Dark Fantasy Normalized-Chapter 82: The Burning Black Flame Dangaleon (1)

"They're planning a secret meeting in Bondales tomorrow—"

Lisir was the only one who managed to infer meaningful information from the letter. And there were some who reacted to his action—

"Wait—"

"Hand it over here."

It was none other than Balrod and Maldad.

Balrod was a renowned opponent of black magic, one of the very few even within the Red Tower.

And Maldad was a demon hunter whose authority had been recognized through his expertise in dealing with demons and their followers.

Normally, they were the ones who led others through overwhelming knowledge.

And yet, Lisir—

A young man who, by age alone, would barely be considered their junior or apprentice—had extracted critical information from the White Shade cult's correspondence.

While they themselves had gotten nowhere.

Had there been disciples present, they might have accepted the humiliation with dignity.

Of course, even without an audience, their pride was not spared.

Thick red eyebrows curved sharply along with their scowling expressions.

The eyes peeking out between Balrod’s black bangs glinted with a fierce light.

"Maldad. Hold it right there! I’ll look at it first and hand it over!!! Don’t be so hasty—"

"You're the hasty one—"

The two large men each grabbed one end of the letter with their thick, callused hands, shoving their faces in close together.

"Good grief."

Shakan, who had stepped back to watch the scene, let her long ears droop.

It was a spectacle in more ways than one.

Just how much time passed like that—?

"..."

Balrod finally released the letter with a displeased expression.

Now the letter was completely in Maldad’s possession, but he, too, frowned rather than rejoicing and put it down.

"Did you figure anything out?"

Shakan asked with a mischievous grin,

her expression plainly saying, I'm not even curious, I'm just asking to tease you two.

When else would she get the chance to see those two wearing expressions like men desperately holding in a shit?

It was a rare treat.

Sure enough,

Balrod and Maldad both smacked their lips in dissatisfaction.

Heh heh heh.

The beastkin warrior bared her sharp canines in a delighted laugh.

"..."

Meanwhile, Ran’s expression as she watched the whole scene was deeply complicated.

Who would have thought?

Among those four, the youngest—and frankly, still a greenhorn—Honorary Mage would end up performing the best.

She still couldn’t quite believe what was happening.

"Lisir."

Balrod’s gaze turned toward Lisir.

His square face trembled, making his already menacing features even more intimidating.

The mages of the Red Tower were infamous for their fiery tempers.

It was the natural consequence of their deep devotion to fire magic influencing their personalities.

Even among such flame-obsessed mages, Balrod was a special case.

As a disciple of the Red Tower’s Master,

he was considered the closest to the "Essence of Flame"—second only to the Master himself.

In short,

his personality wasn’t merely "like fire"—it was fire.

That much had already been made clear during the cultists' capture.

—"Kyaaaaagh!!!"

—"Don't rush my wrath, you worm-bastards!"

When several cultists belatedly realized the situation and tried to commit suicide,

Balrod had flown into a rage and turned their hands to ash on the spot.

And now a young mage had outperformed Balrod himself?

—Explain yourself in full, so I can be convinced how you reached that conclusion!!! If you acted rashly without sufficient grounds, you will be held accountable!

Normally, Lisir would have been forced into a process practically indistinguishable from interrogation.

"I’ll say it upfront, I have no intention of disputing your conclusion..."

But now—

Balrod was practically groveling before Lisir.

Though he trembled like a kettle about to boil over with its own fury, he ultimately chose to show respect.

Lisir had proven too much for him to belittle just for the sake of saving face.

Balrod thought to himself:

If Lisir hadn’t been there,

would they really have caught the White Shade cult's secret ritual in time to save the victims?

Probably—

—Of course not, you worthless human worm! If you had tried that with Chwinnie's blessing, I would’ve—

"Will you shut up already."

...No.

It would have been impossible.

Thus unfolded a truly astonishing sight.

"Would you teach me how you interpreted the letter...?"

The "Red Spear" of the Red Tower bowed his head, asking a young mage for instruction.

"...I, too, dare to ask."

Maldad followed with a slight bow.

And they weren’t the only ones.

Shakan and Ran also gazed at Lisir with wide eyes filled with curiosity.

The suspicion that had once been directed at Lisir had completely evaporated.

"It’s really not a big deal,"

Lisir said at last.

His voice was remarkably calm.

For a moment, they almost thought, Maybe it really isn't anything special.

"There was something I read in a book once, about the writing system used in this letter.

It just happened to come to mind."

During his time in Vendel,

Lisir had devoured countless miscellaneous books at the Highyeren Library’s annex, desperate for any means to earn a living.

The book he was referring to now was one he had come across back then.

