Chapter 25: Mind Flayer and the Practical Boss

On the way back, both were silent, though for entirely different reasons.

Wang Yu was pondering what on earth that teddy bear possessing Rose’s "brother" actually was, and how he could manage to kill the damn thing.

As for Avia, a girl’s thoughts are always delicate; the tragedy that unfolded in that small cabin left a far deeper mark on her than it did on Wang Yu.

If Avia’s emotions were like glass, then Wang Yu’s were like sandpaper—the kind you could use as a whetstone.

"Wang Yu..." Avia, being pulled along by him away from the cabin, wanted to say something; she felt that something was wrong with her.

A sense of sorrow welled up in her heart, impossible to suppress. She seemed to feel the bond between Rose and her "brother," and she, too, had lost her own kin—her father, her older brother, and her younger brother...

The feeling of losing those you hold dear is, truly, agonizing.

If she had the chance to save someone she cared about, would she also make a foolish choice?

Tumultuous thoughts swirled in the girl’s mind. For some reason, the faces of her father and brothers from the past surfaced in her memory.

These memories, not exactly pleasant, connected to the reality that they were gone forever, causing a river of grief to flow uncontrollably. Avia felt her heart in chaos...

"Hey, oh god, don't—I really don't know how to comfort people. Seriously, keep it simple: if I get the chance, I’ll just smash that thing to bits, alright?"

Wang Yu let out a strange cry. He knew that a girl’s heart was delicate, and in Avia’s clearly distressed state, she was bound to say something.

The problem was, what could he, a blockhead, possibly say? Empathy? He had it—he’d kill that damn teddy bear every single time he saw it—but beyond that, he really had nothing.

So, in Wang Yu’s view, trying to chat and comfort Avia would surely end in disaster.

Rather than risking a mess later, it was better to beg for mercy now. He was well aware of his own limitations.

"Hmm...?" Seeing Wang Yu stride forward, letting go of her hand, his expression twisted as if he’d seen a ghost, Avia felt a strange sensation.

This look on him was rare. Usually, he was either calm or cheerful; this ghost-struck expression was, well, ironically amusing.

"Pfft~" For some reason, seeing this guy always allowed Avia to calm down.

Perhaps it was Wang Yu’s bizarrely optimistic nature influencing those around him.

Watching him march ahead, trying to avoid talking to her, Avia felt the sorrow dilute, and she let out a soft laugh.

She quickened her pace to close the distance, but the guy in front seemed to have eyes in the back of his head and sped up accordingly.

The two chased each other toward their destination: Garcia’s temporary base.

When they arrived, Wang Yu had already regained his composure, not even panting, while the young mage was breathless.

Not possessing great stamina, she had run this not-so-short distance without realizing it, and only now felt the exhaustion hitting her.

The feeling of sorrow had vanished, replaced, strangely, by a hint of irritation.

Watching the two run in one after the other, Garcia, who was sitting at a table, blinked and asked casually, "Mission accomplished?"

Wang Yu nodded. He looked over and noticed that sitting across from Garcia was a man even more burly and robust than she was.

The man was tall, at least a head taller than Wang Yu, with muscles so massive that even beneath the priest’s robes typical of the clergy, they were impossible to hide.

His face was covered in stubble, a full-bearded man, yet he didn't look menacing.

He felt like the kind of kind-hearted priest who simply didn't bother with his grooming.

"Fang Stuart, Captain of the Night’s Edge in the Imperial City, and also the Bishop of the Church of Light stationed in Alastair."

"You can call him Father Fang." Seeing Wang Yu’s gaze fixed on the burly priest, Garcia introduced him naturally.

There was no solemnity of meeting a high-ranking official; the atmosphere was quite relaxed.

"Hello, Father Fang." Wang Yu offered a simple bow to the robust priest.

For some reason, this strong priest gave Wang Yu a natural sense of affinity. Come to think of it, Wang Yu generally had a favorable impression of anyone from the Church of Light.

"Hello, Knight Wang Yu. The mission went well, I assume? Could you tell me how it went?" Fang nodded, a smile appearing on his stubbled face.

Since he was a big shot, there was nothing to hide, so he recounted the events, adding a few questions of his own.

Wang Yu began to describe how he and Avia handled the incident, mentioning his doubts about the teddy bear.

Garcia listened quietly at first, nodding approvingly when Wang Yu spoke of his cooperation with Avia.

But when Wang Yu reached the part about being knocked away by the black giant hand summoned by the boy, and how the boy seemed to become a different person controlled by the teddy bear,

a flash of surprise lit up his eyes. He exchanged a look with Father Fang, both of them reflecting on the matter with different thoughts.

"So the mission should be complete, but do you know what was inside that teddy bear?" Wang Yu finished his account and asked his question.

Garcia and Father Fang exchanged a glance, and Father Fang spoke first.

