Entry

High-grade demon beasts appeared endlessly.

“Southwest, 300 meters! Detecting stealth-moving demon beast!”

“Damn! It’s an Owl Pacer!”

A demon beast with four arms that hides and moves through shadows like an assassin.

Its specialty, high-speed movement, was extremely troublesome.

From 7000 meters altitude onward, not only did mana density become viscous, but breathing was also restricted, constraining even decent high-level mages’ movements.

“Rear support monitor the situation!”

“Vanguard forward!”

“Assault team enters when feet are bound!”

The unit commanders’ tension was understandable.

King Snake had a large body, so they could strike sufficiently once Pernok stripped its mana barrier.

But with Owl Pacer, even landing magic was overwhelming.

That high-speed movement surpassed level 6 enhancement acceleration magic, and the various attacks deployed from each limb swept them away before they could respond.

Only Pernok could capture that speed with Observation Eye.

“From 8000 meters altitude, the mountain range narrows sharply. Since high-grade demon beasts have a habit of avoiding each other, if we set base camp there, it’ll be smooth sailing to 9000 meters.”

Despite having felled three high-grade demon beasts to reach here, Pernok showed no signs of exhaustion.

Watching his monstrous appearance made even the Owl Pacer seem cute.

“I’ll bind its legs. Until then, refrain from unnecessary mana use.”

Then Pernok shot toward the Owl Pacer circling and searching for them.

Clang-!

When he deflected with gloves claws that could tear even steel, the Owl Pacer’s pitch-black pupils showed surprise.

But only briefly.

The long black spines extracted from its back bent more flexibly than arms and poured toward Pernok’s crown.

Two arms and two spines.

Pernok easily dodged the complex, difficult speed hard to follow with eyes.

As synchronization rate increased, Observation Eye reached a stage of grasping even more detailed movements.

Demon beasts were no exception.

A demon beast’s breath and mana, muscle tremors and emotional fluctuations.

Actions faithful to instinct were rather easier to anticipate and evade.

Bang!

Using the spine’s piercing force as is, Pernok pinned it to the ground and kicked the Owl Pacer’s abdomen with a roundhouse.

Thud!

Though the Owl Pacer blocked with its remaining two arms, magic poured from the sky.

“Legs bound!”

“Fire!”

When Pernok momentarily concentrated mana on his soles and used Mana Reinforcement, his foot carried a thousand-pound weight and pushed the Owl Pacer.

Boom boom boom!

Countless magic erupted where Pernok landed.

Soon when the vanguard tried to suppress it, Pernok reached out to block them.

Crack!

Where the smoke cleared, the unharmed Owl Pacer was cracking its joints.

“Mana barrier?”

“No, absorption.”

Everyone’s eyes widened.

Because the bestiary didn’t list absorption as an Owl Pacer characteristic.

Moreover, the Owl Pacer’s joints began drooping like whips.

The moment they felt absorbed mana condensing within—

“You’re incompatible with them.”

Pernok swept his glove across empty sky.

Bang!

At the sound that followed, guild members snapped to attention.

They couldn’t even see a faint shadow.

Only after Pernok deflected it did they realize the Owl Pacer’s arm had stretched this far.

“It’s a type that absorbs mana to dramatically boost physical abilities, but the bestiary didn’t mention bodies stretching. That’s a variant.”

“If we surround it from all sides with shields forward, we could block its flexible range.”

“No, I sense another high-grade demon beast from the south. You handle it. I’ll kill the Owl Pacer then join you.”

Sallio didn’t hesitate.

Pernok didn’t bring guild members here to force the impossible.

No need to stubbornly engage a poorly-matched high-grade demon beast.

“Rapoxy from the south!”

A high-grade demon beast with red fur and fierce fire-breathing claws.

That one was actually well-matched with the guild members.

“Eliminate Rapoxy!”

Orders were issued to the vanguard, and the assault team and rear support turned accordingly.

With guild members blocking Rapoxy, Pernok’s burden also lessened.

Not worrying about his back and concentrating on the Owl Pacer, Observation Eye detected every trajectory.

Boom boom boom!

As his two fists easily deflected four arms, cracks formed in the Owl Pacer’s skin.

Soon they split to birth new arms.

Abandoning high-speed movement, four new arms bore high-density mana and pressed toward Pernok.

‘With more arms, trajectories become more complex. Feels like different weapons—sword, spear, bow, blade—all striking at once.’

