Ragnariel arrived at one of the groups consisting of ten archers.
"Do you think we can actually pull this off, kidnapping the Duke's daughter? That boy who fought the monster earlier is completely insane," one of them said nervously.
"Relax. We have this," another replied, holding up a circular device.
"With this tool, they won't be able to use mana. We'll succeed a hundred percent," the man continued with confidence.
Suddenly, Ragnariel appeared in their midst, his voice cold as he asked, "Is that so?"
The group froze, their eyes wide with shock. "Y-you..." one of them stammered, but before he could finish, their bodies were already sliced apart in an instant.
"Hmm, what's this tool? I should take it and show it to the Duke later," Ragnariel muttered to himself, picking up the device. "Alright, time to move on to the next group."
With that, he disappeared.
Moments later, Ragnariel appeared amidst another group of conspirators.
"That boy is really something else. Can we actually complete this mission?" one of them whispered.
"Don't worry. Duke Dreadmoor has prepared a tool that will block their ability to use mana. It'll be as easy as stealing candy from a baby," another assured.
Ragnariel stepped into their circle, smirking. "So, this is all Duke Dreadmoor's doing? Interesting."
"You—!" one of them exclaimed, but like the others before them, they were sliced into pieces before finishing their sentence.
"Alright, that's done. Now, only the close-combat fighters remain," Ragnariel said calmly, vanishing once again.
Back at the camp, the Knight Captain began to grow suspicious. Ragnariel had been gone for far too long. Deciding to investigate, the captain approached the large boulder where Ragnariel had disappeared.
Just as he was about to peek behind it, Ragnariel emerged, his expression as casual as ever. "What's wrong, Sir Knight? Did you need to do some business as well?"
The captain stammered, flustered. "I-I... Yes, I needed to relieve myself too."
Ragnariel chuckled lightly. "Alright, then. I'll head back first."
He walked away, leaving the captain standing there, fuming.
The Knight Captain's face twisted in anger as he muttered under his breath, "Just wait, you arrogant brat. I'll kill you soon enough."
Ragnariel approached Duke Kaelthorn and said, "I've returned, Your Grace."
The Duke nodded. "Good. Everyone, prepare yourselves."
"Yes, sir!" the knights responded in unison as they slowly advanced toward the cave, the site of Selene's coming-of-age trial.
Using telepathy, Duke Kaelthorn asked, "How is it, Ragna? Is everything going according to plan?"
"Yes, Your Grace. And I've come across some interesting information," Ragnariel replied.
"What kind of information?" the Duke asked, his tone curious.
"I'll explain later, Your Grace. They're making their move now."
Suddenly, ten masked individuals leapt down from the cliffs above, blocking the entrance to the cave. Gasps of surprise erupted among the knights, except from Ragnariel and Duke Kaelthorn, who both feigned shock to maintain appearances.
One of the masked men stepped forward and spoke in a low, commanding voice. "Greetings, everyone. I'll get straight to the point. Hand over the young lady." He pointed directly at Selene.
Ragnariel quickly used telepathy to communicate with the Duke. "Your Grace, when I give the signal, hold your breath. I'll be throwing their main weapon, a device that disrupts mana flow. I'll explain everything in detail later. For now, just play along."
The Duke responded calmly, "Understood."
He then turned to the group and asked aloud, "Who are you?"
One of the masked men scoffed. "You don't need to know who we are. Just follow our instructions, and we'll let you live."
Duke Kaelthorn's expression darkened with rage. He unsheathed his sword, the metal ringing sharply as it left its scabbard. "Prepare to die," he growled.
"Now! Throw it now!" one of the masked figures shouted.
At that moment, before anyone could react, Ragnariel discreetly hurled the mana-disrupting smoke bomb toward the group. Thick smoke burst forth, spreading rapidly.
"Hold your breath now, Your Grace," Ragnariel commanded through telepathy.
The Duke complied immediately, his eyes narrowing as the battlefield began to descend into chaos.
At first, no one sensed anything unusual. It wasn't until the smoke began to clear that Duke Kaelthorn gave his order to his knights.
"Take them down."
The knights of Duke Kaelthorn unsheathed their sword. But then—
"Aaarrgghh!"
A sudden cry rang out as one of the Duke's knights was stabbed... by another knight.
"What is the meaning of this?" Duke Kaelthorn's sharp voice cut through the air. His gaze darkened, "What game are you playing now?"
