Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 65: Shadows Beneath the Night Sky
The night was unnervingly still. In the heavens above, the pale moon seemed to have glimpsed something unspeakable—so unsettling that it quickly pulled a curtain of thick black clouds across its own face, as though to hide in shame or fear.
Darkness swept over the rear mountain of the Beast-Taming Academy. The world was swallowed whole, leaving only the faint, flickering glow of a magical lantern burning weakly by the gate of a secluded villa.
That night, Merlin had chosen not to return to the academy’s luxurious high-class dormitories. Instead, he rested in the villa hidden deep within the back mountain, and by now he was already fast asleep, his breathing steady and peaceful.
But outside the villa’s windows, the shadows were not so still. A streak of black cut swiftly across the night sky, vanishing in the blink of an eye beneath the feeble moonlight.
It was a raven. Its feathers were dark as spilled ink, absorbing even the dim glimmer of the stars. Perched upon the brittle branch of a withered tree, it watched intently, its eyes glowing with an unnatural, sinister light—locked unblinking on the direction where Merlin slept.
Strange…
The raven tilted its head, confusion flickering in its gaze.
This brat… He should be dead. I struck him with my Death Pierce. No one survives that! And yet—he’s not only alive but looks healthier, more spirited than before…
The creature’s sharp beak clicked softly, its mind churning with doubt. That night was etched in its memory—Merlin’s life extinguished, his death confirmed by its own inspection. The raven had even intended to retrieve the boy’s corpse the following day. And yet here he was… breathing.
But perhaps this is fortune in disguise, the raven thought darkly. Had he continued hiding within those guarded dormitories, I would have no chance to strike again. That night, had that old man not left, I might never have killed him in the first place.
From its careful surveillance, from trial and error in the dense forest, the raven’s master had determined that Merlin no longer had anyone secretly protecting him. Alone, he was exposed prey.
Such a handsome youth, the raven mused cruelly. A pity that He has set His eyes upon you. There is no escape from that fate. Those eyes of yours… He desires them above all else.
It cackled inwardly. Well, killing you twice will cost me nothing. And you truly are a defenseless little lamb…
The raven stood calmly on the skeletal tree branch, its shadow fusing seamlessly into the night. Only its twin eyes glowed eerily in the gloom, deep black orbs that shimmered with a wicked light.
Suddenly, the last fragments of moonlight were devoured by a surging dark force. And from that abyss, an invisible spear of soul-piercing energy shot forth—silent, deadly, aimed directly at Merlin’s sleeping form.
Die, Merlin!
Buzz—
In that very instant, the smooth white stone pressed close against Merlin’s chest flared awake. Brilliant radiance erupted from it, flooding the entire villa and spilling outward, so dazzling it pushed back the entire night itself.
A tide of resplendent holy light enveloped Merlin, its sacred brilliance descending like a divine embrace. The raven’s sinister soul attack collided with the light—and melted away like fragile frost under a blazing sun.
The Shield of Holy Light?! The raven recoiled, panic surging in its heart. And not just any shield… this is a soul-deflecting Holy Light Shield! The sheer density of this power—it’s at least from a Cardinal-ranked being!
Terror coursed through the creature’s veins. How could Merlin, this insignificant boy, carry a protective treasure of such unfathomable worth?
Within the glowing cocoon, Merlin stirred, groaning irritably.
“What the hell—? Damn it, my eyes are going blind!” he shouted, pressing his palms against his face. “Who the hell threw a flashbang into my villa?!”
Meanwhile, the raven flapped its wings frantically, realizing its mission had failed. I must retreat. This boy… and whoever stands behind him—they’ll have sensed everything.
But as it turned to flee, the milky stone at Merlin’s chest blazed once again. A second wave of divine magic surged forth.
The protective light around Merlin condensed, folding inward, then burst outward into a whirling storm of sacred radiance. Tiny stars of holy power scattered through the villa grounds, hunting, searching—and then locking onto their target. The scattered lights converged like a meteor shower, streaking unerringly toward the raven.
The raven’s heart nearly stopped. Impossible! With a desperate cry, it transformed into a streak of shadow, tearing through the sky in a frantic attempt to escape.
But it was too late.
A spear of purest gold, woven of light, sigils, and divine runes, materialized above the villa. Its glow was both gentle and absolute, radiating a sanctity that tore the darkness apart.
The spear launched.
Hummm—
It cleaved the heavens, carving a blazing golden wound across the night sky. And in the next heartbeat, it struck true, piercing straight through the raven mid-flight.
No thunderous explosion followed. No shockwave tore through the trees. There was only silence. Where the holy spear passed, sin itself was undone. The raven’s body was annihilated—erased, its very essence dissolved into nothingness beneath the unyielding light.
Merlin, still squinting against the blinding afterglow, cursed loudly. “Damn it! So bright! What in the world just happened?”
Blinking furiously, he noticed the white rune stone—previously resting over his heart—now resting warm and heavy in his palm.
Three golden streaks had once shone upon its surface. Now, only one remained.
Far away, in a cave buried deep within the southern edge of the academy’s beast forest—
A piercing scream shattered the silence. The sound reverberated through the cavern walls, echoing into the trees beyond. It carried a chill that made the forest itself tremble.
Splurt!
Blood gushed violently from the seven orifices of a cloaked figure hidden within. Twin streams of crimson tears streaked down his face. His once proud and upright body twisted and collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain, grotesque and terrifying to behold.
“Damn it! DAMN IT!” he howled, voice ragged with rage. “My soul fragment… destroyed! That strike—it was the Light of Vengeance! Only a Cardinal-level existence could wield such power! Does this mean… Merlin is protected by another Cardinal?!”
His limbs shook violently. A suffocating chill clung to him, seeping into his bones. Fear clawed at his throat.
He staggered to his feet, stumbling out of the cave. This place is no longer safe. If they’ve traced my position, I’ll be next. If Merlin truly has a Cardinal behind him… then our master’s plans are already exposed. I must warn him at once.
Meanwhile, back in the villa, Merlin stared at the still-glowing rune stone in his hand.
“What the hell is going on?” he muttered, brows furrowed. The stone burned faintly against his skin, alive with secrets he could not comprehend. He tried to recall the blinding sequence of events, but it had all happened too fast. He had seen nothing—his eyes had been closed against the flood of light.
Inside the Mage Tower of the Arcane Academy—
Saint Jones and Weber were deep in discussion, debating Merlin’s strange theories about constructing a magical energy network, when both men suddenly turned their heads toward the Beast-Taming Academy.
“The rune stone I gave Merlin,” Jones said grimly, “it’s been triggered.”
Weber’s eyes narrowed, but unlike Jones, he seemed unworried. That stone bore three powerful inscriptions: the Shield of Holy Light, the Light of Vengeance, and the Healing Light. Treasures inscribed by a demigod’s hand.
So long as the enemy was not a legendary archmage, Merlin could survive. And even if he hovered on the brink of death, the Healing Light would pull him back.
But Weber’s expression darkened. “Someone dared strike at Merlin? Within the Arcane Academy itself?” His voice carried restrained fury. This is my domain. To attack here is to insult my authority outright.
Of course, it was a rare privilege Merlin enjoyed. Any other student would not have earned even a passing glance from these two masters.
A thin smile touched Weber’s lips, but his gaze grew sharp as steel. “Interesting. I want to see just who hides in the shadows.”
His eyes drifted toward the distant beast forest, as though piercing its depths. His voice dropped to a whisper.
“Found you. Running so fast… where do you think you’re going?”
With a flick of his wrist, Weber reached into the night, grasping across time and space toward the forest’s southwest corner.