Chapter 15: The Escape

In the mayor's office, Netheroc chanted

"enizibrug mutis"

and unleashed a purplish cursed energy that spread throughout the city. It activated the sensors scattered across the city in the form of eyes, all connected to Netheroc's vision. He searched every city block and street, his eyes darting around as he struggled to locate Renji.

Meanwhile, in the underground prison, Renji ordered the acolyte guard to open the gate. He sternly said,

"Unlock the gate, acolyte. Use your blood, or I'll be the one who draws it from you."

Terrified, the acolyte pierced his palm, drawing blood and pouring it into the cuplet of the statue beside the giant door. However, the door wouldn't open. Risstle questioned,

"Why won't it open? The inscription on the door itself says it requires acolyte blood."

Jack noticed something strange about the inscription's shape. He flipped it, revealing that the door required 2100 cc or ml of blood, equivalent to three acolytes' arms. A random citizen chimed in,

"That's why three acolyte guards were used to open it a few days ago. If we try to open it with only one acolyte guard, we might have to use almost half of the acolyte's CBC to meet the requirement."

Risstle asked,

"How can you be so sure that this is the exact amount of blood required, that we need to deplete nearly half of an acolyte to open the gate?"

Renji interrupted,

"The acolyte's blood count and ours are the same because they were once humans thousands of years ago."

Hearing this, the acolyte guard gritted his teeth and declared,

"I won't let you make me suffer or let you escape."

His fear vanished, and he attacked Renji. Risstle responded by using her

"Water Spell Attack Utilization: Aqua Lance Tsurugiri,"

generating a water blade and swiftly decapitating the acolyte guard.

Renji then carried the headless body to the cuplet and poured the acolyte's blood. It took several minutes to reach the required amount, but as it finally depleted half of the acolyte's blood, the giant door opened.

Kraig was in the midst of giving orders to his acolytes, preparing them for an imminent assault on Renji.

An acolyte reported,

"Sir, our forces are ready to launch an attack on Renji."

Kraig acknowledged,

"Very well, but remember, don't underestimate Renji. He's a formidable opponent."

The acolyte replied,

"Understood, sir."

Out of nowhere, another acolyte rushed toward them, bearing unsettling news.

"Master Kraig, there are two magus are charging toward us. They're carving through our remaining forces on the main street."

Kraig was taken aback,

"What? How did Renji manage to escape?"

The acolyte responded,

"I'm afraid it's not Renji leading the charge, master. It appears to be Charles, along with an unfamiliar companion with distinctive yellow hair."

Meanwhile, on the main street:

Joel Hyzen charged into the fray, his dagger radiating

"Sword spell, Attack utilization:crimson blade strike"

energy that tore through the acolytes with deadly precision.

Charles wielded his

"Blood Spell, Attack Utilization: Bloody Chain Slash,"

forming chains of blood that reached out from his weapon, entangling and dispatching their adversaries with remarkable efficiency.

Kraig couldn't believe that Charles was not only alive but also in such fighting shape. He quickly ordered,

"Instruct the others to retreat; I'll deal with them."

Another acolyte questioned,

"How can you face off against two magus, especially when you struggled against Charles on your own before, and now he has an ally? We must provide assistance."

Frustrated, Kraig replied,

"So you doubt my strength?"

With a burst of rage, he crushed the questioning acolyte's head with his bare hands.

"Regardless of the number of magus that come our way, I'll handle them all."

With determination, Kraig transformed into his acolyte form and rushed to confront the magi on the main street, where he came face to face with Charles and Joel.

Kraig couldn't help but taunt them,

"Still not confident enough to face me alone, huh? You needed an ally to stand a chance. From the look of him, he seems rather inexperienced."

But before he could finish, Kraig was shocked to find his right arm missing.

Joel Hyzen's voice, devoid of emotion, cut through the chaos.

"I won't tolerate insults from an ant Don't get carried away; I could single-handedly take on all of you."

An infuriated Kraig retorted,

"What did you say? Your arrogance has no bounds, has it? You truly believe you can defeat us all."

Joel calmly responded,

"From my perspective, yes, I can handle your entire group, including your master. But fret not; I'm here to confront Malachai."

