The Return of the Iron-blood Sword Hound

Chapter 404: Escape (2)

There was a door.

It was truly massive and sturdy.

A perfect circle. The top was white, while the bottom was black.

It formed a perfect yin yang symbol.

Its grand scale overwhelmed onlookers, its closure seeming to defy anything in this world with its solidness.

Diameter of 70m. Thickness of 5m. Weight of 6,535 tons. Made of mithril and adamantium, with a slight coating of copper on the surface to prevent corrosion.

People called this circular door the “Door of Good and Evil.”

This circular door was the main entrance of Nouvellebag, a symbol of Nouvellebag, the ultimate boundary that distinguished good and evil inside and outside.

Underneath this gigantic door, which formed the ceiling of the Nouvellebag fortress, Vikir marveled.

“…Even if Nouvellebag were to crumble to pieces, this door alone would survive.”

[I agreed. How did humans manage to create such a sturdy door with their technology?]

Even Decarabia, known as the “Wall of Lamentation,” was impressed, which said a lot.

The Door of Good and Evil, also known as a symbol of Nouvellebag, was much larger, sturdier, and more magnificent than the safe used in Bourgeois.

Even Vikir, who had witnessed the end of the Great War, couldn’t imagine this being destroyed.

[But really, human, why were you staring at that door as if you were going to break through it? Did you really intend to break it? It seemed impossible with human strength alone.]

Vikir replied to Decarabia’s grumbling with a calm voice.

“Do you like surfing?”

[…?]

Decarabia seemed to not understand and just rolled his eyes.

[Speak your mind. Don’t keep your thoughts bottled up all the time!]

“Was it bothering you?”

[…You weren’t asking out of ignorance, were you?]

Vikir chuckled lightly and turned his gaze away.

“Sorry. I’ve been trained to keep my mouth shut all my life. Talkative comrades or brothers have always ended up being casualties.”

[…Tch.]

Meanwhile, in front of the Door of Good and Evil, numerous high-ranking guards including Head Captain Bastille were waiting.

They were awaiting news of its opening in a few hours.

“It seems like Warden Orca was finally returning. It’s been a long time. It had been over two years, hadn’t it?”

“Major D’ordume and Major Souare are returning together. It’s been a long time since Nouvellebag’s Big Three gathered in one place.”

“But were there so many prisoners to escort that Warden and the two Majors had to ascend to the surface together?”

“They said this one is unprecedented. The surface security has collapsed, leading to a surge in criminals.”

“The surface? Why has the surface security collapsed? Has there been another coup?”

“This guy seems like he’s completely cut off from Nouvellebag’s news. It’s like a civil war broke out. It’s not just group against group but nation against nation level. There are even rumors that demons have invaded.”

“That’s ridiculous. That’s something you’d expect from apocalyptic prophecies, not reality.”

“Well, anyway. They say the surface is in chaos like never before. Nouvellebag, which used to be a gateway to hell, seems to have become a haven instead.”

“Did you hear? They say a Level 10 candidate is coming in this time. She’s been sentenced to Level Nine without a trial. And she’s a woman. She’s even super pretty.”

“Are you insane? If she’s sentenced to Level Nine without a trial, she must be a monster among monsters. And you think she’d look like a woman?”

The prisoners, feeling the tension, exchanged various conversations among themselves, each preparing for what lay ahead in their own way.

And of course, Vikir paid no attention to their conversation at all.

“…Everyone’s attention is focused on the arrival of the newcomers. This is the opportunity.”

New prisoners were about to be brought in and handcuffed with BDISSEM restraints.

The guards would supervise the new arrivals while ensuring a show of force.

And during this time, the surveillance and control over the existing prisoners would slightly weaken.

All of this was a rhythm Vikir had confidently grasped over the years as a guard.

It was precisely at this moment that Vikir planned to assassinate Lieutenant Colonel BDISSEM.

Vikir recalled his past battle with her.

“Oh, no, no… If I die… The restraints and bars on the prisoners… They’ll lose their power… That’s the only thing… That’s the only thing…”

Desperately clinging to the ground, BDISSEM’s words came out in fragments.

Her voice was so desperate that not a hint of falsehood could be sensed.

“When BDISSEM dies, all BDISSEM restraints lose their power, right?”

She had kindly spilled all her secrets, but even before that, Vikir had already suspected this fact from several clues.

