Soul Magic was a forbidden form of magic.It had been banned since it was thought to be one of the demons' spells.But in truth, soul magic was present on this planet long before the arrival of the demons.Regarding the rationale behind the prohibition of soul magic,Everybody could access it since it was straightforward and efficient, yet it also leaned on the side of dark magic.Soul magic used to be a thriving magic when it wasn't outlawed, but the magic circles and scrolls related to it have vanished from every corner of this globe.Any commoner might pay a fee, purchase a soul scroll, and then pay to curse the person they despised.The payment may be mana, but the amount of mana required for soul magic was too great for even an early A-rank mage to handle.As a result, individuals would be willing to give up their bodies and maybe their lives to use them.The aristocrats of that era couldn't behave in such an arrogant and conceited manner in the streets and among the commoners.I
Despite the demon's panic, Ifrit ignored it and began to round the demon with another magic circle.Whiish!"Urgh!"The human had reactivated the enchantment just as Rage was about to try something. A powerful force struck his skull and he collapsed on the ground face down."Demon, if I stopped the magic, you claimed you would talk. Now why are you behaving in such a suspicious manner? I already know you're a slick jerk, so how could I let my guard down?" Ifrit made fun of him."All I was trying to do was stand up and speak properly." Rage coughed incongruously."Ideally, you shouldn't try any duplicitous ruses any longer. I am not someone who can be duped by someone like you. My fingers are crossed that your demon brain isn't so dim as to keep your secrets. Otherwise, I shall quickly obliterate your soul." With a voice as frigid as ice, Ifrit spoke.Hearing those words caused Rage to involuntary shiver, and his visage changed to one that was incredibly unpleasant. He had 'suffered' m
"You…""Now that you've seen this...Do you think I'm scared of death?"Rage gave a frigid smile.The heroes were terrified by the smile."H-How is that possible?" Anthony exclaimed with disbelief. The poise that he had developed since becoming a hero had already been lost."Is he invulnerable?" Gildar scowled. He wasn't afraid, albeit he was a little shocked, unlike Anthony.This meant that there had to be a certain method of killing the demon because there was no way he could have been indestructible.They are from Earth and have read a number of stories as students in which the characters could only be murdered under specific circumstances.Those characters were undoubtedly obnoxious, but that didn't make them unstoppable."This must be a skill, or this demon must be unique. His death state may differ from those of other demons." Gildar went on. Gildar kept going.Ifrit regarded Gildar while feeling a little taken aback.He hadn't expected this young man to make such an inference.
“Growl!” The mighty red dragon screamed, asserting its dominance by rising into the skies. Fire flared hotly all over its body, making it appear as though each and every scale on its body were composed completely of fire."Return," Ifrit instructed.Overlooking them all, the enormous dragon abruptly transformed into a cloud of mana and entered Ifrit's body."That dragon..." Anthony was taken aback.Under the dragon's piercing gaze, he was unable to breathe at all. The innumerable drakes and wyverns he had faced in the past seemed like ants in comparison to that dragon."It isn't a true dragon. This is what is known as a spirit body. This discussion can be continued if everyone has achieved the S-rank." Ifrit glanced at the massive crater in front of him.Everything that had been there only a moment ago—the earth, the trees, everything—had vanished. That demon's devastating might was unrivalled."Spirit body? We now know that S-ranks are the only ones who can possess them. and it is t
"Rage? Are you back?""Yes…" "So, how is it going? Being murdered by an S-rank?""Ugh…"Rage shook his head and sagged onto the chair as if his bones were all flesh."That human was frightening.""I assumed my natural shape, but he summoned his dragon and struck me once, killing me instantly. My tough defences really dissolved like butter!""Dragon?" I scowled.I was completely unaware that Duke Ifrit owned a dragon. Is taming a dragon even a possibility?How did he come to have a dragon in the first place is the proper question to ask."I don't believe it's a genuine dragon.""He called out immediately, and I saw the dragon emerge from his body!" "Like whoosh!" Rage expressed everything by waving his hands around.Now that I think about it, his personality has changed dramatically after evolving. Rage used to be a man of few words; now he feels like another Nero.Talkative to the point of irritability."So, who do you believe is stronger? Me or that other person?" I inquired, intri
"Dray and Roland must have begun to make their move." I kept an eye on the distant mountain that I could see. "Young Master, how did you foresee that they would be camped out there?" "Remember that I interrogated those cyclops?" "This cyclops tribe always sets up camp at the highest point, and this tribe in particular is used to being irresponsible when they feel safe. They prefer to party and have a good time before going into battle." "Those hunters must be exhausted." Jacob was concerned. The baron had assigned many Stone Village hunters the responsibility of setting ambushes a day before. That meant the hunters had been lurking in the tall forests for a day, waiting for the right moment. Their intended victim was a beastmen named Altham. This beastmen, according to the baron, was the most deadly of their foes, and they were required to destroy him regardless of the consequences. "You have no idea what those hunters have been through. There were instances when they went for
