Chapter 136: Conquest Floor

Antiphus’s Expedition.

The castle begins to appear in their eyes.

It was not clearly visible because of the dark vision and the monsters overflowing to a disgusting degree in all directions, but it was definitely a castle.

It was so wide that its base alone filled their field of vision.

“I see the castle!”

The stairs leading to the entrance of the castle were wide enough for a giant to climb, but they were flimsy.

They were very old and damaged in various places, and hundreds of dark, skeleton-like monsters were rushing at them while looking only at the expedition, so it wouldn’t be strange if any part of them collapsed at any time.

‘But what choice did they have?’

To conquer, they must climb up even if the stairs collapse.

“Follow on your own.”

That was the entirety of the plan.

A dangerous situation where old stairs could collapse and they could be surrounded by monsters.

‘…So what?’

It was a battlefield where such things could not be individually cared for.

One must take care of their own life, and at least the 50 Bingija here were individuals with sufficient capability for that.

Antiphus glanced back and then threw himself toward the wide and high stairs.

With only a greatsword in hand, he cut through the pitch-black tide full of hostility to open the way.

A day and a half—the exact time was unknown, but it must have been roughly that long.

During that time, they had advanced while doing nothing but fighting, unable to distinguish between day and night.

It was only possible because everyone in this place was a high Ranker who had pushed their basic stats to the limit.

Of course, the state of the expedition was abysmal.

It was barely possible because they were high Rankers, but it was by no means an easy task.

The expensive equipment protecting their bodies had long since become tattered, and there were almost no inherent skills left that they could use.

Because of the monsters rushing at them without regard for their own lives, they were in a desperate state, covered in countless small scratches and drenched in sweat and fatigue.

“Leave the front to Antiphus and only block the sides! Sirbert! The back!”

Nevertheless, they did it.

With only 50 people, ‘aren’t they finally climbing toward the castle?’

In fact, even when they reached the castle walls, many of them hesitated when they looked inside from the entrance.

Because there were only 50 of them.

Just on the previous floor, there were several times that number.

But in the end, they moved forward and advanced.

It meant they were achieving tremendous growth in a short time.

“Huff… huff… Watch, watch your side!”

Awakened ones who had never experienced a crisis due to stats exceeding human limits and strong skills.

Never before had they fought while saving their Magic Power as much as possible.

Those who had never fought while squeezing out their stamina and physical strength were growing rapidly as they were pushed to extreme situations.

Because of that situation, everyone in the expedition could tell.

Antiphus, who was opening the path at the very front, was already a figure several levels above them.

Unlike themselves, who were struggling and somehow managing their Magic Power and stamina to fight, Antiphus, who did not shed a single drop of sweat, was truly a monster among monsters.

The movement of a man who knows he will not die.

Greatsword techniques that had lost fear.

Antiphus Praman was a monster who pierced through the tide alone.

Therefore, a question arises on the other hand.

‘What makes him so impatient?’

‘For what purpose is he trying to conquer the castle so quickly?’

‘It would certainly be good to conquer the castle before the Empire, but…’

Daphne’s gaze follows Antiphus’s back.

It’s impossible to continue conquering floors with 50 Rankers like this.

The Abyss will continue to appear and become stronger.

Yet, they cannot stop.

To be stopped means to fall behind.

And this was a danger connected to her hometown.

Since the lives of precious people were at stake, it was a danger that must be conquered.

So it was natural to join forces with the Empire later, and now was a good opportunity to plant a strong image in them.

If they defeated the conqueror and conquered the floor at an overwhelming speed, wouldn’t their influence be that much stronger when they join the Empire in the future?

‘Wouldn’t the Empire also realize the importance of the Bingija more clearly?’

‘…Of course, Antiphus isn’t acting like that with that in mind.’

The man who was always at the top, and for whom that was natural.

After learning his identity outside, Daphne had no choice but to admit it.

Antiphus Praman was the person closest to the strongest figure this world desires.

This strongest man never moves to look good to others.

He has another purpose.

What he cares about more than the entire Empire, a super-large nation, is just one person.

The name that turned a man who always had to be at the peak into a perpetual second place.

Ranking 1st, Jijoncheonma.

To defeat him, to conquer ahead of him no matter what, he must have made such a quick decision and moved.

“…Hio Pavlenko.”

Daphne mutters lowly as she looks at the solid back heading toward the castle without a moment’s rest, watching the greatsword being swung magnificently.

“No matter how great you are, this time you’ll be second.”

She knows Hio Pavlenko’s immense strength and ability, but this time, it was highly likely that Antiphus would conquer the floor first.

No matter how great Hio Pavlenko was, he wouldn’t be able to move faster than this in the infinite wave of monsters.