That was why Lisir himself still felt a little dazed.

It wasn’t some rare or exclusive knowledge—

even an illegitimate child like himself had stumbled across it without much difficulty.

And yet these so-called "experts"

had reacted as if they had never even heard of it.

"There’s such a book?"

"Would you mind telling us the title?"

Balrod and Maldad's eyes shone with anticipation and curiosity.

"Let’s see... I think it had a peculiar title, something like [Legacy Codex: Daronan]."

"..." "..."

Balrod and Maldad’s expectant gazes froze solid all at once.

"How did you... read that book?"

"Excuse me? Oh, the library annex in the city I used to live in—"

"No, that's not what I meant—no, even before that, why—no..."

The demon hunter turned into a broken parrot, repeating only "no."

Eventually,

Balrod and Maldad turned to stare blankly at each other.

Why is he still normal?

That’s what their faces seemed to say.

***

Succession Codex, you say?

Another outrageous topic just popped up.

You’re not telling me... you actually read the Succession Codex, are you?

Hahaha! Of course not. No way you did. Naturally, you couldn’t have.

If you had actually read it, you wouldn’t be standing there before me, looking at me with those deer-like eyes, asking about the Succession Codex.

The Succession Codex refers to seven volumes authored by the ancient mage Yel Kanuer—they're called phenomena.

Yes, phenomena, not books.

Some people call them grimoires or forbidden tomes, but personally, I strongly disagree.

After all, what kind of forbidden tome or grimoire has a will of its own and roams the world, forcibly superimposing itself over other books?

These phenomena exist wherever books exist. Even that naughty magazine you have hidden under your bed could be overwritten by a Succession Codex.

The knowledge contained in a true Succession Codex is... "invaluable" doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Ancient, lost knowledge—just imagining it is enough to make one’s heart race, isn’t it?

For example, the [Succession Codex: Daronan] deals with the Daronan language—the foundation of all magical systems.

If you ever mastered Daronan, your understanding of certain types of magic would skyrocket.

Take black magic, for instance. In fact, Daronan is especially suited to black magic.

For that reason, many black mages choose to base their spellwork on Daronan.

But, did you know?

Most black mages only know a half-baked version of Daronan.

Why?

Because the most detailed treatment of the Daronan language exists nowhere else but in the [Succession Codex: Daronan].

Exactly.

Even the lunatics known for dabbling in black magic—if ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) they read the Succession Codex, they’d lose their minds.

The Codex wipes everything from a reader’s mind except the knowledge contained within it.

Even how to speak, how to communicate, even how to breathe.

Sometimes, you find them. People dead with notebooks clutched in their hands, eyes wide open.

Just as books can be overwritten by the Succession Codex, so too can humans.

At least a book overwritten by the Codex can still be read. But what are you supposed to do with a human overwritten by it?

So—if you ever come across a Succession Codex, it’s better not to get curious.

What should you do instead?

Hmm.

Ah! Maybe give it as a present to someone you don’t like?

— The Crawling Library, Elloran (Dialogue Keyword: Succession Codex)

***

"Is something wrong?"

Balrod and Maldad fell into deep contemplation.

How were they supposed to react to this?

—As expected of Chwinnie!!! To think he remained sane even after reading a Succession Codex!!!

Conveniently, the demon provided a clear answer.

"No! No problem at all!"

"To have read a Succession Codex... you are truly extraordinary!"

They exclaimed brightly, their eyes completely out of focus.

"..."

Lisir felt an inexplicable chill.

—Truly, Chwinnie is of a different class than these pitiful human worms!

"I’m one of those pitiful human worms, though."

—Please, don’t belittle yourself!

"..."

Lisir ignored Dangaleon and turned back to the group.

"Should I just tell you the letter's contents directly?"

"No, no!!!"

"Absolutely not! Just summarize it for us!"

Balrod and Maldad recoiled violently, stepping away from him. Ran and Shakan hurriedly backed away too. Even the cultists, who had been rolling around on the floor, tumbled further away from Lisir.

"Agh."

Lisir felt a deeply unjust sense of isolation.

Amidst that, Ran spoke up.

"For now, let’s retreat. I’ll arrange for the transfer of the victims and the captured cultists."

***

Back at Ran’s estate, Lisir immediately summarized the contents of the letter for them.

The letter specified the location and time of the secret meeting—but beyond that, it contained no additional detailed information.

For example—

"We can’t just move recklessly."

At Shakan’s words, the others nodded grimly.

They recalled Goldina, the White Shade priest they’d encountered at the secret site. He had chosen death before he even properly engaged in battle.

But just before the confrontation, he had displayed a desperate power—and strength.

