Chapter 23
The elder of House Benheim, the black mage Beron, decided that this hunting festival was the perfect opportunity.
He believed one thing strongly: this chance must never be missed.
To achieve a divine-level breakthrough as a human, he needed excellent “materials.”
Old and decaying mana cores from elderly mages like himself were useless.
What he needed were fresh, newly formed mana cores with unlimited potential.
“Two heirs of Benheim, and the daughter of Luzen.”
Although one of their key members, Marquel, had been exposed as a black mage and forced to flee, this hunting festival—where even Luzen’s heirs were present—was an opportunity they could not afford to lose.
So they risked everything and intervened.
The plan had gone smoothly.
They sealed the forest with a barrier, cutting it off from the outside. They placed subordinates to deceive the guards. Tracking the heirs was easy because they had embedded tracking magic into the participation badges that recorded points.
Beron and the black mages entered the forest without difficulty and succeeded in creating magical beasts using dark magic.
Originally, the plan was to let those beasts rampage and delay the incoming Benheim forces, while Beron stepped in later, pretending to rescue the children and earning their trust.
He intended to appear as the most reliable elder and lure them willingly into the trap.
But then—
“That beast… you killed it?”
“Yes.”
“….”
Because some unknown boy handled the beast too easily, things became complicated.
Reygan.
An outsider brought in by Stern Stern von Benheim.
A commoner who had been given Benheim’s mana techniques.
But he was not just skilled.
“Since when did you notice?”
“From the moment you showed your face. The smell was unbearable.”
Even behind his disguise, Reygan had detected the scent of black magic.
At this point, Beron had to admit it.
“Stern brought in quite a useful piece.”
Because of Reygan, their beast was killed, and their identity was exposed. So Beron had no choice but to reveal himself earlier than planned.
Still, it did not matter. The barrier was intact, and more of their allies were arriving.
“Elder, everyone has gathered.”
“Good. Capture them all.”
“And… what about the gray-haired boy?”
“Kill him.”
The subordinate frowned.
“But he has learned Benheim’s mana technique. He could be useful.”
“I know. Stern taught him without permission.”
His value as a vessel was lower than pure blood heirs, but still better than low-ranking branches.
However—
“That boy is a problem from the root. Keeping him alive will only cause trouble. It’s better to cut him down now.”
Reygan was too dangerous.
His calm attitude did not match a mere third-tier mage.
Beron decided he should be eliminated immediately.
—
Reygan stepped forward and dropped his broken sword.
“You plan to surrender?”
How ridiculous.
Just as Beron smiled—
“That’s not happening.”
From Reygan’s fingertips, light-blue threads emerged.
They became lines, then shapes, forming a blade.
“…What?”
Beron immediately understood what he was seeing.
“Joj검 magic!”
The secret magic of House Luzen Petra Luzen.
The created blade was crude compared to true Luzen constructs, but it was still a blade formed from mana.
Even so—
“He succeeded… in shaping it.”
Even imitation was absurd.
Because normally, such techniques required the house’s mana core system. Without it, failure was inevitable.
Yet Reygan had used Benheim’s system while mimicking Luzen’s magic.
“…Ha.”
Beron laughed.
“Bring him alive. No matter what, capture him intact.”
At that moment, Beron realized something.
The most valuable target here was not the heirs.
It was Reygan.
—
The newly formed mana blade felt strange.
Light. Hot.
It did not feel like metal at all.
“Not bad for something made quickly.”
Behind him, Petra stared in shock.
“I-it’s impossible… how did you do that in one try…”
Reygan extended his mana and layered aura over the blade.
Blue aura rose over light-blue mana.
“It even accepts aura.”
A useful weapon.
Then Beron laughed loudly.
“Stern brought back a real treasure!”
He raised his hand. Black mages surrounded them.
Twelve enemies. All between third and fourth tier. Beron alone was sixth tier.
Their side: only four third-tier mages, including Petra and Arno.
Not good odds.
“Renia, buy time and run.”
“I’m not leaving.”
Renia stood beside him, raising rune magic.
“Didn’t I say I’ll kick their asses?”
The battlefield was familiar.
Like old wars from his past life.
“Are you just going to stand there?”
His words snapped Arno and Petra into action.
“Kill them!”
Black magic rained down.
Reygan cut through it with his blade.
Shock spread among the enemies.
He threw his blade like a spear.
One mage fell.
Two more followed.
The formation began to break.
But then—
Beron stepped forward.
Sixth-tier pressure exploded outward.
“Now I’ll handle you myself.”
Black magic gathered, distorting space.
A killing blow.
Reygan stepped forward instead of retreating.
A fatal opening appeared.
He struck.
“Gahhh!”
Beron’s wrist flew off.
“You lack real combat experience,” Reygan said coldly.
Beron’s eyes turned mad.
“Kill him! I’ll tear him apart!”
A massive black spell formed.
Too late to dodge.
Reygan tightened his grip on his broken sword core of mana and aura.
He prepared to break through it—
Then—
A crimson blade fell from the sky.
It shattered Beron’s spell instantly.
Above them stood a man on a massive sword.
Kaiden Luzen had arrived.
The sky itself seemed filled with falling blades.
A rain of giant swords crushed everything.
Black mages were wiped out instantly.
Kaiden landed and looked at his daughter coldly.
Petra Luzen lowered her head.
“You are a disgrace,” Kaiden said.
Then his gaze shifted to Reygan’s blue mana blade.
“…What is that thing?”
