Chapter 96

Chapter 96
## Chapter 96

### The Abyss Opens (3)

When Heinrich, who had safely stowed the holy sword away within his stigma, pushed open the heavy stone portal of the hidden sanctuary and stepped out, he found himself back at the exact location where his trial had originally commenced.

He had endured countless tribulations, yet a mere single threshold separated him from the world outside.

‘I realized it the moment the holy sword forged that illusory realm for the test, but the magic of it is still breathtaking.’

A satisfied smile played on his lips as he gazed down at the glowing emblem etched upon his palm.

‘With this level of strength, I feel confident I could face a Paladin in direct combat without backing down.’

Furthermore, “Blessing: Holy Sword”, much like the rest of his inherent traits, was an ability that grew progressively more potent through dedicated training.

This meant the massive power he currently possessed was merely the foundation of what was to come.

“You have finally returned.”

A gathering of figures stood waiting to receive Heinrich the moment he crossed the threshold of the stone portal and emerged into the open.

“Excellently done, Sir Heinrich.”

“Ah, Cardinal Donovan!”

Before him stood the finest elites the Church had to offer, led by none other than the Cardinal who oversaw the Picaol Cathedral.

‘How could they possibly know the exact moment of my return… No, that is a foolish thought.’

They had not gathered here simply to offer him a warm welcome.

An Arch-Lich had broken through the abyss hole situated at the very center of the cathedral; there was absolutely no way the Church would remain oblivious to such an event.

‘It is only natural that they would be on high alert. Moreover, now that the spatial boundary maintained by the holy sword’s trial has dissolved, the fluctuations would have been far easier for them to detect.’

They had rushed to the scene to handle any potential disaster, but because the malevolent energy inside had completely vanished before they could breach the chamber, they were currently holding their ground outside the entrance.

They had likely refrained from entering to avoid disrupting Heinrich while he was in the middle of his sacred trial.

“Hahaha! I suspected as much… You have truly succeeded in claiming ownership of the holy sword!”

The Cardinal beamed with immense joy, his eyes widening in astonishment as he looked at Heinrich’s palm.

The expressions of the surrounding clergy behind him mirrored that same profound shock.

“To think he actually managed to pull it off.”

“I recall the rumors circulating about him. They claim he is the very holy knight who drove his blade straight through the Immortal King’s heart and brought him down…”

“For the chosen wielder of the holy sword to manifest at a time like this! This must surely be the grand design of the Main God!”

Every person present reacted with deep reverence toward the holy sword, which had finally revealed itself again after three centuries of slumber.

The reappearance of the holy sword, the ultimate emblem of the champion, carried immense weight now that the Immortal King had risen again and even the abyss had split open.

“This is nothing short of destiny. Tell me, Sir Heinrich. Did you encounter any bizarre phenomena within the chamber?”

Cardinal Donovan, who had been silently nodding in approval, directed his query toward Heinrich while casting a brief glance at the stone door behind the youth.

“Ah, the abyss began exhibiting volatile signs the moment the holy sword was drawn from its resting place. Following that, an Arch-Lich manifested from the rift…”

“An Arch-Lich, you say?”

“I managed to strike it down, as it was rendered utterly powerless under the absolute suppression of the holy barrier. Since it happened to be carrying its fundamental essence, I was able to obliterate it permanently right then and there.”

“Just as expected of you… Truly, it is an immense relief that no further complications arose.”

The older man let out a soft sigh of reassurance, then tilted his chin slightly toward the stone entrance, signaling the gathered clergy behind him.

A disciplined line of high-ranking priests and holy knights began marching into the subterranean chamber where the holy sword had been entombed for ages.

As Heinrich watched their movements with a look of mild bewilderment, the Cardinal offered a wry, understanding smile and spoke up.

“Come to think of it, you must be entirely unaware of the chaos unfolding under the open sky. The sudden turbulence from the abyss must have startled you greatly.”

“Ah, y-yes… That is true.”

In reality, he understood the external crisis far better than anyone else present, but Heinrich merely gave a vague nod to keep up appearances.

With a somber countenance, the Cardinal proceeded to brief him on the gravity of the situation.

He detailed the exact catalysts that had triggered such a violent response within the depths of the abyss.

He spoke of the second abyss that had violently fractured across the lands of the continent, as well as the strategic protocols they would need to implement moving forward.

“Now that the holy sword is no longer anchoring that location, we must oversee that abyss hole with far greater vigilance. We intend to layer additional defensive barriers and station dedicated guards there to prevent any lapses.”

While the defensive arrays currently active were by no means weak, the sudden emergence of an actual Arch-Lich meant they could no longer afford to take any chances.

“Our forces are already stretched incredibly thin across the regions. Hahaha! This is truly… ahem, quite a grueling predicament.”

It appeared his genuine frustrations had slipped out involuntarily, but the older man smoothly cleared his throat and guided Heinrich toward the exit.

