People seek each other. It was truly a difficult task.

 

Reaching out to others, even at the cost of one’s own loss, was akin to insanity from the perspective of a single biological entity. Life is driven by the purpose and obligation to pass on one’s genes to the next generation.

 

Somewhere in the vast emptiness of space, a star was born by chance. This star found its place in a very narrow gap between celestial bodies where life could emerge, and it had the right conditions to prosper. From such a star, you were born.

 

The probability is so unimaginably sparse. What was seemingly taken for granted was an exceedingly rare coincidence. A life born and destined to die, finally obtained after overcoming various fateful hardships.

 

To throw away the luck that pierced through that rare probability to preserve the genes of others. It would be arrogance and a flaw.

 

Every time facing this irony, Niore always repeated the words he used to say.

 

Yes, where would the blood go? You live as you were born.

 

Even his father, who lived with the teaching to love others, his grandfather who prioritized people over lineage, and distant ancestors who dedicated their lives to saving the world. Unable to overcome the voice in their hearts, they would have plunged into danger.

 

Just like Niore always did.

 

So, this time too, she followed the voice of her heart.

 

—–

 

[Three blocks ahead, turning at the right corner, I saw someone disappearing.]

 

“Can you track it?”

 

Niore nodded. The trail left behind was intentionally sloppy, perhaps an invitation to come. The joke that even with eyes closed she could find it was omitted. There was no time for that.

 

The small detective jumped, grabbed onto the wall, and climbed up. Then, he ran along a narrow path just wide enough for one foot, barely squeezing through.

 

Chasing after Niore, Tara threw a joke at Bennett, who was running alongside.

 

“…What’s the occasion, Bennett? Did you confess your love to Niore or something?”

 

“Don’t say ridiculous things.”

 

“I hate this kind of thing.”

 

“I just thought it was an opportunity to interrogate those guys from the Twilight Sect.”

 

Bennett turned his head and avoided eye contact. Tara smirked, drew patterns in the air, and built up her magic.

 

The magical power she received from the goddess not only had advantages in buffing, but also had high stability. The concentration required to activate the magic was low, so she could cast it relatively freely while running or fighting.

 

A burst of light exploded.

 

“『Blessing of the Fierce Beast』!”

 

This was the second time. Unlike when tracking down the insane magician, the feeling of divine power penetrating wasn’t bad. Bennett felt the urging power that seemed to stroke his back, just like Tara’s personality, and he ran like a wolf.

 

[⋯⋯⋯⋯!]

 

Thump! Thump! Thump!

 

Nior pointed to the corner and tapped the whiteboard. Does that mean enemies are ahead? Bennett drew his longsword and prepared himself. He firmly gripped the handle, controlled his breathing. He judged that the possibility of resolving it through conversation rather than combat was extremely low.

 

[⋯⋯!!]

 

Turning the corner, five members of the sect wearing flipped white hoods came into view. One of them was holding a bulky, large shaft as if a person was inside.

 

And the emaciated sect member was in a state of cutting his own wrist with a curved dagger, letting blood spill. From the bubbling foam in the pool of blood on the floor, it seemed that he had already finished preparing for the casting of magic.

 

“Oh, the one lurking on the border, the fleeting and great one, I seek the wisdom to crush these insignificant beings. Wisdom, wisdom, wisdom, wisdom──.”

 

Thud, thud.

 

With the sound of twisting bones and flesh, a terrible scream echoed.

 

The emaciated sect member crumpled up as if squeezed by some large hand in an instant. And in front of him, space rippled.

 

It seemed as if space was swelling, like looking at the world through a convex mirror. The sound of boiling and the feeling of a sinister gaze could be felt.

 

Bennett barely deduced it. It seemed to be a projectile attack. An unseen force distorting space was shot towards Bennett.

 

“So, you meant to attack me⋯⋯?!”

 

The problem of communication. Communication with someone who cannot speak created a gap in information.

 

An unfamiliar power. Because it approached while twisting space, the sense of distance was not well grasped. Can I bear it? No, if I’m not sure…

 

When Bennett tried to gather magic power throughout his body to withstand it, Tara threw the mark of the goddess in front of Bennett.

 

“The Three Dogs that Protect the Goddess!”

 

Woof woof woof-!

