The Catalyst

That was back when Vim was still in the Empire. It was the very event that served as the catalyst for his recommendation to become a court mage.

A Fiend had materialized in the southern region of the Empire. It attacked the settlements, completely wiping one town off the map. The Imperial Knights and Imperial Mages were defeated one after another, leaving everyone on the brink of despair.

“Are we truly left with no choice but to watch the Empire fall…?”

At this rate, the Empire’s destruction was only a matter of time. It would only be a matter of time before the Fiend reached the imperial capital.

It was precisely then.

A man dressed like a mage, draped in a jet-black robe, appeared. He materialized silently, without a sound, so everyone was slow to notice him.

“What are you doing?! Do you want to die?!”

No matter how one looked at him, he didn’t look strong. The garments he wore weren’t particularly expensive, and there was no one like him among the court mages. Ignoring the knight’s warning, he simply stood there, motionless.

Then, the Fiend locked its target onto the man in the jet-black robe. Fiends possess no reason. Once they choose a target, they ruthlessly crush everything in their path.

“He’s smiling…”

At that moment, what the knights witnessed was a mage curling the corners of his mouth, quietly wearing a dark smirk. To be able to smile in a predicament like this was nothing short of insanity. The knights felt a wave of sheer terror toward this man.

“You’ve got some nerve, blowing that town away. I assume you’re prepared for what comes next,” the robed man said in a menacing voice.

Naturally, his voice could never reach the Fiend. The Fiend unleashed a barrage of powerful spells one after another. Even watching this unfold, the man’s expression did not change.

《Absolute Barrier》

He easily deployed a top-tier barrier spell without an incantation, deflecting the magic away. Against the Fiend that no one else could even scratch, he was holding his own—no, rather, he held the upper hand.

“Now, die.”

《Tempest》

The moment he muttered the words, wind and lightning materialized, swallowing the Fiend whole.

“Did he just say Tempest…?”

That was a top-tier wind-attribute spell. Those capable of using it were limited to high-ranking mages recognized as sages or witches.

“Could it be… that he has reached that realm…?”

Everyone present was utterly dumbfounded. A man who still looked quite young wasn’t giving an inch against a Fiend.

The Fiend unleashed a roar that sounded like a shriek. Before long, it drew its final breath.

“He actually defeated a Fiend…”

A week later, Vim Abel was honored for his achievement in saving the Empire from catastrophe and was recommended to become a court mage by the Emperor of that era.

Both then and now, status-based discrimination remained deeply rooted in the Empire. Though many voices rose in opposition, the Emperor used his absolute authority to appoint him as a court mage, backed by the sheer strength that had slain a Fiend.

From that point on, Vim went on to leave behind numerous achievements. Gradually, even the nobles and powerful clans came to acknowledge him.

Yes—right up until the transition to the new Emperor.

♢

“A Fiend, huh? I’m surprised. I’ll show you something good in return.”

Vim was enjoying himself. He was enjoying this critical situation.