The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 407 The Apprentices' Choice
The biting wind, carrying ice shards, lashed at the faces of everyone on the snow-covered plain.

Before the entrance to the labyrinth, a huge, deep pit stood ugly and exposed, its bottom rock layers gleaming stubbornly cold under the magical light.

"Again!"

Merck's voice was distorted by the strong wind.

His mage robes fluttered wildly in the wind and snow, his usual meticulous scholarly demeanor replaced by anxiety and exhaustion.

In front of him, several teaching assistants stood side by side, their hands gripping long canes and pointing them forward.

They gathered their remaining magic into a stream, which formed a beam of earthy yellow light that slammed into the bottom of the pit again, exploding into a chaotic cloud of snow mist!

"boom--!!"

Kemidil charged ahead, almost exhausting his mental energy to cast the spell, his pale face filled with guilt.

It was he who suggested to his mentor that we bring in undead from the Kingdom of Rhodes... If he hadn't been so talkative, things would never have gotten out of control like this.

However, when the magical light faded, the scene at the bottom of the pit filled everyone with despair.

“No, Professor!” A teaching assistant’s voice was hoarse from exhaustion. “The ‘rock dissolution’ technique has been deflected! Something seems wrong here!”

In the deep pit, strange dark red crystals covered the entire bottom like a huge scab.

The magic struck it, but it was like throwing a mud ox into the sea; it only splashed up a few weak sparks and didn't even leave a dent.

"Useless!" Merck roared, shoving aside the exhausted Camidiel, and personally stood on the edge of the pit, taking up the main spellcasting position of the spellcasting group.

He absolutely cannot fail!

Professor Arist entrusted him with the entire trial, a testament to the immense trust placed in him by the professor and even the Tower of Great Sages!
If three thousand apprentices were to meet with misfortune under his supervision, and if it were due to his negligence, his academic career would be completely over!

"In the name of dust and mountains, heed my command and dance, transforming into an invincible spear to shatter the earth's barriers!"

Merck raised his wand high, and an obscure and impassioned incantation rapidly flowed from his mouth.

The air distorted visibly, and surging magic gathered at the tip of the staff, the light so intense that the teaching assistants around instinctively closed their eyes.

He unleashed a spell, imbued with all his power, and hurled it fiercely at that ominous dark red!

"boom--!!!"

The deafening roar nearly ripped eardrums off, and the powerful shockwave hurled the surrounding snow several meters high, like a tidal wave rolling across the snowfield.

However, when the smoke and dust cleared, the red crystal at the bottom of the pit... didn't even have a single crack.

Merck's breathing stopped.

'This...how is this possible?!'

He staggered forward, his heart filled with turmoil.

This is a silver-level destructive magic!
A blow powerful enough to shatter fortress walls!
Several teaching assistants who were providing him with magical support could no longer hold on, their vision went black and they fell backward. Fortunately, an apprentice nearby helped them up and prevented them from falling into a snow pit.

Merck walked dejectedly to the edge of the pit, staring intently at the crystal, and finally saw the entire rock strata inside the pit.

It is smooth and dense, like the shell of some kind of creature.

In the instant he stared, the surface of the crystal suddenly pulsed with an ominous glimmer of light in a slow, rhythmic motion... like the heartbeat of a giant beast.

At the same time, a deep and long rumble came faintly from the depths of the earth, like the cry of a giant whale in the deep sea!

All the teaching assistants looked terrified and helpless in the face of the situation.

"What is this?!"

"and many more……"

"It looks like it's alive!"

"By Saint Sith...Quickly, summon the sages of the Holy Power School!"

Hearing the screams and shouts of the teaching assistants not far away, Merck's pupils contracted sharply, and a bead of cold sweat slid down his forehead.

The land beneath their feet, along with the labyrinth that imprisoned thousands of apprentices, seemed to have transformed into a…

A living monster.

……

In one of the passages on the first level of the maze, a comical "interrogation" is underway.

"Quickly! Where is the key to the treasure chest hidden?"

