The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 409 The Dust Settles and the Celebration

The defenses at the labyrinth's refuge, held up by teaching assistants and magic apprentices, were as thin as cicada wings.

Even though the legend of the "Naked Warrior" boosted the morale of countless apprentices, it could not change the vast disparity in strength between the two sides.

There are just too many of them!

The howling creatures emerging from the walls seemed endless, continuously draining the remaining magic of the patrolling instructors.

Ultimately, they weren't exactly strong individuals; they were merely scraps within the tower, otherwise they wouldn't have been assigned such a thankless task as patrolling the field.

However, it was precisely these ordinary people who, when faced with the foolishness committed by the crown-wearing man due to his arrogance, displayed unprecedented courage and responsibility.

Even Kurs, who took pride in his cleverness and cunning, did not back down in this critical moment.

They have nowhere left to retreat!
A teaching assistant's magical shield shattered under the Howler's claws.

He was thrown back by the impact, crashing heavily against the stone wall and losing consciousness. The apprentices, their magic depleted, screamed and scattered, fear spreading through the crowded throng.

At this moment, several skeleton soldiers suddenly rushed up and used their skeletal bodies to block the gap in the defensive line!

To protect Kurs behind him, one of them used his sternum to take a claw strike powerful enough to tear steel, instantly shattering into a pile of broken bones.

The defenses were breached instantly!

As the defensive formation was on the verge of collapse, almost everyone wore expressions of despair.

However, the anticipated massacre did not occur.

Those howling wretches who charged forward suddenly froze in mid-air the moment they stepped into the refuge.

Those twisted bodies, like a painting being set on fire, silently turned into black ashes from the edges, and were finally scattered by an invisible wind.

Then came the second, the third... In the blink of an eye, all the servants of Chaos vanished into thin air in this blood-red labyrinth.

Along with that eerie red mist!
The apprentices were stunned, their faces showing a bewilderment at having survived such a close call, not understanding what had happened.

However, this deathly silence lasted only a moment.

Almost the instant the red mist dissipated, the entire maze let out a painful cry of unbearable suffering, followed by a tremendous tremor that shook the earth!
Above the dome, huge stones crumbled off like beads from a broken string, and the threat of death descended in a different way!
"Form the array! Everyone, raise the barrier!" An older teaching assistant was the first to react. He roared in a hoarse voice, pouring his last remaining magic power into his staff.

The apprentices, having survived the ordeal, responded immediately. Enduring the excruciating pain of depleted mental energy, they gathered their meager magical spells together. A hemispherical golden light barrier opened above their heads, barely managing to stop the falling debris.

"Boom——!"

Boulders rained down on the barrier, each impact causing the light curtain to shake violently, and spiderweb-like cracks spread rapidly.

The apprentices were pale, and some were already struggling to hold on, swaying precariously under the relentless bombardment.

Just as the barrier was about to shatter, a completely different loud noise came from directly above!

"Click——"

That wasn't the sound of the dome collapsing, but the sound of rocks being pushed apart!
The vast, ocean-like magic was like an invisible hand that seized the falling pebbles and threw them into a deserted corner!
Those who had lowered their heads out of fear instinctively raised them at that moment.

A blinding beam of light pierced through the thick rock and darkness, revealing a dusty cave entrance above everyone's heads as if by magic.

Merck's usually serious face was now covered in dust and tears.

He looked down at the disheveled but still alive young faces, his voice choked with emotion.

"I'm sorry, children..."

"I'm late!"

The overwhelming joy of being saved instantly turned into a flood of tears that spread through the crowd.

The teaching assistant, holding the staff, collapsed to the ground in relief. The students who had escaped embraced each other, and the devout believers knelt on the ground in prayer.

People celebrated the hard-won victory in their own ways, praising the clear skies after the storm.

They conquered chaos!
Of course, more importantly-

They are saved!
Kurs looked up at the cave entrance, momentarily lost in thought.

He tightened the blanket around his shoulders, subconsciously snapping back to reality, trying to find something amidst the chaos.

At that moment, his gaze passed over the faces of those weeping with joy and finally landed on the corner where he had once fought.

A skeleton soldier who once fought alongside him still stood there.

