"Em-Emergency! Save… Ugh!"
A mage, standing on the outer wall, was cut in half as he tried to erect a barrier.
He was cut by a blade made of spiritual energy floating in the air.
Not one, not two, and not ten. Over a hundred black blades moved in the air in accordance with Murakan's will.
Every time the blades danced, a scream echoed into the night.
Some had their breaths cut short, some had their bodies sliced, and some were crippled.
Even the brave White Wolf warriors were momentarily unable to look away from the scene of this massacre.
[I said you won't get out of here alive.]
Murakan spoke softly as he looked at a group of mages running out of the outer wall.
As soon as those words passed his lips, black blades struck their backs.
Several more mages died without even being able to let out a final cry.
Murakan's appearance amidst the black blades that tore through the 7-star mages' barriers as if they were paper was as if a god of death had descended.
"Keahahah…!"
Roar~
Just hearing it was enough to cause bones to chill and flesh to melt.
The humans slumped over and covered their ears at Murakan's roar, while the warriors of the White Wolf and Orange Tiger Tribes reflexively raised their weapons.
They didn't raise it to fight back. They didn't raise them to fight back. They raised them because their instincts were screaming to somehow cover their bodies and block it.
Unlike the Orange Tiger Tribe, the White Wolf Tribe were at least able to open their eyes wide and glare at Murakan. But even they couldn't help their legs shivering like a frightened dog.
The king of the skies.
This is what the other dragons once called Murakan.
Indeed, Murakan was showing dignity that benefited that title.
If the goal was to simply 'punish', then the fight would have been over long ago.
They stopped destroying the castle because they had to save the citizens, not because they lacked strength.
'Crazy…'
Jin looked up at Murakan, bewildered.
Was this really that stupid black dragon who scrounged around for strawberry pies?
'Hmm, him making a fuss about how great he used to be back in his prime was actually deserved. If he's this strong at only 40%, once he regains all of his strength… He'll be just as strong as my father or the Battle Goddess.'
To tell the truth, Jin was actually a little worried before he arrived at the old capital.
Even though Murakan had regained some of his strength, he wondered if it was truly possible for the two of them to fight against all those opponents.
But there was no need to worry. It seemed like even if all four 9-star wizards were at the base, he and Murakan would not face any trouble.
'The only problem is what condition the captured citizens are in.'
-It's been about half a year since they started conducting experiments. Every month, more than a hundred citizens and soldiers of the kingdom are taken to their base and turned into test subjects.
'According to Vitura, at least six hundred citizens have been brought here so far. Probably more than that, and only a few of them will still be safe.'
There had to be a few sane people left. If they had all been completely turned into Living Golems, there was no choice but to kill them.That would mean having them testify was impossible.
Jin started walking. He looked like an intruder at first glance, since he was wearing a black and had Myulta's Rune activated. The mages, running around while panting, didn't catch him, though.
The castle was collapsing due to the black dragon's unexpected attack, so all they could do was run for their lives.
In fact, Jin was the one who caught a mage trying to pass by. He threw the mage to the floor and put a knife against his throat.
"Where are the citizens of the holy kingdom?"
"I d-don't know."
Shunk.
Jin stabbed him without hesitation.
He held no sympathy or pity for the Kinzelo Group's mages.
Like so, he captured three mages and asked them the same question, but none could give him an answer.
'They've been locked up in a place unknown to the low-level mages.'
He grit his teeth, climbing down the collapsed outer wall. He spotted humans and beastmen coming out of the inner entrance.
There were two familiar faces.
Chukon Tolderer and Susan Lilistar.
They appeared to be shouting and giving instructions while pulsating blood vessels protruded from their necks.
"Mages rank 1 or higher, prepare the crimson chain barrier!"
"Those who run away will die by my hand! It's impossible to escape that black dragon's eyes anyway, so somehow draw his attention while I set up the barrier!"
"We have to hold on somehow until Sir Joe finishes his preparation!"
Both Susan and Chukon were sweating profusely.
They must have felt it more than the two hundred mages who died on the outer walls.
Murakan's formidable power.
'Cold Joe. I guess he was in the castle too.'
Whatever Joe was preparing, it didn't seem like it would harm Murakan.
Jin began to move closer to the darkness of the shadows, avoiding their sight.
And as soon as he entered the hallway, he encountered a group of Orange Tiger warriors who were rushing out.
'One, two… five.'
As he counted their numbers, he released the energy of the Illustrious Legend Tribe he'd been suppressing.
The enemy warriors tried to draw their weapons but took a step back. Sigmund was already engulfed in lightning energy.
Pzzzt!
The enemy convulsed from the lightning that had struck down.
They were already gripped with fear because of Murakan's assault, but with the energy of the Illustrious Legend Tribe added onto that, there was nothing they could do.
Four were burned to death, while one was captured after he had his arm severed.
Jin asked him the same question he had asked the mages.
"Th-the underground concentration camp. Right now Joe is gathering the… test subjects!"
"What do you mean?"
"The… the test subjects had an energy like yours…"
The energy of the Illustrious Legend Tribe.
The ominous premonition came true.
The Kinzelo Group were restoring the Illustrious Legend Tribe.
Feeling a surge of repulsion, Jin glared, grabbing the Orange Tiger by his throat.
"Heek, spare me! Please spare me! I told you everything!"
"Take me there. The concentration camp."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
The Orange Tiger warrior crawled on the floor, foaming at the mouth.
Jin looked around before following him.
