[A new enemy has appeared.]

[The difficulty level of the quest has been raised from A+ to S+.]

"What? An S+ difficulty...?"

Considering the last tutorial quest had been rated S, this was an absurdly high difficulty level. It signified just how dangerous this new presence was.

**"Answer me. What are you?"**

Theo’s head buzzed with a ringing sensation. He felt infinitely small and insignificant.

Only then did Theo realize it—this being before him was the very "god" that the Holy Demon Church worshiped.

The mastermind behind the Great Cataclysm was right in front of him!

‘So, Blood Light Harmony... it wasn’t a lie when they said they had a connection with the god. Forcing open the brain pathways with magic to accept divine power... no wonder he has such physical and magical power.’

**"Familiar spirit... Hm. So, it's a Ragnar, is it? A descendant of the false chosen one dares to pry into my disciple’s mind and glimpse upon me."**

The malevolent god seemed to peer into Theo’s entire being, understanding everything about him, a malevolent entity born from fear, hatred, and malice itself.

*Thump, thump, thump, thump!*

Theo’s heart pounded like mad.

Though discovering the Blood Priest's secret was an unexpected gain, right now, he had to escape.

But where? How?

This wasn’t like when he had escaped Hilda’s grasp. Back then, he had the Dragon Slayer’s Sword, and the black dragon was nearby, but now… he had neither of those advantages.

Yet Theo felt a strange sense of familiarity with the malevolent god before him.

‘It’s like something I saw in the Sea of Demons...!’

**"As a Ragnar, you’re fortunate to experience the honor of receiving me. In return, I shall grant you the grace to become my devout servant."**

Something enormous was moving toward him.

A massive hand.

It approached Theo, ready to engulf him. His heart pounded faster.

*Thump, thump, thump, thump...!*

Forcing down the terror that threatened to constrict his heart, he tried to reach for his Moonlight Sword. And just then—

*Whirr!*

Suddenly, his head burned as if it might catch fire.

Blinding heat.

In an instant, his brain pathways opened even wider.

Just like the Blood Priest’s when he was in communion with the god.

*Flash!*

**"It’s not quite time yet, but given the situation, there’s no choice."**

Theo sensed an immense presence materializing behind him. The voice was familiar.

He turned around quickly.

A gigantic dragon stood there, its jaws wide open.

A dragon with a hollow chest.

‘Rodbrok!’

**"Partner. That being is not someone you can face yet. Only when you ascend to Sigurd’s position will you stand even a slim chance. That being is the caller of [■■]."**

A blazing flame formed at the edge of Rodbrok’s mouth.

The searing heat emanating from it was akin to the sun itself.

**"Now, return. Gain more strength, then summon me again."**

And with that, a blazing sun burst forth.

Simultaneously, Theo’s thoughts snapped back to reality.

---

Theo was jolted back, forced several steps away from the Blood Priest.

"How... how did you...!"

Emotions flashed across the Blood Priest’s face as he looked at Theo—shock, horror, disbelief, yearning, and regret.

Though he had dedicated his life to serving the god, even he could only vaguely sense the god's existence.

But for a mere non-believer to have heard the god’s words directly? It was unfathomable.

Yet part of him felt a lingering regret, a desire to see more of the god.

Just a little longer…

If he could only hold on a little longer, he might actually get to witness the god himself...

*Slash—*

But the Blood Priest’s thoughts didn’t last long.

In that moment, Theo drew the Moonlight Sword and severed the priest’s head.

A necessary measure to avoid being pulled back into the unconscious realm.

‘So the god worshiped by the Holy Demon Church... was the same “Nameless Lord” that Rodbrok spoke of.’

Theo recalled Rodbrok’s words from the dragon’s lair:

*"Why are you here?"*

*"Because of the Nameless Lord."*

*"The Nameless Lord…?"*

*"A monstrosity that exists beyond the Sea of Demons, at the very edge of the world. I’ve been bound here for the past thousand years, guarding the world from it. The Winter Mountains serve as a mere outpost for that purpose."*

The entity that had bound Rodbrok to the Winter Mountains for a thousand years.

The name was unfamiliar to Theo, yet the image of it lingered vividly in his mind.

But now, he had encountered a part of that being.

If Rodbrok had suddenly appeared to banish it, there was no other explanation.

The aura of the Sea of Demons that emanated from it was proof that it was the "Nameless Lord."

And, at that very moment, a new realization struck him.

‘Rodbrok said he wouldn’t last more than two or three years. The Great Cataclysm will begin in about five years.’

If the Nameless Lord was indeed behind the Great Cataclysm that would engulf the continent, it meant the lord would act only after Rodbrok was gone.

‘Could this really be a coincidence?’

There was no way.

Theo didn’t believe in coincidences.

‘Ed’s and Troyban’s conspiracy, the Holy Demon Church’s rampages, the Great Cataclysm... All these major incidents, which I thought were isolated, were actually all connected!’

Now he was beginning to understand the purpose of the scenario quest.

As a descendant of Ragnar, it was his duty to stand against the Nameless Lord. It made perfect sense for the relics within his bloodline to awaken in response to that purpose.

‘Let’s keep following the quests. This should clarify things further.’

Fortunately, the quest’s purpose and Theo’s own goals were aligned.

[You have leveled up.]

As Theo gathered his thoughts, he turned in the opposite direction.

*Swish—*

In that instant, something gleamed in the darkness.

It was the blade of an assassin, lying in wait for a chance to strike at Theo.