Moreover, the Empire’s side would have twice as many people to protect and would move cautiously, so Antiphus’s progress would be overwhelmingly faster.

And if that happens…

“Things will get quite complicated.”

Because she knows Antiphus’s strong obsession toward Jijoncheonma.

Knowing the massive symbolism these two figures hold among the Bingija.

Antiphus intended to slowly chip away at the solid reputation of the undisputed number one by conquering the floor before Jijoncheonma.

And so, he probably wants to eventually break that sky and ascend to the sky himself.

“The position of the leader who leads all the Rankers.”

As long as Antiphus wants to defeat Jijoncheonma, the two are in a relationship where they have no choice but to compete for that position.

The Rankers who were called the First Awakened outside and held a vast amount of power.

The competition between the two monsters to become the undisputed peak of such individuals.

‘Who will be the winner and what results will be waiting at the end?’

‘First, let’s focus on the raid!’

Daphne thinks so and pulls the bowstring again.

They had only just barely arrived at the main castle.

The black tide rushing toward them again from all sides.

A battle that will never end until the conqueror of the castle is dealt with.

‘How much further can they go?’

“It really feels like hell.”

Whatever the result, the process was like an endless hell.

***

High Priest of the Lipuae Cathedral, Frederic.

He was born in the Holy Kingdom of Hibernia and was a very faithful priest who spent his whole life serving the Goddess of Ripue and praying sincerely.

He was also one of the High Priests who witnessed the miracle of the Sanctuary, where the Goddess appeared and the Saint was born.

As a witness, Frederic was someone who had special faith in the Apostle of the Goddess, Hio Pavlenko.

Such a Frederic asks Hio very carefully.

His voice was trembling slightly.

“Excuse me… Apostle…?”

Hio responds calmly without even looking.

“Yes, Priest Frederic.”

“I do not dare to doubt you, Apostle, but is it really okay to do this…?”

“Is there a problem?”

At Hio’s still leisurely attitude, Frederic had no choice but to scratch his cheek.

‘Is there a problem?’

The fact that there were too many problems was the problem.

-Woof!

Woof!

First of all, this fellow barks enthusiastically as if responding to Hio’s words.

A large black dog.

There were four of them, and on their backs, the Order of the Sword, Hio, and priests with weak physical strength were evenly distributed and riding.

And that was in the middle of a battlefield packed with undead monsters in all directions.

“How on earth are these wicked things… following the Apostle’s words…?”

The space inside the castle walls where darkness had fallen heavily.

Frederic, speaking as if flustered, looked back and forth between Hio and the giant black dog beneath him with confused eyes.

‘At first glance, isn’t it a creature at the exact opposite of holiness?’

‘How on earth is such a cursed monster listening to the words of the Saint and panting while carrying them…?’

‘It was not something to say to the Apostle of the Goddess profanely, but couldn’t the Apostle have been contaminated by this space full of curses?’

There was a possibility, even if it was one in a thousand or ten thousand.

So Frederic looked at Hio with a hint of doubt in his faithful eyes.

“Could it be that the Apostle is under the curse of darkness…?”

Hio still had his eyes fixed on one place and even spoke with a faint smile.

“Aren’t they quite cute?”

‘…Did he say cute?’

Those things whose bodies are rotting in places, with ominous red eye-lights and spewing out strands of pitch-black energy?

‘Did he really hear correctly that they are cute?’

Frederic doubted his ears, so he dug his ear once and asked again.

“…Are you saying these things around us are cute?”

This black dog he was riding was strange enough, but the scenery around them was even stranger, far exceeding that.

Centered around the four black dogs, knights were on the outside, and even further out, undead monsters with ominous appearances were moving together.

‘Together,’ that is.

The Imperial Knights and monsters, and undead monsters at that, together.

It was like this from the beginning.

When they arrived, the first thing they witnessed was the Apostle of the Goddess, Hio Pavlenko, being tossed in the air in celebration by undead surrounding him.

The Apostle of the Goddess being tossed by undead.

What kind of scene is this that one might only see right before the end of the world?

However, at such a sight, the Order of the Sword laughed heartily and enjoyed it, and the foul-tempered Elf woman naturally went to the Saint’s side and stuck close as if it didn’t matter.

They say when you go to an abnormal world, a normal person becomes abnormal, and that was exactly how it was.

“There’s no reason not to be cute.

They listen well and are faithfully showing us the way.”

“That, that is true, but… I am wondering why the monsters are following the Saint’s words…”

“I see. I fully understand.”

Only then did Hio close the book written in the ancient language he was holding and look at Frederic.

With a gentle smile on his lips as if he understood everything.

“I often receive such misunderstandings.”

