Chapter 19: Black Mage (5)

< 19 : Black Mage (5) >

-You used <Lightning Arrow>.

Along with the message announcing the skill's use, the characters within the skill's range were stunned.

It was a skill that dealt 30 damage and had a stun effect.

While it took three uses of <Lightning> to knock down a character, <Lightning Arrow> was enough with just two.

Moreover, <Lightning Arrow> was a skill that inflicted damage on a wide area.

It could clear out the characters faster than the <Lightning> skill.

I couldn't help but marvel at the power of the magic book I received from Eutania.

"Why is this AoE skill so strong?"

The damage and the range were completely superior to <Lightning>.

Of course, it consumed more mana than the skill I used before, but even considering that, it was an incredible performance.

It was a skill that wouldn't be strange to get from a 10-pull.

And I got this amazing skill for free.

It was a moment of gratitude for Eutania, who brought me an unexpected harvest.

"Ah, this is why I enjoy raising my character."

Baguette. Sponge cake. Hard rye bread.

I fed Eutania various kinds of breads that I got from the store and raised her.

It was not long ago that she did that.

And she didn't forget the favor she received from me and brought me a magic book.

They say it's a dog-eat-dog world.

Even Eutania, who demanded things like she left behind a 7,000 won bread, didn't forget the kindness she received from her master.

I felt like giving her a gift as I watched her admirable appearance.

"First, I have to deal with these guys and then think about it."

Of course, I had to finish off the characters left in the village first.

I kept using <Lightning Arrow> repeatedly.

Bang! Kwang! Kwaaaaang!

The vibrations that burst out of my smartphone one after another conveyed the atmosphere of the fierce battlefield.

Every time I threw a spear of lightning, the characters piled up in the village fell down.

It was an optimal skill for hunting the crowded characters.

-You used <Lightning Arrow>.

-You used <Lightning Arrow>.

-Your karma increased by 7.

.

.

.

-You used <Lightning Arrow>.

-Your karma increased by 5.

Many messages popped up and countless characters were converted into karma.

Crackle. Fizzle.

The electric shocks left on the ground also inflicted continuous damage on the nearby characters.

It wasn't enough to completely finish off the opponents, but it was still a merit to be able to deal dot damage.

How many more times did I throw <Lightning Arrow>?

I realized that there were no more characters left in the village and finally lifted my finger from the skill button.

"Phew... It's hot and nice."

It was much more efficient than hitting one by one with <Lightning>.

The mana consumption increased by several times, but it was enough to handle one village.

I felt like I could enjoy the game comfortably for a while.

After finishing a satisfying hunt, I turned the screen and looked for Eutania.

I wanted to give her something in return for giving me such a wonderful gift.

"I received a gift... It would be nice to give her something back."

I received an unexpected gift from Eutania.

It was a gift that made me feel good enough to forget about last night's fatigue.

It was worth enough money if compared to cash.

It would be nice to treat her well since she was a character I liked.

I moved the screen and found Eutania stuck somewhere in the mountains.

She was sitting in a tent, reading a book.

-"This magic is... amazing."

The ash-haired character calmly turned each page.

Looking at the strange-looking tools around her, she seemed to be studying magic.

I opened my inventory and checked the items to find something that suited her.

"Nothing suitable in my inventory... Maybe I should try pulling some gacha."

The only items left in my inventory were a few iron swords.

But I couldn't just give an iron sword to Eutania who was learning magic.

The only option left was gacha.

Just recently, my salary came into my bank account.

It wouldn't be bad to try some gacha for a change, so I touched the shop button on the top right corner of the screen.

-The <Paid Currency Shop> is currently under maintenance.

"Maybe you're used to being petted by now."

And then I quickly turned my finger around and touched Eutania's head.

If I couldn't pull any gacha, the only thing I could give her was a pet.

Swoosh.

My swift touch brushed past Eutania's head.

She lifted her head and looked up at the sky.

Thud.

Eutania fell to the ground after being petted.

Unfortunately, she still hadn't adapted to being petted.

I looked at the fallen Eutania for a moment, and then threw my smartphone on the bed after turning off the screen.

I wasn't feeling fresh in the morning.

Maybe I should go to the bathroom and take a shower.

*****

"There are definitely... a lot of suspicious points."

