Chapter 99: The Disappearance of Kerhen

Roarrrr!

Hellfire, the 9th-Circle spell known to burn until its target completely vanishes.

Hellfire appeared on Kalbornia’s chest.

It rapidly grew in size, engulfing Kalbornia in an instant.

“Kuh!”

Kalbornia let out a short scream and moved his demonic energy.

To push back the Hellfire.

Of course, it was meaningless.

“Kraaaagh!”

Hellfire burned even the demonic energy, and soon Kalbornia writhed while screaming.

Naturally, writhing changed nothing.

To end it quickly, Gaon cast additional magic.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Countless wind blades assaulted Kalbornia’s entire body.

The writhing Kalbornia could not dodge the wind blades.

Slash! Slash!

And thus met his death.

Gaon confirmed Kalbornia’s breath had stopped and immediately extinguished the Hellfire.

The reason he used energy to dispel the Hellfire, which would have burned everything of Kalbornia and vanished on its own.

It was because of Kalbornia’s ‘demon stones.’

Kalbornia had left behind two demon stones.

The two demon stones differed in size.

But judging by the quality and quantity of demonic energy felt from them, both were 8-star demon stones.

Gaon reached out with a satisfied smile toward the 8-star demon stones radiating thick demonic energy.

The two 8-star demon stones floated up and flew to Gaon.

Gaon stored the demon stones in his pocket, then raised his head to look at the sky.

After Kalbornia, no more demons or demonic beasts emerged from the rift.

Only demonic energy was coming out now.

It should disappear in about 3 minutes.

The protective barrier had also become very faint compared to the beginning.

At latest, it would vanish in 3 minutes.

Gaon began preparing magic while waiting for the barrier to disappear.

To close the rift the moment the barrier vanished.

Whoooosh…

As expected, the barrier completely vanished after 3 minutes.

And in that instant, multicolored magics flew toward the rift to the demon world.

Boom! Boom! KABOOM!

Explosions rang out as the rift to the demon world began shrinking rapidly.

The Intelligence Agency of the Holy Empire Seionia.

In front of the central holy relic ‘Eye of God,’ three people had gathered: First Saintess Adela, the head of the Intelligence Agency and High Priest Rai, and even Third Saintess Elba.

The expressions of all three were filled with bewilderment.

The reason for their bewilderment was the 7-star rift to the demon world.

The demonic energy concentration in Palagas, where the 7-star rift had opened, began to thin.

It should only thicken—why was it thinning?

Of course, if the erosion area widened, it could temporarily thin.

But the erosion area was shrinking instead.

Right at that moment.

“Huh!”

“Gasp!”

“…!”

The three flinched simultaneously as if by agreement.

The reason was the same.

The 7-star rift to the demon world had vanished.

Adela swallowed hard and thought.

I never imagined…

The demonic energy concentration had been thinning.

Moreover, a short while ago, one of the nearby 5-star rifts had vanished.

So she had wondered.

If perhaps the rift was about to disappear.

Yet for a 7-star rift to truly vanish?

It must be Gaon…

No matter how she looked at it, the disappearance of the 7-star rift seemed related to Gaon.

No other possibility came to mind.

Should I call this fortunate…

She did not know how he had eliminated it.

But one thing was certain: it would be a great asset in battles against the demon world faction.

Of course, there were concerns.

That Gaon was a blasphemer.

If that power turned not only against the demon world faction but toward Seionia?

Seionia would suffer great damage.

In other words, Gaon’s strength was not entirely good news from the Holy Empire’s perspective.

…No, this isn’t the time to worry about that.

Adela soon shook her head.

What mattered now was not the possibility of Gaon’s power turning toward Seionia.

Adela shifted her gaze and scanned the coexistence zones and the demonically eroded northern and eastern parts of the continent.

For now, the important thing is the demon world.

****

The main gate of Gardion Tower.

“Then I’ll see you next time.”

Karlin smiled brightly as he greeted.

“Yes, please return safely.”

Graxios replied with a matching smile.

Having finished their farewell, Karlin turned and boarded the carriage.

The carriage began to move.

Karlin looked at his grandson, Roker—the second-in-line heir to the Schutaren Duchy—seated opposite him.

Roker wore an extremely serious expression.

Karlin knew well why Roker’s face was so grave.

A report had come in not long ago.

A shocking report that three rifts to the demon world had opened in regions bordering the Varta Kingdom.

Even more astonishing was that one of them was 7-star.

Karlin asked Roker.

“Are you that anxious?”

“Yes, aren’t you anxious, Grandfather?”

After a brief hesitation, Roker answered honestly.

Roker knew very well how dangerous a 7-star rift to the demon world was.

“Lord Gaon has gone.”

“That’s why I’m even more anxious. If by some chance something happens to him…!”

Roker trailed off and swallowed hard.

He knew Gaon was strong.

Was he not humanity’s only 8th-Circle mage?

That was why they had allied with Gardion Tower.

To improve relations with Gaon.

Yet if Gaon fell while blocking the 7-star rift?

This alliance would likely return as a fatal wound to the Schutaren Duchy.

“Hahaha.”

