Fernandez sat cross-legged, staring at a rusted bronze mirror. His hands twisted and turned in strange directions, intertwining in ways that defied logic.
Every gesture, every single movement, was magically precise. Each motion was efficient yet mechanical. A divine mantra was completed.
-Goooh…
A black crown-shaped halo floated behind his head. The vision scope around Fernandez’s neck trembled. The magical energy stored in the Bronze Throne was rapidly drying up.
-Sssss…
White steam rose from Fernandez’s mouth as he slowly opened his eyes. He shook his hand, and the halo vanished into thin air.
“This isn’t working. The side effects are too severe.”
-Yeah. You don’t look like an Inquisition Officer.
“If I did this openly outside, I’d be branded a heretic and sent straight to the stake.”
There wasn’t anything particularly heretical about him. But that black halo! The spiky, crown-shaped halo looked downright blasphemous.
He had seen it a few times in his past lives, but he had always thought it was just his personal way of manifesting magic, not a side effect of using the Bronze Throne.
But to the ancient who first designed the Bronze Throne, the black halo must have been a fashion icon of the era! No matter how hard he tried, the halo wouldn’t disappear when he used magic.
“There’s no problem with the magic itself. The issue is the halo that appears when the magic manifests.”
-Isn’t that a good thing? If you can use magic, you can still cast spells like the Magic Spike.
“Remember when we tried reverse magic last time? The halo appeared then too.”
-Hmm…
No matter how he looked at it, the halo didn’t seem to serve any functional purpose… Fernandez clicked his tongue in disappointment.
After three sleepless nights of experimentation, Fernandez had failed. The only thing he learned was the limit of his mental and physical efficiency as Diemonica.
-Knock knock
“Yes, come in.”
Someone knocked on his door. Fernandez hid the Bronze Throne as he spoke. The door opened, and a giant entered.
“Ah, brother! Shall we go praise together?”
“Hmm… It’s already that time? I was about to practice swordsmanship with Brother Allen…”
“Too bad! Brother Allen is away on a mission!”
“Then I’ll spar with Kirhas…”
“Sister Kirhas is currently in Torchman training!”
“Then I’ll join Brother Enmagika and…”
“Hey now!”
The giant, Fabiano, grabbed Fernandez’s wrist tightly. Like being crushed by an agricultural press, Fernandez couldn’t move. Fabiano spoke cheerfully.
“I’ve always been worried about your physique, brother! You’re too frail for a Diemonica! Don’t worry. A healthy body houses a healthy mind and healthy praise!”
“Isn’t it usually the other way around?”
“What are you talking about? A healthy mind comes first for a healthy body!”
Fabiano dragged Fernandez out by force. As he was being pulled, Fernandez shouted.
“Honestly, you’re bored, right? All the brothers are on missions, so you’re just left alone, aren’t you?”
“Hmm! Seeing the outdoor praise hall empty breaks my heart! But I’m glad you’re here, brother!”
Fabiano nodded.
“Ughhh!”
“Come on, you can do it, brother! One more time!”
“Ughhhh!!!”
Fernandez’s arms trembled with pain and fatigue. This was the limit! He felt the strength slowly draining from his wrists as he held the barbell.
“Do you feel the pressure on your biceps?”
“Ughhh!!!”
“No?! Brother! Your posture is wrong! Focus on your arms!”
Holding a barbell with a heavy iron bar that could bend a wheel, Fernandez was drenched in sweat as he did curls. Fabiano, doing squats across from him, shouted.
“Brother! Shout! Praise!”
“This… damn it!”
“20? Impressive stamina! Good! Just twenty more!”
You bastard!! Fernandez clenched his teeth so hard they might break, barely managing to lift the barbell.
His biceps and elbows were being destroyed in real-time. At the same time, a monstrous divinity flowing through his blood vessels was healing the damaged muscle fibers.
Literally, muscle destruction and repair were happening simultaneously! What kind of hellish training is this? Fernandez groaned as he lowered the barbell. His arms were shaking.
“Brother Fernandez?”
“Huh? Yes! It’s me! Me!”
-Boom…
When Inquisition Officer Enmagica suddenly appeared and called his name, Fernandez almost drew a holy cross in panic. He quickly dropped the barbell.
“Brother Fabiano! I’m really sorry! Something urgent came up! Ah, Brother Enmagica!”
“Yes, yes?!”
Inquisition Officer Enmagica looked terrified as he glanced at Fernandez’s angry biceps and Fabiano’s furious thighs (which looked three times bigger than Fernandez’s).
“Is it for me?”
“Ah. Yes… yes. Abbot Beorn is looking for you.”
Perhaps because there weren’t many people staying at the Inquisition Office, Beorn had been summoning him more often. Fernandez, slightly nervous, headed to Beorn’s room.
[Emergency Order: Rat Hunt]
Operation Area: Dane Kingdom, Barves Barony, Checkpoint 2.
Operation Summary: Emergency dispatch of an investigation team due to unexpected Walker incident.
Operation Task Force: Diemonica Fernandez Sernerd, Torchman Kirhas Hearttaker.
Call Signs: Fernandez – Angelo (A), Kirhas – Basila (B)
We shall burn demons, heretics, and witches.
Final Approval: Abbot Beorn Shieldbane of St. Bartholomew Monastery.
