Ethan Hayes had harbored doubts about Summers and his group for some time. Their actions were peculiar: they didn't steal or plunder. Instead, they staged small skirmishes near border villages, seemingly careful not to provoke the Clover Kingdom into launching a full-scale assault.
This calculated behavior left Ethan uneasy. Why would they draw attention while simultaneously avoiding outright confrontation?
"Looks like they're connected to those people from the original storyline," Ethan mused, his suspicions mounting.
In the original events, several mages had infiltrated border villages with alarming ease. This raised questions about the Clover Kingdom's defense system. How could mere villages, supposedly under military protection, fall so quickly? It only made sense if the infiltrators had inside help or a coordinated plan.
"Their goal must be the magic stones... It's likely they're with the Eye of the Midnight Sun," Ethan concluded.
Ethan, Noelle, and Asta rode their magical brooms toward Soshi Village. The place was eerily shrouded in thick fog, clearly the work of magic.
"Someone has surrounded the entire village with a magical barrier," Ethan observed.
From within the mist came the deafening sound of explosions.
"Fire Magic—Exploding Scattershot Sphere!"
"Fire Magic—Infernal Scattershot Sphere!"
The intense sound reverberated through the air as Magna Swing, a member of the Black Bulls, fought valiantly within the fog.
Magna had been hunting wild boars for the villagers when he stumbled upon the horrifying scene. Soshi Village was encased in a magical barrier, and its residents had been herded into the central square. Five intruders, likely from the Diamond Kingdom, were mercilessly attacking the defenseless villagers.
"Magna, run! You can't defeat them alone!"
Magna clenched his fists, his grimoire floating beside him. He knew the odds. Fighting four skilled mages alone was a death sentence. Yet, abandoning the villagers was unthinkable.
"If I'm going down today, I'm taking at least one of them with me!" Magna roared.
"Fire Creation Magic—Grand Exploding Infernal Sphere!"
Magna's grimoire flipped rapidly, channeling his fiery mana into a massive fireball resembling a miniature sun. The blazing orb hurtled toward the intruders.
"Ice Creation Magic—Crystal Barrier!"
"Mist Creation Magic—Illusory Fog!"
The enemy countered swiftly. A towering ice wall blocked the fireball, while a disorienting mist rolled toward Magna, clouding his vision.
Two other mages began charging their spells, preparing for a decisive strike. Their coordinated tactics left Magna cornered.
"We've wasted enough time. Finish him," ordered the leader, glancing at a pocket watch.
Their mission wasn't slaughter; it was to accomplish a specific task. Every second spent here increased the risk of detection.
"Mist Creation Magic—Vortex of Illusion!"
"Ice Creation Magic—Ice Lance!"
"Combination Magic—Endless Ice Barrage!"
The fog thickened, and sharp ice lances materialized in the air above the village square. Villagers cowered in terror, their faces pale as death loomed overhead.
Magna, too, froze in helpless fury. He wanted to protect the villagers, but even his strongest spells couldn't counter the onslaught.
"Damn it!" Magna growled, his rage boiling over. But as the icy lances descended, a fiery glow illuminated the sky.
"Four-Leaf Magic—Flaming Wrath!"
An inferno erupted in midair, creating a barrier of fire that incinerated the ice lances upon contact. The oppressive mist evaporated, leaving the battlefield clear.
Standing on a magic broom was Ethan Hayes, his fiery four-leaf grimoire glowing beside him.
"Ethan!" Magna's despair turned to hope. While unsure why Ethan was here, his arrival was nothing short of a miracle.
"Fire Creation Magic—Palace of the Flame God!"
Ethan's grimoire glowed brilliantly as a massive fiery palace materialized around the villagers, shielding them from harm. The blazing structure stood ten meters tall, radiating warmth and protection.
Though Ethan was no saint, he couldn't ignore the plight of innocent people. These villagers, already burdened by life's hardships, deserved a chance at survival.
As the fiery palace stabilized, another four-leaf grimoire floated to Ethan's side, representing the wind attribute.
The battle was far from over, but for now, the tides had shifted. Ethan's intervention gave the villagers and Magna a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos.