Under the Lamp (2)

A flame that possesses demons.

We called it ‘Agwibul’.

During the war, the Witchbeast kidnapped numerous demons using the Devil, and they died as experimental materials, bait, or a meal of the Witchbeasts.

Even the end of the demons who were driven out and ostracized was miserable.

‘When will this tragedy end…?’

Maria, who cried while hugging her dead brother, asked me that one day.

humans and demons.

Demons who did not belong to either of the two were always beings that were only sacrificed.

The parents who sold their souls to the Witchbeast abandoned them, and the humans threw stones at them saying that they were the blood of the Witchbeast.

They were too weak beings in shunning and hatred.

‘If you kill all the monsters, the chain of tragedy will be broken.’

‘Is that so…?’

‘yes. All we can do is end this fucking war.’

Maria nodded and buried her dead brother in the cold ground.

Every time that happened, Maria cried, and the days when the Devil was bright were the only days Mary cried.

I hated that fire very much.

*

“Are you here?”

Soon after, a guard team led by Claire found the border area.

Less than 10 minutes after contacting them, they arrived at the location fully armed and were indeed Helios’ elite soldiers.

“Is it true that you found the subject of the disappearance case?”

“Yes. Please follow me.”

Until the guards arrived, I searched for the exact spot where the flames had been lit.

It wasn’t difficult.

It was because I was well aware of the demonic magic wave.

The place where they met was not too far away.

Where the boundary between the border area and the winter forest meets.

The space where mana and demonia were mixed was their base.

“Hoh. I think that’s the strange spark I saw in the investigation records.”

Claire and other guards are carving sparks into their eyes.

Since the devil is harmless to those who are not demons, they did not show any reaction.

“Those are the culprits who possessed the missing people.”

“I guess you know that flame?”

“I saw it often in my hometown.”

A flame that possesses demons.

The principle is to forcibly awaken the demonic power inherent in their blood.

Emits a wave that binds the demon’s mind and charms them.

The method of luring the demons that I taught the children, and the technique that serves as the original technique, is that ghostly fire.

“If you have that, the caster will be nearby.”

“Did you hear, guys? Let’s scatter cheaply.”

At Claire’s instruction, the guards drew their weapons.

There were various types of swords, spears, bows, etc., but there was no superfluous posture.

It was like a special unit called an elite soldier.

As they advanced silently, they cut and stabbed the Devil.

The demonic fire was shattered by the magical attack and scattered into the air.

“The trail of magic has been cut off.”

I followed the trail of the Devil, but it was soon cut off.

It really disappeared without a trace, to the point where I was a little surprised.

‘I don’t know who it is, but they have good skills.’

It is impossible to track with magical power.

However, if there was a caster… it was worth trying to control the mind.

Kiyiing-

I erased the presence of people around me and tracked the consciousness of people around me.

It’s faint, but I can feel it.

It was so vague that I would have missed it a while ago, but now that I have unlocked the power of the 4th circle and the 3rd stage of mind control, I was able to capture it somehow.

“This way.”

As I walked in the lead, I felt a faint and strange flow of magical power spreading around me.

Perhaps it is a spell that hinders perception.

Spreading it out in a space where demonic spirits and magical powers were mixed, it was truly unbelievable.

While burning away all the magic that disturbs perception, he seized and led the wandering guard team with mind control.

After walking about 5 minutes like that, we were able to find a hut that was run down.

“Locked. Looks like a locking spell has been applied.”

“Professor. We have to break down here…”

“It’s done.”

I drew my revolver and went to the door.

I read the structure of the magical power hanging on the door and reversed it at once.

It is a combination of magical power and demonic energy.

It stands out because of its strange structure, but it seemed that it had never been discovered because of the environment here.

When the formula was removed as it was, the structure of the magic lost its effectiveness.

Returning to the normal door, I kicked it as hard as I could.

bang!

The door opened, and I could see people aiming staffs at them from all sides.

The ones who probably created the ghost fire.

It seemed that they were aiming for a surprise attack, but they had already read all of their intentions as a search before entering.

A revolver fired before they could attack.

bang! Quaang!

He broke his staff and blew off his limbs.

It would be difficult to die, so he avoided vital points, and paralyzed the bullets to make them unable to move.

The four assailants who rushed in fell to the floor.

“Wow. Professor, don’t you want to join the guard? Hot is the perfect guard style.”

