The Legendary Blue Moon
The rumors that spread before the Magitech Era began in 2019 painted a vivid picture of a single organization.
This was the group that had laid the foundations of the Brigham Empire alongside its Grand Duke.
It was also the faction forced to vanish into the shadows after incurring the Dragon’s Wrath.
In short, the organization was called the Blue Moon.
It was mysterious and undeniably powerful, yet the dark side of that power overshadowed every noble tale.
The Black Pit was said to have been created so the Kerberos guarding the headquarters could consume human flesh at a scale that would require an entire village-sized human farm.
Children kidnapped from every corner of the world were subjected to deathly training to keep the organization’s lineage alive.
Every known poison in the world had been developed by the Blue Moon, complete with human experiments conducted in secret.
And worst of all, the Blue Moon was rumored to be a cult of demon worshipers.
Thanks to these whispers, the Blue Moon quickly became the villain of countless Rondel bedtime stories.
Parents warned their children, “If you don’t listen to your mother, the Blue Moon will take you away,” and nine out of ten children would burst into tears at the mere mention of the name.
That was why, when I first laid eyes on Gregory Hayden, my reaction was simple.
“Is that really a real organization?” I muttered, stunned.
With so many unbelievable stories floating around, one more was easily absorbed.
[Gregory Hayden / Aura Master]
Species: Human Age: 39 Organization: Francis Duchy of the Brigham Empire (temporary) / Elite Member of the Blue Moon Talent: Aura (Highest), Physical Ability (Highest), Learning Ability (High), Intellectual Ability (Medium), Command Ability (Medium), Magic Power (Medium) Special Ability: High-Speed Movement / Shadow Illusion Relationship: Cautious / Hostile Status: Confused / Tense
I discovered Gregory Hayden in the administrative district of the lord’s castle where residents were permitted entry.
He was mingling with the crowd waiting at the grievance window.
While he was intently observing his surroundings—perhaps to study the layout of the lord’s castle—I happened to make eye contact with him.
He immediately disguised himself as an ordinary resident, but the act failed to fool me.
When I first spotted him, I had paused.
Should I capture him right then, or let him go for now?
In the end I chose the latter.
His companions were surely waiting somewhere, and setting a trap to observe them all at once seemed wiser.
And my plan worked perfectly. The Blue Moon elite member Gregory Hayden brought his new guests right to my doorstep.
[Auguste Knox / Highest-Level Spiritualist (Mind Type: Geist)]
Species: Human Age: 33 Organization: Francis Duchy of the Brigham Empire (temporary) / Elite Member of the Blue Moon Talent: Spiritual Energy (Highest), Empathy Ability (High), Physical Ability (High), Learning Ability (Medium), Intellectual Ability (Medium) Special Ability: Spirit Magic Enhancement, Madness Relationship: Cautious / Hostile Status: Confused / Tense
Gregory Hayden was a rare assassin-type Aura Master.
Although the age had changed and sneaking into noblebedrooms had become difficult, his special combat style was enough to shock even a Grandmaster knight or Archmage.
Yet the more peculiar figure was Auguste Knox, the Highest-Level Spiritualist who controlled mind-type spirits.
On the Defteron Continent where the Lheinhatz Kingdom lay, spiritists were rarely seen.
However, in the Elysia Union—an elf nation—the ability was as common as magic, and even the second-largest continent, Triton, boasted a fair number of spiritists.
Still, the special lineage that fell outside the four natural elements (earth, fire, wind, water) and three mutated elements (ice, lightning, metal) was extremely rare.
Among them, the mental-type top-tier spirit Geist—the species often labeled as devilkin—was simply astonishing.
A Highest-Level Spiritualist stood on par with an Archmage or Aura Master.
If he wished, controlling people and altering memories would be effortless.
Driving an innocent soul to suicide would be no challenge at all.
Yet the flamboyant methods they used suggested some hidden limitation.
Otherwise, the power would be too versatile.
“Has the Blue Moon become Francis Duchy’s dogs?”
“……”
“Or perhaps even the Francis Duke is being used by the Blue Moon without knowing what it truly is?”
Francis Duchy was a Grandmaster.
His mind attacks could not have affected me, so I could not believe they were controlling him.
The two men, still shaken by the revelation of my identity, offered no reply.
“Well, the Francis Duchy is probably just using them as a temporary base. But having two Blue Moon elites tied to Francis Duchy… what on earth does the Blue Moon want?”
The moment I casually teased them with the knowledge I possessed, both men visibly panicked.
Except for their eyes, Gregory was wrapped in black cloth and Auguste wore a blood-red clown suit. Their emotions shifted rapidly within a single second.
“T-tell me… are you related to that person…?”
“Auguste! Shut up!”
The word “that person” had slipped out.
Gregory shouted and silenced him.
Though outwardly mad, there seemed to be an innocent side to him.
I twirled my magic staff and pointed it at them.
“I’m not related to anyone in particular. But I do know quite a bit about you.”
“Then we must kill you here and now.”
“Is that possible?”
In answer, Auguste expanded his blood-red spirit to engulf the entire room.
Arsia, fully armored with shield as in the game, received an additional defense buff.
Intruders had to be eliminated.
But I had no intention of killing the Blue Moon here.
For the opening move, I unleashed an unexpected strike on Auguste.
—Kwaaaaang!
“What!?”
The magic staff shimmered with blue light.
At the same moment, the destructive light ray I had fired was swallowed by space.
Gregory reacted instantly, but his eyes widened with confusion and terror.
“The world is vast and geniuses are few. Don’t think you’re special.”
The attack was nullified by Gregory’s Aura Blade.
Yet the two men looked utterly defeated.
“Y-you’re a mage too?”
That was a natural reaction.