Kraig, filled with rage, exclaimed,

"How dare you insult us and seek a rematch with someone who clearly lost to me."

Joel Hyzen promptly disappeared, his sights set on Malachai. Charles turned to Kraig and declared,

"Now, Kraig, it's time to settle this once and for all."

Kraig, seething with anger, replied,

"You'll regret the day you chose to come back."

Meanwhile, in the mayor's office, Netheroc concentrated on channeling his cursed staff in an attempt to locate Renji.

Karlina, puzzled, asked,

"I thought you sent Renji to the underground prison. Why are you having trouble finding him?"

Netheroc, his brow furrowing, responded,

"Before Dylan arrived, I received word from the underground prison that Renji and his allies not only defeated the Acolyte guards but also vanished into the labyrinthine chambers. I sent him there to be captured."

Netheroc's staff suddenly emitted an urgent glow, transmitting distressing news. Netheroc discovered that Renji had opened the main gates of the underground prison, releasing the human citizens they had captured.

In a panic, Netheroc exclaimed,

"How did they open the gate? It requires a certain amount of Acolyte blood for unlocking."

The staff then showed how Renji and Risstle had found the key to open the main gate. Netheroc also learned of the assault by Charles and Joel Hyzen on the main street, heading towards his location. He recognized Joel Hyzen in the staff's image, which intensified his apprehension, knowing the extent of Joel's formidable power. It became evident when Joel swiftly severed Kraig's arm using his blade.

Netheroc urgently ordered,

"Karlina, I want you to head to the boundaries between Pasay and Makati. It's the only exit from this city. Take 30% of our forces to guard it and ensure no one escapes. I'll join you once I've reopened the dark portal for our retreat. Our mission now is to eliminate Renji and retrieve our remaining forces while recapturing the human 'livestock' to take with us in our escape."

Karlina, still confused, asked,

"Why are you so eager to escape? We could eliminate all the sorcerers and rebuild our city."

Netheroc replied, his voice tinged with fear,

"This is what I fear. The higher-ranked sorcerers have made their move. Joel Hyzen is a Master-ranked Knight Magus, and he's a dire threat to us."

Karlina promptly headed towards the Pasay exit to Makati, ready to defend it.

Renji and the group reached the end of the dimly lit passageway, and as they opened the imposing main gate, a burst of daylight flooded in. Their path to freedom lay ahead, but it wasn't going to be easy. Three acolyte guards suddenly materialized before the exit, blocking their way.

Risstle, determined, said,

"Let me handle this."

With a swift motion, she invoked

"Water Manipulation Utilization: Aqua Blade Torrent,"

conjuring a deluge of razor-sharp water blades that surged towards the acolyte guards. Each blade found its mark, slicing through the guards and eliminating them efficiently. With the path now clear, they emerged onto Cabrera Street.

Standing at the intersection of the highway, they had two choices: one road led to Pasay City Hall, the other to Don Bosco, marking the boundary between Pasay and Makati. This was the sole exit out of Pasay City.

Renji, concerned about Netheroc's or Max Couldron's whereabouts, inquired of the citizens. Jack, a resident, informed him,

"Sir, you need to proceed to Vergel Street and cross Taft Avenue to reach Pasay City Hall."

Renji decided to head for Pasay City Hall to confront Netheroc, while Risstle was entrusted with leading the citizens to safety in Don Bosco. As they parted ways, Renji expressed his gratitude to Risstle and wished her the best of luck in their respective missions. With their goodbyes exchanged, Risstle dashed off to guide the citizens to safety.

Now alone, Renji removed his jacket, revealing his tank top and jeans. He stretched his muscles and took a deep breath before setting off for Netheroc's stronghold. Meanwhile, within the hidden dimension concealed in the golden necklace, Oliver continued to grapple with the formidable task of extracting the sword lodged in an immense rock. As he struggled, he was plagued by flashbacks of his past, remembering his unrequited feelings for Princess, one of his batchmates. The bittersweet recollection of his love for her and the painful realization of her connection to the undead weighed heavily on his heart, causing tears to stream down his cheeks. In his anguish, the sword began to inch its way out of the rock, driven by Oliver's unwavering determination.