Perhaps knowing that the light did not belong to it, it did not look up at the hole from which the light of hope was cast, but instead turned its gaze to Kurs.

Seeing that Kurs was also looking at it, it raised its bony hand and gently tapped its empty chest, its gaping mouth seeming to say—

'That was truly a thrilling battle.'

Leaving behind this silent farewell, the eerie green flame within its skull quietly extinguished like a candle flickering in the wind.

The not-so-tall skeleton also scattered, turning into a pile of ordinary white bones, indistinguishable from the surrounding rubble.

Kuls's lips moved, and he tapped his fist against his chest.

'Take care...'

Just as everyone was immersed in the joy of surviving the ordeal, two enormous magical forces suddenly appeared above their heads.

A figure, accompanied by a soft green light like the first rays of spring, quietly landed in the center of the ruins.

He had long, silver hair like moonlight, emerald green eyes full of concern for life, and pointed ears that revealed his elf identity.

Philian Twilight, the Sage of Life.

His arrival replaced the scorching smell of smoke in the air with a fresh scent of grass, as if one had arrived in a pure land in the middle of a whirlpool.

Meanwhile, a perfectly precise teleportation array flashed past Merck, and the figure of the Law Sage Porphyry Sayy emerged from it.

His impeccably pressed black uniform stood in stark contrast to the surrounding mess. Pushing up his gold-rimmed glasses, he swept his cold gaze across the scene, his face revealing undisguised disgust.

Merck!

Porphyry's voice was like a cold ruler, striking Merck's body, but also landing in everyone's heart.

"This decaying, chaotic aura... I demand an explanation! Has the dignity of the Academy been tarnished by your laughable negligence?!"

Although he was the last to arrive, he had the worst temper.

Merck trembled. Under the sage's mountain-like pressure, he didn't even dare to look up into those cold eyes.

The introduction of the undead was subject to strict application and approval. Although it was done somewhat hastily, there were no major procedural errors.

But now the corruption of chaos has appeared in the labyrinth, and he can't shake off this black pot that is enough to crush his entire academic career!
“I…I don’t know, Sage Porphyry,” he lowered his head in shame, his voice hoarse, “It’s…it’s my fault, but I…”

“I don’t want to hear your excuses!” Porphyry interrupted him coldly. “When the Great Sage returns from Brass Pass, I will personally report your dereliction of duty to him!”

Merck's body trembled again.

Saint Sith above...

I am but a mentor; how could I possibly deserve to have my name remembered by such a great sage?!

Just then, Philian's gentle voice broke in.

“Porphyry, calm down. You and I both know that the Apostle of Chaos won’t stand openly in front of us… He’ll only be watching us make a fool of ourselves from the shadows. Your anger is exactly what he wants.”

Porphyry's face was stiff, but he didn't say much. He just silently took out a comb and combed his wig, which he had messed up in anger.

Philian didn't say anything more to him, but walked to a collapsed wall and stretched out his long fingers.

Several emerald green vines sprouted from his fingertips, swimming forward like docile green snakes, and then rolled up a small pinch of dark red crystalline powder from a crack in the rock and presented it to him.

Philian frowned slightly, sniffed lightly, and a hint of confusion flashed in his deep eyes.

"...This aura...it feels so familiar."

He muttered to himself softly, as if searching for something in his long memories.

Just as Porphyry was about to laugh at Philian's "dog nose" for not sniffing out any clues, a series of footsteps came from the corridor not far away.

Then, to everyone's astonishment, a tall, slender figure slowly emerged from the ravaged ruins.

The newcomer was none other than Prince Colin. His neat and elegant magic robe was spotless, without a speck of dust on it.

A cloaked female guard carried the unconscious Rastina under her arm and followed silently behind the prince.

As for Rastina's two henchmen, they were carried on Had and Bane's backs.

He looked like he'd been beaten up badly; even after receiving magical healing, the swelling and bruises on his face were still faintly visible.

However, this is not the point.

“I think this should perhaps be added to Mr. Porphyry’s report.”

Luo Yan's voice was calm and clear. With a casual wave of his hand, a blackened, charred corpse was thrown onto the open ground in front of the two sages.

The corpse was curled up, retaining the posture of extreme pain before death.

