“Cough, cough… Your excellency, wait a minute. Please. T-This humble self has something he needs to ask you.” Manda slightly straightened his hunched back. Through the blurry vision of his aged eyes, he looked at the man wearing a metal helmet who was gradually approaching him.
He didn’t answer, yet his footsteps continued on.
Plunging his longsword into the ground, he slowly squatted down.
“You’re injured.” The muffled, emotionless voice made Manda experience a strong feeling of familiarity.
“Cough, cough, cough…” A sweet feeling rose up from Manda’s parched throat, causing him to open his mouth and spit out bits of blood.
“T-This is insignificant. Your Excellency, please listen to me… This decrepit old sack of bones is a knight under the wing of the Chivalric Order of the Radiant Knight. A-A great disaster will befall Border Town! P-Please seek out the temple association with haste, give them a report and request for reinforcement! There’s not enough time!” Manda’s fingers trembled as he squeezed out a cross-shaped talisman cast from gold.
“If they don’t believe sire, pass this to them… The lives of countless people in this city depend on you!” After saying that Manda lowered his wrinkled eyelids.
“…” The helmeted man silently received the cross-shaped talisman and looked at Manda, who was one breath away from death.
“…”
“Manda, my old pal. In the end, you haven’t overcome your weakness.”
“…Mhm??” Manda’s aged eyes shot open. Within his blurry vision, a delicate and handsome face with distinct features gradually came into view.
“……!” Manda forcefully propped his body up and rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
“M-Master!” Manda was so moved that he had difficulty breathing. The sharp pain from his wounds that were growing more intense by the moment reminded him that he wasn’t in the middle of a daydream.
“I-I’ve always had the feeling… that you’re still alive, Master. That you’ve always been hiding, waiting for an opportunity to make a move. Cough, cough…” Manda was getting more and more excited as he spoke amidst the flash of lucidity that accompanied his death before eventually choking on and spitting out a mouthful of foamy blood.
“You’re still alive… Everything’s going to be alright now that you’re still alive. Everything’s going to be okay now! Hahahaha…”
“Stop talking, I’ll send you to the hospital.” However, just as Ji Bai finished his words and was about to put his hand behind Manda’s back, Manda stopped him.
“No, no! Master, this decrepit body has been afflicted by a magic poison. I don’t have much time left… I… I still have a lot of things in my mind that I need to tell you…”
“Cough, cough…Since Teacher is still alive, this old man can rest in peace. There’s hope for Border Town now! …Sorry I’ll have to trouble you with sorting out the terrible mess I’ve created. My old decrepit self has greedily enjoyed your kindness throughout my life, yet I’m incapable of giving you anything back in return…”
“That letter was actually sent to me by Teacher, right? …Your incompetent disciple has let you down once more.”
“Leave it.”
“No…I don’t have much time left. There are some things I must tell you… Cough, cough, cough…” Continued Manda stubbornly.
Ji Bai went silent.
“Teacher, you’ve always stayed at the frontlines and never realized that the current Chivalry Order of the Radiant Knight had undergone a big change in scale… In order to continue sustaining the order’s operation, Enzo has had no choice but to incorporate it under the Temple Association’s wings.”
“As for the Temple Association…” Manda smiled bitterly.
“Teacher… You must remember to never ever reveal that you’re still alive. Especially so to the people in the Temple Association! Even those in the Chivalric Order!”
“…Why?”
“Master. The current state of affairs in the Chivalric Order is overly complicated, with every major power fighting both in open and secret… If one were to involve themselves in the pool of muddy water that is the Temple Association, they can forget about getting out easily.” Manda smiled bitterly.
“Authority is a double edged sword. The Chivalric Order of the Radiant Knight isn’t the Order you know anymore… You must never believe your previous disciples; Most of them have already been corrupted by the temple association’s authority…”
“Once you reveal your identity, they will all turn their attacks on… The most dangerous aspect is the fact that you’ve never shown your face in public. If they were to charge you with the crime of impersonation, it would be impossible to defend yourself even though you’re the real deal!”
