A Sorcerer’s Journey

“Sir Grimm, I have arrived at the Sorcerer World according to my master’s command. You have the privilege of summoning me three times. This is the first. Should I slay that fleeing sorcerer?”

“No.”

Grimm quickly responded.

It was bad enough that he wanted to aid a Black Sorcerer to resist arrest. If he were to murder another Demon Hunter, Grimm would be facing thousands of years of imprisonment.

This kind of punishment was unthinkably harsh for any sorcerer.

Standing on top of Thousand-eyed Carcinus’ shell, Grimm led the gigantic crab to pursue Kuryak and Roqhiroo.

“But may I interrupt for a moment, Sir Grimm? Although you are bestowed the privilege to summon and command me, I want to remind you that according to the rule of the Marked Friendship Key, I can only stay in Sorcerer World for an hourglass of time.”

Thousand-eyed Carcinus’ eight powerful legs repeatedly kicked off the air below it, plunging its massive body forward as it reminded Grimm of the limitation of the keys.

Although the giant crab’s flight speed was tremendously fast, Grimm wasn’t used to how it moved forward. Being a crab, it lunged itself to the side to move forward. Not only that, it was difficult for it to make sharp turns due to its body structure.

“Understood. One hourglass of time it is.”

They were very close to the edge of the Sorcerer Continent’s reign. If they kept on flying onward, they would reach the Black Domain.

That was why Third Ghostpepper bound Hattori the Hidden with his sorcery. If he allowed Kuryak and Roqhiroo to continue on with their slow method of pursuit, the wanted Black Sorcerer would be able to flee into Black Domain.

Grimm wondered… just what kind of history these Demon Hunters had when they did their Foreign Land Conquest together…

A few moments later.

“You… Where’s Third Ghostpepper?”

Sitting on her flying pyramid, Kuryak couldn’t believe her eyes as she saw Grimm and his titanic crab. Hattori the Hidden and Roqhiroo, who were exchanging blows of spells, too looked towards the massive silhouette that was approaching them.

“How could it be? Third Ghostpepper lost?”

Roqhiroo’s eyes turned lifeless as he mumbled to himself.

Whoosh!

Thousand-eyed Carcinus’ massive body quickly darted towards them and stood in between them. On top of the giant crab, Grimm was barely able to stand while channeling healing energy to recover his body.

Grimm commanded firmly, “Give up.”

Sitting on her flying pyramid, Kuryak’s face turned grim.

She had used enormous effort to trick the other two sorcerers from reaching here. She had even bribed one of them to hold Gabriel off, thinking that she could defeat Third Ghostpepper with her husband and claim Hattori the Hidden’s life.

Yet, she miscalculated a few things.

Firstly, Hattori the Hidden was quite skilled in avoiding his enemies and evading arrest. Other than that, his skill in collecting human despair was also top-notch—enabling him to develop his powers tremendously.

Secondly. Third Ghostpepper was too powerful—so powerful that they couldn’t defeat him even after she joined forces with her husband.

And lastly… she didn’t think there would be Grimm!

Hatred brimming in her eyes, Kuryak extended her palm and summoned her Blue Marked Friendship Key.

“You’re Grimm, right? Stay out of this! I’ve also got a Marked Friendship Key from a Stigmata Sorcerer. If I summon the Aranealycan Mother…”

Grimm burst in laughter before replying, “You wanted to complete your mission and yet didn’t want to utilize your Marked Friendship Key earlier. And now you want to threaten me? What a joke you are!”

After finishing his words, he turned toward Hattori. “Hattori the Hidden, you better know your place. Crossing me now will not do you any good. And saving Lefay is an easy task for you.”

“Hehe, Grimm. We Black Sorcerers differ from you people by methodologies. We are all scholars who yearned to unlock the mysteries of life and death. Like you, we too take pride in fulfilling our promise. There is no need for accusation and doubt.”

Indeed, from the perspective of humans, the Black Sorcerers were extremely evil. They were like tumors that grew on Sorcerer World—they entrenched venomous roots so deep into the world that it was exceptionally difficult to rid of them.

Yet, if one were to look from the academician perspective, Black Sorcerers were indeed pursuers of knowledge and truth—not unlike the sorcerers who study machines in the ancient days.

Nodding unwillingly, Grimm replied, “Go. Black Domain is just ahead. Even if she activates her key, I can buy you an hourglass time.”

“Hahaha! An hourglass time is more than enough. Grimm, I’ll be waiting for you in the Black Domain.”

Finishing his words, Hattori the Hidden darted onward without looking back.

Gatcha gatcha!

Thousand-eyed Carcinus clipped the air with its pincers.

Grimm looked at Kuryak. “Put away your key. You have no chance. You know that.”

Leading his Cerberus to Kuryak’s pyramid, Roqhiroo let out a sigh. “I suppose we’ll just have to wait for the next time the Demon Hunter Consociation opens up another vacancy.”

Hmph!

