Bear School Astartes

Faced with Lann and Sirius, Fodolink had no chance at all.

Lann’s act of grabbing the edge of his Shield was merely using his own observational and action skills to accelerate Fodolink’s process of failure.

But the Demon Hunter never caused any harm to Fodolink from start to finish.

It was always Sirius using that Thorn Sword enchanted with the to attack.

She stabbed over and over, her movements consistently stable and swift, but the emotion in her eyes... just watching her, you felt like she was about to fall apart.

”Snap.”

Having confirmed the death of Fodolink, his helpless body collapsed onto the ground.

Lann also let go of the hand clutching the Dusk Shield, his arm dropping with the Shield into the shallow water on the ground, creating a small splash.

Sirius and Lann remained silent.

The Female Knight silently looked at her grandfather on the ground for a long time, before finally stepping forward to remove his Sword, Shield, and Armor.

The Undead cannot be killed, but as long as Fodolink is stripped of this armament, his threat diminishes instantly.

This was also part of the agreement Sirius was fulfilling.

Afterward, the two silently left the stone cavern, standing on the hillside by the cliff of the Undead Settlement.

Lann leaned against the cliff wall nearby, watching as Sirius threw the Sword, Shield, and Armor off the cliff.

”Goodnight, Grandpa.”

The Female Knight of the Land of Dusk softly spoke as she watched the equipment fall into the abyss, a tone akin to relief in her voice.

In the mountain wind, her white veil hanging from her silver headdress fluttered as she turned to look at the Demon Hunter behind her.

”It’s truly regrettable pulling you into my mission... No, my insignificant promise. Also, thank you.”

”With this, my grandfather can finally rest, and so can I. But before that, I have one request... Please allow me to swear—to follow you as a Knight.”

The expression Sirius bore while speaking was one Lann had only seen on one type of person—one whose heart was dead.

Stabbing her grandfather’s chest with the Thorn Sword herself, not just once... It was indeed enough to break someone.

”You wish to die, yet you want to retain the identity and honor of a Knight in death.”

Lann leaned against the mountain wall, still, speaking calmly.

”But a Knight intent on dying cannot help me.”

The Demon Hunter’s words carried a coldness not previously present, devoid of any warmth.

”You mean...” Sirius calmly looked down at the abyss before her, ”you still need me?”

”You’re very useful, you possess many miracles, you’re a skilled swordsman, so yes, I need you. Alive.”

Lann spoke, gazing at her back.

”I hurried and helped along this journey, not so you could peacefully die, Sirius.”

”If you want to become my Knight, then at least... make sure I didn’t come here for nothing?”

The mountain wind carried a sense of bleakness and desolation.

But after a brief silence, Sirius slowly nodded, then approached Lann, kneeling.

Lann’s leg twitched, as if instinctively wanting to dodge, but in the end, he restrained the thought.

Sirius kneeled before him, holding up Lann’s hand, pressing it against her forehead, murmuring softly.

”Oh, thank you... Sirius from this moment becomes your Knight.”

”Whenever, wherever, even against the world, my loyalty shall not waver. ...May your journey be sheltered by the moon.”

”Then now, you are my Knight.”

Lann helped Sirius up, gazing into the cool eyes beneath the Land of Dusk’s headdress.

”You understand what this means, right?”

”Until you find me useless, I must stay alive?”

”Exactly.”

”...As you command, my lord.”

-----------------

After resolving Sirius’s promise, they soon returned to the Profound Church.

In this era, where the First Flame briefly extinguished, it was a rare sanctuary indeed.

Conicus from the Great Swamp had also taken advantage of this time to make the journey.

Being introduced by Lann, he was not met with any trouble, though Leonard was quite frustrated with Lann’s demeanor, now he only let Hazel watch over him.

However, given Hazel’s innate friendliness, by the time Lann returned with Sirius again, the Curse Master was already very familiar with the Magic-proficient Hazel.

Not knowing if he was lying, the Elder Curse Master was not permitted to ascend to the second floor of the Profound Church before Lann returned, only sitting on the ground in the hall.

Thus, when Lann returned, he and Hazel noticed him immediately.

”Ah, you’ve returned, my apprentice.”

The Elder Curse Master first uttered an aged laugh.

Lann and Sirius approached, and the Demon Hunter smiled askingly.

”You seem quite persistent with the title?”

”Not only persistent with the title but also determined to teach you skills.”

Conicus spoke frankly, shrugging in his seated position on the ground.

”The most crucial relationship among Great Swamp Curse Masters is the master-apprentice bond. In this world now, if there’s anything I’m still determined about, it’s finding a disciple and teaching them magic.”

”Come, when it comes to Curse Magic, flames are indispensable. Be careful now, don’t let yourself be burned away by the flames.”

As he spoke, Conicus extended his left hand, where a wisp of flame floated and flickered.

It seemed he wanted to split a part of his own flame, offering it as a spark to his disciple.

But Lann frowned slightly.

”Conicus, I understand your desire to take on a disciple, and I am willing to learn Magic, but... forgive me for not making it clear earlier. I am about to leave here soon, so if you truly want someone to stay by your side and learn, I’m afraid I won’t be suitable.”

