"Flare might not be clever, but she's definitely not stupid. Her strength isn't weak either. For her to vanish without a trace—there's only one explanation: someone close to her did it."
Norn Clatalissa Jioral sat before the fireplace, her expression sharp and calculating.
"All of this began with the arrival of that Healing Hero. Eliminate every other outcome, and no matter how impossible it seems, the truth remains: that Hero possesses a power beyond comprehension—and he's the one who took my useless sister Flare."
Her tone dripped with disdain as she crushed the report in her hand and tossed it into the flames. "Her subordinates are all trash anyway—they couldn't stop him if they tried."
A cruel idea soon crossed her mind. "If I want to lure him out… I'll just use the people from his homeland."
She turned to her attendants, her eyes cold. "Label them as members of an evil cult. Round up every last one of them and execute them publicly."
Her lips curved into a twisted smile. "If he doesn't show up, then I was wrong. But if he does—kill him."
She couldn't be certain her deduction was completely correct. But sacrificing a village to verify it? That was a price she was more than willing to pay.
…
Far away, hundreds of kilometers from the capital, Takumi narrowed his eyes.
"Sometimes, having the [Thousand-Mile Ear] is convenient… but other times, it's disgusting."
He had heard every word of Norn's plan.
The lives of those villagers didn't mean much to him—Anna was already with him, safe and sound. But that didn't mean he'd let someone drag his name through the mud.
It wasn't about compassion—it was about provocation. An entire village's fate being used as bait? That was a direct slap in the face.
Ignoring it would mean weakness. And weakness wasn't something Takumi tolerated.
His expression darkened. "Nicely done, Princess Norn. You've managed to get my attention."
He raised his head toward the distant direction of her returning convoy. The [Fallen Angel Wings] and [Demon Wings] unfurled simultaneously from his back, flapping once.
Whoosh!
His body shot upward, rising to a thousand meters in an instant.
"Wind Spirit's Blessing—accelerate."
Empowered by elemental energy, his figure blurred into a streak of black light that cut through the sky.
...
Inside the royal convoy, Norn had just reclined on her carriage's velvet bed.
Escorting her return were the kingdom's elite knights—and one of Jioral Kingdom's Three Heroes, Trist Orgon.
A master of close combat and swordsmanship, his true strength lay in his archery. Gifted with the [Observation Eye], he could perceive minute movements and detect killing intent from great distances.
As he rode beside the carriage, a sudden chill gripped his chest.
Something was coming. Something terrifying.
He raised his head toward the dim sky, pupils contracting sharply.
"Something's approaching… something horrifying!" His voice trembled despite his training. The aura he felt was monstrous—suffocating.
A second later, the air itself began to crackle.
Booom!
The atmosphere erupted like thunder.
The horses reared in panic, breaking free of their harnesses and scattering in every direction. The entire convoy plunged into chaos.
The violent tremor jolted Norn awake. She pushed open the curtain in irritation.
"What's going on out there!? All this noise—so annoying!"
But no one answered. Every soldier had frozen, their eyes glued to the sky.
High above them, Takumi hovered—his black wings spread wide, eyes glinting like twin emeralds.
"I heard you were looking for me… Second Princess Norn."
His calm, resonant voice reached every ear, and Norn's heart stopped.
Impossible. She had just given the order! How could he know already?
Was there a spy among my people? No—even with one, word couldn't travel that fast!
Her mind spun in panic, and she almost screamed from the pressure.
"Don't bother thinking," Takumi said evenly, reading her thoughts like an open book. "Before absolute power, strategy is meaningless."
The chill in his tone shattered her composure.
"Protect me! Kill him! Kill him now!!" she shrieked.
The soldiers scrambled into formation, and Hawkeye instantly nocked three arrows—each one glowing with sharp, lethal energy.
They whistled through the air like missiles—but before reaching Takumi, they spontaneously ignited, disintegrating into ash.
Takumi's crimson gauntlet gleamed as he looked down, unamused.
"Pointless resistance. But fine—let's make this interesting."
He extended his hand, murmuring under his breath.
"[Domain Expansion]—Evil Lord's Cathedral!"
A surge of crimson light exploded outward, engulfing the entire convoy in an instant. Reality twisted, and the soldiers found themselves standing inside a massive, blood-red cathedral.
"I just mastered this technique. Perfect time to test it."
"[Evil Lord Technique]—Torment of the Flesh!"
Takumi brought his palms together like he was praying.
Normally, the spell required direct contact—but within his domain, every target was guaranteed.
Scarlet energy seeped into every body present—soldiers, horses, even Hawkeye. Their veins bulged grotesquely, writhing like snakes beneath their skin.
"AAAHHHH!"
"GAAAH—!"
Pain, sickness, and madness overwhelmed them. Blood streamed from their eyes, ears, and mouths as they collapsed, convulsing in agony.
Only Hawkeye managed to stay on his feet, barely holding on through sheer will.
He looked up at Takumi in despair. There was nothing he could do. Not even approach that man. The difference in power was absolute.
"No… no way…"
He tried to draw his bow again, but his muscles seized in agony, his arms trembling violently.
Takumi's gaze hardened.
"You're not worth my hand. But they are."
"[Evil Lord Technique]—Restless Dead March!"
The corpses of the fallen soldiers suddenly twitched—then rose from the ground.
Their eyes were dull, their bodies mangled and decaying.
They staggered toward Hawkeye, clawing at him with monstrous hunger.
"NOOO—!!"
The screams were drowned out by the tearing of flesh
And in the center of it all, Takumi hovered—expressionless, untouchable.
...
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