"Tera, what's happening?!"
Dark's voice trembled as another explosion shook the village.
Smoke rose into the sky, followed by the distant screams of people running for their lives.
Tera stared toward Annuct.
Something was wrong.
Demons attacking a village was already strange enough, but what bothered her more was the complete absence of Adventurers.
Where were they?
Why hadn't anyone responded?
"Tera?"
She looked at Dark.
"Stay here."
Dark blinked.
"W-What?"
"Do not leave this carriage. No matter what happens, stay here."
"O-Okay. Sure."
Dark swallowed nervously.
"Not like I'm brave enough to go anywhere anyway."
Tera almost smiled.
"Good."
She reached into her belongings and pulled out a small necklace.
A blue crystal hung from its center, glowing faintly.
"Wear this."
Dark took it.
"What is it?"
"An agility enchantment. It'll increase your movement speed."
She placed the necklace around his neck.
"If you get into danger, run. Don't fight. Just run as fast as you can."
Dark looked down at the crystal.
"Why are you giving me this?"
"Because I don't know what's happening."
Tera looked toward the village again.
"And I don't know how bad this is going to get."
Before Dark could respond, Tera jumped down from the carriage.
"Tera?"
She didn't answer.
"Tera?"
Dark leaned over the side.
She was gone.
"...Huh?"
He looked around.
"Tera?"
Nothing.
Dark slowly climbed back inside the carriage.
"Okay..."
He pulled his knees toward his chest.
"I'm staying right here."
Tera ran toward the village.
The closer she got, the more unsettled she became.
Buildings were burning.
People were fleeing through the streets.
Demons fought among the houses.
Yet there was something strangely organized about the attack.
The demons weren't simply rampaging.
They were searching.
Tera stopped when she spotted two Adventurers fighting a demon near the road.
Both wore the insignia of trainees.
"Trainees?"
She rushed toward them.
"Where is everyone else?"
One of the Adventurers blocked an attack from the demon.
"We don't know!"
"We just arrived!"
Tera's eyes narrowed.
"Then where are the higher-ranked Adventurers?"
"We haven't seen any!"
A chill ran down her spine.
Something is seriously wrong.
She glanced toward the burning village.
Why would demons attack Annuct?
There was no major military target here.
No valuable fortress.
No strategic resource.
Nothing worth this many demons.
Unless...
They're looking for something.
Tera tightened her grip around her weapon.
"Can you two handle this?"
The Adventurers exchanged glances.
"Yeah!"
"Go!"
Tera nodded.
"I'll investigate the village."
She turned and sprinted toward the gates.
Whatever they're after, I need to find it before they do.
Dark had barely been alone for a few minutes when another explosion erupted.
BOOM!
The carriage shook violently.
The horses panicked.
"Whoa! Whoa!"
Dark grabbed the sides of the carriage.
"Calm down!"
The horses bolted.
"WAIT!"
Dark's eyes widened.
"No, no, no, no—!"
The carriage raced down the road.
Dark grabbed whatever he could find.
"HELP!"
The horses continued running.
"TERA!"
Another explosion sounded behind him.
Dark was thrown against the side of the carriage.
"AHHH!"
The road twisted sharply.
Dark stumbled into the driver's seat.
"Okay... okay..."
He grabbed the reins.
"I think I saw Tera pull this before..."
He looked at the reins.
"Was it this?"
He pulled.
The horses suddenly stopped.
Dark flew forward.
"WHOA—!"
He was launched straight out of the carriage.
He landed hard on the ground and rolled several times before finally coming to a stop.
"Ow..."
Dark slowly sat up.
"I should've just walked."
He rubbed his head.
"Definitely should've just walked."
He looked around.
The carriage was gone.
So were the horses.
Dark stood.
"...Great."
A thick fog surrounded him.
Trees stretched in every direction, their branches blocking out most of the sunlight.
He couldn't see the road.
He couldn't see Annuct.
He couldn't even tell which direction he had come from.
"Where am I?"
He took a cautious step forward.
Nothing.
Then—
"Come..."
Dark froze.
A voice.
It had come from somewhere within the fog.
"Who's there?"
Silence.
Then another whisper.
"Join us..."
Dark's breathing became shallow.
"Who are you?"
He turned around.
Nothing.
"Show yourself!"
His voice echoed between the trees.
"Come..."
The voice sounded closer.
Dark's head suddenly began spinning.
"Wh-What's happening?"
He grabbed the nearest tree.
His vision blurred.
"I don't feel so good..."
His knees gave out.
Dark collapsed onto the ground.
The fog seemed to move around him.
His eyes slowly closed.
Just before he lost consciousness, he saw someone standing in front of him.
A woman.
Dark tried to speak.
But everything went black.
Meanwhile...
Tera stepped through the gates of Annuct.
The village was almost unrecognizable.
Smoke covered the streets.
Buildings burned on either side of her.
People had fled—or been driven away.
Tera slowed down.
Something felt wrong.
She could feel it.
A powerful demonic presence.
Her instincts screamed at her to turn around.
That's not an ordinary demon.
