NOVEL NEXT – Thud thud thud…
The long-closed door creaked open, producing a sound as heavy as its weight.
The stone door slowly opened, dragging along the floor and allowing a tempestuous wind to spill out.
“Wait, everyone step back!”
Sister Aege suddenly darted forward from the back.
The adventurers and knights quickly cleared a path for her, and not without reason.
The wind was infused with a dense and overwhelming magic.
Even those without a shred of divine power felt a shiver run down their spine, as if they might crumple under the pressure of such intense magic.
A radiant light burst forth from the rosary that Sister Aege held delicately in both hands.
That light blazed in brilliant golden hues, expanding into a large dome that enveloped all the adventurers and knights alike.
“Priest Vigrind.”
“Yes, Priest.”
Priest Vigrind stepped forward a moment after Aege, gripping his rosary just as tightly.
However, his tightly shut lips and the slight trembling of the rosary revealed he was understandably terrified.
“It seems the priest must stand in front. If there’s this much magic already, it’s undoubtedly a demon. Those without divine power will have a hard time withstanding it.”
Sister Aege no longer treated Vigrind dismissively.
Considering the gravity of the situation, she thought it right to treat him as a fellow priest, not a subordinate.
Priest Vigrind barely managed to nod in response.
What in the world had brought them here?
How his heart had raced at Bishop Poby’s words that if they could purify this demon, he could surely become a saint.
The term “saint” had bolstered his wavering heart against the word “demon.”
“It’s definitely a demon, right?”
“Yes, without a doubt. With this much magic, it’s certainly a demon.”
Holding the rosary, Sister Aege replied directly to Rude’s question, staring ahead.
At that moment, Rude, who had finally grasped his spear properly, inhaled sharply and stepped forward in front of Alex.
“Well then, it looks like I should be the one leading now. Capturing demons is traditionally the job of the hero and saint.”
Priest Vigrind nodded and took a step back beside Rude.
Then, realizing someone was already there, he turned around and frowned deeply.
“What, what’s going on? Why are you pulling me?”
Yona was there.
“I told you. Capturing demons is the job of the hero and saint. The hero is here, so you, the saint, should stand by my side.”
“Who… who said I was a saint? I said I’m just a healer! Besides, a healer isn’t a priest by any means!”
“If I say so, then that’s how it is. Why are you being such a brat about it? How cute.”
“Well, that’s just great. Why are you being so clingy? It’s cute.”
Rude smiled faintly, but Yona was at a loss for words.
Yona yelled at Priest Vigrind, who was next to her with a haughty expression.
“What are you staring at like an idiot? Hurry up and stand next to me!”
Yona forcefully pushed Rude’s hand away.
Then she turned back to Alex, who was behind Rude.
“I’ll do my duties as a healer, so you two figure it out.”
Rude didn’t say anything more to her.
And he didn’t even glance at Vigrind.
Hoo, huff…
Alex took a faint but rough breath.
The steel shield he was holding felt like it was becoming heavier than a mountain.
With every step, the shield felt like it was adding weight, which wasn’t a pleasant sensation, so Alex was gasping for air.
Suddenly, someone placed a hand on Alex’s head.
“Hey, bald guy. Don’t be a coward. I told you I’ll protect you. Just don’t die. Think only about surviving.”
“I’m not scared, you damn witch.”
The stairs danced and swayed under the flickering torchlight.
The long shadows cast by that light enveloped the adventurers and knights, mixing with those coming down the stairs and creating a bizarre atmosphere.
The walls, covered in black moss and all kinds of filth, looked utterly uninviting.
Having already descended quite a bit, they still didn’t know how much further they needed to go, nor did the end seem in sight.
Both adventurers and knights were at a loss for words.
Even though Sister Aege’s holy shield was offsetting the magic pressing down on them, it was more the atmosphere of the place that silenced them.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Alex, I’ll protect you.”
“I’ll protect you too.”
“Wow, saying such touching things.”
Yona patted Alex’s bald head.
Sometimes, he’s cute.
“Wait, stop right there.”
At Rude’s words, Aege stopped in her tracks.
Vigrind, walking next to Rude, also halted, and the adventurers and knights led by Alex and Yona all stopped.
“Isn’t this a bit strange?”
“What’s strange? Just say it out loud.”
Adventurers are usually in a hurry in battle, so Yona interjected, urging Rude.
If something’s off, just say it and let’s fix it! There’s no time to waste!
“We’ve been going down these stairs for quite a while now. Yet the stairs just keep going. Doesn’t that make you think this might be an illusion?”
