Legacy of the Dark Sage

Kyran found Neo and the rest a few minutes later.

Still donning a dark blue and purple armor with a panther mask, Kyran wordlessly entered Styx's shields.

His sudden appearance shook them except for Neo.

Before any could make a move, Kyran warped them out of the cave to the transportation array near the island's docks.

Styx was just about ready to confront Kyran but was left flabbergasted after being warped so suddenly.

Even Addie, Archel and Michel were speechless.

Neo was the only one who retained his composure.

Then again, getting surprised was not really possible given what he was.

Neo could act surprised. But since Styx and the others knew what he was, he did not have to put on an act.

Styx was the first to recover from the shock and, after noticing the transportation array, realized Kyran was probably the help sent by the Conclave.

Hearing another roar from a distance, they refrain from asking Neo questions and decide to leave the island first.

As soon as they left, a ship approached the docks.

The ship that ferried Mannick, Ingrid and Imman.

RAWRGH!

Another roar sounded from deep on the island as they disembarked the ship. They turned in the east direction with narrowed eyes, sensing the growing aura of the Manticore.

"I'll keep in touch," Ingrid said and looked toward the north direction. The aura of the Echidna was still there, and they could hear faint hissing sounds in the distance.

Mannick and Imman responded with a nod. Without saying anything, the three of them went their separate ways.

Meanwhile, Kyran, standing outside the cave, looked in the direction of the island's docks.

[We got a new company.]

Kyran responded to True Void's warning with a short nod. Stella had already told him of the deputy marshals' arrival and was not surprised.

[Hm?]

True Void furrowed his imaginary brows and focused on the new auras that appeared.

[This aura... where did I sense this before?]

Kyran, who sensed two auras going toward the Manticore while a single one flew in the Echidna's direction, raised his brows upon hearing True Void.

'What?'

[Hmm...]

True Void crossed his imaginary arms.

[I can't put my finger on it. But I can sense a familiar presence.]

Kyran's eyes narrowed. Apart from the Courtenay members operating the ship and the arrival of the deputy marshals, there was no other presence nearby.

However, it would not be impossible for the 'outsiders' to conceal their presence. Then again, Kyran would know if they were close. Or, to be precise, he would know if that red-cloaked man was nearby because of the mark he left him.

'Where did it go?'

[To the Manticore's location.]

Kyran frowned.

He had not met the Royal Army's deputy marshals in person, but he more or less remembered their aura from when they visited the Tower of Conclave. If he had to guess, the two auras that went to the Manticore were Deputy Marshals Mannick and Imman, while Ingrid went to the Echidna.

With this in mind, Kyran could assume that the familiar presence True Void had sensed came from either Mannick or Imman.

True Void had not met the two, so he couldn't recognize their auras. If this was the case, it was safe to say that one of them possessed something— most likely a magic item, artifact or a relic with an aura of its own— that True Void recognized.

However, Kyran did not sense the third source of aura.

Then that leaves him with one possible reason.

A mage already infused with the magic item.

This possibility made Kyran recall the rumor that Imman had acquired something and was close to becoming a Magus.

Could it be related to the familiar presence True Void sensed?

The likeness that it was an Inheritance was also there.

In any case, they did not have the time to analyze it.

'Will it affect us?' Kyran asked True Void as he made his way toward the Manticore.

[Hmm... I don't know yet. I can't even remember why this presence is familiar.]

'Don't dwell on it then. We'll deal with the Manticore first.'

[Those guys are obviously after it too. Can't we just let them deal with it?]

'And lose a potential Sigil? No way.'

True Void froze.

Why did he not think Kyran's decision not to kill the Echidna strange? Because Kyran's answer convinced him that he was pretending to have been weakened by the Sovereign's Cradle?

He had been careless!

Who was Kyran? He was an exploiter! An opportunist! He would never do something that would not benefit him.

While Kyran might really be wary of the 'outsiders' and pretended to be affected by the Sovereign's Cradle, True Void should have questioned how it triggered in the first place. It should not have appeared because Kyran did not have the capability to trigger it. He was a native of the Human plane, and his magic level had not reached the Sovereign realm.

Factoring these two reasons, True Void realized that the legendary beasts were what triggered the Sovereign's Cradle. The moment the Echidna broke its seal, the Human plane realized its origin.

The same was probably true with the other two legendary beasts. They were beasts from a different plane!

