Episode 34
“This is troublesome.”
Simon’s face was unusually tense, a stark contrast to his usual carefree demeanor.
‘Even if I push the blood art to its absolute limit, it’ll still take at least five minutes to get there.’
Five minutes.
Not a long time, but would Christian be able to hold on that long?
Considering the gap in power, the demon could have cut Christian’s throat ten times over in that span.
‘Please, just stay alive.’
No matter how loyal Simon was to the Nordians, letting the bloodline of a dark mage die was a problem.
With a silent prayer that the reckless young master would perform a miracle and survive without falling to the demons, Simon activated the blood art.
His body dissolved into a mist of crimson fog and vanished.
[Holy sword? Interesting idea, but you’ve misunderstood.]
The demon chuckled leisurely.
[A holy sword without the mana of radiance cannot deal a fatal blow to a being of our evil.]
The holy sword was devastating against the wicked Gehanna, but without the infusion of radiant mana, it was only half a weapon.
Magic energy transformed by dark power was called Magi, while that transformed by light was Mana.
Both Magi and Mana had various attributes, but radiant mana was the highest tier among all.
The power of a hero.
Only when the holy sword combined with radiant mana could it unleash its true strength.
“Right, without radiant mana, no matter how holy the sword, it can’t bring you down.”
Chris nodded in agreement with the demon’s words.
But then—
“Why do you think I can’t use radiant mana?”
[…What?]
Chris took a moment to look inward.
He focused on the mana core below his navel.
His mana core was dual-layered.
Like an outer and inner core, the outer ‘Magi’ enveloped the inner ‘Mana.’
He stirred the ‘Mana’ deep inside.
‘This feeling… it’s been a while.’
Unlike the rough, wild Magi, the pure and serene energy of Mana spread through his body.
It was as if he’d changed clothes; Chris’s entire aura shifted.
Feeling refreshed, he took a step forward.
[W-What…?! This is impossible…!]
The demon, realizing what had happened to Chris, cried out in shock.
[How can a demon like you wield radiant mana?!]
“I’m a genius, that’s why.”
Chris smiled bitterly.
The broken holy sword began to quietly wail.
A deep, resonant hum—like a cry of joy.
Brilliant light gathered on the blade.
The power of the constellation dwelling within the sword was now manifesting through the radiant mana.
It was the Shine Blade.
‘One chance only.’
Chris fought the sudden surge of blood rushing backward inside him.
His strength wasn’t yet enough to fully awaken the constellation’s blessing in the sword.
He forced himself to push through, knowing he had only one shot.
Though the strain nearly overwhelmed his mind, he barely held on.
One chance was all he had, but it was enough.
[Ugh… This can’t be…]
The demon trembled in fear and took a step back.
It knew instinctively what would happen if it took a direct hit from that power.
“You promised not to dodge.”
Chris raised his sword.
Step by step, he advanced.
To his surprise, the demon retreated with every step he took.
An unbelievable sight.
The promise made with the demon and devils was absolute—no counterattacks, no evasions allowed.
Chris narrowed his eyes.
His right foot stepped back, left foot stretched forward, forming a precise stance.
A thin, false line of light extended from his sword toward the demon.
Following that line, he moved the holy sword.
This was no ordinary dark mage’s swordsmanship.
It was a secret technique once wielded by heroes.
A sword style passed down only to the true heirs of the Swordsmanship House.
Shikai Issen—One Flash Across the Dead Sea.
A single beam of light slicing through the dead sea.
Again, blood surged within him, but he endured and struck.
A majestic beam of light pierced the demon’s chest.
The radiant brilliance pierced through the evil.
A dazzling flash erupted from within the demon’s body.
Though the light wasn’t abundant—just enough not to spill outside the demon’s form—it was brighter than any other light.
Enough to obliterate a low-ranking demon with ease.
[H-How…?!]
The demon raised trembling hands.
Then, from its fingertips, it crumbled into dust and vanished in an instant.
It was annihilated.
“Ugh!”
Chris coughed up blood.
His body was in shambles.
‘Luckily, it worked. It was half a gamble.’
As a member of the Union, his skill was rated three stars.
Using the Shine Blade and the advanced Shikai Issen technique was beyond his limits, but he barely managed it.
‘This is tough.’
His vision began to blur.
The lingering effects of the demon’s instrument and the strain of using such power were pulling him toward unconsciousness.
‘Maybe I can rest a little.’
From afar, he sensed footsteps approaching quickly.
Not an enemy.
Someone who had noticed the commotion and was coming to help.
Just as he was about to close his eyes in relief—
A chill ran down his spine.
‘Someone’ was watching him.
From beyond the rift of Gehanna.
He couldn’t see them, but he could feel it clearly.
A presence far more distant and profound than the demon’s gaze earlier.
[Hmph… How intriguing.]
“!!”
Chris’s fingers trembled.
It wasn’t his will—it was a reflex.
