The next day arrived quietly.
Lyon walked alone along a worn dirt path, the morning air cool against his skin. In his hand was a quest poster, its edges slightly creased as he read through it with a focused, serious expression.
Multiple Disappearances Reported
Location: Town of Brookworth
Several residents have gone missing under unknown circumstances without a trace.
The town requests immediate assistance in investigating the cause and safely returning the missing individuals.
Reward: 100,000 Jewels
Lyon's eyes lingered on the details for a moment longer before he folded the poster neatly and slipped it into his pocket.
He continued toward Brookworth, his mind shifted into problem-solving mode. He mentally listed possible locations: nearby forests, abandoned structures, underground passages. If people were vanishing without a trace, then someone or something was making sure no traces were left behind.
Before long, rooftops appeared on the horizon.
Brookworth was modest but well-kept, though the atmosphere felt heavy—like a place holding its breath. When Lyon entered the town proper, he was quickly greeted by a man waiting near the central building.
The mayor.
He was in his late thirties, dressed neatly but plainly, with tired eyes that brightened slightly upon seeing Lyon approach.
"Ah—you must be the wizard who accepted our request," the mayor said. He paused, hesitating, then offered an apologetic smile. "I'll admit… I was expecting someone older."
Lyon stopped in front of him and inclined his head politely.
"I apologize for not meeting your expectations sir," he replied calmly. "But I promise I'll see this through."
There was no arrogance in his tone—only quiet confidence.
The mayor blinked, then smiled more genuinely.
"Please," he said, gesturing toward the town hall. "Follow me."
Inside the building, the atmosphere was subdued but warm. The mayor led Lyon into his office, where a woman was already waiting—his wife. She stood as they entered, her face softening when she saw him.
They shared a brief, reassuring look before the mayor cleared his throat.
"Please, have a seat."
Lyon sat in the chair across from them, his posture attentive. The mayor sat opposite him, his wife settling beside him, hands folded tightly in her lap.
After a brief pause, the mayor began to speak.
"It started about five months ago," he said quietly. "One resident reported a family member missing. We organized a search party immediately—but we found nothing. No tracks. No signs of struggle."
He clenched his hands.
"At the time, we thought it was an isolated incident. But then another report came in. And another. Each time, someone vanished without a trace."
His voice wavered.
"Fear spread quickly. Families began leaving the town. Travelers stopped passing through. Trades slowed down… then stopped altogether."
The mayor swallowed hard.
"Without visitors, without funding… Brookworth is slowly being cut off. If this continues, people will lose their homes. This town—my town—will disappear."
Tears welled in his eyes, finally spilling over as his wife reached out, gently gripping his arm.
"My family has protected and built this town for generations," he continued, voice breaking. "And now… I feel like I've failed them. I failed everyone."
When he finished, both he and his wife bowed their heads deeply.
"Please," the mayor said, barely above a whisper. "Save our town. We'll increase the reward, anything for assistance."
Silence filled the room.
Lyon stood.
The movement startled them, and after a moment, he stepped closer.
"Please," Lyon said gently. "Raise your heads."
Hesitantly, they did.
They were met not with judgment, but with a calm, reassuring gaze.
"You don't need to bow," Lyon continued. "You've done everything you could. I'll gladly help."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then relief hit all at once.
The mayor let out a shaky breath as tears streamed freely, pulling his wife into a tight embrace.
"Thank you," he said over and over. "Thank you so much."
Lyon watched quietly, resolve settling firmly in his chest.
Whatever was happening in Brookworth—
He would put an end to it.
And he would bring everyone home.
—
A short time later, the scenery shifted.
Lyon moved quietly through the dense woods bordering Brookworth, his footsteps light against the forest floor as shafts of sunlight filtered through the canopy above. His posture was relaxed, yet alert—every sense sharpened as he navigated between thick trunks and tangled roots.
As he walked, a brief flashback surfaced in his mind.
—
The mayor's voice echoed clearly.
