*Swish—*
A somewhat noisy wind blew across the quiet village square, stirring up a cloud of dust that was just enough to be noticeable.
All the knights, clad in standard armor and wielding standard long swords, gathered together, holding their breath as they watched Riezel bathe in the wind.
Despite looking like an ordinary person from head to toe, giving off no hint of the aura a strong individual should have, the corpses of their comrades, pierced by lightning and scattered around him, were a clear warning to the knights that he was anything but ordinary.
Rather, someone who could fly in the sky and summon powerful lightning was clearly an outstanding magic caster, far removed from the term 'ordinary person'.
"Wh-Who are you?!"
Belius swallowed hard before asking Riezel in a trembling voice, while Londes remained silent beside him, his face unusually serious.
Unlike Belius, who was just a pretty face with no substance, Londes understood exactly what kind of person stood before him.
'3rd-Tier Magic, Lightning... 3rd-Tier Magic, Fly... No doubt about it, this guy is a high-tier magic caster capable of using 3rd-Tier Magic...'
In a world where most magic casters could only use up to 2nd-Tier Magic, being able to wield 3rd-Tier Magic marked one as an elite among humans.
In terms of adventurer ranks, magic casters in the Copper and Iron ranks typically could only use 1st-Tier Magic, while those in the Silver and Gold ranks could use 2nd-Tier Magic. On the other hand, 3rd-Tier Magic was generally used by magic casters in the Platinum and Mithril ranks.
Meanwhile, the highest tier of magic available to humans was 6th-Tier Magic, and only those who had stepped into the Realm of Heroes could use 5th-Tier Magic and above.
According to this, a user of 3rd-Tier Magic was already considered a powerhouse among humans. Unfortunately, there was no one among the knights who had the strength of this caliber.
In other words, the young man before them was an opponent they could hardly match.
Understanding this, Londes's heart sank further.
After a moment of serious pondering, Londes steeled himself and took a step forward.
"We are the knights of the Baharuth Empire! Unknown magic caster, please leave at once!"
Londes introduced himself and the knights, but before Riezel could respond, the villagers erupted in shouts.
"Sure enough, they are from the Baharuth Empire!"
"Why are you slaughtering us?!"
"Is it because of the war?!"
Apparently, the villagers were unsurprised by the knights' identities.
Since the knights' armor bore the insignia of the Baharuth Empire, the villagers had long suspected they were from there.
Of course, this fact only fueled their anger.
Everyone in this world knew the Baharuth Empire was a neighboring country to the Re-Estize Kingdom, a nation that often launched wars of aggression. Its relationship with the Re-Estize Kingdom wasn't good, to say the least—it could even be described as completely hostile.
Both countries, along with the Slane Theocracy, had clashed countless times near E-Rantel, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them sworn enemies.
In the past, the flames of the Baharuth Empire's invasion would only spread around E-Rantel. Wars indeed happened, but they rarely affected the villages of ordinary civilians.
But now, not only were these knights causing collateral damage, but they were actively initiating a massacre of the villages around E-Rantel, which was clearly no longer a matter of a simple war.
Despite the villagers' anger and grief, however, Londes did not change his expression and continued focusing on Riezel.
"By your look, you're probably not an official from the kingdom, but just a civilian, right?"
Londes made this judgment based on Riezel's outfit and pointed it out.
"If you're just a bystander, it's best if you leave now. Otherwise, you might get caught up in the conflict between the two countries. It won't just be you who suffers—the people around you will too."
Londes intended to scare Riezel away, but unfortunately, Belius, who was nearby, unexpectedly spoke as well.
"Y-Yeah, that's right! I'm the captain of these knights! If you dare lay a hand on me... the empire won't let you off easy!"
Belius's loud words made Londes want to stab the useless scum with his sword.
Scaring someone off was one thing while making threats was another.
Londes just wanted the magic caster to have some concerns and back off voluntarily, but as soon as Belius spoke up so provocatively like that, if the magic caster chose to retreat, it would mean admitting fear of the Baharuth Empire's retaliation.
Someone capable of using 3rd-Tier Magic, looking so young, would surely let their pride take precedence over their caution when provoked. Even if it was just for their own image, they would probably stubbornly refuse to back down.
'Dammit, why would the higher-ups let such an idiot be the captain?!'
Londes felt a surge of anger toward the higher-ups who had made the decision.
Just as Londes was about to speak again, hoping to prevent Belius from doing something foolish, Riezel, across from him, spoke first.
