A man with beautiful hair as red as flames swung his sword. His gorgeous muscles were laced with drops of sweat despite the cold morning air. His rising body temperature heated the surrounding air on the training ground.
“Still not enough,” he mumbled as he held on tight to his sword.
That day’s battle.
That day’s loss.
That magnificent red spear haunted his thoughts.
He untangled his memories and examined them one by one.
After that, his muscles tensed again. Something cracked through the air. Was that the sound of a flame, or was it something else?
His sword ripped through the air; it grew, faded, and disappeared, but it wasn’t connected by anything as mundane as a wire. It trailed a tail of fire behind it.
As one might imagine, there was nothing in the training hall that was close to him within a radius of ten meters. So what did he cut?
What happened next answered that question.
The man returned his sword to its scabbard. As it rasped against the leather, an enormous tree ten meters thick fell to the ground with an earth-splitting roar. It was a giant tree that was relatively far from the training ground. And it didn’t stop there. The fallen tree burst into flames.
The man looked at the burning tree in silence. It then instantaneously crumbled into ashes. Just as he was about to take a step forward, he was interrupted.
“Congratulations, Your Highness.”
The man stopped as he heard a voice coming from behind him.
“You have broken through yet another wall.”
“This isn’t the full power yet.”
“I was astonished to discover that a knight could control fire without the help of Magma.”
Ulabis looked back at his loyal servant.
“It’s not easy. I know that I have reached power beyond A-Class, but that power places a lot of pressure on my body.”
“Is that right?”
“At times like this, I sometimes miss the power of Magma.”
“Can... Can I ask what happened?” the knight cautiously inquired.
Ulabis didn’t answer for a moment.
“I have never once thought of Magma’s power as a cheat. Divine objects require talent to be handled well. The power to wipe out everything is not something allowed to the masses. Just like how Knights choose their own masters, the stones choose their own liege as well.” Ulabis stared into the distance. “In that sense, Magma was my pride.”
“If...”
“But suddenly, one day, a master appeared, and he could handle that power better than I could.”
The knight’s eyes widened at the unexpected revelation he had heard for the very first time.
“My ‘pride’ has been given to someone worthy, so you don’t have to worry too much.”
“Well, if Your Highness deems it that way, then I understand,” the knight agreed. He revered his master too much to doubt him in the slightest. But if he knew what the Primordial Stones were, no amount of faith would have kept him under control.
Ulabis looked at him and smiled lightly.
“Ah, but what are you doing here so early in the morning?”
“AH!” The knight remembered his purpose, and his expression turned serious. “Well, you see... Your prior orders aside, the Swallow Empire has been acting strangely recently. About twenty moderate aristocrats, including Duke Amor were purged yesterday evening. They were all known to oppose the current royal power.”[1]
Ulabis froze upon hearing his subordinate’s report. He knew clearly who was the real culprit behind the bloodbath in Swallow...
“Grand Duke Lucifer...”
Ulabis’s eyes narrowed as he muttered the culprit’s name.
“Are you talking about me?” Cain frowned upon hearing Icarus’ words.
“I didn’t say that.”
Icarus shrugged at Cain, who snorted.
“Please! Stop now!” Rodman shouted. “STOP! I get it already! I know you’re a mage now, so stop!”
Joshua smirked and reigned in Bronto’s power.
Rodman sighed in relief as he watched the lightning fizzle away.
“I’m not sure I’d survive if I asked you to show me something else.”
“Do I look like I’d do that?”
“I know, I know. I get it already!” Rodman turned away from Joshua.
“Don’t do anything else; the Magic Tower has eyes everywhere!”
“I see. I will remember that.”
“If you’re going to the Magic Tower, you will need to take that robe off!” Rodman turned around and growled at him. “After all, you have to be alone.”
“Ch-Chief Mage!”
“Stop giving any excuses!”
“It’s something else!” The young mage held up a brightly shining crystal ball. “Thetapirion’s tracks have been located!”
Rodman’s eyes bulged.
“What?”
“He’s with a woman!”
Rodman dashed toward the novice and questioned, “Where!?”
“They’re... Uh...” The younger mage looked nervous. “They’re at the Tower of Trials.”
“HUH?”
“Apparently, Zephyros and Scorpino have already gone after them.”
Rodman bit his lip nervously.
“Let’s go quickly. We can’t be late.”
“Understood!”
“All the fish have taken the bait! Opportunities like this don’t come too often! Stay alert and be prepared! Gather around me!” Rodman roared out his instructions.
All of Rodman’s mages assembled at his becker.
Pshh!
All of them then vanished in a flash of bright white light.
Two people’s mouths were agape. The third looked pensive.
“Tower of Trials... Thetapirion. I’ll make a move first,” Joshua snapped.
“M-Master!”
Joshua’s figure vanished before Icarus and Cain could stop him.
“How? How did he do it?”
Icarus and Cain could only stare blankly in the direction Joshua had gone.
1. Moderate (온건파) Political ideology-Moderate is an ideological category that designates a rejection of radical or extreme views, especially in regard to politics and religion. A moderate is considered someone occupying any mainstream position avoiding extreme views. ☜