"A Dark Mage? what is it?" Erend asked Tut.
[ "It's someone who has learned Dark Magic. You should be able to tell from the name alone." ]
"I don't know if it means something so literal." Erend walked towards the west.
But as long as he stared at the horizon, all he could see were forests and mountains.
"I still haven't seen anything." Erend then turned his head towards the village behind him.
Due to the considerable distance, Erend didn't know if anyone had seen him or not. But with this white outfit, Erend felt that he would stand out.
It doesn't matter now. Even if they saw it and realized he existed, it wouldn't have any effect.
They're located apart from the other side of Eternal Earth, so the possibility is small they will meet if it weren't for Erend's Daily Quest. That's what Erend had in mind.
"Can you explain to me what Dark Magic is? Is it different from the Magic of the Elves?" Erend decided to ask because he wanted to pass the time while waiting for the Dark Mage.
[ "You can ask the Elves about that directly." ]
"Why? You don't want to explain it?"
[ "No. You'd better listen to that explanation from the Elves." ]
Erend shrugged his shoulders. "Okay."
Suddenly Erend saw the figure of a man appear at the end of the path in the distance. The man was only wearing ordinary clothes like the humans Erend saw in the village.
Erend thought that a Dark Mage would wear all black, wearing a cloak that covered his head and face. Anyway, typical clothes highlight the Dark element in his title.
But all Erend saw was a human in ordinary clothes. Also with the usual builds. Erend wasn't sure that he was the one who was the objective of his Daily Quest today.
"Is that the Dark Mage?" Erend asked Tut.
[ "Yes." ]
"He doesn't look... like a Dark Mage."
[ "Dark Mage is not defined by the clothes he wears. But by the power he has. It is the Dark Mage you must defeat. Now go!" ]
Erend sighed then started walking. "Alright, then."
They both walked in opposite directions. So that they become closer as the steps they take.
Erend finally could see more clearly the form of the man. He was a man with a short and ordinary haircut. But his hair is a little messy because it is not combed.
Erend didn't know whether the people in this world already knew combs or not. So he couldn't judge the man's appearance too much.
His clothes look like the clothes of an ordinary commoner. Judging from that alone, no one would have thought that the man was a walking calamity. He just looked like someone who was lost and needed a place to stay for a while.
But before Erend walked any closer to him, the man stretched out his hand towards Erend. A black and green colored energy gathered at the tip of his palm.
Erend instantly realized the threat that was aimed at him.
[ Skill activated: Dragon Scale (Lv.1) ]
'SWOOOSH!'
The man shot the green and black colored energy towards Erend and hit him straight away.
But Erend had crossed his arms that were wrapped in red and black scales in front of his face.
The energy attack released by the man only hit him but didn't leave any scars.
Erend wasn't even pushed back. He just stopped where he was.
When Erend lowered his hand from his face, he could see the look on the man's face that looked surprised.
Yes, the man was naturally surprised at the changes that had occurred to Erend's body and the fact that his attacks did not affect him.
"Who are you?" the man--the Dark Mage--asked.
"I'm just a person who happens to know that you intend to destroy the village back there," Erend replied. "Can't let you do that."
The Dark Mage tilted his head to one side and looked at Erend in confusion. "Why did your skin turn out like that?"
Erend snorted. "This is my power, dumbass."
"Hmmm, very fascinating," the man looked at Erend as if he was an interesting specimen he had seen for the first time. "If you step aside now, I can let you live and be my subordinate."
"Wow, that's a very tempting offer," Erend said, sarcastically. "I wish I could say the same thing as letting you live. Unfortunately, I have no choice but to kill you."
"Is that so?" the Dark Mage asked with a smirk. "Then why don't you give it a try?"
Erend immediately lunged at the Dark Mage. But the Dark Mage also did not remain silent. He put his hands together and two magic circles appeared on his right and left.
The two magic circles were green and black like the energy attack he had just released.
Then from the two magic circles, two creatures that resembled lizards came out.
The lizards are two meters high and walk on two legs. They also wear armor and carry swords and shields. Their eyes were empty and filled with only green and black.
It was as if their souls had been lost and were now in the Dark Mage's control.
'What's that?' Erend asked Tut in his mind.
[ "They are one of the residents of Eternal Earth. The Lizardmans." ]
Erend could see the match between their forms and their names. They do look like Lizardmans. Lizards that have walking ways and characteristics are almost like humans.
Until now Erend had encountered many strange creatures that seemed to only be found in fairy tales in his world. Elf, Slime, Aarakocra, Shellob, and now Lizardman. He was now a Dragon.
Erend was sure that Eternal Earth still had many surprises for him in the future. Now he still caught a glimpse of what this world had.
'But they don't look quite living, do they?' Erend said to Tut.
[ "Most likely, the two Lizardmans are dead and resurrected by that Dark Mage's magic." ]
The two Lizardmans charged toward Erend. Erend dashed towards them with both fists clenched.
The two of them swung their swords almost simultaneously at Erend. Erend didn't dodge but instead continued forward and raised his hand.
The Lizardman's sword struck Erend's hands which were covered in red and black scales.
Then Erend raised his hand to fling both of their swords away. After that, he slammed his fist toward the two Lizardmans.
'BUAGH!'
'BUAGH!'
The two Lizardmans were flung back to the side of the Dark Mage.
"Pretty impressive," the Dark Mage said. "You have a strange power. But to what extent can the scale withstand my attacks?"
Then the Dark Mage spread his arms to the sides. Behind his body appeared ten energy balls with black and green colors.
Then the Dark Mage used his hands to control the ten balls of energy toward Erend.
Erend who didn't feel any fear immediately ran and hit the energy balls that were shooting at him.
However, as soon as Erend came into contact with the energy balls, the energy balls immediately exploded and threw Erend several meters away.
Three balls of energy exploded simultaneously sending Erend flying and falling with a loud thud. But it didn't stop there, another seven energy balls chased after Erend and instantly exploded around him.
The successive explosions created black and green smoke that mixed into one. The green smoke soared into the sky.
The humans who were doing their activities in the village were shocked to see the green and black smoke that looked unnatural. They immediately left what they were doing and ran into the house.
Erend jumped from the smoke that surrounded him. He turned to the Dark Mage who was still standing where he was.
The Dark Mage looked at Erend with curious eyes. Erend felt that the Dark Mage didn't use his full strength against him. Instead, he only intended to test Erend.
"Okay," Erend said. "Let's be a little more serious now."
Erend rushes towards the Dark Mage. This time the Dark Mage revived the two Lizardmans that Erend had previously hit and directed them to attack Erend again.
The Dark Mage stretched out his hand towards Erend. Then a magic circle was created in front of his palm.
Suddenly under Erend's Feet, the same magic circle was also created. The shocked Erend couldn't react quickly when from within the magic circle appeared black hands holding his legs and arms.
Meanwhile, the two Lizardmans had arrived in front of Erend. They immediately swung their swords simultaneously towards Erend's neck.
[ Skill activated: Fire Breath (Lv.1) ]
Erend opened his mouth then a conical flame burst out and enveloped the two Lizardmans.
The Dark Mage frowned. "Is that Dragon power?"
Erend then pulled his hands and feet from the entanglement of those black hands. But he couldn't do it because they ensnared quite strongly.
So Erend spits fire downwards, towards the magic circle where the hands came out.
As soon as it was hit by Erend's flames, the magic circle and the black hands caught fire and disappeared in an instant.
~~~