Soul Orb (1)

As the game entered its later stages, each unfolding battle revealed a rather intriguing aspect.

Many potential winners had been eliminated, but new rising stars showed outstanding performances.

"Ah, Player Edelia! You ended up being eliminated. Your bold decision to charge forward after discarding your cover was commendable, but luck wasn't on your side. There just had to be a venomous trap waiting there!"

One by one, as players were eliminated, sighs of regret erupted from all around. At the same time, some cheered.

The host swiftly scanned the battlefield. He examined each battle on the stage and skillfully narrated multiple scenes simultaneously.

He interpreted each places, and even broadcasted from different locations.

However, occasionally, the host would focus solely on one battle, typically one involving special players of significant interest to the majority of the audience.

"Powerful contender, Player Jeliel! She engages in battle against Player Berenkal!"

In fact, few people knew the name Berenkal.

However, Jeliel was globally famous, so the host quickly directed attention there.

While it was regrettable that other players' battles were sidelined, as a host, one must cater to the audience's desires, right?

"The battle is about to begin! The opponent Berenkal might not be well-known, but judging by his aggressive appearance, it seems Player Jeliel might have a tough fight ahead!"

The host deliberately hyped up the tense atmosphere, and even introduced the opposing player, but most expected Jeliel to win.

Yet, despite knowing the outcome, wouldn't the audience want to see what skills Jeliel, a young high elf, possessed?

With such expectations, the battle commenced.

"Oh... Wait, it seems there's a slight issue during the match..."

"Huh? What's that?"

"Is she actually burning?"

"Something seems off..."

"Did the Stella Dome malfunction?"

As the terrain began to burn under Berenkal's crimson flames, the audience murmured.

The excitement only intensified after it was confirmed that Jeliel's skin was actually charred from the magic.

The stage of the Magic Survival was a virtual space, and everyone was never meant to suffer damage from magic.

So why did such a supernatural event occur?

"Why? What went wrong?"

"I'm not sure..."

Of course, there were instances where ordinary people who didn't know much about magic couldn't quite grasp what was wrong.

"There are objects on the stages which cannot be destroyed by players' magic. Like the fixed buildings or the rain that falls."

"Yeah, so what?"

"Player Berenkal is burning all those things while attacking Player Jeliel. She doesn't show it, but... judging by the state, it seems like she's really injured."

"Yeah, and... those black flames seem to harbor dark magic."

"What...? Really?"

However, among the audience, there were quite a few mages with specialized knowledge.

They noticed that something was off with the game's progression and spread the rumor that 'Maybe a dark mage infiltrated the Magic Survival.'

"Oh, ladies and gentlemen of the audience, please remain calm. There seems to be a minor incident, but Stella will take care of it all..."

There were even signs asking the host to turn the monitor, but he firmly refused.

With decades of hosting experience, he knew better.

During such controversies, rotating the screen would be like stepping on a landmine.

"For now, let's observe the situation..."

As the host was trying to regain control of the situation, Jeliel was finally engulfed in Berenkal's magic and collapsed.

"Oh..."

The situation was spiraling out of control.

Meanwhile.

In the Edna ward.

Seeing the same situation unfold, Hong Bi-Yeon suddenly spoke up.

"The descendant of Iskaram."

"Huh...?"

Since it was such a random comment, Anella appeared puzzled, prompting Edna to provide an explanation from behind.

"It's the origin of that magic. It's like the bloodline of dark mages, and it enables Berenkal to use special magic."

"Oh, I see."

Anella couldn't have known.

Iskaram was one of the most powerful and notorious dark mages.

'It's amazing…'

Even though he was presumed to be much younger than her, the fact that a dark mage could wield such devastating power was astounding to Anella.

It could have made her a bit envious, but she resolved herself.

'I'm not envious of the dark mage's power anymore.'

As Anella shook her head in disbelief, Edna looked at the monitor with a serious expression.

Perhaps Berenkal, who used Iskaram's magic, was aware that he was exposing himself to thousands of spectators.

But... he would probably enjoy it instead.

In a situation where everyone's attention was focused on him, tormenting and killing the mages idolized by the spectators would give him pleasure.

Even if he were to die immediately afterward, leaving a significant mark on the magical world would be more than enough.