There was a chance someone would intercept Jin, but nothing happened.
This was because as soon as Murakan's attack began, most of the troops in the castle rushed out.
"I-It's here! I've… I've been taking care of them. It, uh, it won't be long."
The hallway leading to the underground concentration camp was filled with footprints.
The footprints belonged to humans, and there were numerous pairs. Hundreds of people had shuffled through together.
It was evidence that Cold Joe had taken them somewhere.
The entrance to the camp was open.
Slice!
After decapitating the Orange Tiger warrior, he decided to jump down and check inside. He planned to follow the footsteps.
Contrary to its name, the concentration camp looked closer to a mage's lab.
Glass bottles containing all kinds of liquids were rolling around and booklets were scattered all across the floor. There were also steel-barred open windows.
It was larger than the central hall.
Just as Jin was about to conclude that Joe had taken all the citizens away, a woman's voice entered his ear.
"Were you sent by the holy king? The black dragon outside as well?"
The woman's eyes were trembling with fear, but as with those prepared to die, they were also filled with her strong will.
"I'm the one asking the questions. Tell me what happened to the citizens. Did Cold Joe take them all?"
Judging by her white lab coat, it seemed like she had been conducting experiments on the citizens here just moments ago.
Just as Jin was about to threaten her with a blade, she raised both hands.
"I'm a saint belonging to the Chariots of Dawn. My name is Mertual Scylla, a first-class priest serving directly under Holy King McLan. Following His Majesty's orders, I infiltrated the Dark Magic Association three years ago, currently undercover as a researcher. After I became a researcher, I was unable to contact my homeland because the security was so severe."
"Are you asking me to believe that?"
As he said that, the woman opened a pendant and showed him the pattern inside.
A dormant volcano, the symbol of the holy kingdom.
Jin looked between the dormant volcano pattern and the woman for a moment.
"As expected, I have many questions for you, but I don't have time to talk. Explosion magic has been activated in the testing facilities. Take a look at the floor."
A white magic circle was just beginning to form on the floor.
It was a type of barrier magic that the mages of the Dark Magic Association had installed in preparation for times like this.
"In five minutes, the testing facility will disappear without a trace. We must save the remaining citizens."
"Where are they?"
"There is an underground passageway that only researchers know about. Of the 823 citizens captured as test subjects, 813 have now become combat-type Living Golems following Joe."
"What?"
"Once the testing facility begins to close, the mana injection equipment will also disappear. If that happens, we can't save the remaining ten."
Creak.
When Mertual opened the floor as if it were a door, a hidden space was revealed.
In the space leading to the underground passage known only to researchers, ten humans were standing around drooling, as if their souls had been removed.
They were citizens of the holy kingdom.
"We have to save them. We can't return to the holy kingdom empty handed, can we? This will probably be your last chance. If we can't take these survivors back to the holy kingdom…"
According to what Mertual said, those ten subjects were the only ones who could testify.
'Should I trust this woman?'
She could be making this up in order to survive.
He had only been thinking for about three seconds when he suddenly heard a familiar noise from outside.
Rumble, rumble…!
Although it sounded very faint due to the distance, Jin was able to recognize it right away.
That was definitely the sound of lightning energy. It was clearly different from natural thunder or lightning.
They were Joe's Living Golems, the revival of the Illustrious Legend Tribe. They were the source of the noise.
"Joe has begun the Living Golems. No matter how great the black dragon outside is, they can't hold out for long. I don't know about you, but Joe will…"
"You created Living Golems modeled after the Illustrious Legend Tribe?"
"How did you know that? Could it be that the holy kingdom already obtained that information?"
"Agh, damn it. Fine. Mertual Scylla, I'll trust you. The ten witnesses must be saved, no matter what. Is there a way?"
"You just need to move the mana injection device to the secret passage."
"Is this it?"
Jin pointed to a steel barrel connected to a transparent tube.
Mertual nodded. She was indeed the holy king's spy.
The testing facility was destroyed in a sudden attack,and the woman didn't have the ability to move the heavy device down to the passageway. As that was happening, the only remaining citizens who could testify were just stomping their feet as if they could sense their impending death.
The device weighed enough that even with the physical strength of the average 5-star warrior, it wouldn't budge.
However, Jin easily picked up the device and moved it into the passage without delay.
"Please come in and wait a moment. Now, there's nothing I can do other than to pray to Ayula that the black dragon doesn't fall. From now on, I will infuse all of my mana into the citizens. As soon as it's finished, take them with you and escape."
"No. I have to do something outside, so take responsibility and save the citizens."
"Wouldn't it be better to escape quietly while Joe doesn't know you exist? The black dragon can fly, so it can escape later, but how are you supposed to escape with ten people without a dragon? The Dark Magic Association has also tamed demonic beasts."
Mertual fully knew how shameless it was to tell Jin to run away, risking Murakan's safety. However, she could not help but feel that this was her last chance to send a witness to the holy kingdom.
"The holy kingdom is important, but to me, that guy takes priority. I can't ignore the possibility of something happening to Murakan and only help the holy kingdom."
"…All right. I was discourteous."
"I understand. I'll return as quickly as I can."
"May Ayula's eyes reach you and the black dragon."
Slam!
Jin closed the entrance to the secret passage and turned around.
He knew the power of the Illustrious Legend Tribe better than anyone else.
If the 813 Living Golems were truly similar, then even Murakan was in danger.
As soon as Jin reached the surface, a peculiar sight entered his view.
Thousands of lightning bolts blanketed the sky.