Chapter 36: The Sacrifice Is You
The sword and the magic gun that Elwin had given Gale were artifacts jointly crafted by the Magic Tower and the Clock Tower.
—“The sword and the gun are still prototypes with some rough edges. If you find anything inconvenient or that needs improvement while using them, please let me know anytime.”
The sword had two special abilities granted to it.
—“One of them is this: the blade can extend freely.”
The blade extended to whatever length Gale desired!
Like a long snake.
—“They said they designed it to make the features of a concealed sword more practical. And the other ability is…”
“Explode!”
Kwaaaaang!
The blade caused explosions upon contact with a target.
That’s why Gale had judged the sword to be extremely lethal.
“No matter how powerful, nothing is strong on the inside. Be it demons, humans… or monsters.”
The monster had been struck in its vulnerable part by such a weapon.
It was highly likely to have been a fatal wound.
But even so, he couldn’t be sure.
‘The opponent is an ancient monster. I can’t let my guard down until it’s truly over.’
Gale, Abito, and Melasa exchanged glances and took up defensive positions.
The moment Gale stepped forward to deliver a finishing blow to the unmoving monster—
<Guuaaaaaaaaahk!>
The monster, charred into a blackened husk, let out a ghastly wail as it rose.
<Huh, huhuhuhuh……!>
Though scorched black and oozing blue blood, its aura remained as fierce as it had been at the beginning.
<I was careless… To think the first humans I’ve encountered in thousands of years would be this strong…>
The massive monster laughed like a madman.
<Unlucky, again… just like last time… But this time, I won’t let it end the same!>
And in that instant, the monster charged toward the magic circle with overwhelming speed.
<Aaaaah! My great and revered king……!>
Fwooooosh!
Even as its body ignited in greedy flames, the monster smiled so wide it seemed its mouth would split open from joy.
<I offer this worthless body of mine! So please, I beseech you, my king… awaken from your ancient slumber…!>
Gale bit his lip and shouted.
“Damn it! A voluntary sacrifice…!”
It had given up its life and offered itself as a tribute.
He quickly tried to approach the magic circle, but—
“Ugh!”
Fwoosh!
A sinister magical force from the circle blocked him like a wall.
<Magician! You haven’t forgotten your promise to free the king, have you?>
The monster, melting into the greedy magic, shouted.
“Ah, of course. I was about ready to do it for real anyway. So…”
<Wh-What?!>
Fsssh!
Suddenly, countless black hands burst from the magic circle and bound the massive monster tightly.
“You were going to sacrifice yourself for your king anyway, right? Then do mine too while you’re at it.”
Zeraphe smirked and snapped his fingers.
<Magician, you cur! How dare you…!>
The black hands dragged the barely resisting monster into the magic circle.
“Haha! Sorry. I wanted to hear your last words, but wasting more time might draw unnecessary interference.”
Zeraphe laughed refreshingly.
“Even I don’t want to deal with Hunters.”
He reached out his hand while muttering an incantation.
“Dark Magic: Falling Grasp!”
“……!?”
“Kugh!”
From the wooden tendrils attacking Timur, Natuia, Frau, and Sercia, dozens of black hands shot forth.
Caught off guard, the four were flung far away, and Zeraphe didn’t miss the opportunity.
“Phew, the time has finally come.”
He leaped into the magic circle, took his place, and formed a strange hand gesture.
Thumbs pressed together, index fingers crossed in an X…
‘I’ve seen that somewhere before…’
Gale frowned at the sense of déjà vu, but couldn’t recall the memory.
Because what happened next was beyond imagination.
Schlak!
Zeraphe drew a dagger from his coat and slashed his palm, then slammed his bleeding hand onto the magic circle.
With a voice full of madness, he shouted the final incantation.
“─A ri, muscail thu!”
A ri, muscail thu!
Sssss…
Zeraphe’s blood seeped into the magic circle.
Woom, woom, woooom—
The circle began to flicker intermittently.
“……”
Everyone present instinctively held their breath.
But when nothing happened for a while, someone muttered in relief.
“Did it… fail?”
“Phew, thank goodness…!”
But just as those words left their lips, Gale saw it.
Zeraphe’s lips curling up uncontrollably.
Sensing the ominous aura, Gale tried to warn them—
“Watch ou—!”
Ruuuuuuuumble!
A violent tremor shook the entire labyrinth!
“A-A quake?!”
“Everyone, protect your heads!”
Crack, crack, crack!
The already fractured floor gave way completely.
Crash!
As the ground turned into a chasm, Gale extended his sword and hooked onto a stalactite from the ceiling.
