The monsters, emerging through the cracks, clicked their teeth as they searched for prey. Yohan glanced behind him and clenched his lips.
‘Just when things couldn’t get worse…’
The hyenas he was currently facing were not to be taken lightly. Although their numbers weren’t that many, each one was skilled enough to use Mana Blades.
However, if monsters started flooding the area as well, he couldn’t guarantee he could get out of this situation unscathed.
Given the uncertainty of when high-level monsters might emerge from the flood, he needed to deal with the hyenas in front of him quickly.
‘Should I go all out?’
Yohan gathered his full magical power. His blue eyes flashed, creating a gust of wind.
Whoosh!
The intense wave of mana spread out in all directions.
“He’s preparing something!”
“Move according to the monsters’ movements!!”
The hyenas retreated, hiding their bodies in the black mist. They were waiting for the right moment to ambush Yohan while he was distracted by the monsters.
“KRARRRAAA!”
“KIIEEEEK!”
The monsters’ teeth gleamed in the moonlight as they lunged toward Yohan. Their short, thick claws scraped against the rocks, slicing through the air.
Their eyes were stained with blood, and their howls, echoing through the air, were pure despair.
“…First, let’s deal with the monsters.”
The hyenas were troublesome, but the number of monsters was a bigger concern. They were still pouring out from the cracks even now.
Yohan brought his hands together and formed a seal. Threads of glowing mana quickly unraveled from his fingertips, intertwining absorption and emission powers.
Whoooosh!!
A spiraling orb of mana began to swirl from the tips of Yohan’s fingers. The vortex, created by the tangled absorption and emission powers, distorted the flow of air itself.
The orb grew larger and vibrated the ground beneath him. The nearby trees and rocks groaned in pain as they were forcefully torn apart.
Yohan’s hand reached toward the crack. The spiral of emission and absorption surged forward at explosive speed.
High-level magic – Spiral Breakthrough.
“KWAHHHHHHH—!”
The vortex exploded as it swept across the ground, devouring the monsters without a sound. They were sucked into the center, their bodies torn apart.
“KWAAAAAA!”
The Spiral Breakthrough collided with the crack, triggering a massive magical explosion, and at the same time, the ground trembled. A brilliant flash of light swept across the area.
A tremendous storm arose, and everything around him shattered as the earth split open. Rocks flew through the air like dust, and the dirt filled the sky.
Red rain fell from the thick dust, staining the sky and soaking into the earth. The screams scattered into the air, blending with the falling rain, echoing across the land.
The sky and earth were connected by the echoes of the screams.
“Where are the hyenas?”
As soon as Yohan dealt with the monsters pouring out of the crack, he turned to look behind him. He could sense the movements of the hyenas.
But he couldn’t use magic right away. The energy poured into the Spiral Breakthrough was too much, causing an overload.
“……………..”
Yohan’s eyes darted back and forth, scanning for the hyenas. He just had to hold on for ten more seconds. If he could last that long, even if they attacked…
But combat never went as planned. Realizing that Yohan couldn’t use magic right away, the hyenas simultaneously charged forward, wielding their mana blades.
Yohan threw himself backward and rolled across the ground. Shchack! A red blade of light streaked through the air.
“Keep attacking!”
The hyenas’ attacks poured down like a rainstorm. His mana circuit was overloaded, making it impossible to use Yeongryujin.
Crack.
Yohan gritted his teeth and rolled across the ground once again.
Shchack!
Five mana blades split the ground where Yohan had just been. The density of the attack was formidable. Even if he poured all his mana into Yeongryujin, he wouldn’t be able to defend against it.
Swish!
The hyenas moved as if they were toying with their prey, like predators savoring a hunt. In an instant, they closed in around Yohan, then vanished into the black mist.
Before the next attack could come, a brief silence fell. In that moment, a blade suddenly shot out from the mist, aimed at Yohan’s side.
He twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the strike, but once again, a laughter-laced voice echoed from the black fog.
“KYAAAH!”
“KRRRRR!”
Meanwhile, monsters were once again pouring out of the crack. Despite having cleared them once, their numbers were overwhelming. It was definitely a flood of creatures, just as one would expect from a calamity.
“This is bad.”
Yohan’s gaze grew cold and calculating. At this rate, there would be no end to it.
Slowly, he raised his hand and muttered softly.
“Book of Calamity.”
Flick!
A swirling mass of white light gathered in front of him, forming a single book. Forbidden knowledge, granted only to those who dared defy the rules.
‘I didn’t want to use this, but it seems there’s no choice.’
The magic contained within the Book of Calamity was so dangerous that anyone caught using it would be branded a sorcerer and sentenced to death. But now, there was no time to be picky.
Yohan placed his hand on the book and closed his eyes. Each time his fingertips brushed the pages, the air around him seemed to scream.
Lightning Typhoon
The sky split open. A massive lightning bolt surged from the clouds, plunging down toward the earth. The light and thunder struck the ground, crushing everything in its wake.
Dark clouds swiftly gathered above Yohan’s head. The air grew taut with an almost palpable tension, and a cold shiver ran down his skin.
Boom!
The sound of thunder, like the sky itself splitting, reverberated through the air. In that moment, a gigantic lightning bolt struck the earth, with light and sound erupting almost simultaneously.
It was as though the sky and earth were one.
“Wh-what is this…!”
“…My God.”
As the fierce storm blew, the black mist dispersed, revealing the hyenas that had been hiding within it. They were overwhelmed by Yohan’s immense mana, and their will to fight had vanished.
Yohan gathered more mana and made the lightning storm move.
Crack—!!
The storm raged, creating an area of destruction. Lightning and wind whipped through the air from all directions. The lightning flashed from different spots in quick succession, not giving them a moment to escape.
“KK-AAAAH!!”
