“Damn it.”
Arius Valder, former Holy Knight of the Lumenis Order, couldn’t help but curse under his breath.
Sweat clung to his skin, the air was heavy and damp, and the area buzzed with insects.
This was not an environment easily endured by human standards.
“A sweltering jungle at the edge of the northern continent? That doesn’t even make sense.”
Still, he decided to accept it for what it was. After all, this was the location of ancient ruins—enduring this hardship was a small price to pay for the glory that awaited.
But what was truly unbearable was not the heat or humidity.
It was the overwhelming danger lurking in the forest.
Just like now—
“They’re coming!”
“Maintain defensive formation!”
Something immense stirred just beyond the tree line.
Despite its massive size, it moved with uncanny swiftness, prowling around the group.
Everyone wore tense expressions—then it moved.
RRAAAWR!
A saber-toothed tiger, with fangs grown to grotesque length, burst forth.
Its dense gray fur bristled, and it had not one but two tails—each tipped with a blade-like stinger.
“A beast lord!”
One of the surviving forces from the fallen Bretus Holy Kingdom shouted.
It was meant as a warning—but unfortunately, it only drew the beast’s attention.
Grrr...
“Uh—uhh...?”
Even a seasoned Holy Knight couldn’t help but flinch when a creature the size of a house locked eyes with him.
He instinctively stepped back—a critical mistake.
To a wild beast, showing weakness meant acknowledging you were prey.
RAWR!!
The saber-toothed beast lunged forward, jaws wide.
It was terrifyingly fast.
The startled knight reflexively raised his massive white shield.
A holy radiance flared—
Flaaaash!
Made from a blend of holystone, the shield amplified divine power, reinforcing the knight’s holy techniques.
For something done in haste, it was impressive.
The knight thought he’d withstand the bite, then strike back with his mace.
But a good plan doesn’t always lead to a good outcome.
CRUNCH!
“...What?”
The knight stared in disbelief as his shield was shattered in an instant.
A shield capable of blocking even Tier 3 magic had been pierced like paper.
STAB!
The beast’s fangs didn’t stop at the shield—they skewered the knight’s chest.
“Sir Valder!”
His comrades screamed his name.
They charged at the beast with weapons clad in divine light, attacking from all directions.
The saber-toothed tiger sneered.
Did it... just scoff at us?
Arius was stunned.
And then—something even more unbelievable happened.
SSSSSS—
A dense fog poured from the beast’s body.
Like steam erupting as water instantly evaporated, the gray mist engulfed the area.
When the knights swung their weapons...
They struck nothing.
Only empty air.
“A fog? What the hell is this—”
“I can’t see anything!”
“Aaargh!!”
A scream echoed from within the mist.
Moments later, a giant shadow flitted past.
Arius’s expression hardened.
“Everyone, regroup! Form up! It’s using a special ability!”
The Holy Knights rushed toward the voice, quickly forming a defensive square.
Priests stood in the center, surrounded by knights on all sides.
“Come, foul beast! I’ll show you the true justice of light!”
As Arius invoked a sacred rite, a golden sword appeared above his head.
The blade split and fanned out into five separate swords, radiating with solar brilliance.
The divine glow began to burn away the fog.
It didn’t clear completely, but visibility greatly improved compared to the blinding haze from before.
The saber-toothed beast, partially revealed, growled and spewed more fog—
But the holy magic restrained its effect.
“Die!”
RAAAAWR!!
An intense battle ensued between the beast lord and the remnants of Bretus.
It was a brutal, bloody clash.
And in the end, the beast fell—its body pierced by countless golden weapons.
Its massive form collapsed, shaking the ground.
But no one cheered.
“How many did we lose?”
“...Five.”
The priests were relatively unscathed, but five knights had perished.
Despite their divine protection and resilience, the beast’s fangs had torn through them like paper, leaving no room for recovery.
“Damn it.”
Arius clenched his teeth.
They hadn’t expected to suffer losses so early on—not even inside the ruins yet.
If this was only the beginning... what awaited inside?
“It’s not good. We managed to eliminate the Empire’s spies, but now we’re being stalled in this place.”
That a tropical jungle even existed here at the northern edge of the continent was astonishing enough—
But the sheer strength of the beasts residing in it was far beyond expectations.
“To think this jungle is teeming with beast lords—creatures rare even under normal circumstances. It’s a realm beyond human comprehension.”
They’d been lucky not to encounter too many beast lords so far, and even when they had, they’d avoided combat.
Spirit beasts weren’t reckless—they knew to avoid unnecessary injuries.
“We prepared well, so I thought we’d get through unscathed...”
But the deeper they ventured, the harder that became.
The beasts grew stronger, larger, and more aggressive.
They knew humans posed a threat—and punished intruders mercilessly.