“The personnel here will handle the containment, so let us make our departure. There will be an immense weight of responsibility resting on your shoulders moving forward.”

Given the dire state of the world, there was simply no luxury of time to waste on rest.

After a brief period to catch his breath, Heinrich lost no time in heading straight to the teleportation chamber to make his way back to the Roselia Cathedral.

Wooong—

The massive magic circle began to hum as it slowly charged with mana.

Heinrich looked at Cardinal Donovan, who had personally walked him to the departure platform, with an expression mixed with awkwardness.

“Your schedule must be incredibly packed, Your Eminence. There was truly no need for you to escort me yourself.”

The entire realm was thrown into chaos.

He felt a distinct sense of pressure knowing that a figure as high-ranking as the Cardinal had taken the time to see him off.

“Haha, you are no longer just another nameless holy knight now that you bear the holy sword. An escort of this level is only natural. Furthermore… there is a particular matter I wished to convey to you.”

Indeed, his standing within the hierarchy would be completely transformed from this day onward.

To be the recognized master of the holy sword meant he was now the living weapon of the Main God, destined to represent the current era.

“A matter you wished to convey…?”

Spurred by Heinrich’s question, the Cardinal stepped closer with a deeply serious expression and leaned in to whisper directly into his ear.

Heinrich focused his full attention on the hushed words, anticipating a matter of grave spiritual importance, but…

“What I mentioned to you previously. You haven’t let it slip your mind, have you?”

“…Pardon?”

“Regarding our dear Saintess. Well? Do I truly need to spell it out for you once more?”

“…No, I remember it vividly. Please do not worry.”

“Excellent, most excellent! Go on then, safe travels!”

“…”

To the fiercely protective and doting Cardinal Donovan, it mattered little whether Heinrich was the legendary wielder of the holy sword or a common soldier.

—

“Welcome back, Sir Heinrich. I held absolute faith that you would return victorious!”

The moment Heinrich set foot back inside the grand halls of the Roselia Cathedral, he was greeted by the Saintess, who offered him a warm and gentle smile.

Following their initial greetings, they drifted into a light, casual dialogue.

“On another note, how did you find Cardinal Donovan during your visit?”

“…Ah, yes. I am well aware of his advanced years, but he appeared to be in remarkably robust health.”

Heinrich replied with a somewhat strained smile, vividly recalling the older man’s heavily defined physique that completely defied his age.

“Hehehe… I was quite anxious since his duties at the Picaol Cathedral became so demanding, but it gives me joy to hear he maintains his physical training. He used to dote on me quite fiercely during his time stationed here.”

For a brief moment, they shared a peaceful, ordinary conversation.

However, given the suffocating weight of the current crisis, that lighthearted mood evaporated almost instantly.

“You appear incredibly exhausted, Saintess. The burdens upon you must be immense.”

“Sigh— It is proving to be quite overwhelming, given the sheer magnitude of this catastrophe.”

The Saintess let out a heavy, sorrowful sigh, her expression instantly darkening.

While the sudden opening of the second abyss stood as their primary threat, the coordinated slaughter from the sacrificial rituals occurring across the continent posed an equally devastating crisis.

“Dozens of these vile sacrificial rites were triggered simultaneously across various territories of the land. They stretched from tiny agricultural settlements to isolated frontier townships.”

It was a meticulously planned campaign of terror, intentionally striking at remote populations where defensive magic was virtually nonexistent and local garrisons were minimal.

Furthermore, these arrays had been concealed with such flawless precision that not a single trace had been detected prior to their sudden activation.

‘It makes their faction seem far more terrifying and calculated.’

Even if one were to discount the rural villages, orchestrating a coordinated strike on a frontier town housing over a thousand citizens was no simple feat, regardless of how poorly defended it might have been.

“The true extent of the casualties is still being calculated… but as of this moment, tens of thousands of innocent lives are confirmed to have perished. We have no way of knowing how much higher that figure will climb.”

Every sovereign nation across the continent had declared an absolute state of emergency in response to this unprecedented, widespread slaughter.

Naturally, because the perpetrators had primarily targeted the lower classes living in regions with minimal law enforcement, the governing elites did not view the loss of life as a direct blow to their own power.

‘Yet the sheer scale of the operation is so massive that even the highest rulers cannot help but feel a chill running down their spines.’

After all, who could possibly guarantee that such a shadowy, lethal force wouldn’t turn its blades toward the capital cities next?

“…However, the most alarming crisis remains the public return of the Immortal King Hans and the splitting of that second abyss.”

Intelligence gathered by the scouts deployed to the southern front was being transmitted back to the central cathedral almost instantaneously, and teams were still actively analyzing the aftermath.

“The core essence that manifested from this particular abyss is identified as ‘madness’. Yet, the nature of it this time shifts dramatically from what occurred during the era of the Immortal King ten centuries ago.”

Unlike the ‘Immortal King’s Heart’, which had completely manifested into the physical realm in its entirety, the madness unleashed during this incident was pulled forth in an incomplete, fragmented state.

