Chapter 62
—
The information available for disclosure:
"The antidote that carried the forbidden experiment upon the people of Kaisima was designed to create an invincible military force. However, it failed catastrophically; instead of enhancing their strength, it turned them into feral monsters. These very monsters would later be fought by the sorcerers, meaning that, unknowingly, they were killing their own transformed people during their battles against the monsters.
What's even more concerning is that the antidote's effects closely resemble the 'Soul Distortion' technique of the shikigami Solio, who can turn anyone into a monster with just a touch. Given the results of the antidote, it is likely that it operates on the same principle, but through injection instead of touch. However, amid this chaos, Raizo was not fully aware of what he had created, nor the extent of the catastrophe he had unleashed upon Kaisima."
—
Outside, the screams of the scientists grew louder, only to turn into agonized cries before falling silent one by one. When Raizo turned his gaze toward the outside, he saw a horrifying sight—All the villagers who had been injected had turned into savage monsters, pouncing on the team of scientists and mercilessly tearing their bodies apart.
Raizo stood in place, his body trembling from the sheer horror of the catastrophe, as he murmured in disbelief:
"WHAT... WHAT HAPPENED?!"
Beside him, Carla was also trembling, sweat dripping from her forehead as she stared in terror at the family that had transformed into ferocious monsters, surrounding them from all sides.
The father... the mother... the children... the woman... and the entire village...
All of them had become ravenous monsters, their hungry eyes locked onto Raizo and Carla, completely trapping them. Drool dripped onto the ground, producing a repulsive sound. The two of them trembled, their eyes widening in terror, just before one of the creatures suddenly lunged, leaping toward them. In an instinctive moment, Raizo shoved Carla aside, forcing them to separate as the beast growled, staring directly at him.
Raizo took slow steps backward, sweat dripping down his forehead, his eyes darting between the creature and the axe lying on the ground—the same axe the mother had used before she transformed. As the beast pounced toward him, Raizo dashed for the axe. He let out a fierce cry as he snatched it from the ground, then swung it with lightning speed, aiming the blade directly at the monster's neck. In an instant, its head was severed, tumbling to the ground like a discarded doll, while the body staggered for a moment before collapsing into a growing pool of blood.
Raizo's gaze remained fixed on the severed head, his breathing erratic. He had yet to comprehend what he had just done. Beside him, Carla ran toward him, but Raizo remained still, frozen in place, as the child's voice echoed in his mind—so full of joy: "I trust you, sir!" His thoughts spiraled in conflict:
"Did I... really kill it?!"
His lips trembled, his eyes filled with inner turmoil. Who were these monsters? Had they lost their humanity completely, or was there still something left inside them? Before he could grasp his thoughts, a terrifying roar erupted behind him. Carla turned slowly, her eyes widening in horror. The moment she saw what was behind her, her face turned pale.
"Damn it…!" she muttered, her heart pounding wildly. Before her stood the monsters—those who were once the villagers—lurking in the darkness, breathing heavily as if waiting for the perfect moment to strike. She turned sharply to Raizo, who was still frozen in place, staring at the beheaded corpse.
"RAIZO! We need to run, NOW!" Carla shouted, but Raizo didn't respond. His mind was drowning in a whirlpool of memories and hesitation.
She screamed again:
"RAIZO…!!"
Still, there was no reply, but his body flinched for a moment. Time did not grant him mercy, as another monster lunged at them. Without thinking, his hand moved involuntarily, driving the axe deep into the creature's stomach. Time seemed to freeze… their eyes met—the agonized gaze of the monster. It was none other than Cirka—the women they had met earlier. Carla gasped as she saw him frozen in place.
Cirka's monstrous body bled profusely, and in his mind, her words echoed: "Save… my family…" Raizo trembled, unable to tear his eyes away from her, until Carla shouted in frustration:
"Raizo! What are you doing?! They are no longer human! They are monsters! If you don't kill them, they will kill us!"
Her words struck his heart like a dagger, but they did not dispel his confusion. For a moment, it seemed as if he would drown in his internal conflict, but suddenly, he moved. Leaving the axe embedded in Cirka's body, he grabbed Carla's hand and bolted toward the exit.
The two of them dashed out of the house, only to find themselves facing a horde of monsters waiting for them. Their ravenous eyes fixated on them, burning with hunger like a deadly fire. One of the creatures lunged at them, but Raizo ducked at the last moment, narrowly avoiding its attack, then continued running, pulling Carla along with him.
