บท 24: Entering the Blackrock Shelter

Chapter 24 – Entering the Blackrock Shelter

As they rested, a horn suddenly sounded from the distance. Hearing the horn, the soldiers' eyes lit up.

One of them quickly stood up and took out a horn before blowing it.

After a minute, the fogs at the distance became turbulent and faint footsteps could be heard.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Hundreds of silver-armored soldiers marched out from the fogs.

Upon seeing their injured comrades, these soldiers increased their speed. Moving at the speed comparable to a galloping horse.

Despite their speed, they maintained their neat formation.

Fixing his gaze at the leading soldier, Jhin saw a man clad in black armor, and on his back hung a huge sword.

The black armored soldier arrived in front of the army. "Where's the commander? What happened to the entire army?"

"Reporting to the Second Shelter Lord, the commander is gravely injured. She's in a critical condition." The soldier attending Crystal replied. Exhaustion and relief could be seen in the attending soldier's face.

Hearing the reply, the soldier removed his helmet, allowing his long golden hair to cascade in the wind. With his sharp gaze, he scanned at the soldiers. Seeing their injuries and counting their numbers, his expression became unsightly.

He turned his head and commanded, "Carry your injured comrades! And return to the shelter at your fastest speed!"

"Yes, Commander Serg!" The soldiers behind him quickly get into action. They bent down and started carrying the injured.

As the soldiers busied themselves, Serg walked towards Rafael. "Tell me what had happened!"

"Yes sir!" Rafael nodded, "This is what happened…"

While listening to Rafael, Serg's complexion gradually paled. With a grim look, he stared at the direction of the forest.

…

With the speed of the army, it didn't take long before a massive wall appeared in the view.

Fortunately, this time, the army was no longer attacked.

"Is that the Blackrock Shelter?" Jhin asked. He hadn't expected for the shelter to be covered by walls. As he gazed at the wall, a hint of nostalgia swept through his eyes.

He remembered... the scene of him and his fiancée walking hand-in-hand as they enjoy the view of the Great Wall of China; underneath the moonlit sky, he kissed her supple lips while caressing her soft cheeks and inhaling her scent.

"Sighs~" Shaking his head, Jhin muttered to himself, "I should improve my strength quickly, that's the only way I'll be able to return."

At this moment, the shelter gate had already opened. From his position, Jhin could see thousands of stone houses inside. Then his gaze focused on a particular direction.

Up in the distance, at the end of the wide and straight pavement was a towering black tower. It was so large, comparable to a twelve-story building from his previous life in size. But unlike those buildings, this black tower gave Jhin a peculiar feeling… as though it was alive. It exuded the scent of salvation.

They entered the gate and marched towards the black tower.

The instant they entered, a crowed quickly formed at the roadside.

Still being carried by the soldier, Jhin scanned the crowd and realized that all of them were dressed in a plain grey robe. They has lean bodies, with no visible fats. Worry decorated their faces as they scanned the injured soldiers.

"Sighs~ Another day of mourning again." The soldier carrying Jhin shook his head. "This world is really rotten!"

…

The preceding soldiers arrived in front of the black tower.

After putting the survivors in the center of the field, the soldiers retreated to the side, still maintaining their formation.

"O God of Death, please grant your servant's wishes. Lend me the power of death and heal your wounded believers." An ethereal voice suddenly drifted on the field.

A moment later, the priestess's elegant silhouette appeared in the sky. In her hand was a black staff with a skull at its tip.

She pointed the staff at the wounded while muttering an incantation. Before long, the skull shimmered.

Rumble…

The black tower started resonating with the staff.

A large magic circle appeared above the wounded soldiers.

"God's healing!" The priestess shouted.

Like a trigger, the instant her voice fell, black light started pouring out from the magic circle.

Feeling the aura emanated from the black tower, all the soldiers including the injured dropped on one knee and saluted.

They started praying…

Swish! Swish!

The black light fell upon the injured and a miraculous thing occurred.

The wounds all over their bodies rapidly closed. Those who had their limbs cut off has new one regrowing out.

"What is this?" Jhin exclaimed in surprise. The instant the black light hit his body; a notification suddenly rang inside his head.

[Ding! You have been enveloped by the Death God's healing aura. The repercussion of the possession is slowly healing.]

[Ding! The repercussions have been healed. You can now level up and move your limbs.]

The healing process lasted for a long while before the magic circle in the sky gradually receded.

"Listen! A week from now, a beast stampede will invade our shelter." The priestess said as she scanned the soldiers. "At least thousand wolf-types magical beast will attack the shelter, I want all of you to prepare. The survival of your families lay in your hands."

After saying those words, she looked at Serg, "It's all up to you." Then she disappeared.

Hearing the priestess' words, Serg couldn't help but inhaled . He nodded at the sky and after a moment of thought, he shouted, "All captains in the shelter, gather right here!"

The instant his voice fell, several silhouettes flashed from the crowd. They landed next to Serg and bowed. Among them were Rafael and Mon.

Except from Rafael and Mon, these captains wore a black cape. And on the cape's back printed the death insignia.

Like the bow wielding captain, his insignia was a bone arrow nocked on a bone bow.

Scanning his captains, Serg realized that there were only nine of them. "Where's Lucy?"

A battalion has ten companies, and each company is lead by a captain. He could understand how there's only Rafael and Mon from Crystal's army.

Since except from them and Saline, the rest had perished. Until now, Saline and Crystal are still unconscious.

Seeing that one of his subordinates was missing, a displeased look appeared on Serg's face. He stared at a certain direction and shouted, "GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE LUCY!"