Episode 130: The Dark Mages
The operation to seal the special-grade demonic lair had begun.
Knights and mages of the Bureau rode in formation, their expressions stiff with tension.
It was understandable.
Their destination was a Demonic lair, a place where special-grade demonic beasts, normally rare, roamed in packs of five or six, and first-class beasts were abundant.
Among all the demonic lairs in the empire, this was considered one of the most dangerous.
But they could suppress their fear.
Because Yohan was with them.
A transcendent mage who could obliterate Special-grade demonic beasts as easily as crushing insects, who had slain the Grand Swordmaster, Duke Aegis, and had even succeeded in opening his own Mindscape.
A mage who had surpassed the Tower Master and might one day become the strongest in the continent, capable of waging war against the empire alone.
With such a person leading them, there was no reason to fear.
“Francia, it’s time for you to fall back now.”
Yohan turned to look at Francia, who was riding beside him. She had accompanied them this far, but she could not enter the demonic lair with them. She was the core of the medical unit—one could even say she held the lives of the warriors in her hands.
“Yes. Please be careful, okay?”
“I will.”
Francia turned her horse around. As she did, her gaze met with Rudbeckia, who had been following Yohan.
For a brief moment, the two women exchanged glances—red eyes and green eyes flickering under the sunlight.
“…Do your best.”
“I know.”
After their brief, private exchange, Francia rode toward the rear.
Yohan then shouted,
“Everyone, check your weapons and physical condition! This is a special-grade demonic lair! There’s no stopping, no mercy!”
—“Yes, sir!”
The soldiers inspected their weapons and circulated their mana. Since no one spoke up, it seemed there were no issues.
Five minutes later, as they stood before the demon-infested land, where thick dark energy surged, Yohan raised his voice once more.
“All forces, advance into the demonic lair!”
His voice, imbued with magic, echoed powerfully, yet no one found it overwhelming. Instead, their fears subsided, replaced by unwavering trust.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
Hooves pounded against the earth, kicking up clouds of dust.
It was like a raging dust storm.
As they entered the demonic lair, a sinister aura enveloped their bodies.
The land beneath them was stagnant, and the flow of dark energy writhed unnaturally. Even the sky was cloaked in darkness.
Something sharp seemed to hang in the air—every breath pricked at their throats.
Faint phantoms loomed above them.
Distant, unintelligible whispers echoed, proving that this place was far from an ordinary demonic lair.
At the front of the formation, Yohan scanned his surroundings.
No demonic beasts?
The silence was eerie.
Of course, the Celestial Knights and the Margrave’s troops were drawing the attention of the beasts elsewhere, but even so, this was too quiet.
Normally, even if not in the hundreds, at least dozens should have appeared by now…
Did we overestimate this demonic lair just because it’s classified as special-grade?
Information on this place was scarce. Its high classification meant that thorough investigations had been difficult.
Still, there’s no issue. We proceed.
Without slowing, Yohan pressed forward.
Something felt off, but their force was strong enough to conquer an entire kingdom.
Even if an unexpected situation arose, they wouldn’t be the ones suffering losses.
“Spread out according to plan!”
—“Yes, sir!”
As Yohan entered the heart of the demonic lair, he raised his hand and shouted. The squads, which had been clustered in one place, adjusted their directions and began to spread out.
The operational positioning was as follows:
First, the 1st squad, responsible for sealing the rift, would be positioned at the center, while the remaining squads would form a square around them.
An elite unit, accompanying the 1st squad inside, would respond to support requests as needed.
This formation reduced the burden on each squad and ensured the 1st squad was effectively protected.
Rumble—!
At last, the 1st squad reached the rift.
“Stop! It’s a rift!”
Yohan raised his hand.
The officers following him immediately halted their horses.
Shaa—
Thick dark energy seeped out.
Its appearance was unmistakably that of a rift—like a shattered mirror distorting the very air itself.
“What is this dark energy…?”
“It’s intense.”
“It’s suffocating.”
The officers clicked their tongues in dismay. The stench numbed their sense of smell, and the thick dark energy only amplified their unease.
Since human vitality fundamentally relied on mana, it was only natural to feel repulsed by such energy.
“From this moment, we will begin sealing the rift. Prepare for battle!”
—“Prepare for battle!”
The officers dismounted and formed ranks around Yohan. Knights took the front lines, while mages positioned themselves at the rear.
Yohan pressed his lips into a firm line and took a deep breath.
