Chapter 209
Hp0s8hzIt was a well-known fact that the corrupted preferred caves and underground places.KLkJ8g
vVRgFrom their perspective, there was no better way to avoid human eyes—nothing was as secure as the depths.mid
aac— Gueeng.hvlv3LL
MBWIAnd so, the place Wooden pointed to this time was also a cave in the middle of the mountain.VhtjM
yL6U‘If the mithril is buried there, it makes sense.’8ahNDD
IZbThere was nothing special around the entrance covered in underbrush. Just a few orcs that seemed to have nested there before.ungx
XTs7Gn“Let’s proceed with the entrance.”zPEy2
GhOHv2The knights of the Red Turtle Order advanced with their shields raised.Oca
Lu9zXThe interior of the cave was not wide. Just enough for two grown men to stand side by side. With armor, only one knight could fit through at a time.V87A
n6q1That’s why the one advancing was Harten, the most reliable, with a shield in one hand and a sword in the other.znIa1a
XAk3DThe darkness was no obstacle for them.V4HMZg
V7FSplash.ZbwnV
caHxbHThe floor was damp, sticky, with a metallic stench. Under the light of magical lamps, greenish decaying puddles were revealed.JPTv4R
mgznhP“What a perfect environment.”Vpp9U
GBSl6If not in places like this, where else would the corrupted be? murmured Rosalia.FyXhK1
lZFBLAfter advancing a good stretch, the passage widened, and the slope sharply descended.zOGEIh
w5tzUd“How far must we go?”Kdq
Dpt“We’re almost there.”LnK
5L1mYDBAccording to the prophetic book, by following the tunnel downward, a large chamber would open.zr4e
02oEIt wasn’t natural—the corrupted had formed it by digging in search of mithril. That’s why it was unstable.xkNtFC
4DgIVIn that vision, Aint had fought monsters and barely managed to escape after the chamber collapsed. But here Fernan was in person, so that problem didn’t worry him.moatGN
cFvYD5The real concern was the mithril.oDLt
diMEs‘What if we’ve arrived too late and they’ve already destroyed it?’G9zApk
cWcIf the mithril had been ruined, he wouldn’t leave any of them alive. He didn’t plan to anyway, but in that case, their suffering would be greater.obR0l1
SwbKCzUCreak.c47b
kyyZSuddenly, not far ahead, corrupt magic was felt. His skin bristled.hptMAVc
ilxmxZ— Kyuu!Nc8I
xb42‘Left!’xIUqAMa
ARyMz6JHe and Wooden felt it at the same time.mEoclCL
B2UFernan moved his mana—an iron wall sealed the corridor.0m0nbo
xW6pE“A monster?”bXan4y
c7LpvkAn instant later, Rosalia noticed it too.jzT
DYeHZdr“Monsters approaching!”aRE
fwbRUThe Red Turtle knights raised their guard.2Dx
yyo30Boom! The wall trembled. In the dent appeared the face of a fifth-rank monster, a Zikrik.sEpH
Fm7Immediately, the iron wall turned into spears that pierced through the creature’s body. Dark blood dripped, mixing with the foul water. The stench intensified.2Xhdes2
rFJ5That was the beginning. From all directions, more monstrous presences.n5XJZS
tN8TSx“Fernan, your senses are much sharper.”AYL
IzxRosalia said it with a surprised tone.OpM2l
G4nNkT“Yes, what’s happening is…”DNd6
jPvj‘Wait a moment? Did I just sense it at the same time as Wooden?’VXLLY
6866He hadn’t done anything special—he simply sensed it instinctively. His body screamed that monsters were coming.9ZbP
b61‘Dragon senses?’gM9hiCe
QGkk2It seemed that at least against corrupted energy, they were much more refined.wohUg
JCeSzT‘Not bad.’qOmf
GphOHRaIn fact, it was excellent. But he had no time to relish it—monsters advanced from all sides.PGgu
