CH 2 Heir of Demonic Magic, Domain Of Mana

Ren’s heartbeat quickened, but he kept his face neutral. Freya was a few steps away, scanning the area and listening for any movement. He did not want her to notice he was becoming excited. If she noticed, she would know something was up with his status.

This…

This is huge.

He forced himself to breathe evenly.

Heir of Demonic Magic. The name was strange. But the effect was absurd.

Absorb Lifespan upon killing. Gain ten times the normal EXP. And use Lifespan to replace Mana.

All Mages had what was called a [Gate] inside their heart, a metaphysical opening that connected them to the [Domain of Mana]. Every Mage in the Land of Origin drew Mana from the same Domain of Mana. They refined the mana, stored it inside their bodies, and then used it to fuel spells.

Fifty years ago, that Domain had been poisoned. No one knew how. Some said it was an accident during a forbidden ritual. Others claimed it was sabotage by an unknown universal faction. What mattered was the result. Anyone who drew Mana from the Domain became corrupted. It did not matter if they stopped before the Domain was poisoned. Even the Mana already stored inside them twisted their flesh and mind.

The age of Mages ended overnight.

No mage could now use Mana without becoming what people called [Corrupted Ones].

Ren had awakened as a Mage in an era where being a Mage was almost a death sentence. His Mana stat was sealed for a reason.

But…

I can use my lifespan for spells.

I can fight. I can level up. I can fight monsters like every other awakener!

A warmth spread through his chest, and for a moment he felt lightheaded. It was like finding water after wandering in a desert for days.

The hopelessness he had suppressed since awakening loosened its grip.

He had a chance.

A real one.

He could grow stronger. He could survive the Land of Origin. He could meet his father again. He could return to Planet Gamora.

But just as quickly, he forced himself to calm down.

I need to test it first.

The description said he could absorb a portion of Lifespan upon killing a target. It did not specify how much. If the absorbed Lifespan was less than what he spent on casting spells, this was useless.

He glanced again at the number.

83 years, 123 days.

That was his total lifespan remaining. If he burned it recklessly, he would simply die faster. He had no intention of dying in such a stupid way.

Moreover, even without the lifespan aspect, the tenfold EXP alone was monstrous. That bonus would make him level far faster than anyone else. Combined with spell usage, if sustainable, it was an almost unfair Talent.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips before he suppressed it.

Heir of Demonic Magic.

The name suggested something dark. But he decided to ignore it for now, having no idea what it meant.

“Ren,” Freya called quietly. “Are you ready?”

“Yes. I’m done,” he replied.

“Good. Follow my instructions carefully.”

She pulled two small stones from her pocket and weighed them briefly in her palm.

“What are you doing?” Ren asked in a low voice.

“Creating a distraction,” she replied.

Without further explanation, she threw one stone to the left. Almost instantly, she threw the second to the right. The first stone rose above the protective ridge and entered the giant decapitated woman’s line of sight.

Ren felt something shift.

The stone began turning white midair. It transformed into salt grain by grain, giving chills to Ren and Freya. At the same time, Ren felt the oppressive gaze that had been staring at him disappear. He realized something.

“It can only look at one thing at once,” he whispered.

Freya nodded once. “Watch.”

The second stone, thrown to the right, remained unchanged for a moment. One and a half seconds passed. The left stone completed its transformation into salt and fell uselessly to the ground. Then the second stone began to whiten.

“Now,” Freya said sharply.

She bolted left. Ren followed.

The moment he stepped out from behind the ridge, his heart slammed against his ribs. For a fraction of a second, he felt completely exposed, as though standing naked in front of a predator.

They crossed behind another salt mountain.

The gaze returned. But he was safe.

Ren staggered slightly as chills ran down his spine. His skin prickled. Sweat formed at his temples.

“…The gaze returned,” he murmured.

Freya’s breathing was steady but heavier than before. “It tracks objects through sight and sound. I think it locks onto the most recent disturbance.”

