The hologram came to life in front of Mana Knight Rederic, Alistair, Cedric, Eldric, Gideon, Ivander, Jasper, and Mage Marcus.
At first, they were amazed as they read the words shimmering on the screen, but then they suddenly froze, unable to believe what they just read.
The message sent a chill down their spines and shattered their hopes instantly.
The hologram showed their fate, and it was more intimidating than they had ever imagined.
[ Ding!
[ Mana Knight Rederic, Alistair, Cedric, Eldric, Gideon, Ivander, Jasper, and Mage Marcus are now citizens of this town… ]
The hologram declared, and its words hung heavily in the air.
[ However, if they want to become the royal guards of the Noble, they must prove themselves worthy. ]
Next box of text was the one that sent chills down their spine.
[ Mission:
[ Tomorrow, during the town's celebration of clearing the beasts, the participants had to face a formidable challenge. With the help of the townsfolk, they had to surpass everyone else by defeating at least one mighty creature known as the "One True Beast.
[ Success would depend on this single act, as failure would strip the participants of their status and reduce them to ordinary citizens once again. ]
The weight of the task bore down on them, threatening to crush their spirits.
These Mana users, although considered weak compared to others of their kind, had always commanded respect from normal citizens. Being demoted to ordinary citizens was a devastating blow to their pride.
Their minds were groggy, but searching for solutions and a glimmer of hope in this seemingly impossible mission.
Then, Mage Marcus, determined and concerned, stepped forward as their guiding light—their leader. His voice was calm but filled with worry as he dared to question the validity of the task.
"Sir," he addressed Wallace, the new Baron of Toraz territory, "True Beasts are rare! I'm not even sure if there are any within the boundaries of our land, what if they are not around?"
If there is indeed a 'True Beast,' it was a problem. However, if there are none, then they can't do anything about it.
A heavy silence landed on their surroundings, and the Mana Knight Rederic, Alistair, Cedric, Eldric, Gideon, Ivander, Jasper, and Mage Marcus teetered on the edge.
…
Wallace felt a wave of contentment in his soul as he successfully finished the task.
Excited to enjoy the rewards of his hard work, he planned to treat himself to a delicious meal in front of him while reading the two letters that Butler Mendez had given him.
One came from the respected Vard Family, and the other from the only person in town who could use Mana.
These letters held the answers to the current situation of the Toraz Family, which only Wallace remained a part of.
As Wallace settled down to read the letters, his peace was abruptly disturbed by the passionate complaints of Mage Marcus, the esteemed leader of the seven Mana Knights.
"Seriously?"
Wallace exclaimed, there was a hint of frustration in his voice, building up.
The term 'True Beasts' had confused him completely, leaving him clueless.
Wallace was writing while listening, absorbing information, and effortlessly understanding everything his soldiers told him about Radioactive Beasts and Magical Beasts.
He would listen carefully, write them in the hologram, taking in every detail, and then share that knowledge as an answer to the mission on the hologram system earlier.
If the information turned out to be useless or unimportant or rejected by the system, he would simply delete it.
That was what happened to the mysterious 'True Beasts' as soon as Butler Mendez mentioned them. Without hesitation, Wallace entered the term into his mental database.
To his relief, the hologram system accepted the input, confirming his decision. And in that moment, Wallace felt an overwhelming sense of contentment that he doesn't care about the rest.
Mage Marcus nodded, "Yes, young sir Baron," his eyes filled with will.
The burden of the information felt somehow heavy on Wallace's shoulders, causing him to furrow his brow in deep thought.
Seeking confirmation, he turned to the soldiers standing still beside him, their presence offering protection against the Mana users.
"Is it true?"
Wallace's voice trembled.
The soldiers, their faces marked with stoic expression, nodded together.
"Yes, sir Baron," they replied firmly.
"Radioactive beasts, though common in these parts, are nothing compared to the True beasts. You see, Radioactive beasts have twelve stages of power, gradually increasing in strength. But when they surpass their limits, they undergo a transformation. They become 2nd order Magical Beasts, doubling their strength and becoming even more fierce."
Wallace just listened with a serious look on his face.
"True Beasts, on the other hand, are a different breed from their radioactive counterparts. They too are Magical beasts, but their power far exceeds that of Radioactive beasts. Like their lesser counterparts, True Beasts go through twelve stages of growth. However, when they push beyond their limits, their strength reaches unparalleled heights. They also become 2nd order Magical beasts, but their power is doubled once more compared to the 2nd order Magical beasts that evolved from Radioactive Beasts."
Wallace's voice shook as he asked his question to the soldiers.
"So they are really rare?" he asked, hoping for confirmation. The soldiers, their expressions serious, nodded together, their silence saying a lot.
But their answer only made Wallace more uneasy.
The soldiers nodded again. "Yes, sir Baron. True beasts, even in their basic form, are stronger than normal Radioactive beasts. And to make things worse, they also possess magical powers... but they are incredibly rare. In one's lifetime, the townspeople claim to have witnessed only one."
Listening to that, Wallace's mind raced.
If it's rare, then the mission or task he gave them was an impossible task!
All of them would fail!
Now, his brain felt as if it were desperately searching for a solution.
What could he do to protect himself from the anger of these Mana Knights if they were to find out that there's no true beast? If they came back tomorrow, they would be furious with him.
It was like inviting death to his door.
That's the last thing he wanted to experience again, now that he had his own cheat.
Suddenly, an idea sparked in Wallace's mind.
With a calculated tone, he pretended to be curious and asked the Mana Knights, "How come I saw one when I went outside the territory?"
His intention was clear—to make them doubt and believe in the existence of the elusive 'True Beast.' If they were busy chasing after a creature that didn't really exist, he would have enough time to grow stronger within the game tomorrow.
The idea of surpassing these Mana Knights and the mage in levels, gave him a glimmer of hope. If they came back with complaints, he would be able to defend himself effectively.
It was a risky plan, but it was the only one he had.
…
Little did Wallace know, his words had a profound impact, shocking the group of soldiers. But the true extent of the shock and terror belonged to a group of Mana Knights—Rederic, Alistair, Cedric, Eldric, Gideon, Ivander, Jasper—and Mage Marcus.
As Wallace spoke, the Mana Knights exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes widening in disbelief.
They realized something chilling.
Could it be true?
There was a 'True Beast' in this part of town?
After that, everyone exchanged glances with each other.
Did the beast pave his way for his sinister rise to the Baron's title?
Did he use it to claim the lives of his entire family?
The atmosphere grew heavy with an ominous sense of dread as the Mana Knights considered Wallace as the true embodiment of a scary Nobles!
Now, he wanted to use them to get rid of it, tomorrow!