Chapter 255

Chapter 255 - Temple of Sacrifice (3)

Not long after entering the monastery, traces of battle emerged continuously. They were destroyed bone fragments and corpses of corrupted lunatics.

"Count Morad prepared quite well too. WhAAether knights or soldiers, they came armed with morningstars, maces, and flails. Thanks to that, they dealt well with the skeletons."

It's Cassandra who had stolen glimpses of the engagements several times during stealth exploration. As expected of a great noble family of the west, they were solid in discipline and combat power compared to other armies.

"It must have been quite fun to watch?"

"Of course, My Lord. Is there anything as enjoyable as watching a fight?"

Skeletons, whose blade efficiency drops sharply despite being faster and stronger than wights, are vulnerable to blunt impact. The sight of them breaking apart by various blunt weapons was quite exciting to watch.

"The problem is that it wasn't just skeletons or lunatics. Look at that."

Cassandra pointed at the pedestals rising from the floor near the corridor. Marbas reacted immediately.

"There's no reason to consecutively lay out stone pedestals with nothing on them. Gargoyles must have come down, undoubtedly."

The knights and soldiers, severely lacking in silver weapons, found it difficult to pierce stone skin. It was possible to respond somehow only because they had many blunt weapons.

"Summoner Sir. Are you saying statues turned into monsters?"

Baran, ignorant in such matters, was amazed.

"That's right, young knight. It's not for nothing we use the expression 'come down' regarding gargoyles. The spiritual energy accumulated from receiving people's reverence for a long time gets occupied by pagans and corrupted."

Just like how religious symbols offered on altars of other gods become tasty tributes. Objects imbued with earnest hearts transform into something terrible the moment an evil god dominates.

"The corruption of pagans is like mold entering a fruit basket. It spreads to the surroundings in all sorts of forms and causes anomalous phenomena."

Marbas looked at Eugene.

"You can see it, Count?"

"Yes. It's definitely gargoyles."

Eugene sensed a limply swaying mystery growing like an umbilical cord from the center of the stone plate. The length of that invisible cord was about 1m. It was cut off halfway. As if a fetus bit it off itself and left.

"But aren't there a bit many statues? I think I know the reason the Morad family struggled."

Over 20 empty pedestals were already discovered.

Going further inside, destroyed gargoyle wreckage appeared. Around it, bloodstains spilled by someone along with steel bolts and broken shields were aplenty.

"Since the Morad family swept through it, as expected there's nothing much on the ground floor?"

"The real deal starts from the basement."

It's as the knights said. Eugene could feel magical energy creeping up from the basement.

* * *

Going down through the wide stairs, it became dark in an instant. The taste of the air changed and an unidentified pressure pressing down on the shoulders was felt.

"We will light up."

The Dwarves, naturally strong and following as both crossbowmen and porters, prepared new-type lanterns.

Marbas took out a bundle of cut hair from his pocket. Placing it on his palm and stroking it once, sparks flew and the hair burned.

'Is it a fire spirit?'

It was a weak elemental spirit just enough to burn hair.

"Those who remember this smell. Come hither. The flesh you tasted over 30 years is here."

Hwaak!

As Marbas chanted a spell, 3 will-o'-the-wisps appeared. Though small in size, it was a light source enough to brightly illuminate the surroundings.

"They are fire spirits?"

"That's right. Very convenient when light is needed in places like this."

"But the incantation is too ominous. By any chance, is that..."

At Eugene's question guessing something, Marbas smirked.

"The embers of hell that gnawed at me for a long time before meeting you. The spirits that dwelled in them. They are much more wicked guys than ordinary fire spirits."

The tribal knights moved far away from the light source with reluctant faces. Because they had watched the days Marbas suffered by his side. Only the innocent Henri tried to approach in wonder but was dragged away by Baran.

"Misfortune sometimes becomes an opportunity for achievement. Especially for those walking the path of magic. These wicked guys who gnawed at me seemed unable to forget the taste of flesh."

