Wipeout (2)

The situation room of the demonic humans.

A cultist, hooded in a robe, was watching the magic screen and spoke.

“Archbishop, the targets have entered the deepest core.”

On the magic screen, Ian and the accompanying vampires could be seen stepping into a circular clearing.

“It should be any minute now.”

Bertolf curled his lips into a sinister grin.

There, they had laid a bait that the vampires could absolutely not ignore.

Their precious leader. Noxcar’s severed head.

‘By all accounts, this was a high-risk operation. Since I prepared it with such determination, I hope they enjoy it thoroughly.’

When he cut off Noxcar’s head, it had been truly grueling.

‘Even now, the memory of her terrifying regenerative power gives me chills.’

Noxcar, who was of the highest rank even among ancient vampires, wouldn’t die just from having her head cut off.

‘Still, given her blood energy had dropped to rock bottom after a long sealing and confinement, I thought she’d be weakened to some extent.’

Yet her recovery remained monstrous.

When the core sealing device, the Eye of the Sun, was removed, she began regaining her strength at an alarming pace—how chilling that moment had been.

That was why he had to behead her in a single stroke, and then soak her head in mercury for a while, just to prevent her resurrection.

‘Even now, I never know when that absurd regenerative power will awaken again.’

Thus, it was a highly risky operation.

An irresistible bait that could completely break the vampires’ reason, but also a dangerous one.

‘Still, things have proceeded according to plan—I’m relieved.’

If the vampires had crawled all the way to the deepest core, the game was practically over already.

Depending on how deeply they advanced into the trap, there were contingencies in place, but he had not expected them to come all the way to the area with the highest chance of capture.

‘Maybe it’s because they’re vampires—still ignorant of the value of their lives. Reckless and foolish.’

Only the young man named Ian, who was with them, was pitiful as a result.

Unlike vampires, humans can’t recover easily from severe injuries.

And soon—

– Th, there! Ah, aaa!

– W-wait! Sister Judy! It’s dangerous… Huh? Huh! What the hell!

– Flash!

– Pak!

Of course.

The moment the vampires saw Noxcar’s head placed in the deepest core, they dashed madly for it.

Their formation broke in an instant, and all at once, everyone lost their guard and defensive stance.

‘Now’s the time.’

– Wuuuung!

Bertolf infused demonic energy into the control panel.

– Clack!

Immediately, the trap activated.

– Tu! Tu! Tu! Tung!

– Swwooooosh!

From all directions of the circular clearing, rods shot up, emitting a thick fog.

Naturally, the smoke wasn’t simply for blocking visibility.

Such a thing would mean nothing to vampires anyway.

No, this was smoke made by grinding up silver and sunsteel, both deadly to vampires.

Even a single inhalation would completely disrupt the flow of their blood energy, leaving them unable to even stand—it was a poison designed specifically for vampires.

– Kk, kuh!

– Krgh! T-this… ke, kek!!

As expected, the effect of the smoke was outstanding.

The vampires grabbed their necks and began collapsing one by one, like insects struck by insecticide.

To them, it was as if humans were inhaling hydrochloric acid.

Blood energy that touched sunsteel burned away, and flesh that touched silver decayed and crumbled.

– Keuuugh!

– Noxcar! We have to save Noxcar first! Kurgh!

Yet, even as they took the full brunt of that fatal trap, the vampires did not stop moving.

They crawled rapidly along the floor.

If left as it was, they would soon snatch up Noxcar’s head and escape.

‘Hurry and move on to the next step.’

This smoke was merely to temporarily tie down their feet.

The real plan to catch them was separate.

‘Eye of the Sun.’

– Wuuuung!

Bertolf channeled demonic energy into the console once again.

– Whooosh!

The ceiling of the circular clearing opened, revealing the Eye of the Sun.

– …!

– ……..!

The vampires looked up at the ceiling, feeling the sudden surge of intense heat.

The Eye of the Sun was already primed and emitting a brilliantly bright light.

– B-blood… We have to get out!!

A vampire girl, looking like a child, screamed desperately, but it was already too late.

Once they were in the deepest core, the plan was as good as a success.

– Flash!

– Whoooooosh!

As Bertolf fed more demonic energy into the control panel, the vampires on the magic screen were completely engulfed in a stream of light.

The golden-white brilliance was so bright that it completely obscured the screen.

– Kuaaaaagh!

– Aaaaaaagh!

Now, all that could be heard from the screen were the satisfying screams of the vampires.

The operation was a success.

– Clap clap clap clap!

Clapping from the bishops and demonic humans.

“Congratulations! Archbishop!”

“Congratulations! It was a perfect operation!”

“The Sin of Greed Cult Leader will surely commend you for this! Congratulations!”

“Heh heh. Thank you. Your help was invaluable, too.”

Bertolf raised his lips in satisfaction as he drank in the applause and words of congratulations.

Now, like waiting for bread to bake in the oven.

Once the vampires’ strength was completely drained within that burning light, then they could make their move.

‘It’s a bit bothersome that there’s a master-rank human mixed in there, but…’

There was nothing he could do in that situation, anyway.

The exit was already blocked tight with a barrier, so there was no escape, and the Eye of the Sun was an artifact of divine rank, impossible for a mere master to break.

All Ian could do was gawk helplessly as his companions writhed in pain.

‘I’ll subdue him myself when we enter later.’

Then every problem would be neatly resolved.

All the escaped vampires would be recaptured, and he’d get a master-rank human as a bonus.

