Chapter 95

“Kuk… kukhuk! I saw it clearly!”

The growling old knight’s voice bubbled with ecstasy.

“At first I thought you were just a small fry… but after investigating, information surfaced about your connection to a relic site. I dug deeper. And they said Pan-Dalus might have erased the memories of people around you? That’s where I caught the scent. Yes. Now I see there was a reason for erasing those memories. With a spell like that, you certainly needed to hide it. Yes, absolutely.”

He looked down at his own body evaporating into silver mist.

“If I were just an ordinary 5th Circle mage, I’d be dead. Yet you’re merely a 3rd Circle.”

His smugness irritated me, so I corrected him.

“No, I’m sorry, but by my standards, you’re already dead. Not ‘would be dead.’ You are dead.”

You might not understand, but the essence of existence is mana patterns. And those mana patterns connect to higher-level mana patterns… the whole world is connected like a tree. But your current state is like a leaf fallen after being cut from the branch. What <Saíl(射日)> pierced wasn’t a specific target, but the connection between that target and the world—the integrity of the record of existence itself. That’s probably why I could take down multiple people with a single arrow. Just like cutting a branch makes all the leaves attached to it fall.

But he only twisted his lips into an inscrutable smile.

“Really? I’m dead? Well, that works out well, doesn’t it?”

He raised his arm. His hands had already scattered into silver mist, and now his elbows and shoulders were dissipating too.

“So… this is my second death. I don’t remember how many deaths I’ve had. Consider it an honor. I’ll specifically save one piece of bone, one drop of blood, and research you with great care.”

With a lowered voice, he vigorously moved his five Circles.

“Primordial incantations are given only to chosen mages. But do you know what? Mages who can perfectly mimic those primordial incantations are even rarer. When you mimic that whisper-like primordial incantation ex-act-ly, do you know what happens?”

He emphasized ex-act-ly word by word. Then he raised his nearly vanished transparent arm, elegantly.

“Revival!”

His Circle wailed.

[Re-bir—]

The fifth Circle, perhaps because it contained a tongue, was particularly fluent in the ‘re’ sound. But…

Exactly… you say?

…Could it be that you’re not talking about the sound voiced through the Circle, but the sound voiced with the mouth?

The old knight laughed. Well, he seemed more like a mage than a knight, but anyway, he laughed.

“Wahahahaha! Do you have any idea what this spell means? Do you know how many decades I struggled to find the exact pronunciation and meaning?”

“…<Revival>? Is that what you’re talking about? The meaning is… to come back to life?”

“Huh?”

His eyes widened as if about to roll out.

Even if you stare at me like that…

I’ve been good at hearing the voices of magical powers since childhood.

Of course, back then, I couldn’t understand their meaning.

Then gradually, little by little, I began to understand their speech, and these days I can even interpret the ‘language of magical power’ when imitated by humans.

Usually, other mages can’t mimic ‘primordial incantations’ obtained by others…

Well, I think I might be able to do that too.

If you ask why only I can do such things, I don’t have much to say. “Just because?” That might be the most accurate answer.

‘But the <Revival> spell would be difficult for me to use. Not only is the pronunciation challenging… but… ah! Could I use it to repair the magical joint? I should research that.’

The mana pattern that responded to <Revival> wasn’t the “human part” with the ginseng shape.

It was the complexly and grotesquely proliferating mana pattern surrounding it… one that closely resembled a Night Calamity.

Black magical power rose in thick clumps from his disappearing body.

Perhaps that <Revival> spell wasn’t originally meant to resurrect humans but to revive monsters.

Among Night Calamities, some inherently possess revival abilities… perhaps the spell is related to them?

The old knight seemed to be merged with such a monster.

“…How exactly did you put a monster inside your body?”

But the old knight was no longer in a state to answer my question.

He seemed intoxicated with himself, or perhaps the monster’s nature was boiling over, making him delirious.

“Khahaha! Haha! The god of the demonic path is watching over me! Now! It’s time for round two! I don’t know how you’re mimicking primordial incantations… but that ability! That power! How enviable!”

The old knight stepped forward confidently, spewing black magical power. I frowned at his ugly appearance.

“Huh?”

That’s when his deflated voice reached me.

“Huh? Huh? This can’t be…”

The black magical power that had been rising in clumps stopped midway and scattered in streams. The mana pattern that had been writhing to revive twisted like a burning worm before crumbling.

“This… can’t be happening…”

With wide eyes staring at me, the old knight finally dispersed into silver mist. I had my suspicions, and they were confirmed. <Saíl> means to shoot down the sun. There’s no way such low-level revival abilities, even those possessed by monsters, could overcome it.

I spoke to his vanishing sigh.

“That’s why I told you you were already dead.”

Well… anyway. Thanks for teaching me a new primordial incantation.

And then,

“Phew…”

I heaved a sigh that seemed to sink the ground.

Drip-

What I thought was a sigh turned out to be blood trickling down my lips.

[#%#$……$%……]

Even Iron Blood’s irritated mental waves sounded weak.

Hey…? What are you doing?

[?%#$%??]

Wow… that’s harsh. Are you drinking blood near my heart? Can’t you see I’m bleeding? I’m already dizzy, and you’re making it worse by sucking my blood?

[@@@:?ㄳ%ㄲ!!]

…Ah, come to think of it, since the enemies completely vanished, Iron Blood has nothing to eat. I understand.

But,

“This is troublesome.”

