A knight is someone who understands honor. It was a phrase Nunez had heard countless times since childhood, but he never quite grasped its meaning. The concept was too abstract for a child to comprehend.
What did knights mean by honor? Was it about becoming stronger or living a virtuous life? They sang songs about honor, but no one clearly explained what it was. In fact, asking about it was unthinkable. A knight who didn't know honor wasn't a true knight.
Young Nunez wandered through a period of confusion, neglecting his sword training because he didn't understand why he needed to train or become stronger. It wasn't until he met an elderly detective by chance that he found his answer.
"Honor is about upholding justice, standing against injustice, and resisting evil. To do that, you must first become strong."
Those words transformed Nunez's life. He decided to give up his position as the eldest son of the Colt family and become a detective instead. He traveled across the empire, fighting against injustice and evil. That was Nunez's honor.
"Aaaaah!"
His body blazed with blue mana, radiating an intense, dazzling light that seemed to consume him. The overwhelming energy left Merlin bewildered.
"Where is this power coming from?"
As one's spiritual level increases, certain things become clearer without needing to fight. Nunez's energy far surpassed Merlin's.
"Good grief...!"
Merlin swallowed hard, feeling a cold sweat trickle down his spine as he faced the unexpected threat.
In a flash, Nunez leaped forward.
-Clang!
"Ugh!"
Merlin barely blocked the crude but powerful blow, but the impact was substantial, causing the ground to crack up to his ankles and his balance to waver.
"Die!"
Nunez continued his relentless assault with a horizontal slash that seemed to slice through his waist. Merlin defended with his sword held vertically, but the force sent him crashing into the wall.
"Ugh! Thud!"
As Merlin fell, Nunez approached him, holding his sword in reverse and thrusting it into the ground. The hilt sank into the floor, and Merlin narrowly avoided a fatal blow by rolling away just in time.
Nunez pulled out his sword and glared at Merlin, who felt his body stiffen.
"You're quite agile. Who's the rat now?"
"...!"
"This one you won't dodge."
Nunez amplified his mana, and the blade turned a deep blue as it pulsed with energy. Merlin knew his next attack would be fatal.
"Lord Zed!"
Just as Nunez was about to strike, a group of bandits rushed up from the stairs below.
Caught off guard, Nunez froze, his eyes widening in surprise.
"Get down now! You'll be swept up in this!"
"Hahahaha!"
Merlin, cunning as ever, seized the opportunity. He grabbed the lead bandit, Maldivi, and sneered.
"Hahahah! I won't die alone! Let's see if the young detective can kill innocent people!"
"You despicable...!"
Nunez was paralyzed, unable to act without harming the bandits.
As he hesitated, his mana continued to explosively deplete due to his 'Berserk' state.
"Stop now! It's too much!"
"Pfft!"
Just then, Zed shouted from behind.
"If Nunez continues like this, he'll certainly die. I've been monitoring his condition, and his mana flow is becoming increasingly unstable."
"I'll handle it. Stop now! It's really dangerous!"
"You're injured too. How can you deal with this guy? If not now, we'll never catch him! Don't stop me!"
Nunez clenched his fist, gripping his sword tightly as he glared at Merlin.
Under the darkening sky, only Nunez's blue mana blazed within the building.
Zed checked outside and turned back to Nunez.
"There's a way. Trust me."
---
"..."
Nunes understood better than anyone that pushing himself beyond this point could put his life in jeopardy.
He locked eyes with Zed.
A gaze filled with conviction.
"Is it true? Is there really a way? We need to deal with that guy while saving the outlaws."
"Absolutely."
"..."
Although they hadn't spent much time together, Nunes knew Zed was a good man. He might lack a bit of charm, but as the rumors suggested, Zed was unlike any other magician.
"…Alright."
After a moment of contemplation, Nunes finally withdrew his mana.
"Ha ha ha! Have you ever seen such foolish creatures? They're throwing away a golden opportunity!"
As the intense energy dissipated, Merlin revealed his teeth in a mocking grin.
It was truly pathetic.
What were these fools hesitating for?
In this world, if you don't eat, you get eaten.
Thud!
"Cough!"
Merlin discarded the hostage and charged straight at Nunes.
He intended to kill him before he could use any spells again.
But—
"The Night Cougar is not something you can dare to face."
Growl!
"?!"
A chilling voice echoed, and something black leaped into Merlin's line of sight.
It was the creature summoned by Zed.
The Black Cougar's sharp claws were aimed directly at Merlin.
Slash!
Thud! Clang!
Red droplets of blood splattered everywhere.
What Merlin saw was someone's flesh stuck to the Cougar's claws.
It didn't take long for him to realize it was his own right arm.
"Ahhh!"
His dazed eyes fixated on the severed arm that had flown away with his sword.
In an instant, blood gushed forth like a fountain, and the delayed pain paralyzed his brain.
Merlin collapsed to the ground, howling in excruciating agony.
"My arm…! My aaaarm!"
Merlin crawled as if possessed and grabbed hold of his severed right arm.
Tears streamed down his face as he stared at the lifeless appendage.
He raised it, still gripping the sword tightly, as if believing that by pressing it against his shoulder, he could somehow reattach it.