Ren swallowed. The sensation was distinct. It was not imagination. The cold creeping along his nerves told him “she” was staring at them. It was as if “she” was waiting for him to make one mistake, to appear in an open area once, and “she” would turn him into salt.

“As long as we stay shielded, we’re safe?” he asked quietly.

“I hope so,” Freya replied.

They moved again, keeping low.

“Where are we going?” Ren asked.

“Speak quietly,” she said immediately, glancing back at him. “There are monsters in this area. They’re sensitive to sound.”

He nodded.

“We’re leaving this Salt Sea region,” she answered his question. “Today is the day new awakeners come. I came here to find them. You’re the only one I found. I wanted to search for more awakeners, but the night is approaching, and we need to leave.”

Ren instantly became alert.

This region was far too deadly. Just the presence of the giant decapitated woman was making him nauseous. One wrong mistake would turn him into salt. Who knew what dangers would appear here at night?

Yet Freya came into such a dangerous area to help newly summoned awakeners?

She must’ve known that rescuing another person was dangerous. If a new awakener panicked, ran into open ground, or made noise, both of them could die.

Why would she take that risk?

“…”

Ren’s expression remained neutral, but his mind sharpened.

Was she genuinely helping? Or was there another reason? Perhaps she needed bait. Or a companion to increase her survival odds elsewhere. Or someone expendable.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author’s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Trusting strangers in the Land of Origin was foolish. But she had information. She knew the terrain. She understood the giant’s behavior. For now, he needed her. Still, he raised his guard internally.

Freya suddenly stopped. Her hand moved slowly toward the hilt of her sword.

Ren’s muscles tightened instantly. For a brief moment, he thought she had sensed his suspicion.

“Don’t move,” she whispered. “There is a monster here.”

Ren looked around without turning his head too obviously. All he saw were uneven salt ridges and pale ground. There was no monster. His guard rose even higher. Was she trying to make him lower his guard before attacking? If he was looking for monsters, his guard would be lower against her, his teammate.

He prepared to use his spells. If she made a hostile move, he would not hesitate to fight back.

“Look at the ground eight meters ahead of us. Don’t make it obvious. Just glance at it from the corner of your eye. The ground there has a slight depression,” Freya whispered.

Ren followed her instructions. His eyes narrowed, and he noticed four indentations arranged like hooves.

The depressions were shallow but distinct, pressing into the brittle salt surface. The spacing suggested something large and heavy.

“The depression means it’s heavy. It’s an adult Hushclaw, probably around Level 5. They’ve adapted to this area. They don’t make any sound, and they’re completely invisible,” Freya explained grimly

“…What?” Ren muttered, unable to hide the surprise in his voice.

“Yeah. They can’t be turned into salt while they’re invisible either. I tested it before,” she said.

Ren felt another chill that had nothing to do with the giant’s gaze.

Invisible. Silent. Immune to the saltification effect while hidden.

They were apex predators for this region.

“And it’s just standing there?” he asked.

“It’s waiting for an opening. Let’s sit. It won’t approach us until our guard is low,” Freya replied.

She lowered her hand from her weapon and sat down slowly on the salt ground, stretching her legs as if resting after a long walk.

Ren understood her choice immediately. They could not attack it at this distance. If they moved toward it, they would enter the exposed area between the salt mounds. That open region would be visible to the giant decapitated woman. One wrong step, and they would be turned into salt before even touching the monster.

The Hushclaw was standing deliberately in that open zone. It was a veteran hunter.

Ren sat down beside Freya, keeping his posture loose but his senses alert.

“Can there be more Hushclaws around us?” he whispered.

“I don’t know,” Freya said.

Her eyes were still fixed subtly on the depression marks.

“We can only track the adult ones due to their weight. That’s why I want to leave this region before nightfall. When visibility drops, it becomes almost impossible to track even the adult monsters through the ground signs,” she said.

Ren’s eyes narrowed slightly.