Tension hung heavier than the magicules in the air within the meeting room of the Holy Church, in the heart of the Holy Ruberius Kingdom. The Cardinals, Bishops, and other high-ranking church officials sat with stiff expressions. Their new-found concern wasn't about ordinary dark magic, but a recent anomaly.
Pope Louis, a wise middle-aged man with sharp, calm eyes, sat on the seat of honor. Every one of his movements revealed an awareness of a higher entity watching them from the shadows.
"The latest report from the coastal base," the Archbishop's voice trembled. "Over the past three months, the monster population along the coastline has drastically decreased. That's not the problem. The problem is the hunting pattern. Traces of the attacks were found on the coast, but the bodies were not there."
Another Cardinal, an old man known for his skepticism, interrupted with a sneer. "Nonsense. Monster corpses disappearing? Impossible. It must be the work of a high-level dark sorcery, aiming to disrupt the natural balance. We must dispatch an exorcist team, no, Holy Knights!!"
"No, Your Eminence," the Archbishop shook his head. "Our analysis shows no traces of magic at all. There were only traces of claws and highly efficient attacks. The bodies were later found in a location far from the hunt—in a secluded gorge near the mountains. And when they were found, their magicules had completely vanished. They didn't dissipate into the air like with a normal monster's death; it was as if their entire essence had been forcefully devoured."
Pope Louis silenced the debate by raising a hand. "Captain Saulus. What were the results of your analysis?"
Captain Saulus, a muscular man in gleaming silver armor, stepped forward. His sharp eyes looked around seriously. "I cannot provide a definitive analysis. But the attack pattern is disturbing. The monsters didn't die normally. There are traces indicating an extremely efficient predator, working in a group, and leaving no detectable magical energy trails. These mysterious creatures left no footprints or detectable magical energy traces."
Pope Louis closed his eyes. "So, we do not know who they are, or where they came from."
"We suspect they are a type of ghost, Your Eminence. Only an intangible entity could do something like this. A ghost that hunts not for souls, but for energy. That is the only plausible theory."
A chilling silence filled the room. Pope Louis now spoke in a more serious tone. "This large-scale disappearance of magicules is an anomaly. The dissipation of magicules into the air is part of the natural cycle. A large-scale energy vacuum could disrupt the balance of this region, even attracting the attention of high-level monsters that are highly sensitive to magicule changes, or even... a Demon Lord. We cannot let this continue."
Pope Louis finally opened his eyes, a cold expression replacing his calm demeanor. "Dispatch an investigation team. A team led by Captain Saulus himself. They will track this anomaly, find out what is happening, and if they find the culprits... exterminate them completely."
"As you command, Your Eminence," Captain Saulus replied, nodding firmly.
In the shadows behind the Pope's chair, an undetectable aura of darkness appeared for a moment, then vanished. Pope Louis knew who he had to talk to.
The Holy Knight investigation team, led by Captain Saulus, had been traveling for two weeks. They finally found the secluded gorge near the mountains, the location where the corpses of monsters with missing magicules had been found. Inside the silent gorge, the atmosphere felt strange. There were no living monsters, only abandoned carcasses.
"Captain, the magicules here... are very thin," a Holy Knight reported nervously. "It feels like all the energy in this place has been used up."
"Stay alert. Whatever is doing this must still be nearby," Saulus replied, his eyes scanning the surroundings. He held his holy sword, which emitted a faint light aura in response to the magicule vacuum.
Suddenly, the sound of wet footsteps came from behind the rocks. Not one or two, but dozens. From the darkness of the gorge, six unknown monsters emerged. Their bodies were humanoid, but with bluish scaly skin, sharp, shark-like teeth, and sharply curved fins on their backs and ears. They walked calmly, their cold gazes fixed on the Holy Knights.
"So, this is it," Saulus muttered. "Creatures that crave energy. Prepare yourselves! Protect yourselves with... Holy Shield!"
The Holy Knights raised their shields. A holy aura shone, forming an invisible barrier that should have crippled any monster. However, the six monsters showed no reaction. They didn't even try to avoid it.
The battle began.
A Holy Knight advanced with a Holy Blade Dance, a series of slashes enhanced by holy magic. But when his sword struck one of the monsters, what happened wasn't a holy burn, but a strange sensation. His sword felt heavy, as if the power within it was being gradually drained.
The monster retaliated with its sharp Predator's Claw. The claw not only scratched the Holy Knight's armor, but also absorbed the magicules from within his body, making him feel numb and exhausted. The Holy Knight fell, not from a severe wound, but from a complete exhaustion of magical energy.
"What the hell?! Our holy magic isn't working?!" another Holy Knight shouted.
They tried to attack with magic. Various holy spells were cast, from Holy Ray to Holy Burst, but all the attacks caused no significant damage. The holy magic, which should have annihilated dark creatures, simply weakened and dispersed.
One of the monsters raised its palm, creating an invisible Magical Wall that weakened the holy energy waves, reducing their power to almost harmless levels.
Saulus realized something was terribly wrong. These monsters were not ordinary. They were predators specifically created to feed on energy, rendering their holy magic—which was also based on magicule energy—ineffective. While they could be physically harmed, fighting them was an energy-draining battle.
