Ithrindia Vintis the tenth generation heir of the Vintis family one of the most powerful and oldest mage families

A family holding the power of darkness but that power did not reflect the wickedness within them On the contrary to the authority they possessed they lived a solitary life deep within the forest

In Southern Ishvor a region filled with peace and silence free from any social authority

Under the moonlight streaming down on a clear night The sound of footsteps crushing the grass grew clearer The journey ended when he saw a large mansion ahead standing majestically in the heart of the forest

However those footsteps immediately ceased with nothing to indicate the cause a sudden disappearance that created surprise

Amidst the beautifully decorated fountains and bushes in the mansion garden

The young woman appeared with a smooth black cape left unbuttoned revealing a fitted suit jacket and a short black skirt underneath as well as long opaque black stockings that looked like trousers White hair signifying mystery

She stood still her gaze firmly and intently fixed on the mansion entrance Suddenly a man appeared

He came with a long black coat wearing a mask painted with a mournful and dark expression

He slowly materialized like a spirit before showing his loyalty by kneeling before Ithrindia Vintis

She slowly stepped closer to the masked man She held his hand and pulled him up then hugged him gently and soothingly He embraced her back carefully and slightly nervously

She began to move slowly walking along the path in the mansion garden at night with the cold masked man following silently behind

"Thank you very much... You have been gracious to Vintis..."

He stood still and calm allowing the gentle breeze to slowly touch his long black coat softly Amidst the mask covering his face

Only a pair of sharp and chilling jet-black eyes were visible The true voice of the masked man was polite yet filled with deep resolve

"For Vintis..."

"I would exchange everything for you and everyone."

Ithrindia looked up at the beautiful moon on the seemingly melancholic night as if pondering something hidden deep within her heart before she spoke in a polite voice

"How is Sera..."

"...The young lady is well my lady..."

The masked man replied in a polite voice but the politeness was subtly laced with deep cunning and awareness as if he intended to say only this much to communicate something more He deliberately blinked slightly

"You do not have to worry my lady... The young lady is with the mercenaries."

He said in a polite tone but in truth he felt strangely amused by the situation

The conversation between the two completely stopped leaving only the silence emanating from Ithrindia Vintis Beneath her polite and gentle demeanor she hid a powerful authority The silence was more pronounced amidst the buzzing of night insects

"Do not change too much..."

Ithrindia ordered in a decisive yet polite voice

"Let it happen according to the fate that should be."

He reached into the small pocket beneath his coat and took out a wooden carving of a faceless person

The masked man gripped it tightly with indescribable strength causing the delicate wooden carving to turn to dust In that instant a flash of white light shot out from his left hand

Ithrindia turned back looking slightly surprised Her eyes reflected the bright white light flashing from the masked man's hand As the white light slowly faded a glowing white gem

The white light appeared from the masked man's hand The energy radiating from the gem disturbed the surrounding environment causing small grasses and leaves to tremble all around as well as their clothes and hair to subtly sway

"Ten more pieces remain my lady."

The masked man reported in his usual polite voice yet his composure was filled with immense power controlled within the hand holding the gem

Ithrindia slowly moved towards the masked man She raised her left hand to the same level as the Serlenum gem Black energy began to shine from her glove

The black energy completely covered the Serlenum The power of darkness slowly seeped in and dyed the pure white gem like a spell The pristine whiteness was slowly consumed

Until the gem turned completely black As soon as the transformation was complete the white light that had reflected was replaced by a deep red light covering the entire area

"Shatter..."

She exclaimed in a decisive voice while tightly clenching her left hand used to connect with the gem

The light reflecting from the gem abruptly went out leaving only the moonlight and shadow Serlenum had become a solid black seal which floated still on the masked man's left palm

When Ithrindia nodded slightly as permission the masked man responded by gripping the Serlenum which was in the state of a black seal sealed by her dark power

He gripped it violently revealing a fragility never before seen in the sealed gem It shattered into black dust and slowly fell to the grass beside them

Footsteps echoed across the arid land like a desert It was a place of nothing but broken rocks and naturally deceased tropical flora

A man in a dark cloak walked through this land filled with despair and devoid of greenery Countless non-human skulls were scattered everywhere as if a curse had been cast upon the territory In the distance A vast lake and river appeared but they were merely a mirage created by the subconscious of someone nearing despair

"It's time to sleep..."

