《The Swordmaster Who Returned After 1,000 Years》 Chapter 1 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 1 Sword Saint Ernstine. The Grand Sword Master, who was the first to unify the continent, muttered as he looked into the mirror. ¡°...What in the world is this?¡± His vacant eyes had lost their light. His cheeks sagged, swollen with fat, and his body was grotesquely oversized, as if it might burst. His neck was so thick it nearly matched the size of his face. Before him stood a man whose excessive weight seemed impossible to control. The appearance of Ernstine, once praised as the most handsome man on the continent even at the age of 50, was nowhere to be found. He pinched his cheek. The pressure from his thick fingers made him grimace instinctively. "This isn¡¯t a dream." What on earth had happened? Just a few days ago, he had been preparing to abdicate the throne. The abdication ceremony came to mind. ¡°Father, are you truly nning to pass the throne to me?¡± At the age of 50, Ernstine had reached the peak of the Grand Sword Master¡¯s realm. Although the citizens of the Empire expected him to govern the unified Empire of Meier for many years, he defied their expectations and handed the throne to the crown prince. ¡°The Meier Empire is a human empire. This is a reasonable length for one¡¯s reign. I shall step back and remain as the Empire¡¯s guardian.¡± ¡°But I am still young andck experience...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Am I not here? I will support the Empire you lead to the very end.¡± Dering himself as the eternal guardian of Meier, he held a grand abdication ceremony and retired to rest. Yet, when he opened his eyes the next day, the world around him hadpletely changed. Day 1. ¡°Paaaah... Hyoooh... Hoo.¡± His body felt heavy. What in the world... Was it the empress? ¡°Urgh... Ugh...!¡± He tried to sit up. But something obstructed his stomach, preventing him from getting up. ¡°What... What is this?¡± The firm muscles of his abdomen had vanished, reced by an enormous mass of belly fat. It protruded so much that he couldn¡¯t even lift his upper body. Confused, he rolled to his side for now. Thud! ¡°No...!¡± Even after rolling once, his body crashed to the floor. An excruciating pain shot through his left arm. It was a sensation he hadn¡¯t felt since ascending to the rank of Grand Sword Master. The sudden jolt brought Ernstine to his senses. This Is an Emergency Ernstine attempted to circte his mana to grasp the situation. However, he felt no trace of mana within his body. His massive frame refused to move as hemanded. ¡°Haa... Hahh...!¡± Even the simple act of getting up from where he had fallen off the bed left him gasping for breath. His body felt unbearably heavy. Even taking a single step was a struggle. ¡°A mirror.¡± The room was dim. Fortunately, the moonlight faintly illuminated the space, allowing him to make out its shape. He staggered toward the nearest mirror. ¡°Who... is this?¡± In the reflection stood someone he had never seen before. Kaylen Starn. Age: 19. Second-year student in the Royal Academy''s Magic ss. Currently residing in the academy dormitory. Two days had passed since Ernstine found himself in Kaylen Starn¡¯s body. At first, he assumed it was merely a dream. He had fallen off the bed, checked the unfamiliar face in the mirror briefly, and then¡ª ¡°Phew... Hup!¡± A sudden gasp escaped his mouth, and he lost control of his body entirely. ¡°...Huh? Why am I standing? And looking at the mirror... Haaahm.¡± The bulky body yawned loudly before lumbering back to the bed. Thud! It copsed onto the mattress, promptly resuming its thunderous snoring. [I haven¡¯t even stepped down the throne, yet I¡¯m even dream strange things like this now.] It felt as if Ernstine had been possessed, fully synchronized with the obese figure. As the body fell asleep, Ernstine¡¯s consciousness faded into darkness as well. ¡°This dream should end soon.¡± But contrary to his expectations, the dream did not end. By morning, his vision brightened. Hisrge body stirred, jiggling as it rose. ¡°I¡¯m hungry...¡± The figure waddled toward its clothes, struggling to dress, its thoughts preupied. ¡®Today is Wednesday. Wednesday means the dormitory cafeteria! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all fantastic.¡¯ ¡®Especially lunch... It¡¯s worth returning to the dormitory even during the semester just to eat it.¡¯ ¡®Ooh~ And the salmon steak they serve for dinner melts in your mouth. The best part is, since there aren¡¯t many people in the cafeteria during dinner, I can eat as much as I want. Heh heh heh...¡¯ The only thing filling his mind was food. The thoughts of the body¡¯s owner flowed directly into Ernstine¡¯s mind. [...He truly loves eating.] Ernstine clicked his tongue momentarily at the man¡¯s single-minded focus on food. But he couldn¡¯t ignore how the sensations in this dream were bing increasingly vivid. [Why isn¡¯t this dream ending?] The heaviness of the body, thebored breathing, the rumbling stomach, and even the sweat trickling down his skin¡ªall of it felt far too real. ¡°Chomp, chomp. Let¡¯s hurry.¡± The body¡¯s owner exited the dorm room. Though his mind urged him to move quickly, his body was slow and sluggish. Even a short walk left him gasping for air. Descending the stairs made his knees ache, and sweat poured from his body like rain. ¡®This body is heavy... I should eat less today.¡¯ Observing his condition, the body¡¯s owner resolved to restrain himself. But the moment he caught the scent of food, that determination vanished entirely. ¡®Today¡¯s going to be delicious!¡¯ The thought of food made him forget his pain. The only thing on his mind now was the breakfast menu. The body¡¯s overpowering impulse was so strong that even Ernstine, merely a spectator, began to feel its influence. [Just how delicious could this food be?] As emperor, Ernstine had often used food to relieve the stress of governing. For decades, he had eaten only the finest meals prepared by the best chefs on the continent. Naturally, he was curious about what this body considered worth eating. [That¡¯s it? The menu is so sparse.] It was a simple dish: bread, eggs, and vegetables. Compared to thevish meals prepared for the emperor, it seemed downright meager. [I did enjoy simple food like this when I was young, but still...] Despite the modest fare, the body¡¯s owner inhaled the meal, shoveling food into his mouth withbored breaths. Chomp, chomp. Gulp, gulp. In less than ten seconds, the breakfast waspletely gone. ¡°Ahhh~ Today¡¯s meal was perfect!¡± Each bite seemed to awaken his mind, bringing a vivid, almost euphoric sensation. Ernstine, sharing the body¡¯s senses, felt the same. [How can such an ordinary meal taste this good?] The bread seemed to melt in his mouth, and even the vegetables, which he¡¯d typically ignore, were delicious. Even the water, which the body¡¯s owner gulped down, tasted more exquisite than the finest wines Ernstine had ever drunk. Though the body was different, the sensation of eating was iparable to what he was ustomed to. ¡°One more te, please!¡± ¡°Y-Yes, of course.¡± The body¡¯s owner waddled over to get another serving. As if expecting it, the cafeteria staff handed out a freshly prepared breakfast te, their face inly saying, "Well, he eats just as he looks." The body¡¯s owner paid no attention to the judgmental stares. He simply returned to his seat and devoured the te in no more than ten seconds. ¡°The food here is great, but the portions are way too small.¡± He patted his protruding belly and grumbled. True to his words, his stomach growled loudly, still unsatisfied. [What kind of body is this...] After quickly polishing off his second te, he asked for another. ¡°One more te, please.¡± The third te was consumed before he even made it back to his seat. ¡°These portions are ridiculous. Just give me a bigger serving.¡± ¡°...Understood.¡± This time, the staff handed him two tes at once, which he greedily inhaled, using both hands. Chomp, chomp. Gulp, gulp. In under ten minutes, he had cleared five tes. By now, Ernstine was growing tired of the repetitive meal. But the body¡¯s owner showed no such signs. ¡°This is just the beginning.¡± Smack! Smack! The man stood up, pping his belly with his hands. Both his arms and stomach jiggled with the movement. ¡°Two more tes, please~¡± [...For goodness'' sake, stop eating already!] How many tes of the same food had he eaten by now? Ernstine¡¯s silent protest went unheard as the body¡¯s owner devoured his meals with an insatiable hunger. ¡°I think this should do it.¡± After stacking up to twenty tes, he finally seemed to reach some level of satisfaction and got up from his seat. Ernstine let out a sigh of relief. [Phew, even though he¡¯s still hungry, at least he knows when to stop.] Even after eating twenty tes, his stomach wasn¡¯t entirely full. But Ernstine saw a glimmer of self-control in the way he abruptly ended his meal. And then¡ª ¡°I need to save room for lunch. And dinner too.¡± [...] The body¡¯s owner was nning ahead, meticulously. By the end of the day, Ernstine was utterly exasperated. ¡°Huff... Huff...¡± Observing the man throughout the day had been nothing short of pitiful. [Even animals don¡¯t behave like this.] It was a continuous cycle of eating and... relieving himself. Animals would at least stop eating once they were full, but this man seemed to have no limit. The twenty tes at breakfast were, shockingly, an example of his restraint. For lunch and dinner, he entered the cafeteria as soon as it opened and didn¡¯t leave until it closed, eating nonstop. [When you eat that much, it¡¯s no surprise how often you need the restroom...] After overeating, it was no surprise that the body¡¯s owner constantly shuffled in and out of the restroom. Watching it all unfold without filter made Ernstine feel physically nauseous. What was even more unsettling was the man¡¯s stomach. Despite eating so much, it still growled with hunger. [I just want to wake up from this dream already.] He couldn¡¯t bear to witness this pitiful disy any longer. He desperately hoped that once the man fell asleep, this grotesque nightmare would end. ¡°Yaaaawn¡­ That salmon¡­ was delicious.¡± After several more trips to the restroom, the man, seemingly satisfied, smacked his lips and carefullyid himself down on the bed. Creak. Creak. The bed groaned ominously under his weight, but he ignored the sound, lost in thoughts about food once again.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Tomorrow, the library menu will be good.¡± As he drifted off, Ernstine silently prayed. [If this is a dream, please let it end now!] However, what unfolded next was not what Ernstine had hoped for. ¡°Ghhk... Ghhhk¡­¡± The man, who had been snoring loudly moments ago, suddenly began to breathe irregrly. ¡°Ghhk¡­ Guh¡­¡± [...His airway is blocked!] Ernstine¡¯s heart raced, and his blood pressure spiked as he realized the gravity of the situation. Sharing the body¡¯s sensations, he could tell something was very wrong. [Suffocating in his sleep¡­?] It was a condition caused by the excessive tissue blocking his airway. The man needed to wake up immediately, but he remained unresponsive, his breathingpletely stopped. How much time had passed? The once-frantic heartbeat slowed to a dangerous crawl. Ernstine could feel something fading from the body¡ªa profound, irreversible loss. At that moment, the sensation of reality intensified. ¡°...I can move.¡± The possession-like state he had been trapped in was gone. With the death of the body¡¯s owner, Ernstine had seized control of the massive form. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 2 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 2 ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be a dream after all.¡± Ernstine barely managed to lift his massive body. Cold sweat dripped down his entire frame. The sensation was far too vivid to be a mere dream. He now had to act under the assumption that this was reality. ¡°I need to assess the situation.¡± Calming his breathing, he tried to recall the name of this body. As he continued to dig through his fragmented memories, they began piecing together bit by bit. [Kaylen Starn.] [19 years old.] [Second-year student in the Royal Academy¡¯s Magic ss.] [Second Circle.] ¡°A mage, is it?¡± A typical bookworm. No wonder this body was in such poor shape. Another memory surfaced. [Breakfast is always so insufficient. I suppose it¡¯s because this dormitory is mostly formoners.] [The noble kids allmute from their estates in the capital.] [Ah, I¡¯m jealous. They must get proper meals in the morning.] [If only I hadn¡¯t been born into this family. Why did my ancestor have to belong to the demon family ¡®Meier¡¯?] ¡°¡­What?¡± At first, Ernstine dismissed it, thinking, ¡®More food-rted nonsense,¡¯ but thest memory jolted him awake. ¡°Meier is a demon family?¡± Meier¡ªthe house of the hero who had in the Demon King¡ªwas a family of demons? It seemed like a mistake, but the memories continued. [That cursed family. They used to be the imperial household, didn¡¯t they?] [Why did they make a pact with the Demon Realm? Idiots. They could¡¯ve just livedfortably as emperors.] [The first emperor was a Grand Swordmaster, but then he suddenly disappeared¡­] For a moment, he wondered if this was about another family with the same name. However, as he delved deeper into this body¡¯s memories, it became clear that it wasn¡¯t. ¡°The first emperor, the Grandmaster¡­ That¡¯s me he¡¯s talking about. Disappeared, though?¡± More information was needed. As Ernstine scanned the room, his gaze fell on something. The cluttered desk, covered with books and crumbs, had a crumpled piece of paper atop it. He picked it up and smoothed it out, quickly skimming its contents. What he read left him speechless. [If you fail to reach the Third Circle, you will not be allowed to advance.] [Sacred Year 2787, August 14.] [Bormian Royal Academy, Department of Magical Administration.] ¡°¡­2787?¡± The year he abdicated the throne to his son had been 1787. 1,000 years had passed since then. ¡°And Bormian? Royal?¡± The name was deeply familiar to him. During the wars, Ernstine had personally discovered a knight from amoner background bearing that name. His talents were extraordinary, eventually leading him to be a Spear Master and one of the Seven Knights of the Meier Empire, renowned across thends. "I Need to Confirm This." Among Kaylen''s memories was a list of academy dining halls. One stood out: the library cafeteria. He vividly remembered the way there. Something about, "Thursdays mean library cafeteria~." ¡®That ce should also have history books,¡¯ Ernstine thought. He resolved to confirm the truth of the past with his own eyes. A dayter. Kaylen, lying on the bed, abruptly sat up. He blinked several times, scanning his surroundings. ¡°¡­It really isn¡¯t a dream.¡± How he wished it were. Fully opening his eyes, Kaylen muttered quietly, ¡°The empire has vanished without a trace, and the descendants of Meier aren¡¯t even allowed to use their family name.¡± The academy library. The history he unearthed there was almost unbearable to ept. A thousand years ago. The founding emperor of the Meier Empire, Ernstine, suddenly disappeared. The second emperor, Caius, who seeded him, lost his most significant pir of support. His siblings wasted no time seizing this opportunity. ¡°¡­Civil war.¡± The efforts to unite the continent under a single empire had relied heavily on strategic marriages with the princesses of former royal families, but this strategy turned into a curse. Ernstine had married over ten women, producing more than forty children. Compared to the children born to Ernstine''s other wives, who had the backing of the old royal houses, Caius, the eldest son,cked such support. His mother came from an unremarkable viscount family. Even so, had Ernstine been present, no one would have dared act recklessly. The Grand Swordmaster who had single-handedly subdued numerous nations and defeated the Demon King. No amount of amassed power could match his might. However, with the Grand Swordmaster gone and the authority of the new emperor still unestablished, it was the perfect chance for Caius¡¯ ambitious siblings. Rebellions broke out across thend. The continent, once unified and peaceful, descended once more into chaos and war. During this blood-soaked struggle among kin, the Holy Order made a shocking promation: ¡°Emperor Caius has fallen to ck magic and now serves the demons.¡± Caius was emunicated. The repercussions were devastating. The Averian Continent, still reeling from the damage inflicted by the Demon King, reacted with outrage. Even the most loyal followers of Caius turned their backs on him. Among those who abandoned him was none other than the Spear Master, Bormian. With this, the tide of war turned swiftly against the Meier Empire. And in the end¡­ ¡°The Meier Empire¡­ It didn¡¯t evenst two generations, let alone a thousand years.¡± The Meier Empire fell. Branded as traitors who had consorted with demons, the Meier bloodline was stripped of their family name. The rebels, Ernstine¡¯s own children, all adopted the surnames of their mothers. The old royal houses regained power, installing themselves as monarchs, while the children of the second emperor, Caius, faced execution. Only a rumor persisted¡ªCaius¡¯ youngest son supposedly escaped with the help of a loyal retainer. His Name Was... "Starn." Starn¡ªthe progenitor of Kaylen Starn. Ernstine¡¯s mind filled with unresolved questions. ¡°Given Caius¡¯ nature, it¡¯s hard to imagine him aligning with a ck mage.¡± ¡°Yet, the Holy Order wouldn¡¯t have made such ims lightly.¡± ¡°All I did was fall asleep. How did thingse to this?¡± ¡°And why have I ended up in the body of one of my descendants?¡± But these were events of a thousand years ago. There was no way to uncover the truth right now, nor any means to resolve it. Ernstine decided to focus on the present instead. ¡°From now on, I am Kaylen.¡± He buried his former name deep within his heart. This world, a thousand years in the future, would know him only as Kaylen. ¡°Though, I will reim the name Meier someday¡­¡± As he lowered his head, his gaze fell to the flesh jiggling with even the slightest motion. ¡°¡­For now, the most pressing issue is¡­ this body.¡± Kaylen closed his eyes, delving inward to examine his physical state. When he first began moving in this body, he couldn¡¯t sense any mana. However, he hoped that a closer inspection might reveal something. The more time passed, however, the more his expression shifted to dismay. ¡°¡­How is this body even alive?¡± Except for the mana heart at the center of his chest, his body was rmingly devoid of mana. Mana is the vital energy of nature itself. Without it, no living being could survive. Even ordinary people carry a trace amount of mana. Yet in Kaylen¡¯s case, his mana levels were so abnormally low that he could bepared to an elderly person on the brink of death. ¡°A knight gathers mana, while a mage disperses it¡­¡± Knights build a fortress of mana within their bodies, while mages scatter mana outward to connect with the external world. Though their approaches were entirely opposite, both still required a basic level of mana for survival. ¡°Even for a mage, this is extreme.¡± At this rate, death was inevitable. What had caused this body to deteriorate into such a wretched state? ¡°¡­I think I have an idea.¡± Kaylen¡¯s unusual appetite had been troubling Ernstine ever since he realized the boy was his descendant. ¡°Let¡¯s examine the stomach.¡± While the rest of the bodycked mana, the stomach showed a faint concentration of it. It was, in fact, the second most mana-dense area after the heart. Focusing his analysis on the stomach, Kaylen carefully examined the mana concentrated within its walls. As dawn broke, the light of the rising sun began to filter through the room. ¡°As expected.¡± After prolonged concentration, Kaylen finally identified it. The unique mana inherited exclusively by the Meier lineage¡ªgolden, star-shaped mana crystals. Infinity. ¡°Kaylen, you are undoubtedly my descendant.¡± The Meier family had always referred to themselves as the descendants of dragons. This wasn¡¯t merely a im to establish legitimacy after ascending to royalty. ¡°Every member of the Meier bloodline carries Infinity within them.¡± Infinity¡ªa special crystalline form of mana, passed down to select members of the Meier lineage. Its defining characteristic was simple: limitlessness. There were no boundaries. The mana within Infinity could be drawn upon infinitely. This trait closely resembled the legendary core mana organ of dragons¡ªthe Dragon Heart¡ªwhich led the Meier family to dere themselves the descendants of dragons. ¡°Of course, it doesn¡¯te without its ws.¡± Infinity consumed the mana of the body itself. For a knight, it meant that any mana umted through training would be devoured. If one infused their body with 100 units of mana, most of it would be consumed by Infinity, leaving less than 20 usable. For knights, who depended on umting and preserving mana within their bodies, this was a crippling disadvantage. Thus, the Meier family had earned a reputation for being ¡°persistent but never genius.¡± They could sustain a certain level of mana usage thanks to Infinity, but umtion remained an impossibility. Of course, this reputation preceded Ernstine¡¯s birth. Having mastered the art of wielding Infinity, Ernstine had risen to be the strongest on the continent. ¡°¡­But to utilize it, I need to extract it from the stomach.¡± The defining trait of Infinity¡ªits limitlessness¡ªseemed to have extended to the stomach. This constant hunger was enough to drive Kaylen to madness. As long as Infinity remained lodged in his stomach, it would render him helpless. ¡°I think I understand why it¡¯s here now.¡± The Infinity within him was far too small. At this size, it couldn¡¯t develop by merely absorbing ambient mana. A more primal method was required. ¡°Eating.¡± By consuming food, it could extract nutrients and absorb the mana contained within. For an Infinity so tiny¡ªbarelyrger than a speck of dust¡ªthis was the only viable approach. But what was optimal for Infinity was disastrous for Kaylen. ¡°To absorb the minuscule mana left in food¡­ it¡¯s killing its host.¡± How much mana could food even contain? To extract that negligible amount, Infinity had driven Kaylen¡¯s body into a perpetual state of hunger. Krrrrrrrk¡ª Even now, his stomach growled loudly, crying out for sustenance.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om If Kaylen were an ordinary person, he would have sumbed to the body''s pleas and eaten by now. To survive, he needed to transfer Infinity from his stomach to his mana core and cultivate it into its proper size. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± However, Infinity stubbornly refused to budge. No, it wasn¡¯t just Infinity¡ªit felt as though the mana within his body was entirely blocked, unable to flow. ¡°Is it because this body is that of a mage?¡± Unlike knights, who were adept at manipting the mana within their bodies, mages were more ustomed to controlling external mana. It wasn¡¯t surprising that Kaylen, as a mage, had not trained in techniques to handle internal mana flow. For someone like him, this process was bound to be slow at the start. But who was he? He was Ernstine, the first Grand Swordmaster in human history. Even if this body belonged to a mage, manipting mana was still trivial for someone of his caliber. After all, he had achieved mastery over mana in countless forms. ¡°I¡¯ve personally nurtured dozens of Master-ss knights.¡± Even his eldest son, who used to belittle hisck of talent, had reached the pinnacle of Sword Expert by his thirties under Ernstine¡¯s guidance. Kaylen¡¯s confidence in his abilities was unshakable. Yes, that¡¯s what he had believed¡ªup until that day. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 3 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 3 [Tl/N: Ernstine is teaching different people here.] - Bormian, how many times do I have to tell you? - I¡¯m sorry, my lord... He felt guilty.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om - Hah. How can you not understand this? - Ah, father... - Can¡¯t you feel it just by breathing? The mana flowing in? - ...I¡¯m sorry, father. He felt guilty for all the students he had taught up until now. - Elias. If you don¡¯t even understand this, we won¡¯t make any progress. I¡¯ll inject mana into you, so try to feel the flow. - Understood. And he regretted it. - Your Majesty, a group of orcs has appeared in the Ekiten region. - Your Majesty, the movements of the northern monsters are suspicious. - ...The issues are piling up again. This won¡¯t do. Caius, I¡¯ll inject mana directly into your body, so try to feel the flow. - Yes, father. With no time to spare, he ended up using mana injection as a shortcut for his students. Had he known he would end up in Kaylen¡¯s body, he would never have done it that way. As a result of relying on the simple method of mana injection... ¡°...Mana isn¡¯ting in.¡± Kaylen was experiencing something he had never felt before. He knew it all in his head. How to move the mana. How to control Infinity. But there was no mana. There was no mana that could be used to move Infinity and open the mana path! ¡®My old body was so good.¡¯ Before possessing Kaylen¡¯s body, Ernstine had the physique of the first Grand Swordmaster in human history. A body that loved mana. Just taking a breath would pull in mana, and even while standing still, the natural energy of the world would gather around him. So, when Ernstine was a child, he thought everyone experienced this. ¡®When I was teaching my subordinates and my son, I knew my body was special.¡¯ But back then, he thought that understanding how to use mana was more important than his physique. In the end, the problems they encountered were not due to the body, but due to the understanding of mana. But now he realized that was not the case. ¡®The body is more important.¡¯ The body is the foundation. First, mana has toe in for anything to be done. Normally, breathing would bring in mana, but this body hardly took in any mana. ¡®Even the small amount thates in, I have to use it for survival.¡¯ A body that had gained so much weight. In contrast, the mana in the body was severelycking, so even the small amount of mana that came in through breathing spread through the body for survival. Even if he tried to forcibly gather it and store it in the mana core, his body resisted. First, he had to survive, so his body continued to steal mana. For Kaylen, it was a situation that made him sigh. ¡®The ones I taught... they all had talent.¡¯ They were just less talentedpared to the Grand Swordmaster, Ernstine. Compared to his current body, they were geniuses. At least they had been at the starting line. This body couldn''t even get to the starting point. Grrrr¡­ "Am I too hungry?" Even after investing a whole day, progress was still slow. In contrast, the growling sounds wereing more frequently, now ringing every five minutes. ¡®I''ll eat something quickly and then train outside.¡¯ Being cooped up in the dorm room might be preventing mana from gathering. Kaylen decided to find a ce where the natural energy was stronger. He shook off the memory of the academy¡¯s cafeteria being delicious and trudged downstairs. Having skipped a meal, his legs were starting to wobble. Thud. Thud. Each time he stepped down the stairs, a creaking sound reverberated with a vibration. Kaylen tried his best to control his face, which was turning red, and made a resolution. ¡®With this bodycking talent, I shouldn¡¯t just focus on mana absorption. I need to train my body too.¡¯ He had to lose weight in order to survive. He had nned to start exercising after moving the Infinity out of his stomach, but given the situation, there was no other choice. Thud. Thud. As Kaylen entered the underground cafeteria, his heartbeat quickened. Gulp. His mouth instinctively watered. The body that had been exhausted during mana breathing was now full of vitality. His head slowly began to cloud over, and his rationality started to fade. ¡®...Huh!¡¯ When he snapped back to reality, he found himself already seated. And with him, a te of food. A simple meal made up of bread, meat, and soup. Instinctively, his hand reached for the food. At the sight of his rough hand movements, it looked like he might even scoop up the soup with his hands. Kaylen felt an intense threat from his body''s instincts. ¡®I can''t do this.¡¯ He had to eat to survive. But no matter how hungry he was, eating with his hands? If he gave in to his instincts now, controlling his eating habits would be much harder. If he surrendered to his hunger like he had in the past and ate dozens of tes, he might end up choking like the original owner of this body. ¡®I¡¯ll resist.¡¯ With a determined grip, he restrained himself. Kaylen tightly gripped the spoon and fork, closing his eyes. ¡®I must resist...¡¯ His hands trembled, and sweat dripped down his forehead. ¡®One bite at a time. Slowly.¡¯ He slowly picked up the fork, pierced the bread, and gently chewed the crust. Then the taste of heaven arrived. ¡®...It¡¯s delicious!¡¯ A taste superior to any delicacy. An intense urge to swallow it all in one bite surged up. ¡®The effect of having Infinity lodged in my stomach is this big...¡¯ It was far more tempting than the seduction he had faced from the Subus Queen during the Demon King subjugation. ¡®...If I give in here, it''s over.¡¯ He controlled his senses. He shut his eyes to block the sight of the beautiful food. He tried to ignore the taste as much as possible. Instead, he focused on his hearing. He could hear the voices around him. ¡°Ah. Eating with that pig, huh? It¡¯s ruining my appetite.¡± ¡°Oh my. You said you were on a diet, right? Isn¡¯t it perfect? Seeing a pig makes you lose your appetite. Heh heh heh.¡± The usual jeers Kaylen had been ignoring reached his ears. But since he was a 19-year-old young man, perhaps, the "pig"ment from the girls made his appetite slightly falter, and Kaylen weed that. ¡®Keep going. Keep insulting me.¡¯ If it could suppress his appetite, he would dly hear even worse insults. However, the conversation among the girls shifted to another topic. ¡°By the way, what about the Knight Academy guy?¡± ¡°Hmm, not much.¡± ¡°Why? He¡¯s tall, handsome, and in great shape. A short-term rtionship wouldn¡¯t be bad, right?¡± ¡°So what? Praising a knight in front of a stuffed Drake is just weird... He¡¯s a total weirdo.¡± ¡®Drake...?¡¯ Kaylen perked up his ears. The Drake, known for its ferocious nature and innate power, was said to be untamable by humans. The one who first tamed it was none other than Ernstine. ¡®That¡¯s why I was called the Dragon Swordmaster.¡¯ Thanks to his power, the Meier Empire, which he founded, established the Dragon Knights and unified the vast continent in just 15 years with remarkable mobility. ¡°Touching the stuffed Drake and praising the founding king like reading a biography... it¡¯s so ridiculous. What century is he living in?¡± ¡°Tch. For the knights, that was the good old days.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s still strange. Even though it¡¯s stuffed, the Drake is still warm.¡± ¡°You too? I¡¯ve been to the Knight Academy to see the dragon. When I touched it, it was warm. If it hadn¡¯t been the founding king¡¯s Drake, they would have dissected it for experiments. Apparently, it¡¯s been like this for a year.¡± ¡°Really? But how did they do it? Does a wizard use a Heat spell every morning or something?¡± ¡°No way. If that were true, the whole rumor would have spread.¡± Despite being stuffed, the Drake¡¯s body was still warm. Kaylen jumped up from his seat. Thud. Thud. Thud. He quickly walked toward the two female students. "Where is the Drake?" "....Huh? What?" Shh... shh... The two girls flinched and pulled their chairs back as Kaylen, with his massive frame, approached menacingly. No matter how much they had jeered from afar, calling him a pig, the pressure of a bear-like figure stomping toward them was no joke. "The warm-bodied Drake. Where is it?" "Oh. In the central za of the Knight Academy..." "Thank you." Kaylen nodded in gratitude and left the dining hall. Seeing his sudden departure, the startled girls began whispering again. "Ugh, damn. That was scary." "Wow. I knew he was fat from a distance, but up close, he''s so big it''s terrifying." "Wouldn''t he be more suited to being a knight than a wizard? Looks like he''d be more at home as a meat shield up front." "That shield would cover a lot of ground, but... ugh, He smells. I don''t want to be near him." The whispers reached Kaylen''s ears, but he paid them no mind. The warm Drake, even though it was already dead. Hearing that, something clicked in his mind. ¡®I need to hurry and check it out.¡¯ [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 4 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 4 Drake. The strongest dragon kin remaining in the midworld after the dragons vanished. It''s tough skin was impervious to spears and swords. When it spreads its wings, its massive body stretches across dozens of meters. Even in closebat, it was troublesome, and Drake could also fly. From the skies, it would create fireballs and shoot them, making it difficult to face even for a knight who had reached the master level. ¡®That guy is quite proud as well.¡¯ When humans began expanding their territories and started taming dragon kin, they were able to tame even wyverns, which were lower in rank than Drake, but not Drake itself. Drake would rather die than be tamed by humans. This was the universal behavior of all Drakes. Not only humans, but no species could dominate a Drake. This wasmon knowledge. And the one who broke thismon knowledge was none other than Ernstine. Kaylen stroked Drake''s wings. Warm skin. Within it, Kaylen felt the unique flow of mana that only he could perceive. To others, it would seem like no difference at all, a subtle flow of mana. ¡®The essence of the Infinity I granted still remains.¡¯ The method Ernstine used to first dominate Drake was to divide his Infinity and grant it to the Drake. With this, the Drake made Infinity its core and served Ernstine as its master. ¡®That''s why you were preserved, even with the heat still remaining.¡¯ Mummification. Normally, it was a method where only the skin remained and everything inside was reced... But Drake, ''Sky Sphere,'' did not need that. It held Infinity, so it didn''t decay. Even after a thousand years, it remained in its original state with its eyes closed. ¡®But this state won¡¯tst much longer.¡¯ The heat that began a year ago. It was evidence that the once firm Infinity was now trembling. "Come back." As soon as Kaylen finished speaking, heat began to gather in his hands. The small Infinity embedded in Kaylen¡¯s stomach responded. The power of Infinity surged toward him without restraint. Pain like fire ran through his hands and arms. But Kaylen silently endured it. This level of pain. He had experienced it countless times during his time as Ernstine. ¡®I¡¯ll absorb it as much as I can.¡¯ The Infinity embedded in his stomach gradually grewrger. Along with it, the pain intensified. His stomach grew hot, and cold sweat began to drip down his entire body. His mind was holding up, but his body couldn¡¯t keep up. "U-Um... Are you alright?" The soldier who had guided Kaylen asked with an anxious expression. The Drake of the founding king was originally something no one could touch in the kingdom. Only for research purposes, Magic students could with proper permission... But suddenly, Kaylen began to tremble violently and looked like he was on the brink of death, which scared the soldier. "Let''s hurry to the treatment room! You look really unwell!" "Haah... Haah... Alright." Kaylen stepped back. It seemed like today would be enough for him. The piece of Infinity that had been inserted during Ernstine¡¯s time was just a small fragment. But from Kaylen''s perspective, it was far too big to swallow in just one day. "What on earth happened?" "Ah... I just had some trouble breathing." "Is it because you touched Sky Sphere? Did that cause any problems?" "No. What could go wrong from touching it? My hand is perfectly fine." Kaylen opened his palm to show it. His hand was clean. There were no signs of burns at all. "I see..." "I apologize for worrying you." "I''m d to hear you''re fine." Kaylen moved away from the Drake ¡®Sky Sphere¡¯. The soldier looked around and then secretly touched the Drake. "Come back." The mage had said something simr earlier, and it had caused a strange reaction. Just in case, he said it again... "Nothing happened?" Did the fatty just have indigestion? Feeling only warmth on the palm of his hand, the soldier tilted his head. That day, Kaylen recalled the memories of his younger self. Wow. So this is a Drake... In the memory, Kaylen had a lean body, wearing a first-year robe. With curious eyes, the young Kaylen looked at Sky Sphere, then eagerly asked the guard. - Can I touch it? - Yes. You''re a student from the Magic Academy, so you''re allowed. - Thank you! Once permission was granted, Kaylen excitedly grabbed the head of Sky Sphere. And then... - Uh... Uh...? Suddenly, he felt something fiery entering his body. At the same time, he felt an intense hunger he had never experienced in his life. Kaylen, seemingly mesmerized, withdrew his hand from Sky Sphere''s head and headed straight for the dining hall. From that day onward, Kaylen lived with an insatiable hunger. "So that''s when Infinity awakened clumsily." Ssh. Ssh. Kaylen rose from the bed. It had been one day since he absorbed Infinity from Sky Sphere. The maddening hunger hadn¡¯t returned as it used to. ¡®And if it¡¯s a year ago, it coincides with when Sky Sphere began to heat up.¡¯ Kaylen, a descendant of Meier, seemed to have triggered his Infinity when he touched Sky Sphere. ¡®I need to absorb it as soon as possible.¡¯ Without even having a proper meal, Kaylen headed to the central za where Sky Sphere was located, starting from the morning. "Eh? You¡¯vee again?" "Yes. Yesterday I didn¡¯t get to inspect it properly due to feeling ill." The soldier who greeted Kaylen looked a little uneasy, but he showed no concern and guided him. Since that day. Kaylen repeatedly visited to touch Sky Sphere. For the first three days, his whole body trembled as if he was about to die, but after that... He touched Sky Sphere¡¯s wings with a calm expression, as if nothing had happened.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Have youe?" "Yes. I ask for your help today as well." "I understand. But... it seems you''ve lost a lot of weightpared to when we first met." On the tenth day. The soldier looked at Kaylen with a curious expression. When he first saw him, Kaylen had been so overweight that he looked like a giant slime walking around, but now his size had significantly shrunk. He was still a bit overweight, but it no longer gave off the impression of obesity. "I¡¯ve been on a diet recently." "I see... that was a good idea." "I hadn¡¯t nned on it, but after touching the Drake, I felt the founder king''s aura and reflected a lot on myself." "Ah, so that¡¯s why your expression was so bad at first." "Yes. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve beening here every day to get motivated. But I think today will be thest day. I n to try touching the head today." "Ah... the head is quite hot. You could get burned." "It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just pull my hand back if it gets unbearable." Kaylen¡¯s determination seemed firm. The soldier couldn¡¯t refuse his request. "Understood. Please follow me." Following the soldier¡¯s lead, Kaylen stood in front of Sky Sphere¡¯s head. "Do not touch the horns, eyes, nose, or mouth. Only the area around the head is allowed to be touched." "Understood." Kaylen, having heard the precautions from the soldier, reached out toward the Drake¡¯s facial skin. It was hot. Unlike the wings, the heat was distinctly different. The energy of Infinity had gathered at the head. ¡®Specifically, at the horn area.¡¯ Three horns. Ernstine had contained Infinity at that point to control the Drake. Kaylen had decided today was the day to finish absorbing Infinity. "Return." With a whoosh. The heat gathered in an instant, and it felt as though the hand gripping the drake would start burning. But Kaylen, without even flinching, began absorbing the energy of Infinity. ¡®Sky Sphere. Thanks to you, the Infinity that was in my stomach has grown and transferred to mana heart. I owe you one.¡¯ If it hadn¡¯t been for the preserved Drake, Kaylen would have struggled greatly to grow the tiny piece of Infinity. There was still much to be done, but Kaylen smiled contentedly, feeling like he had easily secured the first step. Once he absorbed this Infinity, it would grow to the size of a fist. ¡®Once it''s that big, I¡¯ll be able to use Infinity freely.¡¯ Vwiiing. The heat that had made Kaylen¡¯s palm burn began to subside rapidly. ¡®Almost there. Just a bit more to absorb.¡¯ Kaylen nned to leave a small amount of Infinity''s power in the Drake. If he absorbed everything, the preserved Drake would begin to rot. And if that happened, he might draw suspicion, since he had been frequenting the ce so often. ¡®Leaving enough power tost for about five years should be enough.¡¯ After making his calction, Kaylen continued absorbing the energy. After a while. ¡®It''s done.¡¯ When Kaylen pulled his hand away, he heard a will from the mana he had absorbed. I. Will not go. ¡®This voice... is it Sky Sphere?¡¯ Kaylen¡¯s eyes widened. The first Drake to gain intelligence after receiving Infinity was Sky Sphere. Yet, even after its death, its will remained? Kaylen hurriedly sent a thought, but after that one statement, there was no answer from Sky Sphere. ¡®...This is unsettling.¡¯ "Will not go"¡ªwhat could that mean? It left a bad aftertaste. As Kaylen stared at his right hand, the soldier beside him spoke. "Sir, isn¡¯t it too hot?" The soldier¡¯s words brought Kaylen back to his senses. No matter how much he thought about it, it was a question that didn¡¯t have an answer. He would figure it outter when he had time. Right now, he was more concerned with taking care of his body. "Yes, I¡¯m fine." Kaylen showed his right hand. There were no signs of burns from the heat on his pale hand. ¡®Huh... That can''t be right?¡¯ The soldier tilted his head in confusion. It had been hot when he touched it briefly for an inspection in the morning, hadn''t it? "I''m d to hear that." "Yes. Then, I¡¯ll be going now. Please take care." "Yes!" As Kaylen left, the soldier, watching him go, casually ced his hand on the Drake''s head. "Ah, hot!" The soldier jumped back as soon as he touched it, blowing on his hand. The heat from the Drake seemed to have intensified since the morning. ¡°How did the mage touch it...?¡± Hearing the soldier''s scream from a distance, Kaylen smiled faintly. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 5 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 5 Kaylen sat on the bed with his eyes closed. He had spent three days focusing on normalizing his body, but progress was slower than expected. ¡®The mana heart is the problem.¡¯ When he lived as a Grand Sword Master, he had no such thing as a mana heart. Perhaps it was because Kaylen was a mage. When trying to use the mana of Infinity, a considerable amount of mana flowed into his mana heart. Not only did it flow, but it barely consumed any mana. Since his mana heart wasn¡¯t used, and Infinity¡¯s characteristic was that it didn¡¯t recharge unless mana was used, this was apletely negative factor. Because the usable mana was decreasing, Kaylen was troubled by the mana heart, which was like a thorn in his side. ¡®Is there any way to use it?¡¯ Based on his experience from his past life, Kaylen had extensive knowledge about the structure of mana hearts. He had broken through many of them while fighting against enemy mages. ¡®Circles 1 and 2 form inside the heart, and Circles 3 through 5 form on the outer wall of the mana heart.¡¯ A mage¡¯s first major hurdle: 3rd Circle. Until Circle 2, one could reach it with effort even if theycked talent, but from 3rd Circle onward, it was entirely the realm of talent. Forming a circle on the outer wall of the mana heart was so difficult that once you surpassed 3rd Circle, the path to reaching Circle 5 opened up. ¡®The mana absorbed from Infinity is trying to form the 3rd circle.¡¯ The third circle was being drawn on the outer wall of the mana heart. The mana was being slowly consumed as it cleared hia mana path. If he continued to absorb the mana from Infinity and cleared the path like this, it seemed like he would eventually reach 3rd Circle. Should he wait until then and find a way to use it? Or... Kaylen reached a conclusion. ¡°Using it¡­ is best left forter.¡± There¡¯s an order to everything. Right now, it wasn¡¯t the mana heart that mattered, but clearing the mana flow. Zziing. Kaylen shaped the mana released from Infinity into a small sword inside his body. A sword of mana, smaller than a fingernail. That tiny sword moved towards the third mana circle being formed. ........ Swish. Swish. Kaylen began to dismantle his mana heart. Even as he bit his lip from the intense pain in his chest, he continued dismantling the mana circle. Srrr _ The dismantled mana circle didn¡¯t stay still. It used the remaining mana to try to continue the path. And that was exactly what Kaylen wanted. As the mana contained in the circle was consumed... Wing. Wing. The mana from Infinity flowed out again. The infinite mana, which had been stuck in the circle and couldn¡¯t flow out, was now being generated again. ¡®Good.¡¯ Kaylen controlled the mana and shaped it into a single form. To the eye, it resembled a star, much like Infinity. When he ced it into the corners of the mana heart, Infinity, believing that the mana had been consumed, began to expel more mana. ¡®Hah... It works even with this body.¡¯ A fusion of mana resembling the star-shaped form of Infinity. From Kaylen¡¯s perspective, it was "storage," but Infinity saw it as "consumption." This method of utilizing Infinity was discovered by Ernstine in his previous life. It was to create a perfect model that resembled Infinity. ¡®If even a little deviates, it would be useless...¡¯ Creating a star-shaped model was nearly impossible for an ordinary person. It required precise mana maniption and strong willpower. But Kaylen had reached the level of a Grand Sword Master in his past life. He was more confident in his mana maniption than anyone else. Up until now, the mana had been lost to the mana heart, so he couldn¡¯t create it, but after tearing through the mana circles himself, he now had more than enough mana to form the star. ¡®Focus.¡¯ He dedicated himself entirely to it for seven days and nights. 3rd Circle was cut countless times, leaving no trace behind. When the small star-shaped mana had settled in all corners of the mana heart. ¡®This is enough.¡¯ Kaylen leapt off the bed. With this many stars umted, there was enough mana. Now, it was time to be a sword user. The stars gathered together. Thepressed mana was furtherpressed, forming the sword¡¯s hilt as its foundation. In his memories, the swords he had used shed before his eyes. Among them were numerous legendary swords that had caused a stir in the world, as well as several divine swords. The Dragon yer, which had been resting in the royal vault. The holy sword Aste, which had been granted by the Kingdom for the purpose of ying the Demon Lord. The cursed sword Gehenna, which he had seized after defeating the Demon Duke. But the sword he was trying to shape wasn¡¯t one of those legendary swords. Long ago. The ten iron swords he had used when ascending the North. Ordinary longswords made by a simple cksmith, utterly unremarkable. They weren¡¯t made of special metals, nor did they have mana stones embedded in them. They were swords that ordinary soldiers might use, simple iron swords. ¡®The form doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ A true craftsman doesn¡¯t discriminate against tools. As for the shape of the sword, that was enough. For three days, as the sun set and rose again. By maintaining his focus to the very end, he gathered every bit of the star¡¯s mana. ¡°...It¡¯s a sess.¡± Thus, a total of six sword hilts were created. Although the mana heart and his entire body werepletely drained of mana, he had achieved a meaningful result. ¡®With this, I can call myself a sword user.¡¯ Kaylen thought to himself, feeling a sense of pride that would surprise other knights. Typically, a sword user is at the stage where they can manifest mana as an aura. For them, their mana heart are simply filled with mana, but they cannot shape weapons. Shaping a weapon in the mana heart... ¡®That¡¯s the stage of a ¡®Master.¡¯¡¯ Only after reaching a supreme level through bone-crushing training can one finally shape the mana in their mana heart into the form of a sword. But Kaylen, a Grand Sword Master, was different. Having already reached the peak of swordsmanship, once his mana was sufficient, he could form a sword without much difficulty. Though he had only created the hilt for now due to insufficient mana, the foundation of the sword was already established. It was just a matter of time before he could craft the perfect sword. ¡®The sword of Meier, I¡¯ll recreate it with the body of my descendant.¡¯ Satisfied, Kaylen checked his condition and rose from the bed. ¡°Indeed, I feel lighter.¡± Maybe it was because he had be a sword user, but he could definitely feel his body being lighter. His body was in quite good shape. Though he had gained a lot of weight, apart from that, he was tall and had a sturdy frame.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡®If I just work on my body a little more, I could transfer to the Knight Academy, but right now, it¡¯s an opportunity to learn magic.¡¯ A knight collects mana. A mage spreads mana. The two paths start frompletely different points. ¡®After bing a Grand Sword Master, my understanding of mana is unparalleled¡­¡¯ However, Kaylen didn¡¯t fully understand how a mage used mana. His path was that of a swordsman, so it was only natural. ¡®If I fully awaken my understanding of how mages use mana, I might be able to reach a higher level¡­¡¯ Kaylen decided to make the most of this opportunity. He walked toward the magic academy''s academic building with familiar steps. As he climbed the stairs to the third-floor ssroom, a voice calling him from behind reached his ears. ¡°...Kaylen?¡± Thud. Thud. Hearing that voice, his heart suddenly began to race. Heat rose to his face, and his whole body involuntarily tensed up. Along with that, a memory shed in his mind in an instant. In the dull, gray days of academy life, a memory of a female student, who was Kaylen''s only source of joy along with food, came to mind. She was the only one who treated him kindly and didn¡¯t ignore him. Lina de Florence. In the memories of his original body, she had been like a goddess. But after reading that memory, Kaylen thought... ¡®What a fool.¡¯ His thoughts werepletely different now. ¡®I¡¯ve fallen into the trap of the queen bee.¡¯ [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 6 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 6 Lina de Florence. In the memories of the original body, she was a blonde, fantastically beautiful girl, but... Kaylen''s first impression of her was different. ¡®She¡¯s ordinary.¡¯ She had an average height and a slightly slim build. Objectively speaking, she was on the cute side. But for Ernstine, who had seen countless beauties as the emperor who unified the continent, she was far from being considered a beauty. ¡®But she knows how to dress up.¡¯ Mages are usually drowning in magic research and training, typical students didn''t pay attention to their appearance. Most students would wear shabby robes and hoods over their heads when going to ss... But Lina was different. She wore a spotless white robe with make-up. Her bright, shining blonde hair was well-groomed and sparkling, making her stand out among the students. Though perhaps not elsewhere, she would certainly be considered a beauty in the Magic Academy. ¡°Kaylen, right? Wow. You lost weight? I can barely recognize you. You¡¯ve gotten handsome!¡± As soon as Lina saw him, she approached with a smile, touching his arm casually and admiring him. ¡°Wow. Are you working out these days? Your arms have gotten so firm.¡± She showered him withpliments. ¡°See? I told you that if I took care of you, you¡¯d get handsome.¡± She gave him a thumbs-up. A faint perfume smell pleasantly drifted over. It was a scent rare to find at the Magic Academy. Kaylen now understood why he liked it. At this point, she just seemed like a friendly and lively ssmate. ¡°Kaylen, can I ask you for a ¡®favor¡¯ today?¡± However, her true intention was something else. ¡°I¡¯ve been working hard alone during the break, but I couldn¡¯t do it... I need to charge a mana stone.¡± Charging a mana stone. Mana stones that contain mana are valuable, but those depleted of mana are worthless. In Ernstine¡¯s time, mana stones that had been used up were discarded as mere stones. ¡®It¡¯s amazing that they can be recharged now.¡¯ ording to Kaylen''s memory, the charging of mana stones used a unique magic from the Florence family. ¡®Thanks to this magic, they say he, amoner rose to the rank of count. Impressive.¡¯ ¡°Can you help me again today? Please?¡± Lina asked with a pleading look. At her expression, Kaylen¡¯s head was about to nod on its own. It was the instinct of a fool, blindly following Lina''s words. When a mage starts charging a mana stone, a whole day is wasted, and they struggle with a mana shortage for a week... But Kaylen¡¯s body was ready to obey Lina''s request. ¡®I can see right through you.¡¯ But Kaylen was now Ernstine. Having experienced countless romantic affairs with concubines who were all peerless beauties, Kaylen waspletely unmoved by Lina''s facial expressions. ¡°Today, I¡­¡± Kaylen waved his hand, attempting to lightly refuse Lina''s request, but his movement suddenly halted. It was because of the memories that began to flood his mind. How to recharge a mana stone using the Mana Heart. The process was starting toe back to him one by one. ¡®It never came to me until now.¡¯ The method of using the Mana Heart only now appeared in his mind, triggered by a request from a girl he liked. Though most of it was about recharging, Kaylen could not afford to let this clue slip away. ¡°No. I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. Should I go to the same experiment area asst time?¡± ¡°Uh? Uh¡­¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll see you in a bit.¡± After saying this, Kaylen turned and began walking away. Lina watched him, blinking her eyes in confusion. ¡®Why is he... acting like that?¡¯ His behavior today waspletely unexpected. Not only had he lost much weightpared to before, but there was also no strange stench of food or sweat in the air. Up to this point, Lina would have weed it, but... ¡®He¡¯s changed.¡¯ Normally, his face would turn bright red, and he could barely speak. When Lina spoke, he would just mumble, ¡®Uh, uh,¡¯ and blindly follow her. But now, things were different. He looked her in the eye without hesitation, speaking to her calmly. The favor and admiration that had been so obvious in his gaze were gone, leaving no emotion visible. ¡®...Did something happen during the break?¡¯ Did something change when he returned to his family during the break? Before, he had always been such a fool, so what had happened to him? Lina lightly bit her lip. ¡®I need to pay more attention to Kaylen.¡¯ The mana stone recharge. Many men had been unable to resist Lina''s request and helped her repeatedly, but no one had ever worked as hard to fill the mana like Kaylen had. Among all the fools, Kaylen was the ultimate fool. If she let him go, it would cause problems with the mana stone recharging. Lina¡¯s eyes grew cold and calcting. ¡°Today, we will learn how to use the 2nd circle magic.¡± The sound of a book turning apanied the start of the lesson. ¡°The optimal manifestation direction of the circle¡­¡± It was a lesson that Kaylen couldn¡¯t understand at all for now. Listening absentmindedly to the non-mage ss, Kaylen looked around the room. ¡®Technically, there¡¯s not much difference from 1,000 years ago.¡¯N?v(el)B\\jnn The old wooden desks, parchment, and the scratch of quills on paper. Around twenty students were flipping through thick books, diligently taking notes. The scene was so uniform that it made the passage of time seem irrelevant. ¡®The students are no different from the mages back then.¡¯ Even though it was the first day of school, many students were wearing dull robes hastily, and some hadn¡¯t even bothered to wash themselves. They were mages,pletely absorbed in magic, doing research and training every day. ¡®That''s why I told the tower mages to develop cleansing magic.¡¯ Ernstine had issued a special order to the mages who never bathed while researching. But seeing this scene, it seemed that the project had failed. ¡®No wonder I fell for Lina.¡¯ Since almost no one else was well-groomed... Lina, who always dressed neatly and looked presentable, stood out in contrast. ¡®But no matter how much I like her, the mana recharge request went too far.¡¯ Recharging the mana stone required the mage¡¯s full concentration and effort. Therefore, mages of the 3rd circle and above would charge a certain fee for the task, but the problem was the number of times it had to be done. One recharge was far from enough, and usually, it took dozens of times to fully recharge a mana stone, making the cost quite high. It wasn¡¯t that 1st or 2nd circle mages couldn¡¯t do the recharge... A 1st circle mage risked the mana circle unraveling if they did it wrong, and a 2nd circle mage could lose their mana, which would make it difficult to advance forward. ¡®But she asked me to do it every week, even though she¡¯s only 2nd circle... tsk tsk.¡¯ Thepetition at the Magic Academy was fierce. The students were all talented individuals from various ces. As mage talent was rare, there were manymoners here, and naturally, many who were eager to rise in status. To seed as a mage, one needed mana circles. At least reaching the 3rd circle and advancing to the 3rd year was required to be selected by noble houses or the Magic Tower with good treatment. That¡¯s why most students were burning with determination to reach the 3rd circle. Yet Kaylen, lost in his infatuation, helped recharge her mana, only to be too exhausted andcking mana to train himself. ¡®Even that girl is working hard.¡¯ Lina shined like a phoenix among the dull mages. She, too, was rolling up her sleeves, focusing intently on taking notes in the non-mage ss. Despite being the daughter of a count, she worked hard to seed as a mage. That was the attitude every student at the Magic Academy should have. ¡®No wonder they treat Kaylen like he¡¯s invisible.¡¯ Even after entering the ss, everyone ignored him, treating him like a transparent person, except for Lina. The Magic Academy¡¯s experimental area. It was a space created to encourage students¡¯ free magical experiments, located in the basement of the academy¡¯s main building. ¡°Look at that pig. He came here right after school started?¡± ¡°I heard he¡¯s charging a mana stone for the daughter of the Florence family again.¡± ¡°Mana recharge? Guess he¡¯s given up on advancing.¡± The mages whispered, mocking Kaylen. When they saw him, they quickly cleared their throats and pretended to focus on their work. ¡®This kind of neglect and coldness is just the norm.¡¯ It was a look Kaylen had never experienced in his past life. However, perhaps because he had never been through it, Kaylen found it rather refreshing. As he walked under those gazes, the inner part of the experimental area was revealed. "This is it." It was a space granted only to powerful noble families, a privileged area. Soon, a man approached, bowed, and greeted him. "You''ve arrived, Sir Kaylen." He was a knight from the Florence family, assigned to guard the academy¡¯s experimental area. "Oh, you''ve be quite the handsome gentleman." "It¡¯s nothing. I still have a long way to go." Kaylen still had flesh wobbling with each step he took. The knight from the count''s family seemed to have been given instructions, continuously praising Kaylen. "Lady Florence also mentioned that you¡¯ve be much more handsome. She praised you a lot." "She¡¯s expecting that you¡¯ll handle the mana recharge well." At those words, Kaylen shrugged his shoulders, following the knight''s guidance into the Florence family¡¯s territory. "Kaylen, you¡¯re here?" Lina, dressed in a one-piece dress, was waiting for him. Her skin looked better than in the morning, and her fresh beauty was shining through. Seeing her like this made Kaylen¡¯s heart race. He was still caught off guard by her wearing a dress for the first time, unable to collect himself. In his memories, she had always worn a robe, even in the experimental area. Did she sense his change in attitude? Her intuition was on point, but Kaylen, in contrast, remained indifferent. ¡®When did she change clothes and fix her makeup? It¡¯s still just ordinary.¡¯ Ernstine, who had been courted by the most extraordinary women of his time, couldn¡¯t be easily swayed. No matter how exquistily Lina dressed, she couldn¡¯t rise beyond ¡®ordinary.¡¯ "Come here and sit." Lina gestured to him as she set up a tea table. Normally, she would have immediately put Kaylen to work on the mana recharge, but today she nned to put in more effort. After all, she couldn¡¯t afford to let the easy catch slip away. But, contrary to what should have been his happy reaction, Kaylen... Whoosh. "Delicious." Without even sitting down, he quickly drank the tea. "Tea time is a waste of time. Let¡¯s get straight to the recharge." He jumped straight to the point. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 7 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 7 "Re... really?" Lina was taken aback. Kaylen''s behavior waspletely unexpected. Up until the vacation, it had been easy to control him, but now it felt like he was slipping out of her grasp. ¡®It¡¯s fortunate that he¡¯s going to do the mana recharge, though.¡¯ The primary goal had been achieved, but she didn¡¯t feel at ease. If Kaylen decided not to help anymore, she had no way of making himply. "Hurry up, let''s go." "Uh, yeah..." In fact, it was Kaylen¡¯s urging that made Lina scramble to get up. Her face maintained a cheerful smile, but inside, she was uneasy. ¡®I can¡¯t afford to lose Kaylen...¡¯ The mana stone was already 80% recharged. Only a little more was needed, and if Kaylen backed out now, the progress woulde to a halt. The remaining 20% could technically be done by her. ¡®Charging the mana stone would take a week¡ªam I crazy enough to do it myself?¡¯ That wasn¡¯t even an option. ¡®The other guys won¡¯t help now that it¡¯s the second semester.¡¯ The Royal Academy of Magic, home to the kingdom¡¯s best talents. No matter how beautiful Lina was, no one would be foolish enough to help with the mana stone recharge when their promotion to third year depended on the second semester. Graduating from the academy was worlds apart from finishing the second year. ¡®Somehow, I need to gaslight him into keep recharging it.¡¯ With just 20% left, it would only take 5 to 7 more times. She needed to keep Kaylen around until then. With that resolution, Lina guided him toward the magic circle. "This is it." "Oh?" Arge magic circle filled the room. It was obviouslyplex, with intricate runes and symbols all over. Lina smirked, proud of the setup. "Heh, this is the magic spell I mentioned in today¡¯s ss. Our family¡¯s magic spell." The charging magic spell, It was created by the Florence family. Now it had eventually been made public and was now even used in sses. Though the magic spell was well-known, it didn¡¯t affect the Florence family much. The reason was easy to understand. Lina walked briskly toward the circle. She pulled out a hairpin and pricked her finger with it. "Ow!" A few drops of blood fell from her finger, immediately being absorbed by the magic circle. As this happened, the magic circle, which had been glowing blue, began to shift to a deep red. Kaylen, watching the spectacle, nodded. ¡®It seems the magic circle is optimized for the family¡¯s blood.¡¯ A long-standing magical family would often have a few signature magic circles. While it was possible for outsiders to use them, the efficiency greatly depended on whose blood served as the catalyst. The Florence family¡¯s magic circle was notably more effective with their blood. That¡¯s why, even after the circle became publicly known, the Florence family was still given preferential treatment. "That''s enough." As the magic circlepletely turned red, Lina quickly stepped back, moving with agility, almost as if avoiding a fiery pit. Kaylen, watching this, let out a quiet chuckle. ¡®She really doesn¡¯t want to waste any of her mana.¡¯ Once a magic circle is activated, simply stepping into it causes the mana recharge to begin. However, since the process takes hours, staying inside for a brief moment doesn¡¯t result in immediate mana loss. But Lina seemed unwilling to let go of even a little bit of it. "Let¡¯s go." "Uh... okay..." With a serious expression, Kaylen strode toward the center of the magic circle, where the mana stone was ced. ¡®It¡¯s quiterge.¡¯ The mana stone, positioned in the middle of the magic circle, was sky blue in color and about the size of a human head. ¡®With this size, it¡¯s probably a low-grade one.¡¯ Generally, the smaller and more vibrant blue a mana stone is, the better its quality. By that standard, this one wasn¡¯t of high quality. As Kaylen thought about this, a new memory surfaced in his mind. He recalled the pre-possession Kaylen, looking at a mana stone with admiration. - Wow. This is a mid-grade mana stone. Amazing... ¡®So this is considered mid-grade? Has the quality of mana stones actually declined over the years?¡¯ Though a thousand years had passed, it felt like the quality of mana stones had regressedpared to the past. That thoughtsted only a moment before another memory resurfaced. - This is how you do mana recharging, right? The pre-possession Kaylen had started manipting his mana heart. He circted external mana through his 2nd circle Mana heart and into the mana stone. As Kaylen followed this procedure, he realized something. ¡®So this is how it works. It''spletely different from what the knights do.¡¯ A knight gathers mana, while a mage disperses it¡­ The mana within a mana heart or that forming a mana circle is gathered from the outside world, but in the case of mages, this is simply a method for easy mana release. mages, structurally, shouldn''t store mana but rather disperse it. ¡®So this is why magic swordsmen never emerged.¡¯ It was impossible to simultaneously master both umtion and release. ¡®This is harder to adapt to than I thought.¡¯ This was true even for Kaylen, who had reached the level of a Grand Swordmaster. He understood the concept intellectually, but when it came to using mana, it didn¡¯t quitee together. Given that he had spent over fifty years focusing on umtion, it was no surprise. ¡®This is interesting.¡¯ Twopletely opposing concepts. It was like a right-handed person trying to adapt to being left-handed ¡ª aplete change was required. But Kaylen was gradually getting used to it. ¡®If I hadn¡¯t reached Grand swordsman status, this might have been more difficult.¡¯ After reaching the transcendent state, Kaylen became more at ease with manipting mana, which helped him tremendously. He began to move the mana circle in the room in ordance with his slowly resurfacing memories. ¡®So this is how it works.¡¯ Despite the original owner''s memories being there, it took less than ten minutes for Kaylen to start manipting the mana circle. But he didn¡¯t stop there. ¡®Let¡¯s try to umte mana at the same time.¡¯ No matter how much the sword gave and magic was an added bonus, it wouldn¡¯t matter if he couldn¡¯t use them simultaneously. He epted the mana, with some circting in the mana circles and the rest starting to umte in the mana heart. These werepletely opposing actions, but he attempted to harmonize them. Lina bit her lip, clearly puzzled. ¡®What¡¯s he doing?¡¯ Even though Kaylen¡¯s behavior had already been strange, he had entered to charge the mana stone, but instead of doing so, he was just standing there doing nothing. "Kaylen?" She called out softly, but there was no response from him. ¡®Ugh, really! I need to study...!¡¯ Lina was bing increasingly frustrated with Kaylen¡¯s behavior today. Normally, she would have simply left, but now she felt uneasy leaving him alone. His actions had been so different recently that she wasn¡¯t sure if she could just leave him be or if she should worry. Just as she was pacing around the magic circle, her bodyguard approached. ¡°Lady, the carriage has arrived.¡± ¡°Already?¡± ¡°Yes, starting today, the lessons begin an hour earlier.¡± Lina had already reached the third circle and met the advancement requirements. However, she wasn¡¯t satisfied with that and was aiming for the top of her ss. The Florence family had already prepared a tight after-school schedule for her to achieve that. She sighed. ¡°Alright, then¡­¡± She wanted to watch Kaylen charging the mana stone, but beingte for her lessons was a bigger issue. "Don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯ll make sure to keep the Young Master safe," the guard said, though his words were meant to reassure her that he would keep a close watch on Kaylen. ¡®He¡¯ll be fine¡­¡¯ Lina tried to calm her uneasy feelings. In fact, now that she thought about it, even if something went wrong, it wouldn¡¯t be a major issue. The mana stone charging magic spell was highly stable. Even in the worst case, the mana charging speed would just slow down. ¡®Right. I should go for now.¡¯ After giving Kaylen ast, lingering look, Lina turned around and exited the magic circle area. Her bodyguard, Alkas, took over in her ce. ¡®He¡¯s definitely changed a lot.¡¯ Alkas, who had only briefly nced at Kaylen when he first arrived, now looked at him with a more focused gaze. Earlier, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to Kaylen, but seeing him now, he waspletely different from before. ¡®His posture is different. His energy has changed.¡¯ In the past, Kaylen had been a massive, sagging figure who could barely handle his own body weight. Now, Kaylen stood tall like a towering mountain. ¡®If he trains a bit more here, he¡¯d be more suited for being a knight than a mage.¡¯ Hisrge frame and long limbs made him the ideal candidate for a knight. Of course, the condition was that he had to lose some weight first. ¡®But he¡¯s already a mage. Would he even consider bing a knight? Even if things went well, he¡¯d probably end up like my old self.¡¯ Alkas gave a small, powerless smile. If it were in the past, maybe Kaylen could have considered it, but in the present era, there was a clear distinction in status between knights and mages. Mages were highly favored in today¡¯s world, and no mage in their right mind would choose to be a knight. ¡®I was the top of the Knight Academy, but now I¡¯m stuck guarding nobles...¡¯ Being a bodyguard to the youngdy of the Count¡¯s family was an insignificant position for someone who had ranked first in the kingdom¡¯s prestigious Knight Academy, which was filled with only the kingdom¡¯s brightest talents. However, for knights frommoner backgrounds, such positions were the only stable employment avable. ¡®How did ite to this...¡¯ Alkas stared at Kaylen and sighed as his thoughts drifted intomentation. He quickly shook off his dark thoughts and focused on his duty. Two hours passed, and then, suddenly, a change urred in the magic spell. ¡®Huh?¡¯ To be precise, it came from the mana charge percentage located in the left corner of theplex magic spell. The bar indicator for the mana charge had originally been at 80%. ¡®But... something¡¯s off.¡¯ Normally, the mana charge should rise slowly and steadily, but the percentage seemed to be fluctuating, slightly going up and down. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Alkas had never received any instructions from Lina regarding how to handle such an event.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om He hesitated for a moment, but as he continued to watch, the fluctuations in the percentage grewrger andrger. ¡®This isn¡¯t good. I need to stop this!¡¯ He made up his mind to intervene, thinking that something bad would happen if he didn¡¯t. At that moment, Kaylen let out a deep breath, and the charging process suddenly stabilized. Afterward, as Alkas had seen before, the mana charge percentage slowly started to rise. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay now...?¡± Alkas, who had been about to enter the magic circle, stopped in his tracks. ¡®I don¡¯t know what just happened... I¡¯ll have to report this to the youngdy when she returns.¡¯ ¡®It seems I¡¯ll need to adjust my ns.¡¯ Kaylen had never intended to quietly charge mana. Normally, after finishing his training with the mana stone, he would have left immediately, but now the situation had changed. ¡®This mana stone... I can use it.¡¯ A faint smile appeared on Kaylen¡¯s lips. ¡®I¡¯ll take this mana for myself.¡¯ [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 8 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 8 The Mana Stone, which stores enormous mana, has been the subject of numerous attempts throughout history to transfer its power to the human body. ¡®But all of those attempts ended in failure.¡¯ Many mages had conducted countless experiments, using a variety of methods, but none had managed to achieve any meaningful results. Research focused on efficiency posed a great risk, with many mages dying or bing invalids from the sheer volume of mana their bodies couldn¡¯t handle. On the other hand, research aimed at safety proved so inefficient that it felt no different from just undergoing regr training. ¡®The mana from the Mana Stone is so foreign.¡¯ At its core, a Mana Stone was just a mineral. Humans, living beings, were vastly different from such lifeless objects. Even though one could extract mana from a Mana Stone, applying it directly to a living body was very difficulty. The difference between mana among humans was alreadymon, so the disparity between living and non-living matter was all the more dangerous. ¡®Mana from the Mana Stone is inherently heavy in nature.¡¯ Mana stored in metals waspacted, making it not only heavy to move, but also dangerously sharp. If the human mana path was misdirected, it risked tearing the body apart. Because of this, no one had even considered trying to store the Mana Stone¡¯s mana in their body, knowing the limits. However, Ernstine had a different approach. At least with this particr Mana Stone, there was a safe and efficient method for dealing with it. ¡®This Mana Stone contains the influence of Infinity.¡¯ This Mana Stone had 50% of Kaylen¡¯s mana, recharged through his efforts. ¡®If only it had been charged more diligently.¡¯ Kaylen, in his infatuation with Lina, had poured his every bit of strength into charging it for her sake. Through that process, some of the mana from Infinity must have been absorbed into it as well. ¡®As long as Infinity¡¯s influence is present, it¡¯s easy to draw mana from here.¡¯ Ernstine, recalling the maniption techniques of Infinity from his previous life, knew that with this power, he could safely draw mana from a source influenced by Infinity. But Kaylen did not act immediately. ¡®I could consume this mana right now¡­ but it¡¯s not enough.¡¯ The memories that began to resurface after meeting Lina had him hesitating. - The head of the Florence family favors only the most outstanding mages among the family members. - Lina is the most promising of them all. She will receive special attention and care. - The reason for charging the Mana Stone might be part of that effort. As he pieced together the puzzle of his memories, Ernstine reached a conclusion. ¡®From Lina, I¡¯ll take more.¡¯ After finishing her sses, Lina sat on the bed in her room, letting out a deep sigh. ¡®This is tough.¡¯ Not only had the after-school education schedule been added after the start of the term, but to her surprise, Kaylen had also been causing her stress. Knock, knock. "Miss, I¡¯vee to report." "Alkas? Come in." Lina, dragging her exhausted body, opened the door. She listened quietly as the knight, Alkas, reported the events that had transpired so far. As he spoke, there was one part that caught her attention. "¡­The charging gauge of the magic circle seemed to go up and down." At this, Lina immediately shook her head. "Up and down? That can''t be right. You must have seen it wrong. Especially, the charging bar shouldn''t be going down." "It appeared that way, but¡­" "If the mana from the Mana Stone had gone down, that would mean Kaylen absorbed it. But there''s no way he could stand there fine afterward. Our main magic circle is so stable. That can''t be the case." Alkas, being an ¡®uneducated¡¯ knight, didn¡¯t seem to understand the dangers of the mana in the Mana Stone. Lina sighed deeply and waved her hand dismissively. "¡­The fluctuation was small, though." "Yes, it was. It must have been a slight mistake. But more importantly¡­ how much did Kaylen charge?" "It finished at 82%." "That''s less than usual?" Lina furrowed her brows, feeling a twinge of concern. Seeing her reaction, Alkas spoke with a hint of apology in his voice. "Also, Kaylen spoke to me quietly as he left¡­" "What did he say?" "He said, ''I don¡¯t think I can do this anymore.''" "...What? He said he can''t do it anymore? Why?" "I asked, but he didn¡¯t exin any further and just left." "...Ugh... so that''s why he''s been acting strange today..." Lina clenched her lips tightly. She had already been uneasy because of Kaylen¡¯s behavior change, but now, to hear that he wanted to quit after just one day? Sigh "Seriously, this idiot¡­ Why is he acting like this just after the start of the term?" Lina suppressed the urge to curse and calmly issued a dismissal. "...Thank you for the report. You may leave." "Yes, miss." Creeeak. As Alkas left, Lina ground her teeth in frustration. Her expression waspletely different from usual¡ªcold and sharp. ¡®I have to make him continue, no matter what.¡¯ The remaining mana gauge was at 18%. Just a little more, and the Mana Stone would be fully charged and ready for use... She couldn¡¯t stop here. ¡®I have to persuade him somehow.¡¯ The next day, Lina dressed herself up with even more care than usual, steeling her resolve before going to find Kaylen. And the answer she received was... "Sorry. Something came up, and I¡¯m struggling." Kaylen, with a cold expression, sharply rejected her offer. "Why, Kaylen? What happened?" Though her insides were boiling with frustration, Lina forced a smile as she tried to maintain herposure. Kaylen, ncing around for a moment, shrugged his shoulders. "It feels a bit inappropriate to talk about it here..." "Kaylen... Please don''t do that. Can''t you tell me what''s going on? What happened?" Lina blinked a few times, and her eyes quickly became moist, as if on the verge of tears. "Mm..." Seeing her expression, Kaylen awkwardly looked around again, then gestured toward the hallway. "Let''s go outside." "Alright." They walked down the hallway until they reached a quieter area, and Kaylen finally spoke, his voice hesitant. "My family¡¯s in serious financial trouble. Really bad." "What? Really?" Lina asked, feigning shock, her voice full of concern. "What happened? Are you okay? Can you still continue at school?" ¡®Ugh. The backwoods Baron family¡­ The Mana Stone is almostplete, and it¡¯s all useless now.¡¯ While she outwardly expressed concern, internally Lina was cursing. Kaylen continued to speak, oblivious to her inner thoughts. "So, I¡¯vepletely given up on advancing to the third year. Now I¡¯m looking to earn some money." "Money...?" "Yeah. Fortunately, thanks to you, I¡¯ve gotten used to putting mana into the charging magic circle." "Ah..." "So, I¡¯m thinking of making some money with mana charging. Can you help me out? Your family specializes in that, right?" Lina¡¯s face scrunched up slightly. So it¡¯s all about money, huh? She felt resentful that Kaylen, who she had been using for free up until now, was suddenly acting like this. ¡®Is it really about family troubles? Or is it just because of money?¡¯ Even if his family were in financial trouble, could his attitude really change this much? If it were really about his family, wouldn¡¯t he have acted differently with Lina, the woman he had been so infatuated with? Lina decided to test him. "Kaylen! I didn¡¯t know... I¡¯m so sorry!" Lina suddenly wrapped her arms around Kaylen¡¯s, pulling him close to her chest. Kaylen flinched at the unexpected contact, his body tensing up. He shrank back, his body trembling, his cheeks turning slightly red from the sudden heat and closeness. He was nothing like the resolute figure he had been before. He looked just like the naive fool Lina had seenst semester. ¡®There¡¯s still room to dig deeper!¡¯ Right. No matter how much he tries to detach, it¡¯s not that easy. Lina pressed herself even closer to Kaylen, speaking rapidly. "I didn¡¯t realize your family was in such trouble. I¡¯ve made you work so hard... Actually, once the Mana Stone ispleted and sold, I was nning on giving you a reward for all your help." "Really?" "Yeah, of course! Once it¡¯s finished..." ¡®Am I crazy?¡¯ Lina thought, realizing she was lying through her teeth. It was a barefaced lie, with no hesitation. After all, once the Mana Stone waspleted, there would be no need to continue with this act. Yes, once it was done! "Then, when it''s finished, share some with me. Right now, I need to find a job urgently." "...Kaylen, but... no one else canplete it except you." "Why? Didn¡¯t others help out a lot?" "No. Now, you''re the only one. So hurry up, finish it, and let¡¯s sell it. Okay?" Lina clung to Kaylen¡¯s arm, pleading desperately. But Kaylen still had something to say. "I understand that you¡¯re in a hurry, but... could you pay me a bit in advance? You¡¯re the daughter of the Florence family, right?" Lina sighed softly at his request. If I had the money, I would''ve been using it to get more mana charging, not wasting my time. "My father cut off my allowance when I entered the academy. He said money isn¡¯t helpful for studying. All I have is 30 gold coins." 30 gold coins. That was about the amount a 2nd-circle mage would get for a single mana charging session. It was barely enough.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Kaylen shook his head, trying to pull his arm away. "...Then there''s nothing to be done. Find someone else." "Kaylen, don¡¯t do that... Is there anything else you need except money? I¡¯ll help as much as I can!" "There¡¯s nothing else. Money is what I need right now." "No, then let¡¯s finish it and sell it quickly!" As Kaylen tried to leave, Lina clung to him. The two went back and forth for several minutes. Finally, Kaylen sighed and spoke in a tired voice. "You''re sure there¡¯s nothing else you can offer instead of money?" "Yeah. I¡¯ll help." "Then... magic." At the mention of magic, Lina flinched. Without waiting for her response, Kaylen¡ªno, Ernstine¡ªfinally voiced his true intent. "Teach me magic." "Magic?" He was talking about magic despite saying his family was in financial trouble? He¡¯d just said he was going to start earning money, yet still seemed fixated on reaching the 3rd circle? "Kaylen, you know well that 3rd-circle magic isn''t something anyone can just teach you." "No, I''m not asking for 3rd-circle magic." "Then?" "I want you to teach me basic magic up to the 2nd circle." "...Why? You already know about 2nd-circle magic." "I want to know how other mages use their magic." At his unexpected request, Lina tilted her head in confusion. Does that even make sense? Lina couldn¡¯t understand why someone who was already a 2nd-circle mage would want to learn the same basic magic again. If they were a high-level mage, it would be one thing, but a 2nd-circle mage already had a good grasp of how to use magic. She couldn¡¯t quite grasp Kaylen¡¯s logic. He said his family was in trouble, yet here he was, wasting time with such a request. ''Wait a second...'' As Lina thought over it for a while, she finally caught something in Kaylen''s expression as she looked at him. His face was flushed, trying to appear bold, but there was an unmistakable air of anticipation as he waited for her answer. ''So, the family troubles were just an excuse... He must want to stay close to me.'' There was no other reason to ask her to teach basic magic. Lina''s thoughts solidified. ''He¡¯s been working hard to stay close to me. Well yed, Kaylen.'' Feeling more at ease, Lina switched her approach, pretending to be hesitant as she spoke. "Teaching you magic is fine, but I don¡¯t have much time. After ss, I have to go home and study..." "It¡¯s fine. You can teach me during breaks and research time." ''He really wants to stay close, huh? So bothersome...'' Kaylen was incredibly persistent, and Lina decided to bear with it. ''I can hold out until the Mana Stone is fully charged.'' She could tolerate this for just a few more weeks until the Mana Stone waspleted. "Alright. I''ll do it," she said. And with that, she had made up her mind. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 9 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 9 Three days had passed since Lina began teaching Kaylen magic, and she was now certain of something. ''This guy... he really just wanted to stay close to me.'' The questions he asked were so absurd, they seemed almost deliberate. ¡°How do you activate the Mana Heart?¡± ¡°Does the circle have to rotate to use magic?¡± ¡°Does it always have to move clockwise? It can¡¯t go counterclockwise, right?¡± These were the basic things a mage should know¡ªlike asking someone how to breathe, how to crawl, how to lie down, or how to walk. Yet, Kaylen was asking with such a serious face, it was almostughable. ¡°...Are you really asking about this? It¡¯s basic stuff.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m curious. I need to start from the fundamentals.¡± Sighing, Lina could only roll her eyes. Every break, Kaylen woulde to her, asking only the most elementary questions, yet his enthusiasm never seemed to wane. This passion was particrly noticeable during lunch breaks. He was the first to finish eating, having barely touched his food, and now he was waiting for her.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°...Already done? Isn¡¯t that a bit too little food for you?¡± It was surprising to Lina because Kaylen, who usually stuffed his face at every meal, was now finishing in a sh and waiting eagerly for their lesson. ''Is this guy really that into me? At this point, it¡¯s borderline obsessive.'' How much could he possibly like her, to give up his beloved food and shed some pounds just for their sessions? Lina knew too well how fanatical he was about food. She could still vividly recall the sight of him devouring his meals with wild, desperate energy, enough to make her stomach turn. ''If I¡¯m better than food... this is seriously creeping me out.'' Once the Mana Stone was fully charged, she had resolved to stay as far away from him as possible. ¡°Time¡¯s wasting. Let¡¯s start the lesson.¡± ¡°...Fine, fine.¡± Lina sighed, her expression darkening. Another day, another round of useless questions from Kaylen. She was already dreading what he might ask next. ¡°From today, I¡¯ll teach you 1st-circle magic.¡± ¡°Really? You¡¯re curious about that?¡± ¡°Yeah. Everything. I¡¯m so curious about how others use magic.¡± ''...Alright. He¡¯s definitely up to something.'' ¡°...Fine. Let¡¯s start with Light.¡± Light was the most basic of all 1st-circle spells. ¡°For this spell, you have to rotate the circle and chant the incantation.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the incantation for Light?¡± ''Seriously?'' To ask about Light? The most fundamental spell? Lina took a few deep breaths to calm herself before deciding to demonstrate the spell for him. ¡°...Light.¡± As soon as Lina uttered the incantation, a small, bright sphere of light appeared before her. "Ah, so that¡¯s how it works¡­ Light," Kaylen muttered, mimicking her actions and casting the spell immediately. WOOOSH! A massive light sphere, farrger than Lina''s, manifested from Kaylen¡¯s hands. It was sorge that itpletely engulfed the small light ball Lina had created. Kaylen grinned. "So, this is how it¡¯s done." "Ah, seriously! Be gentle with Light! My eyes are hurting!" Kaylen¡¯s light was much bigger and more intense than Lina¡¯s, but she didn''t take it seriously. ''Looks like he used up all his mana at once. No wonder it¡¯s so blinding.'' As Kaylen learned more 1st-circle spells, Lina¡¯s expression became more and more tense. "Wind." Kaylen¡¯s wind spell created a powerful gust of wind that filled the room. "Ice Arrow." The ice arrow he summoned was muchrger and sharper than Lina¡¯s. "So, I just need to make it fly the way I want?" "Y-yeah. But usually, apprentice mages can only make spells move in a straight line. Being able to control them freely like that takes at least 3rd-circle magic..." WOOOSH! WHOOSH! Ignoring her words, Kaylen¡¯s ice arrows spun in circles in the air as if mocking her. "You need to be 3rd-circle to do this¡­" "Ah, so this is how it works." "Y-you... wait. Are you actually a 3rd-circle mage?" "What are you talking about? If I were, I would¡¯ve told the academy right away. Think of all the benefits." As Kaylen said, a 3rd-circle mage received a 50% discount on tuition and had ess to personal researchbs in the underground experiment area. There would be no reason to pretend to be a 2nd-circle mage if he had ess to such benefits. But Lina was suspicious of Kaylen. ''I don¡¯t think I could do that...'' The ice arrows were spinning furiously, each one asrge as a person¡¯s arm. The speed and movement were beyond impressive. Even Lina, a 3rd-circle mage, found it difficult to imagine being able to control them like that. WHAM! After ying around with the ice arrows for a while, Kaylen thrust one into the floor of theb. The arrow pierced the ground, but instead of shattering, it melted and was absorbed into the floor. "Still weak." Kaylen muttered as he watched the ice arrow disappear. But as Lina watched this, a chill ran down her spine. ''It almost pierced the floor...'' The floor of theb was specially treated to absorb up to 2nd-circle magic without issue. But for it to nearly break through... ''What¡¯s going on? Is he really just showing off for me?'' Knowing Kaylen¡¯s original performance, Lina couldn¡¯t help but wonder. "Alright, teach me the next spell." "Are you really going to learn all of the 1st-circle spells from me?" "Should I not charge mana?" "...Fine. But control your power a bit. Why are you pouring all your mana into 1st-circle spells?" For a moment, Kaylen blinked in response to her words, then he nodded with a knowing smile. "Alright. I''ll try to make it weaker." Two weeks of lessons had passed. Throughout that time, Lina hadined, wondering why Kaylen insisted on learning even the most basic things, but for Kaylen, it had been an invaluable period. He had learned how to use magic. ''It''s fun.'' In his previous life, magic was something he had only considered learning after retirement, but experiencing it firsthand was a different kind of joy, something far removed from his sword. ''And on top of that... I''ve found a clue for progress.'' Mana Heart, Mana Circle. The infinity of the Mana Heart. Six swords and the Mana Heart. Kaylen smiled softly to himself. Lina, seeing his smile, screamed in frustration. "Kaylen! Asking about 3rd-circle magic is too much! I just recently reached 3rd-circle myself, and even I don¡¯t know it all! This is a level of enlightenment, so it would be rude to ask about it!" After two weeks of training, Kaylen had learned up to 2nd-circle magic, but now he was asking about 3rd-circle magic, which Lina refused to teach. ''What¡¯s so special about 3rd-circle magic...'' In his previous life, 3rd-circle magic had been somon, it was almost trampled underfoot. To Kaylen, Lina''s attitude toward it was ridiculous. Yet, Kaylen insisted on learning, trying to convince her. "Mana Stone charging is almost done. Just give me a hint. I''ll even cut a bit from the Mana Stone sales price." Lina flinched at the mention of money, a topic she hadn''t nned to discuss. Then, she had an idea. ''Well... yeah. It¡¯s better to teach him something about 3rd-circle magic and make it look like I¡¯ve done something than sell him the stone without giving anything.'' Later, if he asks for money, she could just remind him of the value of what he learned. She would ept payment but make it seem like a special favor, showing how much he benefited from it. ''And the Mana Stone will be fully charged soon anyway.'' At first, Kaylen had only been able to charge it to 80% or 82%, but now, his progress had reached 90%. At this rate, it would only take 2 or 3 more sessions before it was fully charged, so she figured she could endure a little longer. "Alright. While the charging continues, I¡¯ll teach you about 3rd-circle magic, but only to the extent that I know." "Got it." "3rd-circle magic... at that level, you inscribe a Mana Circle into the Mana Heart''s wall." The boundary that separates beginner magicians from regr ones. A magician who has created two Mana Circles within their Mana Heart finally reaches the stage where they can inscribe a circle on the outer wall of the heart. Many magicians falter here, giving up. "Realization of magic and mana. Perfect understanding of the incantations. The advancement of the Mana Heart... All of these muste together as a foundation." As Lina began to exin how difficult it is to reach 3rd-circle magic, and how many realizations one must have to get there, she continued on about the challenges of achieving it. "For our age, it''s honestly difficult. Even reaching 3rd-circle by your thirties is considered fast. Heh heh." "Outer wall of the Mana Heart, huh?" "Yes. It''s that hard." As Lina started to boast about her own aplishments again, Kaylen simply listened with half an ear while turning inward, reflecting. The third Mana Circle that once drained the infinite mana. At the time, it had been destroyed out of necessity... But now, the situation was different. ''I just need to inscribe the Mana Circle on the outer wall.'' Creating a Mana Circle. Although Lina said it required various realizations about magic, Kaylen didn''t care. He began to casually repair the broken Mana Circle. ''...It''s easy.'' Realizations about magic? Advancing the Mana Heart? None of that mattered. No one knew how to handle mana better than him. Following the traces of the broken Mana Circle along the outer wall, he simply drew another circle... And just like that, another Mana Circle appeared. It was effortless, just as it had been before. Kaylen opened his eyes and asked Lina. "How do you know it''s the 3rd-circle?" "Huh? Well, you can just use 3rd-circle magic." "3rd-circle magic? What¡¯s the easiest spell? Show me." "Do you think 3rd-circle magic is as easy to cast as 1st or 2nd-circle magic? Seriously..." Despite her words, Lina started preparing to cast the spell. Deep down, she also had a desire to show off, having only recently reached 3rd-circle herself. ''Let''s see...'' She took a deep breath and began chanting the incantation. Until now, she had only been memorizing simple words, but from the 3rd-circle onward, it was different. A long incantation had to be recited while focusing on conjuring the mental image. After concentrating for nearly a minute, sweating and focusing, Lina finally opened her eyes. "Fireball!" At the end of the long chant, a fireball the size of a human head appeared, radiating intense mes. "Ha, did you see that?" "Wow. Impressive." p, p, p. Kaylen pped, but there was no soul in the apuse. Lina, either unaware or unconcerned, continued to gaze with satisfaction at the fireball she had created. ¡°Magic users chant their spells so slowly... But this guy¡¯s worse.¡± ¡°Why do you chant the incantations?¡± ¡°Ha. Seriously... Stop asking things you already know. It''s 3rd-circle magic. It''s on a whole different level from lower circles! If you don¡¯t chant and mentally visualize, you''ll just get a 1st-circle fireball instead!¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± ¡°Ugh, anyway, that¡¯s enough for today¡¯s training. I¡¯m exhausted from trying to implement 3rd-circle magic. I can¡¯t keep going much longer.¡± ¡°Got it. Go ahead.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re about to join the next ss, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll wait for a bit before I go.¡± Kaylen easily let Lina leave. Once he confirmed she was gone, he immediately extended his hand. ¡°So from the 3rd circle onward, you need to chant the incantations, huh?¡± The wizards of a thousand years ago didn¡¯t do that. Chanting spells was only for casting grand magic. For regr spells, they simply uttered the incantation¡¯s trigger words and used their magic without needing to recite lengthy phrases. ¡°If chanting is just for mental visualization...¡± Visualization was something Kaylen was particrly skilled at. Compared to creating a sword by manipting mana, conjuring a fireball was incredibly simple. "Fireball." He spoke the trigger words he had just learned from Lina, but without chanting the incantation. ¡°As expected, this is easy.¡± Soon, a massive fireball appeared in his hand. It was three timesrger than the one Lina had created. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve learned everything I needed to.¡± Kaylen extinguished the fireball and slowly walked out of the training room, smiling to himself. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to recover the mana.¡± [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 10 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 10 A whileter. Alkas, Lina''s knight, quietly observed as he charged the mana stone. ¡®Now he¡¯s working hard.¡¯ At first, it had seemed odd, but after that, diligently focused on charging the mana stone, as he always did. ¡®He¡¯s lost¡­ a lot of weight.¡¯ Unlike his previous appearance, where he was recklessly overweight, now he had a slightly plump look. Of course, he was still a bit overweight, butpared to when school started, he had lost a remarkable amount. ¡®Lina said it¡¯s because he¡¯s so infatuated with her¡­¡¯ Lina had already made up her mind that was head over heels for her. And when she observed his behavior, it was easy to see why. He wouldn''t even eat his favorite meals, choosing instead to spend time with her during lunch. He was losing weight, and charging the mana stone with such effort. ¡®But¡­ something¡¯s off about this.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t simply the naive affection of a boy; the intensity of his behavior felt different. There was an undeniable sense of confidence and strength in the way stood, holding the mana stone. If she had to describe it, it felt like the presence of a mountain. ¡®And sometimes¡­ I get goosebumps.¡¯ When poured mana into the stone, it wasn¡¯t just the usual sensation. Every once in a while, Alkas would feel a strange chill run through his body, his skin prickling. At first, he thought it was just a coincidence, but after experiencing it repeatedly, and noticing that the sensation became stronger over time, he couldn¡¯t ignore it anymore. It almost felt as though some kind of ghost was nearby. ¡®...But this should be the end today.¡¯ The mana stone was almost fully charged now. Once this was done, Alkas thought he would no longer have to worry about . Unless he continued to stalk Lina like some obsessive admirer, that is. ¡®Somehow, I don¡¯t think that will happen.¡¯ As he watched standing tall, confident, Alkas couldn¡¯t shake the thought. ¡®99%. It should be almost done.¡¯ The charging gauge in the magic circle neared its maximum. Suddenly, something unusual happened. Whoooiiiiiiiiing¡ª A resonating sound echoed through the room. The source of the noise was the mana stone. At the same time, the entire experimental area began to shake violently, like an earthquake. The gauge on the magic circle fluctuated rapidly, swinging up and down in a muchrger motion than before. Alkas instinctively knew that something major was happening. sh. sh. The magic circle began emitting multicolored lights on its own. ¡®Damn, what the hell is going on?¡¯ Alkas immediately rushed toward the magic circle, but¡­ It was as if a wall had been erected, preventing Alkas from passing through the magic circle. On the other side, Kaylen¡¯s body was expanding and contracting, as though it were on the verge of bursting if it swelled just a little more. ¡®If Lord Kaylen dies here¡­ this will be a much bigger problem!¡¯ Alkas bit his lip and quickly drew the sword from his waist. The sharp de shimmered with green mana, and without hesitation, he swung it with all his might. ng! Alkas¡¯ sword hit an invisible barrier and was deflected, sending it bouncing back into the air. Despite releasing his sword aura, it had no effect. He desperately shouted toward Kaylen. ¡°Lord Kaylen! Can you hear me? Take your hands off the mana stone and get away from there immediately!¡± But Kaylen¡¯s movements remained unchanged. His body expanded and contracted, yet he stood still with his eyes closed, not reacting at all. It seemed that he couldn¡¯t hear Alkas¡¯ voice. ¡®What in the world is going on¡­!¡¯ Suddenly, the situation turned catastrophic, without any warning. Alkas, trying desperately to resolve the situation, swung his sword with all his strength, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t break through the invisible wall. Instead¡­ Crack! The sword aura dissipated, and the de shattered. Along with the vibrations from the mana stone, the energy levels that had been fluctuating began to plummet rapidly. ¡°Mana¡­!¡± The gauge that had been at 90% fell quickly to 80%, then 70%, and eventually dropped to 50%. Alkas could only watch in stunned disbelief. ¡®This is a disaster.¡¯ All the mana that Lina had spent months gathering¡ªusing her charm to convince several men¡ªwas now vanishing, just like that. In this sudden, iprehensible catastrophe, Alkas could not help but feel an overwhelming sense of dread. ¡®And if Lord Kaylen is harmed in this¡­ the consequences¡­ I don¡¯t even want to imagine them.¡¯ Frozen with despair, Alkas looked toward Kaylen. And then, suddenly, something appeared behind him. A faint, glowing shape was materializing. Mana had gathered and formed a figure. ¡®That¡¯s¡­ a sword?¡¯ A blue and red sword. A brown and green sword. A white and ck sword. Six swords made of mana were slowly rotating behind Kaylen, like gears. Alkas rubbed his eyes, unsure if what he was seeing was real. But the six swords became even more defined, their shapes bing clearer and sharper. At first, they looked like small toy swords, no bigger than a finger. But upon seeing them, Alkas couldn¡¯t help but feel his strength drain away, and he found himself kneeling involuntarily. ¡®What¡­ is that¡­?¡¯ Just the sight of the six swords spinning was enough to make it impossible for him to look away. The sight was so perfect and beautiful that awe filled Alkas¡¯s heart. The six swords that had been weaving through the air behind Kaylen¡¯s back were now getting closer to him. Crackle. The six swords burned Kaylen¡¯s clothes and singed his skin. Soon, the patterns of the six swords were engraved on his back. It was a symbol that seemed to radiate like the sun, etched into his back despite the swords being no bigger than a finger. Though they were small, the swords formed a symbol that covered Kaylen''s entire back. Then, the swords vanished without a trace. Alkas watched in a daze. As Kaylen¡¯s figure gradually began to fade away, a massive sword shape appeared in its ce. ¡°A massive sword¡­?¡± On the sword¡¯s hilt, there were runes inscribed. Although Alkas was a knight, he had seen these characters many times before. ¡®Runguage¡­?¡¯ Before Alkas could examine the runes further, a burst of blinding white light erupted from the sword. Completely overwhelmed by the light, Alkas lost consciousness. Kaylen was contemting how to better utilize his Mana Heart. The Mana Heart, which primarily stored and emitted mana. Even while receiving magical lessons from Lina for a month, Kaylen had been focused on how to best use both of these. After much thought, he came to a simple conclusion. ¡®Let¡¯s justbine both.¡¯ He recalled his time as a Grand Swordmaster. The body of the sword saint, whose Mana Heart extended beyond his navel, now his entire body had be a Mana Heart. Based on that experience, this time, Kaylen intended to make his body function both as a Mana Heart. ¡®It¡¯s important to establish this while my body is still not that strong.¡¯ If he tried applying the same concept to Ernshtine¡¯s body, it would not have been easy. Ernstine¡¯s body had been one thatpletely applied the principles of a Mana Heart, and Infinity had fully adapted to it. However, with Kaylen¡¯s body, which was still not fully dominated by either¡­ It was easier to merge both and explore new paths. ¡®Let¡¯s begin.¡¯ Kaylen stopped charging his mana and took out all the stars stored in his Mana Heart. He then exploded them all, condensing them into mana, and began to circte them around Infinity. A golden star-shaped Infinity. He ced mana at the tips of the Infinity, almost as if to tempt it, and continued to turn it so that it would not consume the mana. Whoosh. Whoosh. The golden stars began to rotate in alignment with the mana. As one full rotation waspleted, the force drawing mana from Infinity started to increase. ¡®Not yet.¡¯ While controlling the mana to prevent it from being absorbed, Kaylen increased the amount of mana. Like luring prey with a tempting bait, he continued to provoke Infinity. The Infinity began to spin,pleting one rotation, then two. By the time Kaylenpleted twelve rotations, the Infinity began to spin on its own, without the need to lure it with mana. As it did, the force pulling mana from Infinity grew even stronger. The force was now strong enough to affect the mana stone in Kaylen''s hand. ¡®Absorb it.¡¯ The mana from the mana stone, which had traces of Infinity¡¯s power, started to be drawn in as Infinity began spinning on its own. ¡®But I can¡¯t just feed it to Infinity like this.¡¯ If Infinity ate the mana and was satisfied, it would stop spinning, which was not what Kaylen wanted. Kaylen controlled the manaing from the mana stone and started using it for the development of Mana Paths. The mana from the mana stone was heavy and wild. It was difficult to control, and the Mana Paths would be fortunate if they didn¡¯t tear apart. But, as a Grand Swordmaster, Kaylen was able to make it possible. ¡®I will develop the Mana Paths across my entire body.¡¯ The mana from the mana stone and Infinity struggled to break free from his control, writhing as Kaylen¡¯s body screamed in pain. However, Kaylen endured the agony and silently focused on his development. ¡®Just like when I was a Grand Swordmaster, I will make my entire body into a Mana Heart.¡¯ The rough and heavy mana from the mana stone relentlessly began to carve through Kaylen¡¯s body, but thanks to his delicate mana maniption, it did not cause any fatal harm. Kaylenbined all of his knowledge and insights to apply them to his body. Hours passed. ¡®Did I seed¡­?¡¯ From the area where his Mana Heart had been in his chest to the lower abdomen , the tangled Mana Paths fully merged into a single path. At the center of it all was Infinity. It was now not a Mana Heart, but had a different form. ¡®This¡­ should be called the Mana Body.¡¯ The Mana Body. It was a new level, one that did not limit itself to the Mana Heart , but instead stored and used mana throughout the entire body. ¡®Although the amount of mana in this vessel is still patheticpared to the level¡­ the remaining mana in the mana stone is less than 50%.¡¯ Over half of the mana had been spent creating this new vessel. However, Kaylen was not disappointed. ¡®With therger vessel, I can now handle mana more efficiently.¡¯ In the past, with this amount of mana, he would never have dreamed of regenerating the Six Swords. But now, things were different. Whoooosh¡ª Now, he didn¡¯t even need to spin Infinity. He could absorb mana on his own. The six sword hilts that had once sprouted from his Mana Heart were now ced at the center of the newly created Mana Body, and Kaylen began to pour mana into them. The swords of fire and water. The swords of earth and wind. The swords of light and darkness. The six swords representing the six elements started to grow, revealing their forms on Kaylen¡¯s back. ¡®They are still small.¡¯ The size of the Six Swords was only asrge as a finger. However, the important thing was that they had reached the stage where their shapes were beginning to appear. If it had been his previous body, he would have needed at least five times more mana than this to make it possible. Thanks to the efficiency of the Mana Bodypared to the Mana Heart, Kaylen had skipped the long process of gathering mana and moved quickly to the next stage. ¡®Incorporating the swords into my body¡­¡¯ Kaylen absorbed more mana from the mana stone, carving the Six Swords onto his back. The same pattern of the Six Swords that had been etched into Emperor Ernstine¡¯s body. Only then did Kaylen feel a sense of stability. It felt like he had regained a small part of his former body. Though they were still as small as a finger now. ¡®The size of the swords can be gradually increased. As for the remaining mana¡­¡¯ After absorbing the mana, only 20% of the mana from the mana stone remained. Kaylen pondered how to use the remaining mana and decided to use it for constructing a mana circle. ¡®The mana circle also needs to be made to fit the new Mana Body.¡¯ Having escaped the narrow confines of the Mana Heart, Kaylen now needed to form a new mana circle that would match his Mana Body. Kaylen began using the remaining 20% of mana to form the mana circle. The location where the circle would be established was the outermost part of the Mana Body. More precisely, it would be ced on his skin. Crackle, crackle. One letter, then another. Runic symbols began to etch themselves into his body.N?v(el)B\\jnn As the tattoo-like markings spanned across his chest and back, the mana from the mana stone began to deplete. ¡®I could only make one circle.¡¯ The Mana Body. The Six Swords as small as fingers. One mana circle etched across his torso. Having used up all the mana from the mana stone to create these results, Kaylen was thoroughly satisfied. ¡®Now, I can finally live like a human.¡¯ As he savored the satisfaction, a trembling voice suddenly reached his ears. ¡°A massive sword¡­ you say¡­?¡± It was the voice of the knight, Alkas, who Kaylen hadpletely ignored until now. Soon, Alkas copsed, losing consciousness. Kaylen turned his back and looked at Alkas with a strange gaze. ¡°You had the potential to wield a sword.¡± [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 11 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 11 The quality of a Sword. When Ernstine unlocked the Six Swords ,there were rare individuals who did not merely regard those six swords as extraordinary weapons but perceived Ernstine himself as a ¡°sword.¡± These individuals were what Ernstine called those with "the quality of the sword." And such individuals invariably possessed astonishing talent with the sword¡ªan innate brilliance so radiant that no matter how much they tried to hide it, it was impossible to conceal. Their skill was such that, even in their youth, they could reach the rank of Sword Master with ease. Unless they were someone who had never even touched a sword, these individuals always rose to prominence in the world. ¡®And yet, someone with such a gift is merely a guard knight?¡¯ This wasn¡¯t some farmer who had spent their entire life oblivious to their potential. No, a knight blessed with such remarkable talent was wasting away as the escort to a mere count¡¯s daughter? It was an iprehensible situation. ¡®To think such a talent is rotting away¡­ I¡¯ll have to remember him.¡¯ After engraving the knight¡¯s presence into his memory, Kaylen turned his attention to his own physical condition. ¡®A mess.¡¯ It was true that forming a Mana Body had been a significant milestone, but his physical state was far from ideal. Though Kaylen had managed to skillfully control the mana from the Mana Stone, all he had done was avoid fatal internal injuries. Minor damages lingered throughout his body, both inside and out. Still, now that his Mana Body wasplete, these injuries were manageable on his own. But Kaylen chose not to heal himself just yet. Cough! A gush of bright red blood spilled from his mouth, soaking the front of his clothes. Simultaneously, his entire body began to swell grotesquely, as if he were transforming into a monstrous creature. ¡®This should be enough.¡¯ Satisfied with the horrific state he had brought himself to, Kaylen smirked. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?!¡± He heard frantic footsteps rushing toward him. Thud! Copsing dramatically, he sprawled across the magic circle, feigning unconsciousness. ¡°What is this?! What happened?!¡± Amid the panicked voices, Kaylen closed his eyes. It was time for his second harvest. From heaven to hell¡ªthat was exactly how Lina¡¯s day felt. Before heading home after her after-school magic lessons, the Mana Stone she had been painstakingly charging was almostpletely filled. By today, it would finally reach 100%. Once sold, she¡¯d have personal funds of her own. ¡®Then I can finally proceed with that experiment.¡¯ An extremely confidential magical experiment¡ªsomething she couldn¡¯t let her family know about. Once she sold the Mana Stone, she¡¯d be able to move forward with her ns. ¡®And then I¡¯ll be free from that Kaylen.¡¯ Recently, Kaylen had been pestering her with questions about 3rd Circle Magic. At first, he¡¯d only asked trivial questions, buttely, his inquiries had grown unexpectedly advanced, leaving her with an uneasy feeling despite teaching him. But soon, all of that would be over. Selling the Mana Stone and Pretending Not to Know Him ''Once I sell the Mana Stone, I¡¯ll keep my distance and pretend I don¡¯t know him. Since he¡¯s so infatuated with me, he might even stalk me. I¡¯ll make sure to have Alkas apany me just in case.'' ''I had alreadyid out my ns for the future¡­ but¡ª'' Bang! ¡°Lina!¡± Inside the office of the head of the Florence Family, the stern-looking middle-aged man, Evan de Florence, wore a grim expression. He was trying his best to suppress his anger, but it was clearly boiling over. The moment Lina saw his face, she knew something was wrong. ¡°What have you done?¡± ¡°W-what do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°I asked, what have you done?¡± Crash! Evan¡¯s voice thundered as he hurled the ss cup beside him to the floor. Her father, who was always calm andposed, was losing his temper¡ªsomething Lina had never witnessed before. ¡°Lina. You charged a Mana Stone, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Attempting to charge it without informing the family¡­ Fine. I can tolerate that. At your age, reaching the 3rd Circle proves your talent. It demonstrates your worth. I can let that slide.¡± ¡°But causing an ident? That¡¯s uneptable.¡± ¡°A-an ident? What ident?!¡± ¡°Yes, an ident!¡± Whoosh! Evan threw a sheet of paper at Lina. [An ident urred in the Florence Family¡¯s experimental zone. It is suspected to be rted to the Mana Stone Charging Magic Circle. The mana from the Mana Stone was fully discharged and is believed to have dispersed into the surrounding atmosphere.] Lina¡¯s mind wentpletely nk. No¡­ What¡­ What is this? [The victim has been identified as Kaylen Starn, eldest son of Baron Starn. He is currently unconscious and undergoing treatment. Although the Academy¡¯s security team has been dissuaded from making this public, if the 1st Prince¡¯s faction learns of this, it will escte into a serious issue.] ¡°Do you understand what you¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°No¡­ That¡¯s impossible¡­ The Mana Charging Magic Circle¡­.¡± ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s the issue.¡± Evan shot to his feet and walked toward Lina, growling. ¡°The perception that the Florence Family¡¯s Mana Charging Magic Circle is perfectly stable¡ª¡± ¡°That perception has been shattered by this incident!¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°If the incident had urred within our family¡ªat the Florence Count¡¯s estate¡ªwe could have contained it. With money, or by silencing those involved, we¡¯d ensure no word got out.¡± ¡°But at the Academy? The Magic Academy, swarming with our political enemies? And with you, a direct descendant of the Florence Family, implicated?¡± ¡°Urgh¡­¡± ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll let this opportunity pass?¡± The Mana Charging Magic Circle is supposed to be wless. This Was the Perception of the World. At the same time, it was bingmon knowledge that the Florence Family''s bloodline enhanced the efficiency of Mana Charging Magic Circles. However, this incident had the potential to overturn that perception entirely. "So even the Florence Family''s Mana Charging Magic Circles aren''t perfect?" "Even with the bloodline involved, the Mana Stone''s manapletely disappeared, and the charger was left in aa?" Such a development would not only shake the Florence Family''s dominant position in the magicalmunity but also make it harder to find mana chargers willing to work for them. And that wasn¡¯t the only problem. The Kingdom of Bormian was divided into two factions vying for power: The First Prince¡¯s faction and the Second Prince¡¯s faction. Though their rivalry hadn¡¯t surfaced publicly yet, the two factions were constantly searching for opportunities to strike at each other in the shadows. The Florence Family was a key member of the Second Prince¡¯s faction and served as its financial backbone. If the First Prince¡¯s faction caught wind of this incident¡­ "Our family would suffer immense damage," Evan said. ¡°How did such an absurd ident happen in the first ce?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡­¡± With trembling lips, Lina exined the events so far. She had persuaded several magicians to assist her but eventually relied on Kaylen, the perfect pushover, to handle most of the mana charging. As she recounted this, Evan¡¯s expression grew even darker. "You had one person do all the charging? And almost half of it?" "Y-yes¡­" "That boy must be insane. Still, is that the cause? It¡¯s true that having one person charge a Mana Stone entirely on their own is unprecedented¡­" Evan noted Lina''s words with a calcting expression. What was done was done. Now, they had to identify the cause to prevent simr incidents in the future. But neither Evan nor Lina could have guessed that Kaylen had deliberately absorbed the mana for himself. Such an act was considered suicidal by conventional standards. After finishing his notes, Evan frowned again and said, "We need to bury this incident, Lina." "¡­Yes." "By any means necessary. If we hand the First Prince¡¯s faction a weapon to attack us, our position within the Second Prince¡¯s faction will weaken." "And the business of mana charging through magic circles would take a huge hit. The prestige of the Florence Family¡¯s bloodline would also diminish." "That¡¯s right¡­" "In all honesty, I¡¯d kill him to silence him if I could." Evan spoke of murder with unsettling calmness. But the situation didn¡¯t allow for that option. "Given the Academy''s imprable security, that method must be ruled out. The risk of failure is too high." "Yes¡­" "Lina, Kaylen Starn did this reckless act because he was infatuated with you, wasn¡¯t he?" Lina nodded, and Evan spoke with cold precision. "If he wakes up, we will be the first to propose a settlement." "The amount we have prepared is 30,000 gold." Lina¡¯s eyes widened in shock at the number. It was an enormous amount. The Mana Stone she had nned to sell was worth 5,000 gold. 30,000 was equivalent to the value of six Mana Stones. "30,000 gold is too much!" "Yes, it is. But this matter is that serious." "Sigh..." "Still, the settlement amount could be lowered depending on who negotiates." Evan¡¯s gaze swept over Lina. "You¡¯ll handle it." "I-I will?" "Yes. That Kaylen boy is infatuated with you, isn¡¯t he? If you¡¯re the one to negotiate, we may not need to pay the full 30,000 gold." "Ah!" "Push for the settlement yourself. Make sure to draft a magic contract." At that moment, Lina, who had been hanging her head in uncertainty, suddenly brightened. This was something she could do. "Understood, Father. This time, I will not disappoint you." "Good. I¡¯m giving you one more chance. Consider this yourst opportunity to prove yourself within the family." "¡­Yes!" *** The Medical Wing of the Magic Academy. Normally, this ce was quiet and empty, but now, people were bustling in and out. "Ah, Professor, what brings you to the medical wing?" "I could ask you the same. Why is the head of Academy security stationed at the door of the medical wing?" "Well, the medical wing is part of the Academy. Ensuring its security also falls under my responsibilities, doesn¡¯t it?" "Haha. True enough. Still, as a professor, I should be allowed to enter, don¡¯t you think?" "There¡¯s a patient in very poor condition inside. If you¡¯re here to visit them, it¡¯d be better to wait until they¡¯ve recovered a bit." "Haha. I heard there was an explosion at the Florence Family¡¯s magic experiment site. It wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with that, would it?" "Ha. I wouldn¡¯t know anything about that." The two stood at the entrance of the medical wing, locked in a tense standoff. Kayleny inside, listening to their conversation. "So, there are those looking to exploit this situation," he thought. Several people had alreadye under the guise of visiting the patient. Those without proper connections were turned away at the door, though his homeroom mage had been allowed inside. Looking at Kaylen¡¯s unconscious form, the mage had murmured something loud enough for him to hear: "If this ident is tied to the Florence Family, the First Prince¡¯s faction might¡­ Hmm." Through the snippets of conversation drifting to his ears, Kaylen was gradually piecing together the politicalndscape of the kingdom. "This ident¡­ I¡¯ll make sure they pay a higher price for it." It wasn¡¯t just one party to sell to¡ªthere were two.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Two factions locked in fierce rivalry andpetition. In such circumstances, he couldmand an even higher price. "Good." Having finalized his n, Kaylen groaned softly and opened his eyes. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 12 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 12 Kaylen¡¯s appearance was utterly grotesque. His entire body was swollen and distorted, with raised lumps of flesh protruding at irregr intervals. His skin was cracked, exposing unnatural veins. "Disgusting..." It was a sight that naturally evoked revulsion. His face contorted in agony. Lina had anticipated the negotiation would not be easy. But Kaylen''s condition was far more severe than she had imagined. "Kaylen... are you okay?" When Lina saw Kaylen ring at her with cold eyes, she braced herself for even tougher negotiations. Still, she thought, he had once been fond of her. If she appealed to his emotions, perhaps she could find an opening. "Kaylen, I¡¯m truly sorry...!" Lina gently ced her hand on Kaylen¡¯s arm. Though the lumpy, deformed flesh was repulsive, now was not the time to act squeamish. Instead, she softly stroked his arm, lowering her gaze apologetically. "I never imagined it would turn out like this." "I never thought your body would end up in this state... Sob, sob!" Tears welled up in Lina¡¯s eyes. "Why did it have toe to this? Really..." Of course, she wasn¡¯t crying out of pity for Kaylen. Her tears stemmed from her own miserable situation. However, Kaylen didn¡¯t so much as flinch at her disy. ¡®Tsk. It¡¯s not working... The damage must be too great for tears alone to move him.¡¯ Seeing hisck of response, Lina resolved to bring up what she had nned to say on the way here. "Actually, Kaylen, as you know, our family''s magic circle... It¡¯s never failed. It¡¯s always been sessful." "But this time, it blew up like this... The result is so strange. Kaylen, did Alkas do something unusual at thest moment?" "¡­Are you referring to your knight?" "Yes. He copsed near the magic circle. He was holding his sword." "I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t remember. The pain was overwhelming." "When we asked him what happened after we revived him, he only said something about the magic circle acting strangely. Then he swung his sword and copsed. Now, he¡¯s rambling nonsense about swords and seemspletely out of it." The knight, Alkas, had copsed near the mana-charging magic circle. He had witnessed the anomaly firsthand, and the Florence family could not afford to leave him be. Currently, he was detained after being treated, but... "They might silence himter to ensure his silence." Given the magnitude of the incident surrounding the mana-charging magic circle, the fate of a mere knight held little weight. "Even though he wields such exceptional skill, the Florence family doesn¡¯t see much value in him." A swordsman of his caliber had been a rarity even in Kaylen¡¯s era, where fewer than fifty such talents existed. To think someone of that level could get caught up in this and disappear... "What a waste." They held a gem in their hands but treated it like a worthless stone. Kaylen decided he would take this gem for himself as well. "Take your hand off me and get to the point." "Kaylen..." "Take your hand off me." "...O-okay." As Lina hesitantly withdrew her hand, Kaylen got straight to the point. "50,000 gold." "...What?" "If you want to keep my mouth shut, give me 50,000 gold." Lina had anticipated a difficult negotiation, but his demand was beyond anything she could have imagined. "...50,000? Kaylen, wait. Did I hear you correctly?" "Yes, 50,000." His voice was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation. The cold tone made Lina flinch momentarily, but she reached out to him again. "Kaylen, I¡¯m truly sorry for what happened. But¡ª" "My mana circle... I¡¯ve lost one of them." "...What?" "Because of the incident, one of my circles copsed." Lina was struck speechless. Losing a mana circle? It was a death sentence for a mage. "Even the circles have been destroyed..." She had guessed that the aftermath of the incident was severe, but she hadn¡¯t imagined it would extend to losing a mana circle. "I don¡¯t even know if the remaining circles will function properly." "My life as a mage is over. So, 50,000 gold doesn¡¯t seem like too much to ask." "That¡¯s impossible!" No matter the circumstances, 50,000 gold was far too much. If she dared to ask for 20,000 more than the 30,000 gold her father had prepared... "If I do that, even as a three-circle mage, I won¡¯t escape severe punishment from the family." Even for the flourishing Florence family, 50,000 gold was an enormous sum. Especially after she had boasted about lowering the settlement amount, adding 20,000 gold now was out of the question. "Kaylen, p-please. Just forgive me this once!" "Sure. I already said I¡¯d forgive you. For 50,000 gold." "50... 50,000 gold is too much!" At that, Kaylen raised a trembling hand to touch his ear. "Lina. While I was writhing in pain on this bed, a lot of people came and went." "They thought I was unconscious, but my mind was clear. I heard everything they talked about." "...So, what about it?" "There are many people from the First Prince¡¯s faction eager for me to start talking." Hearing that, Lina bit her lip. To think he had been conscious all along. She had been suspicious since the moment he demanded 50,000 gold. Even if he had lost a mana circle, it was an extraordinary amount to demand. There was no way he could havee up with such a figure unless he knew something. "Kaylen...!" Desperate to appeal to his emotions, Lina attempted to approach him once more. "Stop." "Lina, don¡¯ty those filthy hands on me." "W-what...?" Kaylen¡¯s words were merciless. "Don¡¯t try to approach me halfheartedly. Send someone new, someone with real authority to negotiate." "You... You..." "If you don¡¯t bring a proper proposal within two days, I¡¯ll make sure the First Prince¡¯s side knows everything." Kaylen left no room forpromise. Lina, unable to simply walk away, considered grabbing his trousers and begging, but his resolve was immovable.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "If you so much as touch me, I¡¯ll contact the First Prince¡¯s faction immediately." "...Fine, fine!" "I hear they¡¯lle as soon as I call them." "A-alright!" Left with no choice, Lina retreated. She realized that pushing further here would only lead to disaster. "That... that bastard...!" Once he¡¯d followed her around with admiration in his eyes, and now he was this cold. As Lina turned to leave, Kaylen added one final remark. "And bring your bodyguard with the person in charge." "Why... Why him?" "You don¡¯t need to know." "...Fine." He wanted her to bring her bodyguard, Alkas? Weighed down by the failure of her mission, Lina¡¯s mind was clouded, but then her eyes glinted with malice as an idea came to her. "Alright, you bastard. I¡¯ll make sure Alkas stands right before you." After Lina left, more visitors came to see Kaylen. "Have youe to your senses?" "Such a pity, truly." "Your condition doesn¡¯t look good at all." At first, they expressed sympathy and concern. They were mages who had once taught him. But this concern was superficial at best. "What exactly happened?" "I heard there was an ident in the Florence family¡¯s experimental zone." "Are they involved in this?" Feigning concern, they probed for the truth. Kaylen, however, remained silent. He wouldn¡¯t give away information withoutpensation. But he did leave them with one pointed statement: "Just wait two days." "Hmph. These are the people who did this to you. Do you really trust them?" "I¡¯ll see you in two days." "Haha, how preposterous..." The professors, more interested in the incident than their disfigured student''s plight, showed nopassion. Kaylen, unimpressed, added: "By then, I expect you to bring proper terms to the table." "Terms? What terms..." "Professors of your caliber should know better than to ask that." "Ahem, when a professor asks¡ª" "If you''re here to spout nonsense, leave." Kaylen promptly drove them all out. "Trying to take advantage of me, are you?" The opportunity to deal a financial blow to the Second Prince''s faction was too good to pass up. The First Prince¡¯s side, however, seemed focused on probing further, sending professors instead of offering concretepensation. "The Florence family still seems like the best payer for now." To Kaylen, whether the First or Second Prince won this battle was irrelevant. Their squabble was just the sh of his subordinates'' underlings. What mattered was which side offered him the highest price for his silence. He spent the rest of the day turning away low-ball offers. "Five thousand gold coins." "Not enough." "Hah! I didn¡¯t expect this from you..." "Get used to it." Refusingughable terms, he waited. That night, a more serious offer finally came. "I am Jane, handmaiden to Princess Violet." Princess Violet¡ªa renowned mage of exceptional beauty, sharing the same mother as the First Prince. "She¡¯s in her third year at the Academy, isn¡¯t she?" Despite being busy with her studies and nearing graduation, she¡¯d taken an interest in this incident, even sending her handmaiden to negotiate. "Her Highness wishes to know the price you desire." Jane got straight to the point, and so did Kaylen. "I have an appointment with the Florence family tomorrow." "Her Highness can certainly offer far more than them." "That¡¯s something we¡¯ll have to see about." "Our mages heard that even five thousand gold was insufficient for you. Depending on the importance of the matter, we could offer ten times that amount." It became clear that the professors'' earlier absurd offers were a ploy to gauge the situation''s gravity. For a regr mage unaware of therger implications¡ªjust looking forpensation for their losses¡ªfive thousand gold might have seemed generous, even fair. But for Kaylen, who knew the stakes? That was pocket change. But this incident... In the power struggle between the First and Second Princes, it could strike a blow to one side¡¯s financial backing. If the victim is aware of the gravity of the situation¡ªhow it could break the legendary no-ident record of the Mana Charging Magic Circle¡ªthen five thousand gold is an utterly trivial amount. The five thousand gold offered by the First Prince''s side, upon reflection, posed a question to Kaylen: Did you really suffer such a major ident? And do you understand just how important this matter is? Kaylen¡¯s response was simple. "First, I¡¯ll speak with them." "...Understood." If it was just about the gold, selling himself to the First Prince¡¯s side would immediately bring a reward. However, doing so would severely increase the political burden on the Florence family... and they would acquire far more enemies than gold. ''Besides... the Florence family has another bonus for me.'' With that, Jane left. Knock knock. "...Prince Kaylen." The bonus Kaylen was thinking of had arrived. "Alkas." "I heard you wanted to see me." Alkas, the bodyguard, who had a dagger hidden in his possession, had arrived. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 13 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 13 Alkas recalled his recent encounter with Lina. ¡°Alkas! What the hell did you do?!