Chapter 121 — The Mission Continues

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1

They say that the most dramatic and intense pain a human can experience is a burn.

The smell of burning flesh, the sensation of skin cooking.

Burning alive, unable to breathe, suffocating in unbearable agony…

Now, the wretched scavengers had to fully realize what it meant to become fuel for the fire.

Caesar.

The great family.

Indeed, the place known for gathering only the most exceptional talents was different.

“Leave none alive. Hmm, should we leave at least one?”

“We’ll take care of it right away! Trust us!”

“Hah! They’ve really grown bold! Ha-ha-ha—!”

Knights raised their swords to meet the enemy head-on.

Guardians protected the mages with an ironclad defense, showcasing an impenetrable wall.

Each and every member of Caesar possessed skills comparable to the elite of the imperial palace.

Why else would the emperor have carved out their duchy for them?

Their sword strikes were fierce.

Their shields were unyielding.

Under the moonlight, colorful magic began to incinerate the trash.

‘So… this is Caesar?’

The leader of the Roima grit his teeth as he took in the scene unfolding before him.

Caesar.

Count Acre had warned them.

He told them to never let their guard down.

To deceive the enemy thoroughly.

But the standards of those they faced were far higher than their leader had imagined.

Just how much deceit had been necessary? Just how deeply should they have deceived the enemy?

There was only one reason they had failed.

‘They are far, far greater than we thought—far beyond anything we could have anticipated.’

Look at that boy.

The way he combined magic and Matu in his combat style.

Such elegance, like witnessing the perfect form of a magician.

‘That one—’

No one else mattered, but that one had to be captured.

The thought of escaping alive had long since been abandoned.

The mission was a failure.

But still—

“We have to cut off this sprout.”

Aura gathered.

The blade sharpened with a lethal intent, ready to cut through the enemy.

The flickering mana shaped into the form of a sword, and the killing intent to eliminate the noble filled the air.

It was now or never.

Either he succeeded in this strike, or he would lose his head.

But it had to be done.

That boy was dangerous.

It was clear just from a glance.

If he continued to grow, he would become a Grand Archmage who could one day dominate the entire continent.

“I’m sorry… my lord.”

[“Cherish your life. Do you understand?”]

[“To find another talent like yours would be no easy task. That’s why you’re precious.”]

That’s what Count Acre had said.

No matter what, he was to save his life.

So that he could return to the Count’s territory and take on new missions for him.

For that reason, he had knelt and made a vow.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to go back.”

He had roamed countless battlefields.

The momentum he had gained from spilling so much blood and killing so many was not something easily dismissed.

Boom!

Just as the assassin was about to bring his sword down, Manus delivered a crushing uppercut, sending the man flying.

It was a perfect, timely intervention.

‘He’s—’

That guy was strong.

Every hair on his body stood on end.

What this beast exuded was far more terrifying than the malice of any demon.

How much blood had he spilled?

How many necks had he severed? How much pain had he inflicted?

What level was he?

Could he withstand a single strike from him?

While the surrounding soldiers were all locked in a clash of swords, this man had targeted him and pointed his blade.

‘I have to block it. Can I?’

No, he must.

His senses sharpened to the extreme, and his head throbbed.

A heightened state of focus activated.

Huff—

Time seemed to slow. His breath became excruciatingly slow, and his movements felt sluggish, as if he were moving through molasses.

Boom!

Even the individual grains of dust became visible.

His pupils contracted to their limit, and mana surged through his body.

A straight line.

Reacting to an enemy charging at you in a direct line was not an easy feat.

“Huff—!”

He saw the opponent take a deep breath, tightening every muscle in his body.

Using mana to accelerate, the enemy aimed directly for his heart with his sword.

Manus didn’t just stand still. He assessed the situation and moved.

He recalled the time he had faced Orias.

That was a near-death encounter, barely hanging on to life.

This opponent was human, but he could use the same tactics as before.

His decision was swift, and his actions, instantaneous.

“Unleash—”

Squelch—!

The feeling of being struck and being stabbed by a sword was fundamentally different.

If you asked which was more unpleasant, it would undoubtedly be being stabbed by a sword.

Fiery pain pierced through the gaps in his ribs.

For a moment, his body froze, but the spell was already complete.

He grabbed the sharp blade with his bare hand.

The rush of adrenaline was so intense that he felt no pain.

“You’re lucky.”

“No, it’s skill.”

The man spoke, and Manus replied.

The giant looked blankly upward, and at the end of his gaze was a dazzling magic circle.

Crack—!

A 4th-Class spell.

A pillar of ice crushed the weak human body.

The soldiers of Caesar widened their eyes as they saw the scene.

The second son, Manus, had suffered a serious injury.

The sword had narrowly missed his heart but had left a gruesome wound between his ribs.

Yet, his eyes did not dim.

“The battle comes first. I’m not dead yet. Annihilate the enemy.”

“—Yes, sir!”

Their leader’s tenacity boosted morale.

He neither groaned nor screamed in agony.

Though cold sweat dripped down his face from the pain, he remained calm, scanning the battlefield.

‘Hurts like hell. If I had fought him with Matu…’

He would probably be dead by now.