The dark blue mage robe, now unrecognizable, and the face distorted by fear and flames, caused Merck and Porphyry's pupils to shrink sharply.

"Alistar?!" Merck exclaimed in shock, his knees buckling as he knelt on the ground.

The apprentices around him whispered among themselves, exchanging bewildered expressions. They all seemed unable to accept that the always approachable Professor Alistair would reappear before them in such a disgraceful manner.

In the end what happened? !

Is something... wrong?!
Luo Yan's lips curled into a faint smile as his gaze calmly swept over the two sages.

"I've found the 'mastermind' behind this accident for you."

Porphyry's lips trembled slightly as he stared at the charred corpse and extended his right hand, unleashing the "Eye of Truth."

Magical patterns appeared on the charred corpse, and floating particles of light seemed to recreate the battle that had taken place.

“There’s no mistake… I see traces of Chaos and Source Force combined in his spell! But… how could this be! Arist? Why?” Porphy muttered to himself, and finally shouted out almost uncontrollably.

He looked up in astonishment at Colin, then at Philian, as if seeking an answer from his long-lived colleague.

He couldn't understand why Alistair would do this; he had always had a good impression of that polite and humble middle-aged man!

Moreover, Arist was the Great Sage's most prized disciple, and almost everyone regarded him as the next sage of the Source Law School!
He might even be the next great sage!
The apprentices and teaching assistants around them were also talking about it, especially the former, who didn't know much about Alistair and simply couldn't accept this fact.

Philian frowned slightly, looked at Alistair's corpse, then at Colin, his gaze sharpening.

Luo Yan's lips curled up slightly, showing no sign of backing down despite the fact that the other party possessed strength that appeared to be at the Amethyst level.

"Are you interrogating a prince of the empire?"

joke.

Even when he was only an Unyielding Silver-ranked expert, he didn't take Amethyst-ranked experts seriously. Now that he's on the same level as Professor Lilith, he'll only become more arrogant.

Philian was slightly taken aback, and the sharpness in his eyes lessened a bit, but his suspicion did not lessen.

"No, I'm just curious... After all, Alistair is dead, and there are many things I can't ask him, so I can only ask you."

Seeing that Sage Philian's attitude had softened, Luo Yan also toned down his sharp and aggressive demeanor and returned to his usual refined and easygoing nature.

"The matter is actually quite simple. My dear Professor Arist thought I was in his way and wanted me to get out, so he cleverly set a trap under the guise of the maze trial, setting his sights on Miss Castellion behind me. An apprentice who wished to remain anonymous wrote to me and secretly told me about it, so out of concern I followed him into the maze."

"Of course, I originally intended to resolve this matter secretly, and I even hoped that it was all just a malicious speculation by some apprentice. But what I didn't expect was that someone would be so vicious and shameless, not only personally directing this farce, but also personally stepping in when the plan was about to fall apart... So I stopped hiding it."

Philian nodded, seemingly agreeing, but still lowered his voice and said, "I have a question. Aren't you worried that the letter itself might be a trap?"

"So what if I am?" Luo Yan shrugged slightly and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "I am her mentor, it is my responsibility."

These words seemed to touch a soft spot in Philian's heart, and also moved most of the magic apprentices and teaching assistants present.

This includes Merck kneeling on the ground with lifeless eyes, and the sage Porphyry standing silently in place.

responsibility.

That word is really too heavy.

Philian remained silent for a moment, his tense shoulders relaxing slightly. Looking at Prince Colin standing in front of him, he suddenly placed his palm on his chest and nodded slightly.

“You are an admirable mentor, and I apologize for my doubts.”

"Don't dare to take it seriously."

Luo Yan smiled faintly, his gaze falling on the corpse on the ground, and said in a complicated tone.

"To be honest, I always thought his dislike for me stemmed from differing academic views, but now it seems I was too naive... His hatred for me and Miss Castellion was purely out of arrogant instinct, because she is the daughter of an Imperial Duke, while I am a Prince from the Empire."

"maybe."

Philian gave a noncommittal answer, glanced down at Alistair lying on the ground, and then looked back at Colin.

“I will report this matter to the Great Sage truthfully… Also, if you don’t mind, we may have to ask you to refrain from contacting these students for the next few days.”

