Chapter 20
At dawn the next day.
As the mana fireworks announcing the start of the Hunting Festival exploded across the sky, a total of twenty-seven mages entered the forest.
“It’s begun.”
Meanwhile, at the very top floor of the Benheim Tower—completely isolated from the outside world—two men sat in a viewing chamber.
Stern, the head of House Benheim, and Kaiden, the head of House Lucen.
Before them floated a massive crystal sphere carved from polished quartz. On its surface, magic projected a vivid image of the forest where the Hunting Festival was taking place.
“There are quite a lot of talented children this year,” Kaiden said.
Unlike previous years, the participants this time were remarkably gifted.
Three direct heirs were already close to the 3rd Circle. Even the branch mages of Benheim were of unusually high quality.
“Haha,” Kaiden chuckled in response to Stern’s words.
“Perhaps it’s because my daughter is participating.”
Kaiden adjusted the crystal, zooming into a specific area.
“It seems Petra has already encountered a beast.”
Inside the crystal, Petra Lucen—her red hair flowing—moved like a dancer.
Lucen’s signature spell system, Constructed Sword magic. True to its name, seven magical swords floated behind her, shooting forward toward the beast.
Kaiden smiled in satisfaction.
“Lucen’s magic is extremely practical and efficient. In pure killing power, few spells can match it.”
“Indeed. She is worthy of being your daughter,” Stern replied.
It was not empty praise.
Reaching the 3rd Circle before adulthood already placed her among geniuses.
And not just the early stage of it.
Crack!
The crimson swords pierced the beast’s skin and tore through its insides.
Petra’s ability to slaughter monsters with a few gestures was undoubtedly at the top tier of the 3rd Circle.
“She can even maintain seven swords at once. She may break into the 4th Circle soon.”
“She reminds me of you when you were young.”
“I was barely at the threshold of the 3rd Circle at her age. I could only manage five swords at most.”
Unlike ordinary magic, signature spell systems measure rank differently.
For Lucen, rank is determined by the number of swords one can manifest.
Seven swords before even reaching adulthood—Petra Lucen was truly unprecedented.
“But isn’t she being too reckless? The forest is an unknown place. Going that deep so quickly could be dangerous.”
“She has the talent to lead the family. A bit of boldness is necessary.”
“That is not wrong.”
Kaiden smiled faintly, watching his daughter.
Stern, however, noticed something else in that gaze—something darker than simple pride.
“And it seems the eldest son of Benheim has encountered a beast as well.”
Kaiden shifted the crystal’s view.
Arno von Benheim was facing a wolf-type beast.
The beast lunged—but it never touched him.
Vines erupted from the ground, restraining it.
Arno raised his hand. A rune appeared above his right palm.
Hagalaz. The rune of destruction.
Crack!
The ground collapsed, swallowing the beast.
Kaiden nodded.
“As expected of Benheim’s heir. Very stable mana control.”
Arno’s rune magic unfolded in a clean, controlled manner.
Three runes formed a semicircle, each releasing different forces to overwhelm the beast.
Stern smiled with satisfaction.
“He is excellent, but still has far to go.”
Benheim’s rune magic is defined by versatility—and scalability.
Arno’s execution was stable, but overly reliant on brute force.
“The true value of runes lies in their utilization,” Stern said calmly.
“Already teaching him?” Kaiden chuckled.
“Arno is still young. Experience will fill the gaps.”
Arno certainly had talent.
If he continued growing without breaking, he would become a great mage leading Benheim.
“I agree. But talent ultimately flows through blood. There are limits experience alone cannot overcome. If you keep bringing in impurities, you’ll eventually hit a wall.”
Kaiden’s smile carried subtle mockery.
“Is that so? I see it differently.”
Stern shifted the crystal again.
Now it showed Lynia and the outsider mage, Reagan.
“So that’s him. The so-called genius you fed an elixir to—despite him being a commoner.”
Kaiden’s voice carried undisguised contempt.
Stern simply smiled faintly in response.
A few minutes passed.
Then—
Slash.
Silence fell over the viewing chamber.
“What… is that young man…” Kaiden murmured.
Inside the crystal, something unbelievable unfolded.
A massive beast’s claw came crashing down.
Reagan rolled to evade and unleashed the rune Kenaz.
But it wasn’t just fire. He scattered the flames like seeds, spreading them across the battlefield.
While the beast’s vision was obscured, Reagan drew his sword and severed its limbs in a single motion. Then he drove the blade into its open mouth.
The beast dissolved into light.
It was a mid-tier beast—one that normally required multiple 2nd or 3rd Circle mages to handle.
“…Hah,” Stern let out a dry laugh.
Even he was seeing Reagan fight directly for the first time.
“Indeed. My son lost for a reason.”
Arno’s raw magic output was superior, but Reagan used runes with precision and efficiency, achieving maximum results with minimal cost.
“…Benheim Lord, where did you find this young man?”
“He’s an orphan,” Stern replied.
“He’s using both magic and aura,” Kaiden said.
“I was surprised as well.”
“He’s neither knight nor mage,” Kaiden muttered.
“He is a mage of Benheim now,” Stern said lightly.
Kaiden narrowed his eyes.
“A ‘mage knight,’ perhaps.”
And that assessment was accurate.
Reagan moved through the forest.
No need to hold back like he did with Brock. He could fully coat his blade with aura.
Slash.
A single clean strike pierced the core of a phantom beast.
“Ridiculous,” Lynia muttered beside him.
“You’re insane.”
“What is?”
“I couldn’t even contribute.”
Reagan shrugged.
“Good thing, isn’t it? Less work for you.”
“That’s not the point—I need points too.”
“Then start the next one. I’ll finish it.”
“…No, I’ll finish it.”
They moved on.
After several hunts, something felt wrong.
Reagan suddenly stopped.
“Don’t talk.”
He closed his eyes.
No birds.
No insects.
No wind.
The forest was dead silent.
“This is wrong,” he said.
And then he saw it.
The ground where a beast had vanished was blackened—rotting like disease.
This was residual dark magic.
“Someone prepared this.”
At that moment—
“Aaaahhh!”
A scream echoed from deep within the forest.
“Lynia. Get ready.”
“Ready for what?”
“The real hunt begins.”
Arno was doing well—three beasts already down.
Then—
“Aaaahhh!”
A scream shattered the forest.
A woman burst out of the bushes.
“G-ghost!”
It was Petra Lucen.
“Arno… we need to run.”
“Run? Why?”
“A beast appeared!”
And then—
BOOM.
The ground shook.
Behind her stood a massive creature.
A two-headed wolf, its gray fur gleaming, its four eyes glowing red.
“…A beast?” Arno whispered.
A real one this time.