One of the knights, the captain of the group, gave a sly grin. "Hahaha... forgive us, Your Grace. We're merely seizing an opportunity to prove ourselves to the one we intend to serve next."
Duke Kaelthorn's expression twisted in fury. "So, this is your scheme, Beros? You've conspired with them to harm my daughter?"
Beros smirked, his voice calm yet mocking. "Hahaha… no need to worry, Your Grace. We wouldn't dare harm your daughter. Our orders are simply to… escort her."
Duke brandished his sword, "Have you forgotten who I am? I am one of the strongest in this kingdom!"
But Beros only laughed louder. "Hahaha! Strongest, you say? Don't make me laugh, old man. Without mana, you're just another powerless mortal. That smoke you so carelessly inhaled? It's a special kind, designed to block mana circulation. You and your knights are nothing more than ordinary humans now. Meanwhile, we…"
Beros gestured to his knights. A faint blue glow enveloped their swords as they infused them with mana.
The Duke's knights frantically tried to channel their own mana, but to no avail. "Damn it, he's right… we can't use mana!" one of them muttered in frustration.
"What do we do now?" another whispered, panic creeping into his voice.
"We're as good as dead…"
Suddenly, a voice boomed from among them.
"Silence!"
One knight stepped forward, his tone commanding and unwavering. "Knights of Kaelthorn, do not disgrace His Grace further! We are the knights of House Kaelthorn, sworn to protect the Duke and his family, even at the cost of our lives!"
The knights fell silent, their spirits beginning to rise.
"He's right," one of them said. "The vice-captain is right! No matter what happens, we must protect His Grace and Lady Selene!"
"Yes! Let's take them down!"
Duke Kaelthorn smiled at his vice-captain, a rare expression of approval. Then, Ragnariel stepped forward with a sly grin and said, "Someone of his caliber is still just a vice-captain? Your Grace, I think you might need to reorganize your knight order when this is all over."
Duke Kaelthorn chuckled heartily. "Hahaha! You're right, Ragna."
With a graceful movement, the Duke dismounted his horse and surveyed the battlefield. He pointed towards the group of rebels lingering at the back. "I'll leave those ten weaklings to you, Ragna."
Ragnariel bowed, his expression sharp and focused. "As you command, Your Grace."
Watching this exchange, Beros burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Have you truly entrusted your back to a 5 years old child, Your Grace?"
Duke Kaelthorn didn't even glance at Beros. Instead, his voice grew cold as a terrifying pressure radiated from his body. "If you value your lives, drop your weapons now, and I will grant you mercy. Otherwise… you'll live just long enough to regret your decision."
The rebellious knights froze momentarily, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads. Duke Kaelthorn's aura was overwhelming. But Beros sneered, raising his voice to rally his men.
"What are you afraid of? He's just an old man who can't even use mana! Kill them all!"
The rebellious knights charged at the Duke's forces, their weapons raised. But suddenly—
"Aaarrgghh!"
Five knights at the front collapsed to the ground, their bodies cleanly severed in two. The sight left everyone stunned, their movements frozen in place.
Beros's voice broke the silence, trembling with disbelief. "W-What? How can you still use mana?!"
Duke Kaelthorn's calm gaze fell on Beros. "Something as trivial as this… has no effect on me."
He raised his hand slightly, and the air grew heavier. The pressure emanating from his body intensified, suffocating those around him.
"Now," the Duke said coldly, "accept your deaths."
Beros gritted his teeth, panic seeping into his voice as he barked orders to his men. "What are you doing? Capture the target, now!"
But as he turned, his breath caught. His eyes widened in shock as he saw Ragnariel walking calmly toward Duke Kaelthorn, holding nothing but a brittle tree branch in his hand.
Ragnariel tilted his head slightly, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Apologies, Captain Beros. Your men were far too weak. I didn't even need to use my blade. This withered branch was enough to handle them."
Beros staggered back, his legs giving out beneath him. "I-It can't be… How is this possible?!"
Ragnariel ignored him and turned to the Duke, his tone as composed as ever. "Shall I deal with the remaining knights, Your Grace?"
Duke Kaelthorn regarded him with a thoughtful nod. "Yes. If possible, don't kill them. I'll need them for something later."
"As you command, Your Grace," Ragnariel replied, bowing slightly before striding toward the remaining enemies, the branch still in his hand.