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The woman witnessing her manipulated mana disintegrate before her eyes couldn’t conceal her shock and disbelief.

“It… It can’t be…”

“Amari’s magic, dismantled so easily…?”

Among the gathered wizards, none were foolish enough to underestimate Lennok’s skill. A grim tension settled on the faces of those who had encountered a talent they couldn’t even fathom.

“I don’t recognize you. Who are you?” an old man seated in the innermost seat spoke slowly.

“Elder…!”

“This place is a temporary living space granted under our permission. If you have no specific business here, it would be best to avoid this place.”

“I come with the permission of Croken Asilus.”

As soon as that name was uttered, the faces of the people present turned pale.

Indeed.

These must be the dark wizards aligned with the enchantment faction.

“I have something to discuss with you.”

“What is it?”

“I would like to talk about the events at the Palmus Research Institute.”

The moment those words left Lennok’s lips, an icy silence fell over the crowd.

A certain young man stared at Lennok with intense hostility in his eyes.

Lennok knew it was a sensitive subject, but if necessary, he couldn’t avoid it. It was the most captivating topic to capture their attention.

The old man, who had scrutinized Lennok’s face, let out a deep sigh as if compelled.

“This is not a matter to be discussed here. Let us change the location.”

⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩

Inside a modest guest room, Lennok was invited by an elderly man. The room was neatly arranged with basic artifacts and clothing. The man extended his hand for a handshake.

“My name is Raul.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Van, a freelancer.”

As Lennok calmly revealed his name, Raul’s gaze subtly flickered.

“I’ve heard that name. Your reputation as a wizard has been rapidly rising.”

“I was merely fortunate.”

Lennok uttered some humble words that he didn’t truly believe, but Raul was not deceived.

“No, a wizard’s skill is directly proportional to their own enlightenment and capacity. Your growing reputation is proof of your extraordinary talent.”

Raul seemed to let his guard down slightly, knowing that Lennok was a person of some renown.

It might be because he has gained trust that well-known people wouldn’t outrightly criticize them in public.

Indeed, fame and reputation were not always detrimental.

“So, you mentioned that you have something to say about the Palmus Research Institute.”

“Yes. Do you know what happened there?”

“No, I haven’t heard anything about it. But seeing that you’ve come all this way… It’s unlikely to be good news.”

Raul propped his chin on his hand and closed his eyes slowly.

“I’m listening.”

His ability to maintain composure, knowing what had transpired, showcased remarkable mental strength.

Could he remain patient, aware that he might be the target of the impending massacre?

Lennok admired this fact and proceeded to recount the events he had experienced, wasting no time. He explained the massacre at the research institute, his encounter with the dark wizard there, and the outcome of their battle.

“I see…”

Even though Raul had anticipated it, hearing the details directly was still overwhelming. He couldn’t conceal his complex emotions, and his shoulders trembled as he slowly opened his eyes.

After a prolonged silence, he finally spoke up.

“Although we are categorized as dark wizards, we are fundamentally different from them.”

“……”

“To put it bluntly, aside from the fact that we both employ dark magic, we share no common ground. The only thing that brought us together occasionally was the ability to assist each other in District 44 business…”

However, now that their business was on the brink of collapse due to government scrutiny, such a relationship had become meaningless. Raul’s powerless words conveyed this implicitly.

“Anyway, thank you for informing me. Now that we know how aggressive they have become, we need to prepare accordingly.”

Suppressing his grief, Raul turned to Lennok and asked, “So, what do you want? Spare me the empty talk about coming to find me just to convey this information. I know what kind of people freelancers are.”

“…?”

“Even if it’s a favor done out of goodwill, everything has a price. I may be old, but I understand the rules of this street.”

“In that case, I won’t decline.”

Acknowledging that Raul was willing to accommodate his request, Lennok reached into his pocket and produced an object.

It was a black obsidian brooch given to him by the dark wizard from Pandemonium, who said something about “A Stagnant World” and claimed it would be crucial for uncovering the truth.

Would the other dark wizards be familiar with the origin of this object? That was the sole clue Lennok had.

“I’m not sure if you recognize this brooch. I want to know the secret hidden within.”

“… Where did you get this…?”

“I received it from an unnamed dark wizard. The conversation we had was strictly confidential.”

Raul examined the brooch for a while before finally speaking.

“I won’t deny that there are parts I can deduce, but providing a definite answer at this moment is challenging.”

“……”

“The inscription on this brooch comes from a very ancient wizarding family. It’s extinct now, with only remnants of its heritage occasionally resurfacing…”

Although Raul didn’t explicitly say it, it was evident that the wizarding family he referred to had embraced dark magic. Was the individual from Pandemonium also connected to the family Raul mentioned?

“Is there a way to recover those remnants?”

“Hmm, I possess one of them…”

Handing it over to Lennok immediately seemed difficult. Lennok understood this. It appeared that merely sharing the details of the research institute incident wouldn’t be enough to earn such a reward.

“If you have any desired items or conditions, please let me know.”

“Hmm…?”

Raul hesitated for a moment before speaking. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to pass on the remnants, but rather, he seemed to have something he desired but was struggling to express.

Instead, he suddenly shifted the topic of conversation.

“Actually, the Practical faction contacted me.”

“Pardon?”

