Chapter 12 – The Activities of an F-Grade Troublemaker 5

The flame that started at a point became a line that spread sideways, eventually forming a surface.

The fire, now so large it was impossible to discern where it started, strangely did not engulf us.

As if it had its own consciousness.

While observing this spectacle, Sylvia Renen, who had regained her senses, asked me a question.

“What is this…? No, a Magic Realm isn’t like this!”

I responded to her.

“Don’t expect common sense in a Magic Realm. It’s an old saying, isn’t it? If you plan rigidly, you’ll struggle to cope.”

“So you came here without a plan?”

“No, there was a plan. I just had another plan prepared in case of failure.”

Sylvia Renen pressed me for answers.

“Then what is this flame for? We don’t know how it might be altered by the source of the Magic Realm…!”

The reason for the saying ‘Don’t rely on common sense in a Magic Realm’ is simple.

In a Magic Realm, the natural environment changes due to its source.

Ordinary drinking water might suddenly turn into poison.

A normal animal might become a ferocious beast that tears humans apart.

Rain, the source of life, could dissolve people.

Wind could skin people alive.

A Magic Realm changes due to the things exposed to its source.

Therefore, if this fire is influenced by the source of the Magic Realm, it could become even more threatening than it is now.

‘In theory, if nothing is touched, it won’t change, but it’s human intervention and new elements brought in that cause change.’

Of course, I’m probably the only one who knows that, having read the settings written by the game developers.

Even attempting to observe it can alter a Magic Realm.

“After humans became aware of a Magic Realm’s environment, they avoided causing quick changes in it. If the source of the Magic Realm is removed, it will disappear on its own, and rapid environmental changes mean we need to devise new ways to cope.”

“Knowing that, why would you…”

“That’s the only way to find the source.”

“Huh?”

“The weakest Magic Realm, the Moon’s Magic Realm. Its source is an ancient dragon, the oldest living creature currently alive. The Moon’s Magic Realm is the territory of an ancient dragon. It barely reacts to minor changes due to its old age.”

“What does that mean?”

“We don’t rapidly change the environment of the Magic Realm. Based on this premise, despite the Moon’s Magic Realm being the most actively investigated for its source, it has never been discovered. There hasn’t been any destructive activity intense enough to find the barrier set by the dragon.”

Dragons are territorial creatures.

Except during mating seasons, they create a lair and claim the surrounding area as their territory.

However, if a dragon lives too long, its power gradually transforms its surroundings into a Magic Realm.

It was rare for a dragon to live that long.

It made sense that the Magic Realm seemed frozen in time, considering the dragon’s nature.

“So if we ‘invade’ the Magic Realm like this, it will surely appear. The source of this Magic Realm and our target to hunt.”

To summon the dragon, the Magic Realm must be destroyed.

It was a moment when the actions of an arsonist were justified.

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Raei  Translations
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The woods burned.

A naturally formed dam collapsed.

The earth was dug up.

Trees were uprooted.

Utilizing all the lessons of human-induced natural destruction I learned in modern society, we began to devastate the habitat.

Soon, the ground shook.

Kuuuuuuung—

“This vibration…!”

It was the sound heralding the start of battle.

I told everyone to brace themselves.

“The battle will start soon. Although not dragons, the beasts that dwell in this land will move according to the dragon’s will.”

As the ground vibrated and the sky trembled.

From somewhere, the sound of a large army advancing could be heard.

Despite only hearing the sound, the feeling of an army surging forward was overwhelming.

The very earth that should have been solidly supporting our lower bodies was now convulsing, refusing to hold us.

The cause was easy to tell.

The Magic Realm was already burnt or shattered to the extent that the horizon was visible.

I looked in the direction of the sound.

The horizon, not fitting the term, appeared rugged and uneven.

“They’re coming.”

And what we faced was…

Countless beasts altered by the dragon’s magic.

The Moon’s Magic Realm, the weakest of all.

However, the reason the ancient dragon, the final boss of this Magic Realm, became a mid-game boss in WFS was simple.

Because in one field, all the mobs had to be hunted by just 40 people in a short time.

Each mob wasn’t particularly strong, but their numbers were vast and fierce, and some variants boasted strength befitting a mid-game enemy.

Facing such a massive horde of beasts, we prepared for the upcoming battle.

“I’m preparing magic, try to push the beasts inside!”

Sylvia Renen shouted loudly.

Theseus, Elia Adonis, and I are all knights.

And knights, unless they learn a wide-ranging attack through Aura Awakening, have limited means to attack widely.

Aura Awakening is also individual, refining one’s desires through aura into a technique, so there’s no guarantee it will result in a wide-ranging skill.

I’m a prime example.

My Awakening skill carries a high risk and is not a wide-ranging attack.

Centered around Sylvia Renen’s staff, a massive magic circle, large enough to cover half our bodies, activated.

We naturally turned our backs to the magic circle and faced the beasts.

Thud—

Elia’s sword rushed towards the altered pack of wolves charging at us.

No matter how tough the body, its origin was also due to aura.

The pack of wolves was sliced apart by a real sword enveloped in aura, as if they were mere ingredients.

Some of the more intelligent creatures attempted to flank us, but we, humans, who have risen to the top of all creatures with our superior intelligence, were well protected by the spreading fire.

