He immediately stepped out from behind the tree, searching the surrounding forest.
A moment later he found her.
Morgana stood silently upon the branch of a towering tree overlooking the battlefield.
Her purple eyes calmly scanned the horde below. Searching. Looking for one particular person. Then her gaze met Damien’s.
Without the slightest hesitation she stepped forward. Rather than falling she kicked off the branch. Her body became a blur. While descending, she reached into her storage ring.
A long dark-purple spear appeared in her hand. Before touching the ground. She swung it once.
A crescent of dark mana swept across the battlefield.
SHRRRK!!
Several monsters were sliced cleanly in half before they even realized she had arrived.
She landed gracefully. Without slowing down. She continued running. Every monster that approached her died in a single strike. Within seconds she stood before Damien.
Her sharp eyes quickly examined his injuries.
"...Damien. Are you alright?"
Damien nodded weakly.
"...Yes...I’m fine...But..."
Before he could continue. Morgana interrupted him. Her voice remained calm. "...Where is Noah?"
The question made Damien’s expression fall.
He lowered his head.
"...I...I don’t know."
His fists slowly clenched. "After we defeated the guardian...A portal suddenly appeared on the final floor. It pulled Noah inside. I tried to reach him... But before I could... The portal disappeared."
Silence.
Morgana’s grip around her spear tightened.
Her jaw clenched. "...Damn it."
She looked toward the monsters still pouring from the forest.
"I already informed Duke Lionel after detecting these creatures leaving the labyrinth. He should have begun preparing Everhold City’s defenses by now."
She turned back toward Damien.
"Until reinforcements arrive... I need every detail. Tell me everything that happened inside the labyrinth. Don’t leave anything out."
Damien nodded.
Then he began recounting everything. From the very first floor... To Noah’s disappearance.
---
Everhold City
At the massive defensive wall surrounding Everhold...
Knights hurried across the battlements.
Orders echoed continuously.
"Activate the eastern barrier!"
"Archers to your positions!"
"Mages, prepare long-range spells!"
The city’s ancient defensive mechanism had already been activated. Towering pillars surrounding Everhold released brilliant streams of mana into the sky.
The beams connected together. A colossal translucent barrier gradually enveloped the entire city. It shimmered faintly beneath the afternoon sun.
Standing atop the wall was Duke Lionel Thornveil.His emerald eyes remained fixed upon the distant forest. His sword rested quietly at his waist.
His expression was unusually serious. The approaching horde was still several kilometers away.
Even from this distance. He could see countless pale figures racing through the trees.
One of the knights approached him before respectfully kneeling.
"My Lord... Lady Morgana is still outside the barrier."
Lionel remained calm.
"It’s fine. She’s more than capable of protecting herself. Those monsters won’t pose much of a threat to her."
His gaze remained fixed upon the advancing horde.
Then his eyes narrowed.
"...They look identical."
The knight looked confused.
"Identical, my Lord?"
Lionel nodded slowly.
"The photographs. The ones I received from the Hero Association. The sleeping creatures discovered beneath the dungeon in Novaris City..."
He slowly drew a breath.
"...These are the same monsters."
---
Back to Damien and Morgana.
"...What did you just say?"
Shock appeared on Morgana’s face.
She stared directly at Damien. Her purple eyes widened.
"Everything you’ve just described...The labyrinth...The floors...The monsters..."
She slowly shook her head.
"...None of them were there."
Damien froze.
"...What?"
Morgana continued,
"I explored that labyrinth before you two entered. I explored all floors."
Her voice grew increasingly solemn.
"But the labyrinth you described...Is completely different. The forest. The submerged city. The undead fortress. The library of riddles. The giant guardian. I’ve never seen any of them. They simply...didn’t exist."
Damien’s pupils contracted.
His breathing stopped for a moment.
"That’s impossible."
He stared blankly at Morgana. If she was telling the truth...
