Quaiesse Hazeia Quintia!
The name flashed through Sakeer's mind the moment he laid eyes on the blond-haired young man who had suddenly appeared.
A gentle smile rested on the newcomer's face, his expression calm—almost too calm.
But Sakeer's heart was anything but.
Why is a member of the Black Scripture here?
Moments ago, he had only felt mild wariness, but now—
He was fully on guard.
[Black Scripture]—
The most enigmatic and powerful unit within the Six Scriptures of the Slane Theocracy.
The only requirement to join?
One must have reached the Hero Realm.
Sakeer was able to recognize Quaiesse instantly, not because he had encountered him before,
But because of his sister—
A notorious figure once ranked Ninth Seat of the [Black Scripture].
Her codename?
"Windstride—Clementine."
Their resemblance was uncanny—at least 80% alike—making it nearly impossible to mistake them for someone else.
"That was quite the close call. Are you alright?"
Quaiesse stepped forward from the treeline, his crimson eyes resting on Sakeer as he spoke in a gentle tone.
His golden bangs draped slightly over his forehead, complementing his soft facial features.
His demeanor was calm, kind, and disarmingly approachable—
The kind of presence that instinctively puts people at ease.
But Sakeer wasn't fooled.
Still—
He nodded slightly, feigning relief as he responded,
"Thank you."
At the same time, his mind raced.
Something was off.
Quaiesse wasn't wearing a mask.
Nothing to conceal his identity.
That meant…
He wasn't here in his capacity as a member of the Black Scripture.
Because the Dark Scripture—the covert unit of the covert army—always operated in secrecy.
On a mission?They wore masks.
Their identities?Always hidden.
Each operative within the [Black Scripture] had two identities—
One for the shadows.
One for the public eye.
And right now—
Quaiesse was playing his public role.
"Apologies, I was a little late. I almost put you in danger."
Quaiesse spoke with genuine regret before introducing himself.
"I am a missionary of the 'Earth God' under the Slane Theocracy."
"I had been observing from the shadows because I lacked conclusive evidence of his crimes."
Then, he gestured toward the gray-robed mage.
"But you saw it too, didn't you? This man is colluding with sub-races—he's extremely dangerous."
A few simple words—
But within them, he had already justified everything:
Why he had remained hidden.
Why he had revealed himself now.
Why he was taking action against the gray-robed mage.
A perfect cover story.
And to further solidify his claim—
A brown holy sigil adorned his chest.
A magic emblem issued exclusively by the Theocracy's church, serving as both a badge of status and a mark of authenticity.
To any ordinary adventurer, everything about Quaiesse would seem legitimate.
But Sakeer knew better.
"Lies."
That was the first thought that crossed Sakeer's mind.
Quaiesse was not a follower of the "Earth God"—
He was a devoted believer of the "Dark God."
Still—
That didn't matter right now.
Sakeer maintained his wary posture, displaying the cautious attitude any normal adventurer would have in such a situation.
Then—
He lightly tugged the bone chain of the Barghest.
A sign of retreat.
His expression remained guarded as he spoke,
"I have no interest in your affairs."
His tone was firm—neither hostile nor friendly.
A stance of neutrality.
For now—
He had no intention of getting involved with the Slane Theocracy.
Especially not with the Black Scripture.
Just as Quaiesse was about to respond—
"Huh… Heh… Hehehe…"
A hoarse chuckle cut through the air.
From the other side of the battlefield,
The gray-robed mage, his head lowered, shoulders trembling, began to laugh.
And soon—
His laughter grew louder.
"Hahahahaha!!"
"Absolutely hilarious!"
The panic and shock he had displayed earlier—
Gone.
Now—
His face twisted into a hideous grin as his cold eyes locked onto Quaiesse.
"You're a clown."
"A ridiculous actor in your own self-scripted play."
He sneered, then tilted his head slightly, his expression darkening.
"Tell me—"
"Do you know why I went out of my way to explain my 'masterpiece' to you?"
His gaze flickered momentarily toward Sakeer,
But his focus remained entirely on Quaiesse.
"Did you really think I'd make such a stupid, ignorant mistake?"
"Did you really take me for some clichéd villain?"
"Do you actually believe I'm some fool playing the role of an arrogant antagonist?"
"Hah."
His lips curled into a grin,
His fingers twitching slightly—
And then—
He muttered darkly,
"Of course, I told you."
"Because he needed to hear it."
"This magnificent masterpiece is the perfect match for your innate ability, boy of the Quintia family."
The gray-robed mage's voice dripped with satisfaction as his light brown eyes gleamed with an almost fanatical light.
"You've been watching me for quite some time now, haven't you? If not for the complete success of the Frogman's Egg, someone as cautious as you would have never revealed yourself."
His tone was laced with mockery, his grin widening as he continued,
"What's with the apology? 'A step too late'? Do people like you even care about others?"
His arms spread wide, and his laughter echoed through the jungle.
