The village of Ravenwood lay ahead, its familiar wooden cottages and winding dirt roads now tinged with an unsettling aura. As Yuuto and the young girl ran through the village gates, the air grew thicker, weighed down by an unnatural force that seemed to suffocate the very life out of the atmosphere.
Villagers were gathered in small groups, murmuring in hushed tones, their faces pale and filled with fear. Some looked exhausted, as if they had been fighting off illness, while others frantically moved supplies, preparing for something none of them could fully understand.
Yuuto glanced around, scanning for any sign of the strange dark magic the girl had mentioned. But nothing seemed immediately out of place. Whatever's happening here, it's hidden.
"Where's Brann?" Yuuto asked the girl as they slowed to a stop in the village square.
"He's in the tavern with the other villagers, trying to figure out what's going on," she replied, still panting from the run. "Please, you have to help them."
"I will," Yuuto promised, giving her a reassuring nod before heading toward the tavern.
The door to the tavern swung open with a loud creak as Yuuto stepped inside. The familiar warmth of the fire and the low hum of conversation had been replaced by tension and unease. Brann stood at the center of the room, speaking with several village elders, his usually calm face twisted with concern.
"Yuuto!" Brann called out the moment he saw him. "You've come just in time. We've got a problem, lad—something serious."
"I heard," Yuuto said, stepping closer. "The girl told me something about dark magic spreading. What's happening?"
Brann's expression darkened as he sighed. "Aye, she wasn't exaggerating. Something's been wrong with the village ever since yesterday's battle with the wolves. At first, we thought it was just exhaustion, but then people started getting sick. Some of the animals, too. They won't eat, they won't drink, and now, some of them have fallen into deep sleep and can't wake up."
Yuuto's mind raced. Dark magic was a different beast entirely from the physical threats they had faced. If it was spreading through the village, it could weaken Ravenwood far more effectively than any wolf pack.
"Do you know where it's coming from?" Yuuto asked.
Brann shook his head. "That's the problem. It's not something you can see outright. It's like a shadow lurking in the air, infecting everything it touches. We've got the local healer working on it, but it's beyond her understanding."
Yuuto took a deep breath, his thoughts whirling. If this dark magic was targeting the villagers, they needed to find the source fast. His own magic, while still growing, might be the key to identifying it. He turned to Brann, his eyes filled with determination.
"Let me help. I can try to sense the magic and trace it back to its source. Maybe then we'll have a way to stop it."
Brann's eyes narrowed, clearly considering the idea. After a moment, he gave a slow nod. "It's worth a shot. We don't have many other options, and this curse—or whatever it is—is spreading fast. Do what you can, lad."
Yuuto nodded and stepped out of the tavern, making his way back into the village square. The sun was still high in the sky, casting long shadows across the buildings. Yuuto could feel the tension in the air, the sense of something lurking just beyond the edges of perception.
He closed his eyes, steadying his breathing as he focused on his mana, letting it flow through him. This time, however, he wasn't casting any spells. Instead, he opened himself up to the energy around him, trying to sense the presence of the dark magic that Brann had described.
At first, there was nothing—just the faint hum of the village's mana, the natural ebb and flow of life. But then, beneath that, Yuuto felt it: a cold, creeping sensation, like ice slithering through his veins. The dark magic was there, subtle but pervasive, weaving its way through the village like a hidden snake.
There you are.
Yuuto concentrated harder, following the trail of dark magic as it wound its way through the village. The sensation grew stronger as he walked toward the eastern edge of the village, where the trees loomed close. It felt as though the magic was flowing from somewhere deep in the forest, infecting the village like a slow poison.
Finally, Yuuto stopped at the edge of the village, his eyes narrowing as he stared into the dense forest beyond. The dark magic was strongest here, like a thick fog clinging to the trees. Whatever was causing this sickness, it was coming from somewhere in those woods.
Before he could take another step, the Ascendant System chimed in.