¡± Unlike usual, Lina shouted at him with a furious expression on her face. Her usual polite tone waspletely gone. ¡°The sword was broken. You ruined everything, didn''t you?¡± ¡°N-no, miss. I was just trying to save Prince Kaylen...¡± ¡°Hah. Save him? That pig of a man? You should¡¯ve just let him die! You made everything worse!¡± Had Kaylen died on the spot, it could have turned into a much bigger issue. But blinded by anger, Lina didn¡¯t even consider that possibility. ng! Throwing things around the room in a fit of rage, Lina red sharply at Alkas. ¡°Alkas. You were from amoner family, weren''t you?¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°Life must be tough for amoner in the capital. And your younger sister is about to attend the Magic Academy, right?¡± When Alkas first mentioned that, Lina had congratted him with a bright smile. But now, she was cornering him with a malicious expression. ¡°But now, her enrollment in the Academy is going to be canceled. Since you failed the mission, you¡¯ll have topensate us for it!¡± ¡°...¡± To say that Alkas had failed the mission¡­ Was wielding his sword to save Kaylen wrong? It was absurd. Apletely unreasonable im. But Lina¡­ The Florence family, Lina''s family, had the power to enforce such absurd demands. Using this incident as an excuse, they had enough power to control Alkas'' fate. ¡°Do you know how much that bastard Kaylen asked from our family? 50,000¡ª50,000 gold!¡± ¡°50,000...¡± ¡°Even though we¡¯re a wealthy family, we can¡¯t just hand over that much money. Absolutely not!¡± Lina gritted her teeth, then took a step closer to Alkas. ¡°Kaylen. That bastard wants to meet with you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Alkas. When you meet him...¡± Thud. Lina pulled a dagger from her cloak and ced it down in front of him. ¡°Make sure it¡¯s dealt with properly.¡± ¡°Miss!¡± ¡°Or else, do you want to pay for the 50,000 gold loss yourself?¡± ¡°Why would I¡ª...!¡± ¡°Hah. We¡¯re the Florence family. Amoner like you and your family can be sent straight to the execution block without a second thought!¡± Lina shouted at him, then spun around, walking away with a cold demeanor. ¡°Well, fine. If you don¡¯t want to, then don¡¯t. Do whatever you want.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯d be better if you just keep making your sister charge mana and treat her like a ve.¡± Step. Step. Lina left the room. Alkas stared nkly at the dagger that had fallen to the ground. ¡®She wants me to kill Prince Kaylen with that?¡¯ If amoner like him were to kill the noble Prince Kaylen¡­ He¡¯d be sentenced to the most severe punishment. Lina¡¯s order was no different from telling him to die. And that, too, would be an ignoble death. But what would happen if he didn¡¯t follow hermand? He didn¡¯t know what harm coulde to his family. Alkas knew better than anyone that the Florence family would stop at nothing to achieve their goals.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om His head was filled with so many conflicting thoughts. However, there was something that worried him more than anything else. Thest image of Kaylen that he had seen before losing consciousness. ¡®He definitely¡­ looked like a sword.¡¯ Kaylen, a mage, had appeared to be a sword. The enormous sword exuded an overwhelming presence that no one could dare defy. Alkas picked up the dagger. ¡®I want to see if that image was real¡­¡¯ With that thought, Alkas stood before Kaylen. And was disappointed. ¡°You¡¯vee.¡± The grotesque sight of Kaylen, whose body had swollen unnaturally. The overwhelming sword he had seen before was nowhere to be found. ¡®Was it an illusion?¡¯ Of course. How could a mage wield such a sword? It must have been a trick of the mind due to the ident. The illusion had shattered. And now, reality stared him in the face. Alkas bit his lip and slowly drew the dagger. ¡°Prince Kaylen, I¡¯m sorry.¡± If he killed Kaylen, only he would die. But if he didn¡¯t kill him, his whole family, including himself, would be in danger. A faint blue aura began to gather around Alkas¡¯s dagger. Kaylen, who had been watching indifferently, spoke up. ¡°The aura on the left is wavering.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Let me see it.¡± Kaylen, lying in bed, reached out his hand. Then, the dagger Alkas had been holding tightly¡­ ¡°Eh? Eh?¡± As if possessed by a ghost, it flew andnded in Kaylen¡¯s hand. ¡°When releasing sword aura, it¡¯s important to build the foundation from the beginning.¡± Whoooosh. Kaylen, holding the sword, began to demonstrate kindly. Once again, sword aura began to gather around the dagger. It was a brilliant golden aura,pletely different from Alkas¡¯s blue one. Alkas thought he was seeing things. A mage releasing sword energy? But as time passed, his eyes grew wider and wider. Just as he was about to say something¡­ ¡°Hmm...?¡± Alkas noticed that the aura emanating from the dagger was different from his own. His aura had only faintly surrounded the de, as if it had beenyered on. But Kaylen¡¯s aura seemed like it was a part of the sword itself, as if the sword and aura were one. ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°When the foundation is properlyid, sword aura bes even moreplete.¡± ¡°Feel it. You¡¯ll realize that the amount of mana contained in the sword is not much different from yours.¡± Alkas nodded absently at his words. The amount of mana was the same, but the results were on apletely different level. And Alkas instinctively realized. ¡®It¡¯s not a matter of quantity¡­ I¡­ I can¡¯t break through that golden aura.¡¯ It was a matter of rank. But Alkas was mistaken about one thing. The difference in rank was just beginning. ¡°If you can fully control sword aura like this¡­¡± Kiiing¡ª Golden sparks flew from the dagger as a new aura took form. That shape was¡­ A new sword, disguised as a dagger. ¡°Woah¡­ An aura sword¡­¡± An aura sword. A sword formed from refined aura, a symbol of a sword master. The ultimate manifestation of power. Alkas had only heard of it in legends, but having seen the golden sword, he knew immediately what it was. ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­ The sword master who disappeared 300 years ago¡­¡± Alkas muttered nkly. ¡®Disappeared 300 years ago?¡¯ A sword master had vanished? Kaylen, though surprised by the remark, didn¡¯t let it show. ¡°Alkas.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°You have a talent for the sword.¡± Alkas nodded at his words. He knew that he had talent. Compared to hisrades, he had learned swordsmanship and gathered aura much faster. That¡¯s why, even though he was ofmoner origin, he had graduated at the top of the Knight Academy. ¡°But, it seems you aren¡¯t receiving the treatment you deserve for your talent. A noble knight like you holding a dagger¡­¡± *** ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°To you, my lord¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. Be my knight. If you do, I¡¯ll forgo part of thepensation I was to receive from them, and I¡¯ll ask for you instead.¡± Step. Step. Alkas knelt. The family he belonged to, the Florence family, had intended to use him as a disposable pawn. But Kaylen, who had narrowly escaped assassination, was embracing him instead. ¡°Are you¡­ sure about this? I don¡¯t have the talent of a meister. I can¡¯t even wear a mana suit.¡± Meister. Mana suit. These were terms that did not exist in Ernstine¡¯s world. Kaylen¡¯s memories were also iplete, so he didn¡¯t know about them. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± But what did that matter? If he could gain the talent of a sword master, that was all that mattered. ¡°That¡¯s nothing. Be my knight, and be a sword master. I¡¯ll make it happen for you.¡± ¡°Sword master¡­¡± Just a few days ago, those words would have seemed insane. But after seeing the aura sword with his own eyes, Alkas began to believe him. Thud. Thud. When he first entered, he had prepared for death. But now, he saw true light. Though it was a light he could never reach. ¡°¡­I want to be Sir Kaylen¡¯s knight. But I¡¯m bound to the Florence family.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Eh¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll understand why soon. For now¡­¡± Kaylen tossed the dagger to the floor and reached out his hand to Alkas. ¡°Go out for a while with the people on the other side of the door.¡± Whoooosh. A gust of wind swirled around Kaylen¡¯s hand. ¡°Wind.¡± First-circle magic, Wind. It was a spell considered useless inbat by most mages, as its power was too weak. But the wind created by Kaylen¡¯s hand was different. The force was overwhelming. Thud! ¡°Sir Kaylen, are you okay¡­?¡± At the exact moment, the door opened suddenly. On the other side stood Jane, the princess¡¯s maid, along with several knights. Whoooosh! A powerful gust of wind rushed toward them. ¡°Eh...!¡± Whoosh. The knights were thrown into the air by the wind, unable to withstand its force. Alkas was also swept away by the wind. The door was torn off its hinges, and even the walls of the infirmary shook. The only one who managed to hold their ground was Jane, the maid. But even she couldn¡¯t withstand the powerful wind and stumbled back, retreating behind the wall. ¡°I thought he might have gotten stronger¡­¡± The mana circle, now unified, had grownrger, surrounding the torso rather than the heart, which increased the magic¡¯s potency. Kaylen had expected this. So he had decided not to use all his strength, intending only to send the knights flying without causing too much damage. ¡°It''s stronger than I thought.¡± To think that first-circle magic could have this much power. This... this is Wind?! From behind the shaking wall, Jane, the princess¡¯s maid, barely managed topose herself. If she were just a normal maid, she would have been tossed around like the others. Thud. Thud. When the knights, who had been thrown far away, crashed into the wall and tumbled to the ground, Jane felt a chill run down her spine. ¡®They aren¡¯t the highest-level knights, but they¡¯re still wearing heavy armor...¡¯ Violet, the princess, had ordered Jane to protect Kaylen, as Florence might try to harm him. If the knights were removed from the equation, it would leave no witnesses to pressure the Florence family, thus silencing any evidence. But Jane, going a step further, thought that if she saved Kaylen in this life-threatening situation, he wouldn¡¯t be able to resist her, like yesterday. However... ¡®I didn¡¯t hear any sound.¡¯ Even after Alkas had entered, there had been no sounds for a long while. Worried, Jane had rushed in with the knights, nning to break in, but this situation waspletely unexpected. ¡°Jane.¡± Kaylen¡¯s voice came from beyond the wall. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be on the other side of the door.¡± His confident voice. Until yesterday, Jane had thought he was just boasting, but hearing his voice now, after witnessing the wind magic, it seemed grounded in real confidence. ¡°First of all, I must apologize to yourpanions.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s our fault.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding. Since you''re here, though... Alkas, could you bind yourself for me? There¡¯s been an unfortunate incident.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± At the mention of ¡°unfortunate incident,¡± Jane¡¯s eyes lit up. Though Kaylen had lost some face, it seemed that the assassination attempt was as the princess had predicted. ¡®Well, at least this means the negotiations with the Florence family will be over.¡¯ At that moment, Jane remained optimistic, thinking the Florence family would no longer attempt to negotiate. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 14 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 14 ¡°Your bodyguard was caught at the academy.¡± Evan¡¯s voice, calling for Lina, was calm and emotionless, as if he was stating a mere fact. ¡°W-what? Caught¡­?¡± ¡°They say the princess¡¯s bodyguard was detained by the guards.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ no¡­¡± Lina, who had given Alkas the order and had been unable to sleep due to anxiety over whether it would seed or fail, copsed to the floor after hearing Evan¡¯s words. ¡°Lina. Your magical talent is quite impressive, but your judgment is severelycking.¡± ¡°For this matter, I¡¯ve set a price of 30,000 gold. Normally, this would be considered arge amount, but when I think of the losses our family will face because of this, it could be seen as a small sum.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to drastically reduce the price when I entrusted this to you.¡± Tap. Tap. Evan tapped his fingers on the desk. His gaze towards Lina was so cold that it was hard to imagine it came from a father looking at his daughter. ¡°I had intended to observe how you, potentially the next head of the family, would act in such a situation. But the result far exceeded my worst expectations. How it pales inparison to Princess Violet, who had prepared in advance¡­¡± Princess Violet. The princess born of the same mother as the first prince, renowned for her exceptional beauty, 4th-circle magical ability, and sharp intellect. Her involvement in the first prince faction, coupled with her role as the mastermind behind stopping the assassination attempt, was something Lina hadn¡¯t considered. Havingpletely botched this mission, Evan couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry... Father.¡± ¡°You¡¯re done.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You¡¯re not fit to participate in the session. You have magical talent, so focus on research and stay out of the family affairs.¡± ¡°Ah... Father!¡± ¡°I¡¯m done speaking. Leave.¡± Evan, with a look of disdain, waved his hand, signaling for her to leave. Lina bit her lip, finally lowering her head and leaving the room. ¡®I¡¯ll have to meet him directly.¡¯ Before this matter gets further amplified by Princess Violet and the first prince faction, he needed to find a way to patch things up. What weighed on his mind was, of course, the assassination attempt. Would he even meet with someone from the Florence family who had tried to kill him? With that question lingering in his mind, Evan headed out... ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± To his surprise, Kaylen weed him. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± And he was able to face him. As soon as Evan faced Kaylen, he realized. ¡®Lina was not even on his level.¡¯ Despite the assassination incident, Kaylen remained calm and unruffled. He waspletely at ease, not showing any signs of tension, even with Evan before him. ¡°There was an unfortunate incident yesterday, wasn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°About that matter, I truly apologize.¡± At Evan¡¯s apology, Kaylen raised a single finger. ¡°One high-grade mana stone.¡± ¡°If you give me that, I will agree to the terms.¡± A high-grade mana stone. It was amodity that traded for 50,000 gold in the market. This was exactly the same amount that Kaylen had initially wanted from Lina. Evan had expected Kaylen to ask for a higher price due to the assassination attempt, but his demands had not changed significantly. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s all?¡± With some skepticism, Evan questioned him, to which Kaylen casually responded. ¡°Ah, and I would like you to give me the knight who was caught this time as well. These two conditions will be enough.¡± ¡°The knight?¡± Lina¡¯s bodyguard, Alkas. He was the top graduate from the Knight Academy, butcked the talent to be a ''Meister,'' and thus, was not a particrly useful individual. That¡¯s why he had only served as Lina¡¯s bodyguard. ¡°Why do you want him?¡± ¡°I have an experiment I want to conduct with him.¡± ¡°An experiment?¡± ¡°Do you know how that door came off?¡± Kaylen pointed to the door of the infirmary, which had fallen off its hinges. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard the details yet. I only heard that traces of a powerful wind magic were found.¡± ¡°I did that.¡± ¡°¡­You?¡± Evan, who had heard that Kaylen¡¯s mana circle had copsed, looked at him in confusion. Kaylen spoke calmly. ¡°Just before being stabbed by the bodyguard¡¯s dagger, I noticed that one of my mana circles was still functioning perfectly.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°To avoid his sword, I used Wind magic, and the power turned out stronger than expected.¡± Evan¡¯s eyes lit up at Kaylen¡¯s words. He, too, was a mage in pursuit of new knowledge. This was a phenomenon he had never heard of before. ¡°Was it due to a disruption in the absorption of the mana stone, causing the mana circle¡¯s power to increase?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t fully understand the reason yet. To find that out, I need a test subject.¡± ¡°Hm. Our family could fully support your experiment. It¡¯s quite intriguing.¡± Absorbing the mana from the mana stone to strengthen the mana circle? He had heard that such experiments were conducted in the past, but all of them had failed¡­ Although Kaylen had changed in an ugly way, in some ways, he might be considered a sess story. Evan, filled with curiosity, offered to assist him, but Kaylen shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have enough mutual trust to conduct the experiment together.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten what happened yesterday, have you?¡± Evan swallowed hard in regret. With the assassination attempt happening, Kaylen wasn¡¯t a fool¡ªthere was no way he would conduct the experiment with him. He found Lina, who had caused the situation, even more detestable. "However, I suppose I can ept sponsorship." "Sponsorship?" "Yes. If we regain trust through sponsorship, perhaps we could work together on experiments in the future." With his hideous face, Kaylen looked sly. It seemed like he was implying that if Evan wanted to join in the experimentster, he should voluntarily offer morepensation. Evan stared at Kaylen for a moment before speaking. "Sponsorship, I can offer as much as you''d like. However, shouldn''t we first prove that the experiment is worth it?" "Then, let me show you. Fire Arrow." A 1st Circle spell, Fire Arrow. Evan felt the massive flow of mana swirling around Kaylen¡¯s body. ¡®Hmm... I thought it was exaggerated when they said he blew off the infirmary door. But seeing it firsthand, it¡¯s closer to being understated. Mana quickly gathered above Kaylen¡¯s hand, forming a fiery arrow. It was muchrger and more powerful than the typical Fire Arrow. Evan¡¯s face reflected admiration. ¡®He didn¡¯t just forcibly increase the mana volume. With this, it¡¯sparable to Fireball.¡¯ He had expected a maximum of 2nd Circle power at most. But a 1st Circle spell with the power of a 3rd Circle spell? After witnessing this, Evan was able to make his decision. "I will give you one high-grade mana stone, and Alkas'' custody. I will also hand over the contract we had with our family." "Yes." "Additionally, I will sponsor five mid-grade mana stones. If you gain the title of Meister, I will provide five more mid-grade mana stones. After that, if you wish to coborate on experiments, we are also willing to lend you a mana suit." Lending a mana suit. From Evan''s perspective, it was an extraordinarily generous sponsorship. However, Kaylen, who received the offer, didn¡¯t fully understand its value. He didn¡¯t show any expression, though, and nodded as if acknowledging the deal. "Thank you for the sponsorship. Let¡¯s proceed as you suggested." "Then I¡¯ll send someone to discuss the details." "Yes. Thank you foring such a long way. Let¡¯s forget about the unpleasant incident." With that, Kaylen extended his hand. Evan stared at the hand for a moment, then eventually grasped it. It was a dramatic negotiation, taking ce just half a day after the assassination attempt. ¡®The cost was high... but... let¡¯s think of some of it as an investment.¡¯ Although Evan had given up one high-grade mana stone and five mid-grade mana stones, he reassured himself by thinking about the potential Kaylen had shown. However, what he didn¡¯t know was that the power of Kaylen''s mana circle was only possible because he had formed a mana body. ¡®And a mana body... it¡¯s not something just anyone can have.¡¯ A mana body was only possible with the experience of a Grand Sword Master. By showing just one Fire Arrow, he had secured five mid-grade mana stones. ¡®It was a good deal.¡¯ A transaction where one side gains everything, almost like a scam. Yet, the side that was scammed believes they¡¯ve gained something too. It was a very satisfactory deal. *** "...I heard you reached an agreement with the head of the Florence family." The princess¡¯s maid, Jane, entered with a small frown on her face, leading Alkas. "It¡¯s truly unfortunate. We could have met your conditions as well." "Agreement? I don¡¯t know what you mean. The Florence family and I only nned a constructive, future-oriented experiment. The situation I¡¯m in now was simply due to a misunderstanding." Kaylen smiled and reassured her that there were no issues. He never used terms like ¡®ident¡¯ or ¡®agreement¡¯ when referring to his dealings with the Florence family, making it unclear if he was already fulfilling the terms of their agreement. Jane, ring at the snake-like Kaylen, pushed the bound Alkas toward him. "You missed a good opportunity to prove loyalty to the royal family." Loyalty to the royal family. It was Kaylen who had raised Bormian, who was ofmoner descent, to be the founder of the royal family. Kaylen lightly responded to the remark. "Indeed. It¡¯s a shame. There will be another opportunity next time." "...Princess Violet showed interest in your magic, Lord Kaylen. We may visit you again regarding this matter." "That sounds good. The Count of Florence also showed interest in my magic and has been generous in his sponsorship. I hope the princess¡¯s grace will reach me as well." His words were polite, but the underlying message was clear: if you¡¯re interested, you should sponsor him. Jane furrowed her brow and bluntly asked, "How much did the Florence family sponsor?" "They gave me five mid-grade mana stones." "And if I be a Meister, they¡¯ll provide five more mid-grade mana stones, and even promised to lend me a mana suit." "A mana suit too?" Jane¡¯s eyes widened when the mana suit was mentioned. She hadn¡¯t expected that part. "¡­I see. Then, I¡¯ll visit you againter." After hearing that, Jane hurriedly left the room, leaving Alkas behind. Kaylen watched her leave for a moment before getting up and releasing Alkas from his restraints. "Can you stand up... now?" "Of course. Now that the agreement is finished, is your body all right?" "Yes, it¡¯s fine." Kaylen examined Alkas¡¯s body before patting him on the shoulder. "You¡¯ve worked hard, Alkas. From now on, you¡¯re my person. I look forward to working with you." "I¡¯ll serve you with all my loyalty, my lord." "In that case, let me give you a sword." As Kaylen¡¯s right hand glowed slightly, a golden aura the size of a finger appeared, forming into a sword. Alkas''s eyes sparkled as he gazed at the sword. To create something like this so easily... His awe for Kaylen grew immensely. Kaylen smiled as he watched Alkas. "It¡¯s going to hurt a little." The golden sword pierced Alkas¡¯s finger in an instant. "Ugh..." The golden sword didn¡¯t stop at his finger but went deeper, entering his body. It soon found its ce within his Mana Path, moving along it. "This sword is called the ''Sword of Training.''" "Ugh... uhh..." "The sword will guide you on where to pierce your Mana Path." The Sword of Training. It was a method devised by Ernstine, who had be frustrated when the auras of his subordinates and children didn¡¯t improve as expected. The Sword of Training, guided by Ernstine¡¯s will, would find the weak points in the Mana Path and direct the user to pierce them. At the same time, it would help develop the Mana Path and even assist with mana absorption. "Ugh... it¡¯s getting better now." "Once it has fully settled in your body, the pain will disappear. However, when you pierce the blocked Mana Path, the pain may return." "If I can pierce the Mana Path, I¡¯ll endure that pain, of course." "Good thinking." For a moment, Alkas grimaced in pain, but soon his face brightened as he moved his mana. Even though it was just one sword, the way his mana moved had noticeably improved. "The Sword of Training is ultimately just a support tool." "Yes." "You must establish your own sword andpletely build it within your mana hall to be a true sword master. For now, you can ept the help of the Sword of Training, but one day, you must rece it with your own sword." "Understood, my lord." Alkas deeply engraved Kaylen¡¯s words in his heart. His gaze toward Kaylen was full of awe and respect. Seeing this, Kaylen couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. "The Sword of Training has an effect I never intended," Kaylen thought. Those who wielded the Sword of Training tended to trust and revere him more. This wasn¡¯t just because of the sword¡¯s capabilities, though... "It¡¯s not just about the effect. The way their hearts change¡­ I think it¡¯s rted to the fact that the Sword of Training came from me." Was it because Ernstine himself was the origin of the Sword of Training? Those who wielded the Sword of Training were always loyal. Seeing Alkas¡¯s eyes starting to change, resembling those of his former knights, Kaylen suddenly decided to ask something he had been curious about. "Alkas." "Yes!" "What exactly is a mana suit?" "...Huh?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "And you don¡¯t even know what a Meister is, do you?" [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 15 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 15 Alkas was momentarily taken aback. No, how could he not know this? It wasmon knowledge. Even if he came from a rural area, there was no way he could not know. To Alkas, Kaylen finally spoke the words he had prepared in advance. ¡°Why do you think I became a Sword Master? Doesn¡¯t it seem strange? At such a young age, and as a student of the Magic Academy, no less.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om A boy who had never trained,pletely distant from a sword, with a body that looked far from a warrior¡¯s. And yet, this student from the Magic Academy was a Sword Master. If this story were told outside, no one would believe it. ¡°I inherited the power and memories of an ancestor who was a former Sword Master. In exchange, I lost some of my current memories.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± To inherit the power of an ancestor. If anyone else had said this, they would have been treated as insane. But since it was Kaylen, a student of the Magic Academy who had shown the divine status of a Sword Master, it didn¡¯t sound like a lie. As Alkas nodded, Kaylen spoke again. ¡°Then you need to fill in the gaps of mymon sense.¡± ¡°Understood. I will tell you everything I know. Mana suits, Meister¡­ Ah, do you not even know why Mana suits were developed?¡± ¡°Uh, yes, please exin that as well.¡± ¡°Then I will start with that.¡± 500 years ago. Suddenly, dungeons appeared in the world. A passageway used by demons from the Demon Realm, a dungeon. It was known to appear as a precursor to the Demon King¡¯s descent. ¡®I thought I had already driven the Demon King away 1,000 years ago.¡¯ Once driven out, the Demon King would not appear for a thousand years. But dungeons had started appearing 500 years ago? Kaylen was puzzled, but continued to listen to Alkas¡¯s words. ¡°ording to old records, dungeons were said to disappear if the monsters inside were eliminated and the magic circle erased¡­ But the dungeon that appeared back then was different.¡± ¡°How was it different?¡± ¡°The dungeon that appeared 500 years ago had a massive core inside it.¡± If a dungeon was left unchecked, the surrounding area would be devastated by the monsters that continued to emerge from it. So, when a dungeon appeared, one of the main tasks of the military was to send a hunting squad to eliminate it. Kaylen, havingmanded the Empire¡¯s army, was an expert in dungeon eradication, but he had never heard of a dungeon core. ¡°The dungeon¡¯s core resembled a Mana Stone. This could not be destroyed by normal force.¡± ¡°Then what happened?¡± ¡°It required a very powerful destructive force, the power of Mana. For example, a Sword Master¡¯s Aura Sword¡­ or a method where several high-level mages simultaneously cast powerful magic attacks.¡± ¡°Was it that powerful?¡± ¡°Yes. For any dungeon of any level, that much power was needed.¡± Only with a very strong blow of Mana could the core of the dungeon be destroyed. No matter how many soldiers, knights, or mages there were, it was all useless. Unless one reached the highest level, a dungeon could not be destroyed. However, those who reached that level were extremely few, even if you searched the whole world. No matter how hard they tried to destroy the dungeon, they could not keep up with the rate at which they appeared. Moreover, some dungeons housed monstrously strong creatures that made it impossible for even a master to subdue them without taking damage. As dungeons gradually multiplied, monsters began to emerge from them, and humanity started losing ground. ¡°The borders no longer held any meaning.¡± The borders that once defined a nation¡¯s territory. Now, due to the monster uprisings, it no longer mattered whosend this was. The avable forces for dungeon eradication were limited. Except for the capital and other major cities, almost everything was left abandoned. It had been 500 years since the appearance of the dungeons. Humanity¡¯s territory had shrunk, and except for magical teleportation circles, there was no longer any way for nations to interact with each other. Knights who had reached the Master level, high-level mages of the 6th Circle¡­ The core forces capable of destroying dungeon cores had gradually dwindled due to constant battles within the dungeons, and humanity¡¯s future seemed hopeless. ¡°That was when the Mana Suit was introduced.¡± The emergence of dungeons didn¡¯t only put humanity in a desperate situation. Elves, dwarves, and many other races were also facing the threat of losing their homes. Those who had lived in deep forests and high mountains could not defeat the monsters pouring out of the dungeons and ultimately joined humanity to survive. The various races that had gathered together studied and created the Mana Suit. ¡°The Mana Suit is the ultimate weapon among mages, capable of destroying dungeon cores.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°With the advent of the Mana Suit, humanity secured the power to attack the dungeons and managed to reim much of thend that was lost.¡± ¡°I see.¡± As Kaylen nodded, Alkas continued. ¡°The appearance of the Mana Suit may vary, but the basic type resembles a knight¡¯s full te armor.¡± On the surface, it looked like just an ordinary suit of armor. However, the magic circles etched throughout the suit and the Mana Stones embedded in the head and limbs set the Mana Suit apart. ¡°The Mana Suit uses the power of Mana Stones to channel the extreme force of a single elemental attribute.¡± ¡°A single attribute? One of the four great elements?¡± ¡°Yes. Fire, water, wind, earth. By manifesting one of these four elements to its extreme, it raises the strength needed to destroy a dungeon core.¡± Focusing on a single attribute was more efficient in terms of destructive power than having mixed elements. The magic circles and Mana Stones of the Mana Suit were entirely focused on maximizing the power of one elemental attribute. ¡°And those who specialize in using a single attribute to its extreme are called Meisters.¡± ¡°Meisters¡­ So, are they the only ones who can wear a Mana Suit?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that others can¡¯t wear them, but the efficiency drops drastically¡­ so only Meisters typically qualify to use them.¡± To use only one attribute to its extreme. In Kaylen¡¯s era, that would have been unimaginable. After all, to reach a high level as a knight or a mage, one needed a broad understanding of multiple attributes¡­ If one bes fixated on a single attribute, the opportunity for development would disappear. ¡®But it seems like the current era is actually encouraging this. Seeing how even talents like Alkas are wasting away like this.¡¯ Kaylen recalled the conversation he had when he epted Alkas as a subordinate. - "Are you really¡­ sure about this?" "I don¡¯t have the talent to be a Meister. I can''t even wear a Mana Suit." "No matter how skilled I am with a sword, if I don¡¯t have the talent for bing a Meister, in the end, I¡¯m useless." Without the power of a single dominant attribute, one could not wear a Mana Suit. ¡°Are Meisters not limited to knights or mages?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, but¡­ mages generally have the upper hand when ites to drawing out the power of the attributes, and because of that, they tend to be better treated. Knight-born Meisters usually wear lower-grade Mana Suits that only allow them to fight in closebat, while mage-born Meisters use higher-grade Mana Suits that also allow for long-range attacks.¡± ¡°How is the power of the attribute judged?¡± ¡°There is a magic circle that measures the strength of the four major attributes. Through that, one¡¯s affinity for each element is determined.¡± ¡°Hm, and you¡­¡± ¡°Yes. My affinity for all attributes was the same¡­¡± Alkas spoke as if he regretted it. Kaylen was left dumbfounded upon hearing that. Having equal affinity meant that Mana was evenly distributed across all four attributes, allowing them to harmonize. For a knight, this was a great blessing in training. Yet Alkas seemed to view it as a regret¡­ ¡®The world really has changed.¡¯ The changes in the world brought on by the dungeon cores. There wouldn¡¯t just be Mana Suits and Meisters. After organizing the information Alkas had shared in his mind, Kaylen asked again. ¡°Alkas.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If the dungeons have existed since 500 years ago, does that mean the Demon King hasn¡¯t descended?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. The Demon King hasn¡¯t descended, and only lower-level demons have appeared sporadically.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Normally, the appearance of a dungeon would be a signal for the Demon King¡¯s arrival. But seeing how humanity had managed to survive for 500 years, it seemed the Demon King had note. A world vastly different from the one he knew. Kaylen wanted to see the changes of the era with his own eyes. Especially the dungeon cores and Mana Suits. Among them, the Mana Suit was something he could get a glimpse of. ¡°Alkas, what do I need to do to be a Meister?¡± ¡°Do you intend to be a Meister?¡± ¡°I just want to see a Mana Suit.¡± He had been told that if he became a Meister, he could rent a Mana Suit. When Kaylen mentioned his contract with the head of the Florence family, Alkas fell into deep thought. ¡°For knights, the process isplicated. After passing the Meister exam at the Knight Academy, you¡¯ll need to go to a Meister Academy that matches your attribute and train there for many years.¡± ¡°Many years?¡± ¡°Yes, at least five years¡­¡± Go back to an academy again? "Five years?" Furthermore, what they would teach there would likely just be handling the powers of the four major elements. For Kaylen, who could wield not only the four elements but also the sword of light and darkness, it was hardly an appealing option. ¡°What about mages?¡± ¡°Once you reach the 3rd circle, you can apply for the Meister exam. Mages usually take the exam in their third year at the Magic Academy.¡± ¡°The 3rd circle¡­¡± Before forming a Mana Body, it was possible to use 3rd circle magic. However, now, only one Mana Circle had formed, following the shape of his body. "Fireball." Kaylen tried casting a 3rd circle spell as he had done before, but the Fireball didn¡¯t appear. The mana circle could only channel mana through a single circle, and no matter how much he tried, it wouldn¡¯t generate the spell. ¡°Firebolt.¡± Determined, Kaylen tried using a 2nd circle spell. Unlike the Fireball from the 3rd circle, the mana began swirling around in the circle, and a fireball took form. ¡°It worked.¡± ¡°Is¡­ is this Firebolt?¡± Alkas, who was watching Kaylen summon the Firebolt, was left in astonishment. A typical Firebolt of the 2nd circle would usually be an upgrade of the 1st circle Fire Arrow, taking the form of an arrow. But this was more like a long spear than an arrow. The intense heat from it made the surroundings feel as though they could catch fire at any moment. ¡°Dismiss.¡± Kaylen, who was satisfied with the spear-like Firebolt, dismissed it. As he did, the temperature in the room gradually began to cool down. ¡®With one circle, it seems I can use up to the 2nd circle magic.¡¯ The mana in the new circle was certainly sufficient, but perhaps due to his iplete understanding of circle magic, he could only use magic up to the 2nd circle with the one circle marked on his body. ¡®To take the Meister exam, I need the 3rd circle.¡¯ He would need to engrave another circle on his body by investing mana. To do so, an enormous amount of mana would be required¡­ But fortunately for Kaylen, he had just that amount of mana avable. ¡®The Mana Stones from the Florence family.¡¯ One high-grade Mana Stone. Five medium-grade Mana Stones. With that amount of mana, it would be more than enough to form a new circle. ¡®That family is really helping me a lot.¡¯ Originally, Lina de Florence, the true owner of Kaylen¡¯s body, who had used him without hesitation, now appeared almost... appealing in his eyes. ¡®I¡¯ll make good use of it.¡¯ Three dayster, Kaylen was able to inscribe another circle onto his body. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 16 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 16 The Second Mana Circle. It took far more mana than Kaylen had anticipated. This was because the mana already built into his Mana Body needed to be filled further. Additionally, the new Mana Stones didn¡¯t contain the traces of Infinity as before, so absorbing them took more time. ¡°Phew.¡± After absorbing the Mana Stones, Kaylen reached his goal¡ªcreating a second Mana Circle¡ªonly after taking in one high-grade Mana Stone and four medium-grade Mana Stones. ¡°Only one Mana Stone remains.¡± The remaining stone was a medium-grade Mana Stone. Now, for Kaylen, who had already built two Mana Circles and expanded his Mana Body, a single Mana Stone wouldn''t have much effect. ¡®It¡¯s better to sell this for gold.¡¯ A medium-grade Mana Stone was worth about 5,000 gold. Kaylen was curious about its value and asked Alkas. ¡°Can I buy a house in the capital with 5,000 gold?¡± ¡°It depends on the area, but¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯d prefer somewhere near the academy.¡± ¡°The Academy is located in the South River District. Land prices are so high there that you won¡¯t be able to buy a good house for a noble with that much gold.¡± ¡°Not even with 5,000 gold?¡± ¡°Correct. It¡¯s a seller¡¯s market. I know recently, mansions in that area are going for at least 20,000 gold. You might be able to buy a house wheremoners live, but it¡¯ll be far worse than a dormitory.¡± Alkas exined that 5,000 gold would not even cover a mansion. It was better to stay in a dormitory than to live in amoner¡¯s house. ¡°That¡¯s more expensive than I thought.¡± ¡°The rise of dungeons has caused the copse of regional economies and skyrocketednd prices in the capital. I¡¯m sure elite forces equipped with Mana Suits are concentrated there.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± ¡°Plus, many of the major magic towers are located there as well. Hmm... are you nning to continue attending the academy, my lord?¡± ¡°I have to. I need to earn the Meister qualification.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that tuition in the third year of the Magic Academy is outrageous. Some say it costs the equivalent of one Mana Stone¡­ Perhaps it would be better to use your Mana Stones for that?¡± ¡°Really? But there are plenty ofmoners in my academy who attend with me. How do they afford the tuition?¡± ¡°When you reach the third year, you¡¯ll be recognized as a 3rd circle mage, so many magic towers pay the tuition fees in exchange for recruiting you.¡± ¡°I see.¡± A 3rd circle mage at the age of 19 was a remarkable talent. Magic towers eagerly recruited such individuals and often covered their tuition fees, making it a win-win for both the mages and the towers. However, Kaylen had no intention of bing bound to a magic tower. He would leave the decision for further education open for now. Once that was sorted, he realized that he had no money left in hand. But Kaylen wasn¡¯t worried. ¡®Money isn¡¯t as important as the second Mana Circle.¡¯ The more he achieved, the less concerned he was with money. The magic towers would surely bring in the funds when needed. For now, it was important to focus on building his strength. *** Kaylen''s Current State... Kaylen checked his mana level with a thoughtful expression. ¡®In terms of mana...¡¯ He could still use the Aura Sword, but unlike during his days as a Sword Master, he could no longer produce it indefinitely. Although he had upgraded his Mana Body bybining the attributes of the Mana Heart, he still had a long way to go. ¡®If I properly manifest the Aura Sword, it¡¯llst for 20 minutes.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t a demonstration for Alkas; when using the Aura Sword in battle, 20 minutes was the limit. If he triggered Infinity and recharged the mana inside, he might be able to extend it by 10 more minutes. ¡®The Mana Circles should also consume quite a bit of mana.¡¯ Despite absorbing several Mana Stones, a significant portion had already been used to build his Mana Body and inscribe the circles. The total amount of mana still wasn¡¯t sufficient. ¡®But if I gather more mana, my level will increase significantly.¡¯ When he was Ernstine, he could store 100 mana and use 10 to 20 at a time. Now, after constructing his Mana Body, he could store 100 mana and use more than 50 of it. ¡®Right now, I¡¯m a half-hearted Sword Master, but if I expand Infinity and gather more mana, I should be able to regain the power of my former Sword Master self.¡¯ The solution seemed clear: gather more mana. But that wasn¡¯t as easy as it seemed. ¡®Even though my body now ispletely different from before, mana isn¡¯t gathering fast enough.¡¯ Unlike 1,000 years ago, the rate at which mana was umting in his body was far too slow. After creating his Mana Body, it sped up a little, but it still wasn¡¯t at a satisfactory level. He was trying to extract mana from Infinity and use that to expand, but for even faster growth, absorbing external mana was necessary. If it had been his old body, mana would have flowed in from both inside and outside and his growth would have been rapid. Was it because this body wasn¡¯t as good? Kaylen nced over at Alkas. ¡°Hmm...¡± He focused on Alkas and assessed his level through the Sword of Training within his own body. He tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Alkas.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Your Mana Heart stillcks a lot of mana.¡± ¡°I-I''m sorry.¡± ¡°And your Mana Path ispletely blocked. The area where the Sword of Training resides is still sealed.¡± At Kaylen¡¯s criticism, Alkas lowered his head deeply in apology. ¡°I haven¡¯t trained enough, I admit.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± Kaylen reassured him. ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, you¡¯ve been quite diligent.¡± Those with swordsmanship talent often relied on their innate gifts. They were so talented that they didn¡¯t put in much effort, and many were what peoplemonly referred to as zy geniuses." But Alkas wasn¡¯t like them. Whenever Kaylen absorbed Mana Stones and found time to teach, Alkas epted the lessons with great reverence and practiced tirelessly, sometimes even staying up all night to improve. He was one of the most diligent knights Kaylen had ever trained. In terms of diligence, Alkas ranked among the top ten out of all the knights Kaylen had ever mentored. Yet, despite this, Alkas¡¯ Sword of Training wasn¡¯t moving at all. This meant that the Mana Heart wasn¡¯t absorbing mana properly. Kaylen''s body was one thing, but seeing someone like Alkas, a person with both talent and effort, facing this issue meant that there was something wrong. ¡®Looking at Alkas, I can clearly see. The mana in the air has decreased.¡¯ While it was hard to be certain when only observing his own body, seeing Alkas confirmed his suspicions. Compared to the world a thousand years ago, the amount of mana was definitely lower now. ¡®The level of mages is the same. While magic engineering has advanced with the development of mana suits... the level of Circle Mages has dropped significantlypared to the past.¡¯ In the past, Tower Masters of the Magic Towers were often 7th Circle Mages, with asional 8th Circle Mages. But in the current era, Tower Masters were mostly stuck at the 5th Circle, and reaching the 6th Circle was a cause for admiration. Mana, in general, was far scarcer than before. Although Kaylen didn¡¯t know the exact cause, he had alreadye to the conclusion that obtaining mana was much harder than it used to be. He decided to act with that understanding in mind. Kaylen looked at Alkas. In the past, giving him just a single Sword of Training would have been enough to help him grow. But now, things were different. Two swords were needed to meet Kaylen¡¯s standards of growth. ¡°Alkas. Can you handle another sword?¡± ¡°I can adapt to one Sword of Training quickly, but with two, the difort in my Mana Path will increase, and the pain wille much more frequently.¡± Kaylen warned him that the difort would be at least ten times greaterpared to handling one sword. But Alkas didn¡¯t seem to care about that warning. ¡°I can endure it. Please, I beg you. Give me the sword!¡± After the first Sword of Training settled into his body, the amount of mana flowing into him had increased drastically. His previously blocked Mana Path was slowly starting to open up. Even though he knew he wasn¡¯t yet up to Kaylen¡¯s standards, Alkas was greatly satisfied with his progress. His growth was clearly different from the past. And now, Kaylen was offering him another Sword of Training¡ªsomething precious. ¡®The pain doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ Alkas'' plea made Kaylen smile. ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± From his hand, a golden sword the size of a finger appeared and swiftly entered Alkas¡¯ body. The moment the second sword entered, Alkas¡¯ previously bright expression twisted into one of agony. ¡°Ugh...!¡± The pain from the second sword was on an entirely different levelpared to the first. Though Alkas didn¡¯t want to show any weakness in front of his lord, his body trembled uncontrobly. His face turned bright red, and veins bulged across his body.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Kaylen observed him with admiration. ¡®That¡¯s impressive. His willpower is extraordinary.¡¯ Those with the gift for swordsmanship often tended to be arrogant andcked strong willpower. But seeing Alkas endure the pain like this, Kaylen thought that his willpower ranked among the top two he had trained in the past. Most knights couldn¡¯t bear such pain and would writhe on the ground, but Alkas stood firm. ¡®Even the king of this country, Bormian...¡¯ ¡®Just like him.¡¯ Bormian, the spear-wielding king. For him, Kaylen had created a Sword of Training tailored specifically to him, but when the second one came, Bormian had copsed, crying out, ¡°My lord, please save me!¡± rolling on the ground in agony. Inparison, Alkas¡ªwhose Mana Heart and Mana Path were still undeveloped¡ªwas enduring this pain remarkably well. Alkas¡¯s condition looked horrific. His veins were bursting, leaving bruises across his entire body, and his arms began to bulge in a simr way to Kaylen''s. ¡°Should I take it out?¡± ¡°No. I can endure it!¡± Alkas responded swiftly, his determination unwavering despite the intense pain. He gritted his teeth, slowly getting used to the agony. Just as he was beginning to limate to the pain, a knock sounded at the door. Knock, knock. ¡°Kaylen, may Ie in for a moment?¡± Hearing the familiar voice, Kaylen furrowed his brows. It was the worst possible time¡ªAlkas was going through an important training phase, and now someone was interrupting. ¡°Yes,e in, teacher.¡± The door opened, and a middle-aged mage entered the room. It was O''Connell, Kaylen¡¯s magic professor, who, under the guise of checking on his students, had been frequently visiting the infirmary. Of course, his true intentions weren¡¯t so innocent. ¡°Kaylen.¡± O''Connell grinned as he entered. After briefly ncing at Alkas, whose face was flushed and swollen from the pain, he turned to Kaylen. ¡°Your new bodyguard doesn¡¯t look so good.¡± ¡°There¡¯s been an incident.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ What kind of experiment are you doing? If you tell me roughly what it is, I might be able to help.¡± Kaylen, eyeing O''Connell¡¯s gaze as he looked at both him and Alkas, thought that his eyes resembled those of a rat. Kaylen wasn¡¯t sure if O''Connell had been approached by the first prince''s faction, but since the incident, O''Connell had beening to him daily, eagerly trying to gather information. Despite iming to be worried as a teacher, O''Connell was clearly trying to get free information, without offering anything in return. Kaylen had no intention of giving out free information, so he lightly dismissed O''Connell¡¯s suggestion. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s a joint project with the Florence family.¡± As soon as Kaylen mentioned the Florence family, O''Connell¡¯s expression shifted slightly. Mentioning the Florence family was like using a shield, and Kaylen wasn¡¯t giving him any openings. In the past, Kaylen had been a naive student, doing whatever he was told without questioning it. But now, he was apletely different person. ¡°¡­Then, I guess I have no choice but to let it go.¡± O''Connell seemed to relent, but then his eyes shifted as he looked at Alkas, and he began talking about something else. ¡°By the way, your body seems to be recovering. Shouldn¡¯t you be heading to ss soon?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°But¡­ what about magic? Can you keep using it?¡± O''Connell¡¯s mention of Alkas was just a probing attempt, as he quickly shifted to his real objective. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± O''Connell then cut to the point. ¡°After this unfortunate incident, we need to test if you can still carry out your duties as a mage.¡± ¡°¡­What kind of test are you talking about?¡± ¡°We need to measure whether you can still use 2nd-circle magic, whether the flow of mana is stable, and if there¡¯s any risk involved. All of that should be checked.¡± ¡°I can still use 2nd-circle magic, though.¡± ¡°Even so, we need to conduct a precise measurement to make sure you can make up for the sses you missed due to this unfortunate ident.¡± ¡°sses¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve missed several weeks already. At this rate, even if you do reach 3rd-circle, you won¡¯t meet the promotion requirements.¡± O''Connell¡¯s smile was insidious, almost as if he relished the power of using ss attendance as leverage. Rather than genuinely worrying about Kaylen¡¯s well-being, he was pushing for a test under the guise of making up missed sses. Through this test, O''Connell was likely hoping to figure out the abnormal strength of Kaylen¡¯s magic that had been experienced by the maid, no doubt wanting to understand it for himself. His motives were clear, and the smile on his face only grew more smug. ¡°The test is simple.¡± ¡°Sounds like you want an immediate answer. Should I give you a response by tomorrow?¡± With that, O''Connell exited the room, his smile still intact as he left. Kaylen calmly watched him go. ¡°Master, are you okay?¡± Alkas¡¯s voice held concern, but Kaylen¡¯s reply was light. ¡°The first prince¡¯s side must not have much money. They''re trying to milk us dry.¡± Kaylen answered Alkas¡¯s worry with a casual response. ¡°If they keep pushing like this, we¡¯ll have a way to handle it on our end.¡± [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 17 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 17 "Kaylen, one of Mr. O¡¯Connell¡¯s students, seems to have used some remarkable magic. Princess Violet has asked you to look into it, sir." "Remarkable magic, you say?" When O¡¯Connell first heard this from the maid, he found it hard to believe. He knew a bit about this student named Kaylen. No outstanding talent. No passion for effort. Lazy and gluttonous. A failing student who barely managed the 2nd Circle¡ªif that even. Even though Jane had personally testified that she was blown away by Kaylen¡¯s 1st Circle Wind Magic¡­ "Knights are always useless. Now they¡¯re even spouting nonsense." O¡¯Connell didn¡¯t believe it easily. The Kaylen he knew was just that much of a failure. "Princess Violet said that if he shows significant ability, she¡¯d even provide him with an Intermediate Mana Stone. If he¡¯s hesitant to disclose information, she¡¯s willing to give up to three Mana Stones aspensation for urate details." However, the princess seemed to think differently, going as far as offering three Mana Stones. "Three Mana Stones?" O¡¯Connell¡¯s thoughts shifted. "I know that Kaylen kid well enough." The student he observed in ss. A feeble kid who¡¯d spill everything under the pressure of his teacher¡¯s authority. "Though I can¡¯t outright threaten him. I need a legitimate reason." O¡¯Connell decided on a test as his justification. If he framed it as a condition for advancing, Kaylen would have no choice but toply. "I¡¯ll get the information from him and make use of those Mana Stones myself." Now, O¡¯Connell hoped Kaylen had some worthwhile information. Only then would the princess provide the Mana Stones. O¡¯Connell was already excited about getting his hands on them. However¡­ "I refuse to take the test you mentioned, sir." "What¡­" "I can use magic. I see no reason to follow such an order." When O¡¯Connell visited the next day, Kaylen confidently informed him. "You¡¯re refusing the test?" "Yes. And I¡¯ll be attending sses again starting tomorrow, so there¡¯s no need for you to visit me anymore." With that, Kaylen politely bowed to O¡¯Connell. "Now, I need to pack my things. Please leave, sir." "You¡­ Kaylen. Even with your stupidity, you don¡¯t understand the implications of what I¡¯m saying?" "Oh, I understand perfectly." As O¡¯Connell growled with a threatening tone, Kaylen began stepping closer. "A teacher, who calls himself my advisor¡­" Step. Step. Kaylen approached. "¡­visiting a student recovering in the infirmary¡­" His body, onceughable due to its uncontroble weight, had transformed. While stillrge, it no longer evoked ridicule but rather an imposing presence. "Using advancement as a pretext to intimidate me..." Kaylen stepped forward, closing the distance by a single stride. Gone were his formerly vacant eyes. His golden eyes now shone with a sharp brilliance, exuding a piercing gaze. Along with that gaze, an overwhelming intensity emanated from him. It wasn¡¯t the aura of a mage but that of a ferocious beast, like a bear approaching its prey. Unconsciously, O¡¯Connell took a step back. His body shuddered as goosebumps spread across his skin. "Isn¡¯t this what you meant, sir?" Kaylen¡¯s voice was calm but firm. "I¡¯ll see you in ss tomorrow. Please leave now." Is this kid defying me? I¡¯ll make sure he never dreams of advancing! How dare this country bumpkin¡­! Those words swirled in O¡¯Connell¡¯s mind, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say them. Because¡­ As much as he hated to admit it, he was scared. It felt like he had defied someone he should never have crossed. ''Damn it, what¡¯s wrong with my body?!'' Kaylen hadn¡¯t done anything extraordinary. He had merely risen from his bed and walked over. Yet O¡¯Connell waspletely overpowered by Kaylen¡¯s sheer presence, unable to move or speak. "Fine. We¡¯ll see¡­ about this." Grinding his teeth, O¡¯Connell forced his trembling legs to step back. But his unsteady body quickly lost its bnce. Thud! O¡¯Connell fell t on his back. Kaylen smirked at the sight. "Your lower body seems weak, sir. Perhaps you should exercise more." "You¡­!" What an embarrassing disy. O¡¯Connell couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened. Kaylen hadn¡¯t physically harmed him. He had merely walked toward him, yet O¡¯Connell had been so overwhelmed by his aura that his body trembled uncontrobly, and he fell over on his own. "I¡¯ll see you tomorrow." Kaylen¡¯s words hung in the air as O¡¯Connell, his face flushed red, scrambled to his feet and fled the room. ''This bastard¡­!'' Watching O¡¯Connell¡¯s retreating figure, Kaylen chuckled softly. "I just wanted to scare him a little. I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d crumble so easily."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "That¡­ was only a little scare?" Standing nearby, Alkas, who had been observing the entire scene, spoke in disbelief. "I thought that mage was going to wet himself. Your aura was terrifying." Flustered, Alkas asked back, "If he''s a mage, shouldn¡¯t he be able to withstand at least this much? If he quakes like that, how would he survive on a battlefield teeming with arrows?" "Lord, he¡¯ll remember this humiliation and likely continue to interfere with you. It could be quite bothersome..." "It¡¯s fine. I have my ways," Kaylen replied, lying back on his bed as he nced at Alkas. "Let¡¯s just focus on packing." Meanwhile, O¡¯Connell, still fuming from the humiliation of being overwhelmed by Kaylen, stormed through the academy grounds. Kaylen¡¯s actions hadn¡¯t involved any direct violence. It was simply that O¡¯Connell, crushed under the weight of Kaylen¡¯s aura, had toppled over on his own. But no matter how much presence someone exuded, could a mage, not even a knight, produce such an overpowering aura? As O¡¯Connell pondered, he arrived at a conclusion. "That brat¡­ Did he have a knight hidden behind him?!" If that were the case, it would exin the tremor he had felt earlier. The distance between him and the knight might have been considerable, but¡­ The knight must have been exceptionally skilled. The thought only fueled O¡¯Connell¡¯s anger. It felt as if Kaylen had deliberately schemed to make a fool out of him. "Did you find out anything?" At that moment, Jane, the maid, approached and asked. O¡¯Connell tried to calm himself but still couldn¡¯t hide his bitterness. "Miss Jane, that boy¡­ doesn¡¯t seem to be worth all this attention." "Really? Is that so?" "Yes. He only rambled incoherently when asked about magic, unable to provide proper answers. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s worth Princess Violet¡¯s concern." "But the Wind Magic he used that day was quite powerful..." "It seems it was just a one-time fluke after the incident. When I asked if he could replicate it, he fumbled and avoided answering." O¡¯Connell lied through his teeth, badmouthing Kaylen without hesitation. Jane tilted her head slightly in doubt but didn¡¯t press further. "Is that so¡­? The magic he disyed at the time was certainly impressive, though." Still, she figured a mage like O¡¯Connell would have a better eye for assessing such things. She didn¡¯t suspect he might harbor a grudge against a mere student and quickly epted his words. "Either way, it seems unnecessary for the princess to waste her energy on that boy." "I see. Then we won¡¯t need the Mana Stones either." At the mention of the Mana Stones, O¡¯Connell flinched slightly. Though blinded by anger and resentment, he hesitated to let the Mana Stones slip away so easily. "Just in case, I¡¯ll look into him further. Even if it¡¯s not about the magic, he might have some connection to the Florence family." "Alright. Let¡¯s proceed that way for now. The princess will soon be busy preparing for the tournament, so I¡¯ll leave this matter to you, Mr. O¡¯Connell." "Understood." Having been entrusted with the matter of Kaylen, O¡¯Connell smirked slyly. "I¡¯ll use every bit of my authority to ruin your life as a mage." While a teacher at the Magic Academy didn¡¯t wield limitless power, they could make life miserable for a student without connections. With help from his fellow instructors, taking down a student like Kaylen would be effortless. If his career waspletely destroyed, Kaylen wouldn¡¯t maintain that insolent attitude for long. "Whatever he¡¯s hiding, he¡¯ll eventually kneel and beg me for mercy, offering up his secrets," O¡¯Connell thought smugly. At that time, his confidence was unwavering. Two weeks after the incident, Kaylen returned to his studies. Although his sudden weight loss briefly caught some attention, that was the extent of it. Most students at the academy were too busy with their own work to pay him any heed. One noticeable change, however, was Lina approaching him, biting her lip nervously. "My father is curious about how the experiment is going," she said. "So, your patron is already showing interest," Kaylen replied indifferently. "It¡¯s still in the early stages. Tell him to wait." "¡­That¡¯s it?" "Yeah." Lina knew exactly how much her father had invested in this endeavor¡ªone high-grade Mana Stone and five mid-grade Mana Stones, equivalent to a staggering 75,000 gold. Despite receiving such a substantial investment, Kaylen¡¯s dismissive response made her seethe with frustration. "Leave." At Kaylen¡¯s curtmand, she bit her lip again, unable to say anything further, and turned away. Watching Lina retreat silently to her seat, the surrounding students began to whisper among themselves. "Wasn¡¯t Kaylen basically Lina¡¯spdog?" "Something¡¯s changed between them." "That guy¡¯s acting differently now." Of course, their interest didn¡¯tst long. "Let¡¯s begin the ss." When their homeroom mage, O¡¯Connell, entered, the students quickly returned their focus to their studies. After all, Kaylen was just a backwater student, a 2nd-circle mage with subpar grades. No matter how much he changed, to them, he was simply a ssmate they wouldn¡¯t see again after this semester. However, it didn¡¯t take long for Kaylen to draw their attention again. It happened during O¡¯Connell¡¯s "Introduction to 3rd-Circle Magic" ss. "Kaylen, what¡¯s the meaning of what I just said?" "Kaylen,e to the front and solve this problem." "Kaylen." Kaylen¡¯s name echoed through the ssroom at ten-minute intervals. At first, the students thought he was called randomly, but as the pattern continued, they realized the truth. Kaylen had been targeted by their teacher. "What¡¯s with him? What did he do to get singled out?" "Seriously, the teacher keeps calling him." "And all the questions are ridiculously hard." Before Kaylen¡¯s recent hospitalization, O¡¯Connell had barely acknowledged his existence. To O¡¯Connell, a student¡¯s worth was determined by one of two things: their family background or their exceptional talent. Kaylen, who had neither, didn¡¯t meet O¡¯Connell¡¯s standards in the slightest. Kaylen had once been ignored entirely, but now it was painfully obvious to the entire ss: their teacher was fixated on him. Even the top-performing students would struggle with the kinds of questions O¡¯Connell posed, but Kaylen¡¯s reactions were downright infuriating. "I don¡¯t know." "Not a clue," Kaylen would answer, shrugging his shoulders. Though his responses were polite, there was something about his demeanor that was subtly provoking. It was as if he was toying with O¡¯Connell, and everyone in the room could sense it. ¡®Oh, he¡¯s definitely doing this on purpose,¡¯ the students thought. "This is disappointing. How can a student not know this?" "Are you even paying attention in ss?" "With this level of understanding, there¡¯s no way I can give you a passing grade in Introduction to 3rd-Circle Magic. It¡¯s like you¡¯re not even trying!" O¡¯Connell didn¡¯t hesitate to use grades as leverage, tantly threatening Kaylen. The other students, watching this unfold, couldn¡¯t help but feel ufortable. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him? Is this really about ss performance?¡¯ Still, they kept their heads down, unwilling to get involved. ¡®Better not get dragged into this mess.¡¯ ¡®I can¡¯t afford to be on the teacher¡¯s bad side.¡¯ O¡¯Connell¡¯s vendetta against Kaylen became clear when, at the end of ss, he addressed the group. "I¡¯ve never had such a disappointing student in all my years here. I hope the rest of you are careful about thepany you keep. You know what I mean." With that, O¡¯Connell left the room, leaving an awkward silence in his wake. What did Kaylen do to deserve this? Did a teacher have the right to act like this? These were the questions on everyone¡¯s minds, but none dared to ask Kaylen directly. It was the second semester of their second year¡ªa critical period for any aspiring mage. Crossing the wrong teacher could ruin their future prospects, so it was better to stay uninvolved. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t just O¡¯Connell. "Kaylen, is that you? Answer this question," demanded another professor during a subsequent ss. "Tsk, tsk. How can you call yourself a mage if you don¡¯t know this?" Again and again, instructors posed absurdly difficult questions, criticizing Kaylen relentlessly when he didn¡¯t provide the correct answers. Several even hinted that his grades might suffer if he continued to "perform poorly." By the end of the week, nearly half of the academy¡¯s faculty had joined in this campaign of targeted harassment. ¡®Wow, this is insane. It¡¯s like they¡¯ve all teamed up against him.¡¯ ¡®Did he insult O¡¯Connell or something?¡¯ As if that wasn¡¯t enough, Kaylen¡¯s ssmates avoided him entirely, not wanting to risk associating with him. Five days passed like this. Kaylen, however, remained unfazed. His unyielding demeanor baffled everyone, especially his tormentors. The Swordmaster who had returned after a millennium refused to bend. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 18 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 18 "Kaylen, this question..." "I don''t know." Kaylen answered the teacher''s question simply and returned his gaze to his book. The teacher''s face turned red and then pale. "You didn''t even look at the question! Why is your attitude so disrespectful?" "I''m just answering honestly that I don''t know." Kaylen, with his eyes still fixed on the book titled Fundamentals of Mana Suits: Structure and Understanding, let the teacher''s scolding pass in one ear and out the other. ¡®Human strength has weakenedpared to the past, but mana suits make up for all of it.¡¯ In a world with dwindling mana and the rampant spread of dungeons, the existence of mana suits alone was holding the chaos at bay. ¡®I want to try handling one myself.¡¯ No matter how much he read about them, nothingpared to hands-on experience. ¡®But to do that, I¡¯ll need to be a Meister first.¡¯ "Kaylen! This question..." "I don¡¯t know." "You don¡¯t know even this basic question? I¡¯ll have to deduct points for your poor attitude in ss!" "Sure, do as you wish." "You... You insolent¡ª!" At the Magic Academy, point deductions were what students feared most. The academy attracted prodigies from all over the region, and the grading scale was sopetitive that even a single deduction could drastically lower a student¡¯s rank. But Kaylen didn¡¯t care in the slightest whether his points were docked or not. "This brat...!" The teacher¡¯s face turned crimson. Using grades as leverage had always worked to keep students in line, but this one seemed utterly unbothered. After being asked by O¡¯Connell to give Kaylen a hard time, the teacher found himself only growing more frustrated. This wasn¡¯t just this teacher¡¯s experience¡ªevery instructor, including O¡¯Connell, faced the same infuriating results. Kaylen¡¯s attitude was subtly provocative in a way that made them want to hit him, despite their professional restraint. In contrast, Kaylen remainedpletely indifferent. In fact... ¡®This Magic Academy is surprisingly gentle.¡¯ Kaylen recalled his days as a noble attending the Knight Academy in the past. Back then, corporal punishment and verbal abuse were routine. Inparison, the Magic Academy, with its bookish instructors, felt remarkably peaceful. And yet, they considered this kind of treatment harassment. "I¡¯m deducting points for you this time!" "Yes, understood." Without even looking up, Kaylen nodded casually. It didn¡¯t matter to him how many points were deducted; his grades were irrelevant. After all, Kaylen¡¯s current academic standing was... ¡®In the very bottom ranks.¡¯ When Kaylen decided to pursue the path of bing a Meister and aim for promotion to the third year, this fact was already clear to him. He could recall Kaylen¡¯s academic performance. In theory sses, Kaylen performedparably to most average students. However, in practical assessments, he was consistently among the lowest-ranked. On a grading scale ranging from A+ to F, his overall average hovered close to a C. While this ced him roughly in the middle percentile in terms of raw scores,pared to the average grades of other Magic Academy students, his standing was considerably low. ¡®Advancing to the third year requires more than just achieving the 3rd Circle.¡¯ ording to academy regtions, a student needed both mastery of the 3rd Circle and a cumtive average of at least a B grade to qualify for promotion. For most students who reached the 3rd Circle, their practical skills were naturally strong enough to secure high marks, making this requirement essentially a formality. However, in Kaylen¡¯s case, meeting this criterion was significantly more challenging. ¡®Well, if I reveal I¡¯ve achieved the 3rd Circle, I¡¯ll qualify for additional training. That could provide the grades I need.¡¯ There had been rare cases in the past of students in simr situations. asionally, a struggling 2nd Circle mage would make a breakthrough during the school break and ascend to the 3rd Circle. Such students were often supported by their homeroom teacher, who would guide them through supplementary training to adjust their grades and help them advance to the third year. In these scenarios, the homeroom teacher¡¯s role was crucial. Normally, the promotion of a 3rd Circle mage would be considered a cause for celebration, and the teacher would enthusiastically assist. ¡®But O¡¯Connell doesn¡¯t seem like the type to do that.¡¯ Even if he pretended to help, he¡¯d likely demand to test Kaylen¡¯s abilities under the guise of verification and then exploit him for information. Kaylen had no intention of ying along with such schemes. Moreover, additional training would mean endless hours of irrelevant coursework. Much of the academy¡¯s curriculum revolved around visualizing elemental magic, something Kaylen already excelled at. Spending time on such lessons felt like a waste. Thus, advancing through the standard route wasn¡¯t an option for him. Fortunately, the academy had another way. ¡°...ss dismissed.¡± The practical ss in which Kaylen had just been penalized came to an end. tter. As the students were getting ready to leave, their homeroom teacher, O¡¯Connell, entered and called out, ¡°Everyone, stay seated for a moment.¡± Reluctantly, the students returned to their seats. ¡°You¡¯re all aware of the Superior Mage title, correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Superior Mage was a prestigious title granted to only eight students in the academy. Every year, candidates were chosen through apetitive selection tournament. Those who earned the title received numerous benefits within the academy. ¡°The Superior Mage selection tournament will be held soon.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± The students¡¯ responses were lukewarm. The tournament was open to all students from the first to third years, but¡­ In reality, it was dominated by third-year students with at least 3rd Circle capabilities. ¡®I¡¯m already struggling to reach the 3rd Circle, and now there¡¯s a tournament?¡¯ ¡®Who has the time forpetitions when there¡¯s so much studying to do?¡¯ For second-year students focused on advancing, the tournament felt far removed from their priorities. Even among the few who had achieved the 3rd Circle, interest was minimal. ¡®Even if we participate, we¡¯ll just end up as background props for the seniors.¡¯ "This year, there are too many strong third-year seniors, so..." O¡¯Connell trailed off, watching the students¡¯ lukewarm reactions. Clearing his throat softly, he continued, ¡°Ahem. Anyway, there¡¯s been a notice encouraging participation from lower-year students since it¡¯s always just the third-years who apply.¡± With that, O¡¯Connell scanned the ssroom. ¡°Lina, it¡¯s been a while since you reached the 3rd Circle. How about giving it a try?¡± ¡°Ah, teacher. I¡¯m stillcking in so many ways¡­ If I participate, it¡¯ll just bring shame to our ss.¡± ¡°Elid, what about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the same position, sir. I only just advanced to the 3rd Circle¡­¡± O¡¯Connell asked each of the students in the ss who had reached the 3rd Circle, but everyone declined. ¡°This is troublesome...¡± He needed at least one or two participants, but none of the students were willing to volunteer. O¡¯Connell looked around at each of them, yet no one dared meet his gaze¡ªexcept for one person. Kaylen. With his usual rxed demeanor, he was calmly reading a book. When he felt O¡¯Connell¡¯s eyes on him, Kaylen nced up briefly and¡­ Let out a small chuckle. ¡®...That brat, I can¡¯t stand him.¡¯ Kaylen ignored the other students as if they didn¡¯t exist. Despite being pressured from all sides by the teachers over his grades, his expression remained unbothered andposed. Having taught for over ten years, O¡¯Connell prided himself on being able to read people. He could tell when someone was bluffing. But Kaylen¡¯s attitude wasn¡¯t an act. ¡®Honestly, I¡¯d rather just leave him be.¡¯ However, the Superior Mage selection tournament was only open to students who had achieved the 3rd Circle. Allowing someone unqualified to participate would only lead to trouble from above. Resigned, O¡¯Connell shifted his gaze elsewhere. At that moment, Kaylen raised his hand. ¡°...What now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll apply.¡± ¡°What? You?¡± O¡¯Connell couldn¡¯t hide his disbelief. A mere 2nd Circle mage applying for the tournament? ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Put your hand down. Only students who¡¯ve reached the 3rd Circle are eligible.¡± ¡°Then I qualify.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve reached the 3rd Circle. I¡¯m eligible.¡± Kaylen spoke calmly, his expressionpletely unchanging. ¡°Hah. What nonsense¡­¡± O¡¯Connell, who was well aware of Kaylen¡¯s current skill level, mumbled in disbelief. But then Kaylen¡¯s next words made his brow furrow. ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± ¡°...What?¡± "I¡¯ll prove it by casting a 3rd Circle spell." Kaylen¡¯s confident attitude grated on O¡¯Connell. Already holding a negative view of Kaylen, O¡¯Connell disliked his smug demeanor even more. ''Does this brat think he¡¯s special? What¡¯s he up to now?'' The thought crossed O¡¯Connell¡¯s mind that this might somehow be rted to the recent chain of ¡°incidents.¡± ¡°How will you prove it?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯ll demonstrate with magic.¡± ¡°...Fine. Let¡¯s head to the training hall.¡± The training hall was the only ce in the academy where magic could be freely performed. All other areas, except for experimental zones, were protected by powerful anti-magic barrier spells. Hearing O¡¯Connell¡¯s suggestion, Kaylen grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then.¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± Kaylen stood up abruptly and followed O¡¯Connell out of the ssroom. As the two exited, the ssroom erupted into chatter. ¡°Hey¡­ do you think it¡¯s true?¡± ¡°No way. Kaylen, a 3rd Circle mage? That¡¯s impossible to believe.¡± ¡°Exactly. He¡¯s never shown any talent before. How could someone like him suddenly be 3rd Circle?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°But still¡­ he seemed so confident about it.¡± ¡°Should we go check it out?¡± The idea that Kaylen, who had always been firmly at the bottom of the rankings, was now iming to have reached the 3rd Circle sparked disbelief. Yet, curiosity got the better of some students, and they began heading to the training hall. Among them was Lina, who thought to herself, ''Could it really be true?'' *** ¡°Fireball.¡± Arriving at the training hall, Kaylen cast one of the most emblematic 3rd Circle spells: Fireball. However, the fireball was noticeably smaller than average¡ªless than half the usual size. Yet, despite its size, the energy contained within was potent. ''It¡¯s notplete yet,'' Kaylen mused. To O¡¯Connell, though, only the size caught his attention. ''He can actually use 3rd Circle magic¡­ but how?'' O¡¯Connell was struck with disbelief. ''Could this somehow be connected to the request Jane made?'' The information Jane had asked him to gather now resurfaced in his mind. Up until just moments ago, O¡¯Connell was convinced someone like Kaylen couldn¡¯t possibly have any special abilities. But seeing this spell made him waver. ''Does Kaylen really possess some extraordinary power?'' The image of the mana stone Jane had mentioned shed through O¡¯Connell¡¯s mind. O¡¯Connell¡¯s frustration reached its peak. ''If I can probe further here¡­ I might be able to get my hands on the mana stone.'' Fueled by ambition, he made the worst possible decision. ¡°I cannot ept this as proof.¡± Despite the fireball clearly being a legitimate 3rd Circle spell, O¡¯Connell dismissed it. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too small.¡± ¡°I reduced the size intentionally,¡± Kaylen countered. O¡¯Connell scoffed at the exnation. Intentionally resizing a 3rd Circle spell? Such precise control was only possible for a mage of the 4th Circle or higher. ¡°Kaylen, stop lying. Cast it properly again if you want me to believe you.¡± Hoping to extract more information, O¡¯Connell pushed Kaylen to try again. But Kaylen simply shook his head. ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying.¡± ¡°You little¡ª! I¡¯m giving you a chance here!¡± ¡°If you still don¡¯t believe me, perhaps you should test it yourself,¡± Kaylen replied, pointing a finger at O¡¯Connell. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be fitting for someone of your level to block my spell personally?¡± ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± Mentioning the 4th Circle struck a nerve. O¡¯Connell¡¯s face darkened immediately because his current level was only at the 3rd Circle. The 4th Circle was O¡¯Connell¡¯s sore spot, an unattainable height no matter how much effort he poured in. If he had reached it, he wouldn¡¯t have been stuck as an academy instructor despite his affiliation with the prestigious Red Tower. ¡°My mistake,¡± Kaylen continued with feigned contrition, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a teacher to be at the same Circle as a student.¡± ¡°You insolent¡ª¡± ¡°Insolent? Oh, please. We¡¯re equals, aren¡¯t we? No need for harsh words,¡± Kaylen said, his smirk growing wider. It wasn¡¯t just a smirk¡ªit was a tant taunt. O¡¯Connell¡¯s fury boiled over. ''How dare this brat mock me for being a 3rd Circle mage?'' Allposure was gone, reced by a single, burning desire: to put this upstart in his ce. ¡°Fine. Show me what you¡¯ve got!¡± ¡°Are you sure you want this?¡± Kaylen asked, his voice calm butced with amusement. ¡°I¡¯m sure. But you better prepare yourself¡ªI¡¯ll show you what a real 3rd Circle mage is capable of.¡± The mention of ¡°attack and defense¡± implied that O¡¯Connell nned to counter, not just block, Kaylen¡¯s magic. A teacher attacking a student¡ªit was utterly inappropriate. ¡°S-Sir! You can¡¯t seriously mean that!¡± The watching students, rmed, tried to intervene. Kaylen raised a hand to stop them, his smile unwavering. ¡°Let him. This could be fun.¡± His tone was cheerful, yet his eyes gleamed with a sharpness that made O¡¯Connell hesitate for a brief moment. ¡°Let¡¯s do this properly, shall we?¡± Kaylen said, stepping forward confidently. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 19 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 19 Kaylen looked around. The students who hade to watch the confrontation between Kaylen and O''Connell. They were anxiously watching, wondering if something bad was going to happen, given O''Connell¡¯s anger. A 3rd Circle spell has such enormous power that, even without an intent to kill, it could easily result in death. ¡°Everyone, leave the training area.¡± ¡°Teacher¡­ what if something happens¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you trust my skills, Elid? You¡¯re also a 3rd Circle, aren¡¯t you?¡± O''Connell red sharply at the student trying to stop him. Elid, one of the few 3rd Circle mages in the ss, shut his mouth, intimidated by that gaze. ''This crazy guy. Touching the one thing the homeroom teacher hates the most...!'' ¡°This disrespectful brat, I¡¯ll teach him a lesson and kick him out. You all better leave and stop watching!¡± O''Connell, firmly convinced he would win, didn¡¯t want to show a scene of him beating up one of his own students in front of the ss. With a fierce look, he repeatedly told the students to leave the training area¡­ Eventually, the students, unable to hide their worried expressions, had no choice but to leave. ¡°Ugh. Did you see the homeroom teacher¡¯s gaze? He looked like he was going to kill him.¡± ¡°Kaylen¡¯s crazy. Why did he even mention being a 3rd Circle mage?¡± ¡°Hey. What if an ident happens?¡± The students who left the training area began talking among themselves, expressing their concerns. They couldn¡¯t speak freely in front of O''Connell, but once they were outside, their worries grew. Even if the target was Kaylen, someone the ss had no respect for, killing someone was a different matter. Among them was Lina. ''If I think about how my family¡¯s position copsed because of him, I wish he¡¯d just die¡­'' But remembering the mana stones my family had invested in him, she knew he couldn¡¯t die here. Lina looked around. The magic training area. Located in a separate building outside, the magic training area was divided into 33 independent spaces. The training area O''Connell and Kaylen entered was the 8th training area. In front of the 8th training area and the entrance was the 1st training area. ''The 1st training area is the best one. Only royalty can use it.'' Lina looked toward the 1st training area. Several women in maid outfits were waiting by the door. ''If the maids of Princess Violet are here, that means the princess is training in the area.'' Could the princess stop O''Connell? Lina, carefully observing the 1st training area, raised her voice. ¡°Elid, shouldn¡¯t we try to stop them somehow?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the homeroom teacher¡¯s face earlier? How are we supposed to stop this?¡± ¡°Still. He could actually kill Kaylen, right? O''Connell might kill him!¡± Lina shouted loudly, causing the maids in front of the 1st training area to frown. The princess was training inside, and here they were, making such a ruckus. But one of the maids, Jane, thought differently. ''O''Connell, and Kaylen?'' O''Connell had loudly proimed that he would handle getting information from Kaylen himself. And now, to say he would kill him? What was this nonsense? As Jane stiffened her expression and was about to approach Lina, the door to the 1st training area creaked open. Kaylen, who had been watching O''Connell kick everyone out, spoke up once they had all left. ¡°You¡¯ve kicked everyone out.¡± ¡°Yeah, you brat. From now on, even if you kneel and beg, I won¡¯t show any mercy.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what I was going to say.¡± ¡°What...?¡± ¡°From now on, even if you kneel and beg, I won¡¯t show mercy.¡± Kaylen¡¯s demeanor changed abruptly when he stopped using formal speech. ¡°This brat¡­ talking like this to a teacher¡­!¡± ¡°O''Connell, you¡¯ve been quite a pain.¡± Kaylen then spread his palm. ¡°Fireball.¡± A fireball erupted once again. This time, it started to grow muchrger than before. O''Connell¡¯s expression stiffened immediately upon seeing it. ¡®No way... Could it be...? He really did intentionally adjust the size of a 3rd Circle magic? No, that can¡¯t be. It must be some kind of illusion. Someone like Kaylen couldn¡¯t possibly do that.¡¯ ¡°¡­Magic Barrier.¡± A protective spell typically used by mages of the 2nd Circle or higher. A blue shield appeared in front of O''Connell, solidly blocking the fireball. With this, he could block the fireball and properly counterattack, teaching this insolent brat a lesson¡­ ¡°Heh.¡± O''Connell¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Kaylen¡¯s mockingughter. ¡°The mage¡¯s shield hasn¡¯t improved, huh?¡± Sizzling. The iing fireball began to scatter in all directions. What had been a single orb of fire now turned into arrows piercing in all directions, surrounding O''Connell. Thud. Thud. The magic barrier began to crack lightly. The weaker barrier in the back was torn apart like paper,pared to the stronger one in front. ¡°What¡­ what is this¡­?¡± How did the fireball turn into arrows in the middle? Such utilization of magic could only be possible at a higher circle. ¡®Ah¡­ no. Even a 4th Circle mage wouldn¡¯t be able to do something like this so easily¡­!¡¯ The shield began to burn. It started to tear from the most vulnerable spot, the rear. "Left side is weaker than the right. A typical trait of right-handed mages." The barrier on the left side was the second to catch fire. "But, well. The other parts aren''t much better." The barrier on the right side was the third to burn. And the front barrier, which had been most carefully guarded, immediately began to burn fiercely as soon as the mes touched it. Whoosh. All of the barriers copsed, and mes surrounded O''Connell¡¯s entire body. At this point, it seemed like he was about to be engulfed in mes and suffer full-body burns. ¡®W-What the...¡¯ All the mes perfectly stopped around O''Connell, without causing him any harm. A perfect control over the 3rd-circle fireball. Despite living more than twice as long as Kaylen, O''Connell was unable to do anything. "Dispel." The mes that had been threatening O''Connell disappeared immediately with Kaylen''s single word. O''Connell copsed to the ground with a thud, his face pale as a sheet. Step. Step. "If we''re exchanging blows, I take it that means if I identally kill you, it wouldn''t matter?" The massive Kaylen approached. Though he didn¡¯t exude the intense pressure from before, the mention of ¡®death¡¯ made O''Connell¡¯s fear grow. At this rate, he might really die at this brat''s hands. "F-fire Arrow!" As Kaylen slowly approached, O''Connell cast a 1st-circle spell rapidly. It shot toward Kaylen¡¯s heart, piercing with intense speed. ¡®Pathetic.¡¯ Kaylen smirked and reached out for the arrow, but...n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Ice Shield." Before his hand, a blue protective shield enveloped Kaylen¡¯s body. Bang! The fire arrow disappeared without even leaving a scratch on the shield. Kaylen looked at the shield with a hint of curiosity in his eyes. ¡®Not a bad shield.¡¯ The mana contained in the Ice Shield was dense, and its perfection was on a different level from O''Connell''s barrier. It was so well-made that it could easily match the shields used by mages from the era of the Conqueror King. ¡®Is there someone capable of using this kind of magic?¡¯ "Uh... Uh..." On the other side of the Ice Shield¡­ O''Connell, kneeling, turned ashen. His gaze remained fixed behind Kaylen. Kaylen followed his gaze and turned around. Step. Step. A tall, blonde woman was walking toward them. The first thing that caught the eye was the half-mask made of ice. The half-mask, adorned with five small blue jewels, covered her left eye and the entire left side of her face. "O''Connell." Even with half of her face hidden, the exposed part of her face was strikingly beautiful. Her beauty was extraordinary, one that even Kaylen had never encountered in his life, not even during the time of the Conqueror King, Ernstine. As he looked at her face, Kaylen thought of someone. ¡®...She resembles Bormian.¡¯ Bormian, a famous young knight from Ernstine¡¯s era. Although he was male, he had been often mistaken for a woman due to his delicate features. This woman looked strikingly simr to him. A beauty with a face almost identical to Bormian, the founding king of Bormian Kingdom. ¡®She must be Princess Violet.¡¯ A 4th-circle mage at the age of 19. The legendary magical genius known as Princess Violet. Kaylen immediately recognized her. "Your... Highness..." O''Connell stuttered. "I received a report telling me not to be concerned with him." "That... that..." "Kaylen has no special matters to be concerned about. They said they would observe, just in case." Princess Violet walked past Kaylen and approached O''Connell. Though she addressed him with honorifics, her voice was icy cold. "And yet, you were defeated by him and are now groveling on the floor." "That... that¡¯s..." "Even though you were already defeated, you still attempted to strike with an assassin''s blow." "Ugh..." "This disgrace will need some time for reflection." "I''m... sorry. Please, just that one thing..." "Ice Prison." sh. sh. Two of the jewels on her mask began to glow blue, and immense water mana surged. The water mana coiled around Princess Violet¡¯s left arm, transforming her body into ice. Kaylen''s eyes gleamed with curiosity as he watched. ¡®Ho. Could it be...?¡¯ This was a piece of equipment that did not exist in Kaylen¡¯s time. Something he had only read about in books... a mana suit. ¡®The water attribute ispletely merging with her body.¡¯ Whiiii. Explosive water mana erupted from Princess Violet''s arm. It quickly turned to cold and surrounded O''Connell, and soon... Crack. Crack. His body was instantly trapped in ice pirs. In the blink of an eye, an ice prison formed around O''Connell. Inside, O''Connell was frozen, his face one of despair. "Reflect on your actions in there," Princess Violet said with a cold smile. Her smile was so icy and sorrowful that the students and attendants who witnessed it shuddered. ¡®They call her the Witch of the ciers in the world... I guess it¡¯s true.¡¯ ¡®Ah... She froze him again with Ice Prison. She enjoys freezing people so much.¡¯ ¡®At least he¡¯s not dead... But how many people has she done this to?¡¯ Kaylen, however, paid no attention to any of that. His gaze was fixated entirely on the mana suit. His eyes shone with excitement, like a child receiving a new toy. ¡®So that¡¯s the mana suit.¡¯ The mana suit. Now, Kaylen could fully grasp what it meant to be able to handle such a suit, something only a master who had mastered a single attribute could use. The mana flowing from the suit merged with Princess Violet¡¯s arm, making it seem as if her body had be one with the element, much like how spirit mages control spirits. The mana stones embedded in her mask were all of the water attribute, and since the princess herself was a master of water mana, she had focused all her training on it. ¡®At that level, the destructive power of a single attribute must be incredible.¡¯ Shhrrr. As the ice on Princess Violet¡¯s arm began to melt, her blue robes were revealed once more. Kaylen licked his lips in disappointment. He had wanted to watch more, but it ended too quickly. "My apologies for the trouble." Princess Violet spoke politely to Kaylen. Just as Kaylen had looked at the mana suit with curiosity, she was now gazing at him with the same inquisitive expression. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 20 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 20 The first training ground, which is only avable to royalty. Kaylen sat at the table within, having tea with Princess Violet. ¡®Princess Violet¡­¡¯ A genius who reached the 4th-circle as a mage at the age of 19, and a meister of the water element. Owner of the S-rank mana suit, ¡®cia¡¯. Officially, she was called the "Master of ciers," but in society, her nickname "Witch of ciers" was more widely used. It was known that Princess Violet actually preferred this nickname. "Alkas, you seem to know quite a bit." "Well, she''s probably the most famous person in our kingdom." "Then why the ''Witch''?" "They say her personality is a bit entric. And she keeps freezing people..." Kaylen recalled the information about Princess Violet that Alkas had shared with him previously and looked at the Princess before him. Ernstine, the continent''s only emperor. A man who had many concubines and countless beauties, his standards of beauty were sky-high. But even he would likely consider Princess Violet¡¯s appearance, revealed by the half-mask, as "beautiful." ¡®She''s about the level of a concubine.¡¯ The concubines of the Meier Empire, which had unified the continent. That was the highest praise Kaylen could give for her beauty. However, even such beauty only caught his attention for a moment. Kaylen¡¯s focus shifted to the half-ice mask. The S-rank mana suit, cia. A treasure that, as rumored, chose its owner. Its design was simple yet refined. A blue ice mask. The five mana stones embedded at the mask''s ends emitted a cold water-element mana, even in normal circumstances. The air around Princess Violet seemed to change in temperature, just by being near her. ¡®Amazing.¡¯ Did it change form when mana was infused into it? Kaylen remembered how the body seemed to turn to ice just moments ago. As much as he wanted to touch it himself and try infusing mana, she was a princess of the kingdom, after all. Unable to do so, Kaylen clicked his tongue in regret. "First son of the Starn family, Prince Kaylen." "Yes, Your Highness." "That Fireball from earlier was quite impressive." "You saw it from the beginning?" "Yes. I came in when I heard themotion among the students." Princess Violet smiled slightly. "It was O''Connell who almost died, not you, Prince Kaylen." "Prince Kaylen should have punished him himself. How unfortunate." "Not at all." "I¡¯m sorry I had to take vengeance for you, but I¡¯ll keep O''Connell locked in Ice Prison for three days. He won¡¯t die, but the cold will seep into his bones, and it will be quite painful for him." Princess Violet smiled brightly, spreading her three fingers. Her mouth curled up so much that it nearly touched the half-mask over her left eye. Kaylen looked at her face and understood why she was called the Witch of ciers. She enjoys freezing people, and she loves it too much. "Now, to get to the main point, about that Fireball." "Yes." "How did you do it?" "What do you mean?" "A Fireball of such a high level is not something a fire meister can easily cast." Princess Violet¡¯s eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Does that magic have anything to do with the Florence family?" "Something simr." "What happened?" "I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t go into detail due to contract restrictions, but¡­" "Hehe. Even though I''m asking?" As the cold around Princess Violet grew more intense, the temperature in the air sharply dropped. Normally, with her position as a princess, coupled with the sudden chill, one would shiver and feel the pressure. However, Kaylen didn¡¯t flinch and calmly replied. "I apologize." "You¡¯re not giving in. You do have some resolve." Perhaps out of habit, Princess Violet absentmindedly fiddled with cia with her left hand, then, seeming to give up on the topic, changed the subject. "Prince Kaylen. What do you think is the purpose of a mana suit?" "To enhance magic and destroy dungeon cores, isn¡¯t it?" "That¡¯s right. Many mages developed and improved mana suits to increase the efficiency of magic enhancement. There have been many sesses, but now we¡¯re starting to hit limits." Sparkle. Sparkle. Drops of water formed on the table, soon gathering into a mirror-like shape. At first, it reflected like a mirror, but soon began to reveal the form of something. A golden star-shaped icosahedron. Radiantly shining, at the center of the star was a deep ck color. Seeing this, Kaylen¡¯s face stiffened. "This is¡­?" "The dungeon core." "This is the dungeon core...?" In the lessons Kaylen had received throughout his life, dungeon cores were said to resemble mana stones. But this¡­ this lookedpletely different from any mana stone he had seen. In fact, it resembled... ¡®This looks like Infinity...¡¯ The special mana known as Infinity, passed down through the Meier family. It too was made of particles shaped like golden stars. If it were erged, it would look almost identical to this dungeon core. Even though Princess Violet had been emitting cold, Kaylen hadn¡¯t flinched. Now, however, he felt a chill run down his spine. "Yes. This is a special dungeon core that has been appearing recently. Among those involved, it¡¯s been named the Gold Star." "¡­" "The Gold Star boasts incredible durability. At least a group of meisters equipped with A-rank or higher mana suits would barely be able to destroy it." Before the appearance of the dungeon core "Gold Star," cost-effectiveness was paramount. The firepower from mana suits was already abundant, but activating a mana suit required mana from mana stones. The goal of meisters up until that point had been to clear as many dungeons as possible using the least amount of mana. "But after the Gold Star appeared, the situation changed. In the past, any meister could break most dungeon cores, but the Gold Star is different. Even A-rank mana suits and meisters above the 4th circle have difficulty breaking it." "Is it that powerful?" "If you don¡¯t destroy it in one go, it quickly regenerates into its original form. Firepower is key." The regeneration into its original form also resembled Infinity. Was it just a coincidence? It seemed too much of a match to be a coincidence. "Now, more firepower is needed, but the development of mana suits has reached its limit." "Then, to increase the firepower, the magic spell itself has to be stronger. Finding the key to that wasn¡¯t easy¡­" Princess Violet removed the mirror and looked at Kaylen again. Her expression showed that she had found a clue. ¡®She¡¯spletely fascinated by the Fireball now.¡¯ But Kaylen¡¯s magic was not something he could reveal. His magic had be powerful because of his mana body and the giant mana circle that enveloped his body. The mana body was based on the Grand Sword Master¡¯s realization, and it wasn¡¯t something he could pass on to anyone. ¡®As for the Florence family, they¡¯ve already taken what they could from me, so no worries there.¡¯ If he deceived the royal family, just as he did with the noble family, and no results came from it... The risk would be far greater. Especially considering Princess Violet¡¯s personality, if she realized she had been deceived, she wouldn¡¯t stay quiet. She might even throw him into Ice Prison. Of course, if it came to a fight, he wouldn¡¯t lose. But there was no need to create trouble with the kingdom. ¡®It¡¯s too dangerous to ept direct investment from the princess.¡¯ Kaylen cut off her excessive expectations early. "It¡¯s still too early to call it a clue. It¡¯s more likely just a coincidence due to an ident." "Is that so?" "Yes. I¡¯m worried that if I receive such high expectations, the results might not meet them." "Hmm..." Tap. Tap. As she tapped her ice mask, cia, Princess Violet stared at Kaylen intently. "It doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re saying that because of your contract with the Florence family." "Yes, that¡¯s correct. They only provided support." "Support... Jane." "Yes, Your Highness." "Send him five mid-tier mana stones." "Understood." Without even asking, Princess Violet immediately offered to send five mid-tier mana stones on the spot. The amount of support happened to match exactly what the Florence family had offered. ¡°Just like the Florence family, this is a simple sponsorship, so please don¡¯t feel burdened and ept it.¡± With those words, Princess Violet stared at Kaylen intently. It was a gaze that felt more overwhelming than it was simple, but Kaylen epted it gratefully. Since she had clearly stated it was just a simple sponsorship, he decided it was okay to ept. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°However... may I see the Fireball from earlier?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Since she had already given him five mid-tier mana stones, this request seemed fair. Kaylen stood up and walked towards the training hall. Princess Violet immediately sprang to her feet and followed him. ¡°Alright. Try it there. Put all of your mana into it.¡± ¡°Fireball.¡± Although she had asked him to put all his mana into it, Kaylen knew that if he poured all the power from his mana body into the Fireball, it would surely be enormous in scale. He decided to control his power carefully and cast the Fireball.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om It was stronger than what he would have cast during the days of the Conqueror King, but still only slightly more powerful. ¡°Wow¡­¡± However, the standards Kaylen had in mind and the standards of the current age were vastly different. Back in the emperor''s days, all the mages he had seen were high-level magicians. So, the Fireballs back then had been stronger, in line with their abilities. ¡®Ah. I should¡¯ve expanded it to something closer to Lina¡¯s level back then.¡¯ As the princess widened her eyes, staring intently at the Fireball, Kaylen finally remembered the small Fireball Lina had once shown him. He had said he would control the power, but it seemed like it would attract more attention now. ¡°Can I test it for a moment?¡± ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Ice Hand.¡± As soon as she heard Kaylen''s response, Princess Violet''s hand turned to ice. The hand, filled with powerful water mana, reached towards the fire to grab it, but... Sssshhh. ¡°Wha... what?¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± The ice hand wasn¡¯t extinguishing the me. Instead, it was slowly melting away. Seeing this, Jane rushed to intervene, but... ¡°Jane, stay back!¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°Kaylen, you can still maintain it, right? Please keep it going for just a little longer.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± As Princess Violet urgently requested, Kaylen maintained the Fireball. How much time had passed? The mes continued to melt the ice hand, and as the princess''s white hand was about to be exposed again... sh. Light shed from the mana stones embedded in the Ice Mask, cia. As one stone shone, the ice hand, which hadpletely melted, refroze. sh. sh. When two stones illuminated, Kaylen''s Fireball gradually lost its power. ''This should be enough.'' When Kaylen released the Fireball, the ball of fire vanished with a soft pop. Princess Violet, who had been staring nkly at the scene for a moment, murmured to herself. "My hand... was hot..." "Huh?" Of course, her hand would be hot after sticking it into the mes. What was she talking about? "Your Highness? Was it really hot?!" But with an utterly serious expression, the princess and her maid looked at him. "Yes! It was really hot!" "How is this possible? Without a mana suit...?" "Yes. It''s still not enough, but..." Princess Violet alternated between looking at Kaylen and her own hand. "Kaylen." "Yes, Your Highness." "I have a request. No, I want to hire you and pay you a fair reward for the task." "What kind of task would you like to request?" "Once every two weeks." Princess Violet held up two fingers with a very bright voice. "Burn my bodypletely." [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 21 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 21 "¡­¡­What did you just say?" Kaylen had encountered countless connections in his previous life. Not just humans, but many other races as well. He had experienced all kinds of situations with them. But this was the first time someone, smiling so innocently, had asked him to burn them alive. "Ah, I must not have exined enough." Princess Violet reached for her half-mask, cia. Sizzle. As white steam rose from the part of her face in contact with the mask, Jane shouted. "Princess, you haven¡¯t evenpleted the contract yet¡­¡­!" "It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not like Lord Kaylen would go around talking about it, right? The rumors are already out anyway." Clink. When cia fell away from her face, Princess Violet¡¯s full face was revealed. ¡®Hoo.¡¯ Ice. The left side of her face, previously hidden by the mask, was entirely frozen. Only the eye appeared human. The surrounding skin waspletely encased in thick, frozen ice. "Disgusting, isn¡¯t it?" Princess Violet spoke as she opened and closed her mouth. Her normal right side and her frozen left side moved simultaneously. For something frozen, the left side moved naturally. But that very movement seemed unnaturally eerie, evoking revulsion from those who saw it. "Is this the power of cia?" "Yes. It seems I¡¯m just toopatible with cia. Though it¡¯s turned me into this solid block of ice¡­¡­" Tap, tap. Princess Violet tapped her frozen cheek with her fingers. "It doesn¡¯t interfere with movement." "You resemble a spirit." "Exactly. cia¡¯s power is transforming me into something akin to an ice spirit." She pointed to her mouth with a finger. That area, untouched by the mask, was still pure white flesh. "My lips haven¡¯t frozen yet, but I have a feeling¡­¡­ Soon, the ice will spread there too. Then, I¡¯ll be a perfect Ice Witch." "To prevent that, you¡¯re asking me to burn you?" "Exactly. Just until I reach the fifth circle, I¡¯d like to ask for your help." "Until the fifth circle¡­¡­." "Yes. By that time, I¡¯ll be able to fully control this cial power." Shhh. Princess Violet ced cia back on her face, and Kaylen asked her another question. "If you take off the mask, won¡¯t the process slow down?" "I can¡¯t take it off. If I stay apart from it for even a moment, the mask flies back to my face on its own. Besides, to reach the fifth circle, I must train while wearing it." "I see." "Can you grant my request?" Kaylen looked at Princess Violet''s face. A beautiful face that resembled Bormian, the knight he once cherished. However, that beauty was marred by the frozen half, turning it grotesque. In a situation where the ice might spread at any moment... ¡®Even so, she¡¯s full of confidence.¡¯ Her eyes sparkled like stars, and her demeanor exuded self-assurance. That confidence reminded him so much of his ancestor, Bormian. Amoner who, despite his origins, always brimmed with confidence,manding the attention of nobles and royalty alike. Recalling the knight who led the charge in the Continental Unification War brought a smile to Kaylen''s lips. To the descendant of such a loyal knight, he wished to offer even a small favor. "Alright." "Ah, is it possible?" "Yes. But in exchange, may I ask one more favor aside from thepensation?" "Of course, tell me." "May I see the dungeon core you showed earlier, even if it¡¯s just a fragment?" "Are you talking about Gold Star?" Princess Violet¡¯s expression grew troubled. "Actually, even though the mages tried to secure fragments for research¡­ the Gold Star disappears once it¡¯s taken out of the dungeon. So fragments don¡¯t exist." A Gold Star that leaves no trace behind. If he could see it with his own eyes, he might confirm its connection to Infinity. Sensing Kaylen¡¯s disappointment, Princess Violet offered a suggestion. "Once you be a Meister, you¡¯ll be able to see the Gold Star during dungeon practice. I¡¯ve heard they n to add it to the curriculum." "Is that so¡­?" Bing a Meister would mean waiting until the third year next March. At least six months from now. Kaylen didn¡¯t want to simply wait until then. "Then, may I ask for this favor instead?" "Go ahead." "Excuse me from my sses." If he couldn¡¯t see it outside the dungeon¡­ He¡¯d have to go directly and find it. "Ah, that¡¯s not difficult at all." Princess Violet easily epted his request. What exactly happened that day? After being summoned by the princess, Kaylen stopped attending sses entirely the next day. And something else had changed¡ªthe reactions of the instructors. The teachers, who had been eager to find fault with Kaylen, suddenly acted differently. "Everyone is ounted for." Even with Kaylen¡¯s absence ringly obvious, they marked him present. "Let¡¯s begin the ss." They deliberately ignored his empty seat and pretended it didn¡¯t exist. Three dayster. Homeroom teacher O''Connell returned to ss. With a pale face and dragging one leg, O''Connell entered the ssroom, letting out a sigh of relief as his gazended on Kaylen''s empty seat. He seemed genuinely relieved that Kaylen wasn¡¯t there. "¡­¡­I have something to announce to everyone." Looking around nervously, O''Connell began speaking in a low voice. "Do not concern yourselves with Kaylen from now on." "But, sir, he hasn¡¯t been attending ss at all¡­¡­." "I said don¡¯t concern yourselves. It¡¯s an order from the princess." The Boromian royal family wielded immense power, and the Magic Academy was ultimately under the kingdom¡¯s control. The words of royalty were as good asw. Still, it was rare for royalty to intervene so tantly like this¡­ ¡®What exactly happened with that guy?¡¯ ¡®The teachers¡¯ attitudes changed so suddenly.¡¯n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡®Sure, he was strong¡­ but strong enough for the princess to pay this much attention?¡¯ The students who had been in the training hall witnessed Kaylen overpowering O''Connell. Even so, they couldn¡¯t understand why the princess was going out of her way to intervene like this. Princess Violet, known as the brain of the First Prince''s faction, had a reputation for valuing ability over status. Even so, she had never abused her authority so overtly. ¡®What does the princess see in Kaylen?¡¯ Lina bit her lip. Her family had invested a fortune in Kaylen, expecting him to fail against O''Connell. She had even tried to stir the atmosphere in front of the princess¡¯s training hall. But as it turned out, Kaylen was incredibly strong. ¡®Shouting back then only made him catch the princess¡¯s attention.¡¯ At the time, she thought it was the best course of action¡­ But now, the situation had taken an unexpected turn. "And¡­ ahem." O''Connell, looking ufortable, cleared his throat and addressed the students again. "Kaylen is confirmed to participate in the Superior Mage Selection Tournament. Is there anyone else who wants topete? If not, I¡¯ll submit the list as it is." At his words, Lina shot her hand up. "Me." "Lina? You said you weren¡¯t interestedst time." "I¡¯ve changed my mind. I¡¯d like to participate for the experience." She didn¡¯t want to get involved with Kaylen any further. But to restore her family¡¯s diminished standing and regain her father¡¯s trust, she needed information about Kaylen. ¡®I have to find out why the princess is favoring him.¡¯ "Very well, Lina. If there¡¯s no one else, I¡¯ll finalize the list." O''Connell jotted down Lina¡¯s name and scanned the room. No one else volunteered. "Prepare for ss, then." Dragging his leg as he walked out of the ssroom, he looked pitifulpared to themanding presence he had just a few days ago. Lina found his dejected figure oddly rtable. She saw her own position in her family, which had fallen because of Kaylen, reflected in his steps. ¡®But what¡¯s that guy doing, skipping all his sses?¡¯ *** "Are you sure it¡¯s okay for you to be out here like this?" "Is this really allowed? For us to be out here like this?" "It is. The princess has given her permission. Her authority is more significant than I expected." Kaylen and Alkas walked through the streets of Alzass, the capital city of the Bormian Kingdom. For Kaylen, this was the first time experiencing the city in his current form. However, the name "Alzass" carried memories. This was the ce where he had once sworn Bormian into knighthood. "Back then, this was just a rural vige. It¡¯s changed a lot." What was once a mere vige, too small to even be called a town, had grown into a city fitting for a nation''s capital. Still,pared to the capital of the Meier Empire a thousand years ago, its scale was unimpressive. "A rural vige? Really?" "Yes, something like that. But never mind that¡ªwhere is the Dungeon Guild?" "We''re almost there." The Dungeon Guild was an organization created through international cooperation to counter the ever-growing threat of dungeons. It wasn''t just humans who participated; various other races joined forces to aid in dungeon subjugation. Kaylen''s purpose in visiting was clear: to enter a dungeon. Specifically, to seek out the Gold Star that resembled Infinity. Instead of sitting throughckluster sses, he nned to explore a dungeon directly. "But¡­ can we really manage with just the two of us?" "Are you worried?" "I trust in your power, my lord. But I¡¯m not sure they¡¯ll grant us Civil Squad certification. We don¡¯t meet the minimum team size requirements." Civil Squad This term referred to civilian teams authorized to hunt dungeons. When dungeons started appearing in overwhelming numbers, national forces alone could no longer handle the situation, leading to the creation of Civil Squad. Mercenary groups, often well-funded, hired Meisters and formed Civil Squad teams to subjugate lower-ranked D, E, and F-grade dungeons. The maintenance of Mana Suits and Meisters was expensive, but the rewards from dungeon subjugation and the lucrative trade of dungeon cores made the endeavor worthwhile for those with sufficient resources. "In the past, they gave out Civil Squad permits too easily. Scammers flooded the system, so the requirements were tightened." "We have a royal rmendation letter. That should take care of it." "A¡­ royal rmendation letter? Seriously?" Alkass was startled. The Dungeon Guild staff, however, reacted even more dramatically. "You¡¯re applying to form a Civil Squad team? With just two members? And no Meister? Is this a joke?" The staff member frowned as they reviewed the application. Already overwhelmed with work, they found the request absurd. "Guards! Throw these people out!" The shouting stopped when Kaylen handed them a folded piece of paper. The staff member initially red at it dismissively, but their face quickly changed upon realizing its significance. "A¡­ royal rmendation letter?!" Their attitude shifted immediately. "My sincerest apologies! I didn¡¯t realize who you were. This way, please." The staff led them to a VIP room, where a robed magician awaited them. Upon seeing the royal rmendation letter, the magician, too, was visibly taken aback. After scanning it carefully, the magician began flipping through documents to proceed with their application. ¡°Bring some tea.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The mage carefully adjusted his posture and began handling Kaylen''s party with a more courteous attitude. ¡°To be honest, with a royal rmendation letter, it was once possible to instantly establish a D-grade Civil Squad. But¡­ thews have recently changed.¡± ¡°Changed, you say?¡± ¡°Yes. Due to incidents like the unruly prince of Obern Kingdom recklessly issuing royal rmendation letters, new regtions now require Civil Squad teams to meet specific eligibility criteria, even with a royal endorsement. Looking at your submitted documents, your team consists of only two members, and youck both a Meister and Mana Suits¡­¡± Hearing this, Kaylen interjected. ¡°Eligibility criteria, you say. Does that mean creating the team is outright impossible? My goal is simply to gain ess to dungeons.¡± ¡°Dungeon entry itself is possible even with an F-grade Civil Squad. A royal rmendation letter would allow you to establish an F-grade team, but¡­ F-grade teams can¡¯t ept mostmissions and aren¡¯t eligible for advance payments.¡± When a dungeon appears, nearby towns or cities issue subjugation requests with corresponding rewards. Most of thesemissions include an advance payment to invite a Civil Squad team, as operating one requires significant funds. This is due to the expenses involved in deploying soldiers to clear out dungeon monsters and using Meisters equipped with Mana Suits to break down the sturdy dungeon cores. While the advance payments might seem high, they were often justified by the costs of operation. However, smaller towns with limited resources often couldn¡¯t afford such payments. In these cases, they would propose post-missionpensation, which was usually meager. Consequently, such requests were often ignored by civilian Civil Squad teams unless the situation became critically dangerous, prompting national intervention. ¡°So, in the end, an F-grade team is limited to meager-paying, low-priority dungeons.¡± ¡°Precisely. This is why we rmend forming a team with a Meister and Mana Suits. An F-grade Civil Squad is practically meaningless.¡± ¡°But even so, as long as an F-grade team grants dungeon ess, that¡¯s sufficient for my needs.¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll proceed with the application.¡± As long as he could enter dungeons, that was all he needed for now. He could establish the team now and upgrade its gradeter when ready. ¡°Are you certain about this?¡± The mage alternated his gaze between Kaylen and Alkas, clearly skeptical. Even with a royal rmendation, forming a Civil Squad with just two members seemed highly unorthodox. Despite this, Kaylen remained resolute. ¡°Yes. Please proceed.¡± ¡°¡­Understood. It will take about two weeks for the documents to be processed and approved. Is that eptable?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± By then, the Superior Mage Selection Tournament would have concluded, leaving him free to move forward. As Kaylen nodded, the mage sighed in partial resignation and asked: ¡°Very well¡­ What will you name your Civil Squad?¡± Hearing the question, Kaylen smiled. There was a name he had long wanted to use. ¡°Meier. Let¡¯s call it Meier.¡± [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 22 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 22 Dungeon Conquest Conquering a dungeon was akin to raiding a bandit¡¯s hideout. No, it was actually far more challenging. While both involved breaking through an entrenched army, dungeons required an additional step: destroying the dungeon core. Of course, the core could only be destroyed after reaching it. To achieve this, one had to break through the monster hordes inside the dungeon. Thus, having a force capable of clearing a path was considered essential. For Alkas, this universally epted wisdom made the current situation iprehensible. ¡°Are you really going in with just the two of us?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°My lord¡­ it¡¯s just the two of us.¡± ¡°One person is enough to handle the fighting.¡± ¡°But still¡­ we¡¯re severely outnumbered¡ª¡± The dungeon was located on the outskirts of the capital. Most dungeons near the capital had already been conquered, but this one was different. It was in a barren area without any noteworthy towns nearby. It wasn¡¯t situated along a major trade route, and the monsters from the dungeon weren¡¯t particrly aggressive. As a result, the nearby viges offered only minimal rewards¡ªpost-payment at that¡ªand the bounty was small. Furthermore, the dungeon¡¯s element was wind, known to be the most troublesome attribute to deal with. An F-grade wind dungeon, with little value for a Civil Squad, had been left abandoned. Standing before it, Alkas desperately tried to dissuade Kaylen. ¡°Once we enter the dungeon, at least 500 monsters are said to appear. Isn¡¯t that too much for just the two of us?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°The monsters are harpies, known as the most persistent among lower-tier monsters¡­¡± Harpies Monsters with the head of a woman and the body of an eagle. They attacked from the air and, when cornered, would escape to the dungeon¡¯s ceiling, making them incredibly frustrating foes. Using their aerial advantage to the fullest, harpies were notoriously troublesome monsters. They had only avoided extermination because they rarely left their habitat. If they had actively ventured outside dungeons, the kingdom would have intervened to eradicate them as airborne threats. ¡®The seniors always said to avoid fighting harpies¡­¡¯ As a knight specializing in groundbat, Alkas naturally found harpies¡ªaerial attackers¡ªespecially daunting. Recalling his academy training, he voiced his opposition to Kaylen, convinced this endeavor was impossible. However¡ª ¡°If you¡¯re afraid of something like harpies, you can¡¯t call yourself a Swordmaster.¡± ¡°But still¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see the power of a Swordmaster?¡± Kaylen¡¯s words left no room for further argument. Instead, Alkas found himself filled with a growing curiosity. ¡®The power of a Swordmaster¡­¡¯ Swordmasters were long thought to be extinct in the modern era. Their legacy remained only in historical records. A single sword that dominates the battlefield¡ªa living army, revered as the pinnacle of martial prowess. The ultimate goal every knight dreams of achieving. ¡°...Understood. I¡¯ll prepare myself.¡± Unable to dissuade Kaylen further, Alkas found himself joining him on this dungeon conquest with just the two of them. The two climbed the unnamed mountain slope, where the dungeony hidden. Alkas¡¯s face was tense, his jaw set tightly. ¡ªKiiiiii! From above came the cries of beasts. Flying monsters¡ªharpies¡ªcircled the skies, drawing arcs above their heads. Initially, about ten harpies appeared, but soon, more began to arrive one by one, forming a perimeter around them. ¡®I can handle this many for now, but¡­¡¯ Their speed and tendency to attack in groups made them troublesome adversaries. Individually, harpies weren¡¯t particrly strong monsters. For a Sword Expert like Alkas, dealing with several at once would not be a problem. However, if more harpies joined the fray over time, the situation could quickly spiral out of control. Alkas nced at Kaylen, who continued to walk leisurely, and offered his advice. ¡°We should enter the dungeon before more harpies arrive. At least the dungeon has a ceiling; this ce is far too open¡­¡± Schink. Before Alkas could finish speaking, the sword at his waist slid out of its scabbard on its own. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Thunk. The sword flew smoothly through the air andnded in Kaylen¡¯s hand. ¡°Alkas, I¡¯ll borrow your sword for a moment.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, my lord.¡± Whoosh! Kaylen leaped high into the air,nding gracefully atop a tree. ¡ªKiiiiii! ¡ªKiiiiik! Kiiiik! Seeing their target rise to the treetops, the harpies signaled to one another andunched their attack in unison. Their synchronized dive, darkening even the sunlight, was an intimidating sight. Yet, Kaylen only smiled. ¡°Alkas, what do you think makes a Swordmaster?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°Do you think simply mastering the Aura Sword is enough to be a Swordmaster? Is that all?¡± The Aura Sword¡ªa symbol of knights and the ultimate mark of a Swordmaster. Kaylen dismissed its importance with a tone of casual indifference. ¡°A Master transcends the limitations of their own body.¡± Vwooooom. As Kaylen gripped the de, an Aura Sword manifested along its edge. A brilliant golden light radiated outward, illuminating the area. ¡ªKiii¡­? The harpies faltered mid-flight, their cries turning to hesitant shrieks. The harpies¡¯ ferocious charge came to an abrupt halt. The sword in the hands of the towering human radiated an overwhelming power. The mana emanating from it was so menacing that the harpies could not help but freeze in their tracks. ¡°The one whomands the domain.¡± Golden light spread outward from Kaylen, brushing against the harpies¡¯ bodies. ¡ªKiiiieek! The harpies, immobilized by the light, were instantly torn apart. Without exception, not a single one was spared. ¡ªKiii... kiiieee... Some attempted to flee, changing their trajectory, but the speed of the light far outmatched their efforts. Chiiiik! The harpies, everyst one, were shredded into pieces. From the treetop, Kaylen had only unleashed his Aura Sword, and yet over a hundred harpies were reduced to lifeless chunks of flesh, crashing to the ground. ¡°This... this is what it means to be a Master...?¡± Alkas, staring at the harpies¡¯ falling remains, murmured in stunned disbelief. The difference between a Sword Expert and a Swordmaster was beyondprehension. Now it was clear why a Swordmaster was considered a one-man army, revered as the pinnacle of martial power. Even with just this one disy, Kaylen had shown more than enough. ¡°Alkas, broaden your perspective. Look beyond the Aura Sword.¡± Still awestruck by the Aura Sword¡¯s power, Alkas snapped back to his senses at Kaylen¡¯s remark and scanned his surroundings. That¡¯s when he noticed it. ¡®The air... it¡¯s changed?¡¯ The mana in the atmosphere felt altered¡ªfamiliar yet overwhelmingly potent. A golden radiance, simr to the Aura Sword, suffused the air like sunlight, illuminating the world around them. ¡®Could this be¡­ the fabled Sword Area of a Master?¡¯ The Sword Area. Something Alkas had only read about in books, often dismissed as exaggeration or the boastful legends of warriors from the past. The books described it like this: - A Master. - One who reaches the pinnacle of martial skill transcends their physical form, unlocking the power of Aura to im the surrounding mana as their own domain¡ªthe Sword Area. - Within this Sword Area, all who enter are subject to the Swordmaster¡¯s control. Even imbuing a weapon with Aura was an extraordinary feat. To dominate an entire domain? Though it was written in the texts, Alkas had always dismissed it as pure embellishment. But now¡­ ¡®If anything, the records understated it.¡¯ Everything around them was bathed in golden light. Alkas realized with a chill down his spine that if he had been Kaylen¡¯s enemy, he would have been torn apart just as easily as the harpies. "This is the foundation of a Sword Master." Thud. Kaylen stepped down from the tree, sheathing the Aura Sword. As he did, the golden light that had been radiating from the Sword Area faded, and the area¡¯s power gradually dissipated. "Now, it¡¯s just the two of us, right?" With an indifferent expression, Kaylen handed the sword back to Alkas. Alkas respectfully extended both hands to receive the sword. "Of course, my lord." "Let¡¯s go then." "By the way, shouldn''t you keep using this sword?" "No, it''s unnecessary. What you saw earlier was just a demonstration of the Sword Area. Once we enter, I¡¯ll end it in an instant." "I see, understood." Just a demonstration? Even what he had already witnessed was astonishing. Alkas, filled with excitement and anticipation, followed Kaylen, walking with his hands behind his back. There was no longer any worry about the dungeon conquest. Whooooosh. As they stepped through the massive sky-blue dungeon portal, a fierce gust of wind rushed toward them, as if they were about to be blown away. "It''s the Wind Dungeon." "Yes. And now... the harpies will be even faster." Fire, Water, Earth, Wind. Dungeons ranked from C to F each had one of these four elemental attributes unique to them. Among them, the most dreaded attribute was Wind. The fierce wind was one thing, but... Kiieeee! It was the flying monsters, like the harpies, who could swiftly charge with the wind that made them so bothersome. The harpies'' attack was even faster than it had been outside the dungeon. The terrain of the dungeon waspletely open, with no cover, making it highly vulnerable to aerial monsters. "A Master focuses on refining one specific element," Alkas said. "Yes, that''s right. It helps with the efficiency of mana suits and their attributes," Kaylen replied. "But a Sword Master isn¡¯t like that." Whoooosh. As Kaylen extended his hand, the wind seemed to be drawn toward him. "The human body naturally contains all four primary elements. In addition, it also possesses the attributes of light and darkness." "Yes..." "A Sword Master, having pushed their body to its limits, should be able to handle all these elements. Like this." The wind that had gathered in Kaylen¡¯s hand began to materialize into a green-hued sword. Whooooosh. The wind condensed, and the sword formed from it. The wild gusts of wind that had been swirling calmed down as the sword appeared in Kaylen¡¯s grip. The wind¡¯s speed drastically slowed. Kiieee? For a moment, the harpies, confused by the sudden change in the wind, hesitated. "Wind Sword Release." The wind gathered in the Wind Sword erupted, spreading outward and engulfing the harpy swarm. Whooooosh. What had seemed like just another strong gust of wind now tore through the harpies'' bodies, shredding them in an instant. ¡®All that wind... it¡¯s infused with the power of Aura...¡¯ In the vast chasm, hundreds of harpies were ughtered by the de of wind, their bodies torn apart. Alkas could only stare, his mouth agape. Heaven beyond heaven. The power of a Sword Master was so overwhelming that it seemed unreal. "Now, let''s go to the dungeon core." Kaylen discarded the Wind Sword and walked forward with steady steps. "Y-Yes...!" Alkas, who had been staring dazedly as the wind sword vanished, quickly chased after Kaylen. ¡®Mana is running low.¡¯ Kaylen narrowed his brow as he checked the mana within his body. The power used inside and outside the dungeon had drained about a quarter of his mana. ¡®To think that this little bit of mana is already drained...¡¯ No one would have called Kaylen''s power "little," but his standards were different. When he was at the peak of being a Grand Sword Master, just activating the Aura Sword would have been enough to tear apart the dungeon from the outside as well. He didn¡¯t expect that much, but the mana consumption was far too high for the power he had used. ¡®The absorption rate of mana is still too low...¡¯ Perhaps it was due to theck of ambient mana in the air. Even though Kaylen had transformed his body into a mana body, his absorption speed was still slow. ¡®Mana stones also have poor absorption efficiency...¡¯ Even with the potential to move beyond Sword Master, beyond 4th-circle Mage, he still needed to improve, but mana was holding him back. "I think we''ve arrived." Whoooooosh. Alkas pointed toward a red portal in the distance. It was another portal inside the dungeon. This was the space containing the dungeon core. "Let''s go."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Kaylen stepped forward without hesitation. Inside the newly revealed chasm... ¡®Hmm.¡¯ For the first time, he was face-to-face with the dungeon core of this world. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 23 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 23 Dungeon Core The dungeon core, which had brought about apletely different erapared to Kaylen''s time, floated in mid-air in the shape of a hexagonal, red glowing crystal. In some ways, it resembled a mana stone. It was quiterge, about 2 meters in size. "This is the dungeon core..." "Is this your first time seeing it?" "Yes. Even during the academy''s practical training, I never got this far." In the present age, knights were only tasked with clearing the path to the dungeon. Unlike mages, they didn''t have the right to see the dungeon core. ¡®It''s a pity I''m not a Gold Star knight.¡¯ The reason they even came to this dungeon was originally because of the Gold Star. No matter how much Kaylen examined it, this dungeon core seemedpletely unrted to the Infinity. ¡®I can''t expect to be full after just one try.¡¯ Swallowing his disappointment, Kaylen continued to carefully examine the dungeon core. The dungeon core emitted a strong aura of dark magic. On the left corner of the core, small characters were inscribed. "It¡¯s in thenguage of the demon realm." It was the samenguage Kaylen had seen many times during his battles against the Demon Lord. The human world believed that reading the demon realm''snguage would corrupt a person, so knowledge of the demon tongue was strictly controlled by the Holy Kingdom... But Kaylen had been at the forefront of the battle against the Demon Lord. He could read the demonnguage to some extent. ¡®Colonies...?¡¯ The characters read "colonies." Upon seeing it, Kaylen felt an ufortable sensation. The demon realm referred to regions they had fully dominated as "colonies." Kaylen had heard it mentioned several times during the Great Demon War. ¡®A regionpletely subdued by the demon realm, where humans were exterminated by monsters emerging from the dungeon... they referred to it as a "colony." That had been the case back then, but the current situation in the kingdom waspletely different. Why was such a word written here? Kaylen felt uneasy, but this was not the ce to figure it out. ¡®I¡¯ll have to look into thister.¡¯ Kaylen shifted his focus from the writing and looked directly at the dungeon core itself. The dungeon core emitted immense magical power. Essentially, it resembled a mana stone, but unlike a mana stone, it was filled with dark magic. ¡®It¡¯s impossible to absorb that.¡¯ The dark magical energy was far too vast for him to consume. Unlike other types of mana, dark magic had the property of corrupting and transforming the human body, turning it into that of a demon. In his previous state, Kaylen would have been able to purify and absorb it easily, but with his current body, epting this dark magic was beyond his capabilities. ¡®However, if I break it apart and absorb it in pieces... it might be possible.