“Hoo…”
Then he exhaled sharply.
There was no need to be nervous.
It was his first time sealing a rift in a special-grade demonic lair, but hadn’t he handled similar situations effortlessly in the south?
This time would be no different.
“Eris, Rudbeckia. I’ll leave the command to you.”
—“Yes, sir!”
The two women answered crisply, their posture stiff with discipline.
Yohan slowly reached out and placed his hand on the rift, closing his eyes.
The distorted space rippled under his touch, and an unpleasant energy coiled around his skin.
A massive surge of mana stirred.
“…”
As Yohan entered a state of deep focus, the thick dark energy began to gradually fade.
His mana was filling the rift, purifying it in the process.
Rudbeckia silently stood guard beside him.
Eris, leading the elite unit, was on standby, ready to provide assistance at any moment.
In truth, this meant Rudbeckia was the only one physically remaining at Yohan’s side, serving as his protector.
‘It’s… safer than I expected?’
Since this was her first deployment, Rudbeckia had been tense, but now she blinked in slight confusion as she surveyed her surroundings.
She had been bracing herself for danger, expecting a special-grade demonic lair to be overwhelming, but so far, it wasn’t much of a challenge. There weren’t even that many demonic beasts.
‘Well, as long as I focus on my task, it should be fine.’
She was surprised by Yohan’s ability to seal the rift, but not overwhelmingly so.
After all, even the once-invincible crown prince had perished, and Yohan had been taken by Francia Fervache—wasn’t it too late to be shocked by anything now?
‘…Hm?’
Suddenly, Rudbeckia sensed a gaze on her.
Her eyes subtly shifted, scanning her surroundings.
Eris Highlander, with whom she had once clashed in a battle of wills upon entering the purification Bureau, was watching her with a sharp glare.
At first glance, her expression seemed unreadable, but Rudbeckia could clearly detect a fierce sense of rivalry in her gaze.
‘Oh?’
Rudbeckia tilted her head slightly.
Could it be that Eris was wary of how close she had gotten to Yohan lately?
Of course, things had been a bit strained between them since she had confessed her feelings, but there was no need to inform Eris of that.
Eris Highlander was a clear competitor, after all.
A cold tension settled between the two.
“Tch.”
When Rudbeckia curled her lips into a smirk, Eris clicked her tongue quietly, finding the situation utterly ridiculous.
What were they doing?
This was a perilous mission where they could lose their lives to demonic beasts at any moment.
Yet, she couldn’t stop thinking about it.
What if that aide won Yohan’s heart?
She was right here, unable to do anything.
‘No, focus on the mission.’
For now, she had to prioritize her duty.
As the leader of the elite unit, she couldn’t afford to be distracted.
Time passed.
“Hoo.”
Swish.
Eris flicked the blood of the demonic beast off her sword.
Thanks to the distraction provided by the Celestial Knights of Cantabile and the frontier lord’s soldiers elsewhere, even this special-grade demonic lair hadn’t been too burdensome.
Though special-grade demonic beasts occasionally appeared, the elite forces ensured there were no casualties.
This expedition could be considered a great success.
Wooong—!
Eris turned toward the rift, where she could sense a massive flow of mana. Yohan was concentrating, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead.
‘The rift will be restored soon.’
Since no more dark energy was leaking out, it would be completely sealed in about ten minutes.
‘Something feels off…’
But wasn’t it a good thing that everything had gone so smoothly?
Sometimes, things just worked out like this.
Eris let out a small chuckle and exhaled deeply.
The tension seemed to ease slightly.
But then—
Thududududududu—!
Suddenly, the ground began to tremble. Eris’s eyes sharpened. She turned toward the source of the vibrations.
“That is…!”
A massive dust storm was approaching. Within the storm, countless demonic beasts, brimming with dark energy, surged forward like an endless tide.
“It’s a outbreak!”
“Damn it, why now, after all this silence…!”
“Prepare for battle! We’ll be swept away if we’re not careful!”
The knights, who had been relaxed just moments ago, shouted in alarm. The mages hurriedly began deploying magic circles.
“Stay calm, everyone! The scale is massive, but we can handle this!”
—“Yes!!”
At Eris’s command, the warriors clenched their jaws, swallowing their fear.
She turned to Rudbeckia, who stood beside Yohan.
“Secretary Rudbeckia, please take care of the Minister.”
“…Understood.”
