Four members of the Black Shadow Mercenaries infiltrated the ruins of Aldebaran—two on the side of the Andras Empire and two on the side of the Pratea Kingdom.
Since they had already assumed various undercover identities and positions elsewhere, their infiltration was relatively easy.
The orders given to them were clear: escalate tensions between the imperial and royal investigation teams and incite a physical conflict.
Given their skills, they could easily extract themselves from the fight once it broke out.
Their ultimate mission was to spark a war between the two nations.
They didn’t know why their client wanted to instigate a war, but it wasn’t their concern.
The Black Shadow Mercenaries were full of psychopaths who would do anything as long as they were paid, so they had no complaints about following orders.
One of the operatives embedded in the royal faction stepped forward, pretending to be enraged, and unsheathed his weapon.
“First, you meddled in our affairs during the Baron Vector incident, and now you dare to send soldiers into our country without permission? Damn imperial bastards, I won’t stand for this anymore! This is our land, not yours!”
“Restrain yourself!”
The leader of the royal investigation team tried to stop him, but at that moment, the Black Shadow Mercenary embedded in the imperial faction took action.
“Because of your incompetence, a citizen of our empire lost their life here, and you expect us to just stand by and watch? And now you’re drawing weapons? Is that a challenge? Fine, come at me!”
As the imperial infiltrator retaliated, the leader of the imperial investigation team shouted in frustration.
“Stand down!”
But before tensions could subside, a third operative from the royal faction stoked the flames further.
“Do you think we’re afraid? You imperial scum keep coming up with excuses to turn our kingdom into another Carat Dutchy, but we see right through you!”
His words caused an uproar among the royal investigation team.
To the people of the continent, the Carat Dutchy was seen as nothing more than a hollow shell, a semi-colony that had been devoured by the empire.
Everyone had secretly feared this possibility, but no one had dared to say it out loud.
Now that someone had voiced it directly, outrage spread among the royal investigators.
“They dare to treat us like the Carat Dutchy?”
Seeing the fury spreading, the fourth and final infiltrator from the imperial side delivered the finishing blow.
“And what makes you any different from them? You overgrown Carat wannabes dare to harm imperial citizens? You should pay the price!”
As he spoke, he drew his sword, infused it with mana, and launched an attack.
The royal faction operative blocked it with his shield, and since the strike wasn’t intended to be lethal, the incident could have ended as a mere skirmish…
But—
“Those crazy bastards actually attacked!”
“What? Overgrown Carat Dutchy? That’s it! First your meddling, and now you want war? Do you think we’ll back down?!”
Already infuriated by the repeated insults, the royal investigation team lost control and drew their weapons in unison.
Seeing this, the imperial investigation team also drew their weapons, and the two factions stood on the brink of an all-out clash.
The four Black Shadow Mercenaries smirked and began to slip away…
“Enough!!!”
A powerful male voice suddenly rang out, and four figures emerged from the shadows.
The man grabbed the mercenary from the Black Shadow Mercenaries who had infiltrated the kingdom by the scruff of his neck and threw him down, subduing him.
The other three were also captured—one restrained by the arm of a Bunnyfolk girl, another ensnared by vines summoned by an Elven girl, and the last one caught by a spell cast by a Human girl.
“Both the kingdom and the empire—if you’re thinking of fighting, stop right now! You’re being used by these scumbags!”
“Who are you people?! If you don’t release our soldiers immediately, we will—”
“These people are not your soldiers! They are members of the Black Shadow Mercenaries!”
Gasps of shock erupted from both sides.
The Black Shadow Mercenaries were like a mirage—difficult to track, but their infamy was widely known.
Still, neither side was quick to accept this claim.
“What nonsense! Are you insulting the soldiers of the kingdom?”
“That statement could be considered an insult to the empire! And who are you people, anyway? If you don’t reveal your identities immediately, we will consider you intruders and attack!”
“I am Alvis, the sole surviving heir of the now-fallen Count Frederick of the former empire. And as for proof of what I just said—I’ll show you right now.”
Keeping the imperial-affiliated mercenary restrained, I activated my lightsaber.
“What is that? Light? A magic spell?”
“If it’s magic, why don’t I see any magic circles?”
“It almost looks like…”
A Holy Knight.
The people of both nations swallowed those words, knowing full well the weight of saying them aloud.
I ignored their reactions and pointed my blade at the subdued Black Shadow Mercenary.
“W-What do you think you’re doing?! No matter how far you’ve fallen, a noble of the empire pointing a blade at an imperial soldier—”
“Cut the crap. Did you really think I wouldn’t recognize that you’re from the Black Shadow Mercenaries? Looks like you’re working under some utterly disgusting orders. Now, you’re going to tell me everything about your connection to those bastards.”
