Chapter 12
“Is the barrier active?”
“Yes. Even if William the Archmage arrives, it would take him at least three days to dismantle it.”
Two figures, cloaked in white robes from head to toe, conversed calmly.
Unlike the other buildings, the two stood in an empty space, fixated on a particular spot, as if something visible was there, and nodded in unison.
“Have we identified the intruder yet?”
“No, not yet. I was certain it was those church bastards, but it doesn’t seem to be them.”
“There’s no way the church knows where we are.”
“Damn it. We were so close to completing the ritual.”
“It’s just a slight delay.”
“Hm.”
With that, both figures pulled back the hoods of their robes, revealing their faces: one was an elderly man with a long, white beard, and the other, a rugged blonde man with a long scar across his cheek.
With calm steps, they moved toward the center of the building, seemingly oblivious to the empty space around them.
Swoosh—
The white-haired man extended his hand toward the air, and a transparent box appeared in the empty space. Inside the box was a glass hourglass, equally transparent, floating in midair.
“Let’s get ready.”
“Yes.”
They gazed at the hourglass for a moment before extending both hands toward the box, gathering their mana to perform a transfer spell. The spell was intended to move the hourglass to a secure location.
Everyone in this secluded village knew just how important this hourglass was.
Anyone from the Arkaria Continent would be familiar with the legendary tales of Crescent, the First Emperor who founded the Crescent Empire.
The most famous of these legends is about Crescent’s battle against a great demon who invaded the mortal realm—the infamous “Demon Invasion” legend.
It is said that the First Emperor Crescent fought this unnamed archdemon for days on end and eventually incinerated it to ashes.
Though the truth is unconfirmed, legend has it that Crescent decided to commemorate his victory by creating an hourglass using a portion of the demon’s bone dust.
This hourglass, filled with the bone dust of the archdemon, once considered the greatest threat to the First Emperor, has since lost its name but retains its infamy.
Buzz—
The two men, white-haired Shen and scar-faced Max, were convinced that the hourglass in front of them was indeed the legendary one.
And this hourglass, they believed, would be the cornerstone of a revolution, not just for them but for all humanity.
“This is the 50-million-gold hourglass?”
“…W-Who’s there?!”
“Huh, it looks rather plain for something that expensive.”
The two men, who had their eyes closed in concentration, opened them, startled by the sudden voice from beside them.
The white-haired man, Shen, blinked several times, wondering if he was seeing things.
But standing there, examining the hourglass like an appraiser, was a man with black hair, clearly not a hallucination.
“Who… who are you?! And how did you even get here?!”
Shen was visibly shaken. The moment the black-haired man intruded, the transfer spell they had carefully prepared had shattered, and Max looked equally stunned.
‘It’s impossible he broke through the barrier. Did he enter before we set it up?’
Shen struggled to stay calm and assess the situation.
He knew exactly what kind of barrier he had set up.
Even William the Archmage, the wisest on the continent, would take at least three days to understand and dismantle it.
The barrier was one of the best, rejecting entry to any being with even a trace of mana, while allowing mana use freely within.
The elders had personally set this barrier, assuring them that the hourglass would remain safe no matter what.
“I saw this obviously suspicious barrier, so I came in.”
“What nonsense… Max!”
Swish—
Max had already drawn two swords from his robe, pointing them at the black-clad man with the black hair, his expression deadly serious.
Despite the imminent threat, the man continued to inspect the hourglass, seemingly unfazed by Max’s swords.
“Are you with the church?!”
“Hm? No, not really. I don’t get along with the church.”
“Step away from there! Haaah!”
“What? Trying to distract me and then strike…!”
Swoosh—
Max leaped nimbly despite his large frame, swinging his sword down at the black-haired man, but the man was no longer there.
‘He’s fast!’
Seeing the man dodge Max’s sudden attack so easily, Shen instinctively sensed danger.
Not only had the black-haired man avoided Max’s surprise attack, but he had disappeared as if he’d never been there at all.
“Where did he…?”
“But is this the real deal? You didn’t swap it with a fake or anything, right?”