The attacks came in waves—monsters leaping one after another, trying to capture them—but they barely managed to slip through, their breaths ragged, their hearts pounding as if about to explode from fear and exhaustion. At last, they broke free from the village.
Before them stretched the ruined lands of Kaisima, where flames devoured everything, and thick smoke choked the sky. Night had begun to fall, and the moon shone with a dim, grayish hue, casting its pale light over the destruction left behind by the inferno.
Without uttering a word, Raizo continued ascending toward the mountain's peak, where the red glow had once flickered. Carla, struggling to keep up, asked in a trembling voice:
"Raizo…? Where are we going?!"
But he did not answer. There was no time for words.
They had to survive…
When they reached the summit, Carla collapsed onto the ground, her breaths coming in quick gasps, her heart pounding as if it would burst from her chest due to sheer exhaustion. She lay on her back, her eyes gazing up at the star-studded sky, while the moon cast its pale gray light over the surrounding ruins. She exhaled in relief before mumbling in a broken voice:
"Finally... we're somewhere safe!"
She kept staring at the sky, trying to steady her breath, until the silence was broken by a muffled sound... the sound of violent punches striking the ground. She quickly sat up and turned toward Raizo. He was kneeling, his head lowered, his fists pounding the ground mercilessly, while silent tears dripped onto the dirt beneath him. His features were twisted with regret and despair, and when he finally spoke, his trembling voice was heavy with sorrow:
"I... I turned them... I killed them... I cursed them with my curse!"
Carla watched him in shock and concern; she had never seen him like this before. But Raizo did not stop—he suddenly screamed in frustration, his voice quivering with every word:
"I knew... I knew how dangerous the antidote was, yet I continued the experiment! You warned me again and again, but I insisted on moving forward... and now look at the result! You fool... you've turned helpless people into savage monsters! Into bloodthirsty monsters!"
Carla froze in place as Raizo continued striking the ground with his fists, until his hands began to bleed. But he did not feel the pain... because the true pain was not in his body—it was in his soul.
"I killed everyone... even my own squad... I destroyed everything with my failure... I AM TRULY A DEMON!"
His voice echoed through the empty space, a mix of sobs, despair, and hysterical laughter—a laugh that carried an irreparable breakdown within it.
Carla, still paralyzed by shock, couldn't even catch her breath. But then, she suddenly noticed something... a faint red glow... dim yet unmistakable, emanating from an old wooden chest placed between the rocks. She stared at it for a moment before moving toward it, as if an unseen force was pulling her in.
She approached slowly, bent over the chest, then called out hesitantly:
"Raizo? Look at this..."
Raizo lifted his head sluggishly, his eyes still clouded with tears. He wiped them away with his hand, then exhaled deeply, trying to regain his composure. With heavy steps, he walked toward her, while Carla's gaze remained fixed on the chest, from which a mysterious red glow was seeping.
Raizo spoke in a low voice, but there was a cautious edge to his tone:
"What is this...?"
Carla, staring at the light with apprehension, replied:
"I don't know..."
She slowly reached out her hand, her fingers brushing against the chest's lid, then began to open it gradually. The more it opened, the brighter the red glow became, until it burst forth in a brilliant flash that illuminated their faces, momentarily blinding them.
As the glow receded, the contents of the chest were revealed… glowing red orb, pulsing as if alive, and beside it, an ancient book, its pages worn with age. Carla gasped in astonishment, her eyes widening as she whispered:
"What is this…?!"
Raizo, who had been staring in silence, slowly reached inside and took the book, while Carla remained mesmerized by the glowing orb, as if it held an undiscovered secret.
Standing upright, Raizo took a deep breath before opening the ancient book in his hands. On the first page, bold words were inscribed:
"The Past, Present, and Future of This Cruel World."
His expression tightened as he murmured to himself:
"What is this...?"
He flipped to the next page, where a new heading appeared:
"The Beginning of My Life in Kaisima… and My Story of Creating Magic."
Lifting his head, he called out to Carla in a voice tinged with bewilderment:
"OI! CARLA!"
She turned to him, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. Raizo quickly flipped through the pages, as if trying to grasp the significance of what he held, then muttered:
"This book speaks of a man named Reagan... It says here that he was the King of Kaisima a thousand years ago!"
Carla's eyes widened in shock as she exclaimed:
"Reagan?! A thousand years ago?!"