“No work.”

I looked at the fallen assailants.

Even though his limbs are blown off, he doesn’t scream once.

The face of the guard who checked their faces was stained with despair.

“These are the missing people.”

“What? Missing people?”

Bloodless pale skin and bulging eyes.

It wasn’t dead, but it looked like a corpse.

‘Also.’

I foresaw it from the time I read the consciousness, but these are empty shells from which all egos have already been blown away.

It only repeated the commands given to it like a machine, and in fact was no different from an unconscious corpse.

I turned my gaze to examine the interior of the cabin.

Numerous boxes are stacked with marbles, the example of ‘magic bombs’, and in the center is an experiment table and a person covered with white cloth.

This person also has a pulse, but his consciousness has long since been blown away.

Roughly, it seemed that he could know the whole story.

“I can see how you refined Magi with such high purity to the extent that it could avoid even the professor’s eyes.”

“How do you mean?”

“I used their bodies as refiners.”

The body of a demon naturally hides demonic energy.

Because the body structure itself deactivates the demonic energy, the mastermind behind them must have refined the demonic energy using the characteristics of the demon’s body.

Magi eat people’s consciousness, so those who forcibly manifested demons must have had their selves destroyed in the refining process.

They must have been given orders and used as guards, who had turned into puppets like that.

A rigorous human experiment. It is an act that clearly violates the law at the central level, and it is disgusting and insults people’s dignity.

“Sir burl…”

Claire spat out a curse and kicked the wall.

I wanted to do that too, but first of all, I had to deal with them.

Next, it will be to find the culprit.

“Sir, please take care of the bodies.”

“What about the professor?”

“We will catch the culprit.”

He responded by inserting his revolver.

“Is there a way?”

“Yes.”

Read the memories of surviving entities.

I only saw very fragmentary ones, but I was able to pinpoint their location.

Helios.

As expected, there are insiders who communicate with the Witchbeast.

Not a rogue like Andrei from before, but a real traitor.

“Chief Officer. They are magic beasts.”

“Tsk…”

Demonic beasts rushed in, as if in preparation for being discovered.

Clearly, the number of monsters in the border area was reduced, but it was a considerable number.

“We’ll take care of this.”

“No. Those are mine too.”

“Eh?”

I put down the ammo box and took out a new weapon from it.

Taking out the gatling gun that glowed dull and dull, I stepped out of the cabin.

I got a little bit of heat.

I needed to relieve my stress.

*

Kugu Palace…

The ground cracks and fallen trees are scattered.

The torn pieces of meat tumbled across the floor without even leaving their shape.

Under the clear spring sky.

This place has been transformed into a hell road.

“Is this really the power of one person…”

This scorched-earth forest was created by Yujin Kang in just 30 seconds.

A large gun he pulled out.

As the six barrels rotated furiously, it was a form of destruction itself.

The magic that was manifested there was the magic of ‘incineration’ of the 2nd circle, but thousands of bullets were fired.

Thousands of rounds in 30 seconds.

To use 2nd circle magic so wildly, at least a 7th circle master wizard should do everything in his power.

However, Kang Yoo-jin did not breathe even after pouring out that much magic.

‘Thank you for your hard work.’

He just left without saying that.

In fact, the magical power contained in the bullet was amplified by the function of the Gatling gun, so there was no magical power consumption, but Claire, who had no way of knowing that, accepted all of it as Kang Yu-jin’s magical power.

Claire laughed and took out her cell phone and made a call somewhere.

The name on the screen was ‘Minister’.

-grow. What’s going on.

“Minister. Didn’t you say that the officer position in the 1st Corps was vacant recently?”

-That’s right.

“Looks like I’ve found the right person.”

she grinned.

-…are you serious?

“Where am I supposed to joke about something like this?”

Being a professor is a flaw.

If things don’t go well, getting combative advice is considered okay.

“Let’s try contacting them.”

-Are you saying that as Superintendent Claire, or as Claire from Deneb?

“It’s the latter.”

-·······.

There was a moment of silence.

And, the voice continued.

-Okay. Prince Claire von Margaret Deneb.

“Yep. Good job.”

She hung up the phone and recalled the words Yujin Kang had left behind.

How to find the hidden traitor.

‘I’m going to use the students’ magic beast tracking.’

Cold eyes and a murderous voice shook his spine.