Even deflected arms easily recovered from small wounds.

‘Sharp blades with regeneration ability.’

No need to engage in brutal carnage or drawn-out battles.

The Owl Pacer’s core identified by Observation Eye.

The moment he accurately pinpointed it above the solar plexus—

Thud!

The Owl Pacer’s arms pounded empty space.

Pernok had applied acceleration magic to Mana Reinforcement, momentarily displaying speed surpassing the Owl Pacer’s physical abilities.

Swoosh!

When a sound like wind slicing blades came from nearby, the Owl Pacer hastily tried to withdraw its arms.

But Pernok’s timing of thrusting a straight punch loaded with acceleration’s recoil was one step ahead.

Bang!

A new arm suddenly extending from the Owl Pacer’s chest blocked the punch.

The Owl Pacer wore a sinister expression as if showing its trump card, but Pernok had already detected the abnormal mana writhing in that chest with Observation Eye.

“Just one arm.”

The idea of enduring with one arm until eight arms withdrew from behind was too arrogant and careless.

Pernok struck the ground, putting the resulting elasticity into his waist.

Twisting his waist transferred the impact to his shoulder, and that tremor connected through his elbow to his fist as one.

When complete recoil bearing mana concentrated on one point—

Pop!

The Owl Pacer’s arm burst as is, and Pernok stepped forward drawing his artifact’s power.

Over Impact.

The hegemonic force overlaid with mana burst with a roar, drilling a massive hole in the Owl Pacer’s abdomen.

Eight arms fell grazing Pernok’s back of the head, and the Owl Pacer collapsed spurting blood.

Refining that pitch-black soul and devouring its spiritual power felt like exhausted flesh filling again with vitality.

‘I can still move more.’

This much doesn’t even bring physical overload.

The higher the altitude where he clashes, the more solid his body feels.

“Press in!”

“Water and wind attributes! Use only those two!”

“Pierce its back!”

Pernok turned toward the rear stained with joy and tension.

The moment he spotted Rapoxy falling with a scream, he sensed another high-grade demon beast’s presence.

Without even savoring victory’s afterglow, Pernok immediately took position at the passage.

“We cut straight through the center!”

* * *

8000 meters altitude.

Mana density remained viscous, and moving even slightly brought breathlessness to the chin.

Though grass and trees grew lush around them, all were imbued with poison—even a slight cut would kill before lasting a day.

“Really, we’re setting base camp here?”

When Sallio asked while sensing dangerous presence, Pernok calmly chewed jerky.

“Demon beasts above 8000 meters use wisdom. Since the mountain range narrows, territory to rule is also limited. If they carelessly fight and lose, they might have their ruled areas stolen.”

“They play territory games?”

“From now on, demon beasts begin knowing ‘fear of loss.’ Therefore, while the policy of eliminating common enemies doesn’t differ from 7000 meters, they become more cautious in action. If they move first and suffer defeat, another watching one gains the advantage.”

Demon beasts’ territorial struggles.

He’d only briefly examined records in the bestiary.

But guild members nodded.

They certainly felt ominous presence but didn’t think it would directly harm them.

Only that something eerie was monitoring them.

“Being cunning also means researching optimal methods to kill enemies. From now on, demon beasts will deploy collective tactics.”

“If high-grade demon beasts even use tactics…”

Heads grew complicated, but having climbed this far, they had no thought whatsoever of descending.

“What happens above 9000 meters?”

When Hallam threw the question, everyone looked at Pernok.

Because the bestiary didn’t record anything above 9000 meters.

“A place where absolute loyalty beyond cunning rains down.”

“Pardon?”

Once, Ruin who’d participated in the subjugation force described the demon beast mountain range above 9000 meters thus.

“That place is the heart of enemy territory under the master’s absolute dominion. Bizarre creatures live there who endlessly revive no matter how much you kill them, gaining strength each time.”

Even young Ruin had shaken his head.

“Above 9000 meters connects to the mountain master’s nest. Only retainers influenced by the master inhabit there. They’ll spare no lives using that cunning to protect the master.”

“How do we break through such a place?”

“No need to fight desperately. You just need to hold their ankles.”

Pernok spread cloth on the ground and lay down.

Though the sky looked up was obscured by dense mana and clouds, he felt it because he’d drawn close.

Eerie spiritual power hiding its body in massive mana.

“9000 meters altitude isn’t a place to fight. It’s a place to leap over.”

