A Dark Fantasy Spy

---

In the depths where light does not reach, a city of the damned gathered, where sinners who sought refuge in the Earth God’s embrace hid from watchful eyes and punishment, unable to stroll freely under the sun.

Exiled ones who broke the laws,
Cultists branded as heretics,
Beastmen wandering the desert with no hill to lean on.

All of them, seeking a fleeting rest, clothed themselves in the shadows of those who could not stand tall.

The Necropolis wrapped in darkness was quieter than ever.

Even with eyes closed and ears straining, only the sound of breathing could be heard on this night when not even dogs barked.

In that deep darkness,
Symbols tattooed on his forearm and pure flames began to dance.

—

Episode 17 – The Blood-Drinking Tree

The light of crystals illuminated the world, and under its uniform glow, all beings regained their true forms.

Skin closer to white than yellow. Even compared to a basketball player, this figure easily surpassed two meters.

A rugged, muscular body evoked the image of a statue infused with the spirit and breath of a master craftsman, and with veins bulging from his fists, it seemed he could crush boulders in an instant.

The man, with a robust build, bore an imposing countenance that matched his stature.

If there were an actual person that the renowned painter of ‘The Man and the Woman’ drew inspiration from, it would surely be someone like him.

Even though he wore filthy rags charred by fire, it only highlighted the savagery of the man.

“Bloody hell! It’s like Michael Tyson!”

Camila exclaimed with a near-scream, and I shouted back at her.

“Quit joking around and shoot!”

“Stop bothering me!”

No sooner had my sharp retort ended than a flame shaped like an arrow shot forth.

A stationary target had always been an excellent mark and prey since ancient times. Even amidst preparations for battle, the man remained motionless, and if a target of that size didn’t budge, there was no two ways about it.

– Swoosh!

The sound of wind slicing through the air was crisp, and the fired flame darted towards its target like a shooting star.

It seemed the bloodline that smashed through the French forces hadn’t waned. The descendant who inherited the blood of ancestors that had mocked knights with longbows unleashed mock arrows of magic.

However,

“Bâṭêl!”

Just before the magic could tear through soft flesh, an explosive shout erupted from the man.

And the arrow-shaped magic that surged forth exploded. First, the flames forming the arrow shaft detonated, and then the portions shaped like feathers shattered to pieces.

The broken arrows instantly lost their momentum and fell, leaving only swirling dust as proof of the magic that once was.

“What was that…”

Camila muttered as she witnessed the magic unraveling before her eyes. As she stared blankly ahead, the man, gritting his teeth, leaned forward.

“Tsâbâh-!”

For a brief moment, a powerful voice filled with energy resonated. Amidst the sizzling embers, something bright glimmered, and with a deafening crack, the imposing figure surged forward in an instant, bearing down upon us. The colossal mass dashed right up in front of us in the blink of an eye.

Camila’s eyes widened like lanterns, and she quickly launched flames forward, but to no avail.

The fiery barrier that had protected against hordes of dead from the north could not withstand the onrush of the massive figure.

– Roar!

With a brutish grip, the man seized the filthy rags and swung them, breaking through the flames that blocked his path.

“Get back—”

“Move aside!”

Just as I was about to shout in urgency, I shoved Camila aside.

Flames erupted around the man. Even as the heat burned his skin to the point that even his armor sizzled, he charged through the fire with enough strength to crack his teeth.

He aimed his knife at his abdomen and liver. Just as the sharp blade was about to pierce his skin, the man, eyes wide open, raised his arm to defend against the assault.

“Ugh…!”

The rugged, dust-covered forearm crossed with the damp, soaked sleeve.

With my grip on the knife’s handle tightened, and the man blocking my arm, a beastly growl followed for but a moment. The creature staring at my trembling blue blade raised its gaze to meet mine.

“…Châdad!”

With a sound that was either admiration or curse, the man twisted his lips into a grin and muttered at me.

“Even in a lawless land, you’ve got to wear clothes, you bastard….”

—

As I twisted my wrist and freed my arm, the liberated hand swung the knife.

The narrow blade darted towards the thick forearm, blocking the falling arm.

The blade, a slender knife, was better suited for stabbing than slashing. However, stabbing required sharpness to begin with. As my arm was blocked, I twisted my wrist and dragged the knife’s edge against the thick forearm.

“Ugh!”

Surprised by the sudden scream from the man, I snapped back when I saw the blood on the knife. Bastard.

“…Looks like my attack isn’t completely ineffective.”

“Wha—ugh…!”

The behemoth growled lowly, examining his wounded forearm, but blood dripped down as his eyes glinted fiercely, reminding me of a wounded beast.

Though being an information officer usually involves using the mind rather than the body, anyone going abroad should at least be capable of defending themselves. The National Intelligence Service, the intelligence department, and the Military Intelligence Agency all thought the same way.