“Those little brats have the guts to do that??” Ji Bai’s complexion slightly darkened.
“Those who crave authority will always take a risk out of desperation… You mustn’t test it out yourself.” Manda was getting slightly anxious.
“I got it.”
“That’s great… Seeing that teacher is alright, I’m relieved… I’m sorry to have you clean up the mess I’ve created once again… If it’s the Radiant Knight, you’ll definitely be able to change the current system of the federation…”
“Also… That child, Lan Yu. He wasn’t a bad person from the start, just his overly deep obsession has caused him to walk on the wrong path. Since things have come to this, I’ve no intention to avoid responsibility…”
Manda’s eyes became vacant as he murmured in a volume that turned softer and softer by the minute.
His body turned transparent as it scattered into bits of particles that dissipated away.
After being hit by the [Magic] stored in Lan Yu’s [External body], his body was broken down after death and its [Magic] extracted.
Ji Bai remained kneeling on one knee without moving for a long time.
…………
“Boom!!”
Reinforced concrete was smashed into scattered cement chunks as magic spheres exploded in a noisy market.
“Hahaha…Frail inferior species!” A troll held onto both ends of a pedestrian with its hands and ripped him apart in two while he was still alive.
“Help!!” Frightened anguished howls filled the entire Border Town as residents were caught off guard by trolls falling out of the sky.
A bloody scene was taking place before their eyes. Unarmed and defenseless, the residents didn’t have time to think about what had happened. They scattered in all directions without thinking about the path they chose.
“Hehehe… Not a single one of you shall escape!”
[Destructive Class — Spirit Walk]
Wind rising up beneath its feet, the troll was seemingly not encumbered by its massive body in the slightest as its increased speed left afterimages in its wake.
“Boom! Boom!” Its fists bore into their targets, causing two heads to fly off like leather balls.
“Where’s the Chivalric Order?! Where are they!? Why aren’t they coming to save me?!”
“Boooom!” A fireball that was coalesced with a smidgen of [Magic] exploded, spluttering out sparks of magic flames which completely burned the inner fat tissue of a human away.
Dozens of demons had broken through the barrier and appeared at an important location of the human federation. Like a nightmare, a crazy chain of events began to unfold.
…………
“Hehe…That’s right, just like that, just like that… [Magic], I need even more [Magic]！“ Seeing [Magic] incessantly being collected from the surface, Lan Yu slyly drew back the corners of his mouth.
“My plan is finally complete! Hahahaha… The diabolic Temple Association and human federation can all go to hell!
“The final step: Fusing with the [External Body]. Let’s begin!! Hahahaha….” Accompanied by Lan Yu’s maniacal laughter, the meat walls began to incessantly contract and push downwards with him as their core. It continuously shrank down and stuck to Lan Yu’s entire body like a skin.
“Uwohhhh!…” His sharp voice turned boorish, as a pair of horns burrowed out from his skull, accompanied by a hairy face and a pair of wide eyes.
The color of the meat attached to Lan Yu’s body turned darker as a pair of black-flame wings materialized out of nowhere and broke out of his back.
“Sss-Ahhhh….!” ‘Lan Yu’ expression was incomprehensible as he screamed out in a call reminiscent of a bird, the soundwave shattering all rocks on the ground.
The true nightmare was only just beginning.
His robust build was seemingly indestructible, as churning energy flowed throughout his body in an unending stream. His five senses were clear and acute, with power filling his body from head to toe…
‘So this is the air a demon breathes all the time?’
‘I love this feeling!’
‘Not enough… It’s still not enough. If the entire human population in the Border Town… No, the entire human federation was to be sacrificed… I wonder if I would be able to usher in a qualitative leap?? I look forward to that…’
‘That’s right, what was I originally planning to do?? …I forgot. Oh well, it’s of no importance anyway. It’s most important to become stronger!’
“Yo, Mr. Lan Yu. From the looks of it, you’ve already received an ‘evolution’. How did that feel? The feeling of being strong isn’t bad, right?” Just as Lan Yu was filled with self satisfaction to the brim, a series of noises entered his ears.
