Chapter 987: Witch Hunt: Cemetery

Chapter 987: Witch Hunt: Cemetery

In an unknown Dreamscape, Souta was locked in combat with several witches, moving swiftly to contend with multiple opponents simultaneously.
After an explosion, Souta landed atop a towering tree, surveying the witches converging
below, all intent on bringing him down.
They were formidable opponents. He discerned their strength from their recent clashes and their seamless coordination indicated they were a seasoned team accustomed to fighting together. Defeating them in his current state would prove challenging.
"So, this is an elite team of witches... I'm slightly jealous. I wish my soldiers had this level of skill," Souta mused inwardly.
Unfortunately for him, developing such coordination among a team required extensive battle experience.
"This monster is strong! We need to proceed cautiously!" Lorna alerted his comrades, his voice carrying a sense of urgency.
As Captain of the Dark Gold Corps within the Silver Faction, Lorna had accrued significant experience facing various monsters within Walpurgis Night alongside his teammates. However, Souta proved to be unlike any monster they had encountered before.
The Dark Gold Corps was an elite team comprising only seven witches, recognized as among the finest within the Silver Faction.
Lorna's primary role within the team was that of a damage dealer, specializing in inflicting harm upon their targets. He shared this role with Cresin, a fellow witch distinguished by his long black hair tied in a ponytail.
"Let's move!" Lorna commanded in a hushed tone. Their directive from the higher-ups was clear: prevent the guests from gaining points at all costs. The lives of the guests were inconsequential if it meant safeguarding the interests of the Silver Faction.
The seven witches surged forward, converging on Souta with focused determination. Swoosh!!
Souta leaped into action, deploying hundreds of blood-red webs with a sweeping motion of his hand. Lorna and Cresin reacted swiftly, drawing their soul weapons to slice through the incoming webs. Meanwhile, Nima, a colossal figure wielding a massive shield, charged forward at tremendous speed, positioning himself as the vanguard of the team, ready to engage their target directly.
Souta unsheathed his vajra sword and struck swiftly. The clash with Nima's shield produced a powerful rebound, pushing Souta back momentarily. As he regained his footing, he looked up to see a bolt of lightning descending towards him.
Reacting quickly, Souta maneuvered to evade the lightning, only to find himself confronted from behind by Lorna and Cresin. Realizing the danger, he attempted to dodge, but it was too late.
Swoosh!!
Cuts appeared on Souta's body as a powerful light erupted from the ground, crashing into him and sending him hurtling towards the upside-down city. His impact with the buildings caused a massive explosion that reverberated through the area.
The sudden explosion caught the attention of the dream creatures nearby. As they turned towards the disturbance, a surge of force emanated from Souta, dispersing them into Dream Power that scattered into the atmosphere.
Emerging from the rubble, Souta assessed his surroundings. To escape this place, he needed to locate the person who was dreaming of this place.
"I must find the dreamer's source or eliminate the dreamer," Souta muttered, placing his hand against his chest.
He sensed that his inner consciousness was still not prepared for intense battle. Pushing too hard could exacerbate the damage. He needed more time to recover.
His opponents were formidable-not as strong individually as the experts from the Gluttony Army he had faced in Selnes Country, but their teamwork and coordination were exceptional.
"This feeling... It's exhilarating," Souta thought to himself, unable to suppress a grin as he watched the witches closing in on him.
"Hold him down! We'll keep him busy until the Silver Faction finishes this damn game!" Lorna commanded his comrades.
...
Somewhere in the Dream Palace, Red Mist entered a room and discovered corpses scattered on the floor.
"Who's been taking out all these witches?" she muttered to herself, surveying the bodies. She noted that the style of these killings was distinct from the methods employed by the individuals she had brought from the Gluttony Army.
Poisonous Vine typically used poison and a whip, while Spatial Whisperer utilized spatial slicing techniques. The corpses in this room showed signs of being killed with bare hands- some strangled, others beaten.
