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Teriq, the head of the famous Rolpein Trading Company, had been found as a horrific corpse. Beside him, Beret, the heir of the Caron Trading Company, was also found dead. With two prominent figures from the Chatan Principality brutally murdered, it was natural for Zeppelin city to be turned upside down. An investigation team was immediately assembled to find the perpetrator with a sense of urgency.

However, the identity of the murderer remained undisclosed. Strangely enough, the employees of the Rolpein mansion remembered nothing. The only testimony that came forward was this:

“It was an elf with a huge stature, as beautiful as a woman.”

The memories of Sillan, Siris, and Repenhardt intertwined, creating a bizarre monster. Although everyone was perplexed by the description, it was so absurd that it seemed plausible.

Rumors circulated throughout Zeppelin city that a high-ranking magician had created a new chimera-type monster to kill the two young men. The disappearance of elf and orc slaves from the mansion added credibility to the rumor, suggesting that the magician had taken them as materials for the chimera.

Of course, all this commotion had nothing to do with Repenhardt and his party. Having traveled through the night, they were already on a mountain path far from Zeppelin city.

Walking through the twisted forest path, Sillan asked,

“Where are we going now?”

Repenhardt replied shortly,

“Setellad mountain range.”

The Setellad mountain range was located in the northwestern part of the continent, in the middle of the Graim Kingdom.

“That’s quite far, isn’t it?”

Although there were many unexplored dungeons nearby, Repenhardt deliberately chose the distant Setellad mountain range as their destination. Sillan asked again,

“What’s there?”

“Forgotten ancient ruins, Elucion.”

Repenhardt replied with a meaningful tone. And he added to himself,

‘Because what’s necessary to regain magic is there.’

In a passage made of gray rocks, surrounded by darkness, lights flickered continuously.

Whoosh!

A blue flame, filled with malevolent energy, flew towards them. In an instant, a sword light split the flame in two. Piercing through the divided flame, a beautiful elf girl with platinum blonde hair charged forward. The blade of her long sword sharply descended upon the head of a Night Skull that had spewed magical flame.

“Yaah!”

The darkened skull shattered, and the human illusion that had been overlaid on it scattered like a candle flame in the wind. With a scream, the bisected Night Skull crumbled.

“Keeeh!”

Behind, Sillan shouted,

“Siris! Be careful!”

Another Night Skull was lunging at her with its sword, its blue eyes glinting fiercely. Despite the rust on the blade, the energy entwined around the sword’s body was not to be underestimated. Siris quickly turned her body and deflected the sword with a swift motion.

Clang!

Stepping firmly, Siris elevated her momentum in an instant and pushed the Night Skulls back with her sword. At that moment, Sillan raised a prayer.

“O Philanence! Bestow upon these cursed beings the light of purification!”

A pinkish holy light extended from Sillan’s fingertips, sweeping over the Night Skulls. This technique, known as Turn Undead, caused the fraudulent aura enveloping the skeletons to shake violently as if caught in a storm. However, befitting their status as top-tier undead monsters within the skeleton lineage, the Night Skulls were not completely purified.

Sillan clicked his tongue in frustration.

“Damn! Is that not enough?”

The momentarily repelled Night Skulls once again charged at Siris. Despite her best efforts to block them, the overwhelming numbers began to gradually push her back. Seeing this, Sillan reached out to Siris, uttering another prayer with urgency shortening his words.

“Philanence! Full service for her!”

Though it hardly seemed like a prayer anymore, divine protection was miraculously activated. True to the goddess’s insight, she understood even such a rudimentary plea.

Siris was enveloped in various physical enhancement spells, glowing in pink. The pink elf girl charged towards the blue skeletons, sword in hand, yelling out her battle cry.

“Yaaah!”

Meanwhile, Repenhardt was fighting against five demons on the opposite side of the corridor, occasionally glancing back.

“Hmm, their coordination is spot on.”

It was quite common for warriors and clerics to team up, but properly supporting each other in battle required significant experience. Yet, this duo displayed exquisite teamwork, as if they had been together for years.

‘That’s less about Siris being impressive and more about Sillan having experienced various partners.’

While Siris was undoubtedly a genius swordsman, her experience was lacking. The remarkable teamwork was entirely thanks to Sillan, that young boy.

‘How old was he when he started facing real battles? To have that level of experience at his age?’

Sillan turned out to be an even more remarkable cleric than expected. Moreover, his divine power was formidable. If he continued to grow at this rate, he might become an even greater priest than Saintess Ellin, his nemesis in a past life.

A question then arose,

‘But why was someone like him unknown until now?’

Repenhardt had recognized numerous esteemed clerics in his previous life. Being the Emperor of the Antares Empire, it was essential for him to gather such intelligence, especially since the entire continent was hostile towards him. However, Sillan’s name was never among those he had identified. It seemed unlikely that Sillan, though still young now, would not become a great cleric in the future.

‘Could it be that this kid meets an untimely death? Or perhaps he has a chronic illness?’

During a moment of leisure, Repenhardt considered visiting a medical guild.

“Talkera!”

An demon launched an attack with a loud shout, piercing Repenhardt’s guard and scratching his shoulder with its claw.

“Argh!”

The pain was minor, despite the tear in his clothing. Repenhardt frowned and lashed out fiercely with his limbs.

“This bastard!”

His furious punches and kicks swirled like a tornado, pulling the demons towards him. In this state, Repenhardt quickly recalled the weaknesses of his adversaries.

“The weak point of this one is the nucleus in its side, that one’s is its horns. And this one? Ah, just hitting it hard will do.”

Golden aura surged, swiftly overpowering the demons. Knowing their weaknesses made them far from challenging opponents. Some, sensitive to cold or possessing magical vulnerabilities, required more effort, but relentless assault was generally effective.