“Misunderstandings… you say?”

“Yes. You see, on that day, the day I met the Goddess, you should know well, Priest.”

Hio’s eyes, as he began the story, looked longingly toward the sky.

Even though it was so black he couldn’t see well anyway.

“The Goddess of Ripue, the Goddess of Hope, said:

‘My child, the undead are pitiful souls, so at that time, pity them and take them in!’, that’s what she said.

“Did, did the Goddess really say that?”

“That’s right. Isn’t that why she gave me this ability?”

“…Even so, it is the duty of divinity to destroy evil beings…”

“Oh, and she also added this.”

At Frederic’s attitude of not being easily convinced, Hio quickly added the following words.

“She said Priest Frederic’s prayers are the most sincere and full of faith.”

“Are, are, are you saying that the Goddess spoke of m-m-me right now?!”

“Of course. The Goddess said to tell each and every one of the faithful priests that she loves them all.”

“Oh, ohhhhh… Lipuae…!”

“How much the Goddess is watching you, Priest… Surely, Priest Frederic wouldn’t doubt the words of such a Goddess?”

“N-Never! I wouldn’t dare—ick!”

Frederic was so surprised by Hio’s words that he waved his hands and almost fell off the Hellhound’s back.

Frederic barely regained his balance and continued speaking.

“I, I have never doubted the Goddess and the Saint!”

“Then… do you believe?”

“I believe!”

At that point, it wasn’t just Frederic, but the other High Priests riding together behind him who joined in the chorus.

“Do you really believe?”

“Yes! We believe!”

As expected, the Goddess had anticipated even this ordeal and called the Apostle.

To think that the Apostle appointed by the Goddess herself even pitied and took in such sinister things.

He was still a long way off.

Deciding to devote himself more and pray faithfully, all the High Priests, including Frederic, folded their hands and closed their eyes to offer a prayer.

While swaying and moving on top of the Hellhound’s back.

‘…Isn’t this a scam?’

Furnel spoke as he watched the priests starting to pray, but Hio just shrugged his shoulders and opened the Grimoire again.

‘If it’s unfair, well, they’ll wake up from it eventually.’

Terrible.

Simply terrible.

Terrible or whatever, the skill ‘Dominion’ inherent in the Staff of the Authority of Darkness was more useful than expected.

It didn’t just end with being useful.

Since it made all these numerous Abyss Monsters from the Necropolis into allies.

Anyway, it’s a shame.

It would be nice if we could take all these undead outside.

‘It can’t be helped. Once Dominion is released, they’re no different from Abyss Monsters.’

It was Death Aura that composed and moved the bodies of the undead, and ‘Dominion’ allowed for the control of the Death Aura itself.

It was by no means a skill that made Abyss Monsters return to being normal undead.

Furthermore, it wasn’t something that could be maintained forever, so taking them out was impossible.

‘But this is still something.’

Where else could he leisurely read a Blink Grimoire in the midst of monsters whose numbers couldn’t even be counted?

Hio’s Magic Power was more than enough, and the area of Dominion moving around Hio was wide.

He had put all the Imperial Knights in it, and there was still room left in the area, so all the Abyss undead that entered were kept under control.

Outside the area, infinitely many monsters were still attacking with ferocious cries, but other dominated undead were blocking them.

Even if they broke through, they were immediately dominated upon arrival and quickly became docile.

In a word.

‘This couldn’t be more comfortable.’

It meant he could comfortably research Blink while being escorted by the undead.

Some knights looked uncomfortable and anxious, but most of the rest reacted as if this phenomenon was mysterious and strange.

Some even tried hitting the back of the head of an undead walking beside them for no reason or poking it, but there was no reaction from the Abyss undead.

Dominion was working properly.

“Now, now, I’ll guarantee your safety, so everyone relax and enjoy the scenery as we go.”

If safety was guaranteed, where would there be a better travel destination than this?

Even though the vision was a bit dark, the majestic appearance of the castle began to show.

Since they could move while closely observing the bizarre appearances of the Abyss undead that they wouldn’t normally see, there would be no time to be bored.

Moreover, looking closely at the ground they hadn’t paid attention to, didn’t it look like it was made of giant bones rather than ordinary stones?

As the sense of crisis gradually faded, the knights moved while looking around everywhere like children who had come to the zoo for the first time, full of curiosity as if they were sightseeing.

Hio, who had scanned that scene, turned his gaze back to the Blink Grimoire and muttered lowly.

“Nice.”

This is the Necropolis, where the chilly air blows pleasantly thanks to the undead filling the surroundings.

The feeling of reading a Grimoire while feeling the cool air on the back of a Hellhound was like…

“This is heaven.”

It was like heaven.