If they had split up their forces for the search... if any individual had been forced to face Goldina alone...

At least one member of the group would have suffered grievous injuries.

The letter Goldina carried had been passed down directly from above.

Which meant: at the meeting location indicated in the letter, forces stronger than Goldina were likely waiting.

They couldn’t guarantee the safety of the entire group.

A heavy silence settled over them.

Finally, Shakan spoke up cautiously.

"I think it’s about time I stepped away."

"I, too, find it difficult to get any more deeply involved."

"Same here."

Their original commission from Ran had been to interrogate the demon and track the suspicious forces presumed to be demon followers.

An all-out war against the White Shade cult was a completely different matter—a high-risk situation where they’d have to stake their lives.

"..."

Thus, if Ran wished to secure further cooperation from them, she would have to promise them much greater compensation, and formally request their support.

However—

Even City Councilor Ran had her limits.

No matter her status, she couldn’t just freely bring that much military force into the city.

Thus, Ran had only one choice left: Hand over the investigation to the city guards.

Like handing a painstakingly prepared feast to another councilor.

"..."

"Damn it."

Ran muttered under her breath, biting her lip.

At that moment—

"Hey, Dangaleon."

Lisir called out, tapping the black crystal orb.

"You got anything else to tell us?"

—...

"Huh?"

No response.

The crystal was now completely empty.

***

It worked. It worked!

The burning black flame Dangaleon exulted inwardly.

While they were momentarily distracted, he had successfully transferred his consciousness into another seal stone.

He had to abandon most of his power in the process, but it was a necessary sacrifice.

If he had stayed near that "Chwinnie," he might have ended up just like it.

'Damn it. Damn it! Damn it!!!'

Dangaleon writhed in humiliation.

For a being like him to be toyed with in the palm of a mere human—

Unacceptable. Utterly unacceptable.

Thus, revenge was inevitable.

Everything would be repaid—in full.

Dangaleon focused his mind. And immediately, information from around the seal stone flooded into him.

His sight was limited due to his weakened state— but the voices and presence nearby were unmistakable.

One high-ranking priest, above Goldina’s level. Three priests around Goldina’s level.

Goldina had said before: a White Shade force carrying parts of the remaining seal stones would soon arrive.

These were likely the ones Goldina had been meant to meet.

"Dangaleon."

A voice called out to him.

"Why are you here? What happened to the ritual?"

The owner of the voice was the high-ranking priest, even more powerful than Goldina.

Hearing the lack of reverence in that voice, Dangaleon felt a surge of disgust—but he understood.

The priest served a being of a higher rank than Dangaleon.

The ritual—

Dangaleon tried to confess.

City Councilor Ran. Shakan of the Thunderstride Tribe. Balrod of the Red Tower. Maldad the demon hunter. And Lisir, the Honorary Mage of the Gray Tower.

They had disrupted the ritual. Goldina had been forced to commit suicide.

—...

But the words wouldn’t come out.

Why?

Dangaleon immediately realized the reason. frёewebnoѵēl.com

—Chwinnie!

He remembered the voice of a certain innocent girl.

"Bow your heads, worms! Welcome the night! I, the Sand Mountain that shrouds the Sun, hereby strip you of all your rights!"

He remembered the thunderous roar of a tremendous being.

"It’s nothing special, just that I read a Succession Codex."

Lastly, he heard Chwinnie's dull-witted voice echoing again.

'Malthael...'

He recalled the name. The being served by the high priest standing nearby.

'Kalas... Golia...'

Above Malthael, there were two demons.

And above them—

'...Berbandes.'

At that moment, another priest’s voice broke the air.

"Lord Koje, we have found a fragment of the One."

Dangaleon realized it.

He had been nothing more than bait.

Their true goal was to manifest Malthael in Bondales.

Dangaleon's resurrection had merely been a ploy to buy time.

'...'

Faced with such an unbearable truth, the first emotions Dangaleon felt weren’t rage or humiliation.

But doubt—and worry.

Could even Malthael withstand that thing... when Berbandes had already fallen?

***

—Chwinnie!!!

"What, you came back again?"

The burning black flame Dangaleon—

Using his omnipotent demonic power,he calculated faster than light.

—Of course I came back!

Where else would I belong but at Chwinnie's feet!

"Where did you even go?"

—I scouted their camp for you!

"Wow, you can actually do that? That’s impressive."

A gaze looking down from above.

Dangaleon trembled with fury at the arrogance of a human.

'Why... why am I like this...!'

And yet—

a part of him tingled with a shameful, undeniable joy.

—Chwinnie!!!

Inside the crystal, the swirling black mist seemed faintly lighter—tinged with a shade of gray.