Chapter 214: Holy Sword (3)

“Karundal, shall we head back now?” Kai asked, after briefly checking the state of the dwarven clan.

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Karundal, who had also been checking on his people, nodded. “Yes, please. I want to leave this dreadful place as soon as possible.”

“

Haha

, you must have suffered greatly being trapped here.”

“I wouldn’t say I suffered much. The time spent trapped was actually peaceful, but during the work hours...” Karundal trailed off, cutting his sentence short.

Hm?

Kai didn’t miss the change in his expression. It was a face reluctant or afraid to speak further. People in such a state tended to withdraw even more if pressed too hard.

It’s better to empathize and let him open up on his own.

That was a life lesson he had learned from comforting bullied friends!

Kai softened his tone, showing a sympathetic expression as he said, “I understand. It must have been frightening. But you’re safe now. I, the Apostle, am here.”

“Do you mean to tell me you know what I want to say?”

“How could I not? I am not so inexperienced as to come here without understanding where I’m heading.”

“

Hah

, I’m at a loss for words with such gratitude... Then, does that mean you came knowing everything?” Karundal looked at Kai with a moved expression.

Is it really something to be this touched by? If that’s the case...

Kai’s mind began working rapidly. From what he knew, dwarves were beings of immense pride. When the Death Dragon invaded Ingart, their clan took up arms to defend their pride rather than surrender.

And Karundal is the king of such a people. No matter how powerful the threat, he wouldn’t have blinked an eye.

So what could possibly have frightened them so deeply? Kai found a clue in their past actions.

It must be the children.

Even as their kingdom faced invasion, they prioritized evacuating the children. Moreover, when Kai first arrived and introduced himself, their first concern was also the safety of the children. As the saying goes, parents cannot win against their children. Even among dwarves, that seemed to hold true.

In that case, what terrifies Karundal must be something that poses a future threat to his children.

His thoughts stopped there.

Kai let out a light sigh and continued, “The more I think about it, the worse it seems. If left as is, the children’s future will undoubtedly be in danger.”

“I agree. But there are several followers at the altar conducting a resurrection ritual. Even for you, opposing them would be impossible.”

The altar? Resurrection ritual? Followers? Wait a minute...

Like puzzle pieces falling into place, the clues began aligning in Kai’s mind. When he pieced together those scattered fragments, he felt a light go off in his head.

The Demon King! Karundal was taken to the altar for the Demon King’s resurrection. The followers must surely be worshippers of the Demon King...

That meant this location was connected to the Demon King’s resurrection altar.

Dang it. We really need to get out of here quickly.

Kai began evacuating the Holy Blood Order and the dwarves through the portal that had appeared after clearing the dungeon.

But why was Karundal taken to such a place? Earlier, he mentioned something about work hours.

The Demon King’s followers must have wanted something from the dwarves; otherwise, they wouldn’t have kept them alive. Given the circumstances, it seemed they wanted the dwarves to craft something.

Kai decided to get Karundal to talk a bit more. “But why did the Demon King’s followers take you to the altar? Did they perhaps demand you create something for them?”

When Kai directly mentioned the Demon King’s followers, Karundal’s expression softened with a visible sense of relief.

At the same time, a message appeared before Kai.

[Karundal has begun to rely on you.]

[Karundal’s affinity increased.]

[Due to the effect of the Bargain skill, Karundal’s psychological state is now visible.]

[Karundal: Anxiety, Fear, Reliance, ???.]

Ever since his Bargain skill leveled up, Kai had been able to glimpse NPCs’ emotions.

As the message suggested, Karundal's gaze showed reliance on Kai, and said, “The altar was in terrible condition. They feared the ritual might fail and demanded we create a new one.”

“Did you actually make it?”

“We’ve only been here for a day. There wasn’t even time to start.”

“Well, that’s a relief. If the children had learned their parents contributed to the Demon King’s resurrection, they would have been heartbroken.”

At the mention of the children, Karundal’s face slightly reddened, and nodded. “If not for you, I might have carried this shame for the rest of my life. Right... no matter the threat, some things should never be done.”

“No, Karundal. Even if I hadn’t come, you and the dwarven clan would never have made such a wrong choice.”

After extracting all the information he could, Kai boosted Karundal’s self-esteem.

It was truly extraordinary eloquence.

Ding!

[You have obtained the desired information through skillful eloquence.]

[Charisma skill proficiency increased.]

[Karundal’s affinity increased.]

Everything that needed to be secured had been taken care of. All but a few members of the Holy Blood Order and the dwarven clan had crossed through the portal.

“Kai, we should head over now too,” Minerva said.

“Right. I’ll be right behind you.”

With Minerva leading, even the Pray guild, who had stayed until the end, crossed through the portal.

Watching them leave, Kai turned to Karundal and said, “Shall we head through now as well? Please go first.”

“Thank you. I will be sure to repay today’s kindness. Dwarves never forget a favor.”

“Hearing you say that makes me look forward to it.”

As Kai offered a warm smile and began walking toward the portal alongside Karundal, sparks suddenly flared beside his head.

Sparks?

Crackle.

It sounded like the fuse of a sticky bomb burning away.

Then, an alarm bell rang in Kai’s mind, forcing him into action.

“Karundal!”

He instantly shielded Karundal, retreating several steps while casting multiple layers of Sacred Barrier. This quick action resulted in narrowly avoiding the grasp of death.