Player [Meichuan Qiuku] is waving a leg bone he picked up from the ground, threatening the magic apprentice hanging upside down in the net in front of him.

The translation crystal hanging around his neck highlighted his status as a wealthy player, allowing him to communicate without resorting to sign language like other players.

"I...I don't know what key!" The apprentice was about to cry, his face flushed red from being upside down.

"Still being stubborn?" [Wangchuan Neiku] rummaged through the apprentice's pockets, only managing to pull out a few pitiful copper coins. He couldn't help but say with disdain, "With so little money, you dare to even participate in the trial?"

The apprentice's face flushed red, and his lips trembled with anger.

Who carries money with them when participating in the maze trial?!

He had picked up these copper coins from the monsters in the maze, and now they had all been snatched away by these unpredictable undead.

[Chuan Liao Yifu] was examining the wand he had just confiscated from the apprentice, touching his rough jawbone and commenting on it.

"The workmanship is rough and the materials are inferior. No one would want it if you threw it into a 'beep beep' store."

The so-called "beep beep—" is actually "Great Graveyard," but like many other words including Hell, this word was automatically muted by the translation crystal.

That wasn't really an important thing to begin with.

Just as the three were enjoying the fun of "recycling" their loot, a low hum suddenly came from the ground beneath their feet.

"Huh?" Mei Chuanqiu stopped what she was doing and looked around in confusion. "What was that sound?"

Before the words were even finished, countless dark red lines appeared without warning on the stone walls on both sides of the passage. The lines pulsated slowly like the blood vessels of a living creature, exuding an aura of decay.

Wisps of ominous red mist seeped from the cracks in the rocks and spread rapidly, like the hot breath exhaled from between the fangs of a wild beast!

"Holy crap, I triggered a hidden event?"

"Could it be that the event boss is about to spawn!?"

All three players became excited.

Only the apprentice, hanging upside down, looked bewildered, unable to understand what the three strange skeleton soldiers were muttering.

Plot?

Activity?

Is this also part of Merck's mentorship program?
He doesn't understand.

Just then, a majestic system notification suddenly rang out in the minds of the three players simultaneously, but the content was completely different from their guesses.

[Urgent Mission Update: Chaos Invasion!]

[Demon King: The scum of Chaos has polluted my hunting grounds. Plans changed, my servants, prioritize eliminating the minions of Chaos! Wipe them out of the labyrinth completely!]

[Main Quest (Updated): Team up with the Magic Apprentices of the Academy to fight against the Chaos Minions and retreat to the temporary refuge!]

"Cooperation?" The three players looked at each other, their faces filled with astonishment.

Just then, from the depths of that thick red mist, several twisted humanoid creatures emerged silently with faltering steps.

Their bodies are asymmetrical, their skin is a deathly gray, and the only organ on their face is a silent, wide-open mouth.

That mouth is for eating people.

"Ah—!" The apprentice, hanging there, saw the monsters and instantly let out a heart-wrenching scream. "The Howlers! Servants of Chaos! Put me down!"

"The howlers?" [Meichuan Qiuku]'s eyes flickered.

This NPC knows a lot.

Without further hesitation, he swung his sharp bone club and severed the rope.

The apprentice fell heavily to the ground, and before he could even catch his breath, [Chuanliaoyi] shoved the cheap wand back into his hand.

“Hey kid,” [Meichuan Qiuku] crouched down and patted his pale face, “You’re lucky you ran into us in the maze. Now you’re one of us. If you want to live, tell us everything about that thing.”

Looking at the three "undead" whose attitudes had completely changed, and then at the approaching monster not far away, the apprentice was utterly dumbfounded.

But he quickly made the only right choice, gripping his wand tightly and nodding with trembling hands.

"They are the servants of Chaos... It is recorded in the forbidden books that they devour all living things they encounter, tearing their souls off along with their flesh!"

In a world abundant with "spiritual energy," this is undoubtedly the cruelest way to die.

It's not just the loss of strength; what's worse, once a soul is missing a leg, it's destined to be a cripple for countless lifetimes.