However, given that there are far more scenes where firearms can’t be freely used than those that allow it, the self-defense tools that field officers can use are not rifles but pistols.

In the end, the knife had to suffice over the pistol.

“Whoosh—”

I stretched my bare hand forward and, with one or two punches behind it, kept the knife in an open grip.

It was the result of my body acting before my mind could think.

Before the behemoth acted first, I squared my stance and focused power into my lower body, surging forward.

– Slash!

A knife that couldn’t be called small shifted deftly in my palm.

Stabbing, cutting, hitting, and dragging.

The extended blade narrowly grazed my target as I pulled the handle to slice skin, and when my arm was pinned, I reversed the grip and targeted his shoulder.

“Ugh!”

The acute sensation as the blade pierced his shoulder was sharp, clearly visible on the face of the behemoth, which twisted in pain. Even if it was a shallow wound, the sensation of a blade tearing flesh was something one never becomes accustomed to. After all, no one enjoys pain in this world.

Just as I was about to smash the back of his wrist aiming to wreck his joints, he caught my wrist holding the knife.

Was he planning to make me drop the knife or to break my wrist? The incredible force constricted my wrist, bringing a sensation akin to bones shattering.

“Dammit—”

Cursing, I struck his face with my fist. I heard a chilling sound, the nose breaking, and before I knew it, blood poured down.

Painful screams followed, and the grip on my wrist loosened. Rolling my body, I dashed between his legs and jabbed wildly at his calves and thighs.

“Gah!”

Even after his legs were battered, he still had the strength to fight back. The giant, gritting his teeth, spun his body around, and with his thick, horse-like thighs, he kicked me hard.

Bang! My body flew through the air like a soccer ball kicked with force. I must have traveled about six or seven meters in sheer sensation.

While I rolled on the ground, I suddenly felt something thud against my back, and my spine and hips began to wail. Furthermore, something fell with a thud, dousing my head in a foul stench.

“Ugh—what the hell!”

It was a dumpster. To be precise, it was a spot where trash was carelessly piled up on the street.

As if the brain-dead residents of the neighborhood had thrown away their conscience and common sense into the sewer, they put trash outside without proper separation.

Having inopportunely tasted that trash with all five senses, I forgot my pain and clumsily crawled out of the heap.

“…Where did that muscle pig go?”

As I pressed down the mushy trash bag, I suddenly recalled the giant who threw me and hastily lifted my head.

– Roar!

Dancing flames chased away the darkness and the giant engulfed in fire was pounding the air.

Under Camila’s command, the flames lunged forward like a snake, snapping at the prey’s nape, while the tattooed man swung his fists in the roaring fire.

Boom! Each blow resonated with sounds like bursting air. In addition, the tattoos from his knuckles to his shoulders shimmered, then faded. That seemed to be the source of his immense power.

Perhaps due to the bizarre power he possessed, despite being wounded and surrounded, he still retained a fierce demeanor and the pitiful figure from moments ago seemed nonexistent. The fire might have captured him, but it couldn’t possibly inflict any wounds.

A thunderous roar exploded in my ears.

“Rûwts!”

Like a magnet attracting iron filings, the dust on the ground began to rise around him.

The ground vibrated, causing the rising dust to swirl and gradually take the shape of a bull. And just as another shout erupted from his mouth.

– Ka-boom!

The bull that had been rearing broke through the flaming prison to escape.

“Whoa!”

Confronted head-on by that destructive force, Camila hurriedly transformed into flames, evading the charging bull.

“Now he’s making bulls too?! What on earth is going on in this town?!”

As if seeking an answer, she cast her gaze toward me, but no clear response came.

As such, instead of indulging her curiosity, Camila began searching for a clever way to solve the situation.

“Bullets and magic can withstand him. How on earth do we catch that guy?”

“…….”

Just as I was catching my breath, the massive figure came into my sight. His expression likely seething with heat, rags singed by fire, glistening with sweat, and his entire body covered with tattoos.

With holes riddled in his calves and thighs, blood flowed out and soaked the ground beneath him.

The moment I glimpsed those wounds and the blood, a hypothesis flashed through my mind like lightning.

—

Tap, tap, sparks flew, and ragged breaths intertwined.

A heavy silence settled on the streets of the Necropolis. With it came an unfamiliar guest who brought a storm.

“…….”

Three pairs of eyes were tangled in midair. The girl glared at the thug, and the thug likewise stared at the girl.

However, there was one person.

One person was not looking at another human but gazing at the ceiling.

Specifically, beyond the ceiling, at the night sky.

“What are you doing?”

The man, staring at the sky, stood up. The girl’s puzzled voice followed, but no answer came.

The blue eyes tracked the man as he stepped on a bag with a torn side and moved forward.

Clutching an old pistol in his hand.

“…….”

He set his stance and aimed at the target. The dark sights aligned, but the target was too large to fit in the crosshairs.

