Following their confidential meeting with Gadra, the three members of the Mixed Corps—Shinji, Mark, and Xin—were brought to the outskirts of Eterna, Atem's nation, the very next day. Ten days after sending the trio forward, Gadra slipped away on a separate mission.
Given how Atem's presence and reputation weighed on them, Gadra decided that the initial investigation should be left in the hands of his three disciples—testing both their skill and their resolve.
Gadra believed Atem did not view them as disposable pieces on a chessboard. Instead, Atem simply expected excellence—and people who couldn't reach that standard were crushed by the pressure alone.
Gadra understood this perfectly.
He himself was similar; he simply never voiced his concerns, leaving others intimidated by his silence.
Unaware of how terrifying people found him, the master magician set out toward the former Kingdom of Farmus. His old disciple, Razen, was still stationed there. Gadra intended to pry information about Demon King Atem from him—anything he could learn before stepping foot into Eterna's Dungeon.
Gadra arrived at the former royal capital Malis, walking straight toward the palace without hesitation.
Inside, Razen was buried in paperwork when he suddenly froze mid-motion.
A pressure—a familiar, crushing magical presence—washed over him.
His eyes widened.
"He… he's alive? Gadra-sama…?!"
He whispered it like a curse, as if terrified of the implications.
Of course Gadra wouldn't come for something as gentle as a reunion.
Razen knew Gadra didn't forgive betrayal, weakness, or incompetence.
If the guards failed to recognize him and picked a fight…
They would die instantly.
If that happened, Razen knew he wouldn't be able to calm Gadra down.
He immediately used Magic Communication to contact his two disciples.
‹Can you hear me?›
A irritated voice answered.
‹Tsk… what do you want so suddenly?›
‹You've felt it, haven't you?›
‹If you mean that abnormal presence, yes. Grigori hasn't noticed, but… that monster is
almost at the gate.›
‹Good. Then both of you, go there now. Hold him off if necessary.›
There was a pause. Then a reluctant response.
‹…Very well. I owe you, so I'll accept.›
The connection cut.
Razen exhaled sharply.
His new disciples—Sare and Grigori, former members of the Three Martial Sages—had once disgraced themselves in front of the world. Their defeat had been public and humiliating. But Razen took them in, not out of compassion, but because he understood that they had been defeated by an impossible foe:
Diablo.
Knowing this, Razen empathized with them. He trained them, intending to shape them into Farmenas' hidden protectors.
And now—he needed them more than ever.
By the time Razen arrived at the gates, Sare and Grigori were already standing before Gadra, blocking his way.
Sare clicked his tongue.
"Hey, old man. Whatever business you have here, we're the ones guarding this place. You can't just stroll in unannounced."
Grigori crossed his arms, puffing himself up.
"Yeah. If you want to see someone, go register at the reception. Maybe you'll get an answer in a few days."
To Razen, watching this unfold felt like watching two men poke a sleeping tiger with sticks.
He shouted:
"Stop! Let him through!"
Both men turned.
"Huh? Aren't we supposed to stop him?"
"Then what did you ask us here for?"
Razen ignored their frustration and immediately kneeled before Gadra.
"It has been far too long, Gadra-sama," Razen said formally. "I deeply apologize for the delay. I did not know you still walked this world…"
Gadra raised a brow, amused.
The pressure rolling off him was overwhelming—enough that even Sare and Grigori instinctively stepped back.
Razen swallowed, forcing himself to continue.
He knew this wasn't a social visit.
Gadra was here for one thing only:
Information about the man now ruling Eterna—
Demon King Atem, the King of Games.
Razen wanted, above all else, to avoid provoking Gadra. If things went badly, he was prepared to risk his life and go all out just to stall the old mage—but in the end, it seemed he had worried for nothing.
"Long time no see, Razen. You look… quite different from before," Gadra said, carefully eyeing his former disciple. "But it appears it really is you."
"Yes. Unlike you, Master, I extend my life through flesh transference," Razen replied calmly.
"I don't blame you," Gadra said. "Don't humble yourself too much. I came today because I have something I need to ask. And that beastman hiding over there—no need to be so tense. If I wanted trouble, I wouldn't have walked in alone."
With those words, the heavy tension at the castle gates finally eased. Still, none of them let their guard down completely. After briefly speaking with Gadra, they arranged a formal meeting for the next day.
The meeting was held the following morning in one of the castle rooms in Malis.
Youm, Grucius, and Razen were present. Sare and Grigori stood behind Youm as escorts.
Myuran had wanted to attend, but Youm refused. She had just given birth—a baby girl named Meme, who was now being lovingly watched over by Edgar. Myuran's wellness mattered more than sitting in council.
Razen bowed his head respectfully.
"Now then, Master. What did you want to ask?"
Before answering, Gadra scanned the room with an annoyed expression.
"Hmm. Before we begin, I must point out a few things. Sare, young man—you seem strong, but your magic usage is terrible. Mana control is not something that can be faked. You must train it properly."
His sharp tone made Sare twitch.
"And you—the beastman. Grucius, correct? You need to learn how to judge an opponent's strength." Gadra scolded him like a strict father. "Transforming in front of an enemy is like announcing your vulnerability. That's just asking to be struck down."
Grucius quietly lowered his gaze.
Then Gadra turned to Youm.
"You're stronger than an average warrior, but you rely too much on your equipment. Power borrowed from weapons is not your own. If you cannot protect yourself without them, you'll die the moment you're caught off guard."
Youm clicked his tongue but didn't deny it.
Then came Grigori.
"You have potential. But potential is meaningless without skill. Train more."
Grigori froze as if hit by a hammer.
Lastly, Gadra looked straight at Razen.
"Razen. Your magic has improved. Is that a possession-type art?"
"Yes. The secret art Possession. Based on your mystic art Reincarnation."
"Hmm. Interesting. Unlike my art, yours does not temporarily reduce you to infancy."
"Thank you for the com—"
"But it's useless until you master it. You are not drawing out the body's full ability."
"Yes, sir!"
Razen broke into a cold sweat. Everything Gadra said was true—and hearing it out loud made his stomach twist.
How frightening… He saw through all of us just from yesterday…
Razen didn't dare to speak again.
But Sare and Grigori were far less humbled.
"Oioi, old man," Sare snapped. "Don't get cocky just because Razen-dono is staying quiet. What makes you think you can talk down to us?"
"That's right," Grigori growled. "We owe Razen-dono, but we don't owe you anything. If you're that confident, show us."
Razen wanted to silence them, but Gadra signaled him to stay back.
The glint in his eyes was unmistakable:
He planned to put the brats in their place.
Go ahead, Master… Razen thought.
Shut them up properly.
Before the actual meeting could begin, they moved to the training grounds.
A simple warm-up, Gadra said.
A duel: Gadra vs. Sare and Grigori together.
The result?
A massacre.
He crushed them without effort.
"I–impossible…" Sare gasped.
"This old man… he handled both of us at once without sweating…" Grigori muttered in shock.
Their pride as former members of the Three Martial Sages shattered instantly.
Gadra nodded, satisfied.
This should make negotiations smoother.
But then—
"But he's not as powerful as that demon, right?"
Sare mumbled to Grigori.
"You're comparing him to that guy?" Grigori snorted. "Still… this old man feels about as strong as that dog I fought."
"—Hmm?"
Gadra froze.
A demon?
Stronger than himself?
And that dog?
Their reactions weren't denial. They were honest.
Gadra's confusion deepened.
Just as he opened his mouth to ask—
"Gadra-sama," Razen interjected sharply. "We will discuss that later. First, we should answer your original questions."
And with that, they walked off the training grounds.