"I'll tell you the rest tomorrow night dear."

In the embrace of an elderly woman who smiled gently and lovingly was a small boy with thick lustrous black hair and eyes as red as blood Yet his face was full of an innocent smile "Grandma... I want to be like Lord Khelios..."

The little boy spoke in a sweet innocent voice while resting in his grandmother's warm embrace Her eyes widened slightly in surprise but she did not show it to her young grandson Her wrinkled hand gently stroked the boy's head

"Sweet dreams little one... Sleep now Lord Khelios loves good children."

In an old house in a remote rural area next to a vast desert was a mere spot of the great land of Lanta on the Rectes Continent

In a small town bustling with people a town filled with countless machinery as if numerous engineers and inventors had gathered Electrical wires tangled chaotically composed of complex and delicate circuits but they understood it all Machine scraps oil stains scattered across the walkways as if it were normal The one who loved to invent but did not know how to keep it within boundaries

....Konji a youth covered in machine oil stains His face was smeared with mud and his ragged old clothes reflected the hardship of his life He was struggling to carry a large bag His legs trembled and his face was flushed from the heat

A man in a grey coat dressed like a traveler because of the many bags and luggage tied to his back He had blonde hair that made people around them look up in curiosity

"Hey... let me help you young man."

He easily lifted the large bag and placed it on his head He smiled kindly Konji offered a faint smile

"Thank you sir..." As time passed...

"Oh... really?... Thank you young man."

The man spoke with a joyful smile His posture was strong and steady This burly young man talked a lot with Konji as a traveler who had just met a local

"I really like your coat... It..."

"...It looks great... Where are you from sir?!"

Konji held the man's coat with an admiring expression looking all over his body

"...I'm from the Northern Lands..."

"After traveling through Northern Lanta..."

"That's where I came from."

The young man spread out an old torn map Konji stared intently without looking away but his eyes were filled with overwhelming emotions too deep to describe deep inside his heart as they walked

The man glanced at Konji's changing expression as if he had a premonition about Konji This traveler who had journeyed everywhere

Had a premonition about this young man but shortly after the man continued walking with a kind and warm demeanor

"Are you alone...?"

Konji flinched and stopped walking His eyes flashed with coldness The man gently gripped Konji's shoulder

"It's normal for a boy like you to struggle like this."

A faint voice "In this town..."

Everything was still Both of them stopped walking The young boy looked straight ahead not meeting his eyes The man stood still waiting for the boy's answer

"Yes sir... I'm alone..." Konji turned back to him His eyes were as red as blood sharp His feeling told him this man was certainly no ordinary person The man's eyes widened

Slightly in surprise He crouched down His left hand rested on the young man's shoulder He playfully patted Konji's shoulder lightly

But then he leaned in to whisper something in his ear His voice completely changed into a chilling coldness

"It's alright... Just seeing it is enough..."

Konji was shocked standing still like a statue His hair fluttered in the dusty wind His eyes flickered with pressure The man placed a piece of paper in Konji's coat pocket He did not resist He simply stood there in shock Then the man placed Konji's belongings on the ground

"Edward Lusbrek... just say this name there."

"And tell the crazy guy with the glasses at the institute..."

"Then your life will get better..."

The young man turned his back and walked away without saying goodbye leaving the boy in a state of utter shock unable to even move his feet

He walked away and disappeared into the crowd leaving behind only a piece of paper that seemed to be a variable for the life of the young man named Konji

...The young man stood calmly on the balcony A gentle breeze passed through him but his face remained cold Konji's dark hair swayed in the wind Below two young men sat calmly under a tree

Resway a young man as cold as ice His eyes filled with various emotions He sat on a garden bench his fists resting on his sturdy cheek and his elbows on his knees

"...What should we do next...?"

Asman a young man famous among the girls across the campus as a charming guy but his body was full of muscles His physique suggested he loved bodybuilding He stood leaning against the tree his arms crossed indifferently

"...Let's go indulge in some bakery..."

Resway covered both ears with his hands and sighed softly He looked at Asman with a disappointed expression

"...I wasn't talking about eating... I meant the group."

Several girls walked past When they saw Asman they greeted him with affection and admiration

He replied with a gentle and warm smile Resway sighed slightly upon seeing that sight He waved back at the group of girls too "What did you do..."

"Why are they so interested in you why are they so interested in you?"