"During the first disappearance… there was a sighting," the man had said. "Someone claimed they saw the missing resident in the woods nearby. We searched for days—weeks, even—but found nothing. No tracks. No remains. Nothing at all."
—
Back in the present, Lyon's expression darkened slightly.
That alone is suspicious, he thought. If a person entered these woods, there should have been something left behind.
He let out a slow breath and pushed the speculation aside. Guessing wouldn't help him here—evidence would.
Reaching a wide clearing, Lyon stopped.
"This should be far enough," he murmured.
Closing his eyes, he activated En.
His mana spread outward in a controlled wave, flowing through the forest like an invisible tide. He expanded his range steadily, carefully, mapping every tree, stone, and hollow within reach.
One second passed.
Then another.
And then—
Lyon's eyes snapped open.
"There," he said quietly.
Without hesitation, he moved.
Weaving through the trees, Lyon followed the signal until he reached its source—only to find himself standing in what appeared to be… nothing unusual. Just another stretch of forest. Trees. Moss. Shadows.
He frowned.
"That doesn't make sense."
His gaze swept the area, sharp and analytical.
Nothing has ever slipped past my En before, he thought. Not once.
He activated it again.
The same signal.
Same location.
Now fully serious, Lyon shifted his stance and approached carefully, every muscle ready. For a brief moment, he considered the possibility of a monster lying in wait—but as he drew closer, something else became apparent.
His mana… was being disturbed.
A subtle pressure brushed against his senses, attempting to interfere—nudging, blurring, misdirecting.
Lyon clicked his tongue.
"So that's it."
Thanks to his daily training with Ken, the interference barely slowed him. He pushed through it with ease, but the attempt alone was enough to confirm his suspicions.
Deciding to test his theory, Lyon focused his mana into his eyes using Gyo.
The world shifted.
Where there had once been trees and shadow, the illusion peeled away like a thin veil.
Revealed before him was a hidden cave entrance.
"What the?"
Embedded around the entrance were three Lacrima—one on each side of the opening, and a third mounted above it. The top Lacrima was noticeably larger, pulsing faintly with a deeper, more invasive aura.
Lyon stepped closer, inspecting them carefully.
"These are illusion-type lacrima," he murmured. "Advanced ones…"
His eyes narrowed as he studied the larger one.
The smaller pair maintained the visual concealment, masking the cave's existence entirely. The larger lacrima, however, radiated a different kind of magic—one designed to subtly influence the mind, discouraging prolonged investigation.
The closer Lyon got, the stronger the interference became.
And yet, it still wasn't enough.
"So that's why the search parties failed," he realized. "Anyone without strong magic control would've subconsciously avoided this place."
His expression hardened.
But that raises a far more important question…Why hide it at all
Silence answered him.
He sighed, irritation clear in the sound.
"I already don't like this," he muttered. "And I'm thanking the stars I have magic—because there's no way I'd do this otherwise."
Without looking back, Lyon crossed the threshold and entered the cave.
The forest swallowed the illusion behind him as darkness closed in.
—
The moment Lyon stepped fully inside the cave, the air changed.
It was heavier here—thick with stagnant mana and something else that made his instincts prickle. The illusion outside had done an excellent job of hiding this place, but within its walls, there was no mistaking it.
Torchlight lined the stone corridors, casting long, wavering shadows that clung to the uneven walls. The faint crackle of flame echoed softly, the sound carrying farther than it should have in the unnatural quiet.
Lyon moved forward slowly, every step measured.
His shoulders were tense, muscles coiled and ready, as his eyes scanned every inch of the passage ahead. One hand hovered near his side, mana flowing just beneath his skin, ready to be called upon at a moment's notice.
Great, he thought dryly. This really does feel like a hidden dungeon straight out of Elden Ring.
The comparison was intentional. A small mental trick—one he used to push down the growing sense of unease crawling up his spine.
Focus. You've handled worse.
