Chapter 67: Colossal Demon 1

I was contemplating how I—we can get out of this situation. These chumps that I am with right now seems not in the mood to lift a finger. Martha had been silenced for a while now while the others kept their mouth shut. They're good at reading the room, I'll give them that. But come on, we need to do something! We have ten people here—4 from the apostles and 3 from the high-class pillars, including Krueger. Martha, Maria and me adds up the number. But among their ranks the only one who was keeping his head with reality is Krueger. He was drawing a teleportation magic circle post-haste.

I held Maria in my arms as I activated the communicator device at my ear—I need to contact miss Kyouka about our current predicament. A gate had appeared and two demons came out of it—one with goat face and wings, while the other was a minotaur. Geez, I need a long vacation after this!

As I was clicking the button on my earpiece, an eerie shriek reverberated all over the underground palace. I eyed the gate with a dubious look on my face, and as I landed my sight from where the noise came from, my eyes shoot wide.

"You've gotta be kidding me!"

I cried in surprise. What on earth was that?! Only mouth of it had gone out, but I am pretty sure it's body will be colossal. The gate begun to compromise, matching the size of the newfound demon—which was apparently wanted to join the fray.

I shifted my body to get a closer look to the traitorous bastards, but none of them remained. They've used the commotion to scape.

"Tsk!" I clicked my tongue, "those troublesome bunch."

The whole place is a mess. I couldn't even begin to believe how mesmerized I was when I first entered this place. I turned to the others,

"Hey, idiotic goons," I pointed a finger on the gate's direction, "do you know how to shut that door?"

I got their attention, but not much of their reaction. At best, they shook their heads.

"Tsk. Useless bunch." I sneered. I may have hurt their pride as one of them glared at me before speaking his mind.

"What do you want us to do, then?!" he bellowed.

"Hah?" I said, shooting him with an ice-cold gaze.

"Don't give me that crap, moron. You made this mess yourselves. I don't want to hear complaints. I want answer."

He must have realized that arguing won't help, so he promptly shut his mouth. The guy was young, though since he was wearing an ornated vestments, I guess he was quite powerful. Matthias raised his chin, "Honestly, we don't have any idea." he spoke softly which fitted his gentle appearance.

"That gate is evil. We never once dreamed of summoning it." he went on, "what we want to summon was the Holy Grail. It was said in the scripture that it can amplify one's power—though only it would be applicable to Seraphim users. A great benefit to all of us."

His answer is valid. But there is something I wanted a concrete if not solid answer. I looked at where Martha was, she was down in the dumps. I cannot ask anything if she's like that.

"There's one thing I wanna know."

"Do tell. If I can, I will answer." Yep, earnest, eh? This Matthias guy.

While we were talking, the gate continued to expand and the communication device was drowned in static. I can't connect with miss Kyouka at all.

"If you wanted to summon the Holy Grail, then why take Maria specifically? Couldn't it be anyone else with a strong, if not abundant Holy power?"

He shook his head, dismissing my hypothesis. He looked at Maria who was lying in my arms.

"That girl is a vampire—the last one of their races. The Holy Grail is not necessarily summoned nor made up of holy power. After all, the eternal blood is drank from it. And when blood is in the talk, their race is the only possible means. We have tried alternative, but to no avail."

He made sense. Now I got my answer. Though it aligned with my secondary thought, I can't help but be surprised.

"I see, so that's how it is."

Matthias nodded. The demon had now got its torso out of the gate and now it stood for about 25 meters, it's head almost hitting the high ceiling of the underground domain. It let out another terrifying screech.

"Tsk. We don't have time to be dwindling." And now that I got the answer for my confusion, I don't have any reason to stay here. The communication device is deemed useless. It was eaten away by the interference of the demon. But I had plan of course; one can't be too careful.

I closed my eyes and took a case from my robe—or rather the robe that I stole from one of these goons. I took a case which a plant was safely tucked. I talked to it.

"Relay my message, little sapling."

The case obstructed any wind from passing, yet the leaves that the sapling had swayed as if it understood my language… my companions were observing me suspiciously—aww, come on! I'm not out of my mind! Krueger specially looked at me with indifferent eyes—stop!

For a moment, the sapling glowed faint green and from there, a voice boomed. "Gleren?! Is that you?!" I looked at the goons who were eyeing me with disdain and made a triumphant expression. "Heh."

That voice from the plant was Varvara. I had already thought that something like this would happen, thus, I prepared an ingenious plan. With her ability, she can connect with anything that had connection with nature, and hence that talking with plant strategy.

"Varvara, it's me, yes. I want you to relay my message with miss Kyouka. We have situation in our hands."

"Y-yes!" I heard her footsteps thumping, then as she opened the door, a conversation was held on the other side. "Miss Kyouka, it's Gleren!"

"Gleren, I will relay miss Kyouka's words."

"Alright. I already have Maria. She's safe, but she lost consciousness. I also got the leader of the enemy organization. I await orders." With my words, the people in my back started looking at each other. I sensed animosity, so I lifted my arm and bind then with their own shadow. I can't have them scape now.

"Take them back with you—said Lady Kyouka. It's all up to you now, Gleren."

"Roger."

I replied. Then, I was about to stow away the sapling when Varvara's voice rang again—this time, she sounded worried— "Please, be careful." The feed cut off. I smiled by her words. She's worried for me, eh.

"What?" These people sure don't hide their disgust.

I laid Maria to the floor then stood at the center of us all. The demon kept creating noise in the background, but I ignored it.

"Whoever is keeping the barrier here, I ask you remove it."

I said in low tone. Matthias, nodded, but before he would actually do the act, he asked, "What do you plan to do?"

"I plan to bring us to safety, you dunce. Just hurry it up, or do you want us to be a dinner for that hideous demon?" I'm not going to be nice with these idiots. Not after they did something troublesome like this.

He sighed then muttered something. The mana on my feet became lighter, an indication that the barrier had been lifted. I then placed my right hand in my chest, closed fist with only pointer and index finger raised. I closed my eyes,

"Those who ruled the darkness is engulfed with darkness—those who ruled the shadows shall accept the shadows—hold your breath— {Void Dimension; One with abyss!}"

I opened my eyes—then picked up Maria in my arms. All of the sudden, the whole place was engulfed with pure darkness—nothing can be seen, not even a speck of light. Then momentarily, the light returned—and the place changed.

"Wha—where are we?!" The first to react was Krueger. The location changed and now we were at the headquarters, i.e. the one being used by Miss Kyouka.

"Welcome, everyone from the Sacred Omen."

We travelled in an instant. Krueger cradled his head in his hands. He groaned. "What's the point of me drawing that magic circle then?!"

Oh… I forgot to tell him, I can travel through shadows, not that I really want to tell him though.

"Welcome back, Gleren!"

Varvara welcomed me, the sapling still on her arms. Her smile soothed me. I smiled back, "Yep, I'm back."

I was still carrying Maria like a princess.

"I've rescued our princess in distress." I joked.

The only ones here was Kyouka, Reina, Varvara, Chisaki and her fellow first years. I can guess where the other was, but that loud howl just now worried me for their safety.