¡¯ While it was toorge to consume in one go, breaking it into smaller pieces might make absorption feasible. "Alkas, the sword." "Yes." Kaylen received the sword from Alkas and immediately raised the Aura Sword. The dungeon core, which could only be destroyed through the use of a mana suit, was about to be tested for its resilience. To begin with, Kaylen lightly struck it with his sword. "Oooh..." Alkas let out an exmation as he watched Kaylen''s sword. Though it appeared to be a casual swing, the trajectory of the sword was perfect, like witnessing a masterpiece in motion. With the intent to split the dungeon core in one swift strike, Kaylen brought his sword down. ng! Crackling... Dark red sparks flew, and the Aura Sword shed with the dungeon core. Tiny cracks began to appear on the dungeon core... but... Whoooosh. Red mana red up, and the cracks in the dungeon core started to close and heal themselves. "This isn¡¯t enough," Kaylen muttered, as he raised the Aura Sword''s power even further. Crack. Crackle. Crack¡ª! mes scattered in all directions, and the golden aura within the sword began to shine even more brilliantly. At the same time, six swords materialized behind Kaylen. ¡®The six swords I sawst time!¡¯ The swords of fire and ice. The swords of earth and wind. The swords of light and darkness. The dagger-sized des shimmered brightly, and among them, the white sword flew toward Kaylen''s Aura Sword and fused with it. As a result, the golden aura now held a tinge of white and took on the property of light. The dark magic began to be devoured aggressively. Crackle. Crackle... This time, it seemed effective. The dungeon core could no longer regenerate, and the cracks began to widen. Snap. Snap... Eventually, the dungeon core shattered into pieces and fell to the ground. Alkas¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Normally, it would take a team of Masters pouring their firepower for several minutes to break a dungeon core. ¡®To think it would break so easily...!¡¯ Was the power of a Sword Master really like this? It had taken less than five minutes for the dungeon core to break. ¡®This is the power of a Sword Master...!¡¯ As a knight who had been looked down upon by mages, Alkas felt a swell of pride in his chest. "Alkas, let¡¯s collect it." "Understood!" Alkas moved quickly, more efficiently than usual. He opened his magic bag, enhanced with space expansion magic, and began collecting the broken pieces of the dungeon core. ¡®This should be enough.¡¯ Kaylen picked up a shard of the dungeon core that had been rolling on the ground. Though the dark magic had significantly reducedpared to the intact core, there was still a substantial amount of magic remaining. However, due to the core¡¯s fragmentation, the dark magic was quickly leaking out. ¡®Before it all disappears, I need to absorb it.¡¯ At this level, the remaining dark magic was enough to be purified and consumed. Kaylen immediately began to absorb the dark magic. As Kaylen devoured the first shard, the mana that had been expended by the Aura Sword quickly began to surge back, entering a state of recovery... After absorbing the second and third shards consecutively, even more mana filled his Mana Body. By the time he reached the fifth shard... ¡®This is enough.¡¯ The dark magic had filled his Mana Body to the point where it was bing hard to control. Maintaining a fragile bnce, he absorbed as much power as he could and injected it into Infinity. Infinity began to devour the dark magic and grew bit by bit. The remaining dark magic in his Mana Body was separated; the useful mana was utilized while the harmful energies were expelled. Whooosh. Kaylen''s six swords materialized, and the sword of darkness grewrger on its own. The sword of darkness flew away, burying itself into the ground. In an instant, the earth turned pitch ck. A strong, foul stench emanated from it. As Kaylen continued the process of absorption and purification, he took a deep breath. There had been quite a harvest. ¡®The time limit has been extended to 5 minutes.¡¯ The power of the Sword Master. Previously, he could only maintain it for 20 minutes, but now he could use it for 5 minutes longer. This amount wasparable to absorbing a high-grade mana stone. Although he hadn¡¯t found the Gold Star, the results were still quite satisfactory. "Are you alright, my lord?" "Yeah. This is quite powerful dark magic. And it''s considered Grade F." Aside from the results, the power contained within the dungeon core was astonishing. Compared to Kaylen¡¯s time during the Great Demon King War, the dark magic was incredibly stronger. It wasparable to the power of the highest-ranking demons in the Demon Realm. Such power was contained in a low-tier dungeon? ¡®Colonies.¡¯ As the dungeon core shattered, Kaylen observed the surrounding environment slowly shifting into the mountainside where they had first entered. His attention was drawn to the demonguage inscribed on the core. "The dungeon is copsing like this." "Yeah. Hmm?" Kaylen, calmly watching the copse of the dungeon, was suddenly startled. "What''s wrong?" "The atmosphere has changed." "The atmosphere has changed?" "Didn''t you feel the distribution of mana shifting?" "Ah!" The mana... had thickened. The distribution of mana, which had seemed so different from the world 1,000 years ago, now felt like it was returning to the way it once was. No, it was even thicker than before. It felt as though something suppressed had suddenly exploded outward. "Alkas." "Yes." "Train right now. The efficiency will be far better than usual." "Understood." Whoosh. Alkas, catching the sword Kaylen threw, immediately began his training. Thirty minutes into his fervent practice with the sword... "Definitely, I can feel the mana filling up faster." "Yes. After the dungeon core was shattered, this phenomenon urred." "Ah, so the dungeon core had that kind of function?" "Yes. My guess is that the dungeon core had been absorbing the surrounding mana." Once the dungeon copsed, mana exploded outward, and since it was the fresh, clear mana of the mountain''s midsection, this hypothesis seemed usible. "Ah... I see." Alkas blinked in surprise, as if he''d never heard such a thing before. Kaylen, noticing his reaction, felt a strange sense of amusement. ¡®This is something that should be obvious once the dungeon core is broken.¡¯ No matter how good Alkas was at sensing mana, with his skills as a swordsman, any other mage would have been able to notice the surge of mana after the dungeon core shattered. Even if they''d learned it in the academy, such facts weren¡¯t often taught. ¡®And there''s something else strange.¡¯ In the capital or nearby areas, dungeons are usually cleared as soon as they appear. Why was the mana in that area so thin? ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because there are so many dungeons in the area. I¡¯ll need to observe it for another day.¡¯ How long would this dense manast? With the Superior Mage Tournamenting soon, there was still time for observation¡ªjust one more day would suffice. "Let''s stay here for the night. I need to train too." "Understood, my lord." As the sun slowly set and the moon began to rise, Kaylen absorbed the dungeon core fragments while observing the atmosphere. ¡®No significant changes yet.¡¯ Although it wasn¡¯t as intense as when the dungeon core first shattered, the mana in the atmosphere was still rich and abundant. "Ha!" Alkas, seemingly too focused to rest, continued training passionately, while Kaylen kept absorbing the core fragments. ¡®I should be able to go for 30 minutes now.¡¯ The mana in the dungeon core fragments had sharply decreased since the core first broke, and their efficiency had dropped significantly. After absorbing 80% of the shards, he managed to extend his power activation time by 5 more minutes. "Alkas, you said the dungeon core fragments can be sold, right?" "Yes. I heard they''re used for mana stone charging." "I think I heard something about that in ss. After purifying the dark magic, they''re charged, right?" "That''s what I¡¯ve heard. The efficiency is lower, but it¡¯s safe. However, since the mana will dissipate over time, I¡¯ve been told they need to be sold quickly." Kaylen nodded at Alkas'' words. Mana was still leaking out of the dungeon core fragments. ¡®The remaining pieces should be taken as evidence to the guild.¡¯ There was little point in absorbing more¡ªmost of the mana left was negligible. Kaylen thought to himself that it would be better to sell the rest. Taking a deep breath, he focused on his training. ¡®Time to train.¡¯ The freshness of the mana, simr to that of 1,000 years ago, filled him with satisfaction. The feeling of stacking dense manayer byyer was a wee one. Back at the academy, he never felt this sensation of growing through his breath, umting mana. It was clear¡ªthis was the true way, the proper path. As he stacked mana steadily in his mana body through breathing, he suddenly felt the flow of mana shift.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Alkas, do you feel it?" "Yes..." "Until just a moment ago, the abundant mana had been circting between the heavens and the earth, but now all the mana from the earth is rushing up into the sky." In an instant, the mana began to thin, just like it had before the dungeon core was destroyed. ¡®What¡¯s causing this...?¡¯ Kaylen¡¯s gaze shifted toward the sky, following the rising mana. He infused his eyes with mana, increasing his perception, but... There was nothing in the sky. Naturally, there was no dungeon core to absorb mana. No monsters, no demons. Not even a single cloud. Except for one thing. The full moon. "Alkas... Has the moon always emitted red light?" "Red light...?" In the center of the full moon, a red glow had appeared like a small spot. Alkas seemed unaware, not able to see what Kaylen was referring to. Suddenly, the red light in the moon shed twice, spreading outward... As it did, the mana in the atmosphere disappeared, and in the blink of an eye, the amount of mana had returned to the levels it had been at when the dungeon was still intact. "What is this...?" For the first time, Kaylen¡¯s eyes, which had always remained calm and focused, wavered. The word "colony" briefly flickered through his mind. ¡®Could it be...?¡¯ [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 24 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 24 After regaining the power of the Sword Master, Kaylen believed it would be only a matter of time before the Meier family was revived. Not only could Kaylen wield the power of the Sword Master, but he was also capable of using 4th-circle magic. With such abilities, he would be treated with great respect no matter which country he went to. ¡®After forming my mana body, everything up until now has been a stage of experimentation.¡¯ Even if the dungeon was different from before, or if the new "mana suit" had been created, it didn''t matter much to Kaylen, who had set the goal of rebuilding the Meier family. With the power he already possessed, restoring the family was possible. ¡®Anyway, I didn¡¯t intend to build an empire like before.¡¯ Kaylen had once been the head of a marquis house, and even established a unified empire. But after his disappearance, the empire split and fell apart, and his descendants lived in hiding, changing their names and titles. Seeing the disasters of the past generations, Kaylen had nned to raise a noble family in this life, but the state of the world seemed unusual. ¡®A change in the moon?¡¯ During his time as Ernstine, he had unified the continent and fought in numerous battles against the Demon King, experiencing all kinds of war and hardship. However, he had never encountered a situation where the moon emitted a red light, and mana was evaporating in such a manner. Thinking back, it was strange. ¡®I never understood why monsters couldn¡¯t leave the dungeon''s vicinity.¡¯ In Ernstine¡¯s time, monsters from the demon world used to gather through the dungeons, forming armies to invade. While dungeons had grown stronger over time, the fact that monsters couldn¡¯t move beyond a certain range was a very strange limitation. ¡®Colonies.¡¯ The word ¡°colonies¡± appeared in the demonnguage written on the dungeon core. Kaylen found himself bing increasingly concerned about it. While the current situation was not one where the human world was being dominated by the demon world, the sharp decrease in the amount of manapared to before made the connection to the word ¡°colonies¡± suspicious. ¡®If the human world is indeed in a colonial stage, we cannot overlook this.¡¯ Ernstine Meier. The first emperor to conquer the continent. Many criticized him as the embodiment of power. Despite building a vast empire, he was used of being a demon obsessed with bloodshed, constantly starting wars to unify the continent. However, contrary to such usations, the era of the Meier Empire was the most peaceful time on the continent. Wars had ceased, the Demon King and monsters were defeated, and roads were built across thend. All industries flourished, taxes were lowered, and various injustices in the world were corrected. The continent, unified under one empire, had be a ce where everyone could live well. People revered Emperor Ernstine with their hearts and wished that this era wouldst forever. If only Emperor Ernstine hadn¡¯t died suddenly. If the Meier Empire hadn¡¯t been torn apart by the power struggles of his children. The continent would have progressed even further. The reason the world was so livable was ultimately due to the will of the emperor. While Emperor Ernstine of the Meier family had managed the entire continent''s affairs by sleeping only two to three hours a day, the empire had thrived due to his tireless efforts. However, even with all that effort, after Ernstine''s death, the empire crumbled like a sandcastle. ¡®Seeing the copse of the empire, I decided not to intervene too much this time. The dream of a unified, peaceful continental empire ended in vain.¡¯ The politics that Ernstine carried out had ultimately been possible because of the overwhelming military power he possessed. Once the Grand Sword Master, the superhuman figure, was gone, the continent reverted to its original state. The unified empire failed, and the world returned to what it was. However, one thing had changed: the Meier family. The Meier family, which hadsted for over a thousand years, was destroyed. ¡®If the family had simply remained a noble house, it wouldn''t have fallen this far.¡¯ The Meier family, once the ruling family of the continent, rose to the highest position, but the fall from such a height was swift. Seeing the family name disappear, Ernstine decided he would no longer pursue grand ideals as he had before. ¡®In the end, without the Grand Sword Master, the unified empire would have been a fleeting dream.¡¯ Having abandoned impossible goals, he had nned to take care of his descendants and restore the family name. But now, the situation was different. ¡®If the human world is truly in a colonial state¡­ if the moon, or the demon world, is siphoning away the world¡¯s mana¡­ I can¡¯t overlook this.¡¯ *** For the past few weeks, the branch manager of the Dungeon Guild¡¯s Alzas branch, the wizard Krundal, had been feeling uneasy. It all started after he approved the F-ss Civil Squad of Meier. The squad, consisting of only two members, seemed like a child''s y. ¡®Did I make a mistake approving them...? The conditions for creating a Civil Squad had been bing stricter by the day. Even though there was a rmendation from royalty, approving a squad with only two members seemed like a mistake. If the central guild from the Dungeon Guildter audited this, it could cause trouble.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡®I should¡¯ve cut them off right then! That Kaylen guy turned out to just be a student... but still, I couldn¡¯t ignore the princess¡¯s rmendation, right?¡¯ As these conflicting thoughts swirled around in Krundal¡¯s head, there was a knock on the door. "Come in." "The Civil Squad you asked for is back, sir." "Really? Which squad?" When a Civil Squad reports their results, there are two main types of reports that need to bemunicated to the branch manager: - Large, high-level squads, to build connections. - Squads that might cause trouble, to manage them in advance. The squad "Meier" clearly fell into thetter category. "Oh, really? Bring them in quickly. Also, give me the report." As the staff member left the room, Krundal quickly skimmed through the report he had brought. A small flicker of surprise crossed his face. ¡®They¡¯vepleted three F-ss dungeon subjugations?¡¯ One request came from the capital, Alzas, and two more from nearby cities. The Civil Squad Meier hadpleted three F-ss dungeon subjugations in just two weeks. ¡®Just two people? Without Mana Suits?¡¯ The dungeon types were even more troublesome, with two wind-element dungeons. The speed at which theypleted the tasks was unbelievable. As Krundal¡¯s mind became more tangled, the sound of a door opening reached his ears. Click. Two men entered the room¡ªKaylen and Alkas, the creators of the Meier Civil Squad. "It¡¯s been a while." The two of them, seemingly in a rush to return to the capital, were covered in dust. Krundal shook their hands and guided them to seats. "Squad leader, I¡¯ve read the report. It¡¯s impressive." "It¡¯s nothing special." "I¡¯ve heard that you brought back the dungeon core fragments as proof of your subjugations..." Krundal subtly indicated that he wanted to see the dungeon core fragments. ¡®I¡¯ve received the report that the signals from the three dungeons disappeared...¡¯ The report attached to the guild¡¯s unique method had confirmed the disappearance of three dungeons. Still, Krundal felt that seeing the dungeon core fragments would make the story more believable. Two people subjugating three F-ss dungeons¡ªit was hard to believe. "Alkas, take them out." "Yes." Alkas opened his magical bag and began carefully pulling out the dungeon core fragments, one by one. As Krundal watched, his eyes widened in astonishment. ¡®Why is the dungeon core in such good condition? It¡¯s an F-ss dungeon, but why is it sorge?¡¯ Normally, when a dungeon core is destroyed through a Mana Suit, it shatters into tiny fragments,pletely broken apart. But the dungeon core that Kaylen brought was different. It was about the size of a human fist, with a clean cut, showing little to no damage. "Will this be enough as proof?" "Y-Yes, it¡¯s more than enough." "These fragments... are they also for sale?" "Yes. Yes!" Krundal nodded hurriedly. Though the value of an F-ss dungeon core fragment itself wasn¡¯t high, the rarity of such arge fragment would likely fetch a good price. ¡®If this is howrge the cores are from F-ss dungeons, imagine what a higher-ss dungeon core would look like if extracted this way... it would be a huge profit.¡¯ "Wow... how did you manage to get such arge dungeon core?" Krundal asked in awe, subtly trying to figure out how it was done. He tried not to show it, but Kaylen had already noticed the oddness in Krundal''s behavior. ¡®The dungeon core fragments seem to be bigger than expected.¡¯ Kaylen had absorbed therger parts of the dungeon cores, leaving only the smaller fragments to bring back. Despite that, Krundal¡¯s reaction suggested something was off. ¡®Well, it¡¯s different when a core is destroyed with the firepower of a Mana Suit versus cutting it with a sword.¡¯ The difference in the size of the fragments was so striking that Krundal seemed genuinely astonished. This could be used to their advantage. ¡®It¡¯s not good to stand out too much with no power behind us right now.¡¯ Kaylen lowered his voice and responded to Krundal. "I can¡¯t tell you how we did it, but think about who rmended us." "Ah..." With those few words, Krundal fell silent. The princess, Violet, who had written the letter of rmendation. If she was involved, it was better not to press further. ¡®Of course, without the princess¡¯s involvement, it would be impossible for just two of them to subjugate three F-ss dungeons.¡¯ In theory, it was unheard of for two people without Mana Suits to subjugate three F-ss dungeons. Kaylen subtly made Krundal think that Violet¡¯s influence was behind their sess. "Branch Manager, in fact, as today¡¯s results prove, the work we¡¯re doing in the Meier Civil Squad is getting attention from higher-ups." "Yes..." "With a letter of rmendation, we could have produced results from more dungeons, perhaps even from D-ss dungeons. But because we received F-ss, we had to settle for this. It¡¯s a pity, really. We wanted to try bringing back evenrger dungeon core fragments, but... the regtions changed." Kaylen trailed off as if regretting something. Krundal, sensing Kaylen¡¯s intent, realized what he was after. It was to level up the squad¡¯s rank. With their F-ss dungeon subjugation achievements and the disy ofrge dungeon core fragments, Krundal¡¯s heart was swayed. "Hmm, it is unfortunate. But the new regtions are the regtions... especially when ites to Mana Suits. There¡¯s nothing I can do about that under my authority." "Yes. I understand the changes in regtions regarding the Mana Suits. But what about the minimum squad size? We have many confidential tasks, so..." Kaylen was asking for some flexibility on the squad size, even if the Mana Suit issue was off the table. Krundal thought for a moment before nodding. The temptation of suchrge dungeon core fragments was just too great. "Alright. If you can bring in the Mana Suits, I won¡¯t make an issue of the squad size." "Thank you." "I¡¯ll ept any Mana Suit as long as it¡¯s not defective. As long as it works properly, that is." "Defective?" "Yes. For example, the Dwarf Queen''s products are uneptable. We won¡¯t recognize those." Krundal continued to let the issue of the Mana Suits slide, offering a generous concession... but Kaylen¡¯s mind was caught on one word. "The Dwarf Queen...?" "Yes. You know the professor from the academy who only produces scraps?" Krundal spoke with a tone of disdain. However, Kaylen didn¡¯t hear the rest of his words. ¡®The Dwarf Queen?¡¯ Kaylen was deeply familiar with that title. In the days of the continent¡¯s empire, during the reign of the Emperor, the Dwarf Queen had been his seventh wife, holding the position amidst dozens of other wives and hundreds of concubines. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 25 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 25 Dwarves. A race of small-statured beings residing in mountainous regions. Though their height is akin to that of a human child, they possess remarkable physical strength and unmatched craftsmanship. Born with the blessings of fire or earth, they are a long-lived race capable of surviving for centuries. Thanks to their innate strength, dexterity, and unique ability to summon spirits, dwarves have long been renowned as master cksmiths. Among them exists a rare kind of dwarf endowed with exceptional abilities. These individuals are blessed by both the fire and earth spirits. While most sumb to the overwhelming power of the spirits at a young age, those who survive gain extraordinary powers far beyond those of ordinary dwarves. Interestingly, all surviving dwarves of this kind have been female, leading their kind to refer to them as:n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The Queen of the Dwarves. Or simply, Queen. While dwarven society is egalitarian and does not afford royalty-like status to the Queen, her unique traits earn her respect and privileges among her people. Kaina, the seventh wife of Ernstine, was one such dwarven queen, blessed by fire and earth. She was also one of the leaders of thergest dwarven n, the ck Anvil n. Kaylen felt a pang of disbelief when he first heard mention of a dwarven queen. ¡°Kaina¡­ It couldn¡¯t be her,¡± he thought. Despite the long lifespan of other races, a thousand years had already passed. It was highly unlikely that she was still alive. Moreover, Kaina would never produce a defective item. This must be a new dwarven queen, someone he had never met. Feeling a hint of bitterness, Kaylen asked Krundal a question. ¡°What¡¯s the name of this dwarven queen?¡± ¡°Hmm, I heard her surname is Myorn, but I can¡¯t quite recall her first name.¡± At that, Kaylen¡¯s eyes widened. - "Now that I¡¯m pregnant, I¡¯ll change my surname to match yours." - "How will you change it?" - "Your surname is Meier, right? In the dwarven tongue, it¡¯s pronounced Myorn. From now on, I¡¯ll be Kaina Myorn." The memory of Kaina¡¯s cheerful smile resurfaced in his mind. Hisst memory of her was when she left the royal pce, saying she wanted to give birth in her homnd. After that, things had turned out this way. ¡°If the Myorn at the academy¡­ could it be my bloodline?¡± A dwarven queen, Myorn. Her ability tomand both spirits was likely unparalleled even within dwarven society. Why, then, was she at a human academy as a professor instead of among her own people? Kaylen asked Krundal another question. ¡°Why is the dwarven queen here?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I only know from rumors. It seems her n was destroyed by monsters.¡± ¡°The ck Anvil n?¡± ¡°Yes, I think that was their name. Anyway, after the n¡¯s destruction, she supposedly stayed at the academy seeking revenge. That was over a hundred years ago. But every mana suit she makes now is just trash. Tsk tsk.¡± The ck Anvil n, destroyed? They were thergest and most formidable dwarven n, residing deep in rugged mountain ranges, making them difficult to attack. During the Continental Unification War led by Ernstine, the ck Anvil n was such a formidable force that instead of risking the immense losses a battle against them would incur, Ernstine chose to forge an alliance through marriage to the dwarven queen, Kaina. For the ck Anvil n to have disappeared, it meant the monsters¡¯ power was far greater than what was known. Kaylen made a mental note to investigate this furtherter and continued his conversation with Krundal. ¡°Considering she¡¯s a dwarf, you¡¯d think her mana suits would be excellent. What¡¯s wrong with them?¡± ¡°Well¡­ her mana suits aren¡¯t designed for Meisters. Each suit should focus solely on enhancing one attribute¡ªfire for fire, water for water¡ªbut hers try to incorporate two or three attributes, making them chaotic.¡± The purpose of a mana suit is ultimately to destroy dungeon cores. To maximize destructive power, specialization is key. However, Queen Myorn¡¯s mana suits neglected this fundamental principle. ¡°They¡¯re not fit for a Meister¡¯s use, and while regr mages or knights could use them, their output would be insufficient.¡± ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s the problem. The hairy one¡ªI mean, the dwarven queen¡ªhas created so many failed mana suits that guilds have outright decided not to recognize them anymore.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ I see.¡± Despite his growing curiosity about Queen Myorn, Kaylen decided to meet her directly at the academyter. There was something to Krundal¡¯s reference to ¡°the hairy one¡± that piqued his interest as well. ¡°Anyway, as long as it¡¯s not one of those defective products, I¡¯ll approve it.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Please wait a moment. I¡¯ll arrange for the dungeon core fragment reward and the bounty for the subjugation.¡± The reward amounted to 10,000 gold, equivalent to the cost of two mid-tier mana stones. Alkas, standing nearby, widened his eyes at the hefty sum received so easily. However, Krundal, the branch manager, appeared apologetic. ¡°This time, we¡¯ve valued the dungeon core fragment a bit higher than usual. Still, for subjugating three dungeons, the reward is far too little. Just 10,000 gold¡­¡± Typically, for a Civil Squad to subjugate dungeons, not only were Meisters essential, but so were mercenaries to protect them. This meant that expenses for mana stones, Meister wages, and mercenary hire made the costs skyrocket. Krundal¡¯s guilt stemmed from knowing that 10,000 gold was a meager rewardpared to the operational costs. ¡°It¡¯s fine. For me, the data is more important than the money.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡± Kaylen smirked as he epted the 10,000-gold check. ¡°Not bad. A niche market.¡± Unlike other Civil Squads that incurred exorbitant operating expenses, Kaylen¡¯s only costs were his and Alkas¡¯s travel expenses. This meant the majority of the 10,000 gold was pure profit. ¡°Once I acquire Meister qualifications and secure a proper mana suit, my profits will soar.¡± To expand his influence, securing funds was essential. While 10,000 gold was a good start, Kaylen knew he needed more to achieve his long-term goals. And for that¡­ ¡°I need to be a Superior Mage in tomorrow¡¯s selection trials.¡± By advancing to the third year, earning Meister qualifications, and gaining freedom from the academy¡¯s constraints, the title of Superior Mage was a necessary milestone. ¡°I¡¯ll need to finish this quickly.¡± At the Superior Mage Selection Tournament, Kaylen¡¯s homeroom teacher, O¡¯Connell, was on edge. For a while, he had been at peace with Kaylen¡¯s absence from school, as the student who had been a thorn in his side wasn¡¯t around to annoy him. But now... ¡°Why isn¡¯t that brat here yet¡­?¡± It was the day of the Superior Mage Selection, and Kaylen hadn¡¯t shown up! As a second-year, he should¡¯ve already gone to the waiting room ahead of time, especially with third-year seniors beginning to gather. Yet among the second-years, Kaylen was the only one missing. ¡°Ad, are you sure you saw Kaylen yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. He returned to the dormitory. Someone heard footsteps entering the room next to theirs.¡± Even though he was back at the academy, Kaylen still hadn¡¯t appeared. Surely, he wasn¡¯t nning to skip out? O¡¯Connell anxiously chewed his nails before shouting at a poor, unsuspecting student. ¡°Ugh, what is that brat even doing? Ad, go fetch him!¡± ¡°He¡¯s already here.¡± A voice suddenly came from nearby. When O¡¯Connell turned his head, he saw Kaylen standing there, noticeably leaner than before. ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°What¡¯s so surprising?¡± ¡°Y-you could at least make your presence known¡­¡± Unlike their confrontations in the past, Kaylen now spoke formally, albeit with an edge. Yet, even so, O¡¯Connell couldn¡¯t treat him with the same dismissive attitude as before. ¡°This brat¡­ he¡¯s gotten even scarier¡­¡± Kaylen¡¯s already imposing frame was now leaner but packed with dense, well-defined muscle. The aura he exuded had also grown far more intimidating, enough to make O¡¯Connell feel suffocated just by standing nearby. ¡°Where should I go?¡± ¡°Over there, to Group D...¡± ¡°Group D?¡± Kaylen¡¯s question was answered by Ad instead of the hesitant O¡¯Connell. ¡°Yes. For the preliminary rounds, they measure the power of your magic to determine who advances to the finals.¡± ¡°Hmm. No directbat, then?¡± O¡¯Connell took a deep breath and responded, barely holding hisposure. ¡°We¡¯re mages, not knights. We don¡¯t resort to brutish methods like fighting directly¡­¡± He started confidently, but when he said ¡°brutish,¡± Kaylen¡¯s unblinking gaze sent a chill down his spine, causing his words to trail off. ''Why¡¯s he ring at me like that? I was insulting knights, not him!'' ¡°What a terrifying guy¡­ He¡¯s a mage, so why is he acting like this?¡± O¡¯Connell grumbled inwardly as Kaylen turned away and began walking toward the Group D waiting area. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡± As Kaylen walked off, O¡¯Connell cursed under his breath. ¡°That brat thinks he¡¯s all that just because he¡¯s strong¡­ but he won¡¯t stand a chance in Group D.¡± The preliminary rounds were divided into eight groups, from A to H, with each group consisting of ten participants. Only the top four from each group would advance to the finals. ¡°Let him fail in the preliminaries.¡± When assigning the second-years after the third-years had been ced, O¡¯Connell had intentionally analyzed the participants¡¯ skill levels and ced Kaylen in the mostpetitive group, Group D. ¡°Sure, his magic is oddly strong, but Group D has several Meisters. He won¡¯t make it through.¡± Among the students in Group D, there were six Meisters, three of whom even possessed their own personal Mana Suits. ¡°There¡¯s no way he can ovee this lineup.¡± O¡¯Connell found himself smiling at the thought of Kaylen, who walked confidently into the waiting area, being humiliatingly eliminated. But then something caught his eye. ¡°What¡¯s that book he¡¯s holding?¡± Earlier, his surprise at Kaylen¡¯s sudden appearance had distracted him, but now he noticed a book in Kaylen¡¯s right hand as the student strolled leisurely away. Squinting, he managed to make out the title. ¡°The Neglected Art of Hybrid Magic...? That¡¯s just a trash book.¡± Ever since the advent of Mana Suits and the rise of Meisters, most mages had adopted the practice of choosing one of the core elements¡ªfire, water, wind, or earth¡ªto specialize in. This was because a high affinity with a single element was essential to bing a Meister. Unlike knights, who struggled to hone even one particr skill, mages could focus exclusively on one element, mastering its spells and enhancing their elemental affinity. As a result, magic centered on a single element, such as Fireball or Ice Spear, became the dominant standard. Conversely, offensive spells thatbined multiple elements fell out of use. The book, The Neglected Art of Hybrid Magic, was aption of spells that utilized these long-forgotten, hybrid-element attack techniques. ¡°What does he think he¡¯s going to achieve with that?¡± Watching Kaylen disappear into the Group D waiting area, O¡¯Connell couldn¡¯t help but sneer. ¡°Hybrid magic? What a waste of time.¡± At least, that¡¯s what he thought¡ªuntil he saw Kaylen¡¯s magic in action. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 26 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 26 The Superior Mage Selection Tournament spans a total of one week, divided into two days of preliminary rounds and five days of mainpetition. During the preliminaries, instead of directbat, participants are ranked by measuring their magical power. A specially treated mana stone is used to gauge the power of their magic, ensuring the process is non-confrontational. Due to theck of battles, the preliminaries typically don¡¯t draw much of an audience. Only a handful of observers¡ªnobles scouting for talent or representatives from magic guilds¡ªbother to attend. As a result, the atmosphere in the group waiting rooms was rtively calm. ck. ¡°So the 10th participant has finally arrived.¡± ¡°Do you know who he is? I¡¯ve never seen him before.¡± ¡°Neither have I. He looks like a second-year student.¡± Ignoring the chatter around him, Kaylen scanned the waiting room. There were a total of nine students already present. Seven of them were seated neatly on the waiting room chairs, while the remaining two upied arge sofa at the back of the room. ¡°Another ss.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Lioness.¡± A female mage, dressed in a robe, poured wine for the man on the sofa. Despite being a fellow participant, her demeanor was akin to that of a servant. She carried out her duties with a dazed expression, her gaze fixed entirely on him. It wasn¡¯t surprising, considering the man on the sofa. His looks went beyond mere handsomeness. With his noble air and refined features, Lioness was a strikingly beautiful youth. His scarlet hair, tied in a long braid behind him, gave him an almost androgynous appearance. At a nce, one might easily mistake him for a woman.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I didn¡¯t think any human could rival the beauty of the Bormian Elves, but here we are.¡± Kaylen silently admired the scene. The way Lioness sipped his wine was like watching a paintinge to life. ¡°Lioness, is it? The name sounds familiar.¡± Lioness de Oine. The third son of the Duke of Oine, a man renowned not only for his lineage but also for his genius. Yet, while he was gifted with talent, his personality was infamous for being temperamental. Most rumors surrounding Lioness, however, centered on his extraordinary appearance. It was said that his beauty was so captivating that people couldn¡¯t look away. Initially, Kaylen had dismissed such stories as exaggerated, but now he realized that no rumor could fully capture the extent of Lioness¡¯s allure. However, Kaylen¡¯s interest wasn¡¯t in Lioness¡¯s beauty. ¡°The House of Oine.¡± The Oine family was the foremost noble house in the Kingdom of Bormian, closely tied to the royal family. It was the family of the current queen and maternal rtives of the second prince, making it a core pir of the Second Prince¡¯s faction. The House of Oine stood in fiercepetition with the First Prince¡¯s faction, led by Princess Violet. Lioness was a prominent scion of this influential house. "A Vast Difference Between Him and Kaylen" Kaylen walked toward one of the remaining seats in the waiting room. The previous night, after returning to the academy, he had scoured the library searching for spells that could enable him to use 4th-circle magic. During this search, he stumbled upon an unusual book: [Neglected Hybrid Magic Spells]. Having a bit of time before the tournament began, he wanted to read through the book once more. *** Lioness''s ruby-like eyes flicked toward Kaylen as he sat down and opened the book. To be precise, his gaze focused on the book Kaylen was holding. For a fleeting moment, a hint of curiosity shed across Lioness''s refined face as he read the title. ¡°Interesting. I¡¯ve never seen him before. And I know every 3rd-year student.¡± ¡°Ah, him? He¡¯s a 2nd-year student, so that might be why you don¡¯t recognize him,¡± someone nearby exined. ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°Kaylen¡­ Kaylen Starn, I think? That¡¯s the name I remember.¡± ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s him.¡± Upon hearing the name, Lioness called over one of the mages waiting nearby. The mage had already been watching Kaylen intently. ¡°Zaik. The Starn family is tied to your house, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Go talk to him.¡± ¡°As youmand.¡± Adjusting his sses, Zaik rose from his seat and strode toward Kaylen. ¡°You. Are you Kaylen?¡± Seated and engrossed in his book, Kaylen simply nodded. Zaik, emboldened, pointed at himself with a sense of self-importance. ¡°I am Zaik Baldur.¡± He emphasized the name Baldur, clearly expecting it to resonate with Kaylen. Given Lioness''s earlierment about the Starn family''s connection to the Baldur house, Zaik likely assumed Kaylen would understand the weight of his words. However, Kaylen''s expression remained indifferent. ¡°I have no memory of this.¡± Though fragments of past memories sometimes resurfaced in Kaylen¡¯s mind when prompted, this time, there was nothing. ¡°What happened to this body before I inherited it? I¡¯ll have to investigate the Starn family after this tournament.¡± While Kaylen silently resolved to look into the matter, Zaik grew increasingly irritated by hisck of reaction. ¡°You dare act so stiffly even after I introduce myself? Is the Starn family refusing to acknowledge Baldur?¡± ¡°I have no ties to my family.¡± ¡°What nonsense is that? Have you forgotten the basic etiquette of nobility?¡± Zaik¡¯s voice rose, his finger jabbing toward Kaylen in indignation. Unfazed, Kaylen shrugged. ¡°Let¡¯s skip the formalities and get to the point.¡± Zaik¡¯s face flushed with anger, a mix of red and purple. ¡°You insolent wretch! Were it not for our house, your family wouldn¡¯t even exist!¡± His hand shot upward, poised to strike. At that moment¡ª Knock, Knock¡ª The door to the waiting room opened as an academy staff member entered and began giving instructions. ¡°Group D, we will now begin the preliminary magic evaluation. Please step outside.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± Zaik lowered his hand, reluctantly backing away. Lioness, who had been observing the interaction, downed the remainder of his wine in a single gulp. With an air of disinterest, he stood and walked toward the exit. Step. Step. As he neared the door, Lioness paused, ncing back at Kaylen. ¡°You know who I am, don¡¯t you? Let me ask: what is your rtionship with the princess?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a difficult question to answer, and I won¡¯t be providing one.¡± ¡°...You insolent wretch!¡± Murderous intent radiated from Zaik and the other mages aligned with the Second Prince¡¯s faction. Lioness raised a hand, signaling them to stop. ¡°So you¡¯re not willing to answer. No matter.¡± He turned away from Kaylen, addressing the other mages in the room. ¡°Go all out. Activate your mana suits, use your full power, and ensure that he doesn¡¯t make it past the preliminaries.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± they responded in unison. Lioness looked at Kaylen once more. ¡°Kaylen, I¡¯ll see you again. By then, I expect an answer.¡± ¡°And if you still refuse to talk, I¡¯ll lodge a formalint about your absences. Expulsion wouldn¡¯t be out of the question.¡± Bing a Superior Mage would protect Kaylen from repercussions regarding his attendance, but until that happened, Lioness had leverage. While the princess had shielded Kaylen from typicalints by other mages, a formal grievance from the son of a ducal family like Lioness carried far more weight. Having said his piece, Lioness exited the room, with Zaik scrambling to follow. Before stepping through the door, Zaik turned back, ring at Kaylen. ¡°I won¡¯t forget what happened today, you bastard.¡± ¡°Feel free.¡± ¡°You little¡ª!¡± Zaik ground his teeth in frustration before storming out. The remaining mages exchanged uneasy nces before following suit, leaving the waiting room one by one. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s see what this is all about,¡± Kaylen murmured to himself, casually rising and heading outside. The threats from Lioness meant nothing to him. *** The Superior Mage Tournament¡¯s preliminary evaluation involved a specialized mana stone. Participants¡¯ magic would be measured based on the power they unleashed upon the stone, which assigned scores ordingly. The scoring was predictable for mostpetitors: - Standard 3rd-circle mages scored below 50 points. - 3rd-circle Meisters typically hit 70 points. - Those equipped with mana suits, operating at full capacity, could achieve 90 points. Given these established benchmarks, participants generally had a sense of their ranking even beforepeting. Unless a mage was in a heated battle for a critical position, most didn¡¯t bother exerting themselves fully during the preliminaries. After all, the real challengey in the finals¡ªthere was no need to waste energy so early in thepetition. With the conclusion of the preliminary evaluations for Groups A through C, it was now Group D''s turn. The spectators were taken aback as soon as the evaluations began. ¡°...What¡¯s wrong with them?¡± Group D stood out immediately. Unlike other groups, where participants reserved their energy, the mages in Group D were giving it their all. ¡°Huff... Huff... Fireball!¡± The first up was a standard 3rd-circle mage. Typically, such mages scored below 50 points, with most averaging in the 30s. Yet here they were, casting spells with such intensity that they were foaming at the mouth from exertion. [45 points.] [51 points.] [47 points.] Thanks to their relentless efforts, the three ordinary mages scored well above their usual average. ¡°Next, Kaylen!¡± But before Kaylen could step forward, Lioness intervened. ¡°Hold on. Let him gost.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°He was thest to arrive, so let him be thest topete,¡± Lioness said with an air of authority, leaving no room for debate. ¡°Ah, understood...¡± The staff, unwilling to oppose someone of Lioness¡¯s stature, reluctantly nodded. ¡°Now, let the Meisters take the stage,¡± Lionessmanded. The first Meisters to step forward were those without mana suits. ¡°Circle. Reload.¡± Unlike ordinary mages, the Meisters didn¡¯t cast their spells immediately. Instead, they performed a mana circle reload, amplifying the elemental power of their magic¡ªa feat ordinary mages couldn¡¯t achieve. ¡°Fireball.¡± Once the reload wasplete, they cast their spells. While the Fireball appeared simr to those of standard mages in shape, its size was more than twice asrge. Kaylen watched their demonstrations with curiosity. ¡°Focusing on a single element really enhances its power. At that level, their spells might rival those of a mid-tier 4th-circle mage from the past,¡± he mused. Boom! The resulting explosion was leagues beyond the earlier disys. The Meister, now drenched in sweat, awaited his score. [75 points.] [78 points.] [78 points.] The Meisters consistently scored in the mid-to-high 70s, showcasing the peak of their capabilities. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. ¡°Activate mana suits.¡± The two Meisters who owned personal mana suits took it a step further, preparing to unleash their enhanced power. Mana suits, expensive weapons powered by mana stones, were primarily designed for breaking dungeon cores. Yet, here they were being used in the preliminary round of apetition. Shiiiiing¡ª As the mana suits activated, the mages'' hands and arms became encased in steel, resembling the armor of knights. The color of the suits varied based on the user¡¯s elemental affinity. "C-rank mana suits typically look like this," Kaylen noted to himself. From B-rank and above, the suits would transform the user¡¯s body to resemble elemental spirits aligned with the four primary elements. However, C-rank mana suits merely resembled metallic armor in different hues. Despite their simplistic appearance, their power was undeniable. Vrrrrrm¡ª Boom! [94 points.] [93 points.] When the two suited Meisters stepped aside, Lioness made his way to the center of the stage. All eyes turned to him, and murmurs of awe echoed across the arena. ¡°That¡¯s Lord Lioness...¡± ¡°He¡¯s truly stunning.¡± ¡°A Meister of mes, isn¡¯t he?¡± Lioness stopped at the very center of the stage. Gradually, mes began to engulf his hair, spreading across his body. Fwoooosh¡ª The heat radiating from him was immense, causing the ground beneath him to melt. rmed, one of the judges hastily shouted, his face pale: ¡°S-Stop! 100 points! It¡¯s 100 points!¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± At the judge¡¯s frantic plea, Lioness absorbed the mes in an instant, his body returning to normal. As he passed Kaylen on his way back, he muttered softly: ¡°Let¡¯s see what you can do. Not that it¡¯ll be more than a 3rd-circle spell.¡± ¡°Now, thest participant¡­ Kaylen Stern.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kaylen stepped into the arena at the judge¡¯s call. Tucking the book, [Neglected Hybrid Magic Spells], into his robe, he extended his hand. ¡°Lightning Bolt.¡± A 4th-circle spell, Lightning Bolt, sparked to life. The long-neglected magic of thunder revealed its might. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 27 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 27 Thunder Magic In the past, it was a favorite among many mages and was called the flower of offensive magic. However, as the era of Meisters arrived and focusing on a single attribute became the trend, mages specializing in lightning magic gradually disappeared. This was because the essence of thunder magic inherentlybined two attributes¡ªfire and light. For mages who needed to focus on one of the four primary attributes¡ªfire, water, earth, or wind¡ªthunder magic, which blended two attributes, proved to be a hindrance to their training. Moreover, the difficulty of manifesting the light attribute further elerated the decline of thunder magic. And so, as centuries passed, this forgotten magic re-emerged in Kaylen''s hands. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just for show? He¡¯s not even chanting, and there¡¯s no sign of magic manifesting.¡± Zaik seemed unimpressed, but Lioness, wearing a grave expression, spoke briefly. ¡°...The sky.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Look at the sky. The mana is shifting.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± A cloudless, vivid blue sky. Suddenly, ck storm clouds appeared above, apanied by the rumbling sound of thunder. Kwarrrrr. Within the clouds, mana burst forth. Intense energy flowed through the artificially formed clouds, and even from afar, its destructive power was palpable, causing Zaik to gasp in disbelief. ¡°No way¡­ How¡­ without even a mana suit¡­?¡± Before he could finish his sentence¡ªsh! A blinding light struck as lightning crashed down. Kwakakakabang! The lightning struck the mana stone directly. With the first bolt, a crack appeared in the mana stone. With the second, the crack widened further. The third. The fourth. The fifth¡­ ¡°W-what¡­ how many times is this going to¡­¡± Kwakakakabang¡ª! ¡°P-please, stop¡­¡± Lightning continued to rain down relentlessly. ¡°Stop! Stop it!¡± By the time the examiners, realizing something was terribly wrong, hurriedly tried to intervene, it was already toote. Crack. Crumble. The mana stone, which had been specially treated to emit a bright glow, shattered into ckened fragments. The participants, who had witnessed the entire scene, turned their gazes to Kaylen. Shock and astonishment. And¡­ Fear. ¡°What¡¯s the score?¡± ¡°One¡­ One hundred points.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kaylen politely bowed and turned away. As he walked past, the other participants instinctively stepped aside, startled. But from afar, the scouts observing the scene couldn¡¯t hide their curiosity. ¡°Who is he? Kaylen, was it?¡± ¡°A remarkable mage has appeared.¡± ¡°Was thunder magic always this powerful? I¡¯ve heard it was widely used by mages in the past, but¡­¡± ¡°That mana stone¡­ it may not be as durable as a dungeon core, but its resilience is still extraordinary.¡± ¡°This power is unreal.¡± ¡°A lightning bolt¡­ with this kind of force, it can¡¯t possibly be a third-circle spell. Could he be a fourth-circle mage?¡± The scouts eagerly jotted down Kaylen¡¯s name in their notebooks, each beginning to evaluate him. ¡°He¡¯s an exceptional mage. Casting without incantation¡­¡± ¡°It implies a deep understanding of attributes. And the sheer power¡ªimpressive. It¡¯sparable to the magic of a Meister equipped with a basic mana suit.¡± ¡°But can he be a Meister? With this level of skill, his attributes would ovep.¡± ¡°If he doesn¡¯t be a Meister, he¡¯ll just end up being iplete¡­¡± Though they praised Kaylen, their focus ultimately shifted to whether he could meet the qualifications to control a mana suit¡ªa true mark of a Meister. Most viewed this prospect with skepticism. However. If he defied those slim odds and became a Meister¡­ Then¡­ he¡¯d be the greatest talent of the year. ¡°I need to investigate Kaylen immediately,¡± one scout thought, his eyes gleaming as he scribbled down evaluations. As the scouts busily documented Kaylen¡¯s performance, Lioness watched him with an unusually vibrant gaze. ¡°Zaik.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Who ranked fourth before Kaylen? A Meister candidate without a mana suit, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That would be Ruth, with a score of 85.¡± ¡°Where is he now?¡± ¡°Over there¡­ he seems dazed.¡± Ruth, a mage who had confidently assumed he¡¯d advance to the finals with his 85-point score¡ªwell above the average of 70s for Meister demonstrations¡ªwas now standing in stunned silence. Unreal. A second-year mage at the fourth circle? Shattering a mana stone without even wearing a mana suit? Ruth couldn¡¯t process the surreal scene he had just witnessed, his mind nk. Lioness walked toward him. ¡°Ruth.¡± ¡°Lioness, sir.¡± ¡°Do you still think you¡¯ll ept this?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Eighty-five points. In another group, it¡¯d undoubtedly ce you in the top three.¡± That¡¯s how it was. In other groups, even mana suit users often refrained from activating them. But in Group D, where all three mana suits were activated, and the irregr Kaylen appeared, the circumstances were extraordinary. An 85-point score should have guaranteed advancement. The problem was simply being assigned to Group D. ¡°Ruth, file an objection.¡± ¡°An objection¡­? Do you mean¡­¡± ¡°You know the rules of the preliminaries, don¡¯t you?¡± The preliminary rounds were held over two days. Although the magic demonstrations alone could have beenpleted within a day, the schedule was extended for a reason. In the early days of the Superior Mage Selection Tournament, matches were held starting from the preliminary rounds. However, about 50 years ago, with the development of the mana stone for measuring magic power, the rules were changed. Even so, there was criticism that evaluating purely based on magic power was not the best way to select a Superior Mage. In response, the organizers introduced a new use. Objection use. If a student narrowly missed advancing due to a small score difference, the fifth-ce student had the right to challenge the fourth-ce student. While the official term was "objection," it was, in essence, a duel. ¡°But the score difference is toorge between us¡­ 15 points¡­¡± Ruth spoke in a defeated tone. Generally, an objection was only considered for score differences of about 5 points. Anything beyond that wasn¡¯t deemed ¡°narrow¡± by anyone. Yet Lioness, aware of this, smiled slyly. ¡°There¡¯s no strict rule for objections. A 15-point gap can certainly be considered ¡®narrow,¡¯ depending on perspective.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± If anyone else had said this, it wouldn¡¯t have been taken seriously. But Lioness, a central figure of the Second Prince¡¯s faction and a promising mage of the Obline Ducal Family, carried a different weight with his words. If he imed that a 15-point gap was close, it could be justified. ¡°If you have the will, I¡¯ll support you.¡± Ruth fell into deep thought at Lioness¡¯s offer. With his help, a duel could take ce. But could he win against Kaylen? ¡®¡­It¡¯s impossible.¡¯ A Meister could objectively assess the situation to some extent. Kaylen¡¯s overwhelming power. And his own. The difference was undeniable. Hadn¡¯t it been clearly reflected in the scores? ¡°Ruth, don¡¯t tell me youck confidence?¡± *** ¡°Disappointing.¡± ¡°But the gap¡­¡± ¡°Zaik.¡± At Lioness¡¯s signal, Zaik adjusted his sses and spoke. ¡°Ruth. Amoner-born Meister who submitted an application to the subjugation corps under the Ducal Family¡¯smand.¡± ¡°Hmm. Where is it?¡± ¡°El Salvar Subjugation Corps.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one run by my older brother. It¡¯s a good ce. El Salvar offers some of the best conditions in the industry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lioness ced a hand on Ruth¡¯s shoulder. ¡°If you show a proactive attitude this time, I might be willing to give you a special rmendation.¡± His smile was stunning¡ªalmost too beautiful to be called masculine¡ªbut¡­ Ruth felt a cold chill run down his spine. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± If heplied, he¡¯d be granted a spot in the Ducal Family¡¯s Subjugation Corps. But if he refused, the unspoken threat of rejection loomed heavily over him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight¡­¡± Kaylen¡¯s lightning bolt was terrifying. Its overwhelming power was far too much for a mere Meister without a mana suit to handle. ¡°What if my barrier shatters like the mana stone?¡± A single misstep could lead to serious injury. ¡°But if I defy Lioness¡­ the aftermath will be worse.¡± Lioness wasn¡¯t just any noble¡ªhe was a key figure in the Academy¡¯s power struggle against Princess Violet. Earning his disfavor here would put Ruth¡¯s future in jeopardy, leaving his career prospects in shambles. Ruth bit his lip hard. ¡°¡­I understand.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve made the right choice. Zaik, inform the judges.¡± ¡°Yes, understood.¡± From there, everything moved swiftly. ¡°An objection?¡± The judges initially reacted with disbelief at the suggestion. But when they heard, ¡°Lioness desires it,¡± their expressions changed. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Noticing Ruth lowering his head while Lioness stood beside him, smiling brightly, the judges quickly nodded in agreement.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om What bad luck for him. Normally, this would have been dismissed as a baseless im, but¡­ what can they do? With no clear regtions to prevent it, no one dared to oppose a grand noble¡¯s request. Soon, one of the judges, wearing a grim expression, approached Kaylen, who was waiting below the arena. ¡°Participant Kaylen, an objection has been raised.¡± ¡°An objection?¡± ¡°Yes. The fifth-ce participant, Ruth, has dered dissatisfaction with the results and has requested a duel. The match will take ce tomorrow at this time, here in the arena.¡± ¡°A 15-point difference isn¡¯t something you can ept?¡± ¡°¡­Well, it¡¯s the participant¡¯s right, per the rules.¡± The judge avoided saying more, clearly ufortable. Kaylen closed the spellbook he had been reading and nced around. He saw a mage hanging his head in defeat and, next to him, Lioness grinning broadly, waving in his direction. ¡°What a hassle.¡± Kaylen tucked the book under his arm. "Does the duel have to be tomorrow? Is that a rule?" "Well..." "If it''s not mandatory, let''s do it now." The judge was momentarily stunned by Kaylen''s casual suggestion. ¡®He must have used up a fair amount of mana in the preliminaries. Shouldn''t he want to recover and prepare?¡¯ But this strange participant didn¡¯t seem to care about such things, proposing they fight immediately instead. Hearing this, Lioness''s eyes gleamed with interest. "Fine. Ruth, you okay with that?" "...Yes." Ruth nodded. It wasn¡¯t a bad proposal for him either. ¡®Yeah, it''s better to get it over with now. That Kaylen guy must be underestimating me just because he scored 100.¡¯ Ruth had expended a lot of energy as well, but given the massive scale and power of Kaylen¡¯s magic, it was clear thetter had used even more. Plus, Kaylen seemed overconfident. Ruth felt there might be a slim chance for him to prevail. "Very well. Since both participants agree, we¡¯ll proceed immediately." When Ruth stepped into the arena to face Kaylen, he still believed he had a chance. "Circle, reload." He prepared his mana circles, boosting his confidence with positive thoughts. ¡®I¡¯ll deploy a fire shield and counter with a 1st-circle spell to keep him at bay.¡¯ As he fortified his defenses and prepared to act¡ª ¡°sh.¡± Kaylen¡¯s body shimmered with a sudden burst of light. ¡®sh¡­? A light-based¡­ spell?!¡¯ Ruth had read about it in books¡ªa teleportation magic meant for quick escapes. Before he could process this, his vision was overtaken by a blinding white light. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a massive hand seized his throat. ¡°C-cough, ugh¡­!¡± "Apologies, senior." Kaylen¡¯s calm voice apanied the sight of Ruth being effortlessly lifted into the air. Kaylen, carrying him by the neck, began walking toward the edge of the arena. "This method will hurt less." "Th-thank y¡ª" Without waiting for more, Kaylen gently set Ruth down just outside the ring, ensuring he was disqualified by default. As Ruth sat dazed on the ground, Kaylen turned to the judge. "That should suffice." "...Yes. The victory goes to you." The match was over in less than ten seconds. Zaik spoke in a defeated tone. "Lioness, Ruth turned out to be pretty underwhelming. Should we reconsider his rmendation?" "Zaik, if you had been out there without a mana suit, you¡¯d have fared no better." "Well, that¡¯s..." Zaik trailed off. ''What if I didn¡¯t have a mana suit?'' Facing someone like Kaylen, who could teleport and strike out of nowhere, he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯dst either. Lioness chuckled softly. "Ruth did his part. The rmendation stands." Then, his gaze shifted back to Kaylen. His eyes sparkled, as though gazing at an invaluable treasure. "So this is why the princess is so interested in him. Investigate everything about that boy." "Understood." "And if he doesn¡¯t have a master yet¡­" Lioness licked his lips briefly. "Even if he doesn''t want to, I¡¯ll make him mine." [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 28 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 28 The second day of the preliminaries. Aside from Kaylen¡¯s Group D, the day had turned into an unofficial holiday, with no challenges from other groups. Kaylen, however, was at the training grounds to fulfill a promise he had made to the princess. ¡°Good! Harder! Hotter!¡± Whoosh! Violet, engulfed in mes, smiled brightly as she looked down at her burning form. ¡°Your Highness! You¡¯re getting too excited!¡± ¡°Jane, can¡¯t you see? My face¡ªthe ice is melting. How can I not get excited?¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­ but still, don¡¯t move, Your Highness. The curtains might catch fire.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right.¡± After shifting restlessly behind the curtains, Violet finally held still following Jane¡¯s advice. Kaylen was currently using fire magic as per Violet¡¯s request to "burn her thoroughly." However, as burning her body inevitably required exposing bare skin, maids had set up curtains for privacy. ¡°Fireball.¡± Kaylenunched fireballs over the curtain, letting them descend to engulf Violet. ¡®Well, not that it hides much.¡¯ The curtains were thick but not specially treated, so for Kaylen, a Swordmaster, they were essentially transparent. ¡®Let¡¯s control the intensity.¡¯ Adjusting the me''s strength, Kaylen cast twenty consecutive fireballs. ¡®This should suffice.¡¯ Using fire magic twenty times consecutively was a considerable feat, even for a 4th-circle mage. It was a suitable disy of his capabilities. ¡°It¡¯s too much now, Your Highness,¡± Jane said cautiously. ¡°Is it?¡± Swish. The curtains parted, and Violet, now wearing a robe, stepped out with a satisfied expression. ¡°Casting fireball twenty times¡­ Lord Kaylen, you¡¯re remarkable.¡± Violet removed the mask covering her face, revealing pale, ice-free skin where the frost had previously been. Looking at herself in a mirror, she smiled softly. ¡°It feels like 10% of the ice has melted. You¡¯ve done a great job.¡± ¡°You tter me. Was the number of casts appropriate?¡± ¡°Yes, it was perfect. Oh, thest one was cutting it close¡ªcia almost resisted.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. It seems twenty fireballs is the optimal limit.¡± ¡°Indeed, it aligns with your maximum output. Jane, prepare the tea table.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Lord Kaylen, if you¡¯re not busy, would you care to join me for tea?¡± ¡°dly.¡± ¡°By the way, you caused quite the stir. To think you were hiding such strength.¡± ¡°My group¡¯sposition wasn¡¯t ideal, so I had no choice but to exert my full power.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Violet¡¯s eyes gleamed with profound curiosity. The man standing before her. She knew he wasn¡¯t ordinary, but he turned out to be even more formidable than she had imagined. ¡®How did someone like this suddenly appear?¡¯ A 4th-circle mage in his second year. Such talent was something that might appear once in a century. Up until the first semester of his second year, Kaylen had been known merely as a mediocre 2nd-circle mage. Though there had been some incident involving Lina at the start of the second semester, the progress he had shown since then waspletely beyondmon sense. ¡®And¡­ there¡¯s something about him that makes it impossible to treat him carelessly.¡¯ He maintained impable politeness. However, the way Kaylen looked at Violet was unnervingly profound, making it impossible to read his thoughts. On the contrary, Violet felt as if he could read her own. Closing her eyes briefly and then opening them, she steered the conversation to her greatest rival within the academy¡ªLioness. ¡°You met Lord Lioness of Group D for the first time this time, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°His striking red hair left quite the impression.¡± ¡°What did you think of him?¡± At Violet¡¯s question, Kaylen briefly recalled yesterday¡¯s events. After defeating Ruth in their duel, Kaylen had been descending the stage when Lioness blocked his path. His face had been shining brighter than ever. "You. I really like you." ¡°......¡± "I apologize for earlier. I just wanted to see your true abilities. Can we let it slide?" Lioness¡¯s smile, revealing his teeth, was so captivating that it drew admiration from everyone around, regardless of age or gender. However, Kaylen had responded casually. "I¡¯m afraid you still didn¡¯t get to see my full abilities." "That attitude makes me like you even more. Next time, I¡¯lle with a good offer and a smiling face." ¡°He¡¯s an ambitious man,¡± Kaylen remarked. As though she had expected this, Violet nodded. ¡°He holds you in very high regard. It¡¯s evident in the way the main tournament has been arranged.¡± She pulled a slip of paper from her pocket and handed over the bracket for the final 32. The most prominent names on the list were: - The first seed: Violet. - The sixteenth seed: Lioness. - The veryst seed: Kaylen. ¡°Originally, he and I intended to face off in the finals. After all, aside from the two of us, no one else in the academy had the qualifications to be a Supreme Mage.¡± The Supreme Mage. A title granted to the winner of the selection tournament, recognizing the most outstanding mage among the Superior Mages. This title came with numerous privileges as the academy¡¯s representative, making it the ultimate ambition for many. This year, however, thepetition for Supreme Mage had long since narrowed down to two contenders: - Violet, a 4th-circle mage equipped with an S-grade mana suit. - Lioness, a 4th-circle mage equipped with an A-grade mana suit. No one else even dared to dream of victory. Everyone had expected Violet and Lioness to face each other in the finals. Though the bracket for the tournament was said to be randomized, it was impossible for the influence of the First Prince¡¯s and Second Prince¡¯s factions not to seep into the process. However, the finalized bracket for the top 32 differed from everyone¡¯s expectations. ¡°With this arrangement¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Lioness and I will face each other in the semifinals.¡± ¡°That¡¯s surprising.¡± ¡°¡­In truth, it was his request.¡± Kaylen tilted his head. Though his demonstration of the Lightning Bolt spell had been impressive¡­ ¡®He¡¯s a 4th-circle Meister with an A-grade mana suit, after all.¡¯ From an outsider¡¯s perspective, Kaylen¡¯s chances of defeating Lioness were nearly zero. Even so, Lioness had deliberately adjusted his cement. ¡°He wants to prove himself in peak condition. However, he knew that if he faced you, he would have no choice but to expend a significant amount of mana. So, he moved himself.¡± Hearing that, Kaylen understood that Lioness held him in high regard.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Still, a question lingered. ¡°What exactly does he want to prove?¡± Tap. Tap. Violet lightly tapped her frost-covered face. ¡°That he canpletely melt the ice on my face.¡± ¡°He¡¯s aware of that?¡± ¡°The top-ranking nobles have a general idea. They¡¯re privy to information about S-grade mana suits, after all.¡± ¡°I see.¡± However, considering Lioness¡¯s alignment with the Second Prince¡¯s faction, he didn¡¯t seem to have any reason to assist the First Prince¡¯s princess. Just as Kaylen began pondering this, Violet gave a bitter smile and added, ¡°He¡¯s one of my potential fianc¨¦s.¡± ¡°Politically, his ranking as a candidate is low due to factional rivalry. But if he manages to melt the ice on my face, the story changes. My father, the king, is deeply concerned that I might sumb to the frost. Should Lioness aplish this, he would be the strongest contender for my hand.¡± Violet, often referred to as the mastermind of the First Prince¡¯s faction, knew what that would mean for her position. If she were to marry the third son of a duke, her current freedom of action would be severely restricted. Even her standing within the First Prince¡¯s faction would weaken significantly. ¡°Is that something you¡¯re considering?¡± ¡°Not at all. I¡¯d rather die than marry into the Duke¡¯s household.¡± Violet¡¯s firm reply carried a sharp sense of anger toward the Duke¡¯s family. ¡®Is this more than a matter of royal session? Is there deeper enmity here?¡¯ Though the conflict remained under the surface, her strong animosity hinted at something significant in the past. Kaylen spected that there must have been a critical incident between them, one that had nevere to light. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if a dispute erupted at any moment. I¡¯ll need to tread carefully between these two factions.¡¯ The brewing tension between the First Prince¡¯s and Second Prince¡¯s factions was palpable. With the ongoing suspicion about the connection between dungeon cores and the Demonic Realm¡¯s colonies, Kaylen had no desire to entangle himself unnecessarily in their strife. His approach was clear: Take what he could. Build his power. And maintain neutrality for as long as possible. ¡®Still, this bracket works to my advantage.¡¯ The two strongest contenders for victory, Princess Violet and Lioness, were opponents who could draw significant attention if faced too early in the tournament. Even though they were both 4th-circle Meisters, the presence or absence of mana suits could be a critical factor, and careless handling could lead to unexpected oues. ¡®Thanks to this bracket, I should have a smooth path to the finals.¡¯ From participants 17 to 32, the lineup was filled with Meisters equipped with mana suits, including Zaik. However, Kaylen remained calm andposed. Among all this, his first opponent, someone named ¡°Lina,¡± didn¡¯t catch his interest in the slightest. *** The First Day of the Finals ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Lina bit her lip involuntarily. Thanks to extraordinary luck in the preliminary rounds, she had managed to advance to the top 32 despite being only a 3rd-circle mage. But luck had clearly abandoned her now. ¡®Why do I have to face him of all people?!¡¯ Her chest tightened as she looked up at Kaylen standing confidently in the arena. Him? A 4th-circle mage? ¡®This has to be a joke!¡¯ She thought back to the time when she had confidently demonstrated Fireball magic before him, asking him to teach her magic. ¡®I don¡¯t even want to step into the arena¡­¡¯ Her steps grew heavier as she climbed up. Lina¡¯s original reason for joining the Superior Mage Selection Tournament wasn¡¯t even to win. It was to figure out why Kaylen had gained the princess¡¯s favor. She had already uncovered her answer during the preliminaries, so the tournament itself no longer held much appeal for her. She wanted to quit. But there was a problem¡ªthere had never been a case of someone forfeiting a match in the history of the tournament. Wearing the Florence name, she couldn¡¯t bring the dishonor of being the first to forfeit. ¡®In that case¡­¡¯ Lina adjusted her expression, putting on the most pitiful and vulnerable face she could muster. In a intive tone, she begged, ¡°Kaylen¡­¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re my opponent for the top 32.¡± ¡°Please, go easy on me.¡± But Kaylen turned away without a word. ¡°Hah¡­¡± Lina was speechless. Hadn¡¯t he seemed to like her so much before? Her tear-filled eyes, which had been carefully staged to look pathetic, suddenly hardened with venom. ¡®You jerk¡­!¡¯ Fine, then. She¡¯d endure as long as she could. Resolving herself, Lina began casting her spell quickly. ¡°Fire, heed my call¡­¡± ¡°Wind Burst.¡± Before she could even finish her incantation, Kaylen extended his hand indifferently. A 4th-circle wind spell manifested without a single word of incantation. BOOM! A massive air explosion erupted right in front of Lina''s face. The sheer pressure distorted her features, and her body was lifted into the air, sent flying uncontrobly. In that instant, Lina realized what was about to happen. ¡®No, no, no! If this keeps up, I¡¯ll lose in record time¡­!¡¯ She iled desperately to avoid falling out of bounds. But no mere human could resist the force of the wind. ¡°Kyahhhhhh!¡± Thud. She crashed headfirst onto the ground, her consciousness dimming. Ah¡­ Record-time defeat, confirmed. The scouts, holding their pens, worked furiously. ¡°His mastery of wind magic is remarkable¡­¡± ¡°Could he have the potential to be a Meister as well?¡± The evaluation of Kaylen, already considered the standout talent of the tournament, soared even higher in their minds. If he truly possessed the qualifications to be a Meister¡­ ¡®Casting Wind Burst without incantation? Was he originally specialized in wind magic?¡¯ ¡®With this level of skill, he could achieve greatness as a Meister.¡¯ ¡®Coming from a modest family makes him even easier to recruit.¡¯ The wind-aligned Tower scouts were internally cheering. Meanwhile, the fire and other elemental Tower scouts were left disappointed. ¡®A shame, really.¡¯ ¡®Considering he used lightning earlier, I thought he might also have talent in fire magic¡­¡¯ However, their feelings of regret quickly shifted the following day. The next day, Kaylen revealed yet another talent. ¡°What¡­ What is that?¡± ¡°How is that even possible?¡± Kaylen showcased yet another aspect of his incredible potential. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 29 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 29 Round of 16 in the Selection Tournament. For students aiming to be Superior Mages, the Round of 16 was the most crucial match. If they won here and advanced to the Quarterfinals, being among the top eight Superior Mages was guaranteed. Every magician in the Round of 16 gave their all in this match. Kaylen''s opponent was no exception. But¡ª ¡°Gasp... Gasp... Circle... Re... load. Ice Shield.¡± In the Round of 16, Elvin, a 3rd-Circle Meister renowned as one of the top talents, stood before Kaylen, panting heavily and suppressing his frustration. ¡®What kind of bastard is this...?!¡¯ Having witnessed Kaylen''s disruptive performance in the preliminaries, Elvin knew from the beginning that victory would be difficult. Still, he wanted to leave a strong impression in front of the crowd... But the one leaving an impression was, undeniably, Kaylen. ¡°Ice Spear.¡± Against a Meister of Water Magic, Kaylen overwhelmed him using the very same element. Even though Elvin was a 3rd-Circle Meister¡ªa mage who had mastered the peak of a single attribute¡ªthis wasn''t how the match should have gone. A 3rd-Circle Meister''s power was typicallyparable to that of a regr mage¡¯s 5th-Circle magic. By all ounts, Elvin should have had the advantage in a battle of water magic. ¡°Urgh...!¡± However, reality told a different story. Whenever Kaylen cast Ice Spear, the icences shot out instantaneously¡ªwithout incantation. And not just one, but in greater numbers than Elvin could produce! ng! ng! That wasn¡¯t all. The power of the icences striking his Ice Shield kept growing stronger with each wave. ¡®This guy... is he holding back his strength?!¡¯ As his barrier began to shatter, Elvin forcibly cycled the mana in his heart again, but... ¡°Circle... Reload! Ice Shie¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Thwack! Elvin¡¯s Ice Shield was mercilessly pierced by Kaylen¡¯s Ice Spear. Surrounded by the remaining 14 icences, Elvin lowered his head in defeat. ¡°I... lost...¡± A 3rd-Circle Meister of Water Magic had been defeated by a regr mage¡¯s 3rd-Circle Ice Spear. The match was aplete loss. Before he could even counterattack, he was overwhelmed by the unending torrent of Ice Spears. ¡°How is he doing that without a Mana Suit?¡± ¡°Did you see him using Ice Spear? He must have an affinity for water as well.¡± ¡°People barely have enough to master one attribute... Can he really handle two?¡± ¡°His main attribute isn¡¯t wind... It¡¯s water! Water!¡± ¡°What nonsense! Did you miss the Round of 32 match? The Wind Burst he used was 4th-Circle. He clearly has an affinity for wind!¡± ¡°Ha! Haven¡¯t you seen the hundreds of Ice Spears he¡¯s been casting? He¡¯s water through and through.¡± ¡°Just listen to this guy...¡± The discussion among scouts grew heated, eventually escting into a debate between representatives from the Towers of Water and Wind. A 4th-Circle mage from an insignificant family, without any factional ties. On top of that, a mage seemingly possessing the talents of a Meister in two attributes. From the perspective of a scout, it was enough to turn their heads. ¡°Good work, my lord.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°And... representatives from several Magic Towers havee to see you.¡± It was no surprise, then, that many people approached Kaylen as he descended from the arena. ¡°That was a truly impressive match, Kaylen.¡± ¡°You certainly have undeniable talent in water magic.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s nothingpared to your Wind Burst. Your wind affinity suits you best, Kaylen.¡± Since the Round of 32, when he sent Lina flying, scouts from the Tower of Wind had been vying for Kaylen¡¯s attention. Now, even the scouts from the Tower of Water were making offers to recruit him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯d like to focus on thepetition for now.¡± Kaylen turned down all their offers and left the arena. As he walked, people¡¯s eyes followed him. But unlike before, those gazes were no longer filled with disdain¡ªthey were filled with awe. Unfazed by their stares, Kaylen confidently made his way forward, as if ustomed to such attention. ¡°My lord, it¡¯s certain now. You¡¯ll be a Superior Mage.¡± ¡°Hmm. It was easy.¡± While Alkas spoke with admiration, Kaylen himself remainedposed. From his perspective, thispetition was no different from a children¡¯s talent show. In fact, he nned to drop out once he achieved his goals in this tournament. ¡°So, if I forfeit now, I still get the title?¡± ¡°Well... yes. Some participants who sustained severe injuries have forfeited in the past.¡± The official duels in the main tournament... Although Kaylen had effortlessly won without injuring his opponents, it wasn¡¯t umon for participants to leave with serious injuries. Even though clerics blessed with the power of healing were on standby, the sheer strength of the spells used by Meisters often resulted in major injuries. ¡®But forfeiting in perfect condition... That¡¯s unheard of.¡¯ Alkas watched as Kaylen strode away. Aside from the slight traces of remaining baby fat, his body showed no signs of damage. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll need to think things through tonight.¡± ¡°Think... about what, my lord?¡± ¡°Hmm. I was curious about the Mana Suit, but I¡¯ve mostly figured it out now.¡± What? Figured it out already? ¡®Could it be...?¡¯ Come to think of it, during the Round of 32, Kaylen had observed other matches as well. At that time, he had watched the Mana Suit and remarked, ¡®So that¡¯s how it works?¡¯ ¡®Did he already figure it out just from watching the Round of 32 matches...?¡¯ For anyone else, this would be impossible. But for Kaylen, a Swordmaster and 4th-Circle Mage? Alkas nodded to himself, thinking it might indeed be possible. ¡®Still, forfeiting could tarnish my lord¡¯s honor.¡¯ While Alkas wrestled with how to dissuade Kaylen from withdrawing, someone called out. ¡°Hold on.¡± On their way back to the dormitory, a knight stopped them. Turning their heads, they saw a middle-aged man nked by ten knights standing silently. The man¡¯s bald head and striking mustache were memorable features. The middle-aged man spoke directly to Kaylen. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Kaylen. Congrattions on bing a Superior Mage.¡± ¡°And you are?¡± ¡°Oh my, oh my... Do you really not recognize me? Truly?¡± The man widened his eyes at Kaylen¡¯s response, then stroked his mustache as he introduced himself. ¡°Ruhos Baldur. Steward of the Baldur Count¡¯s family... and your new uncle.¡± ¡°Uncle?¡± ¡°Yes, your new uncle.¡± New uncle. Hearing those words, Kaylen felt a slight headache. For someone who had maintained peak physical condition since forming his Mana Body, this sensation was an unfamiliar experience. ¡®This is...¡¯ Along with the headache, memories of his family, which he had been unable to recall, began to surface. The first memory that emerged was of this body¡¯s father. ¡®Alves.¡¯ Alves, head of the Starn family and Kaylen¡¯s father. Alves had married Kaylen¡¯s biological mother, who came from a wealthy merchant family. But when her family fell into ruin for unknown reasons, he abandoned her. ¡®And... a stepmother.¡¯ The woman Alves chose next was from a branch family of the Baldur family. Kaylen¡¯s memories then depicted his mother crying as she left the house, followed by Alves, his expression cold and detached, muttering: ¡°It was necessary for the family. We have to survive.¡± Kaylen was eight years old. It was a traumatic event that left a deep mark on him. Memories he had no desire to revisit were gradually resurfacing with Ruhos¡¯s appearance. ¡®So that¡¯s how it was.¡¯ While Kaylen was piecing together his memories, Ruhos smirked, baring his teeth. ¡°As your uncle, I would love to support you further, but it seems you¡¯ll be facing Young Master Zaik in the Quarterfinals.¡± ¡°The Starn family is both a rtive and a vassal family to the Baldur family.¡± Rustle. Ruhos pulled out a scroll from his coat and unfurled it. ¡°All members of the Starn family swear absolute loyalty to the Baldur family.¡± It was a written oath of loyalty from the Starn family to the Baldur family. The seal of the Starn family was stamped at the end of the scroll. On the left, a pair of wings; beneath them, a sword in the center. The remaining space was empty¡ªa simple yet recognizable emblem of the Starn family. Kaylen narrowed his eyes as he examined the seal. ¡®That insignia¡­ it¡¯s a fragment of the Meier Empire¡¯s crest.¡¯ The emblem of the Meier Empire was characterized by a central dragon surrounded by wings and swords at each corner. The Starn family¡¯s insignia had taken only the corner elements, leaving the dragon absent. Seeing a trace of Meier¡¯s legacy on such a document brought a cold, sharp expression to Kaylen¡¯s face, though Ruhos continued speaking as if oblivious. ¡°Do not forget the duties of a vassal family, Kaylen.¡± ¡°However, if you show the appropriate behavior¡­ our family will reward you ordingly.¡± With that, Ruhos gestured to the knights surrounding him. Click. Click. The ten knights moved in, encircling Kaylen and Alkas with a clear sense of intimidation. ¡°But if you fail to uphold your obligations as a vassal¡­¡± Shiiing. One of the knights near Kaylen partially drew his sword, letting the de glint threateningly in the academy¡¯s light¡ªa disy of power within academy grounds. Alkas stepped forward to shield Kaylen. ¡°How dare you!¡± At the same time, he reached for his sword, but Kaylen caught his hand. ¡°Wait.¡± Kaylen¡¯s once icy expression softened into a faint smile. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re quick toprehend.¡± ¡°Still, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for me to forfeit tomorrow¡¯s match, would it?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°So tomorrow, in the arena¡­ I¡¯ll make sure to meet your expectations.¡± Kaylen slightly bowed his head with a polite smile. Seeing this, Ruhos returned the gesture with a pleased grin. No matter how powerful a 4th-Circle mage might be, bound as he was by his family¡¯s obligations, what choice did he have but toply? ¡°Good. You¡¯ve made the right decision. It¡¯s better for your future this way.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°The reward wille after the match,¡± Ruhos said, retreating with a self-satisfied smile. At that moment, he was under the delusion that he had sessfullypleted his mission. ¡°Lord, let me break those dogs¡¯ arms and legs,¡± Alkas growled. ¡°No, Alkas.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°The hounds aren¡¯t the issue. It¡¯s the master that needs dealing with. I was thinking of forfeiting, but¡­ now I¡¯ll stick around to enjoy myself a bit more.¡± Kaylen¡¯s eyes, though smiling, were unsettlingly cold¡ªa detail that Ruhos hadpletely failed to notice. The next day, the Quarterfinals began. Zaik stepped onto the arena with a lighthearted confidence.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "They said everything was handled, after all." Kaylen might have dared to talk back to him in front of Lionus, but with Ruhos having assured him that the situation was tightly under control, Zaik felt no need for extensive preparation. "Still, I should teach that upstart a lesson. A vassal family daring to act so brazenly¡ªknow your ce." Since Kaylen had allegedly agreed not to resist, this match would simply be a one-sided beating. Zaik couldn¡¯t hide his excitement at the thought of crushing Kaylen¡¯s arrogance. He wanted the boy to enter the arena already. Step. Step. ¡°Participant Kaylen, entering the arena.¡± Kaylen stepped onto the field with a calm smile. Yet, for reasons he couldn¡¯t exin, a chill ran down Zaik¡¯s spine as he watched. Something felt¡­ off. ¡°Let the match begin!¡± Suppressing his unease, Zaik wasted no time and began his magic. ¡°Circle Reload: Stone Spike.¡± One by one, jagged stone spikes materialized, quickly numbering in the dozens¡ªa testament to his mastery as an Earth Mage. "He¡¯ll pretend to struggle and eventually concede defeat," Zaik thought. Surely, Kaylen would show some feeble attempts at offense and defense before epting his loss. "I¡¯ll y along at first and then finish him decisively. Let¡¯s teach this arrogant brat a real lesson." The unease from earlier was surely just nerves. Zaik smirked confidently as the barrage of stone spikes flew toward Kaylen. But Kaylen, standing still, merely opened his mouth. ¡°Haste.¡± Zaik¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Haste? Of all things, the supposedlypliant Kaylen had chosen an eleration spell instead of a shield. Before Zaik could process the absurdity, Kaylen¡¯s figure vanished. And then¡ª Thud. Kaylen was standing right in front of him. "You¡ªhow dare yo¡ªugh!" Crunch! Before Zaik could finish his sentence, Kaylen¡¯s fist smashed into his mouth. The sound was sickening, and the pain was overwhelming. ¡®What¡­ what is this¡­?!¡¯ Zaik barely had time to think before Kaylen grabbed him by the cor and hoisted him off the ground like a ragdoll. Then¡ª SLAP! Kaylen¡¯s palm cracked across Zaik¡¯s face with a force that sent blood spraying from his mouth. SLAP! Another strike knocked loose teeth, which ttered to the ground amidst the stter of blood. Thud. Crack. Zaik was flung aside like garbage,nding in a pitiful heap on the arena floor. The excruciating pain left him seeing white, his body wracked with shock. Amidst the chaos in his mind, Kaylen¡¯s calm, chilling voice reached his ears. ¡°Stop ying dead and put on your mana suit already, Senior Zaik.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to break it for you.¡± [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 30 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 30 ¡°Y-You¡­ this¡­ bastard¡­¡± Zaik''s voice trembled as he struggled to speak. Every time he moved his mouth, his loosened teeth ttered ufortably. Air seeped through the gaps, making it difficult for him to form words properly. When was thest time he had suffered such injuries? Zaik Baldur. A prodigious mage from the esteemed Baldur Count¡¯s family. A 3rd Circle Earth Meister on the verge of reaching the 4th Circle, and the proud owner of a C-rank Mana Suit. Though winning the tournament was out of the question due topetitors like Princess Violet, a 4th Circle mage, and Lioness, Zaik had still been hailed as one of the academy¡¯s brightest talents. He was expected to make it to the semifinals without issue. For someone ustomed to a smooth, unchallenged path, this situation was entirely foreign. ¡°You didn¡¯t seriously leave your Mana Suit behind, thinking yesterday¡¯s agreement was enough to protect you, did you?¡± Of course not. The Mana Suit was Zaik¡¯s most treasured possession, something he would never leave behind. He had simply been caught off guard, panicked by the unexpected pain, and failed to respond in time. ¡°Or¡­ are you just nning to kneel and give up?¡± Kaylen¡¯s cold smile apanied the taunt, snapping Zaik out of his daze. Zaik locked eyes with him. From Kaylen, he felt a presence he couldn¡¯t quite define¡ªsomething unnervingly oppressive. While its exact nature was unclear, one thing was unmistakable: ¡®That bastard¡­ he¡¯s looking at me like I¡¯m a bug.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the disgusted look one gives something filthy. Rather, it was an apathetic gaze, like seeing a stray pebble on the roadside or an insignificant fly buzzing by. ¡°¡­You damn brat.¡± Gritting his teeth, Zaik rolled up his left sleeve, revealing a bracelet embedded deep into his arm. The brown bracelet had a bright blue gemstone at its center. When he pressed the gem, a hum began to resonate. Whirrrrr. The gemstone lit up, and the Mana Suit began enveloping Zaik¡¯s body. The suit was a deep earthy brown, resembling full-te armor forged from steel. Kaylen, arms crossed, watched the process unfold impassively. ¡°It takes about ten seconds to fully equip,¡± he noted. Even in Zaik¡¯s half-prone state, the suit automatically adjusted and fitted itself onto him. Once the suit was fully activated, Zaik pushed himself to his feet. [Circle Reload¡­] A mechanical voice echoed from the Mana Suit, its tone harsh and metallic, likely enhanced through magical mechanisms. [Stone Skin.] Rumble. The ground beneath the arena cracked open, and a mass of earth surged upward. In mere moments, the soil fused with Zaik¡¯s Mana Suit,yering it with an additional armor of hardened dirt. Despite being made of earth, the newyer looked as solid as iron. [Kaylen, I swear, I won¡¯t let you live!] Zaik, now in a defensive stance, growled with fury. [Circle Reload. Earth Hand.] Rumble! The entire arena began to quake and crack open. From the fractures emerged five enormous hands made of earth. Standing at about three meters tall, the massive hands loomed over Kaylen, even making his towering frame seem small. Surrounding him on all sides, the hands moved with intent, poised to crush him like an insect. Kaylen watched them descend with an intrigued expression. "This¡­ feels close to a 5th Circle spell. No, it¡¯s a little short, isn¡¯t it?" Though Zaik was only a 3rd Circle mage, his focus on a single element as an Earth Meister,bined with the amplification from his Mana Suit, had made his power overwhelming. Even whenpared to the mages Kaylen had encountered in his past life, Zaik¡¯s raw strength held its own. ¡°Earth Shield.¡± Kaylen conjured a defensive barrier of the same element to counter. Boom! Boom! The force behind the Earth Hands was far beyond anything Kaylen had faced in the earlier rounds of the tournament. After just two or three strikes, the protective shield was on the verge of shattering. Even the impacts bleeding through the shield were enough to make Kaylen feel the strain. [Gravity Field.] Zaik cast yet another spell. A field of heightened gravity enveloped Kaylen, pressing down on him with immense force. Kaylen could feel his body grow heavy under the spell. "It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve felt this kind of restraint." Trapped by the Earth Hands and crushed under the amplified gravity, Kaylen found himself immobilized. Yet, instead of panicking, he smiled. It had been a long time since his body experienced such physical limitations. ¡°sh.¡± sh! In an instant, Kaylen disappeared from the Earth Hands¡¯ grasp and reappeared right beside Zaik. ¡°Strength.¡± With the activation of a strength-enhancing spell, Kaylen¡¯s body radiated an ominous energy. Zaik¡¯s expression twisted in disbelief. He thought to himself, ¡°Is he nning to punch my Mana Suit? This indestructible armor?¡± ¡°He¡¯s insane!¡± That thought didn¡¯tst long. BOOM! ¡°Wha¡­ what¡­?¡± ¡°One hit wasn¡¯t enough, I see.¡± Crack! The area over Zaik¡¯s chest, reinforced by Stone Skin, shattered with an audible crunch. Zaik stumbled, panic gripping him as he realized what had happened. "What the hell¡­? He actually broke it?!" No matter how much a mage enhanced their physical strength, to break through Stone Skin with raw force? Kaylen didn¡¯t stop. His fist moved again, cutting through the air with terrifying precision. Whip! Zaik hastily widened the gap between them and cast another spell. [Grease!] The ground beneath their feet turned slippery, forcing Kaylen¡¯s advance to halt momentarily. [Circle Reload. Stone st!] Immediately following, Zaik unleashed a powerful destructive spell in quick session. This was one of the unique strengths of a Mana Suit: the ability to handle immense mana consumption and cast multiple spells simultaneously. ¡°Zaik Baldur? He¡¯s certainly a skilled Meister,¡± one scout remarked. ¡°His response to emergencies is impressive.¡± ¡°No wonder Prince Lioness values him so highly. He¡¯s got his reasons.¡± Scouts who hade to evaluate Kaylen couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by Zaik¡¯sposure and quick thinking. Even with the constant support a Meister often enjoyed, dungeons were filled with unpredictable dangers. The ability to adapt quickly to unexpected situations was a crucial metric for evaluating a Meister¡¯s skill. Zaik Baldur excelled in this regard, earning praise as a capable talent. But even as they admired Zaik, they couldn¡¯t help but be equally baffled by Kaylen. ¡°Who is that Kaylen kid? Is he really a mage? How does he break Stone Skin with his bare fists?¡± ¡°His movements resemble a seasoned knight¡¯s.¡± Even with the aid of enhancement magic, Kaylen¡¯s feats¡ªdarting around the battlefield and smashing through Stone Skin with punches¡ªwere beyond anything they had witnessed before. ¡°And yet, he clearly wields magic as well¡­¡± Their eyes turned to the sky. ¡°Fly.¡± Soaring gracefully through the air, Kaylen controlled the battlefield from above. ¡°Lightning Bolt.¡± Bolts of lightning rained down. ¡°Fireball.¡± mes erupted as fireballs descended onto the arena. Kaylen moved with the majesty of an Archmage, seamlessly unleashing a barrage of spells from multiple elements. Zaik, overwhelmed, scrambled to respond. [Reload. Stone Skin. Earth Shield. Stone Spike¡­] Zaik countered Kaylen¡¯s magical bombardment with everything he had, summoningyer afteryer of defensive and offensive earth spells. However, the oue was clear. Zaik¡¯s defense held, but his attempts to retaliate failed miserably. When his sharp stone projectilesunched into the air¡­ ¡°Fly.¡± Kaylen simply soared higher, leaving the attack to lose its momentum. Even when Zaik deployed [Gravity Field!] to pull Kaylen down¡­ ¡°sh.¡± Kaylen would teleport effortlessly, evading the field¡¯s range entirely. [Tch¡­! Damn it¡­!] Zaik gritted his teeth, frustrated by his helplessness. The Achilles'' heel of an earth-aligned mage was ringly apparent¡ªairbornebat. Earth magic derived its power from the ground, and the further one moved away from it, the weaker it became. Kaylen exploited this critical weakness to its fullest, taunting Zaik from above with his superior mobility. [If I can just catch him!] Zaik did everything in his power to capture Kaylen. The Gravity Field now spanned nearly half the arena, and jagged stone spikes jutted out from every corner, evidence of Zaik¡¯s relentless attacks. Yet, every single one of his efforts had been effortlessly dodged by Kaylen. ¡°Thank you for the gravity field,¡± Kaylen quipped. Rather than being hindered, Kaylen had begun using Zaik¡¯s Gravity Field to his advantage, channeling his magic from above to rain destruction downward. Kaylen¡¯s assault grew faster and fiercer, each spell an overwhelming barrage. Fireballs erupted, their explosions intensified by conjured winds that fanned the mes. Ice spears shot out, piercing in every direction but ultimately melting against Earth Shields, leaving puddles in their wake¡ªpuddles that Kaylen used to unleash a lightning strike. Crack! Zap! The Earth Shield shattered, and cracks formed yet again on Zaik¡¯s Stone Skin. Had his Mana Suit not been of C-rank, it would¡¯ve been damaged as well. ¡®I¡¯m being attacked one-sidedly!¡¯ Zaik thought, his frustration mounting. He desperately searched for a way to turn the tide. His gaze locked on the airborne Kaylen, zipping through the sky, and he made a decision. ¡®I didn¡¯t fully charge the Mana Suit because I trusted the butler¡¯s word. I¡¯m running out of mana. Dragging this out will only put me at a disadvantage... I need to end this now!¡¯ [Reload. Reload.] Zaik knew his only chance was to bring Kaylen down to the ground. After cycling his mana circle twice to draw in more earth-aligned mana¡­ [Gravity Field!] Zaik deployed the full power of his Gravity Field, expanding its range until it covered the entire arena. Even someone as elusive as Kaylen couldn¡¯t leave the battlefield, bound by its borders. Kaylen, caught in the fully-powered Gravity Field, finally began to descend. Whoosh! It was as if a bird had been struck mid-flight, plummeting like an arrow from the sky. Zaik¡¯s Mana Suit surged with power as he poured everything he had into maintaining the Gravity Field. ¡®There¡¯s no way that bastard won¡¯t fall this time!¡¯ [Stone Spike!] As Kaylen fell, Zaikunched a volley of sharpened stone spikes toward him. If Kaylen drew close enough to the ground, there was no way he could escape unscathed. Zaik was certain this would be the final blow to rip Kaylen apart. But then... ¡°sh.¡± Blink. Blink. Even in mid-fall, Kaylen used his Blink Spell. It wasn¡¯t to escape back into the sky. Instead, Kaylen used the spell to close the distance between them. Positioning himself directly above Zaik, Kaylen began to descend rapidly, now targeting Zaik from above. The tables had turned. ''Has he lost his mind?'' Zaik thought as he watched Kaylen deliberately close the distance between them. It should¡¯ve been a mistake on Kaylen¡¯s part¡ªproximity favored Zaik. Without hesitation, Zaik summoned Earth Hands from every direction and hurled boulders at his descending opponent. ¡®I¡¯ll crush him where he stands!¡¯ But then, Kaylen¡¯s calm voice rang clearly in Zaik¡¯s ears. ¡°Gravity Field.¡± [What¡­?!] The very idea was absurd¡ªapplying yet anotheryer of gravity while one was already in effect? Zaik''s body instantly became even heavier. His own Gravity Fieldpounded by Kaylen¡¯s spell intensified the gravitational force beyond reason. And, as if mocking Zaik¡¯s strategy, Kaylen¡¯s descent elerated, now plummeting like a meteor. Even mid-fall, Kaylen continued casting a flurry of spells: ¡°Strength. Haste. Earth Shield. Stone Skin¡­¡± Each spell was a protective enhancement. Empowered by theseyers of magic, Kaylen transformed into an unstoppable force, tearing through Zaik¡¯s summoned Earth Hands as if they were nothing. Boom! Boom! Zaik¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he witnessed the impossible. [What kind of wizard¡­?! This doesn¡¯t make sense!] To Zaik, it was insanity. Wizards weren¡¯t supposed to use their bodies like this. Even with auxiliary spells, how could a magic caster charge headfirst into a fight like a warrior? [E-Earth...] Zaik tried to conjure a spell to counter Kaylen¡¯s charge, but it was toote. Kaylen¡¯s speed was unmatched. Zaik had no time to react. Desperation filled his mind as he clung to his only hope¡ªhis defensive magic. ¡®He¡¯s just a wizard! There¡¯s no way his physical attack can surpass my defensive spells. No way!¡¯ After all, his barriers had endured the bombardment from Kaylen¡¯s earlier magic. Surely, they could hold once more. But... CRACK! Zaik¡¯s Earth Shield shattered upon impact. CRUNCH! The Stone Skin, his secondary defense, cracked and broke apart. [Guh¡ª! Agh¡ª!] The C-rank Mana Suit absorbed much of the damage, but it wasn¡¯t enough to shield Zaik from the internal shock. The impact sent waves of pain through his body, and he copsed to the ground. Thud! "You''re tough, I¡¯ll give you that," Kaylen remarked casually as hended with a crash nearby. Dust settled, revealing Kaylen rising to his feet with ease. He dusted himself off and walked toward Zaik, his expression one of mild interest. Zaik, trembling on the ground, stared up at him in horror. [M-monster¡­] Zaik couldn''tprehend it. A human had just fallen from the sky, and not just any fall¡ªone in which two Gravity Fields had been stacked on top of each other. How could Kaylen remain unharmed? Was this really a human? "Let''s do a bit more durability testing, senior." Kaylen smiled as he flexed his right hand, the one that had crushed Zaik¡¯s Earth Hands, Earth Shield, and Stone Skin. Zaik thought that once Kaylen was in his Mana Suit, he''d easily tear him apart. But now, facing Kaylen''s strength, fear crept in like never before. Boom! Another blownded on the Mana Suit. Boom, boom, boom! Kaylen''s fist mmed the same spot repeatedly, without any signs of wear or damage to the Mana Suit. "Not even a scratch." Even though the Mana Suit remained intact, the same couldn¡¯t be said for Zaik within it. With each strike, the shockwaves reverberated throughout his body. The Mana Suit was meant to absorb such impacts, but Kaylen''s blows were something else. Zaik felt his bones creaking as if his entire body would shatter. He was coughing up blood and bile. At this rate, I¡¯ll die. I can¡¯t hold on any longer. "Should I hit harder?" At the sound of Kaylen¡¯s chilling words, Zaik¡¯s resolve finally broke. [Mana Suit... Deactivate.] The Mana Suit began to retract on its own, transforming from a full suit of armor into a simple bracelet. Kaylen watched with a cold expression as the suit dissipated. "What¡¯s this? Put it back on." Zaik gasped weakly, his body almost crumbling from the damage. "Ha¡­ Ha¡­ Please¡­" Kaylen stared at him for a moment, his frustration growing. He had hoped to continue testing the suit¡¯s durability, but with the user in such a state, there was no point.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°You¡¯ve always been this way, haven¡¯t you? No guts at all.¡± Before Zaik could fully admit defeat, Kaylen grabbed him by the cor, lifting him off the ground. Kaylen nced around briefly, then his gaze locked on the face of a man, pale with fear. His lips curled into a wide grin. "Oh, there you are." With a swift motion, Kaylen hurled Zaik¡¯s body across the arena, sending him flying far beyond the battlefield into the spectator area. Landing near the front row, a man in a fine suit stood there¡ªRuhos, the house steward of the Baldur family. ¡°Ruhos, weren¡¯t you supposed to be keeping the sanctity of the royal family?¡± Kaylen¡¯s voice was soft, but it echoed clearly in Ruhos'' ears. ¡°This is my answer,¡± Kaylen added with a smile. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 31 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 31 Ruhos couldn¡¯t believe the current situation. ¡°Young Master¡­¡­¡± Zaik Baldur. The eldest son of the current head of the Baldur family and a renowned genius magician. No one doubted the brilliant future thaty ahead of him, and many strove to align themselves with him in any way possible. Ruhos was no exception. Though they shared the Baldur surname... There was a vast difference between Zaik, a direct descendant, and Ruhos, a branch family member. Believing that gaining Zaik¡¯s favor would lead to rapid advancement, Ruhos had been assisting him for the past 10 years. He had thought he¡¯d reached a position where he could be called one of Zaik¡¯s close aides. And after handling the Kaylen matter, he expected to gain even more trust. But¡­ ¡°Everything is ruined.¡± Ruhos stared nkly at Kaylen. Kaylen, who had shown an unbelievable feat against the mana suit. A magician defeating a mana suit in closebat. If someone were to hear of this, they would call it absurd and dismiss it as nonsense. ¡°You, you bastard! Do you think you¡¯ll get away with this?¡± ¡°And what will you do about it?¡± As Ruhos shouted in frustration, Kaylen shrugged. ¡°This brat! Do you think the Starn family will remain unscathed? How dare a vassal family¡­¡± A vassal family. Originally, the term referred to lower nobles serving under higher nobles¡­ But after the emergence of dungeons, it took on another meaning. Lower nobles depended on higher nobles for the right to survival. Higher nobles used their Meisters to assist in subjugating dungeons that appeared within the territories of their vassals, while lower nobles becamepletely subordinate to them. Land usage rights, taxation, and even personnel decisions within the family. A vassal family could never go against the will of the higher noble family. Because otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t survive in this age of rampant dungeons. It was better to be fully subjugated under them. To seek survival that way. This was how the lower nobles of this era lived. The Starn family, in particr, was in no position to oppose the Baldur family. Without the Meisters dispatched by the Baldur family, even maintaining their territory was difficult. More than half of their family¡¯s resources were already taken over. For survival. To stay alive, they had no choice. The Starn family needed a backer to protect them. ¡°Go ahead and try.¡± But that was the Starn family¡¯s concern. Kaylen didn¡¯t care in the slightest. From the beginning, his goal of rebuilding Meier made the Starn family irrelevant¡­ Even from Kaylen¡¯s own bodily perspective, the Starn family was insignificant. ¡°Because of that bastard, I remembered.¡± Kaylen Starn. The eldest son of the Starn family. He possessed some notable magical talent, enough to enter the Magic Academy. But¡­ Because his father¡¯s second wife was from a higher noble family, his position within the family was terrible. No, it wasn¡¯t just terrible. Kaylen¡¯s position within the family was nonexistent. ¡°Ruhos, who is the sessor of the Starn family?¡± ¡°That would be¡­¡± At Kaylen¡¯s question, Ruhos fell silent. The sessor of the Starn family. Originally, it was the eldest son, Kaylen. ¡°But now, it¡¯s your nephew, isn¡¯t it? Your stepmother¡¯s son. My half-brother.¡± Kaylen remembered. The day he saw Ruhos Baldur¡¯s face, Kaylen was forced to recall memories he had locked away. After Kaylen¡¯s father remarried. When a son was born from that marriage¡­ Around the time Kaylen¡¯s position began to waver. - Kaylen, now that you¡¯ve be an uncle, let me give you some advice. Balding Ruhos spoke with a benevolent smile. - How long do you n to let your talent rot away in the countryside? Back when Kaylen was still with the Starn family, he undoubtedly had talent for magic. Butpared to the entire kingdom, it wasn¡¯t a talent that could be called exceptional. To be precise, he wasn¡¯t gifted enough to qualify for a schrship at the Magic Academy. Thus, he needed money to attend the academy. But the Starn family didn¡¯t have that kind of money... - I¡¯ll pay for your tuition. The Baldur family, to which the Starn family¡¯s matriarch belonged, had money. Ruhos took advantage of this. - In return, I have a favor to ask. Still wearing his benevolent smile, he spoke of a ¡°favor.¡± It was a request that young Kaylen could never refuse. ¡°Ruhos, you¡¯re the one who told me to give up my position as the family sessor.¡± Kaylen lost his rights. Under the pretext of covering his tuition for the academy. The position of the eldest son and heir of the Starn family. The family¡¯s inheritance. He was forced to give it all up. On the surface, it seemed like a peaceful arrangement. To expel the eldest son with amoner-born mother, the Baldur family provided financial support for his education. In return, he relinquished his rights as a sessor. Kaylen was sent to the capital, while the Starn family¡¯s estate in the countryside¡­ Was handed over to the younger son, who, while a branch member, had a mother from the Baldur family. -No... I don¡¯t want this. At first, young Kaylen refused. Although he loved magic, he didn¡¯t want to study abroad at the cost of giving up his position as the family heir. He vaguely understood his talent. It might have been impressive in the countryside, but it wouldn¡¯t stand out at the academy in the capital. He simply wanted to stay in his hometown, develop it, and seed his family. -What¡¯s so great about staying in this backwater? And that can¡¯t even subjugate its own dungeons and is falling into decline. -Then why are you targeting this ce, Uncle? Young Kaylen, in a rare moment of boldness, questioned Ruhos. Ruhos responded with a chilling smile. - You don¡¯t need to know that. - I¡¯ll hold my ground. - Hah. I guarantee you won¡¯t be able to. As Ruhos had predicted, Kaylen couldn¡¯t hold his ground. His father, the head of the Starn family, began to thoroughly turn his back on him. - Kaylen, leave. - Father¡­ - It¡¯s the best way for the family. - I can¡¯t do that! - You must. After the patriarch¡¯s advice, the maid and knight assigned to Kaylen were dismissed, and he was entirely excluded from family meals. The patriarch abandoned Kaylen as though Ruhos Baldur¡¯s will was his own. - Relinquish your session rights and go to the capital, Kaylen. And¡­ never return here. From that day onward, the Starn family lost all meaning to Kaylen. And the memories buried deep in his heart began to resurface after seeing Ruhos again. The memories that returned to himst night felt like a nightmare. Kaylen¡¯s reflection on those memories was simple. ¡°It¡¯s amon tale.¡± In noble families, where numerous vassals served and countless affairs were handled, the unified empire¡¯s emperor, Ernstine, had often seen this. Talented individuals lost their way, wandering aimlessly due to family circumstances. Some, abandoned by their families, harbored vengeful spirits¡­ Others, plunged into despair, viewed life with hopelessness. To those people, Ernstine would always say: - Your family? Your position within it? Those things mean nothing to me. What matters is your ability. Prove your worth. The emperor¡¯s words dismissed family ties, emphasizing onlypetence. But¡­ That standard of ability was based entirely on the emperor¡¯s own perception, far exceeding normal expectations. After all, surpassing one¡¯s family required extraordinary talent, something the average person couldn¡¯t possess. ¡°And I, Kaylen, didn¡¯t have that level of talent.¡± He might have been a genius magician in the countryside. But in the broader world, he was nothing more than an average talent. Feeling the limits of his abilities in the capital, despairing at his increasingly overweight body, and falling head over heels for Lina, Kaylen became a bottom-rank student, left behind in the academy. That was who Kaylen was. ¡°In a way, it made things easier for me.¡± His position within the family was nonexistent. The Starn family had effectively cast him out first, so he no longer had to cling to his original family. ¡°Though I still don¡¯t understand why Ruhos is targeting the Starn family.¡± One question lingered. Why was Ruhos Baldur targeting the Starn family? In this era, where everything had be concentrated in the capital after the dungeon upheaval, it was said that even a prosperousmoner merchant in the capital was better off than a provincial noble family. Moreover, the Starn family¡¯s territory was one of the most remote backwaters. Thend wasn¡¯t fertile, nor did it have any noteworthy specialties. The Starn family¡¯s territory was one of the most remote regions, farthest from the kingdom¡¯s capital¡ªa ce so deste that even the Order of Mounted Knights rarely ventured there. The Starn family held only a meaningless noble title, a hollow remnant of its former glory. Even for a branch family member, a woman from the Baldur family could have married into a better household. So why forge a connection with the Starn family? There had to be a reason. ¡°I¡¯ll figure that outter.¡± For now, what mattered was Kaylen¡¯s current situation. Since it was confirmed that Kaylen had severed ties with his family, he had no reservations about utterly demolishing Zaik Baldur. ¡°You¡­! I went out of my way to solve this peacefully, even paying your academy fees¡­! And yet, a mere vassal dares to defy their station?!¡± Even as Zaik was carried away by the medical team, Ruhos angrily berated Kaylen, his veins bulging with fury. But his words held no sway over Kaylen. ¡°Ruhos, you know as well as I do¡ªI¡¯m no longer part of the Starn family.¡± ¡°¡­Tch! You may no longer be the heir, but you¡¯re still a Starn!¡± A noble family¡¯s eldest son, forcibly ousted from his rightful position, still tied to that same family? How convenient. Kaylen smirked bitterly. Was this their way of trying to reim him now that his worth was apparent? ¡°That¡¯s for me to decide. I¡¯m not a Starn anymore.¡± Kaylen pointed a thumb at himself. ¡°I¡¯m starting fresh.¡± ¡°What¡­?!¡± Whatever the Starn family had to offer, it no longer mattered. Since the family was the first to abandon him, there were no obstacles to starting anew. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll live asmoner Kaylen. Soon enough, during the Meister Examination, I¡¯ll prove my value to the world.¡± ¡°Y-you¡­!¡± Kaylen casually nced around at the scouts in attendance. Ruhos¡¯ gaze involuntarily followed his. ¡°So¡­ he¡¯s no longer bound to the Starn family?¡± ¡°Then we don¡¯t need to consult his family¡¯s wishes.¡± The scouts werepletely engrossed, jotting down every word exchanged. ¡°How did he manage to subdue a Meister in a mana suit barehanded? Even seeing it, I can hardly believe it.¡± ¡°And that final blow with his fist¡­ What is he? No knight could manage that.¡± ¡°His magic is exceptional, too. He manipted every element with ease. Maybe he has talent for all attributes¡­ Could he be a true Meister-level genius?¡± ¡°A once-in-a-century prodigy!¡± Shock and praise for Kaylen spread like wildfire. On the other hand¡­ ¡°We need to revise our assessment of Zaik Baldur.¡± ¡°Even under pressure, he couldn¡¯t even throw a punch and ended up deactivating his own mana suit? Tsk tsk.¡± ¡°His mental fortitude iscking. Just another spoiled noble brat.¡± The scouts openly criticized Zaik. Ruhos¡¯ face darkened to a deep crimson as he heard their scathing remarks. ¡°These fools¡­!¡± Zaik, as a Baldur family member, was never in a position to seek recruitment. But the debacle had tarnished his reputation in the industry, and Ruhos knew it. The losses from today were incalcble. ¡°Well then, take good care of your young master.¡± With a grin, Kaylen descended the arena stairs. The scouts leapt to their feet and began following him in droves. ¡°Kaylen! Please, wait a moment!¡± ¡°Sir Kaylen, a word!¡± Effortlessly dodging the approaching crowd, Kaylen weaved his way out of sight. Meanwhile, from a VIP box overlooking the arena, a pair of eyes intently followed his every move. ¡°That man is fascinating. How does someone like him emerge among humans?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°...Indeed.¡± The voices belonged to two non-human observers. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 32 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 32 The dungeon upheaval did not only affect human territories. Elves who resided in the forests, dwarves from the mountains, and numerous other non-human races lost their homes due to dungeons and monsters, leaving them wandering. Those who lost their homes gravitated toward human nations, particrly the Bormian Kingdom, known for its favorable treatment of non-humans. Many of these disced individuals also found their way to the Bormian Royal Academy, where some non-humans served as special professors teaching third-year students. ¡°That human is unusual. I sense traces of an ancient mage.¡± The speaker was a seductive woman dressed provocatively, her golden hair and sharply pointed ears identifying her as an elf. She was one of the elven leaders who had migrated to human cities after the dungeon crisis. ¡°What do you think?¡± she asked, turning to the figure next to her. Simr in height to the elf, the figure was entirely covered in thick ck fur, resembling a beast. Not a single part of their skin was visible, not even their face, which was concealed except for tworge green eyes that shone through. ¡°Yes, Queen Myorn?¡± The speaker was none other than Queen Myorn, a dwarf infamous for producing subpar mana suits. Her fur-covered face shifted slightly before her voice emerged. ¡°Mixed magic¡­ it¡¯s been a long time.¡± ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s rare to see traces of ancient mages in this day and age.¡± ¡°But even more surprising is his martial skill.¡± Kaylen¡¯s strikes had delivered a shock that overpowered a mana suit¡ªa feat almost unheard of in an era where martial prowess had significantly diminished. For a mage to achieve such a level of physicalbat was astonishing. ¡°I need to experiment with him, Irene.¡± ¡°Experiment? You mean¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, testing the prototype mana suit.¡± At those words, the elf Irene¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. Was she referring to that prototype mana suit¡ªderided as ¡°junk¡±? ¡°Myorn, didn¡¯t you give up on that mana suit? It doesn¡¯t even have the firepower to break a dungeon core.¡± ¡°If I experiment with him and collect data, it might be viable.¡± ¡°No. This time, I won¡¯t concede. That human has to work with us.¡± ¡°...When have you ever conceded?¡± ¡°Hmm, ahem! I have conceded before. You know that.¡± As Irene coughed in an exaggerated manner, Myorn¡¯s green eyes narrowed beneath the fur. ¡°You only ever concede with human boys who are infatuated with elves. Theye once and never return.¡± ¡°What can I do about humans being so superficial? Besides, who would want to experiment with that mana suit?¡± Compared to the elves, revered as avatars of beauty, the hairy and peculiar dwarves rarely found volunteers for their experiments. Unless the experiment topic itself was intriguing, few showed interest. While Irene conducted experiments on practical subjects like elemental magic, spirit conjuration, and Meister-level magical enhancement, Myorn clung to her seemingly useless prototype mana suit. ¡°This time, he has to work with me for the experiment.¡± ¡°Fufu. Let¡¯s leave it up to his choice.¡± Myorn¡¯s determination to conduct her experiment burned brightly, but Irene¡¯s confidence didn¡¯t waver. After all, Kaylen was human. It was inevitable that he would be drawn to an elf, often called the embodiment of beauty. The crowd murmured in the background. The area surrounding Kaylen was teeming with scouts dispatched by various mage towers and the Order of Civil Squads. ¡°Kaylen! Please, hear us out!¡± ¡°Kaylen! The Tower Master has promised you the best treatment!¡± ¡°Kaylen!¡± Kaylen had be the hottest prospect in thispetition. While the top-tier mages likely to achieve Superior Mage status were already affiliated with prominent factions, Kaylen was unaffiliated, making thepetition for his allegiance even fiercer. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to your proposals after the tournament,¡± Kaylen said as he tried to push through the crowd. However, no one seemed willing to let him leave. Just as he contemted forcing his way through¡ª ¡°Everyone, could you please step aside for a moment?¡± A graceful voice rang out as Irene approached, her elegant presencemanding attention. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°An elf?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Irene!¡± The attention that had been focused on Kaylen shifted to Irene in an instant. ¡°Please,¡± she said softly. ¡°Ah, of course¡­¡± With her honeyed voice and a gentle smile, Irene managed to make the scouts step back. It wasn¡¯t just her beauty that overwhelmed them. ¡°If it¡¯s Irene, we have to yield.¡± ¡°She¡¯s one of the elven leaders...¡± The fact that she was a leader among the elves yed a significant role. The elves, having lost their homes, had sought refuge in human kingdoms. Though one might assume their position to be precarious, they were, in fact, treated with more respect in human society than they had been in their own forests. This was partly because the elves, feeling the urgency of their plight, had organized themselves exceptionally well. However, their status as spirit mages was the decisive factor. Creating mana suits of grade B or higher required the power of spirit mages, making their abilities indispensable. In the Bormian Kingdom, the elves held considerable influence. The ¡°Fairy Tower,¡± spearheaded by the elves, had be the kingdom¡¯s top mage tower, untouchable even by the royal family. ¡°Thank you,¡± Irene said as she walked through the now-cleared path, her demeanor calm and natural. Following behind her was Queen Myorn, the dwarf whose ck fur bristled like a giant burr. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°The Dwarf Queen.¡± ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t she the one who made that junk mana suit¡­?¡± ¡°Well, they say she does have some skill.¡± While Irene received gazes of admiration, Myorn was met with lukewarm looks. Unlike the elves, dwarves were scarce in the Bormian Kingdom. Without numbers to form a strong faction, most dwarves were relegated to roles as technicians in various mage towers. Queen Myorn was better off than most. As a technical advisor to the elves¡¯ Fairy Tower and a professor at the magic academy, she held some influence. However, her reputation was tarnished by her entric experiments, particrly her creation of the so-called ¡°junk¡± mana suit. Her heavily furred appearance also contributed to theck of warmth in people¡¯s evaluations. Hmm¡­ Kaylen watched the pair approach with curiosity. While he had heard of Queen Myorn through stories in the Dungeon Guild, seeing her in person was a different experience altogether. Kaylen hadn¡¯t expected to encounter elves here. "Is this how elves dress these days?" The golden-haired elf walking confidently toward him was a far cry from the modestly dressed elves of the past, back during the era of Ernstine. Now, their attire was daring, revealing more pale skin than fabric. Irene¡¯s white dress clung to her figure, its low neckline entuating her curves. Yet, on her, it didn¡¯t look vulgar. Instead, it seemed radiant, enhancing her beauty and captivating the room. Among the people Kaylen had seen in this body, only Princess Violet could rival Irene¡¯s looks. However, Kaylen, who had grown indifferent to beauty in his previous life, felt little fascination. "And I have unpleasant memories with elves." Seeing Irene triggered old memories, and his expression grew indifferent. Instead of focusing on her, he shifted his gaze to Myorn, the dwarf behind her, finding her more intriguing. "The Dwarf Queen¡­ still at that stage, huh." Her body waspletely hidden beneath thick fur, with only her eyes visible. It reminded Kaylen of his first encounter with Dwarf Queen Kaina during the Ernstine era, sparking a brief moment of nostalgia. While he was lost in thought, Irene approached and spoke to him. ¡°Greetings, Kaylen.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± he replied. With a subtle bow, Myorn moved slightly, her fur sweeping the ground as she introduced herself. ¡°I am Irene, one of the seven leaders of the Fairy Tower and a visiting professor at the Magic Academy.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m Myorn, the Fairy Tower¡¯s technical advisor and also a visiting professor.¡± Both held significant roles in the Fairy Tower and served as guest professors at the academy. Kaylen inclined his head slightly. ¡°Kaylen, second-year student at the Magic Academy.¡± ¡°Could we speak with you for a moment?¡± Irene asked with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll join as well,¡± Myorn added. ¡°Of course, Queen Myorn too,¡± Irene replied with a grin. Kaylen nodded. ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere quieter.¡± The group headed to a forest on the outskirts of the Magic Academy, where a branch of the Fairy Tower was located. ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was a branch here,¡± Kaylen remarked. ¡°Typically, mage towers aren¡¯t allowed to have branches within the academy¡­¡± Irene replied, sipping her tea elegantly. ¡°But the royal family made a special exception for us.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Though such privileges might have caused bacsh from other mage towers, the Fairy Tower¡¯s contributions to the royal family were substantial. Moreover, since the Fairy Tower¡¯s original purpose was to protect elves, it refrained from using its presence at the academy to recruit students. ¡°Congrattions on bing a Superior Mage, Kaylen,¡± Irene said with a warm smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re aware that Superior Mages can coborate with the faculty on a research project, correct?¡± Kaylen nodded. Bing a Superior Mage, one of the academy¡¯s eight most exceptional mages, came with numerous benefits. The most appealing benefit of being a Superior Mage for Kaylen was the ability to skip sses, but for most mages, the biggest advantage was conducting a year-long research project with the academy''s renowned faculty. ¡°I would like to coborate on research with you,¡± Irene said. ¡°So would I. Me too,¡± Myorn chimed in. Irene shot Myorn a side nce for interrupting before turning her enchanting gaze toward Kaylen. The alluring fragrance in the room wafted strongly to his nose, blending with Irene¡¯s mesmerizing beauty, which would leave any human captivated. The ambiance of the elegant room,bined with the scent, created an intoxicating harmony. ¡°Kaylen, we are conducting research to restore higher-level spirit magic,¡± Irene said in her bewitching voice, filling the room. Sight, sound, and scent worked in perfect unison to enchant Kaylen. ¡°Would you consider coborating with me on this research?¡± Despite not providing specifics about the research, Irene confidently made her request, her eyes filled with self-assurance. She knew that any man, especially a young one brimming with vitality, would find it impossible to refuse her. With her extraordinary beauty and enchanting demeanor, it was natural for men to eagerlyply with her requests, no matter what they entailed. What Irene hadn¡¯t ounted for, however, was Kaylen¡¯s past. "What¡¯s this? She¡¯s trying to take the easy way out." Kaylen, in his past life as the emperor Ernstine, had grown weary of such tactics and was unfazed by her charms. ¡°What about you, Myorn?¡± Kaylen asked, diverting his gaze from Irene¡¯s sparkling eyes to look at the dwarf. Myorn, whose fur had drooped like a wilted hedgehog, perked up slightly at his question, her fur regaining its energy. ¡°¡­Me?¡± ¡°Yes. I need to hear your research topic too, so I canpare,¡± Kaylen replied. ¡°Really? You¡¯ll actually listen? Even though she spoke first? And even used wind spirits to spread her scent everywhere?¡± ¡°Ahem! Ahem! Myorn, what nonsense are you spouting? When did I do that?¡± Irene quickly cut in, flustered. She had assumed her approach would guarantee her sess. After all, no man had ever turned her down before, especially after she used her elven fragrance. She had all but given up when Myorn started speaking, believing Irene¡¯s victory was inevitable. Now that the tables had turned, Irene hurriedly interjected, ¡°Stop talking nonsense, Myorn. Hurry up and exin your research topic.¡± She nced sideways at Kaylen. "Hmm¡­ he¡¯s better than I thought." Initially, Irene had been slightly offended by his resistance to her charms. But now, she found it intriguing. A man who could resist an elf¡¯s allure might focus more on researchpared to other male mages. "In any case, our topic is far more appealing. Myorn is probably going to bring up that same idea again." Even purely based on research topics, Irene was confident that hers was superior. ¡°I want to research mana suits with you,¡± Myorn said. "There it is, the mana suit research again," Irene thought. ¡°This mana suit isn¡¯t just for master mages. It will be more versatile, more powerful, and unrestricted by a single elemental attribute. I want to create such a mana suit with you.¡± "Her ideals are lofty, but the reality isn¡¯t so amodating," Irene sighed inwardly. Though mocked for creating faulty mana suits, Myorn¡¯s talent as a dwarf was exceptional. Irene felt that if Myorn had pursued a different project, the results would have been remarkable. But Myorn seemed unable to let go of her attachment to this research. "In any case, it¡¯s obvious he¡¯ll choose to work with me." No mage would be swayed by Myorn¡¯s far-fetched ideas. Confident that her research would pique Kaylen¡¯s interest, Irene awaited his response. However¡­ ¡°That sounds interesting,¡± Kaylen said, shattering her expectations entirely. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 33 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 33 "You''re... okay with this?" "Yes." Even after hearing such an unbelievable story? Irene doubted her ears. In contrast, Myorn, who hadn''t expected much after exining, was now... "Really? Truly?" Completely overjoyed. "Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ve finalized any research coboration with you, Myorn." "What? Why not?" "I still need to hear about Irene¡¯s research topic in detail." "Ah!" Irene, momentarily dazed by Kaylen''s words, quickly came to her senses and looked at him again. Kaylen, with an expression ofpleteposure, nced between Irene and Myorn. ¡®Exin it... in detail? To a human?¡¯ As the leader of the elves, humans had always readily epted her words without much questioning... But now she had to persuade them through her research topic? Though momentarily flustered, Irene steadied herself. ¡®Fine. This human is worth it.¡¯ Not as a 4-circle Meister, but as a mage. Under normal circumstances, a Meister would be more highly regarded... But not in the case of this research aimed at advancing elven spirit magic. ¡®Meisters haven¡¯t been very helpful in this field anyway.¡¯ Meisters specialize in a single attribute. Originally, this concept was derived from non-human races like elves and dwarves. Elves and dwarves, chosen by one of the Four Great Spirits, would only handle that specific element. Elves typically aligned with either wind or water spirits, while dwarves aligned with earth or fire spirits. Thus, human Meisters had limited usefulness in such research, as such specialists already existed within their own races. ¡®Rather than a Meister, what we need is a mage...¡¯ A traditional mage capable of handling all elements. For the research, those who had declined in prominence with the times were precisely what was needed. ¡®To verify the records we¡¯ve obtained this time.¡¯ Irene recalled the records she had recently acquired¡ªdocuments containing clues to the advancement of spirit magic. To experiment with those findings, they needed not a Meister but a mage¡ªan exceptionally skilled one. Kaylen, standing before her, was a 4-circle mage. Although not considered a high-ranking mage by past standards, in modern times, mages of this level were rare. "Alright. We''re conducting experiments to restore a more advanced form of spirit magic." "More advanced, you say?" "In the past, we could summon even high-level spirits." "That¡¯s true. At least before dungeons began appearing." Kaylen fell into thought. In the past, elves and dwarves who reached a certain level could summon high-level spirits. Additionally, exceptional beings like High Elves or Dwarf Queens could even summon supreme spirits. ¡°Even summoning high-level spirits is difficult now?¡± ¡®If this happened after the dungeons appeared, it must be rted to the amount of mana.¡¯ Since the proliferation of dungeons, the amount of mana in the world had indeed decreased. In the end, the root cause was the dungeons¡­ something even the long-lived non-human races surely understood.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°What connection is there between dungeons and spirit magic?¡± Feigning ignorance, Kaylen asked. Myorn, shaking all his fur, responded. ¡°Since the dungeons appeared, the amount of mana in the atmosphere has started to decrease.¡± ¡°Even the elders, who could once summon high-level spirits, say that the spirits no longer respond to their calls.¡± ¡°I see. The decrease in atmospheric mana is the issue. Can it be ovee through experiments and research?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve devised many methods, but recently we discovered meaningful records, which is why we need the help of a mage.¡± ¡°A mage, not a Meister?¡± ¡°Yes, exactly.¡± When Irene answered so readily, Kaylen smiled faintly. ¡°But what should I do? After this tournament, I n to undergo the Meister evaluation. Afterward, I¡¯ll likely live as a Meister rather than a mage.¡± ¡°W-What? Oh!¡± Irene, who hadn¡¯t considered this possibility, was momentarily at a loss for words. The difference in status between a Meister and a mage in the current era was vast, like heaven and earth. Kaylen had nopelling reason to remain a mage if the opportunity to be a Meister arose. ¡°If the research could bepleted quickly, perhaps¡­ but that seems unlikely.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be done that quickly¡­¡± ¡°Then it can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°Wait! Just a moment! Six months¡ªsix months will be enough. The experiments should conclude within that time.¡± Six months. From the perspective of an ordinary mage, that time frame seemed manageable. Even if it dyed bing a Meister, the opportunity to form a connection with one of the elven Tower Leaders was valuable. But Kaylen¡¯s response wasn¡¯t favorable. ¡°Six months? That¡¯s too long.¡± ¡°B-But! If you work with us, you¡¯ll gain significant insights into the mana properties of water and wind. If you were to be a Meister of one of these attributes, it would be a huge advantage.¡± Bing a Meister wasn¡¯t the end. It required deepprehension of the chosen attribute. Coborating with the elves to enhance understanding of water and wind? For a mage, this was a highly enticing offer¡ªif the person wasn¡¯t Kaylen. Ernstine, who freely controlled not only the four primary attributes but also light and darkness, had ascended to the divine level of a Grand Swordmaster. For someone like him, the elves¡¯ attribute knowledge was utterly useless. ¡®If anything, I would have been the one teaching them in the past.