Chapter 179: The Last Guardian

The area in front of the Gate near the Imperial Palace where the expeditionary force had entered was crowded with troops prepared for an emergency.

Various personnel were stationed there both to restrict access to others and to handle sudden situations or support requests from the expedition.

Specifically, since the Gate entered this time was within the capital and not far from the Imperial Palace, more troops were on standby than usual.

Thanks to that, the response was swift—even when the expeditionary force returned less than a day after entering.

“Oh! You’re back already? Wait… are these all casualties?”

The response was even faster when it was confirmed that more than half of them had sustained injuries, ranging from minor to severe.

“Identify the casualty list! Everyone else, stay on standby!”

“Move the wounded first! Quickly!”

Even though the expeditionary force had emerged from the Gate, there was no time to rest.

They had to account for the dead, transport the injured, and wait for Vitalianus and Hio Pavlenko, who had not yet emerged.

“But where are the Commander and the Guardian Knight…?”

“They will be out soon.”

Gail’s expression as he answered the Defense Captain was grim.

It couldn’t be anything else.

It looked as if they had fled first, leaving those two behind.

In fact, that was exactly what had happened.

“Keep the command post clear. They will hold a meeting as soon as they emerge.”

“Will they not return to the Palace?”

“They likely won’t. Just prepare accordingly.”

“Yes, sir. Then, what should I report for now…?”

Gail pondered for a moment before speaking again.

“Unexpected variables occurred just before the clearing, and the decision was made to retreat for now.

Report only that much. The details will follow after the meeting.”

“Understood.”

As the Defense Captain withdrew, Kalles, the Vice-Commander of the Knight Order, approached.

His expression was just as stiff as Gail’s, but Gail had no leisure to worry about his subordinate’s mood.

“What is the status of the Holy Maiden and the priests?”

“They are exhausted, but there are no major injuries.”

“And the casualties?”

“We are currently identifying them. More importantly… Commander.”

Kalles reported to Gail in a tone as rigid as his expression.

“None of the Guild members are present.”

The Guild.

It was the term referring to the Group of Possessors led by Antipus.

“It seems… they have been wiped out.”

Kalles assumed they were all dead.

He hadn’t seen them since the Magician’s shield collapsed and the entire floor was plunged into darkness.

It was a reasonable assumption for someone who didn’t know their true identity.

Even within the expeditionary force, the Guild’s true nature was unknown.

Even Kalles, who was second only to Gail, didn’t know the truth about the Guild.

He didn’t even know the exact mechanics of the Vanguard.

It was a truth known only to a very few within the expedition.

Gail Einsidel was one of those who knew the truth.

“Don’t worry about them.”

“Pardon?”

Gail spoke with his brow deeply furrowed.

In fact, his words were laced with a faint trace of Killing Intent.

“They are all cowards and trash.”

“…”

“The vermin of the Guild fled long ago, so don’t give them another thought.”

The situation Gail had feared and predicted had finally happened.

He had been concerned from the moment those who knew nothing of loyalty, honor, or mettle joined them simply because of their meager power.

‘When a real crisis arrived, would they be able to risk their lives?’

They had given him their answer: they could not.

At the most critical moment, they had discarded the knights of the Empire and its precious assets like old rags.

‘How could he ever work with such people again?’

If they met once more, he would surely hold them accountable for today’s sin with his sword.

“But how could only the Guild members manage to escape in that situation…?”

Kalles’s question was valid, but unfortunately, it went unanswered.

The black Gate rippled, and Vitalianus emerged from the floor.

Upon seeing him, Gail and Kalles immediately ran toward him.

“Gail.”

“I am ashamed that I was the one to lead the retreat.”

“It doesn’t matter. The casualties?”

“We are identifying those killed in action, and the wounded are being transported.”

“Tell everyone to get treated, even for minor injuries.”

“Yes, sir. I will do so.”

“We need to hold a strategy meeting immediately, so prepare a location. Assemble everyone above the rank of Vice-Commander. However, exclude those with serious injuries.”

“I will also inform the Hibernia priests.”

“Since this is a serious matter, inform the Holy Maiden as well. we must find a solution.”

“Understood.”

At Gail’s signal, Kalles left to deliver the orders.

Only Vitalianus and Gail remained directly in front of the Gate.

Vitalianus stood still, his gaze fixed on the rippling black surface of the Gate.

Amidst the people moving frantically, they were the only two standing still.

It wasn’t that they had nothing to do.

In fact, Gail and Vitalianus would be the busiest of all.

“As expected… not a single Guild member remains.”

“…I see.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll have to discuss this with the Magician once he comes out.”

Despite their duties, Gail and Vitalianus remained by the Gate, staring at it.

Establishing a plan and gathering information would all happen after Hio Pavlenko emerged.

Work could only proceed once the Magician, who was closest to the truth of this incident, came out.

Vitalianus wanted to organize his thoughts, even if just for a moment.

“He’s a bit… late. Did he go to investigate something else?”

Vitalianus shook his head at Gail’s question.

His eyes remained fixed on the Gate.

“If that were the case, I wouldn’t have come out first. We decided to leave the floor, and the Magician agreed. He’ll be out shortly.”

“I see.”

Silence followed.

If he said he would be out shortly, he would be.

Knowing they would be incredibly busy the moment Hio emerged, Gail stayed behind to assist.

Vitalianus was reflecting on what they had faced and organizing the thoughts that came to mind.

The Strange Entities that moved even when cut.

Even when suppressed with Aura or sliced apart with Ideation, it made no difference.

They were certainly different from other Abyss Monsters.

The monsters they had faced before were cursed things with only instincts remaining, but they still felt like living creatures.