The host remained silent.

On the screen, Jeliel struggled to emerge from her summoned creature Elpion's body, but with burns covering her entire body, she seemed unable to continue the fight. On the other hand, Berenkal appeared unscathed.

It was getting complicated.

In the original novel, Jeliel was undoubtedly a villain.

She was placed completely opposite to Eisel; both Hong Bi-Yeon and Jeliel tortured the protagonist in their own ways.

Particularly, Jeliel's methods were so cruel that they were unforgettable.

So, the dilemma arose.

'Is it okay if Jeliel dies?'

She was a significant presence in this world.

Whether she was a villain or not, she had enough influence to overturn an entire city with just a word.

If such a presence suddenly disappeared due to an unexpected variable, wouldn't it be accelerating towards the future 'world destruction'?

Amidst the confusion... Crack!!

A bolt of lightning struck from the screen door, revealing Baek Yu-Seol at the same time.

He had made the choice to save Jeliel.

"Oh, um... Player Jeliel has been eliminated...."

Baek Yu-Seol eliminated her safely, and as the battle ensued, Edna watched the scene unfold in silence.

Ultimately, in order to minimize the damage to the players, there was no choice but to directly deal with the dark mage on the spot.

… Despite the severity of the situation.

"Yes! Baek Yu-Seol! Kill him!"

"Well done! Show your true colors!"

Cheers erupted from the audience.

Not only did Baek Yu-Seol dramatically rescue Jeliel, but he also appeared after eliminating numerous players with overwhelming combat power, so perhaps it was to be expected.

'What's going to happen next...'

Even in the original romance fantasy novel, there was a scene where Stella was overturned by the infiltration of a dark mage.

It was a story from the post Academy Battle where Professor Maizen Tyren turned into a dark mage.

But, Maizen Tyren had long been expelled by Baek Yu-Seol, so it seemed like it had been quietly resolved...

"Huh?"

In the midst of it all, something strange emanated from Baek Yu-Seol.

A familiar yet unmistakable energy, one that humans could never sense.

'Is this... the magical power of a familiar?'

"Why? Is there a problem?"

Hong Bi-Yeon asked with a clueless expression. She didn't know that Edna's senses were exceptionally sensitive.

"... No. Nothing at all."

Edna shook her head. She was slightly surprised that Baek Yu-Seol had this ability.

As a regressor, she thought it wouldn't be too strange no matter what happened.

'... But why do I feel so uneasy?'

——-

Stella Dome Stage, VIP section.

Florin, who was watching the game in a completely isolated space, frowned upon seeing the revealed identity of the dark mage.

Was she upset that a dark mage had suddenly intruded into the Magic Survival?

Of course, that could be one reason.

Especially since she detested the dark race.

However, aside from that, she was also disappointed because the identity of the dark mage wasn't what she had hoped for.

"...Huh?"

Then, as she looked at the face of the boy facing Berenkal, Florin's expression became slightly dazed.

It was a familiar face.

Why couldn't she recognize him?

Wasn't that student... the unidentified boy who saved Celestia's life in the spirit garden?

"Why are you like this?"

Orenha asked, but Florin didn't answer and stared at Baek Yu-Seol's face as if she was entranced.

No doubt.

The boy she had met in Celestia's garden back then was indeed him.

'He was a student at Stella...'

It was disappointing not to have met him even though he was so close.

But thankfully, she would be able to meet him after the game ended.

Perhaps... she could ask about Celestia's current condition, who might have fallen asleep to recover her strength.

But aside from that, the absence of the Divine Slayer made her uneasy.

"You seem anxious."

Orenha smiled faintly.

Florin pressed her lips together as the Divine Slayer still hadn't revealed himself.

Not being able to properly touch her lips because of the mask and not being aware of the habit herself were very unsettling.

Judging by Orenha's occasional glances, he seemed to want to ask something, but Florin decided to wait a little longer and turned her head to the screen.

Florin trusted Orenha considerably.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to entrust him with most of the king's duties.

Since Orenha mentioned the Divine Slayer himself, Florin thought she should trust and wait.

"Your Majesty, Stella's mages are moving busily. It seems to be the actual situation."