"The smell of burning hair has completely disappeared. It's not a scent that fades easily underground. Is it the tribute offered as a condition for the deal to these guys?"

Marbas nodded.

"They tasted meat steeped in a summoner's magic power for 30 years, wouldn't it be hard to cut it off in an instant? Fire spirits are very picky guys. It's not easy to work them like this with just mere hair."

"It's an opportunity I don't envy much. That's the price gained from suffering for 30 years."

"That's how hard it is to form a good contract with a spirit. Ah! Keep the lanterns lit."

Marbas stopped the Dwarves who were about to turn off the lanterns.

"A single spirit is brighter than all of our lanterns combined, is there a need to keep them on?"

"Magic is convenient but an existence not to be blindly trusted. Because it can hook! disappear for whatever reason. A big trouble would occur if we're suddenly surrounded by darkness in a basement like this, right?"

Getting insurance is always a good thing. The Dwarves were convinced and carried the lanterns.

"L-Lord."

"What is it?"

"Over there! Look over there!"

Then a tribal knight pointed a direction with his sword. The shape of a black face was sticking slightly out from the wall.

The face was distorted like a mask clumsily imitating a human. It's an expression molded purely out of malice. It was more unpleasant than the expression of a monster mixed with various primal emotions like appetite or anger.

"Wraiths!"

Goosebumps broke out on the subordinates' skin. The black face had no physical form, slowly moving sideways while penetrating the wall, and disappeared.

"There's one over there too!"

"Hiiik!"

Pitch-black ghosts also appeared from the opposite wall. Because they had no jaw, long tongues flowed down from deep within their throats and swayed left and right.

Tung!

As they hurriedly looked back, the knights' shields collided making a loud clanging sound. The subordinates' heads busily moved back and forth 180 degrees while checking out the wraiths.

"Everyone don't be bewitched! Those guys can perfectly never harm you!"

Marbas yelled hoarsely.

"But the wraiths..."

"The spiritual mass of those things is extremely minimal. All they can do is plunge you into fear and confusion. However, forget not. That even a frightening shadow cannot break a single egg."

When the intruders dealt with it haughtily, the black ghosts that went back and forth between the walls lunged out all at once.

One dashing across the floor on all fours like a spider.

One crawling on the ceiling.

One stretching its sharp both hands forward and flying in like an arrow.

Each approached with bizarrely twisted postures. Especially the wraith crawling on the ceiling was extremely terrifying because opposite to its flipped over body, its face was looking down in the absolute frontward direction.

However, this side were veterans who waded through all sorts of battlefields as well. The tribal knights threw silver daggers and the Dwarves fired loaded crossbows.

Pajik!

When a silver bolt pierced a pitch-black wraith, blue sparks flew. The guy distorted and was extinguished without being able to let out a single scream. The ones sticking to the ceiling and floor were hard to hit, but the party had Homi.

"Kauuuu!"

Her roar shot down all the ghosts rushing in from three dimensions. The guys wriggling like flipped spiders got hit by silver daggers and evaporated.

"This is what low spiritual mass means."

"Having no physical substance is a double-edged sword. It has the advantage of being able to pass through objects, but it's tantamount to wandering around with organs exposed without the protection of skin and muscles."

It was a type easy to plunge unprepared ones into confusion, but becoming vulnerable against prepared ones.

"Appropriate support."

Eugene swept Homi's back.

Homi, after becoming a Beast-warrior, grew taller and the shapes of her eyes and ears also changed. However, her entire body wasn't covered in fur like a werewolf.

The line leading down her abdomen and chest remained white bare skin, yet it didn't seem like a weak point. An aura of powerful protection emanated from the skin as a whole.

A wild yet undeniably elegant posture. Seen from afar, she would appear like a noble lady draped in a snow-white fur coat.

"No wonder the Morad family exploration team struggled. In a state of relying on tOrches, it would be maddening if guys like these scratch away at one's nerves."

"That's not all. How would it be if skeletons, gargoyles, or other monsters attack aiming for that fear and confusion?"

