Promise

Without any guidance, beginning from scratch

A guard came up to them. He said, "Excuse me, could you please show me your assignment letter and your identification cards?"

Anthonius gave the officer their identification cards and duty letters right away, as did every member of the core investigating team. The gatekeeper ran to the guard position a bit later.

Omar said, "Has something bad happened in the city?"

"Shut up, and stop asking me!" Dima's voice was sharp.

Omar, who had been instructed to keep silent, simply pouted and gave Dima a displeased look. "This old man...!" complained Omar.

Shortly afterward, the security guard who had asked for the witches' task permits and identity cards came back. As he gazed at the faces of every member of the core investigating team in front of him, his face appeared pale.

As the guard handed Anthonius his duty permit, he said, "What has happened? Why has the city's security been tightened to this extent?" he continued.

"The Shadow-man was spotted roaming about the town square a few days ago by some city dwellers. Then, suspecting that they were intoxicated, we looked around. Because when we checked, their blood contained alcohol. What they said turned out to be accurate. The city streets were littered with some of the materials typically found in the Shadow-man's body." The guard clarified, "At that moment, Meuz ordered the city's guard to be tightened and asked all remaining salt traders to enter the city or leave the city immediately."

"The same thing happened here," Javier's statement was.

"It seems this terror has reached the major cities on Terra. They had a similar experience when I was in the city of Sofia a short while ago. Thankfully, only 0.5% of Tera witches reside there, and those who do are alchemists and medical personnel," Anthonius remarked.

Anthonius and the others were granted entry into the city after acquiring their duty permits and identity cards. Since Anthonius had last left the city, the vista of the city had changed significantly.

"I... only feel a very slight presence of humans. Maybe only a third of the population of Filanesia City should be here," stated Vanity. "They appear to have been moved to an area that has been fortified with strong protective magic. Whether this completely protects them or if there is another reason, like limiting the townspeople's movement so they are unaware that the Dark Dragon and Terra's only mithril mine have been destroyed,"

Anthonius gave Vanity a quick look. Anthonius appears to have some agreement with Vanity Fair's viewpoint, but he is too hesitant to voice it. Because it appears to call into question the policies Meuz has created for the City of Filanesia's citizens.

Alyosha questioned, "Do you really have to reveal it in front of everyone? Even an A-rank person already knows that Meuz's goal in doing so is to limit the activities of the city's residents. A more serious issue can emerge if they discover that the mine has been damaged and the dragon is dead. Meuz's lack of concern for public safety, as seen by the months-long delay in this case's inquiry, astonished me. Absolutely unbelievable!" Alyosha said he was disappointed.

The other members of the team doing the investigation said nothing. In barely three seconds, Dima had found the townspeople who Antonius had instructed him to look for, who might be hiding someplace right now.

"Underground city tunnels. In particular, they are concealed directly above the Antikythera Tower on the second floor. That's not a very nice spot to hide, in my opinion. Since there is only one way out of that location. Everybody will be easily slain in vain if they are ever trapped, let's say, and in the worst-case scenario, those beasts find out!" Dima clarified.

Anthonius urged the members of the main investigating team to refrain from raising any doubts. Even though he was the one who asked Dima to find out where they were just a moment ago.

"We will meet Meuz!" Antonius exclaimed. "Maybe we can request assistance. Because I believe that an S-rank wizard alone cannot accomplish this assignment."

"Yes... I also think so. The five of us will find it quite challenging to manage things by ourselves. If the opponent is a crazy mythological creature that once wreaked havoc on Terra, I think it would be futile as well, even with the presence of the two best front guards in Terra," Alyosha stated.

Meuz abruptly approached the main investigating team members as they were arriving at the Filanesia City square. Instead of being escorted by guards as usual, Meuz stood prepared, holding a long pole in his right hand.

"You got here sooner than I anticipated. I sent a messenger eagle to Fort Solfini previously; the eagle may have reached it at this moment. How... has the investigation you carried out produced any noteworthy developments?" Meuz asked directly.

Anthonius questioned, "Should we explain the details here? Isn't it too dangerous? What if it is heard by someone? Is that mine as well?"

Meuz became quiet for a while. The empty street in front of him drew his blank attention. These days, Terra's capital city is a ghost town. The majority of Terra's homes are deserted. Only a handful of S and A rank magicians remain vigilant in case something untoward happens. They had to willingly put up with their family hiding close to the Antikythera Tower, where the God of Time is held captive.