His body wasn’t fully developed yet, after all.

He yanked the sword from his body and began casting a healing spell.

No one dared target him now.

Tyrannis had already snapped at the sight of Manus getting injured.

“How dare this trash—”

There’s something primal about sibling bonds.

No one else can mess with your younger sibling but you.

Even in the modern era, such people aren’t hard to find. Caesar was no different.

To harm the direct bloodline of such a great family was an unforgivable sin.

A younger brother who had foolishly taken a sword to the body, and those brazen fools who dared attack him.

They had done more than enough to ignite his fury.

“How dare you, you ignorant fools.”

Rumble—

Tyrannis wasn’t capable of triple-casting like Manus.

However, his overwhelming mana lent unimaginable power to even the same spells.

Some would call him a brute.

But to control such brute strength and channel it faster than anyone else was Tyrannis’ strength.

[Ictus — Ceres]

The moon shone brightly in the clear sky.

Without a single cloud in sight, a lightning bolt struck.

Rumble—!

It shattered the stillness and awakened those who had been lying in ambush in the silence.

Mana-infused lightning rained down in a chain reaction.

The 5th-Class lightning spell, packed with an enormous amount of mana, burned everything to ash.

Each flash of light erased another enemy, the devastation unfolding in real-time.

“I had no intention of stepping in… but these trash are really leeching off my mana.”

The soldiers cheered in excitement at the overwhelming power.

With a single spell, the situation had been resolved. Naturally, morale soared.

Manus couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.

‘I still have a long way to go.’

To cast such a powerful spell.

Could the professors even use magic of that caliber?

Or, perhaps, Kael and the others in the future?

Seeing powerful techniques on a monitor was one thing, but witnessing them in person, feeling their presence with your body and eyes, was something else entirely.

If he had intended to use such magic, he should have done so from the start.

Was it another one of those tests or something?

Regardless, the situation had been safely handled.

“Operation complete.”

“Have the mages set up defensive and alarm spells. There won’t be any pursuit for a while.”

“—Should we return now?”

They were deep in the forest with no guide.

Killing the guides as a show of force had left them in a difficult situation.

Manus clutched his stomach and rose to his feet at the suggestion.

Though others moved to assist him, he waved them off, taking a few steps forward and speaking.

A blue glow scanned the surroundings.

Many gazed at him with concern.

“I’ll be the guide.”

“—Don’t think for a second that just because you helped a bit, you can forget your place. You’re a mage, not a guide.”

“There’s no rule saying mages can’t know the way.”

“I’ll be the guide.”

A confident expression spread across Manus’ face.

Tyrannis looked at him, and the memories of the past began to fade little by little.

The scene of him standing up to the assassin, eyes wide and determined.

The face of that weak and cowardly boy from before was being overwritten by a new image.

Even with a lung-piercing injury, Manus had not left the battlefield.

Instead, he had used a strategy that took his enemy’s life, targeting the opposing leader with precision.

And now—

“You’ve picked up some interesting tricks. When did you learn Matu?”

“A while ago. Professor Jennifer would know.”

“…That professor taught you personally?”

Manus nodded silently.

Did this kid have that much potential?

He had even heard recently that Manus had tamed a Divine Beast.

It’s already hard enough to master one elemental magic, let alone—

“Well, just try to master at least one thing properly. But anyway, you’re saying you can find the way?”

“I’ve dabbled in many things. It helped me learn a few things.”

Tyrannis smirked.

For the first time, he felt like his younger brother had gotten the upper hand on him.

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2

Whoosh—

The parchment fluttered as it was lifted into the air.

Manus stood alone in the empty house, watching the scene absentmindedly.

That, too, was something never described in the original.

‘Interesting. This would be perfect for barrier-type magic.’

Solari.

She seemed to have low self-esteem, but in Manus’ eyes, she was an invaluable talent.

If she managed to safely graduate, he thought he’d like to mentor her properly.

Knock, knock—

There was a knock at the door, pulling him from his thoughts.

He turned his head and saw a mage enter with a steaming bowl, the source of delicious aromas.

Come to think of it, after that intense battle, he realized how empty his stomach felt.

“How’s your body, my lord?”

“Not bad. No serious injuries, I hope?”

“No. Everyone’s been going on and on about your incredible leadership.”

“As long as I’ve set an example to be followed, that’s good enough.”

The ingredients were neatly cut, and the broth was rich, with droplets of oil floating on the surface, making it look appetizing.

Thanks to spatial magic, they had managed to bring an abundance of ingredients, so this wasn’t even a luxury.

Once again, he was struck by how amazing magic could be.

He scooped a spoonful and tasted the soup, a savory aroma filling the air.

The rich flavors were enough to make his appetite flare up.

“It’s delicious.”

“I’m relieved to hear that. I was worried—”

“Worried I’d complain about food on the battlefield? I’d be thrown out if I did.”

“Haha… I’ll take my leave, then. Please rest well.”

Manus nodded.

The mage left after mentioning that the bowl would be collected later.

That night, stories of Manus spread throughout the village where tragedy had passed, growing warmer with each retelling.

–TL Notes–
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