enny Village.

Ken, the bishop, and Captain Leon seemed to have become irrelevant figures, merely watching as Elder Omono issued orders. However, they understood that for those unfamiliar with magic, getting involved in a case involving a criminal mage was extremely dangerous. Omono had mentioned that the one who kidnapped Barok was a highly skilled mage, capable of casting magic at a level few in the entire Magic Guild could achieve.

After organizing the tasks, Elder Omono assigned Leon to handle the aftermath at the inn and then indicated to Ken and Yoo to return to the bishop’s room to discuss the next steps. The bloodstains and broken furniture in the room were quickly restored, as Omono demonstrated his mastery of high-level magic by casting a “Restoration Spell” to return the room to its original state. He then took Barok’s belongings from the room.

Though it was called a discussion, Elder Omono mostly made decisions on his own. He said to Bishop Ken, “I will continue tracking with my compass. Yoo will stay behind for some important matters, and I’ll need your cooperation, Bishop.”

Ken didn’t dare refuse, especially after witnessing the wonders of magic firsthand. Feeling both overwhelmed and powerless, he immediately expressed his willingness to cooperate with the intermediate mage Yoo. Omono whispered a few instructions into Yoo’s ear, to which Yoo nodded in acknowledgment. Omono then pulled out a magic carpet from the Parrot Ship and continued using the magical compass to trace Barok’s path outside the inn. Since the opposing mage had used "Levitation" to transport both himself and Barok out of the village, a faint blue trail appeared according to the compass. Without hesitation, Elder Omono mounted his carpet and followed the trail.

As he tracked the trail, Omono’s mind was filled with questions: Why was Barok kidnapped? Why was he injured? Who was the culprit? Rang had hardly appeared in many years—why would Barok see him? And why was Steel with Rang? All these questions seemed like they would only be answered once Barok was found.

Yoo did not accompany Elder Omono. His primary task was to provide a detailed report to the intelligence department of the Magic Guild. Although they hadn’t yet heard directly from Barok, the person who claimed to have seen Rang, Elder Omono had determined that this information was likely true. So, he instructed Yoo to report it to the intelligence department, which immediately marked the information as “confirmed.” The intelligence department then began transmitting the report to the current head of the Magic Guild, President Angla. Though Angla was probably out of the communication range, he had previously informed the guild that unless there was crucial news or information about Rang, they should not attempt to contact him.

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Clearly, the news of Rang was significant, at least in President Angla's eyes.

The specialized communication orb left with President Angla was highly advanced. Even if they couldn’t directly communicate at the moment, the orb could store a message for a certain period within the range of magical power. As soon as Angla returned to a range with sufficient magical energy and within the time frame, the orb would alert him. To ensure contact, the guild sent repeated messages at regular intervals until a connection could be made with their president.

However, the intelligence department was in a bit of a scramble as another piece of “red-level” intelligence had come in. Two adult long-tailed black dragons, Yin and Yang, had descended into the kingdom's territory, near Ashen Town. They immediately reported this to Elder Omono, but unfortunately, he was busy tracking Barok's whereabouts. Yoo, after sending Omono’s orders, received the news about Ashen Town and grew increasingly anxious. While others might not fully understand the importance of Ashen Town, both the Magic Guild and the royal court knew that the town’s underground mines held valuable mineral deposits, producing tens of thousands of tons of ore every year. Yoo informed the intelligence department that as soon as Elder Omono returned, he would report this to him, and he also suggested they immediately inform Vice President Lily, who managed the guild's daily operations.

Ashen Town.

After reporting the dragon sightings back to the Magic Guild, Mayor Zoe also announced the dragons’ presence in the church square, assuring the town's people that they were merely passing through and posed no threat. This calmed the residents. He and Bishop Manpha felt somewhat relieved, at least waiting for further instructions from the guild.

As they rested briefly in their office, the ground suddenly began to shake. Their first thought was an earthquake, but after a few jolts, the ground fell silent, as if waiting for something. The brief tremors caused townsfolk to stop what they were doing and exchange bewildered glances.

Zoe and Manpha had just stepped outside their office when they heard a loud “rumbling” sound from afar. The volcano, which had once buried the original site of Ashen Town, had erupted once more.

Fortunately, the town was far enough away that the eruption was only visually dramatic. The townspeople weren’t too panicked. Zoe knew it was crucial to prevent a larger disturbance, so he didn’t hesitate to use a "Boom Voice Spell" to shout across the town: “It’s just a volcano erupting. It won’t affect us here in town. There’s no need to panic.”

Hearing this, the townsfolk resumed their tasks. However, Bishop Manpha grew anxious. The tremors had reminded him of the miners working in the underground mines. He hurriedly asked, “Could the mines be affected? Should we check?”

Indeed, the mines were already in chaos. Although the miners had been digging toward the source of the vein, which originated from the volcano, the earthquake had caused some damage to the tunnels. Several areas had already collapsed, and large cracks had appeared throughout the mine. When Zoe and Manpha arrived at the mines, the wails and cries of the workers echoed throughout the tunnels.

However, the miners were experienced and had built sturdy supports within the tunnels. Though some parts had collapsed, the casualties were minimal. Once the miners stopped their excavation, they efficiently organized a rescue operation.

Meanwhile, Omono had tracked the trail to the entrance of a cave. Seeing the faint blue glow extending inside, he knew Barok was within—and likely the powerful mage too. Though he realized the danger he faced in confronting such a formidable opponent, Omono hesitated only briefly before deciding to venture into the cave and investigate.

(To be continued)