“They approached me with a plan to stage a formal protest in the outer Districts of Vulcan, aiming to halt the city government’s inspection. It’s rather extreme, if you catch my drift.”

They called it an official protest, but it sounded no different from a full-blown act of terrorism.

“They requested our cooperation, but we declined. I anticipated that there would be consequences, but I never anticipated that our colleagues from the institute would be the first to suffer…”

Raul briefly closed his eyes before looking directly at Lennok and speaking.

“I won’t beat around the bush. I want you to prevent them from harming innocent civilians.”

“Is that your condition?” Lennok asked.

“Yes, that’s it. If things go as they intend, our reputation as wizards will hit rock bottom. The Practical faction is ready to forge ahead, even if it means clashing with the city government, but our position is different.”

For the Practical faction of dark wizards, they could simply leave town if things didn’t work out. But for the Enchantment faction, who primarily dealt with artifacts and items, it was an issue they couldn’t ignore.

“I don’t want to further tarnish the already tarnished reputation of dark magic. We still need this city.”

There was a strange resonance in Raul’s words, but Lennok decided not to delve into it. However, accepting the conditions as they were presented was another matter.

With his fame and earning potential skyrocketing, Lennok’s rewards and income as a freelancer were incomparable to the past. Would confronting the combat dark wizards really help him obtain the legacy Raul spoke of? Accepting the offer solely based on Raul’s favor didn’t seem prudent.

There needed to be appropriate conditions and limitations in place for the reward.

‘The safest way is to do it the way I did with Dyke.’

After contemplating for a moment, he slowly spoke up.

“Let’s set a limit.”

“A limit?” Raul questioned.

“Yes, precisely. We need to determine how far I have to accept your condition and how valuable that legacy truly is. Without knowing this, it’s difficult to waste any more time.”

To be frank, Lennok didn’t necessarily need the Enchantment faction’s assistance. If it was solely a matter of dark magic, he could approach the Practical faction and inquire about the brooch’s origin. Of course, he would need to resolve the animosity resulting from killing a dark wizard at the research institute, but was it worth the trouble?

“Twice. Assuming they truly start their actions, I will stop the terror twice, or until a satisfactory alternative is prepared.”

It was a proposal for further negotiation, but Raul nodded, seemingly unworried about Lennok’s words.

“Let’s do it that way.”

Could Raul perceive the conviction in Lennok’s demeanor, which suggested no regrets?

It was a shrewd decision.

“Now, about the specific schedule…” Raul began, but before they could delve further into their trade, a young man burst into the room, searching for Raul.

“Isaac, can’t you see that I’m in the middle of a conversation with a guest?”

“Now is not the time! Those crazed individuals are wreaking havoc on the streets!”

“…!”

Raul’s expression changed upon hearing those words. As if entranced, he quickly grabbed the remote control from the table and turned on the television in the corner of the room.

The chaotic scene unfolding in the city center filled their eyes harshly.

Streets were ablaze, people ran in panic, buildings were riddled with holes and collapsed, and large craters marred the streets. Amidst the thick smoke, a group of about a dozen individuals emerged, walking in unison. They were all dressed in black robes that concealed their bodies, their hoods pulled deeply over their faces.

Among them, the only one to reveal his identity was a tall, sturdy middle-aged man standing at the center. His fierce eyes and grizzled, disheveled beard gave him a menacing appearance. Intricately carved tree roots resembling a tattoo adorned his face under his eyes. He surveyed the surroundings with a stern expression before slowly moving towards the camera, as if it had been pre-arranged.

Lennok immediately recognized the situation.

“It’s staged.”

There was no way a live camera would be conveniently placed at an impromptu scene of terror. This event had been meticulously planned to be broadcasted far and wide.

“But the lives lost there were not staged,” Raul muttered with a heavy voice. Despite being associated with the Enchantment faction, Raul displayed an unexpected degree of humanity for a dark wizard, as far as Lennok knew. Whether this would be advantageous or not in the future remained uncertain, but Lennok wasn’t concerned about it in that moment.

Meanwhile, the man crouched down in front of the camera, bringing his face closer. His deep, resonant voice reverberated through the air, commanding attention even amidst a bustling street.

[We made a promise with Reisen.]

His words were heavy, carrying a weight that demanded obedience.

[We agreed not to interfere with each other while we integrate into this city.]

As he spoke, he reached out and gripped the collar of a fallen individual. His strong arm was prominent, as he held the limp head of a young man and muttered,

[But you broke that promise. And now, we have no reason to respect the order here.]

Whooosh!

Sticky black magic surged, painfully infiltrating the young man’s nose and mouth.

The outcome was not difficult to predict.

“What in the world…?” Raul turned his head with a weary sigh.

[And this…]

The unconscious young man swelled before violently bursting open.

[… is our response.]

Blood spattered onto the man.

It was a gruesome and sickening execution.

Yet, the only solace in this horrific moment was the sheer force of the man’s presence.

A heavy silence enveloped the room.

Likely, similar silence pervaded other places where people were witnessing this moment.

[We don’t expect to take everything from Vulcan.]

The man’s composed voice echoed relentlessly.

[But we can certainly destroy something you all hold dear.]

[Reisen.]

The man, now appearing as if he wept blood, brought his face close to the camera and uttered,

[Wait for us.]

Crack!

(TO BE CONTINUED)