"That was a Mind Flayer, a sentient creature from the Void, and one of the primary targets of our Night’s Edge."

"These creatures dedicate themselves to twisting the minds of those with high Void affinity, using their desires and abilities to create distorted, uncontrollable Void constructs."

"The more destruction these constructs cause in reality, the more power the Mind Flayers draw from the chaos."

"They are obsessed with destroying the order of sentient beings in reality, and humans, elves, and other prosperous races are their targets."

"These guys are extremely stealthy and often vanish without a trace once discovered. They parasitize anyone with a strong Void affinity."

"The Mind Flayer hides in the Void, subtly influencing their mental space and inducing them toward extremes."

"Because they flee as soon as they are detected, our current method is limited to exorcism."

"Only in rare cases can we kill them with divine arts. Because these Mind Flayers possess intelligence, they are aware of the existence of the Night’s Edge."

"Moreover, they evolve on their own and harbor great malice toward us."

"I see." Wang Yu finally understood why that teddy bear had harbored such malice toward him.

It was likely that the gauntlet had led this sentient entity to mistake Wang Yu for a member of the Night’s Edge, only to be killed by him in return.

"As I mentioned, these guys influence those with strong Void affinity and are very hard to kill."

"Little girl, come here." Father Fang called out to Avia, who was standing to the side listening obediently.

"Hmm?" Both Wang Yu and Avia realized what Father Fang meant.

Extremely hard to kill—did simply blowing up the teddy bear really kill that thing? Clearly not. And with high Void affinity, Avia was...

"You should understand what I’m saying. Regardless of whether such a situation exists, we must check. I will cast a divine art, and you must open your mental spaces."

"This art can detect the presence of a Mind Flayer." Father Fang said, drawing the holy tome from his waist.

It was a massive book connected to a long iron chain. It looked incredibly heavy, with iron-reinforced corners.

Wang Yu looked on in wonder. Given its weight and material, plus the chain—a meteor hammer?

Looking at Father Fang’s explosive muscles, he guessed that his suspicion was likely close to the truth.

Father Fang opened the tome. The material inside was peculiar; it looked like cloth, yet felt like paper when written upon.

At this moment, it emitted a faint golden glow in the priest’s hands, giving off a gentle and peaceful feeling.

"Those with wizarding talent, open your mental spaces. This is a good opportunity to teach you something new."

The priest said, demonstrating first by closing his eyes and placing the tome on the table before him.

A soft golden radiance emanated from the tome, casting a warm, yellowish hue into every corner of the room.

There was no hesitation. Wang Yu and Avia followed the priest’s lead, calming their hearts, entering meditation, and probing their own mental spaces as they usually did.

Wang Yu’s method was rather unique, involving direct internal observation, which was faster than the meditation others required.

In an instant, he stood upon the familiar, crystalline lake. The water, barely covering his ankles, rippled in a silent, beautiful dance, while the star-strewn sky above remained as magnificent as it was deathly still.

As Wang Yu surveyed his surroundings, a miraculous sight unfolded: in the void above the endless expanse of the lake, a colossal castle rose from nothingness.

Beside it, a small, exquisite chapel gradually solidified, coming to rest upon the surface of the water.

"What is this?" Wang Yu wondered, struck by the spectacle. He had yet to master the deeper lore of the mages.

"This is the projection of our mental space within the void. It is why, if mages are in close proximity, they can perceive one another’s inner realms."

The priest’s voice drifted from the chapel. He stood in the doorway, his priestly vestments strained by muscles that bulged like granite boulders. In his hand, he clutched a mace—no, a holy tome.

So that was it. Wang Yu nodded, acknowledging a truth he had not known.

At that moment, the massive gates of the castle creaked open. Aivya stepped out, her noble gown lending her a refinement that her apprentice robes lacked.

Yet, her attire was modest by aristocratic standards, devoid of excessive ornament. Given her petite frame, she looked less like a grand noblewoman and more, in Wang Yu’s estimation, quite adorable.

"Is that so?" Aivya nodded, then asked with curiosity, "And what of your mental space, Wang Yu?"

"..." Wang Yu gestured toward the shoddy, wooden door floating on the lake behind him. The lock was broken—he remembered it clearly, for it was the door to his own bedroom.

"..." Aivya was at a loss for words.

"Generally speaking, the stronger one’s affinity for the void, the more imposing the projection of their mental space. Miss Aivya’s affinity is truly astonishing," Father Fang remarked with a smile.

Aivya’s expression shifted. Her aunt had warned her never to reveal her true talent to outsiders, lest the greed and envy of others prove impossible to contain.

But recalling the priest’s dual status as a high-ranking member of the Church of Light and the Night’s Edge, she exhaled, her tension easing. She patted her chest and whispered, "I hope Father Fang will keep this a secret."

