Chapter 102
‘The Archmage….’
Jeremy licked his lips.
Actually, he had been observing the battle between the Archmage and Henus some time ago.
During that time, he even successfully eliminated several demons.
However, his focus remained entirely on Karen.
The person he has cherished for a long time.
Someone who experienced profound sorrow.
Understanding this, Jeremy couldn’t bring himself to look away from her.
In the preceding battle, Jeremy had keenly felt her distress.
Her eyes welled up with tears for Henus.
It was truly heartbreaking to watch.
He desired above all else to bring her joy, yet he found himself unable to do so.
He was aware of Karen’s thoughts about him.
Thus, Jeremy could only gaze at her for so long.
And that remained unchanged now.
Jeremy began to approach her slowly.
Glancing at Karen’s side, he concealed his emotions.
Upon reaching her, Karen’s gaze shifted to him.
“Archmage, when Killian Halos and Henus vanished, the spawning of monsters ceased.”
“… I see.”
“Yes, and I instructed the elite wizards to handle the aftermath,” Jeremy stated.
In response, Karen nodded with indifference
She attempted to maintain a façade of composure, but Jeremy could discern her inner turmoil.
‘It must be incredibly difficult…’
Having to personally send off a departed loved one was a sorrowful ordeal, yet he was powerless to do anything.
A somber silence lingered between them for a moment.
“Archmage! Teacher!”
Soon after, a cheerful voice broke the silence.
It was Elena, who hurried over to join them.
“Hey Elena, what brings you here?” Jeremy greeted her warmly, his usual smile adorning his face.
Elena turned towards them in response.
“Killian Halos has been captured.”
“Really?”
Jeremy inquired, his expression tinged with mild surprise.
In truth, he had anticipated that Elena would kill Killian Halos
Back then, he was instructing Elena in magic at the Duchy of Halos.
On a particular day, Jeremy had sensed a shift in Elena’s magical energy.
Coincidentally, it was on that very day that Killian Halos left the mansion.
At that time, Jeremy lacked precise knowledge of the events that transpired between the two.
However, considering Elena’s typical demeanor and the accounts he had heard from the tower, it didn’t seem out of the ordinary for Elena to have ended Killian Halos’s life.
Thus, Jeremy found himself surprised by her choice.
“I was just about to address the matter… I believe I’ll need to bring him to the tower for purification and to hold him accountable for his sins. Most importantly, I don’t want to get blood on my hands.”
Elena laughed lightly.
Jeremy nodded calmly at the sight.
Then, their attention turned to Karen, silently seeking her approval.
Karen thus uttered:
“Alright. Proceed as you see fit.”
*****
The elite wizards collaborated to repair sections of the Fortnen Kingdom that had been ravaged by monsters.
The creatures vanished, and the damaged structures were swiftly reconstructed.
While the loss of human life exceeded the initial estimate, the prompt action of the wizards helped avert further devastation.
“Thank you very much.”
King Fortnen expressed profound gratitude to the wizards, including the Archmage.
“Thank you,” he conveyed warmly. Karen made a gesture towards King Fortnen, which he understood and responded to with a bow.
Karen then addressed the group, stating, “For now, we will resume our previous practice of taking turns guarding the tower. We must remain vigilant, as we never know when the monsters may reappear.”
“Yes, by all means. Your assistance is greatly appreciated,” King Fortnen responded, visibly moved by the Archmage’s words.
In that instant, however, the attention of the Archmage, the West Tower Lord of the Magic Tower, and the Chief Researcher of the West Tower converged on a single point.
Now positioned atop the kingdom’s walls, their collective gaze shifted towards the Fortnen Plains, the site of Elena’s previous battle.
A palpable surge of energy permeated the area.
“It can’t be…” Elena murmured under her breath.
Simultaneously, Karen and Jeremy soared into the sky. Elena too, rode the winds, joining them in their ascent.
In a matter of moments, the trio arrived at the plain where the immense power emanated.
Their gazes then turned skyward, towards the horizon where the plain met the continent’s border.
A colossal black entity loomed in the vast expanse of the sky, its writhing form suggesting a semblance of life.
The entity appeared to possess a viscous texture, resembling both a potent mucus and a living creature.
Simultaneously, an aura of formidable magic emanated from it.
A profound silence enveloped the trio as they observed the dark substance.
