t open it. Please, don’t open it.”

I pleaded with Erina. There was nothing good behind that door.

Opening the door would only lead to more suffering.

Opening the door would give me a reason to go outside.

And going outside meant killing people.

I would have to risk my life and fight against the necromancers.

I wanted attention, but not at the cost of my life.

I was content with being first in the half-assignment test.

“This peace was hard-won!”

I thought I could go a day without getting blood on my hands!

But things didn’t go as planned.

“Survivors.”

Erina was in a dilemma.

She weighed the new academy students and unknown individuals on a scale.

“They might be monsters pretending to be human.”

Erina’s subordinate interjected from the side.

He had tried to lower my score, but for now, he was supportive.

“Let’s open the door for now. Even if they are monsters, I can handle it with my strength.”

Erina made a decision.

To open the door.

She was the type overflowing with confidence.

I silently prayed in my heart.

“Bring about the end of the world.”

God slowly opened his mouth.

It was a sign that a seizure was about to happen.

“Do you really intend to open the door? If it’s an unbeatable monster, everyone here will lose their lives!”

“Trust me and open it.”

Erina drew the sword hanging from her waist.

She looked quite skilled now.

“Sigh, alright.”

Reluctantly, the pot-bellied man operated the mechanism.

Krrrrrrrrrr.

The door opened with a loud noise.

“Haha, see, it’s really open!”

“Kill them all!”

But the figures standing in front of the door were not survivors.

They were necromancers pretending to be survivors.

Fanatics who worshipped liches.

Madmen who loved corpses more than people rushed in through the door.

“I-I don’t know anything!”

The subordinate ran away. He seemed to have as little combat ability as his grand belly.

And it didn’t stop there. Other subordinates also fled without intending to engage in combat.

Erina faced the necromancers alone without hesitation.

The zombies they summoned writhed and approached.

“I might have to use my strength for this.”

I clenched and unclenched my fist.

I had promised not to take lives today, but the situation pushed me towards the path of murder.

And they were villains who enjoyed killing.

They didn’t feel guilty for killing.

“But for now, let’s see how things unfold.”

It was time to conserve energy.

If an unbeatable enemy appeared, I had to step up.

“And offer sacrifices to God.”

“Bring about the end of this world!”

The seizure I had been worried about finally happened.

I couldn’t guess the cause at all.

“God?”

But there was something I had to collaborate with God on.

I quietly called out to God.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Can you grant my request?”

“Haha, very well. That’s a clever idea. Let’s do it that way.”

God chuckled.

Seeing him pleased made me feel good, but I was troubled by the fact that it involved killing innocents.

“But who should I kill among them?”

I had made up my mind.

But I couldn’t decide who to kill.

“Who are the innocents?”

It was not clear who the chosen one was.

“It doesn’t have to be the chosen one. Let’s select those who have played a role in the impending destruction.”

It didn’t matter if they were the chosen one or not.

Anyone who had played a role in the face of destruction was welcome.

“I will help too.”

Marzita pulled out her spear and ran towards it.

Ice formed. The arm of the necromancer who was acting aggressively against Erina froze.

“Aaargh.”

She shattered the frozen arm.

Screams echoed inside the shelter.

The necromancer was incapacitated.

“Me too! Me too!”

Daphne also joined the fight.

Her sword swept around wildly.

Limbs of zombies flew around.

Many students, little by little, bravely joined the battle with the two of them.

“You are heroes!”

Erina was moved.

She had a look of emotion as if she would cry at any moment.

“…”

She looked silently at Freya.

“Why are you like this?”

“Marzita went to help, so why didn’t you, Freya?”

There was a saying, “Noblesse oblige.”

With great power comes great responsibility.

Marzita, being the daughter of the Duke, fulfilled her responsibilities.

But Freya did not.

She did not carry the direct responsibility of the Duke.

“I, I haven’t recovered from my injuries yet… I still lack the strength to join the battle.”

She seemed drained, but her tone was arrogant.

Her attempt to maintain her pride even in fear was pitiful.

“But why doesn’t Emil join the battle?”

“I am weak.”

She shrugged her shoulders. I knew my strength well.

Without a transcendent skill, I was nothing.

“And the enemies’ main force hasn’t entered yet.”

Kwoong.

The conversation ended. A loud noise came from the door.

When I turned my eyes, a strange monster that wasn’t there before stood in front of the door.

A knight in black full plate armor.

No flesh was visible.

A black aura swirled around the knight.

“A Death Knight… So, that’s how it is?”

Erina understood why she hadn’t left a mark in history.