“Truly, your instincts are very exceptional.”

It was Zirukan. Just like before, he was cloaked entirely in black, hovering in midair, as his red eyes scanned the boss room.

“...So he really is dead.”

For a moment, he fixed his gaze on Lucifer's corpse but soon looked away as if he lost interest.

“Well, he was just a disgusting and incompetent angel from the start, wasn’t he? Even with the Demon King’s blood, I never expected much. He was a moron that couldn’t even talk properly—a failed creation.”

Listening to these words, Kai swallowed hard.

If I can just get Karundal through the portal somehow...

Even if that wasn’t possible, Shimizu’s Absolute Sanctuary could protect him perfectly. But the real problem was Zirukan.

Zirukan is a Dark Wizard, so his defense isn’t naturally high.

The defense of a Dark Wizard was as frail as that of a priest, ranking among the weakest of all classes. In exchange, their spell power far exceeded that of White Wizards, commonly referred to as traditional wizards. However, leaving aside their long casting times, most of the quests issued regularly by the Ebony Tower were difficult.

In simple terms, they only give quests that require a lot of money.

In short, Dark Wizards were a class only wealthy players could afford to pursue. Even after enduring all the hardships, the closed-minded Ebony Tower rarely welcomed adventurers. The class was difficult to develop and poorly treated.

Moreover, White Wizards were far from lacking as a class, so it was obvious where most players would direct their efforts without even needing to ask.

Zirukan is a Dark Wizard, but he doesn’t seem to have specialized in necromancy.

In fact, the monsters he commanded earlier were not undead.

In that case... should I fight him here?

If it came to a one-on-one duel, with no NPCs to protect and full control over the situation...

It’s doable.

Kai judged that even if a fight broke out immediately, it was something he could handle. Of course, avoiding conflict and going their separate ways would be ideal, but there was no need to feel intimidated.

“Is that all you have to say?” Kai asked Zirukan.

“...Are you trying to provoke me? That wouldn’t be a wise choice.”

“How am I provoking you?”

“

Hmm

. You truly are different from other adventurers. Should I say you don’t seem to fear me...?”

“Fear you? Me?” Kai couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. “Well, if I’m honest, you’re practically a savior to me.”

“...What are you talking about?” Zirukan responded with a displeased tone.

An enemy calling him a savior was absurd.

He’s speaking as if he knows me... Very unsettling.

Several spheres of pitch-black darkness materialized around Zirukan. They burned with a menacing aura, as if ready to charge straight at Kai.

“What do you think I’m talking about?”

Kai removed the hood he had been wearing to shield himself from the desert’s harsh sun.

At the same time, Zirukan’s eyes twitched. “You...”

Wizards were typically highly intelligent. After all, magic was a field that required significant intellect just to begin learning. To excel and become a top-tier wizard signified exceptional brilliance.

Thus, it didn’t take long for Zirukan to recognize Kai’s face. “My god. Are you Kai, that greenhorn priest from Frica Village?”

“

Wow

, you even remember my name? Honestly, I’m touched.”

“Th-this doesn’t make sense...”

Zirukan’s expression grew increasingly bewildered as Kai clapped and praised his memory.

He’s grown this much In just a year and a half...? That rookie back then?

Zirukan was well aware of how quickly adventurers could grow. He had killed enough of those who annoyed him to understand this. They grew stronger every day, and after just a few days, they would often return vastly more powerful.

But still, this level of growth is abnormal.

In just a year and a half, he had grown strong enough to withstand Zirukan’s demonic energy. This meant, with only slight exaggeration, that he had reached a level where he could fight Zirukan on par.

He’s a dangerous element.

Zirukan’s eyes turned cold as they narrowed on Kai. In less than two years, he had achieved this remarkable growth. What if he were given another two years? No, even just one year—or half a year?

By then, I might not be able to stop him.

That would be a problem. A very significant problem.

My abilities are among the top tier even within the ranks of the followers. If I can’t stop him...

It implied that the Demon King’s followers could become in danger. Zirukan knew that the best way to deal with a growing threat was to crush it before it could sprout. However, at the same time, he recognized Kai’s exceptional talent and made a proposal.

“Would you consider joining us to resurrect Angol Moa and rule the continent through fear?”

“Nope.”

Kai rejected the offer in an instant, without even a second’s hesitation! His response was akin to reflexively turning down a cult member encountered while walking.

However, as if expecting such an answer, Zirukan nodded without regret. “That’s a shame. Couldn’t you have shown just a bit more weakness?”

“...What?”

“Take today’s death as a lesson. Sometimes being too exceptional can be a curse. The nail that sticks out the most is always the first to be struck.”

Rumble...

The dungeon began to shake violently.

As Kai carefully watched Zirukan, he discreetly whispered to Karundal, “Karundal, when I give the signal, run into the portal.”

“W-will that be alright? What about you...?” Karundal asked hesitantly, his face a mixture of gratitude and concern.

Kai put on a confident expression and puffed out his chest, replying with a reassuring tone, “You don’t need to worry about me. We are blessed with immortality, even if we die, we won’t—”

“

Oh

, shall we deal with that troublesome portal first?”

Boom!

With Zirukan’s single spell, the portal was obliterated at once.

Then, he looked down at Kai and smiled. Kai's expression was full of hopelessness.

“Well then, it’s time for you to get a beating.”