30 Years After Reincarnating, It Turns Out This World Was A Rofan?! novel Chapter 68

Chaos reigned in the coliseum.

Everyone was scrambling, shoving, and trampling others in a desperate race for survival. Some sacrificed their own safety to protect children, parents, or loved ones, while others fainted or babbled incoherently under the aura of dread emitted by the monster.

It was a horrifying sight.

This was what the appearance of an unimaginable, unassailable monster looked like. Panic was everywhere, and just maintaining sanity required an overwhelming effort.

Amid this catastrophic scene—

“This is... a failure.”

“This isn’t nearly as ‘peaceful’ as it should be... such a shame.”

Two figures sat in calm conversation, undisturbed by the pandemonium. They were priests, one clad in the robes of a high priest, yet no one seemed to notice them or seek their help.

Listening to the screams as if they were music, the high priest spoke up.

“It’s not going as planned.”

While it was a tragic sight for others, the high priest’s “plan” required much more chaos than this.

There had to be death—sacrifice!

The scene needed to be filled with blood, despair, and faces contorted in hopelessness. But as it was now?

“There’s no proper sacrifice.”

Though chaotic, this lukewarm confusion would be quelled eventually.

The high priest shook his head in disappointment.

“It seems the plan has deviated significantly.”

“Yes, I apologize, Commander. I did my best, but somehow, things didn’t go as expected.”

The younger priest, typically mischievous, couldn’t hide his regret this time. Yet the high priest shook his head.

“It’s hardly your fault. I was arrogant to assume everything would go perfectly.”

“......”

“So, don’t be too hard on yourself.”

“...Thank you, Commander.”

“No need for thanks. The fact remains that the ‘offerings’ are escaping. So, there’s only one option left.”

“...What?”

“Activate the second summoning circle.”

“But... that would consume a considerable amount...”

The effort to summon the colossal monster had already drained resources equivalent to half a year’s budget of the kingdom—possibly even more.

And now, they would risk even greater losses?

But the high priest only gave a firm order.

“Do it. Now.”

“......”

Taking full responsibility, he left no room for debate.

“Well, I wash my hands of this.”

The younger priest obediently drew a staff from his robes.

Woooong.

Dark, muddy mana surged, and the high priest simply nodded in acknowledgment before turning his gaze back to the center of the coliseum.

“A vile knight dares to interfere with the grand endeavor?”

Disgust and hatred filled his eyes.

If he could, he’d tear the knight to shreds himself. But he restrained himself.

This stage wasn’t meant for them.

Even so, he swore to his god:

“I will kill him, no matter the cost.”

—In the darkness, the creature roared.

[[Grrrrr...!]]

Its sheer size was unfathomable.

Its voice alone resonated like a menacing drumbeat throughout the entire coliseum. But more terrifying than its size—

Fwoosh!

Squirm... squirm...

—was the fact that it continued to regenerate despite still burning.

Its regenerative power was astonishing.

What a monster! That was a strike beyond reckoning...!

Oddwal, the arrogant mage, sneered at knights, but he wasn’t foolish enough to underestimate their abilities.

He understood what had happened.

That barbaric knight’s ballista strike was a feat even a high-level mage would struggle to replicate.

In theory, it was enough to kill any large creature outright.

So the fact that this monster wasn’t just unharmed but was regenerating quickly was terrifying.

Who could have summoned such a creature?!

A creature that had likely lived for centuries, growing larger and more formidable with each passing year. It was certain that this beast had survived the brutal laws of nature for at least a hundred years.

But creatures like this were thought to be wiped out in the reign of the previous king!

The thought was unbearable. A creature of this caliber was presumed extinct.

“Hey, slave, let me ask you something. That thing looks like it’s magic—can’t you dispel it?”

“...That’s a ridiculously naive question. Summoning magic operates under ‘absolute contracts.’ So, that creature...”

“Enough. If you can’t, just say so without wasting breath, useless man.”

“!!?”

Oddwal felt a surge of indignation.

It wasn’t a matter of skill; no mage alive could disrupt that summoning magic. Why was he being blamed?

“It’s not a matter of skill!” he shouted, practically pleading.

This summoning spell must have been activated through a massive sacrifice, making it an absolute spell.

Once a creature like this was summoned, it would appear no matter what—there was no way to undo the “contract.”

The creature was bound to manifest fully. Its enormous size was merely preventing it from emerging completely for now, but eventually, it would come through.

“W-we have to flee! Or call for reinforcements from the kingdom! That monster isn’t something you can handle alone!”

“......”

“Don’t be foolish! Do you want to play hero?”

Oddwal desperately tried to reason with the knight.

He wanted to survive, to flee, but he couldn’t refuse the knight’s orders due to the blasted “contract.”

So he begged.

But—

“Looks like the spectators have mostly fled. Maybe we should go too.”

“That’s the first sensible thing you’ve said!”

“But it seems our friend up there has no intention of letting us go.”

“W-what nonsense...!”

“It’s not nonsense. Look.”

“What are you... ugh!?”

Oddwal, feeling like his neck might snap from the rough grip on his collar, found himself gazing skyward in horror.

Above him...

“This is insane...!”

A new summoning circle had appeared.

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Swish!

Thud.

Shhhk!

Thud!