Soon, all the demons were annihilated, leaving a scene of blood and gore. Amidst the carnage, Repenhardt caught his breath. Siris and Sillan, having dealt with the Night Skulls, approached him. Repenhardt turned to inquire about their well-being.

“Are you hurt?”

Sillan, nodding, glanced down the corridor.

“No, but did you say this ruin is called Elucion? It seems even more formidable than the Falton ruins.”

“Still, this back way is somewhat easier.”

Fifteen days after leaving the Principality of Chatan, Repenhardt and his companions entered the Kingdom of Graim, heading straight for the Setellad mountain range and then to the Elucion ruins. Remarkably, Repenhardt unlocked a secret door to a hidden passage by simply moving a few stones on the ground.

“Why bother with hardship when you know an easier path?”

The relic they sought, “Voice of Elucion,” was located in the heart of the ruins. Repenhardt, having endured numerous trials in his past life, had explored every passage, eventually discovering this hidden route. Though relics from the Silver Age were scattered throughout the ruins, not just at the center, Repenhardt had no intention of ignoring these treasures. However, disarming the defense system in the central area would certainly make exploring the ruins much easier.

Thus, the three of them advanced along the hidden passage. Repenhardt dealt with the powerful demons, while Sillan and Siris took care of the relatively weaker undead, quickly heading towards the center of the ruins.

Had it been about an hour? The passage ended, revealing a large stone door in front of them. It was a door overlaid with complex patterns, plated with various magical metals. Repenhardt smirked.

“We’ve arrived.”

Sillan examined the door and frowned.

“It’s a door sealed with magic. It can’t be opened with force, can it?”

A door sealed with magic cannot be broken with mere physical force. The sealing spell forcibly disperses the applied physical force in all directions. The same force, if applied with a drill, would penetrate deeply, but if hit with bare hands, it would leave the wood unscathed.

Of course, with Repenhardt’s physical strength as an aura wielder, he could split a fully grown tree with his bare hands. But that would mean the tree, and in this case, the stone chamber, would be blown away. Breaking the sealing spell with mere strength would be akin to blowing away the entire stone chamber.

“That’s why I said we should hire a magician, didn’t I? You kept saying we didn’t need one….”

Sillan grumbled repeatedly. It was a natural reaction, as they seemed to have to turn back when they were so close. The spell to open doors, a 3rd circle spell, could be used by any competent magician. If they had brought any magician with them, they could have easily solved this problem.

Repenhardt, however, was calm. It’s not that he didn’t know there would be such a door here.

“Wait. I’ll prepare a spell.”

He said nonchalantly as he sat down cross-legged. Sillan asked in astonishment.

“Wait, Mr. Repen, you can use magic too?”

“Yeah, I was originally a magician.”

Though the explanation was skipped, the answer was undoubtedly true. However, for Sillan, who was unaware of the details, it was an astonishing revelation.

“Whaaat?”

In the world, there certainly are professions like magic swordsmen or magic fist fighters who utilize both magic and martial arts. However, magic swordsmen are mostly former mercenaries who, feeling the limitations of their abilities, use magical tools or learn a few simple spells to enhance their bodies. True magic swordsmen, skilled in both areas, are extremely rare. And then…

“Mr. Repen, you were a magic fist fighter?”

Magic fist fighters, in fact, is another term for combat magicians, those among magicians who specialize only in combat magic. For warriors of the battlefield who dodge flying spears and cast spells, it’s a perfectly logical choice to also learn physical techniques. However, that’s merely about magicians also learning physical techniques, not about formally walking the path of a warrior.

“So, Mr. Repen, you’re telling me that not only are you smart enough to learn magic, but you also have a talent for martial arts and have even awakened your aura?”

It’s unfair! Some people desperately practice, hoping just to achieve a masculine physique and don’t get anywhere, while others are blessed with both brains and brawn! Why is the world so unjust!

Sillan was fuming with jealousy as he looked at Repenhardt with envious eyes. Suddenly, he tilted his head in confusion.

“What are you doing now?”

The man who was about to cast a spell has been sitting and closing his eyes all this time.

“I’m meditating. I need to gather my mana.”

“What?”

It made even less sense to him. Meditation for a 3rd circle spell? How much mana does it need? But Repenhardt did not reply anymore and concentrated on meditating.

Thus, he sat cross-legged, engrossed in meditation for about ten minutes. Finally, when he had gathered enough mana to cast a 3rd circle spell, he slowly began to recite the spell.

“Ralphia… de… Lathea… Volt…”

It took him about 30 seconds to prepare the incantation that converts internal mana into magic.

“By the ancient names, I command… the power of the seal… open that closed door.”

It took another 30 seconds to verbalize the magic formula that turns converted magic into a spell.

“…”

Sillan’s jaw dropped. He had never seen such a slow spell in his life.

At last, Repenhardt shouted the activation word for materialization.

“Gate Open!”

The stone door vibrated slightly as the sealing spell was released. It creaked open slowly. The door of an ancient relic that might not have moved for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, had opened!

… Of course, Sillan, who was watching from the side, felt no excitement whatsoever.

“Mr. Repenhardt, please don’t go around calling yourself a magician.”

His resentment at Repenhardt originally being a magician had completely dissipated. A magician? It took nearly a minute for a 3rd circle spell?

“Quiet, I opened it anyway.”

Repenhardt stood up with an indifferent expression. In his past life, he had been the first 10th circle great magician in history, ruling over the entire continent even as a Demon King, and now he was hearing such comments?

‘Ah, really, I need to find the voice of Elucion fast. This is so frustrating.’

Anyway, the door was open. What he had been longing for was supposed to be inside. Excited, Repenhardt stepped inside. That was the moment.

“What?”

A cry full of dismay burst from his lips.

“What? Why is it empty?”