"Why?!" Bain's voice was filled with anger, almost blurting out, but was stopped by Hadra beside him.

"Keep your voice down! This is for everyone's good..." Had scolded him in a low voice, then secretly glanced at Miss Ophia.

The duchess was very reasonable and was not at all displeased by the unfounded suspicion.

As for Ilana...

She seems to be very uncomfortable in these kinds of situations.

He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he always felt that this seemingly calm and collected junior sister seemed to be a little... socially awkward?
“I have no objection. I happen to have some research work to finish, so I'll probably be staying in Corinta for a while.” Luo Yan nodded readily, then looked at Miss Castellón, “What about you?”

"That would be best. I don't want to be burdened with strange suspicions for no reason, but I hope it won't last too long."

Ophia lightly flicked her dust-covered golden hair, raised her chin, looked at the elf, and said in a piercing gaze.

"However, I will write to my father and tell him the truth about the unpleasant things that happened here!"

So far, only two sages have arrived.

Were the other sages dead?
She didn't necessarily expect all the sages to come as if attending a funeral, but she felt no urgency from them at all.

Of course, she didn't get angry in the end.

Firstly, the two sages who dared to appear here still have some sense of responsibility; secondly, she is, after all, just the Duke's daughter, not the Duke himself.

She has the right to complain, but not the right to lose her temper.

“I assure you, it won’t be long, at most a week…” Philian nodded politely as always, explaining gently, “Your activities, His Highness’s, and the others are not restricted in any way. It’s just that to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, we need you to avoid contact with other subjects during the investigation. Please believe me, my suggestion is entirely out of goodwill, not a coercive order.”

After a pause, he continued.

"In addition, you can certainly write to your father, and we will also submit a written report to the Empire. The invasion of Chaos is no small matter, especially when it happens during such an important celebration. Fortunately... we had His Highness the Prince to save the day in time, which prevented a major disaster."

This statement pleased Ophia greatly.

However, she did not answer immediately, but subconsciously looked at Prince Colin beside her, asking for his opinion with her eyes.

Luo Yan smiled and nodded, and only then did Ophia look at Philian with relief, nodding her head in a generous manner.

"I agree!"

Philian smiled slightly and nodded again.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Castellion."

Luo Yan suddenly felt that a certain line sounded familiar.

Did I say something similar?

However, seeing Ophia puffing out her chest in triumph, he smiled and put the little matter out of his mind.

Forget it.

It's not a big deal anyway.

……

At the same time, the Resurrection Plaza in the Great Necropolis was a scene of utter chaos.

Players who had finished the "All Souls' Day Maze Trial" returned to their familiar homes, excitedly boasting about their "heroic deeds" to those unlucky souls who hadn't managed to snag a spot in the event.

Fortunately, the rescued apprentices did not witness this scene.

Otherwise, a young man who was immersed in a tragic atmosphere just a second ago might faint on the spot from anger.

"You didn't see it!" Player [Go to the Docks and the Seagull at the Top of the Hour] stepped onto a wooden crate, waving a rib that he had accidentally ripped from [Gotham's Good Citizen] in his excitement. "I traded a piece of rotten wood for a gold coin from a naked idiot! He really thought I was a 'hidden merchant' sent by Mentor Merck! Hahahaha!"

"6666!"

Holy crap! You've hit the jackpot!

The surrounding players burst into laughter, casting admiring glances at him that said, "You're such a dog."

However, it wasn't long before [who gulped down the chemical pool] was the first to come to his senses.

"Wait, a naked guy? You could have just robbed him! Why did you have to pay cash on delivery?"

[Gotham's Good Citizen] was stunned for a long time, then gave a thumbs up in admiration.

"Hey, you're the real dog!"

On the other side, [Meichuan Qiuku] was surrounded by a group of players. He cleared his non-existent throat and said in a tone as if he were making a heroic sacrifice: "What's that! I was a hero for a minute! I used my fragile skeleton to pave a path for the future of humanity! You didn't see the look of worship and admiration in the eyes of those junior girls when they looked at me! It's a pity I'm a skeleton soldier. If only I were a goblin!"

"Come on," his teammate [Wangchuan Neiku] mercilessly exposed, "Don't think I don't know, you just want to lie down and see what that mage is wearing under his robes."

