Chapter 867

"Monsters!"

"What? Where did those suddenly come from?!"

"Everyone, get away!"

The temple where the funeral was being held was located in the heart of Charloin. Those who saw the monsters escaping from there and running amok through alley after alley could hardly believe their eyes and screamed in horror.

A few monsters, emitting sharp and eerie sounds, were about to chase after those who were running away, when suddenly, an attack flew in swiftly from somewhere and pierced through the head of the foremost monster in a flash.

---!!

The pierced monster died on the spot without making a sound. The remaining monsters reflexively looked around, but could neither find the weapon that attacked them nor its owner.

That was when it happened.

"Now!"

"Hyaaa!"

"Aaaah!"

Voices echoed from what seemed like empty air, and then, people who had been lying in ambush over the walls on either side burst out and launched their attack. Thanks to the successful ambush, the monsters were unable to mount a proper defense and soon fell one after the other.

Only then did someone appear from the seemingly empty space. A woman holding several daggers in her hands, gasping for breath, looked around at the people nearby and spoke.

"Is anyone hurt..."

"No... no one. Thank you!"

These were none other than Cyregina and the Awakeners from the Star of Nagran. Ever since the illegal fight club incident, they had stayed at the branch and had come out together for the sole purpose of dealing with the monsters.

At the current southern branch, there were hardly any members left. At best, there were only a minimum number of people to guard the criminals and defend the branch building, the mages, and those who were not yet official members.

This was enough to defend the branch from any ordinary threat, but the sudden screams that began to be heard surpassed everyone's expectations. For reasons unknown, monsters were roaming around the city center. Those who discovered this gathered and, after a meeting, bravely decided to step outside, even though no one had ordered them to.

To guard the branch until the Cavalry returned, and to save the people of Charloin from the threat of the monsters.

Fortunately, the day was foul, and unexpected hail kept most of Charloin's residents holed up at home. The monsters, not having the nature to break down closed doors or climb over walls to harm humans, were not too difficult to handle.

Of course, this didn't mean they weren't dangerous. Several Awakeners were injured while dealing with the monsters and had to be carried back into the branch.

However, among the Awakeners from the Star of Nagran present as well as Cyregina, none were injured. This was entirely due to Cyregina's exceptional stealth and reconnaissance abilities.

The Awakeners from the Star of Nagran followed Cyregina, who looked rather awkward, examining their wounds and moving forward. Normally, she kept her distance from others due to the sins she bore, but today she was the first to step out to defend the branch.

Although it wasn't said aloud, everyone guessed that it was probably because of Reneve, who was continuously exerting her power of suppression within the branch.

'I've heard she isn't entirely a bad person, but I've been too scared to approach her until now... But today alone, I've already received her help three times.'

Jack, a boy among the Awakeners from the Star of Nagran, looked at Cyregina and awkwardly scratched his head.

‘I must properly greet her once this is over and we return!’

“My God! What to do. The monsters keep appearing... Are the people who went out all right...? It’s impossible to know from here.”

Inside the branch building, Alik, who was unable to stay still, kept peeking outside through the curtains. Suddenly, startled by a door opening behind him, he turned his head.

"Gasp?"

The person who emerged was Hellem, clad in a thick waterproof robe and holding a slender staff embedded with magic stones.

“Mage Hellem? You gave me quite a fright. But what is this attire... what are you doing?"

“Can't you tell?”

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to go outside now?!”

“Why. Is there a law that says old folks must never go outside?”

Hellem asked with a smile. Alik, trained in sensitivity by his temperamental master over many years, immediately realized that it wasn't a genuine smile and promptly prostrated himself.

“No! Of course not!”

“Then?”

“It’s just that... the monsters appearing now are dangerous enough to injure even the Awakeners. What if you get hurt? That would be terrible! I’m... I’m worried...”

“That’s precisely why I’m going out.”

“What?"

Alik lifted his head, confused by the incomprehensible response. Hellem looked calmly at her chubby-cheeked junior mage and spoke.

“As you said, everyone is currently in sudden danger due to the monster outbreak. I don’t want to stay hidden here, watching young children, barely teenagers, go out to protect us and help others.”