“Hmm.”
Aege fell into thought for a moment.
Sister Aege fell into a moment of contemplation.
It’s not uncommon for the lower levels of dungeons to have long staircases leading down.
Even during her adventuring days, she encountered dungeons like that.
So, if you think it’s not strange, then it’s not; but if you think it’s strange, well, that’s strange too.
“Use the Eye of Pasa.”
“…The Eye of Pasa, you say?”
Aege squinted at Rude.
Not many know of the Eye of Pasa.
After all, the Eye of Pasa is meant to clear away falsehood and reveal the truth, so it’s fitting for this situation, but only the highest-ranking priests can use it.
How does this guy know about it?
“The Divine told me to use the Eye of Pasa.”
Could he really be a hero?
Aege decided to stop thinking about it.
For now, it made sense to focus on what was in front of her.
The Eye of Pasa, which she hadn’t reached yet, could only be used by Aege among those present.
Since she was already at the front, there was no need to hesitate, so Aege summoned Vigrind.
“Let Priest Vigrind deploy the Divine Barrier.”
“Understood.”
A golden light burst forth from Vigrind’s rosary, and the barrier Aege had cast weakened.
The Divine Barrier now set up was definitely less radiant than Aege’s, but it would still do the job of blocking any magical interference.
Confirming this, Aege gripped the rosary and quietly recited her prayer.
Behind her, white eyes appeared and then gradually faded away.
“Uh, uh…?”
“W-What is that?!”
“Hey, what the heck is that?!”
In an instant, shock and panic, fear and terror spread like wildfire.
Despite walking down the staircase, the place they stood had transformed into an expansive coliseum-like arena.
And in the center of that arena stood a gigantic coffin.
It was so massive that one couldn’t help but wonder how it had been made, standing upright rather than lying down.
This coffin towered at least twice the height of the goat-headed monsters they had faced before.
Surrounding it were thick, heavy iron chains, shattered and scattered about.
“Hey, Yona. What’s going on here?”
Alex turned to Yona.
Yona’s complexion wasn’t great either, but she forced a smile, trying to lift the corners of her mouth.
“Hey, you bald idiot. Can’t you tell? The stairs were just an illusion…”
“Truly sharp as a tack.”
He said that to Alex, but the response came from Rude.
Yona shot Rude a disgruntled glare.
I looked up.
“The stairs were just an illusion. An endless descent into nothingness. Even if we tried to climb back up, we would have to climb forever, until we collapsed and died on those stairs.”
“…I knew that too.”
“So that coffin… is it a demon?”
Alex asked Yona again.
Honestly, Yona didn’t actually know either.
She had never seen a demon.
“Maybe it is. The coffin itself isn’t the demon, but…”
And that answer came right back from Rude.
As soon as he spoke, the coffin began shaking with a loud rumble, like it was waiting for something.
The chains had long been unhinged, and now the demon, sensing the invaders, was preparing to show itself.
“What’s inside must be the demon.”
Rude seemed unfazed.
Everyone was looking at the coffin, their faces pale as they watched it tremble.
“Saint, come here.”
Rude pulled Yona by the wrist.
Yona, staring blankly at the coffin, was yanked towards Rude, but she quickly snapped back, pushing his hand away in annoyance.
“I told you I’m not a saint! I have a partner, so you take care of your own partner!”
“Oh come on, being near a hero is the safest place to be.”
Yona glanced at Alex.
Alex was silently mouthing for her to go to the hero, but Yona pretended not to see it.
“A partner who abandons their teammate can’t really call themselves an adventurer. This is my spot, so mind your own business.”
In the meantime, the coffin lid started to move.
It didn’t slide sideways—
“Uh, uh-oh… it’s coming!”
With a scream, the adventurers and knights began to scatter.
The stone lid of the coffin toppled forward, crushing a couple of adventurers who hadn’t managed to escape.
Adventurers, silenced, disappeared beneath the coffin lid.
Their forms vanished without a trace.
Thick, dark blood gushed out from under the coffin lid.
– Graaaaaah!!!!
Letting out a cry that was more a wail than anything, the demon emerged from within the coffin.
It had a humanoid shape, but it was far from human.
The armored knight looked sturdy but had no head.
The helmet that should have belonged to him was tucked under his arm, and he stood there, revealing a gigantic, absurdly large sword that looked almost comically small for a greatsword.
“Ah, it’s a demon…”
A thick sigh escaped someone’s lips.