After several minutes of cautious movement, the tunnel opened up into a wide chamber.
Lyon stopped.
Before him were five separate paths, each leading deeper into the cave system. The torchlight split unevenly between them, leaving parts of each corridor swallowed by shadow.
He let out a slow breath.
"…Of course," he muttered. "It never stays simple."
Closing his eyes, Lyon activated En once more, extending his awareness throughout the branching tunnels. His mana flowed outward, brushing against stone, air, and empty space.
After a few moments, Lyon would stop.
Lyon turned his focus on the far-left tunnel, where he'd sensed a much weaker, more scattered magical signal.
If the missing residents are anywhere here, he reasoned, it's probably there.
He moved.
The tunnel narrowed slightly as he advanced, the torchlight growing brighter the farther he went. Then, without warning, the passage opened into a massive chamber.
Lyon stopped dead.
His eyes widened.
Crates were stacked haphazardly across the cavern—some marked with faded symbols, others broken open to reveal inside. Swords. Artifacts. Chains. Nearby were sealed boxes filled with supplies he couldn't clearly identify from a distance.
And then he saw them.
Cages.
Lots of them.
Men and Women—huddled together behind iron bars, faces pale with fear, bodies pressed close as if warmth alone might protect them. Some were whispering prayers. Others stared blankly ahead, eyes hollow with despair.
Lyon's chest tightened.
Disgust surged through him, hot and sharp. His jaw clenched as his hands trembled—not with fear, but rage.
Before he could take another step—
Voices.
From behind.
Lyon reacted instantly.
Mana surged through his body as he scanned the chamber. His eyes locked onto a massive boulder near the wall.
There.
In a blur of motion, he dashed behind it, pressing himself close to the cold stone. The moment he was concealed, Lyon cut off his presence completely.
Zetsu.
Two men entered the chamber moments later, their footsteps echoing casually against the stone.
"Man, this is taking forever," one of them complained.
"Tell me about it," the other scoffed. "I just want to get paid and be done with this dump."
Their voices carried clearly.
At the sound of unfamiliar footsteps, the people in the cages began to whimper softly. A few clutched each other tighter, fear spilling into the air.
The two men noticed immediately.
"Oh?" one of them said, grinning. "What's that noise?"
They walked closer to the cages, looming over the captives.
"Tsk, tsk," the other mocked. "Didn't we tell you to keep quiet?"
One of the prisoners flinched, shrinking back.
"You lot are gonna make us a fortune," the first man continued, voice dripping with cruelty. "So behave yourselves."
He leaned closer to the bars.
"Good little test subjects don't cry."
Behind the boulder, Lyon's expression went cold.
His hands curled into fists.
Test… subjects.
The moment the two men turned away to leave, Lyon moved.
There was no sound.
No warning.
One of the men suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
"Huh—?"
Ice crept up his body in an instant, encasing him completely. He froze solid where he stood, eyes wide in shock.
"What the—?!" the second man spun around—
—and the same fate claimed him.
Ice surged upward from the floor, locking his body in place from the neck down. His arms, legs, and torso were completely immobilized, crystalline frost spreading rapidly across his clothes.
Only his face could move.
His breathing became ragged.
"W-What's going on?!" he stammered.
Footsteps approached.
Slow. Calm. Deliberate.
From behind the boulder, Lyon stepped into view.
His eyes were sharp, expression devoid of warmth as he approached the frozen man. A heavy pressure filled the air as his Ren flared—not uncontrolled, but focused, intentional.
Pure intent.
He stopped just a few feet away.
Tilting his head slightly, Lyon spoke in a tone that was casual—almost friendly.
"Hey friend," he said evenly. "You wouldn't mind a friendly chat now, would you?"
The man could only stare.
Fear flooded his eyes as Lyon's killing intent washed over him, leaving no doubt about what would happen if he refused.
The torches flickered.
The captives watched in stunned silence.
And deep within the cave, something unseen seemed to stir.