Chapter 23

22. As a dark scholar, you have never stood above me.

The essence of hunting is stealth. Carlomanno was the closest to the pinnacle of Phaeirn hunters and, at the same time, the closest to an assassin.

‘If you approach your prey without a trace and kill it, that’s no different from an assassin.’

Fernandez admired Carl’s movements. With Diemonica’s senses and Fernandez’s basic instincts, he could clumsily mimic them, but Carl’s skills touched the essence of hunting.

They managed to reach the outskirts almost perfectly hidden from the Walkers’ gaze.

“I told you. People don’t look above themselves.”

“Didn’t expect the Walkers to do that either.”

“Walkers aren’t people, are they?”

“···?”

Should Walkers even be considered people? Fernandez pondered for a moment. If a cure could be developed, they would just be people with mental illness. But considering that a cure is impossible, shouldn’t they be treated as monsters from the moment they become Walkers?

Regardless of Fernandez’s dilemma, Carl’s observation was spot-on. They had reached the outskirts without drawing the attention of the Walker horde even once.

‘Even if I had brought Sigard’s special unit, we wouldn’t have been faster than this…’

It was wise to accompany Carlomanno! Fernandez hid with Carl in the bushes near the communal graveyard.

Robed figures were drawing something large and bizarre on the ground with the blood and corpses of Walkers. Carl whispered softly.

“What are they doing now?”

“Where… [Awakening], [Descent], [Transmission]…? No, [Propagation]? [Fusion]?”

Fernandez narrowed his eyes and tried to decipher the magical formation. The Asethian occult language was so obscure that even Fernandez, well-versed in dark arts, found it hard to translate without a reference.

Conversely, the only one who could draw Asethian occult language on bare ground without a reference or blueprint was Dale Pertas. A gleaming bronze bracelet was visible on his wrist.

‘The Bronze Throne…!’

Fernandez drew a dagger from his shoulder bag and gripped it, saying,

“Dr. Pavilos. Are you good at shooting?”

“What’s the standard? At that distance, I could probably hit a Merlin silver coin.”

Hitting a coin at about 75 meters… That was almost godlike marksmanship.

Fernandez could break through in less than two breaths at full speed. But he needed to keep Dale in check during that time.

And there were too many enemies around. Three figures who looked like mages, and about 50 Walkers standing idly, seemingly following their orders. Half-dead corpses standing dazed in the communal graveyard.

‘By the way, what are they making?’

If they were performing such a grand ritual without a plan, there must be a purpose. Fernandez couldn’t guess Dale’s goal.

As a dark scholar, he was deeply curious about Dale’s next move. What he aimed to achieve with that magical formation.

“What are you doing? Are you going to shoot or not?”

“…No choice.”

Dale must have at least one research book… Stealing it would do. Might as well learn the Asethian occult language while I’m at it.

“Blow off his right wrist in one shot.”

“Just give the signal.”

“When I start running, shoot!”

-Thud!

Fernandez shouted, rising from the bushes and charging forward. The nearby mages on guard, startled, all pointed their staffs at him.

He could sense the flow of mana. The shaping of magic, the activation of circuits, the movements of the mages and their staffs all resonated in his mind in the language of dark arts.

‘Arcane vision… Truly deadly.’

Just before the magic was cast, Fernandez read its structure and dodged at the last moment. He was glad he hadn’t engaged in a magic duel with Gian-Kel. It was the ultimate relic for magical combat.

“Who, who are you!”

“From the Temple of the Gods…”

Fernandez twisted his body to avoid the incoming spells.

-Fwoosh!

The sound of a quarrel snapping from a crossbow string. With the creak of the pulley, a quarrel tearing through the air was felt.

The quarrel Carlomanno fired grazed Fernandez’s ear as it flew past.

“An arrow!”

-Thunk!

The quarrel struck a man drawing the magical formation. Suddenly, a pile of flesh appeared in mid-air, blocking the quarrel’s path before vanishing.

“Eh, flesh barrier?”

Fernandez quickly adjusted his stance, thinking. Did something go wrong? How was this guy prepared for an ambush?

High-level Asethian occult arts like the flesh barrier couldn’t be activated without preparation!

The man, Dale Pertas, continued drawing the magical formation without stopping and said,

“Disgusting. The dog of Vaitas! You chased me all the way here…?”

As he spoke, Dale suddenly looked at Fernandez with a dumbfounded expression.

“?? Who are you?”

“An Inquisition Officer… right?”

“Huh…?”

For a moment, Fernandez and Dale stared at each other, frozen. In this strange atmosphere, even the surrounding mages paused their attacks to watch.

“Could it be that someone else…”

Just as Fernandez was about to speak, a sudden roar erupted.

“Enough of this nonsense, heretics and apostates!!!!!”

The sound of a cannon falling from the sky…

“Repent!!!!”

-Boom!!!

Then, like a meteor, a mass of muscles crashed down before his eyes!

