CHAPTER 997: CHAPTER 190: COLLAPSE

Spiral Hall.

Wide stone steps spiral downward.

The passages leading to various layers of branches are like worm-eaten holes to the abyss, insignificant existences traveling within them.

Three silhouettes draped in church robes are among them. If you get close, you can hear the rapid clattering of footsteps beneath the black clergy robes.

"Drop the counter. Knight Vino, you stay behind."

Captain Hogte took off his counter and leaned it against the stone railing with the attendant knight, throwing it into the pitch-black abyss.

"Apprentice Knight, you’re too tense, relax," said Captain Hogte as they continued downward, seeing the attending knight’s retracted palm trembling under the church robe.

"Yes, Captain Hogte!"

The retinue stopped, his body under the church robes stretched taut, and his voice unintentionally grew louder.

"erlo siy!"

A sharp shout accompanied by urgent footsteps suddenly erupted, two grotesque figures carrying bound anomalies charged towards them.

Hiss——

In the roaring sound of exhaust, Knight Vino’s church robe billowed, revealing the cold steel color underneath.

"Stand still, do nothing."

Captain Hogte softly ordered them to stop, standing still, witnessing them reach the stone railing edge, throwing the struggling anomaly bound into the abyss.

The sound of something breaking through the air instantly disappeared, they remained at the railing front.

Soon they saw the reason left behind by the two grotesques—a few figures were "spat" out by the abyss, caught by the waiting grotesques.

Those were a few unrecognizable shin bones, and holding them, the grotesques’ emotions turned dispirited, muttering vaguely, tossing the skeletons back into the abyss, turning away.

Captain Hogte frowned, looking back; some grotesque was picking up something where they had discarded the counter.

"Keep moving."

Each circle in the Spiral Hall represents a layer.

They could see deep into the abyss’s dark depths and the six layers above.

Passing between the seventh and eighth layers, close to where the target was, a vibration from the deep ground suddenly spread from their foot.

Rubble trembled, raising dust. The group on the seventh layer and surrounding grotesques simultaneously halted, searching for the source of the vibration—

Bang!

The tremor intensified abruptly with a loud noise, lava erupted from cracks in the rock wall.

A pitiful grotesque stood before a crack, its short shriek drowned in the scorching viscous magma.

Knight Vino stepped forward, standing in front of Captain Hogte and the attendant knight. Blocking their view, and shielding them from the flying debris like arrows.

Burned stones tore through the church robes, clinking against the steam armor, leaving dented white marks.

Bang!

Another stream of lava surged from a newly formed crack.

The grotesques screamed as they fled, swarming back like ants into their nest.

"Keep advancing!"

Captain Hogte growled low, Knight Vino guardedly sprinting downward.

At this moment, in the chaos’s center, a few figures appeared in the eighth layer of Spiral Hall.

"It’s with me!"

A hoarse shout rang out among them, a charred silhouette raised a negligible wooden box, displaying it to all the grotesques chasing out, crashing into the eighth layer branches.

The other two figures turned to run upwards.

Most pursuing grotesques dispersed to chase, but a part of the minions still pursued them.

"If unwilling to leave, become a sacrifice to my master!"

The black-robed silhouette stopped, tore off the church robes, and shouted fervently, exploding like a shadow, swallowing all pursuing minions.

"That is Lu Li."

The attendant knight stared at the lone ascending silhouette in a coat, calling out involuntarily.

The tremor appeared underfoot again, shaking the entire Spiral Hall with unparalleled intensity, like a resurrected ancient giant battling underground.

All still within the Spiral Hall struggled to stand, falling over; even Lu Li running upward fell to the ground.

Falling rocks and dust veiled their vision, the omnipresent shouts and tremors let them ignore imminent death—

Shadows passed quickly, house-sized boulders crushed down the steps where Captain Hogte and the attendant stood, sweeping away the remaining metal armor’s church robes in a harsh gale.

"Captain!"

Steam scattered the dust, the retinue vanished, while Captain Hogte’s half-body was buried under a rock, weakly uttering something.

Knight Vino knelt before him, listening intently to the almost drowned whispers amidst the chaos.

"Protect Lu Li... take him... back..."

The fire of life faded from Captain Hogte’s flowing eye sockets.

Knight Vino clenched his iron fist, turning to face the collapsing eighth layer.

...

Lu Li adapted to the incessant tremors and climbed up, staggering up the steps.

Spiral Hall was collapsing, the steam contour seemed like a madman trying to destroy an old sewer.

And now, Ophelia had drawn away the grotesques, Bishop Jon held the rear, Lu Li was left without help—

A grotesque pushed through rubble, climbed up, moved its three limbs towards Lu Li’s back, and the slender mouthpiece stabbed towards the back—

Boom!

A massive shadow crushed down, steel feet squashed the grotesque into a pulp, the broken mouthpiece oozing corrosive venom.

"Run upwards."

Knight Vino whispered to the turning Lu Li.

Lu Li’s dark eyes briefly paused at the knight armor forged by the Tribunal, then continued upwards.

Knight Vino followed with heavy steps.

Every moment brought new cracks, every moment lava waterfalls spurt from rock clefts, the eighth layer of Spiral Hall resembled a world on the brink of destruction, tremors, lava, and collapse were the eternal melody.

Very few grotesques demonstrated such direct manifestations of power, compared to the steam contour and those grotesques, like brutes and schemers.

And disaster distinguishes neither friend nor foe; it treats all equally.

The steps suddenly tilted, cracked, the Spiral Hall below their feet slid towards the abyss like honey being dislodged from a honeycomb.

Still intact steps were hundreds of meters away.

Lu Li accelerated forward. The silently trailing Knight Vino began shedding cumbersome heavy armor.

Short seconds of escape, the untouched steps were close at hand.

Lu Li leaped on the severely tilted ground, crossing rolling debris, gripping the edge of the broken steps with both hands, pushing up his body.

With only leg armor left, Knight Vino followed closely, exerted force to jump, but it was too late and too heavy. His raised hand was still a dozen centimeters from the edge, when he fell downward—

Snap—

An unexpected arm reached out to grab him, slid from elbow to palm, jointly pulled down his body by dozens of centimeters before barely halting.

Knight Vino panted heavily, the terrifying detachment of Spiral Hall became a backdrop, accompanied by countless debris and lava falling into the silent abyss.

He looked up at Lu Li who had grabbed him, but might be pulled into the abyss at any moment, gritting his teeth and drawing the dagger from his waist.

"Return to Vena Ice-Free Port... cleanse the filth if you have not... been tarnished."

Before he could sever his wrist, Lu Li above likewise drew a dagger, swinging down—

The sharp daggers pierced through both their palms.

Calm whispers threaded through the tearing pain in their palms, resonating in Knight Vino’s ear.

"Speak for yourself when you go back."