Chapter 16: Black vs. Black Part 1

Why do parents choose their children’s names? Why don’t children question the fact that the name they will be called for the rest of their lives are chosen by their parents’ whims?

Jean II developed a strong dissatisfaction about his name ever since he could remember.

“You’re named after a famous warrior of light. So, follow in his footsteps, alright?”

A strong hatred brewed within him as he saw his father smiling at him and wanted to kill him. Due to his name or maybe it was his nature, Jean didn’t grow up healthily.

He grew into a bad child, torturing living things before killing them, stepping on the weak, and stealing.

Ironically, he had an aptitude to darkness, the opposite of light.

Realizing this, Jean’s malice grew even quicker.

Ultimately, he killed his parents, using then as lab rats in his darkness magic experiments, then went on a journey, refreshed.

Although he had been freed from his parents, Jean didn’t throw away his name. In order to remember his rage.

He committed innumerous amounts of crimes in the ten years of his journey. No one could match Jean -- until that day.

At a small village that he had went to, there was a masked hero. On top of that, he used darkness magic, and upon hearing that, of course Jean wanted to test his power. He looked for an opportunity and attacked the hero…but was defeated. It was the first time ever that everything he did had no effect.

“You’re going to change from today. Don’t hurt anyone with that magic ever again. Promise me…There won’t be a next time.”

Jean didn’t forget those words which had been said to him three years ago. But he remembered them as fuel to his rage.

In fact, he had killed others the next day. He needed to in order to get stronger.

Half a year later, Jean was scouted by > and was currently a member of the organization.

In a closed pub at the edge of Organ.

Jean was chugging down a glass. Then the door opened, and a tall man called out to him.

“A message from the boss. There was a movement at the storehouse. They might be moving magic items tonight.”

“Boss, huh. Call him with his name, idiot. It’s not like it’s a crappy one like mine.”

“There’s no telling who could be listening. Don’t say it. Anyways, I relayed the message. Do what you want.”

Jean spat on the ground after the man left. He wasn’t a member of , and the two of them interacted at a minimum. The man was a business partner of the organization and the boss, only connected by money.

He drank the rest of his drink and walked out. The sun’s rays didn’t reach the city anymore.

Darkness users were absurdly powerful at night. It was common for their mana and physical abilities to increase. On top of that, a privilege only they possessed, they were immune to mental attacks from magic as well as magic items.

This meant that darkness users couldn’t be brainwashed, and magic that caused mental disruptions didn’t work. Which is why they were commonly chosen as spies.

Jean moved near the Magic Item Association and Life Guild’s joint storehouse and was completely submerged in the dark ground.

The storehouse had a special key, and if the password was incorrect, it would activate a lethal magic spell, so he couldn’t force himself in.

“Waiting is so boring. Damn it.”

He endured it, knowing that he needed to be patient. If he continued to steal magic items and eventually became an executive in the organization, he could get his hands on items that would enhance his darkness magic. His dream was then to start off by killing the masked hero, then take over a city.

He waited in the darkness for four hours.

The time for him to move finally came.

One thirty at night, a group of three entered the storehouse, and thirty minutes later, they came out with three small carts.

As if cued, a group of well-built bodyguards gathered around the entrance.

If they stood at the entrance from the beginning, they would be announcing that magic items were going to be shipped out, so they had been scattered on purpose.

“Thanks for the useless effort. Hehehe.”

Changing the body into darkness and moving freely in the dark is called ‘Dark Swim’. An experienced user like Jean could move quickly and could be submerged for the whole night as well.

Going beneath their feet and listening in on their conversation was easy.

“Alright, we can’t let these magic items get stolen this time.”

“Exactly. Sablan, we’re counting on you.”

“Leave it to me.”

A middle-aged man and two others. Jean’s intuition worked. The man named Sablan was the one with the valuable magic items.

The three of them, along with four to five bodyguards, pushed their carts in different directions.

“…The ones other than Sablan are possibly fakes.”

The Association wasn’t stupid. They had already suffered losses many times, so they were trying hard to counteract the organization. The bodyguards should be strong as well.

‘But your efforts are useless!’ Jean laughed as he silently followed Sablan. Five minutes later, they came across a place that was perfect for him to move out.

It was a wide road, but since it wasn’t a main road, it was one that people didn’t follow during the night.

Jean started off by taking care of the guards in the back. He jumped up from the stone tiles. He pulled out his sword. Then he swung at his defenseless neck as he came down.

Dead--He was sure of it.

But his mind was changed when he felt nothing on his blade.

I didn’t cut anything…

He disappeared?

No, it seemed that the guard was pulled into the shadow under his feet.

He dove back into the shadows before Sablan and the other guards could see him, then he moved behind another guard.

He attacked him the same way as before, but the same thing happened. The strange thing was that although they sunk into the shadows, they didn’t come back up. Even though they didn’t seem to be darkness users.

“Who’s there!?”

“Damn it you saw me. Die then.”

He took out a knife and threw at the remaining guard, but before it could hit his forehead, he disappeared as well.

“What’s happening!?”

He shouted and went for Sablan, the only one left, but he was dragged into the shadows as well.

A trap??

Allies??

Jean was greatly confused. He called out with caution.

“Are you an enemy or an ally. Make it clear!”

As soon as he said that, a silent answer came back.

He turned around at an unbelievable presence--and a kick flew at him from a black-haired young man.

He crossed his arms in front of him and guarded the blow, the kick was so strong it easily blew him back a few meters.

This guy…is…strong…!

Every cell in Jean’s body recognized the black-haired young man in front of him as a dangerous opponent.