Salvos (A Monster Evolution LitRPG)

Chapter 671: Ancients

Chapter 671: Ancients

671. Ancients

Rachel heard the tolling of the bells. A panicked alarm reverberated throughout the entirety of the campus-city. The terrified voices of the students and staff of Mavos Academy echoed in the background, only to be drowned out by a cacophonous chittering.

Looking up, the young girl saw the source of the ear-piercing noise. It was an [Ancient Centinel]— a monster she had only ever heard about in books. But even though they thought to be a myth or a legend, she knew with one look at the behemoth of a Centinel what it was meant to be. After all, it rose up to over a thousand feet in height, its chitin covered in crimson spikes.

Thousands of smaller Centinels poured out after it as they charged straight at the barrier of Mavos Academy. The [Ancient Centinel] itself lashed out, striking at the dome protecting the campus-city. There was a flash of light as a small tremor shook the ground beneath Rachel’s feet.

Stumbling back, she barely caught herself from falling over from the shockwave. The barrier began to crack as [Mages] of all sorts rushed around, some of them flying into the air, while others prepared to cast spells.

“Why is that [Ancient Centinel] here?!”

Oriur asked as he fell to the ground. Novis and Bellum growled as they stepped forward, and Kron backed away nervously. But Willy just floated there as he eyed the [Ancient Centinel]. He knew the reason why. As did Rachel.

And as did the rest of the monster-group. Even if they hadn’t fully realized it yet.

Rachel pursed her lips as she glanced back towards the tallest tower in Mavos Academy. She couldn’t see the figure she was trying to make out, even with her enhanced vision, but that was because it was too far away, hidden above the clouds.

But she knew the figure was waiting there. She knew the figure was seeing all this. And as the barrier continued to crack, with [Mages] flying around in alarm, the figure—

Centina lowered her head. She saw what was unfurling below, through a magical spyglass that could see through even the most opaque of clouds. She had no lips. All she had were mandibles. After all, she was an [Evolved Centinel]. But if she did have lips, she’d be pressing them tightly together in frustration. Instead, she clicked her mandibles together and turned around.

A man stood behind her. He was the Headmaster of Mavos Academy, and the highest-leveled [Mage] in all of the Human Lands. His name was Clayton Skyshredder. And from what Centina knew, he had an obligation to serve the people of his school over all else.

So when she turned to face him— when she heard his voice— she knew what needed to be done.

“That [Ancient Centinel] is here for you.”

Clayton spoke simply. Centina nodded as she wore a grim look on her face.

“Indeed, he is.”

While Centina didn’t know every Centinel there was, she could tell the gender of one of her kin without as much of a thought. She closed her eyes, knowing what was expected of her next. So she strode forward, already-resolved.

“I shall turn myself over.”

Clayton’s eyes flickered when he heard what she had to say. She continued past him as she placed a hand on her chest.

“I always knew that this day would come— that I would not be safe forever. The Matriarch does take to traitors kindly, especially those who kill her most-beloved children. And while it was Salvos who was responsible for it, I was also partly-responsible for that outcome. That is why I shall hand myself over to my Matriarch. So that your people will not have to suffer for my mistakes.”

Centina spoke in a morose voice as she fought back her tears. She knew the fate that awaited her— the certainty of death. But before she could begin to descend down the tower, Clayton turned to face her.

“Centina.”

Blinking, she glanced back at him. He nodded at her as held her gaze.

“You have served me well over these past few years. So much so that I consider you just as important as my [Secretary]. For what you have done for me, I am truly grateful.”

He spoke kindly, but that only brought the tears out of Centina’s eyes. She cried as she wiped her cheeks. She thought that was his parting words— that he was bidding her farewell. And she was truly thankful for what he had to say to her. Even if she couldn’t bring herself to say what she felt back towards him.

And then he shook his head.

“But as the Headmaster of Mavos Academy, it is my duty to protect every single one of my members. And that includes you, Centina.”

That made her pause. Centina blinked a few times as her vision cleared, before she regarded the man standing before her. Her eyes went wide.

“What do you mean, Headmaster Skyshredder?”

“You have served me long enough, Centina. I would think it is fair to consider you as one of my people. That is why I cannot let you do this.”

Clayton chuckled as he stepped past her. He made his way towards the magical elevator as he smiled her way.

“I cannot let you hand yourself over to your death. So do not worry. I shall deal with this.”

And with that, he left her standing there, gaping in shock.

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“Yes.”

Willy replied simply. And Rachel furrowed her brows, remembering some of the stories she had been told about what Salvos had done.

“Huh.”

Clayton Skyshredder aimed at the [Ancient Centinel] as it tried to draw back, unable to reach him. And he unleashed his powerful attack all at once.

“[Definitive Disintegration].”

The [Ancient Centinel] was consumed by a black light. Like it hadn’t even been struck by a beam or a ray. Rather, it was instantaneously absorbed by a darkness. And as the darkness faded away, so did the monster.

It was an Elite Ranked threat. Rachel didn’t know what level it was exactly, but it couldn’t have been that much weaker than the Headmaster of Mavos Academy. And yet, all it took was a single attack, before the battle was over.

Because it had been a Grand Skill. It had been an attack of epic proportions. It could have felled many creatures that were even higher-leveled than Clayton had been.

He flew back from the decaying corpse of the [Ancient Centinel], to the resounding cheers of the [Mages] of Mavos Academy. The battle was over so swiftly and easily. It hadn’t even been a challenge.

Rachel thought that was it. She looked on as Clayton rained down fire and lightning at the weaker Centinels swarming below. He exterminated them by the hundreds. It should have been over. They should have fled.

But that wasn’t the end of the battle somehow.

“No...”

Willy whispered, giving the first inkling that something was amiss. And that was when the ground began to shake. Rachel watched as the nearby trees shifted, before being ripped from the ground. A pillar of dirt shot to the sky. But it wasn’t just one.

The earth was ripped apart from all around Mavos Academy. Clayton Skyshredder narrowed his eyes as he swept his gaze around the breaking landscape. All around him, Centinels of varying shapes and sizes poured out of the ground. There was everything from [Younger Centinels] to [Evolved Centinels] to even...

“[Ancient Centinels]...”

Oriur stared with round eyes.

“There are... dozens of them...”

He continued as he stood there in a daze. Rachel nodded as she stared at the giant creatures digging out of the ground, shrieking as they surrounded Mavos Academy.

“That’s a lot of [Ancient Centinels], indeed”

She agreed. But her voice was lost to the panicked voices sweeping over Mavos Academy.

“Activate the fifth layer!”

Someone screamed.

“And the sixth layer!”

Another shouted.

“Activate all seven layers—”

The last voice belonged to Clayton Skyshredder. He bellowed as he flew back in through the cracks, sending a blast of magic out at an [Ancient Centinel] chasing after him. He kept it back as the fourth layer finish forming around the cracked first three layers.

The first three layers themselves were repaired as the fifth, sixth, and seventh formed. And as Clayton Skyshredder landed right in the middle of the streets of Mavos Academy, a final figure appeared amidst the swarm of Centinels surrounding the campus-city.

Rachel’s eyes widened as she saw a feminine figure— a creature that looked like a mix between a Centinel and a person. Almost similar to Centina. Except it had a mass of spikes poking out of its head like a crown.

It glared at Mavos Academy, before sweeping its gaze up towards the tower where Centina waited.

And Willy caught his breath.

“That is... the Matriarch of the Bloodied Gulf...”

He spoke, his fear evident in his voice. And Rachel just pursed her lips.

“Oh no.”