[New Quest Unlocked: Investigate the Source of the Dark Magic]
Objective: Explore the forest on the eastern side of Ravenwood and locate the source of the dark magic. Investigate the cause of the spreading illness and neutralize it if possible.]
Reward: 40 EXP, Enhanced Mana Detection unlocked.]
Failure: Village continues to suffer from dark magic. Increased chance of fatalities.
Yuuto gritted his teeth. Enhanced Mana Detection sounded like exactly what he needed to handle situations like this in the future. And more importantly, he couldn't let Ravenwood fall victim to whatever curse was spreading.
He glanced back toward the village. Brann and the others were doing everything they could to keep the village safe, but Yuuto knew this was his battle. His magic, his connection to the Ascendant System, gave him the tools to fight this invisible threat.
With a deep breath, Yuuto turned and began his trek into the forest.
The deeper he ventured into the woods, the darker the atmosphere became. The trees loomed overhead, their twisted branches blocking out much of the sunlight, and the air grew colder with every step. That creeping, icy sensation of dark magic intensified as Yuuto moved further from the village. It was like walking through a fog of malevolent energy, pressing against his senses.
After what felt like an hour of walking, Yuuto arrived at a small clearing in the middle of the forest. The ground was littered with dead leaves and twisted roots, and at the center of the clearing stood a large, gnarled tree, its bark blackened and rotting. Dark tendrils of energy swirled around the tree, pulsating with a sickly glow.
This is it. The source.
Yuuto cautiously approached the tree, his staff ready in hand. The dark magic was stronger here, almost overwhelming, but he could sense that this was the heart of the corruption. The tree itself seemed to radiate the energy, feeding the darkness that had spread to the village.
He could see now that the tree wasn't just rotting—it was dying, its life force being drained by the dark magic. And that same magic was infecting everything around it.
[Quest Updated: Investigate the Source of the Dark Magic - Objective: Cleanse the corrupted tree.]
Yuuto took a deep breath. Cleansing the tree would require more mana than he had ever used before, and the dark magic surrounding it would fight back. But if he didn't stop this, Ravenwood would continue to suffer—and worse, the dark magic could spread further.
He closed his eyes, focusing on the flow of mana within him. His previous training had strengthened his endurance, and the Basic Mana Regeneration Upgrade he had unlocked gave him a slight edge. But this would still be a battle of endurance and control.
Summoning his magic, Yuuto placed his hand on the tree's blackened bark. The dark energy immediately pushed back against him, trying to overwhelm his senses. He gritted his teeth and pushed forward, channeling his mana into the tree in an attempt to cleanse the corruption.
The magic burned in his veins, and for a moment, Yuuto thought he might lose control. But he steadied himself, remembering his training. He had learned to manage mana exhaustion, and now, it was about balance—pushing enough mana into the tree to purify it without draining himself completely.
Slowly, the sickly glow around the tree began to fade. The dark magic hissed and writhed as Yuuto's mana cleansed the corruption, inch by inch. The tree shuddered, and the blackened bark began to crack, revealing patches of healthy wood beneath.
It's working.
Yuuto pressed on, pouring the last of his mana into the tree. The dark magic let out one final, furious surge before dissipating entirely, leaving the clearing eerily quiet.
The tree stood tall once more, its bark restored and its roots glowing faintly with the remnants of Yuuto's mana.
[Quest Complete: Investigate the Source of the Dark Magic]
Reward: 40 EXP, Enhanced Mana Detection unlocked.]
Yuuto stumbled back, gasping for breath as the System chimed in. He had done it. The dark magic was gone, and the source of the corruption had been neutralized. He felt a wave of relief wash over him, though his body ached from the strain of the battle.
[Enhanced Mana Detection Unlocked: Improves your ability to sense and identify sources of mana, both light and dark. Increases sensitivity to magical anomalies.]
The reward was well worth the effort. Enhanced Mana Detection would help him in future battles, allowing him to sense magical threats before they could take root.
As Yuuto made his way back to the village, he couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. He had grown stronger, both in magic and in mind, and the village was safe for now.
Small gains, perhaps, but new beginnings nonetheless.