¡¯ Among the many wives and concubines Ernstine had, there were even elves. Even during a time when mana wasn¡¯t scarce, these elves, who could summon high-level spirits, had learned from Ernstine rather than taught him. Thus, Irene¡¯s confidence amounted to nothing. ¡°Irene, I already have sufficient understanding of elemental attributes.¡± ¡°T-That can¡¯t be! Saying it¡¯s sufficient¡ªbing a Meister is just the beginning!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m really fine. More importantly, if I have to remain a regr mage for six months during the experiment, and the only oue is a deeper understanding of elemental attributes¡­¡± Kaylen lowered his head slightly and answered politely, ¡°I don¡¯t think I can participate in the research.¡± Irene fell silent. ''Wait, turning this down just to pursue being a Meister?'' Other Meisters would willingly pay to take part in an experiment like this, yet this man was outright refusing. ''What kind of confidence is this?'' She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they should be the ones offeringpensation instead. ''But how much? And to what extent?'' Since she had never consideredpensating a human for participation in this experiment, the decision wasn¡¯t an easy one. ¡°Then, does this mean you¡¯ll work with me?¡± ¡°But Myorn, is your research also dependent on me being a mage?¡± ¡°I¡¯m developing a universal mana suit. It would be preferable if you were a mage, but¡­ it¡¯s not strictly necessary if you¡¯re a Meister.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Well, your body seems sturdy enough.¡± Kaylen had already demonstrated his ability to confront the mana suit head-on. Even with the assistance of magic, such a feat was nearly impossible without a strong physical foundation. For her experiment, Myorn considered Kaylen the ideal candidate¡ªsomeone with exceptional physical endurance and magical skill. ¡°Then it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do the experiment together.¡± ¡°Really? Really, truly?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Not Irene, but me? Really?¡± Still unable to believe it, Myorn kept asking. When Kaylen nodded affirmatively, her fur shook wildly in excitement. ¡°Wow¡­ Did I just beat Irene? Has this ever happened before?¡± ¡°Wow, so that¡¯s the kind of experiment you¡¯re conducting? Incredible.¡± A hundred years ago, when Myorn¡¯s mana suit experiments were still in their early stages, her project to develop a universal mana suit had garnered widespread interest. Many Superior Mages wanted to participate, and even prominent families expressed interest in investing. However, even during those promising times: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Myorn. I¡¯ve decided to work with Irene instead.¡± ¡°Apologies, I¡¯m a Meister of Water¡­ I need to focus on elemental affinity.¡± Myorn had never won against Irene in attracting coborators. Some were captivated by the beauty of the elves. Others were drawn to elemental affinity, prioritizing Irene¡¯s expertise. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Myorn!¡± ¡°Avoid her¡ªshe¡¯s going to ask us to experiment.¡± ¡°Why does she keep doing this? My family says her suits are only good enough for knights whock firepower.¡± ¡°Honestly¡­ her suits are useless. No one wants them.¡± As the results of Myorn¡¯s experiments fell far short of the initial hype, investments dried up, and mages willing to coborate with her dwindled to nearly none. The experiment had a notorious reputation as one of the worst¡ªphysically demanding but offering no tangible rewards. ¡°Myorn, you¡¯re still conducting that experiment? Honestly¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s an experiment that must be done. But I have no participants.¡± ¡°No participants again? Fine, I¡¯ll send someone your way.¡± Eventually, Irene, from the same Fairy Tower, stepped in to help Myorn. But the mages Irene sent were often unmotivated andcked the skills Myorn needed. Worse, these mages would constantly try to find ways out of the experiment: ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m a good fit for this experiment.¡± ¡°Suddenly, my younger sibling was in an ident¡­¡± ¡°My family has summoned me urgently, so I can¡¯t continue the experiment.¡± They would leave, offering all sorts of excuses, only toter appear in experiments led by Irene. After seeing this pattern far too often, Myorn dered: ¡°Don¡¯t send me any more humans. I don¡¯t need them. I¡¯ll do it alone.¡± It was more peaceful to hammer away at her work alone. Moreforting to handle the mes herself. For 30 years, she worked solo on the development of mana suits, involving humans only for the final tests. Finally, she made a breakthrough¡ªa way to enhance her mana suits¡ªbut it required a special test subject: ¡°A physically strong mage who can withstand the pressure of the mana suit¡­¡± Finding such a person was nearly impossible. The level of physical strength she sought was on par with knights, something rare in this era dominated by mages. That is, until Kaylen came along. ''I thought I¡¯d lose him, too¡­'' When Irene took an interest in Kaylen, Myorn assumed she would lose him, just like before. But when Kaylen chose her experiment instead, she was so overjoyed that she couldn¡¯t contain herself. Her fur bounced and shook, and before she knew it, she leaped like a ball,nding right beside Kaylen. ¡°Let¡¯s work well together!¡± With a whoosh, part of her fur ignited, and from the mes emerged a stark white arm and hand. It was a scarred hand that gripped Kaylen¡¯s firmly. Her hand burned as hot as fire¡ªhot enough to scald an ordinary person. ¡°Her hand is too hot. Her control isn¡¯t refined yet,¡± Kaylen thought, assessing Myorn¡¯s level just from the temperature. ¡°Oh, is it too hot?¡± Her temperature reflected the elemental spirits of fire and earth that she harbored. Humans would find it unbearable, so Myorn quickly withdrew her hand. But Kaylen smiled faintly. ¡°This much is fine.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re just perfect for this!¡± Delighted by his response, Myorn grabbed his hand again. Her fur danced wildly, creating a breeze. ¡°Goodbye, Irene.¡± Her triumphant tone caused a frown to crease Irene¡¯s brow. If it were anyone else, she might have let them go. But Kaylen was too rare a case. There was no telling when another person like him might appear. Determined, Irene bit her lip briefly before speaking. ¡°Wait a moment, Kaylen. If you join our research, I¡¯ll make sure to offer you additionalpensation.¡± [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 34 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 34 "Compensation?" "Yes. This is an experiment conducted by the Fairy Tower. We can provide anything you desire." "Ha! Since when is that allowed? Trying to bribe someone with money?" "Myorn, didn¡¯t you do the same thing before?" At Irene''s offer ofpensation, Kaylen fell into thought. ¡®Raising the rank of the Civil Squad is the current priority.¡¯ To do so, the mana suit was essential. After all, the ultimate goal of taking the Meister exam was also to obtain a mana suit. ¡®The Florence family promised to lend me one if I became a Meister. But using a borrowed suit for registration with the Civil Squad won¡¯t work. Hmm¡­ a loan?¡¯ Participating in the experiment wouldn¡¯t grant him a mana suit outright. But borrowing one? That might be possible. "Then, could I borrow a mana suit?" "¡­Borrow a mana suit?" "I just need it for registration with the Civil Squad. I won¡¯t actually use it." "Wait, hold on. What kind of student is registering with the Civil Squad¡­?" "It¡¯s only for a day. You can even apany me during the process." Irene tilted her head. Something about his wording felt off. It wasn¡¯t as if he was joining an existing squad¡ªit felt like he was creating one. ¡®Who exactly is this person?¡¯ A one-day loan wasn¡¯t impossible. Irene wielded considerable authority within the Fairy Tower. However, the process would beplicated. "Borrowing a mana suit is possible. But¡­ for that, I would need to present sufficient justification to the tower." "Kaylen, I¡¯ll lend you one. I¡¯ve made plenty myself." "Are you referring to a suit handmade by you, Myorn?" "Yes." "Apologies, but it won¡¯t be recognized." "What? Why?" "Because they don¡¯t consider it to have enough destructive power to qualify as a mana suit."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Ugh." At Kaylen¡¯s firm response, Myorn¡¯s fur drooped dejectedly. Seeing this, Irene chuckled softly and continued, "If you participate in the experiment and produce significant results, I will make a formal request to the tower on your behalf." "Hmm¡­" "A mana suit that Myorn cannot provide, of course." If he needed a mana suit, there was no way Kaylen could refuse this offer. The thought of it being used for Civil Squad registration was slightly concerning, but the Fairy Tower had spare mana suits avable. If Kaylen could deliver meaningful results, a one-day loan would be a reasonable trade. ¡®Both are tempting.¡¯ The elf''s experiment didn¡¯t pique his interest much, but the chance to borrow a mana suit was appealing. Meanwhile, Myorn¡¯s experiment genuinely intrigued him. Kaylen spoke directly to Irene. "Would it be alright if I showed you meaningful results right now?" "Right now?" "Yes, there''s no need to drag this out." At Kaylen''s words, Irene hesitated briefly before nodding. "Alright. It¡¯s difficult to demonstrate here. Let¡¯s move outside." "I¡¯ming too," Myorn chimed in. "Fine. You¡¯re also part of our Fairy Tower, soe along." The group moved to a magical training ground prepared within the Fairy Tower''s branch. Irene summoned a mid-tier water spirit. "Undine." Droplets of water shimmered in midair, coalescing gradually into a form. The spirit took the shape of a young girl whose face closely resembled Irene''s. ¡®She¡¯s skilled.¡¯ The caliber of a spirit summoner is often measured by how much the summoned spirit¡¯s appearance resembles the summoner. In Irene¡¯s case, her Undine was nearly identical to her, indicating she was capable of summoning a high-tier spirit at any time. "We¡¯ve been researching the summoning of high-tier spirits for a long time," Irene began, gently stroking Undine. "We¡¯ve tried countless methods, but all have ended in failure. At first, we thought the atmospheric mana was insufficient, so we experimented with mana stones. However, the stagnated mana within them only caused severe harm to elves." Their efforts spanned a wide range of approaches: - Research involving mana stones. - Coborative studies with dwarves and other races. - Experiments conducted by Meisters. All of these attempts ended in failure. It was only when they were on the verge of giving up, believing it impossible in this era, that they stumbled upon something remarkable. "That¡¯s when we discovered the writings of the great High Elf." "Writings?" "Yes. The records left by the High Elf who sacrificed their own body to sustain the World Tree." "The High Elf who offered their body to the World Tree¡­?" Kaylen frowned. This story sounded oddly familiar. ¡®Wait¡­ could it be¡­?¡¯ "The records left behind by High Elf Deluna described the method for summoning a supreme-tier spirit." At the mention of Deluna, Kaylen¡¯s expression stiffened, his emotions shing within. ¡®Her records¡­ of all things.¡¯ High Elf Deluna. The fifth wife of Ernstine. A woman who had left the imperial pce one day, leaving behind only her daughter. Her name¡ªa name Ernstine had struggled to forget¡ªwas now being spoken by an elf 1,000 yearster. "The records indicated that to summon a supreme-tier spirit, we would need to transcend our own limits." "The inherent limits of elven attributes, confined to water and wind?" "Uh¡­ yes." "Water mustbine with its opposing element, fire, and wind must connect with earth." "How¡­ how do you know that?" "Through such processes, one transcends racial attributes and achieves a deeper understanding. But to do so requires¡­ someone special." Kaylen spoke rapidly, his words spilling forth. "If opposites were tobine, a Meister or a Dwarf Queen might suffice, but neither approach worked, did it?" "No¡­ it didn¡¯t." "Exactly. In the end, what¡¯s needed is someone who isn¡¯t bound by elemental attributes¡ªa Sword Master or a high-ranking mage of equivalent caliber." "Wait¡­ how do you know this?" Irene asked with a nk expression, "How do you seem to know all of this without me even saying anything?" Kaylen replied with a stern expression, "There¡¯s a way to know." After all, the reason High Elf Deluna had sought him out in the past was exactly this. Together, they had researched and debated methods for summoning supreme-tier spirits, and through those long discussions, they had grown close. Eventually, Deluna became his fifth wife. "But you seem to know an awful lot," Irene pressed. "Do you think the records were left solely for the elves?" "Don¡¯t tell me¡­ those records exist on the human side as well?" Irene looked confused. Records from 1,000 years ago? Could they really have been preserved outside of elven hands? "I¡¯ll provide a small demonstration, Irene." Kaylen spread his palms and began casting spells. "Electric Shock." "Dark Swamp." From one hand, he conjured a 2-circle lightning spell imbued with both light and fire attributes. From the other, a 3-circle swamp spell blended with darkness and earth attributes. Electric currents crackled in his left hand, while the ground beneath Irene¡¯s feet darkened and transformed into a swamp. "I¡¯ll apply a light stimulus. Use your water spirit to endure it." Thebined attribute magic lightly pressed against Irene. "U-Undine, protect me!" Undine transformed into a shimmering blue water barrier, blocking Kaylen''s magic. The water barrier shed with thebined-attribute spells. Up to this point, what Kaylen demonstrated could have been performed by any 2-circle or 3-circle mage. They were not particrly rare. ¡®But provoking Undine¡ªthat''s something only I can do.¡¯ Kaylen stepped closer to the thick water barrier. Holding out his electrically charged left hand, he subtly infused his fingertips with aura. The aura was released so discreetly that even someone observing closely wouldn¡¯t notice. There was a reason for this precision. ¡®To push an elf beyond their natural limits requires stimtion from someone at the level of a Sword Master or a 6-circle mage.¡¯ Deluna¡¯s ultimate goal had been the summoning of a supreme-tier spirit. To achieve this, she had concluded that someone of high caliber had to provide subtle yet precise stimuli. Breaking past the inherent limits of the elven race was no easy task. Using a faintly raised Sword Aura, Kaylen tapped the water barrier with his charged hand. Tap. Tap. "Ah¡­ ah¡­?" Irene murmured in surprise. "How does it feel?" Kaylen asked. "This¡­ this feels just like¡­" Irene trailed off, her expression shifting. The sensation was unusual¡ªunpleasant but refreshing, heavy but light at the same time. It was abination of conflicting feelings that rarely urred together. She eximed, "This is just like¡­" Kaylen nodded knowingly. It was the method described in Deluna¡¯s records, a stimulus designed to enhance the understanding of attributes. The sensation Irene experienced was exactly as Deluna had written about. Even when the elves had enlisted human mages and Meisters, they had never felt anything like this. As Irene''s amazement glimmered, Whoosh. Kaylen withdrew his hand. "Does this suffice as proof?" he asked. "A-ah¡­" Irene let out a sigh of regret. She had just begun to feel the sensation described in the records, and now it was over? "Irene, what we need to do here isn''t research," Kaylen stated firmly. "Th-then what is it?" she asked. "A transaction." "A transaction¡­?" "Research is about exploring the unknown. But I already know. I can stimte you as described in the records." Kaylen¡¯s words were undeniable. He had demonstrated that he could evoke the precise stimuli described in the High Elf''s writings. In this situation, it was Irene who would need to learn from him. "Then, how about a mana suit rental¡ª" "No, I don¡¯t think this is something that can be settled with a one-day rental." "Then¡­ what do you want?" "A mana suit. Permanently." "What?!" Irene eximed. "In exchange, I¡¯ll make you an advanced spirit summoner," Kaylen offered. Irene¡¯s eyes wavered. A mana suit¡­ others would have dismissed such a request as ridiculous, rejecting it outright. But¡­ ''An advanced spirit summoner¡­'' Since the dungeon catastrophe, there had been no advanced spirit summoners. If that lost art could be restored¡­ its value would be immeasurable, worth far more than the cost of a mana suit. ''If this works, I¡¯ll be the first in this kingdom.'' As one of the leaders of the Fairy Tower, Irene had the authority to allocate a mana suit, even if it stretched her resources. She swallowed hard, then nodded. "Alright. But bing an advanced spirit summoneres first. I can¡¯t give you the mana suit in advance¡ªthe tower wouldn¡¯t approve." "Agreed. But until then, a temporary rental is possible, isn¡¯t it?" "¡­Yes, that¡¯s fine." Originally, the mana suit was supposed to be offered aspensation for participating in the experiment. However, as the situation shifted from research to negotiation, the rental became more of a down payment. "Great. Then it¡¯s settled¡ªI¡¯ll make a deal with you, Irene, and conduct research with Myorn." "Yay!" Myorn cheered. "Understood¡­" Irene replied, still hesitant. Kaylen had maneuvered so that he didn¡¯t need to choose between the two opportunities. Instead, he positioned himself to reap the benefits from both. Seizing any opportunity had been a hallmark of his character since his days as emperor. "Once the tournament is over, I¡¯ll need the rental prepared," Kaylen requested. "Of course. The tournament is nearly finished, so I¡¯ll get everything ready," Irene replied. The Superior Mage Selection Tournament had already reached the quarterfinals. Only the semifinals and finals remained, a mere two days. Irene knew she needed to act swiftly. "Good luck with the rest of the tournament, Kaylen." "Thank you." "And Kaylen, let¡¯s start the research right after the tournament. I¡¯ll be ready!" Myorn added excitedly. "Of course." After parting ways with the two professors, Kaylen walked away. At that time, he had little interest in the semifinals. ¡®Bing a Superior Mage is enough. Advancing further has no real meaning.¡¯ Having already faced mages equipped with mana suits, he wasn¡¯t particrly motivated to climb higher in the tournament and had even considered forfeiting. But when the semifinals came the next day, his perspective began to change. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 35 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 35 Before watching the semifinals, Kaylen didn¡¯t have a high opinion of the current era''s martial prowess. ¡°Mana Suits exist, but theck of mana is too severe.¡± In this era, where mana is scarce, even elves cannot summon higher spirits. Swordmasters had disappeared long ago, and the highest level of magic was capped at the 5th Circle. Compared to the past, it all seemedcking. However, that notion changed entirely after witnessing the semifinals. "The Princess and Sir Lioness are entering." "......" Princess Violet walked in, donning her icy mask. Lioness ascended the arena, his hair aze. As they stood face-to-face, the sh of their mana¡ªfire and water¡ªfilled the entire arena with rising steam. The stage became shrouded in mist. Watching this, Alkas couldn¡¯t help but exim: ¡°What an incredible disy from the very start.¡± ¡°The steam seems intentional. They¡¯re having a private conversation, it seems.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± Their voices, inaudible to Sword Experts, seemed deliberately shielded to prevent eavesdropping. Yet Kaylen clearly heard their exchange: "¡­Today, I will melt that mask and prove myself, Princess." "How arrogant of you, with just an A-rank Mana Suit." "Prepare yourself to join my household. I will treat you well." "Hah. I¡¯d rather die than step foot in your duchy." Suddenly, the arena floor froze solid. Princess Violet¡¯s body began to transform into ice. As the steam condensed into water and fell to the ground, it instantly froze into solid ice. This frost was entirely different from when she froze a tutor in the past. ¡°As expected of an S-rank. cia¡­ Frost Assimtion.¡± Lioness smiled as he activated his A-rank Mana Suit, Inferno. However, it was insufficient to resist the encroaching cold. The arena froze in an instant, with only the ground beneath Lioness¡¯ feet barely spared from icing over. ¡°So this is cia¡­¡± ¡°In a battle of ice and fire, fire is utterly overwhelmed.¡± ¡°The difference between S-rank and A-rank is this vast.¡± ¡°Still, both of them exhibit mana of an entirely different caliber.¡± Although both were Meisters, their magic power was capped at the 4th Circle. But once fully equipped with Mana Suits, their bodies transformed, aligning with their elemental attributes like spirits, unleashing unimaginable power. ¡°Is this what Spirit Assimtion looks like?¡± Spirit Assimtion¡ªa feature of A-rank or higher Mana Suits¡ªallowed the Meister¡¯s body to transform into a spirit-like form. For Meisters who focused entirely on a single attribute, this was the ultimate way to maximize destructive power. Even without casting any spells, their mere presence altered the atmosphere of the arena. ¡°Just by emitting mana, they can rival the power of a 5th Circle mage.¡± The arena felt like winter, the air growing increasingly frigid.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om To safeguard the spectators, a hastily reinforced protective magic circle was immediately activated. It worked to suppress Lioness¡¯s energy while also shielding the arena and stands from the overwhelming cold emanating outward. The mana of water was absurdly powerful. "Should we even be watching this?" "The atmosphere feels... ominous." The audience began to stir in unease. "Hmm... Should we stop the match?" "The difference in power seems stark." As the referees deliberated, Lioness, now fully transformed into a brilliant yellow me, let out a confidentugh. Despite his body entirely ame, his beauty was undiminished, drawing gasps of admiration from the women in the audience. "You are as formidable as I expected. However, my goal isn¡¯t victory¡ªonly to prove myself." With a roar, the intensity of Lioness¡¯s mes surged, and in an instant, he vanished. "cia, allow me to melt you." Lioness lunged toward the princess, recklessly throwing himself forward. His attack was uncharacteristic of a Meister¡ªit was a raw, physical assault. "What? Closebat¡­?" "A wise choice. The arena is already under cia¡¯s dominion." No matter how fiercely he unleashed fire, it couldn¡¯t break through the icy force controlled by cia. His only possible path was a direct physical charge. It was the best decision Lioness could make under the circumstances. "Pathetic." The only problem was that the princess was simply too powerful. The mana of ice spread even further, its density increasing. "Ice Field." A 4th Circle water-attribute spell, Ice Field, typically had wide coverage but rtively low powerpared to its circle. However, the Ice Field cast by Violet was entirely different. Ssss¡­ Even within the icy domain, where it seemed Lioness¡¯s me would burn eternally, his fire gradually began to dwindle. "Explosion." Boom! Boom! Explosions erupted from Lioness¡¯s arms and legs as he tried to push back the ice mana. But cia¡¯s power was overwhelming. The sts couldn¡¯t carve a path through and only caused coteral damage. "The protective magic circle¡­ It¡¯s not holding!" The mages screamed in rm. "Ugh¡­ We need to evacuate!" The judges, fearing they¡¯d be swept away by the enormous mana shockwaves, scrambled to escape. Thud! The ground shook as Lioness triggered another explosion on himself. The sh of ice and fire¡ªor more urately, fire struggling against the overpowering force of ice¡ªcontinued. Cracks formed across the arena floor, and one by one, the protective magic circles shattered. "Ugh¡­ Everyone, evacuate immediately!" Safety officers began guiding the spectators to safety. As the referees, scouts, and senior members of the Mage Tower closest to the arena hurriedly evacuated, Alkas also suggested retreating. "My lord, shouldn''t we withdraw as well?" However, Kaylen, wearing an expression of pure intrigue, refused the suggestion. "No need. I can protect myself. Alkas, you should evacuate first." "How could I leave when my lord stays?" "Hmph. Then stand closer. I''ll cast a Fire Shield for both of us." Summoning arge Fire Shield, Kaylen crossed his arms and continued observing the sh. "In terms of raw power, Lioness seems to be around the level of a 5th or 6th Circle Mage." Though Lioness struggled to escape the icy domain, the force he emitted wasparable to that of a 6th Circle mage. The fact that he could demonstrate such power with only an A-rank mana suit was impressive. Despite being merely a 4th Circle Meister in terms of magic, his body had transformed through elementalization, making physical attacks ineffective. As a Swordmaster, Kaylen ran simtions in his mind. "In some ways, he might be more bothersome to fight than a 6th Circle Mage." The usual vulnerability of Mages to closebat had been neutralized through elementalization, removing a key advantage for a Swordmaster in melee. Shifting his gaze to Violet, Kaylen observed her unrelenting pressure on Lioness, cornering himpletely with her ice barrier. Despite the fierce inferno radiating from Lioness¡¯s Inferno mana suit, Violet subdued him with ease. "She¡¯s nearly at the level of a 7th Circle mage." While Lioness had burned with everything he had to melt the ice, Violet had concealed her true strength. Kaylen''s eyes gleamed with curiosity. "It¡¯s time to end this." A storm of wind mixed with ice surged violently, and Lioness¡¯s mes began to flicker and die. "Explosion." Lioness tried onest desperate move, intending to detonate himself, but no mes emerged. His voice echoed hollowly. "Hah¡­" As his mes extinguished, his pale body gradually emerged, starting from his fingertips. For a moment, he let out a bitter smile. "Princess, please don¡¯t leave me frozen for too long¡­" Before he could finish his words, his body frozepletely. "How dull." The duel ended as simply as that. Unlike the straightforward conclusion, the arena was left in ruins. Lioness¡¯s explosive attempts had devastated the structure, and all the protective magic circles had been destroyed. Only a few sections, such as Kaylen¡¯s area, remained intact due to self-cast protection magic. The spectator stands were entirely empty. "Is¡­ is it over?" "Yes. That was entertaining." Perhaps hearing his remark, Violet, still in her elementalized state, nced briefly in Kaylen''s direction. She gave a faint smile before leaving the arena. As Violet descended from the arena, the aftermath of her battle became evident. Lioness, frozen solid in an ice sculpture, stood as a stark reminder of her overwhelming power. The semifinal match had ended with her wless victory. Watching the Fire Shield fade and the full extent of the arena''s devastation, Alkasmented, his tone a mix of awe and disbelief: "I¡¯ve heard that S-rank mana suits are powerful, but this... exceeds all expectations." *** Kaylen surveyed the arena thoughtfully as Alkas stood by. "And to think, she didn¡¯t even allow anyone to get close. It¡¯s as if Princess Violet has no weaknesses." "Haha, is that so?" Kaylen replied, his gaze sweeping across the arena. From north to south, east to west, the ice spread in an evenly distributed pattern, its influence apparent. "Look at the range of the ice field. It¡¯s almost symmetrical, isn¡¯t it?" "Yes, my lord. It is." "And what of the Princess¡¯s temperament? Is she cruel?" "Not at all. From what I¡¯ve heard, she¡¯s fair and just in her judgments." "Exactly. That¡¯s the impression I¡¯ve gotten too," Kaylen said, gesturing toward the frozen Lioness and the deste scene beyond him. "The disparity in strength between the Princess and Lioness was clear. With such a gap, there was no need to freeze the entire arena to this extent." "Indeed¡­" "And yet, she did. The ice spread in a controlled radius, even reaching the spectator stands. This suggests¡­ ack of precision in controlling her power." "You¡¯re saying the Princess has trouble controlling her strength?" Alkas asked, incredulous. "Precisely. Against a strong opponent, she likely finds it harder to restrain herself." "Still¡­ even without perfect control, her power is almost wless, isn¡¯t it?" Alkas nced again at the scorched and frozen remnants of the arena. Kaylen smiled. "Even so, ws exist. That¡¯s what matters." He felt a surge of excitement well up within him. Witnessing Violet¡¯s power had ignited a warrior¡¯s passion, a longing for a challenge. "I¡¯ll make it to the finals." He wanted to face her. For the first time since stepping into this body, Kaylen felt a genuine desire¡ªto test himself against Violet¡¯s icy might. "You¡¯re aiming for the finals, my lord?" "Yes." "Are you thinking of using¡­ that power?" "No," Kaylen replied firmly. "It must be strictly through magic." Alkas referred to the power of the Swordmaster, but Kaylen had no intention of revealing it. No matter how much he desired the duel, exposing his true abilities was unnecessary. The Swordmaster technique was his hidden trump card¡ªa revtion reserved for when the time was right. "Then¡­ how will you prepare?" Kaylen¡¯s eyes gleamed. "There¡¯s somewhere I need to go." The following day, Kaylen found himself standing before Myorn¡¯s researchb, ready to take the next step in his n. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 36 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 36 ¡°You¡¯re already thinking about joining the research before the tournament¡¯s even over, Kaylen?¡± Myorn, who initially greeted Kaylen warmly, tilted her head as he arrived. ¡°¡­What? You¡¯re saying there¡¯s no mana suit capable of standing against cia?¡± Upon hearing Kaylen¡¯s request, her fur bristled in all directions, forming visible question marks. Hundreds of floating question marks circled around Kaylen as Myorn looked at him in disbelief. ¡°I watched yesterday¡¯s match, and you still say that?¡± ¡°She¡¯s certainly powerful,¡± Kaylen replied. ¡°The entire arena was practically destroyed.¡± The Magic Academy¡¯s arena was protected by numerous defensive magic circles designed to safeguard the spectators. Additionally, stationed mages continually reinforced these protections for added security. Until now, there had never been an incident where both the arena and the stands werepletely destroyed. ¡°That¡¯s because there¡¯s never been a match between the masters of S-grade and A-grade mana suits before.¡± ¡°Not to mention the animosity between Princess Violet and Lord Lioness likely pushed them to go all out.¡± ¡°Yeah. Even after seeing all that, you still think this is possible?¡± ¡°Well, I have enough confidence to hold my ground to some degree. Among your mana suits, Myorn, is there anything you¡¯d rmend for testing in the tournament?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ testing, huh¡­¡± The floating question marks faded as Myorn let out a sigh. She lowered her fur and walked to a corner of herboratory. In the space, a pile of misceneous items resembling armor was stacked. Her fur stretched out in various directions, picking up items one by one. ¡°Not this one¡­ this is too weak. This is a failure. This one¡¯s water-aligned, so that won¡¯t work either¡­¡± Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. She tossed various pieces of equipment around. Watching this from behind, Kaylen¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest. ¡°Well-made,¡± he thought. Though she discarded them like junk, the quality of the equipment was impressive even to his trained eye. From the perspective of a continent¡¯s emperor, each piece was nothing short of a treasure. During the age of knights, such equipment would have been highly coveted. It was a shame they were being left to gather dust as ¡°failures.¡± ¡°Something strong enough to oppose cia¡­¡± ¡°Myorn, there¡¯s no need to search so desperately for something to counter her.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Yes. What matters this time is the experiment itself. Let¡¯s find something suitable for testing.¡± ¡°But still, if you¡¯re going to fight¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t n to win anyway.¡± Princess Violet, the wielder of the S-grade mana suit. It would be simple enough to activate his Sword Master aura and overpower her, but... ¡°There¡¯s no need to go that far.¡± Kaylen¡¯s goal was merely to experience the power of an S-grade mana suit firsthand. Even with his reassurance, Myorn didn¡¯t stop rummaging through the equipment. ¡°No need to win? Still, we need something decent, even just to block one attack.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if it can¡¯t block anything. Remember what we discussed before? A mana suit that¡¯s more versatile and not bound to a single element.¡± ¡°Well¡­ but that¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s too weak, especiallypared to cia.¡± Myorn¡¯s voice faltered with hesitation. Perhaps the destructive disy she had witnessed the previous day made her reluctant to bring out an experimental mana suit. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just test it out during the semifinals against my next opponent.¡± ¡°Ah, the semifinals.¡± At the mention of the semifinals, Myorn paused and returned to her desk. From a pile of equipment, she retrieved a steel gauntlet. ¡°Let¡¯s test this, then.¡± The gauntlet had a small mana stone embedded in the third finger. While it initially seemed a bitrge, as Kaylen slid his hand into it, the gauntlet adjusted to fit him perfectly. Whirrrr. As the gauntlet resized itself, glowing characters began inscribing across its surface: [Prototype - Normal] Perhaps reflecting Myorn¡¯s ambition to create a versatile mana suit, the suit¡¯s name itself was in and unassuming¡ªNormal. ¡°How is it? Does it feel okay?¡± ¡°It fits perfectly, but... it¡¯s quite heavy.¡± ¡°Is that so? Hmm¡­¡± Scratch, scratch. Her fur grasped a pen and began jotting down Kaylen¡¯s observations in her experimental notebook. ¡°Can you move your fingers?¡± ¡°I can, yes.¡± Though Kaylen moved his fingers freely despite the weight, he soon stopped and dered, ¡°Other mages might struggle. It gets progressively heavier.¡± ¡°As I suspected, I¡¯ll need to work on reducing the weight. But that mightpromise stability¡­¡± She trailed off, musing aloud. ¡°Do you want to try channeling mana into it?¡± ¡°Can I do it here?¡± ¡°Ah. Let¡¯s use the demonstration room.¡± They moved to a separate space adjacent to theboratory, equipped for magical demonstrations. There, Myorn exined how to operate the mana suit. ¡°Activate the mana heart first, then press the mana stone.¡± Kaylen, whose mana heart and mana circuits were already integrated, began channeling mana into his body. The steel gauntlet¡¯s mana stone started to emit a red glow. When he pressed the glowing mana stone, the gauntlet¡¯s entire surface rapidly turned crimson. ¡°So this is a mana suit?¡± He felt his right-hand mana being amplified. Unlike when he had previously absorbed raw mana stones, this mana was refined and circted smoothly around him. As Kaylen examined the phenomenon with interest, Myorn asked, ¡°How¡¯s the mana flow? It¡¯s non-elemental, so it¡¯s likely weakerpared to other mana suits.¡± ¡°The flow is stable. I can¡¯tpare it to other mana suits since I¡¯ve never used one before, though.¡± ¡°How about the pressure on your hand?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± As the mana suit activated, the weight became significantly more noticeable. Moreover, the gauntlet tightened around his hand, to the point where blood cirction might be impeded. While Kaylen endured the difort withoutint, any ordinary mage would have likely cried out in pain or copsed. ¡°The pressure is quite strong. It would be tough for most mages to handle.¡± ¡°Still? I already reduced the pressure after someone nearly broke their hand during testing¡­¡± [Pressure ¨C Still Too Strong] Myorn wrote his feedback in her notebook while continuing to ask questions. ¡°So,pared to normal, how does the power of your magic feel?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s test that out.¡± "Sure, let¡¯s start with a Fireball." "Fireball." At Kaylen¡¯smand, a massive ball of fire materialized atop the gauntlet. The heat and energy radiating from the mes made Myorn''s fur ripple with excitement. "Wow, it¡¯s strong! Is this a sess?" "This is just the normal power level," Kaylen replied. "Ah... is that so?" "And if I utilize the mana suit¡¯s power¡­" Kaylen extinguished the Fireball and summoned it again. This time, the orb of mes was twice asrge and shone with a bright golden hue. Seeing this, Myorn¡¯s fur drooped in disappointment. "You used the same amount of mana as before, right?" "Yes." "It¡¯s still only this much¡­ Do you want to try with other elemental magic?" "Sure." As Kaylen cycled through spells of various elements, Myorn¡¯s reactions alternated between fascination and frustration. When Kaylen cast magic without the suit, she admired his ability, but when he channeled the suit¡¯s power, the minimal improvement in potency left her deted. [Power ¨C All Elements, Scrap-Level] Myorn scribbled furiously in her notebook, nearly tearing through the paper. "Scrap-level? It still seems somewhat powerful to me," Kaylen remarked, tilting his head. "A usable mana suit should at least double the spell¡¯s power. This¡­ even a guild wouldn¡¯t approve it." "I see." "This won¡¯t do. It¡¯s too weak. I¡¯ll need to find something else." As Myorn moved back to rummage through her pile of prototypes, Kaylen watched her briefly before flexing the gauntlet on his hand. A question surfaced in his mind. What would happen if I channeled aura into this gauntlet? Knights could use mana suits as well¡ªthere were even Knight-Meisters. While their aura often leaned toward a single attribute, their destructive capabilities and efficiency were usually inferior to Mage-Meisters, making them less favored. Still, many knights longed for what they couldn¡¯t achieve. Kaylen recalled Alkas, the top graduate of the Knight Academy, whocked the talent for Meister techniques and ended up as a mere escort knight for a count¡¯s daughter. Sess as a knight required Meister-level skills.N?v(el)B\\jnn How weak must they have been for knights to decline so drastically? As Myorn focused on her search, Kaylen quietly channeled a faint aura into his index finger. Buzz. Buzz. The mana stone embedded in the gauntlet began to flicker with light. Whirr! Suddenly, the aura expanded rapidly, surging along his finger in waves. The aura is amplified too? Startled by the unexpected reaction, Kaylen immediately cut off the flow of mana. However, themotion had already drawn Myorn¡¯s attention. "¡­You. What was that?" Her fur stood on end as she approached him swiftly, her eyes sharp with curiosity. "That aura¡ªwhat on earth was it?" "Guess you saw it all," Kaylen said with a calm smile. "Of course! How could I not notice that sharp aura?" Myorn retorted. If the mana suit hadn''t amplified the aura, she might have missed it. But with its unexpected magnitude, there was no way the Dwarf Queen could remain oblivious. "This mana suit¡­ it¡¯s fascinating. Is it designed for knights?" "No, of course, it¡¯s meant for mages." "But the power increased, even though you cut off the mana midway." "Really? That¡¯s curious. Could it be because it¡¯s non-elemental? No¡­ the old non-elemental designs weren¡¯t this powerful." Scratch, scratch. Myorn pulled out her notebook again, furiously jotting down her observations. [Anomaly ¨C Aura power amplified? Why? Non-elemental? No, it would¡¯ve been strong from the start if that were the case. Could it be a w in the modified magic circle?...] Unlike before, her writing showed no signs of stopping. Using her fur, she grabbed a second pen and started recording with both hands simultaneously. Then, suddenly, she stopped. "Kaylen, use aura one more time." At her request, Kaylen obediently conjured aura again. Whirr. Even with a faint activation, the aura swelled far beyond his expectations. Seeing this, Myorn frantically resumed her notes. "Incredible¡­ Did you pour all your mana into it?" "This is just a small amount," Kaylen replied, demonstrating by producing a tiny aura on his left fingertip. Myorn¡¯s eyes darted back and forth between his hands as she let out an astonished gasp. "How is this possible? What am I missing?" She grabbed several of her experimental notebooks, scribbling feverishly as if possessed by the newfound data. For ten minutes straight, she wrote, fur standing on end as if charged with electricity. Then, all at once, she froze and turned to Kaylen, her expression filled with suspicion. "Kaylen. Aren¡¯t you a mage? A 4th Circle mage?" "That¡¯s correct." "Then how are you using aura?" "Ah, you finally ask," Kaylen said with a chuckle. It was, indeed, the most obvious question. Yet Myorn had been so engrossed in the experimental data that it hadn¡¯t even urred to her until now. As she stared at him, baffled, Kaylen gave her a calm, knowing smile. ''It¡¯s sooner than I anticipated, but it¡¯s time to tell her the real reason I agreed to participate in her experiments.'' [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 37 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 37 "Myorn, what¡¯s your name?" Kaylen''s question made Myorn''s fur stand on end, bristling like a hedgehog. Then, abruptly, her fur shifted into a curious "?" shape. "¡­What are you talking about? This is my name." "That might not be true. Isn¡¯t ¡®Myorn¡¯ just a Dwarven pronunciation of ¡®Meier¡¯?" "Uh¡­what¡­?" Herrge green eyes, peeking out from between the fur, quivered slightly. She had never imagined she¡¯d hear such a thing in a ce like this. "The castle created by the Dwarven queen Kaina, the wife of Emperor Ernstine. Isn¡¯t that right?" "Wait, how do you know about that?" "I¡¯m connected to that name as well." "That¡¯s impossible¡­" Connected to the name Meier? Someone like that couldn¡¯t possibly exist anymore. After all, the Meier Empire had fallen a long time ago. "If you make the Oath of the Volcano to keep my secret, I¡¯ll exin everything in detail." The Oath of the Volcano. A sacred contract performed by Dwarves using fire or earth spirits as intermediaries. For Dwarves, it was the strongest binding pact imaginable. Breaking it came at a steep price¡ªthe loss of significant spiritual power. Because of this, Dwarves treated the oath with extreme caution. Perhaps that¡¯s why. Among non-Dwarven races, almost no one knew about the Oath of the Volcano. That Kaylen could even mention it made him all the more suspicious. "You¡­you even know about the Oath of the Volcano?" "I¡¯ve read some of Emperor Ernstine¡¯s records," Kaylen replied with a calm smile. As she watched him speak so nonchntly, Myorn sank into contemtion. He knew too much to dismiss this as nonsense. He even knew the origin of her name. "Ugh. This is so strange¡­" She had always assumed his exceptional magical abilities came from his time at the Magic Academy. But on top of that, he could wield aura like a knight, knew the story behind her name, and was aware of the Oath of the Volcano? It was all too suspicious. Normally, it would¡¯ve been wise to approach someone like him with extreme caution, especially considering the proposal he¡¯d just made. And yet¡­ "If all I have to do is keep his secret, this is too good to pass up." After all, there was no one left for Myorn to share secrets with. Her Dwarven n had already been wiped out. Even though she lived in the human world and worked at the Fairy Tower of Magic, dominated by elves, she was little more than an outcast. This was a promise she could easily keep. "On the other hand, the information he let slip about Emperor Ernstine¡¯s records¡­ I have to know more about that." With no one to confide in, the risk was practically nonexistent. "So, the condition of the oath is simply to keep your secret. Is that it?" "Yes, that¡¯s correct." "Alright. I swear. I¡¯ll keep your secret." A me ignited above Myorn''s eyes, forming the shape of a mountain. Her fur burned away, revealing her pale forehead as fiery patterns danced across her skin. Soon, the mes solidified into the image of a crimson volcano. "By the will of the mighty volcano, I, Myorn, swear to never reveal Kaylen''s secret to anyone. Should I break this oath, the wrath of the volcano will descend upon me." Whoosh! The me red fiercely onest time before vanishing, leaving behind a glowing crimson volcano etched on her forehead. The small red mountain stood vivid amidst her now bare forehead and eyes, though the momentary cleanliness didn¡¯tst. Swoosh. The fur around her forehead regrew almost instantly, covering the volcano mark as if nothing had happened. ¡°You seem tock spirit energy,¡± Kaylen observed with a knowing tone. ¡°The way your fur grew back so quickly after taking the Oath of the Volcano¡ªit¡¯s telling.¡± Myorn¡¯s fur bristled at his words. ¡°You even know about that?! It must have something to do with your secret.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kaylen replied calmly. ¡°I am¡­¡± *** One Week Later ¨C Semifinals of the Tournament With the arena restored after thest battle, the second match of the semifinals was ready to begin. If the duel between Princess Violet and Lioness had captivated the public, this match was the one drawing whispers of intrigue among insiders. Kaylen Starn. The dark horse of the tournament, his unexpected rise as a formidable contender had everyone talking. ¡°That¡¯s Kaylen?¡± ¡°He¡¯s bigger than most knights.¡± ¡°They say he took down a Meister with his bare hands.¡± ¡°How could a mage defeat a Meister d in a mana suit with just his body?¡± His feat of overpowering a mana-suited Meister spread far and wide, drawing the attention of foreign magic towers. Even representatives from these towers hade to observe him. Despite the still-ruined spectator stands, many managed to find spots to scrutinize his every move. In the VIP section, Irene, sitting with a slight grimace, broke the silence. ¡°Wow, so many scouts have shown up.¡± ¡°Well, he is special,¡± someone beside her replied. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. Myorn, didn¡¯t you¡­ experiment with him? How was it?¡± At Irene¡¯s question, Myorn smirked faintly. ¡°I can¡¯t say. I made a promise.¡± ¡°What kind of promise stops you from talking about it?¡± Irene pouted. ¡°Just watch the match. You¡¯ll understand.¡± ¡°Tch. Fine.¡± Irene shifted her gaze back to the arena. Kaylen¡¯s opponent was already standing in the middle, d in a fully equipped mana suit. ¡°His opponent is Robin, the prodigy from the Tower of the Sky.¡± ¡°You know him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a well-known student. Amoner with incredible talent, fully sponsored by the Tower of the Sky.¡± The Tower of the Sky, one of the top three wind-based magic institutions, didn¡¯t extend its full support lightly. For someone to earn their backing meant they were undeniably exceptional. The crowd grew silent as the duel was about to begin. All eyes were on thebatants¡ªKaylen, the enigmatic powerhouse, and Robin, the rising star. "Ready for Battle" ¡°Looks like they¡¯ve heard about the quarterfinals. Their preparations are wless.¡± ¡°Unlike back then, Robin is already wearing a mana suit.¡± ¡°Yes. This won¡¯t be an easy match for Kaylen. A Wind Meister¡¯s greatest strength is their mobility. Unlike Zaik, the Earth Meister, Robin is far more formidable in aerialbat.¡± In the quarterfinals, Kaylen had dominated Zaik by maintaining an aerial advantage, bombarding him from above. However, using the same strategy against a Wind Meister would likely backfire, as Robin excelled in the skies. ¡°The semifinals aren¡¯t going to be easy, given the matchup.¡± ¡°Well, care to make a bet?¡± ¡°A bet on the winner? Hmm... no, thanks. Myorn, you seem like you know something.¡± ¡°How about betting on the time, then? I wager Kaylen wins in under five minutes.¡± ¡°Five minutes?¡± That seemed extreme, even for Kaylen. Irene tilted her head but eventually nodded. ¡°Alright, fine. What are we betting?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep it simple¡ªa mana stone.¡± ¡°A mid-grade one?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°Given your financial situation, Myorn, that¡¯s hardly a ¡®light¡¯ bet¡­¡± Though a skilled cksmith with substantial ie, Myorn was perpetually short on funds due to her costly experiments with mana suits. For her to wager a mana stone was no small matter. ¡°It¡¯s light enough for you. Let¡¯s do this.¡± ¡°¡­Fine. I¡¯m in. I¡¯m curious about where your confidence ising from.¡± ¡°Excuse me, can I join your bet as well?¡± Just as the two were about to seal the deal, a clear, melodic voice interrupted them. Turning to look, they saw Princess Violet, seated in the adjacent VIP box, her eyes gleaming with amusement. ¡°Princess¡­ you too?¡± ¡°Yes, it seems like fun. I¡¯ll bet that the matchsts longer than five minutes.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t have a mana stone, though.¡± ¡°What?! Myorn, you don¡¯t even have a single mana stone?!¡± ¡°Nope. Not one.¡± Caught off guard by the princess¡¯s interest, Myorn confessed an embarrassing truth. Irene stared at her in disbelief. ¡°You mean to tell me you don¡¯t even have one mid-grade mana stone?!¡± ¡°Hey, I was sure I¡¯d win. But now that the princess is joining, I figured I shoulde clean.¡± ¡°Unbelievable. This is a scam.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Myorn,¡± Violet said with a light chuckle. ¡°Instead of a mana stone, how about you make something for meter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m expensive, you know.¡± ¡°Just knock 5,000 gold off themission fee for my next request.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Without hesitation, Myorn agreed to the princess¡¯s terms, casually settling the bet even with royalty. Now, the odds were set at 2:1. Then, the signal came. ¡°Let the match begin!¡± The match had already begun. [Fly.] Whoooosh! Robin¡¯s sky-colored armor soared into the air. His focus was unwavering as hemitted fully to the battle. ¡®I just need to follow the fundamentals.¡¯ As a Wind Meister, his greatest advantage was mobility¡ªan advantage that was unparalleled in the air. [Circle Reload. Wind Cannon.] Boom! Boom! Boom! Robin unleashed gusting wind projectiles from above. ¡°Earth Shield.¡± Kaylen¡¯s voice rang out calmly as a wall of earth rose to block the attack effortlessly. As expected from the opposing element, the earthen barrier held firm against the wind¡¯s onught. ¡®Of course, he blocked it.¡¯ Robin wasn¡¯t surprised. His opponent was a mage capable of wielding all four elemental attributes. Naturally, a straightforward attack wouldn¡¯t suffice. The sh of Wind and Earth was destined to be a war of attrition. The Wind Meister relied on agile aerial maneuvers to evade and strike. Meanwhile, an Earth Meister would fortify their defenses and retaliate with overwhelming power. The battle would ultimately hinge on whose mana ran out first. Kaylen, however, wasn¡¯t bound by the limits of a Meister¡ªhe could take to the skies if necessary. ¡®If he flies, all the better.¡¯ The air was Robin¡¯s domain, after all. If Kaylen chose to join him there, it would be an advantage for Robin. [Circle Reload. Wind Press.] A crushing gust of air bore down from above. [Wind Arrow.] Countless arrows of wind filled the sky, pelting Kaylen¡¯s Earth Shield. Though they couldn¡¯t pierce the barrier, they limited his movements. The match was unfolding as the inverse of Kaylen¡¯s quarterfinal battle. While his attacks hadn¡¯t connected, the flow of the match was firmly in Robin¡¯s favor. ¡°Robin has an impressive grasp of the power of wind. Truly worthy of being called a Wind Meister,¡± Irene remarked. ¡°For you to give such high praise, Lady Irene... Perhaps I¡¯ve underestimated him. I should adjust my evaluation,¡± Princess Violet replied. ¡°Indeed, Princess. With such talent, I doubt he¡¯ll lose quickly¡ªcertainly not within five minutes.¡± Irene¡¯s confident statement made Myorn¡¯s fur bristle slightly. As a summoner of wind spirits, her opinion carried significant weight, making her prediction all the more convincing. At this rate, Myorn thought, she was going to lose the bet. ¡°Kaylen! Hurry and finish this! I¡¯ve got a five-minute wager riding on you!¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Myorn¡¯s shout echoed from the stands. Hearing her voice, Kaylen smirked. He lowered his hand, which had been channeling the Earth Shield, and focused on his gauntlet. ¡°Well then... let¡¯s end this.¡± The prototype mana suit gauntlet¡ªnicknamed Prototype-Normal by Myorn¡ªsuddenly shifted. Its metallic sheen turned a deep crimson as an enormous surge of mana began concentrating within it. ¡°No way.¡± ¡°This is¡­ ¡°A mana suit?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one like that before.¡± The scouts¡¯ attention shifted immediately to Kaylen¡¯s gauntlet, their curiosity piqued. But their fascination was quickly reced with astonishment as the scene unfolded before their eyes. ¡°Fire Wave.¡± Kaylen raised his hand toward the sky, and the gauntlet erupted into mes, zing like an inferno. The fire surged outward, spreading into a massive wave of mes, consuming the air as it hurtled toward Robin. [Fly.] Robin instinctively ascended higher, predicting a counterattack. If he climbed high enough, the mes would eventually dissipate¡ªor so he thought. But the mes moved too fast. Faster than he could ascend. A Wind Meister, outpaced and cornered. [Tch¡­ Wind Shield! Reload, Wind Press!] Robin summoned a shield of wind to protect himself and unleashed a burst of air to push back the mes. But it was futile. The fiery wave continued its relentless advance, unhindered by his efforts. Like a gentle breeze against a roaring tide, his wind spells proved powerless. Whoooosh! The shield of wind shattered. The mes enveloped Robin¡¯s mana suit entirely. [Aaaaargh!] A scream of pain tore through the arena as Robin plummeted from the sky. [Re-reload¡­ Wind¡­ Wind Shield. Fly¡­!] Desperately, he chanted spells mid-fall, trying to extinguish the mes and stabilize himself. But it was no use. The fire had already consumed him, leaving him helpless. He could not escape on his own. [Argh¡­! I surrender! I yield!] At Robin¡¯s frantic deration of surrender, Kaylen finally spoke. ¡°Fly.¡± Just before Robin crashed into the ground, Kaylen lifted him back into the air with a calm gesture. [Th-thank you¡­] Robin stammered, his gratitude evident as the mes subsided. ¡°Well fought.¡± Robin, narrowly avoiding bing the first fatality of the tournament, copsed onto the ground, utterly spent. His sky-colored mana suit was charred ck, its once-pristine surface now unrecognizable. From the stands, Irene watched with wide eyes. ¡°Myorn, that gauntlet¡­ Did you make it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Myorn replied simply. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s incredible! You built something that powerful?¡± ¡°No.¡± At Irene¡¯s enthusiastic praise, Myorn gave a wry smile. ¡°The incredible one¡­ is him.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but recall the events of a week prior. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 38 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 38 "I have inherited the legacy of Emperor Ernstine." "The legacy of the Great Emperor...?" The Emperor who first unified the continent. A hero who defeated the Demon King and the Grand Sword Master, Ernstine. To think someone had inherited his legacy. Myorn¡¯s eyes trembled at the deration. "Contained within it are the insights of Emperor Ernstine and the memories of someone he dearly loved¡ªQueen Kaina of the Dwarves. That¡¯s how I discovered your name, Myorn." Myorn nodded at Kaylen''s words but couldn¡¯t erase the doubt that lingered in her heart. It had been 1,000 years since Emperor Ernstine disappeared. Countless individuals, including his descendants, had searched tirelessly for anything left behind by him, but nothing substantial had ever been found. ¡®So now, after all those years of fruitless searching, his legacy just happens to be discovered? It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡¯ But then again, Kaylen¡¯s very existence defied logic. He wasn¡¯t even 20 years old yet and was already a Sword Master, a 4-circle mage, and someone who also knew secrets about the Dwarves. "By the way, what happened to Queen Kaina?" "My grandmother, who stayed in the vige¡­ eventually, she said she was going to search for Emperor Ernstine. After that, she disappeared."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Your grandmother¡­ then, are you her granddaughter?" "¡­Yeah, I suppose you could say that." Myorn answered reluctantly, her tone nonchnt. Kaylen pondered the implications of her words, his thoughts drifting to Kaina. Kaina disappeared¡­ and Myorn is my granddaughter? Kaina must no longer be alive after all this time... The average lifespan of a Dwarf was around 300 to 400 years. While Dwarf Queens were known to live longer, Kaina had already been 312 years old when he met her. Living for over 1,300 years seemed virtually impossible. As Kaylen reflected on Kaina, Myorn broke his thoughts with a pointed question. "But you¡ªhow do you know about my spirit power?" "I learned of it through the legacy I inherited." "The Great Emperor''s legacy¡­" "It even included the method that increased Queen Kaina¡¯s spirit power." "What? Seriously?!" Myorn¡¯s hair practically stood on end. To know how to increase the spirit power of a Dwarf Queen? Come to think of it, Kaylen had also known what to do when it came to Irene. "The method you used on Irene, was that also part of the legacy?" "Yes, it was." The technique Kaylen used to enhance Irene¡¯s spirit power. Myorn had dismissed it before, assuming it was something only applicable to Elves. But now, it seemed he even understood how it applied to Dwarf Queens. "Wow. Teach me! I need it! My spirit power hasn¡¯t improved at all." "Of course. As long as there¡¯s appropriatepensation." Though Myorn was Kaina¡¯s granddaughter, and thus in some sense also Ernstine¡¯s, this wasn¡¯t a situation where Kaylen could just hand over knowledge freely, even to a family member. Furthermore ¡®I¡¯m not even sure if she¡¯s truly his granddaughter.¡¯ Kaylen¡¯s doubt lingered. He couldn¡¯t ignore how Myorn hesitated when asked if she was Ernstine¡¯s descendant. If Kaina had truly been her grandmother, would Ernstine have left her as she was? It seemed unlikely. Ernstine wasn¡¯t the type to idly stand by if his granddaughter were still bound by the constraints of being the Dwarf Queen. "Compensation..." At the mention ofpensation, Myorn¡¯s expression grew sullen. Irene had promised Kaylen a Mana Suit once she became an advanced Spirit Master, but Myorn couldn¡¯t offer anythingparable. "I don¡¯t have anything to offer like Irene did..." "Who says you don¡¯t?" "...What could I possibly have?" "You, Myorn. You¡¯re more than enough." "Me? I¡¯m expensive, you know." "Regardless, if you want to increase your spirit power, you¡¯ll have to stay with me." Kaylen¡¯s calm tone carried an unshakeable confidence as he continued. "Increasing a Dwarf Queen¡¯s spirit power is far more difficult than it is for an Elf. You must control the forces of both earth and fire." "True. Elves only need to focus on one element, but I¡¯m stuck with both. It¡¯s much harder." "But it¡¯s not impossible for me." "...How?" Kaylen began walking toward the pile of equipment. The heap was cluttered with failed prototypes of Mana Suits, scattered like junk. Finding something resembling a weapon among the mess seemed unlikely; most of it consisted of basic armorponents that formed the foundation of Mana Suits. "There really aren¡¯t any swords here," he remarked. "This era doesn¡¯t need swords anymore," Myorn muttered. Kaylen nodded slightly, acknowledging her observation. "But it seems they¡¯re not entirely gone." Stopping his search, he extended his hand toward the pile of scraps. Buzz... The mountain of debris began to tremble. Suddenly, a single sword shot out from within, flying into his hand as though drawn by an invisible ma. The hilt of the sword, caked in dust, settled firmly in Kaylen¡¯s grip. And then... A brilliant golden light erupted from the de. "This... this can¡¯t be..." Myorn rubbed her eyes with her fur-covered hands, unable to believe what she was seeing. In her distant memories, from when she was just a child, she had asionally glimpsed this phenomenon¡ªan aura only the greatest of warriors could manifest. A fully materialized Aura Sword, something only a true Master could produce. "An Aura Sword...?" "To employ the methods of the Great Emperor, one must be at least a Sword Master," Kaylen exined. "As you can see, I meet that requirement." "Help me for just one year." "One year...?" "And if you feel your spirit power increasing during that time, we can extend the agreement further." Myorn wasn¡¯t sure how a Sword Master could enhance her spirit power, but¡­ "One year is but a brief moment for a Dwarf Queen." Myorn nodded. She couldn''t afford to pass up the opportunity to increase her spirit power. "¡­Alright." *** "Myorn, Myorn!" "Huh?" "What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you going to take the Mana Stones?" Myorn snapped out of her thoughts and returned to the present. "That rascal Kaylen¡­ Did he finally be the me Meister?" "Even so, I doubt he¡¯s undergone the official Meister certification yet." "Well, he did have a week. Maybe one of the major Magic Towers conducted their own tests." As the arena buzzed with excitement over Kaylen''s extraordinary magic, Princess Violet approached Myorn. "I¡¯ve lost. Here, take them." She handed over the Mana Stones with a gracious smile. "Ah, thank you¡­ Wait, two?" "I just have one question. If it¡¯s too difficult to answer, you don¡¯t have to." "What¡¯s your question?" "Is Kaylen a Meister now?" Princess Violet''s question made Myorn pause, but she judged that answering wouldn¡¯t breach the Vow of the Volcano. Holding the two Mana Stones in her fur-covered hand, she replied calmly. "No. He¡¯s a mage." "Thank you for the answer. I¡¯ll see you again next time, Dwarf Queen." With a bright smile, Princess Violet departed. The icy mask covering half her face gleamed more brilliantly than ever. "He''s not the me Meister?" "No." "Then how can he use magic like that? Myorn, be honest with me¡ªdid you seed with the gauntlet?" "No, look at it." Myorn pointed to Kaylen as he descended from the stage. More specifically, she gestured at the gauntlet he was wearing. "It¡¯spletely cracked." "You''re right. It¡¯s unusable now." "Did you make it disposable?" "No, it wasn¡¯t designed to be. It just became a one-time-use item." "¡­Does that even happen?" "Who knows." Step. Step. Kaylen descended from the arena, gracefully dodging the crowd of eager scouts, and made his way toward the VIP section. As he approached, Irene stood up first, greeting him with a radiant smile. "Oh my, what a spectacr victory, Sir Kaylen." "Thank you." "Wow¡­" Alkas stared, mouth agape, unable to take his eyes off the Elf''s smile in front of him, clearly stunned. This was the typical reaction of most men. "Alkas, snap out of it. This is rude." "Ah! Yes, sorry!" Kaylen scolded him casually before turning his gaze to Myorn. "By the way, Myorn, have you talked to Irene yet?" "Ah, right. I got distracted because of the bet." "Bet? Ah, the one from five minutes ago." "Yeah, look, Kaylen. I won two Mana Stones. If Irene gives me hers, that''ll make three." "¡­Well done. Now, go ahead and tell Irene what you need." "Got it. Irene." Myorn, who had been proudly showing off the Mana Stones, shifted her gaze toward Irene. "Yes?" "I''ve decided to cooperate with Kaylen for a year. I''m joining his anti-Mage faction." "You''re joining¡­ Kaylen''s faction?" "Yeah. It¡¯s fine, right? I¡¯ll do both, act as a technical advisor and also teach." Irene¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. What is she talking about? What happened in the past week? "Uh¡­ What if I say no?" "Then I''ll have to quit the Fairy Tower." Myorn replied, sounding resigned. It seemed clear that her top priority now was joining Kaylen''s faction. ¡®Why...?¡¯ The Fairy Tower was one of the kingdom''s top magic towers, and Myorn had been a technical advisor there. The workload wasn''t heavy, and thepensation was more than enough. For Myorn, it was the best job. In contrast, Kaylen¡¯s faction was a fledgling group. They didn¡¯t even have Mana Suits yet, and hadn''t they asked to borrow one from her? It wasn''t a position Myorn should have been aiming for. It was far too small for her. So, how had he managed to convince her? "Kaylen, what exactly happened here?" "It¡¯s simr to your situation... You could look at it that way." "My situation?" Irene was taken aback by his words. She had only assumed it had something to do with her spirit power. "Could it be...?" "You¡¯ve guessed correctly. You don¡¯t need to say anything in front of all these people to confirm it." "¡­I see, there are a lot of eyes watching." "We¡¯ve agreed to prove it in a year. Until then, please allow her to serve in both roles." Irene bit her lip at Kaylen¡¯s words. Myorn¡¯s decision was understandable. For both Elves and Dwarves, spirit power was an invaluable force. If there was a chance to increase it, she couldn¡¯t possibly let it slip away. "Alright. I''ll allow her to hold both positions." "Thank you." "However, please make sure she isn''t put in danger. Her talents are too precious to be used in dungeon raids." "Of course. She¡¯ll mostly be working on research in our faction anyway." "¡­Understood. I¡¯ll take my leave then." Irene, whose once radiant smile had now been reced with a stiff, serious expression, turned and began walking away. As she walked off, Myorn called after her. "Irene, what about the Mana Stones?" "Sigh¡­ I¡¯ll send them to theb." "Right, send them quickly~" Once Irene left, and most people had begun to depart from the VIP seats, Myorn stood up, still examining Kaylen''s gauntlet. "Let¡¯s head to theb, Commander." As he stood, he nced subtly to one side. "And¡­ is that him?" He pointed toward Alkas, who was silently waiting next to Kaylen. "Yes, that''s him." "He was all spaced out, staring at the Elf¡¯s smile. Does he have any talent?" "Talent and that have nothing to do with each other. He¡¯s still young." "You¡¯re younger, though." "Well, let¡¯s just say it¡¯s something like that." Alkas, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, felt a little frustrated. Was every man supposed to act like a fool after seeing that smile? He felt like he was the only one acting like that. ¡®Why is the Lord so calm even after seeing the Elf''s smile...?¡¯ "Tch. It can¡¯t be helped. Come on, you go too." Myorn motioned toward Alkas, as if offering a rare favor. "Me too?" "Yeah. Let¡¯s go look at the Mana Suits." "But I¡¯m a knight..." "Right, a knight with no Meister talent,pletely devoid of any color or aura." "¡­Yes." "That¡¯s why you¡¯reing along." Myorn responded with a light tone, almost cheerful. "Right now, someone like you is exactly what we need." [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 39 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 39 Myorn¡¯s Laboratory ¡°Now then¡­ Shall we start with the first test?¡± Myorn¡¯s fur clumped together like threads, wriggling. Whoosh! Amid the pile of junk, Myorn pulled something out. It was a piece of full te armor, glimmering silver. ¡°What was its name again?¡± ¡°Alkas, Master.¡± ¡°Alkas, put it on.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ me?¡± Alkas, who had been dragged into theb without exnation, looked startled but didn¡¯t seem entirely displeased. After all, wearing a mana suit had been a longstanding dream of his as a knight. ¡°I¡¯m not a Meister, though¡­¡± ¡°I already told you. I heard you¡¯re a knight without color or scent.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°This is perfect for someone like you. Probably.¡± With that, Alkas received the mana suit. ¡°Inject your mana into the mana stone embedded in the helmet.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t resist the pressure. Just rx.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Let me know if it gets too much.¡± Bzzzzzzzz! The steel armor, shimmering with mana, began to shift, molding itself to fit Alkas¡¯s body perfectly. ¡°It¡¯s heavier than I expected.¡± ¡°What about the fit?¡± ¡°It¡¯s manageable.¡± ¡°Now, try using your aura.¡± Whoosh! Myorn tossed him a sword, and Alkas immediately infused it with his aura. Vrrrrrrr! A sharp blue light radiated from the sword, far stronger than the aura he was used to summoning. Overwhelmed with emotion, Alkas couldn¡¯t hide his excitement. ¡®So this¡­ is the power of a mana suit!¡¯ However, the reactions from the two observing were less enthusiastic. ¡°Huh. It doesn¡¯te out the same for him, does it?¡± ¡°Hmm. Could it be the difference between a Sword Master and an Expert?¡± Step, step. Kaylen approached Alkas, his footsteps measured, and firmly gripped the mana suit. ¡°Alkas, try summoning your aura again.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Vrrrrrrr! Once more, Alkas¡¯s sword gleamed brightly with aura. Kaylen closely inspected the mana flowing through the suit, carefully measuring its output. ¡°The aura still isn¡¯t fully stable yet.¡± ¡°What did I say? To be a Sword Master, you can¡¯t rely solely on your mana heart. Is the mana in your toes and head just for decoration?¡± Kaylen¡¯s sharp tone cut through the air as he offered advice to Alkas. ¡°Alkas! You¡¯re being hasty. Aura must be built up steadily from the ground up. Are you so excited just because you¡¯re wearing a mana suit? Remember, this mana isn¡¯t yours. You need to approach this more carefully and establish a solid foundation.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand!¡± Alkas replied, startled but earnest. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll focus on steadily refining my aura!¡± With those words, Alkas began adjusting his aura¡­ Crackle! The aura etched along the de suddenly ignited, spreading like a ze. ¡°Oh? His aura changed! This is¡­ about five times stronger than before!¡± Myorn eximed as she hurriedly jotted down notes in her experiment log. ¡°Just a few pieces of advice, and he improved this much? Is this what it means to be a Sword Master?¡± ¡°Impressive, Kaylen,¡± Myorn remarked in awe. ¡°It¡¯s still far from perfect,¡± Kaylen replied, his tone as cold as ever. While Myorn marveled, Kaylen remained unimpressed. ¡°Whenpared to the experiments we¡¯ve conducted over the past week, these results are underwhelming.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only because you¡¯re a Sword Master.¡± ¡°Even so, the output has diminished. At this rate, it¡¯s not viable for practical use.¡± At Kaylen¡¯s words, Myorn reflected on the past week¡¯s experiments. It began on the day Kaylen unleashed his sword energy. He revealed that he had acquired the relic of the Archmagus, leading to experiments conducted specifically with a Sword Master. From these trials, Myorn reached a startling conclusion: ¡°The efficiency of his aura¡­ is off the charts!¡± When it came to magic, the mana suit prototype Normal was practically useless. However, the aura Kaylen emitted was an entirely different story. When used with the newly developed mana suit, his aura disyed terrifying power. It was so overwhelming that the mana stone embedded in the suit waspletely drained in no time. ¡°This¡­ is definitely worth researching further. If even an ordinary knight could achieve this level of efficiency¡­ the results would be world-changing.¡± Over the course of the week, countless experiments left both Myorn and Kaylen amazed at the mana suit¡¯s potential. Kaylen also discovered another notable benefit: ¡°When casting spells while manifesting aura¡­ the power is significantly amplified.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. However, this seems to be a unique case for me. It¡¯s unlikely that ordinary knights could replicate it.¡± ¡°Well, using magic and aura simultaneously is rare to begin with.¡± Kaylen¡¯s unusual skill set¡ªa Sword Master and a 4th-circle mage¡ªset him apart. His unique synergy allowed him to unlock such effects, particrly when paired with the six-elemental swords of the Ernstine family, which represented the attributes of earth, water, fire, wind, light, and shadow.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om For instance, the devastating Fire Wave that felled the Wind Meister Robin in a single strike came from one such synergy. However, this level of versatility applied only to someone like Kaylen. For ordinary individuals, the Normal prototype focused primarily on maximizing aura amplification efficiency. That was why Alkas had been chosen as the test subject. But the results were disappointing. ¡°It¡¯scking,¡± Kaylen muttered. ¡°Do you think this performance falls shortpared to a Meister¡¯s sword aura?¡± Myorn asked. ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s not much difference, but¡­¡± Kaylen trailed off, clearly dissatisfied. Compared to mana suits designed for mages, the knight-focused mana suits were often criticized for theirck of power. While mage mana suits typically doubled or even tripled output, knight mana suits started at half that level. However, Myorn¡¯s new prototype, Normal, stood apart from traditional knight-meister mana suits. It offered a distinct advantage: any Sword Expert, not just meisters, could achieve up to double their usual output. ¡°This should be fine as a prototype.¡± Myorn felt it was a sess, even if it couldn¡¯t meet the original goal of being suitable for magic users. Producing this much power for knights was already impressive for a prototype. But Kaylen thought differently. ¡°We cannot stop here.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± ¡°Whenpared to magic, aura starts at a much lower baseline for destructive power.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re right. In terms of raw destructive force, it doesn¡¯t match magic.¡± ¡°Exactly. Which is why we need greater efficiency. Topete with mage mana suits, we must push further.¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s¡­ impossible. Magic and aura are fundamentally different.¡± ¡°There is no such thing as impossible.¡± Kaylen¡¯s eyes burned with determination as he looked back and forth between Myorn and Alkas. Seeing his unwavering gaze, Myorn instinctively bristled. What is this? Although they were supposed to be partners in this endeavor, Kaylen exuded a terrifying aura of authority. ¡°With the Dwarf Queen here, and a promising knight with Sword Master potential, we can achieve greatness if we coordinate well.¡± ¡°Wait a moment! Mana suits aren¡¯t something you can just whip up overnight. Do you have any idea how many mana stones, how much trial and error this will take¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible. I know it is. Dwarf Queen, I¡¯ve seen your boundless potential. You¡¯re not just any cksmith¡ªyou¡¯re the Dwarf Queen.¡± Kaylen¡¯s gaze, filled with unwavering faith, made Myorn¡¯s fur stand on end again. ''What exactly did he see in Ernstine¡¯s memories?'' ¡°I will provide the mana stones. Once I begin working with the Demon Subjugation Corps in earnest, I can supply as many as needed.¡± ¡°Wait, hold on¡ª¡± ¡°Myorn. To grow stronger, you must forge mana suits and temper your hammer until you reach your limits. All of this was in the memories I saw.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! Mana suits didn¡¯t even exist in the past! What does this have to do with high-ranking spirits?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the process of hammering. That¡¯s what matters.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Kaylen¡¯s presence was almost suffocating, radiating an overwhelming sense of authority. He stood as an unshakable force, his voice calm yetden with absolutemand: Work! Forge and hammer until you produce results! ¡°Alkas, you must assist Lady Myorn as much as possible. The more advanced the mana suit bes, the quicker I can guide you to be a Sword Master.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord! I will devote every ounce of my strength to fulfill yourmand!¡± Hearing that his efforts might lead to bing a Sword Master, Alkas seemed ready to leap into fire without hesitation. Watching this, Myorn sighed deeply, her exhaustion evident. ¡°Hah¡­ Fine. I¡¯ll adjust the design further. But more importantly¡ª¡± Myorn rummaged through her pile of odds and ends, pulling out an object with visible effort, utilizing every ounce of strength. What she produced was a full te of armor, pitch-ck and ominous in appearance. ¡°Kaylen, here¡¯s yours. The item for the finals.¡± ¡°It¡¯s finished already.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a modification of the original design. Like you asked, Ipletely ignored stability. It¡¯s absurdly heavy, the pressure is intense, and it won¡¯tst long. There¡¯s no longevity to it.¡± The suit was something no ordinary mage could hope to wear¡ªits weight and immense pressure would make it unbearable. It also had no extended duration or transformation capabilities. Every aspect had been sacrificed in favor of one single trait: pure output. ¡°All it¡¯s got is power. That¡¯s all I focused on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s precisely what I wanted.¡± ¡°But even with this, I doubt you¡¯ll manage against cia. Are you seriously not going to use aura?¡± ¡°I never intended to win in the first ce.¡± ¡°Yeah, I figured. I just want to see if you can survive one hit without using aura.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see soon enough.¡± Kaylen smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll show you the power of a mage, not a meister.¡± Finals Day. For Princess Violet, the day began like any other. She rose at six in the morning. ¡°cia, wash me.¡± Her mana suit cleaned her body within minutes. ¡°Jane, are there any documents that need signing?¡± ¡°No, Princess. It seems there aren¡¯t manying through today because of the big event.¡± ¡°Ridiculous. A tournament match shouldn¡¯t disrupt government business.¡± She reviewed and approved a few remaining documents. ¡°Robin showed promise yesterday.¡± ¡°Shall I add him to the recruitment list?¡± ¡°Look into it. He¡¯s been raised by the Tower of the Sky, so his loyalty to them will run deep.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Princess, it¡¯s time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on my way.¡± Tap. Tap. As Violet walked, Kaylen wasn¡¯t on her mind at all. He wasn¡¯t anywhere near her level. His Fire Wave was impressive. She acknowledged that his spell, used to defeat the Wind Meister Robin, had disyed considerable power. But it¡¯s far weaker than Lionus. For a non-meister to pull off such magic was surprising, but the raw power was iparable to Lionus. Thus, the finals didn¡¯t stir any sense of tension in her. Still, Kaylen is the top recruit on my list. I should let him save face and not crush him too quickly. nning to go easy on him for appearances¡¯ sake, Violet entered the arena. She never anticipated what awaited her. Crackle. Bzzzzzzt. ¡°Princess.¡± cia¡¯s half-mask began to spark with electricity. ¡°You don¡¯t need to hold back.¡± A portion of Kaylen¡¯s mask burned, ckened by the intense currents coursing through it. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 40 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 40 Superior Mage Finals The weight of the finals was significantly lighterpared to the semifinals. "Princess Violet will end this quickly." "Her opponent isn¡¯t even a Meister¡ªjust an ordinary mage, right?" The public had already decided the oue. "Even though Kaylen brought a mana suit, the performance gap is just too wide." "I¡¯m curious to see how he ns to handle this." The same sentiment was shared among the scouts. Everyone anticipated Kaylen¡¯s loss¡ªan overwhelming defeat at that. Despite the lopsided expectations, the organizers decided to hold the finals without an audience. This decision came after the chaos caused during the semifinals. ¡°It¡¯s going to end quickly anyway, so they turned it into a closed match.¡± ¡°Well, it couldn¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s a miracle no one was injured during the semifinals.¡± However, a special viewing area was reserved for high-ranking nobles and select scouts, where small groups had gathered to chat amongst themselves. ¡°How many minutes do you think it¡¯ll take, Lioness?¡± ¡°That depends entirely on Her Highness¡¯s mood.¡± Perhaps due to having been trapped in ice for several days, Lioness¡¯s face was pale. ¡°...The power of an S-ss is on apletely different level.¡± Having experienced the princess¡¯s power firsthand, Lioness understood better than anyone the sheer destructive capability of her S-ss mana suit. This match wasn¡¯t even fair to begin with. The difference in power was simply too vast. The beginning and end of this battle were entirely up to the princess. ¡°Still, I doubt she¡¯ll end it immediately. She¡¯ll probably test him out first.¡± ¡°I see...¡± ¡°I hope the matchsts as long as possible. I want to see what he¡¯s capable of.¡± With eyes full of anticipation, Lioness stared at the empty arena. ¡°There he is.¡± Kaylen was the first to appear. nk. nk. Kaylen walked in, d in ck armor unlike anything anyone had seen before. The jet-ck steel te was etched with intricate magic circles, as though they were a part of its design... Every inch of the armor was inscribed with finely carved runes. ¡°Is that... a mana suit?¡± ¡°Judging by the runes and magic circles on the armor, it seems so...¡± ¡°But it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s been lightened. The sound it makes when he walks is incredible.¡± One of the fundamental features of any mana suit is weight reduction. The sheer weight added by the magic circles necessary for mana concentration would normally make such suits impossible to wear. Without weight reduction, even knights would struggle to move in a mana suit¡ªlet alone a mage. But Kaylen, a mage, was walking under that weight? It defied all logic. ¡°How is he even walking in that?¡± ¡°It must be hard just to stand in that. Yet his walking posture is surprisingly stable.¡± ¡°Still, that mana suit... in terms of practicality, it¡¯s the worst. No other mage would even be able to stay upright in it.¡± ¡°That thing is only good for salvaging the mana stones before tossing it out.¡± As murmurs of astonishment and harsh criticism about Kaylen¡¯s mana suit filled the air, the attention quickly shifted when Princess Violet stepped onto the stage. d in a radiant blue robe, the princess ascended to the arena, wearing her signature half-mask, cia. She looked no different from how she typically appeared at the academy. ¡°It¡¯s about to begin.¡± ¡°Judging by how Her Highness hasn¡¯t entered Spirit Form, it seems she¡¯s nning to go easy on him.¡± ¡°She might be testing the student directly.¡± Apart from her mask, her body remained entirely free of ice. It was clear to the spectators that the finals wouldn¡¯t end as quickly as anticipated. Instead, they watched in anticipation, curious to see how Kaylen would withstand the power of cia. But none of them imagined that he would be the one to attack first. ¡°ze.¡± From Kaylen¡¯s mana suit, a crimson glow radiated. At the same time, a bright yellow me ignited in the palm of his left hand. ¡°Lightning Bolt.¡± Within the fire, a sharp white light shed. A cluster of lightning began to form amidst the ze. The fire briefly absorbed mana, and then¡ª Crackle! Kaylen hurled a lightning-infused me straight at Princess Violet. The Lightning Bolt, fused with fire, surged toward her like an unrelenting storm. The mana suit Kaylen wore shimmered in alternating hues of red and white, bursting with intense energy. Fire and light mana swirled violently around the armor, creating a fierce storm of raw power. ¡°Wait a minute, that mana suit...¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t itck basic safety mechanisms?¡± ¡°And it¡¯s not even in Spirit Form...¡± ¡°Can he really withstand that?¡± Ordinarily, the mana exuding from a suit of such magnitude would require careful regtion. Yet Kaylen¡¯s suit skipped that entirely. Fire and light mana spewed uncontrobly from the suit. For a regr mage, enduring such chaos inside the suit would be impossible. And yet, somehow, Kaylen alone managed to withstand it. ¡°Well, one thing¡¯s certain¡ªit packs a punch.¡± This mana suit had sacrificed weight reduction, safety, and everything else for raw power alone. And that raw power was undeniable¡ªstrong enough to far exceed anyone¡¯s expectations. ¡°Ice Shield.¡± A sturdy shield of ice materialized in front of Princess Violet. Crackle, hiss¡­ As soon as the Lightning Bolt struck it, the shield began to melt away almost instantly. Even though the princess was deliberately holding back her strength, her shield was imbued with the magical energy of cia, her S-ss mana suit. Yet it shattered as though it were made of ss. ¡°Ice¡ª¡± ¡°Lightning Bolt.¡± Before Princess Violet could summon another shield, Kaylen¡¯s lightning struck again. Crash! Her ice shield splintered into countless shards. The bolt of lightning struck Princess Violet directly in the blink of an eye. Or, to be precise, it struck cia. Crackle. Crackle-crackle. Electric currents rippled across the icy mask. Princess Violet¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Ah...¡± It was hot. Far hotter than the warmth she had felt when Kaylen had previously set her body aze. In the spot where cia resided, fully transforming her face into ice, an unfamiliar and foreign sensation made itself known. It was searing, painful, and tingling. The princess instinctively brought her hand to her face. At the base of her icy mask, cia, right at her cheekbone, she felt heat. "Your Highness." Kaylen, d in his shimmering mana suit that seemed both absurd and impractical, stood before her. The armor, pulsating with light,pletely ignored aesthetic bnce or restraint, its surface covered with glowing magical circles and rune engravings. It was almostughable. It resembled something from the distant past, from the era when mana suits were first invented¡ªrudimentary and unrefined. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back on me,¡± he said. Suddenly, Kaylen looked entirely different. Wearing that oundish mana suit, he was now someone who could face her in battle. Someone worthy of shing against the power of cia. ¡°...I see. My apologies.¡± Hiss... The scorched portion of cia rapidly repaired itself. Princess Violet¡¯s body began to freeze over in an instant. ¡°I¡¯ll face you properly.¡± The transformation happened in a heartbeat. Princess Violet, now fully synchronized with cia, activated Spirit Form, the core ability of her high-grade mana suit. [TL/N: Spirit Form is basically when a person goes through Spirit Assimtion and transforms their body with respect to their Elemental power, as seen in the fight between Lioness and Violet in the first Semi-final] ¡®She¡¯s strong.¡¯ The sight of Princess Violet¡¯s Spirit Form was as formidable as expected. Though Kaylen had known this from a distance, facing it head-on was a vastly different experience. The ze spell, which had roared like an eternal me, was extinguished without a trace. Even the Lightning Bolt that Kaylen had unleashed had dissipated entirely. [Be careful, Lord Kaylen,] came her voice, resonating with the ethereal chill of her icy form. Nowpletely transformed into a spirit of ice, Princess Violet smiled faintly as she issued her warning. [cia is enraged, and it¡¯s difficult to control its power right now.] Whoosh. The temperature of the arena plummeted in an instant. The ground beneath them froze solid as if they had been transported to the pr regions. Had Kaylen been unprotected, without channeling his aura, he would have been frozen solid within moments. ¡°Fire Shield.¡± But now, he had his mana suit. Kaylen¡¯s thoughts shed back to Myorn¡¯s warning: ¡°The mana suit I modified¡­ it won¡¯tst long.¡± He could almost hear her voice again. ¡°I didn¡¯t have enough time, so I just patched together what was avable. If you weren¡¯t a Swordmaster, I would never have let you wear it. Its stability is abysmal¡ªit could break down at any moment.¡± The mana suit had sacrificed everything for raw power. Kaylen knew he had to treat the suit as if it might fail at any second. Every battle with it was a race against time. ¡°That means this has to be a short fight.¡± He observed the flow of mana around him. Centered on Princess Violet, an overwhelming wave of ice mana expanded outward, sweeping through everything in its path. ¡°She might not be able to control the output, but¡­ she doesn¡¯t need to.¡± The sheer force of cia¡¯s power wasn¡¯t concentrated. It spread equally in all directions, creating an omnipresent field of icy dominance. It was the same as when she had fought against Lioness¡ªher power was vast and unrelenting, rather than precise. Yet even without focus, the transcendence of cia¡¯s strength was undeniable. Kaylen could already see the frost creeping toward him, extending its domain at an rming rate. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of advancing toward her; even holding back her overwhelming power seemed nearly impossible. ¡°Still¡­ right now, this is when she¡¯s weakest.¡± The longer the fight dragged on, the more mana cia would unleash, and the freezing power would only intensify. If he was going to challenge her, the moment was now. ¡°Six des¡ªUnleash.¡± Kaylen summoned the power of his six elemental des, channeling his aura to activate them. From the six¡ªfire, water, wind, light, darkness, and earth¡ªhe chose three. Fire. Light. And Darkness. The chosen des resonated, their energies linking to Kaylen¡¯s mana suit. ¡°ze.¡± ¡°Sunlight.¡± The mes that erupted this time were far stronger than before, bolstered by the unleashed power of the Six des. Encased in zing light, the temperature around Kaylen surged dramatically. His mana suit now glowed with two distinct hues¡ªone half a fiery red, the other a radiant white. Fire and light merged, much like when he had used his lightning magic earlier. ¡°Now, let¡¯s add darkness to this¡­ to create an undying me.¡± Although Kaylen had never studied dark magic formally, he could still manipte the mana to infuse it into his spell. The destructive and sinister attribute of darkness blended with the mes. Whoosh. The roaring fire diminished. What had once been an inferno that shot skyward now barely reached above Kaylen¡¯s head, reduced to a contained, flickering me. Even with the light of the sun imbued in it, the fire seemed smaller, weaker. [What¡­?!] But cia¡¯s power couldn¡¯t pierce the strange me. The ground beneath Kaylen¡¯s feet, far from freezing, began to melt under the intense heat. [¡°Ice Field!¡±] Princess Violet hastily invoked another spell, amplifying cia¡¯s power. Yet¡ª Step. Step. Kaylen walked forward, unwavering, the eerie me still in his grasp. [What is that fire¡­?!] From the outside, the me appeared white-hot, glowing with an almost divine purity. But at its core, it burned ck¡ªa dark, mysterious energy radiating from within. Fire, light, and darkness¡ªan unnatural and destructive harmony. The sh of the three attributes¡ªfire, light, and darkness¡ªcreated a spell of immense power, each force colliding and feeding into the other. ¡°It¡¯s iplete¡­ but I can manage a crude imitation.¡± A grand spell: Hellfire. An eternally burning me, known as the fire of the underworld. Kaylencked the incantation, and his understanding of the necessary magic circles was woefully insufficient. Yet, the memory lingered. During his time as Emperor, he had once stood against a demon lord, enduring the full force of Hellfire. Its unique flow of mana and distinct properties had been seared into his mind. Light and dark mana constantly shing, their conflict fueling the fire¡¯s mana, allowing it to burn endlessly¡­ The struggle to extinguish that eternal me had nearly cost him his life. But because he remembered that battle vividly, he could at least mimic it now. Step. Step. Kaylen walked forward, wielding the hellish me. His steps were deliberate and heavy, the effort to maintain the fire evident in every move. Yet, he pressed on, undeterred. As he advanced, the frozen world around him began to melt. The sight caused Princess Violet¡¯s expression to harden. Her cial domain, which had effortlessly consumed the arena, was dissolving with every step Kaylen took. The me he carried, while imperfect, was undeniably destructive. The sh of opposing forces within the fire¡ªlight, dark, and me¡ªmade it vtile, but also unstoppable. Kaylen¡¯s pace was slow, but it was steady. Each step ate away at cia¡¯s frostbitten terrain.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Princess Violet¡¯s lips tightened into a thin line, the weight of the situation dawning on her. She had underestimated him. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 41 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 41 ¡°Everyone, evacuate immediately!¡± This was the power of Princess Violet. The freezing energy radiating in all directions posed a far greater threat to the audience than to Kaylen himself. Although the special spectator zone, reserved for high-ranking nobles and scouts, was fortified with ovepping protective magic circles, the prolonged battle between Violet and Kaylen had shattered them all. The spectator zone began to freeze over, piece by piece. Those familiar with the sheer might of the princess¡¯s power scrambled to escape in panic.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°What¡¯s that fire? What on earth is it?¡± ¡°I still want to watch more¡­¡± ¡°Are you crazy? You¡¯ll get yourself killed!¡± ¡°That¡¯s definitely a Fire Meister at work!¡± The scouts quickly vacated their spots, unable to stay any longer. ¡°That fire¡­ I¡¯ve never seen magic like that before.¡± ¡°To think someone could stand against cia¡¯s power with magic alone¡­¡± ¡°No matter how much that mana suit has been modified, it shouldn¡¯t be able to ovee such a massive difference in rank.¡± ¡°Is that mage really a student?¡± Even the mages, deep in heated discussion, began to retreat from the freezing zone. Only a very small number of spectators remained. ¡°Lord Lioness, we must leave now!¡± ¡°No, you go ahead. I need to see more.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Go. Now.¡± Among the few remaining were Lioness of the Oine Ducal House, Myorn, Irene, and Alkas. ¡°Build walls with Nome. Smander, ignite the fire.¡± ¡°Myorn, I¡¯m counting on you.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ is this really safe for me?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, stay close.¡± ¡°Myorn, what did you create? It¡¯s incredible how it¡¯s holding off cia, even for a moment¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯d like to ask that guy.¡± ¡°That ck-and-white fire is something I¡¯ve never seen before either. Myorn, do you have any idea what it is?¡± ¡°No clue. None at all. That guy doesn¡¯t seem human.¡± It was shocking enough that Kaylen was a Sword Master. But to also wield such magic? What kind of knowledge was hidden in the legacy of Emperor Ernstine? Shaking her head in disbelief, Myorn brushed off Irene¡¯s question, her gaze fixated on the unusual fire that Kaylen conjured. Lioness was no different. ¡°Such magic exists¡­¡± He thought he hadpletely mastered me magic. Yet the fire Kaylen had conjured was utterly unique¡ªunseen, undocumented, and without precedent. But as a Fire Meister, he could sense the unprecedented power imbued within it. ¡°It¡¯s melting cia¡¯s domain.¡± Having faced it firsthand, he knew all too well. cia was something beyond conventionalprehension. Even the A-rank mana suit Inferno had been utterly powerless against it. Kaylen, dressed in what looked like a ragged mana suit, was creating an astonishing spectacle. Lioness, captivated by the peculiar fire, suddenly noticed something strange. ¡®Wait¡­ why does Kaylen look like a sword?¡¯ ¡®What is that fire?¡¯ The unique, ck-and-white mes created by Kaylen were not only resisting cia¡¯s power but also advancing, melting the frozen terrain. ¡®I¡¯ve never heard of anything like this before.¡¯ Princess Violet, who had studied magic since childhood, couldn¡¯t imagine that Kaylen was imitating the Demon King¡¯s Hellfire. The Demon King¡¯s mes were the stuff of legend, described as entirely dark and known as ck me. ¡®It¡¯s powerful, but¡­¡¯ While the mes were strong enough to suppress cia¡¯s power, they were not unbeatable. ¡®All I have to do is retreat.¡¯ The ck-and-white mes were overwhelming in presence, but maintaining them appeared to be a struggle for Kaylen. He moved forwardboriously, step by step, and even the mana suit on his left hand, which held the mes, was beginning to melt. It was clear that the fire couldn¡¯tst long. Simply stepping back would suffice. If she stalled for just a little longer, the mes would extinguish on their own. ¡®¡­I just need to retreat.¡¯ Violet touched her face, where cia¡¯s chill had brushed against her. Suddenly, she recalled a memory. She was twelve years old. It was the darkest and most dangerous time of her life when cia appeared to her like a miracle. ¡°cia still hasn¡¯t found a master in this era, it seems.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve gathered only the most exceptional Water Meisters¡­ how unfortunate.¡± Once every hundred years, cia chose a master. Countless Water Meisters had tried to im it, but none had seeded. Everyone expected cia to return to its sealed state for another hundred years. But then¡ª Charr¡­ cia chose a twelve-year-old girl, a mere 1-circle mage. A girl who had watched enviously, with a gloomy expression, from the shadows of the royal pce. A girl who was none other than Princess Violet. From that day on, not only Violet¡¯s life but also the destiny of her elder brother, the First Prince, and the royal family itself changed drastically. That day, she had heard a voice as if it were a hallucination. ¡°You have been chosen by me. You must not retreat before your enemies. Be confident. Ovee everything.¡± It was amanding female voice. She had never heard the voice again after that day, but Violet had always believed it was cia speaking to her. She kept those first and final words etched in her heart. Until now, following those words had been easy. The S-rank mana suit, cia, possessed overwhelming destructive power. Nothing had ever forced her to retreat. It was the same in this tournament. Violet had dominated her opponents without stepping back even once. This included the numerous Meisters who advanced to the finals, and even Lioness, who wore an A-rank mana suit¡ªshe never retreated. But now¡­ Because of that ck-and-white me¡­ Should she step back? Was there no other way? ¡®cia¡¯s power is enough. I just can¡¯t control it properly.¡¯ Even as she tried to focus her strength to extinguish the ck-and-white mes, cia wouldn¡¯t respond. It merely released cold energy in all directions. No matter how much she tried to control it, it wasn¡¯t enough. If she could concentrate the power spreading in all directions into a single point, it would be more than enough to extinguish the mes. ¡®I can¡¯t step back¡­ not yet. There has to be a way.¡¯ This isn¡¯t the full extent of cia¡¯s power. If she could just control it, even those ck-and-white mes¡­ She could put them out. Step. Step. The distance between her and Kaylen continued to shrink. The mes surged, and the icy domain began to crack. The frozen ground turned to steam and disappeared. Step. Step. Her footsteps grew louder. She could feel the heat on her skin, even through her icy armor. The distance to Kaylen was now mere paces. And yet, her power¡­ Still wasn¡¯t under control. She saw the mana suit on Kaylen¡¯s left hand melting from the heat. He was nearing his limit too. If she could just stall a little longer, he would undoubtedly copse on his own. Yes, stepping back would be enough. That¡¯s all it would take¡­ ¡®Ah.¡¯ But her feet wouldn¡¯t move. If she retreated now, would she go back to being the twelve-year-old Violet? The powerless, despondent version of herself from that time? Doubt and hesitation weighed on her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± [¡­What do you mean?] ¡°Why are you just standing there?¡± Kaylen, now close enough to reach, had stopped walking. The heat was already pressing against her entire body. ¡°Princess, maintaining distance is fundamental for a mage.¡± [That¡¯s something I could say to you as well. What kind of mage walks forward while wielding such mes?] ¡°For me, this is the only option. But you¡­ you have countless ways to fight.¡± Whoosh! The mes in Kaylen¡¯s hand red even brighter. Despite standing so close to cia, the mes grew even fiercer. ¡°To remain standing there like this... it¡¯s an insult to me.¡± [...You¡¯re right about that.] ¡°Then what are you doing?¡± [...I find myself ridiculous. I can¡¯t even take a step back.] ¡°Step back? Hah. To hesitate over something so trivial¡­¡± Kaylen clicked his tongue as if in disbelief and then¡ª Whoosh! He stretched out his me-engulfed hand without hesitation. Fwoosh! [Urgh¡­!] As he approached, the searing heat intensified. Unable to endure the unbearable heat, Violet instinctively stepped back. Kaylen¡¯s fist grazed past her face, and the ck-and-white mes brushed against cia. Ssssss! Where the mes touched, cia ignited instantly. A straight mark formed at the center of the icy mask. ¡°In the end, you retreat before the mes.¡± [...So it seems.] At Kaylen¡¯s remark, Violet gave a faint, self-deprecating smile. Stepping back¡ªsomething she had attached excessive meaning to. But now that she had done it, it felt insignificant. She had simply stepped back because it was hot. Because the attack was fierce, she retreated. That was all there was to it. [You¡¯re right. This is only natural.] With a quick leap, Violet widened the distance between them. As Kaylen had said, maintaining distance was fundamental for a mage. Once she stepped back, she felt lighter, almost relieved. [Now, let me face you properly as a mage.] From afar, she could see Kaylen¡¯s expression. When they spoke about retreating earlier, his enthusiasm had seemed dulled. But now, it reignited with interest. The sight of him relishing the moment was etched into Violet¡¯s mind. ¡®What a peculiar person.¡¯ Now he would only be at the mercy of ranged attacks, yet he seemed so pleased. Violet chuckled softly as she summoned cia¡¯s power once more. Sssss! From the mark scorched by the ck-and-white mes, cia radiated heat again. The mes she thought had been extinguished surged anew¡­ The heat began to spread to her cheek, and for a moment¡ª ¡°Aaaah¡­ Aaaarghhh!¡± A scream echoed in the princess¡¯s ears. The spot where the mask had been trembled slightly, and she heard the voice of a woman. It resembled the resolute voice she had heard at the age of twelve. -That, that fire...! [cia?] -Put it out immediately! Subdue it! Brrr. The voice, oncemanding and dignified, was now panicked and urgent. Violet had many questions for the suddenly appearing cia, but that voice hurriedly pushed her into action. -What are you doing?! Put it out quickly! Whoooosh. At cia''s urging, the uncontroble frost began to move as if by magic. The icy mana, which had been spreading in all directions, focused solely on one point: the direction where Kaylen stood. -This time, this time I''ll destroy it. I''ll freeze it and shatter its very existence! cia''s voice was filled with hatred as the frost intensified. Kaylen¡¯s steps halted as the concentrated cold grew stronger. The ck-and-white mes could no longer melt the frost, just as the frost could not extinguish the mes. A tense standoff continued. After several minutes passed. ¡°Hah¡­¡± Ssshhhhh. The light emanating from Kaylen''s mana suit began to fade. Simultaneously, the flow of mana was severed... The ck-and-white mes quickly lost their glow. Clink. Clink. Cracks formed in the mana suit, and it shattered, falling to the ground in pieces. The mes disappearedpletely. The void left by their absence was quickly filled with the spreading frost. ¡°This is my limit¡­ it¡¯s over.¡± As the mana suit fell away, Kaylen, now wearing only thin clothing, was exposed to the cold. Without the suit, he should have been instantly frozen, but strangely, he was not. ¡®¡­Is he unbothered?¡¯ His calm demeanor was bewildering. Despite the overwhelming icy mana pouring over him, he remained unaffected. Violet couldn¡¯t imagine that Kaylen might be using aura. Just as she wondered if the lingering heat from the mes that burned her mask was still protecting him¡ª ¡°I¡¯ve lost.¡± With those words, Kaylen¡¯s body began to freeze from his feet upward. -That bastard. Die. Die! As he froze, cia¡¯s voice grew more frenzied. Unlike Violet¡¯s usual freezing magic, this cold was meant to kill. [Stop it! Ice Prison!] Violet, who had no intention of killing Kaylen, hastily suppressed the frost and cast the Ice Prison spell. Because of cia¡¯s rampage, she couldn¡¯t fully dissipate the frost, so this was the best she could do. However, this only fueled cia¡¯s wrath. -How dare you¡­! A mere human dares defy me! Violet¡¯s spirit-bound body began to glow white. -It¡¯s too early for me to fully manifest¡­ but I cannot allow the seed of evil to remain! Fwoooosh. Behind Violet, radiant white wings unfurled. At the same time, her eyes shed with blinding light. [Die, demon.] ¡°Hmm?¡± Kaylen, who had been closing his eyes to ept the result, suddenly opened them as Violet¡¯s voice changed. ¡°¡­An angel?¡± Before him stood Violet, with three radiant wings of light spread wide. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 42 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 42 Violet, whose form had resembled an ice sculpture due to her spirit transformation, now radiated a pure, sacred light. The mana of light burst forth intensely. Ernstine had seen this power before. Angels. Beings who resided in the Celestial Realm and served as envoys of the Heavenly God. They were powerful enough to disrupt the bnce of the world, which is why they rarely descended to this ne. However, one notable exception was during the advent of a Demon King. Ernstine had encountered them multiple times during the campaign against the Demon King. That power¡ªwithout a doubt¡ªit was angelic. ¡°An angel sealed within cia¡­¡± The angels Ernstine remembered were incredibly powerful. Among humans, only a Grand Swordmaster like Ernstine could even hope to approach their strength. Among the demons, only the highest-ranking ones could rival them inbat. And yet, a being of such immense power was sealed inside a mana suit¡­ ¡°I thought the S-rank mana suit¡¯s power was excessive¡­ Turns out something absurd was locked inside.¡± [¡°I will eradicate everyst seed of evil.¡±] A storm of frost raged. Unlike the restrained cold used during the Ice Prison, this mana was entirely destructive, designed to annihte its target. Touching it would make survival impossible. ¡°Princess Violet¡­ has the mana suit consumed her?¡± [¡°Demon. I will shatter you until not even dust remains.¡±] Violet¡¯s eyes gleamed as she spoke. Her wings of light fluttered, giving her a divine appearance, but her actions were nothing short of madness. ¡°This is¡­ it makes even losing difficult.¡± Kaylen, who thought he might taste the bitterness of defeat for the first time in both this life and thest, found himself facing a situation that simply refused to let him lose. ¡°Six Swords, activate.¡± Fire, water, earth, wind, light, and dark. Six des materialized behind Kaylen, manifesting fully. Where before they had merely supplemented his magic, now they marked his true unveiling as a Swordmaster. The raging frost lost its strength the moment it entered Kaylen¡¯s domain. [¡°Filthy demon! What have you done?¡±] ¡°A demon, you say.¡± Whoosh! A sword of me erupted from Kaylen¡¯s empty right hand. At first, the fire burned red, but it gradually turned into a pure white me. Seeing this, cia¡¯s expression shifted to one of rm. [¡°¡­Sacred me.¡±] ¡°And you still think I¡¯m a demon after seeing this?¡± [¡°Hrm...¡±] cia¡¯s fierce aura momentarily faltered. The light of that sword was far too holy to have been conjured by a demon. In his past life as a Hero, Kaylen had naturally wielded the Sacred me with ease. However, the brief hesitation in cia¡¯s demeanor didn¡¯tst long. cia''s expression suddenly turned icy cold. [¡°...I almost let my guard down. I can feel the mana of darkness emanating from you.¡±] ¡°All types of mana can exist within a human body.¡± [¡°This is more than that! There''s an overwhelming darkness radiating from you...¡±] Was it because of absorbing the dungeon core? cia, now sensing the mana of darkness from Kaylen, resumed her hostility. Her momentarily halted attacks began anew. As the frost gathered once again, Kaylen furrowed his brow. ¡°Talking won''t work, I see.¡± Angels. Even during the campaign against the Demon King in his past life, they were all talk and no real action. Constantly going on about how they were ¡°restricted¡± and ultimately contributing little. And now, in his current life, they remained just as frustratingly obstinate. For angels, then and now, brute force always came first. ¡°I''ll subdue you.¡± [¡°Ha¡­ Know your ce, mortal!¡±] cia scoffed at his words, and with good reason. Even if Kaylen performed some trick with his sword, the difference in mana between them was overwhelming. Moreover, cia¡¯s control over her power was wless. Unlike Princess Violet, who scattered her energy wildly, cia held the frost mana firmly within her grasp. The momentary barrier Kaylen had raised against her cold had only dyed the inevitable. Like a dam with cracks rapidly spreading, his unseen shield would soon shatterpletely. [¡°Can¡¯t you feel the sheer difference in power?¡±] Whoosh! Light shed, and the frost converged into a single point. But it wasn¡¯t just frost. A sacred light descended simultaneously. Above his head was light, below his feet was frost. The two energies, though distinct and unmixed, bore down on Kaylen in unison. They pressed against his Swordmaster¡¯s domain, his Sword Area, attempting to shake and shatter it with a relentless assault. The disparity in mana was so absolute that his domain seemed on the verge of copse. Yet, Kaylen¡¯s eyes remained calm and unyielding. ¡°You, too¡­ it seems those wings of yours are purely decorative.¡± [¡°What¡­?¡±] ¡°Giving a swordsman space to maneuver¡ªhow foolish.¡± The Sacred me flickering in Kaylen¡¯s right hand was soon joined by the darkness. The Hellfire, a technique he had absorbed into his very being from the Demon King himself, now unfurled in its purest form. ¡°Three swords will suffice.¡± Six-Sword Technique. Now reduced to Three-Sword Technique. Hellfire. ck and white mes surged to life. At a nce, it resembled the Hellfire he had conjured while wearing the mana suit. [¡°Ugh¡­!¡±] But cia, upon seeing the mes, suppressed her anger rather than acting on it. The ck-and-white mes of Hellfire came alive. At first nce, it appeared simr to before, but its sheer presence was on an entirely different level¡ªand for good reason. Previously, Kaylen had unleashed the mes using unfamiliar magic. Now, however, it was thebination of Fire, Light, and Darkness, merged into an Aura Sword. The level ofpletion was beyondparison. Though it was Kaylen¡¯s first time fully wielding the Three-Sword Technique with Hellfire, its power was transcendent. First Strike. The ck-and-white sword shed through the heavens. The air, previously brimming with light, was instantly shattered and dispersed. Second Strike. The tip of the sword pierced the ground. The frozen earth ignited, engulfed in the ck-and-white mes. Third Strike. The sword appeared to pierce Violet¡¯s body, but instead, it left her untouched. It severed her three radiant wings in a single, fluid motion. Separated from her form, the wings disintegrated and vanished into thin air. As the seamless trio of strikes came to an end, there was a thud. cia copsed, her strength spent, falling to her knees. [¡°What... is this¡­?¡±] That sword. There had been no time to respond. The attack was far too swift and precise, directly targeting cia¡¯s core. Despite the overwhelming disparity in mana between them, she couldn¡¯t react¡ªnot even to attempt resistance. In the blink of an eye, the ck-and-white sword was at her throat. ¡°Now, are you willing to talk, Angel?¡± [¡°...¡±] ¡°If I were truly a servant of darkness, I would have destroyed that mana suit with a single strike. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± But cia wasn¡¯t listening. To her, this servant of darkness was simply too powerful. ¡®For a dark servant to wield such an Aura Sword¡­ if I don¡¯t eliminate him here, no matter the cost¡­ even if I must give everything I have¡­ the Heavens will once again face a catastrophic enemy.¡¯ Her thoughts spiraled as her rational judgment eroded. ¡°You might be the only one here who understands what¡¯s going on. What¡¯s happening to the world right now? Why is the moon like that? And why are you, an angel¡ª¡± [¡°To the Celestial God, I offer my sacred spirit!¡±] Ignoring Kaylen¡¯s words, cia erupted into a frenzy. sh! sh! The light from her five Mana Stones surged uncontrobly. Mana spilled forth chaotically, forcing Kaylen to grimace. ¡°Angels¡­ They really are impossible to reason with.¡± It was as though she couldn¡¯t hear him at all. She simply did what she wanted, never listening. Kaylen observed her deteriorating state. ¡®With Hellfire¡­ the only way to subdue her is to kill her.¡¯ Violet Princess and cia were nowpletely merged, their beings intertwined into one. It was no longer possible to target cia alone. To stop this rampage, Kaylen would have to sever the princess''s life. ¡®But that would make me a fugitive.¡¯ Killing a princess of a kingdom? No matter how much it might be justified as self-defense, the kingdom would surely sentence him to death. This was especially true for someone like Princess Violet, a key member of the royal family. Besides, Violet herself was, in a way, a victim in all of this. Kaylen had no desire to kill her to stop cia. ¡®I have to subdue her some other way¡­ but I¡¯m running low on mana.¡¯ His gaze momentarily shifted to his shattered Mana Suit. If this had been a battle of rawbat instead of magic, the Mana Suit could have yed a much greater role. Now, its broken state was deeply frustrating. ¡®No choice. I don¡¯t have enough mana to wield another Three-Sword Technique¡­ I¡¯ll have to unleash Infinity.¡¯ To replenish his dwindling mana reserves and forge a new de, Kaylen made a choice. As he released Hellfire, the air around him changed. A storm began to brew. Six-Sword Technique . Three Swords . The Bottomless Abyss . The swirling winds formed a vortex, taking shape in front of Kaylen. It was less a sword and more a spiraling void of darkness. A fusion of wind, earth, and dark mana, The Bottomless Abyss began devouring every trace of mana that cia had unleashed in her rampage. A bottomless pit. Yet, the abyss Kaylen had summoned was not truly infinite. Its endpoint was Infinity, the power Kaylen had just unleashed. As Infinity expanded and consumed everything, it swallowed cia''s rampaging mana whole. However¡­ ¡®The disparity in mana is overwhelming.¡¯ Kaylen''s body, though fortified by a Mana Body and countless advancements, could not fully withstand the sheer torrent of an angel¡¯s rampaging mana. Light and water mana rapidly umted, disrupting the delicate bnce of the Six-Sword Technique. Only the swords of Light and Water grew, swelling uncontrobly, while the other four swords faded into near nonexistence. If this imbnce continued, maintaining The Bottomless Abyss would be impossible. At that moment¡ª [¡°...Huh?¡±] cia, who had been mindlessly expelling mana, noticed something strange. Her mana was being devoured, bit by bit. rmed, she searched for the source of the problem and froze in shock when her eyesnded on Kaylen¡¯s de. It was a sword she recognized well. [¡°The Bottomless Abyss¡­?¡±] The Aura Sword, favored by humanity''s first Grand Swordmaster, Ernstine, the Dragon de Deity. A weapon from legend, now wielded before her. The Infinity Technique, capable of absorbing and returning an enemy''s power, had once left even angels in awe. cia vividly remembered those times¡ªit was, after all, one of the brightest periods in her life. During that golden age, the forces of darkness were swept away like leaves in the wind. Angels only needed to follow in the footsteps of the Dragon de Deity to reap effortless glory. Her achievements back then had even earned her a rank promotion among the angels. Initially, cia assumed the wielder of the hellfire-infused sword was just a particrly strong demon. But someone wielding The Bottomless Abyss, a sword technique synonymous with the Dragon de Deity, could not possibly be a mere servant of darkness. He was, after all, a mortal enemy of the Demon Lords. ["You¡ªwhat is your connection to the Dragon de Deity?"] cia urgently questioned Kaylen, but he had no strength to reply. With the Swords of Earth, Wind, and Shadow fading fast, maintaining The Bottomless Abyss required every ounce of his focus. ¡®These angels, always demanding answers at the worst times¡­¡¯ Suppressing his irritation, Kaylen concentrated on stabilizing the technique. ["You can''t answer, can you? Then you must not be a servant of darkness after all. Someone capable of wielding The Bottomless Abyss cannot be of demonic lineage."] Gradually, cia''s raging energy subsided. The uncontroble torrent of mana was drawn back into her being, concealed once more behind her angelic mask. ["I have much to say, but it seems I''ve overexerted myself..."] ["When I regain my strength, I wille to find you. Until then, remember this one thing: conceal the Dragon de Deity''s power as much as you can¡­"] As cia''s energy withdrew, Kaylen no longer needed to sustain The Bottomless Abyss. He dismantled the aura sword and posed a single question. "Why?" ["Because demons wille for you. The power of darkness already dominates the mortal realm..."] With those parting words, cia''s voice faded. The radiant glow in Violet''s eyes dimmed, and the process of de-assimtion began. cia had chosen to seal herself away once again. As no further words came from the angel, Kaylen copsed to the ground. ¡®...I¡¯m at my limit.¡¯ The light and water mana absorbed by The Bottomless Abyss wreaked havoc inside his body. The bnce of the Six Swords had already been shattered, leaving only the swords of Water and Light to grow unchecked. Every ounce of his remaining strength was now dedicated to stabilizing himself. "Wait¡­ has my assimtion been undone?" Violet opened her eyes. She clearly remembered attempting to stop cia¡¯s rampage with Ice Prison. After losing consciousness briefly, she woke to find the world around her transformed into an icy wastnd.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Kayleny copsed before her. ¡®...What in the world happened?¡¯ Her memory was nk. The only facts apparent to her were that she stood while Kaylen had fallen. Time passed. The frozen world began to thaw, and onlookers gradually approached. "Truly amazing, Your Highness." "Such incredible power..." "Congrattions on your victory." Without knowing how or why, Violet was dered the winner. The Superior Mage Tournament had ended with Violet as the champion. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 43 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 43 Violet stood dazed, and the spot where Kaylen had copsed. The first to arrive there was Lioness. ¡°What on earth happened here¡­?¡± From the middle of the battle, a blinding white radiance had erupted, making it impossible to see what had transpired. If he had been closer, he might have seen it, but the mana emanating from Violet was so powerful that even staying in his original position had been difficult. As things began to calm down, Lioness approached. He gradually returned his me-transformed body to its original form. ¡°It¡¯s cold.¡± Although cia was no longer emitting water mana, the residual mana in the air remained. Was this the difference between S-rank and A-rank? Lioness smirked bitterly as he walked forward. Violet stood nkly, and Kayleny copsed. It seemed the battle had concluded¡­ but questions still lingered. ¡°Kaylen¡­ that ck-and-white me, how on earth did he create it?¡± At not even 20 years of age, Lioness had be a 4th-circle meister of fire. When it came to talent in fire magic, there were few in the kingdom who could rival him. Yet even for him, that me was utterly foreign. ¡°There¡¯s no record of anything like this in any literature.¡± The holy white me used by clergy or the ck me wielded by demonic beings¡ªindividually, they could produce such colors. However, a fusion of ck and white mes was unheard of. ¡°Kaylen¡­ When I investigated him, the report said he was just an ordinary underperforming student.¡± How could a person change so drastically? It was baffling. Despite losing, Kaylen had managed to push the princess to her limits. ¡°With that me, he could even melt cia¡¯s ice¡­ If that happens, one of the key tools for keeping the First Prince¡¯s faction in check will be gone.¡± The core of the First Prince¡¯s faction was Violet, the princess wielding an S-rank mana suit. Beyond her brilliance, her overwhelming strength derived from the mana suit had been the reason the First Prince¡¯s faction couldpete on equal footing with the Second Prince¡¯s. Without her, the battle for the throne would easily end in victory for the Second Prince¡¯s faction. ¡°Up until now, the fire mages under mymand barely managed to hold their own. But as time goes on, cia¡¯s power will only grow stronger. I thought they¡¯d have no choice but toe to me eventually.¡± Before cia¡¯s penalties caused her entire body to freeze over, he had believed he could remove her from the First Prince¡¯s faction through marriage. But now, Kaylen had emerged as a significant variable. ¡°He must not join the First Prince¡¯s faction.¡± The best option would be to draw Kaylen into the Second Prince¡¯s faction. But if that didn¡¯t happen¡­ Eliminating him might be the better choice. If he joined the princess, the strategy of removing her through marriage would be impossible. ¡°A promising talent, but¡­ if he won¡¯t be mine, he must disappear.¡± Kaylen, who had advanced to the finals of the Superior Mage Selection Tournament, had suddenly be a rising star. However, the ck-and-white me he disyed during the battle with cia had now be a variable that could overturn the politicalndscape. How should he handle this? Perhaps it would be best to deal with him now while he was unconscious¡­ ¡°Lord Lioness, don¡¯t even think about it.¡± ¡°Haha. So you¡¯re awake, are you?¡± ¡°Step away from him immediately.¡± At Violet¡¯s cold voice, Lioness gave up on the idea of killing him. Though it was disappointing to lose the simplest solution, there was no choice given the circumstances. The sharp gaze of the princess made him take a few steps back. Lioness shifted his thoughts elsewhere. "Come to think of it, he doesn''t look like a sword anymore." Earlier, Kaylen had seemed like a sword, but now he looked like a normal person again. A sword appearing in a mage''s battle¡­ ''Was it just a mistake on my part?'' Or perhaps¡­ Lioness turned his attention to Kaylen¡¯s shattered mana suit. Was it a function of the mana suit? Step, step. At that moment, a group of people who might have answers began walking toward him. They were Myorn and her group, who had remained at their position throughout Violet and Kaylen¡¯s confrontation. ¡°Myorn, I have a question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You created Kaylen¡¯s mana suit, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. I modified it.¡± ¡°Does that mana suit have a function that makes him appear like a sword?¡± ¡°¡­? No, it doesn¡¯t. Did he look like a sword to you?¡± ¡°Hmm. I see¡­ Maybe I just saw it wrong.¡± As Lioness tilted his head in confusion, Alkas, who had been following behind Myorn, felt utterly bewildered. "He saw a sword? Could it be that Lord Lioness has the qualities of a swordmaster?" Lioness, the prodigy of the Obline Ducal House, possessed looks, status, and talent that were unmatched. A genius who, before the age of 20, had already achieved the pinnacle of a 4th-circle fire master¡ªsomething many could not reach even with a lifetime of effort. And now¡­ could he also possess the gift of a swordmaster? "If that¡¯s true, the world is truly unfair." Unlike Alkas, Myorn, who was unaware of swordmaster talents, didn¡¯t dwell on the matter. Instead, she walked past Lioness and checked Kaylen¡¯s condition. ¡°I couldn¡¯t see anything because of the light, but¡­ his mana suit ispletely destroyed, and he¡¯s fainted. At least he¡¯s alive¡ªthat¡¯s something.¡± ¡°This area is still freezing cold. We need to get him out of here quickly.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. His body temperature has dropped drastically. For an ordinary human, it¡¯s at a level that would be unsurvivable.¡± Myorn nced over at the princess. ¡°Your Highness, may I take him with me? He¡¯s been defeated.¡± ¡°Yes. Take him immediately. Staying here any longer will only harm his health.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Whoosh. A bundle of fur lifted Kaylen and tossed him over to Alkas. ¡°You carry him. He¡¯s your lord, after all.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Step, step. As Kaylen¡¯s group departed, others began approaching from the opposite side. These were the judges of the tournament and the princess¡¯s attendants. ¡°As expected of Your Highness. Truly extraordinary.¡± ¡°Such power¡­ incredible.¡± ¡°Congrattions on your victory, Your Highness.¡± As Violet listened to the praises of those around her, she gave a bitter smile. She had no memory of how she managed to win, yet victory was hers. Inside Myorn''s workshop. ¡°Lay him down over there.¡± Myorn pointed to a bed piled high with fur, but Alkas hesitated for a moment. The fur was scattered all over, giving the bed an unkempt and filthy appearance. ¡°What are you doing? Justy him down already. It¡¯s warm because of my fur.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± ¡°Irene, do you know any clerics? We¡¯ll probably need a blessing of healing.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look into it.¡± While the three of them busied themselves, significant changes were urring inside Kaylen¡¯s body as he wasid down from Alkas¡¯s arms. ¡°¡­cia¡¯s mana is even harder to control than I thought.¡± Everyone had assumed Kaylen was unconscious, but in reality, he was focused entirely on managing the turbulent mana within him. The mana unleashed by the angel sealed in cia¡ªelemental mana of light and water¡ªwas wreaking havoc as he absorbed it, causing him considerable pain. ¡°I¡¯ll have to give up on bnce.¡± The nameless angel¡¯s mana, absorbed through the Abyss, was overwhelming in quantity. The harmony of the Six Swords had shattered, leaving only the Water Sword and Light Sword as dominant forces within him. ¡°Even though the bnce is broken¡­ I¡¯ve gained much in return.¡± The harmony of the Six Swords was lost, but the growth of the Water Sword and Light Sword was extraordinary. Previously norger than daggers, the two swords had now grown to take on the form of longswords. This development was entirely due to the absorption of the angel¡¯s mana. In this mana-starved era, achieving such growth would have required at least five years of effort. Thanks to cia, however, Kaylen had gained this unexpected fortune. ¡°The broken bnce can be restoredter.¡± Until the bnce was regained, the use of the Six Swords Technique would be restricted, but Kaylen couldn¡¯t forget the angel¡¯s final words: ["When I regain my strength, I wille for you. Until then, remember one thing¡ªhide the power of the Dragon de Deity as much as you can."] ["Demons will target you. The power of darkness already rules the middle world¡­"] cia¡¯s warning to suppress the power of the Dragon de Deity couldn¡¯t be taken lightly. ¡°If that stubborn angel spoke so gravely about it¡­ there must be something humans haven¡¯t realized¡ªor perhaps something they¡¯ve been hiding. Until I further cultivate the Six Swords, I must refrain from using the technique.¡± The Six Swords Technique. A swordsmanship style created by the first emperor of the Meier Empire, Ernstine. It allows the wielder to freely wield six elemental swords¡ªFire, Water, Earth, Wind, Light, and Darkness¡ªandbine these elements to unleash overwhelming power. The true might of the Six Swords Technique only begins to manifest with thebination of three attributes, known as the Three-Swords. Kaylen decided to refrain from using the Three Swords until he had sufficiently developed the Six Swords equally. ¡°That means I won¡¯t be able to use Hellfire me again for now.¡± Hellfire me. A Three Sword technique inspired by the high-level spell Hellfire. Unlike the standard magic of humans, Hellfire was an exclusive domain of high-ranking demons, inessible to ordinary sorcerers. The Hellfire wielded by the Demon King, however, differed from that of other demons. While ordinary demons used fire and dark mana, the Demon King''s version uniquely incorporated light mana. This fusion of light and dark mana created a continuous sh, fueling an endless inferno¡ªthe Demon King''s Hellfire. Even a Grand Swordmaster would struggle to suppress such an extraordinary force. ¡°I couldn¡¯t replicate it perfectly through magic¡­ but with the sword, it was possible.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The peculiar fusion of fire, light, and dark attributes was beyond the reach of even a Fourth Circle mage, making it unfeasible to cast as a spell. But as a swordsman, Kaylen managed to partially emte its power through his de. This was how he subdued an angel with just three sword strikes. ¡°The Demon King¡­ I still don¡¯t understand how he could wield light mana.¡± The Demon King¡¯s asional use of light magic made him a particrly vexing opponent, resisting even the holy power of divine swords that should have been his natural weakness. Had it not been for the intervention of the Grand Swordmaster Ernstine, defeating the Demon King would have been impossible. ¡°The angel¡¯s reaction to my Hellfire was¡­ telling. Perhaps that Demon King¡¯s power has been passed down somehow.¡± The previous Demon King had been so powerful that even the arrogant angels of Heaven had expressed deep concern: - ¡°We have never encountered a Demon King like this before.¡± - ¡°This Demon King is too strong. Even his lieutenants rival the previous Demon King in strength.¡± - ¡°Humans¡­ are you truly capable of handling this? We believe Heaven¡¯s intervention is crucial.¡± Despite their fears, Ernestine sessfully vanquished the Demon King, annihting him so thoroughly that revival was impossible. But judging by the angel¡¯s vehement reaction to Kaylen¡¯s Hellfire, it seemed some aspect of that power had lingered. ¡°I need to assume the worst and proceed cautiously.¡± If Kaylen were to make the bleakest assumptions, it would mean the Middle World had already fallen under the dominion of demons, effectively bing a colony of the Demon Realm. Such a scenario might seem far-fetched, as there were no visible signs of demonic rulers. Humanity was holding its ground, countering the threat of dungeon cores, developing mana suits, and training masters to safeguard their territories. To call it a colony without evidence of an overlord? It might be a stretch. It might be conjecture. ¡°But¡­¡± The strange behavior of the moon. The angel sealed within the mana suit. These oddities demanded caution. ¡°I need to find out how much humanity truly understands about all this.¡± [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 44 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 44 Superior Mage Selection Tournament Before the tournament began, the center of attention was undoubtedly Princess Violet and Lioness. The core of the First Prince''s faction and the future of the Second Prince''s faction. Everyone anticipated that the highlight of this tournament would be their duel. But now that the tournament was over, things had changed. The star of this tournament turned out to be an entirely unexpected individual. ¡°Supreme Mage: Violet.¡± p p p p p¡ª When Princess Violet ascended the podium, apuse erupted from all directions. The Rainbow Staff, the symbol of the Supreme Mage, was awarded to her. ¡°Of course, Her Highness became the Supreme Mage.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the master of cia; the result is only natural.¡± People did not dwell much on her obvious victory. Among the eight Superior Mages, the title of Supreme Mage is given to the best. No one doubted that Princess Violet would take that position. However, the gazes of the spectators at the ceremony were drawn less toward the expected first ce¡­ ¡°And who is next?¡± ¡°That person is the one from the rumors¡­¡± ...and more toward thepletely unforeseen second ce winner. ¡°Superior Mage: Kaylen. Lioness.¡± Starting with Kaylen, the names of the seven Superior Mages were announced one by one. Seven mages ascended the podium together. Among them, Lioness, who shone brilliantly, stood out. ¡°Lord Lioness is as dazzling as ever.¡± ¡°How can a human have such beauty¡­ He seems even more radiant than an elf.¡± The general public cheered for his appearance, enchanted by his looks. But the gazes of the ¡°real¡± ones were focused elsewhere. ¡°That¡¯s the one who came in second.