The priest nodded solemnly. "Of course. Now, let us see if there are any mind flayers lurking within your mental spaces."

While they spoke, Wang Yu studied their projections.

The priest’s chapel was vast, but strangely, the sky above it was not the dangerous, magnificent void. Instead, it radiated a soft, golden glow. Every star shimmered with a gentle light, beautiful and reassuring.

Among those golden stars, one shone with such brilliance that it acted as a sun to the rest, bathing the priest’s unique sky in sacred radiance.

As for Aivya’s, Wang Yu could only marvel at the scale. It was less a castle and more a mountain. He could barely see the summit; standing before it, he felt as insignificant as a grain of sand.

"So huge... what kind of affinity is that?" Wang Yu sighed, comparing it to his own pathetic door. He felt no envy, only awe.

"Hm? What is that?" As he gazed at the castle, he noticed something writhing in a corner where the wall met the lake.

A translucent, greyish-white body, twisting limbs, suction cups, and a bloated, pulsating head—a translucent octopus?

The creature was clawing at the castle wall, its soft tentacles seemingly futile against the stone, yet it had already carved a noticeable gouge. If left unchecked, it would eventually breach the defenses.

Wang Yu frowned and stepped forward.

"I shall now use a divine art to purge our mental spaces," the priest announced. "It is designed to detect the presence of mind flayers."

"Our mental spaces are isolated, as we are all phantoms to the void, just as the void is to us. But this art can pierce that barrier. Once detected, a mind flayer will attempt to flee."

"This assumes we can breach the barrier. If we cannot, we are powerless to intervene."

"I will begin the scan. If I find one, I will cast a second spell to destroy it. It is difficult, as they are swift, and successful kills are rare."

"I am ready," Aivya said, her voice tight with nerves.

Pale golden light poured down from the priest’s sky like a waterfall. The brightest star shed its radiance, turning into a river of gold that bathed the chapel in brilliance. The priest opened his tome, absorbing the light until it vanished into the pages.

A visible wave of golden energy rippled outward.

Simultaneously, Wang Yu marched toward the strange octopus. The creature sensed his approach but remained indifferent, continuing its assault on the wall as if Wang Yu posed no threat.

Wang Yu sprinted across the water. He felt a strange sensation as he crossed into the perimeter of Aivya’s castle, but nothing hindered him.

He lunged. The octopus finally realized the danger, abandoned the wall, and dove into the lake to escape. It was fast, but Wang Yu was faster. With a few strides, he caught up and snatched the creature from the water.

It was a grotesque thing—grey, translucent, covered in suckers, with a head filled with swirling, smoky mist.

Wang Yu looked into its eyes and saw a flicker of human-like terror and shock. A sense of familiarity struck him, and he frowned.

Just then, the golden shockwave reached them. It sensed the creature, and a surge of golden light flooded into the octopus, causing it to glow.

Father Fang and Aivya noticed Wang Yu standing within the castle’s bounds. The priest looked stunned; Aivya was merely surprised.

"Wang Yu, what is that in your hand?" Aivya asked.

"It is a mind flayer," the priest answered first.

The creature, sensing it had been exposed, thrashed wildly. A mouth filled with jagged teeth erupted from its smooth head, biting down on Wang Yu’s hand.

Wang Yu remained unscathed.

At the mention of a mind flayer, his expression darkened. He pressed both hands onto the creature’s head, increasing the pressure. The octopus shrieked—a sharp, alien sound that made Aivya cover her ears in pain. The priest frowned.

Wang Yu was unmoved. His hands, like iron vises, crushed the creature’s skull. He ignored the screeching and the razor-sharp blades that sprouted from the octopus’s body to attack him.

He simply applied more force. And more.

The grey skull shattered under his brutal grip. Gelatinous, translucent fluid dripped away. His relentless hands continued their work, methodically and mercilessly tearing the evil creature apart until nothing remained.

"Squish, hiss!" Under the relentless force of Wang Yu’s assault, the mind flayer’s skull shattered, spraying a grotesque, pale-gray fluid that stained the pristine surface of the lake a murky, dismal hue.

Imperceptibly, the water beneath Wang Yu’s feet deepened by a fraction.

Shaking the gore from his hands, Wang Yu wore a look of grim satisfaction; he had kept his word—whenever he encountered a mind flayer, he would see it dead.

"This..." Father Fang fell into deep thought, then once again channeled the same divine art as before. This time, a golden shockwave swept across the surroundings, revealing nothing further.

"It is truly dead," Fang nodded. The mind flayer no longer existed within this mental space; the one that had been here was definitively destroyed.

Looking toward Wang Yu, who stood by the castle conversing with Avia, Father Fang felt a strange sense of wonder.

"To walk directly into another’s mental realm, to seize a mind flayer with one’s bare hands—Garcia, you were right. He is a natural-born talent for the Blades of Night," Fang mused to himself.