‘As expected. Unlike in the game, the beasts fear the fire.’

In the game, the beasts ignored fire damage and charged from all directions, pressuring us.

All the mobs did.

But this was reality, not a game, and many things were different, including the behavior of the Magic Realm’s beasts.

‘Of course, there are significant drawbacks too…’

Unlike the game, where you were fine until your health reached zero, here, you become disadvantaged the moment you take damage.

There’s no such thing as a one-sided advantage.

“Don’t let your guard down too much. There might be beasts on the other side of the fire too. Influenced by the dragon, they might attack us ignoring their fear of fire!”

Still, just to be cautious, we prepared for the worst.

Theseus blocked the wolves’ attacks with his long sword.

Elia, capitalizing on her speed, targeted the necks of wolves whose attacks were blocked.

I guarded Sylvia Renen’s side while she chanted her magic.

I repelled approaching beasts, protecting her as much as possible.

“Crepitus (Explosion)”

As Sylvia Renen uttered these words, the magic circle at the end of her staff began to glow.

Kwaaaang—

Where the magic circle passed, no beast remained.

It was a disaster unfolding rapidly, like watching the aftermath of my arson in fast forward.

Only pieces of meat were left in its wake.

“It’s not over yet!”

But the creatures we had faced were relatively weak ones like wolves and leopards.

Powerful, but not considered apex predators in the ecosystem.

And then, the truly fierce beasts, completely transformed, began to approach from a distance.

“Bears, tigers, lions… why are all these together in one place?”

“Don’t try to apply common sense in the Magic Realm.”

Leaving the leopards and wolves behind, creatures that once ruled the earth before humans used aura appeared.

A bear stood on its hind legs, swinging its front paws at a human.

Just like I had seen on the internet, I dodged the bear’s swipe with a ducking move and immediately slashed its head.

“Lux (Light)”

After roughly assessing the bear’s defense, I immediately extended my index finger and chanted a spell.

Ziiing—

A white flash emanating from the tip of my left index finger covered the surroundings.

Naturally, the beasts were confused, unable to cope with the sudden light blinding their vision.

I used the light, which dictates the flow of time in the world, to blind my opponents, unilaterally stealing their time.

Though humans, being animals themselves, would normally be blinded, Elia and I are knights who have reached the state of Aura Ace.

We can use the sensory restriction technique taught by Professor Maximilian, just like he does.

“Vision is blocked, but not touch, so finish them off quickly, Elia!”

“I know!”

With those words, several more beasts had their throats slit.

Sylvia Renen shouted again.

“Everyone, fall back!”

Hearing her command, the two of us returned to Sylvia Renen’s side.

She chanted another powerful spell.

“Delirium (Confusion)”

Wiiiiiing—

The space around her staff, like the inverse background applied on a smartphone, began to spread into the world with inverted colors.

The space, where all colors became complementary, appeared like a computer screen with a broken display.

This spread-out space reached the beasts, and their reactions changed.

Beasts that had shown teamwork just moments ago to defend their territory against our invasion now looked at each other strangely.

Normally, these creatures would have attacked us without fighting among themselves.

However, those affected by the color inversion and those who weren’t began to see each other as different entities.

And the result was predictable.

Internal strife.

As if they couldn’t tolerate each other’s existence, they began to fight to the death.

For a while, our genre changed from survival to an animal kingdom.

When the final victor emerged, the genre changed once more.

To a melodrama.

Standing victorious after subduing everyone was a lion.

The lion was a valiant warrior, slaughtering all living beings with its powerful claws and teeth in an impressive display.

But the lion was also just a beast.

Creaking—

As the last remaining wounded lion whimpered, begging for its life.

I quickly ended its suffering, to spare it further pain.

Thud—

After everything was over, I looked around.

The corpses of beasts, and something burning.

The blood-stained earth and we, seamlessly blending with it, as if there was no discordance.

The beasts here were weak, and the fire took care of most of them.

Had we faced them head-on, we would have met the same fate as these creatures.

“Is it… all over now?”

Elia, tired, asked if it was the end.

But there was still one step left.

“One more remains. The biggest one. Our purpose for coming here.”

Now, the dragon had no more means left.

We had conquered everything.

It had created the Magic Realm to restrict human access as much as possible.

Moreover, it weakened the Magic Realm’s environment, so intelligent beings wouldn’t maliciously excavate it.

If someone invaded its lair, it employed beasts to defend it.

The environment, as if having its own will, created fear to drive intelligent beings away.

And all these processes were invalidated by us.

Getting stronger is a survival strategy, but not being eaten, like a sloth, is also a survival strategy.

But in the end, even a sloth falls from a tree and dies.

The dragon could no longer hide the truth.

We had earned the right to meet the dragon.

I conveyed my intention to the oldest dragon sleeping in this land.

“Come out and face us. After all, nothing is eternal, not even you.”

And after my words ended.

We had earned the right to face the true source of this Magic Realm.

Kukukukukung—

A massive vibration resounded as the earth opened its mouth.

The tightly joined walls parted, creating a cavity.

Dirt defied gravity, clinging to the ceiling.

Solids, ignoring their nature, flowed like liquid.

Inside this giant cavern, which seemed more like the maw of a colossal beast than a cave, a voice echoed.

[Those who are worthy, come to me. I have prepared a path for you.]

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