¡± ¡°Kaylen, is it?¡± The greatest surprise of this tournament. A man who, as a mage¡ªnot a Meister¡ªdefeated all the Mana Suit-wielding Meisters and pushed the princess to her full power in the finals. ¡°His appearance¡­ it¡¯s more like a knight than a mage.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like anything special, though.¡± A tall, imposing figure, with a physique more suited to a knight than to a genius mage. While his looks were clean and refined, standing next to Lioness, he seemedparatively unremarkable. ¡°Just a few months ago, he wasn¡¯t even a notable student, I heard.¡± ¡°Not notable? Apparently, he was closer to a failing student.¡± ¡°They say he¡¯s from a declining baronial family.¡± ¡°Goodness. It¡¯s iprehensible.¡± A group of middle-aged and elderly men murmured as they observed Kaylen. Although they appeared ordinary, the mages present kept ncing nervously at them. ¡°Why are they here at the awards ceremony?¡± ¡°Is it true? It really is them, right?¡± ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen so many Tower Masters gathered for a tournament awards ceremony.¡± The frontmost seats at the awards ceremony¡ªalways invited, yet often left vacant. This time, however, half of the 32 seats designated for the Kingdom of Bormian¡¯s Tower Masters were filled. ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s surprising to see so many here. They must be busy running their towers, yet they made the trip. Truly unexpected.¡± ¡°Haha. Busy, yes, but none of us couldpare to the Master of the Red Tower.¡± The Magic Towers Initially, these towers weremunal research hubs where like-minded mages gathered to coborate. But the present-day Magic Towers had evolved into something entirely different. They nowmanded their own Chasers of the ursed and possessed the capability to independently develop mana suits, positioning themselves as powerful Meister collectives. After the widespread emergence of dungeons, the traditional concept of territorial boundaries crumbled. Nobles tried desperately to protect thends they inherited from their ancestors, but the relentless waves of monsters proved overwhelming. Thus, the territorial system based on linear boundaries shifted to a point-based system, centered around key strongholds. Cities formed around these Magic Towers, which became indispensable for survival. Inevitably, they rose as the new centers of power. Unless one was a king or a duke of considerable standing, it was nearly impossible to challenge their influence. If a Meister collective reached the level required to be recognized as a ¡°Magic Tower,¡± even the leader of the smallest tower would be treated with the same deference as a marquis. Meanwhile, the leaders of therger, ¡°major¡± Magic Towers wielded authority surpassing that of dukes. ¡°To think half of the 32 Tower Masters have gathered here¡­¡± The 32 Tower Masters of Bormian Kingdom. Even when a Meister from their tower won the tournament in the past, they seldom attended the awards ceremony. Yet, this time, they hade in person, just to see one individual. Although most of the attending Tower Masters were from smaller or mid-sized towers, their presence alone was unprecedented. ¡°Haha. I couldn¡¯t believe the reports, so I came to see for myself. I needed to confirm it with my own eyes.¡± ¡°Indeed. That student¡ªonce considered a failure, and from a declining baronial family¡ªhas now drawn so much attention. Could it be that he made a pact with a demon?¡± ¡°Haha. A pact with a demon? That¡¯s quite the entertaining theory.¡± ¡°But if that were the case, he wouldn¡¯t receive blessings so easily.¡± The awards ceremony continued. The priest from the Holy Order bestowed blessings upon all the winners. Even Kaylen, who had copsed shortly after his loss in the finals and still had a paleplexion, began to regain color as the blessing was administered. ¡°Haha. It was just a jest. If he had truly made a pact with a demon, how could he possibly evade the gaze of the Holy Order?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I heard he has ties with the Fairy Tower¡­¡± ¡°They say the mana suit he used in the finals was crafted by the Dwarven Queen.¡± ¡°Oh? In that case, could he already be a member of the Fairy Tower?¡± The Tower Masters, exchanging lighthearted banter, shifted their attention to the Fairy Tower. Their gazes subtly turned to Irene, who sat among them as the representative of the Fairy Tower, acknowledged for its unique structure governed by seven leaders. Under the weight of their stares, Irene responded with a faint, wry smile. ¡°No, he isn¡¯t one of ours. Not yet¡­ at least.¡± ¡°¡®Not yet,¡¯ you say?¡± ¡°Undine whispers. She senses a strong aura of water emanating from him.¡± With aplex expression, Irene turned her gaze toward Kaylen. Until recently, Kaylen exhibited a unique mana bnce. He didn¡¯t align with any one elemental attribute; instead, his mana was a perfect symbiosis of multiple elements. But after the final match against Princess Violet, everything changed. He emerged as a wless Water Meister, a transformation so striking it even drew admiration from elemental spirits. ¡°The sudden dominance of water¡­ What on earth happened during the finals?¡± Irene¡¯s thoughts lingered on the climactic match. She had witnessed the battle up to a point. But when a brilliant sh erupted and an immense surge of mana burst forth from Princess Violet, the fight¡¯s conclusion became a mystery. The brilliance had overwhelmed even Irene¡¯s sight, a sign that mana-infused light had been at y. ¡°Did cia possess such power? Or is there something more to this?¡± When the blinding light finally faded, the scene was simple yet perplexing: Princess Violet stood victorious, while Kayleny defeated. It had only been a fleeting moment. Yet in that instant, something profound had urred. Kaylen had lost, but his constitution had transformed, marking him as aplete Water Meister. ¡°Undine, you say?¡± ¡°Then¡­ a Water Meister?¡± ¡°Strange. This is the same person who conjured mes potent enough to match the princess¡­?¡± The Tower Masters were intrigued by Irene¡¯s revtion. Until the final match, Kaylen had demonstrated exceptional proficiency in all elemental attributes. Many had anticipated he would be a Fire Meister, especially after his breathtaking disy of fire magic against Princess Violet. Yet now, the whispers of water? It was an unexpected turn, buting from Irene¡ªa known elf adept in controlling water spirits¡ªit was credible. ¡°The presence of water is undeniable,¡± Irene dered. ¡°He is the kind of talent that belongs in the Fairy Tower. We will do everything in our power to recruit him.¡± Her words carried a veiled warning to the other Tower Masters: do not attempt to poach him. The Fairy Tower¡¯s highest directive was to secure exceptional Water Meisters at any cost. Still, Irene harbored a personal concern: ¡°If it¡¯se to this, the promise of making him an Advanced Spirit Summoner may not hold¡­¡± Kaylen¡¯s previous method involved stimting his spirit affinity through exposure to various elemental attributes. But now, with water dominating his being, she doubted whether his old approach would still work.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°¡­Even so, that¡¯s a separate matter. Securing him for the Fairy Tower takes priority. If we want to keep Myorn here, bringing him into the fold is crucial.¡± As one of the seven leaders of the Fairy Tower, Irene set aside her personal desires and focused on the greater strategy. Though the Fairy Tower, one of the eight major Magic Towers in the Bormian Kingdom, had dered their intentions, the other Tower Masters were undeterred. ¡°The Fairy Tower is a formidable opponent, but¡­¡± ¡°For them to move so quickly speaks volumes about Kaylen¡¯s potential.¡± ¡°We thought he was destined for fire, but water? We must join this recruitment battle.¡± Some Tower Masters from the Water Towers looked particrly greedy. ¡°No matter how grand the Fairy Tower might be, it remains a tower of non-humans. They¡¯ll never fully embrace a human as their own.¡± ¡°If we offer him the chance to be the greatest among humans, he¡¯ll see the value in joining us.¡± Their avaricious gazes bore down on Kaylen. Here was a prodigy of unparalleled talent, personally vouched for by spirits. Already a 4th-circle mage in his youth, capable of destroying a mana suit with his bare hands¡ªhe had only begun to showcase his potential. If Kaylen, now a Meister, unleashed his full power¡­ the possibilities were staggering. ¡°Prepare a ce to meet with him.¡± ¡°It seems I¡¯ll need to step in personally.¡± The Water Tower Masters, eager to secure Kaylen, began summoning their mages and setting ns in motion. However, they weren¡¯t the only ones bustling with activity. ¡°...He¡¯s the mage who conjured fire capable of challenging cia. There¡¯s no rule saying he¡¯s only suited for water magic.¡± ¡°We should also conduct our own tests. Perhaps he¡¯ll reveal potential in other elements.¡± Masters from other elemental Towers, unwilling to let such a once-in-a-century talent slip through their fingers, also resolved to approach Kaylen. From her seat at the forefront of the award ceremony, Princess Violet watched the scene unfold, a faint smirk ying on her lips. ¡°So, it really is water.¡± This was her first time seeing Kaylen in person since their final match, and Violet could sense a distinct change in him. The mana that radiated from him felt familiar, entirely different from before. Why can I sense water mana from him? What happened when he lost consciousness? She had asked him directly when they met earlier, but his response had only deepened her confusion. ¡°What happened?¡± Kaylen¡¯s reply was equal parts frustration and disbelief: - ¡°What happened? I should be asking you the same question. I was overwhelmed by an immense surge of water mana, and before I knew it, I cked out.¡± - ¡°I thought I was done for. Even the Ice Prison couldn¡¯t contain it. I truly believed I was going to die.¡± - ¡°And now¡­ something¡¯s wrong with my body. What did you do?¡± His words left Violet without a proper exnation. What could I say? she thought. Where did all that mana go? cia was nearly drained¡­ Her thoughts turned to cia, her S-tier mana suit. Equipped with five top-tier mana stones, cia had the rare ability to self-recharge, a feature befitting its elite status. Yet, this self-replenishing mechanism required some baseline mana to operate. After regaining consciousness, Violet had inspected cia, only to discover its mana reserves nearly depleted. Refueling it had already consumed a fortune in mana stones¡ªenough to make even a princess wince. For the time being, Violet realized, she would have no choice but to dedicate herself to dungeon raids just to recover the expenses. ¡°Sigh¡­ No rest for me anytime soon.¡± As the de facto financial manager for the First Prince¡¯s faction, Violet bore the full burden of her extravagant decisions. Her resigned sigh underscored the reality: She had created the problem herself, and now she had to fix it with her own effort. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 45 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 45 As the awards ceremony was nearing its conclusion, Kaylen smiled. "Finally, I''ve brought cia''s manapletely under control." cia''s mana of water and light. Its overwhelming quantity had kept Kaylen from fully absorbing it even a day after the initial process began. Since the bnce of the six swords had already been disrupted, it was essential topletely consume the light and water mana responsible for the imbnce. It was only during the awards ceremony that he managed to stabilize it fully. "¡­With this, the awards ceremony concludes." As the ceremony ended, people began gathering at the podium. "Princess Violet, congrattions on ascending to Supreme Mage." "Thank you." Princess Violet, who briefly nced at him, was too preupied with greeting the numerous dignitaries flocking to her. "Master, what brings you here? Just for a Superior Mage awards ceremony?" "I didn''te to see you, Lionus." Lionus was conversing with an elderly mage d in crimson robes. The two brightest figures at the ceremony were naturally surrounded by the most people. "Kaylen, congrattions on bing a Superior Mage." Yet, the crowd around Kaylen was no less significant. Led by the elf Irene, countless people approached where Kaylen stood. Middle-aged and senior mages in borate robes followed in their wake. As they passed, the crowd quickly made way for them. "Lady Irene, thank you. But who are the ones behind you¡­?" Irene nced back and sighed softly. "They''re the Tower Lords of cier, Frost, Submersion, and Torrential Currents. As their names suggest, all are masters of water-affiliated towers." The water-affiliated Tower Lords Irene introduced totaled four. Each of their gazes gleamed with the hues of water. "My apologies for this sudden visit. May I speak freely?" "Of course, please do." "I''ll be direct. We''re interested in you. And it''s not just us." The Tower Lord of cier nced behind him. Numerous mages were watching their conversation intently, waiting in anticipation. Among them, Kaylen recognized a few familiar faces¡ªscouts he had encountered before. "Lady Irene mentioned sensing the essence of water within you, but as you can see, towers of other affinities still have their eyes on you." The Tower Lord of cier then pulled something from his robe. It appeared to be a small gem at first nce. "¡­Open." At hismand, the gem transformed into arge mirror. "I hear you haven''t taken the Meister test yet." "That''s correct." "But if you wait until the Meister test, the four elemental towers will besiege you from all sides. Even though the water spirit Undine has validated you, towers of other affinities are still targeting you. Spending a month like that will undoubtedly be exhausting, don''t you think?" "That may be true, but¡­" "So why not conduct a simplified test right now? This mirror is called the ''Mirror of Measurement,'' a tool for identifying mana attributes." Step. Step. The Tower Lord of cier stepped back slightly and raised his hand. Swish. Cold energy spread across the floor, and in an instant, a tform of ice formed. The Tower Lord of cier ced the mirror on top of it and continued speaking. "Fire an arrow spell of each of the four elements at this mirror. It will automatically measure the results." As the Tower Lord of cier proposed the simplified Meister test, every gaze in the hall turned toward them. "The Mirror of Measurement... That¡¯s an incredibly expensive magical item. They¡¯re using it on him?" "Expensive? Compared to the presence of the Tower Lord himself, a mere mirror hardly matters. Testing here to settle it decisively is the right call." "Good for us. Since the Tower Lord of cier suggested the test, we¡¯ll get the data for free." Kaylen silently stared at the mirror. "This is a great opportunity." He had expected to be harassed endlessly by scouts with no excuse to avoid them anymore. But now, by revealing his attributes here, he could eliminate at least three of the four elemental affinities. "Fire Arrow." The first spell Kaylen summoned was Fire Arrow. It was closer in scale to a third-circle Fireball than a simple Fire Arrow. "That¡¯s supposed to be Fire Arrow¡­?" "Why is it so massive?" Amid the spectators'' murmurs, the Fire Arrow struck the Mirror of Measurement directly. Hisssss. The fiery arrow collided with the ss, and the mes were absorbed into the mirror. Soon, the mirror turned pitch ck, and glowing red numbers appeared on its surface. [102] "One hundred... over one hundred points?" "Over one hundred points¡ªdoesn¡¯t that indicate the highest-level Meister potential?" "Is this Mirror of Measurement different from the usual ones?" "No, it¡¯s the same. It¡¯s identical to the standard Meister measurement devices." "Then... could he actually be a fire Meister?" Potential for the highest-level Meister. It signified the ability to ascend to the pinnacle of the Meister¡¯s path, the fifth circle. A score exceeding 100 was so rare that only one or two such Meisters appeared every decade. Could it be that Kaylen was a fire prodigy? The Tower Lord of cier looked visibly unsettled. If that were true, wasn¡¯t this just helping apetitor by revealing such talent? But then¡­ "Wind Arrow." "Earth Arrow." When Kaylen cast wind and earth spells, the onlookers'' eyes widened in disbelief. [102] [102] Both elements produced the same score. "Is that¡­ even possible?" "All three elements with the highest Meister potential...?" A talent that might appear once in ten years. Yet Kaylen disyed that potential in three different elemental affinities. Kaylen''s talent was so extraordinary that even the observing mages felt a sense of despair. "With scores like those, he could join any magic tower." "Absolutely. At 102 points... even mid-tier towers would mor for him."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Wow. I barely scored in the 70s. This world really is unfair." As Kaylen¡¯s scores for three elemental attributes exceeded 100, the Tower Lord of cier addressed him with a hardened expression. "You there, do you not use water-element magic?" Originally, the n was to showcase that his affinity for water, vouched for by Undine, far surpassed his other elemental affinities. However, it felt as though the only thing he had achieved was to draw in morepetitors. Upon hearing of his water affinity, even the Tower Lords of other elemental magic who had remained passive began to gather at this location one by one. ¡®With a score of 102, it¡¯s understandable.¡¯ Among the 16 Tower Lords present, many had approached scores near 100, but not a single one had reached 102. Kaylen noticed the stiff expression on the Tower Lord of cier¡¯s face and smiled faintly. "How high can the mirror measure?" "It is said to measure up to 120 points. Beyond that, it cannot provide a reading." "I see." Kaylen extended his hand. "Ice Arrow." Unlike the arrow spells he had cast so far, this time, it was a small, unassuming ice arrow. The spectators, seeing its size, showed signs of disappointment. "So, he does have an affinity for water, but..." "The size is really underwhelming, isn¡¯t it?" But such dismissive reactions came only from the spectators. The Tower Lords of water magic, including the Tower Lord of cier, could not hide their shock when they saw the Ice Arrow. ¡®This can¡¯t be¡­ Is this even possible?¡¯ Whoosh. The Ice Arrow slowly flew toward the mirror and struck it. Most assumed that due to its small size, the score this time would be significantly lower. When the expected reaction didn¡¯t happen, confusion spread among the crowd. "It¡¯s not being absorbed¡­" "Is that even possible?" Although the mirror had turned ck, the Ice Arrow was not absorbed and maintained its form. As the unmelting ice arrow remained before the ckened mirror, the score began to disy. The number climbed steeply until it stopped at [124]. Suddenly, the mirror began to freeze over entirely. Crack! Unable to absorb the arrow, the Mirror of Measurement was pierced instead. The shattered pieces of the mirror scattered across the ground, with one fragment disying the final score: [129]. The Tower Lord of cier, his hand trembling, picked up the shard. Looking at the overwhelming water mana emanating from the fragment, he instinctively understood. ¡®This score¡­ It could have gone even higher.¡¯ The limit of the mirror had capped it at 129. "One hundred and twenty-nine..." "A... a sixth-circle aptitude." "We must conduct a proper test. The Mirror of Measurement is insufficient to evaluate him!" The previouslyposed Tower Lords were now in a frenzy. "Wow¡­" "One hundred and twenty-nine? Is that even possible?" "A sixth-circle mage''s aptitude truly exists...?" "At this point, no one else will dare interfere." The gathered mages were left utterly stunned. Seeing the 102-point score, the Tower Lords of other elements, who had been gearing up to join the recruitment war, paused in their tracks. ¡°129. Ha! It¡¯s hard to believe.¡± ¡°Even Princess Violet only scored 110, didn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Indeed. At this point, we can¡¯t hope to make a move. The Water Towers will go to any lengths¡ªeven dismantling their pirs¡ªto recruit him.¡± ¡°Such a shame... 102 points is already a once-in-a-decade phenomenon, but¡­¡± ¡°That score? It¡¯s a once-in-a-century urrence.¡± ¡°Regrettable, but we have no choice but to give up.¡± ¡°Exactly. His water affinity is so overwhelming that even if we managed to bring him in, we wouldn¡¯t be able to use him effectively.¡± Despite their regret, they relinquished their efforts to recruit Kaylen. And for good reason. In the history of magic reform under the Meister system, the aptitude for the sixth circle had only been recorded a handful of times. Meisters, who focused solely on one elemental magic rather than wielding multiple elements like ordinary mages, had a unique ability: they could reload their mana circles, amplifying the strength of their elemental magic further. For a Water Meister, this meant oveying the power of water magic twice through reloading. As a result, Meisters could cast their specialized elemental magic at far greater potencypared to ordinary mages. However, Meisters could not surpass the fifth circle. This limitation was due to the fact that their mana circles capped at five. Yet among these Meisters, an extremely rare, chosen few could transcend this limit. Individuals who scored over 125 points in their elemental aptitude¡ªcolloquially referred to as possessing the "aptitude for the sixth circle"¡ªcould break past the Meister¡¯s constraints. Aptitude for the sixth circle was so rare it was said to emerge once a century, if even that. In fact, there hadn¡¯t been a confirmed case in over 200 years, leading most to dismiss it as a mere myth. Today, that myth had be reality. ¡®It turned out to be stronger than I thought.¡¯ Kaylen was also inwardly surprised by the results. He had expected his water magic to improve after absorbing the mana of cia, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated shattering the Mirror of Measurement. With the highest-grade water mana now housed within his mana body, the power of his magic far exceeded even his own expectations. ¡®The other elemental Towers might lose interest, but the Water Towers¡­ they¡¯re going to be a serious headache.¡¯ The gazes from the Water Tower Lords were anything but ordinary. They looked as if they would tear down their towers brick by brick if that¡¯s what it took to recruit him. Kaylen spoke calmly, breaking the charged atmosphere. ¡°This result was unexpected, even for me. I must admit, I¡¯m quite flustered.¡± He continued, his tone measured. ¡°This gathering seems to have grown a bit too heated. I¡¯d like to consult with my senior Meisters privately. Would that be eptable?¡± ¡°¡­Indeed.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to discuss this further here.¡± The Water Tower Lords exchanged nces, then nodded in agreement. ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready, we¡¯ll make time for you.¡± ¡°To meet someone like you, we¡¯re prepared to wait as long as necessary.¡± Despite their demanding responsibilities, the Tower Lords appeared willing to linger at the academy for months if that¡¯s what it took to speak with Kaylen. ¡°How could I possibly keep the Tower Lords waiting? I¡¯ll arrange to meet you starting tomorrow.¡± The next day, Kaylen stood in front of his newly assigned researchb at the Magic Academy. The namete on the door read Kaylen. This was one of the privileges granted to a Superior Mage¡ªhis own research space. ¡°Kaylen, you¡¯ve stirred up quite themotion,¡± Myorn remarked as she stepped into his researchb. ¡°But weren¡¯t you originally without a unique affinity?¡± ¡°It seems something changed after I copsed in front of the princess.¡± ¡°Unbelievable... as expected of a monst¡ªno, a prodigy.¡± She caught herself mid-sentence, almost calling him a Sword Master, but quickly pivoted when she noticed Irene following close behind. ¡°So, what¡¯s your n now? Will you continue your activities with the Exorcist Division?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You do realize you could be the next Tower Lord?¡± ¡°Well, they might offer that title to recruit me, but do you really think they¡¯d follow through?¡± ¡°No. What¡¯s most important to any Tower is having an exceptional Meister. A great Meister can revolutionize mana suits.¡± High-ranking mana suits, B-grade and above, especially those capable of elemental embodiment, varied significantly in performance based on the Meister¡¯s aptitude. ¡°Small and medium Towers can¡¯t develop A-grade mana suits, which is why they remain minor. If they could recruit you, they¡¯d have a real shot at ascending to major status. A sessor title would be a small price to pay.¡± ¡°Moreover,¡± Irene added, reinforcing Myorn¡¯s point, ¡°with your abilities, the level of dungeons you could clear would rise significantly. For a Tower, a single outstanding Meister is worth more than a hundred average ones.¡± Having said her piece, Irene settled gracefully on the sofa across from Kaylen. ¡°Kaylen.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Would you consider joining our Tower?¡± ¡°You mean the Tower of Fairies?¡± ¡°Yes. We specialize in both water and wind elements, but don¡¯t mistake that for ack of expertise. Each element is developed to a levelparable to other major Towers.¡± The Tower of Fairies, founded by elves, focused on both water and wind magic. Despite spanning two elements, its power and influence rivaled major elemental Towers. ¡°We have multiple A-grade mana suits nearing S-grade quality,¡± Irene continued. ¡°If you join us, we¡¯d be happy to lend you an A-grade water mana suit.¡± ¡°Hm...¡± ¡°If you decide to settle inpletely, we¡¯ll even promise you the position of the next leader.¡± While the offer of an A-grade mana suit was tempting, the position of future Tower leader held no appeal to Kaylen. Sensing his indifference, Irene pressed on with a calm smile. ¡°And... you¡¯re free toe and go as you please. Unlike other Towers, we don¡¯t enforce engraving.¡± ¡°...You mean I could leave the Tower anytime?¡± ¡°Yes. We would respect your decisionspletely.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s quite a generous offer.¡± The freedom to leave whenever he wished was an unexpected condition, and it certainly piqued Kaylen¡¯s interest. Irene smiled brightly, her expression full of confidence. ¡°Even if you listen to offers from elsewhere, you won¡¯t find terms as favorable as ours.¡± [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 46 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 46 In Front of Kaylen''s Research Lab It had only been a day since Kaylen was assigned a researchb at the Magic Academy, but a crowd had already gathered outside. ¡°All the representatives from the Water Towers have shown up, haven¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yes. Not only the Tower Lords who attended yesterday¡¯s Superior Mage Awards ceremony but also other Tower Lords who heard the news are reportedly on their way. Rumor has it that some are sprinting here at full speed, equipped with mana suits.¡± ¡°Normally, I¡¯d call that ridiculous, but... given the results, it¡¯s hard to dismiss.¡± Irene¡¯s words were spot on. No Tower could offer terms surpassing those of the Tower of Fairies. ¡°We, the cier Tower, are prepared to stake everything for you.¡± One by one, the Tower Lords approached Kaylen directly, offering enticing proposals. Their conditions werergely simr: - The position of the next Tower Lord. - Full ownership and operational rights over a B-grade mana suit. - Unrestricted ess to the Tower¡¯s wealth and resources. ¡°Our Tower is situated on fertilends, fully prepared to ascend to major status. If you join us, we¡¯ll reach the level of a major Tower within ten years.¡± ¡°Use as much money as you need. Whatever materials you require, we¡¯ll procure them. All we ask is that you serve as our Tower¡¯s Meister.¡± At a nce, some Towers seemed to offer better terms. The Tower of Fairies had only promised to lend an A-grade mana suit, while other Towers not only offered full ownership of a B-grade mana suit but also granted unrestricted ess to their wealth. However, these offers came with one critical condition. ¡°Once the Engraving Ceremony isplete, everything we promised will be fulfilled immediately.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re worried about us reneging on our promises after the engraving, we can get it pre-certified by the Holy Office beforehand. You know their certification is binding and unquestionable.¡± The Tower¡¯s Engraving referred to the process of marking a Meister¡¯s official affiliation with a Tower. It involved inscribing tattoos symbolizing the Tower on the Meister¡¯s hand, back, and chest. Once engraved, these marks remained for 20 years. If a Meister betrayed their Tower or caused significant damage, the Tower could banish them. A banished individual would have arge ¡°Exile¡± brand marked on their face and be treated as a criminal within the magemunity. They would not be allowed to join another Tower and would face severe restrictions in buying or selling magical goods. This was effectively a societal death sentence for a mage. Because of this, most engraved Meisters wouldn¡¯t dare go against their Tower. Kaylen, however, responded with a disinterested expression. ¡°Understood. Thank you for your kind offers.¡± From the beginning, Kaylen had no intention of affiliating with any Tower. The inclusion of the engraving condition only solidified hisck of interest. ¡®All I care about is acquiring a high-grade mana suit.¡¯ Money and materials were secondary. For Kaylen, the mana suit was of utmost importance. The angel¡¯s advice to avoid using the power of the de Deity weighed heavily on his mind. Additionally, with the bnce of the Six des broken, he could currently only wield the Water and Light des. Until the bnce was restored, he needed the support of a mana suit. Given this, there was no reason to choose a B-grade suit when an A-grade was avable for loan. ¡°You don¡¯t seem interested at all...¡± Even with the Tower Lords offering conditions that would make anyone¡¯s eyes widen, Kaylen remained unmoved, much to their frustration. As Kaylen¡¯s firm resolve became clear, the Tower Lords, believing he had been tempted by the favorable terms of the Tower of Fairies, began to disparage it. ¡°I imagine the Tower of Fairies must have made an appealing offer.¡± ¡°But that ce is overly insr.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not forget, the origins of that Tower lie with disced non-human races seeking a means of survival.¡± ¡°Humans who go there often end up being exploited by the elves. Those elves cunningly use their otherworldly beauty to manipte human society!¡± ¡°The elves of the Tower of Fairies are craftier than the most cunning courtesans. The notion of innocent elves belongs in fairy tales.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no shortage of Meisters who¡¯ve ruined themselves after getting involved with them. Even if their terms seem good, you must consider it carefully.¡± Listening to their warnings, Kaylen smirked inwardly. ¡°I know that better than anyone.¡± Elves always prioritized their tribe above themselves as individuals. He recalled Deluna, his fifth wife in his previous life and a High Elf, abandoning even their child to save the World Tree, cutting off all contact in the process. ¡°Still, from the way they¡¯re all bringing this up, it seems elves are really leveraging their looks.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but think of Irene, one of the seven leaders of the Tower of Fairies, who often wore scanty attire. It had puzzled him before¡ªhow drastically their fashion had changedpared to the elves he¡¯d known in the past. But it seemed their adaptation to human society now involved wielding their beauty as a weapon.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Not that it works on me.¡± Kaylen had grown immune to such tactics long ago. After unifying the continent as Emperor, he¡¯d endured endless schemes from concubines. If the Tower of Fairies intended to rely solely on their beauty to sway him, it would be too easy to counter. ¡°But... it won¡¯t just be that.¡± For the Tower of Fairies to offer such significant terms, they surely had more in mind than simple seduction. ¡°Perhaps Myorn knows something.¡± After meeting with all the Tower Lords, Kaylen decided to visit Myorn¡¯s workshop. ¡°Myorn, after speaking with various Tower Lords, I find myself leaning toward the Tower of Fairies¡¯ proposal. I¡¯d like to hear your thoughts. What do you think of their offer?¡± ¡°Hm...¡± Myorn paused to think before responding. ¡°I know a thing or two, but I can¡¯t speak freely. I¡¯ve made promises with them.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°But... while I can¡¯t exin the reasons, I can at least share my personal opinion. Would you like to hear that?¡± Though bound by promises, Myorn offered indirect advice. Kaylen weed it with a smile. ¡°That will suffice.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re nning to walk the path of a Meister, it¡¯s not a good offer. But if you intend to pursue the path of a Sword Master, you can ept it without worry¡ªit won¡¯t harm you.¡± Thement that it wasn¡¯t a good deal for a Meister hinted at some deeper implications. Kaylen sensed there was more to the situation but resolved to ept the offer regardless. ¡°I can¡¯t miss the opportunity to experience an A-grade mana suit. And joining the Tower of Fairies would also put an end to the constant recruitment attempts from other Towers.¡± Meanwhile, outside Kaylen¡¯s researchb, Meisters from the Water Towers maintained a 24-hour vigil. Despite Kaylen¡¯s lukewarm responses, the Tower Lords persisted, visiting daily. What began as interest from four Water Towers soon expanded, with representatives from the kingdom and even foreign Towers gradually arriving in their attempts to recruit him. Without settling on a position, it was bing impossible for Kaylen to live a normal life. The Tower of Fairies seemed perfect as a public-facing affiliation. ¡°Then, I will ept the Tower of Fairies¡¯ offer.¡± ¡°I thought you might. I¡¯ll contact Irene right away.¡± The Tower of Fairies Situated in the outskirts of the capital, the Tower of Fairies resembled a colossal tree. Surrounding the tower was a forest and a settlement created by the elves, forming arge elven vige centered around the tree-like structure. Riding in a carriage arranged by Irene, Kaylen observed the vige as they passed through. The buildings were well-constructed, but the area felt eerily devoid of life. ¡°This vige is too quiet. I haven¡¯t seen even ten elves since the carriage started.¡± Given the scale of the buildings, the sparse poption seemed strange. As Kaylen pondered the oddity, the carriage came to a halt. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived. This is the Tower of Fairies.¡± ¡°Up close, it¡¯s evenrger.¡± From afar, the Tower had appeared as an enormous tree, but standing before it, its true immensity was staggering. The top seemed to vanish into the sky. ¡°This way, please.¡± Following Irene¡¯s lead, Kaylen entered the Tower, where his first impression was... ¡°On the outside, it looks like a tree, but the interior is entirely different.¡± ¡°The exterior design, inspired by the World Tree, reflects our identity. But the Tower¡¯s interior is dedicated to its true purpose.¡± The inside of the Tower featured a central corridor that extended upward to the ceiling, with floors branching out on either side. On the right side were numerous researchbs, bustling with elves engaged in various studies. It resembled an upgraded version of the research facilities Kaylen had seen in academies. The right side of the Tower was almost exclusively popted by elves, dedicated to research. On the left side, however, the atmosphere was entirely different. ¡°Deployment preparations areplete.¡± ¡°Mana suits fully charged and ready.¡± The area was filled with Meisters inspecting mana suits and preparing for their missions as part of the Civil Squad Unit. Most of the Meisters were human, while the elves assisted them, either as support staff or... ¡°Take care, dear.¡± ¡°Dad, bring back a gift!¡± Many elves were family members of the Meisters, seeing them off before their missions. At a nce, it was clear that most of the Meisters had elven partners, whether as lovers or spouses. ¡°Nearly all the Meisters in the Civil Squad Unit are human.¡± ¡°Well, mana suits are optimized for humans.¡± ¡°Elves can¡¯t use mana suits?¡± ¡°Not exactly. In fact, when ites to firepower, elves who wield the power of spirits can achieve even greater results. However...¡± Irene¡¯s tone turned somber. ¡°We experience... side effects.¡± ¡°Side effects?¡± Kaylen asked, noticing Irene¡¯s bitter expression. ¡°If we could use mana suits freely, we wouldn¡¯t have had to abandon our original homnd.¡± ¡°What kind of side effects?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple¡ªaging,¡± Irene exined, her gaze fixed on the Meisters equipping their mana suits. ¡°When an elf wears a mana suit, aging progresses rapidly. The rate of aging is unpredictable. Using the suit more doesn¡¯t necessarily make it worse, and sometimes, just wearing it once can lead toplete aging and death.¡± ¡°So, the effects are entirely random?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why we elves avoid wearing mana suits ourselves. Instead, we provide the best support for human Meisters in the industry.¡± Kaylen nced at the Meisters smiling brightly among the radiant elves. Their happiness seemed almost surreal. ¡°Does the ¡®best support¡¯ include the elves themselves?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but notice how all the Meisters¡¯ spouses or lovers were conveniently elves. ¡°Every Meister seems to have an elven partner. Was that intentional?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Irene replied, smiling gently. ¡°The elves admire and respect the Meisters deeply. These rtionships developed naturally, through mutual affection.¡± Kaylen found her words insincere. Staring at Irene¡¯s smiling face, he mused silently: ¡°How calcted.¡± ¡°If you join the Tower, many elves will be curious about you. Can¡¯t you already feel their gazes on you?¡± ¡°They¡¯re... quite intense.¡± ¡°If you find someone you¡¯re interested in, let me know. I can introduce you to anyone you like.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, though no one has caught my eye just yet. If that changes, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± ¡°Take your time,¡± Irene said with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find your perfect match here.¡± As she spoke, her expression suddenly shifted, her brows furrowing. ¡°This smell...?¡± The once-refreshing scent of the Tower was now overshadowed by a pungent odor. It was the unmistakable stench of alcohol, thick and overwhelming, wafting from the path ahead. Gulp. Gulp. ¡°Ha! Maybe you should find yourself a match first, Irene.¡± ¡°Brother!¡± A tall male elf, staggering and heavily intoxicated, was walking toward them. ¡°You, of all people, have no right to lecture me about rtionships!¡± Irene snapped. ¡°What does it matter?¡± the elf retorted, his voice slurring. He was the spitting image of Irene, with the same striking elven beauty, though marred by scars. Arge scar stretched from his forehead to his right cheek, ending at the remnants of a severed ear. The ck eyepatch he wore hinted that his right eye was no longer functional. Leaning heavily on arge staff, he shuffled unsteadily toward Kaylen, his gait uneven. When he reached him, he fixed Kaylen with a bleary, half-lidded stare. ¡°Heh... so this is the guy I¡¯m handling?¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Brother? He¡¯s my responsibility.¡± ¡°Hup. I¡¯ve been reassigned. He¡¯s mine now.¡± ¡°Reassigned? All of a sudden?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. So leave him to me and go focus on finding yourself a partner.¡± With a dismissive wave of his hand, he shooed Irene away like an annoying fly. Then, he turned to Kaylen, extending his calloused, scarred hand for a handshake. ¡°Nice to meet you, friend. I¡¯m Eldir.¡± Kaylen looked down at the elf¡¯s hand, noting the countless cuts and marks across his palm. ¡°Interesting,¡± he thought. ¡°This is no ordinary elf.¡± The handshake revealed calloused palms. ¡°¡­A swordsman¡¯s hand.¡± As their hands sped, Eldir grinned broadly. ¡°Sharp eyes, firm grip... You¡¯re as solid as they say. Seems like a real talent¡¯s appeared among us.¡± He chuckled, then added slyly, ¡°But why¡¯d you fall for it, huh?¡± ¡°Brother!¡± Smack! Irene pped Eldir hard on the back, making him flinch and quickly withdraw his hand. ¡°Ow! What was that for?¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense and let us pass, Brother,¡± Irene scolded. ¡°Alright, alright... geez.¡± Eldir raised his hands in mock surrender, swaying slightly as he stepped aside. ¡°I apologize, Kaylen,¡± Irene said with a sigh, watching her brother stagger away. ¡°My brother can be... peculiar. Or, well, hopeless, depending on the day.¡± While Irene sighed in exasperation, Kaylen remained silent, his gaze fixed on his hand. ¡°They still exist... here, on thisnd.¡± Eldir. That man was a Sword Master. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 47 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 47 Those who reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship all possessed a unique domain of their own. The ¡°Sword Area.¡± A space where they could fully unleash their martial prowess. Even if a Sword Master tried to conceal it, most of them couldn¡¯t erase the final traces of this domain. And its origin point was their body¡ªan unavoidable mark, no matter how much they attempted to hide it. ¡®Thanks to that handshake, I identified it easily.¡¯ The drunken, staggering one-eyed elf, Eldir, hardly looked impressive at first nce. He wasn¡¯t pretending to be drunk. He was genuinely intoxicated, stumbling as if he could barely keep himself upright. There wasn¡¯t a shred ofposure in his demeanor. If not for the handshake, it would¡¯ve been nearly impossible for Kaylen¡ªat his current level¡ªto recognize him as a Sword Master. But once they made physical contact, the truth became clear. Eldir was a Sword Master. Not someone who had lost his strength, but a true Sword Master,plete with an active Sword Area. ¡®So, Sword Masters aren¡¯t extinct after all.¡¯ Sword Masters, long relegated to legend.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om In modern times, while wizards had transitioned to the rank of ¡°Meisters¡± and flourished with theirpatibility with mana suits, knights had been left behind¡ªstuck as Sword Experts and demoted to mere escorts for the wizards. And yet, unexpectedly, here in the Fairy¡¯s Tower, Kaylen had encountered a Sword Master¡ªsomeone thought to be extinct. ¡°Agh, my lips are itching. I feel like spilling everything!¡± ¡°Brother, please, just shut up.¡± ¡°Eheheh. Hey, human. You know, doesn¡¯t the Fairy¡¯s Tower seem a little suspicious to you? Huh? I mean, they¡¯re lending out mana suits without engraving marks? Heheh. There¡¯s a hidden story behind all this, you know¡­¡± ¡°Ugh, for the love of¡ª!¡± Smack! Eldir¡¯s back was struck again, causing him to sway before letting out a drunkenugh. At a nce, he looked like a lunatic. If Kaylen hadn¡¯t detected the power of a Sword Master, he would have questioned why someone like this was even here. But now that he knew Eldir¡¯s true identity, he couldn¡¯t dismiss the elf¡¯s words so easily. ¡°That ¡®hidden story¡¯ you mentioned¡­ I¡¯m curious to hear it,¡± Kaylen said. ¡°Whoooa~ really? You wanna know?¡± ¡°And that drink of yours looks quite intriguing.¡± ¡°Hah! Finally, someone who gets it! This, my friend, is none other than Eldir¡¯s Special Brew. A masterpiece I created to cope with the pain of heartbreak¡­ You see, it requires something rare to make¡ªlike mermaid tears, you know, and¡ª¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Eldir¡¯s rambling was abruptly interrupted as Irene hurriedly pulled him away. ¡°Ahaha! My brother is very drunk and tends to say all sorts of nonsense when he¡¯s like this. Please, Lord Kaylen, pay him no mind.¡± ¡°Hey, Irene! Why are you stopping me? Huh? Are you ashamed of me?¡± ¡°¡­Lord Kaylen.¡± Irene turned to him with an expression that, for once, was devoid of her usual pretense. ¡°Please, I beg of you. Don¡¯t entertain my brother any longer. Just head to the Hall of Glory and leave us here quietly. I¡¯m asking you sincerely.¡± Behind her, Eldir raised his bottle, heckling, while Irene¡¯s face was etched with genuine desperation. For the first time, Kaylen saw a glimpse of true emotion behind her typically artificial demeanor. From her expression, Kaylen could feel Irene¡¯s deep embarrassment. If that was an act, then elves truly were the gods of deception. ¡°¡­Understood,¡± he said atst. But did she truly not know her brother was a Sword Master? The question lingered in his mind, yet he decided to spare Irene further humiliation for now. After all, the reason he¡¯de this far was to examine an A-rank Mana Suit in person. He was curious about why they lent out mana suits without engraving marks, but¡­ For now, he resolved to focus on seeing the A-rank Mana Suit itself. The Hall of Glory Located at the center of the Fairy¡¯s Tower, the Hall of Glory was already bustling with elves. Most of them were female. Eldir¡¯s lips curled into a sly grin as he surveyed the room. ¡°Well, well. Looks like we¡¯re in a field of flowers.¡± ¡°Brother, please¡­ shut your mouth,¡± Irene hissed. ¡°Heh, you don¡¯t belong here, Irene. You¡¯re a withered flower¡ªreek of decay, you do.¡± ¡°Ugh, honestly!¡± Smack! Smack! Ignoring the sound of Irene¡¯s fierce ps against her brother¡¯s back, Kaylen took in the surroundings of the Hall. At the center stood a grand tree on an elevated tform. Beneath it, clusters of female elves gathered, whispering and stealing nces at him. Every time their gazes met his, they either sighed in admiration or struck coy, exaggerated poses. ¡®¡­Feels like I¡¯ve be an emperor,¡¯ Kaylen thought. He was reminded of scenes of imperial concubinespeting for the favor of their ruler. No matter how much elves imed to prioritize their race, it was astonishing to see them act like this. It truly seemed like an era where living long enough could show you anything. ¡°You¡¯ve done well bringing him here, Irene,¡± a voice called out. Standing before the grand tree was an elderly elf with a long, flowing white beard. Irene stepped forward and bowed deeply. ¡°Yes, Elder Alvron. I have brought the one who showed potential¡ªthe Master of Water.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ well done. Now that the three leaders are gathered here, the initiation ceremony for the Fairy¡¯s Tower can proceed at once.¡± Three leaders? Kaylen nced around but saw only Irene, Eldir, and Elder Alvron at the tree. As he wondered about the meaning of the Elder¡¯s words, Eldir staggered forward drunkenly. ¡°Elder, am I one of the three as well?¡± ¡°Of course, Eldir. You are a proud member of the Seven Leaders, after all.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ Well, what an honor,¡± Eldir chuckled. The Seven Leaders? It made sense, given that Eldir was a Sword Master. His status earned him a ce among them. But seeing him drunkenly stumble, it was hard to reconcile that image with someone bearing such a title. Irene, Eldir, and Elder Alvron stood side by side in front of the tree. ¡°I, Alvron, approve the initiation of Kaylen Starn.¡± ¡°I, Irene, approve the initiation of Kaylen Starn.¡± ¡°Heh¡­ I, Eldir, approve the initiation of Kaylen Starn.¡± sh! sh! With all three approvals, the massive tree glowed green and pulsed with light several times before returning to its original state. Elder Alvron turned to Kaylen and spoke. ¡°Kaylen Starn, great Master of Water. The initiation isplete.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s all there is to it?¡± Kaylen asked, still skeptical. He¡¯d heard there was no engraving ceremony, but this felt almost anticlimactic. The initiation ceremony ended with just a few shes of light from the tree. For an event that gathered so many elves, it felt rather trivial. ¡°Of course, if you wish, we can hold a celebratory banquet. All the elves present would join in to congratte you,¡± Elder Alvron offered, looking around. The female elves beneath the tform sparkled with eager eyes as they gazed at Kaylen. If all these elves were to attend¡­ it meant a banquet full of these women. It seemed the initiation ceremony was merely the appetizer, with this being the main course. ¡°Well, well. Everyone¡¯s all dressed up, huh? That Mary over there didn¡¯t even wash her hair¡­¡± Eldir muttered. ¡°Brother, please¡­ shut your mouth, I¡¯m begging you.¡± Irene, determined to prevent her brother from ruining the moment, mped a hand over his mouth. Elder Alvron nced at Eldir briefly before turning back to Kaylen. ¡°What do you say? Shall we proceed with the banquet?¡± Each of these elves would be considered stunning beauties in the human world. A banquet with them might be enjoyable for any man. But Kaylen had already had enough of that kind of life in his previous one. Besides, there was something intense, even dangerous, in the elves¡¯ burning gazes. ¡°A banquet is unnecessary.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Is that so? You¡¯re not like most humans.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like wasting time. Instead, I¡¯d like to see the Mana Suit right away.¡± ¡°Very well¡­ Then Eldir will guide you. He¡¯s in charge of that task.¡± Elder Alvron¡¯s gaze fell on Eldir, but Irene interjected. ¡°Elder! Even though my brother is one of the Seven Leaders¡­ his recent behavior has been far from fitting of such a position. Can he truly handle guiding such a promising Meister as Kaylen? I¡¯m very concerned he¡¯ll fail in his duties.¡± ¡°Gulp¡­ Kaylen, you see, this ce is like that. Younger sisters badmouthing their brothers. Elves aren¡¯t what they used to be,¡± Eldir grumbled mid-drink. ¡°Look at him! Drinking even here, in the Hall of Glory! He¡¯s insulting our Tower!¡± Irene eximed. As the siblings¡¯ argument began to escte, Elder Alvron intervened. ¡°Irene, I understand your concern¡­ but this is the will of the oracle.¡± ¡°¡­The oracle?¡± ¡°Yes. The oracle dered that Eldir must be the one to guide him this time. We must honor its will.¡± The mention of the oracle sharply deted Irene¡¯s fervor. Among the elves, it seemed the oracle carried significant weight. ¡°Heh. Then I¡¯ll be the guide from now on, Irene,¡± Eldir said, staggering toward Kaylen and linking arms with him. ¡°But before that¡­ how about a banquet, my friend?¡± ¡°No banquets. Let¡¯s just go.¡± ¡°Aw,e on. Look, that one over there¡ªMary, isn¡¯t she pretty? Slim, but curvy in all the right ces. Just your human type.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t catch my eye.¡± ¡°Oh-ho. High standards, huh? Alright, then¡­ how about Be? Mary does look a bit fierce, but Be¡¯s got that sweet, innocent vibe, doesn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Innocent-looking ones often hide volcanoes inside.¡± ¡°Heh. As long as you don¡¯t set it off, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°If I could control when it erupts, it wouldn¡¯t be a volcano, would it? Volcanoes erupt on their own.¡± ¡°Ha¡­ How¡¯d you figure thatdy had such a nasty temper?¡± Among the elves Eldir was trying to connect Kaylen with, each seemed to have quite the personality. From Kaylen¡¯s experience with countless women in his past life, none of them appeared simple to deal with. ¡°Enough with the nonsense. Please lead the way.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Was thinking of grabbing a drink at the banquet, but¡­ guess you¡¯re no fun.¡± ¡°Then entertain yourself while you guide me.¡± ¡°How, exactly?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say earlier your mouth was itching to talk?¡± ¡°Ah-ha.¡± Eldir perked up his one remaining ear, clearly amused by the suggestion. ¡°Brother! Watch your words!¡± Irene scolded. ¡°Hey, this guy¡¯s part of our Fairy Tower now. Why should I watch what I say?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ At least try to keep it respectful! It wasn¡¯t easy bringing him here.¡± ¡°Of course. He¡¯s one of us now. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Step, step. Eldir walked through the Hall of Glory and exited the space. Kaylen and Irene followed closely behind. ¡°Why are you tagging along, Irene? Ignoring the oracle, are you?¡± ¡°The oracle said you should guide him, not that you should guide him alone. There¡¯s no rule saying I can¡¯te along, is there?¡± ¡°Heh, what kind of wordy is that? You¡¯re worse than me, ignoring the oracle like that.¡± Eldir chuckled and kept moving, staggering slightly as he went. They passed through the Hall of Glory, heading deeper into the Fairy Tower. Even from its innermost point, Eldir led them further downward, into the subterranean depths. ¡°So, human friend, how much do you know about Mana Suits?¡± ¡°This man faced off against an S-Rank Mana Suit, cia,¡± Irene interjected. ¡°As for Mana Suits¡­ I still have much to learn.¡± Step, step. ¡°Well, if you went up against an S-Rank Mana Suit, you¡¯ve got a pretty good idea already. There are only four S-Rank Mana Suits in existence¡ªone for each elemental attribute.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been taught.¡± S-Rank Mana Suits. Said to choose their own masters, these rare artifacts existed as one per elemental affinity. ¡°S-Rank Mana Suits¡­ are something else. They¡¯ve got a ton of restrictions, but their performance is unmatched. Sure, Mana Suits range from A, B, C, D, all the way to F, but S-Rank is on apletely different level. S-Rank operates in a league of its own, like it¡¯s ying in the heavens.¡± ¡°That seems to be the case.¡± ¡°And because of that, every Magic Tower has its aspirations. Minor Towers aim to create A-Rank suits, while the major ones dream of crafting S-Rank Mana Suits. Our Fairy Tower is no exception.¡± Whiiiiir. Deep within the underground chamber, a faint blue glow illuminated the darkness. Five pieces of equipment hovered in midair, bathed in streams of blue light. - Helmet - Chestte - Gauntlets - Boots - Staff Each piece emanated immense water mana, surging within the luminous beams. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°The Guardian¡ªan A-Rank Mana Suit crafted by the Fairy Tower.¡± Eldir, who hadn¡¯t touched a drop of alcohol on the descent, finally took a swig before speaking again. ¡°This is the Mana Suit you¡¯ll be borrowing¡­ and the one that will rob you of your future.¡± [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 48 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 48 At Eldir¡¯s cryptic remark about the mana suit stealing someone¡¯s future, Irene sharply rebuked him. ¡°Brother! I told you to stop saying weird things!¡± ¡°What? About it stealing the future?¡± ¡°Yes! What kind of nonsense is that? How could an A-Rank Mana Suit, the Guardian, steal someone¡¯s future?¡± ¡°Heh. Isn¡¯t it obvious? Once you¡¯re part of the Fairy Tower, your future is tied to it. You¡¯ve mortgaged your freedom to the tower, haven¡¯t you?¡± Eldir staggered, slurring as he continued. ¡°Think about it. This guy¡¯s already entangled in the Fairy Tower. His fate is clear as day. Hah! Female elves from all over will swarm him. He¡¯ll pick one, end up married, and once that happens, kids will start piling onto his back. And to feed them all, he¡¯ll spend his days grinding dungeons endlessly. Hahaha¡­ the start of a hellish life as a family man.¡± ¡°Brother¡­ Are you ranting against marriage again? Seriously, stop belittling happy family life like that! Do you know you¡¯re the number one guy single Meisters avoid? They all say you ruin their dating lives!¡± ¡°Heh. I¡¯m just stating the truth, but fools blind to reality keep pretending otherwise.¡± The Mana Suit That Steals the Future. What began as a simple remark by Eldir spiraled into a drunken rant against marriage. Was hisment about the mana suit just drunken nonsense, then? No¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem that way. As a Swordmaster, Eldir might appear drunk, but the Sword Area surrounding his body was perfectly stable, showing no signs of disruption. That meant his words weren¡¯t mere drunken ramblings. There had to be something about the A-Rank Mana Suit, Guardian. Why does he keep saying such ominous things, though? Kaylen couldn¡¯t understand why Eldir, one of the leaders of the Fairy Tower, was making such remarks, but he decided to approach Guardian anyway. ¡°Can the suit be loaned to me immediately?¡± ¡°Have you made up your mind?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Even after all my warnings, you still insist on borrowing it¡­ Hmph.¡± Eldir nced at Kaylen for a moment before reaching toward Guardian¡¯s boots. The boots, which had been floating midair, were pulled into Eldir¡¯s hand as though being absorbed. ¡°With my master-level authority, I designate Kaylen as the temporary master of Guardian.¡± Whiiiir. The boots red with blue light, releasing a surge of mana toward Kaylen. The mana connected with him for a brief moment before fading away entirely. Eldir handed the boots to Kaylen. ¡°Here you go. Guardian.¡± Was that it? Was the process this simple? As Kaylen took hold of the boots, a soft female voice echoed in his ears. [Temporary Master. Would you like to equip Guardian?] ¡°Yes.¡± The boots dissolved into water, their form breaking apart into droplets that hovered midair. Alongside the water was a single gemstone that moved toward Kaylen¡¯s foot. Tap. The gemstone embedded itself on the inside of his right ankle. When it began to glow, the water droplets reassembled, forming the shape of the boots once again. The boots materialized on his right foot first, followed quickly by the left. [Guardian has been equipped by Temporary Master Kaylen.] [Current mana reserves: 78%.] As Kaylen listened to Guardian¡¯s voice, he lifted his foot to examine the boots. Though they appeared to be made of metal, wearing them imposed no restrictions on movement. Every motion, down to the smallest twitch of his toes, feltpletely natural, as if the boots were an extension of his own body. ¡°Did you hear what it said about the remaining mana reserves?¡± ¡°Yes, it said 78%.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you n to do with that mana suit, my human friend, but keep this in mind: when the mana drops to 20%, the suit will automatically shut down. You¡¯ll have to return it here to recharge.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t it be recharged using mana stones?¡± ¡°Most mana suits can, but not Guardian. This one can only be recharged in this ce. If you¡¯re curious, you can try experimenting¡­ Heh.¡± After taking another gulp from his sk, Eldir pointed his staff at Kaylen¡¯s ankle. ¡°You¡¯re free to do whatever you want with Guardian, but treat the mana stone embedded in it with care. If you tamper with it, Guardian will explode, and the mana stone will return here automatically. It¡¯s a special mana stone, designed that way for security. So don¡¯t even think about dismantling it to steal the stone. Heh.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Is there anything else I should know?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°If Guardian is removed from your body, it¡¯s designed to return here automatically after one day. So don¡¯t even think about selling it. And as for the rest¡­¡± Eldir¡¯s voice trailed off as his head began to droop. Momentster, he leaned against his staff and closed his eyes. Irene sighed at the sight. ¡°I knew it. He¡¯s fallen asleep standing up again.¡± ¡°Does this happen often?¡± Kaylen asked. ¡°Yes¡­ Especially when he¡¯s near Guardian.¡± Irene nced at the suit with aplicated expression. ¡°All seven leaders of the Fairy Tower hold master-level authority over Guardian, but Eldir is the first priority master.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Eldir¡­¡± Kaylen looked at the elf who was now asleep while leaning on his staff. His appearance¡ªa drunken elf asleep on his feet¡ªgave no clue as to why he was the first-ranked master. Irene noticed Kaylen¡¯s puzzled look and smiled faintly. ¡°Even if he seems like this now, my brother was once a brilliant Spirit Swordsman.¡± ¡°A Swordsman?¡± ¡°Yes. Thanks to his spirit sword, we overcame many crises. But¡­ remember how I mentioned before that when elves wear mana suits, they experience elerated aging?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°My brother wasn¡¯t immune to those effects.¡± At a nce, Eldir didn¡¯t appear to have aged significantly. Instead, the only visible signs of hardship were his missing right eye and ear, likely from battle injuries. ¡°In my brother¡¯s case, his aging didn¡¯t manifest physically¡­ but it did cause narcolepsy.¡± ¡°Narcolepsy?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a condition that causes sudden bouts of sleep. Among elves, it¡¯s something that typically afflicts the elderly.¡± Kaylen nodded outwardly, though his mind was elsewhere. Is this what he wants people to believe¡­? From Eldir, Kaylen could sense the faint presence of a Sword Area, a force perceptible only to a fellow Swordmaster. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but undeniably there. In fact, his aura seemed sharper and more focused now than it had been before. If he were truly asleep, his Sword Area would have dissipated, not expanded. For reasons Kaylen couldn¡¯t yet discern, Eldir appeared to be feigning sleep, even deceiving his fellow elves in the process. ¡°Well, in any case, I¡¯ll exin the rest.¡± Irene, still eyeing Eldir with concern, turned back to Kaylen and resumed her exnation. ¡°The Guardian has many anti-theft measures in ce,¡± Irene exined. Kaylen silently nodded. The numerous restrictions tied to Guardian now made sense. Lending out an A-rank mana suit wasn¡¯t a casual decision. Clearly, the Fairy Tower had prepared for every contingency. ¡°Thoroughly systematic.¡± The anti-theft features were so detailed that Kaylen suspected the suit had been specifically designed for lending rather than personal use. ¡°Of course,¡± Irene continued, ¡°not everyone trusted our warnings. There were human Meisters who insisted on experimenting with the suit. Unfortunately, several of them paid with their lives due to Guardian¡¯s penalties.¡± After listing a few fatal incidents, Irene shifted the topic to performance. ¡°In its unmanifested form, as just boots, Guardian¡¯s performance only matches a B-rank mana suit. To unlock its true potential, you¡¯ll need to use its Spirit Assimtion feature. When spiritified, its power surpasses that of other A-rank suits.¡± ¡°I see. Is Guardian only boots?¡± Kaylen asked, his gaze drifting upward. Above the ce where the boots had been stored floated other items¡ªa staff, a helmet, a breastte, and four gauntlets. ¡°Hehe, those are all separate A-rank mana suits.¡± ¡°Each one is A-rank? So Guardian is essentially abination of five A-rank mana suits?¡± ¡°Yes. This is the Fairy Tower¡¯s unique approach to creating an S-rank mana suit.¡± Kaylenter returned to Myorn¡¯s workshop, the boots now firmly on his feet. ¡°Guardian¡­ I was involved in its creation,¡± Myorn mused, a nostalgic glint in her eyes. ¡°Refining the metal from the Spirit Realm was such an enjoyable process. I wanted to contribute more to its development, but the elves kept me out of the core parts.¡± ¡°Understandable,¡± Kaylen replied. ¡°How is it? Now that you¡¯ve worn it, can you see the meaning behind what I said back then?¡± ¡°About how pursuing the path of a Meister wouldn¡¯t suit me, but it could align with my path as a Swordmaster?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet.¡± Kaylen nced down at the boots. ¡°I tested water magic earlier beforeing here. It was useful, certainly, but the power didn¡¯t seem drastically different from the mana suit you gave me before.¡± He was referring to the mana suit Myorn had provided during his duel with the princess. Hearing that, her tail swayed side to side. ¡°Well, that¡¯s because that suit sacrificed everything else for pure power. The Guardian, in its normal state, won¡¯t exceed B-rank output. Spirit Assimtion is what matters.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t tried Spirit Assimtion yet.¡± ¡°Hm. Did you notice anything strange while using it in its regr state?¡± ¡°No, aside from the amplification of my strength.¡± ¡°Then activate the Spirit Assimtion mode.¡± Spirit Assimtion¡ªa hallmark feature of high-grade mana suits. In the case of the Guardian boots, activating it involved pressing the mana stone embedded in the inner ankle. [Activate Spirit Assimtion mode?] ¡°Yes.¡± The Guardian boots shimmered before transforming into water, flowing outward to envelop Kaylen¡¯s body. [Body transformation in progress¡­ 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%...] Starting from his toes, his body began to merge with the water, the transformation spreading rapidly. Simultaneously, an immense surge of water mana from the Guardian coursed through his entire being. [70%. 80%... 100%. Body transformationplete.] So this is Spirit Assimtion. Kaylen marveled at the sensation. His body no longer felt like flesh and bone but a fluid entity teeming with water mana. The strength and responsiveness were unparalleled, a perfect synergy between himself and the suit. Kaylen''s body, now fully transformed into water, felt surprisingly normal. Despite the radical change inposition, he moved just as he would in his human form. Walking felt effortless, and he could maintain his shape without difficulty. ¡°So far, it doesn¡¯t feel much different from usual,¡± Kaylen remarked. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re still keeping your human form,¡± Myorn replied. ¡°As you get used to Spirit Assimtion, you¡¯ll realize you can freely change your shape. You could turn into something like a slime, shift into a jelly-like form, or even seep through walls as water and emerge on the other side.¡± ¡°Even if my original formpletely copses, will it be fine?¡± ¡°Yes. However, if the mana in the suit runs out, you¡¯ll automatically return to your human form. And if you remain in a non-human shape, it¡¯ll be harder to exert your full power. For example, in a slime state, you won¡¯t be able to produce even half the strength you would in human form.¡± Humans were naturally mostfortable in their original shape, and the Guardian was primarily designed for destroying dungeon cores. Thus, its Spirit Assimtion function was optimized for the human form, where its full power could be utilized. ¡°Still, practicing different forms can help you escape dangerous situations,¡± Myorn added. ¡°That makes sense,¡± Kaylen agreed. ¡°Does your body feel strange at all?¡± ¡°No, everything seems fine.¡± ¡°Good. Now try using magic¡ªgo outside.¡± Stepping out of the workshop, Kaylen decided to start with something simple: Ice Arrow. ¡°Ice Arrow,¡± he intoned. Effortlessly, an arrow of ice materialized. So this is the efficiency of Spirit Assimtion. Determined to test his limits, Kaylen began casting continuously. ¡°Ice Arrow.¡± This time, he summoned not one but several. Soon, dozens of ice arrows floated around him, then hundreds. When the number of arrows surpassed 500, Kaylen finally felt a slight drain on his mana. ¡°It takes 500 arrows just to feel any mana consumption?¡± To his surprise, even that expended mana was rapidly replenished through his spiritified body. As mana flowed back into his body, a peculiar expression crossed Kaylen¡¯s face. This mana¡ªsomething about it felt¡­ different. ¡°Myorn.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°That thing you mentioned earlier¡ªI think I understand now.¡± ¡°Oh? I figured you¡¯d catch on quickly,¡± she said with a sly grin. ¡°As expected, they wouldn¡¯t lend out an A-rank mana suit without a catch.¡± The mana flowing back into his body via the Guardian wasn¡¯t quite the same. There was something off. Something subtly¡­ foreign. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 49 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 49 "The mana of wind is umting in my body." The guardian d in the mana suit of water. After using Assimtion and recharging mana, the mana of wind began to gather within the body. Swish... Kaylen, who finished the Assimtion, restored the mana suit to its original form. Even after inspecting the mana body again, the wind mana lingered aimlessly within the body. "Even after ending Assimtion, it''s still the same." "Right. It''s not ideal for a Meister, but for a Sword Master, it shouldn''t matter... Now it makes sense." "Indeed. From the Meister''s perspective, this wind mana must be slightly bothersome." For a Meister of water, who must focus solely on water mana, the umtion of wind mana in the body was not particrly wee. "Since the amount of wind mana is small, it won''t cause significant harm..." "But if it''s used continuously, it could certainly hinder the Meister''s development." "Yes. While I can collect and remove this mana, for a Meister of water, it will hinder the progression of their circle." "True. But it''s not a fatal issue, just a nuisance. Besides, most Meisters who can manage guardians usually stop at the 4th Circle. Reaching the 5th Circle is something only Tower Masters achieve." Realistically, even the most exceptional Meisters often found their growth halted at the 4th Circle. The 5th Circle was an ultimate realm attainable only by an extraordinarily gifted few in any era. "It''s rare for guardians to even be lent out like this... Normally, when recruiting a 4th Circle Meister, the Fairy Tower exins that a small amount of wind mana may enter." "Wouldn''t 4th Circle Meisters still aspire to reach the 5th Circle? Do they ept this?" "They only make the offer to those with no further growth potential. Additionally... I''ve heard elves have a way to remove the wind mana umted in their bodies. By pairing them with an opposite-sex elf, through, well... ''a nightly method,'' they say." Myorn trembled, shaking her body in shock, her fur standing on end as if punctuated by question marks and exmation points everywhere. Kaylen, watching this, chuckled in disbelief. "Removing wind mana through something like that?" "''A nightly method,'' huh. So that''s why all the Meisters in the Fairy Tower end up with elf partners..." "That''s enough. I don''t know anything more than that." "¡­I see. Well, I get the gist of it. But why does this happen? Do other A-grade mana suits behave like this?" "No. This is because the Guardian is, after all, an elf''s mana suit." An A-grade mana suit: Guardian. This mana suit, infused with the Fairy Tower''s secrets, was originally developed exclusively for elves. "Do you know the side effects elves experience when wearing mana suits?" "Yes. I heard it causes rapid aging." "Researchers at the Fairy Tower attribute that to over-Assimtion." "Over-Assimtion?" "Right. Compared to humans, elves are much more suited for Assimtion. They actually handle spirits, and their affinity with elemental mana is exceptional." "Elves are aligned with water and wind attributes, right?" "Correct. When operating mana suits of those two attributes, elves would excessively activate Assimtion. This urred even in B-grade or lower mana suits that didn''t originally have Assimtion functions." Over-Assimtion. Elf researchers hypothesized that the excessive activation of Assimtion caused the elves'' physical bodies to age rapidly. "The Guardian was designed to ovee this limitation." "So it wasn''t just about aiming for an S-grade." "Right. Elves can summon only one type of spirit, water or wind, but... their bodies always host both types of mana. The problem arises when over-Assimtion disrupts the bnce of mana, leading to rapid aging. The Guardian supplements the wind mana during the Assimtion process to maintain bnce." For an elf who couldmand the spirit of water, using the Guardian resulted in over-Assimtion¡­ The wind mana in the body is rapidly consumed,pletely converting into water mana. Elf researchers, believing that this abrupt shift in mana bnce elerates physical aging, added a function to the Guardian to replenish wind mana. After all, it was crucial to avoid the misfortune of elves being unable to use the ultimate mana suit, Guardian. "However, the Guardian is still iplete. Only Eldir, the leader of the Elven Guard, managed to resist aging and use it... The other elves who wore the Guardian all faced aging afterward. Well, even Eldir wasn¡¯t without consequences." "The Elven Guard?" "It¡¯s the elves¡¯ directbat unit. Eldir was the strongest Spirit Swordsman among the elves." "I¡¯ve heard of him... But isn¡¯t that no longer the case?" "Right. Eldir used too much of his power. When the interspecies Tower located in the human kingdom was established, the settlement wasn¡¯t smooth, and there were numerous threats. If he hadn¡¯t worn the Guardian and defended the Tower, the Fairy Tower wouldn¡¯t have the standing it enjoys today." Kaylen recalled Eldir¡ªa one-eyed elf leaning on a staff, dozing off like a drunken vagrant. Yet, the power he possessed was far from ordinary, and it seemed his past achievements were just as remarkable. No wonder his siblings held positions among the seven leaders. "After Eldir became a shell of his former self, he insisted that the Guardian needed further development. He imed it hadn¡¯t yet matured properly..." "Matured? Can a mana suit grow?" "Yes. Though the reason hasn¡¯t been rified, it¡¯s empirically known that destroying dungeon cores with a mana suit enhances its performance¡ªespecially those capable of Assimtion." A mana suit that grows? Is that why the Guardian was lent out? "If they wanted to grow it anyway, wouldn¡¯t it be better to keep it within their circle and rotate it among Meisters instead of lending it out?" "Who knows? Really. Why they went out of their way to lend it, I¡¯m not sure either. It¡¯s just something I picked up from Eldir¡¯s drunken ramblings." "Well, I understand. I¡¯ll figure it out as we go." "So... What¡¯s your decision? Will you keep using the Guardian?" "Of course." Kaylen smiled confidently. "I¡¯ll use the wind mana to refine my Wind Sword." The wind mana, useless to a Meister, was instead a valuable elemental mana for him as a Sword Master, crucial for rebncing his Physical Sword. "I¡¯ll push the Guardian to its limits." And the ideal ce for that was none other than a dungeon. Dungeon Guild, Alzas Branch. "Ah, Kaylen! What a pleasant surprise!" Branch Chief Krundal greeted Kaylen warmly, his expression filled with delight. After all, Kaylen¡¯s reputation had soared to unprecedented heightspared to before. Kaylen, the individual who had stirred the capital of Alzas over the past month. Though he lost to Princess Violet, his astounding magic had drawn the attention of all the Towers.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Moreover, during the award ceremony, his impromptu measurement on the Meister Meter scored a shocking 129 points, prompting every Water Tower to mor for his recruitment. Krundal, who had witnessed both events firsthand, was well aware of this. ¡®I heard he ultimately joined the Fairy Tower... What brings him here?¡¯ Once affiliated with a Tower, activities like monster suppression typically happen within its framework. It didn¡¯t seem likely that Kaylen would have any reason to visit the Dungeon Guild. Setting aside his curiosity, Krundal greeted Kaylen with a bright smile. "I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Superior Mage Selection Tournament. Your performance was truly remarkable. Congrattions on achieving second ce." "Thank you, Branch Chief." "What brings you here today?" "I''m here about the rank of the Civil Squad, Meier." F-rank Civil Squad, Meier. Krundal had promised to promote them to D-rank if they acquired a mana suit. "Ah, but... aren¡¯t you affiliated with the Fairy Tower now?" "I¡¯ve been granted independence in my actions. There are various circumstances involved." Various circumstances? Krundal vaguely recalled the "higher-ups" that were hinted at back then. He decided it was best not to pry further. Some things are better left ignored. "Understood. If it¡¯s about Meier¡¯s rank, have you secured a mana suit?" "Yes. It¡¯s the A-rank mana suit, Guardian, from the Fairy Tower." "A-An A-rank mana suit...! Would you mind demonstrating some Assimtion?" At Krundal¡¯s request, Kaylen gestured to his feet. Starting from his toes, his lower body transformed into water, a clear disy of Assimtion. Krundal couldn¡¯t help but nod repeatedly in amazement. "Without a doubt, it¡¯s A-rank." "Will this suffice for the rank upgrade?" "Yes. If you can bring in one more Meister and another mana suit, you could even reach C-rank." A C-rank Civil Squad. Normally, the requirements were extremely stringent, but with an A-rank mana suit, Krundal was willing to make exceptions for Kaylen. However, Kaylen waved his hand dismissively. "D-rank is sufficient for now." After all, the Guardian was just a borrowed mana suit. He had no intention of preemptively advancing to C-rank with it. "Understood. I¡¯ll proceed with the rank upgrade to D-rank immediately." "Thank you. Can I start taking requests now?" "Yes, but since you¡¯ve just reached D-rank and have no track record yet, it¡¯ll be hard to get good assignments." "That makes sense." Dungeon suppression requests from cities and viges were a matter of life and death. Choosing the right Civil Squad was an extremely cautious process. As a newly formed squad with only two members, including one Meister, Meier¡¯s reputation was too nascent to inspire confidence. No matter how much buzz Kaylen had generated in the capital, few would entrust their money and safety to them. "Still, are there any clients willing to hire a squad like ours?" "There are, but most offer low advance payments." "Then please rmend any requests along the way with F-rank dungeons, preferably as many as possible." "Understood." Krundal nodded and began sorting through the requests. ¡®This isn¡¯t even my job...¡¯ He brieflymented while organizing the documents. "The dungeon core deal we discussed is still valid, right?" "Of course." When Kaylen subtly mentioned the dungeon core, Krundal eagerly lent his assistance, treating the matter as his own responsibility. Eventually, Kaylen received a list of potential assignments. The area included one E-rank dungeon and five F-rank dungeons. However, just reaching the location would take over five days. "Then I''ll head out right away. Please prepare the next request for me." Kaylen spoke casually, as if he were merely going for a neighborhood stroll. Five dayster, he returned. "I''m back, Branch Manager." With a bright smile, Kaylen handed overrge fragments of dungeon cores to Krundal. "Is the next request ready?" In one of the offices of the Oine Ducal Estate... "He¡¯s affiliated with the Fairy Tower, yet he¡¯s independently running a Civil Squad...?" Tap, tap. Lioness tapped his desk rhythmically, lost in thought. A stack of papersy before him, all rted to Kaylen. "Zaik, doesn¡¯t this seem strange to you?" "...That guy¡¯s always been a lunatic, hasn¡¯t he?" "You brat. Let go of that grudge already. He might end up part of the family." "Ugh..." Standing beside the picturesque Lioness was Zaik Baldur, his body heavily bandaged. Zaik bit his lip at Lioness¡¯s words, then reluctantly nodded. "Understood..." "Good. Let me ask you again. Doesn¡¯t this seem strange?" "Yes, it does. Acting independently while supposedly tied to the tower? I¡¯ve never heard of such a case. Perhaps his ties to the tower aren¡¯t that strong yet." Regaining hisposure, Zaik¡¯s words prompted Lioness to rub his chin thoughtfully. "Still, this Civil Squad, ''Meier.'' The Dungeon Guild certified them with an A-rank mana suit, right? Would the tower lend out an A-rank suit to someone they have no real connection with?" "That... is unusual." "I think we need to make contact with him." Lioness pulled out a sheet of paper from the stack. "Send this request to the Civil Squad, ''Meier.''" "This is..." Zaik¡¯s eyes widened as he read the contents of the paper. It was a dungeon suppression request for an E-rank dungeon located in Kaylen Starn¡¯s hometown¡ªthe Barony of Starn. "And add an extra zero to the payment amount." "That much?" "I¡¯ll take it out of my allowance. Don¡¯t worry, just send it to Meier." Taking it out of his allowance? Adding an extra zero? Even with an abundance of wealth, this level of extravagance was shocking. Zaik, though baffled by the scale of the Oine Ducal Estate, followed Lioness¡¯s instructions and added the extra zero. "...Understood." [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 50 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 50 "Meier? What kind of unlucky squad names themselves after a failed empire?" Zaik muttered under his breath as he entered the Dungeon Guild in the capital. Despite Lioness¡¯s suggestion to let bygones be bygones, forgetting the beating he¡¯d taken wasn¡¯t as easy as it sounded. Unable to vent his frustration directly, he chose instead to gripe about the name ¡°Meier.¡± Behind him, one of his knights chuckled. "Haha. Didn¡¯t you once say you¡¯d name your child ¡®Ernstine¡¯?" "Ernstine was an emperor, a legend. Meier is just a failed empire that crashed and burned." "True, I¡¯ve heard of people using Ernstine¡¯s name asionally, but Meier? Never." "Exactly. Names like that bring bad luck." Despite hisints, Zaik dutifully submitted a request to the Meier Civil Squad. He nced at the draft of the E-rank dungeon suppression request originating from the Starn Barony and smirked mockingly. "Starn folks, huh? They usually only send F-rank requests. Guess they¡¯re really desperate now." "Yes. I heard a dungeon portal appeared behind the baron¡¯s manor." "That would ce it right near the barony''s castle." "Indeed. A disaster for such a small town." "So they rushed to bump it up to E-rank." "Normally, the Count Baldur family would assist a vassal house in situations like this..." "My father would never do that after seeing my condition." Zaik Baldur. Once celebrated for his aplishments and the apple of Count Baldur¡¯s eye, Zaik had been humiliated by Kaylen of the Starn family during theirst encounter. This had enraged Count Baldur. "Yes, that¡¯s true. The count had initially considered holding the Starn family ountable, but since Kaylen severed ties with them, that n fell through." "Right. There¡¯s no justification for it anymore." "Instead, the count ordered everyone to ignore the Starn family entirely. That¡¯s why they didn¡¯t dare reach out for aid and submitted this request to the guild instead." The dungeon¡¯s appearance near their territory was practically a cmity for the Starn Barony. With monsters constantly spilling out, the town around the baron¡¯s castle couldn¡¯t function normally and had to focus all its efforts on defense. For a small fiefdom like the Starn Barony, sustaining such a state of emergency for long was impossible. "If only the headship had gone to the second son, who shares Baldur¡¯s blood. It¡¯s a pity." "Isn¡¯t it already a given that the second son will inherit? The first son cut ties with them, after all." "You can never predict how things will turn out." Zaik casually chatted with his knight as he finished filling out the paperwork at the Dungeon Guild¡¯s counter. Handing the forms to a clerk, he was promptly questioned. "Excuse me, sir, but the reward amount you¡¯ve listed here... it¡¯s significantly higher than standard rates. Could this be a typo?" "No, that¡¯s correct." "...Understood. In that case, we¡¯ll process the deposit based on this amount." "Here you go." Zaik handed over a check from the Oine Ducal Estate. As the staff member processed the request, they asked him a final question. "Would you like to leave any message for the designated Civil Squad, ¡®Meier¡¯?" "Let them know that the Lioness wishes to meet with them." "Understood." With that, Zaik finalized the request and left. Not long after, deeper within the Dungeon Guild, someone entered the branch manager¡¯s office. Kaylen was at the Dungeon Guild when he overheard the mention of the Starn family¡¯s request. Kaylen¡¯s recent ventures had turned him into a veritable dungeon-conquering machine, bringing back a steady stream of mana stones and gold after each expedition. Yet, his ultimate purpose wasn¡¯t merely wealth¡ªit was funding Myorn¡¯s ambitious research. The Goal: A Universal Mana Suit Myorn, the Dwarf Queen, had set her sights on creating a mana suit that could be used by anyone, not just Meisters. Initially, her project attracted numerous investors, drawn by her reputation as a powerful Spirit Mage and master cksmith. However, as her prototypes failed to deliver on expectations, the funding dried up, forcing her to continue her work alone. In those desperate times, Myorn had wished for only one thing: "If only I could focus on my research without worrying about money..." That¡¯s when Kaylen had appeared. At first, Myorn had only hoped to gain experimental data from a Sword Master. Financial assistance had never even crossed her mind. Kaylen entered the workshop with his usual confidence. "I brought the mana stones." "Wow, you¡¯re already back?" "Yes. Lately, we¡¯re even receiving requests near the capital." His newfound Guardian Spirit made Kaylen unstoppable in the dungeons. However, the Guardian¡¯s power came at a cost, and Kaylen was keenly aware of its limitations. "How¡¯s the researching along?" "¡­It¡¯s been four days since youst asked," Myorn sighed. "Research is like that¡ªsometimes one breakthrough can change everything," Kaylen said with a grin. "This is the fourth time you¡¯ve said that." "And I¡¯ll keep saying it until you see results," Kaylen teased. Myorn groaned at his persistence. "Kaylen, we don¡¯t know how much longer the Guardian willst." "I know." "It might not survive the next expedition. The mana reserve is already down to 35%." "That low already? Well, you have been dungeon diving non-stop." "After this mission, I¡¯ll need to return the Guardian Boots to the Fairy Tower. They¡¯ve been loaning them for free, but who¡¯s to say they¡¯ll let me borrow them again?" "They wouldn¡¯t cut you off now, not when we¡¯re so close to a breakthrough." "Never say never. That¡¯s why speed matters, Myorn. We can¡¯t afford dys." Myorn rubbed her temples in frustration. "Mana suits aren¡¯t built overnight. You need to give me time¡ª" "Understood. Just don¡¯t forget, we¡¯re running out of it." Though some called her suits ¡°junk¡± behind her back, no one dared insult Myorn to her face. Her dual mastery of spirits and smithing demanded respect. In the past, she¡¯d worked with high-ranking Tower officials and even royalty. Yet none of them had ever pressured her as Kaylen did. "I¡¯ve never met anyone so insistent..." Myorn shot a weary nce at Kaylen, who was now chatting animatedly with her assistant, Alkas. "Alkas, how did the experiment go?" "Since the mana suit isn¡¯t finished, we¡¯ve only been running preliminary tests. But this time, the output has significantly increased!" "Hmm. Significantly, you say? That¡¯s still not good enough." "Ah, is that so?" Alkas stammered. Kaylen¡¯s unyielding drive was both a blessing and a curse, and Myorn couldn¡¯t help but feel overwhelmed. Yet, deep down, she knew he was right. Time was a luxury they could not afford. Kaylen noticed Alkas¡¯s enthusiasm about training but couldn¡¯t helpmenting. ¡°You¡¯ve been so focused on participating in experimentstely that your swordsmanship hasn¡¯t progressed much. Since there¡¯s some time before the mana suit isplete, join me on the next dungeon raid. I¡¯ll help with your training.¡± ¡°O-oh¡­! Yes! Thank you very much!¡± Hearing this, Myorn approached Kaylen. ¡°I¡¯ming too.¡± ¡°But Myorn, don¡¯t you need toplete the mana suit?¡± ¡°I have nothing to do right now. The suit is in the stage where I just have to wait for the magic circle to absorb mana.¡± ¡°There¡¯s always something to do if you look for it¡ª¡± ¡°No, really. There¡¯s nothing left. I also want to observe how a Sword Master fights to broaden my understanding.¡± ¡°Hm...¡± Kaylen studied her expression. She wasn¡¯t simply trying to shirk her work. ¡°Besides, you promised to help me enhance my Spirit Magic. You should give me some pointers.¡± Kaylen flinched at her words. Myorn¡¯s connection to Kaylen and Kaina wasn¡¯t fully clear, but with her carrying the Myorn family name, Kaylen realized he might have been too detached from her personal growth. ¡°¡­Fine. You can join us on this dungeon raid.¡± ¡°Really? You mean it?¡± ¡°Yes. However, this dungeon is a bit far, so we¡¯ll need a carriage.¡± ¡°Where is it located?¡± ¡°Near the Starn Barony.¡± Rustle. Unfamiliar with the Starn Barony¡¯s location, Myorn unfolded a map and was startled. ¡°This is really far. Almost at the border!¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s in a very remote area.¡± ¡°¡­Are you going because it¡¯s your hometown?¡± ¡°The rewards are excellent. They specifically requested the Meyer Extermination Squad.¡± ¡°¡­Master, this smells suspicious.¡± The Starn Barony¡ªKaylen¡¯s hometown¡ªwas isted and underdeveloped. Dungeons in that region were typically categorized as F-rank, and the usual protocol was to survive until they could seek assistance from the Baldur Count¡¯s estate. Yet, requesting the Meyer Extermination Squad with a promise of ten times the usual payment? It was anything but ordinary. ¡°I know. The Starn Barony doesn¡¯t have the resources for such requests.¡± ¡°The young lord Zaik likely holds a grudge against you. What if this is a trap?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯ve received word that someone from higher up wants to meet.¡± ¡°By higher up¡­ do you mean the Oine Ducal House?¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s start preparing for the journey.¡± Kaylen reflected on the Starn Barony. Though it was a severed tie, he felt it was worth visiting once to settle things properly.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "This is for the best. I¡¯ll use this opportunity to finalize everything." Inside the carriage en route to the Starn Barony, Alkas marveled at their transportation. ¡°This carriage is massive! And so spacious inside. It¡¯s far grander than anything I saw while working at the Count¡¯s estate.¡± ¡°I built it myself. With my body, I need the extra space,¡± Myorn exined. ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s a Dwarven-made carriage. Impressive.¡± Myorn, with her hedgehog-like fur bristling, settledfortably in the spacious carriage she had designed for practicality. Kaylen, ncing around, brought up a topic. ¡°That fur¡ªdid the former Dwarf Queen ever talk to you about it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Myorn replied with a chuckle. ¡°She said it grows to train fire mana.¡± ¡°Exactly. Fur naturally grows for instion. But a Dwarf Queen¡¯s fur serves another purpose¡ªit traps heatpletely.¡± As a master of both fire and earth spirits, the Dwarf Queen¡¯s abundant fur strengthened her internal heat. ¡°Normally, when one achieves the ability to summon a supreme fire spirit, all that fur vanishes.¡± ¡°A supreme spirit? I can¡¯t even summon a high-tier one yet¡­ that¡¯s impossible for me,¡± Myorn admitted. ¡°Understandable. Did Queen Kaina leave behind any training methods for enhancing fire spirit magic?¡± ¡°She did, but they¡¯re based on the assumption that the summoner can already handle high-tier fire spirits. I¡¯ve stalled at intermediate, so I can¡¯t use them.¡± Kaylen realized the challenge was greater than anticipated. Queen Kaina, as a Dwarf Queen, had effortlessly controlled high-tier fire and earth spirits. In contrast, Myorn could summon only intermediate-tier spirits, likely due to the diminishing mana in the atmosphere. ¡°And my own capabilities have dropped,¡± Kaylen thought. Compared to the days of Emperor Ernstine, Kaylen¡¯s current body was significantly weaker. Not only was his mana reservoir smaller, but his bnce among the six elemental swords was also disrupted. His water and light mana were abundant, but his fire mana was suppressed entirely. ¡°With fire manapletely overwhelmed by water, the me Sword of the six can¡¯t assist me in amplifying Myorn¡¯s firepower as it should.¡± Kaylen realized that finding an alternative solution was essential. As he contemted, his gaze fell on the mana suit Guardian, resting near his feet. The Guardian was a water-aligned mana suit. An idea sparked in Kaylen¡¯s mind, and his eyes glimmered with intrigue. "There¡¯s another way after all." [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 51 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 51 In front of an E-ss Dungeon Portal Gate. Hundreds of individuals were gathered, forming formations while meticulously checking their equipment. ¡°Commander, everyone is ready.¡± ¡°Good. Elsabar Civil Squad! Move out!¡± The Elsabar Civil Squad was a cavalry force operated by the eldest son of the Oine Ducal House. Among the cavalry units under noble families, it was renowned as the most elite. And for good reason. Not only did it offer the bestpensation in the industry, but the unit also deployed arge-scale knight corps to ensure the safety of its affiliated Meisters. Lioness watched the knights entering the dungeon and spoke to the rugged knight standing beside him. ¡°Brother Guntrian, the preparations seem excessively thorough for an E-ss dungeon.¡± Guntrian de Oine was the second son of the Oine Ducal House and themander of the Elsabar Civil Squad. Though hecked magical aptitude, his talent as a knight was unparalleled, reaching the realm of a Knight Meister. ¡°No, look closely at those going in. Almost all of them are knights.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± ¡°Nowadays, knights are as cheap as dirt. Better to use a hundred knights than to let even one Meister get hurt.¡± Guntrian, himself a knight, spoke disparagingly of his own kind, then nced at Lioness with a grin. ¡°Of course, since you¡¯re here for field training, we¡¯ve made extra preparations.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Brother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I n to put you to good use, after all.¡± ¡°Haha, feel free to use me as you please.¡± Thud. Thud. Hundreds of knights entered the dungeon first, followed by Guntrian and Lioness. ¡°This one¡¯s an Orc Dungeon, huh?¡± As soon as they entered, Guntrian frowned. Among the monsters that appeared in E-ss dungeons, orcs were some of the most troublesome. ¡°Damn it. We¡¯re going to lose quite a few men.¡± ¡°Are orcs really that bad?¡± ¡°They are. And this dungeon¡¯srge too. They¡¯ll spread out and surround us in no time.¡± Orcs, humanoid monsters with green skin, were significantly more irritating than typical instinct-driven creatures. Unlike others, they demonstrated rational judgment. They were well-known for employing strategies to scatter widely and encircle their enemies, likely as a counter to the overwhelming firepower of Meisters. They would relentlessly target Meisters from a distance, using bows and throwing axes. ¡°Knights, form a defensive line!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Lioness, eliminate them before they can spread out.¡± ¡°Understood. ¡­Explosion!¡± Lioness¡¯s body burst into mes, and¡ª Boom! A massive explosion erupted in the middle of the clustered orc troops. ¡°Graaaah!¡± ¡°Grr¡­ Grrah¡­¡± In an instant, dozens of orcs were engulfed in mes, the fire spreading rapidly¡ªN?v(el)B\\jnn Whoosh! Whoosh! The orcs quickly dispersed from the explosion site, scattering widely. ¡°The orcs¡¯ mobility is surprising. Are they usually like this?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not usually this agile... but for some reason, they grow stronger in dungeons. Now, they¡¯ll focus their attacks on the Meisters. Stay alert.¡± ¡°Understood, Brother.¡± An E-ss dungeon raid wasn¡¯t much different from a war. Thousands of orcs surrounded the knights from all directions, while the Meisters concentrated their firepower on the orc units under the knights¡¯ protection. Among the Meisters, the most prominent was, of course, Lioness. Equipped with an A-ss Mana Suit, she unleashed the bulk of the offensive power. ¡°...Reload. Fire Wall.¡± As if to regroup the scattered orcs, a wall of fire surrounded the expansive interior of the dungeon. The intense heat, seemingly capable of incinerating anything nearby, caused the orcs to hesitate and retreat into a corner. The overwhelming mes repeatedly cornered the orc units. Once enough of them were herded together, Guntrian issuedmands to the Meisters. ¡°Good. Focus your firepower!¡± Boom! Boom! Magical attacks rained down on the orc units, and the sounds of explosions signaling the battle''s conclusion echoed through the dungeon. The final blow came from Lioness. ¡°Reload. Fire Wave!¡± Then, a massive wave of fire swept over the clustered orcs. Whoooosh! The entire dungeon was engulfed in mes. ¡°GRAAAAHHH!¡± The orcs couldn¡¯t resist the devastating area-of-effect magic and werepletely consumed by the fire. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Shhh¡­ Lioness dispelled the inferno and took a deep breath. There was a stark contrast between simted training at the Magic Academy and an actual dungeon raid. ¡°Well done, Lioness.¡± ¡°You too, Brother.¡± ¡°This dungeon raid ended quicker than usual. The casualties were far fewer than I expected¡ªall thanks to you.¡± ¡°How many casualties were there?¡± ¡°Thirty-seven. Thankfully, none of the Meisters were injured. At this rate, it¡¯s safe to call this a wless victory.¡± Thirty-seven. Despite the one-sided nature of the battle, that was still considered a small number. ¡°¡­Even E-ss dungeons aren¡¯t easy.¡± ¡°Exactly. Dungeon raids are war.¡± Swish. Guntrian flicked the orc blood off his sword. ¡°Especially those damned orcs. They¡¯re a real pain.¡± ¡°When I first acquired the A-ss Mana Suit and Assimtion, I thought I could raid a dungeon on my own¡­¡± ¡°What do you think now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible.¡± Even though Lioness had burned down more than half of the dungeon, he shook his head. ¡°No matter how strong you are, a support unit is essential.¡± ¡°Exactly. Assimtion isn¡¯t foolproof. Whether your concentration slips, or your mana consumption suddenly spikes¡­ even partial dispel will expose your physical body.¡± ¡°Indeed. I felt it earlier as well. Maintaining Assimtion duringbat isn¡¯t as easy as I thought.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same for you, so imagine how it is for others. Many have died or been crippled because they recklessly relied on Assimtion and charged forward without caution. Hah¡­ I don¡¯t understand why they don¡¯t let the knights handle the shielding as they should.¡± Guntrian let out a small sigh, and Lioness responded with a brief chuckle. ¡°By the way, there¡¯s a Civil Squad that¡¯s caught my attentiontely. Have you heard of one called Meier?¡± It was a squad known for its small size but its rumored ability to clear dungeons rapidly. At this, Guntrian frowned. ¡°I know of it. But it¡¯s nonsense.¡± ¡°¡­Is it?¡± ¡°If their performance is real, then they¡¯re hiding something. I¡¯ve heard they¡¯re affiliated with the Tower of Faeries. Maybe they¡¯ve got elves secretly apanying them as escorts.¡± He waved his hand dismissively, making his stance clear. *** ¡°Solo dungeon raids? Absolutely impossible. As the captain of Elsabar¡¯s squad, I can tell you with certainty¡ªthose iming such feats are nothing but frauds.¡± The journey to the Starn territory was a long one, long enough to pass several dungeons along the way. ¡°We¡¯ll clear this E-ss dungeon before moving on.¡± In a remote mountain ravine, green-skinned humanoid creatures¡ªorc monsters¡ªhad established a base around a dungeon portal. Alkas scratched his head and remarked, ¡°Orcs¡­ These monsters are a real pain.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Orcs form groups and maintain formations, making them particrly troublesome.¡± Swish. Kaylen stepped down from the carriage, his body shifting into a liquid state. ¡°But they have a fatal weakness.¡± ¡°Weakness?¡± ¡°They can¡¯t cut water with swords.¡± Kaylen¡¯s Assimted body gradually dispersed. Soon, his physical form disappeared entirely, leaving behind about ten water spheres the size of heads in his ce. [I¡¯ll take care of the portal. Follow me at your own pace.] Bounce. Bounce. The ten water spheres began bouncing along the ground like balls, disappearing into the mountain path. Momentster¡ª ¡°Guh¡­ Gah¡­¡± ¡°Kuaargh!¡± ¡°Grrrrr¡­!¡± The orcs¡¯ anguished cries began echoing from all directions. When Alkas and Myorn followed the trail, they found orcs writhing on the ground, unable to breathe, their heads encased in water spheres. Bubble. Bubble. The orcs tried desperately to open and close their mouths, attempting to breathe inside the globes of water. But their efforts were futile. One by one, their bodies went limp. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± Myorn covered her mouth in shock. Meanwhile, Kaylen¡¯s voice,ced with dissatisfaction, came from the direction of the water spheres. [Ten won¡¯t be enough.] The water spheres began to split. Ten became twenty, then forty, then sixty. As the number of water spheres grew to sixty, the orc legion''s annihtion elerated rapidly. ¡°Ku-eek!¡± Nearby orcs tried to break the spheres by swinging axes and punching them, but¡ª Ssh. The water sphere would briefly lose shape, only to multiply and engulf the head of the attacking orc. ¡°Gah, gah!¡± The spheres spread like an epidemic. In less than 30 minutes, the orc unit stationed at the mountain foothills waspletely wiped out. Alkas, with a stunned expression, asked, ¡°Is it possible to use Assimtion like that? I¡¯ve never heard of such a method before.¡± ¡°¡­Theoretically, yes,¡± replied Myorn. But it was just that¡ªa theory. In practice, most Meisters struggled to even maintain a humanoid form. Even if they managed to reshape their body, separating it into parts was considered impossible. ¡°Then how does our lord¡­?¡± ¡°Who knows? Could even a Sword Master pull that off?¡± As Myorn pondered in disbelief, the scattered water spheres merged back into one, reforming into Kaylen¡¯s human shape. ¡°It¡¯s certainly more mana-efficient for Guardian to do this than casting spells,¡± Kaylenmented. ¡°Well, that much is obvious¡­ but how did you do it? How can you still move after separating your body?¡± ¡°¡­? Is that supposed to be impossible?¡± Kaylen asked back, looking genuinely confused. ¡°It¡¯s so simple.¡± Swish. Kaylen¡¯s hand turned to water and separated, floating midair. The small water mass transformed into a sword, then into a star, freely shifting its shape. ¡°How is that even possible?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be?¡± ¡°You¡¯re detached from your body!¡± ¡°It¡¯s still my body, even if it¡¯s separated. Of course, I can manipte it.¡± Even process-Assimted elves likely couldn¡¯t achieve such a feat, Myorn thought, feeling her very understanding of the world upended. I can¡¯tprehend this man. He¡¯s unfathomable. Sometimes, he seemed like a Sword Master. Other times, he shook the world by disying the talents of a six-circle Meister. And now, his Assimtion surpassed even that of elves. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense! No one, not even elves or dwarves, can handle Assimtion like that. At best, they can manage it briefly.¡± ¡°Hmm. Not even those two races?¡± Kaylen¡¯s eyes lit up with interest. He had assumed that process-Assimted elves would easily be able to utilize such abilities. Is it because of the Mana Body? As he pondered the possible cause, Myorn stomped her feet in frustration, unable to find an exnation. ¡°This is so obvious to me. I can¡¯t even exin it properly,¡± Kaylen said with a shrug. ¡°Sigh¡­ This could revolutionize mana suit development,¡± Myorn muttered. Kaylen chose not to borate. It wasn¡¯t the time to discuss the Mana Body yet. ¡°Let¡¯s head into the portal. I¡¯ll clear the way using the same method.¡± ¡°Tsk. Fine. But do you really need to conserve your strength?¡± ¡°Yes. I wanted to help with your Spirit Power training today.¡± A Mana Suit of Water? Myorn raised a questioning brow, clearly perplexed. Kaylen simply smirked. ¡°Let¡¯s start by breaking the dungeon core.¡± ¡°Enter the portal in an hour,¡± Kaylen instructed Myorn and Alkas before stepping into the dungeon portal alone. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s really going to use that same method again?¡± ¡°Seems like it.¡± ¡°But there are far more orcs inside the dungeon, and they¡¯re much stronger.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t our lord, I¡¯d bet my entire fortune that no one could pull it off.¡± Exactly one hourter, they entered the portal. All around themy the bodies of orcs. Each one was untouched by des or burns¡ªevery single one had suffocated to death. Alkas muttered in disbelief, ¡°I thought this might happen, but¡­ to clear an orc dungeon this effortlessly...¡± He recalled stories from his academy seniors. Many who joined escort squads for Civil Squads struggled in orc dungeons, with few returning. Unlike monsters that acted purely on instinct, orcs were highly organized, making them a nightmare for even seasoned knights. Following the trail of corpses, they soon found Kaylen sitting casually near the dungeon core,pletely unharmed. ¡°Myorn, you brought the old ¡®Normal¡¯ Mana Suit, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alkas, put it on and try to break the dungeon core.¡± The Prototype Normal Suit, an early version capable of outputting 1.5 times the standard aura, fit snugly over Alkas. Crackle. Aura surged from Alkas¡¯s sword like an explosion. ¡°Haaaahp!¡± With a sharp swing, his de struck the dungeon core directly. ng! The sword seemed to bite into the core briefly but was quickly repelled. ¡°Again.¡± ng! ¡°Strike the same spot.¡± ng! ng! ¡°Aura output is dropping. Focus. Again!¡± ng! ng! ng! Under Kaylen¡¯s guidance, Alkas continued to strike relentlessly, but the dungeon core remained unscathed, deflecting each blow with ease. ¡°That¡¯s enough. It¡¯s still beyond your ability,¡± Kaylen finally dered. ¡°Aura alone won¡¯t work. To break the dungeon core, you need simultaneous,rge-scale explosive damage to weaken its defenses. No matter how sharp aura is, it¡¯s limited in its impact points, allowing the core to regenerate instantly,¡± Myorn exined. Her reasoning was sound. It was this very trait that sidelined knights and elevated the importance of mages in dungeon clearing. Kaylen listened silently, then extended his hand. ¡°Alkas. The sword.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± The de in Alkas¡¯s hand slowly dissolved into water, spiraling and transforming as mana surged around it. What formed was an Aura Sword¡ªbut not the familiar golden hue Kaylen usually wielded. This one glowed with a vivid blue light. Seeing it, Myorn¡¯s hair stood on end. ¡°An Aura Sword¡­ of Water?¡± With a smooth motion, the blue Aura Sword passed cleanly through the dungeon core. In an instant, the core dimmed and split into two perfect halves. ¡°My lord¡­ you¡¯ve be even stronger!¡± Alkas eximed. ¡°No, it just resisted less than usual. Your attacks seem to have weakened it.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Yes. But¡­¡± Kaylen picked up one half of the split core, his brow furrowing. Where the usual infernal script marking it as ¡°Colony¡± was inscribed, a new word had been added. [Colony ¨C Caution] [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 52 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 52 ¡®¡­¡­?¡¯ A warning? ¡°Myorn, have you seen this character before?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. What is it?¡± Though Kaylen asked on the off chance, Myorn¡¯s expression clearly indicated she had no idea either. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask the guild branch leaderter.¡¯ Unable to find any answers for now, Kaylen decided to set the issue aside. ¡°Alkas, we¡¯ll camp here tonight. Tell the driver to guard the carriage.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± With thatmand, Kaylen shifted his gaze to Myorn. ¡°Myorn, do you feel a change in the ambient mana?¡± ¡°Yes. Such an abundance of mana¡­¡± ¡°Tonight, we¡¯ll conduct spirit training here.¡± ¡°...Here? How exactly?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see once we start. You should brace yourself.¡± ¡°...My lord, that ce has been left as is for quite some time. Are you sure it¡¯s safe?¡± At the mountain¡¯s peak where the dungeon had disappeared, Alkas nced nervously between Kaylen and the summit. ¡°It¡¯s still fine,¡± Kaylen replied without a flicker of concern. At the center of the summit stood Myorn, encased in a massive block of ice, resembling a prisoner trapped in an ice prison. However, the ice wasn¡¯t as intact as before¡ªinside, it was gradually melting, and water was slowly umting. ¡°To train mana in an extreme state caused by opposing elements¡­ I see, this is possible too.¡± ¡°Exactly. And to facilitate it, we shattered the dungeon core and froze her in this moment.¡± The method Kaylen had devised was simple: Freeze Myorn. And within the ice, she would draw out the fire mana within her. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not fond of training in extreme conditions. It usually has a high failure rate.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Progressing through moments of crisis carries a significant risk. It¡¯s far better to train consistently in optimal conditions without such risks.¡± Hearing this, Alkas recalled the Sword of Training Kaylen had given him. Indeed, the weapon emphasized steady, daily practice in the best possible condition, rather than being pushed to the brink. If one¡¯s condition was poor, the sword itself would adjust its speed and intensity to match the trainee¡¯s capacity. ¡°But Myorn, being the Dwarf Queen, is a unique case. She has an excessive amount of dormant fire mana within her, so extreme pressure is necessary to awaken it.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± ¡°Ordinarily, she would have enough mana to summon high-tier spirits. But because the ambient mana in the world has dwindled, she¡¯s only been able to summon mid-tier spirits until now.¡± Upon closely examining Myorn for her fire mana training, Kaylen discovered something remarkable: Her body held far more mana than expected. This amount was sufficient to summon high-tier spirits with ease¡ªhad it been 700 years ago. However, due to the changes in the world, she had been unable to summon high-tier spirits, and her body had never felt the need to expend itstent magical energy. ¡°To draw out the dormant fire mana within her, we have to artificially create a state of crisis. As the ice melts, it seems the fire mana is slowly awakening.¡± At those words, Alkas asked, his voice tinged with anticipation: ¡°Do you think¡­ I might have dormant mana sleeping within me too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible for Myorn because she¡¯s the Dwarf Queen. Humans? Don¡¯t even bother. If you have any, it¡¯s barely worth mentioning.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes, I understand.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s another benefit to this method,¡± Kaylen said, gesturing towards Myorn. ¡°Doesn¡¯t her fur look a bit thicker now?¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right. It looks denser and fuller than before. Almost overwhelming, really.¡± ¡°As the Dwarf Queen, she also handles earth spirits. By freezing her, I¡¯m not only awakening her fire mana but also nourishing the earth mana within her.¡± Alkas infused his eyes with mana, observing Myorn¡¯s body trapped in the ice. Inside, he noticed faint ripples of water energy moving. The flow of energy around her body was continuously being absorbed into her fur. ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s why you¡¯ve been running the guardian function constantly, even after freezing her.¡± ¡°Exactly. To eventually reduce the fur, paradoxically, we first need to make it grow even more.¡± The fur of the Dwarf Queen, which grew to support her fire mana training, drew its strength from the earth¡¯s mana. By stimting the fire through water mana and strengthening the earth to thicken the fur, Kaylen was setting the groundwork to amplify her fire power even further. ¡®Though I expected this to take longer¡­ as expected of the Dwarf Queen.¡¯ Tap, tap. As Kaylen watched the ice slowly melt, he let out a small sigh of admiration. It was one thing to theorize about nurturing fire within ice, but in most cases, the energy wouldn¡¯t even surface. Yet, Myorn was already showing results shortly after the training began. ¡®Next time, I¡¯ll freeze her even more intensely.¡¯ Just as this thought crossed his mind¡ª Fwoosh! Suddenly, the top of the ice block began melting rapidly, and mes burst forth from within. The ice chunk melted away entirely, leaving a drenched but alive Myorn. ¡°Ah¡­ seriously. I thought I was going to die.¡± Alkas, who had been about to congratte her, abruptly froze mid-sentence as he turned to look at her. His eyes widened as he stared at her in shock. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Your face¡­ your face is showing!¡± ¡°Huh? Really? Wow, now that you mention it, it feels refreshing¡­¡± Before Myorn could finish her sentence, her face was once again buried under a sudden, rapid growth of fur. The density was now even greater than before, leaving her entire facepletely hidden. Inside the thick mass of fur, Myorn clicked her tongue in frustration. ¡°Tch. It grew back already. I didn¡¯t even get to see my face.¡± ¡°Well, if we keep training like this, you¡¯ll probably get to see it again eventually,¡± Alkas reassured her. ¡°Thanks, Kaylen. This was effective. By the way, did you see my face? What did it look like?¡± Kaylen silently nced at Alkas, whose jaw was hanging open and eyes were wide in disbelief. It reminded Kaylen of how he had reacted the first time he saw Kaina. ¡®Yeah, I was just as stunned back then.¡¯ Kaylen shrugged, a faint smile ying on his lips. "Well, that''s how it is." The journey to the Starn Territory. After passing through six dungeons and assisting Myorn with her spirit mana training over twenty days¡­ The results were undeniable. "I really am kind of pretty, aren¡¯t I?" Inside the carriage heading to the Starn Territory, Myorn admired herself in a mirror. Her features disyed an almost perfect harmony. Even if a dwarf sculptor attempted to carve a goddess, they wouldn¡¯te close to replicating this. Though her eyebrows and hair had been reced by fiery mes resembling a fire spirit, this only heightened her otherworldly and ethereal charm. "My face alone might even outshine an elf¡¯s. What do you think?" "You look like a goddess of fire!" Alkas replied, still in awe, his eyes sparkling with admiration. Seeing his reaction, Myorn smirked. "You look just like a man infatuated with Irene." "Ah, well, that¡¯s¡­!" "So this is the kind of fun elves must enjoy." As Myorn continued praising her own beauty, Kaylen chimed in. "Well, your face is indeed more stunning than an elf¡¯s. Just your face." "¡­What are you trying to say?" "Look below your face." Myorn nced down. From beneath her chin, an overwhelmingly thick mass of fur sprawled in every direction. "If someone saw you, they might mistake you for a new type of monster." "Urgh¡­" "There¡¯s still a long way to go. Myorn, don¡¯t getcent just because your face is visible now." "I know, I know¡­" In the midst of this sharply protruding fur, her face seemed almostically out of ce. If someone unfamiliar saw her, they¡¯d easily assume she was some kind of creature. "Master, isn¡¯t that a bit harsh? Calling her a monster is quite disrespectful to ady," Alkas interjected, still mesmerized by Myorn¡¯s face. Kaylen¡¯s eyebrow twitched at this unexpected defense. "Well, well. Ady, you say? Judging by how you¡¯re reacting, her face must have some sort of magical power." "True," Myorn added with augh. "It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen Alkas talk back to you. I know I¡¯m pretty, but is it really that much? All this¡­ fur?" Shrrrrrip! Myorn yfully grabbed at her own fur, tugging at her cheeks and pulling her nose with no regard for her appearance. Even as she contorted her face, Alkas remained entranced, staring at her nkly. "Seriously? You¡¯re still into this?" she muttered, incredulous. "Yes¡­ I am¡­" "What about now? Even now?" "Y-yes¡­ even now¡­" Even as she flipped her lips and made a pig snout, Alkas nodded like he was under a spell. Watching this unfold, Kaylen sighed deeply. "Myorn, could you just cover your face again? If you go around with only your face showing like that, things are going to get quite troublesome. Look at him¡ªhe¡¯s already like this." Myorn nodded in agreement, realizing the truth of his words. Even Alkas, who seemed deeply loyal, was acting this way. How would other humans react? It was amusing to see them dazed for a moment, but the hassle wasn¡¯t worth it. Considering she could only reveal her face while the rest remained covered in fur, Myorn decided it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble. "I guess I¡¯ll do that." Shrrrrrr. The goddess-like face was quickly covered by fur once more. "Ah¡­! Why¡­" Alkas let out a disappointed groan, but Myorn soon returned to her furball state. Shaking her fur-covered body, she spoke in a refreshed tone. "Yeah, this feels morefortable." "That¡¯s¡­fortable for you?" Kaylen asked, incredulous. "Of course. My fur acts like extra limbs under my control. Imagine living with dozens of hands and then suddenly being reduced to just two like a human. It¡¯d feel stifling, wouldn¡¯t it?" Indeed, Myorn¡¯s fur had proven to be incredibly functional.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "It¡¯ll be a shame if youpletely free yourself from the restraints of the fur once your fire spirit powers grow stronger," Alkasmented wistfully. "Why?" "Because you¡¯d have to live entirely in human form." Myorn tilted her head in confusion. "What? Is that how it works? No more fur once I¡¯m free?" "I believe that was the case with Lady Kaina," Alkas replied. "That¡¯s odd. I remember Lady Kaina being like this most of the time¡­" "¡­Really?" Kaylen blinked, perplexed. That didn¡¯t align with his understanding. "Yeah. She used to say this form was morefortable, and that she liked not having to pretend." "Ah, right. You inherited the records of the Great Sage. From his perspective, that¡¯s likely what he remembered. Lady Kaina always showed her most beautiful side in front of him." Oh. So that¡¯s how it was. Kaylen smirked wryly. Kaina had imed she loved her human form after burning away all her fur¡­ but it seemed she also found her furred state morefortable after all. "Strangely enough, I miss her today," Kaylen muttered to himself. *** Starn Barony Manor A sharp woman¡¯s voice echoed through the estate. "Dear, what are you doing here?" "I was just admiring this painting," replied a man with a long brown beard¡ªBaron Starn. "Admiring paintings at a time like this? When we should be evacuating? Don¡¯t you ever get tired of that sted thing?" "¡­Sigh." "Pack your things already! The mansion¡¯s out of funds, and we¡¯ve even dismissed the servants!" Baron Starn stroked his beard silently, enduring his wife¡¯s reprimands. "This painting¡­ it¡¯s a family treasure passed down through generations. Surely we should take it with us?" "That messy doodle is a family treasure? Anyone could paint that yellow star!" "Still¡­" "Fine if it were small! But it¡¯s needlessly huge and a hassle to carry. Absolutely not!" "Hmph." The baron cleared his throat in frustration, but his wife only grew more agitated. "You don¡¯t even know when a monster might attack! Stop wasting time! And don¡¯t forget, your elder brother ising to help. We need to prepare!" "Alright, alright." Atst, the baron reluctantly turned away from the painting. Left hanging on the wall, the painting was ignored once more. It was a massive frame that covered an entire wall of the manor. Inside the frame was a chaotic depiction of a golden star painted over in various colors. To anyone¡¯s eyes, it looked far from a treasure¡ªa messy and haphazard piece. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 53 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 53 Kaylen entered Starn Castle, assessing his surroundings with a critical eye. "This ce is truly backward." Even the rural fiefs from a thousand years ago didn¡¯t seem this deteriorated. The castle walls looked like they could be scaled with ease by a child, and the "city" outside was more like a small vige. Trying to maintain this estate seemed more burdensome than simply relinquishing it and moving to the capital. "I don¡¯t understand." Why was Ruhos so interested in this territory? As Kaylen pondered, he noticed a group blocking the castle gate. At the forefront was a bald Ruhos, apanied by several knights, their expressions grim and hostile. "Kaylen..." "It¡¯s been a while, Ruhos," Kaylen replied. Among the group were knights who had previously tried to intimidate Kaylen. "Back then, I foolishly followed Sir Ruhos..." "I hope he doesn¡¯t remember me." The knights recalled the time they had threatened Kaylen to throw his match in the quarterfinals of a tournament, believing he would never escape the obscurity of a rural barony. But none of them had imagined Kaylen would rise to such prominence. Now, they regretted following Ruhos here, avoiding Kaylen¡¯s piercing gaze. "Useless fools..." Ruhos cursed inwardly as he observed his subordinates. The knights he brought as escorts were utterly ipetent. Regardless of how strong their opponent was, this behavior was disgraceful for knights. Kaylen, noticing their unease, smirked. "Baldur knights are quick to read the room, I see." "Urgh..." "Where¡¯s your master?" Kaylen asked calmly. "He¡¯ll be here shortly. You should wait here," Ruhos replied stiffly. "Me? Wait?" Kaylen replied, flicking his hand dismissively in a show of annoyance. "When your master arrives, have hime find me." The casual wave of Kaylen¡¯s hand made Ruhos flush red with anger. "You insolent brat...!" "Quiet. I¡¯ll be taking a look around the castle, so... hmm?" The sharp ck of heels echoed within the castle walls. "Brother Ruhos!" A high-pitched voice followed. Kaylen¡¯s body tensed involuntarily at the sound. It was a reflexive reaction. "Someone who would call Ruhos ''brother''..." "There¡¯s only one person in Starn Castle who fits that description." "Brother, you¡¯ve arrived already?" The woman who appeared was immediately noticeable¡ªher attire was ostentatious,yered with excessive jewelry. It was a stark contrast to the impoverished state of the territory. But Kaylen knew all too well how ruthless and spiteful this baroness, with her apparent vanity, could be. "You¡¯re... Kaylen...?" she said, narrowing her eyes. The baroness tilted her head in slight confusion. While the man bore a resemnce to Kaylen Starn, his physique was far different from thest time she had seen him before he left the barony. Back then, he had been tall and thin, almost frail-looking. But now, he was built like a seasoned knight, his frame radiating strength and power. Had it not been for Ruhos confirming his identity, she might have remained unsure if it was truly him. ¡°It¡¯s him,¡± Ruhos affirmed. ¡°You¡­ you! Why are you here? Didn¡¯t I tell you never to return?!¡± The baroness¡¯s shrill voice echoed loudly, the same voice that once used to intimidate Kaylen during his childhood. Back then, it had cowed him into silence and submission. But now, it had no effect. ¡°Quiet,¡± Kaylen said curtly. ¡°What?! How dare you¡ªhow dare you talk to me like that? To your elder?¡± The baroness attempted to muster up her usual domineering demeanor, but something was off. Her voicecked its usual force, and a strange unease crept over her. ¡®What is this...?¡¯ The baroness found herself unable to meet Kaylen¡¯s gaze. His golden eyes bore down on her with an authority that left her utterly speechless. She tried topose herself, to respond, but her words wouldn¡¯te. ¡®Why... why can¡¯t I speak?¡¯ Flustered and unsure of herself, the baroness floundered in silence. Kaylen turned his attention to Ruhos. ¡°Ruhos, take this noisy woman away,¡± he ordered. ¡°What did you do to her¡­?¡± Ruhos began but faltered. ¡°Her voice will return in an hour. In the meantime, I¡­¡± Kaylen trailed off as he looked past the baroness. A middle-aged man was approaching, hauling a cart piled high with belongings. ¡°I¡¯ll have a chat with my father.¡± ¡°Long time no see, Kaylen,¡± the man greeted. ¡°Yes, Father,¡± Kaylen replied. Alves Starn. The head of the Starn barony and Kaylen¡¯s father. Kaylen¡¯s first impression of him was simple: ¡®Nothing extraordinary.¡¯ A in man with an air of insecurity, Alves didn¡¯t appear to be anything special. Yet Kaylen¡¯s sharp gaze picked up on a subtle detail. ¡®His hair is a different color than mine.¡¯ Alves had brown hair, unlike Kaylen¡¯s silvery locks and golden eyes. Silver hair and golden eyes were defining features of the Meier n, those who bore the legacy of Infinity. Alves, however,cked these traits entirely. ¡®Still, he has the bare minimum of the legacy¡ªhis golden eyes.¡¯ Golden eyes were a rare trait, even outside the Meier n, and they signified the potential to awaken Infinity. ¡®A thousand years ago, he¡¯d have been considered one of the n¡¯s untalented. But in this era, even this is something to be thankful for.¡¯ Alves dropped onto the cart with a heavy sigh and spoke sternly. ¡°Why have you returned here instead of staying in the capital?¡± His tone was severe, almost reprimanding. ¡°I told you there is no ce for you here in Starn.¡± ¡°I am well aware,¡± Kaylen replied calmly. ¡°Then why¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve taken on a request from the Civil Squad.¡± ¡°The Civil Squad? You?¡± Alves shot to his feet in surprise. The Civil Squad? Kaylen? Wasn¡¯t he still a student? ¡®Did he get hired as a support mage?¡¯ Alves could only assume as much, having no knowledge of what Kaylen had been doing in the capital. ¡°Did you not hear anything from Baldur?¡± Kaylen asked. ¡°Well¡­ no. When the dungeon appeared in the barony, I requested their assistance, but they refused outright. All I heard was that you had gravely insulted Zaik Baldur.¡± ¡°Insulted, you say.¡± ¡°They even asked if you and our family were truly estranged.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Of course, you confirmed it, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I told them the same,¡± Kaylen said nonchntly, as if it were a trivial matter. Watching his son, Alves felt an odd sense of dissonance. Kaylen was nothing like the boy he had sent away to the academy years ago. ¡ª Father, I¡¯m sorry. It was my fault. Please, just let me stay with the family. I don¡¯t need the academy. I don¡¯t need anything. On that day, Kaylen had sobbed, begging to remain in the family. The boy, already scrawny, had looked utterly frail and pitiable. But now¡­ ¡®What on earth happened to him?¡¯ His frame was imposing, and his golden eyes were calm and unwavering. Even faced with a stern reprimand, Kaylen remainedposed, exuding an unshakable confidence. In just a few years, he had be an entirely different person. ¡°My matters with Zaik are my own. Starn has no need to involve itself. Don¡¯t concern yourself with it any further,¡± Kaylen said firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t concern myself? Do you even understand who they are? The Baldur count family! Starn swore loyalty to them!¡± ¡°That fealty binds only the Starn family, not me,¡± Kaylen replied without hesitation. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± His resolute words left Alves momentarily speechless. Seeing his father falter, Kaylen continued. ¡°Besides, I came here at their request.¡± ¡°Their request?¡± ¡°The dungeon that appeared here¡ªwhat was your n for dealing with it?¡± ¡°¡­Since it seemed unlikely we¡¯d get help from the Baldur count family, I nned to liquidate our assets and hire the Civil Squad with the funds. But then, out of the blue, they imed they¡¯d bring the squad themselves, which puzzled me.¡± Alves clearly didn¡¯t understand the full situation. Since the true purpose had been to arrange a meeting between Lioness and Kaylen, there had been no reason to exin things to the Baron of Starn. ¡°The Civil Squad they said they¡¯d bring¡­ that¡¯s me,¡± Kaylen said. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you drop out of school to join the Civil Squad?¡± Alves asked, naturally assuming this was the case, unaware of Kaylen¡¯s aplishments. Kaylen gave him a sly smile. ¡°No.¡± With that, he slowly began to emanate an aura. Srrr¡­ ¡°...Hah!¡± As Kaylen¡¯s feet slowly transformed into water, Alves fell to the ground in shock. ¡°Not as a support mage, but as the Meister of the Civil Squad Meier.¡± ¡°H-How¡­ How is that even possible?¡± ¡°Now that it¡¯se to this, why don¡¯t you guide me to the dungeon? I¡¯llplete the request swiftly.¡± Alves froze, his mind racing. He had firsthand experience with dungeon exterminations conducted by the Civil Squad. Before inheriting the Starn barony, he had briefly worked as a support mage for the squad. In his memories, dungeon exterminations were grueling,plex endeavors. You had to prepare supplies to endure extended periods, study the monsters in the dungeon, and train to exploit their weaknesses. During expeditions, you had to appease temperamental Meisters, mediate disputes between rough knights and mercenaries, and even then, idents in the dungeon often led to disaster. Alves had faced numerous life-threatening moments as a support mage before quitting to take over the family estate. For someone with such harrowing memories, witnessing Kaylen¡¯s calm confidence was almost surreal. Kaylen didn¡¯t just meet Alves¡¯ expectations of a Meister¡ªhe shattered them. ¡°Ice Spear.¡± With a flick of Kaylen¡¯s hand, hundreds of ice spears materialized in the sky above. No, spears was a misnomer. BOOM! The descending spears were massive pirs of ice, each striking with overwhelming force. ¡°Kiieeek!¡± ¡°What is happening?¡± The goblin vige below was obliterated by the icy judgment from the heavens. A few goblins survived the onught and charged desperately. ¡°That one killed our kin!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± With a simple gesture, Kaylen trapped them in water prisons. Goblins thrashed within the confines of the shimmering prisons, trembling momentarily before going limp. ¡°Let¡¯s move,¡± Kaylen said. The walk to the dungeon portal was eerily peaceful. The goblin vige near the portal had beenpletely annihted, and no goblins who sought to ambush Kaylen had survived. ¡°W-Wait. Are you really going in? Alone?¡± Alves stammered. ¡°You¡¯re free to stay outside.¡± ¡°N-No¡­ That won¡¯t do. I¡¯lle with you.¡± Even though Alves had seen Kaylen¡¯s strength, entering a dungeon portal was another matter entirely. Still, after hesitating briefly, Alves followed closely behind his son. ¡°Kiiririk.¡± ¡°A human!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± The moment they stepped into the dungeon portal, a barrage of weapons hurtled toward them. ¡°Ice Shield.¡± But the thick barrier of ice proved imprable. ¡°Ice Spear.¡± And the towering ice pirs annihted the ambushers without resistance. As Kaylen''s hand moved, goblins were ughtered. Alves stood dumbfounded behind his son, watching the path open before them. Is this... even possible? Alves, both a father and a fellow mage, knew his son¡¯s capabilities well. In a rural vige, Kaylen might not have stood out, but in the capital, he would have never been noticed¡ªjust an ordinary talent. But could someone change this much in just a few years? Civil Squad... Meier. Alves¡¯ thoughts turned to Meier. Why choose the name Meier of all names? The name of the Meier Empire, founded by the ancestors of Starn and associated with the demons. Could it be... One hourter. Kaylen and Alves stood before the dungeon core. Alves no longer seemed surprised. Kaylen surveyed the area around the dungeon core. There were no enemies that could pose a threat. As long as the dungeon core remained intact, monsters would eventually emerge again, but¡­ It didn¡¯t seem like they would appear any time soon. ¡°Father. I have a question,¡± Kaylen said. The isted space. With monsters not likely to emerge for a while. It was the perfect ce to quietly talk. Kaylen asked Alves, ¡°Why did the Baldurs target the Starn?