Chapter 178: [178] Chaos In The Halls

The hallway just outside the princess’ room was strangely undamaged by the war that had just happened right next to it.

Jenna’s spell should have been more than enough to coat the space in thick, black soot. But the walls were pristine, untouched by the spell.

The white floor was polished so thoroughly that they reflected the patterned ceiling above, and the room looked completely spotless.

Even the blood that had pooled around on the floor just stopped at the edge, as though stopped by an invisible barrier.

Ark almost felt like an angry maid would pop out at any moment and caution them for staining her floor with their bloody boots.

’This is the next stage...’ he thought to himself. The wall by his right was almost entirely made of glass, which meant the hallway was extremely bright.

Ark tried to see what lay beyond it, but the image was distorted. He was not permitted to see beyond what he was allowed to witness.

A screen suddenly appeared in front of his face, flashing with red light as a voice rang in his head.

[STAGE 2]

[WARNING!! WARNING!! WARNING!]

— The crimson order has heard of your defiance.

[Goal: Escape the hall! Protect the princess!]

[Time: 10:00]

"A sudden escape mission?" Ark glanced at the window. Before, it had been distorted, but now he could see the world beyond clearly.

The city was burning, ash mixed up with the chill of winter. Corpses were strewn over the streets, the stench of death and misery rising up with the smoke.

And far in the distance, up in the clouds above... Ark could see it. A black mass speedingly approaching in the distance.

"What is going on?" The princess asked when she sensed the tension in the room, her eyes still tied shut.

"We have to move, now!"

Mountain held the princess’s hand, pulling her along with him.

Just as they began their sprint through the long, wide hallway, enemies suddenly materialised in front of them, blocking their path.

Judging by their armour alone, Ark could tell that these high goblins were not on the level of those they had fought earlier.

They all wore silver armour with red paint splayed across their breast plates. Their heads were covered with helms of steel, and they brimmed with cold composure.

The composure of seasoned veterans.

[Threat detected! Phoenix Knights, Level 21 x 50!]

[Threat detected! Imperial Soldiers, Level 21 x 50!]

"Knights huh? This should be fun." Ark stared at the timer. Already, they had lost thirty seconds, they could not afford to lose any more.

So without wasting another second, Ark and his summons charged at them. The knights and soldiers rushed forward as well, not a hint of fear in their crimson eyes.

Jenna unleashed a flame spell that kissed the ceiling, just before coming down like a plague. But the moment it crashed into the army, a shimmering dome appeared above them—

Bang!

The fire washed over the shield, leaving the soldiers completely unharmed, and then a goblin dressed up in flowing green robes floated into the sky from amidst them, its eyes locked on Jenna.

[Threat detected! Phoenix Mage, Level 24 x 1!]

’They have a mage?’ If there was one, there was likely more.

The goblin mage raised a hand and motioned at Jenna. "Come at me, witch."

Ark glanced at her and Jenna seemed raring to go. "He’s all yours!"

Jenna released another ball of fire that whistled through the air. The mage responded with a rippling rush of wind.

BOOOM!

Fire and wind gushed out on impact, creating a searing whirlwind that coiled in the air. Both mages allowed their mana to slip, taunting each other as they prepared their next spell, unleashing carnage right above the head of the foot soldiers.

On the floor, the battle had already begun.

Ark dove right into the formation like a man with no care for his life. Weapons came flying at him, swords, arrows, knives and spears.

He stared at them, several arcs of light appearing in his vision. They drifted in the air, like strands fashioned from amber steam, evasive, but potent enough to grasp.

Swish!

Ark leaned to the side as a sword brushed past him, barely inches away from his face, then ducked underneath another slash.

He held the knight’s arm and pulled him himself, then rolled over his back, leaping into the air as five blades pushed forward, piercing their own companion.

To Ark, each step had been calculated. He had seen the attacks, he had predicted where they would go...

But for the goblins, everything happened in the space of a second, and now he was right within their walls.

?!

Bang!

Ark drove his fist into the nearest knight’s face, his armoured fingers brushing against metal as his helmet caved.

The knight tried to swing, but Ark angled his arm with another punch. The sword brushed over the armour, sparks fizzling into the air just as Ark grabbed his face.

[Poison Ash]

Black ash poured into the helmet. The goblin screamed out in pain, just before he went still.

Ark dodged a thrust from behind him, tossed the dead knight to the attacker, then accompanied the body with a wave of corrosive ash—-

Vwoooosh!

—AHHHHHHHHHHH!

Multiple goblins were caught up in the attack, the ash eating into their flesh and lungs, leaving them writhing in pure agony.

"I need to improve this skill." Ark muttered to himself.

Two goblins charged from behind him, thinking he was oblivious about the attack. But just as their blades came down, Ark vanished, appearing behind them.

[Curse Gacha]

A ghastly visage of a skull appeared on their foreheads and sunk in like a knife through butter. And then something eerie happened.

"No, no, I killed you! I killed you!" The first goblin screamed out in fear, waving his sword at his friend.

[Curse Of Delusion]

"What the hell are you doing, Dazakah—" The second goblin froze, his legs locking up as an unimaginable amount of pain overwhelmed him from the inside.

"Naaghaaaaawaa!" He screamed out, clasping both hands around his abdomen as saliva poured out his mouth.

[Curse Of Parturition]

"Damn." Ark stared at the goblin in shock. "That looks... very painful."

"Well..." he winced. "At least, now you can appreciate your wife a little more. You two have fun." He said in a cheery tone, just before leaving them and rushing back into the battle.

"W-wait, you b-bastard—!!"

The goblin’s eyes widened. Did he just... shit himself?

Thankfully, he did not get to live through the horror of figuring out, because—

Swish!

His partner hacked down on him, repeatedly, blood splurting onto his face as he was butchered to pieces. All while screaming unintelligible words driven by utter terror.

Ark had already turned his attention to the next knight, bathing the hall with black ash.

He had expected them to kill themselves, so he did not see... that when the curse finally wore off, and the goblin saw what he had done to his friend, he fell on his own blade.

The knights proved more difficult to quell than the soldiers had been, truly they were a force to recon with.

Although their numbers were thinning down by the second, they still outnumbered them, and Ark could not be everywhere at the same time.

That was why he did not realize that the goblins had surrounded Mountain, until it was much too late...

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