Episode 83. The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (5)

In a dimly lit basement.

The only light came from the densely carved magic circles on the floor and walls, illuminating the figure of a noblewoman in a lavish dress, her expression twisted in anger.

“The first Sun Gate has been breached?”

Rozanna Helios, the head of the Helios Family, frowned at the absurd report coming through the Hero Watch.

The Sun Gate, guarded by hundreds of soldiers 24/7, had been breached?

“How many intruders are there?”

“O-one.”

“One? Just one?”

Rozanna glared at the Hero Watch, her eyes narrowing as the voice of the Guard Captain continued.

“Get a grip and report properly. What’s going on?”

[I-it’s as I reported! The intruder single-handedly subdued 282 guards stationed at the Sun Gate and broke through the main entrance!]

“……”

Not only did they not sneak in through the less guarded outer walls, but they also broke through nearly 300 guards head-on?

‘This is ridiculous…’

Of course, the 300 guards weren’t “Heroes” who had been granted the Holy Mark, but they were still skilled fighters armed with magical tools.

Even if a Hero possessed superhuman strength, taking down 300 armed guards alone was no easy feat.

“Report any notable characteristics of the intruder.”

[G-gray hair, wearing the uniform of a Reynaldo Hero School candidate!]

Gray hair and a Reynaldo Hero School candidate uniform?

‘No way.’

Rozanna’s expression hardened.

The face of that Republic mongrel who had dared to defy her during the observation class flashed through her mind.

“…Where is the intruder now?”

[They’re rapidly approaching the mansion!]

“Deploy the Sun’s Knights to subdue the intruder.”

The second Sun Gate protecting the Helios Family.

The Sun’s Knights, ranked among the top three in the Empire, resided within the Helios Family estate, tasked with defending the family from external threats.

[Understood!]

The sound of hurried footsteps faded, and silence fell over the basement.

“Mother, surely not…”

“Stay down and don’t move.”

Rozanna turned to Yurina, who was trying to rise from the operating table, chewing her lip nervously.

A few minutes passed.

Another report came through the Hero Watch.

[The Sun’s Knights are currently engaging the intruder!]

“Good.”

Rozanna let out a sigh of relief at the report.

Unlike the guards at the entrance, the Sun’s Knights were an elite force composed entirely of “Heroes” who had awakened their Holy Marks.

Moreover, they weren’t just any ragtag group of Heroes—they were a powerful order made up of candidates who had graduated from the Reynaldo Hero School with outstanding grades.

If it was the Sun’s Knights, who could even stand against large guilds, they should be able to handle a mere candidate…

[Th-the Sun’s Knights are being pushed back!]

“What?”

[Half of the Sun’s Knights have already lost consciousness, and the remaining half are barely holding on!]

“W-what are you talking about?”

Rozanna brought her face closer to the Hero Watch, her expression one of disbelief.

Less than five minutes had passed since the report of the engagement, and now this absurd news?

Half of the Sun’s Knights unconscious?

The other half barely holding on?

‘What on earth is happening?’

The situation was so ludicrous that she almost wanted to believe it was some kind of prank orchestrated by the Guard Captain.

[Captain Robert is currently engaging the intruder!]

[Ca-Captain Robert is being pushed back!]

[Captain Robert has fallen! The entire Sun’s Knights are incapacitated!]

Rozanna’s face turned pale at the successive reports.

Robert Helios, her closest confidant and captain of the Sun’s Knights, was a Hero who carried the blood of the Helios Family.

Though he was the son of a concubine and thus hadn’t been able to learn the Sun Sword, the secret art of the Helios Family.

Still, he was a powerful Hero, ranked within the top 100 of the Three Kingdoms Hero Rankings, a so-called “Ranker.”

“A candidate defeated a Ranker?”

And it wasn’t even a hard-fought victory.

Judging by the time of the report, Robert hadn’t even lasted three minutes before being overwhelmed.

Even with the combined efforts of the Sun’s Knights.

“What is this…? What’s going on?”

Rozanna pressed her hand to her forehead, unable to comprehend the situation.

A single candidate breaking into the Helios Family alone was already absurd, but to breach two Sun Gates that had never been breached in 500 years in the blink of an eye?

It was impossible unless a “Archbishop”-level Mine had invaded.

[The intruder is heading toward the mansion!]

“St-stop them!”

[But we have no more troops…]

“There must be emergency troops stationed inside the mansion! Take them all and stop him!”

[U-understood!]

The voice faded away in a panic.

“The situation doesn’t seem favorable.”

Faust, who had been quietly observing the unfolding events from the operating table, spoke up.

“N-no! It’s fine! Please focus on the procedure, Doctor!”

“Hmm. It doesn’t seem like the right time for a procedure, though…”

Faust shrugged and continued.

“But you don’t need to worry, do you?”

“Huh? What do you mean…?”

