Chapter 552 – Joining
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I entered the pillar tower.
The scenery of an antique medieval castle and the black stone dough that looks like it has been welded here and there… Looks ugly like gum.
I felt like someone was looking at me.
It’s probably not just an illusion.
I felt a strong flow of magical power, different from other places.
I don’t know what kind of magic is at work, but…
It was possible to block that line of sight simply by using the intention to interfere with the flow of surrounding magic power.
“What did you do?”
Bianca asked.
Perhaps because I am a wizard who is sensitive to the movement of mana, I felt like I could feel the flow of magical power interfering with me.
“I feel like there are eyes watching us.”
“I don’t feel any special magic… Is it just that unpleasant stone dough?”
“I guess so?”
I wasn’t sure either.
Although I was unfamiliar with magic, it was the only place where magic flowed in a strange way.
Gregory seemed to be here as expected.
The other places were empty, and I thought this might be the only place where security was particularly tight.
There were no traces of battle.
Still, traces of many people passing by remained intact, so it was not difficult to figure out where the punitive force went.
As I followed the traces of the punitive force, I discovered a strange staircase that did not fit in with the surroundings.
The stairs went up the wall.
It was large enough to accommodate many people.
“It looks like the punitive force went up here.”
I leisurely climbed the stairs with my companion.
After being separated from the punitive force, it felt like I was taking a walk.
The pillar tower took the form of a maze with large and small spaces connected as it went to the upper floors.
Even though it was a maze, it wasn’t that complicated.
Even if there were no traces of the punitive force, it was at a level where the stairs leading to the upper floor could be found without difficulty.
It may not be that the maze was created intentionally, but that it ended up in a complex shape while making it.
We climbed the floors without difficulty, entered the tower, and discovered traces of battle for the first time.
The floor was stained red.
Looking at the flesh scattered everywhere, it looks like it was hit by a bomb.
The blood and flesh were already twisted… But it didn’t look like a ghoul.
This is because the skin was a bit cleaner than that of a ghoul.
‘… Surely a punitive force?’
I don’t think so.
If it’s the corpse of a punitive force, shouldn’t there be the corpses of other monsters as well?
“Bark, there is some farming equipment here.”
As Hilda said, I looked more closely at the surroundings, and there were fragments of farming tools, such as pitchforks, sickles, and shovels, that would be useful to a farmer, scattered all over the place.
‘Isn’t this the body of a punitive force?’
I am not an investigator and there was no need to dig deep. Putting aside our little doubts, we climbed the stairs to the next floor.
And we could see the ghoul.
-Kkieek!
-Suddenly!! Pump!
Karen and Hilda’s sword and spear lightly dispose of approaching ghouls by cutting and stabbing them.
“What is this? This is…”
Hilda looks at her ghoul in bewilderment.
The movements of the ghouls were strange.
It wasn’t that there were no ghouls attacking us, but most of them seemed to ignore us and move quickly somewhere.
“I can feel the magical reactions of many people here.”
Bianca said, pointing to one of the three aisles. It is the same passage as the ghoul’s movement direction.
“Is it a punitive force?”
“I guess that’s the case?”
I couldn’t believe that there were other humans inside this pillar tower other than the Terra Cult’s demon lord subjugation team.
We took Bianca’s steps in the direction she said.
The number of ghouls was also increasing.
‘I think there’s a hole coming out somewhere…’
The only monster I could see was a ghoul.
You can’t tie the feet of the punitive force to the point of burning them.
Should I take a short break?
Considering the nature of the punitive force that marched non-stop for 5 days, it doesn’t seem like there will be any rest anymore.
With that question in mind, I often smash the ghoul’s head and move around for a while following the ghoul’s navigation…
I was able to see the knights of the punitive force taking their seats in the spacious space and dealing with the ghouls pouring in.
What was unusual was that the punitive force was fighting while protecting quite a few humans.
Most of them were elderly, women, and children.
‘Survivor?’
I don’t know why there were survivors in a place like this… But it seemed like the punitive force was stranded because of them.
The number is smaller than the original punitive force.
Most of them were knights of the Kingdom of Raun.
There are three wizards, how much?
You can also see Karia diligently chopping up the ghoul.
Priscilla, Hestia, and the Holy Knights of Terraism were not seen.
It seemed like the troops left to protect the survivors were left behind, and the rest climbed the tower.
It wasn’t that dangerous.
The ghouls were not such a threatening opponent to the knights, and the ghouls were the ones they had to deal with on the way here.