"I want to ask," Anthonius said.

Meuz turned to look at Anthonius. Then he asked, "Yes?" in reverse.

"Why did we have to choose that place? When everyone in Filanesia City was forced to hide in the city's subterranean tunnels, Anthonius was genuinely nervous. I do not doubt the strength and perfection of the architecture that Zu once created, but nevertheless... I am more concerned about the creature you sealed there, Zamman. Is it appropriate to put a baby rabbit close to the tiger's den?" Anthonius inquired. I even avoid remaining in Filanesia for the same reason: "Zamman has the worst anger management of all the founders of Terra," said Anthonius.

"If not placing them in the underground channels... then where should I place them?!" Meuz repeated the question. "If I use too much manna to create a new shelter for them, I might be overwhelmed when facing that creature later."

Anthonius said, "It seems like we're merely attempting to reduce the number of victims as much as possible, right?" What Meuz had said still disappointed him. "Then... what should we do?" In response, Anthonius inquired.

"Have you found a way to destroy that shield?" Meuz inquired.

All the members of the main investigating team stared at Anthonius in confusion as he became silent.

"We don't know how to destroy it yet!" With firmness, Anthonius said. "There is no one, not even an S-rank wizard, who is sane enough to destroy the antimatter magic barrier, which is legendary magic!" Anthonius gave a strong explanation.

Meuz grinned. "Alright, then what is it that you want to convey that requires you to leave your duties and travel this far?" Meuz responded.

"We would like to inquire about the next orders. We can't take care of Manji by ourselves. Even Miss Azalea had to intervene directly a long time ago in order to resolve it alongside Miss Tsabitha Youenha, and two renowned Manji continued to help them. The weaver of human fate has two guardians. Don't you think this is now a fight between gods rather than S-rank sorcerers? Shouldn't we work with Zamman to find a solution? I don't mean to minimize you, but like Zu, who can also control the dragon, Zamman is the only one who can halt his own creation. I have no doubt that Zamman can likewise subdue the Manji!"

Meuz became quiet for a while, but his body language made it obvious that he was confused. Anthonius therefore consented to follow Meuz when he requested him to. Both of them left the other members of the core investigating team. Then Meuz had moved far enough away from them to give Anthonius a wooden box. It appeared so straightforward, yet something inside the wooden box gave him a remarkable magical power. It dawned on Anthonius that he had never seen anything like it in his almost four hundred years of existence.

Anthonius asked Meuz, "This?"

"That... is a fire lily. If the time comes when we can no longer face this, then we must resolve it in another way, right?" asked Meuz. "We do indeed have to make sacrifices, but I never hoped to do so; yet if it becomes necessary, we will still do it."

A bewildered Anthonius turned to face the Terran captain. It never occurred to Anthonius that the Shadow-man, who was reputed to be the most submissive being on Terra, might get Meuz to back down before he even entered the battlefield.

Anthonius remarked, "You have lived longer compared to me, Experience, and your knowledge is certainly greater compared to mine. A royal sorcerer would not do this. Such a clever approach, a tactic that solely seeks to win. You are a well-respected individual in Terra; why must you use such tactics in order to succeed? Are you really that scared of this Manji figure?" inquired Anthonius inquisitively.

"Let me explain a little about the figure of Manji to you so you understand how terrifying this creature is!" Meuz replied.

The City of Thori had formerly been a hub for magical study before it died. Rumpa was one of the most well-known magic researchers of his era. He even sacrificed his daughter as a test subject because of his intense fixation with the advancement of magic. That girl is the one who has managed to contribute significantly to the Terra archiving center in the present.

As her father had said, Tsabitha Youenha would die and become crippled, but instead she became the most dreaded witch of her era. Through the use of the Shadow-man and Mother River water, the power of the last blood witch within a regular human being can bring a Manji's soul back to life. One of Zaman's prohibited spells is the Unused Spell, and even Zaman only succeeds 10% to 20% of the time in his attempts. But even in her first trial, Tha has a perfect record, which naturally makes Zamman jealous and makes Antonnie Xander and Tsabitha Younha the objects of the time god's wrath.

The renowned sorcerer known as the Time Thief and Death Trickster, Tha, who had only been Antonier Xander's favorite servant for a few years, also had to deal with the fallout from his powers. Even now, their relationship has never been successful. Despite his significant accomplishments, Tha is still wanted by Terra due to his acts, notably the insane Alchemia Antonnie Xander.