If a soul is too incomplete, it may be reborn into an animal's body... This is the mainstream academic view of the current school of thought on the soul.

The apprentice, who had just blurted out all the information, swallowed hard and continued speaking in a trembling voice.

"My suggestion is... we need to break out as soon as possible and get to the refuge! The other apprentices and teaching assistants should already be on their way there; we need to join them first!"

【Wangchuan Neiku】tossed a few copper coins back into his arms, grinned, and revealed a smile that was both terrifying and surprisingly reassuring to the other.

"We'll go with you, in exchange I need you to forget what happened earlier... Can you do that?"

The apprentice nodded quickly, like a chick pecking at rice.

joke.

He wouldn't be foolish enough to say no at this point.

【Meichuan Long Pants】patted his shoulder with satisfaction.

"very good."

"Now, lead the way."

……

A bizarre collaboration unfolds in the blood-red labyrinth, where the Empire's magic apprentices fight alongside evil undead—a first in the history of the Academy.

"...They have no sight and rely on sensing the fluctuations of the soul to locate themselves, and you are relatively weak spirits, so they can't see you clearly!"

The rescued apprentice, Leo, shouted out the knowledge he had gleaned from forbidden books. After catching his breath, he continued giving instructions.

"Don't aim for the head, use physical attacks on their chests! They don't have brains, but the crystals on their chests are their weak points!!"

"Ouch!"

"Roger that!"

As soon as he finished speaking, player "Meichuan Qiuku" used the leg bone in his hand as a javelin and threw it accurately, piercing through the chest of a wailer.

The monster fell silently, turning into a pool of ashes.

"Wangchuan Neiku" and "Chuan Liao Yifu" stood on the left and right, using the hardness of their bones and their agile movements, like two skilled mercenaries, defeating the approaching wailing figures one by one.

Apprentice Leo stared in disbelief at all of this.

The way these undead fought was completely different from what he knew!
Without the support of necromancers, they relied on their superhuman combat instincts and teamwork to firmly suppress a group of howlers in place.

Under their cover, one lone apprentice after another was rescued and joined this peculiar team consisting of one human and three skeletons.

However, as the group ventured deeper, the number of howling demons increased. They were all evil spirits drawn by the blazing fire of souls, yearning to devour those pure souls alive.

At a narrow fork in the road, dozens of monsters emerged from the writhing walls, completely blocking their path to the refuge.

"Too many! We can't get through!" a newly joined female apprentice cried out in panic, the fireball she was conjuring in her hand flickering with fear.

"Tsk, what a hassle." Mei Chuan Qiu Ku clicked his tongue.

He glanced at the shivering young men and women around him, then at his own frail, skeletal frame that seemed ready to break down at any moment.

To be honest——

Although he knew very well that he was playing a game, these NPCs, with their flesh and blood, made it hard for him to treat them as cold, lifeless data.

Perhaps this is also part of the "closed beta testing".

You dog-like planner, you win.

He sighed inwardly, and at the same time, a clear thought took shape in his mind, which made the soul fire burning in his skull shine even brighter.

Is it to choose to be a hero for a minute, or to return to the cold tomb with the meager rewards...? This choice seems to require no hesitation at all.

It's just a temporary body anyway.

He wanted to experience a different kind of life that he had never even considered for a second in reality.

"Hey, you lot!" he yelled in a hoarse, bone-grinding voice, "I'll distract them, you guys take the opportunity to rush over!"

Leo was stunned.

"What did you say?"

Mei Chuan Qiu Ku didn't answer, only leaving out one sentence.

"My name is Meichuan Qiuku!"

He picked up a thick rib, let out a strange cry that was hard to understand, and charged into the gray ocean of monsters.

He was like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins, smashing his way through with his own body and startling those who surrounded him and wailed.

They couldn't understand why a soul flame as weak as a firefly could erupt with unimaginable ripples at this moment.

All the magic apprentices who witnessed this scene were stunned.

