Dimensional Codex - Chapter 10
Chapter 10: Walking Into My Own Death?
Translator: Exodus Tales
Editor: Exodus Tales
The abruptness of this sudden encounter was strong enough that both parties stood there frozen.
Fang Zheng really didn’t anticipate these guys to just appear from the portal. After all, in the video game, the player would be seeing the town completely swallowed by fire as the cultists swarmed the place. Naturally, he’d assume that they’d invaded Wortham, but thinking about it now, if that priest really had been a cultist, it was simply a natural thing for the portal to be connected to Maghda’s nest of operation.
The cultists themselves evidently didn’t anticipate meeting Fang Zheng in one of their secret locations. From the looks of it, this person was a militia of sorts, but how could he have entered here if he were? Could it be that this was an ally?
“You…”
The leader of the cultists looked at Fang Zheng, about to say something when Fang Zheng lunged with his sword, swinging with both hands as he brought Frostmourne down on them!
Making the first move was vital here!
There were more than ten cultists that came through the portal, and he didn’t know if this was a first group or if this was the only group, but there was no way he’d have time to run now. He might as well launch the surprise attack so he’d have a bigger advantage!
Crusader’s Strike!
As Fang Zheng’s sword launched out, the blade started radiating divine light and burst in an explosion, illuminating the entire cellar like a bomb. These people who had just left a portal, who still didn’t know what was going on, couldn’t help but instinctively raise their arms in self-defense.
And this time, the Crusader’s Strike that had been leveled up, bursted in a violent strength more powerful than before.
As the sword went down, the symbol of a cross appeared in its divine form. They seemed to be shooting in all directions, heavily hitting the cultists. Following that, another burst of light sent the cultists flying backward, heavily hitting the wall behind them and falling unconscious.
Damn.
Seeing this, Fang Zheng himself was rather shocked at the power and area of effect this Crusader’s Strike had. It was almost as good as the Nephalem abilities of the Diablo world… Though, considering that these two were games made by the same company, it wasn’t much of a surprise.
Could that be why the Crusader’s Strike adjusted? Was it because they were in the Diablo world?
No matter what, this change was evidently something to be celebrated. The thoughts he had in his head lasted only a moment, and they disappeared as he pulled back the blade. At the same time, the remnants of the divine explosion, the golden drops, seemed to be sucked onto Frostmourne as he stabbed it into the cultist before him.
“Ah-!”
The blade of light pierced through without trouble and before he could make any counterattack or response, he fell onto the ground limp. Fang Zheng swung the sword back and cut it toward other people beside him, successfully collecting two more heads. Just when he was about to press on the attack, however, a sudden black shadow appeared before him.
With a roar, the black shadow, a demon hound looking thing, opened its growling mouth and bit at Fang Zheng. Facing this attack, Fang Zheng had no choice but to back off from the cultists and swung at the hound, forcing it back at the last instant. He looked up.
The other cultists were standing up as well, raising their hands and summoning their evil servants. Soon, black holes appeared one after the other in front of them, with creatures of varying sizes walking out to block Fang Zheng’s path.
These cultists weren’t just food after all.
Seeing them recover from the surprise attack this easily, Fang Zheng reminded himself that the threat level of these cultists in the Diablo world was much higher. Compared to the fight with the undead earlier, Fang Zheng understood that the game’s standards weren’t accurate to be used for this version of the Diablo world.
In other words, the experience of the main Nephalem character going through the world was not the same as a common NPC character going through the world!
The undead in the game that barely fought back as the hero sliced through them like weeds was in actuality a violent monster with strength and defense. These cultists that were supposed to be pushed around and bullied were themselves able warriors.
Was he playing the nightmare difficulty, perhaps?
This also proved that these cultists weren’t some fodder. After using the monsters they summoned to form a living wall, they raised their hands and chanted a song-like tune, forming fireballs in their palms before flinging them at Fang Zheng.
It was not a welcoming sight.
These glowing red fireballs, Fang Zheng gave an utter of a curse before dodging to the other side of the platform. He heard the rumbling explosions of the fireballs in succession as the platform shook violently. Hot air flew by Fang Zheng as he saw the flickers of the flame jumping around and landing on the cabinets or tables, setting the entire place on fire moments later. Thick smoke started rolling up, and the head rose as everything was covered in bright red.
“Damn it, why do these cultists like fire so much?
As he endured the thick smoke, Fang Zheng cursed as he studied the environment that had become a sea of fire at this point. The exit was blocked, and there was nowhere Fang Zheng could go; before him were cultists, and behind him, flame. Fang Zheng had only Frostmourne with him, and no other equipment. He didn’t loot anything good from the undead earlier, and he was still wearing the militia armor! He had no chance if this went on!
He had to fight it out!
With no hesitation, he charged. The cultists seemed to be able to survive under these conditions, but not him. He grabbed some rubble and flung it in the cultists’ direction!
A clang, and while he didn’t know what those rocks hit, it did make a sharp sound that attracted the attention of the monsters those cultists summoned. They looked over to where the sound originated from, and Fang Zheng found his opening.
Now!
The instant their attention was taken, Fang Zheng vaulted through the platform and leaped forward, holding Frostmourne high in the sky as he swirled down at the enemy as a human storm!
The flashing light of divinity appeared once more, and with a blow, the monsters all were burst apart, clearing a way for Fang Zheng as he ran up and pierced the blade into the heart of the first cultist. He wasn’t as strong enough as the Crusader, who could just blow herself into crowds like a living cannon. He had to use his own less effective methods.
“Kill him!”
Just then, the raged cries of the cultists could be heard. He worriedly rolled away on the ground as he felt incoming fireballs scrape his back and burn everything behind him in a loud explosion. The cultist that had been pierced by Fang Zheng was hit by one of the fireballs, exploding into crisps as Fang Zheng continued avoiding the fireballs.
What horrid luck!
Fang Zheng now felt a burning type of pain. He even felt a numbness in his shoulder, as if he’d lost a part of his skin. Even his hand didn’t have much strength left, much to his dismay. What a hard life he’d been thrown in, dying in an accident in his past life and after reincarnating, he had to be hunted by a bunch of knights, and then he got surrounded… What or who did he even piss off? He didn’t deserve it, did he? His grandma didn’t even cross the road properly back in the day!
He was pretty pissed off at society at this point!
But he didn’t have time to declare his revenge on society. With a roll, he came back from the ground and quickly discovered that his right hand wasn’t pressing onto the ground. It was pressed onto a stone tablet with etchings!
He found it!
A look of gladness washed across his face as he looked along his hand and saw the portal that had been carved from stone. It was emanating a brilliant light!
Here!
Without a thought, he rolled into the portal and went in. His attack at these cultists just now wasn’t a kamikaze move. He wanted to look for this portal so he could leave! So he could return to…
“Huh?”
Fang Zheng looked around him. He remembered that he entered the portal, but a flash of sounds and he was faced with a completely different environment that came out of nowhere. He didn’t activate any route to Tristram or anything, but the fiery cellar was gone, and he was in a dark and eerie hall.
The voice of a girl rang in his ear.
“Who are you?”
Fang Zheng turned around and looked at where the sound had come from. A girl who wasn’t wearing much was floating in mid-air, two butterfly-like insects to her two sides. She was looking at him coldly, and around her were ten people in cultist robes.
“I…”
Fang Zheng was speechless. This woman… was the leader of the cultists, the one who caused the death of Deckard Cain, none other than Maghda herself!
He walked into his own death!