After defeating Vector and absorbing his power, I had confirmed that these people were connected to the Subterranean Worms.
Activating my Eyes of Truth, I could now clearly see that they were indeed Black Shadow Mercenaries. I could also see traces of the same ominous energy from the Subterranean Worms emerging from their bodies.
I drew my lightsaber and plunged it into the right arm of the one emanating the black energy.
“Gah… AAAAAAAHHHH!!!”
Of course, being stabbed in bare flesh would hurt, but his reaction was far beyond mere pain—it was something grotesque.
His arm began twisting at an unnatural angle. His eyes rolled back, and foam spewed from his mouth.
And yet, no blood spilled from his stabbed arm. Instead, like steam escaping from a fissure, black smoke billowed out.
The smoke slithered up his arm, turning it completely black up to the elbow.
After the arm turned black from the hand to the elbow, a mouth filled with sharp teeth appeared on the affected area and began snapping as if searching for something to devour.
“H-Holy…! W-What is that?!”
“T-There are teeth on his arm… What the hell is happening?!”
The soldiers on both sides were struck with shock at the grotesque sight.
Unlike Vector, this wasn’t a true Subterranean Worm—just a low-level pawn that had been influenced by them.
That’s why it didn’t have countless mouths covering its body.
But even in this lesser form, it was terrifying enough to horrify those who witnessed it.
The exposed Black Shadow Mercenary let out a scream and convulsed violently.
I swiftly swung my lightsaber and sliced through his blackened elbow.
As the blade of light severed the corrupted arm, a sizzling sound—like burning flesh—filled the air, and black smoke billowed from the wound.
From the cut, a grotesque liquid, a mixture of blood and dark mist, oozed out.
Even though they hadn’t been directly granted power—only slightly influenced—this was already the result?
I clicked my tongue inwardly and proceeded to do the same to the other mercenaries captured by Ravi, Elfin, and Lenis.
The affected areas varied.
One had his left arm corrupted, another his right leg, and yet another had his abdomen blackened…
As eyes and teeth began emerging from their blackened skin, the kingdom and empire’s investigation teams fell into a horrified silence.
Watching the incapacitated mercenaries, their bodies convulsing and foaming at the mouth, I turned to the soldiers and spoke.
“These men infiltrated under orders from the Black Shadow Mercenaries’ higher-ups to deliberately escalate tensions between your two nations. Think back—when the situation intensified earlier, wasn’t it these four who were at the center of it all? From the very beginning, you were being manipulated by them. If you had truly clashed here, these four would have quietly retreated… only to slaughter every survivor before slipping away.”
Both groups exchanged uneasy glances, expressions filled with doubt and disbelief.
The kingdom’s investigation team, in particular, was still highly skeptical as they pointed a finger at me.
“We can see that these men are suspicious, but what guarantees that you’re not also suspicious? You claim to be from the empire, correct? Then isn’t there a possibility that you’re working with them and orchestrating this whole situation?”
“I can vouch for his identity!”
Lenis stepped forward to intervene.
She removed the hood she had been wearing, revealing her face.
The kingdom’s soldiers gasped in shock upon realizing that the missing Lenis was alive.
“L-Lady Valentine?!”
“You’re alive?!”
“You’ve been missing for so long… Where have you been all this time? Don’t tell me he—”
“I am traveling with Alvis and the others of my own free will! Alvis is not on the same side as those scum. I swear it upon the name of House Valentine! Therefore, I urge the kingdom’s forces—put away your weapons and cease any further conflict! Take these two Black Shadow mercenaries back with you! We will handle the investigation here.”
Elfin then stepped in front of the empire’s forces.
“I am Elfin, granddaughter of Elder Arboness. The empire must withdraw and return home. The one who ordered your deployment here is undoubtedly in league with these mercenaries. This entire investigation was a farce from the start. Take the two infiltrators among your ranks and interrogate them as you see fit—but leave this place and do not interfere further.”
“T-The granddaughter of an elven elder…? Why is she here…?”
“Wait a minute—just because she’s an elder’s granddaughter doesn’t mean she has the authority to order us around!”
It was clear neither the kingdom nor the empire intended to back down easily.
Seeing this, I stepped between the two groups and took my position.
“As it happens, I have a talent for investigating matters like these. I will uncover what the Black Shadow Mercenaries were doing here and what their true objective is. Kingdom forces—inform Count Valentine that his daughter is alive but has chosen to continue traveling due to certain circumstances. Imperial forces—return to your homeland and conduct your own investigation into these individuals.”
Then, I intensified the output of my lightsaber.
“This is not a request.”
“It’s a warning.”