Chapter 35: The Mage of Gnaude
“Of course, I’ll need to take care of the interlopers first.”
Zeraphe Gnaude turned slowly, a chilling smile on his face.
His gaze was like a blade.
“I have no personal grudge against you.”
The group flinched when their eyes met his. But it wasn’t out of fear.
“…A heretic?”
It was the sudden change in Zeraphe’s appearance.
His once-deep blue eyes had turned completely black—no whites visible at all.
“However… forgive me. I must kill you.”
At the end of his words, a savage swirl of black mana exploded around him.
“Black mana? My god… don’t tell me—!”
Sercia gasped, her voice ringing out in disbelief.
“Have you fallen? Have you sided with the Dark Sect!?”
Her expression was a strange mix of resignation and fury.
“…The Dark Sect? That old urban legend?”
“No, Mr. Gale. It’s not a myth. It’s a real illusion.”
Abito answered calmly, though his hands and mouth moved in a flurry as he prepared magic.
“They seduce and corrupt people from the shadows… illusions that defile reality.”
Despite the situation, Abito's gaze remained locked, unshaken, on Zeraphe and the towering monster.
“But since the Dark Sect is also the blemish of the Church of Light, it's not something widely acknowledged.”
“Then what’s it doing here now? I don’t get any of this.”
Gale frowned.
“Does it have to do with that black mana?”
“Exactly. The Dark Sect considers the Church of Light—which worships the god LAMPAS—as its enemy. They venerate a bizarre existence called the ‘Demon,’ said to have once defied god.”
In LAMPAS, there was only one religion.
The Church of Light, devoted to LAMPAS—the god said to have created the world and mankind.
The people of LAMPAS believed in this god with unwavering faith.
An unbroken legacy, likely passed down for hundreds—if not thousands—of years.
“And yet there’s a heretical sect… and they worship a demon…”
Wasn’t that something that only existed in myth?
The absurdity of it all made Gale laugh under his breath. But suddenly, Sercia cut in.
“The Dark Sect is a secret organization, yes—but they’re easy to identify. Because they all share one trait.”
She clenched her fists, her gaze chilling as she stared down Zeraphe Gnaude.
“All Dark Sect members use black mana.”
People born in LAMPAS carried all sorts of elemental affinities—fire, water, wind, earth, and more.
“LAMPAS once said, ‘You humans are made from light and good…’”
But there were two elements that no human could ever be born with.
“‘Shun the darkness and evil—for that is the proof of your humanity.’”
Sercia placed her hand over her chest—where her mana circle lay.
“I am a mage to my very bones. I don’t follow theology. But I know better than anyone…”
“…”
“That accepting darkness—allying with the Dark Sect—is to corrupt the soul of a mage! It's the same as being trapped in an endless abyss!”
Sercia Edelweiss carried a desperate wish she would sacrifice anything for.
She had endured hardship, made choices that hurt.
But even so—
“I will never sell my soul!”
Her voice rang with fierce conviction.
“How could someone like you—a mage of such talent—do this?!”
“….”
Zeraphe remained expressionless, taking her scolding without reaction.
As if he felt it was a judgment he deserved.
“You—renowned for ice magic—haven’t used a single ice spell today.”
“….”
“Did you trade your ice affinity—your pride as a mage—for the power of dark magic?”
Without warning, Sercia raised her hand. A brilliant, arcane magic circle flared around her.
“What riches or glory could be worth that?!”
Fwoooosh—!
Flames roared across the space, thick smoke spreading rapidly.
Zeraphe furrowed his brow in irritation.
“I can’t forgive a mage like you.”
“And if you can’t?”
“I’ll kill you—because you're a disgrace to our craft!”
At that moment—
Whoosh!
Three figures burst through the smoke, charging straight at the mage.
A trident, spiked knuckles, and a massive greatsword targeted Zeraphe’s heart, throat, and stomach.
“Die, mage!”
Natuia’s spear danced with fluid precision, her movements as graceful as they were deadly—like the surging tide itself.
“Hyahh!”
Frau, clad in knuckles bristling with spikes, launched a ferocious punch that could fell a bear in one blow.
But the most threatening of all—
“Hhup!”
—was Timur.
He swung a greatsword many times larger than his own body as though it were light as a twig.
Fwoooosh!
As if proving true the rumor that he had once split a mountain, the air screamed where his blade passed.
“…!!”
Zeraphe barely dodged Natuia and Frau’s combination and immediately slammed his palm to the ground.
Enormous tree roots shot up in defense.
Thicker and denser than anything before.
CRAAAAACK—!
The clash between Timur’s sword and the roots rang out like clashing steel.
“Haha! So you’re the famed Timur, huh? The roots of the Gnaude tribe are tougher than steel, yet here you are, matching them. Impressive!”