nwZD“Sir Harten, don’t get distracted, keep advancing.”4HwJV
xdGILThe knight nodded.zAounlw
EdIdHRosalia recited a spell. Her staff shone with cold light. The surrounding passages froze; a thin frost covered the walls.YWXT1C
tXrJ7XAnd then.6HAt
YSE5nA—!wc7NNw
USkfS—!xyK
mXXThe Zikrik crashed against the icy ground, unable to continue digging.7ZyeAP1
8XFezRoooaar!7teaQoK
HDIIrLShadows emerged: Shade, eighth-rank monsters, passed through the earth as if it didn’t exist. But a rain of cutting auras awaited them.ZHVk
TE8JewHundreds of Shades were shredded. No matter how many there were, without taking physical form, they lacked real power. Normally, the Zikrik would clear the way while they bought time, but Rosalia’s magic had broken the plan.VXy
zq5The enemies changed strategy: from zones the ice hadn’t reached, Zikrik and Shades appeared ahead and behind to block the path. In the narrow tunnel, the Shades, taking the form of orcs, showed brutal ferocity.TOqjd
4E13G“Keep moving! Push forward without stopping!”961E
WNcC0“Yes, young master!”Ymy5Pi
4HbPhFernan opened and closed his hand. Immediately, rock thorns emerged and pierced through the monsters, vanishing afterward. Those who survived were finished off by the knights.eEMx
0AgAfter running for a while, the path finally opened. The oppression disappeared, the view expanded.TFrS
MeVf8A towering ceiling, an immense chamber, filled with monsters.J6d
mjcH4LHundreds of red eyes watched them. The enemies that had followed stopped—they were completely surrounded.r84Cw
d9PMP44“Young master, are we sure about this? Maybe we should retreat…”4uO
9b6c7Then.yhiWgoA
TBrNojX“If you entered, you have no right to leave.”kTSi
hGsCoThe voice, low but clear, sent chills through everyone. It echoed like scraping metal.N5IXr
WZk0VTx—!d1p0eY
5BMhFrom behind the rocks came a surge of black magic. Cold, fierce, merciless. It instinctively provoked fear and disgust.6ty
nzj“Entering is free, leaving is not.”YRkf
tW1d2uuThe air became heavy. The pressure filled the chamber.A5Liq
kYJ“So you are Fernan Pellenberg, right?”we9yVLw
647EFrom behind the rock emerged the figure.99lCUQn
5VmSHe wasn’t over two meters tall. But nothing about him was human.QqNiA
FFD81RA perfect body as if sculpted by a master artisan, crowned with the head of a beast.ywrP
1BtM9X“Just like that man said.”uTq
T5QSZqdWith a black spear like the night, the demon scanned everyone present with his yellow eyes filled with savage instinct.WDZV
tkYm“They say in the human world there’s someone even more troublesome than our ancient enemies.”8ez
gOiofwHe raised his hand. In it gleamed a chunk of greenish-blue mineral.jLCp
vCcPk“That we had to eliminate him first, and that if we waited with this useless stone in hand, someday he’d walk in on his own.”nCLweD
GJg8Q8And he had waited. Waited without rest.NcfGT
0Q1ECf“Luckily, you came before my patience ran out.”wrG3vDX
yqJwZjCThe beast let out an excited breath.fl8
ethp“Fernan Pellenberg.”ygG
t8FHis eyes stared directly at him. Hyde instinctively stepped forward to protect him.3EYZDb
urqNsgy“You’re him, right?”LzPx2hn
9oe“…I am Pellenberg.”urOmW
oimcThe pressure increased. Fernan clenched his teeth, raised his mana, and the burden eased slightly.qNE
VGyH7“Then maybe I was wrong.”pHZK
N2gBlack hair, red eyes, and an arrogant face—I thought you were him, but it seems not.Iem9uCZ