¡± [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 54 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 54 "Kaylen, you are no longer a part of the Starn family. Why are you curious about this?" Despite witnessing Kaylen¡¯s prowess as he single-handedly subdued the dungeon, Alves maintained a clear line, distancing himself from Kaylen. Even in the face of such coldness from his father, Kaylen responded with a smile. "I realized something during my time in the capital." "And what would that be?" "Just how insignificant the Starn Barony really is as a background." "...I see. The provinces do tend to lose their value, thanks to the dungeons." The proliferation of dungeons led to the downfall of many provincial noble families. In the capital, or among noble houses with great power, private squads like the Civil Squad were formed to subjugate dungeons. However¡­ Those without such strength were frequently overrun by the ever-emerging dungeons. While the central government asionally organized subjugation forces to clean up the situation, their reach rarely extended beyond regions connected to the capital. As a result, outermost territories like Starn were left almost entirely neglected. "So, I started to wonder¡ªwhy would Ruhos target a family as worthless as ours?" "...Kaylen. Let me repeat myself. You are no longer part of the Starn family. Do not concern yourself with this matter. This is also for your sake." "For my sake?" Even in the dungeon, Alves instinctively scanned his surroundings, as if it were second nature to be cautious. "Yes. Behind Ruhos stands the Baldur Countship. While your abilities are extraordinary, there¡¯s no reason for you to go up against the Countship for the sake of a worthless family like Starn. Go your own way." "That aside, I have a question for you. Why did you use the name Meier?" Alves looked at Kaylen with a mixture of confusion and concern. "If it were in honor of Emperor Ernstine, that might make sense. But Meier, a name associated with demons, is a cursed one. Did you not think so too? Why go out of your way to choose it?" "Because I decided it was a name worth inheriting, more so than Starn." "...Why the change of heart?" Alves¡¯ sharp gaze fixed on Kaylen. Kaylen, who oncemented being descended from Meier, questioning if his bloodline connected him to demons, had now decided to carry that very name. And seeing how much stronger he had bepared to before, Alves felt an unsettling suspicion. ¡®He wouldn¡¯t use the name Meier without reason. There must be something behind it.¡¯ But Kaylen met Alves¡¯ piercing gaze with an air of nonchnce. "I have my reasons for the change in perspective. But as you said, I have severed ties with the Starn family. I can¡¯t exin any further." "...I see." "However, if you resolve my curiosity first, I might consider sharing." The implication was clear: if Alves wanted to know why he chose the name Meier, he¡¯d first have to answer Kaylen¡¯s own question. Alves hesitated briefly before replying. "Never mind. It¡¯s not something I need to know that badly." "Understood. Let¡¯s head back then." It was a topic Alves decided to leave unanswered. ¡®Kaylen has already left Starn behind. I have no intention of dragging him back into this mess.¡¯ From destroying the dungeon¡¯s core to leaving its depths, Alves spoke as little as possible. Even as he watched Kaylen¡¯s remarkable power, his astonishment and curiosity were forcibly suppressed. Kaylen, noticing this, thought to himself: ¡®For someone who always seemed so weak-willed in front of his wife, he does have his moments of stubbornness.¡¯ Alves had insisted on apanying Kaylen into the dungeon, knowing the risks. Though he had disowned his son, it seemed clear that wasn¡¯t truly his intention. It must have been the work of Ruhos or the Baroness. ¡°But¡­ if they choose to remain silent even after seeing such power, I won¡¯t push to find out.¡± If they didn¡¯t bring it up, there was no need to inquire further. After all, he was no longer Kaylen Starn but Ernstine from 1,000 years ago. In this uneasy silence, the two returned to Starn Castle. ¡°Dear!¡± As soon as they entered the castle, the Baroness approached them, visibly upset. Alves instinctively shrank back at her approach¡ªit was a reflex. ¡°Where in the world have you been?¡± ¡°I went with Kaylen to subjugate a dungeon.¡± ¡°Subjugate a dungeon...?¡± The Baroness briefly nced at Kaylen before swiftly averting her gaze. It seemed she had received some kind of warning from Ruhos. Her earlier rudeness hadpletely vanished, and now she avoided looking at Kaylen altogether, addressing only Alves. ¡°Then, has the dungeon been taken care of?¡± ¡°Yes. The dungeon core has been destroyed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. A guest will be arriving soon. We need to prepare the castle to wee them.¡± ¡°A guest?¡± ¡°Lord Zaik Baldur is expected to arrive shortly.¡± ¡°Lord Zaik¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no time for this right now. With the dungeon gone, let¡¯s head back to the castle immediately.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± The Baroness bustled around near the castle gates, clearly in a rush. When Alves started to move under her urging, she suddenly yelled. ¡°Wait! Are you not going to pull the cart?¡± The cart was loaded with the castle¡¯s valuables. Alves hesitated, ncing around at the gathered people: Kaylen and his group, Ruhos and his men, and others were all watching him. For the Baron of the castle to pull a cart himself¡ªit was humiliating. ¡°¡­Hah.¡± Though his face burned with embarrassment, he had no choice. Just then, Kaylen stepped forward, cing a hand in front of Alves. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡± ¡°Kaylen¡­¡± Without hesitation, Kaylen approached the cart and prepared to lift it. But before he could, the Baroness suddenly shrieked in rm. ¡°W-wait! Wait!¡± ¡°What is it now?¡± ¡°How could we, as the Starn family, let someone as esteemed as a Meister do such work?¡± The Baroness quickly turned to Ruhos, signaling him with urgency. ¡°Brother, could you have the knights assist us?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Please, quickly!¡± Perhaps sensing the urgency in her tone, Ruhos gave the order for the knights to take over moving the cart. It was clear to anyone watching that they were wary of Kaylen pulling the cart. ¡°Hm, I wonder what¡¯s in that cart to warrant such a reaction. Their behavior is tant.¡± ¡°¡­Who knows? There¡¯s nothing special in there.¡± ¡°If Zaik is arriving, I¡¯ll apany the group to meet him.¡± ¡°Do as you wish.¡± Inside the Starn Baron¡¯s castle. Having sold off much of their estate for dungeon subjugation, the interior was deste and barren. ¡°Dear, go and call back those we dismissed earlier. We can¡¯t possibly greet Lord Zaik without even a single maid in the house!¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± Baron Alves left the house reluctantly,plying with the Baroness¡¯s orders. Seeing this, Alkas leaned toward Kaylen and whispered. ¡°My lord, are you nning to let this continue?¡± ¡°And why not?¡± ¡°The Baron is being humiliated, constantly at the mercy of the Baroness¡­¡± ¡°I am no longer of the Starn family. Moreover, Father hasn¡¯t sought my help. I¡¯ll simply observe.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Kaylen silently surveyed the castle. It was small and bleak. But amid this destion, arge frame stood prominently disyed in the central hall. The painting looked chaotic, with random sshes of color that resembled a child¡¯s scribbles. It was so crude that one could hardly understand why it was on disy. And yet, Kaylen¡¯s gaze was fixed on the painting. At the center of the chaos, there was a golden star. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Infinity, isn¡¯t it?¡± In the past, Kaylen hadn¡¯t recognized Infinity, so he hadn¡¯t thought much of the painting. Moreover, with its disorganized brushstrokes, it was hard to notice Infinity unless one was consciously looking for it. But now, with Ernstine¡¯s insight, Infinity stood out unmistakably. Was it merely a depiction of a star? Kaylen slowly approached the painting, intending to examine it closely. ¡°Please wait, Lord Kaylen,¡± the Baroness said, approaching with a smile. Her earlier loud and abrasive demeanor had disappeared entirely, reced by an overly polite attitude. ¡°And why the sudden formal tone?¡± ¡°My brother told me about you, Lord Kaylen, and how exceptional a Meister you are. I must beg your forgiveness for my prior rudeness.¡± ¡°I apologize for disturbing your appreciation of the painting, but our mansion is rather small. We need this space to prepare for the guest¡¯s reception. Could you postpone your viewing forter?¡± Her request was polite yet firm. Since she was preparing to wee a guest, it was hard to refuse. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Thank you. Please, take your rest in the meantime.¡± As she left, several maids entered, beginning to rearrange tables and prepare the hall. Kaylen watched them silently for a moment before heading to his room. ¡°Sixth-circle talent, you say? I couldn¡¯t believe it at first.¡± The Baroness spoke with an elegantugh, her expression unchanged as sheplimented Kaylen. ¡°Thank you for your kind words, Baroness. The food is excellent.¡± ¡°It must pale inparison to the splendor of the capital, but I¡¯m grateful you enjoy it.¡± ¡°No, it has the sameforting taste of home.¡± Kaylen responded with a cordial smile, mirroring her polite demeanor. Outwardly, the meal appeared to be a warm and harmonious affair. However, as soon as the banquet ended, Myorn immediately grumbled. ¡°Ugh¡­ Watching that woman force herself to maintain a pleasant expression was exhausting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you overeat,¡± Kaylen quipped. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m a dwarf! Indigestion is not in my vocabry.¡± With that, Myorn swung the fur-covered door open and entered her room ahead of the others. ¡°I¡¯m going to rest.¡± ¡°Alright. Alkas, I¡¯ll head to my room as well.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord. Sleep well.¡± The room assigned to Kaylen was a guest chamber. When asked about his original room, the Baroness hadughed and exined it was ¡°under renovation.¡± ¡°Her intentions are crystal clear,¡± Kaylen thought, smirking slightly as hey on the bed and closed his eyes. ¡°If Alves won¡¯t speak, I¡¯ll find out myself.¡± Summoning his mana, he amplified his hearing. He suspected that something significant would be discussed between Ruhos and the Baroness. The first sound he caught was from the adjacent room¡ªAlkas¡¯s voice. ¡°Ah, Lady Myorn¡­¡± Still smitten by Myorn¡¯s unmasked face, he seemed to be muttering words of admiration to himself. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ignore that.¡± Suppressing Alkas¡¯s voice from his focus, Kaylen tuned into every sound within the manor. ¡°Did you see thatrge man earlier? They said he¡¯s Lord Kaylen.¡± ¡°Why does he look so different? He used to be aplete pretty boy.¡± ¡°Now he¡¯s like some battle-hardened general.¡± The maids chatted about Kaylen. ¡°The Starn barony is truly unimpressive.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why Lord Ruhos is putting so much effort into this ce.¡± ¡°Is it that important to dominate a barony like this? If I were the Baron, I¡¯d hand over the seal for a bit of gold.¡± The knights of Ruhos gossiped among themselves. ¡°¡­Kaylen, with ¡®sixth-circle talent¡¯? Could it be rted to using the name of Meier? But no matter how curious I am¡­ I can¡¯t involve him in family matters.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om These were the musings of Baron Alves. Despite hearing all these scattered conversations, there were two voices he couldn¡¯t catch: Ruhos and the Baroness. ¡°Have they blocked their voices?¡± Kaylen focused his hearing further, amplifying it as much as he could. Still, the two voices remained silent. ¡°Did they leave the manor?¡± It made sense; this decrepit house was hardly suitable for secretive discussions. Just as Kaylen was about to stop using his amplified hearing¡­ ¡°Brother! Brother! How could this happen?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ A, it¡¯s clear now.¡± Suddenly, voices echoed from the central hall. ¡°This painting really is a ¡®Demonic Relic¡¯!¡± [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 55 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 55 "The painting is a Demonic Relic?" Kaylen recalled the painting in the waiting room. ¡°It showed Infinity.¡± In the center of the waiting room, a painting of a golden star disyed in a frame had caught his attention. He had wanted to examine it more closely because of its peculiar nature, but the baroness had insisted on setting up the venue, leaving him unable to investigate further. "A Demonic Relic, huh." Srrr¡ª Kaylen activated his Mana Suit Guardian. His body, now transformed into liquid form, seeped slowly into the wooden floor, heading toward the central hall of the mansion. "Now I can see." Arriving at the ceiling of the central hall, he remained in his altered state, peering down. Below, the baroness A and Ruhos were whispering to each other, their faces a mix of excitement and astonishment. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s truly a treasure inside? We¡¯ve already used mana stones for this, so we need to recover at least our investment.¡± ¡°Of course. Haven¡¯t I told you who the original owner of this relic is?¡± ¡°I remember. You said it belonged to the ancient Meier Empire.¡± A Demonic Relic¡­ belonging to the Meier Empire? Kaylen¡¯sposed demeanor faltered briefly in his liquid form. Drip. A single drop of water fell from the ceiling. When the dropletnded on Ruhos¡¯ bald head, he grimaced instantly, pulling out a handkerchief. ¡°Why is water dripping from the ceiling?¡± ¡°This ce is so old and run-down; isn¡¯t that obvious? Honestly, why did you marry me off to a ce like this?¡± Ained irritably. Ruhos tried to soothe her. ¡°It¡¯s all because of that Demonic Relic. We need to secure the treasure inside without the main house finding out.¡± ¡°Even Baldur won¡¯t know?¡± ¡°The main house doesn¡¯t even know this relic exists here. They¡¯re only interested in obtaining the baron¡¯s seal.¡± Ruhos recalled events from long ago. It had been early in his career as a steward for the Baldur family. While organizing records for the Count¡¯s house, he had stumbled across documentation about the Demonic Relic. ¡ªA relic left behind by the corrupted royal family of the Meier Empire? A relic adorned with a golden star, said to contain unimaginable treasures. And to ess it, one needed the Meier family seal and bloodline. At the time, while sorting through the documents, he had dismissed it as just another tale. ¡ªNo¡­ could it be? During a business trip to the Starn family, a house subordinate to Baldur, Ruhos had seen a painting prominently disyed in the mansion and immediately thought of the Demonic Relic. "Could it really be...?" From that moment, Ruhos, while fulfilling his duties as a steward, began searching for more records on the Demonic Relic. Most ounts turned out to be fanciful rumors, but some information proved useful. Once he had gathered enough data, he made his decision. "I will im this relic for myself." He sent his younger sister to marry into the Starn family. He drove out the eldest son and took control of the barony. Years passed, and today, all the conditions were finally met. "Today, I will secure the relic." Ruhos carefully surveyed his surroundings and lowered his voice further. "A, I will bring Royen. Since he has golden eyes as well, he should qualify to open the door." "...It¡¯s not dangerous, is it?" "Would I ever put your son in harm''s way? Stay here and wait." Royen... Royen Starn. Kaylen¡¯s half-brother. His memories of Royen were faint. Though partly due to his quiet nature, Royen was often seen hiding behind the baroness A whenever Kaylen encountered him. "I heard he was receiving education at the Baldur Count¡¯s estate." It was amon practice among noble families to take children of vassal houses as if holding them hostage for "education." Royen, being of Baldur''s bloodline, spent most of his time there. However, it seemed Ruhos had brought him back for this purpose. "I¡¯ll have to wait for now." Kaylen slithered his ethereal, spirit-like body toward the wall where the painting hung. How long had he waited like that? "...Mother?" A silver-haired boy with golden eyes, identical to Kaylen''s. He was so delicate in appearance that one might mistake him for a girl. Yet his face was clouded with a faint shadow. Walking alongside Ruhos, this boy was none other than Royen Starn. Upon seeing her son, A quickly grabbed his wrist. "Royen. There¡¯s no time. We need to hurry inside." "Indeed. We don¡¯t know when someone might arrive." "Inside? Inside where...?" Royen asked, puzzled, but A didn¡¯t answer. Instead, she pulled out the Starn family seal from her bosom. At the same time, Ruhos took a mana stone from his pocket. "Let¡¯s begin." "Yes." Thump. A pressed the Starn family seal first. Next, Ruhos brought the mana stone close to the painting. Whuaa¡ª Golden light radiated from the painting, and the star within it began to glow. Eventually, the emanating light condensed, forming into a small portal, like a miniature dungeon. "Wow...! Ugh, ugh." "Royen, stay quiet. Someone might hear us." Startled by the sudden phenomenon, Royen tried to cry out, but A quickly covered his mouth. "Hurry inside." "Royen, follow me." Confused and frightened, the boy was led into the portal by Ruhos and A. "This is my chance." Kaylen, now divided into countless droplets, slipped into the portal after them. Inside the portal was a space almost entirely made of gold. The walls and floors shimmered with golden luster, and glittering jewels adorned various parts of the space. "Wow..." Even A and Ruhos, not just Royen, were awestruck as they gazed at this golden world. Kaylen, on the other hand, was stunned for a different reason. "This ce... it¡¯s Infinity." The infinite mana, Infinity, existed as apletely isted dimension, separate from the world. "To think such a method exists..." Kaylen was struck with awe. To utilize Infinity in this way? Even he, who had reached the level of Grandmaster, had never conceived of such an approach. "Judging by the use of Infinity, this must be the work of Meier¡¯s descendants." He had thought Meier¡¯s lineage, like the Starn family, hadpletely fallen into ruin. But creating such a space suggested that they had not declined¡ªrather, they had advanced further. "They¡¯ve expanded Infinity in apletely different way than I did. This is truly enlightening." Kaylen gazed at the golden subspace with admiration. This method was something that had never crossed his mind as a knight. The space''s application leaned more toward that of a mage than a knight. "Brilliant." He couldn¡¯t help but be impressed as he focused on analyzing the space. "A space thoroughly dedicated to preservation... However, despite its size, the mana contained within isn¡¯t as vast as I expected." ording to Kaylen¡¯s understanding, the size of Infinity corresponded to the amount of mana one had umted. But this space defied that notion outright. "I was short-sighted. I only thought about umting mana in the mana heart¡ªI never considered using Infinity in this way." Kaylen had always viewed Infinity from the perspective of a knight, where mana was stored and umted. However, this space approached Infinity from a mage¡¯s perspective, prioritizing diffusion and expansion of scale over mere umtion. "That exins why there¡¯s less mana despite its size. Another peculiar detail..." Drip. Drip. Droplets of water clung to the walls, analyzing the mana of the space. "The interior is filled with dark mana." Contrary to its dazzling appearance, the inside was pitch-ck and ominous. Seeing the turbulent dark mana within, the term Demonic Relic seemed an apt descriptor for this space. Kaylen soon reached a conclusion. "This mana... it¡¯s dangerous." Scratch, scratch. Royen, meanwhile, was scratching at a gem embedded in the floor, his expression quickly turning sour. "It looks like it¡¯lle loose, but it won¡¯t budge!" "Royen, it¡¯s no use no matter how much you try." "Indeed. Besides, now¡¯s not the time to remove those gems." Surely the two adults had tried already.N?v(el)B\\jnn If the gems could be extracted by hand, they would¡¯ve done so long ago. The trio¡¯s gazes were fixed on one point. Beyond the golden space stood a massive door. At its center, a radiant golden star glimmered brilliantly. "Look over there." "You must be the master of this space." "Reach for the star." Step. Step. The moment Royen saw the star, it was as if he were entranced, and he began walking toward the door. Each step quickened, until he was running. Just as his hand was about to touch the star... Swoosh. Arge curtain of water appeared before him, blocking his hand. "Wait." "Ka... Kaylen!" In an instant, Kaylen, who had reverted from his watery form to his original appearance, stood behind the group, conjuring the water barrier. "How are you here...!" "Thanks for guiding me, Ruhos." "Khhhhh..." "But this ce is not yours to im." As Kaylen stretched out his hand, Ruhos and A''s bodies lifted into the air, suspended by an irresistible magical force. Ruhos''s eyes filled with bloodshot fury. He was on the verge of iming the Demon Relic, and now this? He felt his body being inexorably pushed toward the exit. "No, no! This can¡¯t be happening! Ten years¡ªten years of my life I poured into this! I gave my youth to that backwater barony..." All those painstaking efforts to obtain the Demon Relic. Endless caution, ensuring even his own family wouldn¡¯t notice. And now Kaylen had appeared out of nowhere to ruin everything. "Well, good job finding it," Kaylen remarked coolly. "You¡¯ve done your part." "No... no!" "It¡¯s over." With a dispassionate gesture from Kaylen, the two were sent flying toward the portal. But¡ª Thud! Instead of being absorbed by the portal, the pair were violently repelled and thrown back. "Kraugh!" "Ouch, that hurts..." The two copsed in front of the portal, as though they''d struck an imprable wall. "Hm." Kaylen observed the scene, his brow furrowing slightly. The portal, which had been functioning perfectly earlier, was now malfunctioning. The golden light of the portal was gradually being overtaken by a sinister ck hue. "The retreat is blocked." Kaylen could feel the dark mana, hidden within the Infinity, slowly rising. "Bind." He restrained the two intruders with a flick of his fingers before approaching Royen. "Brother...?" Royen instinctively flinched as Kaylen suddenly appeared. "Why... why does he seem so muchrger now..." Kaylen¡¯s presence was entirely different from before. His towering frame and confident strides resembled a ferocious bear. Yet, despite his intimidating size, Kaylen¡¯s demeanor was calm and gentle. "Royen, don¡¯t touch it. It¡¯s dangerous for someone as young as you." "Y-yes..." Royen recalled the past, when they had lived under the same roof. Back then, Kaylen¡¯s hostility, born of being pushed aside by his half-sibling, had been palpable. But now, Kaylen exuded an air ofposure that Royen could hardly reconcile with his memories. Kaylen didn¡¯t seem like a man who had lost his inheritance to his younger half-brother. "Royen. Reach for the star¡ª" From where shey near the portal, A let out a desperate scream. But before Royen could act, Kaylen¡¯s hand firmly grasped his shoulder. ¡°Go to your mother¡¯s side, Royen,¡± Kaylen said softly. His voice was gentle, but the weight of his hand on Royen¡¯s shoulder felt impossibly heavy. Royen, already held firmly in ce, didn¡¯t have the courage to defy him. ¡°...Yes, Brother.¡± As Royen turned to walk toward the portal, the golden star above the door suddenly zed with a brilliant light. ¨C First-ss bloodline detected. ¨C First-ss bloodline detected. ¨C Two bloodlines present. Unmodified state. A chilling voice echoed throughout the subspace. Its ominous tone sent a shiver down their spines. "What a disgusting sound." Kaylen remained unaffected, his expression unchanged. ¡°Wh-what is that...¡± The faces of the two intruders, bound by Kaylen¡¯s magic, turned pale. Thud. Royen copsed to the ground, drained of strength just from hearing the voice. ¨C Initiating modification. A deep, resonant vibration filled the air as the subspace¡¯s appearance began to shift. The once dazzling interior was rapidly consumed by darkness. All around them, tendrils of dark mana began to rise, curling and twisting like smoke. The golden star, which had shone so brightly moments ago, was nowpletely tainted ck. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 56 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 56 ¡°Oh¡­¡± So this method could be used as well? How amusing. Kaylen smiled as he grasped the now-ckened star in his hand. At that moment, an overwhelming surge of dark mana began pouring into him. The sheer magnitude of it was enough to corrupt even a high-ranking cleric in an instant. Yet, Kaylen weed it. "This dark mana is perfect for enhancing the growth of my swords." Kaylen¡¯s six swords. Among them, the obsidian de, which had long been overshadowed by the water and light des, began to grow rapidly. "With the light de in my arsenal, I can absorb as much dark mana as I want." If only the obsidian de grew on its own, it might strain a human body. But with the light de firmly in ce, he could control the darkness with the power of light. As the absorption of mana stabilized, a groan reached Kaylen¡¯s ears. ¡°Ugh¡­ ugh¡­¡± Royen, who had copsed earlier, had changed significantly in a short time. His silver hair had turned jet ck, his once pale skin now bore blood-red markings, and his small frame had grown visiblyrger. "So this is the modification?" Kaylen had assumed he had absorbed all the dark mana from the ck star. However, since the subspace itself had been altered, it appeared Royen was affected as well. "I can¡¯t leave him like this." With a swift motion, Kaylen scooped Royen up in his left arm. His younger half-brother, now transformed from a child into an adolescent, had elongated limbs marked with sinister crimson tattoos glowing faintly. "Absorb." With his right hand, Kaylen drew in the mana from the ck star. At the same time, with his left, he absorbed the dark mana swirling within Royen¡¯s body. Fortunately, the dark mana that had altered Royen wasn¡¯t substantial. It took less than a minute for Kaylen to collect it entirely. However, something else remained within Royen. "The fire mana is extraordinary." While the ck aura had disappeared from the crimson tattoos, their red hue persisted. To erase the markings entirely, Kaylen would need to absorb the fire mana roiling inside Royen. "This isn¡¯t my decision to make." The fire mana within Royen¡¯s body could be an invaluable asset when he one day wielded the power of a Fire Meister. ¡°Ugh¡­ ha¡­¡± As the dark mana left him, Royen¡¯s breathing became noticeably lighter. It seemed the ¡°modification¡± had been stopped. Holding Royen securely, Kaylen refocused on absorbing the mana from the ck star. Before long, the ominous voice echoed once more through the subspace. ¨C Eternal Space. Mana insufficient. Terminating. As the voice faded, the ck star in Kaylen¡¯s hand and the darkness filling the subspace rapidly dissipated. Seeing this, Kaylen clicked his tongue in disappointment. "It¡¯s already over?" Though the obsidian de had grown considerably, it was still only half the size of the water and light des. "cia¡¯s mana reserves truly were iparable." Even after absorbing it, the obsidian de remained only half the size of the water and light des. Kaylen once again marveled at the power of the S-rank mana suit. At that moment, another voice echoed: ¨C A Rank 1 Bloodline has been upgraded to Special Rank. ¨C Initiating forced transfer sequence. Catalyst destroyed. Crack! The golden star shattered like ss. Boom! A massive door began to open. ¨C The Opponent. Cryostasis release initiated. And beyond the door¡­ The strongest dragon species, a Drake, opened its eyes. A Drake. Known for its imprable skin and enormous size, spanning dozens of meters when it spread its wings, it was considered the most powerful species of dragonkind in the Middle Realm after the disappearance of dragons. However, following the fall of the Meier Empire, sightings of Drakes became increasingly rare, leading many to believe they had gone extinct.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The only remaining Drake was thought to be the Sky Spear, a specimen preserved in the Knight Academy. "Yet one exists here¡­?" Kaylen recalled the moment he absorbed the Infinity of the Sky Spear. ¨C I¡­ will not leave. The Sky Spear had repeated those words endlessly. At the time, Kaylen hadn¡¯t understood its meaning. Could it have been rted to the presence of this Drake? ¡°Grrrr¡­!¡± A fierce roar echoed throughout the subspace. The sheer murderous intent in the sound made Royen¡¯s unconscious body instinctively twitch. The crimson-ck Drake slowly rose to its feet. "Now that I look closely, its scales aren¡¯t just ck and red." Upon closer inspection, the red scales bore ck runic patterns, forming an intricate magic circle. "Those are¡­ infernal runes. And that style of magic circle¡­" It wasn¡¯t unfamiliar to Kaylen. He had definitely seen it before. "Could it be¡­?" Srrrkkk. Kaylen activated his spirit transformation. ¨C Mana insufficient. The Guardian issued a warning about his low mana reserves. Due to the relentless dungeon raids, Kaylen was dangerously close to depletion. One more spell could result in forced unsummoning. Even so, there was something he wanted to test. ¡°Ice Spear.¡± Massive spears of ice formed behind Kaylen, numbering in the dozens, and all of them shot toward the Drake in unison. Whirrrr. As the Ice Spears neared the Drake, a faint red glow emanated from the ck magic circle engraved on its scales. In an instant, the approaching Ice Spears began to shrink. By the time they reached the Drake¡¯s skin, they had already disappeared,pletely disintegrated. "As I thought. Magic¡­ is being dismantled." Kaylen¡¯s mind raced as he recalled an earlier memory. ¡°Ha. That troublesome creature has appeared again. Sword Saint, can I leave that one to you?¡± ¡°You mean that infernal beast?¡± ¡°Exactly. Do you see that magic circle? Even high-circle magic doesn¡¯t work on it.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a Grand Mage? Can¡¯t you just cast high-circle magic instead ofining?¡± ¡°¡­Do you think high-circle spells just materialize with a snap of your fingers? Besides, you could kill it with a single swing of your sword. It¡¯s a matter of efficiency¡ªplease take care of it, Sword Saint.¡± The creature¡¯s resistance to magic was so high that even the Grand Mages of the Meier Empire would shake their heads in frustration. Though their appearances varied, these infernal beasts shared onemonality: the ominous magic circles etched upon their bodies. During the Demon King subjugation war, these creatures were a constant thorn in the side of the allied forces. However, to Kaylen, they were nothing more than easy prey. ¨C Mana Suit Guardian disengaged. Srrrk. As the mana in his suit waspletely depleted, Kaylen¡¯s elementalized body returned to its original state. Now standing face-to-face with the Drake,pletely exposed, Kaylen remained unfazed. Despite the massive dragon advancing toward him with thundering steps, hisposure was unshaken. ¡°Dual Sword Release.¡± Water, Light. Two of the six swords appeared: the water de and the light de. ¡°These should be enough.¡± As the two mana swords hovered in the air, the Drake hesitated for a moment. Even a beast acting purely on instinct could sense the overwhelming power emanating from the des. Kaylen grasped the swords in both hands. ¡°This might hurt a little.¡± The Way of Six Swords, Dual de Technique, unleashed its first move: Sword Rain. When the light de and water debined, radiant droplets of water spread outward, filling the space. These droplets soon coalesced into a multitude of tiny swords¡ªhundreds, even thousands of them. ¡°Kraaaah!¡± Sensing imminent danger, the Drake opened its maw, unleashing a breath attack powerful enough to incinerate the entire subspace. Yet, the Drake¡¯s fiery breath could not prate the wall of swords. As with the earlier Ice Spears, the breath was rapidly weakened upon contact with the countless des and dissipated entirely. One by one, the swords began to pierce the Drake¡¯s scales. ¡°Kraaaaaaah!¡± The mighty roar of defiance turned into a cry of pain. The ck infernal runes etched into the Drake¡¯s skin started fading, one after another. Infused with the energies of light and water, the Sword Rain washed away the darkness held within the magic circles. ¡°Live on, Drake.¡± Though he spoke of sparing its life, Kaylen continued to rain down swords relentlessly. The once-proud Drake, which had risen so majestically, struggled desperately to resist the torrent of des. It roared, spewing mes, and furiously pped its wings, but it was futile. For a creature of its size, dodging the downpour of swords was impossible. Thud! Thud! Sword after sword embedded itself into the Drake¡¯s body. The more the Drake thrashed, the more swords embedded themselves into its massive body. Its frantic movements gradually slowed, and the once-mighty beast began to falter. ¡°Grrr¡­ grrrr¡­¡± The pained growls that once echoed with defiance dwindled to faint whimpers. The ferocity it disyed upon its initial appearance hadpletely dissipated, leaving only asional tremors running through its body. ¡°Tsk. How can you copse already?¡± Kaylen clicked his tongue as he slowly approached the now-weakened Drake. Despite being riddled with countless swords, the Drake¡¯s body remained intact. The only thing missing was the intricate magic circles that had once covered it. Its size, too, had changed drastically. What was once a colossal creature spanning several dozen meters now barely measured ten meters in length. ¡®So this is its true form. It hasn¡¯t reached the status of an elder dragon yet.¡¯ Kaylen leapt nimbly onto the Drake¡¯s head. On its head, now devoid of strength, sat three horns that jutted out prominently. ¡°Dragon, prepare to meet your true master.¡± Kaylen split off a portion of Infinity and pressed it into the Drake¡¯s horns. Even though the act caused considerable strain on his current body, the opportunity to dominate a dragonkin was far too valuable to pass up. ¡°Grrr¡­ grrrr¡­¡± The Drake initially showed resistance, but its strength quickly waned. Lowering its head, it began to ept the Infinity shards. Soon, each of its three horns housed a fragment of Infinity. ¡®It¡¯s done.¡¯ Once the Drake regained its reason and submitted to the dominance, the process would beplete. A smirk yed across Kaylen¡¯s lips at this unexpected acquisition of a Demonkind Legacy. However... Shhhhhh¡ª A sudden hissing noise interrupted his thoughts. The Drake¡¯s body began shrinking again, this time at an rming rate. Kaylen¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡®What... what is happening?¡¯ [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 57 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 57 Drake''s massive form suddenly shrank. What once towered at tens of meters now barely surpassed the size of an average horse. From such a reduction, it looked less like a juvenile dragon and more like a mere hatchling. But that wasn¡¯t all. Its once-imposing scales were now shriveled and brittle, and its entire body appeared emaciated. ¡°Keek¡­ eeeng¡­¡± A weak cry emerged,pletely unfitting for the creature hailed as the strongest among dragons. Trembling all over, its body and horns quivered, its earlier ferocity nowhere to be seen. ¡°Hm.¡± Thud. Kaylen dismounted from the now-miniature Drake, folding his arms as he observed the pitiful sight. He had thought he¡¯d acquired a worthy dragon, but now it was reduced to this¡ªa hatchling. ¡®The Infinity expansion must have affected this dragon as well.¡¯ The spatial distortion capability of Infinity wasn¡¯t just limited to creating pocket dimensions¡ªit could apparently transform even a hatchling into the size of an adult dragon. While witnessing this new function of Infinity was fascinating, the disappearance of a viable mount left him dissatisfied. ¡°What am I supposed to do with this now?¡± ¡°Kiing¡­ kiing¡­¡± The hatchling cried mournfully, but Kaylen didn¡¯t so much as blink. Instead, he spoke coldly, as though addressing Drake directly. ¡°If you¡¯re without intelligence, I might as well strip you of your horns and scales.¡± ¡°Ki¡­.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to remain driven by mere instinct, you¡¯re useless to me.¡± At this, Drake¡¯s cries gradually subsided. Then, a faint light began to emanate from its horns¡ªa soft, white glow at first but steadily growing brighter. Soon, an intelligent voice reached Kaylen¡¯s ears. ¡°...Spare¡­ me¡­¡± ¡°Not clear enough. Say it properly. Louder.¡± ¡°Spare me. Spare me. Spare me!¡± ¡°Try adding ¡®please.¡¯¡± ¡°Spare me, please.¡± Its learning speed wasn¡¯t bad. Kaylen regarded the dragon with a slightly softened expression. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ know¡­.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t remember anything?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­ at all¡­.¡± Drake lowered its head deeply, as if ashamed, the gesture making its helplessness clear. No matter how many times Kaylen asked, it truly seemed to know nothing. ¡°Seems I have no choice, then.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± ¡°No need. You can¡¯t help what you don¡¯t know.¡± Step. Step. Kaylen began walking slowly toward the cowering Drake. Drake instinctively curled up tighter, trembling as if bracing for something. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± As Kaylen infused mana into Drake''s horn, the dragon''s expression quickly softened, transitioning into one of relief. For Drake, the mana that Kaylen provided was nothing short of a lifeline. Slowly, the once-withered scales regained their luster, and its frail body began to recover its former vigor. ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± the dragon''s voice rang faintly. ¡°Not just ¡®Master,¡¯¡± Kaylen corrected. ¡°¡­Thank you, Master-nim,¡± Drake amended, this time adding the honorific with care. ¡°Good. Always be mindful, Drake.¡± Kaylen recalled the nature of dragons like Drake¡ªthe strongest among the few remaining in the Middle Realm. Their pride was immense, and even if subdued and gifted to knights under hismand, improper training often led to dragons challenging their masters. ¡®It¡¯s important to establish discipline early on.¡¯ As Drake absorbed the mana, itsplexion visibly brightened, a sign that it was on the way to a full recovery. But before things could fully settle¡ª Rumble. The ground began to quake violently. No, it wasn¡¯t just the ground. Crack. Crackle. The entire space around them was fracturing. ¡°Eternal Space stability:promised.¡± ¡°Closing sequence initiated.¡± The pocket dimension began copsing. Staying any longer would risk being swallowed into oblivion, erased from existence entirely. ¡°Time to go.¡± No sooner had Kaylen spoken than Drake pped its wings, lifting off swiftly. Whoosh. Kaylen jumped onto its back mid-flight, causing a slight drop in altitude but not enough to deter Drake. Together, they flew through the crumbling doorway and escaped the copsing space. ¡°Ugh¡­ guh¡­¡± Naturally, Kaylen didn¡¯t forget to scoop up his half-brother, Royen, who had been sprawled on the ground. Once they reached the portal where they¡¯d initially entered, Drake finally came to a halt. ¡°This area is stable,¡± Drake reported, its tone firm but still deferential. ¡°Safe, Master-nim.¡± Unlike the dragon¡¯s nest, which had sumbed to the encroaching copse, the portal entrance showed no signs of shrinking or fracturing¡ªyet. However¡­ ¡°Can I eat this?¡± Drake asked hesitantly, nudging something forward with its w. It was two figures, darkened and tainted¡ªRuhos and the baroness. ¡°They¡¯ve been consumed by dark mana,¡± Kaylen noted grimly. When the pocket dimension had been submerged in dark mana, it seemed these two had also fallen victim to its corruption. ¡®Their condition¡­¡¯ Kaylen knelt and checked their status. Ruhos was already dead, his breath stilled. Despite all the effort he had poured into using the demonic relic to take control of the Starn family, his end was abrupt and unceremonious. Kaylen stared at his lifeless form for a moment before shifting his gaze to the side. ¡°Unlike Ruhos, the baroness is still alive.¡± Though she was also tainted by darkness, the baroness was faintly breathing. ¡°She must have some level of resistance.¡± ¡°Can I eat her?¡± Drake asked, its tone tinged with eagerness. ¡°No. Humans are not food,¡± Kaylen replied firmly. ¡°...But she looks delicious¡­¡± Drake muttered, saliva pooling in its mouth. Despite its instinctive hunger, it obeyed Kaylen¡¯s sharp tone and stayed put. ¡®I want to eat her¡­¡¯ However, suppressing its primal urges entirely seemed difficult. Like a dog struggling to resist a bone ced before it, Drake¡¯s body trembled slightly with anticipation. That trembling inadvertently disturbed Royen, who had been lying nearby. ¡°Ugh¡­ ah¡­¡± With a groan of pain, Royen suddenly sat up, his movements jerky and panicked. The moment his gazended on the two figures before him, he let out a piercing scream. ¡°Ahh! W-what is this¡­?!¡± Then, catching sight of his own arms, he screamed again. ¡°W-what?! My arms?!¡± His arms, now unnaturally elongated and marked with blood-red patterns etched into his pale skin, looked entirely different from before. His shock was understandable. But it didn¡¯tst long. Royen¡¯s gaze quickly shifted to the darkened figures lying on the ground. ¡°...Mother? Uncle¡­?¡± As he extended a trembling hand toward the baroness, Kaylen intercepted him. ¡°Don¡¯t touch her.¡± ¡°Brother¡­?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve been consumed by dark mana. Ruhos is already dead.¡± ¡°D-dead¡­?¡± ¡°The baroness is also in critical condition.¡± What kind of nightmare was this? As Royen¡¯s mind reeled from the surreal sight, he felt the weight of his transformed body and the grim reality of his family¡¯s state pressing down on him. ¡°Grrrr¡­¡± A guttural growl sounded nearby. ¡°Hiiiik! W-what is that?!¡± Royen shrieked, recoiling in terror as his eyes fell on the horse-sized dragon snarling at him. Drake, noticing Royen¡¯s reaction, turned its head sharply and muttered dismissively, ¡°He doesn¡¯t look tasty.¡± ¡°W-what?! Not tasty?! You¡¯re nning to eat me?!¡± Royen stammered, trembling all over. Kaylen, observing the exchange with interest, asked, ¡°Royen, can you understand Drake?¡± ¡°Y-yes, Brother! That monster¡­ it said I¡¯m not tasty!¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Drake¡¯s voice, affected by Infinity¡¯s domination, was supposed to be audible only to Kaylen. Normally, future dragon knights couldmunicate with their dragons only after Kaylen manually established a connection. This was the first time someone had been able to hear a dragon¡¯s voice before a connection was made. ¡®This ce seems to be full of unusual urrences.¡¯ ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him,¡± Kaylen said, gesturing toward Drake. ¡°He¡¯s under my control.¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­ Brother¡­ Then, what about Mother? Can¡¯t her condition improve?¡± Royen, barely managing to tear his gaze away from Drake, pleaded in desperation, ¡°Please¡­ Brother, I¡¯m begging you.¡± Kaylen nced at the baroness, her body steeped in dark mana. Absorbing that amount of dark mana wouldn¡¯t be difficult for him. However, healing the damage that had already been done to her body was a different matter altogether. ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you, save her! If you do, I¡¯ll be your servant¡ªyour ve¡ªwhatever it takes!¡± Royen cried, clutching at Kaylen¡¯s hand. ¡°A servant? Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Kaylen replied, raising an eyebrow. ¡°No¡­ I mean it! Please, believe me!¡± Royen¡¯s voice was urgent, his desperation palpable. He had witnessed firsthand how much the baroness had tormented Kaylen over the years. If he didn¡¯t offer something significant, he feared Kaylen wouldn¡¯t lift a finger to save her. Kaylen, however, remained silent, giving no indication of his decision. Rumble. ¡°The copse is worsening. We need to leave,¡± Kaylen finally said, as the cracks in the space around them deepened. He gestured toward the portal with a flick of his fingers. ¡°Go through the portal. Now.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Go!¡± Kaylenmanded sharply. Left with no choice, Royen stepped into the portal, albeit reluctantly. Behind him, Kaylen unceremoniously tossed the unconscious baroness and Ruhos¡¯s lifeless body into the portal as well. Rumble. The rate of the copse elerated, the entire subspace trembling violently. Drake, now visibly anxious, turned to Kaylen and urged, ¡°Master, we need to leave. Now!¡± Kaylen, however, shook his head, his eyes gleaming with intrigue. ¡°Not yet. Stay with me a little longer.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Drake¡¯s voice cracked with disbelief. ¡°If we stay here, we¡¯ll¡ª¡± ¡°I want to observe something,¡± Kaylen interrupted, his tone calm but resolute. The destruction of the subspace, created and expanded by Infinity, fascinated him. Observing its unraveling might offer insights into its formation. ¡®The structure¡­ now I see how it was extended.¡¯ Kaylen¡¯s sharp eyes followed every crack, every pulse of mana copsing inward. He wasn¡¯t merely watching the end of the subspace¡ªhe was studying the currents of mana surging within, as they dissipated into nothingness. ¡®So, this is how it works...¡¯ He had felt awe when he first encountered this subspace. As someone who prided himself on mastering Infinity, he couldn¡¯t help but admire the technique. But awe alone wouldn¡¯t suffice. If this level of mastery were possible, there was no reason he couldn¡¯t achieve it as well. After all, Emperor Ernstine himself was regarded as the foremost authority on Infinity. Rumble. The space¡¯s copse reached its climax, its edges closing in rapidly. ¡°Master, we¡¯re out of time! We need to leave now!¡± Drake howled, its panic now impossible to hide. As the space began to vanish and the world around them closed in, Drake¡¯s usuallyposed tone grew terse. Kaylen, noticing his anxiety, spoke calmly. ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± ¡°This ce is closing in!¡± Drake replied, his voice sharp with panic. ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t close?¡± Kaylen asked, unfazed. ¡°It is closing! Look at it¡ªthe entire space is disappearing before our eyes!¡± Kaylen ignored Drake¡¯s frantic tone and crouched, pressing his hand to the ground. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll just make sure it doesn¡¯t disappear.¡± Thud. The narrowing space froze in ce. ¡°And if I do this, it stops¡­¡± Whoosh. Golden mana began to rise from the ground, glowing like radiant mes. The subspace, which had been copsing, began to expand. ¡°And if I do this, it grows.¡± Drake, stunned, stammered, ¡°H-How is that even possible?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple once you know how,¡± Kaylen replied nonchntly as he observed the restored space. Rumble. Drake eximed again, ¡°Wait! It¡¯s shrinking again!¡± ¡°Your sentences are getting shorter,¡± Kaylen noted with amusement. ¡°¡­It¡¯s shrinking!¡± Drake corrected himself, though still frantic. ¡°I¡¯m adjusting the size,¡± Kaylen said casually. He repeatedly expanded and contracted the space, refining its proportions. Eventually, he settled on a space roughly half its original size. ¡®This is the most efficient scale,¡¯ Kaylen thought, considering his current mana reserves. Satisfied with the restructured subspace, Kaylen turned to Drake. ¡°Do you want to stay here?¡± ¡°Here¡­?¡± Drake asked, incredulous. ¡°Yes. Weren¡¯t you already living in a subspace before this?¡± Kaylen countered. In the outside world, Drake¡ªa species believed to be extinct¡ªwould attract far too much attention if spotted, especially in his juvenile state. However¡­ ¡°Uh¡­ Couldn¡¯t I leave instead? This ce feels a bit¡­¡± Drake trailed off hesitantly. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll behave! I¡¯ll use proper formal speech! Please, Master, just let me out!¡± Drake pleaded, practically groveling. ¡°Is that so?¡± Kaylen mused. ¡°Yes! Absolutely!¡± ¡°Well, there is one way,¡± Kaylen said, standing and cing his hand on Drake¡¯s horn. ¡°You saw earlier, didn¡¯t you? How I made the space grow and shrink?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Who says that method only works on space?¡± Just as Kaylen had manipted the subspace through the power of Infinity, he could apply the same principle to entities within its influence¡ªlike Drake. ¡°What¡­?¡± Drake hesitated, uneasy. ¡°This might hurt a bit. Endure it,¡± Kaylen said, his voice devoid of sympathy. Whiiirrr. Golden light enveloped Kaylen¡¯s hand, radiating an intense energy. ¡°Grrr¡­ GRAAAH!¡± Drake¡¯s agonized roar reverberated throughout the space, echoing like a storm.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 58 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 58 ¡°What in the world is going on here?¡± Standing before the painting of Starn, Alves¡¯s expression was frozen, rigid with shock. He had only intended to calm his restless thoughts by looking at the artwork, but suddenly, a group of people burst out from within the painting, leaving him utterly bewildered. ¡°A... Father¡­¡± ¡°...Father?¡± One of the individuals¡ªwho was visibly shaken¡ªcalled him ¡°Father,¡± which only added to Alves¡¯s confusion. The speaker was a ck-haired young man covered in red tattoos. Alves could say with certainty: he had no such son. ¡°I-I¡¯m Royen!¡± ¡°What nonsense is this? Royen is just a child.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ well, that¡¯s¡­ uh¡­ it¡¯splicated¡­¡± Royen stammered in response to Alves¡¯s perfectly reasonable question, struggling to exin. Even Royen himself wasn¡¯t entirely sure what had happened. After losing consciousness, he awoke to find his appearancepletely transformed. What more could he say? As he faltered, Kaylen emerged smoothly from the painting. ¡°Father, you¡¯re here,¡± Kaylen said, walking forward with his usualposed demeanor. ¡°Kaylen. What on earth is happening? This young man ims to be Royen¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. He is Royen.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°And this corpse here is Ruhos. The woman over there, barely clinging to life, is the Baroness.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Alves¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he quickly looked down at the figures Kaylen had indicated. The limp, ckened corpse lying there¡ªit truly was Ruhos. Initially, he had doubted it, but a closer look confirmed the truth. ¡°What¡­ what in the world has happened here?¡± Kaylen proceeded to give Alves a brief summary of the events that had urred inside the painting. The subspace within the painting, the demonic relics, and the story involving Drake¡ªall of it left Alves speechless. ¡°Ruhos¡­ was after that painting this entire time? Not the Baron¡¯s estate?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°His greed got the better of him,¡± Kaylen replied calmly. ¡°Still¡­ for Ruhos to die¡­! This is a catastrophe. The Count¡¯s household won¡¯t leave us alone when they find out¡­¡± Though Ruhos had served as Baldur¡¯s steward, he was also a member of the family by blood. The fact that he had died in Starn, a vassal household, would undoubtedly lead to the Count¡¯s estate demanding ountability. Alves¡¯s face darkened with worry. ¡°There¡¯s no need to concern yourself. I¡¯ll handle it,¡± Kaylen said. ¡°How do you intend to handle this?¡± ¡°I have my ways. However¡­¡± ¡°However?¡± ¡°Give me that painting.¡± ¡°The painting?¡± Alves asked, his expression puzzled. The painting had always been a treasured heirloom of their household. However, with its true nature revealed as a demonic relic¡ªand after all the havoc it had caused¡ªit now seemed more like a cursed object. And yet, Kaylen wanted it. ¡°Yes. I need it for something,¡± Kaylen replied. "¡­Understood." When Alves gave his consent, Kaylen ced his hand on the painting. Whoosh¡ª The painting glowed with a golden light and, in an instant, shrank to the size of a palm. "How¡­?" Alves gaped in astonishment, his mouth agape. Kaylen offered no exnation, instead pointing a finger toward the baroness. "Royen." "Y-Yes?" "Do you want to save your mother?" "Yes! Please, save her. I beg you!" Kaylen looked at Royen carefully. The boy¡¯s body had been drastically altered within the demon artifact, maturing at an unnatural pace. While he had unexpectedly awakened a talent for fire magic, his condition was precarious, and it was unclear when his body might deteriorate. "I¡¯ll need to keep an eye on him." Under normal circumstances, Kaylen wouldn¡¯t have cared about the safety of his half-brother. But things were different now. A capable descendant of the Meier lineage was worth preserving. Kaylen held up three fingers. "Three years. Assist me for three years." "I-I¡¯ll do it!" Royen nodded desperately. "Good." As Royen frantically nodded, Kaylen ced his hand on the baroness¡¯s head and began drawing out the dark energy. The ck mana that had consumed her body flowed into Kaylen¡¯s hand. From her head, down to her limbs, the dark energy receded. In mere moments, the mana that had saturated her body was gone¡ªleaving only her fingertips touched by its taint. The rest of her body returned to normal. "H-How¡­ how is this possible?" Alves widened his eyes in disbelief. The baroness, previously overtaken by the dark mana, had been in such critical condition that Alves had resigned himself to her inevitable death. Yet, Kaylen had restored her so effortlessly. "I¡¯ve only removed the dark mana. Her physical condition remains poor, so she¡¯ll need time to recover." "Even so, this is incredible¡­" "And I¡¯ve left traces of the dark mana on her fingertips. Do not touch them. She¡¯ll only awaken after the mana dissipates." "Why would you leave any dark mana at all?" Kaylen grinned mischievously at Alves¡¯s question. "We¡¯ll need it to resolve matters with Count Baldur." The following day, Zaik Baldur, a representative of the Baldur household, arrived at the Starn Barony a dayter than expected. "There¡¯s no way a backwater estate like this would have been prepared to properly receive Lord Lioness." Zaik had brought servants from the Count¡¯s household to help with preparations to host Lioness. However, upon arrival at the barony, he was met with an unexpected turn of events. "This¡­ this is Ruhos?" "Yes, sir," confirmed one of the servants. Ruhos¡¯s body was pitch ck, exuding dark mana. Though Kaylen had encased the corpse in ayer of blue ice to contain the mana, the aura of darkness emanating from it was unmistakable. The scene unfolded in the central hall of the Starn Barony¡¯s manor, where Ruhos¡¯s frozen bodyy prominently disyed. ¡°How on earth did this happen?¡± Zaik asked in shock. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want to ask you,¡± Kaylen retorted, his voice cold. ¡°What were you up to in someone else¡¯s house?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that¡­?¡± Zaik trailed off uneasily. Kaylen continued, his expression hard. ¡°When I woke up this morning, I found him in this state. The baroness, too, came into contact with Ruhos and ended up infected by the dark mana, falling into aa.¡± ¡°What? The baroness too?¡± ¡°Yes. If I hadn¡¯t frozen her in time, the entire manor might have been contaminated by dark mana.¡± Step. Step. Kaylen approached Zaik, his footsteps steady and deliberate. The Starn look on Kaylen¡¯s face made Zaik involuntarily flinch, recalling an unpleasant memory of a past encounter. ¡°Zaik, senior. Do you know anything about this?¡± Kaylen asked, his voice calm butced with an unmistakable weight. ¡°No! How could I? I don¡¯t know anything about this,¡± Zaik replied, frantically waving his hands. Ruhos¡­ just what kind of mess did you get yourself into? Dark mana? Ruhos had always been ambitious but had a reputation for getting his tasks done efficiently. He wasn¡¯t a mage¡ªhe couldn¡¯t even use magic. For him to suddenly be embroiled in dark mana seemed utterly absurd. ¡°Ruhos was an ordinary man with no magical abilities. He couldn¡¯t have orchestrated this alone,¡± Kaylen stated, his sharp gaze fixed on Zaik. Kaylen¡¯s piercing look seemed to ask, Wasn¡¯t this your doing? Even though Kaylen¡¯s tone remained calm, the pressure it carried was almost unbearable for Zaik. Zaik felt wronged and, in desperation, pushed back. ¡°This happened in your estate. No, wait¡ªit¡¯s our count¡¯s retainer who died. Shouldn¡¯t the responsibility fall on you?¡± ¡°On us?¡± Kaylen raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yes! Especially you¡ªyou didn¡¯t get along with Ruhos, did you? You might even be involved in this!¡± Zaik eximed, pointing a trembling finger at Kaylen. The moment the words left his mouth, Zaik realized his mistake. using Kaylen directly¡ªhe had gone too far. Kaylen, however, remained calm. ¡°The grudge between Ruhos and me was settled when I shattered your tooth, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ugh, khhm¡­¡± Zaik coughed nervously. ¡°And for someone of your standing in the magicalmunity to imply my involvement in such a scandalous affair¡­ can you take responsibility for your words?¡± Gulp. Zaik swallowed hard. Kaylen Starn¡ªthe prodigy with a 6th-circle talent for magic¡ªwas a rising star in the magicalmunity. A Water Master whose unparalleled skill had already made waves. Numerous Water Towers were vying for him, offering the position of Tower Lord, a testament to his exceptional abilities. Though Zaik was from the noble Baldur Count¡¯s household and Kaylen from the lesser Starn Barony, the gap in their status within the magical world was immense. And it would only growrger with time. A 6th-circle talent was unparalleled in the magical realm. I made a mistake, Zaik thought bitterly. The Starn Barony. On his way to the manor, Zaik had scoffed at its dpidated appearance. A decaying territory. A crumbling castle. The Starn Barony¡¯s manor was so deste it barely resembled a noble household. Perhaps it was this memory that caused Zaik to make the grave mistake of underestimating Kaylen¡ªnot as Kaylen the Elf Tower¡¯s Water Master but as simply a child of a humble barony. But the reality was undeniable. Even Lioness himself had traveled to this remote region to meet Kaylen in person. Zaik bowed his head deeply. ¡°M-my apologies. I misspoke.¡± ¡°Be mindful,¡± Kaylen replied coldly. ¡°And¡­ Ruhos ending up like this has nothing to do with us,¡± Zaik continued hastily. ¡°Think about it¡ªif we were behind Ruhos, why would we bring servants along? There would¡¯ve been no need to prepare for Lioness¡¯s arrival either.¡± Zaik desperately tried to exin, while Kaylen, arms crossed, listened at his leisure. The difference in who held the upper hand was stark. From a distance, Baron Alves watched the exchange with a dazed expression. ¡®So that¡¯s what authority looks like¡­¡¯ Alves couldn¡¯t help but reflect on how he¡¯d treated Ruhos. He worried¡ªwhat if the Count¡¯s household med them? What if they demanded ountability for Ruhos¡¯s death? But those fears that had gued him since yesterday vanished entirely, thanks to Kaylen. ¡®Kaylen is living in an entirely different world now.¡¯ Kaylen had once been indifferent to the Starn family, paying it no mind. His behavior now was so different that Alves had wondered if it was all an act. But now he understood. Kaylen and the Starns¡ªthey were no longerparable. ¡°¡­Hearing your exnation, I understand,¡± Kaylen finally said, breaking the silence. ¡°G-good. Thank you.¡± ¡°Then, we will wait for the baroness to awaken and see if she knows anything. Meanwhile, I¡¯d like you to investigate Ruhos¡¯s corpse.¡± ¡°Understood. First, we¡¯ll need to move it out of here¡­¡± ¡°Fly,¡± Kaylenmanded, stretching his hand out. Ruhos¡¯s body floated into the air, suspended as if weightless. ¡°I¡¯ll ce it outside for now. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Kaylen led the way as Ruhos¡¯s lifeless form hovered behind him, leaving the hall. One by one, the servants of the Baldur Count¡¯s household followed suit, shuffling out. After all, a hall tainted with dark mana was no ce to prepare for a reception. Once the room cleared, a small head peeked out from the stairs leading to the upper floor. ¡°¡­Are they all gone?¡± Royen whispered to himself. He stepped out cautiously, his eyes wide with awe. ¡°Amazing¡­ To see Lord Zaik flustered like that¡­¡± Having been raised under the Baldur Count¡¯s tutge, Royen knew exactly where Zaik stood in the family hierarchy. Zaik was the only Meister among the Count¡¯s direct descendants and the most beloved by the Count himself. In the Baldur household, no one dared oppose him. And yet, Kaylen had made such a figure bow his head. At that moment, a tiny, dragonfly-sized creature flitted out of Royen¡¯s cloak. p, p. ¡°Ugh. That was suffocating,¡± a small voice muttered. ¡°Ah! You can¡¯te out¡ªDragon!¡± Royen gasped, panicking. -"No one''s here. It''s fine." "Still!" Royen called out to the creature he referred to as Dragon. Despite its minuscule size, it resembled a Drake perfectly. -"You... you stink. It''s so suffocating." "Well, I couldn''t bathe! I¡¯ve been hiding, you know!" -"Ugh, this body is suffocating." The small Drake red at its own body in dissatisfaction. Kaylen had used the Infinity''s size-modifying ability to shrink it down even further. "Dragon! Please, hurry up ande inside! What if someone sees you?" -"My senses are sharp. No one can deceive me. There''s no one around right now." p, p. The tiny Drake puffed out its chest proudly, and though it was cute in its miniature form, Royen only felt anxious. "Come on! Please, hurry!" He fretted. "What if someone catches us?" -"It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s fine..." Suddenly, the Drake stopped midair. -"Huh? Huh?" Royen looked closer, surprised to see small threads binding the creature. -"Ah! What is this? Let go!" "...What is this?" Thud. Thud. At the end of the hallway, arge, furry ball bounced toward them, rolling like a ball. From within the fur, two glowing eyes gleamed ominously. Royen instinctively dropped to the ground in fright. "Hi¡ªhiiiiiik!" "...Is that... is that a Drake?" [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 59 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 59 Suddenly, A face popped out from the fur. Royen¡¯s mouth hung open as he stared at it. ¡°Wow.¡± It was a beauty he had never seen in his life. Though it was eerie to see a face abruptly sticking out of a bundle of fur, the appearance itself was so stunning that it left no room for other thoughts. ¡ªLet go. Let go! ¡°This is a Drake, right?¡± Myorn asked Royen with a serious expression. However, Royen, still gaping in a daze, didn¡¯t snap out of it until Myorn pinched his cheek hard with the fur. Pinch¡ª ¡°Ow!¡± ¡°Get a hold of yourself.¡± ¡°Uh, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡ªTh-this fur¡­ Why is it so strong?! The Drake struggled and spoke, but the person in front of him didn¡¯t seem to hear a word. ¡®He said only I would hear it¡­¡¯ It was just as Kaylen had described. ¡°Answer the question.¡± Myorn pressed Royen for a response. Royen alternated his gaze between the Drake and Myorn before tightly shutting his mouth. He had already been caught hiding, so answering the question would be too much. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You seem like you do.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know.¡± Royen¡¯s stubborn refusal to admit anything made Myorn¡¯s brow furrow. ¡°¡­Fine. Then, since you don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll just take a closer look at that thing.¡± Swish¡ª The fur extended again, drawing closer to the Drake. ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± Royen reached out urgently toward the Drake. At that moment, as his hand touched the Drake¡ª Whoosh¡ª A small pattern appeared on the dragon¡¯s scales, and the fur binding the Drake instantly caught fire. Simultaneously, the Drake¡¯s size grew from that of a dragonfly to about a sparrow. ¡ªOh¡­ Oh? I¡¯ve grown? But it doesn¡¯t hurt¡­? Meanwhile, the pattern etched on the Drake¡¯s body transformed into a magic circle. Upon seeing this, Myorn¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­That magic circle!¡± Swish¡ª The fur extended like spiderwebs in all directions. ¡°That! I need to inspect it closely!¡± The iing fur elicited a strong reaction from the Drake. ¡ªThat thing¡¯s trying to catch me, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ll burn all the fur! ¡°W-wait a moment¡­!¡± Caught in the middle, Royen could neither do anything nor back away. ¡°Ice Shield.¡± An icy barrier formed, surrounding the Drake as a shield. "What are you doing?" "Kaylen..." Kaylen stepped steadily up the stairs. His presence alone caused the tense atmosphere, which seemed on the verge of shing, to settle momentarily. "Kaylen, that Drake... What is it?" "It''s something I acquiredst night." "Last night?" "Yes." When Kaylen exined how he had obtained the Drake from inside a painting, Myorn bit his lip. "It was originally a giant Drake?" "Yes." "The magic circle engraved on its body¡ªcan I examine it?" "Magic circle?" If it was the magic circle on the Drake, it should have melted into his sword and disappeared. Kaylen tilted his head in puzzlement as he dispelled the Ice Shield. "Hmm. The magic circle has reappeared." "It showed up when that guy touched it." "Royen, what happened?" "As soon as I touched the Drake, its body grewrger, and it became like that." "Really? Try touching it again." Tap. Royen touched the Drake the same way as before, but this time, nothing happened. "Huh, why isn''t it working?" "Don''t just touch it thoughtlessly. Try wishing for it to grow while doing so." "Yes." Grow, grow... Royen repeated the wish silently to himself several times before touching the Drake again. Whoosh¡ª mes surged as the Drake¡¯s magic circle began to restore itself. Simultaneously, the Drake, which had been the size of a sparrow, started growing rapidly and was soon on the verge of reaching human size. "That''s enough. Stop it." "Understood..." ¡ªWow, I feel alive! With an excited flutter, the Drake spread its wings and attempted to take off. "Drake, your size increased. Did it hurt?" ¡ªNo... Unlike when the Master adjusts my size, this time it felt natural. When Kaylen had brought the Drake out of the Demonic Heritage artifact, size adjustments came with excruciating pain. The pain had been so intense that the Drake had regretted leaving its subspace, thinking it would have been better to stay there. ¡ªDoes shrinking hurt more? How about when you grow? ¡ªIt hurts equally¡­ Despite the Drake¡¯s cries of agony, Kaylen had continued his testing without batting an eye. Recalling those memories, the Drake shuddered involuntarily. "How fascinating." Kaylen nced at Royen. The fact that Royen couldmunicate with the Drake and even adjust its size piqued his interest further. It gave him another reason to take his younger half-brother along. "It''s grownrger now. This should be enough to examine the magic circle clearly." Myorn stared intently at the Drake with a grave expression. His demeanor was unusually intense. "May I take a closer look?" "Go ahead. Drake, stay put." ¡ªYes¡­ As the Drake remained still, Myorn carefully examined and touched it from head to toe, eventually letting out a deep sigh. "It''s true..." Srrr¡ª Myorn¡¯s fur grew out, quickly covering his face. "It''s the dragon that destroyed my tribe." *** The ck Anvil Tribe In Kaylen¡¯s memories, the ck Anvil Tribe was known as the strongest among the dwarves. When Ernstine waged his Continental Unification War, he opted for an alliance through marriage rather than confronting the tribe directly. Thus, when news spread of the ck Anvil Tribe¡¯s demise, it had been puzzling. "That magic circle¡­ I still can¡¯t forget it." Thud. Myorn copsed to the floor and spoke in a calm, subdued voice. "Do you know anything about my tribe?" "The ck Anvil Tribe, you mean?" "Yes." "I know them as a powerful tribe that never once surrendered their territory." "That¡¯s right¡­ They were." Situated within the towering fortress of the treacherous Gigantes Mountain Range, the ck Anvil Tribe had never once yielded to enemy invasions. Not only that¡ª Even when countless dungeon portals opened, pouring out monsters, the tribe had effortlessly fended them off with their overwhelming firepower and advanced technology. Moreover, they focused on modifying and developing mana suits with their exceptional technological prowess. By training skilled Meisters, they eliminated not only the dungeon portals in front of their fortress but those throughout the entire Gigantes Mountain Range. Even during the Dungeon Era, the ck Anvil Tribe¡¯s strength remained unmatched, and everyone believed their prosperity would continue indefinitely. "It was during a festival held inside the fortress after we had cleared all the dungeon portals in the Gigantes Mountain Range." The dwarves feasted and drank, celebrating with grand festivities during what should have been their happiest moment. That was when the cmity began. "Suddenly, Drakes appeared from the sky." Hundreds of colossal Drakes, each resembling the dragons of legend, invaded the fortress. Their presence was overwhelming, but the dwarves were confident they could respond. After all, the festival meant that all the dwarf Meisters were present within the fortress. However... "That magic circle¡­" Grit. The sound of teeth grinding came from within the fur-covered mass. "Because of that magic circle, magic was almostpletely ineffective." The powerful magic unleashed by the dwarf Meisters would lose its potency the moment it approached the vicinity of the magic circle. Overwhelmed by the anti-magic properties of the magic circle, the dwarves were helpless. "Fire and earth elemental powers were slightly more resistant¡­ but even then, their effectiveness was drastically reduced." "¡­" "No matter what we tried, we couldn¡¯t stop the Drakes. The inside of the fortress became a living hell." Kaylen¡¯s gaze rested on the magic circle engraved on the Drake. It was the same magic circle he had frequently encountered during the Demon King Subjugation War. The magic circle''s effects were clear: it erged monsters and endowed them with formidable anti-magic capabilities. However, during the Demon King Subjugation War, it hadn¡¯t been a significant obstacle. Back then, monsters marked with these magic circles were rtively easy to deal with. ¡®The Dragon Knights disposed of them effortlessly.¡¯ Mounted on Drakes, Dragon Knights of Master-level expertise easily vanquished such monsters. While their anti-magic resistance was strong, they were notably weak against aura-based attacks. Once the magic circle was torn, the monsters would copse rapidly. Even in the absence of powerful knights, high-level mages offered an effective alternative. Low-circle magic spells were ineffective, but magic of the sixth circle or higher was potent enough to deal substantial damage. ¡®The Holy See¡¯s forces were effective as well.¡¯ The Holy See¡¯s Pdins and Priests also proved highly effective against these monsters. ¡®But the current situation is different.¡¯ Knighthood had fallen. With the atmospheric mana greatly diminished, warriors capable of reaching the Master level no longer existed. Moreover, as magicians disyed overwhelming dominance in dungeon subjugations, mana suit research focused primarily on supporting their needs. Even if monsters marked with magic circles were vulnerable to aura, it wasn¡¯t enough¡ªordinary experts could not surpass the limits of human capability. ¡®An expert-level warrior cannot take on a flying Drake.¡¯ Then, what about high-level magicians? None remained. The pursuit of breaking dungeon cores led to a focus on single-element mastery, and Meisters became the norm within magical academia. High-circle magicians, capable of wielding diverse and advanced magic, vanished. Everyone strived to be Meisters, specializing in stronger single-element spells. And what about thest resort? ¡°Were there no Pdins or Priests within the fortress?¡± ¡°Pdins? Pdins disappeared long ago. As for Priests¡­ they weren¡¯t exactly abundant either.¡± No Pdins? Kaylen furrowed his brows. Theck of forces capable of countering monsters marked by magic circles was ring. In this era, no adequate defense existed against them. ¡®...Mana suits are remarkable inventions, no doubt.¡¯ Mana suits and Meisters were indispensable for humanity¡¯s survival, designed tobat dungeon cores. But these advancements had inadvertently constrained humanity¡¯s potential. Both swordsmanship and magic had stagnated. Everyone aspired to be a Meister, and society revolved around mana suits and their wielders. ¡°Myorn.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°If Drakes were to invade this kingdom today as they did back then¡­ do you think they could be stopped?¡± Myorn¡¯s fur shook in denial. ¡°No. It¡¯s impossible. Even with an S-ss mana suit capable of piercing the magic circles, a single individual couldn¡¯t possibly fend off so many dragons.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± If the ck Anvil Tribe, with all its might, had been overwhelmed, then the Bormian Kingdom, with its scattered forces, stood no chance. ¡®This kingdom is even more vulnerable than the ck Anvil Tribe was.¡¯ The conditions were perfect for the magic circle to exhibit its devastating potential. It would be nearly impossible to stop the Drake forces once they fully mobilized. ...This couldn¡¯t simply be a coincidence. Kaylen recalled the word ¡°Colony¡± he had seen in the dungeon core fragments. Could it be¡­? ¡°Myorn.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard this story. I¡¯ve never encountered it in the Academy, either.¡± ¡°Why wasn¡¯t this made known? If it had been, precautions could have been taken. The exclusive development of mana suits for magicians might have been avoided.¡± ¡°¡­Due to an oath, it couldn¡¯t be shared with the public.¡± ¡°An oath? With whom?¡± Myorn remained silent, as if even the oath prohibited her from answering. ¡°The Fairy¡¯s Magic Tower?¡± ¡°Or¡­ the kingdom?¡± Flinch. Her mouth stayed shut, but her fur twitched instinctively¡ªan unmistakable sign of affirmation. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 60 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 60 The day after a death urred within the Starn family, Kaylen met with Lioness by thekeside. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Kaylen. Good to see you.¡± ¡°It has been a while.¡± ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± A luxurious table, seemingly brought from somewhere, had been elegantly set up. As Kaylen sat down, Lioness lifted a wine ss with a smile. ¡°Even if unpleasant things have happened, the atmosphere here is still quite charming. It¡¯s a beautiful view. Let¡¯s start with a toast, shall we?¡± ¡°What brings you all the way out here?¡± Kaylen asked. ¡°You¡¯re quite direct. Straight to the point, I see.¡± With a light clink, Lioness ced his wine ss down, savoring the taste before speaking slowly.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Let me be frank. Kaylen, will you join the Second Prince¡¯s faction?¡± As expected, this was the reason for the meeting. Whether it was the First Prince or the Second, who became king was a matter Kaylen had little interest in. ¡°As you know, I belong to the Fairy Tower. The Tower maintains strict neutrality.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware. But that¡¯s merely the Tower¡¯s official stance. It doesn¡¯t mean they control the personal political views of their members.¡± ¡°I, too, intend to remain neutral. I have no interest in the royal session dispute.¡± When Kaylen¡¯s response remained firm, Lioness gave a faint smile. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t expect you to agree right away. But since you¡¯re here, at least hear me out.¡± ¡°Kaylen, how much do you know about the First Prince?¡± Kaylen searched his memory. While he had heard much about Princess Violet, the de facto leader of the First Prince¡¯s faction, he knew little about the First Prince himself. ¡°It seems you don¡¯t know much. You haven¡¯t even met him, have you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°As expected. You see, the First Prince...¡± Lioness lightly tapped his temple. ¡°He¡¯s a fool.¡± ¡°A fool?¡± ¡°Yes, his mind remains as underdeveloped as a child¡¯s.¡± Lioness drained his wine ss and continued. ¡°To be fair, the First Prince¡¯s position is impable. He¡¯s the eldest son, his mother was the former queen from the powerful House of Duke Revrin... Under normal circumstances, our ties to the Second Prince wouldn¡¯t even give us a chance in the session race.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s utterly unfit to rule. Especially considering the current state of the kingdom, we need a ruler with sound judgment.¡± Lioness¡¯s argument carried some merit. However, Kaylen simply shook his head. ¡°Even if the First Prince is a fool, my stance remains unchanged.¡± Kaylen had never intended to involve himself in the royal session battle. After witnessing Drake and the demonic magic circle from the Otherworld, his resolve had only strengthened. It didn¡¯t matter who ascended to the throne. ¡®If the Dragon Legion, which annihted the ck Anvil Tribe, reappears, this kingdom will fall.¡¯ The current system, which focused exclusively on supporting magic, was incapable of oveing the demonic magic circle¡¯s threat. What the kingdom needed was a paradigm shift. Choosing between the First and Second Princes would be a waste of time. ¡°Haha, of course, I¡¯m not asking for your support just because the First Prince is a fool,¡± Lioness said with a chuckle. Lioness offered Kaylen an extraordinary proposal: ¡°It would be shameless to ask a talent who has demonstrated the potential of a 6th Circle mage without something to offer in return. I promise unwavering support.¡± Heid outvish terms¡ªa massive amount of gold, countless mana stones, a custom mana suit, and the support of the Civil Squad, all without conditions. It was an offer tempting enough to sway almost anyone, but... ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Kaylen, who had received simr overtures from the Tower Lords of the Fairy Tower, declined outright. Lioness, however, appeared unfazed, as though he had anticipated the rejection. He raised another finger, adding to the offer. ¡°In addition, I¡¯ll promise you a title and territory.¡± ¡°In this day and age, such things hardly hold much meaning.¡± ¡°I was under the impression that the Fairy Tower has always desired independent territory.¡± ¡°That¡¯s merely the Tower¡¯s position, not mine.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Lioness grinned at Kaylen¡¯s response. So, the Tower isn¡¯t fully aligned with him yet. ¡°Even so, a title andnd could hold great significance.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Because we¡¯re going to make them meaningful again,¡± Lioness said, swirling his wine ss. ¡°It¡¯s been years since dungeon portals began appearing, and humanity has gathered considerable strength in that time. Mana suits have improved, and the number of Civil Squads has increased significantly.¡± ¡°Yet, the royal family has been far too passive.¡± ¡°Passive, you say?¡± ¡°Do you know the current strength of the royal family¡¯s Civil Squads? They have enough power to clear every neglected F-grade dungeon portal in the kingdom.¡± Kaylen mentally calcted the number of F-grade dungeons¡ªabandoned because their subjugation wasn¡¯t cost-effective. The sheer quantity was staggering. And yet, the royal family had the capacity to eliminate them all. ¡°The royal family has initiated only the bare minimum of subjugation operations. Instead, they¡¯ve stockpiled their strength without using it.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°It¡¯s wasteful. Outside the capital region, the provinces are deteriorating. Roads are frequently paralyzed, monsters invade farnds, and people are starving to death.¡± Despite possessing sufficient power, the royal family refused to act. While the capital prospered under the protection of formidable forces, the neglected provinces faced utter ruin. Regions under the control of noble families with their own Civil Squads fared better, but those in areas ruled by weaker or indifferent nobles were essentially living in hell. ¡°The Second Prince has promised tounch a full-scale dungeon-clearing campaign once he ascends the throne. Then, titles and territories will regain their value.¡± Kaylen studied Lioness. His eyes were brighter than ever. This young man, just barely shedding his boyishness, was passionately advocating for his beliefs. The eyes of a young reformer, Kaylen thought. To leave dungeons unchecked despite having the means to eliminate them¡ªthis was a crime. ¡°This can¡¯t continue,¡± Lioness argued. ¡°Instead of the unstable First Prince, the Second Prince, who will be the next king, is the one we should support. We¡¯re willing to pay you handsomely to stand with us.¡± Lioness¡¯s words painted apelling picture. Kaylen listened calmly before finally speaking. ¡°Lord Lioness.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°When did the royal family be so passive about dungeon subjugation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s always been this way. The previous king, and the one before him¡ªthey were all obsessed with hoarding power.¡± "The royal family has been too focused on preserving their authority," Lioness remarked. Kaylen, however, thought differently. The annihtion of the ck Anvil Tribe, silencing Myorn, and deliberately stockpiling power without clearing the dungeons¡ªif this behavior was part of a policy handed down through generations of the Bormian royal family... ''Something is suspicious about the royal family.'' Why would they need to conceal the existence of the demonic magic circle? What could be the purpose of controlling dungeon subjugation? Individually, these might seem coincidental, but together, they were too calcted to ignore. ''I need to investigate this further.'' As the conversation continued, it reached no resolution. ¡°I appreciate your offer, but I will maintain my neutrality,¡± Kaylen stated firmly. ¡°Well, there¡¯s still plenty of time. Take your time to think it over,¡± Lioness replied, clearly not expecting Kaylen to agree immediately. With a subtle motion of his hand, a maid standing behind him stepped forward, presenting a small box. ¡°This is a gift from me.¡± Inside the boxy a high-grade mana stone, an excessively generous token for merely having a conversation. As Kaylen gazed at the box in silence, Lioness smiled. ¡°It¡¯s just a token to keep in touch while at school. Don¡¯t feel burdened by it.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a graduate?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be staying on for another year or two for coborative research with the professors.¡± As one of the eight Superior Mages, Lioness had the privilege to work alongside faculty on magical research. ¡°Speaking of research, I heard you¡¯re working with Professor Myorn. What kind of project are you nning with someone so entric?¡± ¡°We¡¯re working on something interesting,¡± Kaylen replied with a hint of amusement. ¡°Really? Well, if you change your mind during the research, let me know. I can pair you with highly skilled professors.¡± Myorn had a reputation for conducting bizarre experiments, which exined Lioness¡¯s suggestion. However, Kaylen epted the box with a calm smile. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ll be impressed by the results.¡± Lioness leaned back, still curious but content with Kaylen¡¯s resolute tone. *** On the day Myorn left the n, her determination was unyielding. ¡°Myorn, are you really not going to ride the Drake?¡± ¡°I cannot ride behind the creature responsible for our n¡¯s destruction,¡± Myorn replied firmly. Meanwhile, the conversation shifted between Kaylen and his allies. ¡°Lord Kaylen, are you truly going to ride the Drake?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kaylen affirmed without hesitation. ¡°Wow!¡± eximed Alkas, his voice brimming with excitement. ''A Drake!'' Alkas recalled his days at the Knight Academy, where he had stared in awe at a taxidermied Drake, dreaming of one day riding such a majestic creature. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that day woulde. ¡°Did you say your farewells to your mother?¡± Kaylen asked. ¡°Yes, my lord. Although...¡± While Alkas was buzzing with excitement, Royen stood silently, his expression dark. ¡°I said my farewells, but... she still can¡¯t believe it.¡± "Does she not believe you''re Royen?" "Yes. Not just that... She sleeps most of the time, and when she wakes, she screams... Her mind is not well." After Zaik Baldur managed to calm Ruhos and left, Kaylen kept his promise to remove the lingering dark mana from the baroness. While the baroness regained her senses soon after, a troubling issue emerged. ¡ª"You... Who are you?" ¡ª"You im to be Royen? That... That¡¯s impossible!" ¡ª"My child had beautiful silver hair... not like this monster!" The moment she saw Royen''s current appearance, she had a violent fit and copsed. She despised the sight of him and began searching elsewhere for her "real" son. It was a devastating blow. The mother who had once been his greatest source of love and trust now denied his very existence. ¡ª"I¡¯ll care for your mother, so don¡¯t worry. Go and follow your brother." ¡ª"¡­Yes." The baron, Starn, stepped in to console Royen, but the weight of his mother¡¯s rejection lingered heavily. Kaylen ced aforting hand on Royen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. The dark mana is gone from her body now. In time, she will recover, and her mind will return to normal.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Royen replied softly. ¡°At times like this, flying can clear your thoughts. Royen, let¡¯s grow the Drake.¡± At Kaylen¡¯s suggestion, Royen focused, and the small sparrow-sized Drake began to grow. It rapidly expanded, regaining its original majestic size. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡ªKrrrrr! ¡°Don¡¯t stand up. Stay seated so you can ridefortably,¡± Kaylen instructed. ¡ª"Yes!" The Drake lowered its body, and Kaylen leapt onto its neck, securing his position near the nape. ¡°Climb on,¡± he beckoned. ¡°...Where should I sit?¡± Royen asked hesitantly. ¡°Hm. Fly.¡± The Drake¡¯s body was toorge to climb without assistance, so Kaylen used a levitation spell to lift both Royen and Alkas onto its back. Meanwhile, Myorn, who had been tense and wary ever since the Drake began to grow, was now staring intently at the magnificent creature. "Myorn, we¡¯ll be off now. See you in the capital," Kaylen said with a wave. ¡°...W-Wait!¡± As Kaylen bid his farewell, Myorn suddenly extended her tendrils totch onto the Drake. ¡°I... I want to ride too!¡± ¡°I thought it was the enemy of your n?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly why. It¡¯s an enemy, so I need to study it up close!¡± Laughing, Kaylen used his levitation spell once more to bring Myorn onto the Drake. ¡°Alright, then. Let¡¯s go.¡± With that, the Drake spread its massive wings, letting out a powerful roar, and soared into the skies [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] . The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 61 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 61 Dungeon Guild - Alzass Branch The branch manager, Krundal, couldn¡¯t hide his astonishment as he looked at the dungeon cores Kaylen had brought. ¡°This¡­ How many are there?¡± Dungeon cores were piled like a mountain on the branch manager¡¯s desk. Each core was substantial in size, making it impossible to estimate their total value. ¡°I¡¯ve been to a few dungeons.¡± ¡°Truly¡­ This is an overwhelming amount.¡± ¡°Is it that much? Is it beyond your capacity to handle, Branch Manager?¡± At Kaylen¡¯s question, Krundal swallowed hard. ¡®I need to answer carefully.¡¯ The profit from dealing dungeon cores with Kaylen had been significant. If he imed this amount was unmanageable, he couldn¡¯t predict what might happen next. ¡°This amount is certainly within our capacity. However¡­ due to the sheer value, it might take a few days to process.¡± Krundal wiped the sweat forming on his brow and replied confidently, despite his nerves. Kaylen, observing Krundal¡¯s demeanor, thought to himself: ¡®Even the branch manager seems to find handling this volume personally difficult.¡¯ Well, it doesn¡¯t have to be all in gold. Kaylen then posed a question to the branch manager. ¡°If it¡¯s hard to prepare the funds immediately, could you help me find an estate?¡± ¡°An estate, you say? Of course, that¡¯s possible.¡± Had anyone else asked, Krundal might have snapped at them, asking how they dared request such a thing from a branch manager. However, the immense value of the dungeon cores Kaylen brought made him feel rather grateful for the suggestion.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Are you looking for an estate in the South River District?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯d prefer a location in the outskirts of the capital, on high ground, with a spacious garden. Actually, a training ground would be even better than a garden.¡± ¡°High ground¡­ with a training ground, you say?¡± Krundal asked, somewhat surprised. Most Meisters sought estates in the central districts, equipped with state-of-the-artboratories. Yet Kaylen specifically wanted a ce in the outskirts, on elevated terrain. ¡®I need a secure ce for the drake.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t feasible to have a massive drake taking off andnding in a bustling city center. However, Kaylen didn¡¯t intend to movepletely out of reach either. ¡®I need to secure a suitable location where the drake can appear whenever necessary.¡¯ ¡°Howrge of an estate are you considering?¡± ¡°The bigger, the better. If needed, you can use all these dungeon cores.¡± ¡°Using all of this¡­ Understood.¡± A spacious estate on high ground. Krundalmitted Kaylen¡¯s requirements to memory and nodded. With the matter of payment settled, Kaylen picked up one of the dungeon cores. ¡°By the way, while clearing the dungeon this time, I came across something unusual.¡± [Colony - Caution] Kaylen handed over a dungeon core with demonic script inscribed on it. ¡°Hmm¡­ Please wait a moment.¡± Krundal pulled a book from his shelf. It was a Demonic Language Dictionary. He carefully matched the letters. ¡°It trantes to ¡®Colony¡¯ and ¡®Caution.¡¯ Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Why would such text appear?¡± ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve encountered such a case. There is a hypothesis within the guild regarding the word ¡®Colony,¡¯ but¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Kaylen wasn¡¯t the first to discover the letters inscribed on the dungeon core. Despite how fragmented the cores were, making the text hard to discern, stacking countless shards together eventually revealed the characters. ¡°In simple terms, the hypothesis is that ¡®the dungeon portals sent from the Otherworld are devices meant to establish colonies in the middle realm.¡¯¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°When Emperor Ernstine unified the continent, every part of it was purely human territory¡­ but after the dungeon portals appeared, less than half remains under human control.¡± As Krundal touched the crystal orb on his desk, a map of the continent appeared. Half of therge continent was shaded in ck. The ckened areas were not contiguous but scattered independently across thend. Among them was the Gigantes Mountain Range, Myorn¡¯s homnd. ¡°These areas are presumed to have fallen and be colonies after failing to withstand the dungeon portals. Just as the dungeon cores suggest, they may have been converted into colonies.¡± ¡°Fortunately, the Dungeon Guild emerged and began managing the situation, preserving the remaining regions. But¡­ I¡¯ve never seen letters like this before.¡± Krundal, who had been carefully studying the inscription, spoke again. ¡°May I report this to the main office? They might have some insight.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Thank you. Then, if you return in five days, I will have more information on the estate.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll see you then.¡± After Kaylen left the branch manager¡¯s office, Krundal continued to examine the letters on the dungeon core and touched the crystal orb once more. Crackle¨C ¡°This is Krundal from the Alzass Branch.¡± ¨C ¡°Yes, Krundal. Transmission received.¡± ¡°I¡¯m reporting new characters discovered on a dungeon core.¡± ¨C ¡°Can you show us?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He held the dungeon core before the crystal orb. The person on the other end immediately fell silent, their voice hardening. ¨C ¡°Please, show it again. Focus especially on the text following ¡®Colony.¡¯¡± ¡°Here it is. Based on my analysis, it trantes to ¡®Caution.¡¯¡± ¨C ¡°Hmm¡­ I will report this to the higher-ups and contact you again.¡± Themunication abruptly ended, leaving Krundal feeling unsettled. ¡®Is this inscription really that rming?¡¯ As he waited for a response, themunication resumed, again without preamble. ¨C ¡°An investigative team will be dispatched to the Alzass Branch.¡± ¡°A-a team?¡± ¨C ¡°Yes.¡± After hearing the list of names on the investigative team, Krundal¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡®Is this such a serious issue?¡¯ Among the team members was an individual he never expected to see. *** Meanwhile, Royen had followed Kaylen to the capital. Having braced himself for mistreatment from his half-brother in his desperate attempt to save his mother¡­ ¡®Is it really okay for things to be thisfortable?¡¯ The capital life was far easier than he anticipated. ¡°Royen, stay in the workshop with the drake for a while. Until we¡¯ve secured a proper residence, this will be the most livable option.¡± Although Myorn¡¯s workshop was cluttered with all kinds of objects, it was spacious andfortable enough for Royen to live in. "Let me... at least clean up." "No. Leave it. Don¡¯t touch anything. Everything is ced exactly where it needs to be." Royen, feeling awkward doing nothing, had offered to clean, but Myorn blocked him firmly. "If you¡¯ve got nothing to do, work on training the drake." "Understood..." As Royen focused on the drake¡¯s growth, Myorn meticulously traced the magical circles appearing on the dragon¡¯s scales. While engrossed in his task, Myorn spoke casually. "Once it¡¯s trained, you won¡¯t need to stay by its side, right?" "For a while, yes." "Then you¡¯ll get bored. There are a lot of books in the next room. Read those if you want." "Thank you." Rumble ¨C How long do I have to stay like this? "What¡¯s it saying?" "It¡¯s asking how much longer it needs to stay like that." "Tell it two more hours, and I¡¯ll bring some meat." ¨C Meat? Fine, let it know I¡¯m okay with that. After finishing his interpretation between the dragon and the dwarf, Royen stepped into the next room and let out a small sigh. ¡®...This is better than the time I spent at the Count¡¯s estate.¡¯ Though he had inherited the bloodline of the Baldur family, being the second son of the weakened Baron Starn family, he had been sent for education at the Baldur Count family. There, he was often treated with coldness and disdain. Compared to that, this current environment wasn¡¯t bad at all. However... "Ugh. I don¡¯t understand a word of this..." The books in Myorn¡¯s library were incrediblyplex, each one more challenging than the next. Though Royen¡¯s body was close to that of an adult, his mind was still that of a child. The content was far beyond hisprehension. After pulling out a few books and giving up on reading them, Royen simply sat there, stacking the books idly. How long had he been in that dazed state? Kaylen, who had been out, returned to the workshop. "Royen, you look bored." "B-brother! N-not at all!" As soon as Kaylen entered, Royen sprang to his feet and stood at attention. Even though Kaylen treated him kindly now, unlike the past where his gaze seemed to pierce him with murderous intent, Royen couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous around him. "¡®Applied Studies on Mana Suits.¡¯ ¡®The Development and Understanding of Magic Circles.¡¯... Myorn, seriously? Asking you to read these?" Kaylen clicked his tongue after ncing at the titles of the books Royen had been trying to read. ¡®I brought him here to check if there were any issues¡­ but I can¡¯t just leave him like this without proper education.¡¯ Though his body was that of an adult, his mind was still a child¡¯s. As one of the few children of the Myer bloodline, Kaylen couldn¡¯t just leave Royen to his own devices. ¡®Let¡¯s see if he has sword aptitude.¡¯ Kaylen lightly activated his six-sword technique. Beneath his clothes, six faintly glowing swords appeared on his back. The glow was so subtle that an ordinary person wouldn¡¯t notice. However, anyone with sword aptitude would sense the presence of the swords immediately. Royen, on the other hand, simply blinked, staring nkly at Kaylen without reacting. "You don''t have the talent for swordsmanship." Kaylen dismissed the six-sword aura and let it fade. Even if Royen didn¡¯t possess sword aptitude, Kaylen could still teach him if necessary. But his attention shifted to Royen¡¯s skin. "Royen." "Yes, Brother?" "When you look at the red tattoos on your body, what do you think?" "¡­They¡¯re disgusting. I get startled every time I see them in the mirror." His hair had turned ck, and his body was covered in red tattoos. Each time he washed himself, the sight of them gave him a jolt. ¡®It¡¯s no wonder Mother couldn¡¯t recognize me...¡¯ "Is that so? When the dark magic within you was removed, those tattoos could have been erased as well." "Re-really?" "It¡¯s still possible now." "Then, can you¡ª?" "But those tattoos contain powerful mana of fire." Royen, on the verge of asking for their immediate removal, hesitated at Kaylen¡¯s words. "If you ever dream of bing a Meister, those tattoos will be a great source of strength for you." "A M-Meister? Me?" "Yes. What others desperately crave¡ªa unique elemental mana¡ªyou already possess within you." "Me, a Meister? But Father always said I was talentless..." Royen recalled the disdainful remarks of Baron Starn, his father. "It¡¯s hopeless, Royen." "That can¡¯t be! Dear, give him just a bit more time!" "What¡¯s impossible is impossible. He has no talent for magic." The ability his father hadpletely dismissed... now Kaylen was suggesting he could surpass a mere mage and be a Meister? It felt unreal. "Your father, huh? At least he must¡¯ve taught you the basics of magic." "Yes." "What about mana circle formation?" "I failed¡­ I couldn¡¯t form a proper ring." Tap. Kaylen ced his hand on Royen¡¯s arm and sent a small flow of mana into his body, examining him closely. ¡®Hmm¡­ this might be...¡¯ After contemting, Kaylen finally spoke. "Royen, try casting magic." "Wh-what? But I don¡¯t even have a mana circle." "Just follow me outside." Kaylen led a bewildered Royen out of the workshop. Outside, Kaylen began to teach him a basic first-circle spell, Fire Arrow. However, his method deviated significantly from conventional practices. "Fire Arrow." First, Kaylen summoned a zing arrow of fire, letting it hover in the air. "Now, think about summoning it exactly like this." He didn¡¯t instruct Royen to rotate a mana circle or follow the usual techniques. He merely extended his hand and told Royen to think about it. "Just¡­ think?" "Exactly." Can magic really manifest from just thinking about it? Though Royen was skeptical, he decided to follow the instructions. ¡®Come on, fire. Fire arrow, fire arrow, appear!¡¯ He stretched out his hand, focusing his thoughts, and¡ª Fwoosh! A ming arrow, almost identical to Kaylen¡¯s, appeared in midair. "Wh-what?!?" Startled, Royen stumbled back and fell to the ground. "What... what is this?!?" Unlike the panicked Royen, Kaylen¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡®As I thought¡­ he¡¯s using magic like a demon.¡¯ [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 62 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 62 The Demon Race Demons, rulers of the Netherworld,e in various forms but often resemble humans to a considerable degree. Each possesses immense strength, and among them, the highest-ranking demons are so powerful that only beings like Ernstine or angels can stand against them. ¡®One of the reasons for the overwhelming power of demons lies in their ability to use non-incantation magic.¡¯ Demons can unleash potent magic without chanting spells, activating triggers, or rotating mana circles. As a result, whenever they deliberately cast magic, the surrounding area is often left in utter devastation. ¡®I¡¯ve fought demons before, but none of them ever drew power from tattoos like these¡­ Could this unique tattoo be tied to a way of wielding power simr to that of demons?¡¯ "Royen, let¡¯s try again." "Yes, Brother!" Now brimming with confidence, Royen eagerly followed Kaylen¡¯s instructions and began casting various spells. However, his limitations quickly became evident. "Hmm, it seems you can¡¯t cast spells of other elements. And it¡¯s restricted to only first-circle magic¡­" "I-I¡¯m sorry." "There¡¯s no need to apologize. You¡¯ve barely learned magic yet." Royen could cast first-circle spells with exceptional power, far stronger than usual. However, he couldn¡¯t manifest second-circle spells or higher. ¡®His understanding of the elements is stillcking. That makes it difficult to cast higher-circle spells.¡¯ Still, Kaylen believed that with dedicated study of magic, Royen might eventually achieve the ability to use more advanced spells. "Royen, how¡¯s your body holding up?" "I¡¯m fine. The tattoos feel a bit warm, but it¡¯s nothing serious." Looking at the glowing red tattoos on his hands and feet, Royen was amazed. To think he could use magic, something he had always believed to be beyond him. Even more impressive was the Fire Arrow he had just cast¡ªit appeared farrger and more powerful than the one his father had used in the past. ¡®Could I¡­ really be a Meister?¡¯ Unable to hide his excitement, Royen¡¯s face lit up. Seeing this, Kaylen asked him, "What about the tattoos? What do you want to do with them?" "Ah¡­ I owe my ability to use magic to these tattoos, don¡¯t I?" "That¡¯s right. By now, you¡¯ve probably realized the potential they hold." "Yes¡­" "These tattoos are your key to bing the greatest Meister of fire. They¡¯re worth keeping. But if they trouble you, I can remove them. The choice is yours." Would he keep the tattoos and pursue the path of bing a fire Meister? Or would he erase them and return to being someone without talent? Royen didn¡¯t take long to decide. "I¡­ I¡¯ll keep them." Many people would give anything to be a Meister. To let something as minor as the difort of a tattoo hold him back from that goal would be foolish. Seeing Royen¡¯s resolve, Kaylen nodded. ¡®I should entrust him to Myorn.¡¯ As someone skilled in handling fire spirits, Myorn would make an excellent teacher. With this in mind, Kaylen brought Royen to her. "You want me to teach him? But I don¡¯t know how to use human magic," Myorn said, her fur twitching in disinterest. "Your abilities are based on spirit magic, but as a member of the Magic Tower, you must have some knowledge of conventional magic." "Sorry, but I¡¯ve never been interested in anything beyond spirit magic¡­ You know how fundamentally different it is." "I see. It wouldn¡¯t be ideal to entrust his education to just anyone, though." Due to the unique nature of Royen''s tattoos, it was difficult to entrust his education to just anyone. The responsibility required someone trustworthy. ¡®Baron Starn chose to remain in his territory to care for his wife¡­¡¯ With the baron in seclusion, Kaylen had no other reliable mage he could count on. Teaching Royen himself was also out of the question, as Kaylencked the time. As Kaylen pondered the matter, Alkas, who was watching nearby, spoke up. "Master, does the mage teaching Royen need to be highly skilled?" "Not necessarily. At this stage, he only needs to learn the basics. Someone capable of simple demonstrations will suffice." "In that case¡­ My younger sister has just been epted into the Magic Academy. Would her level of skill be enough?" "Your sister?" "Yes. She¡¯s a second-circle mage." A second-circle mage who had passed the Magic Academy¡¯s entrance exam¡ªsuch a person would be more than adequate to teach Royen the fundamentals. "Perfect. I¡¯ll pay her well for the tutoring, so please arrange it." "Oh, no, Master. I couldn¡¯t possibly ept payment for this." "Nonsense. Fairpensation ensures bettermitment to the task. Bring her in." "¡­Thank you." After Alkas left, Kaylen turned to Myorn. "How is the mana suit development progressing?" "I¡¯ve found a lead. I think I can finish modifying the ¡®Normal¡¯ model before the semester starts." "That¡¯s excellent news. Does this mean you¡¯ll also be able to study Royen¡¯s tattoos? If we can understand how they work and incorporate that into the mana suit, it would be ideal." Myorn let out a long sigh. "That might be a stretch. I¡¯m already stretched thin with the mana suit development and analyzing Drake¡¯s magic circle." Even the Dwarf Queen had her limits. "These days, I¡¯m lucky if I get four hours of sleep a night." "I understand. We¡¯ll need to expand the team." Relying solely on Myorn was no longer feasible, as the number of ongoing projects had grown overwhelming. While she could continue focusing on the mana suit development, tasks like studying Royen¡¯s tattoos and analyzing Drake¡¯s magic circle would require additional personnel. Surprisingly, Myorn suggested someone unexpected. "How about bringing in Irene?" "¡­You mean Lady Irene?" "Yes. She¡¯s quite knowledgeable about magic circles¡ªshe even teaches courses on them." "Hmm, but as the lead instructor at the Fairy Tower, will she have the time?" "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve noticed she has plenty of free time. Besides, if she sees those tattoos or the magic circle, she¡¯ll probably jump at the chance to research them herself." "In that case, I¡¯m all for it. I was nning to visit the Fairy Tower anyway." Kaylen nced at the mana suit guardian. Its mana reserves were nearly depleted, and he had intended to rece it soon. Convincing Irene during the same trip would be convenient. "Let¡¯s go, Drake." ¡ªFinally! I¡¯m free! Drake, who had been stuck in the same position for far too long, quickly flew over to Kaylen. It had endured the stillness in exchange for the promise of a hearty meal, but its patience was at its limit. "You¡¯re nning to ride Drake?" "Yes. I need to make this trip quick." "Just don¡¯tnd too close to the Fairy Tower. Their security is quite tight." Kaylen nodded. ¡®Until all six des are fully secured¡­ I¡¯ll keep quietly gathering strength.¡¯ The Water de and the Light de, which had grown immensely after absorbing cia. The Darkness de, smaller than the others but formidable in its own right. Beyond these three swords, one more elemental de was needed. Only then could Kaylen forge an unyielding power that could withstand any pressure. "Let¡¯s go." With that resolve, Kaylen set off for the Fairy Tower. Landing on the outskirts of the tower, he stored Drake¡ªnow shrunk down thanks to the subspace tool he had obtained from Starn barony¡ªand entered the tower. While waiting for a guide, Irene herself appeared and greeted him warmly. "Oh my, Kaylen! You¡¯re here!" "Good to see you." "Yes, I¡¯ve been eagerly waiting for our ¡®deal.¡¯" The ¡°deal¡± to elevate her into a high-level spirit mage¡ªhad she been staying at the tower just for that? ¡®She¡¯s clearly eager to gain spirit magic.¡¯ That would make convincing her even easier. Kaylen smiled as he spoke. "That¡¯s excellent. We¡¯re conducting several studies in Myorn¡¯sb right now, and I expect to be there for some time. Would you like to join us?" "Other studies besides mana suit development?" "Yes, we¡¯re also working on magic circle research. Myorn specifically rmended you for it." "Magic circles, huh? That¡¯s my area of expertise." A smile yed on Irene¡¯s lips. "If I assist with this research, you¡¯ll fulfill your part of the deal, correct?" "Of course." "Great. I¡¯lle to theb, then."N?v(el)B\\jnn Clearly in a hurry due to her desire for spirit magic, Irene readily epted Kaylen¡¯s proposal. "By the way, I heard you¡¯re here to rece your guardian." "Yes, it¡¯s out of mana." "Already out?!" How could he have used up all its mana so quickly? Irene was visibly surprised. "Technically, guardians are meant for dungeon expeditions¡­ Did you use it for something else?" "Primarily for dungeon expeditions." He had also used it to assist Myorn¡¯s spirit magic training, but there was no need to mention that. As Kaylen replied, Irene alternated her gaze between him and his boots before nodding. "Understood. Follow me to the underground chamber." She led him to the underground cavern where the guardians were kept. Upon arrival, Irene frowned as her eyesnded on an elf. The man had his right ear cut off and a ck patch covering his right eye¡ªEldir. "Brother." Even as Irene called out to him, Eldir, with his eyes half-closed, only noddedzily. The strong scent of alcohol wafted off him as usual. Irene walked up to him and leaned in to shout softly in his ear. "Brother!" "Uh¡­ Oh, Irene. You¡¯re here?" "What are you doing here?!" "I heard our human friend was visiting. Someone¡¯s gotta wee him. Heh." Eldir gave Kaylen a sly wink and a smirk. ¡®So both siblings seem to have plenty of free time.¡¯ As Kaylen mused on this, Eldir staggered toward him, his gaze fixed on Kaylen¡¯s boots. "Wow. How¡¯d you burn through all the mana already?" Eldir¡¯s gaze, despite his hazy eyes, remained fixed on the guardian boots. "You¡¯re here to swap the mana suit, right? Hand it over." When Kaylen passed the guardian boots to him, Eldir reached out and muttered: "Master authority: deactivation." -Temporary Master authority has been revoked The boots in Kaylen¡¯s hand dissolved into water. Swish... The guardian disassembled into a gemstone and countless droplets of water, which floated to the space where other guardians were disyed. There, it reformed into its original boot shape. "Ahhh..." Gulp, gulp. Eldir took a swig from his sk with one hand while fiddling with the guardian boots with the other. His half-lidded eyes slowly drifted shut. Nod... nod... Rather than inspecting the guardian, he appeared to be falling asleep. Seeing this, Irene sighed heavily and approached him. "Ugh... Brother?" Shake, shake. As Irene tried to rouse him by shaking his shoulder¡ª Saaahhhhh... A chilling sensation swept through the room, prickling at Kaylen¡¯s spine. But it wasn¡¯t merely cold¡ªit was sharper, more menacing. ¡®This...¡¯ A razor-sharp killing intent. And it was emanating from Eldir. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 63 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 63 Eldir''s killing intent was sharp to a degree that was hard to believe it came from a drunkard. However, Kaylen, already aware that he was a Sword Master, wasn''t particrly surprised by this. What puzzled him was why Eldir was directing such killing intent toward him. ¡°Oppa?¡± On the other hand, Irene, standing beside Eldir, couldn¡¯t sense the killing intent. She let out a sigh and busied herself trying to wake him up. That was understandable. While Eldir¡¯s killing intent was intense, it was equally subtle. If Kaylen hadn¡¯t been a Sword Master, he wouldn¡¯t have detected that concealed energy. ¡°How can you sleep now? I told you to stop drinking so much!¡± ¡°...Ah. Right, Irene.¡± Eldir staggered as he opened his eyes. Unlike usual, they weren¡¯t hazy but shone clearly. ¡°This time¡­ good.¡± Holding one of the five Guardian Parts, a staff, in his hand, he said: ¡°I will use my master authority to appoint Kaylen as a temporary Master.¡± Wiiing¡ª The staff emitted a blue mana light toward Kaylen, which soon disappeared without a trace. Afterpleting a few verification steps, Eldir handed the staff to Kaylen. ¡°This should work for now. Since carrying it around would be annoying, modify it as needed.¡± Kaylen nodded and promptly transformed the staff into a blue bracelet. ¡°You¡¯re quick with that.¡± Eldir observed the scene without showing his usual drunken staggering. Even Irene found it curious enough to ask. ¡°Brother, are you sober?¡± ¡°Yes. I dreamed of Mother. She was making a fuss, crying and shouting for me to get you married off. No matter how much of a drunkard I am, I couldn¡¯t ignore that.¡± ¡°Ugh, really! What nonsense! Stop bringing up marriage!¡± ¡°Hehe, I wouldn¡¯t have mentioned it, but what can I do when Mother appears in my dreams?¡± Eldir chuckled as he exchanged words with Irene. Though his left eye focused entirely on her, Kaylen felt a piercing gazeing from him. The source of that gaze was his right eye, covered by an eyepatch. Even though it was concealed, Kaylen felt as if he was being watched intently. ¡®He¡¯s been like this since we retrieved the Guardian Boots.¡¯ His demeanor was undoubtedly unusual. While Kaylen deliberately fiddled with the bracelet, pretending to be distracted, Eldir continued his conversation with Irene. ¡°Well, now that we¡¯re done here, what will you do next?¡± ¡°I n to go to Myorn¡¯sb with Sir Kaylen.¡± ¡°You? Why?¡± ¡°He said there was something to research.¡± ¡°...Is that so? Then go get ready. I have something to discuss with this friend of yours.¡± ¡°Something to discuss?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the Guardians. You already know all about it, so staying here would be a waste of time. Go upstairs and pack your things.¡± ¡°Hearing you, of all people, talk about wasting time is refreshing.¡± An elf who spent most of his days drowning in alcohol talking about wasting time? Irene let out a smallugh and nodded. ¡°Alright then. Sir Kaylen, I¡¯ll see youter.¡± Thud. Irene left the underground room, closing the door behind her, and Eldir, who had been leaning against the wall, straightened himself. When he stood up to his full height, he was as tall as Kaylen. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± Crack. Eldir stretched lightly, his movements fluid, and then turned to Kaylen with a sly smile. ¡°Hehe. Seems the alcohol has worn off. It¡¯s my first time seeing you sober.¡± ¡°Is it because of the dream?¡± ¡°The dream? Ah, yeah. I saw something interesting.¡± Step. Step. Eldir slowly approached Kaylen. ¡°The Guardian¡ªyou¡¯ve been using it well for dungeon raids. I appreciate that.¡± ¡°It seems you have a way to know where it¡¯s been used.¡± ¡°Of course. After all, I am the Guardian¡¯s Master, am I not?¡± Eldir¡¯s gaze briefly shifted to Kaylen¡¯s bracelet. ¡°In the past, there were people who used the mana suit recklessly. So, I installed a few safeguards.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you wonder how far those safeguards go? Can they only track dungeon raids, or do they monitor everything else? Just how much information can this A-rank mana suit provide?¡± Eldir was smiling, but his eyes were cold and sunken. At his words, Kaylen¡¯s gaze grew equally calm. ¡°¡­So, you could even ess the activity logs of a temporary Master.¡± ¡°Hehe. It¡¯s a basic safety measure.¡± Was this something even Myorn hadn¡¯t ounted for? As expected of an A-rank mana suit¡ªthere was no way it would simply be lent out without contingencies. But to think it could track everything done while wearing the Guardian¡­ Even so¡­ ¡°I see. However, it seems you didn¡¯t see everything. If you had¡­¡± Kaylen paused, letting the implications hang in the air. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare direct killing intent at me.¡± Eldir¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He knows? Eldir, who had hidden his aura ever since bing a drunkard, was certain no one had ever detected it when he wanted to conceal it. ¡°How¡­ did you know?¡± ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t notice such an obvious provocation?¡± ¡°...Obvious?¡± Eldir¡¯s expression stiffened, and he issued amand to the bracelet. ¡°Using my Master authority, I revoke Kaylen¡¯s status as a temporary Master.¡± The Guardian, which had been transformed into a bracelet, reverted to its original staff form and returned to its rightful ce. Kaylen, now stripped of the mana suit¡ªa Meister¡¯s most critical weapon¡ªremained unfazed. ¡®¡­This is even more suspicious.¡¯ Does he have another mana suit? Despite reiming the Guardian, Eldir didn¡¯t let his guard down. He pointed the staff at Kaylen. ¡°Melvria, awaken.¡± Wheeeing¡ª A green wind swirled and wrapped around the staff in Eldir''s hand. The whirlwind shaved the staff down, transforming it into the shape of a radiant sword. Kaylen quickly discerned the nature of the weapon. A sword crafted from the branch of the World Tree. So, it was hidden within the staff all along. The branch of the World Tree, though made of wood, was stronger than most metals and exhibited exceptional absorption of aura. Back in his imperial days, Kaylen had often seen such swords wielded by high-ranking elven warriors. Eldir¡¯s gaze, now sharp and focused, locked onto Kaylen. ¡°First, I¡¯ll subdue you, then question the truth about the Drake.¡± Saaaaa¡ª The green light emanating from Eldir¡¯s wooden sword spread outward, forming a Sword Area. The underground space became dominated by his aura, his domain closing in on Kaylen with mounting pressure. Eldir felt assured of his victory. It¡¯s over. Anyone caught within a Sword Master¡¯s area was doomed¡ªbe they ordinary soldiers or even the kingdom¡¯s prized prodigy, Violet. However... ¡°¡­?! What?!¡± ¡°Impressive skill.¡± Crack. Crackle. Eldir¡¯s Sword Area suddenly came to a halt. No, it wasn¡¯t just stopped¡ªit was being pushed back. ¡°You¡¯re skilled, but it¡¯s still not enough.¡± Ssssshhh¡ª A sword made entirely of water materialized in Kaylen¡¯s hand. The moment it appeared, Eldir felt every hair on his body stand on end. The intense and indescribable aura radiating from that sword overwhelmed the space. ''What is this?! It wasn¡¯t manifested through the sword... It¡¯s creation from nothing?'' ''No, that¡¯s impossible.'' ''A Sword Master, here and now?'' I''t¡¯s been ages since such a phenomenon was even possible.'' Since the mana in the atmosphere had drastically diminished, bing a Sword Master was thought unattainable. Especially for someone as young as Kaylen to forge an Aura Sword? It defied all reason. Eldir questioned whether he was under some sophisticated illusion. But as doubt piled upon doubt, his instincts as a Sword Master delivered a clear verdict. ''No¡­ No, this isn¡¯t fake.'' The sword Kaylen wielded wasn¡¯t an illusion nor a mere imitation. It was stronger than even the Wind Aura Sword manifested through the World Tree de. ''A true Aura Sword.'' Eldir¡¯s heart pounded. Finally, he spoke. ¡°I was wrong. Seeing the Drake, I assumed you were in league with the demons.¡± ¡°You relied on mere fragments of the truth.¡± ¡°Even so¡­¡± Swoosh. Eldir''s battle stance remained firm, even more prepared than before. ¡°Kaylen, it seems I have even more questions for you now.¡± Reaching the level of a Sword Master at his age and exhibiting the talents of a 6th Circle Meister? For most, achieving even one of these would be a lifetime endeavor, yet Kaylen had managed both by the mere age of 19. Eldir felt an even greater need to subdue him. ¡°Hah...¡± The Sword Area Eldir had unleashed was quickly reabsorbed into his wooden de. It was a deliberate choice to maximize the output of his Aura Sword. ¡°Here Ie.¡± Eldir¡¯s figure vanished. Forsaking his Sword Area, he delivered a single, decisive strike aimed to kill, prating deep into Kaylen¡¯s domain. It was the finest swordy Eldir could muster, honed through his devotion to swift and precise techniques. Boom! His strike, however, failed to prate Kaylen¡¯s domain. The de was stopped cold. ¡°¡­!¡± For a fleeting moment, Eldir¡¯s expression faltered, his eyes shaking with disbelief. But he quickly steadied himself andunched another strike. A second blow. A third. A fourth... Eldir relentlessly hammered away at Kaylen¡¯s domain, each strike carrying the full force of his lethal precision. Each one was an attack meant to kill. But¡ª Crackle. Crackle. ¡°Ugh!¡± Kaylen¡¯s Sword Area remained unscathed. No matter how many times Eldir struck, it stood resolute, unmarred by even the faintest scratch.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°How¡­ How is this possible?¡± Sure, it was remarkable that Kaylen had be a Sword Master. Perhaps he was a once-in-a-millennium prodigy. But still¡ª ¡°Why doesn¡¯t that Sword Area even show a scratch?¡± It wasmon knowledge: the durability of a Sword Area was proportional to the wielder¡¯s mana reserves. umting mana, however, was a matter of time and effort, not innate talent. Given the vast difference in years that Eldir and Kaylen had to cultivate their mana, by all logic, Kaylen¡¯s Sword Area should have shattered in a single blow. Why¡­? As Eldir reeled from the inexplicable, Kaylen¡¯s voice cut through his confusion. ¡°This isn¡¯t entertaining.¡± Swish. Suddenly, Kaylen¡¯s Sword Area vanished. The imprable barrier Eldir had struggled to breach was now gone by Kaylen¡¯s own volition. ¡°¡­What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Kaylen crooked a finger. ¡°Come. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had a proper de-to-de duel.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Eldir bit his lip in frustration. What an insult! In all his years as the head of the Elbon Guard, he had never faced such humiliation. To be bested not in skill, but in sheer strength of the de itself? ¡°That arrogance¡­ I¡¯ll make you regret it.¡± Eldir, a master of wind¡¯s agility, wielded a sword faster than any opponent could follow. Without the constraints of Sword Areas, a duel of pure swordsmanship gave him a chance to win. In such battles, speed was everything. Fwoosh! Eldir¡¯s figure flickered like a reed in the wind, suddenly appearing within striking distance of Kaylen, his de aimed at Kaylen¡¯s throat. Rather than sh swords, Eldir sought to exploit his speed and strike Kaylen¡¯s vital point before he could react. But¡ª ¡°No¡­ way¡­¡± To his shock, Kaylen¡¯s de was already resting against Eldir¡¯s neck. ¡°You ce too much faith in speed,¡± Kaylen said calmly. ¡°So predictable.¡± Before Eldir even realized it, the tables had turned entirely, and he was subdued in an instant. His face turned pale with disbelief. Kaylen looked him in the eye and spoke softly: ¡°You¡¯ve already died once.¡± [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 64 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 64 Eldir, the leader of the Elven Guard, took pride in being the only remaining Sword Master in this world. To be precise, he believed that no one in the Middle Realm could match his mastery of the sword. That belief was the pride that sustained his worn-out body and mind in a world dominated by magic. But today, that pride was shatteredpletely¡ªby Kaylen. ¡°Is that all?¡± Kaylen, who had subdued him, performed an iprehensible act. He withdrew his sword from Eldir¡¯s neck and stepped back. ¡°I¡¯ll give you another chance.¡± Eldir gritted his teeth. That arrogance¡ªhe would make him regret it. Faster. Eldir steadied his mind and unleashed his Aura Sword again. Speed was his advantage. All he had to do was avoid being subdued as easily as before. Whoosh. Eldir¡¯s figure disappeared, the green glow of his de aiming for Kaylen¡¯s back in an instant. But¡ª ¡°Again.¡± Once more, he was subdued in a single moment. ¡°One more time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re stillcking.¡± It was as if a teacher were instructing a student. Kaylen evaluated Eldir¡¯s swordsmanship while effortlessly overpowering him. Not long after, Kaylen calmly stated: ¡°You¡¯ve died nine times.¡± Swish. Kaylen¡¯s Aura Sword once again rested against Eldir¡¯s neck. Once more, he was perfectly subdued. Kaylen assessed Eldir¡¯s technique. ¡°A de that pours everything into a single strike¡ªit leaves no room for follow-up. Well, I suppose that¡¯s been sufficient for you until now.¡± A 19-year-old was criticizing the leader of the Elven Guard, a man who had lived for centuries. ¡°Would you like to try again?¡± Swish. When Kaylen withdrew his de, Eldir copsed to his knees. Was this truly reality? Was it not a dream? Eldir stared nkly at his wooden sword, Melvria, in a daze. ¡°This time, I hope it¡¯ll be interesting.¡± Seizing the moment when Kaylen turned his back, Eldirunched a sudden strike. sh! It was a dishonorable attack, but at this point, exploiting an opening was his only option. Even among Sword Masters, the gap between them was insurmountable. However¡ª ng. This attack, too, was effortlessly blocked. Even this time, Kaylen¡¯s grip firmly held Eldir¡¯s weapon. ¡°This ambush was decent in some ways,¡± Kaylenmented. ¡°Grr¡­¡± ¡°But you failed to conceal the wind.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Despite striking from behind, the ambush had failed. The World Tree¡¯s de, firmly held in his opponent¡¯s hand, was the ultimate humiliation. ¡°If you¡¯re going tounch a surprise attack, don¡¯t leave any traces.¡± When Kaylen followed this with a lesson, Eldir¡¯s patience snapped. ¡°You insolent fool! Don¡¯t try to teach me! What could you possibly know about the mana of wind?¡± ¡°Hm. Is that so? Then perhaps you should see for yourself.¡± Whoosh. The World Tree¡¯s de, Melvria, slipped from Eldir¡¯s grasp. ¡°M-Melvria!¡± For a swordsman to lose hold of their de¡ªunthinkable. Whatever technique Kaylen had used, the sword slid effortlessly from Eldir¡¯s grip andnded in Kaylen¡¯s hand. ¡°Watch closely.¡± Whirr¡ª Wind coiled around the World Tree¡¯s de. It was a manifestation of the Aura Sword, simr to what Eldir had disyed moments before.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Yet, the amount of wind mana imbued in Kaylen¡¯s de was far lesspared to Eldir¡¯s. The intensity of the wind surrounding the sword was also notably weaker. Even so, Eldir couldn¡¯t tear his eyes away from it. ¡®No¡­ That¡¯s not possible.¡¯ Though the mana infused was significantly less than his own, the Aura emanating from Melvria in Kaylen¡¯s hands looked far more menacing than when Eldir wielded it with all his strength. And then¡ª Whoosh. Kaylen extended the de. In the blink of an eye, its tip touched Eldir¡¯s throat. Yet the wind¡­ the wind was felt behind him. No, it wasn¡¯t just behind him. From every direction except the front, violent gusts surged. Carried on the wind, it felt as if countless des were targeting him. ¡°If you can¡¯t hide the wind, summon a storm instead.¡± ¡°A storm¡­¡± ¡°Or, refine it further like this.¡± The raging winds ceased abruptly. Yet the World Tree¡¯s de remained unwavering, pointed at Eldir¡¯s throat. And then¡ª Swish¡ª Without any warning, the fabric of Eldir¡¯s sleeves and pant legs was suddenly sliced away. ¡°...!¡± No sound. No motion. No sensation. Kaylen¡¯s swift swordsmanship operated on an entirely different level, one that Eldir couldn¡¯t perceive. Thud¡ª Eldir once again fell to his knees. This time, he didn¡¯t even manage to hold his sword. He was utterly dazed. And yet, a flicker ignited in his left eye. ¡®I can¡¯t ept it... but I must.¡¯ He had been overpowered by a 19-year-old Swordmaster. Eldirpletely set aside his pride. But that didn¡¯t mean he had surrendered. ¡®I need another method.¡¯ He reached for the eyepatch covering his right eye. His opponent was a monster of a different caliber. He, too, had to resort to his ultimate means. ¡°¡­By the authority of the Master, Imand it.¡± Swish. Eldir removed the eyepatch. Beneath it, instead of an eye, was arge green gemstone embedded in its ce. Kaylen¡¯s eyebrow twitched for a moment. ¡®A mana stone? No...¡¯ It looked simr to a mana stone but was clearly something else. As someone who had once possessed all the treasures of the world during his time as an emperor, Kaylen instantly recognized it. ¡®A Spirit Stone.¡¯ Judging by its color, it must have been a Wind Spirit Stone. Kaylen could have subdued Eldir immediately, but he decided to observe, silently withdrawing his sword to see what Eldir would do. ¡°Guardian, initiate evolution process.¡± Whoosh¡ª The five floating mana suit parts disassembled into droplets, which began converging on Eldir. The droplets enveloped his entire body, gradually forming into a blue armor. ¡°Grr¡­!¡± In this state, the Spirit Stone began to glow. The wind mana coursed through his body and infused into the Guardian armor. Water and wind mana intertwined, and the mana suit shimmered with a mixture of blue and green hues. ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± Eldir¡¯s face, visible beneath the helmet, was contorted in pain. Yet, despite the agony, he didn¡¯t halt the ¡°evolution.¡± A massive vortex of energy swirled around the Guardian armor. ¡®Guardian relies mostly on water mana... but this wind mana is formidable as well.¡¯ The wind and water mana spreading from the Guardian were nearly equal in intensity. Though the Guardian,posed of five A-rank mana suits, primarily harnessed water mana, the wind mana came from Eldir himself and the Spirit Stone. The amount released by the Spirit Stone was overwhelming. Kaylen muttered softly, ¡°To contain both types of mana... You¡¯re almost like a High Elf.¡± ¡°¡­!?¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why it¡¯s called evolution?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know!¡± ¡°Still iplete, isn¡¯t it? Are you sure about this?¡± ¡°Tch!¡± Could this wretch really discern all that just by looking? Eldir gritted his teeth. Kaylen¡¯s observation was correct. The immense amounts of wind and water mana radiated overwhelming power. Yet, the two elements failed to achieve proper harmony. This imbnce stemmed partly from Kaylen¡¯s use of the mana stored in the Guardian¡¯s boots, leaving its reserves iplete. And more crucially... ¡®I wasn¡¯t ready for evolution yet... Neither was my body.¡¯ Eldir¡¯s own flesh wasn¡¯t prepared for the transformation. Forced to initiate the evolution due to the sudden confrontation with this overwhelming foe, he knew the process wouldn¡¯tst long. He had no choice but to subdue Kaylen quickly. ¡°Guardian... Summon artificial spirit...¡± Whirr! Thebined energies of wind and water coalesced, forming something entirely new. The formless cloud-like creation was still iplete in shape, but the mana within it was destructive. ¡°This is interesting.¡± Kaylen, who had been observing with his arms crossed, lifted the World Tree Sword. ¡°Eldir, you¡¯ve realized I¡¯m no servant of the Demon Realm, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Even so, will you still see this through to the end?¡± ¡°Even if you aren¡¯t... that doesn¡¯t change how suspicious you are! Reaching such heights at just 19? I¡¯ll subdue you and find out the truth!¡± At Eldir¡¯s resolute deration, Kaylen smirked. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s make this fun.¡± Aura began to envelop the World Tree Sword. The power emanating from the sword¡ªfar beyond what Kaylen had shown earlier¡ªgrew with every passing moment. ¡°Six des, activate.¡± The six elemental swords that Kaylen had cultivated came to life. Among them, the Light de, Dark de, and Water de grew particrly distinct, exuding overwhelming presence. The three massive swords stretched out behind Kaylen, radiating terrifying power. Even Eldir¡¯s eyes, sharpened by countless battles, couldn¡¯t help but widen in astonishment. ¡®That... that¡¯s...!¡¯ Every swordsman knew of a certain legendary tale. A warrior who manifested six elemental Aura Swords and swept away armies of demons in a single swing. When he came, all demons were annihted. Had he not been a Hero, who knows what fate would have befallen us? The Sword God, Ernstine. Eldir had grown up hearing of the Sword God¡¯s legend during his training with the Spirit Swordmasters of old. ¡®Could it be...?¡¯ Though Kaylen had only summoned three swords, the resemnce to the legendary Sword God¡¯s techniques was undeniable. ¡®Is fighting this man... truly the right thing to do?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the fear of death. Eldir had long been prepared to sacrifice his life for his kin. But if this man wielding the legendary Sword God¡¯s techniques wasn¡¯t aligned with the Demon Realm... Was it truly worth risking his life, forcing this evolution, and facing him here? As Eldir hesitated momentarily, a brilliant blue light gathered from the five Guardian parts. The radiance coalesced, then spread out, illuminating the space between Kaylen and Eldir. The light shone as if to separate the two. [My dear child, Eldir.] A solemn, feminine voice echoed throughout the underground chamber. [The Path of Six des cannot be walked by a seed of the Demon Realm. He wields both a holy sword and a cursed sword¡ªproof that he is unrted to the demons. I will release your power.] The artificial spirit, still in its cloud-like form, dissipated into vapor as the Guardian disassembled into its original five parts. ¡°...Ugh!¡± As soon as the equipment was released, Eldir coughed up blood. His body, now fully exposed, had be emaciated, with his skin cracked and peeling¡ªa harsh consequence of the forced evolution. He gritted his teeth against the pain, but it wasn¡¯t long before he lost consciousness and copsed onto the ground. [...Poor child. ] A gentle blue light descended upon him, illuminating his frail figure. Under its soothing glow, Eldir¡¯s body began to heal. The cracks in his skin faded, reced by a healthy luster, and his ragged breaths gradually steadied. ¡°Hmm...¡± Kaylen, watching this unfold, scratched his chin thoughtfully. This voice emanating from the light¡ªit felt familiar somehow. [Human Sword Master, please forgive today¡¯s insolence. My child acted too rashly. ] ¡°Who are you?¡± [I am a fragment of the World Tree, its will personified. Are you... a descendant of Ernstine? ] The light, which identified itself as the World Tree¡¯s will, spoke with calm authority. At these words, Kaylen¡¯s expression shifted as realization struck him. ¡°...Deluna?