Karlin laughed heartily at Roker’s worry.

Karlin also knew how dangerous a 7-star rift was.

Roker, who did not know Gaon well, worrying was natural.

But if Roker truly knew Gaon?

He would not worry like this.

“There is no chance of anything happening to him, so you need not worry.”

“…Is there something else I don’t know?”

At Karlin’s certainty, Roker asked with a puzzled face.

Karlin smiled and replied.

“You’ll know soon enough.”

“…?”

Right then.

Swish!

The communication crystal in the corner of the carriage glowed brightly.

Karlin nodded, and Roker infused mana into the crystal.

A voice flowed from it.

• The 7-star rift to the demon world has vanished.

“…?”

Roker couldn’t help but be bewildered.

The report of the 7-star rift opening had come just hours ago.

Yet it had vanished?

“…!”

At a sudden thought, Roker looked at Karlin.

Karlin was still smiling.

From Karlin’s reaction, Roker could guess why the 7-star rift had disappeared.

“Is the information certain?”

• Yes, it came directly from Seionia.

“Hmm…!”

Roker let out a low groan.

If it came from Seionia, the probability of it being true was near 100.

• And the family head has ordered your swift return.

“The reason?”

• I’m sorry.

“…He doesn’t know?”

• No.

“I see.”

Knowing yet unable to speak meant one thing.

An order from the family head.

“I’ll return immediately.”

Roker ended the communication.

He looked at Karlin.

Perhaps because of the return order?

Karlin, who had been smiling until moments ago, was now slightly frowning, lost in thought.

“Do you have any guesses?”

“Hm.”

At Roker’s question, Karlin let out a groan.

After a pause, he spoke.

“It seems to be about Lord Gaon and Seionia.”

“…?”

Roker couldn’t help but be puzzled.

Gaon and Seionia?

Seeing Roker’s expression, Karlin continued.

“Do you know the relationship between Lord Gaon and Seionia?”

“…No. Is it bad?”

“Yes, bad. Very bad. If not for the demon world invasion, Seionia’s forces would now be directed at Lord Gaon. No, they still could be.”

The relationship between Gaon and Seionia was bad enough to be called the worst.

It would not be strange if war broke out immediately.

“Then why the alliance…?”

Roker asked with an uncomprehending face.

Karlin had led the alliance with Gardion Tower.

But the final decision had been made by Roker’s grandfather, the head of the Schutaren Duchy, Spelten.

If Gaon and Seionia’s relationship was poor, why allow the alliance?

“Surely the family head doesn’t know about Lord Gaon and Seionia’s relationship?”

“Of course not—he knows very well.”

“Then you mean he chose Lord Gaon even if it worsens relations with Seionia?”

“Yes.”

Roker was at a loss for words.

No matter how great an 8th-Circle mage was, he was not comparable to Seionia.

He could not understand why such a choice had been made.

The royal palace of the Varta Kingdom.

Lepra’s office.

***

Currently, Gaon was speaking with Lepra in the office.

“Mages from Gardion will soon be dispatched. Leave the rift that appeared in the Betra Kingdom to Gardion.”

The places where rifts to the demon world had formed were not limited to Kranium in the Kranium Kingdom and Palagas in the Asgerus Kingdom.

One had also appeared in the city of Maal in the Betra Kingdom.

At first, he had intended to stop by Maal and eliminate the rift.

But his mind changed while heading there.

Over the past decades, Abyss had taken root across the continent weakened by demon world invasions.

There were even places like the Bretan Kingdom that they had directly founded.

In other words, this would not be the end.

Rifts to the demon world would continue to open like now.

Gaon could not intervene every time.

So from now on, he planned to entrust defense to others to build experience.

So they could eliminate them even without Gaon.

Or at least suppress them if not eliminate.

“And I’m going to the coexistence zones.”

“…!”

At Gaon’s following words, Lepra’s eyes flashed.

Glancing around cautiously, he asked.

“Are you perhaps planning to go to the demon world faction as well?”

“Yes, I’ll clean up a few coexistence zones and cross over immediately.”

The current situation was a one-sided attack by Abyss—no, the demon world faction.

Gaon had no intention of just taking the hits.

He planned to inflict equal damage on the demon world faction to throw them into chaos.

“There will be many chaotic events ahead…”

Gaon stopped mid-sentence.

He tilted his head.

The reason Gaon tilted his head was the two familiar energies detected by his senses.

The energies of Lumi and Kazan.

The two were approaching the palace.

Why were these two, who should be in the Nail Kingdom, here?

Could something have gone wrong?

“Wait a moment.”

Gaon said to Lepra and cast Teleport.

Upon arrival, Gaon immediately saw Lumi and Kazan.

The two flinched at Gaon’s sudden appearance before them.

But only briefly—Lumi quickly regained composure and greeted.

“I greet Lord Gaon.”

“What’s the matter?”

“That is…”

Lumi trailed off.

Lumi’s expression as she trailed off was extremely dark.

Soon, Lumi opened her mouth.

“My master has gone missing.”

“…!”

At Lumi’s words, Gaon couldn’t help but be shocked.

Kerhen had gone missing?