Around twenty figures had gathered at the edge of a sheer cliff.

Each wore a different kind of robe, and they moved diligently, surveying the terrain as they transported various items.

“Move faster! They must’ve already caught on to our plan!”

A Second Order of the Black Dawn Society shouted at the subordinates before turning toward his direct superior.

“Lesley, sir.”

“How is the situation?”

Lesley stood at the cliff’s edge, gazing out over the distant landscape. He didn’t even turn his head as he asked.

The Second Order lowered his head and replied.

“It’s progressing smoothly. We’re currently moving at a pace about twenty percent faster than originally planned.”

“That’s too slow.”

Despite the report that they were ahead of schedule, Lesley was not satisfied.

“Speed it up.”

“B-but...”

“They’re not idiots. They’ve realized we intend to destroy the leyline and are already making moves to stop us. At this rate, they’ll storm in here before we even find the leyline’s core.”

“We’ll buy time. We’ve prepared some measures in advance.”

“Even the beast-summoning drug won’t be enough.”

“We’ve found a promising one. If it works, it should buy us a good amount of time.”

Lesley didn’t respond.

It was silent approval, as if to say, “Try it if you can.” The Second Order bowed and stepped back.

Lesley felt the wind blowing up from the cliff’s edge.

The dreamlike light that once poured down from the sky had lessened significantly.

As the mansion’s leyline overflowed, the mystical phenomena of the Kasarr Basin had faded.

Thanks to that, he was able to reach this place—somewhere he shouldn’t have been able to.

“But it’s still not enough.”

Lesley pulled out the locket hanging around his neck and opened the lid.

Inside the lid was a tiny portrait of Isabella smiling softly.

Next to her was a man linking arms with her, looking awkward and unsure.

A faint glimmer of moisture shimmered in Lesley’s otherwise dry eyes.

Even his subordinates had never seen that expression on his face.

That sudden surge of emotion dragged him deep into his distant past.

Most people, once they reach middle age, can barely remember their snot-nosed childhoods.

They just vaguely recall, “Things were like that back then.”

But Lesley remembered those days vividly.

Even now, if he closed his eyes, the events of that day would replay before him as clearly as if it had just happened.

As a child, he had been a bookworm.

Always curled up in a corner of his room reading, never getting close to anyone.

And it was she—Isabella—who first entered that secluded space of his.

—Hey, what are you doing in there? Let’s play!

How could he ever forget?

The kindness of someone who took his timid hand and led him into a world full of light.

That moment when he stepped out of his dark, narrow room and into the open air, where the breeze was fresh and bright.

In that moment, he was reborn.

Like a chick breaking free from its shell, he saw a new world.

And it was all thanks to the girl who had reached out and pulled him into it.

—You were always as dazzling as the sun.

Swoooosh.

Lesley returned to the present.

The wind swept through him like a wave, washing away the memories of the past.

—To you, wherever you are in this place... will this feeling reach you?

Lesley closed the locket.

And with it, he locked away his thoughts—cutting them off from the outside world.

He would die here.

Whether this plan succeeded or failed, death awaited him either way.

But if there was just one thing he had to accomplish—

It was to save the one person who mattered to him.

That was all.

* * *

The mages moved quickly.

The enemy might discover the leyline’s core at any moment and destroy it, so they had to stop them as soon as possible.

“They’re advancing slower than expected.”

At the front, Derrick Olson glanced back and murmured.

Ludger gave a small nod in agreement.

Considering how confidently they had started, their pace had slowed considerably.

The first reason was the sheer size of their force—over a hundred people.

Each leyline path had roughly a hundred people assigned to it.

Trying to move that many at once inevitably slowed things down.

Even this group was already trimmed down to the minimum, so there was no helping it.

The second issue was the mages’ physical stamina.

With mana-enhanced bodies, mages could temporarily fight on par with knights in close combat.

But physical enhancement through mana wasn’t some all-powerful cure-all.

The effectiveness of such reinforcement varied greatly between mages, depending on constitution, preference, and compatibility.

Most importantly, the majority of mages preferred long-range support. So they never trained in body reinforcement magic, making it inefficient even when used.

If they wrapped their bodies in mana just to make marching easier, they’d deplete their reserves long before reaching their destination.

To make matters worse, the terrain they were moving through was a sloped forest path with no proper trail.

They had to keep climbing uphill without rest, and their stamina was draining fast.

