42.2-22 The Hidden Hand

Far from the city, in a remote outskirt.

The sun was sinking into the western sky, casting crimson light across the horizon. But the air was chillingly tense, and the earth bore traces of something unnatural.

Damien and his companions moved quietly through the forest.The mission seemed simple: rumors had spread of a strange beast attacking livestock near a nearby village, and the guild had issued a bounty to eliminate the threat.

However—

Ian suddenly raised a hand."Something's off. Stay sharp."

Cain nodded, drawing his bow.Leanne closed her eyes, reading the air. Her brows furrowed.

"This… isn't ordinary. There's a magical residue."

The ground was marked with deep scars. These weren't simple claw marks.They carried an unnatural presence, as if soaked in magical energy.Even the surrounding trees were unnaturally withered.

Ian drew his sword and muttered,"This isn't some wild beast."

Then the air warped—

—KUAHHHHHHHH!

A creature burst from the woods, its eyes glowing crimson.Its massive frame rippled with muscle, skin grotesquely twisted.But the strangest thing was—

"That's not a demon. Not a beast either," Damien said, sword in hand.He could tell: this creature wasn't born—it was made.

Cain loosed an arrow.Thwip!The arrow pierced its shoulder cleanly—

But the monster didn't flinch.It didn't react at all.

Damien lunged forward, slashing with full force.Crash!The impact reverberated, and the creature countered swiftly,its movements too calculated—too… patterned.

Ian plunged a dagger into its side."Damn it. This thing feels wrong."

Leanne cast a spell, shouting,"This creature wasn't born. It's been tampered with!"

That's when Damien realized:this wasn't a simple extermination.

Someone created this.

The implication was clear:A test subject.Forbidden research.Someone was behind this.

Who Is the Real Enemy?

After the monster was finally slain, they examined the scene.

Leanne crouched, touching the ground.Residual magic shimmered and vanished in the air. Her face hardened.

"…This is occult magic."

Ian flinched."Occult? Those freaks?"

Cain narrowed his eyes."You mean this thing came from an occult group?"

Leanne nodded grimly."This isn't conventional magic. And…"

She raised her hand, pointing to the air.

"…The traces left behind—both wizard and sorcerer energies are here."

Everyone froze.

Damien spoke quietly."What does that mean?"

Leanne bit her lip."The magical imprint is too complex.Wizards manipulate magic with academic structure,but this—this also contains raw sorcerer essence."

Cain spoke heavily."Then that means… this occult group has both wizards and sorcerers within."

Ian groaned."Great. Now the two sides will start blaming each other."

Damien muttered,"Maybe they already are."

A Rift Deepens

As they departed, they saw it firsthand.

At the city's edge, wizards and sorcerers stood locked in confrontation.

"You performed the forbidden research!"A wizard raised a hand, flames surging from his palm.

On the other side, sorcerers raised their defenses.

"Lies! That's the kind of vile work you people do!"

Magic crackled between them—tension thick in the air.

Leanne clenched her jaw."Just as we feared."

Cain whispered,"The occult set the trap—and now the two sides are tearing each other apart."

Ian twirled his blade, agitated."What do we do?"

Damien watched in silence.

Then he spoke.

"We can't interfere. Not now."

He continued,"We know the truth.But if we reveal it now… both sides will turn against us."

Leanne took a deep breath."Then what?"

Damien's eyes were cold.

"Those who hold the truth are always the most endangered."

Ian cursed under his breath."So we just watch?"

Damien smiled—a sharp, thin smile.

"No.We hold the truth.And truth, sometimes… is stronger than any weapon."

He looked up at the burning sky above.

This wasn't just a feud.It was a war—between wizards, sorcerers, and the occult.

And they were the first to understand:this wasn't about emotions.It was about power.

And now,they had a choice to make—what to do with the truth.

***

Chapter : The Shaken Hero

The battle was over.Another city celebrated its victory.

The plaza roared with cheers.Soldiers chanted his name.Nobles smiled with approval.

"Sir Edwin, our hero!""You've protected us again!"

Standing at the heart of the city, Edwin raised a hand in silent thanks.But his eyes… held something different.

It wasn't joy.It wasn't pride.

It was emptiness.

The Whisper of Power

That night, after the feast,a quiet visitor came.

Wizards.

The same ones who had first approached him on the battlefield.But this time—they were bolder.

"Your performance in this battle was extraordinary, Sir Edwin.""Your name is now known even in the royal court."

Their words were smooth, polite.

But laced with intent.

"You no longer need to be just a warrior," one said.

Edwin turned his head slowly.

"If not a warrior… what should I become?"

The wizard smiled.

"The world does not move by force alone."

"You are not merely a conqueror of the battlefield.To become truly great…"

He lowered his voice—

"…your name must echo in the halls of politics as well."