“W-What?!”
Hearing the voice from behind, Shen spun around, preparing to cast an electric spell he’d pre-cast. But when he saw what the man held, he froze.
Somehow, the man had already taken the hourglass out of the box and was shaking it around, inspecting it.
The hourglass containing the archdemon’s bone dust—an object that their organization had tracked down after years of searching.
‘How did he manage to retrieve the hourglass from the box…?’
Shen felt like he was about to lose his mind from the string of incomprehensible events he was witnessing.
Breaking through the barrier was shocking enough, but dodging Max’s attacks so effortlessly and retrieving the hourglass from the box, which was secured by a magic that only the elders could unlock—it defied all logic, even if William the Archmage himself, or even his grandfather, had attempted it.
“This… this can’t be!”
“Shen, what’s wrong?”
Shen glared intently at the man with black hair as if trying to pierce through him.
From his black shoes to the dark hood covering his mouth, even his hair color was black. And his movements, which effortlessly dodged Max’s attacks, were far from ordinary.
“The Black Shadow Corps…?”
The words escaped Shen’s lips as he pieced together the man’s attire and capabilities.
A secretive organization that operates across the continent, known by those aware of the darker side of society.
“What’s that?”
The black-haired man, who had been examining the hourglass with little regard for Shen, finally responded. As soon as Shen mentioned the “Black Shadow Corps,” the man squinted, shooting Shen a fierce look.
Even though his face was partially obscured by the hood, Shen could tell the man was scowling.
“No way…”
Shen had a sudden realization.
The man before him wasn’t just a member of the Black Shadow Corps but its legendary leader, who rarely showed himself.
Breaking through the barrier, undoing the elder’s security magic—things even Shen, who prided himself on his magical skills, couldn’t have achieved.
Though little was known publicly about the leader of the Black Shadow Corps, whispers claimed he could move anywhere like a “black shadow.”
“But… I thought the leader was a woman…!”
“Gah!”
As Shen muttered in disbelief, Max charged forward again, his short blond hair blowing as he lunged at the Corps leader.
Without a hint of movement, the black-haired man—the leader of the Black Shadow Corps—was suddenly right before Shen.
“So, you’ve figured it out?”
Swoosh—
Max’s blade cut through empty space, and Shen instinctively used an electric spell to strike the Corps leader standing right in front of him.
One reason so little is known about the Black Shadow Corps leader is that anyone who discovers his identity never lives to tell the tale.
Zap—
The electricity shot out from Shen’s hand, but it missed, dissipating into the air.
The leader of the Black Shadow Corps vanished like a shadow.
“Max! Be careful! The opponent is the leader of the Black Shadow Corps…!”
Buzz—
“Gah!”
“Damn it!”
Looking at the space where Max had been moments ago, Shen drew more mana.
Where Max had gone didn’t matter right now; he knew he could vanish in the same way if he wasn’t careful.
Crackle, crackle—
Shen enveloped himself in electricity, scanning the surroundings with extreme caution.
‘Follow the mana trail.’
Shen recalled the saying, “As long as you keep your wits, even an orc won’t eat you alive,” and focused.
Maintaining the electric field around his body, he activated a detection spell to search for traces of mana in the area.
If the Black Shadow Corps leader used his ability, he would have left behind a mana trail. Tracing it would reveal his hiding spot.
‘No trace…?’
Buzz—
“Really, making me bring out my gloves.”
“What…?”
Shen froze, feeling a hand on his shoulder. He didn’t even release the electric charge and slowly turned his head.
Staring back at him were the man’s black eyes, as dark as his hair, smiling faintly.
“This isn’t a fake, right?”
Nod—
Shen involuntarily nodded.
Buzz—
Then, Shen vanished from that spot.
—
Read More at – GENZNOVEL.COM!!
PLEASE JOIN OUR DISCORD AND SUBSCRIBE THE ROLE TO RECEIVE LATEST NOTIFICATIONS!!
Click here -> https://discord.gg/S8c2kGVr2g
Comment