Chapter 114: Coming to a Close, King's Audience

The situation reached a definitive conclusion once the palace lockdown was lifted. The Nightblades stationed within the city returned to their posts, their disciplined ranks swiftly sweeping away the remaining demons and the wreckage left in their wake.

Demonic corpses dissipate shortly after the Hellgate vanishes, a consequence of other planes rejecting such entities. Were it not for this, a race so resilient, so terrifyingly prolific, and so absurdly easy to empower would have long ago overrun other worlds through the accidental rifts that occasionally tear through reality. This inter-planar repulsion acts as a safeguard, ensuring demons cannot claim every realm as their own—after all, this world lacks a juggernaut like Doom to slaughter his way through Hell single-handedly.

However, this phenomenon complicates post-battle salvage. Demonic remains—bones, blood, hearts, and the like—are exquisite alchemical reagents for fire-based craft; with proper handling, they can be distilled into potent elixirs or even magitech devices. Because of the rapid dissipation, the Nightblades tasked with cleanup, known as "Scavengers," must collect these remains with haste. Otherwise, the corpses dissolve into raw "mana." While this can accelerate a mage’s meditation, it pales in comparison to the value of the raw alchemical materials.

Most Scavengers prioritize the carcasses of Butchers and Beholders outside the walls. The parts of these high-tier demons are highly lucrative: a Butcher’s cleaver and spine, or a Beholder’s eye and neural clusters, are essential spoils to offset the capital’s losses. As for the demonic corpses within the city, they are left as rewards for the independent professionals who helped defend the capital. These gains are enough to net them a tidy profit, though for those who lost their lives, such rewards are a hollow consolation they will never live to enjoy.

The destruction wrought by the Hellgate incident was immense, yet the overall losses were manageable. The wall district, where the gate appeared, was reduced to a desolate, barren plain under the dual baptism of the Stevenson Academy’s grand-scale battlefield magic and the Imperial Guard. Yet, in the grand scheme of things, the wall district was of little concern to the crown, accounting for less than ten percent of the total damage.

Another twenty percent stemmed from the havoc wreaked by Purgatory Worms and Oni within the city—the deaths of wealthy merchants, the destruction of commercial and residential districts, and the loss of vast quantities of goods. The subsequent collapse of various businesses will likely create further, lingering complications.

Then there is the ten percent loss attributed to casualties. The city guards, soldiers of modest strength, suffered heavy losses during the defense; a thirty percent mortality rate, coupled with a similar rate of severe injury, is undeniably catastrophic. The only silver lining is that Alastair is not one to skimp on pensions, and the survivors will certainly be decorated, perhaps even catching the eye of nobles to join the ranks of private guards, which offer far better compensation.

The final sixty percent of the losses originated entirely from the battle between the secret special operations unit, Parnia, and Colin—a conflict unknown to the public. The destruction of dozens of Reality Anchor units alone—exorbitantly expensive strategic weapons that usually serve to suppress the Void for decades with minimal maintenance—was staggering, as they were detonated in bulk like alchemical bombs. The cost is unimaginable. And then, of course, there is the damage to the Abyss-Bottom, one of the kingdom’s most vital prisons...

...

"Not to complain, but isn't our kingdom's prison a bit too lax? I just showed my credentials and walked right in. No security checks, nothing."

Inside the Echoing Cabin tavern, Shael, Wang Yu, Avia, Zieg, and Shugin sat around a table piled high with food. Wang Yu was doing most of the eating, with Avia picking at a few things, while the other three barely touched their plates.

Shael gestured theatrically, voicing his confusion over how easily the Abyss-Bottom had been breached. By all logic, as the kingdom's most secure facility for containing Void-related entities, its defenses should not have been so easily infiltrated. Wang Yu raised an eyebrow, continuing to chew his steak. He was curious himself; how had Colin breached a place so heavily guarded and secretive—a place Wang Yu hadn't even known existed before this incident?

"You know why they let you in so easily?" the Professor asked, watching Shael with a faint smile.

"No idea. What, is there a catch?" Shael scratched his head.

"If you had dared to keep walking down those stairs, you would never have come back out," Shugin said, taking a drag of his cigarette and a sip of ale. He gestured to Wang Yu with his glass, offering a drink. Wang Yu waved him off; he didn't care for alcohol.

"Huh?" Shael let out a confused sound. At the time, he hadn't noticed anything wrong with the levels below the stairs; he had only felt the field of the Reality Anchors, which, in the end, hadn't done anything to stop Colin.

"Even that fellow called Mr. Colin didn't dare go below the level where we fought. That is where the true Abyss-Bottom lies."

