454 Five Nodes

"This is…" Bloed's eyes opened wide. He had seen this magic array before.

"It's the same one that we saw in Diadel Duchy." Saintess Charise completed his words.

Bloed's expression turned grave. If this magic array was the same as the one in Diadel Duchy, then the current situation was very serious.

Back in Diadel Ducky, Duke Diadel used this magic array to gather sacrifices to strengthen a spawn of the Blight and use it to breakthrough to the Demigod rank.

In the end, he failed, but his actions caused the deaths of thousands of people.

The fact that the same magic array was being used in Academy City meant that whoever was behind it was planning to sacrifice a great number of innocent citizens.

If the plan was successful, then tens of thousands of people would die.

"Regina, help me to get an image of the magic array," Bloed asked his Valkyrie.

Regina nodded. The silver-haired Valkyrie then flew to the sky hundreds of meters above the city.

After she finished analyzing the magic array, she descended and extended her hand, using her ESPer ability to create a model of it.

Bloed observed the model for a few seconds before frowning.

"… This one is even more complex than the one in Diadel. It has a total of five nodes. But… I don't understand something…"

"What is the problem?" Liu Ying asked.

"I can't find the central node… It makes no sense. Where are the sacrifices going?"

Liu Ying, Regina, and the others looked at each other in confusion.

None of them knew much about magic circles and magic arrays, so they did not know what the problem was. But Bloed knew that something was wrong.

In Diadel Duchy, the magic array was collecting sacrifices to grow the spawn of the Blight in the Duke's body, so the central node of the magic array was in the city hall.

However, Bloed could not find the central node of this magic array.

None of the five nodes he found was the central node. It was as though the magic array was broken.

'… Something is wrong… Am I ignoring something?'

Bloed thought for a few seconds, but he did not manage to reach an answer.

In the end, he sighed and shook his head.

'It doesn't matter. It doesn't change what we need to do.'

"What is the plan, Bloed?" Saintess Charise asked.

"The same plan that in Diadel Duchy. We need to destroy the five nodes to destroy the magic array."

"... However, we will have to split up if we want to destroy them quickly," Charise said.

Bloed fell silent.

Charise was right. The best option was to split up to take care of the nodes at the same time. However, splitting up in the current situation was very risky.

They did not know when they would be attacked again. In the worst case, they could be killed one by one.

Even so, they could not leave the sacrificial magic array alone.

"We will divide ourselves into three groups." Bloed finally decided. "The first group will be the Charise, Sir Kallevang, and the knights of the Church of Fate. You will take care of the node in the east.

"Eres, Liu Ying, and Aya will form the second group together with Prince Calisto's men. You will take care of the node in the west. Eres, you should have enough firepower to destroy it. But if you can't, wait for reinforcements.

"Regina and I will take care of the node in the south. As for the last two nodes…" Bloed thought for a moment before looking at Charise. "Saintess, do you have a way to contact the headmistress and Miss Eve?"

Charise was briefly startled before nodding. "I do."

"Then tell them about the situation. We will leave the last two nodes to them."

"Understood."

"What about us, my hero?" Gina asked suddenly.

Bloed looked at her and Sara and put on a serious look.

"I have another mission for the two of you. Sara, please escort Gina and Princess Elwha to the club. As for you, Gina, I hope you can use your abilities to find the central node. Tell me as soon as you find it, okay?"

"Understood, my lord."

"I won't disappoint you, my hero."

Sara and Gina nodded.

"Then let's start. We don't have much time."

The group then split up following Bloed's arrangement. Saintess Charise, Kallevang, and the knights of the Order of the Guiding Light went to the east; Eres, Liu Ying, Aya, and the men of Prince Calisto went to the west; and Bloed and Regina went to the south.

Meanwhile, Sara carried the unconscious Princess Elwha on her back as she escorted Gina to the Machine Revolutio tower.

But as soon as Bloed started to advance towards the node in the south, he realized that the situation in the city was much worse than he expected.

Countless dead bodies were lying on the ground, battles were occurring all over the city, and buildings were being destroyed one after another.

Moreover, that was not the worst part.

In the middle of the chaos, Bloed saw several familiar creatures.

Monsters with disgusting appearances and a thirst for mana.

Devourers. The Blight.

Monstrous creatures and deformed humans infected by the Blight roamed the chaotic city, killing indiscriminately and drinking blood in a frenzy.

"These crazy bastards!" Bloed clenched his teeth.

He could not believe that someone was so foolish and cruel as to release these monstrosities in the city.

The Devourers were creatures that devoured planets and destroyed civilizations. But here, they were being used ignorantly as weapons.

"Foolish. Do they fail to understand that if the Devourers escape their control, this world will be destroyed?" Regina asked with a somber expression.

Bloed gritted his teeth and growled.

"Let's go. We need to destroy the node before it's too late. Also, try to kill as many of these creatures as you can, Regina."

"As you wish, master."

...

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