But suddenly, the book slipped from Raizo's hands and fell to the ground. Carla glanced at it, then looked back at Raizo—only to freeze in place. His features were locked in a rigid expression of shock and terror, his eyes staring blankly into space, as if he had seen a ghost.
"Raizo…?!"
But then, in a sudden motion, he grabbed the book again as if snapping out of his daze, then said urgently:
"Come and look at this!"
Carla cautiously approached as Raizo reopened one of the pages. He looked at her, then pointed at a specific line, his voice trembling:
"Read this…"
Carla leaned in, her eyes scanning the words written in Reagan's handwriting:
"In time, I glimpsed the future… I discovered that one day, humanity will unite to choose a group among them, bestowing upon them the title of 'The World Sages,' who will rule the land and decide its fate."
Carla gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, before stammering:
"What?!… If this book was written a thousand years ago… then how did he know about something that happened recently?! How did he know that humans would elect the World Sages?!"
Raizo looked at her, his eyes reflecting the same astonishment and dread, but he murmured:
"That's not all…"
Carla continued reading, her heartbeat quickening with every word:
"The World Sages will establish their nation in Arcadia, where they will collaborate with the great powers to conduct an experiment forbidden to mankind… I do not know its purpose, but it will be carried out on my people… It will be carried out on Kaisima!"
Raizo and Carla exchanged glances, their eyes filled with a mix of fear and uncertainty. Then, hesitantly, Carla continued reading:
"But I will not allow this! I created magic… and now, I am forging a power called (Obliteration), and I foretell the world that I have seen another vision… A person will come in the future and will wield this power!"
A heavy silence hung between them… Then their gazes shifted toward the still-glowing red orb on the ground. Neither needed to say a word, but Raizo barely whispered:
"Is this… the 'Obliteration'?"
Carla slowly closed the book, placing it atop the chest beside the glowing orb. Raizo looked at her in confusion and asked:
"What are you doing?"
She replied firmly:
"We'll take this chest and inform the World Sages about it!"
It seemed like a good idea, but Raizo didn't feel entirely comfortable. He shook his head and said:
"But… I don't think it's wise to take it with us."
Carla frowned:
"Why?"
Raizo sighed, staring at the box for a moment before saying:
"After everything we've seen in Kaisima… I wouldn't be surprised if this thing explodes or causes some other catastrophe just by moving it! It's better to leave it here and tell the Sages where it is."
Carla thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement:
"You're right… We'll memorize its location and return later."
Looking at Raizo, she declared firmly:
"Let's head back to Arcadia."
As they descended the mountain and reached their waiting aircraft, a sudden panicked scream shattered the silence:
"Take Leo! Please!"
The two turned swiftly, only to see a woman running toward them, clutching a child in her arms, while a massive beast chased her ferociously. Her body trembled, and tears streamed down her face, yet she did not stop running.
Before either of them could react, the beast lunged at her from behind, sinking its fangs into her shoulder. The woman screamed in agony and collapsed to the ground, while the child was flung into the air!
Carla moved instantly. She leaped and caught the child before they could hit the ground, then turned and sprinted toward the aircraft. Behind her, the beast had already begun devouring the woman, its fangs tearing through her flesh mercilessly, while the echoes of her final scream still lingered in the air.
Raizo stood motionless, staring at the scene… He was witnessing death once again.
But before he could sink into the abyss of his thoughts, Carla grabbed his arm, pressing the close button beside the aircraft door:
"We have to leave now!"
The aircraft began to ascend, as Raizo and Carla watched through the window… observing the beast ravaging the remains of the woman they couldn't save…
—
The information available for disclosure:
"When Raizo and his squad went to Kaisima, the antidote was tested on its inhabitants, but it turned them into ferocious monsters, shocking both Raizo and Carla. However, the biggest surprise awaited them at the mountain peak, which would later become the headquarters of the Mana Organization—a mysterious box containing an ancient book and a strange orb.
The book belonged to Reagan, the king of Kaisima a thousand years ago, who foretold the founding of the World Sages and their agreement on a dangerous experiment to be conducted on his people. To counter this fate, he created the "Obliteration" power, but his motives remained unclear—did he craft it to protect his people or to confront the future?
What shocked Raizo and Carla even more was that these prophecies had been written a thousand years ago… So how did Reagan manage to see the future?"
—
A Week Later
In the Notion of Arcadia, within the royal palace under the rule of the World Sages, the sages gathered around a massive table while Raizo stood near the door.