“...”

Alik blinked in silence, lost for words. Hellem gave him a faintly bitter smile.

“This should have been the duty of knights and mages. Seeing that none of them are appearing anywhere, it’s quite telling, but still, someone has to do it.”

“But, but... We don’t even have proper magic tools or magic stones here. How are you planning to prepare magic to face those monsters... Mage Hellem, you are not a combat specialist, but a monster research expert...”

“That’s right. I am a monster research expert. And that’s exactly why I think it’s time for me to step in. Don’t you see?"

“What do you mean by that..."

As Alik muttered in astonishment, something suddenly clicked in his mind.

He remembered something his master, Thais Yulman, had said after hearing about Hellem's joining.

‘Thought she died researching somewhere... Tsk. Never thought I’d see her here again... Well, it’s not like someone of her caliber would die that easily! She’s the only mage I know who has lived to old age and retired while researching monsters!'

Alik had never thought of Hellem as anything but a purely research-focused mage, but the subjects she dealt with were far more dangerous than those he or his master handled.

To study monsters, one inevitably had to visit places where monsters were seen. In other words, she willingly ventured into death's domain and even calmly faced creatures that could turn on her and kill her at any moment.

A mage who had survived such dangerous research and lived to retire with all limbs intact.

A mage who, despite that, still hadn’t stopped researching.

As the meaning of this suddenly hit home, a chill ran down Alik’s spine.

Watching the silent Alik, Hellem let out a small laugh.

“Boy, when I was young, I fought with my bare hands without any of that. And what kind of a mage would I be if I didn’t have at least one secret spell to respond to any situation?”

Hellem shook the slender staff in her hand. The thin and fragile staff, hardly more than a snapped-off twig, did not appear threatening in the least.

However, the magic stone hanging at its end was a different story. Alik belatedly realized that this was the trump card Hellem had brought all the way here.

“There’s probably no other mage who knows monsters as well as I do. From here, I see that these creatures tend to move in groups, but they lack camaraderie and only have forward vision. They're vulnerable to traps. So, what should we do?”

“Lay traps... perhaps?”

“Right. That’s why I need to go out. You stay here and take good care of Penpen.”

“Wait just a minute!”

Alik shouted, trying to stop Hellem as she began to stride out.

“Mage Hellem. I want to help too! Please let me come with you!”

“What? If you're feeling guilty and just going to be a burden, forget it. Feeding Penpen would be more helpful to me than having a scaredy-cat tag along.”

“I, I admit I'm scared, but Mage Hellem... You seem to forget... I'm also an Awakener!”

At that, Hellem blinked slowly for the first time.

“Oh... right, I forgot. But how would that be helpful?”

Alik, feeling a subtle disbelief in Hellem’s gaze, shouted defensively.

“I haven't just been doing nothing all this time. I’ve been researching and training to use my magic and Awakener abilities together, to get the most out of the least amount of power.”

“You’ve been doing that?”

“Of course, I didn’t just come up with it myself... I asked Yuder for training advice... But still, I can be of use even in a situation like this!”

Alik clenched his fist and exclaimed. He had never been in actual combat, but his words were true.

Through his research with his master, he had grown strong enough to conjure a few cups of water. He had been training, whenever he could, to use that power efficiently in battle and everyday life, having sought advice from Yuder. His goal and dream were to brilliantly utilize not just the power of an Awakener, but also tools, combining the two.

“In fact, I have quite a few other tools that I made while experimenting with making suppression devices. I thought that if I adapted the method of making magic tools, I might be able to change the output with the power of an Awakener and use it in different ways...”

“You’re too wordy. Can’t we just go?”

“That, that’s what I mean! I have quite a few spare tools that will surely be useful!”

Hellem looked at the young mage, visibly frightened yet flushed with excitement, and nodded as if she had no choice.

“It’s normally forbidden to use unverified items... But fine, this time I'll let it slide. Just take care of yourself and don’t get in the way.”

“Of course!”

The two mages, determined, gathered their gear and stepped outside. Thus began another surprising whirlwind around the southern branch.