A deep, piercing malice stabbed his skin.
No, this malice was too pure to be malice at all.
It was more like a fundamental law of the world itself.
[My name is Mephina. I am the First Seat of Gehanna’s Seventh Circle.]
A dark whisper echoed in his fading consciousness.
[From now on… I will be watching you.]
Like sinking into a swamp, the voice was both hypnotic and seductive.
[I look forward to it.]
That day caused a huge stir in the Tiramain noble house.
The Karazov rampage!
And the subsequent appearance of the demon!
Both were unexpected disasters.
Normally, the young demons who participated in the ebony ritual would have been slaughtered.
But not a single casualty occurred.
All thanks to Chris.
The very same young demons who had scorned him as a reckless fool.
“Is Master Christian still unconscious?”
“Yes, he hasn’t regained consciousness yet.”
“…That’s worrying.”
“…Indeed.”
The Tiramain demons spoke gravely.
“If it weren’t for Master Christian, Karazov would have wiped us all out.”
“Karazov wasn’t the real problem. Master Christian even faced off against the demon. To protect us.”
No one knew exactly how Christian had confronted the demon.
By the time they arrived, the demon had already vanished.
They assumed it had been forcibly recalled—sent back to Gehanna.
Demons were bound by time and had to return eventually.
In any case, if Christian hadn’t stood against the demon, everyone there would have died.
Christian was the savior of the Tiramain house.
Their earlier disdain for him weighed heavily on their faces.
Some time later.
Chris blinked awake, dazed.
He was in a bed inside a mansion.
‘Where am I? The Tiramain estate?’
It seemed so.
The family crest was painted on the far wall.
He must have been brought here while unconscious.
‘My head hurts a bit from the instrument’s influence, but my body feels fine. The ebony ritual is intact too.’
Chris quickly assessed his condition and sighed in relief.
Considering he’d unexpectedly encountered a demon, things had ended well.
‘That Mephina… I’ve attracted some unwanted attention.’
The interest of a devil.
Actually, it wasn’t uncommon.
Prominent demons or Union members often drew the attention of devils and constellations.
If they became ‘contractors,’ they could receive blessings and grow rapidly, but that didn’t apply to Chris.
‘I have no intention of making a pact with devils.’
By personal conviction, he refused to associate with devils.
More importantly, Chris didn’t need their blessings.
‘Only weaklings accept that kind of thing.’
He was confident he could reach the pinnacle of the Mage Empire on his own talent alone.
‘Well, it’s nothing to worry about. Devils can’t directly influence me.’
At most, devils and constellations could only try to tempt him into contracts or bestow blessings.
‘A Seventh Circle devil isn’t even that high-level.’
Chris dismissed the devil’s interest lightly.
‘But no one’s coming? I’m hungry. How do I call a servant?’
Just then, the door opened.
Not a servant.
A towering figure, massive as a mountain.
Yet somehow, his expression seemed a bit stingy.
It was the Tiramain Count!
Chris was slightly startled and sat up in bed.
“My lord, it’s an honor.”
“No, stay lying down.”
The Count pressed gently on Chris’s shoulder with his large, pot-lid-sized hand, pushing him back down.
Then, with eyes as big as a tiger’s, he blinked down at Chris.
“??”
Chris looked puzzled.
Then, unexpectedly, the Count bowed his head to Chris!
“Thank you.”
“!!”
“I’ve heard the story. How you saved Alos and the servants of our Tiramyn family. We owe you a great debt,”
Count Tiramyn said, offering both an apology and his gratitude at once.
“We treated you harshly, yet you helped us instead. I’m truly ashamed—and deeply thankful.”
Chris forced a somewhat awkward smile inwardly.
‘The truth is, rescuing Karazov was just a little scheme of mine.’
Well, there was no need to reveal that now.
At times like this, it was best to just accept the benefits.
“Please, it was nothing. I only did what anyone in my position would.”
“Anything that’s ‘nothing’?”
“Yes. Aren’t we family? Helping each other in times of crisis is only natural.”
Count Tiramyn’s face fell, as if he’d just been struck.
“Family, huh? Well, yes… I suppose we are.”
Though distant, the Kazar and Tiramyn houses shared the same bloodline.
A wave of shame washed over the count.
‘To think I acted so petty toward someone like this.’
“Is there anything you desire? If there’s something you want, I’ll do whatever I can to grant it.”
Chris hesitated at the offer.
‘What kind of reward would be fitting?’
He did have something in mind.
The incense.
He had swapped the ebony for incense when smuggling it out, and it would be nice to claim that incense as compensation.
But then another thought struck him.
He studied Count Tiramyn’s face carefully.
Despite his narrow-minded streak, the count’s honest bow suggested he wasn’t entirely a bad person.
Maybe it was better to ask for something else.
Something far more valuable than incense.
‘Besides, I can always get more incense later.’
Chris finally spoke.