Maybe he’d even receive great recognition and a large reward from the Sin of Greed Cult Leader for this.

“Ehehehe…”

Bertolf was fantasizing about such a bright future and let out a lecherous chuckle.

– Flash!

– Peet!

“… Hm?”

Suddenly, the golden light within the magic screen flickered and wavered.

Bertolf’s eyebrow twitched.

‘What’s this?’

If the light was flickering, then there was a problem with the Eye of the Sun’s output.

‘Is the supply of demonic energy unstable?’

Just as Bertolf was about to order a subordinate to check the demonic energy supply—

– Flash!

– Bzzt! Peet!

“… What!”

This time, the light fluctuated even more violently.

– Bzzt! Pa-at! Flash!

And it didn’t stop, but continued several times.

“Wh-what the!”

Bertolf’s eyes widened as he watched the magic screen.

With every flicker of the light, flashes of something moving could be seen on the screen.

A man’s figure.

“Th-that bastard! What’s he doing!?”

Somehow, Ian had already removed the Eye of the Sun from the ceiling and was holding it barehanded.

“C-crazy! What the hell is he!?”

The Eye of the Sun was, quite literally, like a small sun.

Ordinary people would instantly turn to ash just by getting near, and even the strongest warriors would suffer irreparable burns if they dared grab it with bare hands.

And yet—

“T-that bastard! What the hell is he doing!?”

Ian was rolling the Eye of the Sun with his fingers, as if toying with a glass marble.

Soon, Ian’s eyes rested on the mass of mana circuit wires dangling from the Eye of the Sun.

‘Th-that bastard…! What is he planning!?’

Bertolf and the bishops stared at Ian, frozen in anxious shock.

And then—

– Grab!

Ian seized the mana circuit wires.

“Wha, wha!? That idiot!!”

Bertolf gasped.

The mana circuit wires that Ian grabbed were carrying high-pressure demonic energy.

Demonic energy, for flesh not baptized in demon’s blood, was an unparalleled poison.

Even if Ian was a late-stage master, he could never withstand the torrent of demonic energy entering his body—he ought to explode instantly.

That should have happened, but—

“Wha-what!?”

– Crackle!

Ian calmly ripped the mana circuit wires right out of the Eye of the Sun.

– Pa-at!

As soon as the power source was cut, the Eye of the Sun lost its light and powered down.

– Chzzzzzzz!

Ian, holding the sparking red mana circuit wires, gazed at them briefly…

– Wham!

And then plugged them directly into Vladiark.

Suddenly—

– Shooooooooo!

“Arch-Archbishop!?”

A demonic human sitting at the magic gauge panel jumped up in shock.

“Th-the magic power in the storage tank…! It’s draining at an incredible speed!”

“What!?”

At those words, Bertolf shoved his subordinates aside and rushed over to the display.

“This, this is insane…!”

Just as reported.

The needle on the gauge was racing toward zero.

“No, it can’t be!”

The magic power kept in reserve was a staggering amount, enough to operate the divine artifact Eye of the Sun.

Roughly estimating, it was equal to the reserves of three intermediate grandmasters.

And yet—

‘H-how!’

How could he chug that massive quantity down, just like it was a glass of water!

It was like draining an enormous lake in only a few gulps—an impossible feat.

‘N-no! Stop! It must be stopped!’

The magic power in the storage tank even included this year’s quota for tribute to the High Priest of Sin.

If it all ran dry, even capturing the vampires and Ian wouldn’t save Bertolf from punishment.

“B-bishops! What are you doing!?”

Bertolf screamed.

“Descend to the deepest core immediately! Stop that bastard!”

“Y-yes!”

“Right away!”

The bishops dashed out of the situation room.

“A-aah…!”

Bertolf couldn’t just stand still, either.

With the Eye of the Sun disabled, the vampires would soon collect themselves and rise again.

“Damn it! All of you, follow me! We’re all going down to the deepest core!”

Bertolf led all the demonic humans in the situation room out into the corridor.

‘What is happening! Just, what the hell is going on!?’

Bertolf ground his teeth as he sprinted down the long hallway with his subordinates.

‘Ian Greysel…! That arrogant human bastard, how dare he!’

Ruining his meticulous plans to nothing!

‘I’ll have to step in myself! I’ll subdue him as quickly as possible!’

He needed to defeat Ian swiftly while the vampires were still suffering from exposure to silver and sunsteel.

If the vampires recovered and rose again, not even he could stop all of them.

‘I heard Ian Greysel is about late-stage Swordmaster level!’

Ian may have shown incredible skill by grabbing the Eye of the Sun with his bare hands and draining the magic power in an instant, but that was only possible with the help of artifacts.

For him to perform such feats by sheer body and aura alone, he would have to be at least a late-stage Grandmaster.

Even if Ian was a genius with extraordinary talent, there was no way he had already reached that level.

‘Then, it’s plenty possible to subdue him.’

Bertolf’s own level was early-stage 8th-circle.

The bishops were, on average, master-rank, 7th-circle.

Time was of the essence.

If they hurried together and subdued Ian before the vampires recovered, he wasn’t a difficult opponent.

– Squeeze.

Bertolf gripped his favorite golden staff tightly.

‘A dreadful variable has appeared, but it’s not too late yet…!’

Bertolf hastened his steps, running toward the deepest core.

Unaware of whose slaughterhouse it had become.

————-= Clacky’s Corner ————-=

Authority of Projection and Vladiark…

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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