[Meichuan Long Johns] got so angry that his neck twisted.

"You're talking nonsense!!!"

"……%￥#@!"

The square was filled with a cheerful atmosphere. The tactical mastermind, "One Leaf Knows Autumn," was reviewing the final battle with the "Minotaur Warrior," while the "Pig-Headed Knight" was grumbling incessantly about why he only encountered male apprentices.

He finally managed to get so many acid slimes into the pitfall trap, and it was all for nothing!

Just as the players were overjoyed, a pop-up window that was both incredibly familiar and incredibly anticipated by all the participants simultaneously appeared in their minds.

[System Notification: The 'All Souls' Day Maze Trial' event has ended!]

Main Quest: Prevent the magic apprentice from entering the lower levels of the labyrinth! (Failed)

[Hidden Quest: Team up with the magic apprentices of the Academy to fight against Chaos! (Perfectly Completed!)]

[Overall Rating: S+ (Your performance exceeded the Demon King's expectations.)]

"fail?!"

"Damn it! What does this mean?! Why did we lose?!"

"Wait! The hidden mission was completed perfectly! S+ rating! Holy crap!"

The players were taken aback at first, then erupted in even more enthusiastic cheers than before, their frustration at failure instantly replaced by the immense joy of an S+ rating.

Although the main quest wasn't completed, the hidden quest was, which is obviously a good thing!
Next comes the exciting reward settlement screen.

Based on each player's contribution, the following event rewards are now being distributed:

[Title: "Merck's Official Certified Scammer" (Slightly increases the success rate of deception skills when equipped) - Limited to players "Go to the Docks to Hourly Seagulls", "Gotham Good Citizen", and "Knowledge Master".]

[Title: "Chaos Terminator" (Slightly increases the morale of Chaos creatures when equipped) - Limited to players "One Autumn Leaf", "Sudden Evening", "Minotaur Warrior", and "Pig-Headed Knight".]

Title: "The Apprentice's Shield"...

[Special Rewards: 'Ilana's Thank-You Letter' x1, 'Ophelia's Token of Friendship' x1, 'Maze Trial Medal' x1...]

The square erupted in excitement once again at the sight of the various titles and rewards... even though most of the rewards were actually pretty useless.

Morale?

Does this crappy game even have this feature?
Success rate?
What the hell is that.

But it's all about the game, participation is key!

Moreover, aside from these insignificant honors, the official gifts of ghost money, contribution points, and limited-edition equipment are quite generous.

This includes prizes they found themselves.

Most players are quite satisfied with being able to experience the new map in advance and bring back a bunch of benefits.

"My goodness, there are even thank-you notes from the NPCs! This game is so realistic!"

"The game planner finally acted like a human being this time! I love this reward!"

"Wait a minute, where's the junior's love letter?! There isn't one? That doesn't make sense!!"

"At least give me a magic scroll with the explosive heat-compression effect..."

Amidst the clamor, [One Leaf Knows Autumn] glanced at "Ophia's Token of Friendship" in the rewards section, a faint smile rising in his heart.

"It seems a lot has happened in the maze since we left..."

Although it was only a short-term collaboration, he could sense that the four young apprentices were all good people, even though they belonged to different camps.

I hope we'll have another chance to meet.

Hopefully, after they leave, the stories of those young people will continue as before, rather than simply becoming cold data archives.

As he pondered this, he suddenly realized that he had gone a bit too far ahead.

"Who cares!" the minotaur warrior roared, waving his hand. "Brothers, let's feast! Let's celebrate saving the world once again!"

Pig-headed Knight: "Awooooo! Tonight it's my treat, let's have 'Grave Bottom Hot Pot'!"

Hu Wan: "Holy crap, that's way too far! Going all the way to hell just to eat that stuff?!"

One Leaf Knows Autumn: "+1, not to mention we're both skeletons."

The pig-headed knight chuckled and said, "Then let's go somewhere else, you're on your own!"

Hu Wan: "………………"

One Leaf Knows Autumn: "I'll just fish it out from under the grave. I'm definitely having this meal."

Tauren Warrior: +1

Pig-headed Knight: "Holy crap! You guys are serious?!"

(End of this chapter)