"Dark magic is not fake."

Some ordinary audience members believed that the intrusion of a dark mage into the Magic Survival might be a planned event.

How blessed their bodies must be to not feel that dreadful and disgusting dark magic?

Florin was so tormented that she felt like ripping her nose off right now.

"But since they can't immediately invade the arena, it seems that Stella's principal can't control his own magic, as rumored."

Florin didn't answer that, but she couldn't help but think so.

The essence of the spatial magic used by Eltman Eltwin was derived from someone else.

Now, he was completely cut off from the master who taught him magic.

Even if he found a problem with his own magic, he couldn't fix it.

The equations of space were incomprehensible to the human brain, and Eltman Eltwin's magic couldn't move forward, and it would remain stationary for a lifetime.

Florin silently looked at all the screens on the stage.

While she knew that Berenkal was a dark mage, who knew if there were other dark mages?

With the way the dark mage didn't reveal his dark magic by using a special Dark Magic Sealing Technique, there was no way for Florin to detect it, but she would be able to notice it the moment even a little magic leaked out.

Yet, the place attracting the most attention was naturally the battle between Berenkal and Baek Yu-Seol.

Berenkal's peculiar magic wasn't particularly special since she had seen the original version, but Baek Yu-Seol was very unique.

"Isn't he fascinating? The student named Baek Yu-Seol."

"Yes. He's really unique and special."

She had heard a lot about his name and knew it well.

Even at the age of seventeen, he had already performed magic remarkable enough to make a mark in history twice.

In addition, he also controlled Flash.

Florin, who had accepted the fact it was impossible to control flash as common sense, was simply astonished.

"... But, Your Majesty, haven't you ever thought about that?"

"Yes...?"

"If Baek Yu-Seol is not just an ordinary teenager... Doesn't all his achievements seem more plausible then?"

"What... What do you mean?"

"At least, that's what I think. There are many mages in history who have achieved such great magic."

Pyrendath created blood magic at the age of thirty-nine, Aragest developed a reverse casting technique at sixty-four, stabilizing magic to 100%, and Quantum perfectly condensed the elemental crystals of magic at forty.

Baek Yu-Seol's achievements were similar to theirs.

It was just that he stood out because of his excessively young age.

"His age is the problem. Baek Yu-Seol... is disguising his age."

"... What are you suddenly talking about?"

It was such a random statement for Florin to accept.

However, with a confident look, Orenha continued.

"Your Majesty, you know why I'm saying this, don't you?"

"Well..."

She wanted to ask what that meant.

However, at that moment.

Suddenly, out of nowhere.

She felt a very intense... divine energy.

Bam!

When she came to her senses, Florin was standing up from her seat.

Wasn't that familiar and nostalgic energy... belonging to none other than her longtime friend, the spirit Celestia?

And that divine energy came from none other than a student named Baek Yu-Seol.

'How...?'

She knows he saved Celestia.

But... it didn't explain why he would possess Celestia's energy.

It was impossible for an ordinary human to contain so much energy without 'killing spirits and consuming their hearts,' which was a taboo.

But Celestia didn't directly say it.

Without a doubt, that boy saved her.

'Ah....'

Watching Florin's expression turning more and more complicated, Orenha stood up from his seat and quietly placed his hands on both of her shoulders.

"Your Majesty, I'm not bringing this up for no reason. I... have solid evidence."

"... Evidence?"

"Yes. Your Majesty, I apologize for keeping it a secret... but I've given Baek Yu-Seol the 'Soul Orb.' And today marks exactly one month since then."

"Ah...."

In that case, through the Soul Orb, it could be determined whether Baek Yu-Seol's soul had been corrupted or not.

If he really killed a spirit, a jet-black pearl would reveal itself to the world.

She didn't want to believe it, but now she had no choice but to listen to Orenha's words.

Florin closed her eyes tightly and nodded her head.

"... Alright. Quietly call Baek Yu-Seol separately."

"Yes. Understood."

She truly was a compassionate queen.

Even amidst all this, she still decided to call him separately to confirm the truth.

He thought so, but he had no intention of obeying Florin's orders.

Although he felt truly sorry for her, Orenha was determined to expose Baek Yu-Seol's true identity at all costs.