‘At school, if it’s on a grand scale, they’re bound to get their tails stepped on.’

He didn’t tell me what the method was, but he was someone who knew how to use his ‘professor’ position.

Although the student’s safety is at stake, he was confident and did not back down.

Claire thought that he was better suited for a commanding officer than a professor.

“I’m looking forward to it, Professor Yujin Kang.”

Raising her sunglasses, she grinned at the ruins.

“But how do I go about fixing this?”

“Ah soogle…”

*

The day after the first major class of Mathematics.

Estelle, Cynthia, and Encia gathered in Cynthia’s room and had a party.

Of course, Estelle and Cynthia couldn’t do something like this, and it was Encia who brought them together.

“Ahh, it was hard!”

He laments as he stretches on a soft chair.

A total of 26 monsters were captured by the end of the practice.

It was an overwhelming number even compared to the second place who caught 12 fish.

They received 1 shop point each as a reward.

“…Professor. You look tired for some reason.”

“Huh? How do you know?”

“The eyes were like that.”

Ansia’s expression became strange.

“How do you read that?”

“I see.”

Most of Kang Yoo-jin’s emotional expressions are revealed in the angle of her eyes and nods.

It is impossible for ordinary people to tell them apart, but Estelle, who kept her eyes fixed on him throughout the lecture, could read the subtle changes.

“Are you a fan of Jinseong? Looks like you hit it right!”

Encia said while sipping on the vanilla latte.

“Noisy, magpie.”

“yes?”

Ansia tilted her head.

“A magpie? Why am I a magpie?”

“Because it’s noisy.”

“hehehe…

Encia was crying, but Estelle didn’t even listen.

He straightened his coat and drank tea in a noble manner.

belt ring-

“Huh? Major alarm… huh huh?”

Encia’s voice jumped up after checking her watch.

“The professor registered for the assignment? But what is the subject…”

[Search and tracking of command object]

– Devise an efficient search/track method for the attached Magi pattern.

– Write and submit the conceived method in the form of a report in 5 pages or more.

– Form a team of 2 to 6 people.

-Deadline: 14 days

“·······.”

Encia’s expression hardened when she saw the attached Magi pattern.

Thank god.

How many lines is this alternative formula?

bang!

Encia hit her head on the podium.

“Gyeosunnim… we don’t only take Gyeosunnim’s classes…”

“Magpie. It’s noisy.”

At Estelle’s brief impression, Encia turned her head like a corpse.

“Can we…let’s be in the same group?”

“Think about it.”

“Iee~Esteel~”

“go away.”

Ensia, who was pushed back by magical power, rolled over and hit her head on the wall.

I just came here to investigate Professor Yujin Kang.

Why did things turn this way… I want to turn back the time…

“Sini~ Our assignment was bombed~”

Encia went to the bathroom and called Cynthia.

Somehow, since Cynthia entered the room, she hadn’t thought of leaving the bathroom.

“Shini~?”

Behind the knocking door, in the quiet bathroom, Cynthia was lowering her head with her forehead on her forehead.

pounding- pounding-

After I went to the forest, my body felt strange.

My heart was beating loudly and my body felt as if it were on fire.

“hahahaha···”

A hot breath escaped from his mouth.

The breath mixed with demonic energy contained heat as if spitting out flames.

“Why am I doing this…”

The blood is hot and excitement does not subside.

I feel like I’m going through a fever that I had as a child.

Why are you doing this?

At that time, wouldn’t Kang Yu-jin, who wrapped herself in the flames, know something?

I was desperate for his advice, but now he is not around.

– Then why don’t you go see him?

“···uh?”

– You don’t have to put up with it, do you?

what is this

It’s like something whispers in your ear.

I put my forehead like a fireball on my head and looked in the mirror.

“···no.”

I grabbed my head and fought desperately against a certain urge that surged in my chest.

I forcibly calmed my pounding heart and calmed the excitement somehow with a deep breath.

Fortunately, breathing gradually stabilized, and the boiling fever began to go down.

When I looked in the mirror, the soft light in my eyes was gone.

“phew···.”

Have you accumulated a lot of fatigue lately?

She let out a sigh and washed away the cold sweat that flowed down her face.

-Sini~

“Go, I’ll go!”

Cynthia rushed out of the bathroom at the call of a knock on the door.

where she left.

The sink Cynthia was holding onto was stained black and melted.