Rise of the White Devil

Bored.

Lucas was bored as he fought to stay awake in class.

Currently, Julius was giving a lecture about something Lucas didn't even bother to understand.

'Not like I have an actual reason to learn this...'

'Now that I think about it, we didn't even do any theoretical exams...'

Snapping him out of his thoughts was the voice of Julius.

"Student Lucas, is something the matter?"

He looked toward Julius, who had noticed him staring into space absentmindedly, not following the lesson at all.

His lips twitched as everyone suddenly looked toward him as well.

"No, nothing is wrong. Please continue..."

"Mm, alright. Do take it easy since you were 'sick' for the past few days."

Julius's sarcasm was evident, not believing in the slightest the excuse of Lucas missing classes because he was sick.

'Looks like he doesn't know yet about the curse that was placed on me.'

Lucas smiled a little as he looked straight into Julius's eyes.

"Of course, I will make sure to tell you the moment I feel 'sick' again."

Lucas said, making Julius's lips twitch before he turned his back on him and continued with his lecture.

"Right... so, as I said, beasts inhabiting these mana-rich areas experience what we can describe as accelerated evolution. The mana infuses their very being, altering their physiology and genetic makeup over generations. This results in the emergence of enhanced physical traits—strength, speed, and resilience—that far surpass those of their counterparts in mana-poor regions."

Ignoring Julius and his lecture, Lucas glanced at Seraphina, who was diligently taking notes on everything Julius was writing on the board or saying.

'Funny how it used to be the opposite for both of us back on Earth...'

As he thought, he looked out the window, gazing at the grey sky.

'...so much has changed.'

******

Landing lightly on the ground as the white flames around him disappeared was Magnus.

"Halt! Identify yourself and do not move or we will cut you down this instant!"

A man said, pointing his sword at Magnus as did the others.

The humans surrounding him were all wearing white and gold uniforms.

"Cease your weapons immediately before you get burnt to ashes without even knowing."

The authoritative voice boomed across the dead forest, coming from behind the one who shouted at Magnus.

"L-Lord Hugo! But he might be a—"

Cutting him off was the voice of the same man who appeared suddenly out of nowhere right in front of him.

"Are you going against my orders?"

The man said, narrowing his eyes, making the person in front of him tremble as he broke out in a cold sweat.

"N-no, please forgive me, Lord Hugo!"

He said, bowing his head out of fear to the man with long black hair and blue eyes.

Hugo Aurelia, the former king of the human domain and father of the current king, Sebastian Aurelia.

'He hasn't changed in the slightest...'

Magnus thought, gazing at Hugo as he smiled at him and walked towards him.

"Hahaha! It has been a while, Magnus! How have you been?"

Hugo said, laughing as both embraced each other after not seeing each other in years.

Both go way back with each other despite the difference in their status.

"I have been doing good, Hugo. How about you?"

"Same as always, you know?"

He said while the royal guards were watching in shock at the sudden change in his attitude and the entire situation.

Breaking out of their hug, Hugo smiled proudly as he spoke, making all the royal guards feel like cold water was thrown over them.

"To think you have finally managed to become a saint after all these years, huh? I honestly thought you would have died of old age before reaching the saint stage."

Magnus clicked his tongue at hearing him as he knew he was actually bragging about becoming a saint before him.

Experience tales at empire

"Yeah, yeah, unfortunately, I was never as awesome as you, right? Becoming a saint at the age of 49."

"Haha, you get it, but alas, it has already been 102 years and I have only managed to go up by 2 sub-stages."

He said bitterly, as a lifespan of a saint obviously goes higher than that of a normal human.

"How has Sebastian been? I imagine being a king must be a burden to someone like him?"

Magnus said, changing the subject, which Hugo appreciated.

"Ah, you know, always complaining about dealing with so much political stuff. He has been overworking himself a lot. Honestly, I have told him dozens of times already to just find a beautiful queen and get an heir. For God's sake, I am more than a hundred years old and not even a grandfather yet!"

