Chapter 325
The three of them crossed the fortress disguised as minions of the Four Kings through camouflage magic.
The chaos inside was so great that no one dared to stop them.
“But where exactly are we headed?”
“To the temple within the Four Kings’ fortress.”
“There’s a temple inside the fortress?”
“Yeah, there is.”
Just as the two exchanged puzzled looks, Chris came to a halt.
“This is it.”
Kashmir and Tern swallowed hard as they took in the sight of the ‘temple.’
It was a grotesque structure, adorned with countless sculptures depicting humans in torment.
What made it even more ominous was the aura emanating from within.
“Brother, could it be…?”
“Yeah.”
Chris nodded grimly.
“It’s a temple dedicated to demon worship.”
Even within the Mage Empire, demon worship was taboo.
Not outright banned, but certainly frowned upon—except in the Four Kings’ fortress, where it was tolerated.
So much so that a temple venerating demons stood right at the heart of the fortress.
Kashmir, who had gone ahead to scout inside the temple, reported back.
“All the minions inside have been dealt with. But why is this place here?”
“There’s something we need to retrieve.”
“An artifact? But I don’t see anything particularly useful.”
Chris shook his head.
“It’s not an artifact.”
Seeing their confused expressions, Chris headed toward the very center of the temple.
“Tern, can you sense the sealing magic?”
“Yes. Something is sealed beneath this altar. But it doesn’t seem like anything extraordinary.”
Chris nodded.
“Use your ash-gray magic to break the seal. I’ll guide you.”
“Understood! Leave it to me!”
Tern flashed a confident smile at Kashmir and began dismantling the seal.
Suddenly—
Rumble rumble rumble
The floor split open sideways, revealing a vast chamber.
“What is this?”
There were coffins—twelve sets of skeletal remains.
Though they seemed to have been dead for ages, the sealing magic had preserved them perfectly, without a trace of decay.
Feeling the lingering energy in the bones, Kashmir and Tern exchanged astonished looks.
“Your Highness, could this be…?”
“Yes.”
Chris nodded.
“These are the remains of the Twelve Saints—the legendary heroes of the Alliance.”
Centuries ago, the Four Kings’ fortress had invaded the Alliance.
Caught off guard, the Alliance was on the brink of collapse.
But the Twelve Saints, just twelve warriors, stood against the massive army of the Four Kings.
They all died in battle, but their sacrifice delayed the enemy’s advance, buying the Alliance precious time to regroup.
“The Four Kings’ fortress dragged their remains here to insult them, using their bones as offerings in this demon-worshipping temple. They even installed sealing magic to prevent decay.”
“I see. But why take these bones now?”
“They have a use. Handle them carefully.”
Though puzzled, Kashmir and Tern obeyed, transferring the bones into a massive extra-dimensional storage container they had brought along.
“Let’s head back.”
“Will we climb over the fortress walls?”
“No, too risky. The minions here will regain their senses soon. If we’re chased, it’ll be trouble. We’ll use the underground passages.”
“!!”
Beneath the Four Kings’ fortress lay a vast underground labyrinth.
No one knew who built it, when, or why.
One thing was certain: once you entered, you never came out alive.
“There aren’t any dangerous monsters per se, but the moment you step inside, your perception is paralyzed. You wander endlessly until you wither away.”
But in his previous life, there was one who had conquered the labyrinth.
Chris.
“I was the Alliance’s best guide.”
For him, this was the safest escape route.
“Let’s move.”
Chris led them to the labyrinth’s entrance he had already mapped out.
Lighting the way with a flash of magic, the endless maze stretched before them.
“Stay close. Don’t lose sight of me.”
Kashmir and Tern nodded tensely.
As they stepped inside, the sensation of paralyzed perception washed over them.
“It’s okay. I memorized the entire layout in my previous life. Just follow my lead.”
Their escape went smoothly—until they reached about halfway through.
Chris suddenly stopped.
“Wait.”
“What is it?”
His expression hardened.
“I don’t like this feeling.”
A sinister presence loomed ahead.
It felt like they shouldn’t go any further.
“No way. There shouldn’t be anyone in the labyrinth.”
Even the minions of the Four Kings avoided this place.
“But we can’t turn back.”
By the labyrinth’s design, they had to pass through this spot to exit.
“Let’s proceed carefully.”
But the moment Chris laid eyes on the figure ahead, his vision darkened.
A Death Knight stood before them, radiating an aura of death.
And not just any Death Knight.
A terrifying Gehenna-grade commander radiated from its entire body.
Chris swallowed hard, recalling the identity of the figure.
“Death Knight Lord.”
An 8-demon-class commander!
A monster on par with an Absolute Eight-Star Demon.
“Why would such a lord-level monster be here?”
It shouldn’t be on the surface.
This was a ruler of monsters deep within Gehenna.
“Summoned by necromancy? But only the Four Kings’ lord, Pliton, could summon a commander of this caliber.”
Chris didn’t have time to think further.
