Dark Fantasy: Magical Eye Knight – Chapter 153

Chapter 153: The Wind Blowing in the North (1)

 

Todd wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked, 

 

“Just now, did you guide the dark power into your own body?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“No, you could have sustained serious injuries.”

 

“It turned out well, didn’t it?”

 

Todd nodded with a blank expression at Russell’s nonchalance.

 

“Oh, my. Burning black magic that can only be purified by holy power in your body. I don’t know if I was even necessary.”

 

Russell shook his head.

 

“You were necessary. I am not a priest, so I cannot use divine power, and with my power alone, I could not have stimulated or removed the dark power within my sister’s body. It would have been impossible without your ability to make the route flow and allow it to escape. Thank you.”

 

Todd smiled awkwardly at Russell’s gratitude and scratched his sun-kissed head. Dave inquired, 

 

“Does this imply that the demon beasts and the village’s threat have vanished?”

 

“Yes. They are all dead.”

 

Dave, Daisy, and Todd smiled brightly at his confirmation.

 

“T, This is not the time. We should tell everyone and have a festival. . .”

 

Russell shook his head.

 

“I’m sorry, but we are not in a condition to do that. We are all tired and need to rest.”

 

Todd nodded. Russell crossed the church with Irrucil on his back. As Daisy opened the door, someone outside opened it first. Paul, the village chief, was there.

 

“Ah, you’re back!”

 

“Long time, no see.”

 

“Yes, long time no see. What about the matter you went out for. . .?”

 

Paul looked at Russell and his party with a face that was half anticipation and half concern. Since there were no missing people, severed limbs, or major injuries, he seemed to be worried that things had not gone well.

 

“It was resolved well. The demon beasts will no longer come here and cause trouble.”

 

“Ah. . . . Thank you, thank you very much.”

 

But his expression melted away into a bright smile at Russell’s answer. As Paul bowed, the villagers behind him also bowed.

 

“Are there any injured?”

 

Paul questioned Russell in a worried tone. Russell corrected Irrucil’s back position and said, 

 

“It’s okay. I just used my power to heal her. She’ll get up if she rests.”

 

“That’s good. Ah, I’ve kept you busy. I’ll take you to the inn right away.”

 

Russell’s party decided to leave the village after resting for one more day. Since they had expelled all the dark power in Irrucil’s body, she only needed to regain consciousness.

 

Russell, Calia, and Aellasis, who had suffered minor and major injuries, recovered quickly with their innately excellent healing abilities. Calia was the original vampire who could freely manipulate all the blood in her body, and Aellasis was originally a dragon.

 

Russell had left the church and was resting in the room of the inn they had taken. He was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed.

 

‘What was that?’

 

Russell recalled what he had seen in the space filled with darkness. The dark space that connected to his eyes was known as the abyss.

 

He had met a nameless girl there. A girl with her two eye sockets gouged out. Even with his senses, he couldn’t fully comprehend the appearance of this entity.

 

This time, too, he received assistance in escaping from that abyss-like space. Beyond the horizon, a shadow rippled and poured out. Despite its vagueness in the darkness, the mere sight of it evoked feelings of anxiety, fear, aversion, and disgust.

 

When he could not take his eyes off that shadow, a white hand approached from outside his field of vision and covered his eyes, and Russell regained consciousness, feeling Calia and Aellasis’s power.

 

The being who had said that it was not yet time to know. Even Russell, who could see things that were invisible to others, did not know everything yet. ‘How many secrets does this world hold?’

 

This time, an unidentified man in a black robe also appeared. What was lurking deep in the forest was the otherworldly invasive tree, Kuhelaumto.

 

There is no other way for otherworldly beings to appear in the world than through artificial cracks, imbalances, surges of power, or deliberately through rituals.

 

However, judging from what Calia and Aella said, the man in the black robe must have been the one who summoned Kuhelaumto directly and allowed it to spread its invasive space.

 

Just observe that he inquired whether they had vanquished the otherworldly entity as soon as they arrived and launched their attack.

 

It must have something to do with the man in the gray armor.

 

The man in gray armor who had forcibly awakened Calia, who had been in a death-like sleep for a long time, tried to cause chaos.

 

The unidentified force that awakened the ancient ruins and ancient golems in the Hedilund territory tried to break the grand sealing ritual by using those golems to awaken a giant chimera.

 

Russell had previously encountered numerous incidents and accidents that aimed to either change the world or cause chaos.

 

Despite the seemingly unrelated nature of each incident, the magnitude of the events within a year or so is significant.

 

Russell raised his head slightly and looked at the ceiling.

 

His physical condition was completely healed. He was fine enough to jump into battle right away. And his enhanced thinking and sensitivity had also affected his magic eyes.

 

The increased power swirled around his body and spread to every corner. From the tips of his limbs to the center, the channels of power that the power passed through, the power circuits, were like wide-open highways that allowed the power to pass through without any obstacles.