He said, making Magnus laugh out loud.

"A saint... he is a saint..."

"The Nightstars have a saint... b-but aren't they just a viscount family?"

"W-we pointed our swords towards an actual saint... a-and just how close are they?"

The guards were in a chaotic state as they tried to make sense of everything happening in front of them.

The atmosphere turned serious suddenly as both Hugo and Magnus stopped joking around and got down to business.

"So what is the reason for meeting me here?"

Magnus said, a little confused about why they were in a death zone in the human domain.

He could feel the presence of multiple strong beasts and... something else.

Something dreadful.

'Just what the hell could be in here to have such an ominous presence?'

He thought as Hugo spoke.

"You can feel it, right? The presence of something harrowing residing in this death zone. Magnus, most of our saints have had their hands full with the death zones, as in each one, a similar presence has been felt... and—"

"And?"

Magnus asked as he saw Hugo hesitating.

"A few saints who tried to go deeper into the death zone to see what was leaking such presence... have been lost ever since."

Hearing his words, Magnus widened his eyes as the royal guards around him were looking fearfully around.

'Just what the hell is happening... if each death zone in our domain has a beast strong enough to kill a saint, it means that it won't be long before the human domain will fall by the unknown beasts or some idiotic races seeking more territory...'

"I need your help to try to find out just what type of beast is lurking in here... perhaps deal with it if possible."

Hugo said, and Magnus nodded in understanding.

"Very well, let's—"

Before Magnus could finish speaking, they heard another voice cutting him off.

"I would advise you against all of this."

Without wasting any time, the guards brandished their swords again as Hugo and Magnus got on guard.

'I didn't feel anyone approaching us...'

As he pondered, a man suddenly appeared right in front of him.

With pitch-black hair resembling endless darkness and golden eyes that glowed like the sun, his presence was both mesmerizing and intimidating.

It felt as if a shadow loomed over their surroundings, making the shadows around them grow darker and deeper.

Andn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

His presence...

Surpassed both Magnus and Hugo.

'What...'

Suddenly, before they could make sense of the mysterious man that had each of their instincts screaming of danger, another person appeared.

A woman with fiery red hair and piercing red eyes appeared suddenly beside the man, her presence both startling and commanding.

Her hair cascaded in waves, shimmering like flames dancing in the wind, adding an otherworldly glow to her striking features.

"Ah, Nyx! Why did you suddenly approach them without telling me!"

She said, frustrated at the man with black hair and golden eyes called Nyx.

Smiling helplessly like a father who was listening to the tantrum of his daughter, he merely patted her head as he spoke.

"Sorry, sorry, Aurora. I was just getting impatient, you know? I can't just have two extremely important people walk towards their deaths."

Nyx spoke, soothing Aurora as she calmed down and merely pouted a little.

'Just what the hell is happening... and... deaths?'

Magnus and Hugo were extremely confused at the situation as they were on high alert. It didn't help that the two strangers in front of them were so casual and how the man known as Nyx spoke about them walking towards their deaths.

"Who are you people?"

The first one to compose himself was Hugo, as he addressed the strangers cautiously.

Hearing his voice, Nyx looked toward him and Magnus, making them feel... pressured.

"Ah, yes! My apologies, Lord Hugo, Lord Magnus. I didn't mean to ignore the both of you."

Nyx said, bowing his head a little before standing straight back up as Aurora merely stood at his side, not intending to involve herself.

"There is no harm done... though I would like to ask again, who are you people?"

It was obvious the two weren't normal in the slightest, perhaps even enemies.

Magnus could tell, just like Hugo, that the both of them were strong.

Especially the man called Nyx.

While the woman's presence managed to rival that of just Magnus, the man called Nyx... he easily surpassed the both of them combined.

"Who are we? Well, I guess the easiest name to give is the one you all gave us..."

He said, making everyone confused until he revealed their names...

"The Voidwalkers."