"Huf…huf!" While running through the woodland, Jack's heart was racing. There were several other people sprinting beside him, each with a bow and a knife.The calm of the woodland was disturbed by the loud rattle of the arrows in the quiver, which blended in with their hasty steps.They are being pursued at the moment by those Cyclops. The numerous cyclops after them made loud thumps as they pursued, causing the earth to tremble.The trees would tremble and the leaves would fall in a haphazard fashion, and birds would fly from one tree to another.These cyclops would have been mistaken for monsters by Jack if he hadn't known. When he looked back, those massive eyes glaring at them had his pulse skip a beat.The young master visited them about a week ago.To inquire if they—the residents of Stone Village—would be prepared to accept a risky task. Although the baron had every right to make them labour because he provided them with food and shelter, he did not.The baron described the na
"Huh?!" "You guys are late," Wise said.Someone had stopped Maruk's giant axe.Maruk's axe was a few feet away from Wise's head, but it had been caught by another axe.Dray's form slowly emerged from the shadows as he deflected Maruk's axe.The newcomers were dangerous, according to Maruk's instincts. The visitors' faces were covered in rough cloaks, giving them the appearance of rogues even though he could see that they were wearing knightly armour."There were many of those beastmen," Dray answered as he moved in front of Wise and fixed his gaze on the Cyclops.Roland quickly emerged from the shadows and came into view of Maruk.Wise cracked a smile."In war, everything is fair. Given your strength, two of them must be manageable for you, right?""So you've been stalling for these two humans all this time?" Maruk chuckled."What does it matter? I'll take on the three of you if you join as well.:Dray nodded as he approached Wise."Are you sure you finished the task?" Wise inquired
The Dwarven Kingdom, a land renowned for its glittering wealth, held its breath. The Brightwing Empire’s meager offer, a desperate plea for aid, was all they had to entice the notoriously hard-drinking mercenaries. Even if their weapons were outdated, their reputation for unmatched effectiveness in battle preceded them. Surely, that would be enough.“Your Majesty,” a guard murmured, his voice barely a tremor in the air. “They have arrived.”Princess Ladia, lost in a labyrinth of thought, startled slightly. She had wrestled with the decision for what felt like an eternity, but finally, a solution had emerged. All that remained was to face them, to meet their gaze and offer her hand in this desperate alliance.Viscount Lamiel, a man whose arrogance was only surpassed by his thirst for gold, strode into the royal garden, flanked by a legion of equally boisterous mercenaries. Princess Ladia recognized most of them – the nobles summoned by the crown, their faces etched with a mixture of g
The scene unfolded with brutal efficiency. Several soldiers, their faces grim and resolute, descended upon Drew and the other soldier, their movements swift and decisive. There was no struggle, no desperate pleas for mercy. They walked away with heads bowed, accepting their fate with a stoic silence that spoke volumes of their resignation.Ryle, his expression a mixture of weariness and amusement, ran a hand through his hair, a sigh escaping his lips. "What a waste of a perfectly good sleep," he muttered, his voice laced with a hint of exasperation. "Young men like myself need our rest, yet everyone seems determined to disrupt my slumber over such trivial matters."His gaze shifted to me, and a playful smile curved his lips. "Allow me to introduce myself," he said, extending a hand towards me. "Ryle Green, third son of Count Green, and as you might be able to tell, the future commander of this very army." He spoke with an air of unwavering confidence, his words carrying the weight of
Two soldiers from a rival camp, their boots crunching on the gravel path, happened upon the conversation. One soldier, his face contorting with barely suppressed mirth, clamped a hand over his mouth, desperately trying to stifle a chuckle. His companion, sensing the impending eruption, jabbed him in the ribs with an elbow, a silent plea for decorum. But the laughter, like a trapped spring, was too powerful to contain. Tears welled in the soldier's eyes, threatening to spill over as his shoulders shook with silent mirth. Finally, with a strangled cry, he burst into a full-blown guffaw. "Hahahaha! If it's the Young Master leading us! Hahaha! We'll be able to… Pft! Hahaha!"The sound of his uncontrolled laughter echoed through the camp, drawing curious glances from nearby soldiers. Gaston, his face a mask of confusion and irritation, turned to the source of the amusement. "Excuse me, but what's so funny?" he demanded, his voice laced with displeasure.The soldier, still gasping for br