“Who is there??” Lan Yu slightly narrowed his eyes.
“Oh. It’s me, your old friend. That Dharani Priest from the Ancestral God Cult.”
”Just a load of hocus pocus. Come out and talk to me!” Lan Yu felt an indescribable sense of anger as he could only hear but not see the owner of the voice.
“Oh my. Lord Lan must forgive me. After all, your current condition isn’t very stable. If I spoke out of turn a little, you probably would cut me down. I can only use [Voice Transmission] to communicate and not meet you in person. May I ask for your understanding in this matter.” Said the priest in ridicule.
“Hmph!! What are you here for? Speak!” Lan Yu felt his emotions running high like a raging inferno, one that couldn’t be stopped once set off.
However, he had zero intentions of intentionally bringing them under control and chalked it up as a temper the strong should possess.
“Hehe… Lord Lan has already broken through the limits of a first-tier species, which means that you’ve accomplished your long-standing goal. I wonder if you still remember the agreement you had with my cult??”
“Haha… Are you ordering me around, mortal??” Lan Yu snorted coldly.
“No, no… The matter this old man suggested benefits us both. Don’t tell me that Lord Lan doesn’t wish to become even stronger and break through the second tier into an even higher stage?” The old man handled his words with skill and ease, seemingly completely unflustered by the fact that Lan Yu was planning to go against their agreement.
“…Then speak!”
“Ehehe, does Section Head Lan still remember those external powers that obstructed your plans before? Hehe, I’ve found their coordinates on the magical plane. You can go and take your vengeance now. There are actually quite a lot of demons you can absorb. Don’t you want to give it a try?”
“Mhm?” Lan Yu’s gaze dimmed.
“You… aren’t planning to have me go there as a cannon folder, are you?? If there are a lot of demons, I wouldn’t be coming back alive, right??” Lan Yu gave a disdainful smile.
“Lord Lan is wrong to say this. We’re all a family, so why would I harm you?? Besides, even if the situation goes amiss, I can guarantee you that you’ll be able to escape unscathed… If Lord Lan succeeds in absorbing the [Magic] of a dozen demons with an off guard attack, you’ll definitely be without equal beneath the heavens!”
“…Pass their coordinates to me.”
…………
In a different dimension, on the top floor of the central tower owned by the Moon Knight.
“Such self-serving action simply lacks organization and discipline! It is practically a disregard for the Moon knight’s hierarchy! A nation has its own laws as a family has its own rules. An action of such nature is extremely vile! How could a new student of unknown origin get through the Moon Knight’s door?? Pardon my words, but you’ve been too whimsical with your decisions, Assistant Lan Yi!… ” With a pointy mouth and a chin reminiscent of an ape, a bald man clad in a luxurious robe held sharp and unkind words at Lan Yi as he jabbered on one end of the long table.
“How I use my recommendation quota is my own business. May I request Mr. Hou to not doubt my decision?” Lan Yi shot a cold glance at the documents on the table.
“Get it straight! This isn’t just a matter of the recommendation quota. Right now, problems have arisen with the student you have recommended!” The hideous and vulgar-looking middle aged man lashed out with a flushed face of anger.
“Even though Hou Guan has somewhat over-exaggerated with his words, he has shed light on a certain problem… Bringing an unknown person into the magical dimension is an extremely serious problem indeed… “ Said a middle-aged, horned man with a frown.
“However, I believe if the person he brought along was just a little girl… that’s not much of a big deal.”
“Not a big deal?? What should we do if our spatial coordinates are exposed due to someone entering without an identity tablet??!” The hideous and vulgar looking man didn’t hold back with his attacks as he continued to press on with an overbearing aura.
“What does Mr. Hou think we should do then?”
“Do I even have to say it? Of course, we’ve to wipe their memories and expel them!”
“…What do you think, Chivalric Leader?” Lan Yi had a headache as she turned her gaze towards the center of the long table.
“Well, if it’s expelling… I’ve no opinion on that.” Stated Anna without sparing a glance at them. With her legs propped against the table, her eyes were currently glued to the game she was playing.