Chapter 72: The Twin-Headed Eagle

Chapter 72: The Twin-Headed Eagle

"Looks like our leader has no intention of helping us..."

"Then we'll have to do it ourselves."

"Damn it..." Aidan couldn’t help but curse under his breath, his frustration palpable. He cast a bitter smile as he glanced back, his eyes flickering with a mix of resignation and determination.

I can't believe I ended up raiding a dungeon. Zouk would faint from shock if she heard about this.

Following Karyl began as mere curiosity and skepticism, but before he knew it, Aidan found himself moving according to the other's plans.

I’ll just keep my head down for now... Aidan thought with resignation. He watched as Karyl observed him, arms crossed, as if testing his abilities. Aidan tightened his grip on his dagger.

I have no choice.

Taking a deep breath, Aidan turned his head and called out, "Mikhail."

"Yes?"

"How many times can you use Blades of Wind?"

Maintaining a safe distance from the Twin-Headed eagle, Mikhail answered with a tension, "Up to five times, but after that, due to mana depletion, I won't be able to move at all. So practically, four times is my limit..."

"Four times, huh..." Aidan bit his lip, deep in thought.

[Hey, are you sure this is a good idea? Those two don't seem like they can handle it.] Allen voiced his concern, appearing uneasy.

However, Karyl's eyes gleamed with anticipation as he observed Aidan.

It's starting.

Although his current abilities may fall short of his previous life's, there's at least one thing that hasn't changed: his habits.

It's still there. Aidan’s habit of biting his lip signaled that he was serious. He must think there's no point in hiding anymore.

Regardless of the reason, what mattered was the chance to accurately gauge Aidan's current capabilities.

I have high hopes for you. Depending on how you perform, it can change the difficulty of taking control of the South.

Mikhail had exceptional talent, having reached the 3rd Class, but had limited practical experience in magic.

With close to virtually no practical magic experience, in order to fight alongside Mikhail, you'll need to pull more than your own weight,

Karyl watched intently as Aidan readied himself.

Let's see. The continent's greatest assassin can't possibly be inferior to Mikhail's talent.

Whish—!!

As if responding to his thoughts, Aidan's figure blurred and vanished, leaving Mikhail standing in confusion right beside him, unable to spot him. Aidan, ran along the wall, his body low to the ground, and dove into the territory of the Twin-Headed eagle.

Whoosh-!!

As he spread his hand and lightly brushed over his ankles. A faint sky-blue light emanated from both of his legs and then disappeared.

That's...Wing Step.

Wing Step, a wind element auxiliary magic, was a spell that enhanced the user's movements to the maximum. It was a 2nd Class spell that many sorcerers chose to avoid due to its high difficulty in controlling the resultant speed. As a result, it had become forgotten and overlooked by most.

Even Mikhail, who shared the same element, had given up on learning it. However, for Aidan, whose physical strength was a limitation for most sorcerers, Wing Step had become one of his specialties.

"Mikhail!! I'll distract the head. Follow my lead and cast your magic!" Aidan shouted down from his position above the Twin-Headed Eagle's head.

"Y-Yes!!" Mikhail responded, quickly grabbing his staff and channeling his magical power.

"Auxiliary Acceleration!" Aidan called out the spell, hovering dangerously close to the eagle's beak.

At the same time, Mikhail's staff glowed, gathering shining bubbles of light around him.

"The next spell is the Eagle Eye!"

"Yes!!"

Aidan, his focus fixed on the Twin-Headed eagle, had already timed the chanting of the next spell in his head, immediately relaying the information to Mikhail as soon as soon as one spell ended.

"After the Haste spell ends, finish with Mana Impact! The spell must not be broken at any cost!"

Karyl chuckled at his question.

It’s just as you said, we might not know for sure, but when it comes to auxiliary magic, he's exceptional. What do you think? Don't you want to try training Aidan along with Mikhail? Karyl asked with a hint of expectation.

But Allen shook his head firmly. [Mikhail and that young man have different innate physical abilities. No matter what, that guy won't be able to overcome the 4th Class barrier. It would be better if you trained him.]

Really? So, even a Great sorcerer can't do anything about it, huh?

[Hmph... Mana isn't everything. But, well, there is a way. Feeding him the best quality elemental stone suited for him might work, an octagonal stone might break through the barrier, but those aren't easy to come by.]

Hmm... Wind elemental stones aren't easy to find... I may be able to get one or two, but...

Allen Javius looked incredulous at Karyl's nonchalant response.

Just as you said, it’s quite a difficult decision. Whether to give Aidan one will require some thought. He's already capable of holding his own as it is.

[You can obtain octagonal stones? Two of them, even? It was difficult even during the Magic Era! Just who are you?]

I guess I'll have to observe a bit longer. I’ll decide whether to continue using him in the South then.

[...I fear you]

Just then, the dungeon shook with a heavy sound. Aidan emerged from within the Twin-Headed Eagle’s lifeless body, covered in blood, his breathing ragged.

Step by step, he wiped the blood off his dagger onto his clothes and presented the severed head of the Twin-Headed Eagle to Karyl.

"Huff... Huff... Huff..." Aidan struggled to catch his breath, seemingly devoid of strength to speak. He seemed like a completely different person from before. The man standing before Karyl was no longer the clumsy and careless individual they once knew, but someone exuding the presence of a well-honed blade.

"You did it."

"Yes."

"I knew you would."

"...”

Though the atmosphere in the dungeon should have been filled with jubilation, a cold tension seemed to hang between Karyl and Aidan. Mikhail, observing the exchange, appeared lost, uncertain of how to react.

"Just how much do you know?"

"Know about what?"

"I can't go on like this. I have no idea how far you'll go in exploiting me if I just let things be."

Karyl replied, an amused smile playing on his lips. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"If we bring back the monster's head, they won't just let us walk away. The southern barbarians only understand power."

"And?"

"You're planning to pit me against them again, aren't you? Until your sword reaches their leader's throat. I suppose I'll have to fight to the death."

"Not to the death. At most, three encounters."

"..."

"I can't shake the feeling that I'm just a pawn in your game." Aidan's gaze seemed to say that hiding behind a mask was now pointless.

"Really?" Karyl's tone shifted from jest to a more serious note. "And what about you? How many lives have you taken? If we're both using each other, wouldn’t it be better to be killing monsters rather than people?"

Aidan was taken aback, his confusion evident. "What do you mean?"

Karyl lightly patted Aidan’s blood-soaked shoulder. "It's all the same. I knew from the beginning that you weren't just some runaway slave. As long as you’re still on his side, it’s best if we don’t delve too deep into each other’s secrets."

"...!!"

Aidan’s mind raced. Is he talking about the Second Prince Olivurn? Does he really know everything, not just that I'm from the Empire?

While Aidan struggled to make sense of the conversation, Mikhail, unable to grasp its full meaning, watched the interaction with a sense of bewilderment.

As if nothing was amiss, Karyl lightly tapped Aidan and Mikhail's shoulders. "Let's savor this partnership a little longer. Think it over slowly. But if you're going to be stained with blood, stand on the side that you can be proud of."

At that moment, Aidan's once resolute gaze flickered, revealing a hint of certainty.

"I'll pave that path for you."