“Do you want to help?”
“Okay… Ask for directions.”
I answered Bianca’s question with a light nod.
Dozens of red swords were created around me and floated in the air.
It is a blood sword, one of the basic magics of the demons.
Each one was a sword with the sharpness of a sword auror.
The swords created like that flew towards the ghoul.
The red swords spin around and sweep away the ghouls like a lawnmower.
It was a collaboration between telekinesis using the will and a blood sword made with blood magic.
Efficiency aside, it was showing as much power as high-level magic.
Of course, because they were ghouls, such mass murder was possible.
“… What is this…”
Hilda was staring with her mouth open as I did something magical.
Despite the bloody weeding work of the Blusword, the ghouls kept coming in through the four entrances.
Pour water into a bottomless pot.
The missing hole had to be plugged.
I blocked the four entrances through which the ghouls came in with red walls.
It is the materialization of magical power.
It was also a specialty of the main body lying in Zephyria’s capsule. At least it was also a method of utilizing magical power that I was confident in using.
As the additional ghouls that came in disappeared, the number of ghouls decreased instantly.
“… Not bad.”
“Bark, is this magic?”
Hilda asks in surprise at my majesty, which wiped out the ghouls in an instant.
“Advanced magical power… Auror control is like magic.”
“… Yes?”
It seemed like a pretty good quote… Although it had a whiff of plagiarism.
It was okay because there was no one to tackle in this world.
“Are you saying it’s not magic? Then this is… Auror control?
“Yes. Hilda, aren’t you doing something similar?”
“Do you mean me?”
“It’s a sword auror.”
“Sword Auror and this…”
“So, what about the knight’s physical magic? Ordinary people won’t be able to distinguish between physical magic and strength magic.”
“In short, it’s because my level is low.”
“That’s right. You just apply it to the medium of the body and the sword, and I can think of it as going beyond the body and interfering with the space itself.”
In fact, the blood sword is the magic of the demons, but all you had to do was use strong energy instead of the blood sword.
“So, if I raise my level, someday… Something like this will be possible?”
“… Isn’t it possible?”
Bianca, who was listening next to me, was subconsciously making an expression asking if that would work, but people don’t know what to do.
If my body returned, it wasn’t impossible.
Seeing the red swords clearing out the ghouls in an instant, Baldwin, the leader of the Black Bear Knights, looks at the wizard in surprise.
The wizards shake their heads.
Baldwin, who realized it wasn’t their magic, looked around, saw me and was shocked.
The noisy space instantly became quiet thanks to the wide-area weeding work of my blood sword.
As we approached, the knights of the punitive force looked very nervous.
The survivors looked very frightened. It was natural that a black monster that did not look like a human was approaching.
“… What’s going on?”
Baldwin stepped forward and said.
There was a wary light in his eyes.
“Would you believe me if I said it was pure favor? And I have a question to ask.”
“Do you want to ask?”
“It’s not that big of a deal. I wish I could tell you where the next floor should go.”
“Are you planning to climb the tower?”
“That’s right.”
“Can I ask the reason?”
“Hmm… Subjugating the demon lord?”
“…”
The expressions of the knights change strangely.
It doesn’t look like he really believes it.
“It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me. I’ll look for it on my own from here.”
If they let you know, you might be able to find it faster.
If this isn’t a special place, it won’t be that difficult to find the stairs leading up.
The only difference was whether it was a little late or early.
“Lord Baldwin. I will guide him.”
“Karia?”
Baldwin frowns at Caria’s actions.
You will wonder if the daughter who follows the demon is normal.
Nevertheless, there was no change in expression on Karia’s face. Baldwin, who was looking at her intently, sighed and said.
“Lord Karia… I ask for his guidance.”
Caria was startled by Baldwin’s words, but quietly nodded.
“… I understand.”
“The red wall blocking that entrance will be removed in two or three hours. It would be a good idea to at least get some rest in the meantime.”
Materialization attempted with blood magic consumed more magic than when done with the main body.
I was quickly refilled with magical power in the Demon King’s Castle, so I didn’t feel any pressure… Perhaps blood magic did not match materialization, so materialization could not be maintained for a long time like the main body.
I warned them about the red wall that prevented the ghouls from entering, and left them with Karia.
(Would it be okay if I just sent Lord Caria away? If the Church of Terra catches us by accusing us of cooperating with the demons…)
(Karia wasn’t going to listen to me. This is the best she can do… I’ll take responsibility for this.)
I could hear Baldwin sighing from afar because of his daughter.
