Tbate: Resurgence

-Chapter 6 : Next Steps-

Arthur Leywin

As I examined the lifeless corpse of the soldier, I activated the [Dragon's Awakening: Second Phase].

"Activate!" I whispered, letting the familiar surge of power flow through me.

Golden runes sparked to life across my skin, glowing with ancient draconic energy. The space around me trembled, distorting the air. The ground beneath me fractured under the pressure of my mana, creating small cracks that radiated outward.

Color faded from my sight, leaving only shades of gray. The world became muted, except for the vibrant shimmer of mana particles. Fire, water, wind, and earth – they all danced in the air, visible only to me as they glimmered with their respective elemental hues.

I scanned the soldier’s body again. As I’d suspected, dark mana lingered, a foul trace of corruption that stained the air around the corpse. It reminded me of the mana I had seen in the corrupted mana beasts. But this was different—more sinister, more... twisted.

The black spikes that had erupted from the soldier’s body when the curse activated were something entirely new. Nothing like the rune magic I had encountered so far. These spikes had killed him instantly, triggered by a mechanism designed to silence anyone who tried to reveal too much. A safeguard, perhaps—evidence that their magic system held darker secrets.

The future was starting to look even more uncertain.

'What other twisted magic do these invaders wield?' I wondered, my thoughts heavy with the weight of this new information.

Suddenly, Sylvie’s presence appeared above me, descending in her true dragon form. Her shimmering scales reflected the moonlight as she landed gracefully nearby.

"Papa, are you alright?" Her voice came through the mental link, her concern washing over me.

I deactivated the second phase of Dragon’s Will, letting the overwhelming draconic power recede back into dormancy. My vision returned to normal, and the cracks in the ground stilled.

"It’s nothing," I responded, shaking my head as I tried to push away my lingering thoughts. "I found some valuable information, but it’s nowhere near enough." My voice carried a grim weight. "The magic these invaders possess is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The curse that killed this soldier—it wasn’t rune magic. This is something entirely new."

Sylvie tilted her head slightly, her large emerald eyes filled with worry, but she didn’t press further.

"I need to search the rest of the bodies," I muttered, more to myself than to her. "Maybe I can find something useful—something that could help us understand more about their plans and their magic."

With that, I turned my attention to the corpses of the other soldiers, especially the leader whose severed head I had carried earlier. There has to be something more.

-----

As I searched through the bodies, my mind wandered back to the battle with these soldiers. All of them had been light yellow core mages, highly specialized in their roles within the group. Each one had a specific function, and their teamwork was flawless. Every spell they cast was coordinated, synchronized in a way that made their attacks flow seamlessly.

It wasn’t just brute force, I mused. They were trained to fight as a unit, each of them compensating for the other’s weaknesses. Even with my experience, I had to push myself.

Normally, it would take around twenty solid yellow core mages to defeat a mid-silver core. But this group had been different. They were specialized even with a lesser number in a way that would give even a high silver core mage trouble. If someone less experienced than Elder Virion or Headmistress Cynthia had faced them, they might’ve lost. I had to go all-out, using my quadra elements and deviant abilities.

'If this is the level of soldiers we’re up against, Dicathen’s chances are slim.'

The thought settled like a heavy stone in my chest. If this was the standard of their military, how could we possibly withstand a full-scale invasion?

My thoughts circled back to what the soldier had said before his death—about serving under "Lady Jagrette" who is holding the rank of "restrainer." If that soldier and his group were of lower standing, then we were in much deeper trouble than I’d realized. I clenched my fists, the weight of the situation beginning to press down on me.

I could only hope that these soldiers were an elite unit, rather than the norm.

Just as I was lost in thought, my hand brushed against the leader’s dimensional ring. Curious, I accessed the ring's hidden space, and to my surprise, a small bundle of papers and a peculiar artifact appeared. I pulled them out carefully, eyeing the artifact.

I skimmed through the papers, and my eyes widened slightly. They contained detailed instructions and... a map. A map of the Beast Glades, with several dungeons marked.

A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips. 'Heh, now this is useful'.

The notes revealed information about key locations, potentially their next targets. The marked dungeons indicated places where they had already established control over mana beasts. It wasn't a complete picture, but it was enough to provide a starting point for their movements.

Whatever they're planning, it's bigger than I thought.

As for the artifact, it pulsed faintly with mana but its purpose remained unclear. Whatever it was, I would need to study it further, perhaps consult with Gideon who is more knowledgeable in these.

"What's next?" I murmured under my breath as I looked over all the corpses.

I took a deep breath and focused my mana, letting it surge through my body. With a snap of my fingers, flames erupted around the battlefield, not just a flicker but a roaring inferno that swept across the ground. The fire consumed everything in its path—the corpses, the remnants of the fight, even the bloodstains—all erased in a blazing sea of heat.

The heat was intense, warping the air and turning the once-quiet forest into a scorching furnace. The bodies of the fallen soldiers turned to ash in seconds, leaving nothing but charred ground. Even the trees near the battle began to smolder, the fire licking at their trunks before I pulled it back, controlling the blaze to ensure it left no evidence of the fight behind.

I watched the fire do its work, the intense blaze reducing everything to ash. It wasn’t just to cover my tracks but also to ensure no one could use these bodies for anything—especially with that strange magic tied to them. Once the last ember faded, I dusted off my hands, turning my attention to the remaining spoils from the skirmish.

Sylvie climbed onto my shoulder in her fox form, her large eyes reflecting the still-glowing embers. "What are we gonna do now, Papa?" she asked softly.

I glanced down at the map I'd found in the leader's dimensional ring. My fingers traced the marked dungeons, each one representing something the enemy had plans for—something I needed to stop.

"Well... what else but hunt some intruders down?" I muttered with a dark smile, my eyes fixed on the locations marked on the map.