"This is a hunter's game."
His gaze locked onto Quaiesse, sharp and filled with amusement.
"You've set your sights on my masterpiece, and I've set mine on your innate abilities. Your blood will be the final piece in completing my creation!"
Then—
"Ah… how ironic, isn't it?"
His expression twisted into a sneer, his voice carrying a cruel edge.
"A devout believer of the Six Gods, yet here you are, planning to harness the power of subhuman creatures."
His shrill laughter rang out, slicing through the eerie silence of the jungle.
Quaiesse remained motionless.
His gentle smile never wavered—
And yet—
The very air around him seemed to grow heavier.
The pressure, subtle yet suffocating, pressed against the surroundings.
He was smiling.
And yet…
It sent chills down the spine.
His voice was soft—almost casual, like one would use when speaking to a friend.
"Who told you?"
His crimson eyes gleamed, but the warmth in them was gone.
The Slane Theocracy had access to magic capable of detecting innate abilities,
But such information was kept strictly confidential—
Even within the Theocracy itself, members rarely had access to such classified details.
And yet—
Someone had learned of his abilities.
Who leaked it?
For a moment, silence filled the air.
Then—
"Who knows?"
The gray-robed mage shrugged, his smirk unwavering.
Hearing their exchange, Sakeer exhaled softly, shaking his head.
"So… I'm nothing more than a pawn for you two to test each other?"
He sighed again, then added with a faint, almost joking smile,
"By the way… can I pretend I didn't hear any of this?"
Silence.
The gray-robed mage cast him a sideways glance—
A look that carried the cold detachment of someone already looking at a corpse.
There was no need for him to act.
Because he knew Quaiesse would handle it.
And that was enough.
If you want to blame someone, blame your luck.
Almost at the same time—
A notification flickered across Sakeer's status panel.
[The Partnership Contract has been broken!]
His eyes narrowed.
The contract with the caster only dissolves when the summoned creature dies.
But the Barghest isn't dead.
His mind raced.
"Innate ability?"
The thought flashed through his head—
But before he could react—
Clink!
The bone chains wrapped around the Barghest rattled violently.
Then—
They tightened.
Without warning, they latched onto Sakeer, yanking him onto the creature's back, restraining him.
Then—
The four-tailed black panther that had blocked the Silver Knight's spear earlier turned its head.
Its dark, predatory gaze locked onto Sakeer and the Barghest.
Its jaws parted—
And in an instant—
A concentrated breath of pure dark energy exploded from its mouth.
Whoosh!
It struck like a black thunderbolt, engulfing its targets before they could react.
The impact sent Sakeer's body flying, his figure hurtling through the air before crashing into the jungle.
From a distance, Quaiesse watched it all unfold.
His expression remained calm, his voice carrying a faint hint of regret.
"What a shame."
"To have mastered fourth-rank angel summoning at such a young age… If you were anywhere else, I would have personally invited you to join the Slane Theocracy."
His crimson eyes flickered briefly toward the impact site,
Before turning his attention back to the gray-robed mage.
His voice, though still gentle, carried a chilling finality.
"Have you decided how you want to die?"
The gray-robed mage scoffed, his tone filled with equal hostility.
"I should be asking you that."
Rustle.
Some distance away—
In a clearing littered with shattered trees and scorched earth—
A figure slowly rose from the wreckage.
Sakeer.
His clothes were tattered, his priest's robes stained red—
Not with his own blood—
But with the blood of the Barghest.
His expression was cold.
He was unharmed.
Because of one thing.
His 40% resistance to dark energy combined with his magic defenses had easily negated the attack.
But the Barghest wasn't so fortunate.
His gaze lowered—
In his right hand, he held only half of the creature's corpse.
A heavy silence settled in.
Then—
Sakeer flicked his wrist.
The remains of the Barghest vanished into his inventory.
Then—
His fingers tightened into a fist.
His eyes burned with killing intent.
He was done holding back.
Now…
He was going to slaughter them both.
Even if it meant revealing more of his strength—
Even if it meant throwing caution to the wind—
He would end them here.
No matter what!
Hummmm—
A deep resonant hum filled the air.
[Successful Job Activation!]
Class: Mad MageLevel: High-Class
Ability Effects:
Passive Skills:
"Cast Selection" – With each level gained, the caster can choose to apply the increased caster level to any magic-based caster system.
"Pre Magic" – Allows spells to be pre-cast and stored, eliminating casting time. Once expended, they can be prepared again.
"Elemental Attribute Change" – Enables the caster to change the elemental properties of their spells into one of the four primary elements—wind, fire, water, or earth (e.g., a fireball can be transformed into a water-based attack). However, this results in losing any elemental specialization bonuses.
Class Skills:
"Crazy Mage" (3/day) – Cancels the mana cost of a spell.
(Note: Each level increases HP, MP, magic attack, and magic defense by 15 points.)