They couldn't understand why a spirit defined as "evil" and "chaotic" by the Vatican would make such a resolute sacrifice to protect humans they didn't even know.

"Don't stand there in a daze!" Wangchuan Neiku's roar pulled them back to reality from their shock. "Don't let the sacrifice of the long johns go to waste!"

Leo gritted his teeth, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

Without further hesitation, he led his apprentices through the passage that had been bought with the "life" of a skeleton.

On the retreat, heroic sacrifices continued to unfold.

Players spared no expense in using their temporary bodies.

Whenever faced with insurmountable obstacles, they spared no effort in using their flickering, firefly-like soul flames to pave a path for the fragile mages behind them, buying them time to cast spells. The bloody road was paved with withered bones, and the chaotic labyrinth that had tried to devour them was momentarily overwhelmed.

Of course, this is also related to the fact that Alistair needed to devote a lot of resources to suppressing Prince Colin.

After all, if he relaxes even slightly, Colin, who is also a diamond-level player, will break through the barriers and kill his way to the floor where the maze is located.

Besieged on all sides, he could only send the lowest-ranking wailers to hunt down the apprentices, and had no time to bewitch new "fanatics".

When the last group of survivors finally arrived at the East District refuge, none of the three undead who had initially followed the apprentices were still standing.

Inside the refuge, the surviving apprentices gathered silently, their hearts filled with mixed emotions, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive.

If they were ordinary undead, even if they were saved from danger, they would certainly not feel so conflicted.

But strangely enough, those spirits didn't seem like spirits at all; they seemed like living people...

One of the female apprentices finally couldn't help but speak, her voice trembling slightly.

Why...why did they save us?

Leo gripped the wand that "the man in the rags" had returned to him tightly and replied in a low voice, "I don't know... but the way they fought didn't seem like mindless monsters."

He paused, then looked up, trying to explain the phenomenon with his still-developing knowledge.

"Perhaps... they are also a kind of living being, but we just can't understand them yet?"

The other mage who was rescued nodded and said in a hoarse voice, "That's right, they even make jokes... although I don't understand at all what's so funny about them."

The female apprentice looked at a skeleton in the distance that had just reassembled its body and was immediately rushing back to the battlefield, her complex eyes filled with confusion.

Both the church priest and the magician from the academy told her that the dead were evil beings, enemies of every citizen of Saint Sith.

but……

Is it really the truth?
The history of a thousand years ago is a deeply taboo memory for the followers of Saint Seis, but there is one thing that even the most extreme believers cannot deny.

Whether they were unable to enter heaven due to a lack of piety, or were misled by necromancers, or listened to the slander of hell, these spirits did not appear out of thin air.

They were once human beings too.

They all have their own sins, of course.

But this does not mean that Saint Sis was holy and immaculate.

……

Under the cover of the players, most of the magic apprentices retreated to the evacuation point on the first floor of the maze, where they gained temporary safety under the protection of the teaching assistants.

but--

Not everyone escaped unharmed.

A small group of apprentices still wandered in the maze, without the cover of players or the help of patrolling instructors, isolated and helpless in fear.

For example, Kurs is one of them.

He never imagined that he, a brilliant and promising man, would be in such a sorry state. Not only did he lose his qualification for the trial on the first level of the maze, but even survival became a luxury.

Just now, due to the onslaught of the Howlers, he was separated from his teaching assistant and teammates in the chaos.

Those damned acid slimes in the trap had destroyed everything he owned, including his mage robes that symbolized honor and his beloved wand.

At this moment, the only thing covering him was a rough blanket that the assistant coach had given him.

A crimson mist filled the corridor, and unsettling hissing echoed in the distance. He huddled in a corner, cold and afraid.

The only saving grace was that he still had a gold coin on him that hadn't been eaten by the slime.

This was the last possession he had salvaged from the maze.

At this moment, he desperately wished that what he held in his hand was not a gold coin, but a magic crystal or a magic wand.

That at least gives him a little bit of security, better than nothing.