After the Echidna broke its seal, the Human plane sensed the abnormality of its magic and origin, thus triggering the Sovereign's Cradle.

Nevertheless, even with the Echidna's level and magic getting restrained, if the other two legendary beasts broke their seals as well, then the Human plane would suffer a great catastrophe.

After all, three legendary beasts on a rampage were equivalent to a Sovereign throwing a tantrum!

[You want to make them a Sigil? Goodness! My goodness! Right now, these beasts pose the greatest threat to your plane! Are you not worried?]

'They are not the greatest threat but those 'outsiders,'' Kyran corrected True Void. 'In any case, having three additional legendary beasts as a pet doesn't sound too bad. Unfortunately, two possessed Poison magic. It will have been nice if they all have different specialties.'

[... I am simply speechless by your train of thought. I've only been asleep for a short time. How come it feels your thought process has gone from bad to worse?]

'Oi.'

[Fine. Fine. I get it. We just have to stop those guys from handling the beasts, right? Then let's hurry. Actually, I can take care of the Manticore by myself, and you can get to the other one. What beast is it? Right. Right, a Chimera.]

Kyran could not help but smile bitterly at True Void's 'monologue.'

Then he said, 'I can't let you leave my side. The only reason your presence has not been found is because I'm wearing you.'

[Ack! You are absolutely right.]

True Void sighed.

[In the end, I have to stick close to you for the Shaiha to conceal my presence too.]

'Yes, that's right—!'

Kyran's eyes widened suddenly as a red blur flashed before him.

BAM!

An explosion occurred as a massive bloodred great sword slammed down on the spot where Kyran had just been.

The ground, including the trees nearby, exploded into pieces.

Kyran managed to dodge the attack and jumped a few meters away.

However, before he could fully grasp what had just happened, a gigantic stone hand appeared behind him, which made a grasping motion as if to capture him.

'Tsk,' Kyran gritted his teeth and stretched out his left hand. Silver rings circled his arm as a massive projection of a claw hand materialized before him. He slashed his hand toward the gigantic stone hand, which the claw hand projection mirrored, slicing the former.

[Behind you!]

True Void shouted. However, he did not wait for Kyran to evade. Instead, he manipulated several shape-shifting plates around Kyran's torso and made an arc barrier covering his body.

CLANK!

A loud teeth-shattering metallic sound rang out as the bloodred greatsword's blade hit the shape-shifting plates.

"RAAA!"

A powerful voice shouted as the force of the greatsword, still in contact with the shape-shifting plates, increased, and Kyran got thrown to the side.

"Ngh!"

Kyran, failing to stop the greatsword's momentum, got thrown several meters and hit several trees.

'True Void!'

Without needing Kyran to tell him what to do, True Void manipulated the plates to protect Kyran's body while also helping him regain his balance.

Kyran stretched out his right hand. Small purple rings appeared on his palm. He raised his hand to his right side, where stone-made knight statues emerged from the ground. These statues raised their hands, each holding a long broad sword and aimed it at Kyran.

Dark purple orbs shot out from the rings on Kyran's hand and flew toward the broad swords of the statues.

Before the swords could hit him, they crumbled into dust.

The statues, unable to regain their stance after Kyran destroyed their broad swords, were in a motion of bending forward.

Silver rings circled Kyran's left leg, and a projection of a big clawed foot materialized in front of him.

Making a sudden stop, Kyran put all the weight he could on his left leg and did a 360-degree round kick while aiming at the statues.

The projection cleanly hit the bending statues and was smashed into bits and pieces.

"Rawrgh!"

The same powerful voice shouted above as the bloodred greatsword descended on Kyran's head.

[Ack! Annoying! Too Annoying!]

True Void complained while manipulating the shape-shifting plates and formed an arc above Kyran.

BAM!

An explosion followed as the greatsword's momentum managed to force Kyran almost to his knees after colliding with the plates.

[Ugh! That hurts!]

'Tsk.'

Annoyed at the sudden bombardment, Kyran's eyes glowed silver as he let the Draconic magic fill his body. With the greatsword still above, he pushed it away using his left forearm and stomped his right foot on the ground.

CRACK! BOOM!

The ground cracked from Kyran's stomp and exploded from the massive force he generated.

Clouds of dirt and smoke filled the air as everything within a twenty-meter radius around Kyran turned into rubble.

As the smoke lifted, Kyran straightened and glared at the two hovering silhouettes.

These two were none other than Deputy Marshals Mannick and Imman!