“There are three Sun Gates in the Helios Family.”

“……”

Rozanna’s expression stiffened at Faust’s words.

The third Sun Gate of the Helios Family.

Inside the mansion, a protective barrier installed by the great sage Julius Bastian himself was in place.

“But if we activate the protective barrier…”

Rozanna trailed off, biting her lip.

The barrier installed by Julius wasn’t meant to “subdue” intruders.

It was a barrier specialized in “elimination,” capable of reducing intruders to ashes in an instant with countless magical bombardments.

“Ugh…”

Even if the intruder was a Republic mongrel, Rozanna hesitated at the thought of killing a candidate who had just turned twenty.

“What are you hesitating for? Surely you’re not thinking of showing mercy to a thug who invaded your family?”

“N-no, it’s not that…”

“Then quickly contact the guards and activate the third Sun Gate.”

“……”

Rozanna silently looked down at the Hero Watch.

[The intruder has entered the mansion!]

Urgent reports continued to pour in through the Hero Watch.

“Is there anything more important right now than creating the ‘Sun’ for the Helios Family?”

Faust’s sweet whisper continued.

As Rozanna gulped and was about to speak.

“N-no!”

Yurina, lying on the operating table, frantically tried to sit up.

It wasn’t hard to guess who the “intruder” wreaking havoc in the mansion was.

‘Dale.’

She didn’t know why he was here.

But as far as she knew, the only candidate capable of single-handedly incapacitating hundreds of guards and the Sun’s Knights was Dale.

The joy of Dale coming to rescue her was short-lived.

As soon as she heard the words “activate the protective barrier,” a chilling shiver ran down her spine.

‘I have to stop Mother.’

No matter how strong Dale was, there was no way he could survive the protective barrier laid down by the great sage.

“Stop, Mother… Ah!”

*Zap!*

At that moment, a bright light erupted from the magic circle around the operating table.

The light formed chains, binding Yurina’s body.

“Ugh…! Let me go!”

“It’s not good to defy your mother.”

Faust smirked coldly as he turned to Rozanna.

“Lady Rozanna?”

“…Understood.”

Rozanna, as if having made up her mind, picked up the Hero Watch.

“Activate the barrier.”

[Th-the barrier, you say?]

“Do you plan to just sit back and watch while the intruder enters the mansion?”

[N-no. I’ll activate the barrier immediately.]

*Whoooooosh!*

As the great sage’s barrier activated, a powerful wave of magic power reached the basement.

“N-no! Please stop…!”

Yurina reached out desperately.

But before her frantic cries could continue.

*BOOOOOOM!!!*

A terrifying roar shook the entire mansion.

Cracks formed in the basement ceiling, and chunks of plaster fell.

Soon, a report came through the Hero Watch.

[The protective barrier is functioning normally.]

“Phew. Good. What about the intruder?”

[I’ll go check now.]

The sound of someone running off with the communicator could be heard.

The Guard Captain, coughing repeatedly due to the smoke filling the mansion from the magical bombardment, spoke.

[The intruder has been confirmed dead.]

“Well done.”

Rozanna nodded with a bright smile.

“Ah…”

Yurina’s eyes widened in shock.

“Ah, ugh.”

Yurina wrapped her trembling arms around herself.

“Ah, AHHHHHHHH!”

She let out a scream as if having a seizure, writhing in pain.

The chains of light dug into her body, causing blood to seep out.

“You… you… how dare you!”

Yurina glared at Rozanna with bloodshot eyes.

“Yurina, you…”

“I’ll kill you! I’ll definitely kill you!”

Rozanna looked at Yurina, who was radiating murderous intent, with a bewildered expression.

This was a side of her daughter she had never seen before.

The gentle, obedient daughter who had always followed her every word was gone, replaced by a demonic figure contorted in rage, her entire body drenched in blood.

“How dare you speak to your mother like…”

As Rozanna was about to scold Yurina harshly.

[…What the.]

A dazed voice came from the Hero Watch.

[Why… why is he still alive?]

“…What did you say?”

Rozanna frowned and lifted the Hero Watch.

“What’s going on?”

[A-ah. Oh, oh no.]

“Guard Captain?”

[Stay away, you monster!]

*Crash!*

The sound of something breaking, and then the communication cut off.

“What on earth…”

Rozanna stared dumbfounded at the Hero Watch as the communication ended.

*Thud, thud.*

Footsteps could be heard beyond the basement door.

Rozanna looked at the tightly shut basement door with trembling eyes.

“Surely not…”

Before she could finish her sentence.

*BOOOOOOM!!!*

With a deafening roar, the basement door was shattered.

Thick gray smoke filled the air.

Amid the swirling ash, a pair of green eyes glowed fiercely.

“Yuren… no, Yurina, was it?”

Dale, who had casually walked into the basement, looked at Yurina bound on the operating table and reached out his hand.

“I’ve come to take you back.”