8eJn“Still, it doesn’t matter.”2ei
z8zFhvEither way, everyone would die here.7dTshi
ePmJ“…Are you Flauros?”XfcQb
lQ4“Oh, a human who knows my name? Too bad you’re not Fernan Pellenberg, but still, you’re worth killing.”Rkj8j
1Dd6TMiDamn. Fernan clenched his lips. His heart pounded.dmRlT
86NWWhy was Flauros, who was supposed to descend in Frazia, here? Why had they set this trap? In the prophecy, there wasn’t a trace of a demon.k0ewSP
SfV3xnRegret hit him.sPB
3mX8Q5nIf he had known, he would have brought Aint at any cost. Or hired the Mercenary King, no matter the money.uzTr
OdChVBut regrets always come too late.EBHQYZ
Glx5“Fernan Pellenberg, I thought you’d take more pride in that surname.”6IC
f2JXjWhile he hesitated, Rosalia stepped forward.pwU9z
cYCShe looked at the demon with her usual expression—blank.fZiHc
SWN“…Fernan Pellenberg, you said? So you lied to me.”oOuSND
878IW6Upon hearing the name, Flauros showed a flash of anger.462
QlW8U6a“To live, one must protect the family name.”RFN
xDKUb“That’s just like you. But from the start, it wasn’t necessary.”cEKgvv1
w4I1Rosalia looked at him directly.wfMqQdA
2elX1“That demon will disappear today, right here.”nibTmlK
4PKlck“Pathetic human.”mjuM9Sq
trakThe monster smiled, showing his fangs.Px4zBo
5cdp“I admit you’re a mage of level. Perhaps even one of those Archmages humans revere.”a9CrbA
DxxM4But in the end, still human. Flauros was sure. Sure he wouldn’t lose.o4BHuG
T545“If you truly are Fernan Pellenberg, perfect. This tedious wait ends here. I’ll kill everyone and unleash my fury on the surface. Then I’ll make this world the realm of demons.”bpVmh
WFeBHe threw the chunk of mithril. Fernan, by instinct, caught it.26fOB
a8w“That useless stone will be the coin for your…”NvzH
2b7iVwV───!OzALQ
s90Faster than his words, the black spear flew.OOh
0np49pBoom!qt0Vqof
sTumThe chamber trembled, ice shattered and fragments scattered. In the ice barrier Rosalia had conjured in an instant, the spear had embedded halfway through.5cF
6UbFd“Well, you stopped this even though I threw it lightly?”pAD
LKfbR“I didn’t just stop it.”Yau
Re0Rosalia’s eyes gleamed. She recited a spell and drew a circle. A storm of ice crystals lunged at Flauros.49cc
wmEeYz“A useless trick.”GrJ9
flCvvThe demon resisted with his bare body. Then, a white lightning bolt struck him directly.H4r
Bg117DCrack!AYEu
w0gaJYcHis torso froze, and he fell from the rock. As he lay there, Rosalia muttered.g3N
BcqNV0“I can’t stand someone looking down on me. This is how we equalize the height.”z7kaQ
hwHivThe ice shattered immediately. Flauros smiled, amused.syjNt
aki“Yes, you have the power to be arrogant.”4DrK
DLas8PzBut at that instant, dozens of flasks shattered over him.Sbz5O
doEWith a swing of his spear, Flauros broke them. The contents spilled—some to the ground, some onto him.YhcB
PHUTcmuCrackling!OFMx0YF
o3rThe holy water reacted fiercely on contact with his body.qNzg
ERmjJp“What a repulsive energy.”nkP
P3QC0His expression hardened.hhaQ
Qf64u“You always carry holy water, huh?”EneiR7h
0gZ5ct“I never forget it.”Klj5a
VKB57V1“Doesn’t seem to do much.”QI5
t9a7“A mosquito bite doesn’t kill, but it itches and annoys.”RBGH
klo7ZuTo a true demon, holy water was nothing more than that.Apu
gVm1“Support me.”q59Y
vnVsjo“No, you should support me, Professor.”6JECy
5h6s“What do you mean?”w0wm
Y7L7iQFFernan responded by removing his necklace.1IBHgH