“Phew, thought I was dead.”
Landing on a nearby cliff, Gale caught his breath.
“Everyone okay!?”
“Y-Yeah, somehow…”
“More importantly, what’s happening? The seal?!”
Just then, the tremor ceased.
“I-Is it over?”
But it was only the calm before the storm.
A brief silence—and then—
KRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAA!
A roar tore through the air like a wild beast.
“Gah!”
Everyone stiffened and felt chills run down their spines.
Not just Gale—everyone else felt it too.
They remembered.
‘…That’s right. I’ve heard this before.’
The very first day they fell into the labyrinth, they’d heard this roar.
And then forgotten it, because the monsters they encountered afterward were different…
‘That unknown beast!’
And now it was about to be released from its seal!
Gale’s face turned pale.
“Hahahahaha!”
Zeraphe burst into crazed laughter, staring at the magic circle with ecstatic eyes.
“Finally, finally-finally-finally—! My lifelong wish is coming true!”
He had only one goal.
Zeraphe Gnaude was willing to sacrifice his entire life for that dream.
But to fulfill it, he needed unfathomable power.
—Weak… too weak. This won’t be enough!
Zeraphe Gnaude was talented, more than most, but still only a halfway genius.
—My god! Everyone, an unprecedented event has occurred! A new Special-Class Hunter has been born—!
But nowhere near the calamity-born prodigies.
The path he had to take was arduous, even for a natural disaster-level genius.
So Zeraphe needed it.
“If only I had that monster…!”
The ancient monster so dangerous it had been sealed away—Manticore!
He scoured everywhere, from LAMPAS Academy to the Magic Tower and other perilous places.
—All to gather information.
About the labyrinth where the monster slept, how to break the seal,
and how to control the ancient monster at will.
Waiting for the right time to enter the labyrinth without interference from Hunters.
Ah… how long he had waited!
After relentless efforts, he had finally succeeded!
“I embedded a forced command into the unsealing ritual to make it obey me unconditionally!”
He never had any intention of keeping his promise to the massive monster…
That monster—once a royal guard captain of an ancient kingdom—had been foolish.
“Pathetic. To think I’d free a monster for nothing…”
So stupidly honest, so rigid… of course he had fallen.
He must’ve been someone who knew nothing but obedience!
“I’ll make good use of your precious king!”
Zeraphe loathed such blind fools.
“Now, it’s time!”
Crack— crackle-crackle!
“Awaken, my servant—!”
Clang!
At last, the chains that bound the magic circle shattered.
And the sealed monster—
Step, step—
Manticore emerged.
Grrrrrrrr…
The fortress-sized monster growled low, menacingly.
The ominous aura surrounding it slowly settled.
<The scent of freedom… after millennia.>
First to appear was a massive lion-like body with four legs.
Its hide was iron-thick and covered in blood-colored muscle.
Its spine bristled with long spines like a mane,
and a scorpion-like tail dripped with purple venom from its barbed tip.
<Kahahahahaha!>
Its voice resonated strangely, like a blend of flute and trumpet.
<I’ve finally been freed from that horrid seal!>
Atop its long neck, a hideous human face grinned under a gleaming crown…
Its mouth stretched wide enough to tear at the ears.
<Was it you?>
Clink, clank—!
Between the lips, now wide apart, jagged teeth like saw blades gleamed menacingly.
The grotesque appearance and overwhelming pressure left Gale’s group speechless.
The presence it exuded was anything but ordinary!
<Are you the one who awakened me from slumber?>
But the summoner had no time to hesitate.
“Y-Yes!”
Zeraphe swallowed once, then shouted with all his might.
His voice trembled with a mix of fear and joy.
“I am your master! Obey me! Kneel!”
<Hmm?>
But the monster remained still, and Zeraphe repeated himself louder.
Chains of black magic extended to bind its limbs and body.
<Ah… Could this scent be…? Aha! I see!>
But it was a pitiful display. Zeraphe’s fatal mistake was arrogance—waking the beast.
From the beginning, he was destined to lose.
<You didn’t really think a trick like this could control me, did you? …Hmph!>
Clang—!
The Manticore gave a slight shake—and the chains melted into nothingness.
<I’m hungry.>
Fwoosh!
In a flash, the Manticore was face-to-face with Zeraphe.
<And you… look delicious, descendant of Gnaude.>
“……!”
With a terrifying grin, it stretched its torn mouth wider.
“Ah… Aaaaaaaaaaah!”
Zeraphe Gnaude collapsed in despair and screamed in tears.
And the calamity he had summoned opened its jaws toward him.
<Bon appétit!>
Crunch!