As if a bolt of lightning had struck from a clear sky, the thunder that echoed through the valley made all those leading the vanguard instinctively turn their heads.
Hugo, who was standing at the very front, didn’t look back. But from the sensation of powerful mana sweeping past, he could tell without needing to see that Leonardo had just used some kind of large-scale magic.
He had already heard the Sigals’ cries a few times before, which had left him mildly concerned about the rear. But contrary to that concern, the power of the mana he had just felt told him clearly—whatever was hit by it likely hadn’t even left its bones behind. That said, the sheer excessive scale of the magic seemed to confirm that his suspicions about Leonardo’s unstable mana control were not unfounded.
If it continues to stay unstable, it could become a problem.
It wasn’t that he doubted Leonardo’s ability to control his own power. But given the vastness and force of his mana, it was something that couldn’t be ignored for the safety of the entire group—even if it meant assuming the worst.
And if I try to put the handcuffs back on him... he definitely won’t comply.
Hugo considered several things but had to focus on clearing the path ahead first. He quietly called out to the company commanders of the vanguard, whose gazes had drifted backward.
“Focus.”
At Hugo’s calm voice, they all turned their heads forward again and reset their formation. Among them, Battalion Commander Meterion turned his head last and spoke to Hugo.
“It looks like some big ones made it to the back. Shouldn’t I go check the rear?”
Hugo, still watching the path ahead, answered without even glancing at Meterion, as # Nоvеlight # if the suggestion was unnecessary.
“I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”
“Agrizendro, why would you leave the rear to that guy?”
When Meterion asked directly, Hugo lowered his eyes for a brief moment and slowly turned his gaze toward him.
“With you and me at the front, I just balanced things out by putting someone equally strong in the rear.”
His tone was calm, as though it carried no special meaning. But Meterion’s expression clearly showed that he wasn’t convinced.
In fact, several of the other commanders nearby had the same question in their minds—but none of them voiced it. They wisely refrained from pressing further.
Hugo had no intention of addressing their silent doubts one by one, so he turned his attention back to the bone graveyard stretching ahead.
As they neared the entrance of the cave leading to the 4th peak, countless human bones were seen lying within the hollowed-out areas visible from their position. The remains were all crumbled and shattered, piled high like a mass grave. Bits of fabric and personal items that the deceased had once used were scattered among them, reduced to fragments.
Before such a grotesque scene, the scout team—wearing gloves and gear—was currently conducting an investigation near the piles of bones. One of them hurriedly approached Hugo with a bone fragment and said,
“Commander, based on the condition of the remains, it seems quite a bit of time has passed since they turned to skeletons. One unusual thing is that there are multiple traces of having been scratched by something sharp.”
When Hugo extended his hand, the scout handed the bone fragment over immediately. As described, the piece of bone bore scratch marks as though it had been scraped repeatedly.
“Were they attacked?”
“That’s our assumption for now.”
“Hmm...”
The surface of the bone wasn’t clean, and the color had faded as though dirt and dried debris had stuck to it over time. Hugo looked at it for a moment, then murmured quietly,
“Looks like the work of a Soutos...”
Upon hearing this, Meterion snorted beside him.
“What would a deep-sea species like Soutos be doing in the middle of the peninsula?”
His tone was grating, but the content of his words wasn’t wrong. Hugo didn’t respond to the comment. He silently examined the bone fragment again, then handed it back to the investigator.
At that moment, two Council officers came flying urgently from the front, seemingly having been searching for something. Upon spotting the Central Branch vanguard, they immediately teleported closer. Judging by the urgency in their movement, something serious had occurred.
One of them quickly saluted Hugo and Meterion, then reported,
“Loyalty. I’m Warren Schneider, liaison officer from the 12th Battalion of the Council’s Southern Branch. While carrying out the operation from the 7th peak to the 19th peak in the eastern zone of Elder Millie, some Drocs and Sigals broke away from the designated route and disappeared. I’m here to report that.”
“Drocs and Sigals?”
Hugo, listening to the report, briefly turned his head to look behind them. After gazing down the fog-shrouded path for a moment, he turned back and spoke flatly.
“Tell them it’s been taken care of.”