The subordinates deeply related to Eugene and Marbas' words.

"Geez, fighting medium-sized monsters is rather better."

The sight of wraiths lunging like a nightmare from the darkness and shadows. That made even warriors who lived sticking their noses into battlefields feel a fundamental terror.

As an opposite reaction, morale rather surged when facing enemies with physical substance.

"Corrupt evil! How dare you mock us imitating the appearance of noble ones!"

"It's useless trying to deceive us! Reveal your true colors!"

The knights shouted hoarsely at the stationary statues as if expecting an ambush.

Befitting gargoyles born from the statues of Lyra Monastery, they took the form of women. Old believers famous for good deeds or priestesses who performed miracles were the models.

A noble lady reading scripture.

A priestess sitting with a sick person on her lap.

A female believer breastfeeding a bony baby.

They unnaturally turned their heads and stared at Eugene's party.

Kkigigik.

Tuduk.

Realizing they had been found out, the gargoyles revealed their true colors. Their neat and beautiful faces distorted terribly, and sharp nails popped out from their fingers.

Eugene smashed the gargoyle lunging at the vanguard with his greatshield.

Kwang!

With countless stone fragments scattering, the gargoyle tumbled away.

"■■..."

The gargoyle, struggling to get up, had cracks running all over its body like spiderwebs.

Peoseok.

Particularly, the knee with severe cracks shattered and it collapsed face-down again.

The gargoyle glared at Eugene with eyes burning with hatred, then crawled on the ground using both arms. However, it was far slower than ghosts, and the knights wouldn't just watch either.

Shwiik!

Silver-plated whips darted out like mambas from both sides of Eugene who was holding the greatshield. The stone skin that withstood even morningstars burst into flames with sparks.

"■■■!"

A scream filled with pain echoed through the basement. Gargoyles enraged at their sisters' agony charged in, but could not surpass Eugene's greatshield.

Kwang!

Tukwang!

Peong!

At the vanguard of the party, Eugene smashed gargoyles at random. Even demonic beasts composed of stones, not one guy withstood a single blow.

Henri and Baran carrying spears finished off the sprawling gargoyles cracked here and there. The silver-plated spear blades pierced the stone skin that withstood maces and morningstars like tofu.

"Henri! Careful!"

Baran shouted.

The gargoyle Henri stabbed with a spear was the form of a woman breastfeeding a baby. However, the moment the spear pierced the chest, the baby statue sucking the breast flashed its eyes open.

Henri hastily retreated, but the baby statue biting down with blade-like teeth was one step faster.

"Damn it!"

Henri quickly lifted his wrist guard and blocked his neck.

Kagak!

While the baby statue's teeth and iron bar scraped producing an unpleasant sound, he drew a silver dagger and thrust it into the small body.

Chik!

As the silver reacted to the evil existence and evaporated, the baby gargoyle twisted its body as if in agony and abruptly went limp.

"Whew."

"Excellent handling. Your judgment is fast and there is no stiffness in your movements."

"Ah! Thank you!"

After patting Henri's shoulder, Eugene powerfully brought down the greatshield. The angel statue crawling with its lower half cut off and face melting to silver was smashed to pieces.

"Over there is the entrance to the 2nd basement floor. I couldn't enter further than this due to the gargoyles either."

The place Cassandra pointed out was emitting an even more wicked aura than the entrance of the 1st basement floor. Even those ignorant of magic had their instincts whispering not to enter there.

"Is everyone ready?"

However, before them was their Liege. A steel greatshield that would block all claws and teeth, and a silver-white AAAether Sword that would cleave all evil.

The sight of Eugene's back holding them one by one wiped away the subordinates' fear entirely.

* * *

What welcomed Eugene's party at the entrance of the 2nd floor was the corpse of a knight fallen covered in blood.

"It's a knight of the Morad family. It seems part of the exploration team that lost their way during combat on the 1st basement fled here."

Cassandra said.