In the original history, she died today.

“Everyone, retreat!”

Erina ordered the students.

The enemy that had appeared now was not something the students could handle.

“Ranslot… Did it end up like that?”

Erina sighed.

‘He was a classmate of Eris.’

Ranslot was one of the rookies highly regarded in the previous generation.

But he lost his life in an accident during a mission to subdue the lich.

‘Things never end easily.’

The Death Knight was created by the lich himself.

Its power was beyond my imagination.

“May I ask your name?”

It was time to use the prepared plan.

I cautiously approached the chubby man.

“I’m Eric. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, that’s a relief. It’s a name I remember. Are you a teacher?”

“Yes, but? Everyone here is a teacher at the academy. It was a class assignment, so of course I had to participate. That person over there used to be the captain of the knights and recently transferred to the academy. So, he doesn’t have a position yet.”

Teacher Eric. A teacher at the academy who had made a name for himself fighting against the impending destruction.

As the Pope’s disciple, he personally led the students and defended against the demon army.

There was a reason why he disliked Erina.

He had more experience and seniority than Erina.

He didn’t like being bossed around by someone who had spent less time at the academy.

‘There was an unexpected side to him.’

Despite his rough demeanor, he seemed to just have a strong sense of professionalism.

“I’m sorry. But I had no choice.”

Before starting the work, I offered an apology.

His death must be avenged.

“If you go to heaven, God will welcome you warmly.”

I used the Death Guide.

I touched Eric’s body. Foam was coming out of his mouth.

His body collapsed. But his gaze was fixed on Erina, so he didn’t see my actions.

“Teacher Eric! Snap out of it!”

I grabbed the falling body of Teacher Eric.

A bright light illuminated Teacher Eric and my body.

“Divine…”

“Is this a miracle?”

“A miracle has happened!”

“Teacher Eric used the self-sacrifice spell! He entrusted me with the aftermath and took his own life.”

I stood up calmly.

The light bestowed upon me by God enveloped my body.

The students stepped back.

The blinding light, almost blinding, evoked a sense of awe just by looking at it.

“Stay strong, Emil!”

Daphne cheered me on.

Yes, I won’t let Teacher Eric’s death be in vain.

I ran towards the Death Knight.

A zombie blocked my path.

I used the Death Guide to strike the zombie’s head.

The zombie turned to dust.

“Turn Undead! Does it activate without casting a spell?”

They understood without explanation.

‘It works.’

The Death Guide worked on the Undead as well.

That makes things easier.

I randomly swung my fist and approached the Death Knight.

“Step back! You’re not strong enough to face him!”

Erina shouted. I ignored her words.

I couldn’t back down after coming this far.

The Death Knight’s sword aimed at me.

‘I dodge.’

Luckily, I dodged the sword.

It was truly as if luck had touched the heavens.

I leaped towards the Death Knight.

‘I hit!’

My fist connected with the Death Knight’s body.

“Turn Undead!”

I shouted in delusion and used the Death Guide.

Thud.

The heavy body of the Death Knight collapsed.

“What in the world… Ah… I see… I was dead…”

The Death Knight uttered his last words as the light faded from his eyes.

“What’s going on…”

Erina touched the Death Knight’s body.

“He really died?”

“Look! The Death Knight is dead! We are alive!”

A thunderous cheer erupted.

I clapped along, feeling relieved.

“Let’s remember Teacher Eric’s sacrifice.”

I placed my hand on my chest.

Another hero had lost his life.

I genuinely mourned his death.

A solemn atmosphere settled in the shelter.

“I’ve never heard of a self-sacrifice spell. Did Teacher Eric really use it?”

Erina shattered the solemn atmosphere.

She has no tact. She should know when to agree if we had reached an understanding.

But Erina showed no sign of backing down.

“Didn’t you see it with your own eyes? If Teacher Eric hadn’t sacrificed himself, could a mere student like me have killed the Death Knight?”

“If that really exists, why did it have to be you… Ah, no. I’ll comfort the children.”

Erina suddenly stopped talking and walked away.

“Hahahaha. Very good. Very amusing!”

God laughed.

The laughter sounded more like a witch’s than a god’s.

“Lord, do you do the same when offering yourself to the Pope?”

“Of course. It’s so entertaining, why wouldn’t I use it on the Pope?”

A wicked scheme was brewing.

The conversation between God and the Apostle seemed more like that of a devil and his follower.

“Or is it wrong? It seems like God wants to purify this world and start over.”

Come to think of it, it wasn’t a wrong statement.

I sat down and took a deep breath.