 

A large shield that scattered golden light appeared and intercepted the invisible projectiles. Among the three engraved dog heads on the shield, two were shattered and scattered. It seemed to be a quite powerful magic for Tara as well, and she screamed while gritting her teeth.

 

“I can’t withstand two hits!”

 

“But I’ll kill you before that!”

 

The authors had already taken the initiative without hesitation. Clearly, they were holding ill intentions, so it was only right to retaliate. That had been Bennett’s way of life, a desperate one, up until now.

 

Bennett kicked the ground and shot off to the side. Then, using the walls of the alley as the ground, he leaped once again. He approached at a fast speed, moving in zigzags to scatter their aim.

 

A refined body enhancement that amplified both strength and speed with balance. And the magic aura emanating from Bennett’s longsword. The ability to perceive magic power.

 

Even within the academy, where there were few who had reached the level of a 3-star, Bennett’s eyes glowed with a menacing light.

 

Swoosh.

 

Approaching the members of the organization at a speed that blurred his afterimage, Bennett swung his sword left and right. When the light flashed, two heads flew into the sky after being cleanly cut. There was one left.

 

One of them, while spinning around, threw down his scabbard and shouted.

 

“If you come any closer, I’ll kill this woman── ack!”

 

Thwack!

 

Niole, who approached from behind, struck the back of the cultist’s neck with a spinning high kick. The cultist’s eyes rolled back and his body crumbled.

 

Only one remained.

 

“Devour me, devour me! I offer you all my flesh-!!”

 

*Thud.*

 

Bennett cut his throat, preventing any more incantations. However, just the expression of his will to sacrifice himself seemed to complete the spell. A crack, and the disciple’s head crumpled like a withered apple in an instant.

 

The withered and wrinkled head, in a fleeting moment, felt as though centuries had passed.

 

A sinister light began to seep from the corpse. Clearly possessing color, yet an indescribable hue beyond human perception. It spread with wavelengths so eerie that it could only be described as ominous.

 

As the disciple, whom Niore had rendered unconscious, was swept into the light, he started withering away like a mirage in the blink of an eye.

 

Bennett leaped back dramatically.

 

“…This is a spell I’ve never seen before. It seems like it has already been cast. Is it a summoning?”

 

“Unpleasant, but unbelievably refined magic. It seems to be bestowed by a divine… entity. Perhaps the power of another god, akin to divine authority?”

 

Even with the caster dead, when Bennett and Tara were contemplating the ongoing magic, Niore urgently began writing on the whiteboard.

 

[It’s a time bomb. Ages people entwined in color in an instant.]

 

“Aging?! What?!”

 

“…Wait, Niore. How do you know about this spell?”

 

Niore, as if saying the explanation can wait, pointed to the pentagram with the kidnapped person. He waved his hand.

 

[Step back with the pentagram; I’ll try to handle it.]

 

“How do you, of all people, block a spell from another world?! Moreover, divine power! Blocking an incantation is nearly impossible!”

 

“…ir, …c’th, Ar’kla….”

 

Niore unfolded a sinister book from his embrace and recited the incantation. A buzzing sound, mostly the rustling of pages, mixed with the mournful cry of an owl, reminiscent of the clinking of iron. An almost unintelligible voice, yet it too, like an incantation, solidified through evocation.

 

As the corpse started to tingle with red streaks on the skin, a colossal presence loomed and…

 

*Kwoong!*

 

A massive pillar, composed of crimson chunks, with thousands of mouths, slammed onto the ground in an instant and vanished. From the flattened remains unrecognizable, the ominous light no longer seeped out.

 

Tara was startled, grabbing Neo’s hand.

 

“⋯⋯What’s this power? Neo, were you hiding your strength?! And, what you just said⋯⋯.”

 

“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”

 

hehehehe. Neo chuckled. However, his eyes strangely lost focus.

 

On the other hand, Benett’s expression hardened. If Neo was simply a genius magician, that would have been enough. However, considering the dreadful visual spells and the twilight cultists dying with each casting⋯⋯.

 

The spell Neo cast might not be normal. Regardless of how he learned it, there was a high probability of risks.

 

“Neo, you⋯⋯.”

 

[How about that, it was helpful! No one got hurt, and we saved someone.]

 

“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”

 

Benett calmly observed Neo. No visible injuries, and he didn’t seem fatigued. If all was well, that was fortunate, but⋯⋯.

 

[Let’s quickly rescue the kidnapped person! You must be trembling in fear.]

