Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner

Chapter 185

Thanks to the efforts of Simon and Prince, the divine train successfully escaped Heavenly Blood's pursuit.

With plenty of fuel and no fear of being caught, it was safe to say that they were completely safe.

And now, as planned, Simon and Rete prepared to disembark.

"You're really going after them, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

With their bags packed, Simon and Rete stood before the train's opened-up wall.

The many passengers who knew them came out to see them off. Methyn, Ellen, the girls riding first-class who they played with, the men who refueled the engine, and priests from other cars who played active roles in defending the train.

"I think this incident will be a huge turning point for me."

Said Methyn.

"I won't regret it, even if I enter a slump, and I'll never forget you guys."

"Yes, may the Goddess treat you well, dear priest."

"Live a life that you won't regret."

Methyn bowed to the two of them. Ellen approached Simon and sniffled,

"We're parting ways again. I thought we were going to stick together a little bit longer."

Seeing Ellen unable to hide her disappointment, Simon smiled.

"I'm sure I'll come back in the future. I'll be counting on you then."

"Yeah! Let me be your guide when the time comes!"

"And…"

Rete smiled, putting her hands on her hips.

"If I catch you impersonating Efnel again, I won't go easy on you, Senior."

"I just have to not let you catch me, right?"

Hahaha!

A few people who knew what was going on chuckled to themselves. Simon bowed respectfully to those he had met along the journey.

"Well then, we'll be going."

Said Simon.

"Don't pretend to know me if we meet again in the future."

Warned Rete.

While receiving people's farewell, the two leaped off the train into the darkness outside, raising jet-black and divinity on their legs.

"They're gone. They should be fine, right?"

At Ellen's question, Methyn nodded meekly.

"Of course. I'm sure the two of them will be able to keep the war at bay."

* * *

After the spectacular leap off the train, they both had to face vicious landings, but the two were safe.

Upon hitting the ground, they moved slowly, using the darkness as a shield and walking as quietly as possible.

"You can come out now, Prince."

Simon opened his subspace, and Prince immediately pushed his way out.

[Uggghhh, how can Pier bear staying in that thing?!]

He brushed himself off and found Rete standing beside him, looking disgusted. Prince burst into anger and shouted,

[What?! What is it this time?!]

"I really can't get used to it. To think that an undead is talking and experiencing rage…"

Simon shrugged.

"Apparently, even the scholars of the Dark Territory haven't uncovered anything about the Ancient Undead. They're complete unknowns."

[Why are you talking about me as if I'm some kind of research subject?! I'm the great zombie prince, you know?]

Prince, venting his anger both verbally and physically, let out a long sigh.

[Whatever… What do I have to do this time?]

"I just called you out because you might feel cramped and bored. Catch some breath when there's no one around to see you."

[What? Bored? The Ancient Undead feel no such emotion!]

"Go back inside, then."

[I don't want to! It's boring there!]

"…?"

Rete felt exhausted by the pointless conversation. It was no wonder scholars were unable to discover anything about Ancient Undead, as Ancient Undead were absolutely abnormal.

'Well, I doubt they're as abnormal as this necro-priest, though.'

Rete glanced at Simon.

As Simon, after calming Prince down, looked back and smiled at Rete, she quickly turned away.

"We're running out of time. Let's get going."

The three walked through the night, keeping some distance from the railroad.

After an hour or so of brisk walking, torches could be seen everywhere and people were shouting.

It was the Heavenly Blood cultists who had just attacked the train and been shaken off.

Rete whispered,

"Now that they failed chasing us, they'll head back to their headquarters. Let's give them some distance and follow."

As she said that, Rete took a step forward, only to stumble back in surprise.

The zombie on the grass crawled toward her, gnashing its teeth.

[Go away.]

But at Prince's command, the little zombie went elsewhere like a well-behaved lamb.

"Ugh, my heart."

Rete fumed and glared at the zombie as it moved away. Part of her wanted to shove a divine spear into its back.

[Coward.]

Prince chuckled.

"Alright. I'll purify you first."

Rete rolled up her sleeves. Simon quickly stepped between them and asked Rete,

"When is your acquaintance arriving?"

"Ah."

She checked her wristwatch.

"She's spending money like it's water and taking teleport after teleport, so she'll be arriving by dawn at the latest."

Simon's eyes widened.

"Dawn? That soon?"

"Yeah, things must be that serious if she's disregarding everything and coming here."

"Just double checking, but you're sure we can trust her, right?"

She nodded.

"Definitely. She's who I trust second most after Teacher Anna. And above all, she has a lot of influence in the Holy Federation. We have no choice but to rely on her for now."

* * *

* * *

Heavenly Blood HQ, 5th floor.

Pools of blood covered the floor, surrounding mummified corpses. The walls and ceiling were covered with test subjects shackled in chains.

This was an undead laboratory.

Judas, a bishop of Heavenly Blood, was concentrated on his research, dripping blood onto a test subject lying on an iron bed.

[Gieeeeeeeeh!]

