Chapter 19: Ep 5 — The Shadows VI

On the other side of the forest, Heishu ran swiftly, not daring to look back as he followed a single glowing jade butterfly. It fluttered ahead, guiding him toward the temporary barracks of the Silver Knights, who were also searching for the missing youngsters.

The moment the Black Fenrir appeared with a child in its back, Heishu detected a familiar scent in the air, strangely emanating from the monster.

"Elijah and Khyne's pheromones," he muttered, glancing at his companions. Neither of them noticed it—only an omega like him could detect such scents as betas were unable to sense them.

The youngsters had practically drenched the monster with their scent, as if declaring, ''We faced this beast.'' They both knew Dame Carla would come searching for them, and Heishu would undoubtedly be by her side, as he always was.

But as Heishu thought more deeply, he realized something odd. Animals and beasts have their own unique pheromones, and they're usually sensitive enough to avoid carrying the scent of others for long. But this monster was different—the youngsters' scent still clung to it, as if it were showing off a trophy, proudly proclaiming, "They're already in my stomach."

That thought sent a chill down his spine. It was the worst-case scenario he could imagine.

Yet, on the bright side, Khyne and Elijah had given him a lead on the whereabouts of their young master—the person they were desperately searching for.

Heishu admired how the two had managed to think of such a strategy despite the dire situation. He was especially impressed by Khyne, whose pheromones were so dense it seemed like he wanted them to last much longer—hoping someone would notice.

However, given the circumstances and the condition of their young master Nazari, Heishu knew they were in a very critical situation.

"Everyone's life in the Nabishi Forest was at stake."

The only person he knew who could quell that horrendous power and separate the boy from the Black Fenrir was—

"Lieutenant!" A young knight greeted him respectfully as Heishu entered the main tent of their temporary barracks.

"Where is your vice-captain?" Heishu asked immediately.

"He's searching the southeast part of the forest with three other senior knights."

"That's too far," Heishu muttered, quickly studying the Nabishii Forest map spread out on the table. Parts of the map were pinned in two different colors—most were blue, while a few were red.

Noticing the small number of knights in the barracks, Heishu concluded that the blue pins marked areas they had already searched, while the remaining red ones indicated the new areas they were currently exploring.

Still, they had skipped the area where Reki and Carla were now, as if the vice-captain instinctively knew Dame Carla's group was searching that specific spot, even without any communication.

Dame Carla of Frost Town and Knight Instructor Reki were currently in the northwest part of the forest, near the border of the Dyriad's Forest.

"Luckily, the knights are far from there," Heishu muttered, his thumb resting on his chin in thought.

Heishu immediately dispatched the remaining knights to inform the others to stop the search and return to the barracks. He now had a lead on the whereabouts of the youngsters and instructed them to stand by for further orders.

Meanwhile, Heishu set off to find the vice-captain. He needed the communication crystal that the vice-captain exclusively owned to contact the second brother, Lord Leonard, and inform the Grand Duke of the current situation.

He had already contacted the Royal Palace, and they had informed him that the Friezz brothers had left in a hurry.

---

Meanwhile, in the Northwest of Nabishi Forest...

"Gahhh-ahhh!" Reki cried out in agony as he was slammed forcefully into the ground, over and over. He felt several of his ribs shatter, piercing his lungs. One more impact, and his heart would be crushed. Nearby, Carla was on her knees, head bowed, gasping for breath under the weight of a massive, misty hand.

Each breath felt like their lungs and intestines were being torn apart, as if they were inhaling deadly poison instead of air. The surrounding atmosphere had thickened with a dark, suffocating miasma.

Despite their agility and precision, the relentless attacks took only a few minutes before the shadowy hand stilled their movements.

Even though the knights were battered and worn from the repeated blows, the kid still didn't seem satisfied. Numerous small, ghostly hands sprang from the larger one, forcefully gripping the necks and limbs of the two knights, pinning them to the cold, solid ground.

Immobile, the knights could no longer escape the power that was slowly draining their mana away, like a monster leech sucking liters of their blood. What was once a fierce aura now flickered to a faint light.

Both knights simultaneously thought this must be their final moment. As knights, they had been drilled to expect that their lives were always at the mercy of the Grim Reaper's scythe, and any unexpected moment could be their last.

While ordinary noble knights might not entertain such thoughts, as their training differs, those under the Great Leonard's supervision, who have faced death repeatedly, have had their bodies, beliefs, and values transformed. Leonard's training is often described as—Hell itself, with him as the Master Devil.

Yet, despite their rigorous training, they were nothing compared to their opponent's strength. They simply weren't 'strong enough.'

With this thought in mind, Carla stared at the kid. His obsidian eyes were dull and empty, as if he was conscious but not truly present. She instinctively knew that words wouldn't reach him. Turning to her companion, who was nearly exhausted from his injuries, Carla managed to ask through a bloodied cough, "A-any last words, Sir Reki?"

Reki barely met her gaze before looking up at the night sky. The deep wounds from being crushed multiple times, combined with the excruciating pain, made his eyelids heavy. "Hah... I just want to s-sleep..." he murmured.

"....T-too bad we didn't bring your pillow..." Carla replied sarcastically, followed by a brief silence.

Not wanting to trouble her fellow knight further, she quickly shifted her gaze to the kid. His strength—or rather, the power he wielded—was so overwhelming that he hadn't even moved from where he stood, merely controlling the tangible shadows. Carla was curious about who he was, where he came from, and, "What's with that dark power?"