Eventually, it was Karen who spoke, breaking the weighty silence.
“Jeremy!”
Quietly scrutinizing the dark substance, she swiftly summoned Jeremy.
“Yes, Archmage,” Jeremy responded promptly.
“I need you to issue an immediate evacuation order for the kingdom,” Karen instructed urgently. “Everyone must seek shelter under a roof. The sturdier the roof, the safer.”
“Understood,” Jeremy acknowledged.
“Additionally, instruct the wizards to erect barriers throughout the kingdom. Jeremy, you’ll need to handle this task alone.”
“Yes!”
Following the Archmage’s directive, Jeremy made his way directly to the Palace.
“Archmage, what prompted such a directive?” Elena inquired, her gaze still fixed on the sky.
Karen, standing beside her, also glanced upwards once more.
“I sense an ominous energy from that black substance,” Karen remarked.
Almost instantly after her words, the writhing motion of the black mass intensified.
It expanded like a pliable mass of dough, gradually enveloping the sky.
In no time, darkness shrouded the entire kingdom from the plains, taking less than a minute.
Subsequently, rain infused with black magic started pouring from the dark mass.
“Elena, you must not be hit by that thing!” Karen’s voice resonated in her ears as a sizable barrier materialized around them both.
Tuk! Thump! Thump—
Elena didn’t ask further.
Without needing to inquire, she was already aware.
The slow descent of the black rain stained the plains’ vegetation with its dark hue.
It was saturated with black magic.
‘…So that’s why the Archmage issued that order.’
To anticipate such an eventuality and safeguard the kingdom’s populace.
“The perpetrator responsible for this is likely nearby.”
Karen muttered.
Afterward, she lifted her hand, channeling her magic once more.
The barrier enveloping Karen and Elena split in two.
Karen activated her own barrier and flew into the air.
Before departing, she turned to Elena and commanded:
“Elena, you and Jeremy will purify the sky.”
Immediately after uttering those words, Karen swiftly took flight.
Her destination lay at the border separating the white continent from the black continent.
Elena watched Karen’s departure before turning towards the palace, following the path Jeremy had taken.
*****
Upon reaching the palace, Jeremy instructed the elite wizards stationed there and those dispersed throughout the kingdom to erect a robust barrier.
Fortunately, the pre-existing barrier managed to temporarily halt the black rain.
However, it became evident with time that this barrier would eventually falter, given the continuous downpour of black magic-infused rain.
Therefore, Jeremy directed the wizards to expand and reinforce the barrier. Furthermore, he personally intervened to fortify the barrier.
“Remain vigilant at all times. Ensure a continuous supply of magic to sustain the barrier,” Jeremy instructed the elite wizards before pausing to catch his breath.
It was at this moment that Elena, who had been searching for Jeremy within the palace, finally located him.
“Teacher!”
Elena hurried over to Jeremy.
“Elena? What about the Archmage?”
“The Archmage instructed us to cleanse the sky and then proceeded towards the border,” Elena explained.
“Ah…” Jeremy muttered, understanding the situation while struggling to conceal his emotions.
“Teacher, what should I do? How do we cleanse the sky?”
Elena’s urgent question stemmed from the looming presence of the black substance that blanketed the sky, causing her to overlook Jeremy’s shifting expression.
With a soft sigh, Jeremy addressed Elena.
“…Elena, we require your power to cleanse the sky.”
“Mine?” Elena questioned.
“Yes. To counteract this potent black magic, we need the power of a spirit master.”
Jeremy possessed limited knowledge about spirits as well. However, one certainty he held was this:
“The power closest to nature itself is the purest power.”
“But how do I…” Elena inquired, her expression reflecting surprise.
If her spirits came into contact with the black magic, they would be tainted. That’s why she couldn’t venture to the Black Continent. Furthermore, to access nature’s power, she would need to enlist the aid of spirits.
As the rain infused with dark magic continued to fall heavily, Elena contemplated the potential ramifications of her spirits becoming tainted.
“I’m sorry, Elena. I don’t have precise knowledge of this matter either,” he confessed.
“But I’m certain that the power of the spirits can cleanse this potent black magic.”
Jeremy looked at Elena with a sorrowful expression.
Elena found herself unable to speak.
At that moment,
[Master]
Gor, now in the form of a small creature, materialized.