 

Russell, who had completed a cycle around his entire body in less than a second, put that power into his eyes.

 

Kiiiiiiing. . . . . .!

 

The purple iris, containing the power, started emitting light instead of reflecting it. And then, a field of vision that was normally invisible and that Russell had been suppressing opened up for a moment, projecting countless things.

 

His body heat, extremely fine dust, living beings’ waves, emotions, and the movement of mana particles through the atmosphere all contribute to the room’s fluctuating temperature.

 

And Russell saw beyond that. He saw the old wooden ceiling of the inn, the rafters above it, and the sky beyond the roof.

 

The blue sky looked the same to ordinary people as yesterday. The sun is slanting towards noon, while the clouds are floating leisurely in the sky.

 

However, if you peeled off just one layer, you could see that there were fine cracks on the other side. In some ways, the cracks were so thin and fine that they were almost invisible.

 

Russell, however, could see them. Little by little, those very thin cracks were sucking in the world’s energy.

 

Russell had only recently become aware of the cracks. He had learned about it by drawing the dark power that was attacking and eroding Irrucil in her body into his own body and burning it.

 

He had made this discovery while observing the remnants of the dark power in his body ascend into the fluffy void, following a specific pattern. Given that the owner of that dark power was the nameless man in the black robe, it was natural to conclude that he was trying to extend the cracks through this dark power.

 

‘What would happen if those cracks expanded further?’

 

That was an area that even Russell had not yet explored. However, it was certain that nothing good would happen to him or the world he lived in.

 

In the first place, the phenomenon of the sky cracking like glass was not normal. 

 

He, who had lived in a world with highly developed science, knew that there was outer space beyond the sky. Even so, doesn’t the fact that there are unknown cracks in the sky mean that a law other than the laws of physics is involved?

 

It was better to prepare for the worst rather than to be discouraged by the fact that something good would happen. Russell knew that this was the right attitude.

 

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

 

“Thank you for the gift.”

 

Paul waved his hand at Russell’s gratitude.

 

“No, no. It’s nothing compared to the favor you have done us.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

Russell smiled at Paul’s wave and held out his right hand. With his wrinkled hands, Paul gripped Russell’s right hand tightly. Next was Todd, the priest, who let out a loud cough.

 

“I apologize for yelling at you the last time. The breaking of the barrier I had worked so hard to create angered me. Still, thank you for helping us.”

 

“Don’t mention it.”

 

“Ahem, ahem. Take this.”

 

Todd handed Russell two bottles filled with clear water.

 

“It’s holy water that I made overnight. You can use it to defeat beasts, or you can apply it to wounds. It will also work on evil spirits and the undead.”

 

Russell placed it in his coat’s pocket. A carriage and two horses lay tied up outside the inn. As he left the inn, Kry whinnied at Russell.

 

Dave and Daisy, who were hitching the two horses to the carriage, greeted Russell.

 

“You’re coming out. We’re ready.”

 

“Wow, a carriage! Is this my first time riding in a carriage?”

 

“Not bad.”

 

Next to him were Aellasis, who liked the carriage, and Calia, who was smiling.

 

Paul and the villagers had prepared the carriage for Russell and his party. Paul, aware that Irrucil’s injury would hinder his mobility, had gathered funds to purchase the carriage and commissioned a workshop to modify it for two horses to pull.

 

For those who knew that riding a horse for a long time put a lot of strain on their bodies, a carriage was a necessity.

 

Of course, two of Russell’s party members were not humans, but they were all superhumans who could manipulate power, so there was no reason to refuse a carriage that was so convenient.

 

The villagers, who had come to see Russell and his party off, surrounded them.

 

As they accepted each other’s thanks, they got into the carriage in front of the path leading out of the village.

 

“Thank you, Russell-nim!”

 

“Have a safe trip!”

 

“I hope you have a safe journey!”

 

The sun was a little higher than before. Russell sat on the coachman’s seat, held the reins, and swung them.

 

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

 

Two horses were pulling a carriage along the road between the forest and the plateau.

 

On the coachman’s seat, a coachman sat holding the reins. The coachman’s appearance was unusual, resembling a drawing in black ink. It was Calia’s magic shadow transformation.

 

The shadow shaped the coachman’s form as he faithfully scanned the surroundings and adjusted the horses’ speed by pulling the reins.

 

The scenery on the way to Russell’s family, the Zahard family, was quite different from the central region. There were countless clear rivers with ice on their surfaces, and there were coniferous forests around those rivers.

 

The barren or yellow wastelands in the central region were not common. Thanks to the coniferous forests and clear rivers, there were many large and small animals and fish, as well as plenty of drinking water.

 

Inside the large carriage, there were two seats facing each other, arranged in front and back. And Irrucil was still lying unconscious.

 

Irrucil had not yet regained consciousness, which was why they had obtained the carriage.

 

“She’s still not able to get up.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Russell answered Calia’s question. He was now looking through Irrucil’s entire body.