Carla coughed up more blood, her body chilled and trembling. Her heart pounded loudly and vigorously—symptoms of 'mana reflux,' signaling that her body was reaching its limits.

Yet, the fire in Carla's eyes did not fade. She thought that if by some miracle she managed to escape this situation, she would train even harder and face that kid again.

Sensing this, the Fenrir commented, "Interesting! These knights are tougher than I expected—"

Before it could finish, the monster flinched, quickly turning its gaze to the sky, sensing a powerful presence.

"He's here," it murmured.

Soon, a voice echoed from above, "NAZ!"

The dark sky lit up in a silver hue, and a massive magic array instantly formed, spitting out a being that landed like a meteorite in front of the knights.

Dust billowed, and a white mist rolled forth, revealing the silhouette of a child emerging at the center.

The moment his small body touched the shadows restraining the two knights, they vanished in an instant, allowing the knights to gasp for air.

"Your Grace!" the two greeted their lord, though they remained lying on the ground. They wanted to stand and greet him properly, but their bodies were too overwhelmed by pain to respond.

Suddenly, soft lights appeared beneath them—runes that began to connect and intertwine, gradually forming the shape of a decagram. As the pattern completed, their wounds started to heal, the pain eased, and their bodies felt lighter than before. The once suffocating air cleared, replaced by a refreshing purity—Arwin's presence alone was like an air purifier.

"Naz..." Arwin called, his tone carrying a hint of worry that confused the two knights. They looked at the kid again, puzzled. "Young master?" they uttered in unison.

But it was as if their presence didn't matter. Arwin's focus remained entirely on the boy, repeatedly calling his name in the same concerned tone, "Naz...," as if waiting for him to respond.

They were confused—why was their Lord repeatedly calling the boy "young master"? 'How could he be the young master?' Their appearances were so different; the boy was like an obsidian void, devoid of any vibrant color. Yet, somehow, their features were similar. 'How could that be?'

It was clear their Lord wouldn't lie about this. Realizing the truth, they were struck with shock: 'All this time, were we fighting the young master?!'

Just then, as Arwin tried to step closer to Nazari, the shadows beneath him quivered and unleashed a rain of black flames.

The knights flinched as they witnessed the overwhelming power above them, covering the entire sky as far as their eyes could see. They were already exhausted, unable to protect themselves with their auras anymore. There was no escape.

The whole area would be incinerated.

Yet, more than fear, frustration gnawed at the them. 'If the young master had unleashed this power from the beginning, we wouldn't have stood a chance,' they realized with bitter clarity. It was as if Nazari had been toying with them all along, just as the Fenrir had suggested.

Nazari unleashed a cataclysmic inferno, black flames that roared to consume the entire Nabishi Forest in one devastating sweep. The flames fell with terrifying intensity, an unstoppable force of destruction.

But before they could incinerate everything, they met a massive magical barrier, swiftly cast by Arwin. The flames sputtered and flickered against the barrier, straining against its immense power.

Arwin's barrier absorbed the flames, extinguishing them in a burst of shimmering light. The remaining embers fell like dying stars, leaving the sky streaked with fading trails of fire.

'His Grace's back was as strong and steady as an ancient oak.'

The knights' respect and admiration for their Lord swelled as they watched him. Yet, even in this brief reprieve, they knew it wasn't over.

'If His Grace is focused on the young master, then we must at least keep the Black Fenrir from interfering,' they resolved, testing their newly healed bodies. But the Fenrir was nowhere to be seen. Despite its enormous size, it had vanished without a trace.

"Where did it go?!"

Before they could report to their Lord about the SSS-Rank monster, Arwin was already teleported in front of Nazari. Soon, runes appeared beneath the kids' feet, glowing radiantly. The shadows quivered violently as if struggling against unseen chains, but Nazari remained eerily still.

"Naz…" Arwin's voice quivered as he called out again. He paused and hesitated before he touch and hold Nazari's hand, hoping for a response.

He waited, first for a second, then for a minute. But Nazari stood before him like a wooden doll—lifeless and unmoving.

Arwin's heart pounded, sinking as he stared into Nazari's vacant eyes and slackened limbs. Despair wrapped around him, his voice breaking under the weight of his grief.

"....N-naz..."

Desperate, Arwin pulled Nazari closer, hugging him tightly as the icy chill of his body seeped through his trembling arms. He clutched him fiercely, the ache of his anguish pouring out in a silent, wrenching embrace.

He wished he could take all of Nazari's pain, bear every ounce of his suffering within himself, if only to spare him this torment.

But even as an Archmage, he was powerless to do so.

The sight of Nazari, swallowed by darkness, was almost more than Arwin could bear, tearing at his very soul.

Arwin knew that if Nazari's power had been forcefully awakened, something terrible had occurred. This shadow was meant to protect its master from death. Yet, ironically, death itself would trigger this awakening.

Not only that, but it was also a double-edged sword.

Whoever wields the darkness risks being consumed by it.

Those who understand and witness this will know exactly what happened.

Arwin poured his innate mana into containing the violent shadows beneath Nazari. Despite their fierce resistance, the shadows shrank until they were no larger than a human.

"Nazari," Arwin called softly, but only silence and unblinking eyes answered him.

"Naz… everything will be alright. I'm here… Please, lean on me," Arwin said, gently tapping Nazari's back. "...and come back."

He repeated the words softly, "Come back… Naz," again and again, his voice breaking with each plea.

"Come back."