And finally, the third reason—

It was the traps set by the Black Dawn Society.

“Stop!”

The knights at the front suddenly halted, sensing something.

The mages behind them exchanged glances, as if to say, “Again?”

“They really went all out with these damn things.”

Derrick Olson clicked his tongue as he looked at the magical trap before them.

They had already encountered more than ten magical traps on the way here.

Not only that, but the enemies had also used explosive devices powered by gunpowder.

So far, no direct damage had occurred.

Their group was composed of skilled individuals—not the kind to fall victim to such tricks.

Still—

“Being delayed like this is... far from ideal.”

Having a hundred people pinned down by traps was making everyone anxious.

Though he agreed with Ludger’s remark, Derrick didn’t stop dismantling the trap.

To avoid moving according to the enemy’s plan, the traps had to be cleared as fast as possible.

“This side’s done. How about yours?”

“Finished a while ago.”

“Huh.”

Derrick clicked his tongue at how Ludger had already dealt with a complex magical trap in no time.

“Do Seorn instructors know how to disarm traps now too?”

“I picked up a bit during my time in the military.”

Ludger Cherish’s persona included being a former soldier.

So Ludger could naturally use that as an excuse.

With the traps dismantled, the halted march resumed.

“Thanks. That sped things up.”

“It’s a trivial skill.”

“Haha. Is that so? Still, it seems like you have something you want to ask me.”

Derrick Olson had sharp instincts.

He had sensed, ever since Ludger began moving with him, that the man had a particular goal in mind.

“Was it that obvious?”

“How could it not be? You were curious about my old affiliation with the Truth School, weren’t you? I figured as much. A lot of the dead this time were members of that faction.”

Above all, it had been Sage Rimle who orchestrated the incident at the mansion.

Derrick’s expression darkened as he recalled Rimle.

“He was a good man. He might’ve pretended otherwise, but he always cared for others more than anyone. I still can’t believe he did something like this.”

“It wasn’t sudden. He’s been preparing for it for a long time—for his daughter’s revenge.”

“You mean Isabella...”

“Did you know, sir?”

Ludger’s question made Derrick shake his head.

“I didn’t. Rimle never showed his emotions. I knew he was grieving, but I didn’t think he still carried it so heavily.”

“Rimle wasn’t the only one behind this. There was another.”

“Another?”

“Do you know who was Isabella’s fiancé?”

“Lesley? How do you know that name...?”

Derrick’s eyes widened in shock.

“So you did know.”

“Of course I did. He and I were both from the Truth School, same year. We weren’t close, but everyone in our cohort knew him. The three of them... in a way, they were quite famous.”

Three of them?

Derrick, caught up in the memories, continued speaking.

“Isabella drew most of the attention back then, but still, they were all exceptional people. What happened was truly a tragedy. But why bring up Lesley...?”

“What if I told you Lesley was the one leading this operation?”

At that, Derrick flinched, his shoulders twitching. His eyes filled with disbelief.

“What are you saying? That Lesley... did this? That’s not possible.”

Ludger paused, unsure how to explain it.

But there was no need.

From far off, something was approaching.

“...Something’s coming.”

“So it is.”

Derrick, sensing it as well, stiffened as he looked straight ahead.

Something massive was moving through the dense forest.

It was fast—and huge.

With a loud crack, trees toppled in the distance.

“Everyone halt! Prepare for attack!”

The moment his shout ended, one of the trees up front exploded like a bomb.

In the Kasarr Basin, even the trees are infused with mana, making them as tough as steel.

One of those trees was shattered like a toy.

The thing responsible—a massive hand covered in pitch-black fur.

“A bear? Is that seriously a bear?”

What emerged from the wreckage would’ve been called a bear in the outside world.

But in this place, it was anything but ordinary.

In the Kasarr Basin, even a rabbit on the roadside can kill a person.

So what happens when a bear, already capable of mauling a human, takes up residence here?

The answer now stood before them.

Grrrrrr.

The creature reared up on two legs, towering at nearly eight meters.

Even the largest recorded bear barely exceeded three meters. This one was over twice that size.

Even a terrifying cryptid would seem like a lamb beside this monster.

Ludger was sure of it.

Grrrrrr.

The bear’s eyes were unfocused, stained red like they’d been soaked in blood.

Faint red traces flickered around its gaze, a sign that its internal mana was overflowing and spiraling out of control.

