The goblins dragged Sara out of the cage and bound her hands even tighter.
A low commotion rose among them, yet Noa sat motionless on the cold stone at the very edge of the village. Though he was blind, the faint mana currents around him served as eyes—reaching exactly five meters.
Noa's inner voice—calm, yet calculating:
"How much benefit will this cave really bring me this time?
If the pain becomes as unbearable as the first time, I won't be able to absorb a large amount at once.
If I take it in small doses, the agony will be reduced… but the result will come slowly as well…"
He continued inside his mind:
"Rion definitely wants to follow me. That much is obvious.
I cannot take him with me—he will only get in the way."
Then X's voice rang out, quiet, as if rising from beneath the water:
"This is a good decision. We also need to find a way to send Rion back to the empire.
On the path we have chosen, he could become a massive obstacle.
You don't have to be kind right now—you cannot drag your friend into this darkness with you.
He would remain a weakness.
It's true that he is protecting us at the moment… but later…"
Noa slowly rose to his feet.
"Yes… we will find a way to send Rion back.
But he will keep coming back.
The people in the empire probably already believe we are dead.
If he senses that I'm alive, he will give everything away."
Inside, another thought kept circling:
"Yesterday's unbearable agony… my soul core must have cracked as well.
The soul core bears the mark of its owner's life or death.
No matter where it is now, when they find it shattered, they will be completely convinced I am dead.
And there is one more problem:
We must make Rion believe I am dead too.
Only then will he stop searching.
After that… I will walk the path I truly want,
and I will be able to sacrifice anyone I find along the way without the slightest hesitation…"
X smiled.
"This is the right choice, Noa."
At that very moment, the sudden sound of running footsteps was heard.
Rion arrived, breathless, face filled with worry, and stopped right in front of Noa.
"Where are you going? I heard you're taking the goblins and a woman with you!"
Noa turned his face toward the voice.
"Nothing worth mentioning."
Rion grabbed Noa's shoulders firmly with both hands.
"I'm coming too! Ten isn't enough—let's take thirty!"
Noa calmly removed Rion's hands from his shoulders.
"It's not a dangerous place. No need to worry. I'll be back soon."
At that moment, the goblins dragged Sara forward and approached as a group.
Noa sensed their arrival and raised his head.
"We set off now."
Rion blocked his path again.
"I cannot leave you alone! You're blind—you can't even walk by yourself!"
This time, Noa's voice carried certainty and an unfamiliar coldness.
"I am not alone.
The village needs you.
If every fighting goblin leaves, this place will be left defenseless.
You are now the master of this village—act accordingly."
He extended his hand toward the goblins.
One of them immediately grasped it firmly and began leading him toward the village gate.
While walking, Noa turned his face toward Sara.
"Show the way. Where is it?"
Sara tried to smile and answered with forced confidence:
"Half a day's journey from here. The moment I left that cave, the goblins surrounded me."
Noa tilted his head in mild surprise.
"So the black mana harmed you?"
Regret appeared on Sara's face.
"Yes… I was a sorcerer-type adventurer.
But entering that cave was the worst mistake of my life.
The black mana destroyed my mana channels…"
Noa gave a faint smile.
"I see. I did sense experience in you.
But when I learned you were giving birth in the hands of goblins…
I wondered whether your 'experience' came from being a night butterfly."
Sara turned her head away in anger.
"Don't mock me…"
Behind them, Rion slowly came to a halt.
He stared at Noa for a long time.
A heavy thought coiled inside him:
"Why does it feel like this to me?
He's deliberately pushing me away…
Before, he never refused me.
Whenever I said 'I'm coming,' he would grab my hand and drag me along.
Something… has changed…"
Rion's heartbeat quickened.
"Noa… what are you hiding from me?" he thought.
Noa left the village with a handful of goblins.
Behind him—Rion… this time, he could not follow.
The quiet forest sang with every step.
The chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves in the wind—the scenery was enchanting.
To Noa, it even felt like a momentary stroll.
With every step, he felt himself growing lighter.
"A walk… how well it distracts me," he said to himself.
X answered in a calm, quiet voice:
"That's true. It's good for gathering your thoughts.
But don't forget—this is not a walk."
Noa smiled lightly.
