Chapter 475

[Support me here:- https://bmc.link/punisher87 ]

Dox McRolan saw countless humans. To be precise, it could be described as a kind of “tower” formed by countless humans.

It seemed to be at least a dozen feet high.

The bodies of humans that made up the tower were grotesquely twisted and folded, resembling large bricks.

Dox had experienced many battlefields where blood, bones, and flesh intermingled, but he had never seen a tower built from humans like this.

Hu…

Dox involuntarily held his breath. The toxic stench of decay and stench was so terrible that it felt like his lungs were rotting. He also felt nauseous, making it hard to endure.

‘They’re alive.’

All the humans who had become the bricks of the tower were alive.

Their waists were bent completely in the opposite direction, their necks twisted, and their bodies folded into square shapes to form the bricks, yet they were still breathing.

Grunt, squish. There were the sounds of humans barely exhaling from the various parts of the tower. With each breath they took, the tower expanded slightly and then sank back down.

And their pupils.

Countless pupils were blinking. Some pupils simply opened and closed without focus, while others seemed to do something as they shifted their gaze.

The latter were all trying to look at Dox.

‘Is this some kind of ancient dark magic? Or perhaps a rite for divine possession? Either way…’

This was happening in Huphester, in the backyard of Runcandel.

Of course, this place was an “execution ground.” Most of the humans used for the tower were likely to be serious criminals, but even so, this should not have happened.

Dox doesn’t care how the prisoners die, but this would defile the land that worships combat skills and struggle.

-As soon as you recover, head to the city of Rikalton in the southern region of Huphester. And investigate the truth of what is happening in Rikalton.

Dox recalled the words of the 12th flagbearer.

‘Even a Black Knight like me knew nothing about Rikalton. The 12th flagbearer has lower access to records than I do, so how did he find out about this place?”

The 12th flagbearer possessed an information network that exceeded expectations.

Naturally, he could reach such a conclusion. In reality, Jin discovered this place by chance from the story Emma had told, rather than Tikan’s information network.

However, that wasn’t a particularly important issue. What was truly important in Dox’s mind was how many people within the clan knew this fact.

‘And who owns this facility and what is their purpose?’

The Patriarch, acting matriarch, chief of black sword association, and top flagbearers.

That was the limit to how many people could have possessed a facility of this size. Chiron and Luna were out of the question from the beginning, and the chief of black sword association had recently lost his influence.

‘If it belonged to the chief of black sword association, someone in the Elder Council would have exposed this facility to gain an advantage.’

The remaining possibilities were the acting matriarch and the top flagbearers.

‘It is highly likely that it’s a work of Madame Rosa, and the 2nd flagbearer…”

The 3rd and 4th flagbearers wouldn’t have done such a thing. Until recently, Luntia had been living like someone who had given up on the world, and Diphus couldn’t do anything because of Mary.

On the other hand, Rosa and Joshua were different. Above all, Rikalton belonged to Joshua.

‘After the 1st flagbearer gave up the throne, Madame Rosa showed an obsession with the 2nd flagbearer that was sometimes incomprehensible.’

And how all those around the 1st flagbearer were killed and taken over in that process, was a well known fact to all the Black Knights.

‘When the 12th flagbearer chose Barisada during the Selection Ceremony, there were reports that the acting matriarch and the 2nd flagbearer were in contact with mage who was good at curses. They said it was just a circumstance.’

His head was growing hot.

It was because he remembered that the senior knight, who mentioned this, was retired not long after due to an injury during a mission. 

I was naive. It was by no means a typical injury, and Dox shook his head.

‘Still, I have to report back to the 2nd flagbearer. I will personally confirm if this place truly belongs to him and report to the Patriarch…’

The moment Dox thought that far.

Gahahaha, hahahaha-!

Suddenly, laughter echoed throughout the human tower. It was the voices of the human bricks that formed the towers. Dox readied himself and assumed a defensive stance while preparing to draw his weapon.

“Ahahaha!”

Then he heard a woman’s laughter. Dox had an intuition that the owner of this voice was the manager of this facility.

Step, step.

The woman was walking among the human towers.

She was the Prophet.

“Now, a riddle for the foolish intruder.”

The Prophet stopped.

Her face wasn’t visible, concealed in deep shadows, but she didn’t seem to have a large build, and she gave off a fairly young impression.

“What are you doing here?”

Dox stared at her without answering. Even though he felt vulnerable, for some reason, he couldn’t extend claws towards her. His body had stiffened, much like prey encountering a predator.

A Black Knight of Runcandel stiffened.

“You foolish child! You don’t seem to understand at all. Well then, here’s the next riddle!”

The Prophet extended her open palm.

Huuung…!

A black energy gathered above it. The power of Solderet, the shadow force, spread from the Prophet’s hand.

“Whose place is this?”

The Prophet smirked, and Dox felt as if he’d been struck on the back of the head with a mace. Looking at the shadow force, he thought that the Prophet was closer to Jin than to Joshua.