Dust filled the air, and the mages, panicking, stepped back.

“A monster!”

“He chased us here!”

“Good heavens! It’s the Inquisition Officer!!!”

As the dust settled, what appeared was…

A worn black robe with a stark white cross-sword emblem.

Diemonica’s insignia and longsword. And a massive kite shield.

The giant man, Diemonica Fabiano!

“Oh, brother! So this was your operation area!”

“…? How are you even here?”

“I’ve been chasing him from the neighboring operation area!”

Lucky it was nearby! Fabiano shouted with a booming voice. Right next to…? It was a mountainous area half a day’s journey from Marboro. Checkpoint Region 6, Fabiano’s assigned operation area.

Fernandez had been here for two days. If Dale was there… Dale Pertas had been running here all day to escape Fabiano.

“One or two, it doesn’t matter! You lot! This will be your grave!”

“Hmph! How wicked!”

Fabiano raised his sword high and charged at Dale. Dale smirked and intertwined his fingers.

“Brother! Dodge…”

“For the glory of Vaitas!”

Black flames erupted from Dale’s hands. Fabiano deflected the flames with his shield, not slowing his charge.

“Too late, Inquisition Officer! Behold!”

-Crackle!!!

The mages surrounding them slammed their staffs into the ground. Red lines spread out like electric currents, twisting and connecting… reaching Dale’s feet.

The magical formation beneath Dale’s feet. Though its exact nature was unclear, the spells of the surrounding mages and the Bronze Throne on Dale’s wrist began to emit an intense light.

The shape looked familiar. In the slow-motion sensation of time, Fernandez quickly scanned the magical structure revealed by his arcane vision.

Reinforcement of the second central node.

Application of the third irregularity law on the right side.

A high-density circuit incorporating the principle of constant mana.

And the Asethian occult language. Its meaning was likely [Fusion], [Awakening], and [Descent].





At the Inquisition Keep, when explaining the operation, the summoning circle that Fernandez had drawn on the Phaeirn map was now unfolding before his eyes!

“Brother! We must stop it!”

“Mumto!”

Fabiano roughly struck the flesh barrier blocking his path. Fernandez also rushed in, but the distance was too great!

-Fwoosh!

“Ugh!?”

Quorrels flew in, sniping the mages forming the magical formation one by one. The mages fell one after another, but… it still didn’t significantly affect the ritual being conjured by the formation!

“Behold, Inquisition Officers! This is the true power of the 6th Circle!!”

-Dooom…

A heavy, heart-like thud swept across the ground. Dust trembled, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. A red aura surged through the formation, ready to burst, and…

“Yaaaaahhh!!!!”

Fabiano was struck by something and thrown far into the bushes! His greatsword clattered to the ground where he had stood. Fernandez quickly rolled, grabbed the sword, and steadied himself.

‘What came out? It doesn’t smell like a demon…’

-Necromancy. Dale Pertas… It must have been a burden to use at this time.

Dale’s prime was over 50 years from now. So, the necromancy he could perform now shouldn’t have been anything significant.

Even with the power of the Bronze Throne, Dale Pertas still didn’t have the ‘Book of the Dead.’

One of the fifteen villains who destroyed the civilized world, the High Priest of the Bronze Scales, the Great Lord of the Necropolis Under Catacombs, the Summoner of Nightmares, Mumto. Dale Pertas.

Fernandez’s mind swirled with knowledge from his past life. What could he possibly do at this time? No matter how he thought about it, this wasn’t the time for him to stand out…

-Kwaaaang!!

Fernandez swiftly swung his blade, striking the massive pink flesh flying toward him and dodged backward.

It felt like his organs were twisting. Fernandez spat out blood-tinged saliva and steadied himself.

-Grooooooar!!!!!

“Damn it!”

-Flesh Splinter!

A soul-rending sound echoed throughout the graveyard. Something massive was stretching. Fabiano, who had been flung away, was surrounded by walkers and couldn’t come to his aid immediately.

-Grrrr…

The red aura scattered, and from within, a giant made of corpses appeared. The corpses forming the giant’s body screamed in unison, creating a horrifying cacophony.

It was a noise that devoured sanity!

“Flesh Splinter! It’s already been created?!”

The strategic weapon of the Great War, Flesh Splinter. A Mammon-class siege weapon and the vanguard of demons that burns the minds of mortals just by existing. Its prime was during Dale’s peak, which was 50 years away!

“Is it a demon?!”

Fabiano burst out of the bushes, striking down walkers. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to have taken much physical damage, but his face was a mess, likely from vomiting blood.

“It’s a demonic creation!”

“Burn it!!!!”

Fabiano shouted fiercely and charged. That crazy musclehead… Fernandez, horrified, ran alongside him. Charging head-on was hopeless!

“For the glory of Vaitas!!!”

-Grooooooar!!!!