Edwin looked at him.

He had always been a soldier.A hero.One who lived only for battle.

But—

Their words stirred something.

A new possibility.

The Cracks Appear

That night, Edwin sat in his tent, staring at his sword.

He gripped it.

But it felt… heavier than before.

"Is this still the path I want?"

"Is victory enough?"

He had fought.He had won.Again and again.

But now…

It wasn't enough.

The wizards' words echoed in his mind,awakening something long dormant inside him.

He clutched his head.

"Am I… changing?"

The Watchful Eye

And then—he felt it.

A presence.

Not hostile.Not an enemy.

But… watching.

He turned slowly, sword in hand.

"...Who's there?"

Silence.

No one.

But the presence had been real.

The Shadow of a Messenger

Far above, on the tallest spire of the city—

A shadow faded into the night.It carried a divine aura.

A low voice murmured into the void:

"…So, the change has begun."

The figure watched the city for a while,then vanished into the darkness.

Only one thing remained:

Someone is watching Edwin.

Is it merely observation?

Or…will that presence soon intervene?

No one knows.

But one thing is certain—

Edwin is changing.

And someone, somewhere, is keeping close watch.

***

Chapter : Political Calculations – The Moves of the Wizards

The Wizard Organization and Their Intentions

The Wizards had spent centuries building their structure.They were not simply a group of magic-users.They were a system that governed both scholarship and power.

Running countless magic academies and research institutes,they were deeply entwined with the politics of the kingdom.

To them, what were Sorcerers?

Innately gifted individuals—but unstructured, unpredictable variables.

And now, those variables were coalescing into a collective known as the Sorcerer Faction.

To the Wizards, this was not mere competition.It was a threat to the system.

Should they stop it—or use it?

At the heart of the kingdom,a meeting was held at the headquarters of the Wizard Guild.

One of the high-ranking Wizards opened the discussion.

"The Sorcerers have formed a group."

Though his voice was light,everyone knew it wasn't a casual statement.

"How should we respond?"

Voices rose immediately.

"Sorcerers have always acted independently. They'll never last as a group.""But this time is different. They've found a figure to rally around.""Is this because of Rean?"

One mage spoke quietly.

"Rean may not be officially involved,but it's true that his statements accelerated the movement."

"Rean is dangerous. He's a seer of fate.""But there's a bigger issue."

An elderly mage, the most senior in the room, spoke calmly.

"If the Sorcerer Faction gains even minor stability,the kingdom's political factions may use it as a tool to restrain us."

"Some nobles are already showing signs of supporting the Sorcerers."

Their gazes sharpened.

While the Wizards wielded immense influence in the kingdom,the royal court always sought balance.

Whenever one power grew too strong,the system sought to raise a new force to counter it.

"If the kingdom deliberately cultivates the Sorcerer Factionto rein in our Guild…"

Silence fell.

They already knew—the kingdom might seize this moment as an opportunity.

Wizards vs Sorcerers.

If this conflict escalates,the kingdom could step in as a "mediator,"weakening the Wizards' political dominance.

The Wizards' Choice – Calculated Strategy

"So, what must we do?"

Another Wizard asked quietly.Some began to smile faintly.

"We don't need to wipe them out completely.""But we must ensure they remain weak."

"Even if the kingdom tries to use them,they must never rise above us."

That was the strategy:

Undermine the Sorcerers without annihilating them.

Suppress their growth and keep them at a manageable level.

Prevent them from gaining autonomy—make them require Guild permission to act.

Seed discord within their ranks.

"Our role is now clear," said a high-ranking Wizard.

"We cannot allow them to become an organization on par with ours.""But if they vanish completely, the kingdom and nobles will simply create a new problem."

"What we want is…for them to exist within the limits we allow."

That was the Wizards' political calculation.

The Sorcerers' Internal Problem – Their Own Weakness

"But the Sorcerer Faction is already unstable," said one Wizard.

"They've lived independently for too long.They're not used to functioning as a collective."

"They may believe they've formed a faction,but if conflict arises within, they could collapse on their own."

"We should exploit that."

The Wizards knew—Sorcerers were, by nature, solitary.

For generations, they had pursued personal power above all else.

Even if they had united now,how long could they truly stay united?

That was the flaw the Wizards trusted would emerge.

And So, the Intervention Begins

The Wizards had made their decision.

They would now act decisively:

Plant seeds of discord within the Sorcerer Faction.

Disrupt their rise, but not destroy them.

Prevent them from gaining the kingdom's full backing.

Ensure they are never recognized unless they cooperate with the Guild.

They didn't need to face a strong enemy.They just needed to ensure their enemy crumbled from within.

The Wizards smiled.And thus, their political machine began to move.