Inside the underground training hall of the Calone family mansion.
The head of the Calone family, Quinos Calone—a Seventh Floor Climber—stood at the center of the training arena. His feet were planted firmly on the special stone floor, where a circular mark had been carved by the pressure of his Aura, as if etched by an invisible blade.
Standing before him was a fifteen-year-old boy.
Merlin.
He faced Quinos with a steady gaze, his mind racing as he searched for a way to attack.
"…," Merlin swallowed hard. Though Quinos appeared relaxed, Merlin could not find a single opening. It felt as if thousands of invisible hands were poised to intercept any strike he attempted.
"High-ranking Climbers truly live up to their reputation," Merlin muttered, observing Quinos's flawless defense.
"But there's no harm in trying."
Merlin strengthened his legs, shifted his weight, and dashed toward Quinos, who remained calm and unmoved. To Quinos, Merlin posed no real threat.
Merlin threw a punch.
Thud.
His fist collided with something solid yet invisible. Merlin frowned as he realized his attack had been stopped by empty air surrounding Quinos. It was not air at all, but Aura—used as a natural shield to protect the user's body.
Merlin launched attack after attack, yet none reached Quinos. The Aura barrier flawlessly absorbed every blow.
Seeing his efforts fail, Merlin's expression darkened.
"How unfair—using a barrier just to fight a kid who hasn't even entered the academy," Merlin provoked, hoping to bait Quinos into dropping his guard.
"…Brat, it seems your only talent is irritating an old man," Quinos replied, taking the bait. He dismissed the Aura barrier, allowing direct contact.
Merlin smiled.
Once again, he rushed forward and struck Quinos's body.
"Take this!"
Merlin punched Quinos's abdomen.
"!!!"
His face froze in shock.
It felt as if he had punched a solid mountain.
Merlin unleashed a flurry of blows, yet Quinos did not flinch. To him, Merlin's attacks were little more than a tickle.
"…Go away," Quinos said calmly, bringing his middle finger and thumb together.
With a single flick—
Merlin's body was sent flying, slamming into the training hall wall several meters away.
"!!!"
Jane's face turned pale as she watched Merlin get blown away by nothing more than a flick.
"Merlin, are you alright?!" she cried, rushing to his side.
Merlin coughed up blood after colliding with the wall, struck by the power of a Seventh Floor Climber.
Even so, he smiled.
"…Why are you smiling? Stop this before Father gets serious," Jane said anxiously, alarmed by the overwhelming difference in power.
"No," Merlin wiped the blood from his lips and forced himself to stand.
He quietly cast a healing spell. Though imperfect, it slowly repaired his internal injuries.
"Old man… I succeeded, didn't I?" Merlin said with a grin, looking at Quinos, who had fallen silent.
"!" Jane froze.
She turned to Quinos, her eyes widening when she noticed that his back right foot had crossed the edge of the circle. She hadn't even seen it happen.
"What just happened?!" she whispered in disbelief. A Seventh Floor Climber had been pushed back—by a child.
"Brat…" Quinos said slowly.
He stood stunned for a moment, struggling to comprehend what had occurred.
"…How did you do that?" Quinos asked seriously.
The truth was simple.
When Quinos flicked his fingers, Merlin had applied the law of action and reaction. By releasing half of his Mana to reinforce his foundation, Merlin redirected the force back at Quinos.
Even so, that half of his Mana had only managed to push Quinos slightly—and Merlin himself was still sent flying. The gap in strength between them was unmistakable.
Merlin could only be grateful that this was not a real duel. Otherwise, he would have been dead in less than a second.
"…I simply returned a portion of your strength using my Mana," Merlin replied honestly.
"I never imagined Mana could be used that way," Quinos admitted, recognizing Merlin's ingenuity.
"…And I didn't know Aura could create such explosive force with just a flick," Merlin replied in turn.
"Very well. I acknowledge your strength," Quinos said at last.
As agreed, he accepted Merlin's plan.
"From this moment on, the Calone family will participate in the plan to destroy the Demon Faction," Quinos said with a smile.
"…," Jane let out a long breath, relief flooding her chest.
"So, what is your next move?" Quinos asked.
…
After leaving the Calone mansion, Merlin stood atop a tall building, overlooking Sirus City at night.
Cold air brushed against his skin, calming his mind.
"…Tomorrow," Merlin murmured. "Tomorrow is the day."
After reaching an agreement with Quinos, Merlin had explained the rest of his plan. He informed him that the Calone family would not act alone—the beggar network from the slums would also move, led by Kyran.
Though Quinos initially hesitated upon hearing Kyran's name, he eventually agreed after listening to Merlin's strategy.
As Merlin quietly admired the cityscape, a faint cry for help reached his ears.
The sound vanished quickly—but Merlin had heard it.
He turned toward the source and leapt down from the rooftop.
In a narrow alley, he spotted an unconscious woman being carried by a man in a brown robe.
Merlin's eyes widened.
He immediately moved to block the two robed figures, positioning himself in front of them.
"Hey brat, get out of my way!" one man shouted, pointing a dagger at Merlin.
"Put the woman down," Merlin said coldly.
"Don't try to play hero, kid!"
The man tried to scare him off.
"Hey, why don't we grab the brat too? He could be extra fuel for the ritual. The boss might like that," the man carrying the woman suggested.
Merlin frowned.
So it wasn't just a kidnapping.
No wonder… they're connected to Flaudis.
"That explains your strange behavior and clothes," Merlin muttered.
"!!!"
Both men froze when they realized the boy wasn't afraid.
"What are you waiting for? Grab him!" the carrier shouted.
The dagger-wielding man casually approached Merlin.
"Kid, don't resist. Come with Uncle," he said mockingly, raising his blade.
In the next instant—
Crackling sparks of lightning erupted around Merlin's body.
"Lightning Breakthrough Aura," Merlin whispered.
His body was instantly reinforced with lightning, doubling his speed.
In a blur, Merlin shattered the man's arm and seized the dagger.
Two seconds.
That was all it took to destroy the man's arm.
"Aaaaaa!!!"
The man screamed as his arm twisted unnaturally, blood spraying like water wrung from cloth.
"!!!"
The second man froze in shock.
Merlin calmly slashed the screaming man's throat.
In an instant, blood gushed out, and the hood fell back—revealing a young man with short brown hair. His body collapsed to the ground.
"…You bastard!" the remaining man roared.
"Die!"
He threw the woman aside and charged at Merlin with another dagger.
In a single lightning-traced movement, Merlin severed his neck.
Blood burst forth as the man's head separated from his body.
Merlin stood silently, staring at the scene.
This was the first time he had killed humans in his new life.
"…," he paused, blood dripping from his hands.
Memories of his past life surfaced—an era before the Tower, when humanity had been brutally oppressed by other races. An age of destruction.
Survival instincts awakened.
Merlin slid the dagger into his pants and extended his hands toward the corpses.
"Devour them."
His hands turned black, writhing eyes opening along the surface. From his palms emerged grotesque maws filled with jagged teeth, swallowing both bodies whole in a single gulp.
When it was over, his hands returned to normal.
Merlin absorbed fragments of their power. Arkan processed the remains, extracting memories from their minds—information tied directly to the Church of Rebecca and Pastor Flaudis's abductions.
Merlin's expression hardened.
"I won't let that man die peacefully," he said quietly.