The test subject writhed in agony before eventually stopping after blood spluttered from every orifice of its body. Judas's white lab coat was spattered with blood, but it softly slid off and fell to the floor, leaving him remarkably clean.

"Failure number 531."

Judas grimly picked up the clipboard and began checking off the boxes.

"Bishop, I'm sorry for interrupting your experiment, but there's a slight problem."

Out of the darkness, a believer approached and bowed. Judas stated without taking his eyes off the research journal,

"You lost them."

"…Yes. I'm sorry."

"I told you it wouldn't do any good sending the pursuit."

Judas picked up a clean scalpel from his toolbox and, with unsteady hands, began cutting into the flesh of his new test subject strapped to the iron bed beside him.

"Someone strong enough to capture Alloken was on the train. They must've somehow found a way to get the stalled divine train moving again."

He pinched a wad of coagulated blood between his fingers and lifted it up, examining it closely.

The believer bowed his head and said,

"Now that the passengers have escaped unharmed, I assume that the forces of the Holy Federation will rush our headquarters as soon as daylight breaks."

"I'm sure they will."

Judas stood up from his seat.

"Dispose of this test subject."

"Yes, Bishop."

"We'll have to hurry to a new headquarters. Please get the teleportation magic circle ready."

"Bishop! Bishop!"

Another believer ran up and reported in, kneeling before the bishop.

"We're in trouble! The teleportation magic circle is…!"

"…"

After hearing the believer's report, Judas himself left the laboratory and went to the teleportation circle in the headquarters.

The believers shouting to each other in panic.

"You're saying that all the magic circles are nullified?"

"…Yes."

"There's only one person who can pull this off so easily."

Judas smiled, pushing back his glasses.

"Chief Inquisitor Leit is on his way."

At that, pandemonium broke loose among the believers.

"B-Bishop! How come they're already…?!"

"This isn't according to the plan! We haven't even released the information yet!"

"I wonder…"

Judas turned his back, and his white coat fluttered in the wind.

"I think they found everything out first, without us."

Judas' voice was very nonchalant as he declared that.

"This is fine. Prepare for the crusade. We'll take this opportunity to wipe out the inquisitors."

"D-Does that mean…?"

Judas broke into a wide grin.

"I'll call for the Goddess' apostles."

The believers let out a furious roar. Their terror toward the inquisitors was nowhere to be found.

"Rally everyone to defend. If we can hold off till the apostles appear, it's our victory.'

"Yes, Bishop!!"

"Glory to the great Goddess!"

Leaving the people running around like fanatics, Judas climbed a set of stairs alone.

Click!

Stepping into an empty room, he closed the door and locked it. Then, as he recited an incantation, he bit into his fingertips, drawing blood which he let drip down.josei

The blood formed a magic circle on the floor, which soon tore open into a portal of disparate red.

"I must prepare for the interview, so I'll excuse myself. May your sacrifices be worthwhile."

Muttered Judas as he threw himself into the portal.

The portal closed behind him.

* * *

"Chief. The installation of the teleport-nullification circle is complete."

"Alright."

The large man sitting on a rock rose to his feet. It was Leit, the necromancer-hunting warmonger. The current chief inquisitor.

"How wide did you set it?"

"A 10-kilometer radius centered on the Heavenly Blood headquarters, making teleportation of any kind impossible."

"Understood."

He had waited a long time.

Looking back he saw 500 of the Bureau's most elite inquisitors before him, each carrying various weapons and torture devices. They wore metal masks over their mouths, and each carried the irrational glare of a bloodthirsty hound.

The killing machines of the Holy Federation, forged through hellish indoctrination. Fanatics who would plunge their blade into the throat of any one of their peers at a moment's notice if it were the Goddess's and Leit's command.

"The world is full of injustices."

Leit began his speech.

"In a world created by a great Goddess, there are those who deny her. We live under the same sky and breathe the same air as those maggots. They have infected over half of the world, disturbing the inhabitants and breeding countless evils. So why?!"

His eyes grew murderous.

"Why do we have to stand idle and watch the vermin live on?!!"

Stomp!

The 500 inquisitors stepped down in unison, each bringing their weapons in front of their chests in a salute.

"Are we too afraid of war? Are the sacrifices of the innocent too great? Are we to cower at the mere threat of mutually assured destruction? Bullshit! There is no victory without sacrifice! We are the followers of the Goddess, and she shall not abandon us!"

Divinity mixed with a fighting spirit oozed from his body.

"The Goddess desires judgment!"

Stomp!

"The casualties of war are no excuse!"

Stomp!

"Today shall begin our eradication of these disgusting vermin!!"

Veins bulged in Leit's forehead and neck as he reached forward. A space opened, revealing a massive sword of light shaped like a cross.

The sword that cuts the sky: the Royal Cross.

It was so huge that Leit, standing at three meters tall, could barely bring it off the ground with his arms raised above his head. He looked like he was carrying a cross-shaped building on his back.

"Let's go cleanse every last one of these heretics!"

Leit and the warmongers began their march toward the Heavenly Blood headquarters.

——