The biggest problem here was the completeness of the summoning circle they were drawing.
First, I need to deal with the magic stones we've already identified.
"Rowen, go right now and remove the magic stones from the other locations. Bring them back."
"Yes, understood."
Whew... At least Leina hasn't shown up herself yet, so it doesn't seem complete.
The key was whether the stone buried in the western forest was the core rune of the summoning circle.
If what was engraved there wasn't the ritual's core, they might not fully manifest the demon, but a temporary possession would still be possible.
It would be an incomplete summon that faded with time, but depending on the demon's rank, even that brief window could spell disaster.
If the lord of Greenwood Territory and Leina were just aiming for a low-grade demon, they wouldn't have prepared so meticulously. They were likely targeting at least a mid-grade demon—possibly even a high-grade one.
Demon summoners usually had one of two goals.
One was contracting with a demon to borrow its power. The other was subjugating the demon itself and making it their own strength.
The current captain of the Yin Yue Regiment was a prime example of the second case.
In the past, Haven had a cult group called the "Hands of the Demon" that summoned demons.
The Hands of the Demon tried to control their summoned demon, but their misfortune was summoning something far stronger than they'd bargained for.
The demon naturally broke free of their control and massacred the entire cult.
And that demon was now the captain of the Yin Yue Regiment.
After dyeing countless territories in blood, he knelt before the lord and earned an extension of his life—and the captain's seat—in exchange for becoming one of Haven's most powerful forces.
They knew this history well, so they surely had some means to control the demon.
Whether through a supernatural ability or some secret tool.
"To block it completely, I need to know the locations of the other stones, but the problem is..."
My gaze fell on the magic stone stained black by Leina's power.
"Just looking at it, no power is detectable."
If the magic stones were buried underground, there was no way to find them without seeing exactly where they were planted.
I was lost in thought when Hanji burst into the room, panting for breath.
"Lord Astra, big trouble!"
Interrupted mid-thought, my expression soured for a moment.
"What is it?"
At my cold tone, Hanji finally snapped to attention, his face paling, but he gasped out his words in a rush.
"Greenwood... huff huff... their knight order suddenly stormed the village! Dozens of knights have completely sealed off the entrance!"
"What?"
Still catching his breath, Hanji pressed on urgently.
"Nalcheong was scouting the perimeter... There are dozens of knights—different from the ones who came before—camped around the village. And with them... a woman exuding some strange aura, and the lord of Greenwood himself!"
Could the stone we buried in the west have been the final piece of the summoning circle?
I jumped out of bed and told Hanji hastily.
"Hanji, it's urgent. Take the village chief and every last villager and get out of here as fast as you can."
"Pardon? The village..."
Hanji's voice trembled.
"Demons. The lord of Greenwood plans to use the people here as—"
I shoved the magic stone Rowen had retrieved into Hanji's hands.
"—sacrifice. These stones were made by draining the villagers' life force. That's what he wants to summon a demon with."
"D-Demons..."
Hanji's face drained of color.
Even if Haven didn't punish demon summoning with extreme measures like other nations, to ordinary folk, demons were synonymous with terror and catastrophe.
Especially upon hearing that their life force had been siphoned all this time—and that they themselves were to be the sacrifice—Hanji's legs shook.
"Go, now!"
There wasn't time to explain everything here.
After confirming Hanji heading into the villagers' homes, I ran toward the entrance, making no effort to hide my presence.
"Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?"
Lizeinfels, vice captain of the knight order, blocked my path.
His face still bore that arrogant smirk, but his eyes were sharp as a predator eyeing prey.
"Vice Captain. I have urgent business. Excuse me."
I tried to keep my voice steady, but his black armor gleamed menacingly under the moonlight, amplifying the pressure.
"Urgent business, huh... Sorry, but the village entrance is under control right now."
Under the moonlight, his lips twisted into an even more sinister grin.
"So stay put nice and quiet. If you don't want to die, that is."
Lizeinfels placed his hand on his sword hilt. The motion of a seasoned killer.
I smiled instead. With all the knights gathered here, the other areas would be unguarded.
This village had no walls. Hanji could evacuate everyone just fine.
Even if the summoning circle activates, without villagers to sacrifice, they won't get the powerful demon they want.
Rowen would sense the village's odd atmosphere and act on his own.
"Sigh... No helping it. Given the circumstances, I wanted to keep my identity hidden."
Lizeinfels sneered.
"Hey, kids... what the hell is this guy babbling about? Lost his mind facing death, has he?"
"Right? Thinks he's the village chief or something?"
"Or maybe the lord's bastard son, looking all pretty like that?"
"Puhahaha!"
The knights' mockery echoed under the moonlight.
But their laughter stopped there. Smirks froze on their faces, eyebrows arched in ridicule refused to budge.
Terror seized their bodies—they couldn't twitch a finger.
Rumble...
The overwhelming aura pouring from the man they'd just mocked turned the knights' arrogant laughter into horrified silence.
Only then did they realize the fatal mistake they'd made.
"Kneel. This is my final mercy."
My cold voice sliced through the night air.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇"Leina, is everything ready?"
In the darkness, Kailun, lord of Greenwood, asked.
Deep in the forest, amid the underbrush, black candles placed at the cardinal directions emitted a faint glow.
Leina stood at the center, stepping on dew-kissed grass as she meticulously arranged the black magic stones atop the drawn summoning circle.
"Almost done, my lord. Just the final placement left."
Black light flickered from Leina's fingertips.
Every spot she touched made the black stones vibrate faintly, emitting light.
Kailun briefly recalled his first meeting with her.
It had been a night bathed in moonlight, just like this.
In his lord's office, he was berating himself for hitting his power's limit once more.
Despairing over his stalled growth, he'd stared blankly into the darkness outside the window.
"Hello, my lord. Do you... perhaps wish to grow stronger?"
A woman appeared at the window, leaning against it under the moonlight.
In normal circumstances, he'd have called the guards for immediate execution.
He wasn't naive enough to trust mysterious strangers. Twenty years ruling the territory had exposed him to countless assassination attempts and plots.
But that night, Kailun was different.
Despair over his limits had left him powerless against the reality of no further growth.
He was in a manic state, ready to pay any price for power.
The possibility in her words paralyzed his reason.
A relic to summon and control demons at will. Combined with Leina's life-drain ability.
Everything she offered was the only answer to his endless thirst.
Even now, watching her ability, he was certain his choice had been right.
Even if it meant taking the unorthodox path of demonic aid.
The summoning circle around Leina began to glow blue. The black magic stones vibrated in unison, black smoke rising to envelop the entire village.
"It's finally ready! My lor—"
Leina's joyful voice cut off mid-air, her expression freezing.
"What... is this..."
"Leina? What's wrong?"
Tension sharpened Kailun's voice.
"Why is the village empty? There should have been... how could this—"
But her confused words were drowned by the summoning circle's roar.
The ritual, already activated, couldn't be stopped. Black smoke swirled skyward, and at its center, a massive form began to emerge.
Two red eyes flashed amid the inky haze.
A horned colossal head, wings of shadow-like membrane, razor claws. The demon slowly took shape. The circle's black flames reflected off its obsidian scales, creating a chilling spectacle.
"Was it you who called me?")
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