'I have to find a way to get a magic wand...' he gritted his teeth and thought to himself, while anxiously looking around.

Continuing to wait here is not a solution.

Clinging to this last hope, he wrapped himself tightly in a blanket, got up, and began to wander cautiously and aimlessly through the maze.

Perhaps Saint Sis heard his prayer.

After an unknown amount of time, he unexpectedly found a simple stall with a sign that read "Official Supply Point" at a corner of the maze.

The three skeletons were looking around and whispering to each other, seemingly discussing whether to run away.

Saint Sis above!
He had never seen such a bizarre scene before; even the lowest-ranking skeleton soldiers were engaged in trade!
"Should we retreat...?"

"I think so too... The atmosphere here gives me a bad feeling."

"Closing up! Closing up!"

Hearing the conversation of three skeleton soldiers in a daze, Kurs was overjoyed and, disregarding how eerie the scene was, immediately rushed over.

The three skeleton soldiers were startled by the sudden appearance of the living person.

However, when they saw his pathetic appearance, they couldn't help but laugh.

[Knowledge Explosion]: "Dude, were you robbed?"

[Go to the pier to count the seagulls]: "Hahahaha! They didn't even leave you a single piece of clothing? Which bastard is so mean? Tell us, and we'll laugh at him for you."

Kurs blushed, speechless and unable to understand what they were saying, so he could only bite the bullet and ask.

"You... are you really a supply point set up by Mentor Merck?"

[Gotham Good Citizen] replied impatiently.

"Of course! It's written on the sign, can't you read?"

“I… I just can’t quite imagine,” Kurs said, his face flushed, then hurriedly asked, “What do you sell?”

[Knowledge Explosion] Le Dao: "We have everything, but you have to tell us what your needs are first."

"Kurs immediately said, his voice excited and earnest."

"A wand! I need a wand! Do you have any wands?!"

"A wand? Ah, of course I have one... Let me look for it."

The player "Go to the dock to count the seagulls" rummaged around under the stall and actually found a crooked wooden stick.

This was stolen from some unlucky apprentice. They had no use for it anyway, and it didn't look worth much, so they might as well sell it cheaply.

"Hey, I'll give you a discount on this 'Ancient Rune Staff'! But before we begin, do you have the money? Just so you know, we don't accept credit!"

"I have money! Who says I don't have any!"

Kuers looked at the nearly broken "antique," his lips twitched, but he still gritted his teeth and handed over a gold coin.

"Is it enough?"

[Go to the pier to check the seagulls] His eyes lit up and he grabbed it.

"That's enough! Just right! You're lucky, young man!"

"..."

Kurs didn't want to stay there a second longer. Clutching his new weapon, he hurriedly left the group of shameless merchants.

However, Saint Sith was still merciful, and his wish to exchange the gold coins for a magic wand was ultimately fulfilled.

Gathering his courage, Kurs ran wildly, not caring about his appearance anymore, since there was no one else around anyway.

Coincidentally.

Just then, a piercing scream came from ahead, breaking the silence of the maze corridor.

Kurs was startled and instinctively wanted to hide, but the sound made him unable to move, and he had nowhere else to go but forward.

He peeked out and saw several mages in blue robes being cornered by a group of howling mages, their faces filled with despair.

Although they have been promoted to mages, they were probably promoted just this year, and their combat and spellcasting experience is quite weak.

These newbies probably treated this maze trial as a treasure hunt, but they never expected to encounter such a terrifying monster on the first level.

run?
Or should we not run?

Kuhl's brain was working at lightning speed.

He recalled his "theory of the strong" that he had boasted to Finn, and his arrogance in "disdain" for Ilana.

He has lost the right to continue challenging the maze, but if he chooses to run away here, he will truly be nothing more than a coward who only knows how to talk.

Kuers gritted his teeth, and a surge of courage, which he himself was unaware of, welled up from the depths of his cowardly heart.

perhaps--

The significance of Saint Sith giving him back the confiscated wand lies here.

For a fleeting moment, he suddenly understood what true power really was.