‘It’s not in a normal state.’

At that moment, someone moved—faster than anyone else.

‘Valentina?’

The younger of Yekaterina’s twin aides—Valentina.

The instant Ludger recognized her from her violet hair, she had already leapt off a tree and soared up to the bear’s head.

Shaaak!

She slashed with her drawn sword in a wide arc like a full moon, aiming precisely for the creature’s neck.

It was a judgment and speed befitting a high-ranking knight.

But her opponent was far from ordinary.

Clangclangclang!

As her aura-clad blade struck the bear’s neck, it sparked with a grinding screech.

A sword that could slice through steel with ease failed to penetrate the bear’s hide.

Everyone watching was stunned.

Valentina was no exception.

‘Is its skin layered with stone?’

Right before impact, solid stone-like chunks had formed atop the bear’s skin and deflected her strike.

As Valentina faltered, she felt her suspended body suddenly jerked downward.

It was Ludger’s [Telekinesis] spell.

Her body dropped rapidly, and she narrowly avoided the bear’s massive paw swipe.

BOOM!

With a blast like an airburst, the bear’s paw obliterated a nearby tree, sending shards flying in all directions like shrapnel.

Valentina's spine went cold at the sight.

Even the hardiest knight would be reduced to mincemeat if struck by that.

“Uwaaaaaah!!”

The giant bear roared in rage at missing its attacker.

Its voice echoed through the forest, shaking the trees and sending flocks of birds flapping into the sky.

“Why the hell is that kind of monster here all of a sudden?!”

The mages were in disbelief, but Ludger had a hunch.

‘Same as with the Cheshire Tiger.’

A sudden ambush by a top-tier predator.

Back then, he had assumed it was due to the large gathering of people—but if it happened again under similar conditions, there had to be a reason.

The bloodshot eyes alone proved it.

Even if the Basin’s mystical energy had weakened, such erratic behavior made no sense.

The Black Dawn had clearly done something to it.

Just then, the giant bear raised a forepaw.

“Block it!”

“Put up a shield!”

The mages all drew on their mana at once, summoning a barrier.

The bear’s paw came crashing down on it—and the shield shattered like glass.

“What kind of power is that...?”

Even hastily cast, it was a shield formed by the mana of thirty mages.

The idea that it could be broken by a single swing was beyond comprehension.

Craaaaack.

The bear’s paw was covered in stone.

Already powerful limbs now reinforced with rock—the destructive force was immense.

Just as the Cheshire Tiger wielded wind elements, this bear clearly manipulated the earth.

Earth magic was heavy and slow, but unmatched in durability and ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) raw power.

And now it was being wielded by an eight-meter-tall bear?

Even a tank battalion would be powerless before it.

“Spread out! Stay mobile—if you group up, you’ll be wiped out! Focus on evasion!”

“Knights, grab its attention! Don’t stay in one place too long—strike and move!”

Grraaaah!

But the Giant Bear wasn’t going to sit back and watch.

It flared its nostrils and prepared another swipe.

Its target: the sluggish mages.

The ones who had lost their will to fight after seeing their shield shattered by a single swing.

Instinctively, it had picked out the weak, terrified prey.

If it swung its paw now, at least ten would die.

Flaaash!

Just then, brilliant flashes exploded in front of the bear’s face.

3rd-Circle Light Magic.

[Stellar Light]

A radiant light that flickered over thirty times per second, generating an overwhelming burst of brilliance.

The bear couldn’t dodge the spell that detonated right in front of it.

Uwaaaargh!!

A normal human would be permanently blinded.

But the Giant Bear only squinted and stumbled back a step.

At that moment, Derrick cast his spell.

4th-Circle Tree Magic.

[Forest Wave]

The ground surged, and tough roots rose like a wave, lifting one of the bear’s legs from beneath.

But the creature—despite its size—had an uncanny sense of balance. It didn’t fall.

That’s when Valentina made her move.

Whoooosh!

Her sword flared with intense aura as she struck the opposite ankle.

More forceful than her first attack, this blow finally tore through the hide and left a deep wound.

BOOM!

With both legs compromised, the creature teetered and crashed to the ground.

The earth split beneath it, clouds of dust erupting into the air.

In that instant, Ludger climbed atop the beast’s head with swift precision.

He aimed his staff squarely between the creature’s brows.

“Looks like I’ve got another tooth to take home.”