Class Introduction:
Your talent is widely praised, yet behind closed doors, many call you a madman—reckless, unconventional. No sane magician would cast magic the way you do!
Sakeer quickly scanned the details of his newly acquired class. His eyes gleamed coldly as he made his decision.
『1 Skill Point Cost』
『Acquired 3rd Rank Magic: Thunderball』
『1 Skill Point Cost』
『Acquired 4th Rank Magic: Silver Knight Spear』
Without hesitation, he pressed his palm against the ground in front of him.
Whoosh!
A large wooden barrel, half the height of a man, materialized in the clearing—brimming with the blood of trolls.
Bang!
With a sharp kick, Sakeer toppled the barrel.
Thick, crimson blood spilled across the ground, saturating the air with the stench of iron and decay.
With deliberate steps, he walked into the pooling blood, utterly unbothered by the warm liquid soaking his robes.
Reaching for a nearby branch, he knelt down—
And began to trace a magic array into the blood.
Elsewhere, the battle raged on.
Boom!
A dark energy blast clashed violently against a Thunderball, creating a deafening explosion.
The next moment—
A Silver Knight Spear streaked through the thick, smoke-filled air—targeting the four-tailed black panther.
The beast, still recovering from its last attack, had no time to dodge.
It could only watch as the glowing spear hurtled toward it.
"Attack Tilt!"
Quaiesse's left hand rose, fingers adorned with multiple enchanted rings.
A faint light flickered—
And the ring on his thumb ignited first.
Whoosh!
The trajectory of the Silver Knight Spear suddenly veered mid-air, missing the panther entirely and instead slamming into the ground, leaving behind a deep crater.
"Magical artifacts…"
The gray-robed mage sneered.
"Can you deflect everything, then? Let's see how you handle this—Swarm Permeation!"
With a wave of his hand—
Buzz—buzz—buzz—
A massive black cloud of mosquitoes and flies erupted into existence, surging forward like a living plague.
"Lizards love eating insects."
Quaiesse's voice was calm, yet beneath it was an undercurrent of amusement.
The aqua-blue Basilisk Lizard, previously bound by the effects of Fear, suddenly snapped free from its restraints.
Its eyes gleamed with hunger—
And with a gaping maw, it lunged at the incoming swarm.
However—
Splat!
The instant the insects came into contact with the lizard's skin—
They burst apart!
A thick, acidic fluid spewed from their ruptured bodies, sizzling as it corroded flesh upon impact.
"Tch."
Quaiesse's brow furrowed slightly—
And in that fleeting moment of distraction—
The gray-robed mage's figure had vanished.
"Goo!"
The crimson owl perched on Quaiesse's shoulder suddenly turned its head, its piercing gaze locking onto a specific point ahead.
Quaiesse's lips curled ever so slightly.
"Shadow Hunt."
Whoosh!
The crimson owl's wings flared wide, and in an instant, it vanished from Quaiesse's shoulder.
A heartbeat later—
Bang!
A muffled impact echoed through the clearing.
The gray-robed mage, previously invisible, staggered backward—his concealment forcibly broken.
A faint glow flickered around his body before his magic barrier shattered entirely.
"Damn it!"
His expression twisted in frustration, and without hesitation, he lifted a hand.
"Shockwave!"
A rippling force exploded outward—
The crimson owl was knocked backward mid-air.
"Fua…duaa…taaro…"
A low, whisper-like chant resonated through the battlefield.
"Demon Wolf Summoning."
At Quaiesse's feet, a large magic circle—spanning three meters—illuminated the ground.
Howl!
One by one, massive demon wolves emerged from the spell, their glowing red eyes locking onto their prey.
Within seconds, twenty or more had gathered, their muscular bodies tensed, surrounding the gray-robed mage.
The wolves lunged—
"Dispel!"
With a single word of power, the gray-robed mage's light brown pupils flashed coldly.
A wave of magic pulsed outward—
And in the blink of an eye, every demon wolf froze—
Before shattering into mere fragments of light.
The brief exchange ended in a momentary standoff.
The crimson owl returned to Quaiesse's shoulder.
The aqua-blue lizard and four-tailed panther repositioned themselves beside him.
The two sorcerers locked eyes, their respective forces prepared once more.
"A Beast Tamer and a Warlock… Quite fitting for someone with your innate abilities."
The gray-robed mage narrowed his gaze, his hooked nose twitching slightly in contemplation.
As a magic caster, his forte wasn't direct combat.
His opponent, however, specialized in beast manipulation—making him an incredibly troublesome adversary.
"If that's all you have—"
Quaiesse took a step forward, his expression calm yet filled with confidence.
"Then let's end thi—"
Wait a minute…
His eyes suddenly widened.
His head snapped to the side—
Something was coming!
At that very moment—
The gray-robed mage stiffened, his instincts screaming at him.
From the depths of the jungle, a surge of magical energy began to condense.
And then—
CRACKLE!
A colossal thunderbolt—
More terrifying than anything before—
Erupted behind them!