The unyielding army of the Ice Demon City had been journeying for a considerable number of weeks, traversing a multitude of cities and towns along the way. During our sojourns, we would occasionally restock our supplies, find respite in taverns, and often in the great outdoors, before resuming our arduous trek.Given the unfortunate circumstances, we were informed that the Ice Demon City was the most distant of all cities from the capital. This reality meant that we were among the last to receive the urgent message, compelling us to join the ranks of the other nobles and their armies in the capital.It was in the fourth week of our relentless march that we finally arrived in the grand and magnificent Capital city. The journey had been long and arduous, but our determination never wavered, as we knew our presence was required in these critical times. I had already surmised that the majority of the other nobles and their forces would have already amassed in the capital, readying themse
As the first light of dawn broke through the windows of the guest house, Miron found himself indulging in a breakfast that was nothing short of exquisite. The flavours were so delightful that he couldn't help but admit to himself that it had been a long time since he had enjoyed a meal as delicious as this one.Before long, Miron was summoned by the lord of the Ice Demon City. With a gracious wave of his hand, the lord invited Miron to take a seat on the soft and ornate sofa in the grand hall. Miron, still feeling a bit tense and on edge, quickly obliged and sat down.Despite the gravity of the situation and the impending battle that lay ahead, the lord of the Ice Demon City seemed completely at ease. He sat on his throne, casually eating his food and even humming a tune that was both strange and captivating. Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Miron finally mustered up the courage to ask, "My lord, how can you remain so calm and untroubled? Surely you must feel some fear or
"You won't find Baron Ethan in the mansion," Zikk stated, his hand resting lightly on Miron's shoulder. "He should be in the Endless Forest, training his soldiers."The gesture, though seemingly warm and reassuring, sent a chill down Miron's spine. He sensed a veiled warning in Zikk's words, a subtle reminder of the stakes involved. This was no ordinary mission; it was a delicate dance, a test of Miron's competence and discretion."I am busy," Zikk continued, his tone shifting to one of finality. "I'll get going."Miron, still reeling from the weight of Zikk's revelation, blurted out, "Sir, you're working in this city?" The thought that the Grand Knight, a legendary warrior, would be toiling away in the mundane tasks of everyday life seemed utterly incongruous.Zikk chuckled, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Of course, I need to feed myself, right?" He winked, a playful glint in his gaze. "See you around."With that, Zikk turned and strode away, disappearing into the labyrinthine all
The whispers and hearsay suggesting that Ethan Slayer was the individual responsible for instigating a full-scale conflict between the formidable Beast Kingdom and the vast Empire were, in the opinion of Miron, nothing more than baseless conjecture. He was firmly convinced that these rumors were merely the result of devious political machinations being orchestrated by a select group of nobles within the Empire, who were cunningly manipulating the situation to their own advantage.Such tales of intrigue and deception were likely to be believed only by the most gullible of commoners and the lowest-ranking of nobles, who were easily swayed by sensationalist stories and exaggerated claims.Furthermore, there was another outlandish rumor circulating, which held that Ethan Slayer had single-handedly defeated an entire legion of the Beast Kingdom's most formidable warriors, and had compelled a daunting elite force of ten thousand beastmen to retreat in disgrace, with their tails tucked meek
Miron approached the city with a sense of trepidation, expecting the usual lax security measures that were common in many of the smaller territories. However, he was pleasantly surprised to find that the checkpoint at the gate was both rigid and strict, a testament to the city's strong defenses.As he entered the city, he was immediately struck by the vibrant atmosphere that pervaded the streets. The residents of Ice Demon City went about their daily lives with genuine smiles on their faces, as though the war that was raging in the north was of little concern to them. Children played and laughed on the streets, while adults busied themselves with their work.Miron's eyes widened in astonishment as he realized that the roads within the city were all paved, a luxury that was rarely found in such remote territories. He shook his head in disbelief, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him."I must be seeing things," he muttered to himself, unable to comprehend the level of develop
His gaze fell upon the decree, the stark black ink proclaiming a chilling mandate: all nobles were obligated to dispatch five thousand soldiers to the frontlines."Five thousand," Roland breathed, the words heavy with disbelief.The impossible weight of the order pressed down on him. They had been meticulous in their training, their ranks swelling daily with eager recruits. Their prowess had blossomed over the past few months, their strength rivaling even the most formidable armies of the esteemed nobility. Yet, their numbers barely scraped the surface of the demanded quota, hovering around a meager three thousand."So we march to the front," Roland murmured, the grim reality settling upon him like a shroud.A ripple of unease spread through the ranks of the new recruits, their faces pale with apprehension."Are we truly going to the front?" one young man stammered, his voice trembling.The northern front, while not an immediate threat to their isolated city of Ice Demon, was a chilli