N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
C 280
The memory of a conversation between Derus Robert and Martio passed through my mind as I had overheard it in a previous life.
"The reason the White Blood Religion Leader is truly formidable isn't because of her overwhelming might, but rather due to her vile sorcery. It's difficult to approach the threat of sorcery that can be triggered from anywhere and in any manner."
Derus had spoken these words, briefly flicking his tongue.
"Especially when fighting the White Blood religion Leader where sorcerous devices have been set up beforehand, it's akin to begging for death. Do you remember the shadows we sent to the village of Reten not long ago?"
"Yes."
Martio had nodded his head stiffly, like a wooden puppet.
"Those were the White Blood religion Leader's sorcery as well. She inserts life force into the humans within the sorcerous devices, turning them into sacrifices that obey the will of the sorcerer. After enhancing the life force that becomes purer and more potent, he extracts and consumes it. The parasitism of life force is truly astonishing, isn't it?"
Derus had deemed it a beautiful and efficient method, instructing Martio to analyze and study that technique.
Though it had failed, the knowledge he had acquired by studying that method had filled him with insights about sorcery and its techniques.
Lost in thought, Raon chewed on his lip, recalling that conversation from that day.
"It's certain. That's the sorcery."
The form and technique had changed significantly since then, but the purpose remained the same.
Although he had witnessed and even committed numerous vile deeds as a hunting dog in his past life, this was different.
He couldn't fathom how one could have such thoughts.
"These people are all becoming sacrifices...."
Before his eyes, countless people turned into prey for the White Blood religion Leader's sorcerous devices once they were completed.
Though they might believe themselves to be living as free humans, in reality, they would transform into fish trapped in a tank, awaiting the moment they'd be placed on the guest's plate, guided by the will of their life force.
"I can't just leave it be."
Sylvia's voice echoed in his mind.
Her only request, befitting her role as a seeker, was that she)he would wield his sword for the sake of the weak.
"No, not just that."
Beyond Sylvia's plea, as a human, he was disqualified if she)he merely stood by and watched.
"Ahahaha!"
"Today's luck is great. Let's play just one more round!"
"Out of alcohol? Bring it all!"
"Thank you so much for today."
"Let's meet again next time."
Raon gazed up at the sky from the bustling central avenue of Granseville, where the noise was almost deafening.
Firm determination filled his heart as he stared at the mist of life force that spread like a cluster of clouds.
"I will shatter it."
By any means necessary.
*****
Martha knelt down and leveled her gaze with the girl, keeping her lips sealed.
"What's your name?"
Deciding to shift the topic away from her wounds, she aimed to engage the girl in conversation.
"Luna."
"Luna? That's somewhat similar to the name of a foolish girl I know."
"Foolish girl?"
"Yes, that's right. There's a girl who's clueless every day of the year."
"Is there really such a person in the world?"
"Absolutely. When the chance comes, you'll see for yourself."
Martha recalled Luna's absentmindedness and chuckled.
"My name is Martha."
"Marta..."
"Luna, something really important came up. Can you tell me how you got those wounds?"
"......"
Luna displayed a childlike demeanor until the topic turned to her injuries, at which point she tightly shut her mouth.
"These wounds are recent. Can you tell me who did this to you?"
Marta's eyes narrowed as she looked at the scars on Luna's arm.
From the way the wound gaped, it seemed like a wound from a sharp blade or knife.
"I, I wasn't hurt by anyone. And..."
Luna's voice faltered as she held back from speaking further about it.
"Hmm."
Martha sighed deeply and tossed the wallet back to Luna, catching it as she received it.
"Well, I guess I can't force you. Let's go."
"Wh-where are we going?"
"Where else? To the guards, of course. We can't just let a pickpocket go unpunished. Oh wait, no. We have to deal with that guy first."
"That guy?"
"Yes. A human-turned-dog. A lunatic who specializes in turning people into mad dogs."
Martha grinned with a cool smile, looking down at Luna.
"Oh no! I must go back today!"
"That's not my concern."
"Please! I have a younger sibling!"
Luna held onto Martha's sleeve with pleading eyes.
"Hmm..."
Martha chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully.
'So that's why.'
If someone got caught by a master, their wrist would be severed without any hesitation.
It was common sense not to meddle with mercenaries or vagabonds when it came to pickpocketing.
Luna was probably too young to know that, but she seemed to be in a hurry despite understanding the situation.
"Because of the protection fee?"
"Yes. It's due tomorrow..."
Luna trembled as she nodded, her desperation and earnestness evident in her expression.
"Alright. If you tell me, I'll give you everything in this wallet."
Martha pointed at the wallet she held in her hand.