As soon as Riezel opened his mouth, however, his words sent a chill through Londes.
"Baharuth Empire, my ass..." Riezel said with a hint of sarcasm. "Did you really think that putting on a facade would make no one recognize who you are? Slane Theocracy's lackeys."
As soon as these words were out, everyone froze in place.
"S-Slane Theocracy?"
While the villagers were stunned, Belius, Londes, and the other knights widened their eyes, frozen in disbelief.
"I know what guys are planning..."
Riezel calmly stepped forward, his calm voice echoing throughout the area, reaching everyone's ears.
"You want to eliminate an important figure in the Re-Estize Kingdom, so you're secretly cooperating with some nobles of the kingdom to stage a trap to lure him away, right?"
"First, you pretend to be the knights from the Baharuth Empire, roaming around E-Rantel and stirring up slaughter, and then you'll use that as an excuse for the nobles of the kingdom to propose sending troops to bring that important figure here."
"Say, that's the real reason you're causing chaos, isn't it?"
Riezel's statement not only left the villagers dumbfounded but also revealed fear on the faces of the knights.
"Who are you?!"
Londes could no longer stay calm and shouted a question, but unfortunately, Riezel didn't pay him any attention and continued to speak.
"You guys are just the advance force coordinating the operation, while the real force that the Slane Theocracy intends to use to eliminate that important figure is different, right?"
Riezel's gaze swept over Belius, Londes, and the knights one by one as he spoke with an indifferent expression.
"A special group directly under the Cardinals, the Sunlight Scripture, one of the Six Scriptures, is the real force you all plan to use to eliminate the Re-Estize Kingdom's Warrior Captain, Gazef Stronoff."
"I wonder, where are they?"
"GO! KILL HIM!"
Instead of answering Riezel's question, Londes, ignoring Belius, immediately gave the order to the knights in a fit of anger and shock.
""OOOOOHHHHH—!!!""
In an instant, the Slane Theocracy's knights, clad in the armor of the Baharuth Empire, let out war cries as they gathered their courage to charge at Riezel.
"Kill him, then wipe out all the villagers here! We can't let this important mission be exposed!"
Londes yelled furiously at Belius, who stood frozen in place, then raised his sword and charged toward Riezel alongside the other knights.
"Wa-Wait! Leave a few people to protect me!"
Seeing all the knights rushing to attack Riezel, Belius panicked and shouted in a fearful tone.
However, who cared about him in this kind of situation?
"It would have been better if you had done this earlier..."
Muttering to himself, Riezel watched the knights charge at him with a sarcastic expression.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a corner of the village, where a mother and her child lay, completely devoid of life.
He could see that the mother was very young, probably only around eighteen or nineteen, and seemed to have just married not long ago. In her arms, she held tightly onto an infant, both pierced through the heart by a sharp sword.
Seeing such a scene reminded him of the village he had seen burned to the ground yesterday, recalling the women, the elderly, and the children who had been slaughtered without exception.
Just because of those so-called big shots and higher-ups' schemes, they lost their precious lives this way.
Such actions—
"Disgusting..."
Riezel, who was most repulsed by this kind of deceitful scheme due to his experiences in his previous life, kept his gaze cold and piercing, exuding an unsettling indifference.
"Dragon Lightning."
*Bzzz—!*
A bluish-white bolt of lightning, reminiscent of a dragon, suddenly appeared in Riezel's hand, surging violently along his arm and shoulder, radiating a blinding light.
In the next second, the dragon-shaped lightning shot out from his raised hand, instantly striking the knight at the forefront.
"AAAAAAHHHHHH—!!!"
With an agonized scream, the knight was instantly engulfed in the lightning, his entire body glowing with a brilliant white light and chaotic lightning bolts.
Before long, the knight collapsed, charred like burnt wood, smoke rising from his body.
"?!!!"
In that instant, all the knights who had charged forward suddenly halted as fear crept into their hearts.
Londes felt the same way.
'5th Tier... Dammit! He can use 5th-Tier Magic?!' Londes shouted internally, unable to believe his eyes.
Only those who transcended humanity and reached the Realm of Heroes could use 5th-Tier Magic, after all.
Now, a person capable of wielding such magic stood before them as their enemy.
"What's wrong? Not coming over?"
Riezel, with one arm entwined with lightning, calmly gazed at the knights, uttering words of judgment.
"If you're not coming, then I'll come to you."
"Don't worry, I won't let you escape... definitely..."
"Just like when you slaughtered those villagers before..."
As these words resounded, the judgment began.