“When the guards’ attention is focused on the newcomers, I’ll take the opportunity to kill BDISSEM. Then all the BDISSEM restraints on the prisoners in Nouvellebag will be released.”

Mana-restraining BDISSEM handcuffs and shackles, the iron bars of the cells, all would be broken.

Once that happens, the prisoners who were undergoing intake would immediately revolt.

The guards would initially be caught up dealing with the new prisoners, and then they would face a massive secondary wave of chaos from the underground.

Level One, Level Two, Level Three… As time passes, stronger and stronger lower-level prisoners would rise up to the main entrance where the intake would be taking place.

It was certain that a large-scale riot unprecedented in the history of Nouvellebag would occur.

“Crises are opportunities. Chances to completely overturn one’s life will overflow every second, every moment.”

And Vikir planned to take advantage of that chaos, activate Poseidon, and escape from prison.

Finally, a true escape plan would be realized.

“To do that, I need to prepare BDISSEM in advance.”

Quietly, Vikir stepped back.

As all the guards were focused on the entrance with tense expressions, it was a perfect opportunity to slip away unnoticed.

“But before that, there’s a place I need to visit briefly…”

Vikir allowed himself a little time before executing the plan.

There were two people he needed to meet beforehand.

However, before Vikir could go to them, the first person came to him.

“…!”

As Vikir was slipping away, he felt a touch on his back and instinctively turned his head.

Kirko was staring at Vikir from behind.

Vikir, with a casual tone, opened his mouth in response to her unreadable gaze.

“What are you doing here, Lieutenant? It’s supposed to be your off-duty day today.”

“…The Commander is on duty, so I couldn’t just relax alone. I came to help.”

She was impeccably dressed in uniform.

Vikir let out a small sigh.

“It just so happened I was heading to your room.”

Instantly, Kirko’s face turned slightly red.

“I-If you think my room is an easy place to rest just because something happened once that night…”

Seeing Kirko’s reaction, as if she were misunderstanding something again, Vikir tilted his head slightly.

“No, don’t go back to your room today.”

“….”

Kirko’s face turned even redder.

“I-Is that an order? If you’re so firm about it, I guess I have no choice as your subordinate. After all, I am your subordinate…”

“…?”

Vikir frowned slightly at the continuing futile conversation.

Eventually, Vikir spoke to Kirko in a cold and sharp voice.

“Go to the fifth floor, the balloon fish breeding area, immediately.”

“…?”

“Don’t ask why. Just wait there until I arrive. This is an order.”

Kirko hesitated for a moment but nodded quickly at Vikir’s serious expression.

“…I sense that something unusual is about to happen.”

Kirko is a smart person.

If she said she’d do it, he could trust her.

Vikir nodded and turned away.

The inexorable movement of the clock.

The predicted storm of blood.

Now, it truly was farewell to Nouvellebag.

* * *

Knock-knock.

Sounds of drops falling in the corridor echoed.

Vikir walked through the empty hall, crossing the bridge connecting towers.

A few low level guards stood watch, saluting as Vikir passed. They were faces from his days as a low level guard.

Vikir acknowledged their salutes and spoke.

“You no longer need to stand guard. Go to the fifth floor and wait. The breeding area won’t be accessible, so the closer you are, the better.”

It was the only way to survive the imminent upheaval.

Vikir said similar words to most of the guards he encountered.

The junior guards exchanged glances, nodding in response to Vikir’s words.

Thud-thud-thud.

The black corridor and spiral stairs seemed endless.

Vikir continued descending into the damp silence.

In the depths, 10,000 meters below the sea, Vikir immersed himself further into the murky silence.

A deep-sea creature passed outside the window, emitting a faint light.

A few more turns and Vikir would reach the room where BDISSEM resided.

…Just then.

“Where are you in such a hurry to, Captain ‘Rotten Bitch’?”

A sinister voice echoed from the darkness ahead.

“No, should I call you Captain ‘Night Hound’ instead? Heh-heh-heh-”

A laugh Vikir had heard once before.

Vikir curled his lips dryly.

“Yeah. I wanted to see your face before I left anyway.”

There was only one being in Nouvellebag who spoke with such a foul voice.

With black, writhing skin, and menacing eyes and teeth, Major Black Tounge.

He was waiting in the darkness for Vikir.