studiobondurri Chapter 518 - All Went to Shit
Chapter 518 - All Went to Shit
Tower of Remorse.
Summarizing the current situation, it was chaos.
Tanael only spent 34 minutes on the hidden prisoner floor, but the situation had changed considerably.
***
Fifth Floor - Forest of Punishment
Freya, who had been tricked by Tanael to guard an unrelated place, tried to chase after Tanael. However, along the way she crossed paths with Whiskey Dog and the rest of the Warbringers battle maniac.
This particular cultist had been massacring the prisoners who had been turned to trees and prison guards alike. By doing so, his power had grown significantly. He and the rest of his cohort seemed to be transforming into bloody demon were-dogs.
Freya couldn't let them continue their evil mechanism and engaged. With the rate they were growing, they might become Level 5s at this rate. She had to stop them. The rest of her Silver Legion teammates caught up and provided support. The battle was very intense from the get-go.
***
Also on the Fifth Floor, Izabella and the other Blood Church cultists were making an idol of their deity. They created a massive magic circle, 666 meters in radius. They basked in the red light from the statue, undergoing enlightenment and blood purification.
Naturally, the tree people were the sacrifices of whatever they were doing. The effect on Izabella was the most pronounced since she passed the Blood Seraph Arte. A pair of bloody angel wings manifested on her back as she delved deeper into the enlightenment.
Suddenly, Restil, one of the three people that Izabella turned into vampires, stabbed her in the back.
Alan and Helene were also suppressed by the other cultists loyal to Restil.
“No hard feelings, darling,” Restil whispered at Izabella while twisting the knife. “As long as you’re alive, you’ll always smother me with your shadow. So die, for my sake.”
***
Still on the fifth, Norgard of the Death Society had created a funeral arrangement. While they were doing the necessary funerary rites, a great amount of necrotic energy was sucked into the three coffins at the center of the ceremony.
The prison guards tried to stop them but they were foiled by the undead creatures the cultists raised.
Piles of black crystals turned to dust and pale, otherworldly fire lit up the braziers, as Norgard chanted a long spell from a book made of human skin.
Until one of the three coffin’s lid opened from the inside and a skeleton arose.
“We congratulate Lord Merciless’ awakening!” The cultists knelt as one.
“Good, good...” The corpse looked at its skeletal hand with two floating green fires in its eyesockets. Despite the fragile form, the undead emitted a very intense necrotic aura and dread.
“Honorless and Faithless slumber still. I also need more energy to recover. Continue your offering.”
“As you will!”
In the past, these three people had been slain. However, as liches, death wasn't permanent as long as their phylactery was intact. However, rebuilding their body and awakening their consciousness was no simple thing.
Now, one of the Death Society Elders had awakened from their death-like sleep, and another two would soon follow. At their peak, they were Level 5 peak Pathseekers!
***
Tower of Remorse Fourth Floor - Thunder Bath.
Myers, the Warden of Holy Prison, chief decision maker of the Tower of Remorse and its most powerful guardian, was fighting an almost-immortal Infernal demon. Through grit and perseverance, the warden finally managed to seal the demon with minimal damage to the prison as a whole. A laudable feat, considering both wield the power of Level 5. To keep the fight contained, he pushed himself.
In the wake of his victory, the warden was ambushed.
The assailant was the Bone Ravens assassins. Their stealth was second to none. In the blink of an eye, the warden was stabbed with eight Knives of Thought Severing.
Myers' senses were attacked by incredible pain and true to their names, the evil artifacts wreaked havoc on his mind. A lesser Level 5 would have become a human vegetable with a single knife as their mind was exterminated but Myers managed to retain his mind after eight, but it was horribly injured.
Already weakened and now cognition impaired, Myers was unable to properly utilize even a tenth of his powers. Meanwhile, the Bone Ravens were unrelenting in their attempt to kill him.
The prisoners of the Thunder Bath floor usually were in deep prayer in the waking moment, making the entire floor resemble a religious site. However, when they saw the fight, how the Ravens continuously put the warden on the back foot and shed his blood, they were clamoring their repressed heart out. It was the same fervor ancient Romans had when watching the gladiatorial fight.
The assassins were clearly prepared for this. The arden was in such a precarious state that vice-warden Kenneth, had to leave the command room and went to his aid along with a squad of Riot Force prison guards.
The warden was rescued but the vice-warden was heavily injured. Also, the leader of the Ravens, Prince Vadym, ate the warden’s shadow.
***
“Khugh... kugh... what’s... the remaining situation?”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Vice-warden, you must rest. Please, sir.”
“How can I rest... urgh... during the most crucial time in the entire history of the Tower? Just give me the damn report already.”
After saving the warden, Kenneth sent his superior upstairs to get medical treatment while he went back down to the control room. He got some first aid but his injuries were too severe and needed proper care. Despite that, Kenneth saw to duty first.
Myers would also do the same but his injuries were even more severe. He wasn't able to protest because he had lost consciousness.
The subordinate couldn't defy the vice-warden and gave him the report about the various cult activities.
“...And that’s all we know. After the attack, the Bone Ravens slunk back into the shadows and we lost track of them.”
Kenneth gnashed his teeth. “We need to find them. They are too dangerous at large.”
“Sir... we don't have the manpower to do a sweep. Even if we find them, there is no force left able to clash with them. We have used absolutely everything at our disposal to contain the cultist that acts in the open.”