“I am the subordinate of Jin Runcandel, contractor of Solderet. So, if Runcandel’s Black Knight is here without permission, you’ll have to pay the price.”

“….. I came here under the orders of the 12th flagbearer.”

“Ahaha, if that’s true, my master is playing another wicked trick. In any case, I can’t just let you go. Surrender quietly. I’ll have to confirm it with my master. I’ll kill you if you resist.”

Hahaha, the human bricks in the towers laughed in agreement with the Prophet.

Dox’s body wasn’t in the usual state. He had come to Rikalton in haste to settle his debt with Jin, without a full recovery.

‘I can’t win in this condition.’

Dox turned around as soon as he made that judgment. The Prophet seemed disappointed when Dox started moving.

“Tsk, that’s no fun.”

When the Prophet reached out her hand, a purple beam shot out. After seeing that purple beam pass by him and graze his shoulder, Dox couldn’t help but think of the Black King Mountain Hideout.

‘This power, it’s similar to what Zephyrin used!’

A chill ran down his spine. He had never experienced such a crushing defeat as he did that day after living as a martial artist.

The purple beams struck him again. He managed to dodge or deflect most of them, but a few beams got through.

And it was unfortunate that the beams he missed were targeting vital points. They were moving toward his heart and throat, which meant certain death.

Strangely, as death drew near, the face that came to his mind wasn’t those of his companions in Runcandel, but someone he hadn’t thought of at all.

So, just as he was about to call out that name in his mind…

“Dox, snap out of it!”

Clang!

Someone deflected the beams aimed at Dox’s heart and throat.

***

“…That’s all, Your Majesty.”

The Imperial Palace.

Latz, wrapped in bandages all over his body, reported to the Emperor. The imperial family sent so many people to the Gaifa Archipelago, but only Latz and the four others that Jin had deliberately left behind returned.

Even those five came back with severely damaged bodies. Latz, in particular, could no longer do his duties as a leader of the special forces division. He couldn’t even perform ordinary movements anymore.

Unlike Jin, the Proch siblings had no qualms about making their enemies as miserable as possible, regardless of their personal feelings.

“It’s a shame that the great mercenary Amela died… Haha, but it’s quite a gain.”

The Emperor’s first words after Latz’s report was about the “gain.”

The first “gain” was none other than the information about Zipfel’s living golem and the Demon God’s Orb.

‘Zipfel’s living golem technology seems to have superior effects compared to our Majins, they are using authorities of gods without being the contactors.’

He shuddered, and a shiver ran down his spine. The power that Zipfel, the greatest in the world, possessed always filled the Emperor with reverence.

“Myuron Zipfel must have been resurrected with the help of that Demon God’s Orb for sure!”

The Emperor stood up, exclaiming in admiration.

Ever since Jin was a reserve flagbearer, no. Even before he was born, the Emperor had always been curious about the name of that object. It was the name of the orb that the great Zipfel had longed for.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Based on the circumstances, it seemed that Sandra Zipfel’s high-speed regeneration and Myuron’s resurrection were phenomena caused by the Demon God’s Orb.”

“Undoubtedly, there will be a price for that. Moreover, it is probably stronger than Majins, but there must be limitations to mass produce these living golems.”

The second gain the Emperor had in mind was information about Jin and Murakan.

“Jin Runcandel.”

The Emperor smiled as he thought of Jin.

Although their first meeting was disappointing, the Emperor never underestimated Jin’s abilities. However, he had a conviction that someday, those who sought “friendship” in the battles of the major factions would naturally disappear.

The recent report from Latz on Jin and Murakan’s battle prowess made him think that they might become a variable like “Chiron” in the future. It was a slim possibility, but still.

‘Is it the unique confidence of people like Chiron Runcandel or White Whale? You knew that all information about Zipfel would be reported to me… Why did you bother to send Latz alive, Jin Runcandel?” 

Is this a provocation? Or is it a sign that this information is not so important? In any case, the emperor felt uncomfortable with the sense that Jin is ‘looking down’ on him.

The emperor burst out laughing lightly.

‘Well… My discomfort is nothing compared to the pain you will soon feel.’

A smile tugged at the Emperor’s lips.

Sword Emperor castle.

The Emperor was suddenly curious about how Jin would react when Hairan’s home, which is slowly being restored, collapses once again.

Hairan was in an isolated state like an abandoned island after the terrorist incident at the Sword Emperor castle.

Zipfel constantly pressured Hairan, and the imperial family didn’t protect them. The dignity of the Sword Emperor was needed more than ever, but Ron was gradually reducing his external activities.

With rumors circulating that Hairan could fall as is, the Emperor was determined to make those rumors a reality.

“I can’t wait to see how that tough guy values his friendship.”

The emperor muttered to himself and organized his thoughts. The Emperor was unaware of the fact that Zipfel was pressuring Hairan more than necessary lately largely because of Jin.

“Latz.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I will give you a new mission. As soon as your body transforms, investigate Ron’s movements.”

[T/L: Buy ahead chapters from my ko-fi page or buymeacoffee.]