The group was instantly engulfed by a wave of darkness. It was Apophis, the serpent of chaos. The monster writhed, exuding malice, as if it might lunge at them at any moment. Yet it failed to swallow them and instead circled around them.

  Though surrounded by a pitch-black veil, Azael remained calm. He spoke toward the old man beyond the curtain.

  “Apophis won’t work on us. You’re after this child, aren’t you? Apostle of Apep.”

  (Apep: another name for Apophis)

  Multiple voices echoed from all directions, unseen. They were chanting words that could not be understood. Wadji translated even that language.

  “In the void and the darkness, the world sleeps. As the long night comes, those who awaken will be reborn into a new world.”

  Ela hurled a dagger toward the source of the voice. A choking sound followed, then the sound of a body collapsing. Unfazed by the attack, the chanting only grew louder and more frenzied.

  “My lord, the great serpent, we offer blood, so grant us power. Grant it.”

  Ela threw another dagger, but it rang sharply as if striking a wall and fell to the ground. When Eshiel hurled a condensed fireball, it too was blocked by something unseen.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Then the old man’s voice rang out.

  “Two hundred years. That is how long we have endured here in hiding.”

  He let out a pained groan.

  “…You said you were going to Heliopolis, didn’t you? Those arrogant hypocrites… By their own twisted standards, they branded us heretics, attacked us, and slaughtered us.”

  The black mist began to swirl, converging toward a single point. As the scene became visible, the old man was seen drawing all the mist into his mouth. Around the group, a transparent, blood-red barrier had formed. Dozens of priests sat in a circle, chanting in unison.

  Elaton drew the earth hammer at his waist and slammed it into the red wall with a crash. The barrier did not budge. Yet one of the seated priests suddenly spat blood and collapsed. When Elaton struck again, another priest vomited blood and fell.

  The high priest, having inhaled all the mist, glared at Azael with bloodshot eyes.

  “You think yourself clever, whelp? But… it is already too late. Destruction upon Heliopolis!”

  With those words, the high priest’s body crumbled like ash. The dust spread into the air, turning into a blood-red mist. The mist danced in the air like a serpent.

  Then, like lightning, it rushed toward Wadji and poured into his mouth.

  “Kgh! Khh!”

  Wadji convulsed violently. He collapsed to the floor, trying to vomit the mist back out, but nothing came. When he finally lifted his head, writhing in agony, he was no longer the Wadji they knew.

  Red light burned in his eyes, his expression twisted and vicious. When he spoke, it was the old man’s voice.

  “Brothers of blood! The time has come to avenge two hundred years of hatred! Father of chaos, emerge!”

  Black mist burst explosively from Wadji’s body. It was Apophis. The chaotic fog coiled around him. Accompanied by the old man’s mad laughter, it raged like a storm and vanished beyond the temple.

  *Patreon is now open. You can enjoy the next episode and illustrations there.

  *For managing the series, I will upload twice every three days.