Kenneth felt his heart sink. He knew it was the truth of the situation. How could the great bastion of justice be reduced to this? The weight of responsibility and sin almost crushed him but he persevered.
Not for himself but the countless innocents.
“...Perhaps,” a prison guard demurely said. “We can ask for aid from one of the Level 5s fighting outside?”
“Definitely not!” Kenneth said immediately. “They are fighting their own battle against superior forces. If the defense line is breached, the whole tower is lost. We can't!”
“But, sir, at this rate. Even we-”
“No excuses! We’ll do our duty. We must and we will! What about the Black Ice Apostates and the Wicked Tempters? Have we found any trace of them?”
“Unfortunately, no-”
“Temperature drop detected!” Another surveillance officer said.
“Where!?” Kenneth demanded. It was well known the Apostates were normally using ice.
“T-the Realm Core hidden room, sir!” The guy looked horrified. “The demonic signal is off the chart! Spatial breach detected! T-they are opening a Hellgate using the energy of the Realm Core!”
A Greater Breach!
Kenneth’s face turned ashen. If the Tower’s Realm Core was sourced to open a Hellgate, it wouldn't be a small temporary tunnel that was easily closed. Worst case scenario, it would be a Greater Breach category, a big, stable pathway for the denizens of Hell to enter this world.
At present, there was only a single Greater Breach in the entire continent, a product of a Hellwar thousands of years ago. The Estellian Church regarded it as their greatest failure. Even now, the breach still functioned and the Silver Legion constantly kept the area secured.
It was only possible because the Breach was located in the Savage West. If a Greater Breach was created in the Human Dominion, the complications and the potential loss of life were too fearsome to think about!
When it rains, it pours.
“Vice-warden, we’ve got a report from the guards on the Second Floor.” A surveillance officer looked like she had just heard the death of her parents. “The Wicked Tempters are there and are creating a new Demon King.”
The HQ fell into silence. A drop of a pin would be heard clearly. Now a Demon King? Every Demon King in the past was a continental threat! Kenneth flopped weakly on his seat. The threat was too great and the battlefield was too wide. They couldn't even contain the fifth, let alone the other floors.
“Sir, good news! Legionnaire Freya managed to defeat the Warbringers! The remnants are retreating. She’s asking where she and her team are needed the most.”
“Is that true!? Double check!”
“It is! I’ve confirmed it.”
“Phew. General Gregory’s disciple really pulled through for us.”
“She also took care of the Gardeners of Perfection early. If those plague-spreaders are loose, who knows what kind of outbreak we’ll be dealing with right now.”
“Dispatch her to stop the Greater Breach! No matter what, we must allow a bridge to Hell to be built!” Kenneth commanded.
“Update on the Blood Church! They seem to be killing each other!”
“A fell out at this time?”
“Well, evil turns on evil all the time. This is a godsend for us.”
Kenneth had to agree with his officers. He didn't allow himself to be complacent and strategized the next move.
“Kenneth.”
“Warden Myers! You’re awake?” Kenneth didn't expect to hear communication from the Warden.
“Yes. My injuries have also been healed. I’ve been informed of the situation. I’ll deal with the second floor and prevent the birth of a new Demon King. I leave the situation down there to you.”
“Yes, sir. Godspeed to you, Warden. The assassins are still at large. They might target you again. Be careful.”
“Mmm, I will. Good job in my absence, Kenneth.”
The line was no longer connected but the Warden’s last words touched Kenneth to the core. For a man he respected so much praised his efforts... It was an honor.
“Things are looking up.”
“The Goddess has not abandoned us. Praise the Radiant Lady.”
“The biggest threat right now is the Death Society. The second lich has awakened.”
It was a grave threat but ultimately fell short compared to the Demon King or the Greater Breach. Kenneth ruminated whether he should send reinforcements to Freya and Warden Myers or interrupt the death ritual.
“Hm? Sir, there’s a group of people coming here. Prisoners, from the looks of it.”
“Hm? Put it on the screen.”
When Kenneth saw the figures, he jumped to his feet.
Ebon Ranger Yunis!
Sorrow Painter Gosden!
False Demon Raha'ak!
Mountainbreaker Guador!
Beria Teslin the Electric Tower!
Fallen Knight Jordan!
His officers might not know them for the lack of clearance but Kenneth did. Why were the Z-Class prisoners loose? Why are they coming here? He didn't even receive a report about Bleeding Hearts being compromised.
And they were led by someone. A man in dark armor from head to toe, who walked with imperial arrogance, as if the world belonged beneath his feet.
The HQ was another hidden pocket on the Fifth Floor. Normally, it was invisible. How could they know? But the fact was they were coming straight here.
“Activate the barrier.”
“Barrier activated.”
BOOOOM!
“Barrier down!”
“What!!? How can it be taken down so quickly?”
“I-I have no idea. The readings are messed up!”
There was a second explosion. This time, it was the sound of a human charging into the room with great speed. When the dust had settled, Kenneth saw the black figure standing at the entrance of the command room. The mysterious man was not a Level 5 but Kenneth felt a pressure comparable to Myers', or perhaps greater.
If he, the Level 4 peak vice-warden, was like this, it would be even worse for his subordinates. They were not fighters and their Levels were not high. They were office workers, not people with ample fighting experience.
“I am surrounded by fear. And dead men.”
The man ignited a red laser sword. The sound of its ignition felt like it was tearing through Kenneth’s very soul.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bzWSJG93P8