"Retreat! This isn't a fight we can win!" Saulus shouted. He used his remaining holy energy to create a small explosion that broke the monsters' concentration, giving his team time to retreat.
As they fled, Saulus looked back, seeing the monsters huddled over the bodies of the fallen Holy Knights, absorbing the last remnants of their magicules. His strained face was filled with cold despair. He had seen a threat that his power could not handle.
Captain Saulus, with cracked armor and a face smeared with dirt, returned to the Holy Church meeting room. The entire room was filled with silence as the Cardinals and Bishops looked at him with questioning expressions. Before them, Pope Louis sat on his throne, his gaze unreadable.
"Captain, what happened?" Pope Louis asked, his voice calm.
Saulus knelt, his breath ragged. "Your Eminence... we failed. They... they aren't monsters. They are... a horror."
He recounted the entire event. Their unnatural strength, how holy magic was meaningless, and how his comrades fell, not from sword cuts, but because their energy was completely drained.
The entire room went silent. Horror began to creep among them. The officials, who had always relied on their holy power, now heard about an enemy that could negate that power.
A Cardinal stood up. "That's impossible! There must be a mistake in your report, Captain! Holy Knights cannot lose to such monsters!"
"The bodies are outside. We brought their remains as proof," Saulus replied, his voice hoarse. "I don't know what they are, but they are organized, efficient, and most frighteningly, they're like machines that consume magicules."
Pope Louis closed his eyes. He felt the turbulent magicule waves outside, waves caused by the battle that had just ended. He knew something unusual was happening, and he knew how to get his master's attention.
"Captain, you may rest," Pope Louis said. "Go. We will summon you again to discuss the next plan."
Saulus rose and left. As the door closed behind him, Pope Louis sighed deeply. He knew he could no longer hide this problem. He had to contact his master immediately.
In Luminous' private chambers, a woman was enjoying a glass of red blood, sitting gracefully in a luxurious chair.
Pope Louis entered, his face showing a rare nervousness.
"What is it, Louis?" Luminous asked, her voice indifferent. "You're interrupting my time."
Louis bowed his head deeply. "A report from the Holy Knight team on the coast. It might interest you, Luminous-sama."
"Oh?" Luminous hummed, unimpressed. "So, the magicule-eating monsters are quite strong?"
"That's not the main point, Luminous-sama," Louis replied, raising his head. "Their report says the monsters have an extremely unnatural ability to manipulate magicules, even neutralizing our Holy Magic. There is 'someone' who created them with a method that is alien to us."
Luminous put down her glass. The atmosphere in the room changed. The boredom in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a flash of sharp interest.
"Interesting," she whispered. "So, you're daring to say someone is using magic in my territory in a way that even I don't recognize?"
"Yes, Luminous-sama. Captain Saulus said they are organized like a military unit, fight with terrifying efficiency, and consume magicules like machines. This is not a natural phenomenon. This is the product of a very high intelligence."
A small smile appeared on Luminous's face. "It seems a new toy has appeared. Someone very clever. This will be an interesting diversion," she said, looking towards Louis.
"Who do you think the culprit is... is it one of the Demon Lords?" Louis asked.
Luminous rose, walking to the window. "Whoever the culprit is, how insolent of them to think they could disturb my territory. I will find them, and we shall see if they can dance to the tune I play."
Somewhere else.
Inside my advanced underwater base, I sat on a throne, monitoring incoming data on the holographic screen before me. I didn't really care much about what was happening on the surface. Whether they were Holy Knights or monsters, to me they were all just moving data units. And honestly, it was incredibly boring.
However, the data I got from that battle was quite interesting. The red dots of the Holy Knights on the holographic map began to fade, and the blue dots of the Soul Devourer remained stable. This was the confirmation I needed. My evolution method was a success.
Hmph. Their holy magic, which was supposed to purify and destroy my magic, was instead neutralized and absorbed. Why? Because I deliberately set the magicule resonance of my created monsters to be immune to holy magic. They're like cell phones; they need a battery. When their energy runs out, they can recharge it by absorbing energy from the outside.
I extended one of my claws and manipulated the data on the screen. Every time a Soul Devourer successfully killed a monster, a small data packet entered my spiritual core. It was a slow, but sure, way to collect magicules. I felt a steady flow of energy pouring into me. It felt like saving money in a bank. The amount was small, but it kept growing.
To do that, I implanted a Manipulator through soul corridor. The Manipulator is what changes the frequency of the magicule particles from Holy Magic, converting it into an energy that can be absorbed. It was the most efficient way.
The experience with Caelus taught me one thing: rushed power is arrogance. I will not repeat the same mistake. I will build my power step by step. Besides, I have plenty of time.
Suddenly, an anomalous signal appeared on the map. A very strong and stable point of light, high above the capital of the Holy Ruberius Empire. The magicule wave was so dense, so pure, that it couldn't possibly come from an ordinary entity.
This wave... its resonance felt the same as Caelus' aura, but on a different scale.
"Answer: The detected magicule wave matches the aura of a Demon Lord."
A smirk appeared on my sharp-toothed lips. "Luminous Valentine, huh? She must have felt the magicules I'm collecting in her territory. This is an interesting plot," I muttered. "I wonder how she'll react."
I deactivated the holographic screen, sinking back into the darkness of the control room. My main plan, which used to feel like a boring task, now felt like a thrilling game of chess.