"Everything in it?"
"Yes, everything."
"Umm..."
Luna's pupils rolled uncertainly from side to side.
The eyes that had been brimming with fear, embarrassment, and anxiety gradually stopped.
"...Okay."
"Good."
Martha unhesitatingly tossed the wallet to Luna.
"Whew..."
Luna breathed a sigh of relief as she gingerly took the wallet.
"To be honest, I didn't get these wounds from anyone."
"What?"
"I got these wounds from burying a stone in the ground."
She winced, tracing the not-yet-healed scar with her fingers.
"You got hurt from burying a stone?"
"Yes. If I bury a stone at a designated spot, they give me money. I was doing that when I got this wound. It's been quite a while, but it just hasn't healed properly."
Martha inspected Luna's arm more closely. Judging from the wound, it seemed like it could have been caused by a sharp rock.
"Who told you to bury the stone?"
"That... was Tuis."
"Tuis?"
"Yes. He's a merchant. He gives food and snacks to homeless kids, provides us with a place to stay, and sometimes gives us pocket money in exchange for doing some work for him."
Luna's smile was faint as she talked about Tuis.
She seemed to hold favorable feelings for him.
"Why did he ask you to bury the stone?"
"It's because he said the stone protects the village from evil spirits."
"Doesn't anyone else know about this?"
"No, they do know, but they've come to accept it. He's really superstitious. However, lately he's been telling us not to listen to him anymore..."
"I see."
Listening to Luna's words, Martha clenched her fist.
'I got you.'
It was clear that Tuis was part of the White Blood religion.
Using children to perform his dirty deeds under the guise of helping them was evident from what had transpired.
'Initially, he probably gave them fake stones, and now he's probably giving them stones infused with life force.'
In the beginning, when suspicions would naturally arise, he would have had them bury ordinary stones.
Now that interest had waned, he might have provided stones with genuine life force.
He was quite cunning.
"Luna, thank you."
"Ah..."
Luna bit her lip, her face tinged with guilt.
"You might have saved this place."
"I did? Saved?"
"Maybe. You'll know in due time."
Martha smiled gently and patted Luna's shoulder.
"Thanks to you, we might be able to find the real evil spirits."
*****
Raon smiled faintly as she listened to Martha's story.
"I thought it was too late to keep her tied up, but I didn't expect her to give us this kind of information."
Martha had brought a bigger lead than anyone else.
It was even more surprising since they hadn't anticipated it at all.
"That chatterbox and the sleepyhead are definitely different."
Martha chuckled as she glanced at Burren and Runaan.
"Argh!"
"..."
Burren scowled in irritation, and Runaan blinked innocently.
"This is the stone Luna talked about."
"Me?" ( Luna and Runaan probably sounds the same in Korean)
"Not you!"
Martha waved her hand dismissively at Runaan and handed Raon a smooth stone, palm-sized.
"I didn't sense a damn thing from it though."
"Hmm..."
Raon squinted her eyes as she examined the stone Marta had given her.
'Certainly there.'
When using the Ring of Fire to manipulate the element, he could detect traces of life force that had been embedded deep within the stone.
If his senses hadn't been heightened, he might not have noticed it.
'Using young children, huh?'
He was quite the manipulative thinker.
No one cared about abandoned children.
Even the black market didn't show much interest in children, claiming there were countless paths they could take in their future.
Unless they reached an appropriate age or obtained a profession, they were no different from beggars.
They didn't pay much attention to kids who were practically indistinguishable from beggars.
'And he played with their psychology too.'
At first, he acted like a kind merchant who gave pocket money to children in exchange for performing odd jobs after burying seemingly worthless stones.
Then, once all suspicions were dispelled, he must have installed stones charged with real life force.
'He must have used that technique.'
Tusa, the merchant, had most likely instructed the kids to bury those stones to complement the ritual in Granseville's upper city.
"I've found out something too."
After settling Burren, Martha, and Runaan down, Raon shared the information she had gathered until now.
"Doing something that insane..."
"Ugh..."
Burren bit his lip until it turned white, and even Runaan, who usually reacted calmly, looked angry enough to draw her sword.
"I need to talk to Luna. He could be in danger!"
Martha turned as though she were about to dash out.
Although Luna had been told not to speak about her, Martha was anxious after hearing Raon's information.
"Martha, it's good to go, but what you really need to watch isn't Luna."
Raon slowly raised her head.
"Tusa will call for Luna soon. Keep an eye on that guy."
"Tusa will call Luna?"
"Yeah. He's almost completed the ritual."
Seeing the mass of life force hovering in the sky, it was clear that the ritual wouldn't take much longer to activate.