"They let you in because they were certain that if you dared to run downward, you wouldn't be coming back. As for the damage upstairs, it didn't matter. That wasn't the real Abyss-Bottom."

Seeing that Wang Yu had no intention of drinking, Shugin turned to explain to Shael, "Without special equipment, if you go down there, you are passively 'forgotten'."

"Forgotten?" Shael rubbed his chin, a sudden chill running down his spine. "I don't want to be forgotten. Is that for real? It's that powerful?" He hugged himself, looking skeptical.

"Think carefully about the name of that 'God of War' we have under control. I showed you the files—the one from the Seowintan folk legends," the Professor said simply. One example was enough to make the point.

"Wait... it's true. I can't remember it. Hiss, that's terrifying." Shael tried hard to recall, but while he remembered every other detail in the file, the name of that god had vanished from his mind. It made him shudder.

Wang Yu tilted his head, thinking for a moment. He realized he didn't know the name either, then remembered he had never actually read that file. He smirked; he suspected that kind of passive forgetting wouldn't work on him.

"So, you see why the security wasn't so tight there. Mr. Colin wasn't aiming for the Abyss-Bottom itself. His targets were me, Captain Shugin, my body, and the so-called 'Key'," Zieg continued.

"Those who try to storm the Abyss-Bottom are essentially walking to their own deaths. There was no need to stop them," Shugin concluded.

"Uh, got it," Shael said, feeling a lingering fear. He hadn't realized he’d nearly been trapped inside forever.

"What about the key? What is this key that the freakish Mr. Colin was looking for?" Shael’s curiosity got the better of him.

"The Key?" Zieg looked at Shugin, who gave a slight nod.

"You know about the one called the person closest to the Void?" Zieg looked at Shael.

"Yeah, Roland, the wizard who surpassed legends. Heaven knows what he researched. He was powerful enough to build a kingdom out of thin air using Void energy, but in the end, he abandoned all his power and left behind thirteen..." Shael paused, suddenly startled. "Wait? He left them? I thought that was just a legend?"

The wizard was so legendary that many stories about him had lost all credibility—either exaggerated to the heavens or dragged through the mud. Shael hadn't connected the dots.

"Yes. This concept of a 'Key' has only emerged in recent years. Someone is hunting and collecting those with exceptional wizarding talent. It seems these people are considered 'Keys'."

"But information is still too scarce. We don't know if it's a reality or just another cult performing rituals," Zieg acknowledged.

"Oh, that's scary. My talent is so good, could they be coming for me?" Shael hugged himself in a mock panic, earning an eye-roll from Zieg.

Wang Yu had been listening intently. He glanced at Avia beside him, his expression turning serious. Their eyes met, and in that silent exchange, they shared a mutual gravity. Exceptional wizarding talent... Avia was one of the most terrifyingly gifted mages Wang Yu had ever seen. The "Key" was something they would have to watch out for.

"Wang Yu, let me answer the question you asked earlier, regarding why all regular Nightblade members must periodically report to the capital for a closed-door review."

"This 'report' and inspection is essentially just a cover. Everyone can see the risks—the vulnerability of leaving the palace undefended for an entire day. This incident was largely possible because that fact was exploited." Zieg shifted his focus from Shael to Wang Yu.

"Yes, it did seem strange. The drawbacks are so obvious. Couldn't they do it in batches?" Wang Yu had found the idea of a "report day" full of holes—leaving the palace undefended for a whole day was a massive oversight.

"Not everyone has the absurd mental resistance you do, Wang Yu. Honestly, I’ve never seen anyone with your ability to completely ignore Void corruption and other mental influences. Having a firm will isn't enough for the Nightblades." Zieg shook his head, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"The Nightblades fight on the front lines against the chaotic Void. They have the strongest wills, but they also face the most corruption. Even the strongest fortress will be eroded by constant, persistent wear. The wills of the Nightblades are no different. We need an insurance policy."

"So, the true nature of this report day is...?"

Wang Yu thought of the border sanatoriums Zieg had mentioned, which housed soldiers who had suffered mental breakdowns or mutations from fighting the Void. He quickly understood: this "report day" with its massive security flaw was likely just a front for a large-scale ritual related to the mind.

"Correct." Zieg nodded with a smile; Wang Yu was quick to understand.

As they spoke, the bartender of the Echoing Cabin approached and placed a piece of parchment in front of Shugin. Shugin set down his ale and read it twice, his usually stern and indifferent face breaking into a smile.

"Well, Wang Yu, Shael. The King has summoned us. Let's go. On the way, think about what kind of rewards you want to ask for."