The silence between Nico and Garen lingered as Nico absorbed the stipulation. Garen's expression was thoughtful, his fingers laced together on the desk as he looked at Nico. "I'll grant you access to Shadowed Ridge," he said, pausing before adding firmly, "but not without a safeguard."
"A safeguard?" Nico's eyes narrowed.
"Yes," Garen continued, leaning forward. "Given the dangers of the Ridge, I can't let you go alone. I'll allow you access only if a B-rank adventurer accompanies you. Someone who can—well, someone who might stand a chance in such a hostile environment."
Nico clenched his jaw, irritation flaring. He was confident he could handle any danger that lurked there alone, but he had little choice if he wanted to save Lila.
"Fine," he said, voice tight. "Who's the B-rank?"
A door creaked open behind him, and Nico turned to find himself face-to-face with none other than Magnus—the brawny adventurer who had tried to intimidate him during their first encounter. Magnus's expression shifted from surprise to visible frustration as he locked eyes with Nico, his mouth setting in a scowl.
"You?" Magnus growled, folding his arms. "I was called here to escort this… E-rank?"
Nico met his gaze, a dark glint in his eyes. He didn't flinch or blink, letting a deathly calm settle over his features. "If you have a problem with it, leave," he said, his voice low and icy. "But know this: I'm going, with or without you."
Magnus shifted, caught off guard by Nico's unyielding tone. Something in Nico's expression—a chilling edge, a darkness lurking beneath the surface—seemed to get to him. For a moment, he faltered, unsure, before finally muttering, "Fine. But don't expect me to babysit."
They exchanged a tense silence before Garen cleared his throat. "Good. Now that we have an understanding, the two of you should be on your way. The Ridge is a full day's travel, so time is not in your favor."
Nico gave Garen a curt nod and turned on his heel, with Magnus falling reluctantly into step behind him. They walked through the village with tense silence stretching between them, each step heavy with unspoken distrust.
As they neared the outskirts and approached the guards stationed at the restricted area, Magnus stepped forward to explain their purpose. The guards eyed Nico skeptically before reluctantly stepping aside, casting wary glances as they allowed him through.
Once inside Shadowed Ridge, the landscape transformed around them. The light dimmed, shadows lengthened, and the air grew thick with an eerie stillness that sent a chill down Nico's spine. Dark trees loomed like skeletal sentinels, their branches reaching out like claws, and patches of twisted flora dotted the ground in strange, unnatural shapes.
They moved cautiously, Magnus muttering curses under his breath. "Just stick close, all right? These woods are crawling with creatures that'd take your head off in a heartbeat."
Nico merely nodded, letting Magnus take the lead. For the first hour, their journey was silent, save for the crunch of leaves beneath their boots. But that silence was abruptly broken when a sudden rustling echoed through the trees, and a pack of Shadow Goblins emerged, their twisted faces grinning maliciously as they closed in on the two adventurers.
"Damn it," Magnus hissed, drawing his sword. "Watch my back!"
The goblins were quick, darting through the shadows with unnatural speed. Magnus lunged forward, his sword slicing through the air as he managed to cut down one of the goblins. But as soon as it fell, two more leaped to take its place, shrieking with bloodlust.
Magnus fought with gritty determination, his movements powerful but erratic as he struggled to keep the goblins at bay. He dispatched one with a well-placed slash, but soon two more flanked him, their clawed hands grasping hungrily.
Panting, he glanced back to signal Nico for assistance—only to find Nico gone. Panic flickered in Magnus's eyes as he realized he was fighting alone, barely holding his own against the relentless onslaught.
Meanwhile, Nico had slipped away from the scuffle, his footsteps silent as he maneuvered through the trees. He moved with purpose, driven by the urgent need to reach the peak, where he felt the pull that guided him towards Lila. His heart beat steadily, a drum of focus as he kept his eyes trained forward.
Yet his path was soon blocked by an ominous, hulking figure—one of the Ridge's fabled guardians: a Shadow Golem. Towering over him, the creature was a mass of writhing darkness, its limbs twisted and inky, its eyes glowing with an unsettling red light. It loomed above him, a faint rumbling sound emitting from its chest like a low growl.
Nico's gaze narrowed, frustration simmering at the delay. He had no time for this.
Without hesitation, he raised his hand, his fingers curling as he summoned the latent energy within him. Dark tendrils of magic unfurled around him, crackling with a fierce intensity as he called forth a conjuration from the depths of his power.
With a soft murmur, Nico whispered, "Black Hole."
The shadows around him swirled, converging into a single, pulsating sphere of void. The orb hovered for a second before bursting forth, expanding rapidly until it formed a miniature black hole. The surrounding darkness spiraled into it, creating a whirlpool of crushing gravity that pulled the Shadow Golem forward, its hulking frame disintegrating the moment it was drawn into the void.
The air grew still once more, leaving only the faint shimmer of dissipating shadows. Nico lowered his hand, his face impassive as he stepped over the remnants of the golem. He didn't wait to watch it vanish completely; his mind was already focused on the next step, his resolve sharpening with each passing moment.
Far away in a quiet village nestled between rugged hills, Lucy stood on the balcony of her secluded home. She was in the midst of her evening tea, savoring the rare peace in her otherwise grueling schedule, when an ominous sensation suddenly washed over her. A surge of dark energy pierced the air, prickling her skin and sinking into her bones, its intensity powerful enough to send a chill down even her spine.
Lucy's eyes narrowed, her tea forgotten as she focused on the raw energy emanating from miles away. This wasn't just any high-level magic; it was colossal, chilling, and unmistakably out of place in a world where even the strongest adventurers rarely dared to wield such power. Instinctively, she clenched her fists, feeling the pulse of magic ripple through her veins. No one in the guilds—not even the elite S-ranks she knew well—could generate this kind of power. It was foreign, threatening, and, worse, tantalizing.
Her maid, a young woman with a steady composure honed from years of service, entered the balcony, bowing slightly. "Lady Lucy, is something wrong?"
Lucy turned, her face set with steely determination. "Prepare my gear, Amelia," she ordered, her voice carrying an edge of excitement and urgency. "We're leaving. Now."
Amelia blinked, taken aback. "At once, Lady Lucy. May I ask… where are we headed?"
"Shadowed Ridge," Lucy replied, a trace of a smile curving her lips. "Someone out there just unleashed a force beyond any adventurer in this world. It's time I meet them."
Without further explanation, she turned and strode inside, her mind already racing through possibilities. Whoever wielded that kind of magic was either extremely dangerous or extremely foolish. Either way, she wasn't about to let such a rare force slip through her fingers.
As Amelia hurried to gather her things, Lucy gazed out at the darkening sky, her heart thudding with exhilaration. This wasn't just another assignment or test of skill—it was a call, one she couldn't resist. And soon, she would find the one responsible and uncover the power that dared to echo across the land.