Considering Tusa's cautious nature, he would likely move the children this time as well.
"Martha and Team 1 will locate Tusa. Burren and Team 3, support Team 1. Runaan and Team 2, keep tracing the White Blood religion as you were."
"Understood."
"Yeah."
Burren, Martha, and Runaan nodded and left the room.
"I should go too."
Raon quietly opened the door and left.
Though it was dawn, Granseville's night remained as vibrant and noisy as ever.
Without showing himself to anyone, Raon stood on the rooftop of an old tavern, looking up at the sky.
"It's so clear."
The night sky was so clear that there wasn't a single cloud to be seen.
Raon chuckled and invoked the Ring of Fire, causing clouds of life force to gather in the clean sky.
Raon brushed back his red hair and laughed.
"Let's see who wins this."
*****
In the underground commune, a faint light spread out.
The Seventh Apostle extended his hand, touching the blood-soaked floor of the commune.
From his fingertips, a brilliant white light burst forth, causing the blood to bubble and boil as it started to seethe.
The blood infused with heat moved like a living snake, drawing intricate lines on the floor, forming a pattern reminiscent of Gransville's shape.
The Seventh Apostle gazed at the blood pattern that resembled Gransville's layout, a satisfied smile gracing his lips.
"Tusa."
"Yes."
Tusa, who stood behind him, kneeled on the ground.
"This side is complete. How about your side?"
"Preparations have all been done. Once the ritual is aligned, we can install the bloodstone tomorrow night."
Tusa's tone was incredibly polite, as if he were welcoming a deity.
"Are you using those brats again this time?"
"Yes. Thanks to the preliminary work, it's the least noticeable approach."
"They say he's incredibly cunning."
The Seventh Apostle smirked, tilting his head to the side.
"With the substantial amount of life force those kids have absorbed, they might taste good."
"I'm sorry, but those children can't be used as sacrifices."
"What?"
"Once the ritual is completed, the life force will be drained into the bloodstone, turning them into mirages."
Tusa bowed his head, speaking of the children's lives as if they were mere pebbles on the side of the road.
"Kahaha!"
Leaning against the wall, the Seventh Apostle burst into maniacal laughter.
"I thought it'd be fun to tease those kids, but I guess there was no need."
He looked down at Tusa and chuckled.
"You're a devoted disciple like no other. The blessing of the Blood God will always be with you."
"You're too kind."
Tusa's shoulders trembled, seemingly touched.
"What's Raon doing?"
"The same as yesterday. Searching for the believers or wandering around Gransville."
"That's perfect."
The Seventh Apostle scratched the wound on his chest and grinned.
"As planned, we'll unlock the ritual tonight and activate it tomorrow night."
"As you command."
Tusa bowed his head and sank into the floor.
"Tomorrow. Finally, it's tomorrow."
The Seventh Apostle's pupils sparkled like blood-red energy rising from the ground.
"Raon Zieghart. You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this day."
Tear apart your flesh and blood.
*****
Raon continued to roam around Granseville the next day.
When he found himself in a sparsely populated alley around the time the moon was rising, he stopped in his tracks.
'Not easy.'
An unfamiliar energy, permeating his blood, endlessly swirled and disrupted his interpretation of the magic.
It was as if this enigmatic force was interposing itself within the blood's flow, preventing him from comprehending its patterns.
'What is this?'
The sensation was familiar, yet its identity remained elusive.
It clung to his blood like gum, never revealing its true nature.
He was well aware that deciphering the magic was challenging, but he hadn't expected to be unable to determine its nature until this evening.
"Sigh…"
He sighed deeply and looked back at the magic circle.
It felt as if a woman with red lips within the mist was mocking him, telling him that he couldn't understand.
"You damn fool…"
Wrath shivered, his voice trembling with irritation.
"Quit drinking alcohol for a while! Let's eat something!"
The guy was reeking of alcohol, complaining about how the alcohol scent was driving him insane.
'There's no choice.'
Though he felt sorry, he couldn't afford to take a break and eat when the interpretation of the magic was so feeble.
"Grrr, I want to eat that fragrant food scent wafting through the air, but why can't I eat it? Until when must I be unhappy?"
"Um…"
Raon's stomach growled.
He hadn't properly eaten since yesterday, so he was starting to feel hungry.
"In the demon realm, they have a saying about ether acid after a meal. Let's eat first. Once we eat, good ideas will surely come to us."
Wrath rambled on with strange proverbs and continued shouting about food.
"Got it."
Since he had been using the Ring of Fire for quite a while, taking a short break sounded like a good idea.
'Where's good?'
"R-Really? Are you truly going?!"
"Tell me before I change my mind."