Only the parts the knight's armor couldn't cover were thoroughly violated. Since there were dozens of traces of being stabbed by small bladed weapons like awls or daggers. They could soon find out the identity of the enemy who committed this cruel act.

Balbalbalbalbal.

"???"

"Did you hear just now?"

The tribal knights' long ears perked up. A sound like something tapping the floor rang out at extremely short intervals. That direction is unmistakably heading towards Eugene's party.

"It's the floor of the east passage!"

Seconds after Cassandra's warning. The light source the fire spirits made illuminated existences popping out from the darkness.

"Skeletons?!"

The undead possessing not a single piece of flesh had a decisive difference from the entities dealt with so far. Even the biggest guy was smaller than a Dwarf.

"Cursed pagans! To turn even children into such states!"

"Careful! They are crawlers!"

For the undead, their outer appearance often doesn't match their actual strength. Small skeletons born from children's corpses are perfect examples of it. Because they are the most dangerous existences among lower undead.

Ting!

All the bolts the Dwarves fired struck bare ground.

"Damn it!"

"Why is it so fast?"

It's not just fast in speed. Not only are they small, but running on four legs like dogs, the point of impact is low so it's impossible to hit them.

Kyaaa-!

Shiak-!

Though vocal cords should have all disappeared, the crawlers let out spiritual screams and charged fiercely.

When Eugene's party entered optimal attack range, they leaped simultaneously. In the hands pawing the ground until just now, they held awls and daggers.

"Watch your ankles! They will intensively aim for areas the armor can't cover!"

"Don't lose all your attention to the ones in front! That's what they want!"

Eugene and the knights smashed with shields to block the first wave, but the 2nd and 3rd waves crashed in immediately after.

Independent of the crawlers lunging from the front, many guys were sneaking around to the side. Dried blood is smeared on the daggers held in their hands. Undoubtedly belonging to the Morad family exploration team.

The problem was that there were so many and they were so nimble, it was impossible to respond one by one. In this era, close combat facing each other based on sturdy armor and shields is standard. This sort of dogfight was rare.

Fortunately, Marbas, counted as the most outstanding summoner, was accompanying this operation. He effectively pulled his weight in both support and combat aspects.

"Young flowers withered before blooming. Return now to seeds under my guide. The soil of the afterlife welcoming you warmly awaits."

Turn Undead cast by Marbas swept through the basement like a shockwave.

Hunududuk.

The young skeletons charging fiercely like mad dogs disassembled right there and poured onto the floor.

Gooo.

Eugene's subordinates saw small, white shapes ascending among the bones. And the faint sound of children crying. Fortunately, it wasn't cries filled with terror and pain.

- Baby. If you sleep here you'll catch a cold.

- Hiang.

It's a crying tone closer to throwing a tantrum at a mother's sweet waking touch.

"It would have been chaotic if trying to break through with ordinary soldiers."

"A hell would've unfolded stepping on and getting stuck among themselves."

The knights clicked their tongues looking at the numerous young skulls piled up everywhere.

This is the reason for forming a unit with a small elite fOrce when raiding this type of dungeon. Allied fOrces infected by terror are practically the same as enemies.

"Old man. Just speak whatever you wish to have when this operation finishes. I'll buy everything. Shall I make a staff out of gold?"

"Just the sentiment is enough."

"We are here too. Summoner Sir. When we are nearby, do not worry about drinking expenses."

"Hehehe."

There are few existences as reliable as a powerful summoner when fighting against wicked beings.

Soon Eugene's party found the entrance heading toward the 3rd floor. What wafted from there was the smell of rotting flesh and blood.

"It seems they do the work of turning corpses into skeletons by flaying flesh and skin down below."

Cassandra said.

Sniff sniff.

"It's not just corpses."

Homi, twitching her nose cutely, narrowed her eyes.

"I can feel the scent of the living. But that flesh smell tastes like sulfur. It's the smell I caught when purifying the Moving Castle in the past."

It seemed a demon lurked from the 3rd basement floor downwards.