"Hmm... The lingering energy suggests these deaths are recent. But there's no trace of Poisonous Vine or Spatial Whisperer's energy signature," Red Mist remarked with a frown.
This made her remember something from her past. She recalled encountering a person who warned her that someone would destroy the Walpurgis Night.
Red Mist looked ahead and decided to follow the trail. She entered different rooms and saw dead dream beasts, likely slain by the same person.
After walking for almost an hour, she arrived in front of a particular room. The energy emanating from this room was distinct. The door was exquisitely crafted with ancient symbols on its surface.
"Just what is this?" Red Mist pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Beyond the door lay a vast cemetery. The ceiling stretched several kilometers above the floor, and a small moon cast a dim light over the graves. Each grave was adorned with a soul weapon emitting a faint radiance.
Red Mist advanced, surveying the graves scattered across the ground.
"Here rests the Great Northern Witch... Hmm? Isn't this the renowned witch from a bygone era?" she mused, recognizing the significance of the cemetery where powerful witches of old were interred. This place had remained hidden since the upheaval following the downfall of Morgan Le Fay.
Continuing her exploration, Red Mist approached a colossal tomb, sensing heightened energy emanating from it. Perched atop the tomb was a broomstick.
"Here lies the Great Matriarch Morgan Le Fay...?!" she exclaimed in astonishment at the name inscribed on the tomb. Squatting down, she placed her palm on the soil, immediately discerning that no body lay within the grave.
"As expected, they couldn't retrieve her remains..." Red Mist murmured, her thoughts aligning with her expectations. If Morgan Le Fay had managed to return here before her demise, she might have established a living labyrinth to pass down her skills and abilities, potentially spawning another deity within the Walpurgis Night. However, Le Fay was ultimately obliterated by her enemies, leaving behind only her soul weapon.
Following her death, the Walpurgis Night's power waned, leading to a steady decline. Unable
to produce a Freedom Realm expert, let alone a deity, they retreated further into the Dream
Realm.
Red Mist extended her hand and grasped the soul weapon.
"The [Broom of All Possibilities]."
In her grip, this soul weapon felt ordinary, yet it was the symbol of the Walpurgis Night. Throughout history, no witch had surpassed the achievements of Morgan Le Fay.
Since this was an important place for the witches, Red Mist felt compelled to destroy it. Her aura intensified, and the temperature began to rise.
Hmm...?
Suddenly, Red Mist frowned and turned her head. She saw a man standing at the entrance of
the cemetery.
The man looked at her blankly. He had short blonde hair and eyeglasses on top of his head. His blue eyes stared back at her, and he wore silver and gold armor stained with blood.
"Who are you?" Red Mist asked.
The man continued to stare at her before finally speaking, "You can't destroy this place. I still
have something important that I need to find out."
"This place is important, and that's why I must destroy it," Red Mist asserted.
The man, looking unfazed, responded, "I don't understand. You're a witch, yet you want to
destroy this place?"
"Perhaps you're the one responsible for killing the witches and dream beasts outside. I appreciate your efforts, but I will proceed with my plans to destroy this place," Red Mist
replied coldly.
The man explained, "I eliminated them because they obstructed my path. Although I spared some, they returned with reinforcements, leaving me no choice but to eliminate them all." "So, will you step aside or force me to fight you, witch?" the man asked, his demeanor calm
yet resolute.
Red Mist's frown deepened. "Don't call me a witch! I've forsaken that race long ago!"
She waved her hand, and a massive burst of flames erupted from her palm.
Swoosh!!
The man smashed his fist on the ground, causing a wave of rocks to emerge and block the
flames.
Boom!!
He stood tall, facing Red Mist. Mechanical sounds echoed as his armor transformed, covering
his face. The gaps within the armor emitted a dim light as energy began to flow around his
body.
"If you want to fight, then let me give you one."
Two stars shone brightly on his chest as the energy fluctuations around him intensified.
"I am Ryan Turnost, a Major General of the Mechanic Country."