“Now, then…”

I looked beneath me and saw Ivan gawking at the sight before me.

The older man who attempted to protect him also did the same. For someone of his age, he seemed even more flustered than Ivan.

‘Let’s go greet them…’

With that thought, I glided from my heights and descended in a swift manner. Once my focus was away from the golden barrier, it turned into shimmers of light—like fireflies—and dissipated.

The barren wasteland around it emitted vestiges of smoke to signify the emptiness caused by an absolute disintegration of the target and its surroundings.

That no longer mattered, though.

‘I’m sure the owner of this patch of land will overlook this damage… since I saved the area.’

>WHOOOOSHHH!<

I landed on the ground and removed both hands from my coat’s pockets.

Facing the two gawking men, I smiled warmly and addressed them. It had been a while since I spoke to humans, after all.

‘… A long while…’

“I’m glad to see you’re safe.”

The two looked at me with both surprise and awe. It was an expected reaction, so I took it in stride.

“What are the casualties?” I went on to ask.

It took a while for the question to sink in, but afterward, Ivan was the first to speak.

“Three of our classmates went to patrol near the border—where the Demon appeared… they’re probably dead…”

For a moment, there was silence in the air.

It was an uncomfortable one, where the atmosphere felt heavy and was about to break into grief and lament.

“I see… so those were the Souls I picked along the way. That’s alright, then. The numbers tally.”

Once I said this, Ivan’s eyes bulged and he looked in both anger and surprise.

“Alright? I said they are—”

“I heard you clearly the first time. There’s no need to be concerned. Here.”

I threw a pill in Ivan’s direction.

It was of pure white color, shaped like a smooth and round stone—or, more like a pellet.

“Ingest that… and leave the rest to me!”

Ivan still seemed shaken, but I was certain he would regain his complete senses in a while. Before that, though…

“Excuse me, sir.” I turned to the older man who was with us.

“A—ah… yessh! I mean, yes?”

“Make sure he ingests the pill. Also, please retreat to the fort and prepare a meeting room where we can properly have some discussions.”

The man nodded in an instant, making me smile slightly.

‘So, he’s not too caught up with our age gap and has no problem taking orders from someone younger. Good…’

Though, if I was to be fair… I was older than him by a long margin—even just counting this life alone.

“Alright, then. I need to take care of business. Once I’m done, I’ll arrive at the fort. Tell your soldiers to be at ease and rest up. As long as I’m here, no harm will befall this region.”

He nodded.

“Good.”

>WHOOOOOSSSHHHH!!!<

I flew at an extremely fast velocity, vanishing from their sights before they could comprehend it.

Once I was high in the sky, I looked at the coastal area where the Demon Beast must have first emerged from the water. As soon as I found it, locating the whereabouts of the corpses was a cinch.

‘Found ’em!’

With that thought, I darted in that direction.

‘No one is dying on my watch!’

***********

“W—who was that…?” Cephas murmured, looking at a shaken Ivan.

For a moment, the red-haired young man didn’t speak. He only stared emptily into the sky.

Fortunately, this didn’t last very long.

“He’s one of my classmates, a friend… and I used to think of him as a rival, but…”

After experiencing all that Jared had done within the span of a few seconds—without even breaking a sweat—could he still think that?

That would be too conceited of him!

“… He’s already surpassed that level, uh? I guess there’s no point to compare or even try catching up to him…”

It only made sense that Jared kept getting stronger as Ivan also trained. The gap didn’t only not change, it actually grew even more.

Jared Leonard was in a league of his own.

“But, he said you did well. That beast was an extremely difficult one. Even I would have…”

Cephas was an Advanced Martial Artist on the high end. If even he could not win despite his power and experience, then Ivan had really done well.

“Yeah. You’re right. Huu, it’s stupid to try to even measure up to that monster, in the first place!”

Ivan chuckled and stood.

He still had the white pill Jared threw at him. Without a moment’s hesitation, he chucked it down his throat and swallowed it.

To his surprise, the solid tablet dissolved and became like a potion once it entered his mouth. Melting into a sweet-like liquid, it permeated Ivan’s body and took action.

In an instant, the young man felt his body being invigorated. His fatigue vanished, all the pain disappeared, his wounds were no more.

And…

“My Mana… this is—!!!”

… His Mana was restored.

This was a complete recovery!

It was almost as if he had never fought the Demon!

“Amazing… this is simply amazing!!!” Cephas’ eyes bulged.

He too was surprised like Ivan, maybe even more so.

As an older—more experienced—man, he knew the value of such an item. Most top-grade Potions could only restore about 60-70 Percent of a person’s physical state. At most was 80.

That was why some people purchased numerous potions for safety.

A few top-grade Potions—known as the highest kinds—could only restore about 80 Percent.

But, not only did the mysterious white pill completely restore Ivan’s health, it also completely recovered his lost Mana.

Two effects in one—Cephas had never seen that kind of potion

/pill before.

“T—that boy… just who is he? You said he was from your Academy, right? Ainzlark… hold on…!!!”

Cephas had been so caught up in awe and surprise that he too hadn’t been thinking properly.

Of those in Ivan’s class, three exceptional students left the Academy before they could complete their course.

One of those students was a person of interest to the Alphonse Sereth Domain. Could it be—?!

“Yeah. He’s Jared Leonard…”

Cephas felt like his head would burst. This was his master’s… then that meant…

‘HE’S BACK?!’