Kuryak grudgingly put away her Marked Friendship Key while staring at Grimm—this pale-mask wearing Demon Hunter who did all he could to aid a Black Sorcerer to flee.

“You could survive Third Ghostpepper’s wrath in under a minute and summon this giant beast. You possess great potential. If you decide to kill Hattori the Hidden earlier, you’ll have secured a place in the Demon Hunter Consociation.”

Then, Kuryak shook her head and mocked, “Yet, you are foolish. So foolish that you’d decide to help him escape. If you don’t want to join the ranks of Black Sorcerers, you’ll be dwelling in the Seven Ring Prison in the next few hundred years.”

Standing on top of Thousand-eyed Carcinus, Grimm could feel the ocean breeze combed his hair and it blew through his robe.

The sky was turning orange as the sun slowly set to the west.

Although Kuryak’s mocking was quite heart wrenching to hear, Grimm could feel thousand tons of burden was lifted off his shoulder as he gazed upon the beautiful view on the ocean.

“Dreams and ideals are much more valuable than material gain. Because… we’re human.”

Not regretting his action, Grimm smiled., “Perhaps I will have lost many things via this foolish action. However, I know… if I turn and look back millennia later, I’m certain that I would find it all worth it.”

“Hmph! You’re weak. You should’ve become a feeble Bright Sorcerer.”

Kuryak was still furious by Grimm’s meddling.

To Kuryak, what Grimm did was something that would hurt others and yet not benefitting himself at all.

It was an utterly foolish act. Foolish indeed!

After a long and silent stand-off, Kuryak finally conceded that she had no chance to win this anymore. She threw a sharp glare of hatred at Grimm before flying away.

Grimm was still smiling as joy filled his heart.

It was the joy of victory.

The joy of him finally able to contribute, compensate something meaningful to Lefay in her final days.

Grimm knew.

This was love.

The sacrifice in the name of love. And he did it.

Even though it was foolish of him to do this… even though he had nothing to gain from this, Grimm could feel a fleeting warmth brimming in a certain hole in his heart.

Fate… perhaps it was fate that gave him an endless possibility. It was his destiny to defeat Third Ghostpepper.

This moment, the scuffle between the three Demon Hunters above the Jewel Sea was finally coming to end.

Or it was supposed to be that way…

Suddenly, clouds gathered as storms rocked the Jewel Sea. From afar, a Demon Hunter, wearing a massive black sorcerer robe, flew towards them.

“This Demon Hunter Consociation Mission is now declared failed. A complete failure.”

Kuryak and Roqhiroo were stunned as they looked him.

It was… a Level 3 Demon Hunter?

And there’s something in his hand…

“Argh…!!!!”

Grimm let out an agonizing wail as he kneeled on top of Thousand-eyed Carcinus after he saw what was in the Level 3 Demon Hunter’s hand. His hands tightly clenched his chest, as though suffocating for air.

It was Hattori the Hidden’s head!

So… there were proctors assigned to observe this Demon Hunter Consociation Mission. This was just a test for the consociation to recruit people into their ranks.

Just like the Holy Tower Qualification Battle.

“Black Sorcerer! Black Sorcerer! Demon Hunter Consociation… Demon Hunter Consociatioonnnnnn!”

Grimm wailed excruciatingly with his eyes shut.

He had done so much. He had fought so much! So much! And in the end, he was like a bug that couldn’t escape a box?

Grimm, for the first time in his life, felt the extreme cruelty of Dark Sorcerers.

And the utter cruelty of fate.

They were supposed to head to Lilith Sorcerer Academy—a Bright Sorcerer academy. Why… why?! Why did fate want to toy with them so much?

If only… if only every one of them joined Lilith Sorcerer Academy… then they would all be friends holding hands and happily study the mysteries of life together…

And yet…

“Grimm, you have violated the law of the Holy Tower. You have assisted a Black Sorcerer to flee… in vain. Good thing I’m here. You should thank me. For I have lessened a few hundred years of imprisonment for you. Now, yield and follow me to the Seven Ring Holy Tower and await your punishment.”

The Level 3 Demon Hunter appeared to be enjoying Grimm’s agony.

And he also felt that it was such a waste for him to waste his potential like this.

He had witnessed everything from the shadows.

Drip…

Tears rolled down from Grimm’s Mask of Truth.

Myna’s coordinates were cast next to Grimm’s feet as Thousand-eyed Carcinus vanished.

“Oh no! Master! Master! Something’s wrong! Just now… the Sealing Device… I don’t… Lefay… she’s… I don’t know what to do…”

Myna’s voice trembled with panic.

Looking at the crystal, Grimm saw Lefay.

She was looking at him… she wanted to say something to him as she extended her hand towards the crystal carcass lid.

“Lefay… don’t worry…”

Poof!

The entire crystal lid turned crimson red… with pieces of white glob sliding on the lid.

Grimm’s hand suspended in the air as his mind went blank.