32: Assault of the Apocalypse Apostle on the Tavern at Night

During the night, additional patrons arrived at the tavern, and Nashata graciously attended to each of them.

Rhodes and Sig's room was tucked away in the deepest corner, barely noticeable unless someone intentionally sought it out.

Nashata secured the tavern's gate and extinguished the lights, casting the surroundings into pitch darkness. Amid this obscurity, a row of over a dozen red dots materialized and gradually moved toward the moonlight.

Moonbeams illuminated the forms of these red-dot figures—tattered armor-clad skeletons, resembling bones freshly unearthed from battlefield debris.

Their eyes glowed red, indicative of their status as spiritual undead. In their wake, a gray stallion, cloaked in a dark blue hooded mantle, bore a sword—Shadow Scythe—slung over its shoulders. A sword notably more robust than others.

Death lightly gestured toward the tavern's direction. Responding, the skeletal ensemble maneuvered their bodies, advancing to the tavern's entrance.

"agulalacula~"

Death uttered the Exodus language. Subsequently, a few emerald rays emanated behind him, heralding the emergence of skeletal soldiers from the shadows. They strode toward the tavern in a compact formation.

Rhodes roused from his slumber abruptly, alone in his bed. His heightened auditory acuity caught every sound in the hall with precision.

Ordinary sounds would prompt him to instinctively block them out. However, hundreds of figures congregated before the hall, and an eerie silence pervaded.

Rhodes trained his gaze on the wall, employing his clairvoyant eyes to gradually thin its structure.

Within the hall, skeletal soldiers lined up, making their way toward the attic—their destination was clear.

Outside, residents' doors were breached, their lives claimed by the skeletal onslaught.

The tavern's gate bar was severed by bone knives, silent in their sharpness.

The gate creaked open, allowing a procession of skeletal soldiers to infiltrate, encircling the entrance.

Death wielded the Shadow Scythe, causing a shadow to extend, absorbing the deceased man's form. Two white-boned skeletons emerged from the shadows—promptly joining the gray-boned ranks, poised to besiege the tavern.

"Sig!" Rhodes urgently called, rousing Sig from his rest.

"What's the matter?!" Seeger instinctively grasped his spear, rising to his feet.

"Intruders are attacking, killing innocents. Go protect Nazjata." Rhodes swiftly commanded, bolting from the room and darting toward the skeletal assailants.

Within the narrow corridor accommodating two individuals side by side, his form became a blur. Each footfall echoed loudly, jolting those yet asleep to wakefulness.

Skeletal soldiers detected Rhodes' approach and braced themselves, bone knives poised for action.

Rhodes, in a single motion, unleashed a flying kick—directly propelling a soldier into the air.

The soldiers behind lacked room to maneuver; the propelled soldier crashed into them, setting off a chain reaction. The soldiers were hurled skyward and cascaded down the corridor.

Unyielding, Rhodes pressed onward, delivering another punch, sending more soldiers sprawling.

Their collision propelled them against the far wall, resembling a haphazard heap.

From his stationary position, Rhodes unleashed a heat ray. While some soldiers were pierced and reduced to molten remnants, their substance resisted ignition.

Pierced soldiers slowly rose, dripping lava, seemingly impervious to physical harm.

Beyond the attic, skeletal soldiers fixated on Rhodes, their skeletal jaws gaping in silent cries.

Rhodes refrained from combat, vaulting over them and landing before the tavern's entrance.

As expected, the assailants were after him. Evacuating the attic's civilians, Rhodes escorted them away from harm's way.

Exiting the tavern, a vast circle of skeletal soldiers surrounded Rhodes—entrapping him at the tavern's threshold.

"Ha!" Sig bellowed, thrusting his spear to lift several skeletal soldiers before joining Rhodes.

"I asked you to safeguard Nazjata," Rhodes intoned gravely.

"She's secure, along with the other civilians," Sig replied, his gaze fixed on the shadow behind the front-line skeletal soldier.

Similarly, Rhodes kept his attention on the dark expanse beyond the moonlight's grasp.