However, the Strange Entities they encountered this time were like soulless dolls or empty shells.

That was why they didn’t die no matter how much they were cut or crushed.

‘Putting that aside…!’

There were more than enough things to think about.

‘Why did such a variable occur?’

‘What were the clearing conditions for the floor?’

Ultimately, the most important thing was closing the floor.

To do that, identifying the success conditions was the top priority.

‘And why did those things so relentlessly target and chase only the Magician?’

The moment his thoughts reached that point…

“…How much time has passed?”

He asked Gail, who was standing beside him.

Upon hearing the answer, Vitalianus’s expression could only harden.

“It has been more than ten minutes.”

Gail said more than ten minutes, but it was already closer to twenty minutes.

That much time had passed since Vitalianus exited the floor.

Under normal circumstances, this was impossible.

He should have followed within ten minutes at the absolute latest.

From what Vitalianus had seen, the Magician had more than enough strength left for that.

Vitalianus moved with a grim expression.

“Something has happened to the Magician.”

As he spoke, he attempted to re-enter through the Gate with unbelievable speed, but there was no way it would work.

Anyone who had exited a floor could not re-enter for 24 hours.

‘What should he do?’

Deciding quickly, Vitalianus gave Gail an order.

“Deploy the reserve troops.”

These were troops that assisted the expedition in emergencies.

Though small in number, each member was a force comparable to those in the expedition, making them the best strength they could immediately deploy into the Magyeong.

“But they lack the top-tier strength required to resist the energy there…”

“The priests—there are priests belonging to Verdan, not the main order, aren’t there? Gather as many as you can.”

“Yes, sir!”

Gail sprinted away, utilizing his Aura.

Without even looking at his retreating back, Vitalianus stared at the black, rippling Gate again.

There certainly shouldn’t have been any variables.

‘Hadn’t he emerged first only after spreading his senses wide to confirm everything before leaving?’

Then what on earth…

No, right now, he only needed to think about how to rescue him.

Whatever the reason, the fact that the Magician who was following him hadn’t emerged after twenty minutes meant a problem had surely occurred.

If he had taken a detour to find some other clue, it would be a blessing, but that was far too optimistic.

“To the Gate! Move quickly!”

He heard the sound of the auxiliary knight order approaching.

Their leader was a knight who had entered the Magyeong several times as part of the expedition.

However, even they would be experiencing the horrific Abyss and the Strange Entities for the first time.

They needed priests to protect their minds until the situation was assessed…

“Over there! Move to the Gate entrance quickly!”

Just in time, Gail was running back with the priests.

They were High Priests in charge of the Empire’s Cathedral, rather than those from Hibernia.

When the reserve knights and priests reached a certain distance, Vitalianus turned away from the Gate and quickly explained the plan.

“First, do not stray far from the exit and look for traces of the Magician. He is not a man who dies easily, so his traces should be easy to find.”

They seemed to recognize the gravity of the situation from Vitalianus’s tone, as they focused on his words even while running.

The plan he came up with was simple enough.

They would buy time near the entrance while searching for the Magician’s traces.

Since all the Strange Entities would be chasing Hio Pavlenko anyway, it wouldn’t be too difficult as long as they blocked the Abyssal energy.

Then, they would determine Hio’s location and see if something had happened to him or if he was staying behind for another reason.

If the Magician had another reason, they would return immediately.

If a problem had occurred, they would assist his escape.

Even if they couldn’t help much in a situation where the Magician himself couldn’t escape, they could at least buy him some time.

Even if it cost them their lives.

“What you must determine is the Guardian Knight’s intent. If he is remaining there of his own accord, then immediately…”

As he was explaining, the focus of those approaching him shifted strangely.

They should have been looking at him as he explained the plan, but they seemed to be looking behind him.

Behind him, there was only the black, rippling Gate.

He didn’t know why they were distracted by it, but all the reserve troops were staring behind him, their running pace slowing to a crawl.

Suddenly feeling a strong sense of unease, Vitalianus also turned around to look back.

Even though he was a Sword Saint who had weathered all sorts of hardships, this time, his body couldn’t help but freeze.

The words he was about to say were forgotten, the actions he was about to take were halted, and the plan he had just devised was wiped clean.

Every thought in his mind went blank.

The Abyss Gate, which had been rippling blackly just behind him…

“Co-Commander, this is…”

It had vanished without a trace.

The entrance to that place, where all sorts of Strange Entities and the Abyss lurked, had disappeared as if it had been erased in an instant.

It meant only one thing.

“The floor was cleared…”

The Abyss – 58th Floor, for which they hadn’t even identified the conditions, had been successfully cleared.

It was a result no one could have predicted.

However, the reason Vitalianus was shocked—and the reason Gail couldn’t finish his sentence—wasn’t just because of the successful clearing.

The last person remaining on the floor had not yet come out.

It was only natural that he should appear here at the entrance they used once the floor was cleared, but he wasn’t there.

It was as if… he had perished along with the Gate.

As if he had thrown himself into the Abyss and sunk with it.

Perhaps Vitalianus wasn’t the only one who had that thought.

Everyone who had been moving busily stopped in their tracks.

As if time itself had frozen in the wide space, everyone came to a halt, staring at the spot where the Gate had been.

Yet, not a single person opened their mouth.

The Gate had vanished because it was cleared.

Yet, one person had not emerged.

A hypothesis that should never be true and should never have happened rose in everyone’s minds.

The Guardian Knight of the Empire and the last Magician remaining in this world.

The great hero who would succeed the Sword Saint.

Hio Pavlenko.

Hio Pavlenko was dead.

Holding back the Abyss alone until the very moment of his death.

In the darkness where no one else stood.

He had died a wretched death.