assistirfilmes Chapter 20
Chapter 20
After the unification war led by the First Emperor, the Tumanist Empire was established, consolidating the fractured nations of the continent under a single banner.
With the Emperor’s noble vision, humanity saw the end of internal wars, marking the dawn of a peaceful era.
This era of tranquility brought significant advancements.
The black soil was cultivated, stabilizing agrarian societies and boosting food production.
The invention of paper and the spread of literacy turned newspapers into a common good rather than a privilege of the aristocracy.
Children attended schools for basic education and were offered training in magic or swordsmanship if they showed potential.
Hospitals treated the sick, and urbanization, spearheaded by the royal family, elevated human civilization to unprecedented heights.
However, rapid progress inevitably brought complications.
The agricultural surplus led to a population explosion, which coincided disastrously with an unforeseen famine.
Rapid urbanization introduced rampant crime across the Empire.
The Rise of Dungeon Conquest
As cities declared independence as "Free Cities," serfs fled their lords' lands in search of freedom.
Cities became breeding grounds for crime, and the unsanitary slums were literal cesspools, harboring the rats responsible for the Black Death.
While the Empire struggled to resolve these internal crises, its military was stretched thin combating monstrous invaders from the Abyss.
The chaotic state of affairs threatened to bring the Empire, barely a century old, to its knees.
But in every crisis lies a solution, and for the Empire, the answer was the 72 Dungeons.
The cure for the Black Death, thought incurable, was found in the flora of a dungeon.
This discovery turned dungeons into a beacon of hope, providing both solutions to humanity’s problems and employment for the desperate.
The bounty of the dungeons—resources and technology—became central to human progress.
Having resolved internal conflicts, the Empire shifted its focus to dungeon conquest.
A United Enemy: The 72 Dungeons
The Empire needed a common adversary to maintain unity.
Thus, the royal family declared the 72 Dungeons the ultimate enemy of humanity.
Dungeons were deemed the root of all evil, spawning both the Abyss and its monstrous inhabitants.
This declaration not only rallied humanity under a shared cause but also promised tangible rewards:
Conquering a dungeon would yield resources, wealth, and influence.
Unyielding Challenges: The Seven Abyssal Palaces
While many dungeons fell to the Empire’s relentless campaigns, seven remained unconquerable.
Known as the Seven Abyssal Palaces, they were humanity’s greatest challenge, boasting unimaginable defenses.
Recognizing the need for a focused effort, the Empire’s military formed the Dungeon Subjugation Command.
This new branch specialized in counter-dungeon operations, adapting weaponry and strategy to eliminate monsters.
Among the Palaces, the first breakthrough came with the fall of Bango’s Dark Abyss, one of the Seven.
The feat was achieved by deploying the legendary Four Heroes.
The conquest of the Dark Abyss was hailed as a triumph, fueling hope for further victories.
The Unexpected Death of a Hero
However, the celebration was short-lived.
Soon after returning victorious, one of the Four Heroes, Valmonk the Faithful, died mysteriously in the newly reborn Abyssal Palace.
The news shook the Empire to its core.
I let out a sigh that sounded more like a frosty exhale and unfolded the newspaper. With no internet here, I had to settle for the papers Charlotte brought from the outside to pass the time. Going out would mean dealing with the endless racket of the Insectfolk and vampires. As much as I felt bad for Charlotte, I wanted to enjoy some peace and quiet.
“Hero of Faith, Valmonk, Dies Alone in the Reborn Seventh Abyssal Palace!”
“They sure found out fast.”
Or was it just that, for a medieval world, their information networks were surprisingly efficient? I flipped to the next page without much interest—until something big caught my attention.
“...The Awakening of the Holy Sword.”
The Solar Knight, Wilhelm, had awakened the Holy Sword.
Looking back, this was around the time that Wilhelm, one of the named NPCs, had awakened the sword in the game. It was just a passing line of dialogue, but I remembered every single one of them. That’s what happens when you pour 30,000 hours into something.
“What was it he said again?”
At first, I didn’t understand why the vision was given to me. But now, on the brink of humanity’s downfall, its purpose becomes clear.
That line was from the chapter when Callandas launched his invasion.
The awakening of the Holy Sword was tied to a divine revelation from the Sun God. It was directly connected to Callandas ramping up his plans to wipe out humanity.
“Callandas, you undead bastard. You’re really making yourself known.”
In the game, the “Rotting Gorge of Death and Rebirth” dungeon was impossible for players to clear solo. It was designed so that Wilhelm had to survive and assist you for any hope of success.
If you thought you were dead before, you’re double dead now, you walking corpse.
Even as a dungeon boss, humanity’s collapse would be a massive problem for me. If Callandas’s forces grew stronger, it would only spell disaster for me down the line.
Wilhelm probably had no idea what the divine revelation meant yet. But what if I leaked information about Callandas’s wicked plans?
“This could be my chance to take out the Rank 5 boss.”
And if I could snatch the Necronomicon in the process? Perfect. That would be exactly what Charlotte needs for her development.