MTM 47

The place was dark, as if a giant sinkhole had formed. It felt like he was being pulled into an endless void. He wondered how something like this could happen, but if it was magic, then it made sense. He hadn’t even noticed Leon’s teleportation spell earlier.

“Leon…!”

Harto shouted toward Leon, who was inside the magic cage falling with him. Leon was still unconscious. It was dangerous like this. Even if they both fell to the very bottom of this endless pit, he had to save Leon first.

Harto transformed into a monster and stretched his hand to grab the cage.

Crackle!

“Ugh!”

Red sparks flew the moment he touched it. Startled, Harto pulled his hand back. Fortunately, it wasn’t a serious wound, only a sting like a small electric shock.

‘…It’s still bearable.’

Without much hesitation, Harto grabbed the cage again. Waves of energy ran through it, making his whole body shake violently.

“I-I-I’m f-f-fine, I c-c-can h-h-handle th-this m-m-much…!”

Forcing himself through the narrow bars, Harto squeezed his body into the cage and finally made it inside.

“Haa, haa… it felt really tingly….”

He thought he smelled something like burnt flesh from his body, but otherwise, he was fine.

Harto immediately curled up with Leon in his arms.

“Leon… can you hear me? Leon?”

He repeatedly spoke to Leon in his arms, but he didn’t open his eyes. But Harto could hear his heartbeat, soft breathing, and feel his warm body. It seemed the enemy had cast a spell to keep him in deep sleep.

“…Huh?”

While he curled up to protect Leon from getting hurt, he started to feel their fall slowing down. He was confused for a moment, then the cage tilted to one side and hit a wall.

“Ah!”

Harto’s body hit the same way and bounced off the opposite side. Then the cage began to tilt again, crashing back and forth.

“Ouch! Ah! Ow!”

He wanted to grab the cage to stop himself from being thrown around, but if he did, Leon might get hurt, so he just tightened his hold around him and endured it.

Boom….

The cage’s falling speed slowed down until it stopped. He had expected it to crash into the ground, but the magic cage landed safely without any impact.

“Hmm…?”

Harto raised his head and looked around. The space that had been pitch-black just moments ago was now bright.

Creak.

Then the door of the magic cage opened. He could no longer feel the strong magic that had been sealed over it. He didn’t know where this place was, but he could feel that magic had no effect here.

Harto supported Leon carefully and stepped out of the cage.

“This place is…”

Beneath the bluish light shining from somewhere above, an ancient atmosphere permeated the place. Smooth white pillars rose high, and the walls were engraved with old symbols and carvings. Small, white motes drifted slowly through the light like floating dust. Just looking at it evoked a sense of mystery and sacredness.

‘…The remains of the priests sleeping beneath the cathedral. Their holy power protects this city.’

Harto recalled what Zed had told him. This was the sanctuary beneath the cathedral, the resting place of ancient priests’ noble souls.

Clang!

It was then that sound of metal clashing reached him from somewhere.

“Zed…?!”

If he had fallen here too, then that sound had to be Zed swinging his sword. Harto adjusted his grip on Leon and decided to go toward where the sound came from.

“This is strange….”

Normally, he couldn’t even carry heavy loads, let alone Leon, whose body size matched his own, but now it didn’t feel difficult at all. It was similar to when Zed had treated him with the elixir.

‘Is it because this is a sanctuary filled with holy power? But I’m a monster…?’

He didn’t know the reason, but finding Zed was the priority. Harto crawled forward slowly, wishing Zed would be safe.

A moment later, Harto stood before a massive door. The metallic noise grew louder beyond it. He thought he also heard someone shouting. Harto put Leon down beside the door and leaned in to peek through a gap just wide enough for one person to pass.

‘Ah… wh-what is that?!’

The moment he saw inside, Harto’s eyes widened.

In a vast arena like an ancient Roman colosseum, a giant serpent burning with black flames fought against a person whose whole body shone with white light.

The serpent was so massive that it could pierce the ceiling, and poison dripped from its fangs. The person glowing with dazzling light swung a sword in brilliant motion.

‘Th-that’s Zed…?’

He could tell that the giant serpent was the illusionist who had fallen with Zed, and that the one fighting him was Zed, but it was hard to believe what he saw. Because Zed didn’t look human anymore.

Harto knew that Zed was strong. He also knew that, unlike ordinary people, Zed possessed an extraordinary power.

Ares Carseon.

The name of the novel’s protagonist suddenly came to mind. Unable to control his overflowing holy power, Ares had once offered it to the Belnock’s Bellancia Cathedral. After receiving a revelation, he awakened through a special event, his whole body wrapped in light.

‘But… Zed isn’t Ares Carseon….’

Harto was momentarily confused. The two couldn’t be the same person, but what he saw looked so much like that scene from the story that he couldn’t deny the resemblance.

“I’ve never seen Zed look like that before.”

“Huh, Leon…!”

Startled by the voice, Harto turned around. Leon was standing there with a calm, detached expression.

“I don’t know what happened while I was unconscious, but I suppose you saved my life, Harto? Thank you.”

Leon bowed his head and gave a polite word of thanks. Harto was surprised that he could still stay composed in this situation, but he was mostly relieved to see that Leon seemed unharmed.

“It’s fine. I just did what I had to do….”

“Hissss!”

At that moment, the giant serpent hissed, unleashing black flames. The ground shook as it slammed its massive body toward Zed.

Bang! Boom! Boom!

The long body thrashed. The arena’s floor sank and broke apart in several places. Each crash carried enormous destructive force.

Fortunately, Zed dodged all of the terrifying serpent’s attacks. He moved with speed that seemed almost inhuman, as if he had wings. His shining blade sliced the serpent’s body again and again, cutting through its horned tail in one swift motion.

“Hisss!”

The giant serpent screamed in agony, foaming as it writhed. Blood fell like rain. Zed easily avoided the serpent’s acidic blood.

“Hisss! Kyaaa!”

Enraged, the serpent spat out volleys of venomous spines and chased after him. Its massive body couldn’t stop in time, and it crashed into the wall.

…Boommmm!

The stone wall collapsed with a thunderous sound. Broken pieces of stone and clouds of dust filled the air. Zed jumped out of the rubble.

Thud….

He stood still for a moment, catching his breath as the dust settled.

…whee!

“……!”

Then, from within the cloud of dust, sharp tendrils sprouted from the serpent’s scales, lunging to impale him.

Thud! Clang…!

Zed blocked them with his sword, knocking them away, but the blade split in two.

“Damn it….”

His golden eyes blazed. It was his only weapon, even if it wasn’t strong enough to contain all his holy power.

“Zed!”

At that moment of peril, Walter appeared on the circular spectator stands surrounding the arena.

“Catch this!”

Thunk!

“……!”

Walter threw a sword toward him. It was Zed’s greatsword. The moment Zed caught it, he swung it toward the serpent and unleashed a decisive strike.

Swoosh!

“…Hiss!”

It happened in an instant. Using the glowing greatsword, Zed smoothly sliced through the serpent’s body. The blood that spurted out rose for a second and then turned into black fire. The massive serpent split in two, burned, and vanished, leaving only the fallen illusionist on the ground.

Zed walked toward the illusionist. The light swirling around his body dimmed, and his golden eyes turned black again.

Tap. Zed lifted the illusionist’s silver mask with the tip of his blade. Beneath it was the face of an old man, at least eighty years old.

“Whose order was it?”

Zed asked in a calm voice. The old man coughed up black blood and answered.

“…It was God’s order.”

Right after those words, the old man’s body melted away. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, and only a dark, scorched stain remained on the ground.