* * *

Though they rested a day, the party’s complexions looked rather strained.

9000 meters altitude.

Breathing was manageable.

But mana density was thicker than anything compared until now.

No problem activating magic, but afterward was the issue.

Because absorbed mana induced poisoning symptoms during the recovery stage.

Faces paled, sweetness lingered in mouths, and vision blurred.

Also, highly concentrated mana blocked circuits, inhibiting subsequent magic activation.

In a place where even high-level mages must beware mana poisoning, what about low-level mages?

The guild member who’d been using searching all along sat down on the spot.

‘Just enough to use magic once is fine. At that moment, the path opens.’

He hadn’t foolishly thought to face 9000 meters altitude head-on.

The single breakthrough Pernok derived through Ruin’s information.

Everything was for this moment.

“Wh-what!”

With Enri’s flustered voice, the terrain writhed and featureless sand golems surged up.

Everyone tensed sharply, drawing up mana.

Because condensed mana clung densely within the sand golems.

Moreover, the sand golems kept surging as if multiplying.

“Gu-guild leader, are those the so-called Royal Guard?”

The gatekeepers of 9000 meters altitude that the first subjugation force including Ruin encountered.

Though not demon beasts, they were born from mana, even bearing terrible demonic energy within, endlessly generating.

These special-type demon beasts bound solely by intent to protect the summit’s master, the first subjugation force called the Royal Guard.

“They can’t leave this zone. Therefore, you catch their attention with the first collision, buy time appropriately, then immediately descend to 8500 meters.”

“Then you, guild leader…”

“I slip through that opening.”

The Royal Guard reacts to the most threatening thing.

If guild members catch their attention for just a moment, their formation greatly scatters.

After tearing open that crack, he heads to the summit.

The Royal Guard bound at 9000 meters altitude can never follow.

“Remember. No further engagement after the first collision is permitted.”

Sallio struck down his hammer and shouted.

“We’ll properly hold their attention!”

As soon as the party took position, Pernok broke through the front.

Bang!

At Sallio’s wave signal, guild members’ magic erupted.

The Royal Guard recognized exploding mana as enemies.

Pouring all attention there, Pernok drew Mana Reinforcement to maximum and broke through the front.

Metal-like sounds rang from the colliding sand golems.

‘Like Mana Reinforcement, they wear mana around formed sand inside and out. Ruin’s coffin coating work was created modeled after these guys.’

The problem—killing sand golems didn’t yield spiritual power or mana.

To break through here frontally would require magic enough to grind all of 9000 meters altitude.

‘At Named’s level, we’d need at least 5 more years raising combat power to wage battle at 9000 meters altitude.’

Though he felt anew how threatening a place the demon beast mountain range was, a faint smile rose to Pernok’s lips.

He’d already leaped beyond 9000 meters.

That place piercing even clouds.

10000 meters altitude.

The mountain range summit no one had climbed since the first subjugation force was incredibly clear and quiet.

Inside the peak covered snow-white as if snowed upon, a blue lake existed, and flowers and trees grew beautifully lush.

A landscape that couldn’t possibly be thought part of the demon beast mountain range.

Outside it, a single crystal stone spitting faint mana was embedded.

‘The subjugation force’s surveillance stone?’

Ruin had said the subjugation force erected a monument here to monitor the master’s movements.

If by chance the master broke the barrier, the stone would immediately react and transmit to the castle.

The court Magus would instantly emerge to eliminate the mountain range’s threat—a minimum safety device.

‘Strange.’

The surveillance stone that should last even ten million years had strange impurities mixed in.

Undetectable by mana.

An eerie flow visible only by using Observation Eye.

‘Something is mixed in the stone’s mana flow.’

It looked like a thorn stabbing into the stone’s most important part.

“…?”

But Pernok’s gaze didn’t linger long on the stone.

Inside the peak wrapped net-like by materialized mana.

Where mana grew thick enough to reveal form, seeming to burn his entire body the instant he reached out, chilling killing intent transmitted.

Pernok turned his gaze there.

An alien monster stood in the beautiful scenery.

A strange being twice Pernok’s size with two arms and legs like a human, but three horns embedded in its head.

The moment he saw the colorless pupils embedded in its forehead, Pernok shuddered.

Because those were the Hollow Eye Pernok had so sought.

And also.

“…Magnificent.”

Within them, incredibly clear and brilliant high-density spiritual power was condensed.