“KK-ACK!”
The hyenas, struck at breakneck speed by the destructive force of the lightning, collapsed without even being able to scream.
The wind howled as it whipped around them, and the lightning it carried was so intense it could be felt on the skin. The smell of burning air stung Yohan’s nose. The dazzling flash of the lightning stole away all color from the world.
“H-haha.”
The hyena that appeared to be the leader dropped its scythe.
Clink.
The sound was almost as if its mind had snapped.
No one could doubt what was happening.
This was no longer a place where survival was possible; it was the realm of death.
Crack—!!
A bolt of lightning fell from the sky, striking the last remaining hyena. With a flash of blue light, it was consumed by flames, turning black as it collapsed to the ground.
The area fell into silence. The scent of burning flesh filled the air, and the remaining creatures held their breath.
“Hoo.”
Yohan inhaled the cold air, trying to calm his remaining energy. His fingertips trembled. The excessive use of mana had left him dizzy, and he held his head in his hands as he turned away.
The monsters pouring out of the crack were constantly struck by lightning and turned to dust, while the hyenas, blackened and reduced to mere husks, remained motionless.
“It’s good that it’s all sorted out.”
But Yohan had no idea how to close the disaster magic, the Lightning Typhoon.
The Frozen Sound of Winter he used before was a one-time spell, but what should he do with the already created domain?
‘Should I just leave it for now?’
He had already come up with an excuse for when the trace of the lightning storm remained. He could just say that the storm arrived as soon as the crack opened.
With the domain spread out so openly, no one would have time for a detailed investigation, and no one would suspect that he was responsible.
‘…Let’s go down.’
Yohan staggered, making his way past the charred bodies of the hyenas.
He then discovered the knights, who had fallen without even being able to close their eyes. They were all individuals who had been on the same mission as Yohan and had been attacked by the hyenas.
“……..”
Yohan’s gaze turned cold as he looked at the fallen knights. His fist clenched tightly. How many had died because of Cassis Rehnokhonan’s inability to distinguish between public and private matters?
They were all family men, those whose futures had once been bright.
He would not let this matter go unresolved.
Yohan gathered the daggers used by the hyenas and descended the mountain path.
He knew that all the hyenas used the same daggers, a weapon unique to Cassis’s forces.
This would be a strong piece of evidence to bring down Cassis Rehnokhonan.
* * *
Upon returning to the village, Yohan’s first action was to contact Count Eckarshi. The flood had occurred, and he needed to request reinforcements.
Realizing that a monster flood could turn the region into ruins, Count Eckarshi swiftly sent knights and soldiers.
Once he confirmed the arrival of the troops, Yohan headed to the Eckarshi estate to report in person.
Arriving at the estate and entering the office, Count Eckarshi looked at him with a serious expression and asked.
“What happened?”
“It was clearly a monster flood.”
Yohan, sitting on the sofa in the office, added,
“And during the investigation, we were ambushed.”
“Ambushed? By whom?”
“The hyenas.”
“The hyenas?”
The hyenas were infamous. They swore loyalty to a particular family and operated in the underworld.
“This is the evidence.”
Yohan handed over one of the hyenas’ daggers that he had picked up from the table. Count Eckarsi furrowed his brow as he stared at the blade.
“This…”
“This will help us trace the mastermind behind this.”
“…Understood. I’ll ensure a thorough investigation.”
Count Eckarshi nodded with a stern expression as he took the dagger.
His investigation would be crucial in bringing down Cassis Renokhonan.
As an count recognized by the royal family and the lord of a large territory, his efforts would make a significant impact.
“So, what about the monster flood?”
The count asked, his face tense. A monster flood could create serious problems across the entire territory, which was likely the source of his concern.
“I’ve taken the minimum necessary precautions. The storm is blocking access for now, but the flood itself has calmed down somewhat. As long as proper management is in place, it should be manageable.”
Upon hearing Yohan’s words, the count seemed to relax, letting out a deep breath.
“That’s a relief. It could have been a major issue since it was so close. Please accept my gratitude, Master Harssen, for your efforts.”
“It was nothing. As an official, it’s my duty to perform such tasks.”
The count, picked up the dagger from the table, spoke again.
“You must be tired. You should rest and head out tomorrow. I will make sure Master Harssen has everything he needs to rest comfortably at the House of Eckarshi.”
From the Count’s perspective, Yohan was almost like a benefactor. He had single-handedly prevented the monster flood.
“Then, I won’t refuse and will accept your hospitality. Thank you.”
Yohan nodded, and the count smiled brightly before ringing a bell. The door opened, and the butler, who had been waiting, entered.
“We will do our best to ensure that Master Harssen rests comfortably.”
“Yes, sir.”
The butler bowed politely and immediately began guiding Yohan.
Yohan gave a light greeting to the count before following the butler.
“Hah.”
As Yohan left the earl’s office, he let out a brief sigh. Fatigue wrapped around his entire body, but it didn’t show on his face. However, the strange heaviness in his steps told the story of the weight of the battle he had just fought.
“This way, sir.”
Guided by the butler to the bathroom, Yohan sank into the bathtub, which had been prepared with warm water by the servants.
Swoosh.
Amidst the rising steam, Yohan’s eyes deepened in thought.
‘Cassis Renokhonan, this time, it won’t be like last time.’
If he could use the evidence to connect this incident with the previous attack, escaping wouldn’t be so easy.
It was truly the foolish words of someone blinded by a woman’s charms.
It was possible that Cassis could escape by cutting off his tail and fleeing, but even then, he would have to relinquish his position as the heir to the Renokhonan Dukedom.
Most likely, all his power would be stripped away.
Yohan smiled faintly and closed his eyes.
Soon, he would watch as Cassis Renokhonan sank to the bottom.
The fool was truly too foolish.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.