'Alright then.'
Sorry, but he couldn't afford to sit still and eat at the moment.
"Ugh, so we're going to have to eat later? Ugh…"
Wrath muttered and withdrew.
Raon walked away from Wrath, his steps faltering as if he were a tired puppy.
He headed for an alley where hardly anyone was around.
Shiiiiing!
Taking a deep breath and manipulating the Ring of Fire, he focused on the magic circle.
The combined force of the blade and the seven rings resonated within him, generating a tremendous vibration that surged through his body like a furnace.
His entire body felt like it had turned into a forge, burning hot and intense.
His mind was clear like a tranquil lake.
As if drawing a picture, he instantly grasped the flow of the magic.
The swirling pattern of the previously dizzying red mist became vivid, and the blood's trajectory within the manipulation paths was as clear as a waterway.
The heart pounded vigorously, but the mind was as calm as a still lake.
The previously blurred flow of the crimson mist seemed to clear up before his eyes.
Like a spinning wheel of mana, the blood circulated along its predefined path within the manipulation.
The scent of red mist and the saffron hue of the life force appeared as if to form an aurora, gathering like clouds above Granseville.
"Ugh, not food..."
Raon's eyebrows twitched as he bit his lip, dismissing the ravenous hunger within him.
"Hey."
It was here.
Within the vibrant flow of magic, a familiar energy was nestled.
It was none other than the energy of Yogi.
Raon's eyes sparkled.
'These lunatics.'
Those who harbored negative emotions such as fear, resentment, and anger upon death left behind a type of energy known as Yogi.
The malicious spirits exploited even the Yogi of those they killed to enhance this magic circle.
The Yogi embedded within the blood had been obstructing his ability to undo the magic circle.
His blade of requiem sensed this shift and resonated with immense force, releasing an intense sound of anger, resentment, and lament.
"Ugh, food will have to wait…"
Wrath, sensing the impending departure of Raon's attention, left on his own.
Raon clenched the Blade of Requiem, feeling the vibrations of the blade resonating powerfully within him.
The intense emotions of anger, resentment, and lament converged into a single resonance.
The sensation of his entire body being a furnace intensified, his spirit growing more fervent.
In his heightened state of concentration, Raon's enhanced senses focused solely on the interpretation of the magic.
His whole mind spun vigorously within the utmost immersion.
Shiiiiing!
The blurry flow of the reddish mist that had been confusing earlier became vividly clear.
Like an aura from the mana vortex, the life force streamed through the manipulation paths, racing along its predetermined trajectory.
Although his heart was pounding wildly, his mind remained serene, like a still lake.
As if he were drawing lines, he instantly comprehended the blood's intricate movements and absorbed the information into his mind.
Despite his earlier exhaustion, his body now brimmed with vitality, no longer feeling like his own.
The magic grew more potent, but the inside of that magic, every aspect of its flow, flowed into his mind.
He lifted his finger, tracing a line.
The trajectory of the manipulated magic, which had filled his mind, reversed its course, creating a path of red light that spread throughout the magic.
Perfect harmony.
The answer to undoing the colossal magic circle was now visualized in his mind through his lifted finger.
"Sigh…"
As Raon exhaled, a warm breath escaped his lips.
The moon had set, and the rising sun poured its rosy rays as if rejoicing.
He understood.
He comprehended the nature of the magic, how to unravel it, and the solutions to all the questions that had plagued him.
'It's over.'
As long as he was determined, he now had the means to shatter this massive magic circle whenever he pleased.
A gentle smile curved on his lips.
"Wrath."
Raon lifted the scruffy fur around Wrath's neck like a tired puppy.
"Let's go eat."
"R-Really?"
Wrath's eyes widened as if he couldn't believe it.
He probably hadn't anticipated that Raon would immediately agree to eating.
"Yeah. I'm pretty hungry too."
Although his mind was clear, he had used up a lot of stamina and mental energy, and his stomach was now roaring for food.
"Grrr."
"Grrr."
Raon held his stomach, his voice mimicking a beast's growl demanding sustenance.
"Geez, so you do like me now? Alright, then. This is coexistence and symbiosis. Well, you're finally…."
When Wrath began to smirk, a message appeared in Raon's vision.
[You have successfully deciphered an ultimate-level magic circle.]
[Title <Magic Interpreter> has been created.]
[Trait <Interpretation of Arcane> has been created.]
[All stats have increased by 5 points.]
'?'
-?
Raon and Wrath stared blankly at each other, both their eyes wide.
Though their expressions appeared similar, the emotions they felt were polar opposites.
'They're giving this to me?'
-Why are they giving this to YOUUUU!!!