The Death Knight Lord’s black eyes flared in response to their presence.
“Fall back!!”
Chris shouted urgently, but it was too late.
A chilling aura of death engulfed the area.
‘Veil of Life and Death!’
The Death Knight Lord’s domain.
A terrifying zone where a single sword strike meant instant death.
Flash!
The Death Knight Lord vanished from sight.
‘Can’t see it.’
Reacting by sight would be too late.
Chris moved his sword instinctively.
Clang!
He managed to block the attack, but the onslaught didn’t stop.
Over ten strikes came in rapid succession.
Each one a life-or-death moment.
‘I need to create an opening.’
Gritting his teeth, Chris unleashed his own domain of control.
The dark magic of his power dominated the surroundings, causing the Death Knight Lord to hesitate for a moment.
Chris seized the chance.
“Kashmir, now!”
“Got it!”
A powerful blast of destructive energy struck, pushing the Death Knight Lord back.
But it didn’t seem seriously injured.
Chris retreated quickly, sword still aimed at the foe.
‘Damn it. Why is such a monster here?’
Then something strange happened.
The Death Knight Lord suddenly stopped moving.
‘What…?’
Chris frowned, staying alert, but the creature remained still.
‘Could it be that it only reacts if we get closer? Like a guardian protecting something?’
That seemed likely.
It was blocking their path, preventing them from passing.
‘What’s beyond it? Did the Four Kings’ lord hide something here?’
Chris furrowed his brow.
This was a problem.
‘Breaking through head-on is impossible. This isn’t someone I can overpower.’
Currently, Chris’s strength rivaled most Eight-Star demons.
But compared to a true Eight-Star, he was still lacking.
Without tricks, facing one head-on was suicide.
Especially since the Death Knight Lord had a distinct advantage.
‘Its domain, the Veil of Life and Death, gives it absolute superiority over weaker foes.’
‘But turning back now isn’t an option.’
The minions of the Four Kings were likely regaining their senses.
The highest-ranking minions who had left upon sensing the disturbance would be returning.
Escape was impossible.
‘And I can’t use any spatial teleportation artifacts.’
The spatial distortion around the fortress made all teleportation impossible nearby.
‘Damn it. What now?’
Just then, a voice echoed.
[ Ahem, it seems you need some help. ]
“!!”
Chris and the others spun around in surprise.
‘Who’s that?’
To their astonishment, a silver-haired little girl appeared—her face as beautiful as a fairy tale princess.
She looked about eight years old.
Roughly the same age as a half-elf Nordian child.
“…Who are you?”
Chris tensed, sword at the ready.
He hadn’t noticed her approach until she was right beside them.
She was clearly no ordinary being.
[ Me? You want to know my name? ]
The little girl tilted her head.
[ My noble name is Elang. ]
“…I didn’t ask for your name. I asked who you are.”
[ Hmm, you don’t recognize me? How disappointing. Look closely. ]
Suddenly, the girl stretched out her hand.
As if wielding a sword, she made a simple thrusting motion.
It wasn’t flashy or grand, just a basic move.
But the moment Chris saw the imaginary line extending from her tiny hand, he froze.
It was a perfect line.
The ultimate form of a sword’s path—nothing more beautiful could exist.
He had seen countless swords, but only Evan at his peak in his previous life had wielded such flawless technique.
‘No way…?’
Chris swallowed hard.
At this moment, only one person in the entire continent could wield a sword at this level.
The little girl placed both hands on her waist and cleared her throat, speaking with a confident voice.
[Yes, I am the Demon King of the Great Silver Snow, the greatest sword of magic.]
The Demon King of Silver Snow.
Ruler of the Eastern Magic Kingdom where the Four Kings’ Castle stands.
Known as the most just and righteous among all Demon Kings, she was often at odds with the Four Kings’ Castle.
There were many other descriptions that accompanied her name, but the most famous was this:
The Greatest Sword of Magic.
A warrior who had reached the mid-level of the Nine Stars with a single blade.
Now that the strongest knight of the Alliance, the Sword Saint, had passed away, she was arguably the only one worthy of being called the world’s greatest swordsman.
‘I never actually met her in my previous life.’
Chris’s face showed surprise.
The hero party had hoped that the Demon King of Silver Snow might join their side, so they sought her out—but she had remained hidden until the end of the Age of Destruction.
“…I humbly greet the great Demon King.”
[Ah, ahem. It’s been a while since I’ve heard such a polite greeting. I was beginning to think no one would come before the world’s end.]
There was something weighty in her words.
“May I ask why you appear here in this form?”
Chris asked bluntly.
“Have the people of the Four Kings’ Castle taken you captive?”
[!!]
The Demon King of Silver Snow fell silent.
It was an unspoken yes.
‘As expected.’
There had been many rumors about the whereabouts of the Demon King of Silver Snow, who had vanished without a trace in the previous era.
The most plausible theory was that, because of her righteous nature, she had been eliminated by the Four Kings’ Castle.