Evan Allemier.

The heretic inquisitor of the Holy Land, Crossbridge, opened his mouth as he scanned the empty village.

The village that came into Evan's sight was very quiet.

There were traces of dishes or laundry that people had used, but there was no sign of people anywhere in the village.

If they had been attacked, there would have been bloodstains, but all Evan saw were footprints and bizarre paintings.

Bizarre paintings.

Only a part of the half-erased painting was the only clue that caught Evan's eye in this place.

Hus, who was examining the pattern on the floor next to Evan, looked at his brother and asked.

"Do you know what this painting is, brother?"

"It's a pattern that hasn't been drawn for long. There's probably only one possibility left."

"..."

"There's a pattern that looks like an altar, and ancient letters around it. I think this painting is..."

An altar for a ritual.

Even though Evan trailed off at the end, Hus didn't fail to understand what he meant.

There weren't many places that used ancient letters until now.

Only the six temples of Crossbridge or the magicians who explored the ancient ruins could handle them.

An altar that was shaped geometrically with ancient letters mixed in.

It was an altar made by the cultists who worshiped the evil gods for their trade with the evil gods.

The Holy Land had a history of fighting and inflicting great damage on the cult of the evil god in the past.

It was possible because of the sacrifice of the heroes and the activities of the paladins.

Whenever an evil god appeared to disturb the world, a chosen hero would inevitably follow.

Since the next hero hadn't appeared yet, it was a common opinion of the Holy Land that there was still time before the evil god's forces moved.

But what existed in front of Evan's eyes now was a genuine altar of an evil god.

The evil god was already exerting a secret influence on this world.

It meant something simple.

A hero will appear soon.

"An evil god, you say."

"Yes. I'm sure."

"All our guesses so far were true."

"I guess so. I found the signs of an evil god sooner than I thought."

Hus's face darkened as he heard Evan's words.

It was one thing to vaguely guess the content, and another to accept it as a fact.

The appearance of an evil god that threatened the continent.

It was a very heavy story for Hus, who sacrificed one of his subordinates to collect evidence.

"The appearance of an evil god means..."

"A hero will appear soon. The Holy Land will be busy for a while."

When the shadow of an evil god loomed over this world, a hero would inevitably appear.

This was an unchanging law that never changed.

The gods of the six temples did not tolerate their rules being broken.

Even if the order was reversed a little, what had to happen would happen anyway.

Especially if the opponent was an evil god who transcended this world.

Now that he had found evidence of an evil god, it was time for Evan to report to the Holy Land.

Clank.

Evan adjusted his sword on his waist and grabbed the reins of his horse that he had tied nearby.

"Will you come back with me to headquarters? I'm going to bring my subordinates for extermination after reporting to the regional chief."

"No. Let's hold off for now."

"Yes...?"

"We might provoke them and they might hide somewhere we can't find them."

"Do you not trust Cloud's power, brother?"

Cloud was an executive agency responsible for the security of the empire.

Hus sent a dissatisfied look at Evan when he heard an opinion of distrust against Cloud in the territory of the empire.

But Evan shook his head and denied Hus's words.

"That's not it. I'm saying this could be an opportunity."

"An opportunity? What do you mean?"

"The enemy hasn't fully grown yet. If we prepare thoroughly, we might be able to exterminate them without much damage."

They had succeeded in finding traces of a cult before divine guidance came down.

In some sense, it meant that the enemy's forces hadn't taken root properly yet.

An evil god's cult that hadn't fully grown yet.

If they were lucky, they might be able to cut them off at once.

Maybe they could succeed in exterminating the cult as soon as a hero appeared.

And for that, they needed thorough preparation.

Preparation so thorough that they didn't even consider a second chance.

"Extermination will involve moving with the empire's power. You'll also participate in combat when the time comes."

"Then... I'll listen to your advice, brother."

"That's right. For now, just focus on watching the enemy's movements. This is a request that I can only tell you, my brother."

"If that's what you want, brother."

Evan finished the conversation and got on his horse and grabbed the reins.

Heeheeheehee!

Evan's horse snorted loudly as it greeted its master.

There was a lot to do in the Holy Land now that he had found traces of an evil god.

He thought it would be hard to take a vacation for a while, and Evan signaled his horse.