"That will do. Since the mind flayer is dead and there are no others, we can withdraw from the mental space," Father Fang called out to the pair.

Avia and Wang Yu nodded and exited the mental realm.

As consciousness returned to reality, the sensation of reclaiming one’s own body was quite pleasant, and Avia felt her spirits lift significantly.

The bizarre, overwhelming sorrow had vanished entirely; it seemed she had been under the influence of the creature Wang Yu had crushed. What remained was only a faint, lingering irritation from when she had first fled back.

"You will have no further trouble, though you may experience a few nightmares."

Father Fang holstered his meteor hammer, briefed Avia on what to expect, and then turned his gaze toward Wang Yu.

"You intend to set out on an adventure in a year’s time, don’t you? Do you plan to head to the Royal Capital? Any interest in joining our Blades of Night?" Fang asked with a faint smile.

"Yes, I plan to venture out and see the world in a year. I am certain I will go to the Royal Capital."

Wang Yu nodded. In ten months or so, once he fulfilled his promises, he would go out to explore.

Dragons, elves, more magic, and battle qi—the world was vast, and he was eager to see it.

Hearing Wang Yu mention his departure, for some reason, Avia’s lingering irritation flared up. It wasn't quite anger, but a strange, uncomfortable sensation that left the girl feeling unsettled.

Lowering her gaze, Avia remained silent.

"Could you tell me more about the Blades of Night?" Wang Yu asked.

Father Fang cleared his throat and grew solemn. "We are the blades in the darkness, severing the evils that covet the light. We are the lighthouse in the silent sea, the night watchmen of the human realm!"

Having delivered this stirring declaration, Fang looked at Wang Yu. "What do you think?"

Wang Yu blinked, mentally organizing what he had seen and heard of the Blades of Night. He glanced at Garcia, studied the priest carefully, and rubbed his chin.

Deciding to be blunt, Wang Yu spoke his mind. "Too vague. It means nothing to me. What about the benefits? The compensation?"

Wang Yu had always been a practical man; these oath-like platitudes left him completely unmoved.

Such words might serve to boost morale before a battle, but as a guiding principle for one’s life? He didn't know about others, but he certainly wasn't buying it.

During his brief silence, he had debated whether to be so direct. He didn't know the nature of the Blades of Night.

Were they like the bosses of his past life, who loved flattery and circumlocution? Would he offend his superior, Father Fang, by being so blunt?

But then he thought, this was a different world—was there any need to be servile or timid? Being a lackey was no fun at all.

He hadn't been a coward in his previous life, and he had no intention of being one now. Caution was not meant to be used this way.

So, Wang Yu spoke plainly. If it didn't work out, so be it. He wasn't a man to agonize over things; he was a wandering knight.

He was free, and the world was vast—there were plenty of places for him to roam.

"Hahaha, is that so?" Father Fang laughed aloud, while Garcia wore a look of helpless resignation.

He hadn't expected Wang Yu to come out with that after such a long pause. Was it embarrassing? Not really, just a bit odd.

Avia, meanwhile, was stunned. In her eyes, Father Fang’s status was even higher than a Count’s, yet look at the attitude Wang Yu took with him!

"Yes, I am quite concerned with that."

Wang Yu nodded; he was indeed being very serious.

"The compensation and special privileges of the Blades of Night are quite substantial. I told you those oaths wouldn't be enough."

"An organization cannot survive on ideals alone. Only tangible things serve as the foundation for longevity."

Father Fang laughed heartily. He lacked the stiff reserve of a typical cleric, instead giving Wang Yu a sense of rugged, open-heartedness.

A practical man, Wang Yu thought. It was as he suspected—Father Fang was genuine. A holy scripture and a meteor hammer told him everything he needed to know.

Following this intuition, Wang Yu dropped the pretense.

"Let’s talk specifics, then. In the Royal Capital, the monthly pay for the Blades of Night ranges from twenty to one hundred gold coins, with bonuses far exceeding that based on the missions completed."

"At the same time, you enjoy special privileges at all academies and shops within the capital. In theory, all members of the Blades of Night possess the authority to enforce the law regardless of noble rank."

"Of course, you’ll have to figure out the nuances of that yourself... Well? Are you satisfied?"

Wang Yu nodded. It wasn't that he wasn't satisfied; he was more than satisfied with the job.

The final warning to "figure out the nuances" was so refreshingly honest. He finally understood why the Blades of Night held such influence and public trust: two words—they were practical.

Concrete benefits paired with righteous ideals—how could these warriors, who fought with lanterns held high in the darkness, not strive for the sake of this world?

"More than satisfied." Wang Yu extended his hand.

"I look forward to your arrival." Father Fang clasped Wang Yu’s hand, and the two practical men shook hands as Garcia and Avia looked on in stunned silence.