Seraphim
"This is the Ruberia family's territory. She'll come here herself soon, so just wait."
Zeke's voice carried an unusual tension, unlike his usual demeanor.
No sooner had he finished speaking than he tore through space and vanished at an unbelievable speed.
As if he couldn't bear to stay here even a single second longer.
And just before the rift closed, his voice boomed out.
"Astra! I'm sorry!"
What the hell is he sorry for?
I set aside my bewilderment and slowly began surveying my surroundings.
The first thing that caught my eye was the sky.
It wasn't the usual blue.
It was covered entirely in a deep crimson, as if someone had painted the heavens with a giant brush dipped in blood.
Even the clouds swirled ominously, tinged blackish-red.
If I hadn't known about Darkteria beforehand, I'd have mistaken this for the demon realm.
But this was just a phenomenon caused by black magic permeating the atmosphere.
The true demon realm has a purple hue, not red.
This place... could be an opportunity for me too.
I had come to Darkteria seeking the Soul Orchid for Baekseol, but stepping foot here had already yielded an unexpected harvest.
I drew a deep breath, and thick black magic flooded into my lungs, spreading through my entire body.
It was like an oasis after a long thirst—every cell in my body seemed to rejoice.
The greatest weakness of a black mage is growth speed.
Whether in Haven, the Lunaria Empire, or any kingdom, the air is filled with mana.
Black mages must painstakingly filter and refine black magic from that sea of mana.
It's like searching for black droplets in clear water—a grueling task.
But not here.
A sea of pure black magic...
I raised my hand, and black energy coiled around my fingers like an old friend.
Slithering up my arm like a living serpent, the black magic headed straight for my heart.
An amount that would normally take hours of meditation poured into me in mere seconds.
Thump. Thump.
My heart began to race.
If I trained here for just a month... no, even a week...
"Demon King~ Where are you, Demon King~?"
A sweet, sticky voice made me turn around.
A woman with pink hair and pink eyes was looking around for Zeke.
Her translucent black dress fluttered in the wind, subtly revealing her curves.
"Sigh... He ran off again..."
She let out a deep sigh, her cheeks flushing.
Her expression was one of disappointment, but a strange smile played on her lips.
"Mmm... It's fine, though. Men are no fun if they're too easy to catch... That's what makes it exciting... Hehehe..."
She muttered to herself, twisting her body.
As if embracing some invisible presence.
I can kind of see why Zeke bolted like that...
Among the Seven Deadly Sins I knew, the Seraphim of Lust was one of the most terrifying warriors in Darkteria.
Infamous for slaughtering countless foes with the cruelty hidden behind her pretty face.
But the woman before me now...
She looks just like a cat in heat.
Then her gaze turned to me.
Her pink eyes slowly scanned me from head to toe.
From my feet, up my legs, waist, chest, to my face.
"Oh my... Oh my my..."
Her eyes widened gradually.
The smile on her lips deepened.
"You're... Astra?"
One step. Another.
She approached slowly.
With each step, pink energy rippled outward like waves, making my skin itch.
"The Demon King was right... You're truly... truly..."
She licked her lips with her tongue.
"Delicious-looking..."
Chills ran down my spine at her words.
My instincts screamed a warning.
Run. Right now.
In that instant, her figure blurred.
And the next moment—
"Hoo..."
Hot breath tickled my ear.
A sweet fragrance accompanied the burning sensation at the nape of my neck.
She was already right behind me, without me noticing her approach.
"Captain... Want to have some fun with me?"
Her whispering voice teased my earlobe.
A slender finger brushed past my shoulder.
"Duchess Seraphim."
I spoke as calmly as possible, stepping forward to create distance.
But—
"Oh? Running away?"
She was already in front of me again.
Her pink eyes sparkled mischievously.
"I just want to get close to you, Captain..."
She placed one hand on my chest.
A cold touch seeped through my clothes.
"Don't you want to?"
* * *
Deep in the mountains, atop an endless peak.
Clouds drifting around obscured the view completely, high enough to feel like the boundary between heaven and earth.