"Hey! You shameless bunch! Look this way!"

Kurs roared and charged out, his only blanket fluttering as he ran, like a comical battle flag.

The howlers caught his scent and turned to look at the prey who had suddenly intruded into their hunting grounds.

Seizing the moment when the howlers paused, Kurs took a deep breath and poured all his mental energy into the inferior wand in his hand.

"...May the flames that burn everything, with their unparalleled heat, consume all the sins that linger in the mortal world!"

Scorching flames erupted from the tip of the staff, like arrows shot from a crossbow, striking precisely one of the howling creatures.

The scorched, howling figure collapsed silently in agony.

Meanwhile, the other howlers charged toward him, deciding to deal with this bigger problem before enjoying their meal.

As Kurs retreated, he cast a spell, shouting loudly to the terrified junior students, "Get out of the way! What are you all standing there for?!"

The apprentices snapped out of their daze and scrambled to escape to the other end of the passage.

Once he was sure they were far away, Kurs breathed a sigh of relief.

Faced with the approaching gray monster, he simply threw away the cumbersome blanket. A smile, more painful than a grimace, forced onto his pale, fear-ridden face.

He raised the wand, which seemed on the verge of falling apart, and with all his might, uttered the first and most devout prayer of his life.

"By Saint Sith... grant me purification from the flames of evil!"

Infusing the flames with the power of holy light was a sudden inspiration for him. He would never have taken such a risk under normal circumstances, but now he could only gamble his chance of success on this one and only opportunity to cast the spell.

Ordinary flames are absolutely incapable of destroying such a large number of chaotic evil spirits!
A holy flame erupted from the tip of the staff; it had no scorching heat, but carried an undeniable majesty.

The flames transformed into a purifying wave, instantly sweeping through the corridor ahead.

The dozen or so howling creatures melted silently the moment they touched the flames, just like snow exposed to the scorching sun, leaving not even a trace of ash behind!
Kuers felt a sway in his body, his head was spinning, and he almost fell to the ground.

Pale-faced, he leaned against the wall, panting heavily, and stared in astonishment at his slightly trembling hands.

This is……

A breakthrough?

The sacred flames gradually died down, and the corridor returned to silence.

Before Kurs could even process what had happened to him, he felt a sudden dizziness, as if all his strength had been drained away.

His wand, which was teetering on the ground, fell to the ground with a thud, and then his knees buckled, and he was about to fall.

However, just as he was about to fall, several slender yet strong hands caught him from behind.

They were the younger students he had saved.

These young magic apprentices didn't run far; they stayed at the corner not far away, watching this place with concern.

At this moment, they were looking at him with eyes that were a mixture of guilt, awe, and worry, as if they were looking up at a hero.

A female elementary school student ran over, picked up the blanket he had dropped on the ground, and carefully draped it back over him, who was now completely naked.

“Thank you…” she said sincerely, looking at Kurs, “…the brave hero wrapped in a blanket!”

A brave warrior draped in a blanket...

Brave?
This title made Kurs' heart skip a beat.

Looking at those grateful faces, a strange emotion welled up in his chest, making him choke up for a moment.

Praise be to Saint Sis...

He seemed to have a vague understanding of what he truly wanted... or rather, what he longed for.

With the help of his younger schoolmates, Kurs finally arrived at the temporary shelter in the East District.

As soon as he stepped into this temporarily safe area, he heard the "legends" about himself from the people's discussions.

"...Have you heard? A guy saved a whole team of rookies!"

"Who?"

"I don't know... but I think I've heard it's called something..."

"The brave man with bare buttocks!"

"Yes! That's the name!"

"Hahaha! Really?"

This outrageous nickname made the last bit of color that had finally returned to Kurs' face burn up to his ears.

He was so ashamed that he wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground right then and there!

However, when he thought of those heartfelt admiring glances, a smug and proud smile still appeared on his ashamed face.

An inconspicuous seed, in the shadows where the sun cannot reach, is slowly taking root and sprouting...

(End of this chapter)