"I know. Still, I'll enjoy it as much as I can."
X fell silent.
They walked without rest for several hours.
The sun blazed directly overhead, scorching everything.
Sara kept glancing at Noa with suspicion while showing the way.
Suddenly Noa stopped—he felt hunger.
"Lunchtime."
The goblins looked at each other and halted.
They had brought meat with them.
"Light a fire," Noa ordered. "We eat, then continue."
Then he turned his head toward Sara.
"Tie this woman to a tree. So she doesn't run."
"Yes, Second Master!" the goblins replied.
They tied Sara to a tree and busied themselves with the campfire.
Bound, Sara stared straight at Noa.
"You… your name is Noa, right? May I ask you something?"
Noa was sitting two or three meters away.
He stood up slowly and faced her.
"You think you're in a position to ask questions?"
Sara hesitated for a moment, then continued:
"I just want to know… are you a demon?
Your horns look exactly like a demon's—black, unbent… sharp."
Noa touched his horns.
Inside, he wondered:
"…Do my horns really resemble a demon's?"
Then he answered calmly:
"That's right. I am a demon."
Sara asked again, worry in her voice:
"What kind of demon?
From your appearance, you look like a noble demon.
Long white hair… pale skin… sharp features…"
Noa gave a soft laugh.
"You're very perceptive."
Sara took a deep breath.
"Now I'm certain."
Noa raised an eyebrow.
"Certain of what?"
Sara explained in a low voice:
"You've been suspicious from the very beginning.
You walked straight into a cage with your eyes blindfolded and stopped.
You moved freely inside the goblin village.
Normally they would devour a blind, unknown enemy immediately.
Yet you have subdued the entire village.
That means your servant is powerful.
Demons, however, are never this kind to their underlings.
From what I've heard, among demons power is everything, and a weak demon would never have a child serving him."
Noa thought to himself:
"So my appearance really resembles a noble demon… interesting.
I cannot yet shift into dragon form, but the demonic guise suits me perfectly."
X smiled.
"With our fake aura, no one will ever doubt it.
If you want, we can even pick a new name for you."
Noa smiled faintly.
"I see these games amuse you."
X replied with pride:
"We are one and the same, Noa.
Everything I have, you have too."
Noa tilted his head to the side.
"Yes… cursed as it may be, that is the truth."
At that moment the goblins finished roasting the meat.
One of them brought Noa a charred boar leg.
Noa caught the smell—and grimaced.
"This… is burnt, isn't it?
Of course it is. I should have remembered goblins are terrible cooks. Damn it."
His voice was cold, yet laced with dry humor.
The goblins exchanged confused, beast-like glances, not understanding the remark.
After the meal, Noa turned to Sara again.
"How far to the cave?"
Sara answered in a dissatisfied tone—she hadn't eaten anything:
"Half an hour's walk."
Noa nodded.
"This woman is hiding something.
I know far too much about black mana—its other name is corrupted mana.
It harms the body, but it does not cause massive damage to mana channels.
If the channels were truly destroyed, she would have died long ago."
X spoke seriously:
"Yes, she said she used to be a sorcerer.
She was captured over a month ago at the very least.
Even if her channels were damaged, she should have been able to repair them herself.
Most importantly—what kind of idiot sorcerer walks into a black-mana vein without putting up a barrier first?"
Noa nodded.
"Stop overthinking it.
She'll take us to the cave, then we get rid of her.
We have no intention of becoming anyone's healer."
X gave a dark smile.
"You're becoming merciless faster than I expected, Noa."
"Maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong," Noa answered in an icy tone.
He waved his hand and gave the order:
"We rested for an hour. We move out.
Those who managed to eat are lucky.
Those who didn't—your own fault."
The goblins stood up, untied Sara, and continued the journey.
Sara calmly showed the way.
Noa, meanwhile, treated the whole thing like a pleasant stroll and enjoyed it.
After walking another half hour, they stopped beside a hill.
Sara pointed to a small opening at the base of the hill, hidden in a corner.
"That's the cave. I brought you here.
Now keep your promise."
Noa answered in a grave voice:
"First I check whether this hole is really the right cave or not.
Only then will I free you."
One of the goblins immediately took Noa's hand and led him toward the opening.
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