¡± High Elf Deluna. The fifth wife of Ernstine. A woman who had vanished from the imperial pce one day, leaving behind only her daughter. It hadter been revealed that she had sacrificed herself to sustain the World Tree. Kaylen¡¯s memories stirred. He recalled the nights spentforting her daughter, who wept inconsbly in his arms, searching for her mother. - ...Let it go now. Let her rest. She made her choice for the greater good. Each night, he had repeated those words, trying to soothe the grieving child while burying his own resentment toward Deluna. How bitterly he had med her back then. And yet, here was her voice, reaching him after all these years. The light flickered faintly. [...How do you know my name? ] [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 65 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 65 ¡°Is the voice I¡¯m hearing truly Deluna?¡± [¡­No, I misspoke. I am not Deluna. I am merely a fragment of the World Tree¡¯s will.] Hearing the words again, Kaylen calmed his startled heart. ¡®¡­Right. Just as she transformed into the will of the World Tree, I am no longer Emperor Ernstine but Kaylen. The connection between us is all but severed.¡¯ As he gathered his thoughts, the World Tree¡¯s will posed a question. [Even so¡­ I am curious how you recognized Deluna¡¯s voice.] ¡°I am a descendant of Emperor Ernstine and inherited his legacy. Among that inheritance were remnants of his memories.¡± [I see¡­ I thought he, no, Deluna, would be despised.] ¡°I¡¯m not sure why that memory remains, either.¡± Kaylen said no more after that. The memory of Deluna¡¯s voice. Had he, perhaps unconsciously, longed for her? ¡­ But Kaylen didn¡¯t want to admit such a thing aloud. [¡­I apologize for the personal question.] A brief silence fell until Eldir, who had been lying unconscious, slowly stirred. ¡°Hah¡­ A descendant of the Dragon God¡¯s de? Unbelievable.¡± Eldir, now wearing his eyepatch again, shook his head in disbelief. ¡°To think you found the Emperor¡¯s legacy that even Melvria couldn¡¯t uncover¡­¡± ¡°Melvria?¡± Kaylen frowned. The name was one Eldir used to refer to his sword. But for Kaylen, it wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d heard that name. ¡®When I first heard it, I thought it was a coincidence. But could it really be¡­?¡¯ In response to Kaylen¡¯s inquiry, Eldir answered. ¡°You don¡¯t know? She¡¯s the daughter born between Emperor Ernstine and the High Elf, Deluna. And¡­ she¡¯s the wife who abandoned me and ran off.¡± ¡°Your¡­ wife?¡± Melvria. She, the daughter of Deluna and Ernstine, was his most cherished child.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Born a half-elf, Kaylen had assumed she wouldn¡¯t have lived until now¡­ So he had dismissed the name of Eldir¡¯s sword as mere coincidence. ¡®She married this kind of guy?¡¯ The sweet daughter who had once dered she¡¯d stay by her father¡¯s side forever? With this drunkardyabout? Kaylen¡¯s expression momentarily stiffened, then forcibly rxed. Since he didn¡¯t know Melvria personally, he had to conceal his reaction. ¡°Why did your wife leave you?¡± ¡°She said¡­ something about going to find her father. Haha¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t believe Emperor Ernstine could have disappeared like that. Melvria was always chasing his traces.¡± Kaylen thought of Melvria. In the imperial pce, after losing her mother, the young half-elf girl had no one to rely on but her father. Ernstine, feeling pity for her, always kept her close. However, the Emperor¡¯s many children grew jealous of her instead. They envied that their father favored one daughter so deeply. ¡®Melvria never tried to get along with the other children either.¡¯ ¡°I only need my dad!¡± The daughter who always lived by those words. Even so, Kaylen had thought she¡¯d someday meet a good man and marry. Yet, of all people, she ended up with someone like this. ¡®Even after getting married, she should¡¯ve forgotten about her father and lived well... Why get married and then leave her husband to search for him?¡¯ Kaylen red at Eldir. Surely it was because this man didn¡¯t treat her well. To think this kind of man was his son-inw. Uneptable. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°You let your wife leave home? And you didn¡¯t stop her when she said she was looking for her father? What kind of husband are you?¡± ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± Even under Kaylen¡¯s rebuke, Eldir let out a long sigh and seemed unwilling to continue the conversation. At that moment, the World Tree¡¯s will addressed Eldir. [Eldir, tell him the truth.] After hesitating for a moment, Eldir finally spoke. ¡°She didn¡¯t really leave to find him. It¡¯s true Melvria was heavily dependent on her father. But after marrying me, she was trying to settle down in the Fairy Forest.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°Everything fell apart¡­ when the Hellmeier n appeared.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, the royal family of the Meier Empire, who had pledged themselves to the Demon Realm.¡± Hellmeier. A name forged by attaching ¡°Hell¡± to Meier. Kaylen recalled the Demonkind¡¯s legacy. A force that redefined the use of Infinity¡¯s power. Something only the Meier n could create. ¡®So, some of their descendants truly allied themselves with the Demon Realm. Hellmeier¡­¡¯ While Kaylen mulled over the name, Eldir continued, his expression deeply contorted. ¡°They attacked our n, riding drakes.¡± Just as the ck Anvil Dwarves were annihted, the Elves faced an invasion by the dragon legion. But unlike the fall of the ck Anvil Dwarves, this time, something was different. ¡ª¡°Lady Melvria, pleasee with us.¡± The Hellmeier n, arriving on dragon-back, had a specific purpose. ¡°I resisted alongside Elbon Guard with all my might.¡± Eldir rubbed one of his ears¡ª a reminder of the gruesome injuries he had sustained, with one eye gouged and one ear severed. A testament to his desperate struggle against the Hellmeier n and their dragon legion. ¡°But the power gap was insurmountable.¡± To take Melvria willingly, the Hellmeier n refrained from outright massacring the Elves. Instead, they razed the forest with overwhelming force, cutting ears as an example. ¡ª¡°Lady Melvria, if you refuse, we will have no choice but to act. Don¡¯t you wish to find Emperor Ernstine?¡± The Hellmeier n¡¯s ultimatum. In the end, Melvria stepped forward of her own volition. ¡ª¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go. To find my father.¡± She imed it was to see her father... but¡­ ¡ª¡°Just don¡¯t harm the Elf n. If you do, I¡¯ll die here as well.¡± ¡ª¡°Hmph. Are you making demands now?¡± ¡ª¡°You caused thismotion because you need me, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡ª¡°Very well. As long as we take Lady Melvria, the other Elves are of no consequence.¡± In truth, to protect the Elves, Melvria willingly left. ¡°Haha¡­ ever since that day, I can¡¯t live without drinking.¡± Whip. Eldir¡¯s hand habitually reached to his left, instinctively searching for a bottle of liquor. When his grasp found only air, he scratched his head sheepishly and chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Damn, it was expensive. Gone now.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Kaylen sighed deeply at the sight of his son-inw, who had failed to protect his daughter and degenerated into a hopeless drunkard. Without a word, he tossed the sword named Melvria at Eldir. ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°Oh? This sword¡­ it¡¯s well-crafted.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wield a sword that bears my daughter¡¯s name.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ thanks.¡± ¡°More importantly, what exactly is the Hellmeier n?¡± ¡°They were d entirely in ck armor, so I couldn¡¯t see their faces. But one thing was clear... they were on apletely different level. Each one possessed powerparable to that of a high-ranking demon.¡± Kaylen frowned. Were they using the same methods that Royen had fallen victim to, derived from the Demonkind¡¯s legacy? If the entire n had turned into demons and arrived riding drakes, even the Elves wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance. ¡°Was there no information on them after that?¡± ¡°Haha. After? After the Hellmeier invasion, we were too busy defending against monsters pouring out of dungeon portals. Eventually, we migrated to the human kingdom.¡± Even settling in the human kingdom hadn¡¯t been easy. It had taken countless struggles to get the Tower of the Fey back on track. By the time they were properly settled, too much time had passed. ¡°We couldn¡¯t gather any information about the Hellmeier n. And, of course, there¡¯s no news about Melvria either.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Even the Fairy Tower didn¡¯t have much on the Hellmeier n. Still, the name ¡°Hellmeier¡± was a lead. A Meier royal family allied with the Demon Realm. The reasons were unclear, but... ¡®It might be connected to me.¡¯ Kaylen spected there must be a reason the Hellmeier n was using Ernstine¡¯s name. He resolved to uncover the details gradually. As these thoughts began to settle, Eldir spoke again. ¡°Haha. I shouldn¡¯t have brought up Melvria... Tch. I need a drink.¡± The former Sword Master of the Elves had reverted to azy drunkard. Watching him smack his lips in longing for alcohol, Kaylen felt something boil inside. The man who took his cherished daughter away... had be this. He wanted nothing more than to kick him. But he held back, barely. ¡®I must restrain myself. I am no longer Ernstine¡ªI am Kaylen now.¡¯ But still¡­ ¡°Oh, looks like the bottle broke here,¡± Eldir muttered, crawling on all fours toward the shattered liquor bottle. ¡°If I can just get a few drops¡­¡± Using the power of wind, he levitated the remaining drops of alcohol from the broken shards. But that was the final straw for Kaylen. Is this the man who took my daughter?! Ssshhhhhhh¡ª For a brief moment, wind mana gathered at Kaylen¡¯s foot. BAM! ¡°Gah!¡± Eldir flew through the air, crashing into the ground. ¡°W-what¡¯s wrong with you?!¡± Crunch. Without replying, Kaylen stomped on the shards of the broken bottle, grinding them into dust. ¡°W-why are you acting like this?¡± Eldir stammered. ¡°Do you know who Emperor Ernstine cherished the most?¡± Kaylen asked coldly. ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°Your wife, Melvria. After her mother left when she was young, the Emperor always felt a deep sorrow for her.¡± ¡°Well, you sure know a lot about it,¡± Eldir retorted. ¡°That¡¯s because I inherited his path.¡± Kaylen delivered a few more crushing stomps to the remnants of the bottle before speaking again, his tone slightly calmer. ¡°I understand you fell into despair after Hellmeier took your wife.¡± ¡°But, are you not going to get her back?¡± ¡°¡­What do you know?¡± Eldir muttered bitterly. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t know every detail. But I do know this¡ªyour sword as a Sword Master has rusted.¡± ¡°Tch¡­¡± Eldir¡¯s face twisted as he recalled how utterly he had been defeated earlier. One strike. One strike had shattered himpletely. Even when he prepared to use his st resort¡± by activating all his Guardians, a sense of dread had lingered in his heart. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. ¡°Ha. Talking big just because you lucked into the Emperor¡¯s legacy.¡± ¡°Tch. A Sword Master who¡¯s lived for centuries, defeated by a 19-year-old boy¡ªdon¡¯t you think it¡¯s time for some self-reflection? Have you even trained with your sword?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Or have you dismissed the sword entirely, thinking it¡¯s uselesspared to the ¡®evolved¡¯ mode of your Guardians?¡± Eldir remained silent. He couldn¡¯t deny Kaylen¡¯s words. He had pride in bing a Sword Master, but he had seen the limitations of the sword. Even as the greatest swordsman among the Elves, he couldn¡¯t stop a single member of the Hellmeier n. I haven¡¯t wielded my sword in ages, he thought. Melvria, his sword, had long since be a mere staff, rarely used in its true form. It was only natural¡ªno matter how much he trained, it felt meaningless. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t improve. Compared to the overwhelming power of the Hellmeier n, his efforts amounted to nothing. In the end, he had clung to other forms of power, letting go of the sword. And yet¡­ In the path he thought had reached its limit, he witnessed a new horizon today. From a 19-year-old human boy, no less. ¡°Eldir, bing a Sword Master isn¡¯t the end of the path. It¡¯s merely the starting point for a greater journey. Right now, you¡¯re just standing at the starting line.¡± As Eldir silently gazed at his staff, the World Tree¡¯s will intervened in their conversation. [That¡¯s not true. He once dedicated himself tirelessly to retrieving Melvria. However¡­] [After the world¡¯s mana density thinned¡­ he couldn¡¯t find a way forward no matter how hard he tried.] So that¡¯s it. When mana bes scarce, even a Sword Master would find it hard to progress. [But now, there is hope.] The World Tree¡¯s will shone its light upon Kaylen. [Descendant of the Dragon Sword God, I beseech you. Show Eldir the way.] [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 66 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 66 ¡°What... what are you saying?¡± Eldir was flustered. To suggest he follow Kaylen and learn from him¡ªwhat kind of nonsense was this? [Eldir. Follow him. And learn from him.] ¡°That... that¡¯s absurd! How can I learn from someone so young...?¡± [I witnessed you lose to him in a single strike.] Eldir, left speechless, shut his mouth. Kaylen silently observed him. ¡°So, they want me to teach this guy.¡± Eldir, the Swordmaster. An excellent talent, no doubt. But Kaylen couldn¡¯t help but find him annoying. After all, he was the son-inw who had taken his most cherished daughter, only to fall into drunken debauchery and disgrace himself. ¡°Still, he might be useful.¡± If he weren¡¯t his son-inw, Kaylen would have taken him along immediately. Yet, watching him wallow in despair, drowning in alcohol, only stirred his anger further. Kaylen folded his arms, scrutinizing Eldir, and finally spoke. ¡°He must achieve the ¡®Evolution¡¯ of his Guardian. Doesn¡¯t he need to remain at the Tower of Magic for that?¡± [That¡¯s not an issue. The ¡®Evolution¡¯ project is still far off. Today, after witnessing the artificial spirit, I became certain of it.] The artificial spirit Eldir summoned while equipped with his Guardian was undoubtedly powerful. Yet, it was far fromplete as a true spirit. [It will take at least fifty more years. In the meantime, please teach and utilize Eldir.] ¡°Fi... fifty years!?¡± Eldir was shocked by the half a century-long timeline, but Kaylen¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°That¡¯s a workable timeframe.¡± While the World Tree¡¯s will didn¡¯t mean for Kaylen to keep Eldir that entire time, it was clear he wouldn¡¯t be returning Eldir within a year or two. ¡°Still, I can¡¯t just teach him for free.¡± Though the World Tree suggested using Eldir, that alone wasn¡¯t enough for Kaylen. Revitalizing a Swordmaster who had stagnated for centuries would require far greaterpensation. ¡°I have a condition.¡± [State it.] ¡°I have several projects in progress. While Lady Irene is assisting with the magic circle research, I¡¯m still in dire need of additional personnel for other studies.¡± [Understood. I¡¯ll ensure you receive sufficient support. However, I request that you guide him at least once a week.] ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°Guide? I¡¯m supposed to take guidance from someone like him?¡± [Yes, you must.] The World Tree¡¯s will was resolute. Kaylen added, ¡°And on the days I guide you, no drinking.¡± [That¡¯s eptable. In fact, I¡¯d appreciate it if you enforce that.] ¡°No, no way...¡± No drinking? Even if it was just one day a week, the thought alone was dreadful. Eldir¡¯s face crumpled in despair. [Eldir. You were once the most diligent swordsman in the Elven Guard,pletely unfamiliar with alcohol.] [But didn¡¯t you turn to drinking after sumbing to despair, believing you could no longer improve? And now, when the opportunity for growth stands before you, are you going to forsake it?] Eldir lowered his gaze to Melvria. For over a century, it had remained in the form of a staff, never taking its true shape as a sword. After the Elven Tower of Magic stabilized and Eldir¡¯s martial skills were no longer in demand... There was no longer a necessity for it to be a sword. Even though he could have transformed Melvria into a sword for the sake of training, there had been no such attempts in the past 100 years. ¡°No matter how much I trained, I never felt stronger.¡± In a world where mana had diminished, growth became impossible. Eldir, in the end, abandoned the sword. And in its ce, he gripped a bottle of alcohol. Living in this world with a clear mind had be unbearable. But now... ¡°Can I... be stronger if I learn from you?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°No matter if you inherited the legacy of the Great Emperor... teaching is another matter. Can you still make such bold ims?¡± ¡°You saw it earlier¡ªthe de of Wind.¡± If you cannot hide your presence, summon a tempest. Such was the way of the de of Wind. And beyond that, it had even demonstrated the extreme realm of swift swordsmanship. ¡°If I can learn that...¡± If learning was possible, then everything would change. Eldir rose abruptly. With a flick of his staff, the Sword of the World Tree revealed itself once more. He approached Kaylen, knelt before him, and ced the sword on the ground. ¡°I humbly request... please guide me.¡± His attitude was entirely different from earlier. Kaylen gazed at him in silence. The air around Eldir now exuded a discipline andposure greater than when he had wielded his sword in battle. ¡°At least he now has the attitude of a student.¡± That would suffice for now. Kaylen nodded. ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°But... if after one year of following you, there are no results, I will return to the Tower of Magic.¡± [Eldir! How can you think of judging the results after just one year!] The World Tree¡¯s will scolded Eldir upon hearing his words. ¡°Well, let him.¡± Kaylen remained unbothered. One year was more than enough time to produce results. ¡°But in return, you¡¯ll need to train ordingly.¡± Above Eldir, who remained kneeling, a radiant white light began to gather. The light slowly descended and touched the back of Eldir¡¯s hand. ¡°Ah...!¡± Eldir frowned momentarily at the brilliant light. But as it faded, a pure white sword insignia had appeared on the back of his hand. ¡°This is the Sword of Glory.¡± ¡°......?!¡± ¡°The Sword of Glory?¡± Eldir, hearing those words, unconsciously let his mouth fall open. No swordsman could fail to recognize it. It was the de of Light bestowed by Emperor Ernstine upon the Sword Masters who served under him. This sword, marked upon the back of a Sword Master¡¯s hand, was said to radiate an eternal and imperishable light. But the Sword of Glory wasn¡¯t merely a symbol of illumination. It served as a conduit, infusing the Sword Master¡¯s aura with the power of light tobat the demonic races. Thus, the Sword Masters under Ernstine had demonstrated holy power rivaling that of pdins, earning great renown during the Demon King Subjugation War. ¡°Wow...¡± As Eldir marveled at the mark on his hand, Kaylen spoke. ¡°It¡¯s too early to celebrate.¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t train, that light will burn you alive.¡± ¡°What does that mean?!¡± ¡°That sword was originally created by the Great Emperor because he couldn¡¯t stand the sight of idle Sword Masters.¡± Among those who had reached the realm of Sword Mastery, some remained diligent in their training. But just as many abandoned their discipline, as though they had nothing more to achieve. Ernstine, fed up with thiscency, personally devised the Sword of Glory. Officially, it was granted to fight against the demonic forces, but in truth, it was more like a Sword Master-exclusive upgrade of the Training Sword. ¡°You¡¯ve got a year to show me some results.¡± Kaylen grinned, his smile bright yet somehow chilling to Eldir. Meanwhile, Irene stood there, bewildered. ¡°What happened while I was gone?¡± She had taken a little longer to pack her things and arrivedte¡ªan hour or two at most. But in that short time, so much had changed. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to go as well, Irene.¡± ¡°Huh? You too, Brother?¡± The presence of her brother, who had seemed like the epitome of a drunkard just a few hours ago, hadpletely transformed. ¡°Melvria has even turned into a sword?¡± The sword he had seemingly abandoned. The staff, which seemed it would never change, had now reverted to its original form. [My child, Irene.] ¡°W-World Tree!¡± A voice flowed from the light, and Irene hurriedly knelt. It was the voice of the World Tree, which she had only ever heard during moments of divine revtion. [Gather the elven researchers under you and follow Lord Kaylen.] ¡°Huh?¡± [One hundred should suffice.] The unexpected nature of the World Tree¡¯s words left Irene stunned and questioning, but she quickly replied. ¡°Understood.¡± The word of the World Tree carried an absolute weight for elves. Even so, Irene couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡°What exactly happened...?¡± Questions arose in Irene¡¯s mind. Currently, the number of researchers under hermand was about two hundred. If half of them were conscripted, the research being conducted at the Tower of the Elves wouldrgelye to a halt. ¡°The World Tree must know this... Yet it still ordered us to follow Kaylen... I just can¡¯t figure it out.¡± Kaylen¡¯s voice broke her train of thought. ¡°Eldir and I will leave first. Irene, gather the research team and meet us at Myorn¡¯sb. Yourb is nearby, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Kaylen will assign the tasks once you¡¯re there.¡± That wasn¡¯t the only question in her mind. Her brother, who showed deference to no one but the World Tree, was now being remarkably polite to Kaylen. Seeing this unfamiliar side of him, Irene couldn¡¯t tell if this was a dream or reality. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Eldir.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see youter, World Tree.¡± [Yes... Take care.] Kaylen, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, ordered Eldir around and conversed with the World Tree. ¡°See you at theb, Irene.¡± ¡°Oh, yes...¡± Step. Step. Irene stared nkly as Kaylen and Eldir left the basement. ¡°How am I supposed to make sense of all this?¡± ¡°One hundred people... ha.¡± Of course, she would obey the World Tree¡¯smand, but what could possibly require such arge number of researchers? Irene let out a deep sigh. She had packed her belongings ande down, but the thought of selecting the elves for the task made her head spin. As Kaylen, Eldir, and Irene all departed, the light reflecting off the four parts of the Mana Suit Guardian flickered once. [Ernstine. Your sessor resembles you far too much.] Kaylen, only neen years old, bore an uncanny resemnce to Ernstine. Though his physical appearance was entirely different from the Great Emperor¡¯s, that was merely superficial. His words and actions were strikingly simr to those of Ernstine. [Yes... He resembles him too much.] The way he unlocked the Six Swords. The manner in which he executed his swordsmanship. Even his tone of speech. It was enough to make one feel as though Ernstine had returned to life. [...Perhaps my emotions influenced me too much.] Even as the World Tree, meant to make decisions for and by the elves, personal feelings had taken over. Thinking of Ernstine, it had promised far more support than it should have¡ªoffering not just Eldir but also a significant portion of the research staff. It wasn¡¯t something that should have been done. Simply because Kaylen resembled the Great Emperor, personal feelings had interfered too much. Thispse stemmed from the emotions of Deluna, the High Elf who had trusted and depended on Ernstine more than anyone else. [Such a situation must not ur again... I will forget myself once more.]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The light illuminating the basement gradually dimmed. Resolving not to allow personal feelings to surface, the World Tree ceased its thoughts of Kaylen. Without delving further into the simrities between Kaylen and Ernstine, it began to erase the persona of Deluna. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 67 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 67 ¡°This is thest mansion I found for you.¡± The head of the dungeon guild branch, Krundal, had been tasked with finding a mansion for Kaylen at his request. Krundal was personally guiding Kaylen around. Although he had been busy with staff dispatched from the headquarters due to the dungeon core Kaylen brought in¡­ ¡®Still, he¡¯s a VIP. I need to handle this personally.¡¯ Having gained substantial benefits thanks to Kaylen, Krundal decided to go out of his way to assist. Kaylen¡¯s selection process for a mansion was straightforward. He would assess the exterior from afar, and if he showed interest, they would take a closer look inside. The only issue was Kaylen¡¯s high standards. ¡°Hmm, this time, the space feelscking.¡± From his perspective, most properties didn¡¯t meet his expectations.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Is that so? To find arger mansion with this budget, we¡¯d have to look further out.¡± ¡°If I increase the budget, could we find something bigger than this?¡± ¡°Well¡­ in terms of size alone, yes, there are options,¡± Krundal replied after a moment of thought. ¡°There¡¯s a mansion once used by the Marquis of Albrynx. The building itself isn¡¯t much different in size, but it has a veryrge training ground. The ancestor was a Dragon Knight, so they needed space for their draconicpanions.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°But it¡¯s an outdated design for modern times. Who needs such arge training ground nowadays? Despite that, the Marquis¡¯s family has set a high price for it¡­¡± However, Kaylen¡¯s interest was piqued. The idea of a mansion used by a former Dragon Knight appealed to him. It seemed perfect for riding his drake. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look.¡± ¡°Pardon? ¡­Very well.¡± The old mansion of the Albrynx Marquis was located on elevated ground. It was evident that the ce had been neglected for a long time, with signs of disrepair everywhere. The garden was overgrown with weeds, and the mansion looked as if it might copse at any moment. ¡°As you can see, it¡¯s in terrible condition. The location isn¡¯t particrly favorable, either,¡± Krundal remarked. Indeed, there was nothing around the mansion. On the way up, they had passed a few abandoned houses, but there were no signs of inhabited dwellings. ¡°Judging by what I saw on the way here, it seems people used to live here.¡± ¡°Yes,moners used to reside in the lower areas. But about a century ago, a dungeon portal appeared nearby, so everyone retreated within the city walls.¡± ¡°So, this ce has been unused since then?¡± ¡°Yes. Currently, the Albrynx family¡¯s mansion is located in the South River District. This ce has been abandoned for ages.¡± Krundal clicked his tongue. But Kaylen liked what he saw. ¡®This is perfect for riding my drake.¡¯ Compared to the developed South River District, this was the underdeveloped East River area, at the very edge of the district. There were no residential houses nearby, and it was located outside the protective city walls. It seemed ideal for using the drake freely. While the drake¡¯s existence would eventually be known, there was no need for rumors to spread right away. Kaylen decided on this location. ¡°I like this ce.¡± ¡°Do you?¡± ¡°Is it difficult to purchase with the current budget?¡± ¡°Well, the price they¡¯re asking is quite high.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll clear another dungeon. I¡¯ll bring back a simr amount of dungeon cores asst time.¡± ¡°......?!¡± What? How does he talk about obtaining dungeon cores as if he¡¯s casually picking apples from an orchard? ¡°That much... will be more than sufficient.¡± ¡°Then, just take care of settling any surplus properly.¡± ¡°Yes. In that case, may I ask how long you think it will take?¡± ¡°Well, it shouldn¡¯t take too long.¡± Kaylen¡¯s response made Krundal¡¯s eyes widen. ¡®What?! We don¡¯t even have the money right now...¡¯ The dungeon cores Kaylen had previously brought hadn¡¯t all been sold yet. Still, there was no way Krundal could admit they were short on funds. ¡®Even if he says it won¡¯t take long, it¡¯s bound to take some time... right?¡¯ Thinking so, Krundal put on a confident front and answered Kaylen. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll make the preparations.¡± p, p. As the drake pped its wings andnded near the dungeon portal, three figures dismounted: Kaylen, Eldir, and Alkas. ¡°Honestly... this is way too fast.¡± Eldir shook his head, exasperated. Even after riding magical transportation from the Tower of the Fae, he still couldn¡¯t get used to this speed. What should¡¯ve taken several days was over in less than half a day. ¡°Alkas, did you bring it?¡± ¡°Yes, I brought two sets of ¡®Normal.¡¯¡± ¡°Good. Give one to Eldir.¡± Alkas handed a pair of steel gauntlets to Eldir, who received them with an unimpressed look. ¡°If it¡¯s something made by Myorn, I don¡¯t trust it.¡± ¡°Try it before youin.¡± ¡°Ugh. Elves shouldn¡¯t just casually wear mana suits, you know¡­¡± Grumbling, Eldir reluctantly slipped on the gauntlets. Although he had decided to learn swordsmanship under Kaylen, his attitude was far from the diligent model student Alkas was. ¡°Ugh, why is this so heavy? Ow, my palms hurt already.¡± As Eldir activated the mana suit, he continued to voice his dissatisfaction, making Alkas blink in disbelief. ¡®That loudmouth elf is supposed to be a Swordmaster?¡¯ The elf that Kaylen introduced as a Swordmaster seemed tock any sort of gravitas. He was skinny¡ªso much so that it was hard to believe he was a knight, let alone a Swordmaster, the pinnacle of knighthood. Meanwhile, Kaylen, having miniaturized the drake, fiddled with his bracelet. It was the second part of the Guardian equipment he had retrieved from the Tower of the Fae: a staff. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Swoosh¡ª As Kaylen activated the Guardian, his body transformed into water. He entered the dungeon portal and immediately summoned his Water Aura Sword. Observing the dungeonyout, Alkas spoke calmly. ¡°It¡¯s a gnoll dungeon. Gnolls form packs, have excellent regenerative abilities, and are quite troublesome monsters. Some individuals are capable of shooting potent venomous spines.¡± Gnolls, humanoid monsters with dog-like heads, were a species known for their pack behavior and strong regenerative powers. Although defeating them wasn¡¯t particrly difficult, the venomous spines they fired often caused unexpected casualties in such dungeons. ¡°But if my lord uses the Guardian, it won¡¯t be an issue.¡± Alkas recalled the time when Kaylen had wiped out orcs in a simr manner, suffocating them with massive water orbs to efficiently clear the dungeon. Though Alkas shared this memory confidently, Kaylen shook his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t have time to mess around with gnolls. I need to buy a house.¡± Whirrrrr! Whiiiiirrrr! Kaylen¡¯s Aura Sword began to expand rapidly. Initially, it was the size of a standard longsword, but it continued to grow, seemingly without end. Kaylen recalled what he had witnessed at Starn Barony. The demon relics he had seen there had provided immense inspiration. As a knight, Kaylen¡¯s focus on Infinity was tied to its persistence and durability. However, for a mage, Infinity meant something entirely different: endless expansion and amplification. This principle had allowed for the drake¡¯s size maniption and even the creation of subspaces. ¡°Let¡¯s apply this property to the sword.¡± Kaylen oveid the Guardian¡¯s mana with the concept of Infinity. The Water Aura Sword responded, growingrger andrger ording to Kaylen¡¯s will. Before long, it had transformed into a massive tidal wave. ¡°Grrrr?¡± When Kaylen¡¯s group first entered the dungeon, the gnoll troops hadn¡¯t shown much concern. But as the colossal sword-wave surged toward them, their instincts kicked in. ¡°Growl! Grrrrr!¡± ¡°Gah! Scatter!¡± They began to shout and il, trying to disperse, but it was toote. The gargantuan Aura Sword, its range now absurdly wide, came crashing down. ¡°Grrrrk... Grrrrraah!¡± The gnolls¡¯ screams were drowned out by the sheer force of the water sword. In a single, overwhelming strike, the dungeon was swept clean. Alkas stood frozen, unable to even close his mouth as he stared nkly at the surreal sight. Eventually, he turned to Eldir and asked cautiously. ¡°...Is this something Swordmasters can do?¡± ¡°No. Absolutely not. Never.¡± Eldir, equally dumbfounded, could only wave his hands in disbelief. Meanwhile, Kaylen, having retracted the sword, answered Alkas¡¯s question in a calm tone. ¡°This is a specialized case, but it¡¯s not impossible. A Swordmaster is someone who manifests their refined de as an Aura Sword. With proper training, each can wield their own unique form.¡± ¡°Hm...¡± A de of my own. The thought left Eldir deep in contemtion. Did he have something like that? ...No, I don¡¯t. When he firstpleted his Aura Sword, he felt he was pursuing a de unique to himself. But now, he couldn¡¯t even recall what that was. ¡°Drake, stay here and y for a bit.¡± ¡°Can I eat those guys?¡± ¡°The remaining stragglers? Go ahead.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± The drake, now shrunken to the size of a human, pped its wings gleefully and flew off to hunt. The remaining group followed the path Kaylen had cleared, arriving at the location of the dungeon core. Kaylen gestured to Alkas. ¡°Activate your ¡®Normal¡¯ and try attacking the dungeon core.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Ssssshhh¡ª Aura red explosively from Alkas¡¯s sword. Eldir¡¯s eyes widened slightly at the sight. ¡°Oh? Not bad.¡± He had assumed Alkas was just a knight trailing after Kaylen, but his aura appeared sharp and refined. Judging by his youthful appearance, Alkas seemed like a rtively young knight. To have such skill at his age was impressive. ¡°You¡¯ve improved a lotpared to before. But you still need to get more ustomed to the mana suit. Is this a modified version?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I heard it has about three times the output.¡± ¡°Good. Go ahead and attack.¡± Three times the aura output? This mana suit? As Eldir skeptically nced at his own ¡®Normal¡¯ gauntlets¡ª ¡°Hyaap!¡± Alkas¡¯s aura-infused sword struck the dungeon core. ng! The de momentarily dug into the core, then bounced back. He swung again¡ªonce, twice, three times in session¡ª Thwack. Finally, the sword prated slightly deeper into the core before retreating. For a brief moment, his aura had visibly cut into the dungeon core. A Sword Expert managed this? No matter how skilled a knight might be, it was practically unheard of for an aura de to damage a dungeon core. Eldir was astonished by the impossibility of the feat. However, Kaylen¡¯s expression clearly reflected dissatisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s stillcking. It seems like it¡¯s close, but it needs more refinement. What a pity.¡± ¡°¡­I apologize.¡± Kaylen evaluated Alkas with a detached tone. ¡°Eldir, try cutting it using the mana suit.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Eldir, having felt an itch to try since watching Alkas, activated his mana suit and generated an aura sword on his wooden training sword. Whiiirrr¡ª A powerful force concentrated on the wooden de. ¡°Ooh¡­¡± Seeing the aura sword for the first time, Alkas marveled. ¡°He really is a Swordmaster!¡± Though its greenish huecked the overwhelming presence of Kaylen¡¯s golden aura sword, to Alkas, it was dazzling nheless. ¡°Hmph!¡± As wind spiraled around the green aura sword, Eldir unleashed a single, decisive strike. Boom! A massive gust engulfed the dungeon core. Crack, crack, crack¡ª The core splintered, breaking into seven pieces that fell to the ground. ¡°Wow! Incredible!¡± Alkas eximed in awe at the scene, but Eldir, like Kaylen, wore a dissatisfied expression. The reason soon became evident. The ¡®Normal¡¯ mana suit cracked and shattered into fragments in Eldir¡¯s hands. ¡°I thought it was a decent mana suit, but its durability is terrible. That Myorn girl¡­ she still has a long way to go.¡± Shaking his head at the broken pieces, Eldir sighed in frustration. Kaylen also shook his head, but for a different reason. ¡°Durability issues? That might be part of it, but¡­¡± Watching Eldir manifest his aura sword had made something clear. His technique was iplete. ¡°It needs correction.¡± With that thought, Kaylen picked up the dungeon core pieces scattered on the ground. He fused the seven neatly divided fragments into one. As he inspected it, Kaylen¡¯s brow furrowed. The text on it differed from before. [Colony ¨C Subjugation] The word Subjugation, a term that had once plunged the kingdom into turmoil, emerged on the dungeon core. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 70 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 70 Princess Violet was waiting for Kaylen at a neatly arranged tea table, just likest time. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Lord Kaylen.¡± ¡°I thought I wouldn¡¯t see you again after graduation, but you¡¯re still at the academy.¡± ¡°Fufu¡­ Of course.¡± Princess Violet added that, for certain reasons, she decided to remain at the academy for another year. ¡®She¡¯s nning to recruit more talent,¡¯ thought Kaylen. As the Supreme Mage, essentially the overall representative of the academy¡¯s magicians, it seemed Violet intended to leverage that authority. ¡°Thanks to you, the power of cia has calmed down since thest finals. It¡¯ste, but I want to express my gratitude.¡± Violet tapped lightly on the icy half-mask. In the past, cia¡¯s power was so overwhelming that it periodically burned her body. However, after absorbing arge amount of mana during the finals, her body no longer froze. ¡°You¡¯re too kind. Does this mean you no longer need the help of fire?¡± ¡°No. cia¡¯s power seems to be recovering little by little. In a few months, I¡¯ll likely need to manage it again.¡± ¡°I see.¡± An S-rank mana suit truly is remarkable. Despite the massive amount of mana absorbed, recovery seemed this rapid. Kaylen briefly observed cia. [When my power is fully restored, I wille to find you. Until then, remember one thing: live while concealing the power of the Dragon God¡¯s Sword as much as possible¡­] As cia hadn¡¯t yet fully regained her strength, she remained quiet even in Kaylen¡¯s presence. Princess Violet also seemed unaware of Kaylen¡¯s true nature. ¡°Lord Kaylen, how is life at the Tower of Fairies? I¡¯ve heard the elves treat their Meisters with great respect.¡± ¡°Since acquiring the mana suit, I¡¯ve been spending most of my time outside and haven¡¯t stayed at the tower for long.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± The two exchanged lighthearted updates on their recent activities. Eventually, Princess Violet emptied her cup of cold tea and moved to the main topic. ¡°Lord Kaylen, what are your thoughts on our faction?¡± ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Although he had been expecting the subject, Kaylen hesitated, feigning difort. ¡°I try not to involve myself in politics. I¡¯m affiliated with the Tower of Fairies, which maintains a neutral stance.¡± ¡°While the Tower of Fairies is politically neutral, that neutrality only applies to non-human races. It doesn¡¯t enforce neutrality on human Meisters.¡± When he remained silent, Princess Violet continued speaking. ¡°Lord Kaylen, the First Prince is the royal family¡¯s eldest son and legitimate heir. While Duke Oine is inciting the Second Prince to engage in subversive activities, those movements are fleeting.¡± Princess Violet¡¯s expression grew cold. ¡°The scales of power have already tipped in our favor. Most of the major towers support us. The Second Prince appears to be rallying the regional nobles, but the times have changed. The noble houses no longer hold sway.¡± This was the era led by the towers. Producing and supplying mana suits, as well asmanding numerous Meisters, the towers were at the core of power. Although noble houses operated their own Civil Squads, they couldn¡¯tpare to the mana suit-producing towers. With the towers¡¯ support, Princess Violet had reason to be confident. ¡°Furthermore, it¡¯s thanks to you, Lord Kaylen, that we¡¯ve gained even more support from the towers.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes. Because you allowed cia¡¯s full power to be disyed during the finals.¡± It had long been widely known that S-rank mana suits were extraordinary. However, no one had yet¡­ No one truly understood the extent of the S-rank mana suit¡¯s power¡ªat least, not until the finals. ¡°Many of the towers that had previously reserved judgment have sent their support since the finals. After witnessing the power of the S-rank mana suit firsthand, they realized which side would benefit them most.¡± It was said that representatives of the towers shuddered as they watched cia¡¯s power turn the world into ice. Even for a mana suit, such power... What surprised them even more was that Kaylen survived the ordeal. This led them to conclude that Violet, despite wielding such immense power, had enough control to avoid causing harm. Unaware that Kaylen had used the Abyss to absorb mana, the magicians continued to marvel at Violet and held her in high regard. ¡°Lord Kaylen, if you were to support our side, the bnce of power would tilt even further. There would be no contest for the throne. The Second Prince would abandon his ambitions.¡± ¡°I¡¯m merely a Meister,¡± Kaylen replied. ¡°No, your significance is far greater than that. You are the future of magic, someone with the potential to reach the sixth circle. Moreover, while the Tower of Fairies remains neutral, your influence could still sway things.¡± Princess Violet suddenly smiled, her expression meaningful.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Oh, something just came to mind.¡± ¡°What are you referring to?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve received reports that many elves from the Tower of Fairies have recently entered the capital. It seems they frequently visit a certain mansion in the outskirts.¡± She¡¯s even aware of the elven researchers¡¯ movements? Her intelligencework is impressive, Kaylen thought, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°They¡¯re simply assisting me with my magic research.¡± ¡°The fact that the elves are being sent to aid you only shows how highly the Tower of Fairies values you. And let¡¯s not forget the achievements of the Meier Civil Squad.¡± Violet finished her statement with a smile, clearly hinting that she had investigated the Meier Civil Squad as well. If she¡¯s looked into the Civil Squad, her conclusions are probably along the same lines. The number of dungeon portals broken by the Meier Civil Squad was staggering¡ªfar beyond what a single squad could realistically achieve. Her smile seemed to suggest suspicion that the Tower of Fairies must have been involved. If Kaylen could be persuaded to join, it would create an opportunity to pull the Tower of Fairies onto their side. After a long silence, Kaylen finally spoke. ¡°You make it sound like my support wouldn¡¯t be merely that of a single Meister.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°In that case, I have no choice but to think carefully. My affiliation with the Tower of Fairies could also be affected.¡± After prefacing his response, Kaylen paused briefly before continuing. ¡°Most importantly, I know nothing about the First Prince, whom I would be dering my support for. At the very least, I would need to meet him in person before making any decisions.¡± At this, Violet¡¯s brows furrowed ever so slightly. She detected an undertone in Kaylen¡¯s words. ¡°Have you perhaps heard the ridiculous rumors circting?¡± ¡°Ridiculous rumors? What are you referring to?¡± ¡°The absurd im that my brother is a simpleton.¡± Crack. The teacup Violet was holding froze solid in an instant. Her voice grew icy, reflecting her anger at the mere thought of such nder. ¡°My brother is simply preupied with important royal matters and cannot make public appearances at the moment. Even the Second Prince must be fully aware of this, yet he has chosen to spread such baseless rumors.¡± Violet fixed her gaze on Kaylen. ¡°Lord Kaylen, my brother is perfectly normal. If you wish, I can personally invite you to the royal pce so you can meet him.¡± If the princess was this confident, could Lioness¡¯s earlier im that the First Prince was no fool be true? Kaylen epted the invitation. After all, it was an excellent opportunity to observe the royal pce. ¡°In that case, it would be an honor.¡± ¡°Indeed. However... there seems to be some incident involving the Dungeon Guild. Once I¡¯ve rified the situation, I¡¯ll personally invite you to the pce.¡± The Dungeon Guild¡¯s directive to halt all dungeon expeditions and remain on standby applied to everyone, including those aligned with the First Prince. Unbeknownst to Violet, the reason for the Guild¡¯s uproar was tied to the dungeon core Kaylen had brought. She intended to resolve the matter quickly and extend her invitation thereafter. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take long,¡± Violet thought. At the time, she believed the Dungeon Guild¡¯s heightened state of alert wouldn¡¯t persist. *** In the situation room of the Dungeon Guild, Krundal, the branch manager, bit his lip as he listened to the report. ¡°The mana signals from the dungeon portals are fading.¡± ¡°Could it be the work of the Civil Squad?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem so. They¡¯ve already withdrawn, and the mana signals are weakening simultaneously across multiple portals...¡± Krundal let out a deep sigh. ¡°It¡¯s unfolding just as the headquarters warned about¡ªthe worst-case scenario.¡± When strange runes were discovered on a dungeon core, the guild¡¯s headquarters had issued a simple directive: Withdraw all Civil Squads and monitor the mana signals of the dungeon portals for one month. ¡°If the portals remain stable for a month, it¡¯s fine. But if they disappear...¡± Though headquarters had not gone into detail about what the ¡°big problem¡± was, Krundal remembered the warning clearly: ¡°We must not repeat the fates of Aldehar, Bn, or Cornes.¡± The three kingdoms mentioned were nations that had all fallen to monsters. To the public, their destruction was attributed to an inability to manage the increasing number of dungeon portals, leading to their annihtion. But now, Krundal began to doubt that narrative. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just the number of portals increasing... Could there have been another cause? And does this situation mirror that one?¡± Watching the fading mana signals, Krundal couldn¡¯t suppress his anxiety. At that moment, a brilliant white light poured down from the ceiling. From within the light, three knights d in pristine white armor gradually appeared. ¡°Is this the Alzass branch?¡± A clear voice emerged from within the helm of the lead knight, who was entirely obscured. Krundal leapt from his seat and rushed toward them. ¡°Are you... Are you from headquarters?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. This is the Alzass branch, yes?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m Krundal, the branch manager of Alzass.¡± ¡°Good. Now, the situation?¡± ¡°Over there...¡± The lead knight walked with measured steps toward the disy board showing the fluctuating mana signals. Thud. Thud. ¡°Hm.¡± Without hesitation, the knight sat in Krundal¡¯s chair, as though it were his rightful ce. ¡°The situation has already progressed. Branch manager.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°This nation¡ªhow useful is it?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± How useful is the nation? Krundal, caught off guard by the knight¡¯s question, couldn¡¯t help but respond with confusion. "Are you saying whether it''s worth saving or not?" "Uh, no, I mean¡­" Krundal¡¯s mind went nk. Worth saving? He recalled the mention of the three fallen kingdoms by headquarters. Was the situation truly that dire? "Click. Are you a citizen of this country?" "Yes¡­" "Then evaluate it anyway," the white knight said coldly. "I¡¯ll give you one day. Determine if it¡¯s worth saving and, if so, exin why with evidence. If not, we will withdraw." Krundal tried to steady his thoughts in the face of such a deration. If the white knights withdrew now, it would spell disaster. He had to keep them here, no matter what it took. "I¡¯ll prepare the materials." [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 71 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 71 Swoosh. "So, this is the ce where the owner of the S-ss Mana Suit resides." "Yes, Princess Violet is the owner of the S-ss Mana Suit, cia." Standing beside the white knight as he flipped through the report, Krundal maintained a respectful posture. "The number of magic towers is considerable." "The preservation of the territory is quite advanced." "The number and activity of the Civil Squads are also decent." The white knight nodded repeatedly, offering continuous positive assessments. ¡®Does this mean it¡¯s worth saving?¡¯ Just as Krundal breathed a quiet sigh of relief¡ª "Wait." The white knight¡¯s hand paused as he turned a page. "The Fairy Tower?" "Yes, it¡¯s a magic tower primarily run by elves." "Non-human species hold this much influence?" "Yes, their elemental magic is essential for crafting high-grade Mana Suits, so¡­" "That¡¯s the problem." "Excuse me?" "Why are they allowed to amass power as a faction instead of being directly managed under the tower?" The white knight shook his head in disapproval. It seemed to be a significant mark against the evaluation of the Bormian Kingdom. ¡®Why is this a problem?¡¯ Krundal felt a sense of unjust grievance. Though the Fairy Tower belonged to a different race, it had greatly contributed to the power of the Bormian Kingdom¡­ Why is this considered a demerit? ¡°This one thing really doesn¡¯t sit well with me.¡± Rip! The White Knight tore out the report concerning the Fairy Tower and set it aside, as if to iste it. Then, while reviewing the subsequent reports, the knight suddenly paused again. ¡°A talent of the Sixth Circle, is it?¡± At those words, Krundal¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Yes. This kingdom has a Meister with Sixth Circle talent!¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°But they are affiliated with the Fairy Tower, correct?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The White Knight, frowning as they stared at the report, asked again. ¡°Are they a native of this kingdom?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, this kingdom is worth saving.¡± The White Knight, who had hesitated earlier due to the Fairy Tower, finally decided to spare the kingdom upon hearing about the Sixth Circle Meister. ¡®Thank goodness.¡¯ Just as Krundal breathed a quiet sigh of relief¡ª Fwaaaaaa! The White Knight¡¯s armor shone brilliantly white before vanishing entirely. In its ce stood a silver-haired woman, dressed in a pure-white priestess¡¯s robe. ¡®What¡­¡¯ A stunningly beautiful woman with doll-like features. Her petite frame and youthful appearance made her seem like a young girl, but Krundal couldn¡¯t help but associate her with someone. ¡°L-Lady Saintess¡­¡± The Saintess, Theresia. The most prominent figure listed at the very top of the investigative records Krundal had received. He hadn¡¯t expected the White Knight, who arrived first, to turn out to be the Saintess herself. ¡°Branch Chief, I must meet this kingdom¡¯s king.¡± As she removed the armor, even her tone softened. Saintess Theresia smiled warmly at Krundal, a smile that embodied the very image of the Saintess as the world perceived her. Myorn¡¯s Laboratory ¡°Eldir, you were also a Sword Master?¡± Myorn, her voice filled with surprise, looked at Eldir standing before her. She had known him as a skilled Spirit Swordsman in his prime, but a Sword Master? ¡°Yes. Lord Kaylen told me to assist you.¡± ¡°Lord Kaylen? It¡¯s strange to see you speak so respectfully to a human.¡± ¡°Since I¡¯m learning the sword from him.¡± ¡°Even though you¡¯re both Sword Masters?¡± As Myorn raised an eyebrow in confusion, Eldir gave a wry smile. Both Sword Masters? The gap between them was far too vast to be considered equal, even under the same title of Sword Master. ¡°There are levels even among Sword Masters.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, Kaylen is certainly strong¡ªso much so that he doesn¡¯t even seem human.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m learning from him. But¡­ what exactly do I need to help with?¡± Eldir looked around the room. The cluttered mess surrounding him felt strangely familiar. ¡®It¡¯s just like my own home.¡¯ If the clutter were reced with bottles of liquor, it would perfectly resemble Eldir¡¯s ce. As he nced around, Myorn¡¯s fur subtly extended, retrieving something from the pile of junk. ¡°There¡¯s nothing pressing right now, though.¡± What Myorn pulled out was a brown ss bottle. Gulp. At the sight of the long bottle, Eldir unconsciously swallowed. It was unmistakably alcohol. ¡°Want some? It¡¯s a drink I received a while back. I don¡¯t like alcohol much myself.¡± ¡°A dwarf who doesn¡¯t like alcohol? That¡¯s unusual.¡± ¡°Bad memories, that¡¯s all.¡± It was a drink Myorn hadn¡¯t touched since starting to follow Kaylen. While training with the sword, the thought of alcohol never crossed her mind. But now, seeing it before her, her resolve wavered momentarily. Still¡­ ¡°No, I¡¯ll pass.¡± ¡°Really? You¡¯re sure you don¡¯t want it?¡± ¡°Yes. So get rid of it immediately.¡± ¡°Well, this is a surprise. You¡¯ve really changed, haven¡¯t you? Then¡­¡± Whoosh. Myorn casually tossed the bottle away and showed Eldir something else instead. It was an object Eldir recognized¡ªMana Suit: Normal. ¡°This is¡­ the Mana Suit: Normal?¡± ¡°Yep. For standard magic, it has about 1x efficiency. For aura, it¡¯s roughly 2x.¡± ¡°Aura efficiency? I heard from Alkas the other day that it was 3x.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the maximum. The average is 2x.¡± The Mana Suit: Normal had seen significant performance improvementspared to its prototype. ¡®This is all thanks to Kaylen.¡¯ Despite Myorn¡¯s years of development, the results had previously been mediocre and stagnant. Now, it was a major leap forward. However, even with improved performance, there were limits. ¡°It¡¯s entirely tailored for knights. For mages, it¡¯s practically useless.¡± ¡°¡­True.¡± ¡°Regr mages can¡¯t even perform reloads. Their starting point is entirely different, and they can¡¯t produce sufficient output.¡± Meisters. Both mages and knights could be Meisters, but their paths diverged. Knights became Meisters to wield mana suits optimized for their specific elemental affinity. Mages, on the other hand, had to go a step further¡ªthey performed reloads to enhance their magic. Reloading involved reversing the flow of their mana circle to amplify the power of their spells. This unique technique was exclusive to mage Meisters. With reloads, the destructive power of their magic increased by at least twofold, and whenbined with the output boost from mana suits, it created overwhelming force. However, regr mages couldn¡¯t perform reloads. Additionally, the Mana Suit: Normal¡¯s magical efficiency was even weaker than lower-grade mana suits. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a product fit to sell to mages.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll sell the Mana Suit: Normal to knights first.¡± ¡°With double the efficiency, it¡¯ll be in demand among knights. Especially since even non-elemental experts can use it.¡± ¡°Right. It¡¯s not strong enough to break dungeon cores yet, but it¡¯s sufficient for escort knights.¡± While the Normal model was practically useless for mages, the story was different for knights. A non-elemental mana suit tailored for knights. Compared to typical knight mana suits, which provided around 0.5x output, the Normal offered superior performance and could even be used by non-Meisters, such as experts. Even though knights were in decline, these advantages meant there would still be demand. ¡°I¡¯ll eventually make one for mages too, but for now, I¡¯m focusing on enhancing the aura output for knights.¡± ¡°Until it can break dungeon cores?¡± ¡°Exactly. Speaking of which¡­¡± Whoosh. Myorn pulled out another gauntlet. Unlike the Normal, this one was ck, inscribed with intricate and chaotic magic circles. ¡°This is a newly developed mana suit. I¡¯ve named it Expert.¡± ¡°From Normal to Expert, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah. After studying Drake¡¯s magic circles, I had an epiphany and decided to incorporate the concept.¡± She developed the Expert right after gaining insight from those magic circles? ¡®Impressive.¡¯ She¡¯d been criticized endlessly for only producing junk, yet¡­ Eldir was reminded once again that Myorn was the Dwarf Queen. ¡°But even I feel like this one might be a bit dangerous. I was hesitant to let Alkas test it.¡± Eldir¡¯s expression turned incredulous. ¡°And yet, you think it¡¯s fine for me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Sword Master, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Unbelievable. You said there was nothing to do, but clearly, you had something in mind all along.¡± ¡°There are tasks that even the drunken Eldir can¡¯t handle, after all.¡± So that¡¯s why she dangled the alcohol in front of him¡ªto test his resolve. Eldir smirked bitterly. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll repay the lessons I¡¯ve received from Lord Kaylen.¡± At the highest tower of the Magic Academy, in the conference room. All eight Superior Mages of this term were gathered. ¡°Let¡¯s begin the Eight Mages¡¯ Assembly.¡± The assembly, hosted by Superior Mages, was less a formal meeting and more of a social gathering¡ªaworking event for sessful graduates. That had always been its purpose¡ªuntil this year. Present were Princess Violet, the Supreme Mage and a key figure in the faction of the first prince, and Lioness, the heir of the Oine Ducal House, which backed the second prince¡¯s faction. With major yers from the increasingly hostile factions present, the atmosphere in the conference room was far from the usual friendly gathering. ¡°What brings you to host this assembly, Supreme Mage?¡± ¡°Hehe. Since when did we need a reason to hold the Eight Mages¡¯ Assembly? It¡¯s just an opportunity for the Superior Mages of this term to strengthen their camaraderie.¡± ¡°Oh? Does that mean you want to get closer to me as well?¡± ¡°No. I expected you to take the hint and not show up.¡± ¡°Apologies. I must¡¯ve missed that.¡± ¡°Indeed. Don¡¯t attend next time.¡± From the moment they met, Princess Violet and Lioness exchanged sharp words, setting a tense tone for the meeting. At Violet''s remark, the remaining Superior Mages exchanged uneasy nces, the tension in the room palpable. ¡®Judging by the atmosphere, this cohort is a lost cause. Building connections here will be tough.¡¯ ¡®Other cohorts used these meetings to formworks and thrive afterward¡­ but this one?¡¯ ¡®Why on earth are those two in the same year? What bad luck.¡¯ To make matters worse, this cohort had an additionalplication. ¡°Princess, are you telling me to leave? Kaylen, should I go?¡± Lioness said with feigned innocence. ¡°If you¡¯re going to leave, do so alone. Don¡¯t drag Lord Kaylen into it,¡± Violet snapped. ¡°I was just nning to leave with a close junior. Isn¡¯t that right, Kaylen?¡± ¡°Our rtionship is far closer than yours,¡± Violet countered, her voiceced with determination. The room¡¯s focus shifted to Kaylen, a prodigious mage known for his natural aptitude with the Sixth Circle. Both major figures in the room had set their sights on him, leaving the rest of the attendees to awkwardly spectate. If Kaylen weren¡¯t present, the rivalry might have spurred a more heatedpetition for influence. Instead, the other Superior Mages felt like idle bystanders. ¡®What a mess.¡¯ Kaylen smirked internally, observing their behavior with quiet amusement. ¡®Seriously, what are they doing? This isn¡¯t a yground.¡¯ He finally broke the standoff. ¡°Enough. Let¡¯s take our seats.¡± As the tension between Violet and Lioness momentarily eased, Kaylen raised his hand to address Violet. ¡°Princess, does this mean there¡¯s no set agenda for today¡¯s meeting?¡± ¡°No, there is a topic,¡± Violet replied, her sharp gaze sweeping across the room. She paused for effect before continuing. ¡°You¡¯re all aware that the Dungeon Guild has recently suspended the Civil Squad¡¯s activities, correct?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the group responded in unison. ¡°And here¡¯s something new I¡¯ve just learned: the Saintess has made an appearance at the Dungeon Guild.¡± The room stirred at this unexpected revtion. The Saintess? Kaylen¡¯s eyes widened at the mention of the name, clearly caught off guard. ¡°This meeting¡¯s topic,¡± Violet dered, her voice clear andmanding, ¡°will begin with the Saintess and her connection to the Dungeon Guild.¡± [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 72 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 72 The Saintess. A heavenly envoy who appears whenever the Middle Realm faces an invasion from the Demon Realm. "Historically, the Saintess has only appeared when the Demon King invaded." Whenever the Demon King extended his ws toward the Middle Realm, the Saintess always emerged to protect humanity. Even during Kaylen¡¯s time as Ernstine, he had survived numerous fatal injuries thanks to the divine power of the Saintess. Her power was on apletely different levelpared to the existing clergy of the Holy See. Because her divine power was so overwhelming, the Saintess would only appear when the world was in grave danger. ¡°So, this era must be dangerous enough to warrant the appearance of the Saintess.¡± The mana felt during dungeon subjugations, the energy emanating from the moon, and even the colonization symbols on dungeon cores¡ªthis era felt more ominous than the past when the Demon King descended. It was understandable that the Saintess had appeared. That was what Kaylen thought, until he heard her name. "Saintess Theresia¡­" "Theresia?" Theresia? Hearing that name, Kaylen was taken aback. "Theresia was a Saintess from the Meier Empire era¡­" Saintess Theresia, who had assisted Emperor Ernstine in the Demon King subjugation campaign. Theresia was the epitome of a Saintess¡ªbenevolent andpassionate. Her overwhelming divine power greatly aided the imperial army, saving countless lives. And now, her name was being mentioned a thousand yearster? "Is it a mere coincidence?" Kaylen couldn¡¯t shake off a feeling of unease. ¡°As you all know, the Saintess rarely leaves the Sanctuary. When she personally appears, it means the situation is extremely dire.¡± ¡­ ¡°Has the Saintess truly revealed herself?¡± ¡°Yes, Prince Lioness. You are aware of this, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°The Princess is correct. I¡¯ve also received the report.¡± The rivalry between the First Prince''s faction and the Second Prince''s faction briefly subsided as the topic shifted to the sudden appearance of the Saintess. ¡°I was already puzzled by the Dungeon Guild¡¯s rmendation for the Civil Squad to withdraw¡­¡± ¡°But for the Saintess herself to appear¡­ How long has it been?¡± ¡°Over a century, at least.¡± ¡°Do you think the Sacred Army will also be dispatched from the Sanctuary?¡± The mages in attendance seemed well-versed in matters regarding the Saintess. Kaylen focused on the term ¡°over a century.¡± ¡°What kind of person is the Saintess?¡± ¡°Theresia?¡± Princess Violet looked puzzled by his question, as if wondering why he would ask something so obvious. It was clear he wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with Saintess Theresia, so she seemed curious about the intent behind his question. ¡°Yes. She just feels like a figure out of legend to me.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°She is a legend. After all, she¡¯s been around since a thousand years ago.¡± Lioness interjected, answering in her stead. Those words made Kaylen¡¯s eyes grow calm, darkened by a heavy realization. The unease he felt turned out to be true. ¡°Theresia is alive.¡± Saintess Theresia. A girl with radiant white hair and a divine beauty. She was destined to live in a fifteen-year-old¡¯s body, never aging, for a hundred years before passing on to the heavens. But now... A thousand yearster, she was still alive? ¡°The Saintess usually slumbers in the Sanctuary but awakens to protect humanity when they are in danger.¡± ¡°She¡¯s already saved more than ten kingdoms. Without the Saintess and the Sacred Army of the Sanctuary, humanity might have perished long ago.¡± ¡°If she only appears during times of great danger... does that mean the kingdom is in peril now?¡± ¡°Yes. While her presence is reassuring and dependable, it is also a warning. The fact that she has revealed herself¡­¡± The Saintess¡¯s appearance signified a monumental crisis. Considering how the Dungeon Guild had suddenly ordered the Civil Squad to retreat, and the sequence of events that followed, it was clear that something dire was unfolding. ¡°Was the writing found in the dungeon core that serious?¡± The words [Colony ¨C Subjugation] ¡­ Did it mean that the Demon Realm intended to subjugate this colony? ¡°They already knew.¡± It was clear that both the Saintess and the Dungeon Guild headquarters were already aware of the meaning behind those words. ¡°If a crisis is imminent¡­ will I draw my sword or not?¡± Analyzing the remnants of the Demon Realm¡¯s drakes and magic circles, Kaylen recognized a fatal weakness in the current Meister system. The magical barriers designed to defend against lower-circle spells were ineffective against the threats of this era. The present age of mages, with knights long fallen from prominence, had no answers. In this system, where not even a 6th-circle mage existed, their defenses were insufficient to repel an attack. ¡°There will undoubtedlye a time when the power of Aura is necessary.¡± Although cia had urged him to conceal his sword, Kaylen, as both a former Emperor and Hero of the continent, could not stand idly by while people died. ¡°Rather than hide, it¡¯s time to revive the age of knights and restore bnce.¡± But in this era, where Aura had diminished and no Sword Masters had emerged for centuries, it seemed an impossible dream. Even if Kaylen¡¯s strength alone stood out, he would remain merely an irregrity. No one could reverse the flow of an era. But Kaylen had faith in himself. ¡°The framework for the mana suit for knights is already in ce. The next step is my problem. If Iplete just one more of the Six Swords¡­¡± Kaylen envisioned the Six Swords Doctrine. It contained the means to strengthen knights. But before that, he needed the fourth sword. Only then could he restore bnce to his mana, which was currently skewed. Light bnced the mana of darkness, but there was no counterpart to bnce water mana at present. ¡°The sword I need to forge immediately is the me Sword.¡± The mana of fire. Right now, what he needed most was fire. Meanwhile, Irene gently caressed the scales of a drake. The traces of a magic circle revealed between its scales caught the attention of the elven researchers behind her, who began meticulously replicating the design. ¡°This is truly remarkable.¡± At first, Kaylen had questioned whether a hundred researchers were truly necessary. But seeing the drake¡¯s magic circle in person, he understood why. ¡°This magic circle¡­ it changes slightly over time.¡± The magic circle wasn¡¯t just intricate¡ªit shifted subtly over time, almost as if it were alive. At present, the magic circle¡¯s form had diverged significantly from what Myorn had originally drawn. ¡°So this is the magic circle meant to block spells?¡± Whisk. Whisk. As Irene continued to carefully stroke the drake¡¯s scales, the creature twitched slightly in response. ¡°Grrrr...¡± ¡°Stay still,¡± Irene said softly. Royen ryed her words to the drake. ¡°She says to stay still.¡± [It tickles. How long is this going to take?] ¡°Uh¡­ Lady Irene, it¡¯s asking when this will be over.¡± Royen hesitated as he turned to Irene, his face already flushed bright red. It wasn¡¯t surprising¡ªafter all, they were surrounded by female elves. Among them, Irene stood out as the most beautiful, making Royen¡¯s heart race so much he couldn¡¯t even look at her directly. Irene nced at him with a faint smile, finding his reaction rather endearing. ¡®Well, this is the usual response from a young man surrounded by elves.¡¯ In contrast, there was Kaylen¡­ Irene couldn¡¯t help but recall her earlier attempts to pair him with one of the elves. She had deliberately chosen an all-female team of elf researchers, hoping to create some spark. When the elves first arrived, she thought back to their meeting: ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Kaylen.¡± The group of elves¡ª101 female researchers, including Irene herself¡ªhad arrived at the decrepit mansion. Though every pair of eyes was fixed on Kaylen, he remainedpletely unfazed. ¡°These days, do research teams consist only of female elves?¡± he remarked casually before pointing towards the forest beside the mansion. ¡°Since you¡¯re elves¡­ the forest should suffice as your lodging, right?¡± His words left everyone stunned. ¡°Lord Kaylen, that¡¯s¡­¡± Some of the younger elves in the group, born and raised in human cities, had never even experienced life in the woods. Now they were being told to live outdoors? When Irene expressed her reluctance, Kaylen simply gestured toward the derelict mansion. ¡°In that case, you can restore and use that.¡± ¡°The¡­ house?¡± ¡°Yes. With your water spirits, it shouldn¡¯t take long to clean it up, right?¡± Irene was dumbfounded. ¡®Does this man think spirits are some kind of cure-all?¡¯ ¡°And as for food, you can forage from the forest, right?¡± ¡°From that tiny forest?¡± Wow... This was going too far. The elf researchers he had summoned weren¡¯t just ordinary schrs; they were highly skilled experts, respected wherever they went. It would¡¯ve been reasonable to expect them to receive proper amodations and provisions, especially considering their expertise. But instead, they were being treated like mereborers. ¡®There¡¯s no way we can conduct research under these conditions.¡¯ Irene resolved to withdraw the team. ¡®Forget it. I¡¯ll handle the research myself. There¡¯s no reason to put the entire team through this.¡¯ However, that thought onlysted until Kaylen brought the drake. "Grrrr¡­" The sight of the massive drake and the intricate, high-level magic circle etched onto its body made Irene immediately abandon her previous resolution. ¡®That magic circle¡­ there¡¯s no way I can let it slip by!¡¯ In all her long years of life, she had never seen such a magic circle before. Compared to the value of that magic circle, things like lodging and food were insignificant. In fact, she felt they should be the ones paying a fortune just to be allowed to analyze it. "Analyze the characteristics of the magic circle thoroughly and share the findings with me. All I know is that it¡¯s a magic circle from the Demon Realm designed to block great spells." "Ah, such a magic circle¡­" "You can publish the findingster under the name of the Fairy Tower. However, make sure to disclose it widely and not use it formercial purposes." "What?! W-We can publish it under our name?" If they managed to properly research this magic circle from the Demon Realm and present the findings to the magical academia, it would cause a significant stir. And now they were being allowed to publish it under the name of the Fairy Tower? This was an extraordinary discovery of the century. "It¡¯s¡­ an honor." Irene and the elf researchers got to work immediately. Scrub. Scrub. They summoned water spirits to quietly clean the mansion. "I¡¯ll sleep outside." The elves, familiar with the forest, slept outdoors. In this way, they gradually adapted to life in the decrepit mansion¡­ "Lady Irene?" "Yes?" Lost in thought about her dealings with Kaylen, Irene had paused her work for a moment. When Royen cautiously asked, she withdrew her hand from the drake¡¯s scales as if nothing had happened. "Yes, for now. Please let the drake know it¡¯s done well." "Understood. Thank you." As Royen extended his hand, a soft light glimmered from the magic circle etched on his body. The drake soon shrank to about the size of a horse. Irene stepped back to observe the scene, her eyes drawn to the magic circle on Royen¡¯s body. "By the way¡­ what effects does your magic circle have, Sir Royen?" "M-Me?" When Irene asked, Royen blushed and wrapped his arms around himself as if embarrassed by the magic circle on his body. "I-I don¡¯t really know. My brother mentioned something, but¡­" "What did he say?" "Ah, well¡­" Royen started to speak but quickly closed his mouth. Should I even talk about this? As he hesitated, Irene gave him a sidelong nce. "Oh, my. What exactly does this magic circle do?" "I¡¯m curious too." "Sir Royen~ Won¡¯t you tell us?" At that moment, the female elves around Royen swarmed him, coaxing him with yful charm. These were no ordinary women¡ªeach elf was an unparalleled beauty. Among them, the ones Royen had often stolen nces at took the lead. "U-Uh¡­" Having grown ustomed to human society, the elves had begun to wield their natural beauty like a weapon. They didn¡¯t need to say much; a single gesture was enough. Suddenly overwhelmed, Royen¡¯s face turned bright red, and he lost hisposure, unable to find the words to respond. ¡®I-I shouldn¡¯t say anything¡­¡¯ At that moment¡ª "Stop teasing him." A savior appeared. "Lord Kaylen." "Have you finished analyzing the drake¡¯s magic circle? You seem curious about Royen¡¯s as well." "T-That¡¯s not it¡­ I was just curious¡­" "Hmm." Kaylen approached Royen, whose face was still crimson. Looking closely, the magic circle on Royen¡¯s body seemed optimized for fire mana. While not as crucial as the drake¡¯s magic circle¡­ ¡®It might actually be more useful to me right now.¡¯ For Kaylen, who needed to forge a fire de, the magic circle generating fire mana was of significant importance. "Royen." "Yes?" Still¡ª "For the sake of analyzing the magic circle¡­" Kaylen paused. "Would you mind¡­ removing it?" [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 73 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 73 Fwoooosh¡ª The world was aze. "That dream again." A dream she''d had countless times. Saint Theresia knew exactly how it would unfold. "The Infernal Duke will appear." As soon as she thought that, a massive demon of mes rose before her eyes. "Your Holiness! It''s dangerous!" "Take shelter!" The holy knights protecting the saint fought fiercely against the demons, but... "Arghhh!" The infernal demon was too powerful. mes soared high into the heavens. One by one, the holy knights were consumed, unable to withstand the zing inferno. "I don''t want to see those deaths anymore." The holy knights, who were more devout than anyone else, burned and perished before her eyes. Saint Theresia''s heart grew heavy as she watched. This dream always began the same way¡ªwith their deaths. "Die, Saint." Fwoooosh. Fwoooosh. Every step the infernal demon took set the earth aze. The temple where the saint resided was already reduced to ashes, and the mes stretched endlessly into the sky. "Infernal Duke...! The Heavenly God will deliver divine punishment upon you!" "Kuhahaha! The Heavenly God? I am fire that will burn the heavens themselves. How dare you speak of divine punishment?" Saint Theresia trembled uncontrobly. And the Infernal Duke, brimming with confidence in his victory. In the dream, she looked upon the scene with a weariness that bordered on disgust. She had already faced this moment of crisis hundreds of times. Though she defiantly shouted at the Infernal Duke, deep inside, the fear of death loomed, and she desperately wanted to plead for her life. And then¡ª The Path of Six Swords Fifth Sword, Genesis The world lost its light. Only the area surrounding the Infernal Duke, made of pure mes, glowed faintly, like a torch in a cavern. Everywhere else was engulfed inplete darkness. "Hero... You¡¯ve arrived already..." The Infernal Duke burned even brighter, his fiery form growing more intense. He needed to kill the saint as quickly as possible now that the hero had appeared. But within the heavens and earth, where darkness reigned, light erupted. "The... Genesis de..." The de that vanquished all demons and swept away the darkness. The de of Genesis, which absorbed all the light of the world, descended upon the infernal demon. Shiiing! The massive form of the Infernal Duke, made entirely of mes, was cut down in a single stroke. The Genesis de, which illuminated the heavens and earth anew, carried with it a sanctity that no demon of the underworld could ever ovee. ¡ªHow¡­ How could this be¡­? Was it always this powerful¡­? "Disappear." Fwoosh! The de of light carved a massive arc. As the sword grazed the Infernal Duke¡¯s body, his form shattered instantly into thousands of fragments and vanished. The Infernal Duke, a being of absolute power forged from the mes of hell, was obliterated in a single strike. Momentster, the hero, Ernstine,nded beside Theresia. "Theresia. Are you alright?" "Y-you, my lord hero..." The hero who had saved her from the brink of death¡ªErnstine. Perhaps it was from this moment on. The saint, who was meant to love only the Heavenly God, began harboring feelings she was never supposed to. Though she had dreamt this scene hundreds of times already, her chest still swelled with emotion. But¡­ something feltcking. This dream always made her happy to see the hero, but one thing left her unsatisfied: Ernstine¡¯s face. His face was never visible. In the dream, it was as if his face had been deliberately erased, shrouded in darkness. "This time will probably be the same," she thought. How unfortunate. Even in her dreams, she longed to see his face, but she never could. So every time she had this dream, joy and regret always came hand in hand. But then¡ª "Huh?!" This time, it was different. The face that had been hidden behind the ck veil was now revealed. As the darkness slowly lifted, Theresia¡¯s heart raced. Could she finally see him again? The man who, even in middle age, was the most handsome on the entire continent...! "...Wait. Who is that?" But the face that emerged from the shadows was entirely unfamiliar. He had the same eye and hair color as Ernstine, but beyond that, there was no resemnce. This man¡¯s face was slightly fuller, his features were unremarkable, and to Theresia, he was "in." He was someone she had never seen before. "What¡­ is this...?" The dream she didn¡¯t want to have but also wished for every day... had turned into a meaningless mess. Theresia let out a small sigh. "Haah¡­ I¡¯m meeting this country¡¯s king today. Could he look like that, by chance?" asionally, her prophetic dreams would activate at crucial moments, so she wondered if this could be one of those times. With that thought, Theresia got out of bed. Meanwhile, Kaylen¡¯s academy life was a continuous tightrope walk. "What¡¯s right and wrong, I don¡¯t quite know. For now, I¡¯ll maintain neutrality, as per the Tower¡¯s stance." Though he imed not to meddle in political factions, he said with a smile: "Still, thank you for your insights. I¡¯ve learned a lot. Please invite me again sometime." Left a Little Room for Maneuvering. ¡°You¡¯re something else, Kaylen. You really overdo this bncing act.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I heard you had tea with the princess yesterday?¡± ¡°The princess only offered her insights as a Water Meister. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Ha, you¡¯ve be quite the sly one, haven¡¯t you?¡± Lioness shook his head in disbelief. For someone who imed neutrality, Kaylen hadn¡¯t declined a single invitation from either the First Prince¡¯s faction or the Second Prince¡¯s faction. The frequency of these meetings was so even it seemed as though he was consciously maintaining a bnce. ¡®If it were anyone else, I¡¯d be annoyed enough to give up on them already.¡¯ But the problem was that the other party was Kaylen. A symbol of exceptional talent as a 6th Circle mage. He was simply too valuable to let go. Among the academy¡¯s potential recruits, Kaylen was undoubtedly the most promising. ¡°Anything new from the Dungeon Guildtely? It¡¯s been a week already.¡± ¡°Hah, aren¡¯t you trying to get a bit too much for free?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡± Kaylen shrugged, and Lioness sighed. Though irritated by Kaylen¡¯s attempts to glean information without offering much in return, he eventually spoke. ¡°Nothing new yet. The Dungeon Guild is on high alert, and even internal informants are out of reach right now.¡± ¡°That serious?¡± ¡°Yeah. They¡¯ll probably make a move soon, though...¡± The strict information control within the Dungeon Guild meant that even the princess¡¯s side had little to share. ¡®Guess I¡¯ll have to dig into some grimoires.¡¯ Wrapping up his meeting with Lioness, Kaylen headed straight to the library. Of course, sses were still in session, but... ¡®Bing a Superior Mage was a great move.¡¯ As a Superior Mage, skipping sses was hardly an issue. At the library of the Magic Academy, Kaylen began his usual routine of looking through magic spells. ¡®Since magic as a discipline emerged 3,000 years ago, it seems humanity hasn¡¯t created many new spells.¡¯ Three millennia ago, mages had established the Rune spell system and developed magic up to the 8th Circle. While countless spells were recorded during the early days, hardly any new spells had been created since. ¡®No wonder my attempts to create clean magic didn¡¯t seed.¡¯ Clean magic. Easier said than done. It involved dispersing dust, washing with water, and drying¡ªall requiring the maniption of wind, water, and fire elements. Kaylen had suggested developing a spell simple enough for low-circle mages to use, given how researchers rarely bothered to clean. But now he understood why even the emperor¡¯s decree hadn¡¯t led to its sess. ¡®The 5th Circle magic runes are absurdly long. Do mages actually memorize all this to manifest their imagery?¡¯ Kaylen shook his head as he studied the lengthy runes required for a single spell. ¡®Then again, the magic we use today originally required even longer incantations.¡¯n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Take the 3rd Circle Fireball spell, for instance. In the past, it began with an extensive chant like ¡®Oh zing mes that burn with ferocity¡­¡¯ By Chanting the Runes, the Form of Fireball Took Shape. Reciting the runes aloud allowed mages to construct imagery, resulting in the proper formation of a Fireball spell. Skilled Meisters, having already established a deep connection to fire, could cast spells by uttering only the activation phrase, but this applied only to a single element. For other elemental spells, they eithercked proficiency or had to chant lengthy runes. Of course, Kaylen was different. ¡®Compared to wielding the Six des, understanding mana attributes at this level is trivial.¡¯ As a Grand Swordmaster who had mastered six elemental des within his mana hall, his insights naturally extended to magic. ¡®For spells up to the 5th Circle, I can manage with just the activation phrase.¡¯ At present, however, his body only carried two mana circles, limiting him to 4th Circle spells. Once he expanded to three circles, higher-circle magic would soon be within reach. ¡®Though, casting 6th Circle spells will require some research.¡¯ The 6th Circle spells were fundamentally different from lower-circle spells. For starters, there wasn¡¯t a single spell in the 6th Circle based on a single element. While Kaylen, who seamlesslybined multiple elements with his Six de Path, could handle multi-element spells with ease, casting such high-tier spells was a different matter altogether. ¡®Casting 6th Circle spells while managing the mana circles seems like an entirely different challenge.¡¯ This would require thorough analysis of rune structures. The incantation alone seemed like it would take at least ten minutes. ¡®No wonder mages lock themselves in theirbs.¡¯ The more one understood a spell, the shorter the casting time became. Mages secluded themselves in their researchbs, striving to master each spell¡¯s nuances. Recalling the many archmages of his past life, Kaylen gave a wry smile. ¡®I should prepare before expanding my mana circles.¡¯ The two mana circles engraved in his body were nearingpletion, with a third slowly forming as his mastery of the Six des advanced. Once his mastery of the Fire de improved, the third circle would soon materialize. Kaylen headed to the library to find books on higher-circle spells. In his previous era, books on high-circle spells were invaluable treasures, far too rare to be found in any library. But now, with no one left capable of using spells above the 6th Circle, these ancient tomes were stored like relics in the academy¡¯s restricted section. With his Superior Mage authority, Kaylen entered the restricted area. ¡®How about I study Blizzard today?¡¯ He pulled out a hefty tome from the shelves. [A Complete Analysis of Blizzard by Archmage Pieto.] The 500-page book analyzed just one spell. It first detailed the extensive casting process for Blizzard, then broke down each rune, examining how to shorten the casting time from the archmage¡¯s perspective. ¡®To think I¡¯d learn from a mage I once defeated.¡¯ Archmage Pieto had been a troublesome opponent during the Continental Unification War. His Blizzard spell had caused massive casualties in the Meier Empire¡¯s army. Though a remarkable talent, Pieto had been an obstacle Kaylen had no choice but to eliminate. ¡®Pieto, you were of no help while alive, but now you¡¯re proving useful. I¡¯ll make good use of your teachings.¡¯ Kaylen borrowed the book and exited the restricted section. Determined to master its contents, he settled at a library desk and began to read. But just as he opened the tome, a loud voice interrupted him. ¡°Kaylen! Hah... hah... So here you are!¡± It was Krundal, the head of the Dungeon Guild branch. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 74 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 74 ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­ I went to the dorms, but you weren¡¯t there¡­ Turns out the library was the right ce to check.¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t really need to attend sses. But what brings you here?¡± ¡°The Saintess¡­ the Saintess wishes to see you.¡± ¡°The Saintess?¡± Kaylen blinked. ¡°Are you talking about Lady Theresia?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why is she looking for me?¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because of your talent for 6th Circle magic¡­¡± Krundal nced at the book Kaylen had borrowed. [A Complete Analysis of Blizzard by Archmage Pieto.] ¡°Blizzard¡­ a 6th Circle spell, and he¡¯s already reading this?¡± Even if he had talent for 6th Circle magic, starting advanced study so early¡­ and on a 6th Circle spell, no less? ¡°This must be why they call him a genius.¡± Krundal was inwardly impressed. No matter how talented Kaylen was, he hadn¡¯t even reached the 5th Circle yet. It was astonishing. ¡°So this is what it means for a great tree to show promise even as a sapling.¡± ¡°What does my 6th Circle talent have to do with her wanting to see me?¡± ¡°After hearing about you, the Saintess said she wishes to grant you her blessing.¡± ¡°A blessing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡­Could that be true? Kaylen recalled his past life as Ernstine. The Saintess¡¯s Blessing was also known as the Celestial Blessing. It was the ultimate blessing the Saintess had bestowed upon Ernstine, the Hero, during the Great War against the Demon King¡¯s Army. Even for a Grand Swordmaster like Ernstine, the Celestial Blessing had been incredibly effective. Whether or not he received the blessing had significantly impacted the speed at which he subdued the Demon King¡¯s Army. But the blessing had one fatal w: its duration was far too short. ¡ª¡°Saintess, can¡¯t you extend the duration of the blessing? Having toe back for it every three days is terribly inconvenient.¡± ¡ª¡°Hero, do you think Celestial Blessings are easy to grant? Evensting three days is impressive.¡± ¡ª¡°Still, having to return every three days wastes so much time. Isn¡¯t there a version thatsts longer, even if it¡¯s less effective?¡± Because of the blessing, Ernstine always had to stay close to the Saintess. After the Archduke of the me Demon Realm targeted her and failed, Ernstine had to personally guard her during their travels. This was a major inconvenience for someone who needed to intervene across the entire continent. ¡ª¡°There¡¯s no such thing. All my blessingsst for three days, no more.¡± ¡ª¡°Must be ufortable meeting an old guy like me so often. Try developing one thatsts longer.¡± ¡ª¡°I-it¡¯s fine. Even if you¡¯re an old man¡­¡± ¡ª¡°Oh? Is it really fine?¡± ¡ª¡°W-well, it¡¯s because of the Demon King. I have no choice.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way the Saintess lied.¡± The Celestial Agent of the gods wouldn¡¯t do that. Did she somehow learn how to grant a longersting blessing over time? ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go.¡± Kaylen immediately epted the Saintess¡¯s invitation. He had always wanted to meet Saintess Theresia if the opportunity arose. ¡°Yes, I will escort you.¡± Saintess Theresia was in for a shock. ¡°Why¡­ is this person here?¡± A dream where the Hero, Ernstine, had gantly rescued her. And now, the one who had ruined that memory stood right in front of her. ¡°Saintess, I¡¯ve brought Kaylen.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done well.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Although Theresia was inwardly startled, she didn¡¯t let it show. Instead, she maintained a benevolent smile and gestured gently toward Kaylen. ¡°Please, have a seat here, Kaylen.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And Branch Leader¡­ could you step out for a moment?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± At her soft voice, Krundal felt an involuntary chill run down his spine. The current Saintess was entirely different from the one who, as the White Knight, had once dered she would save or perish with the nation. He couldn¡¯t get used to her contrasting demeanor. Still, there was no need to draw attention to the duality of the Saintess. See without seeing. Hear without hearing. That was the best way to ensure a long and quiet life. Krundal briefly nced at the Holy Knight standing silently behind the Saintess before bowing his head deeply. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Thud. As Krundal swiftly exited the room, Kaylen and Theresia were left facing each other. ¡°It¡¯s really her¡­ Theresia.¡± Saintess Theresia looked exactly as she had a millennium ago. While her once passionate eyes and expressions had calmed into a serene demeanor, Kaylen knew at a nce that she was indeed the same Saintess from a thousand years ago. ¡°How has she lived for a thousand years?¡± The lifespan of a Saintess was supposed to be finite. One hundred years. For one hundred years, a Saintess would live in the body of a fifteen-year-old before eventually ascending. If she bore a child, she would lose her divine power and eternal youth, living the remainder of her life as an ordinary woman. At least, that was Kaylen¡¯s understanding of how Saintesses worked. Yet here she was, alive after so long. ¡°Something doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± During the Great Demon King War, she had been a trusted ally. But now, he couldn¡¯t see her as the same innocent Saintess she had been back then. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my identity as a Swordmaster hidden for now.¡± Even if she had once been arade, he wasn¡¯t ready to reveal everything. Kaylen decided he would only show her the persona of ¡°Mage Kaylen.¡± ¡°This is Kaylen. It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Saintess.¡± He bowed respectfully and focused on suppressing the mana within him once more. Before entering, he had already merged the energies of his Light de and Dark de to neutralize their conflicting properties. But now¡­ ¡°I need to conceal it even more.¡± As the Saintess quietly observed him, her gaze felt piercing. Itpelled him to focus on further masking his aura. ¡°I¡¯m d to meet you, Kaylen. Your hair and eye color¡­ they truly resemble the Hero¡¯s.¡± ¡°The Hero? Who do you mean?¡± ¡°The Hero from a thousand years ago, Ernstine, who defeated the Demon King. He had silver hair and golden eyes.¡± Theresia studied Kaylen intently. ¡°He does bear a slight resemnce to the Hero.¡± If he lost some weight, had his nose refined, made his eyes bigger, and sharpened his jawline¡­ With enough adjustments here and there, he might just pass as a downgraded version of Hero Ernstine. "For him to even appear in my dreams¡­ it must be a form of foresight. The Heavenly God must be signaling that he is someone significant." A Meister with the talent of the Sixth Circle¡ªsomething unseen for nearly 200 years. Theresia, who had wavered over whether or not to save this kingdom, had ultimately decided to intervene because of his existence. Such talent was rare and vital. A Sixth-Circle Meister meant the removal of all limitations. "He is indispensable to Sanctuary." Theresia maintained her benevolent smile, but her eyes remained calm and calcting as she analyzed Kaylen. To the average person, the aura of sanctity surrounding her was overwhelming, evoking reverence. But Kaylen wasn¡¯t an ordinary person¡ªhe could read her eyes clearly. "A thousand years is a long time. For her gaze to be like this¡­ Theresia has changed." The once-innocent Saintess had learned to wear a mask. Kaylen pretended not to notice and remained perfectly still. His stance was that of a mage frozen in awe before the holy presence of the Saintess, unsure of how to act. Theresia studied him carefully before speaking. ¡°Kaylen, have you been told why I invited you here?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard that I am to receive a blessing. It is a tremendous honor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. The talent of the Sixth Circle, which hasn¡¯t appeared in 200 years, holds the potential to be humanity¡¯s pir. However¡­¡± Theresia¡¯s voice grew softer, tinged with regret. ¡°Two hundred years ago, I wasn¡¯t able to assist a simr individual in time. Their talent was extinguished before it could fully bloom.¡± Thest known Meister with Sixth-Circle talent had fought valiantly during the fall of a kingdom two centuries ago but had ultimately perished. ¡°I regretted it deeply then. I swore never to let it happen again.¡± ¡°I see¡­ So that is why.¡± ¡°Yes. The blessing I will bestow is the Blessing of Life.¡± Theresia sped her hands together and closed her eyes. Her silver hair began to glow, and overwhelming divine power radiated from her entire being. ¡°Kaylen, you will gain unyielding vitality that will not falter no matter what you do¡­ and the ability to heal your wounds.¡± It had been mere moments since he sat down, yet the Saintess began pouring her blessing onto him without dy. Her divine power surged toward Kaylen like a tidal wave. ¡°I can¡¯t discern everything by just looking. I need to use divine power to confirm¡­ to ensure he isn¡¯t a seed of the Demon Realm.¡± The immense divine power coursed through Kaylen¡¯s body, inspecting every corner. To the uninformed, it would have been a sacred and awe-inspiring experience, as the divine energy enveloped their body and filled them with vitality. But Kaylen wasn¡¯t uninformed. "She¡¯s probing me." He was relieved that he had already diluted the energies of his Light de and Dark de. Taking it a step further, hepletely suppressed his strongest weapon, the Water de, enveloping it with mana to ensure no traces of his true power could be detected. He surrounded the remaining elemental energies with water mana, camouging them from divine detection. Fwaaa! The light emanating from Theresia¡¯s hair grew even brighter, and her divine power delved deeper into Kaylen¡¯s body. "His body¡­ it¡¯s far from ordinary." It was almost like that of a seasoned knight, with not a single obstruction in his mana flow. The pathways for mana flow were wide open, making its cirction incredibly smooth. Even so, Theresia couldn¡¯t fully discern the intricacies of Kaylen¡¯s mana body. That was because Kaylen had quickly filled the spacious, open mana channels in his body to make them appear like a standard mana circuit. "Theresia¡­ just examine me lightly, will you? This is getting tedious." Rather than receiving a blessing, Kaylen felt like he was solving a bothersome puzzle. Keeping his eyes closed and maintaining a reverent demeanor, he skillfully guided Theresia¡¯s divine power into the fake mana circuits he had created. Finally¡ª "The structure is peculiar, like a knight¡¯s mana circuit¡­ but there¡¯s no trace of dark energy." Despite her millennium of experience, Theresia was ultimately fooled by the seasoned expertise of a former Grandmaster from a past life. As the divine light dimmed, Theresia opened her eyes. "Oh, Heavenly Father above, allow us to take another step forward." Whoosh! A radiant burst of light erupted from Kaylen¡¯s body. The divine energy Theresia had imbued into him seamlessly merged with his being, making his body feel noticeably lighter. "Impressive." It was rare for the physique of a Swordmaster to improve further. Yet, the vitality coursing through him was so remarkable that he felt he could go days without sleep. And now, he¡¯d gained the ability to heal wounds on top of that? Truly, this was the work of someone who had lived for a thousand years. ¡°How do you feel?¡± Theresia asked. ¡°My body feels light. I almost feel like I could fly,¡± Kaylen replied. ¡°Fufu, that effect willst for a year.¡± In the past, such blessings would onlyst three days. "Truly¡­ remarkable." Kaylen marveled inwardly, looking down at his body in awe. ¡°Thank you so much,¡± he said, bowing his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. In truth, during the blessing process, I unintentionally ended up examining your body. I sincerely apologize for that.¡± ¡°Y-You did?¡± ¡°Yes. Normally, when blessing mages, divine power struggles to flow through their bodies. But your body¡­ it was different. It was as if your mana circuits belonged to a seasoned knight¡ªmana flowed effortlessly through them.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so? How strange. I¡¯m just a Meister, after all,¡± Kaylen said, feigning ignorance with a shrug. Theresia gazed into his eyes for a moment, but she decided not to press further. After all, if he imed ignorance, there was no way for her to dig deeper. "Well, this isn¡¯t the most important matter right now." The critical issue was recruiting the talent of a Sixth-Circle Meister. Theresia shifted to the main topic. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you were the one to retrieve the problematic dungeon core this time.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct,¡± Kaylen replied. ¡°You¡¯ve deciphered the text inside as well, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Are you referring to ¡®Colony¡¯?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Well done.¡± At Theresia¡¯s signal, a White Knight stepped forward and ced the dungeon core gently on the table. [Colony ¨C Subjugation] Theresia spoke solemnly. ¡°Our world¡­ has already been conquered.¡± [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 75 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 75 A Conquered World. Kaylen had vaguely suspected this might be the case. Above all, the crimson dot that appeared on the moon when the dungeon core was destroyed served as evidence to support her suspicion. The light emanating from the moon absorbed the mana of the world. ¡°Conquered¡­ Are you saying the term ¡®colony¡¯ is true?¡± However, without revealing her assumptions outwardly, Kaylen feigned surprise. ¡°Yes. Hundreds of years ago¡­ the Celestial Realm suffered a decisive defeat to the Demon Realm.¡± The Celestial Realm and the Demon Realm. The two worlds had long been antagonistic, vying for dominance over the Middle Realm caught in between. Despite this rivalry, the two forces always maintained a bnce, with neither side gaining an overwhelming advantage. However, by a slight margin, the Celestial Realm had been in a better position. This was because they were the first to spread the faith of the Celestial God in the Middle Realm, leading the majority of its inhabitants to worship the Celestial God. The Demon Realm, displeased by this, had always invaded whenever the opportunity arose, only to be thwarted every time¡ªuntil the event mentioned by the saintess. ¡°What was the decisive defeat?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details. All I know is that as a result of the defeat, the Celestial Realm lost much of its dominance over the Middle Realm, and the Celestial Legion retreated.¡± Kaylen furrowed her brows at those words. ¡°The retreat of the Celestial Legion¡­?¡± The Celestial Legion was a heavenly army stationed at the borders of the Middle Realm. They served as a defensive line against full-scale invasions from the Demon Realm. The defense line was so formidable that no demonic forces had ever dared to confront it head-on. ¡®That¡¯s why they resorted to tactics like the Demon King¡¯s descent.¡¯ The Demon King¡¯s Descent¡ªa method to bypass the defensive line using demonic agents in the Middle Realm. urring roughly once every thousand years, the descent of the Demon King was a cmity for humanity. Even so, past heroes had sessfully thwarted these descents. But to think that instead of a detour, the Demon Realm forces would break through the Celestial Army head-on¡­ If that were the case, the influence of the Celestial Realm in the Middle Realm would have nearly vanished. ¡®Then humanity alone cannot fend off the Demon Realm.¡¯ How could they ovee the power that even drove away the Celestial Legion? It was a wonder the human world was still standing. ¡°Why haven¡¯t they annihted humanity? With the Celestial Legion gone, it should be possible.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for them to do so.¡± Theresia responded while fiddling with the dungeon core. ¡°Humans without the Celestial Realm¡¯s blessing pose no threat to the Demon Realm. It¡¯s as if they don¡¯t even care. Instead, they exploit something else in the Middle Realm.¡± ¡°Exploitation¡­?¡± ¡°Mana. Through dungeon portals and dungeon cores, they extract the mana of the Middle Realm. The decline in the level of knights and mages isrgely due to this.¡± Kaylen nodded in understanding. ¡°And it¡¯s the same for our Holy See. The Demon Realm has never directly invaded the Holy See since the Great Demon War a thousand years ago, but due to theck of divine power, we¡¯ve been on the path of decline.¡± Even so, to never invade the Holy See even once? Kaylen¡¯s eyes shed with curiosity. ¡®Surely, the Holy See would be the most bothersome organization to the Demon Realm?¡¯ The Holy Emperor, Saint Sovereign, representing the followers of the Celestial God. And the countless priests and holy knights under theirmand. The Holy See, fortified by its fervent faith, served as the representative of the Celestial Realm¡¯s will in the Middle Realm. Even if the Demon Realm had conquered the Middle Realm, the Holy See was undeniably a potential threat capable of turning the tide at any time. And yet, it had been left untouched? ¡°That can¡¯t be right.¡± During the Demon King¡¯s summoning, the Demon King¡¯s army had relentlessly attacked the Holy See. While other humans could be ignored as the saintess had said, the Holy See was different. The Demon Realm wouldn¡¯t have simply let them be, especially because of the existence of the Holy Sword.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The Holy Sword Aste. Embedded in the central za of the Holy See, the sword was renowned for its history of defeating numerous Demon Kings. Its overwhelming divine power, anti-demonic properties, and the ability to awaken heroes through the ¡°Holy Sword¡¯s Choice¡± made it an artifact the Demon Realm couldn¡¯t afford to leave standing, even if they had taken control of the Middle Realm. For the Demon Realm to avoid targeting the Holy See, there had to be a significant reason. Kaylen made a mental note of this. ¡°However, we cannot simply surrender to the Demon Realm. Ultimately, this colonial domination will end in humanity¡¯s destruction,¡± the saintess dered, cing the dungeon core she had been holding aside. ¡°The Holy See has worked with various nations across the continent to form a unified force. Its name is the Dungeon Guild. During a time when even dungeons were hard to contain, we invented mana suits after countless trials and errors, allowing us to destroy dungeon cores. I believe Kaylen, you¡¯re already well aware of this.¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°Then, how much do you know about the Sanctuary?¡± ¡°The Sanctuary is¡­¡± The Sanctuary¡ªthe holy ground where the saintess and the Holy Legion slumbered. Its location was a mystery to all, essible only through the Portal of Light located in the Dungeon Guild¡¯s headquarters. There, theyy dormant, only to suddenly appear when the human world faced a dire crisis. After Kaylen briefly summarized what he knew, the saintess smiled faintly. ¡°You¡¯re well-informed. But among that, some information is inurate.¡± ¡°What would that be?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t remain dormant as people believe. We actively function within the Sanctuary. And most importantly¡­¡± Theresia paused, locking eyes with Kaylen. Although she still had the same youthful appearance of a 15-year-old girl as before, her gaze carried a subtle provocation. And with that: Thump. Kaylen¡¯s heart unexpectedly raced. Heat rose within him, and his body slipped into a mild state of excitement. ¡®...Theresia. She¡¯s ying tricks again.¡¯ Had he been an ordinary person, he might have unknowingly fallen under her spell. But Kaylen knew better. His heart racing for this child? ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± he thought firmly. During the Demon King subjugation, she had been like a daughter to him, someone he had cherished and cared for deeply. Even now, her face remained unchanged. The idea of harboring improper feelings for such a child was absurd. As Kaylen pondered, his thoughts turned toward something suspicious: ¡°Could it be the effect of the Blessing?¡± The Blessing of Life bestowed by the saintess. Kaylen focused inward, carefully observing it. The overwhelming divine power coursing through his body revitalized him. However, there was another, subtler effect. The divine energy faintly stimted his entire body, inducing a slight sense of excitement¡ªenough to make one believe they were enamored with the saintess. Beyond that, the divine energy even provoked feelings of reverence toward her. ¡°She¡¯s certainly learned some questionable tricks over the past thousand years.¡± He didn¡¯t know what she had been through, but the innocent Theresia, freshly anointed as saintess, was long gone. In her ce stood a woman seasoned by countless experiences. ¡°Let¡¯s see what she tries to do.¡± The Blessing of Life was a form of light mana. Since it was already within him, Kaylen could control it at will. But for now, he decided to feign ignorance and observe Theresia¡¯s actions. ¡°Fufu, Kaylen, your face has turned red.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Is that so? It seems I was startled by your words.¡± ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s the reason?¡± Theresia¡¯s knowing smile deepened as she looked at him, and Kaylen, his face flushed, averted his gaze. Her smile grew even more pronounced. ¡°A genius, but still quite young.¡± Fortunately, having only recently arrived at the Fairy Tower, it seemed the elves hadn¡¯t yet ensnared him in their schemes. For him to blush this much at so little¡ªit was almost endearing. Bringing this genius Meister into the fold of the Sanctuary seemed far less daunting than anticipated. ¡°Still, I shouldn¡¯t rush. Step by step.¡± It wouldn¡¯t do to rely solely on reverence for the saintess. He needed to understand, intellectually, why the Sanctuary was the right choice. ¡°Kaylen,¡± she called, her voice now softer and sweeter, perhaps due to the Blessing¡¯s influence. ¡°About the most important thing I mentioned earlier¡­ aren¡¯t you curious?¡± ¡°T-The most important thing¡­ about the Sanctuary? Y-Yes, I¡¯m curious,¡± Kaylen stammered on purpose. Theresia smiled warmly at his response and said, ¡°The Sanctuary is¡­ paradise for humans. Those chosen may live there for eternity.¡± ¡°Eternity¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, for eternity. Just like me, who has already lived a thousand years.¡± *** Outside the Dungeon Guild ¡°Kaylen! Kaylen!¡± Branch Leader Krundal approached Kaylen, who stood motionless outside the guild. ¡°Ah, yes, Branch Leader.¡± ¡°You¡­ forgot your book.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Lost in thought, Kaylen epted the spellbook Krundal handed him. ¡°What kind of conversation could leave someone like him forgetting a spellbook?¡± Krundal couldn¡¯t fathom it. Kaylen, widely regarded as a once-in-a-generation genius, forgetting something as fundamental as a spellbook? It was almost inconceivable. ¡°What could they have talked about?¡± Krundal briefly wondered but soon dismissed the thought. ¡°Better not get too involved.¡± There was an unspoken rule among Dungeon Guild branch leaders: Never pry too deeply into the affairs of the Dungeon Guild Headquarters. This rule applied even more when the matter involved someone as prominent as the saintess herself. Suppressing his curiosity, Krundal bowed slightly. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead,¡± Kaylen replied. As soon as the spellbook was handed over, Krundal quickly retreated into the Dungeon Guild building. Watching him disappear, Kaylen reflected on the earlier conversation. ¡°Oh my, look at the time. Let¡¯s continue this conversation another time,¡± Theresia had said, deftly bringing the topic of eternal life to an abrupt close. Her calcted pacing was the mark of someone practiced in persuasion. ¡°Ah, and remember, what we talked about today is a secret. Understood?¡± At that moment, the Blessing of Life surged within Kaylen. It urged him to keep their conversation confidential, as though nting the thought in his mind that this secret must remain buried. ¡°So, she¡¯s not entirely carefree after all.¡± She, too, had a safeguard¡ªher trust bolstered by the subtle control exerted through the blessing. ¡°A versatile tool, this so-called blessing.¡± Kaylen let out a wry smile. The saintess, who had lived for a thousand years, could subtly manipte emotions and tempt people with the promise of eternal life¡­ ¡°Cult leaders also lure followers with the promise of immortality, and now even the saintess resorts to such tactics. How ironic.¡± Yet, he couldn¡¯t deny its effectiveness. The saintess, having lived a millennium and proving her own immortality, carried immense credibility. And who among humanity could resist the allure of eternal life? Even Kaylen wasn¡¯t entirely disinterested. However, his intrigue wasn¡¯t for his own immortality. What fascinated him was how the saintess and the people of the Sanctuary had achieved such longevity. ¡°The Sanctuary¡­ once you enter, leaving seems nearly impossible.¡± No matter how sanctified the ce might seem, Kaylen doubted its purity. Without proper preparation, stepping into that realm could spell disaster. And preparation meant ensuring he had the absolute strength to ovee any restrictions. ¡°I¡¯ll need to elerate the growth of the me Sword.¡± The key to his readinessy in mastering the me Sword [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 76 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 76 Several weeks had passed. ¡°Something¡¯s strange¡­¡± Saintess Theresia watched Kaylen with a mix of curiosity and doubt. ¡°By now, he should be asking if he can join the Sanctuary himself.¡± She had been dropping hints steadily, meeting with Kaylen once a week to subtly emphasize the greatness of the Sanctuary. ¡°Oh, how impressive.¡± ¡°To live forever¡­¡± Yet, Kaylen only offered polite admiration, never broaching the subject of joining on his own. By this point in her interactions with others, most would be pleading to join, asking if they too could enter the Sanctuary. The awe instilled by her Blessingbined with the allure of eternal youth had always worked without fail. ¡°The blessing is working properly, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kaylen¡¯s eyes gleamed with reverence and respect whenever he looked at her. The blessing¡¯s effects were evident, ensuring his attitude wasn¡¯t the problem. ¡°Could it be that he¡¯s hesitant to bring it up himself?¡± It wasn¡¯t unheard of. Some people, overwhelmed by reverence, doubted their worthiness. ¡°Can someone as insignificant as me dare to live in the Sanctuary with the Saintess herself?¡± Was Kaylen one of those? Even setting aside his unparalleled talent, he was still in his early twenties. Ack of worldly experience could exin such hesitation. ¡°Perhaps I overdid it with the blessing. I should emphasize things further.¡± She couldn¡¯t directly invite him to join. Admission to the Sanctuary required a deration of intent from the individual. Forcing or pressuring someone into joining diminished the efficacy of theirmitment. ¡°Kaylen,¡± Theresia addressed him softly. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re aware, aren¡¯t you, that dungeon portals across the kingdom have been disappearing?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard about it.¡± One by one, dungeon portals had vanished, and the monsters that once surrounded them disappeared into the void. For themon people who had suffered from the monsters, this was a cause for celebration and festivals. But those in higher positions were treating the phenomenon with suspicion. The saintess¡¯s sudden appearance, coupled with the portals disappearing of their own ord, made the situation feel like the calm before a storm. Kaylen had been hearing simr reports from envoys of various royal factions. ¡°Soon, the Demon Realm¡¯s invasion will begin,¡± Theresia said gravely. ¡°They¡¯lle to eradicate the ¡®colonies.¡¯¡± ¡°The colonies¡­ eradicated¡­¡± ¡°This kingdom will face an unprecedented catastrophe. Countless lives will be lost, and the very survival of the nation will be at stake.¡± ¡°We, the Holy Army, will assist the kingdom as much as we can. But if the devastation bes too great, we may be forced to retreat.¡± Theresia¡¯s voice turned cold as she continued, ¡°The Sanctuary is humanity¡¯sst bastion. If forced to choose between saving the kingdom or preserving the Sanctuary¡­ we will choose thetter.¡± Kaylen frowned. ¡°How will the colony eradication proceed?¡± ¡°Allow me to show you.¡± Theresia gestured with her hand, and a glowing circle appeared in the air. The circle transformed into a map, disying the territory of the Bormian Kingdom. ¡°Dungeon portals haven¡¯t disappeared,¡± she exined. ¡°They¡¯ve merely relocated. Do you see these twisted ck zones?¡± ¡°Northeast, is it?¡± ¡°Yes. Soon, all the vanished dungeon portals will be summoned here, in one ce.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kaylen pondered. If all the portals scattered across the kingdom reappeared in a single location, the number of monsters would be staggering. Even considering the sheer numbers alone, the situation was bound to be overwhelming. ¡°But if it¡¯s just monsters being summoned,¡± Theresia added, ¡°the Meisters should be able to handle them. Even I recognize the firepower of the Meisters.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Kaylen began. ¡°The issue lies with the demonic generals leading the monster legions,¡± she continued. ¡°Demonic generals¡­¡± ¡°They are demons, each individually powerful. On top of that, they summon specialized monsters.¡± ¡°Specialized monsters?¡± ¡°Large creatures bearing the demonic sigils of the Demon Realm. Magic ispletely ineffective against them. We call them Mana Eaters.¡± Monsters impervious to magic¡ªMana Eaters. Kaylen recalled the magical sigil engraved on the drake he had encountered before.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The Sanctuary was not only aware of these creatures but had already named them. ¡°If magic doesn¡¯t work on them, how do you stop them?¡± ¡°Fortunately, divine power is effective.¡± Theresia¡¯s tone grew serious. ¡°When the demonic generals and Mana Eaters appear, we will personally intervene to stop them. However¡­¡± Her expression turned colder. ¡°If the kingdom fails to repel the initial waves of monsters, we will retreat.¡± ¡°Retreat?¡± ¡°Yes. Each member of the Sanctuary represents humanity¡¯sst hope. We cannot risk sacrificing them for a kingdom that cannot even fend off a monster wave.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Luckily, this kingdom seems to have solid defenses. If the Civil Squad joins forces, they should be able to hold back the waves without too much trouble.¡± The Bormian Kingdom was known as one of the most powerful human kingdoms. Theresia hade to appreciate its strength firsthand. ¡°And isn¡¯t the princess said to be the wielder of an S-rank Mana Suit? That alone should suffice to deal with the Mana Eaters.¡± If an S-rank Mana Suit could counter the Mana Eaters, the kingdom had a real chance of defending itself. Barring any unexpected developments, it seemed possible to thwart the Demon Realm¡¯s eradication campaign. ¡°Which means I can take my time with this. I can focus on drawing in this extraordinary 6th-circle talent.¡± The Saintess¡¯s thoughts shifted. How do I get him to express his desire to join the Sanctuary? At this point, recruiting Kaylen seemed more pressing to her than the impending advance of the Demon Realm¡¯s legions. It was a reasonable judgment, given the kingdom¡¯s strong defenses. After her meeting with Theresia ended, one of the holy knights standing behind her followed Kaylen as he left. ¡°Meister Kaylen,¡± the knight called out. ¡°You¡¯re the only one the Saintess has invited repeatedly sinceing to this kingdom.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. She has high expectations for you.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°She hopes to see your brilliant talent shine even brighter in the Sanctuary.¡± To see my talent shine in the Sanctuary. In other words, they wanted him to join. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Feigning realization, Kaylen let out an exaggerated gasp. ¡°Her subordinate, the holy knight, is making the invitation more direct.¡± Kaylen had already discerned Theresia''s intentions long before. However, since the Saintess hadn¡¯t directly invited him to join, he had feigned ignorance and simply gathered information. But now, with the holy knight extending an explicit invitation, it became difficult to maintain his facade. ¡°The Saintess holds me in such high regard? That¡¯s truly an honor,¡± Kaylen replied, feigning humility. ¡°But¡­ would someone like me even be fit to join the Sanctuary?¡± ¡°You are more than qualified,¡± the knight reassured. ¡°The Saintess desires it as well.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. After this ordeal is resolved, I will discuss it with her,¡± Kaylen said with a calm smile. ¡°Afterward¡­ you mean?¡± ¡°Yes. I believe I should protect the homnd I¡¯vee to cherish before moving on. That would put my heart at ease.¡± Though Kaylen had never felt genuine patriotism for the Bormian Kingdom, he needed time¡ªtime toplete the me Sword. His earnest tone and determined expression seemed to satisfy the knight, who nodded slightly. ¡°Understood. I will ry your thoughts to the Saintess.¡± ¡°Please do.¡± After the knight left, Kaylen turned his focus elsewhere. ¡°With the dungeon portals gone, the mana in the atmosphere has be abundant. It must also be because the red spot of the moon hasn¡¯t appeared yet.¡± The air was saturated with mana, far more than usual. ¡°This is the perfect time.¡± With such an abundance of mana, it was the ideal moment to nurture the me Sword. Kaylen quickly made his way back to the mansion. Although the elves had tidied up the ce, the mansion still exuded an eerie atmosphere. In the expansive clearing within the mansion grounds, a massive magic circle had been drawn. The design was an erged replica of the sigil engraved on Royen¡¯s body. ¡°Ha¡­ Myorn, are you really nning to activate a magic circle this big? Even for Kaylen, this scale seems excessive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. That guy¡¯s a monster,¡± Myorn replied dismissively. ¡°Even monsters would probably be reduced to ashes at this scale.¡± ¡°This is the same guy who survived cia¡¯s onught. He¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ still¡­¡± Kaylen overheard Myorn and Irene¡¯s conversation as he approached the massive magic circle. To ensure the me Sword¡¯spletion, Kaylen had enlisted Myorn, who was developing the Mana Suit, to construct the magic circle. Initially, Myorn had been reluctant: ¡°Do we really have to do this now? I feel like I could make significant progress on the Mana Suit instead.¡± Kaylen, however, knew how to persuade him: ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to enhance your fire elemental abilities?¡± ¡°The method you suggested involves freezing me to awaken the fire mana within, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But these days, the amount of fire mana we¡¯ve extracted is diminishing in effect, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I suppose it is.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s time to replenish the fire. If weplete the magic circle on Royen, it¡¯ll benefit your elemental abilities as well.¡± ¡°¡­Really? So after extracting fire mana from my body, we¡¯re putting fire back in?¡± In the end, Kaylen¡¯s argument won Myorn over. With Myorn¡¯s expertise in fire mana, the analysis of the magic circle on Royen¡¯s body elerated. Kaylen had made one clear request: ¡°Focus solely on firepower. Forget stability¡ªjust ensure it ignites.¡± The result was a magic circle designed purely for destructive output. Of course, such single-minded emphasis came with significant risks. ¡°I wish we had more time to refine this,¡± Irene muttered, gazing at the massive and iplete magic circle with a mixture of regret and apprehension. The circle emphasized raw firepower but was woefully iplete in every other regard. The magic circle engraved on Royen¡¯s body hadn¡¯t been fully analyzed yet. ¡°We can make up for the missing elements with mana stones, but...¡± Irene¡¯s eyes fell on the countless mana stones embedded throughout the massive magic circle. There are just too many! ¡°Why? Feeling stingy about the mana stones?¡± Myorn teased. ¡°Ugh¡­ Yes, I am! There are 256 of them embedded in this thing! I told you we should analyze the magic circle more thoroughly before activating it!¡± Irene snapped. ¡°There¡¯s no time,¡± Myorn replied casually. ¡°And with all the money the Magic Tower has, why are you so worked up?¡± ¡°Do you even know how we saved that money? We scraped and pinched every bit we could¡ªcarefully managing our resources! Not everyone spends money recklessly in the name of experiments like you do!¡± Irene¡¯s voice rose as she vented her frustration. While Kaylen had contributed some of his personal wealth, the majority of the mana stones had been funded by the Fairy Tower. Especially through one person in particr. ¡°Oh,e on, stop with the nagging, spinster,¡± Myorn said with a grin. ¡°AHH! Brother! Whose side are you on?!¡± Irene red at Eldir, her anger mounting. ¡°I¡¯m the one who contributed to the Magic Tower, remember? Just stopining and get the activation ready,¡± Eldir retorted. The activation of the grand magic circle required a tremendous amount of mana stones. Eldir had leveraged his contributions to the Magic Tower to secure these resources, but Irene... ¡°No! Absolutely not! I used my personal savings to get these stones!¡± ¡°...What?¡± Eldir blinked in surprise. Irene turned her zing gaze toward him. ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for the Magic Tower as a member of the Elven Guard. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d let them exchange your contributions for mere mana stones. I used my savings instead.¡± To Irene, her brother¡¯s dedication and sacrifices weren¡¯t something that could be reduced to a mary transaction. So, to ensure his contributions remained untouched, she had emptied her personal reserves, money she had painstakingly saved for the future, to secure the mana stones. But Eldir, oblivious to his sister¡¯s feelings, simply grinned cheerfully. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re richer than I thought. If you had that much money, why didn¡¯t you buy me better drinks when we went out? What were you even saving it for?¡± Crack. Irene ground her teeth audibly. Her gaze burned as she turned to Kaylen, who had just arrived. ¡°Kaylen, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, Irene.¡± ¡°Please¡­ please¡­ make sure this magic circle is a sess.¡± Kaylen gave a strained smile. He had lightly requested Eldir¡¯s help but hadn¡¯t anticipated that Irene would end up sacrificing her wealth for this. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s worth the investment,¡± Kaylen assured her. With deliberate steps, he walked to the center of the massive magic circle. ¡°Activate the magic circle,¡± he ordered. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 77 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 77 One by one, the mana stones began to shine, and the massive magic circle started to glow with a crimson hue... Whoosh! Eventually, a towering pir of fire erupted from the center of the magic circle. ¡°Gasp!¡± Perhaps because the focus was solely on firepower, the fire mana was far stronger than anticipated. Kaylen''s figure waspletely engulfed by the fiery pir and vanished. ¡°W-will he be okay?¡± Irene asked in a trembling voice. Although she had heard from Eldir that Kaylen was a Sword Master... could even a Sword Master withstand such mes? ¡®The mana stones have only activated up to 50 so far, and the power is already at this level... If all 256 are activated?¡¯ ¡°Irene, don¡¯t worry. That man doesn¡¯t need your concern.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Unlike the anxious Irene, Myorn stared at the fiery pir with calm indifference. There was no way that monster could fail. As the excess fire mana began to spill out, Myorn thought to herself, Might as well use this to grow my spirit energy. With that mindset, she slowly moved closer to the fiery pir. ¡°Myorn! It¡¯s dangerous!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m just going to enhance my spirit energy a little.¡± ¡°Seriously... why has reckless behavior be so trendy?¡± Irene muttered with a sigh. Meanwhile, Kaylen was channeling the fire mana enveloping his entire body into his me sword. Within the fiery pir, not even the edges of his clothing showed signs of damage. He hadpletely mastered control over the fire mana. Even if all 256 mana stones were activated, he was confident he would emerge unscathed. However... ¡®The purity of this fire mana is fairly high. But...pared to the water mana of cia, it¡¯s far toocking.¡¯ The mana of cia was an extremely pure, top-tier water mana. Compared to that, the magic circle¡¯s firepower left much to be desired. ¡®This isn¡¯t the time for control.¡¯ To forge a me sword that could rival the water sword infused with cia¡¯s power, he would have to abandon control altogether. That meant allowing the fire¡¯s energy to fully consume his body. Whoooosh! Kaylen¡¯s entire body, starting with his clothes, burst into mes. In an instant, his garments were reduced to ash. His body, too, was engulfed by the fire. First, his hair caught fire. Kaylen¡¯s radiant silver hair couldn¡¯t withstand the mes for even a moment and waspletely incinerated. Next was his skin. His porcin-like skin began to cken almost immediately, turning charred and dark. Beneath the epidermis, the dermis and muscles still held out, but it was only a matter of time before they were consumed as well. ¡°Hmm.¡± The intense heat burned through his entire body. For an ordinary person, their nerves would have been scorched before they could even feel the pain, and they would have been reduced to ash in an instant. But for Kaylen, a Sword Master, his extraordinarily resilient body endured the mes, paradoxically amplifying the excruciating pain he felt. An unrelenting pain surged through him, so intense it felt as though his central nervous system might shut down. ¡®Quite exhrating.¡¯ For Kaylen, who had previously endured the Demon King''s Hellfire, this was tolerable. If anything, he regretted that the fire mana still wasn¡¯t strong enough. ¡®I need more... more fire.¡¯ Standing amidst the roaring inferno, Kaylen called out to Irene. ¡°Irene.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Kaylen! Are you unharmed?¡± ¡°Summon the spirits of wind to amplify the firepower. Have the others assist as well.¡± ¡°H-here? Even more firepower?¡± ¡°Yes. Quickly!¡± ¡°...Understood. Sylph!¡± At hermand, the elves summoned the wind spirits in unison. ¡°Myorn, step farther back. Things are about to get dangerous.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Even Myorn, who had been absorbing the stray fire mana, withdrew to a safer distance. Whoooosh! As the wind surged, the mes grew even fiercer. But Kaylen still found it insufficient. ¡®I need to weaken the power of the water sword.¡¯ ng! Behind him, a sword of water extended outward. In a sh, the water sword split the fiery pir and soared high into the sky before embedding itself in the mansion¡¯s outer wall. Swish¡ª The moment the water sword struck, the mansion¡¯s walls froze solid. As the water mana drained rapidly from Kaylen¡¯s body, the firepower intensified. Yet... ¡®Still not enough.¡¯ Whooosh! Within his mana-infused body, the me sword continued to grow, but it wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy him. He needed even purer fire mana to achieve perfection. ¡®Dark Sword.¡¯ Whirl! A sword of darkness extended into the sky. The dark sword reached beyond the fiery pir, piercing the heavens. As the power of darkness expanded, it scattered shadows across the surroundings. ¡°What...?¡± ¡°Why has the light disappeared?¡± The elves, startled by the sudden turn of events, looked around in confusion. Though the sun had been shining brightly moments ago, it was now pitch ck, as if even moonlight had been extinguished. Kaylen had deliberately blocked out the external light. Soon, the mansion was engulfed in a dome of darkness, preventing even a single ray of light from entering. ¡®Now, I¡¯ll gather the light.¡¯ Fwoosh! Behind Kaylen, a sword of light emerged, piercing high into the sky. At the heart of the darkness-enveloped domain, the light sword cut through, beginning to draw in external light. Sunlight poured down directly onto Kaylen, its intense heat merging with the mes already engulfing his body, igniting him with an even greater ferocity. ¡°Close your eyes! You could go blind!¡± Eldirmanded the elves while keeping a worried gaze fixed on Kaylen. ¡®This... is far too powerful.¡¯ Since the emergence of the three swords behind Kaylen, the intensity of the firepower had grown immensely. Amid the blinding white mes, Kaylen¡¯s form was barely visible¡ªhis body was deteriorating. ¡®Even for Sir Kaylen, this is unbearable. I have to rescue him...!¡¯ Eldir transformed his staff into the World Tree¡¯s wood de and conjured a Wind Aura Sword. Entering such overwhelming mes was daunting, even for him. ¡®But... I can¡¯t abandon this opportunity to learn.¡¯ For the sake of progressing his own abilities, he had to continue learning from Kaylen. Resolving himself, Eldir prepared to leap into the inferno¡ªbut then he froze in ce. ¡®No... that can¡¯t be...!¡¯ Kaylen¡¯s copsing form began to fade, reced by a massive sword¡ªa de burning in radiant crimson and white mes. It absorbed the sunlight from above and the roaring fire from the ground below, coalescing into a magnificent weapon. At that moment: ng. ng. A sound, like a hammer forging metal, echoed faintly as the towering fiery sword began to condense, taking on a clearer shape. ¡®Ah...¡¯ What emerged was yet another sword¡ªa zing de suffused with brilliant light. Its size wasparable to Eldir¡¯s Aura Sword, but that was the only simrity. Could this even be called an Aura Sword, a weapon forged by a Sword Master? Just gazing at the sword, Eldir became acutely aware of the immense chasm between Kaylen¡¯s skill and his own. ¡®My sword seems pitiful inparison...¡¯ ng. The perfectly crafted me Sword beckoned the Water Sword to it. The icy and fiery des crossed paths. sh! The Light Sword, once towering high into the heavens, shrank and threaded itself between the two. Meanwhile, the Dark Sword, as if it had always been there, slithered into ce, intersecting the Light Sword both horizontally and vertically. When the four swords united: Crack. Crack. The 256 mana stones simultaneously began to fracture. Fwoosh. ck smoke billowed from the copsing magic circle, its intricate lines fragmenting into nothingness. At the center, where the swords converged, the outline of a person emerged. ¡°Hah...¡± Step. Step. A man walked forward. ¡°Without the Blessing of Life, that would¡¯ve been fatal.¡± That voice was unmistakable¡ªone they all recognized. Yes, it was Kaylen. But then... ¡°Me... Melvria...?¡± Eldir¡¯s jaw dropped. The man standing before him bore an uncanny resemnce to Melvria, the woman who had left with the Hellmeier family. ¡°Wh... What...?