With a vacant expression, as he attempted to fit his arm back into place, he suddenly felt a chilling sensation and slowly turned his head.
Emerald-green eyes were gazing down at him, licking its lips.
"Hu-Huhsuu?!"
"Don't despair too much. Your body will meet the same fate."
"What...?"
Zed slowly rose from where he had been seated.
His red eyes glowed ominously in the darkness.
Merlin trembled like a leaf in an unending terror. He wanted to kneel and beg for mercy, but it was already too late.
"Feast to your heart's content. It's a gift for you."
Roar!
The Cougar reacted to Zed's voice.
It sprang forward like a coiled spring, unleashing an unspeakably brutal scene before them.
The outlaws were so terrified they not only wet their pants but also had to cover their ears against the horrifying sounds echoing around them.
"Ugh!"
The trembling wasn't limited to just the outlaws; Nunes, who was watching from relatively close by, felt nausea rising and retched violently.
Moments later, when the Cougar turned away after finishing its meal, only a few drops of blood remained—nothing else left behind to suggest that anyone had ever been there at all.
It was hard to believe that people had once existed in that spot.
"D-Don't come near me!"
Nunes screamed in terror. The image of him overpowering a Seventh Circle knight had vanished without a trace.
As the Cougar snorted and walked past him, he lost all strength in his legs and collapsed onto the ground.
"Well done."
Growl!
The Cougar passed by Nunes and lay down at Zed's feet, resembling an obedient cat.
Everyone who witnessed this scene gasped in shock, but Zed merely reached down to stroke the Cougar's head calmly.
----
"How is this possible?!"
"Lord Zed is the master of the Black Beast! It's become a summon!" someone exclaimed.
"That's impossible! I've heard that making a Lord into a summon is unheard of!"
In an instant, the creature burst forth, devouring Merlin and showering Zed with affection. The entire sequence was both fleeting and surreal.
As the presence of the cougar filled the hallway, everyone stood agog. Zed, however, met their gaze nonchalantly.
"You're truly powerful. I look forward to working with you."
—Growl!
How did that young boy become the master of the Black Beast? The emotions that swept in were fear and awe.
Only after the cougar returned to Zed's ring could they finally exhale the breath they had been holding.
Thanks to the cougar, the battle ended smoothly.
Outside, Oned even managed to capture the market leader. It was something they had planned to do anyway, but it was resolved in an instant.
Although the fight ended earlier than expected, which was a relief, Oned needed to be questioned.
"Who are you? Why are you acting this way?"
"Uh..."
"If you don't tell the truth, you'll be punished."
As I pressed Oned, he approached me and whispered, "I am a member of the Black Guard. I was ordered to assist the Seventh Lord."
"What? The Black Guard? You're from the Black Guard?"
Honestly, it was quite shocking.
How vast is this organization? Was the evidence they gathered for me?
"Truly, they are everywhere and nowhere. What an impressive organization."
"..."
"The Lord ordered you to help me? What's the reason?"
"I don't know. We follow orders without questioning them."
Unintentionally, I felt a chill run down my spine.
Lemong is a small city in the north. How could anyone predict that the Black Guard would be involved in its market?
This means they have been embedded here for a long time, gaining the complete trust of the market.
"It's really surprising."
The more I thought about it, the more astonishing it seemed.
In reality, it's not easy to hide one's identity and fulfill a mission without being detected. The thought of them collecting evidence while living as ordinary market people was impressive.
"The Black Guard."
I hadn't considered them important until now. I was more focused on increasing my magic stats and building my influence.
As long as they didn't interfere with my work, I didn't care.
"If I could make them mine..."
This would be a greater gain than acquiring the Heavenly Army. But since they are the Lord's organization, it's probably impossible. Still, I couldn't ignore them entirely—after all, you never know what might happen.
"Is Robin with you?"
"I'm not sure."
He didn't answer, as expected. But it doesn't matter; the circumstances suggest he might be.
The Black Guard is the Lord's unseen hand. Their assistance means they are paying attention.
"Then, the leader of the Black Guard must be in charge."
I looked around, feeling a bit uneasy at the thought of being watched from somewhere.
"What an interesting family."
I'm increasingly fond of the Ahrahan family. They are the leading adversaries of the Emperor, with an incredibly dense information network and a powerful magical unit that no other demon clan can match.
"And the red-eyed ones are appealing too."
The fact that they can assert their presence on their own is a good merit.
Look, when I turn my gaze, people lower their eyes. No wonder the Ahrahan lineage has a sense of superiority.
"Lord Zed...?"
"Why the sudden formalities? Are you hurt?"
Nunes approached, fidgeting with his fingers.
What's wrong with this guy?
"Haha... I feel like I've been too rude lately."
"Nonsense. Just act as you always do. You're giving me the chills."
"Uh... really?"
Maybe it's because of the Black Cougar? I saw him being really scared earlier.
Of course, it's normal to be afraid of the cougar. After all, it was only contained because of the 'Bazel's Summoning Ring,' which I obtained from Ahrahan's secret vault.
My fondness for this family isn't just a whim, I suppose.
Am I also being drawn into this Ahrahan family?