Well, they were confident that they would get rid of it even if they were caught, but it was better to go in a direction that wasn’t as annoying as possible.

The two men immediately hid their presence.

The temple was literally devastated. Pieces of plaster rolled around here and there, and the pillars collapsed, leaving nothing standing.

“They smashed it well.”

Alogen clicked his tongue as he looked at the goddess statue broken in two. Aiden agreed with him. They really wrecked it well.

“Can you feel the magic?”

“Where…….”

Alogen closed his eyes.

Since wizards have magic, they can also sense other’s magic. In short, the more magic they have, the more sensitive they are to other’s magic.

Alogen was a great high-ranking wizard. It was possible for him to find not only the other’s magic, but also tiny traces of it.

“Over there…… I feel like I can feel the magic.”

Alogen’s eyes shone seriously.

The place he indicated with a finger was a place where many pillars had fallen.

While the other plasters were pure white, the plaster there was faded.

It meant that it had been built for some time.

And, although they didn’t know it, that was also where Ian had lived.

The two walked slowly toward the spot. Trying carefully to not trip. As they approached, one step at a time, their expressions gradually became distorted.

‘What is this smell…… ’

A disgusting smell was wafting out.

It smelled like old iron and rotting meat…….

“…… this…….”

A sigh escaped both people’’s mouths at the same time. After enduring the foul smell, a terrible scene unfolded at the place they arrived at.

From corpses that had just died to corpses that seemed to have been dead for a long time and were infested with bugs and maggots.

Aiden covered his mouth at the horrific sight and gruesome smell.

“Not human.”

Alogen muttered quietly.

Unbearable anger was leaking from the person who was always chuckling and laughing.

It was obvious.

Most of the victims of the sacrifice were wizards who lived outside. A wizard was still a wizard no matter where they lived. They were members of the Magic Tower. But, for those people to die in this way?

It was miserable and cruel.

The two men briefly prayed for the souls of the dead and then began walking around looking for evidence.

But, suddenly.

Grrrr, low crying sounds began to come from all over.

“Well…… I guess they installed a device to detect intruders.”

Alogen lazily stroked his long beard. The slightest bit of tension appeared in his upright waist.

Aiden quietly stood next to him.

“This will be your first battle. Are you nervous?”

“Of course. I must return alive.”

“Says the guy who is gifted with combat magic, but pretends to be weak.”

Alogen glanced at his student.

Aiden received an almost perfect score in the attack portion of the wizard exam. ‘He’s good looking, but he’s a fighting wizard. Isn’t it funny?’

“Just don’t kill it alone.”

“…… Be careful.”

Aiden answered after a moment of silence.

In the short pause, Alogen swallowed. There was a guy here that was scarier than a monster.

“The answer is…… Do it quickly and confidently.”

The conversation between the two ended there. That was because the things that had been making low cries gradually began to reveal themselves.

* * *

“They…… they went into hiding.”

The temple was already set with measures to alert in case of an intruder. A sharp sounding alarm was announcing the presence of an intruder.

“Are they wizards…….”

The High Priest tilted his head back and inhaled deeply.

Humid air suitable for the gloomy weather filled his lungs.

Perhaps, everything will end today. Sending someone to the temple meant that they knew he was behind it.

‘Death is not far away, and my identity has been revealed. There is literally no corner left to hide.’

He tried to hold the world in his hands, but it ended up being so futile.

A rough, giggling sound escaped his mouth. The high priest, who had been shaking and laughing for a while, slowly got up.

The sight of him with blood staining his clothes and face here and there, and his eyes glowing red, was truly grotesque.

“Whether I die this way or that, I had no intention of dying gracefully. If it is the end anyway, even the end will be great.”

The high priest counted the number of sleeping monsters.

There were a total of twenty-two. They are born after taking so many lives…… Now there are only twenty-two left. Poor things.

The high priest closed his eyes and mourned the deaths of monsters who were like his children, then slowly opened them.

“Good. Show me death. Take at least one more life. Scatter a lot of bone dust on my grave.”

Four to the temple, seventeen to the outskirts. And the remaining one……. The dark murmur contained a curse. Feeling the monsters awakening, the high priest lifted his shoulders.

“Hahaha, let’s all go to hell together. All together!”

A loud shout echoed through the dark alley. As the corners of his mouth turned up, the high priest slowly rose and walked toward the abandoned closet.

“And I will definitely drag you by my hand.”

He opened the closet door and ducked inside without hesitation. As he pushed himself in, a swirling entrance began to form in the empty closet.

“Selena.”

After a single muttering, there was no one left in the alley.

There was just an empty closet standing there.

__