ekS— Kyuu!EfJm
8lVLA0Wooden transformed into a two-meter knight and stepped forward. Facing the demon, he couldn’t hide his excitement.barai8
i65His first battle had been against a demon, at his most vulnerable.w6iGC
nGKiPNow he had the chance to show how much he had changed since then.la2
vptSrB“…I see. Very well, I’ll support.”T34J565
ABQ“Let’s fight together.”3Yh8VQr
qaZKAo“I’ll protect the young master.”GqE4eV
HPqvw9c“A golem?”8He35hF
ToD“A golem like this…?”7ZMSck
db5pThe two mages prepared for battle, and the guards stuck close to Fernan.uEN0pkj
2C6tbThe Red Turtle Knights, seeing Wooden for the first time, looked confused, but there was no time to calmly explain.xeloI4
6UtvzJd“Everyone escape from here! This is not a fight you can endure!”SrknA
y6YRPi1It was a cruel blow to the knights’ pride—but it was the truth.WnY2Vg4
mRWmWThey were far too valuable to be lost in a place like this.5Z1hvUl
XPWB15PBefore they could respond, Wooden was the first to move.tIS59IN
SVN7eJHe wielded the enormous sword, charged it with aura, and drove it into the ground. In an instant, space tore and clashed against the demon.Rt2
NuqE─!XNhr
wbjOThe broken aura and demonic magic intertwined.aX8D
JYlRh“What is this? A mere cheap toy!”KOqdUH
GiHIn a blink, dozens of blows were exchanged. Cold seeped through the cracks from Rosalia.d6h
8ImAG3nWhen the demon’s legs froze, Wooden’s sword took advantage of the gap. Several streams of aura struck the monster’s body.GJiM
y488YoBut with the rebound force, it was Wooden who ended up pushed back.QDfVFUw
rSwSensing Wooden wasn’t an ordinary foe, Flauros growled ferociously.EoTcN
bXQnTnj“Ha! How could they create something like this? Pulling you from the Academy was, without a doubt, the right decision.”1tJI
APJQi“What do you mean?”fEPx
5FJb0R“What else? It means that place you call the Cradle will cease to exist.”nIP
gXUThe image of Silver suddenly flashed through Fernan’s mind.va2
ju1U2So that’s why the unease—and yet he himself had said nothing was wrong.5WE
MuX1“I asked you what you mean.”LEb
2eRWH4P“Are you that curious? If you want to know, go and see for yourself. Though you’ll die by my hand before you get the chance.”tX2j6r
5Rg“Demons are all equally arrogant.”Y4jt
oAJJeCRosalia raised her gaze.RhFX
NZhWd4An icy ray that froze everything surged in a straight line, and Wooden followed closely behind.RM46ncf
Wt5K5SSAt the same time, Fernan, who hadn’t stopped reciting spells, unleashed his magic.0Neiaw6
hN0VP9A steel lance infused with the energy of the Dragon’s Heart, created to inflict lethal damage.5L4zU
l8nBlood dripped from Fernan’s nose. The lances pushed through the gaps Wooden and Rosalia had created.no75pm
a4HCrack!QYIJ
83j9The demon reacted to most of the attacks but couldn’t dodge one.8dPkQZe
EGzkdoOAnd that one struck him directly in the abdomen.2K6PIt
YUjD55“Kraaaaaaah!”VrhRcNA
yVgBut the effect was far greater than expected. More than the holy water, more than Wooden’s sword, more than Rosalia’s magic.1EyNJ
bfupFlauros’s face turned pale as the lance pierced him.Vinvx
ULl62“You… you bastard…!”G7tt2Z
202ccHis eyes, wide with horror, locked directly on Fernan.Wfp
ldt3q“How is it possible that you have that cursed power?!”LTpMHeM
xZx“…What?”bGfbF3l
iJvCursed power?RSg
2Jv20Wasn’t that the term demons used to refer to Armian’s power?Ntv
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