"I was only in the band for one day..."

"I just played the guitar that's all..."

Asman looked at Resway with a sly and confident smile

Nineteen-year-old Konji watched them from above His eyes never left them His signature short black coat was both charming and deeply imposing He stood still only his eyes revealed his inner thoughts as if this man had a story he could not tell anyone

...Just seeing it is enough...

The man's words were filled with much mystery but they brought the young man who Once lived in a developed but socially deteriorating city to exist on the other side of that place It was like the edge of the horizon

Her face was flushed Her charming eyes were striking The girl opposite her was no less captivating Determination and innocence converged to form a contrasting pair

"How are things... have you cleared up what's on your mind about this place?"

Chas asked the girl whose face was cute and innocent yet possessed courage and seriousness

The young girl with thick dark hair and eyes like red gems along with a timid nature Chenya slightly averted her friend's gaze

"...Well..."

The two were sitting at a famous bakery in Northern Ishvor City The place was known for its superb ingredients People praised and favored it The shop had many tables for them to sit Chenya glanced at the people around her in the shop with embarrassment She was worried about every gaze that passed over her

"...Then let's change the subject..." Chas's eyes softened She looked at the plate in her hand that held bread and food Chas slowly looked up

A loud sound from nearby startled people Chenya was shocked The pastry in her hand even dropped The city's signaling device sounded The many people in the shop ran out in a frenzy as if for their lives Gunshots rang out They continued loudly As people from no ordinary institute like the Magic Institute

The girls who were full of extraordinary specialty chose to run out of the shop and follow the sound

On the other side two men were desperately running away from numerous powerful debt collectors who chased them for their lives Everything was not what should have been seen but it happened anyway These officials seemed not like justice supporters

But rather like a group of savage people in a dark organization The chased man was shirtless only wearing trousers as if he had just been captured not long ago

Enklas the young man was running for his life but he was extremely agile and fluid

"Try to catch me if you can~~"

Phanet another young man running was close behind him

"Don't underestimate them... They just caught us moments ago...!!"

They were not panicked by the situation they were experiencing but were rather ambivalent These two men were like people full of the extraordinary Enklas dashed into a small alley and hid behind a trash can His friend Phanet struggled and continued running while the officials kept chasing

But Phanet could not escape the pursuing officials They all raised their guns aiming at him He ran out of options He stopped running and stood still letting these officials come and capture him

"Wooww..."

A mysterious man's voice sounded fleetingly a hoarse voice that was unclear It came from the top of a four-story building The officials had successfully detained this young man They slowly looked up in surprise

"...Wooww... Why don't you love me...!"

"My heart is about to shatter..."

The young man's voice spoke out ignoring his surroundings He vented his sorrow filled with resignation

"You lowlifes..."

Kaman one of the officials said coldly He and his group turned their backs in great frustration Phanet who was captured smiled cunningly at the corner of his mouth

Suddenly that man in a short black coat with a sword attached stylishly to his waist Konji jumped down from the building with fluid motion like a gentle swaying breeze His footsteps softly touched the stone ground as if he were weightless His hands remained confidently in his trouser pockets

These officials did not have time to turn to look at him but their eyes widened in surprise and fear erupted illogically They slowly turned back in shock

"Konji...!!"

Phanet spoke softly his body starting to lose strength He smiled cunningly at Konji who was slowly walking closer

One of the officials whispered into his friend's ear his voice was startled his eyes slightly trembling

"...Who is he...!!"

Konji slowly walked closer with the same confident cunning while the officials slowly turned Konji glanced at the feet of one of the officials

"Oh that's very nice... I really like your shoes."

The man's eyes widened in shock not expecting that Konji walked closer He slowly squatted down His hand lightly touched the official's shoe Phanet who was being held widened his eyes in surprise

"Wait...!! What are you doing?"

"...Expensive shoes... Can I have them?" Konji slowly looked up His face smiled mischievously

"Who are you and what do you want..."

"Crazy man don't interfere with official business..."

This official was extremely angry and frustrated His eyes were full of anger that was like bursting fire

Chas and Chenya followed the sound until they arrived They saw everything but were waiting in ambush

Chas "Officials huh... Impossible."