If it’s just knowledge transmission, Lann was confident.

But learning Curse Magic appears to require a predecessor to split a seed from their power to pass on to the disciple...

”Leave here?”

Conicus seemed a bit surprised as well. After all, the weakening of the First Flame is a global issue, where could you possibly go?

But the Elder Curse Master looked at Lann, who didn’t seem to be joking.

So, after smacking his lips, Conicus still did not take back his hand.

”I can’t distinguish whether my current feelings are truly wanting to find a disciple to cultivate or if I am already mired in a fixation, Lann.”

In today’s world, calling it the apocalypse seems accurate. Living in such circumstances, people more or less have to set some thought in their minds to keep going.

Conicus’s thought is the master-disciple relationship and skill inheritance of the Great Swamp.

The raven-like Curse Master raised his left hand forward again and chuckled.

”Don’t feel like you owe me anything. It’s just the basic Curse Fire. For me, splitting off a flame is quite simple. Having another disciple is a big gain for me.”

Seeing Conicus persist even after knowing his departure, Lann stepped forward, extending his own left hand.

Within the self-willed flickering flame, a small spark split and transferred to Lann’s palm.

Lann felt a heat in his palm, which almost instantly shot up his arm through the blood vessels.

Finally, it spread from the arm to the entire torso.

An unusual supernatural power surged into the body, briefly busying the super organs from the Interstellar Warrior surgery.

The vitality of the Genetic Seed, Second Heart, and Holy Chant Gland began to enhance, raising body temperature.

This is the self-regulating ability of the super organ at work.

Mentos data-fied this process, presenting physiological indicators on the main body’s retina.

However, it seemed the Curse Fire didn’t have much impact on the bodily level, and even improved the coordination between Lann’s super organs and normal organs.

The series of internal reactions lasted less than two minutes.

Externally, Lann’s skin reddened slightly, quickly calming down, as if illuminated by the firelight of the Curse Fire.

As Lann clenched his left hand, the spark in his palm extinguished.

This serves as obtaining the catalyst necessary for releasing Magic — the Curse Fire.

Just like using a Magic Staff to release magic, or needing a Holy Bell or talisman to cast miracles. It is a necessity of this world’s casting system.

”Oh, looks like you’ve grasped it. Very well, isn’t this talented!”

Conicus laughed joyfully, then handed over a book bound by scattered sheepskin scrolls.

It’s called a book, but it doesn’t even have binding strings.

”This is my Great Swamp Spellbook, recording the Curse Magic of the Great Swamp. Since you are leaving soon, I can’t teach you at all times, you must read it yourself. However, I must remind you, my disciple...”

Conicus was satisfied with taking on a disciple but then revealed a meaningful smile with a warning.

”The so-called Curse Magic is the worship of flames. Exploring more mysterious flames will be good for your Curse Magic practice. But also remember, be in awe of flames.”

”In the past, the origin of Curse Magic — Izalis, was destroyed by the flames she created. That may have been ’Chaos,’ the distorted flames of ancient Divine Beings — the Witches of Izalis.”

”That conflagration twisted life, birthing a deformed species — demons. The witches themselves were also twisted by the flames, wretched beyond description.”

After the serious warning, Conicus reverted to his chuckling demeanor.

”Ah, having a new disciple, passing on the Curse Fire and the Great Swamp Spellbook, it’s truly satisfying!”

”Though you are leaving, there will always be a return, disciple? Don’t slack off on your practice. When you return, I might have found new Curse Magic. At that time, let’s learn and teach each other.”

”Certainly.” Lann slightly bowed to Conicus, and the Elder Curse Master casually bent in response, ”If there’s an opportunity, of course.”

Conicus and Sirius, as rare rational humans of this era, didn’t refuse when Lann entrusted him to Leonard.

After all, manpower is precious, not to mention one is a Curse Master, the other a Knight of the Land of Dusk.

Time became obscure amid the weakening flames.

But later, Gwen Aveya in the Profound Church still unraveled the harm of White Dragon crystal knowledge to the Divine Child through the Crystal Holy Bell left by Lann.

The team in the Profound Church began to gather things, setting off to Ilyushil, the true homeland of the Sunshine Princess.

In the dim and ambiguous sunlight, on the rear mountain of Losric, linked to the Ash Cemetery of the Fire Transmission Altar, a heavy stone coffin was opened from inside.

A hero dressed in simple yet sturdy Knight Armor sat up from the stone coffin.

The fire of this world has gradually extinguished, and no king’s shadow is seen.

Someone must hunt the Lords, bring back the kindling, and inherit the flame.

{[Miracle · Lightning Repayment]: This is a miracle granted only when the Divine Child concurrently serves as the Pope.

No matter the thunder, it can be returned intact in agile leaps with feet not touching the ground. Commanding thunder has always been one of the ancient manifestations of authority.

A miracle not very versatile, nowadays more meaningfully passed on as a ’symbol of identity.’

This was the story before the end of the old era, when the God King hadn’t yet ascended to the throne, nor had he obtained legitimate law.

It is said that this was from a very distant time.}