Even the elite knights of the Lunaria Empire found climbing this mountain grueling.
They could scale sheer cliffs barehanded and run days without tiring.
From a normal person's view, they were monsters in human skin.
But this place was different.
"Hah... hah..."
An armored knight dropped to his knees, gasping raggedly. Sweat poured like rain.
The reason was simple.
Gravity.
The higher they climbed, the more exponentially it increased.
Right now, it was at least ten times stronger than on flat ground.
A crushing pressure, like a giant hand pressing down from above, squeezed their bodies.
"Captain... I can't..."
"Quiet. We're almost there."
The knight captain leading gritted his teeth and took another step.
Pain like his ankle would snap surged through, but he didn't stop.
And finally—
They reached the summit.
As the mist cleared, the knights held their breath at the sight.
A man sat atop a massive boulder.
Or rather, he was too enormous to call a mere man.
His muscular frame towered over three meters. Shirtless, scars etched across his body told his story.
His muscles, sculpted like marble, weren't just for show.
Each one was living steel, forged through decades of training.
"That's the one we've only heard of..."
One knight murmured in awe.
The man revered by all in the Lunaria Empire.
Proof that even without talent, noble blood, or supernatural abilities, extreme dedication to one thing could reach the pinnacle.
Fist King Vanel
Born a commoner with no abilities or mana, he ascended to the continent's peak through physical training alone.
Every dawn, he scaled this gravity mountain barehanded, shattering rocks with his fists.
Techniques others learned in days took him years, but their depth was unmatched.
His very existence was hope for many, proof that the impossible could become possible.
Don't give up for lack of talent. Look at me. I had nothing.
His words were engraved in training grounds across the empire.
He slowly opened his eyes.
"An emissary from Cassius."
His low, deep voice thundered.
"Yes. His Majesty the Emperor requests the Fist King."
The knight captain knelt on one knee in reply.
He struggled to maintain decorum under the gravity.
"I clearly said not to summon me for ten years."
Vanel furrowed his brow.
His expression alone made the air heavier.
Five years ago, he had told Cassius plainly: ten years of seclusion for higher realms.
And the emperor had agreed.
As if anticipating his reaction, the captain produced a sealed letter.
"A personal letter from His Majesty to the Fist King."
It bore a golden wax seal.
[Sealed with the golden emblem of the Lunaria Empire]
The letter looked like a toy in his palm.
He broke the seal and began reading.
The knights held their breath, watching.
His expression shifted subtly: impassive at first, then surprise, and finally...
"Ha."
A small laugh escaped.
"Cassius, you sly bastard... You still know exactly how to move me, infuriatingly well."
He crumpled the letter in one hand.
The paper turned to dust and scattered in the wind.
Vanel rose.
Thud—
The surrounding rocks trembled faintly as he stood.
His over-three-meter frame fully unfurled.
Sunlight piercing the clouds illuminated his scar-covered body in detail.
"Fine."
He cracked his neck side to side.
Crack—crack—
His joints echoed.
"My first outing in five years. Let's see what fun Cassius has prepared."
He looked down at the knights.
"Lead the way. Time to play with the world again."
He took a step.
Thud—!
The rock where his foot landed cracked like a spiderweb.
"By the way."
Vanel paused, eyeing the captain.
His sharp gaze swept over each knight.
"Impressive. You withstood this gravity and made it here."
His tone was ambiguous—praise or mockery?
"But..."
He slowly lifted a foot.
The surrounding gravity field warped.
"Going down is harder than climbing up."
Thud—!
Another step.
This time, small stones floated up then fell.
"The gravity field will shift with every move I make. Like walking through a storm."
The knights' faces paled.
Enduring erratic gravity on top of the extreme pressure?
"Hold on tight. If you're the emperor's knights, you can manage this much, right?"
A strange smile curled on Vanel's lips.
"If you fall, crawl down on your own. I won't wait."
With that, he strode forward.
Each step shook the entire mountain, gravity dancing wildly.