 

⋯⋯He decided to let it slide for now.

 

—–

 

When the door opened, a woman, covered in tears and snot, crawled out. She had a camera hanging around her neck and wore a crossbody bag.

 

“Uh, what happened⋯⋯?”

 

“Oh, don’t worry. I killed all the kidnappers.”

 

“K-killed them?!”

 

The woman looked around in shock.

 

Corpses turned into mirages. Corpses with severed necks. Corpses flattened as if heavy equipment had been used. The woman, rolling her eyes at the sight reminiscent of a nightmare, grabbed onto a nearby lamppost and retched.

 

“Uweeek⋯⋯!”

 

“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”

 

“⋯⋯Perhaps. It seems that people in this world are not accustomed to blood.”

 

Watching the trio of murderers casually standing after effortlessly killing five people, the woman trembled with fear. Then, somehow grasping the situation, she looked up with an uneasy expression and asked,

 

“Um, did you save me? It’s not like you’re going to eliminate witnesses or anything, right?”

 

[Yes, rest assured! We helped you out of goodwill.]

 

“Phew, phew⋯⋯.”

 

The woman sniffled, took out tissue from her bag to wipe her tears, and introduced herself while avoiding eye contact with the corpses as much as possible.

 

“I’m Sally, a reporter working for NewLife Newspaper.”

 

“I am Ta⋯⋯.”

 

“You don’t need to know our names. How did you end up getting kidnapped?”

 

“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”

 

Seeing the decisive look in Bennet’s eyes, interrupting Tara, the journalist Sally decided to explain without hiding anything, thinking that if she concealed too much, there might be six corpses instead.

 

“Lately, I haven’t had any good results, so⋯⋯ I was trying to find a sensational story and decided to investigate the infamous cult, the Twilight Sect of Silver Shadows. I thought I might receive some threatening letters at most, but I never expected it to escalate to kidnapping.”

 

Tara raised a question mark above her head.

 

“⋯⋯A journalist?”

 

“Something like an investigator from the Information Guild.”

 

From Noble mtl dot com

 

“I’ll handle the case⋯⋯ here. Our newspaper is on Carter Street. If you come later, I might not be able to offer much help as I’m just a rookie, but⋯⋯ Oh, I can show you some interesting items or various materials that couldn’t be published in the newspaper due to censorship⋯⋯!”

 

“Alright. Now, go take care of your business.”

 

“⋯⋯Sure!”

 

Sally saluted and hastily grabbed her belongings, rushing out. However, midway, she stopped, turned around, and waving her arms, said,

 

“⋯⋯Sorry for the late thanks, thank you! For saving me!”

 

“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”

 

[How is it?]

 

Niolle held up the whiteboard with a slightly proud expression, having seen the corners of Bennett’s mouth rise slightly. Bennett, touching the corner of his mouth with his hand, changed the subject.

 

“Abraham must be waiting. Let’s go back.”

 

“Yeah, if we’re late, that… Isaac might eat up all our sausages!”

 

[Doesn’t seem like something Isaac would do, right⋯⋯?]

 

When was the last time he had received thanks? Bennett felt a strange emotion. The magic of the Silver Twilight Order was bizarre, and their numbers growing only increased the danger. So, thinking about it coldly, today’s incident was a loss, yet⋯⋯.

 

He kept feeling it wasn’t too bad.

 

Yes, given their actions, a clash seemed likely. It was good to know their methods of attack in advance. So, it wasn’t such a loss after all⋯⋯.

 

As a dark wizard, he had to respond coldly to profit and loss.

 

“Why do you keep smiling?”

 

“I’m not smiling.”

 

Once home, there was much to discuss. He needed to ask Niolle when he learned that spell, and since there had been a clash, how the Silver Twilight Order might respond and what their next steps should be.

 

They might even need to leave the house to avoid troubling Abraham.

 

Still, for now. He wanted to be immersed in this subtle feeling. So, Bennett walked with relaxed shoulders.

 

Believing there was plenty of time left.

 

—–

 

“⋯⋯⋯⋯Huh?”

 

The illusion broke as they neared the hill.

 

Twilight, when the sun sank, dyeing the sky crimson. Beneath the gradually revealing stars, Abraham’s mansion was ablaze.

 

It was a sinister yet pure white flame, crackling as if devouring something.