Others might not hear it… but it was clear to my ears.

<Where?>

<$!!krrr shaaaa!>

<Is it… this… way…?>

It sounded like a competition for the creepiest voice.

The spine-chilling sounds coming from far away. This had happened before.

“…Are calamities descending from the Tower of Covenant?”

This place is outside the Tower of Covenant. The magical power density is so low that just creating a 3rd Circle attracts calamities’ attention.

And now that I’ve fired <Saíl>… even within the city’s barrier, I’m bound to attract all sorts of calamities.

“With this… powerful magic is sealed.”

Unfortunately, there were still quite a few enemies left.

I couldn’t even deal with the one fighting Lytol behind me. I couldn’t target enemies I couldn’t see.

“Ptui.”

I spat out the streaming blood and looked back.

I could see enemies frantically rushing out of the lord’s castle. I had swept away most of the elites with <Saíl>… but in my current condition, I’d struggle to face even those remaining.

Of course, if I used another powerful spell like <Saíl>, things would be different…

“What should I… do now?”

Should I close my eyes and fire another powerful spell?

<No… is it… over there?>

The bloodthirsty calamities shouted as they descended from the Tower of Covenant. They hadn’t found me yet.

Ah… if those things invade, won’t the city be destroyed?

But without using powerful magic, I’m going to die…?

Ah… what a headache.

It was a dilemma.

+ – + – +

‘Ann! What about Ann?’

Fel suddenly came to his senses. Blood dripping down his entire body. It felt like water when flowing, but after passing, it became slippery, eventually sticky and rough.

Before him lay a knight reduced to minced meat. The knight had been particularly fat in the belly and buttocks, so there was a sickening amount of blood and fat. Around him, about a dozen of his minions were brutally torn apart and scattered.

In truth, he couldn’t remember how he had fought. It felt as if he’d become someone else. Spear techniques he’d never used before had unfolded in harmony with Ki-blood magic.

‘Has <Spear Ghost> advanced to the next level?’

Something that wouldn’t work despite all his efforts… now came so easily.

But his body wasn’t intact. During his rage-fueled frenzy, he had fought like a berserker and taken unnecessary damage. Chunks of flesh had fallen from his side and thigh, revealing bone underneath.

Crunch.

He stemmed the bleeding using ki, but even that ki was nearly depleted. It was already a miracle that he’d made it this far with just 1-star Ki-blood.

‘You fool…’

Now,

Fel regretted. It was because of his father’s and Wei Dun’s horrific corpses. He had raged without thinking, and ultimately tore the pig-like knight to death… but only bitter despair remained in Fel’s heart.

‘I’m not in a position to indulge in anger…’

Had he forgotten his duty while working under Baek Jun-woo? Above all else…

‘Aren’t I Ann’s brother and the heir to Lanciel City?’

This wasn’t the time for revenge. Shouldn’t he be finding Ann and protecting the citizens?

Thump! Thump!

At that moment, Fel’s heart pounded against his chest like a violent criminal locked in solitary confinement.

A cruel smile appeared on Fel’s lips.

“But… since I’m already late… I shall atone by slaughtering all of you.”

His eyes turned red again.

He glared at the dozens of Knight Order minions still surrounding him. Though called minions, they wore 9th to 10th class combat equipment and possessed formidable power. He would surely die. With luck, he might take five more with him?

‘So what?’

No one present could see it, but higher-level mana draped over Fel.

Though he was just a 3rd Circle mage with 1-star, though his body was already in tatters, what now dwelled in him was an ancient master whose name was engraved in the Akashic Record.

“Come!”

Fel’s spear proudly pointed at the enemies. But… his words made no sound. At first, he thought something had gotten into his ears. But that wasn’t it. Judging by the enemies’ reactions, everyone was experiencing the same thing. The world, which had been noisy with battle cries, seemed to have been thrown entirely underwater. Suddenly, a deafening silence arrived.

‘What’s happening?’

It even felt like gravity had changed. For a moment, his entire body felt as if it were being sucked toward the sky.

An eerie fear struck his heart.

After that, sound returned.

“What was that?”

“What just happened?”

Amid the murmuring commotion, an urgent voice was heard from afar.

“Everyone out! The commander is down!”

“What did you say?”

Hurried footsteps followed.

Fel blinked. Though he didn’t understand the situation…

‘This is an opportunity?’

He still felt regretful. The confused enemies were visible. Earlier he had expected to take down about five… but now, perhaps he could kill them all. If he seized the opportunity well.

Twitch!

Fel forcibly suppressed his arm, which reflexively tried to move.

Thump! Thump!

His heart pounded against his chest, urging him to charge immediately.

Fel suppressed that too.

‘Didn’t you just regret this bitterly?’

Cooling his rising anger with cold reason, Fel launched his body over the encirclement before the enemies could react.

“Ah! That one’s escaping!”

“…Wait. I think we should gather at the castle entrance first.”

Fortunately, the enemies didn’t pursue. As he ran through the abandoned lord’s castle, Fel prayed inwardly.

‘Don’t die. Please. Be alive, Ann.’

And he resolved.

‘The citizens. What happened to the citizens? Please…!’

He no longer… wanted anyone to die. He wanted to protect them.

He struck his noticeably slowed legs with his fist.

‘If only I could be just a little faster!’

He bit his lip until it bled.

‘If only I could be… just a little stronger…!’

He resolved and prayed again.

Please, let me fulfill my duty as Lanciel City’s guardian.