“Good grief…”
In the early morning, I, Eclipse, the Black Sage, was on the coast of the Lutetia Empire.
When I went to meet the king, he also asked me to subdue a “monster” that appeared on the coast.
It seems to have suddenly appeared at sea and is attacking trade ships. As a result, no ships can leave the port, and ships from other countries have also stopped.
I want to tell someone else to do it.
I’ve done what I needed to do. Don’t treat me like a handyman.
However, the maritime problem is already affecting the Grand Duchy of Bellrand.
If there’s a problem with the sea routes on the Lutetia Empire side, it means that no ships can go to the Grand Duchy of Bellrand, which lies beyond.
It’s a major issue. After all, my father’s territory is on the coast. The port is an important source of revenue.
Feeling the need to settle this quickly, I flew to the coast of the Lutetia Empire.
“But it’s strange that a sea monster would suddenly appear.”
Monsters.
They are said to have been created by a race called “demons” that ruled this continent two thousand years ago, by altering beasts.
Nowadays, the term is used for all beasts that harm humanity, but in the narrow sense, the monsters created by demons are usually too powerful to be left alone.
The demons were apparently much stronger than current humanity, and the monsters they created are also quite strong.
It is said that humanity was able to gain control of the continent because the demons weakened due to natural disasters and internal divisions.
But that’s a story from two thousand years ago.
Almost mythical.
However, the existence of monsters continues to convey the terror of the demons from that time.
Moving out to sea, I slowly increased my magical power.
In response, the color of the sea surface darkened all at once.
No.
Something was surfacing.
“It’s huge.”
I muttered as I looked down at the monster that had surfaced, considering me a threat.
It was several tens of meters long.
It was a giant white octopus.
“A kraken…”
No wonder the trade ships are no match. Even a warship would be helpless if it were caught.
Countless tentacles stretch out towards me.
It’s trying to drag me into the sea first, seeing me as a potential threat.
I dodge them while preparing my magic.
Indeed, monsters are powerful.
The kraken is undoubtedly a narrow-sense monster, a creature created by demons two thousand years ago.
It’s unlikely to have lived for two thousand years, but even so, ordinary people are no match for it. It’s almost a natural disaster.
Most countries give up and just wait for the kraken to leave.
Because it’s no different from a storm.
But the Lutetia Empire is different.
I am here.
“Persistent!”
The tentacles trying to catch me are too much of a nuisance.
If I were serious, I could blow away the tentacles with my bare hands, but that’s the power of me as a Sword Saint.
Now I am the Black Sage, Eclipse.
I can’t let anyone see where I am. I can’t afford to slip up.
As both a Sword Saint and a Black Sage, I need to fight using each one’s strengths.
Physical combat is the Sword Saint’s forte.
Naturally, magic is the Black Sage’s forte.
“Burst forth, divine lightning—【Thunder Spear Keraunos】”
Above.
From the magic circle that appeared in the sky, a giant bolt of lightning falls towards the kraken.
The kraken, which was trying to drag me into the sea, tries to dive to escape, but it’s too late.
The giant spear of lightning pierces the kraken, burning it with its light.
The lightning continues even after the kraken dies, burning its body away.
When everything is over, the kraken’s body has turned to charcoal.
Monsters indeed convey the immense power of the demons to the present.
While thinking it’s a story from a mythical world, the existence of monsters reminds us of the terror of the demons and doesn’t let us laugh it off as a mere tale.
But it’s not just monsters that convey this to the present.
The ancient “Godly Abyss Magic.”
A legendary magic that only appears in documents.
When the continent’s hegemony was at stake, and humans fought against demons.
There were those among the demons who sided with humanity.
That person was exceptionally strong among the demons, defeating many of his kin and supporting humanity’s rapid progress.
No name remains.
However, the magic used by that hero, known as the demon’s hero, is known.
“Godly Abyss Magic.”
This magic, which reproduces the power of the gods, was so powerful that only that hero among the demons could use it.
And I wield it.
Compared to the demons, humans are inferior in every way.
Why can I, a human, use such grand magic?
Of course, there’s a trick to it.
But it’s not that complicated.
Simply put, my magical power is infinite.
“Now, shall I return?”
I mutter and teleport in an instant.
I say it’s teleportation magic, but this isn’t really teleportation magic.
Throughout the continent, there are countless lines called “star veins” where magical power flows. I’m just passing through them.
But ordinary people can’t do that. Not even demons can.
Why can I do such a thing?
Because the “star spirit,” the collective consciousness of those star veins, likes me.
That’s even rarer than the demons.
The “Apostle of the Star Spirit,” only mentioned in some documents.
An otherworldly being supplied with infinite magical power from the star veins.
That’s me.
Therefore, I was raised as the successor to both the previous Sword Saint and the previous Black Sage.
To be precise, not just me, but Lena is also an “Apostle of the Star Spirit.”
Initially, I was supposed to be the disciple of the Sword Saint, and Rena was supposed to be the disciple of the Black Sage.
But I didn’t want to burden Rena.
So I said I would take on both roles myself.
At first, the predecessors let me practice just to see how it would go.
But they underestimated the “Apostle of the Star Spirit.”
After training, I became both a Sword Saint and a Black Sage.
And with the bonus of inexhaustible magical power.
If I’m so strong, you might say I should quickly destroy the empire, but the empire also has a considerable number of monsters.
And if my existence becomes known, it might reveal that the child from five years ago is Rena.
I don’t even want to imagine what fate awaits if the empire finds out.
That’s why I must protect the Kingdom of Albios and the Lutetia Empire.
To keep the empire away from my family.