My first blow had been a Vanguard Force Attack.
Precisely, it was the auxiliary function of the Istro Gear left by Duke Lucas.
Aura charging and Force release had been the new technique, but the staff simply contained it.
Such an ability was incomprehensible to common sense, so they assumed I was a mage.
“So you can fight Aura Masters up close.”
They also believed my combat style was that of a mage.
Thankfully, the Mankyung made this so much easier.
I could read emotions and information at will.
“Is that all?”
I smiled and snapped my fingers.
Both men’s expressions filled with unease.
—Kwaaaaang!
The wall exploded. Gregory had no time to defend as my light tore through Auguste’s leg.
“Kyaaah!”
Beyond the balcony window behind me, a massive black eagle spread its wings.
Its wingspan rivaled that of a small wyvern.
“You’re also a beast tamer.”
“You bastard!”
Auguste summoned his spirit in rage, swallowing the entire room.
His escorts, crouched in the corner, fell to the floor like broken marionettes.
[Spirit Skill: Mental Domination]
—Fixed 1% spirit energy consumption per use—Maximum duration 1 hour—Automatic release if more than 1 km away—Dominance intensifies with clear spirit appearance—Immunity builds with repeated use—Final full immunity—Casting range 100 meters, eye contact required
I nodded at the detailed status display.
Despite the restrictions, the victim would become a complete puppet.
A scam ability, really.
Yet it did not work on me or Arsia.
“What did you do?”
“W-what?”
Aura Masters and Archmages normally had immunity, but facing a Highest-Level Geist was another matter.
Auguste muttered “This is strange, this is strange” and bit his lip, preparing a new skill.
[Spirit Skill: Memory Manipulation]
—Fixed 1% spirit energy consumption per use—Maximum duration 3 hours—Automatic release if more than 1 km away—Dominance intensifies with clear spirit appearance—Immunity builds with repeated use—Final full immunity—Casting range 100 meters, eye contact required
I shrugged and repeated the same words.
“What are you doing?”
“W-what is this…?”
The reason my companions and I felt no effect was simple.
Our curse resistance was overwhelmingly high.
‘The game-changers inherit their stats from Chronicle Online.’
I had used the system to pour money into stat enhancements without a second thought.
As a result, my debuff resistance was on par with the highest level.
His attacks would never land.
“Even Francis Duchy’s Grandmaster couldn’t do this much.”
His desperate denial of reality reminded me of a child throwing a tantrum.
I pointed my magic staff at him and grinned.
“What? If mind attacks don’t work, does that mean your combat ability is zero?”
The matchup was just too favorable.
***
Fighting with everything exposed, that’s how it felt.
Gregory and Auguste now seemed like naked opponents judged in a public arena.
Auguste, capable of turning a city to hell with a word or finger, had his fighting spirit crushed without a single real battle.
Gregory, who boasted he could kill a Grandmaster if given the chance, was trapped in an inescapable swamp.
‘Everything was seen through. Yet we still don’t know his true identity.’
Adrian Lawrence Duchy.
A prodigy mage who became an Archmage at twenty.
The final disciple of the legendary Reverdale Duke.
The son who had been imprisoned in the family before revealing his true face.
These were the public facts about him…
Gregory rejected them.
‘That’s not even it.’
The man before him was far more than that.
His depth was unfathomable and the darkness behind him impossible to guess.
Gregory felt an emotion he had never known.
[Fear]
The name Adrian Lawrence was burned into their minds as the ultimate monster.
‘He is a monster.’
***
[Status: Fear / Fighting Spirit Loss]
I had thought of the Blue Moon as a disposable pawn.
I had tried some tricks, but they worked far too well.
If the two worked together, the number of people on the continent they could not kill would be minimal.
Yet I had subdued them with nothing more than a few words and actions.
‘It was easier than I thought.’
I stepped closer, watching them retreat in pity, and cast a healing spell.
‘Recovery.’
They panicked, but when they realized the magic was for treating Auguste’s wounds from the black eagle ambush, their fear grew.
“I have no intention of fighting you. No, more accurately, I have no intention of fighting the Blue Moon.”
Though I had dismissed them as disposable, my hesitation came from not knowing the full scale or backing of the Blue Moon.
Even if they were merely Francis Duchy’s dogs, their power was already formidable.
So I decided to negotiate rather than wage war.
Of course, suddenly becoming allies was unlikely, but I had a means to make it happen.
By treating them and offering kindness…
—Shiver shiver.
They continued to tremble.
Kindness from an unknown source did not feel kind.
It looked as though they were spinning wild fantasies laced with suspicion.
I laughed softly and told them, “I would like to meet the leader of the Blue Moon. Will you convey that?”
“Y-yes.”
Thinking I might refuse, they accepted surprisingly quickly.
“Good. And I’m sorry, but the special unit has all been eliminated. I hope you understand. After all, they were people of Francis Duchy, weren’t they?”
“Of course.”
Satisfied, I waved my hand.
It was the gesture to leave.
“Excuse me.”
They left hurriedly, exchanging awkward farewells.
“How was he? He looked like a big shot.”
Arsia, who had been removing her armor, laughed for some reason.
“Hilarious.”
To some, my appearance was funny; to others, it was fear.
A short while later.
When Auguste was far enough from the lord’s castle, the spirits of his escorts who had fallen from the mental attack and the knights who had suffered memory manipulation returned.
The castle fell into brief chaos.
“By the way, making a saint of Elysia sounds tough.”
I shook my head while chuckling and ordered the escorts to forget everything they had seen today.
The two who had witnessed the legend of the Blue Moon and my use of Force decided they could not handle it and swore to keep the ancestors’ names silent.
Time passed, and the formal Saintess Competition finally began while I still had not received a reply from the Blue Moon.