“...Sir? You mean already...?”
“Yes.”
“Ah—understood!”
Though confused by Hugo’s confidence, the two officers saluted again and disappeared via teleportation. Meterion stared at Hugo with clear dissatisfaction.
“I don’t know what you’re relying on to be so sure of him. You’ve barely known the guy, but you’re trusting his mana like it’s gospel. How do you know that thunderous sound just now wasn’t an attack on our own?”
“...I’m not placing blind faith in him. But at the very least, he’s not someone who would harm fellow members.”
“That’s just your opinion.”
“...”
To Meterion, who kept pushing doubts about Leonardo, Hugo let out a quiet sigh. Then, staring at him coldly, he asked,
“Meterion. What are you trying to do?”
Meterion answered immediately, as if he'd been waiting for the question.
“Place me next to Leonardo Blaine. I’ll monitor him. Call it a precaution.”
Hugo’s brow furrowed slightly. He looked at Meterion with a puzzled expression.
“I don’t get it. Why are you so intent on sticking near him? Is there a reason?”
At Hugo’s words, as if sensing something was off, Meterion hesitated momentarily, then replied,
“You’re being unusually soft on that guy. In a situation like this, where it wouldn’t be excessive to put him in chains, you’re leaving him to Delua. What if he goes out of control? You think she can stop him?”
“...”
“To me, it just looks like you’re hoping he behaves—and letting it slide. I can’t accept that. That’s why I’m volunteering to keep him in check.”
To Hugo, Meterion’s words didn’t quite add up. On the surface, it sounded like he was criticizing Leonardo—but the determination to stay near him felt oddly intense, even personal.
Meterion was the heir to the Clinder family—one of the most powerful noble houses in the Council. He was someone who prided himself on formality and completing assigned tasks precisely. He wasn’t the type to throw himself into missions in remote corners of the world without a solid reason.
Hugo had already found it strange when Meterion volunteered to come to the peninsula. Even during a short conversation with Loren before deployment, he had sensed that something about Meterion’s enthusiasm was out of character. But he’d chosen not to dwell on it.
Even so, the way Meterion was acting now—nitpicking Leonardo at every turn, practically begging to be sent to his side—was undeniably abnormal.
Hugo didn’t intend to entertain him further. If reason wouldn’t work, then authority would.
“Could you all give us a moment?”
At the Commander’s voice, the nearby commanders and investigators, who had been silently waiting, lifted their heads and exchanged glances. They saluted quickly and withdrew, their steps noticeably faster than usual—clearly aware of the tension in the air.
Once they had retreated a fair distance, Hugo looked back at Meterion.
“You think Delua can’t control him?”
Meterion responded as if it were self-evident.
“You know that as well as I do. Don’t pretend otherwise.”
Hugo blinked slowly once, then spoke.
“True. She’s a strong battalion commander. But if Leonardo truly goes berserk... yes, that might not be enough. Still, if we’re assuming that, I have one thing I want to make absolutely clear.”
His eyes turned sharp.
“In my judgment, you wouldn’t be able to control him either.”
A vein throbbed on Meterion’s forehead. But Hugo didn’t stop there.
“Have you fought him with everything you’ve got? I have. Up close. For more than half a day. That’s why I can say with confidence—Leonardo isn’t someone you can just ‘monitor.’ So as your Commander, I expect you to follow orders and stop pushing this.”
An invisible tension sparked between their locked gazes. The veins on Meterion’s neck stood out from the strain, but Hugo had no intention of humoring his pride.
“I don’t want to bring this up again.”
He didn’t want to compare Leonardo’s mana with that of other battalion commanders. These were Council elites, and their pride was no small thing.
But Hugo hadn’t said this just to assert authority. He’d said it because he didn’t want Meterion lingering around Leonardo and poking at his temper—provoking problems during a critical operation.
If anything went wrong, Hugo had promised to take responsibility. So the best course of action was to cut the issue off at the root.
Upon hearing Hugo’s words, Meterion’s expression hardened. Still, Hugo turned his attention to the company commanders waiting nearby, as if the conversation had already ended.
“If the investigation yields nothing significant, we’re moving out.”