The Holy Knights and priests of Bretus had suffered greatly.
But they weren’t without options.
Arius turned toward another group following them.
Clad in garments that clearly didn’t match the Holy Kingdom’s—
Dark, ominous figures, starkly different from the pristine white of priests and knights.
The black mages.
Arius’s gaze was filled with disdain.
“Even if we’ve fallen, to think we’d have to join hands with these despicable degenerates...”
Deep inside, pure hatred boiled.
But he repressed it with cold rationality.
“Still... they’re useful. Without them, we wouldn’t have made it this far.”
Losses from beast attacks might have been far worse without their support.
“They even spotted the Imperial spies for us.”
The black mages had long lived in the shadows of society, honing their skills in information gathering.
They’d also helped them avoid unnecessary fights with beast lords.
“Disgusting, but useful. So we keep them—for now.”
Arius knew the losses would continue, but he wasn’t overly worried.
Any other expedition would be faring even worse.
And he was right.
Most explorers had reached the jungle—but few had made it inside.
Those who charged in recklessly were torn apart not just by beast lords, but by the mutated beasts, mana-infused plants, and venomous insects inside.
Even elite adventurers found this jungle overwhelming.
Their preparations had been for freezing cold, not tropical heat—most of their supplies were useless.
Returning for re-supply would take too long—they’d need to cross the sea again.
Those unwilling to turn back had risked everything—and paid for it with their lives.
Compared to that, Arius and his group were far ahead.
The only potential threat was the Empire’s Magicians of the ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) Divine Tower.
But even they would struggle to get past the beast lords.
Arius was confident.
They would reach the ruins first and claim the relics.
“There’s no doubt the ruins are here. Ancient civilization ruins—the very ones sought by the archmage-adventurer, Lexer.”
Even a single artifact could significantly bolster their strength.
And if they acquired a Relic—a true object of power—
“We could rebuild Bretus. Maybe not to its former glory, but enough to rise again.”
The absence of a Saintess was unfortunate, but with a Relic... she wouldn’t be necessary.
And then, they could discard the black mages.
“We move.”
At Arius’s command, the knights advanced.
The black mages exchanged glances.
They belonged to the Cabalum Nova school of black magic.
Their leader, Rufus Wickers, watched the knights coldly.
“Filthy dogs of Lumenis. Do they really think we don’t see through them?”
He knew the holy knights looked down on them—and that once they reached the ruins, betrayal was inevitable.
Arius was known to be as skilled as any of the top three holy commanders—
Only held back by his twisted personality and ruthless nature.
“Someone like that... you think he’ll act honorably to rebuild his nation? Not a chance.”
“They chant the name of their god while committing atrocities more vile than ours.”
Just as Arius didn’t trust them—
They didn’t trust Arius.
They had joined forces only because their side lacked the strength to cross the beast-infested forest alone.
“But once we’re inside the ruins... it’ll be our stage.”
Arius believed he held the leash—but that was a mistake.
The black mages had the information, the maps, and the knowledge.
They were essential guides, and Arius knew it.
“Let them think they’re in control. They’ll find out soon enough.”
Rufus signaled his men.
Hooded mages nodded silently.
The march continued.
Roars echoed from afar—beast lords raging in the distance.
Magical pulses flared—it seemed the Imperial mages were nearby but had encountered heavy resistance.
Meanwhile, their own group advanced with minimal danger—
thanks to artifacts wielded by the black mages.
“This way.”
Rufus took the lead beside Arius.
Beyond the trees, an enormous structure appeared.
“There it is!”
“We finally found it!”
“Don’t get ahead of yourselves!” Arius snapped at the excited priests.
Then turned to Rufus.
“What about beast lords nearby?”
A harsh, commanding tone.
Rufus disliked it—but hid his feelings.
“None in the immediate area. I sense no great lifeforms nearby.”
“Hmm. Is that so.”
“As a precaution, I’ll remind you—the method of entry is known only to us.”
“I know that. Don’t worry.”
Rufus scowled internally.
“Don’t worry, he says. As if he’s not just waiting to stab us in the back.”
But they still needed protection to reach the inner sanctum—
So he took the lead confidently.
“No one else could’ve gotten here first. The entrance is hidden, and without our knowledge—”
Rufus was mid-explanation when Arius raised a hand.
The group halted.
Rufus turned to ask why—but Arius, face cold and stiff, pointed at the ruins.
Rufus followed his gaze...
And his face twisted in disbelief.
“...What the hell is that?”
A man was casually loitering at the ruin’s entrance.
“Huh?”
Sensing their presence, the man turned around.
His name was Hans.
He blinked blankly at the dozens of people glaring at him—
Then smiled awkwardly and waved.
“Uh... hey there?”
Arius issued a cold command.
“Seize him.”