Because of its unstable form, it could not solidify into a singular entity and instead splintered, drifting across the far reaches of the continent…

“This is an ominous portent. In truth, it may prove to be far more elusive and problematic to deal with than the Immortal King himself.”

While no catastrophic shifts had been reported just yet, an entity spawned from the depths of the abyss could never bring anything but ruin to the living world.

The true consequences would undoubtedly begin to fester and surface as time passed.

Furthermore, tracking down expressions of dark magic had become vastly more complicated now that a veil of madness blanketed the world, making this an exceptionally disadvantageous turn of events for the Church on multiple fronts.

“And to make matters worse, the very Immortal King who orchestrated this entire nightmare…”

The dark monarch, mounted atop a towering Bone Dragon, had openly flaunted his presence before the gathered forces of the Church.

He had intentionally lingered at the scene, mockingly jeering at their helplessness before making a calculated, unhurried escape.

He left behind nothing more than a solitary burst of Death Breath from his undead mount.

“…Mercifully, the immediate death toll from that strike was contained. The individuals stationed there were seasoned veterans, not fragile recruits. Had he chosen to unleash a prolonged assault, the outcome would have been catastrophic…”

Yet, the Immortal King had simply turned his back and departed.

“In essence, his actions demonstrate the absolute contempt he holds for our forces. He is treating this as a game, deliberately granting us every opportunity to struggle against him with all our might.”

The Saintess ground her teeth together, her features tightening into a expression so severe that it completely erased any memory of her characteristically gentle demeanor.

“Saintess…”

“Sigh— Forgive me, I allowed my emotions to get the better of me. However, we can view this as an advantage. It serves as definitive proof that the current generation’s Immortal King suffers from supreme arrogance.”

It was a blatant vulnerability they could turn against him—the fact that he chose personal amusement and looked down upon his adversaries even when the perfect opportunity to wipe them out completely was within his grasp.

It was the classic downfall of the overwhelmingly powerful. A fatal character flaw that had led to the demise of countless legendary figures throughout history.

“We will exploit his overconfidence to its fullest extent. A temporary moment of disgrace is a paltry price to pay for the preservation of the continent. In the end, we shall be the ones who stand victorious.”

Moved by the sheer intensity of her resolve, Heinrich nodded fervently, fully aligning his determination with the serious oath of the Saintess.

“I will stand by your side through this, Saintess. Armed with the might of the holy sword, we will undoubtedly put an end to his existence once and for all.”

“I place my full trust in your strength, Sir Heinrich! You are the destined adversary of the Immortal King Hans, chosen by the hand of the Main God Himself!”

A surge of profound inspiration and certainty washed over him.

Heinrich offered a slow, deliberate nod as he held the Saintess’s gaze.

‘…And yet, she continues to refer to him simply as Hans. He possesses such a dramatic title as Hannibal Strauss. I really ought to make it a point to emphasize his full name the next time he comes up.’

He mused silently, his internal thoughts straying completely from the solemn words he spoke aloud.

—

A subterranean vault entombed deep within the crust of the earth.

“Ugh…?”

A second distinct disturbance rippled through the stagnant, heavy air, following the minor fluctuation that had occurred moments prior.

A pair of crimson eyes gradually ignited within the absolute blackness of the tomb.

“…What could this possibly be…?”

Yet, his utterance remained thick with lethargy, as he had been pulled from his slumber by a bizarre sensation that seemed to disregard all physical constraints.

An ominous, unsettling pressure that paid no heed to the absolute sealing magic surrounding him—rendering the air entirely stagnant and isolated from the outer world—was actively provoking his senses.

‘…Ah, that is right.’

As his consciousness steadily cleared, the sharp irregularity he had detected previously began to weigh on him once more.

It appeared that a significant crisis had befallen his bloodline.

‘I must rouse myself.’

Neither the enigmatic events currently transpiring across the lands nor the specific incident that had shaken his kin could be dismissed as trivial matters.

It was a crisis of sufficient gravity to demand that he rise from his resting place and investigate the truth with his own eyes.

Bracing his resolve, he attempted to gather his dormant strength to lift his form from his seat.

“I truly must…”

In reality, the command formed clearly within his mind, but his physical vessel failed to execute the action with any degree of urgency.

His frame shifted slightly, making a sluggish attempt to rise.

However…

“…I need to get up, ugh—”

An involuntary yawn escaped his lips, and his heavy limbs went entirely slack once more as he slumped backward.

Naturally, he wasn’t slipping back into a true state of sleep.

The persistent energy grating against his senses was far too disruptive to allow for proper rest.

His physical form, which had been locked in a state of deep hibernation for ages, was gradually rekindling its vital functions.

The precise moment for him to march forth had not yet arrived…

But the hour of his awakening was drawing exceedingly near.

And with that, the Sacred Blood of Brokoslack—

Slowly began to stir from his epoch-long slumber.