Even as the spy leisurely adjusted his aim, the massive man remained unmoving. It was as if he dared me to try.

Then came the sound of a gunshot, slicing through the silence. The bullet flew through the air toward the target.

“Mâʽôwz—”

A beast-like low voice followed.

In an instant, however, the bullet suddenly halted mid-air. Stripped of thrust and rotation, the projectile froze as if it had always been in that place. It was a scene that made time seem to have stopped.

“…….”

The spy sighed briefly, as if he had anticipated this. He then lowered his gun and, drawing the knife, charged at the hulking figure.

A few exchanges followed. The massive man seemed to show no mercy, attacking with overwhelming strength. The spy was battered by a fist akin to a cauldron, skin torn and blood splattered, but continued to swing his knife without a trace of hesitation.

Initially, the giant easily thwarted the attacks. In an one-on-one situation, he had no doubt he wouldn’t lose in close-quarters combat.

Yet after fending off the magician’s attacks and undergoing repeated exchanges, in the end, anyone would lose focus if they stepped onto the battlefield once more, having been injured.

– Smash!

The moment the attack was blocked, the spy flipped the knife from a reverse grip into his main hand.

Lowering his stance and exploiting a gap in sight, he dove into the giant’s embrace and thrust the knife into his abdomen.

“Mappâl—!”

The searing pain felt in his gut snapped the giant back to clarity, unleashing a roar.

In conjunction, the tattoo from his abs up to his pectorals started to burn and glow, releasing an immense power.

Caught squarely by the force, the spy was sent flying back, not just a normal push but soared into the air before crashing to the ground.

As the giant pressed against his wound, the girl rushed toward the fallen ally with concern. Clumsily lifting his body, she touched his face with a worried expression.

“Are you okay?!”

A low groan arose, and as the spy grimaced, he suddenly muttered.

“…Now I get it.”

“What?”

“That muscle pig… I finally understand why he can take a beating and still remain unharmed.”

The girl, bewildered, rolled her eyes, showing confusion. After a couple of coughs, the spy sluggishly raised his upper body.

“That bastard. Whatever power he’s using makes him defend against all attacks from a distance. Be it bullets or magic.”

Frederick, waving a bloody knife before him, began to send weary looks.

Seeing that gaze, I finally understood. What he was hinting at. And the task ahead of us.

With Camila rolling up her cape to support Frederick’s head, she stood up, brushing off the dust on her knees. Taking a determined stance, she took a deep breath while glaring at the hulking figure.

With her inhalation came blue magic intertwined with a hint of sparks as she exhaled.

After taking a deep breath, Camila steadied herself and slowly closed her eyes.

“…….”

Just as the giant anticipated the next assault with an unusual energy, suddenly the magician ignited into flames, transforming into a fiery blaze that vanished.

The man, bewildered, began searching for the disappearing magician, but there was no need. The embers that had sprung forth merged into a single point, and the vanished magician appeared right before him.

She pointed somewhere with her finger. The man’s gaze followed her slender finger.

The fingertip pointed to the space between his two eyes.

His very face.

“Bang.”

—

The flames that engulfed the behemoth surged like a storm.

The magic unleashed at the signal swallowed its target whole, yet the flames began to greedily lick surrounding debris, as if pledging to not let go of even the remnants.

Having fended off magic from close range, Camila quickly teleported back to her original position. She appeared in midair, her flames alight, prodding me onward with a push.

“Hurry! If we stay here, we’ll be caught by the people, putting us at risk too. Move!”

Just when I was about to escape—

– Boom—!

A blast tore through the air, and a fierce gust began to blow from behind us.

“Gah…!?”

As the embers leaped in every direction, a desperate shout echoed from the behemoth that had emerged through the flames.

“قف! هجوم!(Stop! Attack!)”

“غير موجود! يعارك! معتقد!(Not here! Fighting! Thinking!)”

With bones and muscles melted away and hair scorched from the heat.

The person walked barefoot across the ground, grotesquely melting.

…No, he wasn’t melting.

As the black tattoos shimmered, the twisted flesh writhed. Muscles and tissue that had melted away were sprouting back to life, and charred bones were reclaiming their original hue, veins rejoining.

“أنا. الخلود.(I am. Immortal.)”

Turning his back to the inferno, the man with a regenerating body approached us, adding in a low voice.

“يعارك. يكره. سوء فهم. حلها. عقدة معقدة. يمكن حلها.(Fight. Hate. Misunderstanding. Untie. Complex knot. It can be solved.)”

The man, standing before us with a horrified expression stepped back, speaking in a brief common language of the Mauritania continent.

“…….”

Staring blankly, I stuttered as I opened my mouth, wondering what he wanted.

Then the muscle-bound man extended his palm toward me.

“يرجع. التراث القبلي.(Return. Tribal heritage.)”

He added, “تابوت الارز.(Cedar Coffin.)”