 

He possessed a special ability known as the magic eye of insight. As a child, one could only imagine possessing a tool or ability capable of illuminating the insides of clothes, but the reality is often harsh.

 

Selecting objects or targets to view through the magic eyes of insight requires a significant amount of mental energy. Russell’s eyes currently reflect a field of vision that we could call natural science.

 

Beyond the fiber and thin layer of skin, one could see bright red muscles and nerves, blood vessels with blood flowing incessantly, the movement of wriggling intestines, and involuntary muscles. It would be an amazing experience to be able to sustain one’s stomach while observing a living anatomy.

 

Russell’s purple eyes, emitting a faint glow through his power, gazed at the reason why Irrucil could not wake up.

 

Despite the removal of the dark power, the scars it had inflicted and traversed remained unhealed. Initially, the expulsion of the dark power prevented the power that could aid in healing from fully penetrating.

 

However, it is not a good idea to just push in power or recovery potions.

 

As the dark power dissipated, Irrucil’s own power recognized her master’s anomaly and began to circulate to heal itself. If a foreign substance entered, it was likely to adopt a hostile stance.

 

As Russell retracted his magic eyes, the faint glow that had been shining subsided. Aellasis, who had been looking at him and Irrucil lying down alternately, inquired, 

 

“Will she get better if she goes back to Irrucil’s house?”

 

“Her recovery will be a little faster if someone with similar power to her takes care of her.”

 

“Russell can’t?”

 

“It’s hard for me.”

 

“Then?”

 

“Her mother.”

 

Aellasis tilted her head.

 

“If she’s your sister’s mother, isn’t she also Russell’s mother?”

 

“. . . . . .”

 

Originally, that would have been the right thing to say. However, no one in the family knew of Russell’s birth. Twenty years ago, Russell’s father, Lahart, returned to the family with him as a newborn, a week after he disappeared.

 

He was able to enter the Zahard family only because his father, who was the successor to the family at the time, had brought him in person and declared him his son, but Russell’s birth mother was nowhere to be found.

 

In addition, his rapid growth rate compared to children of his age, along with his hard-to-believe way of thinking and speaking, were enough to isolate him.

 

Of course, his thoughts and words that were inappropriate for a child were a result of his unique ability to recall his past life.

 

In the heavy atmosphere, Aellasis closed her mouth and licked her red lips. Calia grabbed her and pulled her to the next seat, saying, 

 

“The form of a family is diverse, and everyone has a secret that they cannot tell. Don’t push him, Aella.”

 

“I wasn’t trying to push him. It’s just. . . I understand.”

 

Then Russell raised his head. At almost the same time, Calia also raised her head and met Russell’s eyes.

 

“Did you feel it?”

 

“Yes. It’s unwelcome guests.”

 

Ee-ha-!

 

Outside the carriage, there was a loud and sharp cry. Russell moved right away. The carriage was so large that even the large Russell could move around with just a slight bend of his neck and waist. And there was one special thing about this carriage: it had a wooden door on the ceiling.

 

Russell pushed and pulled open the door, extending his neck above the carriage’s ceiling. And almost at the same time, he saw an arrow flying towards his forehead.

 

Russell dodged it with a simple nod and pulled his shoulders and waist completely out.

 

The coachman already had several shadow-made arrows stuck in his torso. The coachman’s seat also had four or five arrows stuck in it.

 

Russell looked around. Warriors riding large wolf-like beasts, their bodies completely covered in fur, with weapons like swords and spears strapped to their backs and waists, surrounded the carriage and were running.

 

“It’s the Odys.”

 

He immediately recognized the identity of the attackers. The warrior group and the demon beasts in the north posed a significant threat.

 

“Rob the carriage! Such a big carriage must be full of food!”

 

“Ee-ha-!”

 

The north was a large area, and as a result, different monsters and races lived there. The Odys were one of the self-sufficient groups that hunted monsters or took on commissions to deal with them. However, they were also a group full of human trash who robbed as much as they were mercenaries.

 

“Captain! The coachman is strange! It’s like magic!”

 

“I saw it too! Aim for the horses and the carriage’s wheels!”

 

As the captain with a full beard shouted, three or four warriors drew their bows. The arrows hung on the strings remained sharp and quiet, even as they ran relentlessly. It meant that the riders’ archery skills had reached a certain level.

 

“Shoot!”

 

As the captain drew his bright sword and gave the signal, long lines flew towards the carriage’s wheels and Russell. While ordinary arrows might have deflected, Russell understood that they were all warriors capable of manipulating power.

 

The arrows, filled with power, flew towards their targets, resisting even the strong wind. A large broadsword swept them all away.

 

“What?!”

 

Cries of astonishment. Russell received everyone’s attention and swung Nahilnir in a circle. The Odys saw the arrows stuck on the sword’s blade align with the movement.

 

“I’ll return it.”

 

The diagonally attached arrows regained their momentum and shot back at their original owners as Nahilnir drew a horizontal line in the void.

 

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