Xavier spoke in an arrogant tone:
"Come on, Raizo! Tell us what happened in Kaisima! Did the experiment succeed?!"
Raizo looked at them for a moment before answering coldly:
"No, it failed."
Magnus laughed mockingly and sneered:
"As expected from a failed scientist like you!"
Xavier waved his hand dismissively:
"Your role is over. Leave the hall."
But Raizo didn't move. Magnus frowned in anger:
"Didn't we order you to leave?!"
Raizo raised his hand, interrupting coldly:
"We conducted the experiment, but it failed. The individuals who were injected with the antidote turned into monsters. After a thorough examination, scientist Carla confirmed that the infection spreads through bites. This means that over time, all of Kaisima's inhabitants will turn into monsters."
Kaiser spoke indifferently:
"And what does that have to do with us?"
Ignoring him, Raizo continued seriously:
"I just wanted to inform you of this."
Xavier waved his hand again in boredom:
"Alright, we heard you. Now, leave!"
But Raizo remained still, his voice calm but laden with tension as he continued:
"During our journey, we found a chest atop one of the mountain peaks, containing a red orb charged with immense energy, along with an ancient book."
Silence filled the hall, and the sages' expressions showed intrigue. Raizo continued:
"When we read the book, we discovered that it was written by the King of Kaisima from a thousand years ago, Reagan... the very man who founded magic itself!"
Arkadius nodded, saying:
"Yes, we are aware."
Raizo's eyes widened in shock:
"Really?!"
Arkadius continued calmly:
"Not only that, but we also know that three clans descend from his lineage."
Raizo's expression tensed before he asked:
"Then… you also know that he had a vision of the future…?"
Conversations halted, and a heavy silence fell over the palace. Magnus suddenly stood up from his chair, speaking sharply:
"What did you just say?!"
Raizo looked at them confidently:
"So… you didn't know about that."
He sighed before adding in a low but weighty tone:
"King Reagan had a vision of the future. He knew we would go to Kaisima to conduct the experiment… and so, he created a power called 'OBLITERETION.' He wrote that this technique would activate someday."
Silence fell upon the hall once more. Arkadius's mouth opened in disbelief, while the sages' eyes widened in shock.
---
Twelve Years Later
In the royal palace, Raizo stood before the World Sages as Arkadius stepped forward and spoke seriously:
"Now, you will embark on a campaign to Kaisima. According to the King's vision, there is a chance that the prophecy will come true, just as it did with the monsters. Therefore, you must activate the power upon Kaisima's inhabitants to ensure its fulfillment by any means necessary and eliminate the threat!"
Xavier added indifferently:
"You have absolute authority to carry out the mission… Use any means necessary to eradicate this threat!"
Magnus spoke with determination:
"Kaisima today is stronger and more stable, especially after the birth of the sorcerer Sbyam Brius. The mission will not be easy, but we trust you. That mountain has now become the headquarters of the Mana Organization, and there you will find the power… You must reach it at all costs!"
Leonardo added with focus:
"We have learned of an invincible power known as 'Phantom of Onoko.' You can only obtain it if you make one of the three clan members fall in love with you… then, you will acquire that power."
Arkadius looked at Raizo and spoke with calm wisdom:
"Raizo! Do not forget… You must believe in violence!"
Raizo gazed at the elder Arkadius for a moment before slowly nodding, raising his head as he firmly declared:
"I will do whatever it takes to stop this threat."
His eyes met those of the sages, and a charged tension of fear and awe filled the hall.
---
The Present – Twenty-Four Years Later
In a quiet room, Raizo sat on his bed, recounting the story while Leo, Maria, Amy, Samuel, and Emre listened in shock. Their eyes were filled with horror, but Raizo continued in a bitter voice:
"When I went to carry out the mission in Kaisima, I met a woman named Borna from the Silano Clan. She loved me sincerely… until the day I betrayed and killed her."
His listeners' faces tensed as he continued in a despairing tone:
"But she didn't leave me… She made a pact with me, and from that day on, I possessed Phantom of Borna."
A heavy silence fell before he added in a voice low but sharp as a blade:
"After that, I founded the Rizsius Organization and completed my mission. Until that day came… Four years ago, I was on the verge of activating 'Obliteration'… but one person stood in the way of my plan..."
He slowly lifted his head, staring directly into their eyes before speaking the name that filled them with terror:
"The strongest sorcerer in the world… Sbyam Brius."
Their eyes all widened, unable to believe what they had just heard.
End of Chapter.