Konji's smiling face and his squatting posture in this situation seemed to diminish the value

Both of Konji's hands firmly grabbed this official's left leg He violently threw the official sending him tumbling to the ground revealing immense strength

Everyone was shocked Konji slowly stood up his face still bowed

The surrounding officials immediately aimed their guns at him They didn't have time to be shocked seeing their friend thrown but they instantly aimed their guns In this situation Phanet who was captured grinned cunningly in secret

"Heh..." with some kind of satisfaction

"Tell me now... Who are you..." Many more officials surrounded him from all sides Originally there weren't many but they arrived in greater numbers They simply ran over Seeing their friend treated like that they followed suit without hesitation looking at Konji angrily "What you did is unforgivable..."

The two girls secretly watching from a distance were very surprised Chenya who was strangely quiet was now restlessly concerned as a junior from the academy towards this person who was more than just a senior

".How pathetic... You're just savages."

"But you're playing the role of officials. Who is your leader..." Konji spoke amidst the people ready to take him down at any moment But Konji showed no tremor or fear whatsoever

Enklas sitting hidden next to the trash can heard everything He knew the whole situation It wasn't far from where he was He breathed heavily the air around was abnormally stifling He picked up a small spherical device from his trouser pocket It looked like a special metal meticulously crafted But suddenly a mysterious sound came from this device it made a sound Fuuu... "*It's me... It's me... Enklas*..."

"The guy named Konji... Who is he. His appearance is similar to a student of the Magic Institute But what I think is he's just wearing it..."

Suddenly the sound stopped He spoke to the spherical object as if it were a specialized communication device that was not commonly seen

"Damn it!!"

"...You young man... You have no right to ask us... Judging by your look you must be a mid-level mage Stop causing trouble and get out of here."

"I'm giving you grace just by not arresting you..." Kaman spoke while loading a gun without hesitation It was aimed confidently at Konji

Konji clapped his hands mockingly His face smiled with squinted eyes in an irritating manner Their words did not affect him at all

The spherical object vibrated periodically Enklas gripped it tightly His concentration was like gathering his mind until it slowly opened into a screen displaying text Konji... or Jinkeon High-level mage of the Ishvor Magic Institute

His current position is...

The young man's eyes widened He was shocked by the text appearing on the screen of the spherical object But his position is...

Chas and Chenya saw Konji from a distance but they did not go to help or reveal themselves as if it were an instruction from someone's genuine will

They did not intend to give him a chance Bullets poured down on Konji from all angles Even as death crept closer Konji's face remained eerily smiling The sound of trigger pulls was faint before they realized what happened

"His position is Senior Elder of the Institute."

The words were like a hammer striking his head Enklas's body twitched and instantly stiffened He even ran out without thinking Phanet despite being captured had a cunning smile on his face as if he was not the one being victimized

Konji still had his hands in his trouser pockets before lightly pushing off the ground with his toes and easily floating up into the sky like a feather His body shot upwards quickly in just a fraction of a second He used their heads one by one as a platform to tread on in a rapid and indescribable manner Everything made the bodies of the enemies in front of him receive the bullets from their own friends fully

They fell to the ground instantly without time to think It was like their own bullets not ordinary bullets in an instant

Konji reappeared behind Kaman who was the only one left The sharpest blade was at his neck at any moment It choked his breath as if fear came with courage

"...You are... a monster..." Kaman's furious words struck Konji's face directly

His hand slowly slipped the gun under the target's waist quietly ready to kill Konji in an instant

"If you dare... slash me... Distorted ones like you"

"Shouldn't exist in the first place..."

With wide eyes they could not look away from the incident Phanet who was held hostage slowly backed away in fear

Konji's eyes were cold and emotionless as if feelings from a deep memory returned He said nothing only the blade shining from the dawn ready to clash in a second

Phanet ran towards the two girls Chas and Chenya with

"Our levels are very different... Calm down..."

He spoke directly without thinking about who they were but it was as if this young man spoke the truth Enklas on the other side gripped the spherical object tightly His eyes shook with surprise

"Distorted ones..." He muttered inwardly

Konji stood still like a statue before slowly releasing his hand from the sword The sound of the sharp blade hitting the ground echoed throughout the area Only a bare figure stood behind him His cold face appeared His emotion was like an underwater volcano

"Yes I am distorted... We are above physics... We shouldn't have existed in the first place..."

"Why do ordinary humans have to coexist with distorted ones..."

Beneath the calm face... But inside Konji's body there was chaos Veins bulged with the pain he kept only to himself