Tera gripped her weapon.
But she continued forward.
She had only walked a few dozen meters when—
Something flashed.
Tera's eyes widened.
She twisted her body.
A leaf shot past her face at incredible speed.
It grazed her cheek.
A thin line of blood appeared.
Tera touched the wound.
She stared at the blood on her fingers.
Then came the laughter.
"Heh..."
Tera's eyes darted around.
"Who's there?"
A voice answered from behind her.
"Well, well."
Tera spun around.
"I'm impressed."
A man stood several meters behind her.
She hadn't heard him approach.
Hadn't sensed him.
Nothing.
He simply stood there, smiling.
"You dodged."
Tera forced a smile.
"If that was supposed to impress me, you must be pretty weak."
She raised her weapon.
"Come out already."
The man's smile widened.
"My, my..."
He disappeared.
Tera's eyes widened.
A voice whispered beside her ear.
"Here I am, little girl."
Tera jumped away.
The demon stood where she had been a moment ago.
I didn't sense him.
Her expression hardened.
Not even for a second.
The demon casually inspected his fingernails.
"Well?"
He looked at her.
"Are you going to attack me?"
Tera raised her weapon.
"Why are you attacking this village?"
The demon said nothing.
"You're going to pay for what you've done."
Tera's voice became firmer.
"The Heaven's Army is already on its way."
The demon smiled.
"Oh?"
He lifted one hand.
"Then how about this?"
A small sphere of dark energy formed between his fingers.
"Dark Arrow."
The spell shot toward Tera.
She dodged.
Another.
Then another.
Then another.
Tera moved between them, narrowly avoiding each projectile.
The demon barely moved.
He simply watched.
His attention seemed to be somewhere else entirely.
He looked down at his fingernails while firing spell after spell.
Tera gritted her teeth.
He's not even trying.
She moved to the side.
A Dark Arrow struck her shoulder.
"Gah!"
Tera stumbled.
Blood ran down her arm.
The demon sighed.
"Is that all?"
Tera's eyes narrowed.
"Shut up."
Mana surged through her body.
"Water Slash!"
A blade of water shot toward him.
The demon stepped aside.
"Water Spear!"
Another attack.
He tilted his head.
The spear passed beside him.
"Water Bullets!"
Dozens of droplets fired toward him.
He casually moved between them.
Not one touched him.
Tera's breathing became heavier.
He's reading my movements.
She gathered the remaining mana in her body.
"Then try this!"
Water erupted from the ground.
"WATER TSUNAMI!"
A massive wave surged toward the demon.
For the first time, his expression changed.
Not fear.
Interest.
"Dark Nullification."
He raised one hand.
The wave struck his palm.
And vanished.
Completely.
Tera froze.
There wasn't even a drop of water left.
The demon looked at her.
"My, my."
He smiled.
"What a weak human."
Tera dropped to one knee.
Her breathing was ragged.
"Damn it..."
The demon walked toward her.
"You've used quite a lot of magic."
Tera glared at him.
"Shut... up..."
"You know, humans are interesting."
He stopped in front of her.
"You burn through your stamina so quickly."
Tera forced herself back onto her feet.
Magic required mana, and mana was tied closely to stamina.
The stronger the body, the more mana it could sustain.
That was one of the first things every aspiring mage learned.
But Tera had reached her limit.
She knew it.
The demon knew it too.
"Why?"
Tera steadied herself.
"Why attack this village?"
The demon smiled.
"Since you're going to die anyway..."
He leaned closer.
"I suppose I can give you a little information."
Tera's eyes narrowed.
"We're looking for something."
"Something?"
"Or perhaps..."
His smile widened.
"Someone."
Tera's expression changed.
"Who?"
The demon chuckled.
"Unfortunately, that's all you're getting."
He raised his hand.
"Game over."
"Wait—!"
Tera barely had time to react.
The demon struck her.
Her body slammed into the ground.
Before she could recover, he grabbed her by the hair and lifted her head.
"Oh, where are my manners?"
He smiled.
"I should introduce myself before I kill you."
Tera stared at him.
"My name is Lucifer."
The demon's eyes gleamed.
"Lucifer, the Fallen Angel."
He tilted his head.
"Nice to meet you."
His claws pierced her chest.
Tera gasped.
The world began to fade.
She could no longer hear the burning village.
She could no longer feel the ground beneath her.
The last thing she saw was Lucifer carrying her lifeless body toward a dark portal.
Then—
Nothing.
Several minutes later, the sky above Annuct changed.
A thunderous roar echoed across the village.
Soldiers descended from the heavens.
The Heaven's Army had arrived.
Their arrival turned the battle instantly.
One by one, the remaining demons were cut down.
The creatures that had terrorized the village were destroyed within minutes.
The flames were extinguished.
The streets fell quiet.
The battle was over.
But the army had arrived too late.
They had saved the village.
They had not saved everyone.
And somewhere beyond Annuct—
Dark Oorgari was unconscious in the forest.
Unaware that his journey had already begun to change into something far more dangerous than he could have imagined.