Hearing her response, Eris steeled her expression and stepped forward.
Thududududu—!
The demonic beasts were closing in.
Their numbers were overwhelming, and their ranks were filled with special-grade beasts, but this was the First Division—the core force.
If they could hold out until Yohan sealed the rift, they would prevail.
“Defensive formation! Erect barriers and funnel them through a central passage!”
—“Yes!”
Rumble—!
The moment the magic circles flashed, massive walls rose from the ground.
Blocking the front entirely was pointless—the sheer number of beasts would break through.
Instead, they erected walls while leaving a controlled opening in the center, forcing the beasts into a choke point.
This was Eris’s strategy.
—Kiaaaak!
—Kiriaaaak!
—Krrr!
Boom!
Sparks flew as claws crashed against shields.
The knights braced their swords tighter and dug their heels in, but they couldn’t stop themselves from being pushed back.
More demonic beasts charged in. Their claws and fangs descended like a dark tide.
Fangs squeezed through the gaps between shields, scraping against armor with an unsettling screech.
“Hold the line! Maintain formation!”
Eris shouted.
The mages swiftly chanted their spells, and ominous lights flickered in the air.
Kwagwagwagwang!
The magic circles blazed, and massive boulders erupted from the ground.
Yet the demonic beasts did not retreat.
Instead, their gazes grew even sharper, their eyes locked onto the knights behind the shields.
‘Good, as long as we hold—’
Eris was about to feel assured of their defense when—
“In the name of the Four Kings, let the festival of death begin! Celebrate the feast of blood!”
Suddenly, a dense wave of dark energy poured from the sky, surging into the demonic beasts and amplifying their power.
Above the beasts, a man covered in jet-black tattoos stood laughing.
—Kiaaaah!
—Kieeek!
—Kraaaah!
The beasts’ blood-red eyes gleamed menacingly. They bared their fangs, clawed at the walls and the knights’ shields with razor-sharp talons, and lunged forward, drooling.
They roared, desperate to taste human flesh and blood.
“Damn it…!”
It didn’t take long for Eris to realize what was happening.
“They’re dark mages!”
They were those who walked the path of forbidden magic, dreaming of defying the heavens.
“The beasts are too strong!”
“We’re being overpowered!”
“We can’t hold on much longer!”
Pained cries erupted from all directions. The knights were being pushed back, step by step. The thick barricade was on the verge of collapsing.
Eris widened her eyes and looked toward Yohan.
Five minutes—no.
If they could just hold on for three more minutes, the rift would be fully sealed.
“Hold your ground! We only need to last three more minutes!”
The moment her words rang out—
Pabababak—!
Spears made of dark energy rained down from the sky.
It was the dark mage’s curse magic.
“Mages!”
—“Yes!”
At Eris’s command, the mages focused their minds and conjured a mana barrier.
Kwaaang—!
Mana and dark energy clashed, triggering a violent explosion.
—Kiaaaah!
—Kiraak!
The knights and beasts collided in fierce combat.
But their resistance wouldn’t last much longer.
“A special-grade beast has appeared!”
A towering beast emerged at the frontlines.
Judging by its colossal size, exceeding ten feet, it must have lived for years, growing ever stronger.
“Damn it…!”
They couldn’t expect reinforcements from other squads.
Those units were likely dealing with their own demonic horde.
“I’ll handle it!”
Eris gripped the hilt of her sword tightly.
A blade of mana ignited, wrapping around her weapon.
But at that moment—
“Las Cadenas de las Sombras.”
A chilling voice echoed through the battlefield.
A dark mage, floating in the air, extended his hand, unleashing an ominous surge of dark energy.
How could such sinister magic even exist?
A wave of foreboding crept up Eris’s spine.
Yet, the target of the dark Mage’s dark magic was not the frontline knights, nor the mages at the rear.
It wasn’t even Eris, who was commanding from the center of the squad.
The dark Mage’s sinister spell was aimed at Yohan.
The writhing shadow pierced through the ground, slashed through the air, and twisted like a living creature, racing toward him.
I have to stop it…!
Eris turned sharply, but she was too far away.
Worse yet, the curse was moving too fast!
“Director!!”
Eris shouted in desperation—
“Yohan—!”
At that moment, Rudbeckia rushed forward, throwing herself between Yohan and the incoming attack.
Shaaak—!
The jet-black shadow swallowed Rudbeckia whole, dragging her away into the darkness.