Then the labyrinth Noah and he had explored was no longer the same labyrinth she had entered years ago.
Somehow it had changed after Noah and Damien entered it.
---
Holy Duchy
The disaster was no longer confined to a single place.
Across the Empire similar outbreaks had begun appearing one after another.
Monstrous hordes erupted from beneath cities, villages, and ancient dungeons, spreading chaos wherever they emerged.
Not even the Holy Duchy was spared.
Fortunately the duchy’s capital, Caeloria City, remained untouched.
Its divine barriers and vigilant defenders kept the city safe. And there was no outbreak of those monsters near the city.
However, many smaller cities and villages throughout the Holy Duchy weren’t as fortunate.
One of the hardest-hit locations was Krios, the nearest city to the capital.
The peaceful city had descended into complete chaos.
Pale monsters rampaged through the streets, tearing through buildings and chasing terrified civilians.
Screams echoed from every direction. Yet, unlike many other cities across the Empire.
Krios was not without hope.
The Church had responded almost immediately.
Groups of Holy Paladins clad in gleaming silver armour formed defensive lines throughout the city, shielding civilians while battling the endless tide of monsters.
Golden divine magic illuminated the streets as priests continuously healed the wounded behind the front lines.
Leading the Church’s forces was the Pope himself.
Lucian.
Upon receiving reports of the outbreak, Lucian had personally travelled to Krios alongside his daughters and a handful of his most trusted subordinates.
Thanks to their swift arrival, the situation had gradually come under control.
The monsters were still numerous...
But the city was no longer on the verge of collapse.
Standing amidst the battlefield, Lucian calmly surveyed the surroundings.
His white robes fluttered gently in the wind as explosions and battle cries echoed in the distance.
After a brief moment, he turned toward his eldest daughter.
"Lyria."
She immediately stepped forward.
"Yes, Father?"
Lucian’s expression remained calm and composed.
"The battle here is stabilising. It’s time for you to fulfil your role."
He looked toward the countless injured civilians and exhausted paladins being carried away from the battlefield.
"Gather every healer we brought. Lead the medical teams. Treat every wounded civilian and every injured knight. Make sure they’re evacuated to a safe location. You’ll be in command of the healing operation here."
Lyria placed a hand over her chest and bowed respectfully.
"Yes, Father. I won’t disappoint you."
Her beautiful blue eyes shone with determination.
Without another word, she immediately began issuing orders.
"Healers, with me! Split into teams of five! Priests, establish treatment stations in the northern district. The seriously injured come first!"
The Church’s healers quickly followed her commands, rushing toward the wounded scattered throughout the city.
Watching his daughter leave, Lucian gave a slight nod before turning back toward the battlefield.
His gaze settled upon the largest concentration of monsters.
Hundreds of grotesque creatures were still clashing with the Holy Paladins.
Lucian slowly raised one hand toward the sky.
Immediately an enormous golden magic circle materialised high above the battlefield.
Its intricate divine runes spread across the heavens, covering hundreds of metres.
A holy pressure descended upon the entire city.
Every monster instinctively looked upward. Within the glowing magic circle...
Countless swords of pure white light began to form.
One after another. Then another. Until hundreds of radiant blades floated silently above the battlefield.
Each sword radiated overwhelming divine energy. The monsters let out furious roars.
Lucian calmly lowered his hand.
[Judgment]
At his command the countless holy swords descended.
WHOOSH!
They rained from the heavens like divine punishment.
BOOM!
SHRRRK!
BOOM!
One sword pierced through a monster’s skull.
Another split a creature cleanly in half.
Several more impaled groups of monsters simultaneously before erupting into bursts of holy light.
The battlefield shook violently beneath the relentless barrage.
Within moments hundreds of monsters had been annihilated.
The Holy Paladins could only stare in awe.
Even after witnessing the Pope’s strength countless times.
The sight of such overwhelming divine power never failed to leave them speechless.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter