Chapter 45
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 45
At the entrance to the Howling Mountains.
Dozens of people stood gathered at the edge of the dense fog blanketing the mountain range. They were the faculty of the Union, assembled to devise a countermeasure for the current crisis.
The reason for their gathering was the abnormal mana phenomenon that had appeared in the Howling Mountains—the testing ground for yesterday's practical combat class, Group C.
While one of the Union's core educational principles was to entrust most matters to the students' autonomy, it was only natural for the faculty to intervene in a crisis of this magnitude.
Amid the murmuring crowd, the furious voice of Professor Grania, the Dean of Eredor and one of the seven retired Tower Masters, rang out.
“Where is Professor Verdandi, the one in charge?”
“...She was found outside the barrier in critical condition. She’s already been rushed to the infirmary.”
“Verdandi is in critical condition?”
Grania’s eyebrows shot up.
Professor Verdandi was one of the most skilled sword instructors in all of Ishtal. She stood on the precipice of the Master realm and possessed the talent to ascend even higher. However, because reaching the Master level would obligate her to serve her family, she had paused her personal training to serve as a professor at the Union.
For her to be in critical condition meant that an enemy of at least Master-level strength, or something equally formidable, had appeared.
“So, what is the students’ current status?”
At Professor Martelzier’s question, Assistant Professor Peline from Ishtal wore a troubled expression.
“We can’t determine it. A powerful barrier and a thick fog are enveloping the entire mountain, making entry impossible.”
“...”
Listening to Peline’s explanation, Grania silently glared at the fog-shrouded peaks.
A master of magic capable of casting a barrier over this entire mountain. And with enough combat prowess to easily subdue Professor Verdandi.
He mentally ran through the short list of beings capable of such a feat.
The Twelve of the Demonic Path. The Twelve Honored Ones.
The twelve traitors of humanity. It was forbidden to even speak the names of those ancient specters; it was said the power of a name would only make them stronger.
But it had been over a century since they had vanished and ceased their activities. Few people today even knew of their existence, and those who did treated them as mere legends or folktales. Grania himself had never faced them directly.
As such, there was no guarantee they were behind this. Grania hoped his worries were unfounded. Their reemergence would be anything but good news for humanity.
Right, I’m just being paranoid.
Professor Grania dismissed it as simple suspicion and refocused on formulating a plan. It was then, as the professors bustled about to resolve the situation…
“Heh heh. Everyone, you all seem to be deep in thought.”
With a hearty laugh, a portly old man walked toward them from a distance.
Chairman Hengard Ubelon.
The man famous for being the Union’s figurehead president had come here in person.
Grania, with a less-than-welcoming expression, asked, “Mr. Chairman? What brings you here…?”
The man rarely went anywhere, yet here he was, showing up at such a busy time.
An incompetent official in a high position only serves to muddle the chain of command.
To Grania, a man with no real abilities would only get in the way of solving the problem. Despite Grania’s evident displeasure, the chairman replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“What do you mean, what brings me here? Our Union students are in danger. How could I, the chairman, not come? Ho ho.”
“...”
He certainly talks a big game.
Grania assumed he was only here to show his face, more worried about being held responsible later than actually solving the problem. Whether he knew what Grania was thinking or not, the chairman gestured toward the dense fog and the translucent barrier spread across the mountains.
“Time is of the essence, so let’s get straight to the point. A barrier must have a medium, be it a physical object or a source of mana. While the Howling Mountains are vast, there aren’t many ley lines with enough concentrated mana to serve as such a medium.”
Listening to the chairman’s explanation, Grania sighed internally.
As if we don’t already know that…
It was common knowledge that creating a barrier required a medium, and that medium was typically a ley line suffused with mana. What difference did stating the obvious make now? Grania wanted to snap at him, but he held his tongue and decided to listen.
The chairman continued.
“I will tell you the location of each ley line. Professors, please go to those locations and destroy the barrier’s medium or the magic circles that have been created. That should allow you to enter the barrier.”
Grania asked, his expression shifting to one of surprise.
“What? Are you saying you know the locations of all the ley lines in this mountain range?”
“Of course. Why else would I have come here?”
“...”
If that was the case, then it was a different story. The faculty was at a standstill precisely because they couldn’t pinpoint the exact locations of the ley lines. To think the chairman, who he thought was only good at networking and politics, had this side to him.
As everyone stared at the chairman in surprise, he puffed out his stomach and said, “What is it? I’m a mage too, you know. Now, let’s hurry and save our precious students.”
“Mr. Chairman.”
Just as Professor Grania was beginning to revise his opinion of the man, moved by his words…
“It would be a problem if the supervisors from each family came storming in and started making a fuss at the Union because of this incident, after all. Hahaha.”
“...”
It seemed he was more worried about the aftermath than the students’ safety, but the professors tried to convince themselves it was just their imagination.
*
“Grrrk.”
Demer, whose wrist I had grabbed, kept struggling, trying to pull his arm free.
Crrrack—
Veins bulged on the creature’s ashen forearm. It was an incredible display of brute strength, but it was no match for me now. Still holding his wrist, I squeezed, crushing it.
Crunch—
With a sickening crack, his wrist was mangled.
Kiyaaaak—!
As his hand dangled uselessly, the creature howled like a beast in agony. He tore off his own shattered wrist and retreated, putting a good distance between us.
Grrrk—
His cry was different from before. Instead of attacking recklessly as he had done earlier, he was now trembling slightly, warily watching my every move. He looked like an animal gripped by fear—a complete reversal of the previous situation.
“...”
But I felt not a flicker of emotion as I reached a hand toward him. For some reason, I felt I could use magic now without any difficulty.
I focused on the memory of the magic most familiar to me: Mana Chain.
I recalled the sensation of magic extending from the crystal orb and tried to run the necessary calculations in my head. In response, the demonic energy circulating within my body naturally gathered toward my hand.
It was then. Before I could even finish the calculations and control the mana…
Thwump—
A chain of black mana shot out from thin air and pierced the creature’s heart. Demer looked down, his eyes vacant, at the chain impaled in his chest.
Then…
Thwack-thwack-thwack—
Dozens more chains tore through space and rained down upon his body. His flesh was torn to shreds, as if pierced by a hundred spears.
Guuuh—
The creature let out a groan, its red eyes blinking in the darkness before they closed for the last time.
Swoosh—
His body dissolved into black particles, scattering on the wind like a mirage. As if he had never been there at all, his form vanished completely from sight. Demer’s body was gone without a trace.
The chains of black mana that had been embedded in him fell limply to the ground before they, too, dispersed into particles of mana and vanished into the air.
“...”
Once the battle was over, the forest fell silent, as if nothing had happened. In the unsettling silence, I stared blankly at my right hand. It was trembling slightly.
In a way, I had just taken a human life, but I felt no great emotional turmoil. Demer was just an NPC in a game. And since he had already turned into a demonic being, there was no way to change him back. Guiding his soul to rest was the right thing to do. Besides, if I hadn't killed him, Freya and I would have died. It was self-defense.
At least, that’s what I told myself.
Squeeze—
I calmly collected myself and slowly clenched my fist.
...I instantly obliterated an opponent who had subdued Freya.
Physical strength and power that momentarily overwhelmed a demonic being’s abilities. On top of that, chantless magic. And not just omitting the incantation—it had skipped the calculation and mana manipulation steps entirely, manifesting exactly as I’d imagined it.
I’ve never used a character like this before.
This was a truly balance-breaking character. I had wondered why a character with such low base stats was saddled with so many penalties, but it seemed it was because he possessed this kind of potential. Roen’s basic physical abilities were likely the result of a balance adjustment to account for this incredible power.
And this incident had taught me something else.
Roen might be of a high-ranking demon bloodline.
The Half-Demon trait was, by nature, a bloodline inheritance trait. Most bloodline traits were Epic-grade, guaranteeing a minimum level of ability, but the potential for growth varied wildly depending on the character’s potential.
If he were descended from an insignificant demon, his maximum potential would be low. But if he was from a high-ranking demon bloodline, not only his base stats but also his potential would be incredibly high. There was so little information on the character of Roen that I couldn’t be sure, but it was highly likely that either his parents or a distant ancestor possessed a powerful demonic lineage.
As I pondered this, a log appeared before my eyes.
[Affinity is decreasing.]
Swoosh—
With the combat situation over, the demonic energy began to drain from my body. Like air escaping a balloon, the energy that left my body rapidly dispersed and vanished. The feeling of strength leaving my body wasn't pleasant, but it was for the best. It would be problematic to remain in a state where I was constantly channeling demonic energy.
A moment later, I could no longer feel the demonic energy in my body. I put Derod's Ring back on to erase any lingering traces. Then, I clenched and unclenched my hands, checking if there was anything wrong with my body.
The gashes from the creature’s claws were completely healed. The shoulder that had been pierced was also perfectly fine, without a single scratch. Truly superhuman regenerative ability.
However, it seemed my stamina and energy weren't restored, as my body felt incredibly heavy and tired. After confirming my body was okay, I let out a deep sigh.
“How do I clean this up?”
I looked at the clearing where Gullein’s coffin had been. Fortunately, there were no significant traces of the battle or lingering demonic energy in the forest. Just a few deep footprints, at most. Demer’s body had also dissolved into particles, so that wasn’t a problem. The heightened concentration of demonic energy would also dilute over time and soon become indistinguishable.
The time is...
I glanced down to check, but my wristwatch was broken and no longer working. Lifting my head, I saw the moon hanging brightly in the night sky, the black mist and clouds having cleared.
From what I could feel, it hadn't been more than two hours—the time for the changing of the guard. If I returned to the tent now, I probably wouldn't arouse any suspicion. I just needed to change out of my uniform, which had been torn to rags by the creature’s claws, into the spare clothes in my backpack.
“...”
My thoughts concluded, I looked over at Freya, who was leaning unconscious against a nearby tree. She was still out cold.
I checked her pulse and breathing by placing my fingers on her wrist and near her nose. Both were normal. It seemed she was just unconscious with no other injuries. If I left her be, she would wake up later. She was a tough and strong kid, after all. Not just anyone can be a Hero.
Still, she showed no signs of waking up soon, and I couldn't just leave her here. I’d have to carry her back to the tent.
“...Ugh.”
I slung Freya over my shoulder and managed to get to my feet.
She’s heavier than I thought.
My legs were trembling, and my arms were shaking. I’d heard that unconscious people were heavier, but I hadn’t expected this. Well, I had to consider that my strength wasn't very high to begin with, and I was exhausted from the fight.
And so, with Freya slung over my shoulder, I returned to the camp where the bonfire was burning. After laying the soundly unconscious Freya in her tent, I began to patrol the camp alone, standing guard.
...Just in case that thing or those other demonic beings decide to attack.
Right now, I was the only one who could deal with that threat. I couldn't let my teammates be put in danger.
The time for the shift change had already passed, but instead of waking the next person on watch, I silently patrolled the perimeter.
In the quiet, the night gradually deepened.