¡± ¡°Wh-Who are you...?¡± Myorn stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence, while Irene¡¯s face turned a deep shade of red as she struggled to speak. It was no wonder¡ªstanding before them was a man who embodied the pinnacle of beauty they had never seen before. His perfectly sculpted muscles seemed carved from stone, and his face... As Eldir had said, it was strikingly simr to Melvria¡¯s, who was considered the most beautiful among the elves. However, his features were more pronounced, exuding masculinity and an aura of overwhelming dominance. The man tilted his head slightly before speaking. ¡°...What are you talking about?¡± ¡°C-Could it be... Sir Kaylen...?¡± ¡°Yes. Hm?¡± Havingpleted the Four Swords, Kaylen was walking toward them, feeling lighthearted. Yet, he couldn¡¯t ignore the intense stares from the elves. Half of those gazes were downright tant, scanning him from head to toe¡ªa look he had encountered many times before in his previous life. ¡®Well, my body does feel lighter, but...¡¯ When he looked down, his eyes fell on three concentric circles etched across his solid pectorals, leading to his sharply defined abdominal muscles. And beneath those... A form he hadn¡¯t seen in this life: ¡®...This is my body from my past life.¡¯ The body of Emperor Ernst Stein. Even at fifty years old, he had been revered as the most handsome man on the continent. ¡°Do I really resemble this Melvria person?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, you do!¡± Irene nodded repeatedly, her face still flushed. Melvria, his daughter in his past life, had inherited much of his appearance. If Kaylen¡¯s current face resembled hers, it meant he now wore the face of Ernst Stein. ¡°May I have a mirror?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, of course...¡± Taking the small hand mirror from Irene, Kaylen inspected his reflection. It was undeniable¡ªthis was the face of Ernstine. A face that, even in his fifties, had left women in awe. The face that had caused: A princess from an enemy nation to betray her kingdom. A subus sent to seduce him to fall for him instead. Aristocratic daughters at royal balls to beg to be his concubines, enthralled by his charm. ¡®What a troublesome face.¡¯ This was not what he had wanted. He actually preferred his former appearance as Kaylen, which felt dependable and sturdy. Without realizing it, his brows furrowed slightly in displeasure. ¡°Wow...¡± ¡°He¡¯s so amazing...¡± ¡°How is someone like this even possible?¡± ¡°More shocking than Lady Melbria...¡± Yes. Even with just a slight furrow of his brow, the elves, embodiments of beauty themselves, couldn¡¯t help but marvel at him. How did ite to this? Kaylen recalled the events from just moments ago. ¡®When Ipleted the me Sword, I burned my entire body and reconstructed it. That was where the issue arose.¡¯ In his effort to forge the ultimate me Sword, he resorted to an extreme method, feeling that it was otherwise impossible. He had burned his entire body to ash, fusing himself into the me Sword. Once the me Sword waspleted, the remaining three swords converged, and his body was reconstituted. ¡®In that process, I must have unconsciously envisioned the most ideal physique.¡¯ And what could be more ideal than the body of Emperor Ernst Stein? Compared to his former self, Kaylen, Ernst Stein¡¯s physique was leagues apart. It was a perfect body that naturally absorbed mana with every breath and quickly reached infinite mana capacity¡ª¡°Mana Infinity.¡± A body that all knights dreamed of possessing. ¡°Hmm.¡± Still, this body was too handsome. Looking into the mirror, Kaylen frowned in dissatisfaction and began to channel mana to alter his appearance. Rippling. Rippling. His body began to swell and reshape itself, returning to the sturdy, practical form of his previous life as Kaylen. But before he could finish, Irene let out a shrill cry.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Kaylen! W-What are you doing?!¡± ¡°I was just trying to go back to the way I was before.¡± ¡°Why? Why would you do that to such a perfect body?!¡± Irene looked as if she was about to cry, as though it were her own body being changed. The other elf researchers had simr expressions, and even Eldir, a man, looked at Kaylen as if to ask, What are you doing?! ¡®This reaction is exactly why I want to change it.¡¯ Kaylen tried softening his features and bulking up his frame again, partially restoring his old look. But... ¡®It¡¯s ufortable.¡¯ Having once experienced the perfection of Ernst Stein¡¯s body, he now fully realized how limited and awkward his old form had been. Fine. He¡¯d stay as he was. Whoosh. Kaylen allowed his body to return to its reconstituted, ideal state. ¡°Whew...¡± ¡°Thank goodness!¡± A collective sigh of relief swept through the room. ¡°This body is undeniably morefortable. I¡¯ll stick with it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve made the best choice,¡± Irene said, pressing a hand to her chest as if she had narrowly avoided a disaster. ¡°But... what will you say to people?¡± Myorn asked cautiously. Kaylen responded simply. ¡°Let¡¯s just say... it was a failed magical experiment.¡± ¡°This is supposed to be a failure?¡± Myorn muttered incredulously. If this was what failure looked like... Every magician in the world would probably want to fail the same way. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 78 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 78 Deep within the royal pce of the Bormian Kingdom was the residence of the First Prince, Diether Hart. Despite having a separate vi, Diether Hart insisted on living exclusively within the pce. He rarely made public appearances, leading people to call him the "Reclusive Prince." Had he been more active publicly, the power struggle within the Bormian Kingdom would not have arisen. The First Prince¡¯s im to the throne was unshakable. He was the kingdom¡¯s eldest son, backed by the powerful Lebrin Ducal family from his maternal side. In addition, his younger sister, who supported him, was the owner of an S-rank mana suit. However... ¡°Violet, you¡¯vee?¡± ¡°Yes, Brother.¡± Princess Violet entered Diether Hart¡¯s room. His room, filled to the brim with books, resembled a library. The only difference was that, unlike a library, books were scattered chaotically even across the floor. The First Prince, Diether Hart,y among the scattered books. ¡°At today¡¯s luncheon, I met the Saintess.¡± ¡°Did you? How did she seem?¡± ¡°Just as the legends say. She has forgotten aging and lives eternally... She maintains the body of a 15-year-old girl.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I wish you had attended, Brother.¡± ¡°I had work to do.¡± Violet picked up one of the books from the floor. She couldn¡¯t read its content, but she recognized the script. ¡®...Thenguage of the Demonic Realm.¡¯ Was he still reading books rted to the Demonic Realm? Even now, while the Saintess was present, he remained buried in his books, engrossed in research... Violet felt a sense of frustration. ¡®He needs to participate in public affairs. Remaining secluded like this only fuels strange rumors.¡¯ Because of the First Prince¡¯s extreme reclusiveness, various rumors circted among idle gossipers. The prince is actually a fool. Princess Violet maniptes him like a puppet. The First Prince is already dead. The Second Prince¡¯s faction subtly spread and amplified such rumors, reaping indirect benefits. Even Kaylen, whom they had recently tried to recruit, had hinted at hearing such stories. ¡®Brother, a fool? How absurd...¡¯ Diether Hart might have a thin frame and a paleplexion, but his eyes shone with sharp intelligence. For someone capable of studying books written in thenguage of the Demonic Realm, calling him a fool was preposterous. ¡°Did the Saintess say anything in particr?¡± ¡°She said that soon, a monster wave will ur in the northeastern border region.¡± ¡°I see...¡± A monster wave¡ªwhen an army of over 100,000 monsters invades at once. ¡°The Saintess also mentioned that after the monster wave, a demonic armymander and mana eaters willunch an invasion. However, she and the Holy Legion will handle that.¡± ¡°That is reassuring.¡± The existence of Mana Eaters was a secret known to very few. However, the Bormian royal family, armed with an extensive informationwork, possessed intelligence that only the royal bloodline was privy to. Mana Eaters were among those ssified secrets. ¡°They said the Holy Legion''s deployment hinges on us perfectly repelling the monster wave. The Sanctuary cannot handle the wave itself,¡± Violet exined. ¡°Of course. They are coldly pragmatic¡ªthey only save nations they deem worthy of saving.¡± ¡°Yes, and fortunately, our kingdom still holds some ¡®worthy¡¯ value.¡± The Bormian Kingdom, though situated in an era where the human territories of the continent were rapidly shrinking, had managed to maintain a stable power. Even amidst dwindling human realms, the kingdom''s strength ranked among the top five. ¡°So, I¡¯ll be discussing the formation of the subjugation force with the Second Prince¡¯s faction.¡± ¡°Hmph... His Majesty, the King, isn¡¯t stepping in? A monster wave is imminent, yet he¡¯s leaving the task to the princes¡¯ factions?¡± Diether Hart¡¯s previously calm demeanor turned pointed as he spoke. Violet nodded quietly in response. ¡°Yes, he said to handle it as we see fit.¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t changed. Since that day, he has truly abandoned state affairs.¡± That day. At Diether Hart¡¯s mention, Violet¡¯s face hardened. The day their mother passed away¡ªan event she wished to erase from her memory for the rest of her life. ¡°Violet.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Dy the formation of the subjugation force.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± ¡°And most importantly, you are not to join the expedition.¡± Violet¡¯s expression became even sterner. His words made no sense in the face of a national crisis. Could it be...? ¡°Is this about where the monster wave will strike?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Prince Diether Hart¡¯s lips curled into a grim smile. ¡°If that area falls, the Obline Duchy will be the first to face the consequences.¡± ¡°But...!¡± ¡°This is an order from the First Prince, entrusted by His Majesty himself. Dy it as much as possible.¡± At the gates of the Magic Academy, guard Charles asked in a trembling voice, ¡°W-What brings you here?¡± He couldn¡¯t understand what he was seeing. ¡®He¡¯s definitely human... His ears aren¡¯t long.¡¯ Charles, who had worked at the academy for years and encountered people of all races, including elves, had never been so shocked by someone¡¯s appearance. The man before him had a presence so overwhelmingly unreal that even the elves, often referred to as the embodiments of beauty, would pale inparison. ¡®A face like this... You¡¯d never forget it after seeing it once.¡¯ ¡°You see? I told you they wouldn¡¯t recognize me if I came alone,¡± the man said. ¡°It seems so,¡± he replied with a faint smile. Behind him, Professor Irene, an elf, approached, causing Charles to startle. The sheer presence of the man in front of him had been so overwhelming that he hadn¡¯t even noticed her arrival. Charles, who often couldn¡¯t sleep at night after catching sight of Professor Irene¡¯s beauty, found her entirely overshadowed. Irene let out a small sigh and addressed Charles, ¡°This is Kaylen Starn. You may let him through.¡± "Um... Excuse me? Professor? I do know Mr. Kaylen very well, but..." How could anyone at the academy not know of the "Sixth Circle Prodigy," a Superior Mage of renown? Just a few days ago, Charles had seen him and thought his build resembled that of a knight far more than a mage. With his towering frame and robust physique, he had the perfect stature of a frontline warrior. But now, someone was iming this man was a noble mage? What nonsense! ¡°I vouch for him. He really is Kaylen,¡± Irene insisted. ¡°No matter how much you insist¡­¡± Charles muttered, unable to ept the im. It felt like someone was trying to call a rock a diamond. Unable to bear the confusion, Kaylen handed over his academy ID and exined, ¡°My appearance has changed slightly due to side effects from a magical experiment.¡± ¡°Understood. Please wait a moment while I report this. I don''t think this is something I can decide on my own.¡± ¡°Take your time,¡± Kaylen replied. Once Charles left with his ID, Kaylen sighed wryly. ¡°This is already such a hassle, and I¡¯m only at the entrance.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not surprising. It hasn¡¯t even been a few days, and your appearance has changed drastically,¡± Irene said. ¡°I should have just reverted to my original face,¡± Kaylen murmured. ¡°No! Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Irene eximed, waving her hands in rm. ¡®Why does he keep wanting to go back to his old self?¡¯ Though Kaylen had admitted his transformed body was more convenient, he would asionally mutter things like, ¡°Maybe I should just go back to how I was.¡± If not for those around him vehemently protesting, he might have actually done it. Giving up this extraordinary appearance to return to his rugged former self? As an elf who valued appearance more than most, Irene couldn¡¯t fathom such a decision.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om His longshes and serene golden eyes were enough to leave anyone mesmerized. Kaylen¡¯s original form had also been handsome, with the same golden eyes and sharp features, but this was on an entirely different level. His current facebined sharp majesty with breathtaking beauty. Irene couldn¡¯t help but think of her sister-inw, Melvria, who had once been like an older sister to her. ¡®He really does look like her. That face is proof of the Ernstine lineage.¡¯ Kaylen had once mentioned that his changed appearance resembled that of the legendary Emperor Ernstine. A long time ago, when Irene hadplimented Melvria¡¯s beauty, she would often reply with a yfulugh: ¡°Oh, I just inherited my dad¡¯s good looks. Our father was extremely handsome.¡± Back then, Irene had dismissed it as mere ttery for her father-inw, whom Melvria deeply admired. ¡®But it turns out she was telling the truth.¡¯ Though Irene tried to nce at him only briefly, it was obvious to Kaylen. ¡°Even you, Lady Irene?¡± he asked, his tone teasing. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Irene stammered, flustered. Kaylen let out a long, inward sigh. ¡®I¡¯ll have to get used to these stares.¡¯ Now that his Sacred Sword wasplete and he was beginning his path as a Swordmaster, attention would only grow once he established his Sword n. Kaylen decided it was time to fully embrace his new appearance. Meanwhile, in the distance, Charles was returning with someone who appeared to be the captain of the guards. ¡°Professor Irene has vouched for him, so couldn¡¯t you have let it go?¡± the captain muttered. ¡°But, Captain! You¡¯ll change your mind once you see for yourself!¡± Charles insisted. ¡°People don¡¯t change that much, no matter what¡­ Wha¡ª?!¡± The captain, who had been responding dismissively, froze the moment heid eyes on Kaylen. Then, with a loud thud, he stumbled and sat down on the spot. ¡°This¡­ this can¡¯t be real! Are you telling me that man is Kaylen?!¡± ¡°Yes, he is,¡± Irene confirmed with a calm smile. The captain, still clearly in disbelief, gawked at Kaylen like he was enchanted. Even after hearing Irene''s exnation, he staggered to his feet and stammered, ¡°I-I¡¯ll escte this to the higher-ups.¡± And just like Charles earlier, the captain ran off to make a report. But the reporting didn¡¯t stop there. The chain of verification kept climbing up the academy hierarchy. ¡°What? You¡¯re saying he is Kaylen? That¡¯s almost impossible to believe.¡± ¡°I trust Professor Irene. He must truly be Kaylen.¡± Eventually, this farcical situation escted all the way to the academy¡¯s headmaster, drawing widespread attention. ¡°I understand your circumstances,¡± the headmaster said, his tone serious. ¡°But many people are struggling to ept this transformation.¡± ¡°¡­I understand,¡± Kaylen replied quietly. ¡°To think a failed magical experiment could make someone so handsome¡­ Honestly, it sounds imusible, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Kaylen could only nod silently. They had all agreed on the cover story: the transformation was the result of a secretive experiment at the Fairy Tower, which had yielded unexpected results. But who would believe a magical failure could make someone stunningly attractive? ¡®If I were an ordinary student, they might have let it slide.¡¯ However, as a Superior Mage and a rare talent who had achieved the Sixth Circle, Kaylen¡¯s identity warranted thorough verification. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯ve prepared this,¡± the headmaster said. In the academy¡¯s vast auditorium, a Meister Aptitude Evaluator was brought in¡ªa device used to measure one¡¯s magical aptitude. ¡°Kaylen, proving your capabilities seems to be the only way to dispel all doubt.¡± Kaylen nced at theplex magical instrument. Its intricate designs hummed faintly withtent power, awaiting his input. He took a deep breath, steeling himself. If this was what it took to silence the doubters, then so be it. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 79 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 79 Whisper, whisper. "Whoa, is that person really Kaylen?" "No way!" The academy¡¯s auditorium was already packed with students. As the reports and rumors about thepletely transformed Kaylen continued to spread, more and more curious eyes gathered. "Wow, someone like that was at our academy? Who are they?" "...They¡¯re saying it¡¯s Kaylen." "What? What kind of nonsense is that?" Hearing the rumors, Lioness crossed his arms and scanned his surroundings. The mages, typically too engrossed in research, magic training, and a mountain of assignments to pay attention to such things, were... ¡°Creating such amotion over whether someone is real or not?¡± For most people, such an event wouldn¡¯t draw a crowd, nor would it warrant a test here. But the man standing before the testing device was different. An appearance transcending the world itself. More beautiful than even an elf, yet exuding an untouchable majesty. "How can a person look like that?" For the first time in his life, Lioness felt a sense of defeat in terms of appearance when looking at another man. Up until now, he¡¯d never even entertained the thought of being outshined by another man¡¯s looks.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om But now... "I thought Lioness was the most handsome person in our academy." "Me too, me too." "Wow¡­ just wow¡­" The voices of female students murmuring from the back. Even though it was something that could have been annoying, Lioness merely gave a bitter smile. "Should I be thankful that they even consider us on the same level?" It wasn¡¯t even a fairparison. "Eugh, why are so many people gathering here?" Watching the students flock like clouds while the Meister Measuring Device was being set up, the academy''s dean clicked his tongue in disapproval. For the kingdom''s most brilliant talents to abandon their studies and gather here over such gossip¡ªit was irritating. If it were up to him, he would have dispersed the crowd immediately. But¡­ "There are simply too many people. Not to mention, even the heir of the Oine Ducal House is here." Even as the academy''s dean, it was burdensome to tell the child of such a powerful noble to leave. If there were a valid reason, perhaps he could... But kicking them out just for skipping their studies and being here didn¡¯t sit right. "On second thought, this might be for the best. Everyone here will serve as witnesses." The crowd gathered here would testify whether this man was truly Kaylen or not. Yes. "It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t disperse them because of Lioness." "It¡¯s because I need witnesses, so I¡¯m letting them stay." The dean convinced himself with this reasoning as the test began. "Now, Kaylen?" "Yes, Dean." "As I mentioned earlier, I trust Professor Irene. You are indeed Kaylen, correct?" Though he was inwardly skeptical, the dean began his speech with aposed demeanor. "But you can hear it too, can''t you? People asking if you''re really Kaylen. Saying it makes no sense. The im that your appearance resulted from a failed magic experiment¡­ it''s hard for the public to believe." A failed magic experiment caused that appearance? Hearing those words, the students were dumbfounded. "Come on. I wouldn''t mind a failure like that." "I tried to enhance my fire affinity and failed, leaving me with a permanent burn on my left arm¡­ What kind of experiment did he do to end up looking like that? That''s a failure?" Kaylen caught the shifting reactions of the students around him. As expected, the excuse of a changed appearance due to failure seemed unconvincing. "But there''s no need to convince them." After all, he was the only Meister with the talent of a 6th Circle mage. Once he disyed that talent here, proving himself would be a matter of course. "Understood. I¡¯ll take the test." "Good. You¡¯re the Water Meister, correct?" "Yes." "The mana affinity measurement device is ready. Now, aim an Ice Arrow at that red target." The mana affinity measurement device had a simple design. A magic circle was drawn on the floor, with arge red target floating in the air above it. "Ice Arrow." Kaylen nced at the target and conjured an ice arrow from his fingertips. No, it wasn¡¯t an ice arrow. It was more like a massive spear, reminiscent of a ballista bolt. Without even performing a Circle Reload, an enormous chunk of ice materialized instantly, leaving the audience breathless. They were all mages themselves and understood how absurd it was for a 1st Circle spell to manifest like that. "What¡­ is that¡­? That¡¯s supposed to be an Ice Arrow?" "Is he really a 4th Circle Meister?" "Is that truly Kaylen? Even if it is, how could he summon something like that?" For a moment, the audience¡¯s focus shifted from Kaylen¡¯s face to the Ice Arrow. The colossal projectile didn¡¯t just hit the target¡ªit crushed it entirely as it flew toward it. sh! The target, made of light, disappeared in an instant. The light then ascended and began to coalesce, forming numbers. [155] "One hundred and fifty-five¡­" The academy dean¡¯s mouth hung open in shock. 155? The benchmark score to qualify for the talent of a 6th Circle mage was 125. "Didn¡¯t Kaylen score 129 previously?" Back then, the measurement conducted by the Tower Lords had recorded his score at 129. Of course, that was also due to the limitations of the device used at the time. Even so¡­ "One hundred and fifty-five¡­" It was an unimaginably high score. "Does this prove it now?" "Y-Yes, it does." Kaylen¡¯s 6th Circle talent was unique to him. No matter how much his appearance had changed, his unmatched magical talent confirmed that he was indeed Kaylen. Lioness stared at the score, unable to believe his eyes. "Is this even real?" Since the invention of the measurement device, had there ever been a score like that? Even if the earlier scores had been unmeasured or underestimated, reaching 155 points seemed unimaginable. The students gathered in the auditorium appeared to share Lioness''s disbelief. "Wasn¡¯t it said that Kaylen is already a 4th Circle Meister?" "Didn¡¯t they pay an astronomical price to bring him from the Tower of the Elves? Seems like that investment wasn¡¯t wasted." "I thought the greatest mage of our generation would be Princess Violet or Lioness¡­" "With his talent, he might actually be a 6th Circle Meister. Does that mean we¡¯ll witness a 6th Circle spell soon?" "Even if he¡¯s talented, could he actually cast 6th Circle magic? Isn¡¯t that impossible?" True to their nature as mages, they delved into discussions about the implications of 6th Circle magic. However, it seemed that the proof provided by the score was enough for everyone to acknowledge that he was indeed Kaylen. "Thank you for arranging this opportunity, Dean," Kaylen said. "Yes¡­ It seems you truly are Kaylen. Your talent is astonishing." "Now that the proof isplete, I assume I may join the academy?" "Of course." Kaylen silently left the auditorium. Shortly after, the academy dean formally dered to the students that Kaylen¡¯s identity had been verified. Lioness, meanwhile, watched the door Kaylen had exited with aplicated expression. In both appearance and talent, Lioness had never found himselfcking before. But now, for the first time, he felt as though he had encountered an insurmountable wall. He suppressed the unfamiliar emotion as best as he could. "¡­I must bring him into the Second Prince¡¯s faction." Bormian Magic Academy Library "Wow. Who is that? Have we always had someone like him at the academy?" "They say he¡¯s Kaylen." "Kaylen? What are you talking about?" "Didn¡¯t you hear about themotion today? It¡¯s been the talk of the academy." Kaylen''s appearance had stirred such a buzz that even the normally quiet library was abuzz with murmurs. Yet Kaylen himself remainedpletelyposed. His focusy elsewhere. "The third mana circle isplete." The mana circles etched into his skin were now three. For Kaylen, each mana circle allowed him to wield up to 2nd Circle magic. Previously, with two circles, he had been capable of 4th Circle spells. Now, with three, he could theoretically cast 6th Circle magic. This realization prompted him to begin mastering 6th Circle magic in earnest. "Still, it won¡¯t be easy to cast." The 6th Circle was a realm few mages in history had reached. 6th Circle spells not onlybined two elemental attributes but also required a deep understanding of each spell''s intricacies. "And there''s another challenge¡ªoperating the mana circles themselves seems integral to 6th Circle magic." As Kaylen read a book analyzing the spell Blizzard, he came to this conclusion. The text emphasized controlling the flow of mana within the heart¡¯s mana circles for each segment of the spell. To cast a single 6th Circle spell like Blizzard, a mage needed to manage 36 distinct flows of mana. "It¡¯s no wonder casting such magic is so difficult." To reach the level of the 6th Circle, one had to not only chant a lengthy incantation and understand the spell but also maintain perfect control of the mana circles'' flow throughout. Kaylen let out a wry smile. He felt a twinge of guilt about how effortlessly he had sliced apart a spell that must have been painstakingly cast. The overwhelming power of the Six Swords Technique had left no room for the magic to stand a chance. In truth, now that he had mastered the fourth sword, he didn¡¯t necessarily need to sit in the library studying 6th Circle magic. The sheer destructive force of his swordsmanship alone was more than sufficient. But there was something else on his mind. "The potential of Infinity¡¯s expandability¡­ It feels like it would be far more efficient if integrated with magic." He had been captivated by the new characteristic of Infinity¡ªexpansion¡ªdemonstrated by his descendants, the Hellmeier family. Kaylen felt certain that this trait would synergize better with magic than with swordsmanship alone. "Now that I¡¯ve returned to my former body, I can afford to reduce my focus on sword training." When he was in his original body, he had tirelessly honed his skills to achieve the perfect union of his physical form and swordsmanship. But now, in Ernstine¡¯s body, such training was unnecessary. Ernstine¡¯s body was already perfectly attuned to the Six Swords Technique, leaving no need for further alignment. This allowed Kaylen to allocate more time to studying magic instead of his sword. "Before I rebuild the Meier Sword n, I need to grasp the secrets of the 6th Circle." Havingpleted the fourth sword, there was no longer any need to hold back. As a Sword Master, he was ready to reveal himself to the world at any moment. However, Kaylen was waiting for the perfect opportunity. The reappearance of a long-lost Sword Master would serve as the best possible advertisement. But instead of unveiling himself now, Kaylen nned to align this revtion with thepletion of Myorn¡¯s Mana Suit. With its debut, the Meier Sword n would rise again in full glory. Until then, he resolved to dedicate his spare time to mastering the 6th Circle of magic. After days of research back at his estate, Kaylen finally decided to put his studies to the test. "Blizzard." He invoked the 6th Circle spell. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 80 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 80 Shhhhh¡ª "Failure." Despite studying extensively, casting the 6th Circle spell Blizzard still proved to be no easy task. "The issue lies with the Circles." More precisely, the problem was that Kaylen only had three Circles. Unlike spells of the 5th Circle and below, magic of the 6th Circle required the active maniption of Mana Circles. However, Kaylen''s unique method of utilizing Circles differed fundamentally from the standard approach due to the disparity in their numbers. Until now, Kaylen had relied on his overwhelming elemental mana affinity to cast spells effortlessly, but for the first time, he felt as though he had hit a wall. "The instructions in the book are things like ''pause the flow of the third Circle momentarily'' or ''elerate the mana flow of the fifth Circle.'' It¡¯s written like that." He had scoured various advanced magic texts to ovee this challenge but found no descriptions that addressed his unique situation. "The mages I fought in the past could cast this level of magic with ease." Moreover, Grand Mages of the 8th Circle could unleash 6th Circle spells by merely chanting their activation words. Kaylen had often found it frustrating to deal with the endless barrage of spells they could unleash in battle. "There¡¯s no way they adjusted their Mana Circles so intricately in such a short time. There must have been a simpler method." Determined, Kaylen continued experimenting with various spells. Unlike other mages, Kaylen had an abundance of mana, allowing him to cast spells throughout the night without rest. As dawn broke, Kaylen had cast Blizzard hundreds of times. His face showed no signs of fatigue as he sat in deep contemtion. While rereading the passages about Circle maniption, a sudden realization struck him. "Manipting the flow of Circles... it¡¯s ultimately a process to enhance elemental affinity." If this was simply a method to amplify elemental affinity, Kaylen had an alternative to Circle maniption. The Six Swords Technique. "Summon the Water Sword and the Wind Sword." Blizzard, with its swirling snow and icy winds, was a spell characterized by the elements of water and air. "The Wind Sword is still weak, so I¡¯ll need to support it with the power of Infinity." Kaylen carefully bnced the powers of the Water Sword and Wind Sword before casting the spell again. "Blizzard." Whoooosh! The swirling wind carried an icy chill. The sky turned stark white, and soon, countless icy spikes filled the air. However, the range far exceeded what Kaylen had intended¡ªit was no longer confined to the training grounds of his estate. "The range is far too wide." The spell was far more powerful than he had anticipated. Destroying his estate was out of the question. Kaylen focused,pressing the water mana that had spread out, pulling it together. The scattered icy spikes began to condense and then plummeted to the ground. The ice embedded in the earth piledyer uponyer, gradually forming a towering structure. Thunk. Thunk. Thudududu! The cascade of ice showed no signs of stopping. Eventually, Kaylen stood before a massive ice tower. Looking at it, Kaylen shook his head. "This isn¡¯t Blizzard." While the spell had activated, the result was far from what he had envisioned. Instead of producing a snowstorm, it created an ice tower. "I¡¯ll need to fully develop the Wind Sword to do this properly¡­" The 6th Circle was indeed a different level. Around that time, the elf researchers observing from within the estate were left utterly speechless. "What kind of magic is that?" "Was that done while wearing a mana suit? How is that even possible?" Ice shards rained down with fearsome intensity, embedding deeply into the ground and stabilizing the terrain. Beyond that, they stacked higher and higher, forming a towering structure. The elves, who had spent their lives within the magic towers of their homnd, had seen countless Meisters and their self-proimed masterpieces. But without question, they had never witnessed magic like this before. "He¡¯s truly a monster¡­" "Could he have already reached the 6th Circle?" While Kaylen himself deemed it a failure, the elves perceived it as magic on par with the 6th Circle¡ªfar beyond the scope of low-circle magic. The elf researchers¡¯ eyes sparkled with admiration as they gazed at Kaylen. In elf society, where human Meisters were considered top-tier potential spouses, Kaylen wasn¡¯t merely a first-ss candidate¡ªhe was in a league of his own. In the northeastern border region of the Bormian Kingdom. Once a bustling border city known for its thriving trade with neighboring nations, it nowy in ruins. Whiiiirrr¡ª Within the deste city, dungeon portals continued to emerge. Thud. Thud. The appearance of the portals was far from ordinary. At first, only a single portal materialized¡­ sh. sh. But soon, crimson lights erupted in all directions as dungeon portals began to form one after another. The portals steadily consumed the ruined city, taking full control. Their numbers eventually surpassed one hundred. "Grrrrr¡­" Thump. Thump. Monsters began emerging one by one from the portals. From orcs the size of humans, to ogres towering over five meters, and even harpies with the ability to fly, various monsters poured out simultaneously. "Food! Prey!" "Grrr! Ogres, subdue them!" The orcs and ogres growled and shed as they encountered one another. Aside from them, numerous other monsters of differing species appeared ready to collide in conflict. At that moment¡ª Shhhhhhh¡ª A new portal, unlike the others, appeared in the sky. It was a pitch-ck rift that exuded an overwhelming aura of dark mana. "Gr- Grrrr¡­" The monsters froze in unison. The intense presence of darkness suppressed them all, leaving thempletely subdued. Shhhhhh¡ª From within the portal, a colossal giant emerged. d in pitch-ck armor, the giant emanated a presence that seemed to embody dark mana itself. The monsters trembled in fear, unable to withstand the overwhelming, tyrannical aura radiating from the giant. [Commence the extermination of Colony E-12.] The giant spoke in thenguage of the Demon Realm, issuingmands to the monsters. Upon hearing the words, the focus vanished from the monsters¡¯ eyes. Step. Step. The infighting among the monsters ceased entirely. Monsters of various species began forming organized ranks. The ogres, who would normally treat the orcs as prey, ignored them and moved to the front lines, forming a shield for the monster army. The harpies took to the skies, providing aerial support. Monsters of all sizes and kinds aligned in rows and columns, creating an orderly formation. "Ugh¡­ Grrrr¡­ What are these words¡­!" Among the monsters, there were a few who resisted themand. [Pitiful creatures. Do you dare to defy me?] The ck giant clenched his fist in the air. Crack! In an instant, the heads of the resistant monsters exploded. Those with strong enough wills to resist the Demon Realm¡¯smands were erased with a single gesture. [March south, my servants.] Thump. Thump. The monster army began moving as a single, unified entity. Even the most elite of human forces would struggle to disy such synchronized advancement, yet this was being achieved by an army of disparate monsters. The ck giant, observing the march with arms crossed, suddenly turned his gaze skyward. [Is it a minion of the Celestial God?] Swish. The ck hand reached toward the sky. As the giant clenched his fist once more¡­ Crackle! A burst of brilliant white light exploded in the air. [A rat-like nuisance.] As the light dissipated, the giant turned his attention back to the monster army, showing no further interest in the sky. It was only natural; the mana he had sensed from the light had long since faded. "Ahhh¡­!" Saintess Theresia clutched her face tightly, covering her eyes with her hands, her expression contorted in pain. "Saintess!" "I-I¡¯m fine. The Heavenly Eye was merely suppressed." Her scream was brief. Though she tried to speak calmly, blood streamed down from both her eyes. However, the pain in her eyes was not what concerned her most. ¡®The fact that they detected the Heavenly Eye!¡¯ The Heavenly Eye was a divine power granted to the saintess, used to monitor the Demon Realm''s forces. It allowed her to observerge-scale dungeon portals from the heavens. ¡®This has never happened before¡­¡¯ The Demon Realm hadunched countless colony extermination campaigns over the ages. Yet, never before had amander of the Demon Army detected the Heavenly Eye. Until now, this divine power had given humanity a crucial advantage, allowing them to gather intelligence and strategize effectively. ¡®And now, a giant-ss Demon Commander?¡¯ Typically, Demon Commanders were humanoid in form, their appearance barely distinguishable from humans. But this time, themander was something unprecedented¡ªa giant-ss demon not seen since the Demon King Extermination War a millennium ago. ¡®Giant demons were always formidable.¡¯ A thousand years ago, the giant demons boasted incredible power. Only the legendary hero Ernestine and his Order of Dragon Knights could stand against them. Countless holy knights had been crushed under their feet, and humanity¡¯s armies had been rendered helpless, like ants before a storm. As Saintess Theresia watched the overwhelming ck mana radiating from the giant, a cold dread gripped her. This enemy was far too powerful. ¡®...Should we retreat?¡¯ The Bormian Kingdom. It was a remarkable kingdom, a rare gem among the human nations. Despite the constant threat of dungeon portals, they had managed to stabilize their borders and protect their fertilends. Such stability was a rarity in these turbulent times. ¡®Still, preserving the forces of Sanctuary muste first.¡¯ Compared to the Demon Realm¡¯s might, Sanctuary¡¯s forces were like fireflies under the noonday sun. If they recklesslymitted their resources and suffered heavy losses, the future of humanity would only grow darker. ¡®I must bring Kaylen to Sanctuary while observing how they hold the line.¡¯ The Bormian Kingdom¡¯s military was strong, and with Violet, the princess equipped with her S-rank mana suit, there was at least a sliver of hope. Perhaps she could face the giant demon, buying enough time for a retreat if necessary. Having made her decision, Theresia turned to her subordinate holy knight. ¡°This enemy is powerful. Prepare for the possibility of retreat.¡± ¡°Yes, Saintess.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Before that, we must secure the talent of the Sixth Circle. No matter what.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Have you noticed anything unusual about him?¡± The knight hesitated before responding. ¡°I did hear something strange from the branch chief.¡± ¡°Strange?¡± ¡°They said a magical experiment failed and¡­ ¡®the subject became more handsome.¡¯¡± ¡°...Became more handsome?¡± The blood had stopped flowing from the saintess¡¯s eyes by then, but her crimson-streaked gaze fixed sharply on the knight. ¡°That¡¯s irrelevant and not a peculiar trait by my standards.¡± ¡°My apologies, Saintess.¡± A magical experiment gone awry, resulting in improved looks? It sounded absurd. Even if it were true, it hardly qualified as noteworthy information from her perspective. At least, that¡¯s what she thought at the time. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 81 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 81 After meeting with the First Prince, Diether Hart, the Superior Mages convened for the first time in a long while. ¡°It has been a while, everyone.¡± Princess Violet greeted the Superior Mages as they entered one by one. However, her face was as cold and expressionless as ever, making it impossible to read her emotions. ¡°Who might you be¡­ could you be Prince Kaylen?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Even she was momentarily startled by Kaylen¡¯s appearance, which was vastly different from before. ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot. You look well.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She quickly returned to her usual frosty demeanor. After all, she had already heard reports from her maid about Kaylen¡¯s drastic transformation. ¡ª¡°Let me say it again: this is amand from the First Prince. Dy them as much as possible.¡± Since receiving this order from Diether Hart, her mind had been so preupied that she hadn¡¯t even noticed the faces of others. Soon, thest person entered the room. ¡°It has been a while, Your Highness.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Prince Lioness.¡± ¡°I had something I wanted to discuss with you.¡± Lioness, who had often shed with the princess, now set aside his hostility and asked with a serious expression: ¡°Have you heard about the disturbances in the northeastern part of the kingdom?¡± ¡°Yes. The Saintess mentioned it. Four days ago, a massive dungeon portal appeared¡­¡± The Superior Mages widened their eyes in shock at the exchange between the two influential figures. They had already heard rumors that dungeon portals were disappearing, but a massive portal forming near the northeastern border? This was the first they had heard of it. ¡°Monsters that are natural enemies, incapable of uniting, are advancing in organized formations as though they are an elite army. The northeastern border lies in Count Villed¡¯s territory, and the monster horde has already reached his castle.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve already reached that far? But isn¡¯t the distance considerable?¡± ¡°They seem to have no physical limits. They march day and night without rest. The scale is sorge that defending the lord¡¯s castle is impossible. Civilians are being evacuated, but¡­¡± Lioness¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Flying monsters are forming separate units to massacre civilians. They seem intent on eradicating humanity altogether, targeting bothrge cities and small viges alike¡­ Count Villed¡¯s territory is inplete copse.¡± ¡°Despite the borders losing their significance¡­¡± ¡°But for Count Villed, who once held the title of Border Count, to fall so quickly?¡± With the advent of the dungeon era, traditional borders had lost much of their importance. Even so, Count Villed was known for maintaining military strength in line with his family¡¯s traditions. He wasuded for effectively managing both the modern Civil Squad and the traditional elite military units. For his territory to crumble so swiftly¡ªcould this truly be real? Judging by the grim faces of the two, it didn¡¯t seem like a lie. The Superior Mages were left speechless. For some time now, with dungeon portals disappearing, they had jokingly wondered if their jobs as mages would vanish too. ¡®What in the world is happening?¡¯ ¡®Even the Tower of Magic didn¡¯t inform us about this!¡¯ While the Superior Mages were reeling in shock, Kaylen listened intently to their conversation. After all, he was the hero of a thousand years ago¡ªthe emperor who once ruled the continent. A few words were enough to paint the picture. ¡®The monster horde has gone berserk.¡¯ The cause was the Blessing of the Demon Realm. This troublesome power of the demons caused monster hordes to rampage for about a month. In their berserk state, monsters were over twice as powerful as usual, possessing seemingly infinite stamina. As a result, it was exceedingly difficult for humans to contend with berserk monsters. Even so, the Blessing of the Demon Realm had rarely been used a thousand years ago. This was because it heightened the instincts of the monsters so much that they ended up attacking and devouring each other. The Blessing of the Demon Realm was ast-ditch effort, used only when the demon army waspletely cornered and on the brink of annihtion. ¡®But the Blessing of the Demon Realm of this era is different. The monsters are in a berserk state, yet they aren¡¯t fighting each other.¡¯ Perhaps it was because the Demon Realm had already seized control of the Intermediate Realm. The Blessing of the Demon Realm now functioned more efficiently than it did a thousand years ago. ¡°How long do you think Count Villed¡¯s territory can hold out?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s hard to say. Count Villed is holding the castle to buy time for the residents to evacuate, but the situation is dire.¡± Kaylen visualized the kingdom¡¯s map.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Count Villed¡¯s territory¡ªif it fell, the monster horde would reach the Duchy of Obline next. Of course, there were several other territories bordering it, but¡­ ¡®Those areas would likely be ordered to evacuate.¡¯ Aside from the Duchy of Obline, the other regions wouldn¡¯t have the strength to fend off the monster horde. The realistic course of action was to concentrate forces in areas capable of resisting the monsters. ¡°Princess Violet, the nobles of the eastern and northern regions are gathering at Obline Ducal Castle to prepare for a counterattack against the monster horde. However, the enemy¡¯s momentum is overwhelming, and we desperately need reinforcements.¡± ¡°But we¡¯ve already sent requests for help to the First Prince¡¯s faction¡­ I heard there¡¯s been no response yet.¡± Lioness and Princess Violet¡¯s gazes met. ¡°Although the First Prince¡¯s faction and the Second Prince¡¯s faction arepeting for the throne, please remember that we are all Bormians first and foremost. I implore you¡ªhelp us.¡± Lioness¡¯s plea carried weight. No matter how many shes there had been between the two factions, the battle for the throne had not yet escted into outright conflict. While tensions foreshadowed future strife, no blood had been spilled as of yet. If aid wasn¡¯t provided even in such a dire situation, it would provoke immense public outrage. Princess Violet understood this well. Had it not been for the First Prince¡¯smand to dy as much as possible, she wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to send reinforcements. ¡°I understand. Our Civil Squad is ready to mobilize at any time.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Thank you¡ª¡± ¡°But.¡± The icy mask of Violet¡¯s demeanor exuded a chilling aura. ¡°Their marching speed is far beyond expectations. On top of that, they are employing tactics such as using flying monsters as separate strike forces.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t just a mindless horde of monsters charging recklessly. They are capable of strategic decision-making. For example¡­ if the defenses of Obline Ducal Castle prove too strong¡­¡± Violet drew a semicircle with her finger. ¡°They could easily bypass the castle and march directly toward the capital.¡± ¡°No. If they attempt that, we¡¯ll concentrate our forces and annihte them. If the kingdom¡¯s forces unite¡ªand if Your Highness leads them¡ªwe can take the offensive!¡± ¡°The horde advancing now¡­¡± Violet paused briefly. ¡°The Saintess referred to it as a Monster Wave.¡± ¡°This wave isn¡¯t a one-time event,¡± Princess Violet said in a cold tone. ¡°The Saintess has foreseen that the monster horde will advance up to seven times. If we focus all the kingdom¡¯s forces in one ce and the capital is invaded, it will be the end of the kingdom.¡± She continued, her voice sharp with authority. ¡°The capital is a hub of mage towers and the primary location for manufacturing mana suits. If its industries grind to a halt, we will lose the ability to resist the monster horde.¡± ¡°Hmm... but still...!¡± Lioness attempted to counter. ¡°Of course, we will send reinforcements,¡± Violet interjected, her calm demeanor unwavering. ¡°However, neither I nor the Civil Squad assigned to defend the capital can leave.¡± Princess Violet and the Civil Squad loyal to the capital would remain there. Lioness gritted his teeth upon hearing this. While she imed to offer help, in practice, the core forces of the First Prince¡¯s faction would remain safely in the capital. While the monstrous horde breached the duchy¡¯snds, the overwhelming military power of the capital would stay secure. ¡°...Your Highness, why are you so concerned about the capital?¡± ¡°What are you implying?¡± Violet asked sharply. ¡°We all know how many Civil Squads the royal familymands. Not just those aligned with the First Prince or the Second Prince, but those directly under the royal family¡¯s control.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Surely, the royal Civil Squads are enough to defend the capital!¡± ¡°It seems you have a misconception about the royal Civil Squads,¡± Violet replied, her tone icy. ¡°While they are not insignificant, they are far from sufficient to protect the capital entirely.¡± Lioness let out a bitterugh. ¡°Not enough? Are you telling me that, despite the many Meisters serving the royal family, the capital cannot be defended?¡± Though he raised his voice in protest, Violet¡¯s demeanor remained calm andposed. ¡°Reinforcements will be dispatched,¡± she reiterated. ¡°But I cannot leave the capital.¡± As the wielder of an S-ss mana suit and a key figure of the First Prince¡¯s faction, Violet made it clear she had no intention of stepping away from the capital. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Lord Lioness,¡± Violet cut him off firmly. ¡°You¡¯re bing too agitated.¡± She stood from her seat, signaling the end of the meeting. ¡°Let us adjourn for today. Continuing any further would be unproductive.¡± With that, Princess Violet left the chamber. Lioness clenched his teeth in frustration. Finally, he mmed his fist on the table and stormed out. Zaik Baldur hurriedly followed him, while the three Superior Mages apanying them disappeared from their seats. One by one, the remaining mages left, their expressions filled with unease. The only one who remained was Kaylen, seated with his arms crossed and eyes closed. ¡®Even in the face of this crisis, the king of this nation does not show himself.¡¯ Though it wasn¡¯t yet widely known, the situation was undoubtedly a national emergency. In times like these, the ruler ought to take charge, mobilize the central army, and respond swiftly. Yet, the king remained absent. ¡®Is it ipetence? Or... is there another reason?¡¯ Kaylen leaned more toward thetter. The Kingdom of Bormian had been running far too smoothly for the king to simply be inept. If ipetence wasn¡¯t the reason, then what could it be? ¡°Sir Kaylen,¡± a voice interrupted his thoughts. He opened his eyes to see Jane, Princess Violet¡¯s maid, entering the chamber. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Lady Jane,¡± Kaylen greeted her. ¡°Oh my, you remember me?¡± she replied with a soft smile. ¡°Of course. But what brings you here?¡± ¡°The First Prince wishes to meet with you,¡± she said. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 82 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 82 The Kingdom of Bormia is one of the few nations still operating stably despite the constant summoning of dungeon portals. The capital, Alzass, is home to several renowned mage towers, making it a sanctuary for Meisters. Furthermore, with the active subjugation campaigns led by the Civil Squad, it is considered one of the safest among human kingdoms. Because of this, the citizens firmly believed that if the kingdom continued to grow its strength, it would one day be the most prominent name on the continent for generations toe. ¡®However, the royal family, which has led the kingdom to this point, has rarely been viewed favorably.¡¯ The Bormian royal family could be described in one phrase: colorless and odorless. From a certain point onward, sessive kings stopped standing out, and the activities of the royal family remained mostly obscure. Even so, the kingdom continued to function well, leading schrs to attribute this to the extraordinary luck of the Bormian royal family. They spected that if this weren¡¯t a world gued by dungeon portals, it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising for the nobles to stage a rebellion at some point. But ever since the world was thrown into chaos, the kingdom¡¯s power has been concentrated in the capital. Neighboring nations were preupied with holding themselves together, and the nobles struggled just to defend their own territories. There was no force left that could threaten the royal family. It was a situation that could only be described as incredibly fortunate. However, Kaylen thought differently. ¡®Running a kingdom to this extent is not something that can be achieved through mere luck.¡¯ His experience as an emperor made him certain of that. Was it because the forces that could oppose the royal family were eliminated due to the dungeon portals? ¡®Why would there be no opposing forces? The rising mage towers are a prime example.¡¯ The idea that mages are uninterested in power because they focus solely on magic is nothing more than a misconception. Mages are human too. When they gain power, it¡¯s only natural for them to seek influence. And yet, no one had ever heard of the mage towers challenging the royal authority. ¡®The Bormian royal family must have something that goes beyond their seemingly ipetent exterior.¡¯ With that thought, Kaylen entered the royal pce. The atmosphere inside was buzzing with murmurs. As Kaylen walked through the pce alongside Jane, all eyes immediately turned to him. ¡°Who is that...?¡± ¡°Who could he be?¡± ¡°If Jane, Her Highness¡¯s maid, is apanying him¡­¡± Even the pce maids, who had seen countless individualse and go, found Kaylen unfamiliar. Jane nced at Kaylen, who seemed entirely unaffected by the attention. He walked with a calm andposed demeanor. ¡®His appearance wasn¡¯t like this before, yet he doesn¡¯t seem to mind at all.¡¯ Kaylen¡¯s wless visage was beyond human, surpassing even that of an elf. Jane had stolen countless nces at him on their way to the pce, but no matter how much she looked, she never grew tired of his face. For someone whose appearance had changed so drastically overnight, it would have been natural to struggle with the sudden attention. Yet, Kaylen behaved as if he had always looked this way, exuding nothing butposure. ¡°What kind of person is Prince Diether Hart?¡± Kaylen asked.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Ah, His Highness is¡­¡± Despite entering the pce for the first time, Kaylen seemed at ease, even asking questions without hesitation. Jane nearly answered honestly out of reflex, only to catch herself at thest moment. ¡®Oh no, I can¡¯t casually answer questions like this.¡¯ She almost gave her personal impression of the prince rather than the official response meant for outsiders. ¡°...He is a kind person.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, a kind and admirable person.¡± Jane¡¯s response was safe, vague, and deliberately non-specific. Kaylen nodded in acknowledgment. ¡®I¡¯ll need to see for myself.¡¯ With that thought, he followed Jane deeper into the pce. ¡°Wee, prodigy of the Sixth Circle.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be invited, Prince Diether Hart.¡± Kaylen bowed politely and observed the first prince, Diether Hart. The prince had a frail frame and a pale face, but his eyes sparkled with sharp intelligence. ¡®Not a fool, after all.¡¯ Perhaps the information spread by Lioness and the faction of the second prince was false. ¡°Take a seat,¡± Diether Hart gestured. Once Kaylen was seated, the prince turned to Jane. ¡°I take it Violet isn¡¯ting?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness. She mentioned having urgent matters to attend to.¡± ¡°Hmm... Did she, by any chance, meet with Lioness?¡± ¡°Yes, at the Superior Mage gathering.¡± The prince sipped his tea with a faint smile. ¡°And what did the princess say?¡± ¡°She said she wouldn¡¯t leave for Duke Obline¡¯s territory and would remain in the capital to protect it.¡± ¡°Hmm. A good response. That will do. I have important matters to discuss with our guest, so you may leave.¡± ¡°Understood, Your Highness.¡± Thud. Once Jane closed the door behind her, Diether Hart let out a quiet chuckle. ¡°Violet doesn¡¯t have any urgent matters to handle.¡± ¡°She insists that even though the duke¡¯snds fall under the kingdom¡¯s jurisdiction, it¡¯s her duty to help defend them. So, as the head of the first prince¡¯s faction, I had no choice but to order her to remain in the capital.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± It became clear to Kaylen that the princess¡¯s presence in the capital was orchestrated by the prince¡¯s intentions. Diether Hart observed Kaylen¡¯s nod of understanding with a faint smile before lifting his teacup. ¡°Ah,¡± he pointed toward Kaylen¡¯s cup. ¡°Have some. This is Pekain tea from the Tower of the Elves. It¡¯s of exceptional quality.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Heh. Since you¡¯re from the Tower of the Elves, you¡¯ve probably had plenty of it already.¡± Kaylen picked up the teacup and took a sip. Warmth and a rich fragrance filled his senses. But the moment the tea slid down his throat, he noticed something unusual. ¡®...?¡¯ The tea contained a faint trace of dark mana. It quickly absorbed into his body and began rising toward his head. The blessing of life within his body detected the intrusion and prepared to activate in response. ¡®Not yet. Let¡¯s see what happens.¡¯ Kaylen suppressed the blessing¡¯s activation and instead observed the movement of the dark mana carefully. The dark mana lingering in his head gently stimted his brain. ¡®Refreshing.¡¯ It gave a pleasant, invigorating sensation. That was the extent of its effect¡ªno difort or unpleasant feelings apanied it. It was such a subtle maniption of power that an ordinary mage would never have noticed it. ¡°How is the tea?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite refreshing.¡± ¡°Good. It seems to suit you well.¡± Kaylen kept a bright smile on his face but carefully observed Prince Diether Hart. Was the prince unaware of this power? Or¡­ ¡®Is he the master of this dark mana?¡¯ Diether Hart, at first nce, seemed incredibly fragile. His paleplexion and delicate appearance gave him the impression of a sickly patient rather than a prince of a kingdom. ¡°What do you think about what I mentioned earlier?¡± Diether Hart asked. ¡°What do you mean, Your Highness?¡± ¡°The order to keep Princess Violet in the capital.¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± As Diether Hart spoke, the dormant dark mana faintly stimted Kaylen¡¯s brain. ¡®His words sound reasonable.¡¯ The decision to keep Princess Violet in the capital had significant implications. By doing so, the first prince effectively left the second prince¡¯s faction to face the monster wave alone, a clear tactic to weaken his political opponents through mutual destruction. Such methods, prioritizing internal power struggles over the kingdom¡¯s survival, were among those Kaylen despised the most. And yet, even with this dark mana¡¯s influence, he found himself agreeing with it. ¡°It seems like the only reasonable choice. The justification for defending the capital is quitepelling.¡± Kaylen spoke, echoing the agreeable feelings the dark mana induced. Diether Hart responded with a deep smile. ¡°Indeed, it was an unavoidable decision. Losing the capital would be a devastating blow to our kingdom.¡± ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right.¡± ¡°And truthfully, the Obline Dukedom has considerable hidden strength. They could easily fend off a monster horde on their own. Yet they insist on specifically requesting Violet. Doesn¡¯t that strike you as suspicious?¡± The prince¡¯s voice grew louder. ¡°Why would they ask for my dear sister to be sent there, especially when their forces are more than sufficient? Violet is someone I trust deeply with important matters, and yet they insist on this request. If something were to happen to her while she¡¯s there, how would we deal with it?¡± As he spoke, the dark mana once again surged, stimting Kaylen¡¯s emotions¡ªthis time inducing anger. Just as the prince seemed upset, Kaylen found himself following that anger. ¡°That¡¯s true. Your Highness makes a valid point. Their request for the princess¡¯s support does seem suspicious. It¡¯s hard not to question their intentions.¡± Saying exactly what Diether Hart wanted to hear, Kaylen became certain of one thing: The dark mana was undoubtedly under the prince¡¯s control. Kaylen couldn¡¯t help but admire it. ¡®To manipte emotions so precisely with such a small amount of mana... His skill is truly exceptional.¡¯ The maniption of emotions in real-time required masterful control from the one orchestrating it. Sip. As Diether Hart took another sip of his tea, Kaylen instinctively reached for his own cup. The dark mana nestled in his mind subtly stimted the desire to drink, intending to reintroduce more of its essence into Kaylen¡¯s body. ¡®Let¡¯s see how far he takes this,¡¯ Kaylen thought, ready to y along as he raised his cup. But just then¡ª Knock, knock. ¡°What is it now?¡± Diether Hart asked in a tone tinged with irritation. The door cautiously opened, and a maid stepped in hesitantly. ¡°Pardon me, Your Highness¡­ but His Majesty the King requests your presence.¡± ¡°The King?¡± Diether Hart¡¯s expression betrayed a flicker of disappointment. ¡®So close. I¡¯ll have to save this for another time.¡¯ He turned his gaze toward Kaylen. From the moment they met, Diether Hart could sense an unusual aura of authority from the six-circle mage. Yet, after their brief encounter, he concluded that Kaylen was no more than a paper tiger¡ªimpressive in appearance but surprisingly pliable. Kaylen had sumbed to the dark mana in the tea without any visible resistance, allowing his emotions to be easily swayed. ¡®He¡¯s easier to manipte than I thought,¡¯ Diether Hart decided, rising from his seat. ¡°I apologize, but it seems my father has summoned me urgently.¡± ¡°Not at all, Your Highness. The King¡¯smand takes precedence, of course.¡± Diether Hart smiled faintly. ¡°Next time, we¡¯ll dine together with Violet as well. It feels like a shame to end our conversation after just one cup of tea.¡± Once again, the dark mana stirred within Kaylen¡¯s mind, nudging him toward amiablepliance. Kaylen met the prince¡¯s gaze, smiling back as he gave a slight nod. ¡°I look forward to our next meeting, Your Highness.¡± Pleased with the response, Diether Hart called for the maid to escort Kaylen out. ¡°I¡¯ll be off now. Until next time.¡± Diether Hart left the room alone, while the visibly flustered maid approached Kaylen. ¡°I-I will escort you out of the castle, sir.¡± ¡°Lead the way.¡± As Kaylen followed her, he nced toward the direction Diether Hart had disappeared. Beyond the drawing roomy deeper paths into the castle. Watching that pathway, Kaylen mused to himself. ¡®Diether Hart. He¡¯s quick.¡¯ Barely a moment had passed since the prince left, yet there was no trace of him to be seen. ¡®Time to track him with dark mana.¡¯ While walking behind the maid, Kaylen summoned a sliver of his Shadow de. It was norger than a fingernail but carried the precision needed to follow the prince¡¯s trail. He released the de, sending it toward the path Diether Hart had taken. Though it didn¡¯t provide shared senses like a spirit, its aura could still detect faint energy signatures. Whoosh. The de glided smoothly into the castle¡¯s inner sanctum, encountering no immediate obstacles. At first, there was nothing unusual. Then¡ª Swish. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ As the de crossed a certain point, Kaylen¡¯s awareness briefly registered an overwhelming presence of mana, so potent it almost defied measurement. At the same time, the signal from the shadow de vanished. Kaylen''s expression hardened. Even though only a minimal amount of mana had been infused, for a perfected de formed with four circles to disappear in an instant? ¡®The royal pce¡­ is a den of schemes.¡¯ [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 83 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 83 The ck sword that Kaylen sent into the royal pce, though imbued with only a small amount of dark mana, was still a sword created by Kaylen, who hadpleted the Four Swords. "I didn¡¯t expect the sword to disappear without leaving a trace." As the sword vanished, Kaylen recalled the overwhelming amount of mana he briefly sensed. "What on earth is happening inside the royal pce?" "Could the king be involved?" The king had summoned the prince and left with him. The sword that had pursued the prince disappeared without a trace in the presence of immense magical power. Although it was fleeting, the sheer magnitude of the mana was truly overwhelming. Even Kaylen, who thought it would be difficult to find an equal among humans afterpleting the Four Swords, felt a sense of caution from the massive dark mana he had sensed. "I need to investigate this." While the campaign against the demon realm''s colonies unfolded, if themand structure opposing them was found to be connected to the demon realm, the oue of the battle would be all too clear. ¡°Excuse me, Lord Kaylen?¡± Lost in thought while standing still, Kaylen was addressed by the maid guiding him. ¡°¡­I was just lost in thought for a moment. My apologies.¡± ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Is working in the royal pce difficult?¡± Kaylen, offering a kind smile, asked the shy-faced maid. ¡°No. Everyone here is kind and good-natured, so it¡¯s quite a pleasant ce to work.¡± ¡°Considering the size of the pce, I thought there might not be many maids. Do you have a lot of work to handle?¡± ¡°You probably only saw the maids in the outer pce. Inside, many more maids are stationed.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°When there are many visitors, things do get busy on our end¡­ but during my time working here, we haven¡¯t had too many guests.¡± As the conversation began to flow, the shy maid started to chatter on about life working in the royal pce. ¡°Recently, though, the Saintess came to visit, so we¡¯ve been putting extra care into hospitality. By the way, Lord Kaylen, have you met the Saintess before?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve had the honor of meeting her after she extended an invitation.¡± ¡°She¡¯s truly beautiful and kind. One time, I tripped while carrying food, but instead of reprimanding me, she smiled and bestowed the Blessing of Healing¡­ It was so touching. Oh, I hear she¡¯sing back in three days. Even from afar, I¡¯d love to see her again.¡± "That¡¯ll be my opportunity to investigate." Though he wanted to release the Six Swords and infiltrate the inner pce immediately, Kaylen decided that waiting for the Saintess¡¯s visit would be a better move. "Who knows what might happen inside the pce? Moving recklessly could¡­ raise suspicion." By conducting his investigation on the day of the Saintess¡¯s visit, even if chaos broke out, initial suspicions would likely be directed toward her. Kaylen¡¯s eyes gleamed sharply. ? Saintess Theresia was incredulous. ¡°You¡¯re saying you won¡¯t¡­ go to stop the monster wave?¡± ¡°Yes. The royal family has decided to prioritize defending the capital.¡± At the luncheon hosted by the Bormian royal family, Theresia sighed deeply while exchanging nces with Princess Violet. "I had such a good first impression." The Saintess recalled her initial visit to the Bormian royal pce. Back then, Princess Violet, even at a young age, had disyed wisdom and confidence, naturally earning her favor. "But why are they acting like this now?" Thest time they met, they had promised to respond with full force. "It¡¯s not like they¡¯re afraid of monsters." Theresia was well aware of cia, the mana suit Princess Violet was wearing. A suit that continuously infused its wearer with ice mana, eventually freezing thempletely. There had only been a handful of cia¡¯s wielders throughout history, and all of them met the same fate¡ªwrithing in agony before turning into frozen statues. Though Princess Violet didn''t show any signs of suffering now, she was surely fighting against the freezing power with every passing day. Someone enduring cia¡¯s torment daily wouldn¡¯t hold back out of fear of mere monsters. ¡°To defend the capital, Your Highness, as the wielder of an S-rank mana suit, you should personally step forward to stop the monster wave.¡± ¡°The monster army might take a detour¡­¡± ¡°That has never happened even once before. And even if it did¡­ the distance between the Oine Duchy and the capital isn¡¯t far. You could easily return in time to defend it.¡± Having experienced multiple monster waves before, the Saintess''s words carried weight. Violet remained silent, deep in thought. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But this is the internal policy, and I have no choice but to follow it.¡± ¡°Does His Majesty truly share the same opinion?¡± The Saintess recalled the absent king. ¡ª Is that so. ¡ª Hmm. The ministers will handle it. ¡ª What a troublesome matter. Even when Theresia exined the gravity of the monster wave, the king had shown little interest. A middle-aged man who reacted indifferently to everything in the world, focusing solely on eating. She remembered his insatiable appetite, the way he devoured his meals with an almost grotesque fervor. ¡°¡­My father holds a simr opinion.¡± At Violet¡¯s response, the Saintess¡¯s gentle expression faded. ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t regret this decision?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Very well. Let¡¯s see if you can defend the duchy as you think. But if you fail¡­¡± Theresia¡¯s voice turned cold. ¡°We will retreat.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°For a thousand years, I have witnessed the rise and fall of countless nations. Especially during times of crisis like this, I¡¯ve seen rulers too preupied with their internal power struggles to face reality.¡± ¡°Saintess¡­¡± ¡°In the past, I thought that as long as they were human nations, we should aid them. But after a thousand years, my perspective has changed. The Sanctuary no longer has the strength to look after such kingdoms.¡± Swish. The Saintess rose from her seat. ¡°The meal today does not suit my taste. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± With her final warning, Theresia and the Holy Knights left the hall. ¡°¡­Jane. Escort them.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The maid Jane stepped forward to guide the departing Saintess''s entourage. Left alone in the banquet hall, Princess Violet sighed deeply. ¡°¡­Haah.¡± What is my brother thinking? In such troubled times, is he really nning to sacrifice the greater good for short-term gains? "I need to persuade him again." If the Sanctuary truly withdraws, the kingdom will be beyond saving. The monster wave itself isn¡¯t the real problem. After repelling the wave, the true trial wille¡ªthe demonic entities summoned by the Demon Legion Commander. Princess Violet had heard about this from the Saintess during their previous banquet and knew that the Holy Order was absolutely necessary. ¡°Even if the battlefield ends up being the Oine Duchy, they will already suffer an irreparable blow. If we push further and the Holy Order withdraws... we willmit an unforgivable sin against the kingdom.¡± She needed to meet with her brother. Determined, Violet rose from her seat. Meanwhile¡ª Kaylen had infiltrated the inner pce. ¡°Did you hear what the Saintess said today?¡± ¡°Yeah. She said if we don¡¯t help the Oine Duchy, she¡¯ll withdraw.¡± ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll really return to the Sanctuary?¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± Hearing the murmuring of the maids, Kaylen could tell the banquet hadn¡¯t ended on a good note. "Looks like the Saintess applied quite a bit of pressure." From her perspective, it must have been exasperating. She hade all this way to help, only to find the kingdom refusing to cooperate because of internal power struggles. It wasn¡¯t surprising that she would mention leaving out of sheer disillusionment. However, having seen the First Prince in person, Kaylen believed that political power struggles were just a surface-level excuse. The immense dark energy he had sensed when his shadow sword vanished¡ªthat was likely the real force behind the current crisis. "Tonight, I will uncover the source of that dark energy." Disguised in the white armor of a Holy Knight, Kaylen silently melted into the shadows. The Way of Six Swords First Sword ¨C Union Merging his bodypletely with the shadow sword made of dark energy. Kaylen¡¯s form vanished without a trace. With the sun setting and only the moonlight illuminating the pce, he slipped further inside. "Let¡¯s go." He advanced deeper into the inner pce without hesitation, drawing upon his years of infiltration experience. "Still no sign of dark energy." The deeper he went, the darker it became, but the overwhelming energy he had felt earlier was nowhere to be found. He passed the reception room where he had encountered Prince Diether Hart. Even after reaching the location where the shadow sword¡¯s signal had disappeared... There was nothing but darkness all around. The potent mana he had sensed earlier waspletely absent. "Strange. It should be around here." Kaylen scanned his surroundings. Based on what he could tell, he had just passed the entrance to the inner pce. This area was somewhat separate from the main structure, resembling a detached pce. Lily Pce. Looking at the inscription on the building¡¯s entrance, Kaylen recalled the information he had gathered over the past three days about the royal pce. The Lily Pce¡ªthe very ce where the biological mother of the First Prince and Princess Violet, Queen Diana, once resided. Queen Diana was once known for her harmonious rtionship with the current king. However, eight years ago, shemitted a "grave sin" and was executed. The exact nature of her crime was never disclosed, but the fact that her family, the House of Duke Revren, fully epted the royal verdict without protest suggested her guilt was undeniable. After her execution, the position of queen was filled by a concubine from the House of Duke Oine. This change ignited the fierce rivalry between the First and Second Princes, which now defined the struggle for the throne in the Bormian Kingdom. ''If Princess Violet had not been chosen by cia, it would have been difficult for Queen Diana''s children to retain their status after her execution,'' Kaylen recalled. How grave must Diana''s crime have been for even her children to bear its consequences? Now, Kaylen stood before Diana''s former pce. Though he felt nothing at the moment, his instincts told him otherwise¡ªsomething was here. Despite his keen senses, the pce appeared utterly empty. There were no traces of maids managing the residence, no flickering candlelight piercing the darkness, and not even dust had gathered over time. ''...There really is no one here.''N?v(el)B\\jnn Yes, it was too empty. If this pce had been truly abandoned since the queen''s disgrace, it should have been covered in dust. Yet, the pristine condition of the space only heightened his suspicions. Without hesitation, Kaylen ventured further into the pce. Upon reaching thergest chamber at the heart of the residence, he finally heard something. "Violet. So, the Saintess is taking a firm stance, is she?" "Good. Then tell her you will join the battle. But not right away¡ªwe must inflict maximum damage on the Oine Duchy first." The voice of Prince Diether Hart echoed eerily through the empty room. "What''s the point when the kingdom is in crisis? Think about our mother, Violet. The Oine Duchy must suffer, even just a little." Kaylen closed his eyes and focused entirely on the voice''s source. "Violet, just hold on a little longer." Sharpening his senses, Kaylen quickly pinpointed the origin of the sound. It was... directly above him. Looking up at the ceiling adorned with intricate lily patterns, Kaylen instinctively drew his sword for the first time. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 84 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 84 Swoosh¡ª The ceiling split cleanly in half, revealing a skull inside. The pitch-ck skull emanated an overwhelming dark energy. "So, you were there." Kaylen infused his sword with the mana of light as he aimed at the revealed enemy. As soon as his sword was enveloped in aura, the ck skull opened its mouth. [That aura... Could it be, a Sword Master?!] Without a word, Kaylen struck. Crackle. The ck skull cracked instantly and split in two. [Ugh... the power of light...!] Even split in half, the skull continued to speak. [You... you bastard...!] Kaylen swung his sword again. He seemed indifferent to whatever the skull had to say. Soon, the skull shattered into hundreds of fragments and began burning into white ashes. Kaylen silently watched as nothing but ashes remained. However, the ck ashes quickly spread in all directions... And from every corner, identical ck skulls began to appear. Even with a rough count, their numbers exceeded hundreds. [Who are you?] The dark energy from the ck skulls filled the surroundings. At the same time, intricate magic circles became visible, densely covering the floors and walls of the once pitch-dark room. [A Sword Master... A rare offering has walked right into my hands.] The voice of the ck skulls was filled with delight. They spoke as if they hadpletely overpowered Kaylen. And indeed... ''A binding magic circle. It''s quite powerful.'' Kaylen could see the dark energy coiling around his feet. Judging from his assessment, the magic circle extended throughout the entire pce. Even for an average Sword Master, escaping would not be an easy feat. After contemting briefly, Kaylen spoke. "Why is dark energy present in this ce?" [Hehehe... You don¡¯t need to know. You''re about to die soon anyway.] "...I thought you''d tell me." Kaylen smirked and drove his sword into the ground. The skulls scoffed at the sight. [Do you think an outdated Aura Sword can possibly resist this magic circl¡ª what?!] The ck skulls let out a cry of astonishment. The pure white aura contained within the sword tore through the dark energy effortlessly. The dark energy binding Kaylen''s feet dissipated, and the blood-red lines of the magic circle within the chamber began unraveling one by one. [Kraaahhh...!] The interior of the pce zed with the pure mana of light. The hundreds of ck skulls that had mocked Kaylen were engulfed by the spreading light and disappeared one by one. ''For the amount of power they have, their response is quitecking.''n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The sheer amount of dark energy revealed in the annex was overwhelming, yet it proved powerless against Kaylen''s Aura. Once all the skulls had burned away and the blood-red magic circle had vanishedpletely, Kaylen surveyed his surroundings. "I can''t sense any more dark energy now." Was this the end? He hadn''t uncovered the true cause yet. As he briefly pondered over his disappointment¡ª "Violet. Come to Mother''s... annex." Once again, the prince''s voice echoed through the annex, and with it, the dark energy reappeared. "I thought I had eradicated itpletely." Where was iting from this time? Kaylen focused his senses as the blood-red magic circle re-emerged, spreading across the ceiling and walls. Where was this sudden influx of dark energy originating from? Kaylen shed through the magic circle, carefully expanding his awareness. As the magic circle ignited and vanished again, the moonlight shone through. "The moonlight..." Come to think of it, something was strange. This was the deepest room within the annex. With solid walls and no windows, there should have been no way for moonlight to seep in. Yet, the ceiling and walls shimmered as if they were made of ss, allowing the moonlight to illuminate the space. [Hehehe... So, you''re stronger than I thought, Swordmaster. But it''s futile. We are immortal.] Once again, the ck skulls began to form. Kaylen observed them calmly and muttered, "You''re absorbing dark energy from the moonlight to regenerate." [Hoho, you''re no ordinary opponent to have figured that out.] The ck skulls opened their jaws in unison and let out eerieughter. [That''s right! We have been blessed by the Great Demon God. With the moon''s blessing, we are immortal. As long as the moonlight shines, we shall live forever!] "So, I just need to eliminate you until dawn." [Hehehe. Do you really think you can sustain that radiant Aura until then?] The ck skulls flew around Kaylen in circles, grinning menacingly as if mocking him. [Keep killing us.] [We''ll rise again.] [If you''re afraid, why not run away?] [If you think you can, that is.] The ck skulls spoke as if they already had Kaylen within their grasp. But Kaylen remained unfazed. Instead, something else piqued his interest. "''We,'' huh... So, you''re not alone?" [Curious, aren''t you? Even when you''re about to be a sacrifice.] "This ce is the royal annex of the Bormian Kingdom. It once belonged to Queen Diana, who was executed. Why here, of all ces? Are you connected to the royal family?" [The royal family? Heh. What does that even matter? Royalty is nothing more than humans¡ªmere specks of dustpared to the mighty demon race.] [We shall transcend into greater beings. We will cast off the feeble shackles of humanity, with its sickness, aging, and weakness!] [We will be glorious demons!] At first, their voices sounded unified¡­ The ck skulls gradually began to make a ruckus. Kaylen focused on the words about bing a demon. ¡°¡­Do you, the descendant of Dragon Knight Bormian, wish to be a demon?¡± [We reject him.] [The name Bormian is a cursed name. He dared to defy the demon realm and died!] [To atone for that sin, we sacrificed our bodies. We drained all the rotten blood inherited from Bormian, and we were purified. Once we destroy the kingdom he built, we will be able to be demons.] Hehehehe. Hehehehe. Laughter from the skulls echoed from all directions. [We struggled so much to cleanse the sins of our foolish ancestors.] [That damned Bormian who killed the great Count of the Demon Realm by sheer luck!] [There has never been a descendant so detestable as the one carrying Bormian¡¯s blood.] [If he hadn¡¯t killed the noble of the demon realm, we would have all be demons long ago!] Kaylen smiled bitterly. Bormian, the knight who had been more loyal and courageous than anyone else, was being mocked by his descendants. Seeing his descendants, who were born into royalty and lived in luxury, now insulting their ancestor in their desire to be demons¡­ it was truly absurd. [Be a sacrifice quietly.] [If we offer the Sword Master, who is now said to be gone, we will be highly praised. Hehe¡­.] [One of these humans is worth more than a hundred Meister.] The voice of the demon, who corrupted the human mind, echoed. The ck magic imbued in the voice reverberated through Kaylen''s head, attempting to control him. It wasn¡¯t the subtle maniption as Diether Hart had done. This was tant brainwashing based on overwhelming dark magic. But Kaylen ignored it and spoke. "Hehe. Is the Sword Master really worth more than the Meister?" [Yes. We¡¯ve sacrificed many Meisters already. They must be tired of them.] [If we present a new delicacy, the great one will surely be pleased.] Had they really sacrificed so many Meisters? Suddenly, Kaylen remembered Lioness¡¯s words. - Do you know how powerful the royal family¡¯s Civil Squad is? They could clear even the F-ss dungeon currently left unattended. Why had they built up their strength and yet not been active? Kaylen had many doubts about the royal family¡¯s Civil Squad. Most of those chosen as Meisters weremoners, fallen nobles, or orphans¡ªpeople with little or no connections. ¡®They weren¡¯t inactive¡­ they might have been sacrificed.¡¯ [Put down your sword.] [Bow to your true master.] As Kaylen stood there, the ck skulls, thinking he had sumbed to dark magic, simultaneously uttered chilling incantations. It was an attempt to seize control of his mind. "Pitiful things." Chik chik. Kaylen once again drove the sword imbued with the power of light into the ground. A magic circle red up once more, and hundreds of ck skulls were all engulfed in white mes, but... [Hehehe. Good. Come, rebel some more.] [We will live forever.] [We are immortal.] The ck skulls mocked Kaylen as they melted away. After all, even if they burned, they would be reborn. This powerful Sword Master¡¯s depletion of energy was more wee to them than if he had run away. If he continued to use his strength like this, his mana would eventually run out, and he would be their prey. The ck skull smiled with joy at this thought, even as the mes raged. Srrr. One, as a new sword appeared in Kaylen¡¯s hand, the joy turned into doubt. It was a sword coated in pitch-ck darkness. What is that? ¡°You seem to trust in moonlight, so let me block it entirely.¡± Kaylen¡¯s shadow de rapidly grew in size. Without shing with the Aura Sword of light, the darkness expanded outward. Absorbing the ck magic emitted by the ck skull, it spread all the way outside the pce. [No¡­ You control dark magic¡­?] The Sword Master was clearly someone who freely manipted light mana. How could he control this opposite force, dark magic? And he wielded it so skillfully. The shadow de lightly absorbed the ck magic emitted by the skulls and cast a veil of darkness over the entire pce. ck ck ck¡ª The ck skulls cked their jaws in unease. [The blessing of moonlight¡­] [It¡¯s weakening!] As the moonlight, which had been like a lifeline, was blocked, the supply of dark magic noticeably weakened. Of course, there was still some moonlight prating the dark veil, but it was nothingpared to before. ¡®This guy¡­ What is he?¡¯ The white knight, whom they had considered nothing more than a mere sacrifice, suddenly appeared threatening. To wield both light and darkness? Is this even possible? ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can hold out.¡± Inside the dark veil, the power of the light sword grew. Although the blessing of the moonlight had clearly weakened, the light mana grew stronger, and¡­¡­ The ck skull, which had been emitting the most powerful mana, screamed. [Diether Hart. Where is Violet?!] [He definitely left the room... Ahhh!] The ck skull, called Diether Hart, burnedpletely. Could that really be the first prince? Kaylen briefly doubted, but then thought, ¡®Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ They were all bound by darkness, without a chance of redemption. Whether it was the first prince or anyone else, traitors of humanity must be destroyed. ¡®Bormian. I will punish your rotten descendants in your ce.¡¯ Kaylen no longer had anything he wanted to hear from them. They were the ones who had sought to be demons, offering the Meister as a sacrifice, leaving behind their vile skulls and trying to cling to life by any means. [If we vanish this time, we might not be able to revive¡­] [Scatter!] The ck skulls, who had been surrounding Kaylen and mocking him, all fled in different directions at once. However. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Kaylen¡¯s broad sword surged forward, purging the surroundings with pure white mes. One by one, the ck skulls disappeared, sinking into the mes without even a scream. [Ugh, ughhh¡­ What kind of disaster is this¡­!] The skull that contained the most dark magic was still holding on, but already, new white mes surrounded it. ¡®Without the blessing of the moon, there¡¯s no way I can resist¡­!¡¯ Was the Sword Master really this powerful? The dark magic umted over centuries was vanishing like dust. Is this really the end? Is this the end of the Bormian n¡¯s path to evolution¡­? At that moment. Boom! Arge ice spear pierced the pce¡¯s wall, tearing through the dark veil. And then, ¡°Who are you?¡± Step. Step. Violet, the one the ck skull had been waiting for, slowly walked into the darkness that had been parted. [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 85 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 85 - Violet. Pleasee to the Separate Pce of the Mother¡¯s Star. Violet, who had been in the middle of a conversation with Diether Hart regarding the Saintess¡¯ ultimatum, was startled when he suddenly copsed after uttering those words. ¡°Oh, Brother!¡± She shook Diether Hart¡¯s body, but his body was so cold it was hard to believe he was alive. Fortunately, his pulse was faintly beating, and he was still breathing, though it seemed he might stop at any moment. ¡°Call a priest! Quickly!¡± After instructing the maid outside the room, Violet hurriedly made her way to the Separate Pce. Why had he told her to go to the Separate Pce? Though she didn¡¯t understand, Violet ran with all her strength. And then¡ª ¡®What is that?¡¯ Where the Separate Pce once stood, a mass of ck darkness, resembling an artificially formed cloud, had gathered. At a nce, it exuded an ominous aura of dark magic. Could Diether Hart¡¯s copse be rted to this dark magic? ¡®The dark magic is far too dense.¡¯ Even with cia by her side, entering recklessly would be dangerous. ¡®I need to give it my all from the start.¡¯ Shhhhh¡ª Violet¡¯s body began to crystallize. She was activating Spirit Form, a feature only avable in mana suits rated A-grade or higher. ¡°Ice Spear!¡± Violet immediately summoned andunched a barrage of ice spears. Boom! Dozens of ice spears pierced the darkness, but¡ª ¡®They¡¯ve been swallowed¡­?¡¯ The magical energy of the ice spears vanished the moment they entered the darkness. Those ice spears had been meticulously crafted. Raising her vignce, Violet summoned a single ice spear and concentrated her power. She poured all her strength into this one strike. The ice spear grew to the size of a building column, its thickness monumental. Boom! Perhaps because of the immense magical power imbued within, this ice spear managed to cut through the darkness and create a small opening. Following that opening, Violet entered the Separate Pce. And then¡ª ¡°Who are you?¡± There, she saw a knight d in white armor. The knight¡¯s sword, imbued with pure white aura, radiated majestically amidst the darkness. He appeared no different from a hero in a storybook. [Violet¡­ You¡¯vee¡­! Subdue him!] A sinister voice echoed from the ceiling, causing Violet to frown despite her now-icy expression. [What are you doing? Hurry!] Even as the voice urged her, Violet didn¡¯t move a muscle. The knight standing before her¡­ anyone could see he was a sacred pdin.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om In contrast, the voicemanding her was nothing short of ominous. Meanwhile, Kaylen, observing Violet as she calmly assessed the situation, realized something important. ¡®So, she¡¯s not on their side.¡¯ If even Violet had been nothing more than a puppet of the ck skeleton, Kaylen would have subdued her immediately. However, judging by the unfolding situation, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Still, the fact that the ck skeleton had urgently called for Violet meant it had some sort of n in mind. There was a chance that the dark mage¡¯s characteristic mind control had affected Violet as well. But at this moment, she seemed more wary of themand being given to her. Kaylen decided to act ording to the situation. ¡°By any chance, are you Princess Violet?¡± Kaylen, disguised as the White Knight, greeted her politely. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°I am a holy knight from the Sanctuary. While discussing the subjugation of the demon realm¡¯s colonies, we detected an ominous presence from the royal pce and came to investigate¡­ It turns out this Separate Pce has be a den of dark magic.¡± A den of dark magic? Violet was greatly surprised but nodded, recalling the darkness that engulfed the White Lotus Pce. The sheer amount of dark energy was overwhelming. [V-Violet! Don¡¯t listen to him! He is our enemy!] Violet looked at the source of the voice. A ck skeleton engulfed in pure white mes. It was clearly an ominous undead being. ¡®What does it mean by ¡°our¡±?¡¯ Violet felt more than just difort¡ªshe felt utter disgust. ¡°The demon that took over the Separate Pce is trying to deceive you, Princess.¡± ¡°Hah. Me? You think so little of me? Do you believe I would side with such a demon?¡± [Ugh¡­ Violet. What are you saying? A demon, you call me?! I am your brother!] Click. Click. The ck skeleton¡¯s jaw ttered in a hurry as it spoke. ¡°You? My brother? An undead dares¡­ I won¡¯t stand for this.¡± Violet scowled and summoned an ice spear. [No¡­ Do I really look like an undead? Why isn¡¯t the mind control working¡­ Could it be?!] A red glow burst forth from the eye sockets of the ck skeleton. A powerful surge of dark energy shot towards Violet, but before it could reach her, Kaylen¡¯s pure white aura blocked and dissipated itpletely. [Damn it!] The skeleton had assumed that by simply stimting the dark energy, it could induce an illusion and control Violet at will. However, with that wretched White Knight blocking every attempt, mind control was impossible. [Violet! Remember when Diana Revlin died. Didn¡¯t I write words of vengeance in blood on the floor of this Separate Pce? You remember that vow, don¡¯t you? We swore to annihte Duke Oine by any means necessary¡­!] The ck skeleton brought up the blood vow, and Violet¡¯s eyes wavered. Her expression showed she had no idea how it could know about that. ¡°It¡¯s disgusting that you know about that.¡± [Heh¡­ That¡¯s right. I swore back then that I would do whatever it took. But¡­ my frail body didn¡¯t even grant me the time. My weak body couldn¡¯t even make it past the age of twenty, let alone seek revenge¡­] ¡°You¡­¡± [Violet, didn¡¯t you find it strange? How I suddenly regained my health. And yet¡­ why I was so reluctant to leave the pce.] Violet remained silent. Because the ck skeleton¡¯s words struck a nerve. Prince Diether Hart had always been frail due to his chronic illness. Due to an unidentified affliction, even the clergy had diagnosed that he would not live past the age of twenty. When their mother was executed, and even her older brother was diagnosed with a terminal illness... the despair Violet felt at that moment was immeasurable. However, not long after she became the master of cia, Prince Diether Hart''s illness miraculously disappeared. The brother who could barely swallow food began to eat heartily. The sibling who had spent sleepless nights writhing in pain started to sleep peacefully with a serene expression. Back then, she had simply thought of it as a fortunate turn of events and did not seek any further exnation... [I entrusted my body to our ancestors. I discarded my weak, human, subjugated flesh... to be a ruling-ss demon.] "Be... a demon?" [That''s right. This world is already a colony of the demon realm! Humans are nothing more than livestock being bred by demons. No matter how great the Bormian royalty may be among humans, they are but specks of dustpared to the mighty demons! Human flesh is frail, ages, and is weak...] A chillingugh echoed from the ck skeleton, which burned ominously, as if convinced of the righteousness of its choices. [Violet! Surely you are worried deep down. If you fail to reach the 5th Circle, you will be an ice statue under cia''s curse at such a young age. That would be a meaningless death. Join us. Let us be one, and attain eternity as demons. We will live forever in demon bodies!] Click. Click. Click. The ck skeleton''s mouth moved rapidly. [Therefore, as your master and your brother, Imand you once more. Kill the holy knight. Now!] Hearing those words, Violet''s eyes turned icy cold. "Ha. You''ve greatly underestimated me." Swoosh! An ice spear pierced through the ck skeleton without hesitation. "Did you think I would be swayed by the ramblings of a cornered undead?" [Heh... hehehe. So mere words without the stimtion of dark magic were not enough. My mind control was insufficient...] Summoned as reinforcements, but now perishing by her hands. Yet, unexpectedly, there was no despair in its voice. [But... it is done. I have received even the faintest sliver of moonlight... The Great One shall revive me once more.] Kaylen looked behind Violet. Through the ice spear she had thrust, a faint trace of moonlight had seeped in. The ck skeleton, reduced to ashes, dissolved into the moonlight and disappeared. [The unfulfilled wish of the Bormian bloodline... shalle true...] With those final words, it vanished. ''Hmm. The ck skeleton''s existence has beenpletely eradicated.'' When Violet had broken through from the outside, only a small amount of moonlight had entered. If such a fleeting exposure was enough to guarantee resurrection... It would indeed be a troublesome adversary. "...Sir Knight." Whirr... Violet gazed at the fading magic circle with a somber voice. "Could you ask the Saintess to investigate the Separate Pce... and my brother?" "Yes, Princess." "I want to believe that undead''s words were lies... but..." Once the magic circle hadpletely vanished, the Separate Pce returned to its original state. A silent, dark space, void of any presence. Violet continued to look around the ce with trembling eyes. "Now that the magic circle is gone, this ce looks different to me. Bright and serene, like a true royal annex." Bright and serene? To Kaylen, the annex appeared as an entirely different world. ''Even if she wasn''tpletely under mind control... Was she affected by illusions?'' Perhaps it was because of the S-rank mana artifact, cia, that had been weighing on his mind. Even if ck magic hadn''t fully dominated her mind, it seemed that various other methods had been used. "Everything here appears well-maintained, as if what happened earlier was all a lie... I can hear the footsteps of maids outside the door. I always thought this was normal, but now... I can no longer trust my own eyes. How does this ce appear to you?" "It looks like a dark and abandoned annex, without a single candle to light it." "...And the maids'' footsteps?" "Since I arrived, I haven''t sensed a single presence here." "I see..." Violet let out a hollowugh. "I want to believe that all of this was the undead''s doing. That my brother''s copse was because of that creature. That a part of our royal family chose to be demons... I want to believe it was all just lies to deceive me." She sighed and continued, "In any case, we must summon the Saintess. But first, I need to be examined. Since you''re from Sanctuary, I assume you can do it?" At the princess''s request, Kaylen confidently nodded. "Yes, I can. But before that¡ª" Crackle. From Kaylen''s sword, a radiant aura of light burst forth once again. Thud. He drove the sword straight into the floor of the annex. "I''ll suppress them to ensure they won''t rise again." Even after leaving his grip, the sword continued to emit a brilliant aura of light. It looked like a legendary holy sword from the old tales. Violet, impressed by the knight''s extraordinary power, nodded in admiration. "...Please take care of it as soon as possible." [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 86 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 86 The northeastern city, where the portal to the Demon Realm had opened, waspletely devastated by the relentless surge of monsters. At the center of the destruction, a towering figure d in ck armor spoke in a low voice. "Humans are truly useless, even as mere pawns." Whooosh¡ª In response, dark energy gathered before him, and a ck skeleton materialized. Even when he was reduced to dust by Kaylen and Violet, he had maintained a grin. But now, in front of the demon legionmander, he trembled in fear. "[Great one... I am deeply sorry.]" "You should be grateful that I indulged my fleeting curiosity. Otherwise, I would have simply left you to disappear." "[Yes... I am truly grateful.]" The ck skeleton nodded repeatedly. His opponent was someone who meant what he said. He could feel that his life had been spared merely on a whim. "The kingdom should already be under our control. Why did you fail?" "[An unexpected pdin appeared, far stronger than anticipated.]" "Pathetic... You''ve lived for centuries as ck Skull, yet you couldn''t handle a single pdin? It seems you¡¯re not even worth keeping alive." Swoosh. As the demon legionmander extended his hand, an overwhelming force of absorption was felt. He was attempting to strip away the skeleton''s magic. ''This can''t be...!'' The demon legionmander always followed through on his words. In a desperate attempt to regain his favor, ck Skull quickly blurted out, "[T-That pdin was different! He was a Sword Master!]" "A pdin, a Sword Master? Now you''re mocking me. Pdins can never achieve the rank of Sword Master." A threatening red glow flickered across the demon legionmander''s ck armor. To think that this wretch, who had been defeated by a mere pdin, dared to report that his opponent was a Sword Master. "[I-It¡¯s true! He wielded not only the aura of light but also the aura of darkness. He blocked the moonlight, preventing our regeneration. All of my kin, except for myself, perished without receiving the moon¡¯s blessing...]" "Hmm?" He used both light and dark aura? At those words, the demon legionmander retracted his hand. A pdin could never wield the power of darkness. Crossing his arms, themander spoke. "Transfer your memories to me." "[Y-Yes!]" Swirl. Dark energy seeped from ck Skull¡¯s head and flowed into themander. As the demonmander absorbed the magic and examined the memories, he nodded. A knight who wielded both light and dark mana wlessly. Though d in white armor and emanating a holy presence like a pdin... The darkness he controlled was as precise and refined as his light. For such an existence to appear in the barrennds of the middle realm... The demon legionmander¡¯s eyes gleamed. "Indeed. He is a Sword Master... and a rare one at that." "[Exactly.]" "If his aura control is this precise, he¡¯sparable to the Sword Masters from a thousand years ago. Among the specialties of Colony Zone E, he would be considered a top-tier product." The demon legionmander spoke as if he were appraising Sword Master Kaylen. To the demons, the middle realm was nothing more than a colony, and humans were mere beasts they allowed to exist. Among these beasts, a Sword Master was the rarest species... And even rarer was one who could wield both the powers of light and darkness simultaneously. The demonmander couldn''t hide his delight at such a discovery. "Offering him as tribute will surely yield great rewards..." "[T-That valuable, my lord?]" "Indeed. An Aura Master¡¯s worth is whatever the highest bidder will pay. With this level of rarity... Haha. You''ve finally brought me some useful information. This is the most valuable thing you''ve ever done." "[Thank you!]" The demon legionmander pondered. How could he acquire this rare specimen? If he acted personally, he could subdue him immediately, but if the Sword Master belonged to the Sanctuary, the situation would beplicated. ''If I move recklessly, he might escape.'' Sanctuary¡ªthe refuge created by theckeys of the Celestial God. To the demonmander, it was nothing more than a nest of pesky rats. However, since its location was still unknown, tracking someone who fled there would be difficult. Letting such a valuable specimen escape would be a lifelong regret. The demon legionmander turned to ck Skull. "ck Skull. I will grant you a name." "[A... A name, my lord?]" ck Skull''s voice trembled with emotion. It was only natural¡ªbeing granted a name by the demon legionmander meant he would no longer be a mere skull. He would gain a full body. Not only would his dark magic grow stronger, but it would also greatly elerate his transformation into a full-fledged demon. "Yes. Return to the royal pce. Keep the Sword Master upied. Ensure he does not flee to the Sanctuary." "[Understood!]" "If you seed in this mission, I will make you a true demon." "[Yes, my lord!]" Who would have thought that his defeat at the hands of the Sword Master would turn into such an opportunity? ck Skull could barely contain his excitement, wanting to dance with joy. As he stood there trembling with anticipation, the legionmander asked, "What was the name of this kingdom in Zone E-12?" "[It is the Kingdom of Bormian.]" "I see... Bormian. Your name shall be Bormian." Chiiiiiik. As soon as he received his name, dark energy gathered beneath ck Skull¡¯s cranium. Soon, the energy coalesced into a full form¡ªtorso, arms, and legs¡ªmade of ck bones. He now bore the skeletal frame of a humanoid figure. The name "Bormian" once belonged to the founding king of the kingdom. A legendary figure, one of the seven knights under Emperor Ernstine, who had risen to the rank of Spear Master. His greatest achievement¡ªying a demon count¡ªwas still sung by bards even after a thousand years. And yet, his descendant now stood in awe, thrilled to have been given a skeletal body. If the real Bormian were to witness this, he would surely rise from his grave in fury. Deep within his newly granted form, the ck skeleton shivered at the overwhelming power coursing through him. ''Haha... I¡¯ll pay you back for my humiliation soon, Sword Master.'' * * * Dungeon Guild, Alzass Branch. The branch building, where the Saintess and the pdins were temporarily staying, was inplete chaos. "A... A dragon!" "Are we under attack?!" Whoosh. Whoosh. A massive dragon was pping its wings above the building. People stared in shock, unable to close their gaping mouths at the majestic creature they had only read about in storybooks. "Is that... a drake? I think I saw one at the knight academy." "Drake or dragon, does it even matter? That thing ising down right now!" As the enormous drake slowly descended toward the Alzass branch, guild-affiliated Meisters rushed outside. Rather than standing in awe, their priority was to stop the creature fromnding. "Fireball!" "Wind Cutter!" The Meisters of fire and wind unleashed their spells. The spells, powered by their activated mana suits, surged toward the drake¡ªerged fire orbs and sharp wind des slicing through the air. However¡ª sh. A magic circle engraved on the drake''s skin glowed brightly. "What the...?" "How did a 3rd-circle spell just vanish?!" Their attacks disappeared without leaving a trace. Even though they had cast them hastily, these were spells powerful enough to damage dungeon cores¡ªhow could they be so easily nullified? The Meisters were momentarily thrown into panic. "Ugh... Quickly, use stronger spells¡ª" "Get the other Meisters ready!" "We don''t know when it will attack. Hurry!" The Meisters snapped out of their panic and began preparing more powerful magic. Just as they were about to strike¡ª "Magic will be useless." Step. Step. A woman d in pure white armor stepped forward. Gone was her usual gentle demeanor; instead, her face was cold and resolute. She fixed her gaze on the drake. ''This pattern of subjugation ispletely different from before.'' Until now, the demon realm''s invasions had always followed a fixed pattern. They would summon massive monster portals, unleashing berserk creatures. Once those were dealt with, the demon legionmander would invade with mana eaters. Nations had managed to fend off the attacks by following these patterns¡ªor, if theycked the strength, they would retreat. ''If the demon legionmander isn''t following the usual routine, we won''t be able to stop them.'' She drew a dagger from her waist and aimed it at the drake. "O fragment of Asteh." Asteh¡ª In this continent, that name referred to only one thing. The Holy Sword. A supreme divine artifact that had in countless demon kings and crushed evil. The woman, known as the Saintess, now held a dagger in her hand¡ªcalling it a fragment of that sacred de. "Grant us the sword of the heavens, I humbly beseech thee." sh. A golden light spread from above the drake. Cracks of light formed in the sky, and from within them, a sword began to emerge. A pure white de, condensed from the mana of light. It was massive¡ªso immense that it seemed capable of crushing the drake beneath it. It was, quite literally, the Sword of the Heavens. One of the divine powers of the Holy Sword Asteh, unexpectedly wielded by the Saintess. "With that sword..." "We can stop it!" The sight of the heavenly sword brought relief to those who beheld it. As the sword descended toward the drake, the Meisters loosened their tense stances, and the Holy Knights who followed the Saintess gazed at her with reverence. Surely, that enormous sword would pierce through the drake. Just as everyone expected¡ª Crackle. Sizzle. A blinding white sword shot up from the drake¡¯s back. A sword of light, rising to meet the descending heavenly de. Although it was much smaller inparison, the moment the two swords shed, the heavenly sword''s descent came to aplete halt. "No way..." "Is that...?" "There''s something on the drake''s back..." Something? The Saintess, startled, focused her gaze on the drake''s back. From the ground, it was impossible to see who or what was there, ¡ªbut she possessed many divine abilities. "Eyes of the Firmament." A power that allowed her to share her vision with the heavens. Using it, she was finally able to see the figure standing atop the drake. A knight d in pure white armor. "You¡¯ve prepared quite the grand wee." While holding back the sword, the knight directed the drake tond swiftly. "And now..." Whoosh! The knight raised his sword, forcing the heavenly de to retreat skyward. Before long, the celestial sword lost its power and vanishedpletely. The Saintess stared nkly at the sight before her. "A-Asteh''s power... is gone..." Even though she had only summoned a fragment of the Holy Sword''s power, ¡ªit was not something that could be blocked by a mere sword. Yet, that knight had deflected it with a single de? A thought crept into her mind¡ªN?v(el)B\\jnn The ultimate state that all swordsmen aspire to reach, ¡ªan unparalleled realm that no one had achieved in centuries, a state that had be legend. ''Could it be...?'' "My name is Stein." Sching. The white knight slid his sword back into its sheath and slowly approached the Saintess. "I am the head of the Meier Sword n." [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 88 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 88 Saintess Theresia marveled at how she couldn¡¯t feel a single gust of wind while flying. Even though she was riding a dragon at high speed, she should have been facing a strong headwind. Yet, the dragon¡¯s back felt as warm as if she were inside a room. Theresia understood exactly where this phenomenon wasing from. "Sword Area..." The absolute domain that only those who have reached the Master¡¯s level can deploy. To withstand the eleration of the Drake, the use of the Sword Area was essential. Therefore, the knights who rode drakes were equivalent tomanders of the Empire¡¯s knight orders. In other words, only martial artists who had reached the Master¡¯s level could do this. It had been hundreds of years since a Sword Master had appeared... Yet, the newly emerged Sword Master Stein was freely using the old Sword Master''s techniques without restriction. She had heard that he was a descendant of Meier; could he have obtained the records? As she thought this, she gently touched the scales of the Drake. The scales were inscribed with a magic circle. Theresia had seen this pattern before. "Mana Eater''s magic circle..." The Mana Eater, a monster directlymanded by the Demon Lord, was capable of absorbing all magic from lower circles. In the current Meister system, the Mana Eater was a disaster in itself. Only the Holy Legion within the Sanctuary could face these creatures, but their method was simply to suppress them with divine power, making a more effective countermeasure necessary. If she could analyze this magic circle, it would be a great help. "Stein-sama." As Theresia approached Kaylen, who was standing silently, she spoke. "Please, speak." "May I ask where you found this Drake?" "I found it in the legacy of the Demon race. It was sealed." "The legacy of the Demon race..." The legacy left behind by the Meier royal family, which had fallen into corruption and be part of the Demon race. It was once rumored that in order to obtain this legacy, the seal and bloodline of Meier were required. But there had never been a report confirming this, so she had thought it was just a baseless rumor. But it seemed it was true. "Stein-sama, do you know about the magic circle inscribed on this Drake?" "I''m not sure about the details, but I saw it absorbing magic earlier." "That''s right. This magic circle is an anti-magic seal inscribed on the monster''s body, directly belonging to the Demon Lord''smand. It resists low-circle magic strongly. We used to call monsters with this magic circle ''Mana Eaters''." "Mana Eater?" Kaylen asked, feigning ignorance. As a mage, he had already known about it, but as a Sword Master, Stein had never heard of it before. "Monsters that resist magic are the deadliest enemies to humanity in the Meister era. While knights¡¯ auras worked to some extent, there were so manyrge monsters that knights couldn¡¯t easily counter them. Only our Sanctuary''s Holy Legion was able to ovee them..." The Saintess gently caressed the Drake¡¯s scales with a gleaming gaze. "I believe that if we analyze this magic circle, we may discover a weakness of the Mana Eater. Then, humanity would finally have a way to counter the Demon Realm''s conquest." "Hmm..." "Stein-sama, would you grant us the opportunity to analyze this magic circle?" "Analysis, you say?" "Please. For the sake of humanity, analyzing the anti-magic seal is something that must be done." "I will consider it." Kaylen replied to her request, understanding the importance of it for humanity. But, ''Nothinges without a price.'' A brief pause was necessary for such a proposal. After the matter with the Bormian royal family was settled, they could discuss it further. As soon as they arrived at the royal pce, Kaylen shifted his gaze. "We''ve arrived at the royal pce." The Drake pped its wings slowly and began tond. Perhaps it was because Kaylen had contacted them beforehand and mentioned that he would be riding a Drake, but the knights'' training grounds were crowded with people, resembling a cloud. Kaylen observed the people, who were staring with their mouths open in surprise at the sight of the Drake. His eyes lit up. ¡®Diether Hart. He¡¯s awake.¡¯ Among the many people, the ones standing at the forefront were Princess Violet and the First Prince Diether Hart, who had previously copsed. ¡®A dragon knight. He''s more troublesome than I thought.¡¯ Bormian, who was controlling the body of First Prince Diether Hart, thought to himself. Where did he get the Mana Eater from to ride around on? A Drake with anti-magic powers, along with a Sword Master. It was an annoyingbination. I¡¯ll have to capture the Drake and Sword Master separately. After gaining an enormous amount of dark mana from the northern regions, Bormian had no more concerns. Even though the distance between the main body, ck Skull, and the royal pce was vast, his mana had grown so strong that he could control the First Prince with ease.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Thus, once the main body arrived at the royal pce, he was confident he could seize control of the pce in an instant. It will take three days for the main body to reach the royal pce. In that time, he needed to keep the Sword Master restrained. Originally, Bormian had nned to use the forces he had cultivated within the pce to trap them. But seeing the Drake changed his mind. Rather than using forces to fight, I should stall for time until the main body arrives. He couldn¡¯t let the Sword Master escape on the Drake. Thud. When the Drakended, dust flew everywhere. "That¡¯s a Drake..." "Wow, it¡¯s really huge." "It looks bigger than the Sky Sphere at the Knight Academy." "But if it¡¯s a Dragon Knight, isn¡¯t that supposed to be a Master?" "Not all dragons, but for a Drake Knight, the Master level is required. Sword Area is essential." The knights whispered as they gazed at the impressive Drake. One by one, the White Knights and the Holy Knights began to set foot on the ground. The First Prince stepped forward and walked toward them. "Greetings, Saintess. And, Dragon Knight." The pale-faced prince greeted them with a smile and extended his hand for a handshake. "I am First Prince Diether Hart." "Stein." "Theresia." "Thank you foring such a long way. Saintess, it seems you''vee again after just one day. I apologize for troubling you." Diether Hart spoke politely, briefly ncing toward the Drake. "That Drake... it¡¯s too big for the stableman to handle." Heh heh, how should I manage this one? As Kaylen reached out to the Drake, the dragon shrank down. [M-Master... Ugh... it hurts.] "Just bear with it a little longer." [You always tell me to bear with it. If that¡¯s the case, I should have brought Royen.] "Today¡¯s not the day to bring him." The Drake, grumbling in pain, shrank instantly to the size of a bird. "You can get on now." [Yes.] After curling up on the ground for a moment, the Drake took flight and perched on the White Knight¡¯s shoulder, leaving the onlookers stunned. There had been countless legends of Dragon Knights, but they had never heard of a knight being able to adjust the size of their dragon like this. "There shouldn¡¯t be any more issues now." "Ho, hoh... so that¡¯s how it works." Even Bormian was surprised by this sight. ¡®A Sword Master can do that? That¡¯s... even mages can¡¯t do that.¡¯ To resize a creature like a Drake so freely¡ªhe had never heard of such a thing before. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have underestimated him.¡¯ Watching the now-shrunken Drake, Bormian¡¯s wariness returned. That White Knight... he didn¡¯t seem like just a simple swordsman. ¡®I¡¯ll have to set the trap perfectly. If that Drake grows and flies away, my ns to corrupt him will be for nothing.¡¯ What if the demon general, who had granted the Drake dark mana, failed the mission? Not only would he fail to corrupt him, but his very existence could be a danger. ¡®Right. To capture even the Saintess, my current preparations aren¡¯t enough. I¡¯ll need to make more ns.¡¯ Bormian thought as he spoke to the Saintess and her group. "I¡¯ve prepared a ce to wee our guests. Shall we head there for now?" The Saintess shook her head at the offer and smiled coldly. "No. I don¡¯t think this is the time for such hospitality. Could we go to the problematic annex first?" At her response, the knights escorting the First Prince froze. No matter how much of a Saintess she was, for her to dismiss the ce arranged by a prince of the kingdom like this... Wasn¡¯t that a bit too rude? "Still..." "We wish to go to the annex first." The First Prince again suggested they follow him, but the Saintess remained firm in her stance. Seeing this, Diether Hart smiled bitterly and nodded. "Understood. Then Violet, please guide them..." "No." Theresia, cutting off Diether Hart¡¯s words, spoke with a cold expression. "I would prefer to be personally guided by the Prince." "No!" "Even if you¡¯re a Saintess, this is too much! To refuse the First Prince¡¯s invitation and even demand to be personally guided¡ªit was more of amand than a request. The knights escorting the First Prince bristled, and Violet¡¯s expression also stiffened. "If the Prince himself doesn¡¯t guide us, we won¡¯t move another step from here." Bormian looked at the Saintess. Had she sensed something? ¡®As expected, she isn¡¯t called the Saintess of a thousand years for nothing.¡¯ The Saintess¡¯s firm attitude made Diether Hart sigh and nod. "Then I will personally guide you." The exterior of the White Lily Pce was as pure and beautiful as its name. But the Saintess''s eyes, as she gazed at it, were cold and distant. "Is this the problematic annex?" "Yes, it is." "It truly is a beautiful ce... on the surface, at least." The Saintess looked around at the holy knights who were guarding her. "Shall we bestow a blessing upon this beautiful pce?" "A rge-scale blessing''... you mean?" "Yes. Let everyone offer a prayer to the Heavenly God." Thud. Thud. The Saintess kneeled first, tightly sping her hands. The 30 holy knights knelt as well, mirroring her position. "Our Father who art in Heaven," The prayer most frequently spoken by the followers of the Heavenly God flowed from the Saintess¡¯s lips. A prayer asking for the world to serve the Heavenly God, and for the Kingdom of Heaven to be established on earth. "...Give us this day our daily bread." Even the knights, whose expressions had hardened at the Saintess''s impudence, began reciting the prayer unconsciously. "Lead us not into temptation..." Between the kneeling holy knights, one by one, brilliant white lights began to rise. A powerful divine energy, never seen among the temple priests. All the holy knights were emitting light. Except for one. The Saintess alone remained unchanged, continuing her prayer. She had left only the final phrase of the Lord¡¯s Prayer. Even Kaylen, who wasn¡¯t an ardent follower of the Heavenly God, knew the phrase. ¡®Deliver us from evil¡­¡¯ And then, the final phrase was not what everyone had expected. "Silence the Red Moon." Thest line waspletely different from what they all knew. "The Red Moon..." It wasn¡¯t what everyone had anticipated. Woooooosh! From the Saintess''s body, a brilliant white light surged upward. The light spreadpletely into the sky and soon illuminated the White Lily Pce. Then, "No..." "The White Lily Pce...!" The appearance of the White Lily Pce began topletely change. The pristine pce turned into walls made of human flesh and bone, and the garden, once full of beautiful flowers, was now crawling with enormous, grotesque insects. The pce, now made of flesh, blood, and bone, had a repulsive, nightmarish look. "As expected." Looking at this, Saintess Theresia spoke coldly. "The Necropolis was hidden beneath the pce." [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 89 [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] Chapter 89 Necropolis Kaylen was well aware of this ce. ¡®A secret stronghold of dark sorcerers, established by the followers of the Demon Realm.¡¯ Before the Demon King¡¯s descent, the first thing dark sorcerers would secretly construct was a Necropolis. This was because the Middle World had a rtively lower concentration of dark manapared to the Demon Realm. A Necropolis, created through offerings of human bones and flesh, served to supplement thisck of dark mana. ¡®The scale isn¡¯t particrlyrge¡­ but the dark mana here is substantial.¡¯ In his past life, there had beenrger Necropolises during the subjugation campaigns, but the sheer amount of dark mana emanating from the structure itself seemed greater than any he had encountered before. ¡°Darkness, reveal yourself.¡± As the Saintess stood up and stretched out her hand, the dark mana pouring from the Necropolis became visible even to ordinary eyes. Thick ck mana, rising like smoke in all directions, was overwhelming¡ªengulfing not only the Necropolis but also the surrounding garden. And from within that ominous darkness... ¡°Hah.¡± A single strand of dark mana was connected to the head of the First Prince, Diether Hart. As the onlookers gazed at the prince¡¯s head, Diether Hart himself looked up. Upon seeing the ck strand, he let out a sigh. ¡®The Saintess¡­ what a nuisance.¡¯ Bormian, the one controlling Diether Hart, was irritated. He had nned toy low and stall for three more days until his true body arrived, yet now the hidden Necropolis was exposed so easily. Feigning ignorance, he spoke up. ¡°What is the meaning of this? Why is that ck thing connected to me?¡± ¡°This is dark mana. It signifies that Your Highness is connected to the Necropolis.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m connected to dark mana?¡± Bormian manipted Diether Hart¡¯s body to feign surprise, but the expression on his face was unnaturally stiff. So much so that even those loyal to the prince found it strange. His left face showed shock, while his right remained expressionless, as if paralyzed. ¡®W-what? Why can¡¯t I control it properly¡­?¡¯ rmed, Bormian looked up. The dark mana linking Diether Hart was gradually fading in color. ¡°Your Highness, are you familiar with the ck Skull?¡± ¡°B-ck Skull, you say?¡± Due to theplete paralysis of the right side of his face, his speech slurred awkwardly. Step. Step. As the Saintess approached with cold eyes, a chill ran down Bormian¡¯s spine. He had borrowed power from a Demon Legion Commander, believing no human could threaten him. Yet now, witnessing the divine power radiating from the Saintess''s armor, he felt an instinctive fear. ¡°The ck Skull¡ªthose who wished to be demons, offering their bodies and souls to the Demon Realm. They rece the flesh they sacrificed with new bodies and be puppets known as ¡®Marites,¡¯ controlled by others.¡± *** ¡°Marites are indistinguishable from ordinary humans at a nce, making it difficult to identify them... but here at the Sanctuary, we¡¯ve found a way to detect them.¡± ¡°You mean suspicion?¡± ¡°No, not suspicion.¡± The Saintess spoke with a radiant smile. ¡°I am certain.¡± Chiiiizzzzz... With the sound of flesh burning, Diether Hart¡¯s forehead was momentarily engulfed in a brilliant white light. ¡°Ugh¡­ ugh¡­¡± His entire face then froze into an expressionless state, as ifpletely paralyzed. Like a puppet with its strings cut, he copsed to the ground, his joints twisting unnaturally. ¡°O-Oppah!¡± Violet gasped and rushed toward him. Chiiiiik... But before she could reach him, ck smoke rose from his body, and his flesh began to melt away. Without leaving even a final word, Diether Hart vanished suddenly. Violet''s eyes filled with despair and fury. ¡°Saintess! What have you done?!¡± ¡°Look at his bones.¡± ¡°His¡­ bones¡­¡± As the smoke cleared, the bones revealed beneath Diether Hart''s melted flesh were ck, emanating a strange dark mana. His arms, legs, and torso bones were all intact, but... ¡°His skull is missing, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That is proof that he was a ck Skull.¡± Thud. Violet copsed to the ground. Her brother¡­ had truly followed the demons? It didn¡¯t feel real. ¡°No¡­ that can¡¯t be¡­¡± Diether Hart. He was the only one she could truly open up to and rely on. Of course, there were others with royal blood, but... Her father, who had executed her mother, and the Second Prince, who was constantly plotting to push her out of the pce¡ªshe could never bring herself to trust them. To her, Diether Hart was the only family she had. That was why she had aligned herself with the First Prince¡¯s faction, working tirelessly to secure his position. Even under the curse of Mana Shroud by cia, which would eventually freeze her body solid if she failed to reach the Fifth Circle, she couldn¡¯t devote herself entirely to magic training. All her sacrifices were made to see the First Prince crowned as king. And now, the very reason for all her efforts had vanished before her eyes. Leaving behind only the worst possible truth¡ªthat he had colluded with the Demon Realm. ¡®Now¡­ what should I do...¡¯ Violet reached out towards the darkened bones that stained the ground ck. ¡°Do not touch them. They are still imbued with dark mana.¡± Despite the Saintess¡¯s warning, Violet did not stop. Tap. Kaylen grabbed her arm, and she gazed at him with empty eyes. ¡°Why¡­.¡± ¡°They are bones tainted with demonic energy.¡± ¡°This¡­ this is all that¡¯s left of my brother. I have a duty to collect them.¡± Kaylen looked at Violet. Despite being the de facto leader of the First Prince¡¯s faction, she was still only in her early twenties. The despair of losing the only brother she could rely on in the pce was understandable.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om However, collecting the bones tainted with dark mana was a different matter. If Violet were to touch the bones, overflowing with dark mana, she would also be directly affected. ¡°Think back to what happened at the secondary pce.¡± ¡ª Heh... Hehehe. So mere words aren¡¯t enough without the stimtion of dark mana. Your mental resistance is far too weak... Violet¡¯s hand hesitated. Back then, because of the ck Skull¡¯s words, she had thought that she should get examined once the Saintess arrived. And now, the ¡®stimtion of dark mana¡¯ that was mentioned back then was right in front of her. ¡°¡­If only you hadn¡¯t appeared. I could have lived without ever knowing.¡± Swish. As Violet stood up, the bones trembled violently. No, it wasn¡¯t just the bones¡ª The entire ground began to shake. [Heh heh¡­ Violet, you truly are a heartless child. You can¡¯t even embrace your brother¡¯s remains.] A chilling voice echoed from the Necropolis. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°M-My ears¡­!¡± The young knights and handmaidens,cking sufficient training, copsed to the ground, writhing in pain from the voice. [Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. A child who will die anyway without reaching the Fifth Circle holds no real value.] Rumble. The Necropolis, built from human bones and flesh, began to dismantle rapidly, merging into a singr form. Skeletons and zombies, pitch ck in color. Though the weakest among the undead monsters, the dark mana they exuded was no trivial matter. [Only the Sword Master and the Saintess are needed.] Boom. Boom. The undead legion marched in perfect formation. Despite having just been formed, their discipline was terrifying, enough to overwhelm the royal knights watching them. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Knights, form a defensive line!¡± ¡°Activate mana suits!¡± Kaylen''s gaze darkened. They were such an undisciplined rabble. ¡®So this is the level of the royal knights¡­¡¯ Even if the path to bing a Sword Master had disappeared, and even if this era belonged to the Meisters, the Royal Knights were supposed to be an elite force that only the very best could join. And yet, they were inplete disarray. ¡°¡­Should I just run away?¡± The situation was bing more ridiculous by the moment. At least the Sanctuary''s Holy Knights were holding their ground, prepared like the knights of the past. ¡®This won¡¯t do.¡¯ Kaylen had wanted to see the strength of modern knights, but the casualties would be too high if he left them to their own devices. Rather than watching them struggle, it would be better for him to step in. Step. Step. The White Knight strode toward the undead legion. A blue glow seeped into his gauntlet. The magic circle inscribed on the surface of the pristine white gauntlet flickered, gradually expanding across his entire armor. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The knights forming the defensive line focused their gazes. The armor worn by the knight who arrived riding a dragon¡ª It turned out to be a Mana Suit. Some of them, noticing the engraving on the gauntlet that read Myorn Workshop, lit up with recognition. ¡°Mana Suit Expert, release.¡± As the White Knight spoke those words, his pure white armor instantly turned a brilliant shade of blue. nk. For a moment, he bent his knees slightly. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Then, the White Knight vanished from sight. Not just the knights, but even the Saintess and the Holy Knights of the Sanctuary failed to track his movement. He reappeared about ten secondster. Chhh¡­ In the silent battlefield, a sharp rift-like sound resonated. ¡°L-Look over there¡­¡± ¡°The undead¡­!¡± The undead legion that had been standing in perfect formation¡ª Their bodies now bore thin, radiant white shes that cut clean across them. Over a thousand undead¡ª All of them¡ª Had been shredded apart without a chance to resist. Fwoosh! From their bisected torsos, pure white sacred mes erupted. The once-formidable undead legion could not withstand the fire and burned helplessly. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± A thousand foes felled with a single strike. The legendary tales of a Sword Master¡ª Tales that most believed to be mere exaggerations, especially among the knights who wielded aura¡ª were now unfolding before their very eyes. The knights stood in stunned silence, witnessing the true power of a Sword Master. ¡°Is this the end?¡± Beyond the annihted undead army, the White Knight murmured those words and took a step forward. [Kuhuhuhu¡­ Impressive. Truly impressive! Go on, unt your sword even more, Sword Master!] Despite the utter destruction of the undead legion, a voice filled with amusement echoed from the Necropolis. [Prove your worth. Only then will my efforts be recognized by my master¡­ Hehehe. This time, things will be interesting.] Rumble. The inner walls of the bone-formed Necropolis began to copse, causing the ground to split apart. From within, one after another, ck coffins slowly rose to the surface. The coffin lids began to open on their own. [Vampires, arise.] ¡°We shall obey our master¡¯smand.¡± Whoosh. Whoosh. One by one, the vampires inside the coffins began to rise. Kaylen frowned as he observed them. ¡®Vampires¡­ active in broad daylight?¡¯ Vampires, known for their weakness to sunlight¡ª Yet here they were, moving effortlessly under the bright sun. ¡®And theirplexion¡­ They¡¯re different from the vampires I know.¡¯ Unlike the pale, lifeless creatures of legend, these vampires appeared almost as healthy as ordinary humans, with a natural flush to their skin. They were nothing like the vampires of a thousand years ago. Thud. Thud. A total of 200 vampires slowly emerged from the coffins. They were young men and women, all d in matching uniforms of a simr style. Violet, watching from behind, felt an eerie sense of familiarity. ¡®Those faces¡­ Could it be¡­?¡¯ A grim premonition settled in her chest. Among the 200, too many faces looked familiar. [Hahaha! Violet, do you see them?] As if to confirm her worst fears, a chilling voice echoed from the Necropolis. [The Meisters you brought with you. Aren¡¯t they splendid?] [Trantor - Kiteretsu] [Proofreader - Kyros] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!