But the blade never reached him.

A shadow suddenly rose up, and Umbra appeared, swallowing the assassin whole.

*Crunch, crunch!*

A death without even a scream.

“Well done.”

*Keek!*

Umbra let out a delighted screech at Theo’s praise.

---

"This is...!"

Clébé and Hazel, who had been hurrying down into the basement, were stunned by the sight before them.

The traces of battle that remained were nothing short of overwhelming.

Theo was sitting against one wall, looking exhausted, something in his hand.

“You’re here?”

“Did you... take down the Blood Priest?”

What shocked them the most was the Blood Priest’s head lying at Theo’s feet.

They had come down in a rush after suppressing two Blood Priests on the upper floors, only to find that Theo had already dealt with one here.

“Yes. It just... happened.”

“Hah... I’m not sure ‘just happened’ is an expression you can use when dealing with a Blood Priest.”

Clébé shook his head with a smile.

“For you to take down a Blood Priest on your own... I think it’s safe to say you’ve proven your skills as a practical examiner. What does the Plum Blossom Palace think?”

“...The Black Snow's assessment is agreeable,” Hazel nodded dazedly.

Unlike Theo, she had barely managed to hold her own against a Blood Priest, even with Evelyn’s help.

“The White Armored Dragon Corps already granted their approval... With unanimous agreement from all three examiners, congratulations. You are now officially a practical examiner. And, at record speed.”

“Thank you.”

Theo nodded calmly. He was pleased, but not overwhelmingly so.

Maybe it was because he had just experienced something so intense?

Theo wasn’t even sure of his own feelings. It felt like he had merely done what he had to do.

But to Clébé, Theo’s composure was intriguing.

‘At his age, most would boast about their accomplishments, yet he remains calm. He doesn’t lose his composure. Truly a good fit for the Black Snow.’

Theo asked, “How did it go upstairs?”

“It’s taken care of. Captain Evelyn is handling the cleanup. We’ll have plenty to report when we return.”

Clébé’s gaze darkened.

The Black Snow hadn’t anticipated the Holy Demon Church and Troyban’s collusion.

Reporting this would surely prompt major changes in their strategy against Troyban.

“But, what’s that in your hand?”

“Oh, I found a safe with some interesting documents.”

He’d even had time to open a safe? How fast had he dealt with the Blood Priest?

Clébé let out a quiet chuckle, accepting the documents Theo handed over.

One set of documents related to the Holy Demon Church.

It appeared the Snake’s Season was merely a cover organization created by the church to hide from the world’s scrutiny.

These documents could serve as evidence linking Troyban and the Holy Demon Church.

And the other document...

For a moment, Clébé’s eyebrow twitched.

A name he hadn’t expected.

“The Ceres Company?”

The Ceres Company, the origin of this mission and the initial kidnappers, was also linked to Ed Troyban and his family.

The appearance of that name...

Sure enough, as he scanned the contents

, Clébé’s expression grew colder and darker.

“The Director of the Central Intelligence Bureau left a trail here.”

The document was a commission sent from the Ceres Company to the Snake’s Season.

Yet it read more like an order than a commission.

Someone was issuing orders to the Snake’s Season under the guise of the Ceres Company.

“We need to strike the Ceres Company headquarters immediately.”

Theo’s statement drew Clébé’s attention again.

“Just us?”

“The target is the Director of the Central Intelligence Bureau. I believe the Ceres Company also handles a lot of information. If we wait for reinforcements, they’ll simply track our movements.”

“It’s still a risky operation. While they may not be on the same level as the noble families, the Ceres Company’s power shouldn’t be underestimated.”

“Even so, I think taking the risk is necessary.”

Clébé studied Theo quietly.

Theo met Clébé’s gaze without a word.

A tense silence passed between them.

Finally, Clébé chuckled.

One might have dismissed Theo’s suggestion as youthful bravado, but his gaze was colder and more serious than ever.

This was a conclusion reached after careful consideration.

“If this were a training mission, it would be different, but as a practical examiner on duty, your opinion is worth considering. Hazel Koppel, your thoughts?”

“I wholeheartedly agree with Practical Examiner Theo Ragnar’s opinion. If this is true, it implies the Ceres Company has already been plotting rebellion.”

Rebellion.

An issue too grave for a noble family to overlook.

And for the Ceres Company, a long-time ally of Ragnar, to turn on them? Such betrayal called for punishment.

‘Let’s face it. The palace lord has good reason to favor Theo Ragnar. Right now, he’s reading the situation better than anyone.’

Hazel had come to recognize Theo’s skills.

He was a person of skill and sound judgment, not someone she could easily criticize.

And Theo added another point.

“Besides, I assume Black Snow has a ‘backup plan’ in place.”

“...And how did you know that?”

“No one keeps a hunting dog without a leash.”

“As expected, you... Haha! You never cease to surprise me. Fine, with both practical examiners’ opinions aligned, I’ll extend this mission to launch the next operation.”

Clébé folded the documents and slipped them into his inner pocket, then addressed Theo.

“By the way, Ceres Company... Those are the people you rescued just a few days ago, and now you’re about to lead them to their deaths. Quite the dark hobby you have.”

Theo laughed—a smile reminiscent of a predator eyeing its prey.

“If they’re in the way of the hunt, I simply remove them.”

“That’s true.”

Clébé laughed along and turned around.

And that night.

A certain inn in the provincial city of Karlhelm was consumed by a mysterious fire.