Chương 23: Chains of Mercy, Light of Judgment

With Enkidu. After separating from the main group, Enkidu slipped into Tepes Castle like a drifting breeze. There was no dramatic entrance. No explosion of power. No ripple in space. He simply was there. The Weapon of the Gods moved through corridors carved from black stone, his footsteps soundless against the cold marble floors. The oppressive aura of the castle pressed in from every direction, saturated with centuries of blood, ambition, and predatory hunger. Yet Enkidu felt none of it.

Compared to the Age of Gods, this place was quiet. Almost peaceful. He tilted his head slightly as he walked, sensing faint disturbances throughout the structure. Most of the castle's inhabitants were gone—either dispatched by Sebas's spatial manipulation or rendered unconscious by Enkidu's subtle suppression earlier. Only scattered pockets of resistance remained. Descending deeper, Enkidu followed the trail of life force that Gilgamesh had described. Basement level. Cellar. Dungeon.

The air grew colder with each step, heavy with moisture and despair. Soon, voices reached his ears. He stopped at the corner of a stone corridor, listening calmly.

"Hey… is it just me, or are we the only ones still awake in this whole castle?"

"Don't be ridiculous," another voice replied irritably.

"Everyone else is sleeping while we're stuck on guard duty because of that damn Marius. Always paranoid. Always ordering extra precautions." Enkidu smiled faintly. So they were still unaware. He raised his hand. Golden light shimmered into existence as thin chains materialized around his wrist, silent and elegant like strands of fate itself. In the next instant— The corridor erupted. The Chains of Heaven surged forward with divine precision, piercing through stone, shadow, and flesh alike.

The vampires didn't even have time to scream. Their bodies were torn apart in a flash of golden radiance, dissolving into ash before they hit the floor. Enkidu stepped through the settling dust. His expression remained gentle. Ahead of him lay the cell. But just as he moved forward, his eyes sharpened. Inside the chamber, one remaining vampire had survived the initial assault—barely. The creature staggered forward, fangs bared, raising its clawed hand toward the girl imprisoned within.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Enkidu didn't hesitate. Another chain snapped into existence, lancing through the vampire's chest and annihilating it mid-motion. The body disintegrated before it could even touch the ground. Only silence remained. Enkidu finally stepped into the cell. The girl stood frozen near the wall. She wore a red dress that shimmered faintly under the dungeon's dim light, its hem brushing just above her ankles.

The bodice clung to her slender frame, outlining modest but shapely curves. Her red eyes watched Enkidu warily, exhaustion etched deep within them. Her long blond hair was tangled and unkempt. Her gloved hands trembled slightly. She had clearly been through far more than anyone her age should endure. Enkidu softened his expression.

"Hello," he said gently.

"My name is Enkidu." The girl hesitated, swallowing.

"…Ah. N-nice to meet you, Lord Enkidu," she replied quietly, instinctively sensing that the being before her was far beyond anything she understood. Enkidu inclined his head politely.

"I came to rescue you," he said simply.

"We're taking you somewhere safe." Her eyes widened.

"So you can see Gasper again." For a moment, Valerie forgot where she was. Forgot the cold. Forgot the fear. Her eyes lit up with fragile hope.

"…Really?" Enkidu nodded.

"You'll see him again." Tears welled up instantly. She didn't fully understand why, but something deep inside told her that she could trust this strange, gentle figure. Without another word, she reached out and took his hand. Golden light wrapped around them. And in the next heartbeat, they vanished.... With Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh stood alone in the main hall of Tepes Castle. At first, he had only released a few controlled shockwaves—just enough to announce his presence. Now? He was surrounded.

Vampires lined the balconies, staircases, and upper corridors. Some held swords. Others relied on claws and fangs. Their crimson eyes glowed with hunger and hostility. Dozens. Maybe more. Gilgamesh tightened his grip on Regulus Nemea. The axe hummed softly in his hand, resonating with his will. He slowly swept his gaze across the encirclement. The vampires hesitated. They looked at each other. Uncertainty rippled through their ranks. Finally, one of them stepped forward and hurled a dagger toward Gilgamesh's back.

Without even turning around, Gilgamesh caught the blade between two fingers. He flicked his wrist. The dagger shot across the hall, piercing straight through another vampire's heart just as it prepared to leap. That was the signal. Chaos erupted. One vampire lunged forward with a rapier aimed at Gilgamesh's chest. Gilgamesh stepped aside, grabbed the attacker's wrist, redirected the blade across its own torso, and shoved the body forward—impaling another vampire in the process.

Two more charged in from either side, fangs exposed. Gilgamesh simply jumped. He rose several meters into the air. When he came down, his boots crushed both of their skulls simultaneously, pulverizing them along with the stone floor beneath. Behind him, a vampire cast a thick chain around his left arm and tried to pull him off balance. Gilgamesh glanced back. He grabbed the chain and yanked. The vampire on the other end was ripped off its feet and slammed into a wall with bone-shattering force.

"Flank him! Take him down!" someone shouted. Several younger vampires rushed forward. The older ones stayed back. Smart. Gilgamesh casually stepped aside, swung the coiled chain into one attacker's head, spun, cracked another across the face, then hurled the chain forward. The glowing tip pierced one heart, continued through, and impaled another behind it. He released the chain and summoned a sword of light. The blade streaked through the air, killing another vampire instantly. One guard froze in shock.

Gilgamesh could have killed him. Instead, he waited. He needed this one to spread panic. Sure enough, the vampire fumbled for a communication device. Gilgamesh appeared in front of him. Regulus flashed with sacred energy. One clean swing. Ash. Gilgamesh crushed the device beneath his heel. Then he waited. He didn't have to wait long. Dozens more vampires rushed in from every direction. Gilgamesh raised his head. His expression was utterly cold.

"[Light Magic: Light Swords of Conviction]." Radiant blades erupted around him. Lower-class vampires were pierced effortlessly, their bodies disintegrating in holy brilliance. Shadows and curses collapsed against his aura of light. Spells evaporated before reaching him. Gilgamesh did not move. He simply stood there, executing judgment. Some vampires transformed into monstrous reptilian and insectoid forms, charging with feral rage.

"So that's their shapeshifting," Gilgamesh thought.

"Yes," Regulus replied mentally.

"They believe it grants resistance." Gilgamesh answered with a sweeping strike. A wave of sacred light tore through the high-class vampires, bisecting them instantly. The remaining forces froze. Some turned to flee. Gilgamesh lifted Regulus. A sphere of blinding light formed at the axe's tip as the vampires realized, far too late, that escape was impossible. Their backs turned. And Gilgamesh released his judgment.