“…Tch!”
Timur took a step back, the impact immense.
Behind him, Natuia and Frau held their ground, burning with fighting spirit.
“But I’m no pushover either!”
Zeraphe began chanting, gathering terrifying mana.
That’s when it happened.
“Not on my watch!”
“Ghhk—!”
Suddenly, his spell broke—someone had invaded his mind, disrupting his concentration.
Zeraphe coughed up blood, turning his gaze quickly.
“I told you—I’ll be the one to kill you, disgrace of a mage.”
It was Sercia, her eyes cold and deadly.
“…Ha! You’re quite the mage, miss. If the Tower saw you, they’d be drooling.”
Zeraphe forced a dry smile, sweat forming on his brow.
“This won’t be easy.”
He gave a slight nod to one side.
“Captain of the Guard. Will you help me?”
<Of course, if you wish.>
The massive monster, who had stood silently by the magic circle, grinned as it stepped forward.
<You are the only one who can awaken our slumbering king…>
KUUURAAAAAH!
The behemoth roared, slamming the ground.
The ancient marble tiles cracked and shattered.
<To attack such a mage would be unforgivable—for a Royal Guard Captain!>
With fearsome momentum, the monster charged the group.
<I’ll kill you all!>
A massive shadow loomed over them.
“Sorry, but—”
A man stepped forward to block its path.
“You’re our opponent.”
Gale Garav.
A flash of pure white light gleamed from his drawn sword.
In a blur of movement, Gale closed the distance and slashed.
<…Ghk!>
The monster barely avoided a direct hit—
SSSSSSSHT—!
—but not entirely. Gale’s blade carved into its flesh.
Pale meat like bone and deep blue blood splattered the floor.
<This radiance… You wield the power of light?>
Blue blood dripping, the monster spoke with what seemed like wonder.
Gale’s mana affinity was Light.
One of the two elements Melasa had earlier predicted would be effective.
“Well, yeah. I do shine a bit, don’t I?”
Gale smirked.
But inwardly, he thought:
Too shallow.
The sword he wielded was a special model gifted by Elwin—with unique abilities.
To activate them, he had to embed the blade deep into flesh.
But the monster had instinctively offered its flesh to protect its bones—sensing the danger of a full stab.
Next time… I won’t miss.
He gripped the sword tighter, his eyes darkening.
<Hm? No, no… This sound… Familiar… Deep… dark… writhing in hatred… leading to destruction…>
Suddenly, the monster’s behavior shifted.
It muttered to itself, shivering.
<Yes… You resemble them…>
It crept close to Gale, scanning him—despite its long-defunct, regressed eyes.
“…?”
Gale was puzzled but didn’t let it show.
Instead, he moved to the next phase.
While it’s confused… Now's the time!
Against something stronger than them, they had to use everything they had.
Now!
Gale issued the signal—a silent command.
Two more sprang into action.
“Samhomara—!”
Melasa cast her spell, and mystical waves wrapped around the monster.
<This power… Witch?! One of them still lives?>
Its movements froze—briefly.
“EXPLOSION!”
Abito’s rune magic detonated in a thunderous blast, temporarily robbing the monster of hearing.
It was a moment—just a sliver of time.
But it was enough.
“This’ll do!”
Gale soared into the air, sword raised.
“Gotcha!”
From the beginning, this had been the plan.
Back when they were hiding from the monsters.
—My specialty isn’t just spatial magic. I can’t link all our minds yet, but…
Through Sercia’s mental magic, and—
—I can help with that, Miss Sercia!
Abito’s rune magic, they had formed a secret communication link.
—Monsters are weak to Light and Holy attributes. Here, this potion temporarily adds Light to your weapons.
Melasa had shared her potions and vital information.
—We’ll split up based on target assignments and proceed accordingly.
Everyone had shared their strengths, weaknesses, and secret combat strategies.
—Most mages are weak in melee. Timur, Natuia, Frau—you handle Zeraphe up close.
—Monsters are weak to Light. Mr. Gale, you’ll be our cannon. Melasa and I will support.
—Miss Sercia, bait Zeraphe to create an opening. Once I signal, switch to helping against the monster.
And Abito had tied it all together into a unified plan.
—We can’t let Zeraphe and the monster stay linked. First, we separate them.
—Ideally, we’d eliminate the mage first, but that’s unlikely. So—we kill the monster first!
<Release me—!>
As Gale flew through the air, he saw it clearly.
The monster, bound by Melasa’s spell, thrashing in place.
His prey was right in front of him.
“HYAAAAAH!”
SHHHHHHRRRAAAAAAAK—!
With a shout, Gale’s sword extended, piercing straight into the monster’s mouth.
And then—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!