Whether it had properly caught the giant’s attention, it swung its arm at Fabiano. A siege hammer-like fist came crashing down. Fabiano raised his shield to block the fist, but was soon flung away.

“Brother!!!”

“Yaaaaahhh!!!!”

-Kwajijijik!

Fabiano flew to a corner of the graveyard, breaking through the roof of a mausoleum as he fell. The walkers, perhaps wanting to feast on the Inquisition Officer’s corpse, headed toward the mausoleum.

“Ahahaha! Inquisition scum! Tremble. The essence of my research!!!”

Dale, with a clearly exhausted face, shouted triumphantly. Fernandez sharply glared at the Flesh Splinter. Indeed, compared to the one completed during his prime, it was lacking in size and cohesion.

But did that mean they had a chance? Was there any hope of confronting such a massive being with brute force?

Then, Quorrels flew in from behind again.

-Swish! Fwoosh!

“Gaaaah?! Who, who is it?!”

“Doctor Carlomano Pavilos! Magnificent!!”

Carl’s Quorrel pierced Dale’s wrist. Dale, having exhausted all his mana in the process of conjuring the Flesh Splinter, couldn’t erect a flesh barrier and was hit by the Quorrel.

His wrist was pierced by the Quorrel, and the ring of the Bronze Throne came loose!

-Clang!

Fernandez charged forward. The giant’s fist swept over his head. The wind pressure alone shook his body.

Fernandez rolled forward to dodge the attack and quickly picked up the Bronze Throne that had fallen to the ground.

“Take this!”

“You, bastard!!!!”

Fernandez quickly distanced himself from the giant and donned the Bronze Throne on his wrist. The giant, due to the improper summoning, still hadn’t fully emerged from the magical formation.

-Pazijijik.

Mana surged like electricity from the Bronze Throne. A momentary foreign sensation spread from his wrist to his heart.

Soon, the magic circuit began to connect to his body and soul. His spiritual senses expanded based on his mind.

This omnipotence! The sensation of mana flowing, the feverish itch under his skin! Everything was perfect.

Even if it wasn’t the mana of his prime, and the spells he could use were limited… It felt like the last time he used magic was decades ago. This sensation was thrilling.

“Hahaha! Perfect, magnificent!”

“You fool, do you even know what that thing is used for?! You, who haven’t even touched the wisdom of demonology, dare to! That’s not a power you can control!!”

“What are you talking about, Dale Pertas. My old friend…”

Fernandez’s left hand moved through the air. Mana, stitch by stitch, intricately formed in the air.

Like an imperial surgeon performing a procedure. With delicate and precise movements, Fernandez formed a seal.

Simultaneously, a black crown-shaped halo appeared behind his head.

This meant the Bronze Throne’s function was perfect!

“How… is this possible?”

“As a demonologist, you’ve never stood above me.”

Dale Pertas. A master of necromancy and a grand magician who had learned a hundred Asethian arts. As a demonologist, he had never surpassed Faijashi in his prime.

“Awakening, fusion, descent… Hmm, clumsy.”

If it were just an art, he might not know, but since he used ensorcery. There was no way Faijashi couldn’t undo it.

No, there was no way he couldn’t.

Seeing Fernandez’s seal nearing completion, Dale screamed.

“Counter-spell?! How could you…?”

In swordsmanship, there’s a technique called parry, or sword counting.

Reading the opponent’s sword and using their strength against them.

A precise counter that uses the blade to pierce the opponent’s throat.

In magic, such actions are called counter-spells, spell wedges, or magic seals.

A technique that completely reverses the opponent’s spell and ritual.

A precise spell counter that requires being at least five steps ahead of the opponent!

-Grooooooar…

Slowly, the giant’s body began to collapse. The giant, with its mana core neutralized, crumbled with pitiful groans.

The corpses forming the giant’s body fell one by one to the ground. Among them, Dale Pertas looked at Fernandez with a dazed expression.

Fernandez approached Dale, who had collapsed to the ground.

“You… bastard…”

“Dale Pertas. It was good to see you. Your youthful appearance is pleasing.”

“Who are you?”

Fernandez raised his greatsword and lightly pierced Dale’s throat. Dale flinched and glared at Fernandez.

“Diemonica Inquisition Officer, Fernandez Sernerd.”

-Dark Mage Faijashi Wildcast.

The manifested Faijashi looked down at Dale with mixed emotions. Fernandez glanced at Faijashi and then thrust the sword in.

“Guhk!!”

“Farewell.”

-My old friend. For the sake of my son’s soul, I needed your life.

If you had even a hand in the world’s destruction… You were someone who needed to be saved.

-You killed both master and friend in a single day.

“In return, I’ll save my son.”

-It’s a fair trade.

Faijashi smiled bitterly and slowly disappeared. Fernandez closed his eyes, stroking the Bronze Throne. He was tired.

Fernandez slowly opened his eyes and took out an incense burner.

There was still work to be done, and he had never rested easy.