Unable to control his speed, Franz crashed into the wall, ignoring the warm trickle from his nose as he quickly scrambled to his feet.

He threw all his strength into breaking the obstacle before him.

But no matter how hard he punched or kicked, the wall didn’t budge—his hands and feet only grew battered.

Rael’s sword, Derin’s dagger, and Elrin’s arrows followed.

Even my magic was insufficient to destroy the wall.

The giant lizard approached slowly, flicking its tongue as if savoring the situation.

The once-triumphant A-rank party, gripped by the primal fear of death, repeated futile actions despite knowing they were pointless.

As the lizard closed within ten meters, everyone gave up resisting and collapsed to the ground.

Except for me.

I sighed, turned to face the lizard, and took a step forward, drawing a dagger from my waist.

Derin had once asked me,

‘Why does a mage carry a dagger?’

I’d felt a pang of unease at the time.

Most mages don’t carry daggers, let alone knives.

I’d brushed it off with some excuse, and thankfully, she’d let it go.

Otherwise, my identity as a dark mage might’ve been exposed.

I raised the dagger in my right hand and stabbed it into my left palm.

The sharp blade tore through, piercing out the back of my hand, and blood dripped, pooling on the ground.

A burning pain surged through my left hand, contorting my face.

I’d done this dozens, maybe hundreds of times, but the pain never became familiar.

Yet, the ache in my chest grew sharper, dulling the pain in my hand.

Now that my dark mage identity was exposed, I could no longer stay with them.

But I had no regrets.

If I could save them, that was enough.

I pulled the dagger from my bleeding hand and aimed it at the lizard.

I channeled mana through my body.

A sinister black mana flickered around me, and the blood pool began to shrink.

Soon, it vanished entirely, as if it had never existed.

As the mana absorbed the blood, the conditions were met, and type: line I unleashed the highest-tier dark magic.

“Instant Death”

A streak of black mana tinged with red shot from the dagger’s tip, striking the lizard.

Its grotesque, flicking tongue lolled out, lifeless.

Its advancing leg froze, then gave way, and the beast collapsed sideways, drained of strength.

The boss threatening the party was dead.

The party members, still trembling with fear, looked stunned.

Except for Franz, whose reaction was different.

“Heh… heh heh… mage, no, dark mage, huh? The Goddess put me in this damned party to expose a heretic like you! I’ll report you to the church and become a high priest… no, maybe even a bishop!”

Having used nearly all my mana, I staggered toward Franz, clinging to consciousness.

The dagger in my hand no longer bore black mana or blood, but its sharp edge was still lethal enough.

Franz, grinning at his survival and the discovery of a dark mage, grew terrified as I approached.

“W-What… what’s that! You filthy dark mage! Are you trying to kill me? The church! The Goddess will be furious!”

“The church… the Goddess? What have they ever done for me except pin sins on me?”

“You… you insolent bastard!!!”

Despite his defiant words, Franz trembled like a leaf.

He looked ready to wet himself from fear.

I finally reached the priest.

Instead of apologizing or submitting, he spewed increasingly vile words the closer I got.

His behavior was unbelievable for a priest.

“You f*cking dog! Don’t do it! I said don’t!”

As his disgusting voice rang in my ears and I raised the dagger high, someone stepped in front of me.

Sweat-soaked red hair.

High-quality armor covering her body.

“Rael, is that your choice?”

“Y-Yes.”

Rael, the party leader blocking my path, was trembling.

She now saw me not as a comrade but as a dark mage.

I was deeply disappointed in her.

Even knowing I had to leave, I secretly hoped she’d stop me.

If I killed the priest and they kept my dark mage identity a secret, we could’ve gone back to how things were.

But they chose Franz, the damned church priest, over a comrade they’d spent so much time with.

I brushed past Rael’s shoulder and started walking toward the cave’s exit.

In truth, I was fleeing.

With my mana depleted, I had no confidence I could win if they came at me seriously.

I left the cave with a scowl and glanced back.

Just in case, just maybe, someone might follow.

But, as expected, no one was there.

I could accept Rael and Derin, but I thought at least Elrin would come after me.

I was the one who saved her from illegal slavers, after all.

As irritation surged, I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

I was the one who told her to live her own life, that she didn’t owe me anything.

What was I even thinking now?

Stabbing my palm after so long must’ve weakened my mind along with the pain.

I sheathed the dagger in my right hand and began infusing the little mana I had left with color.

I could only use a tiny amount to get to the village, but it should be enough for basic first aid, if not full healing.

As I focused mana in my right hand, a pure white aura flowed out.

Holy magic.

The magic that damned priest used, the kind most church members could wield.

Due to my limited talent, I could only manage simple healing spells, but considering most people lack even that, it was enough.

I placed my right hand over my left, stopping the bleeding and closing the wound.

It wasn’t fully healed, so deep scars remained on my palm and the back of my hand.

“Haa… let’s go.”

I had to leave before that damned priest reported me to the church.

My destination… yes, the capital, where my master was.

I didn’t want to visit under such circumstances, but I had no other choice.

Clinging to consciousness despite the dizziness from my nearly depleted mana, I took a step forward.

After walking for a while, I reached the village and headed straight for the adventurer’s guild.

My mana had recovered slightly during the journey, so I was in better shape than when I started.

Of course, my hand was already healed.

The adventurer’s guild was quiet at midday.

With monsters causing trouble lately, most parties were out on quests.

I approached the receptionist quickly but naturally.

The receptionist, wearing a guild badge with two crossed swords on her chest, smiled brightly upon seeing me.

An unexplored dungeon was a hassle for the guild, so it was natural they’d welcome me for resolving it safely.

But when she noticed my party wasn’t with me, worry clouded her face.

There was only one reason an adventurer who left with a party would return alone.

Death.

“Uh… um…”

Reading her expression, I spoke first.

I didn’t have time to drag this out.

“My party members are safe. The dungeon exploration is complete. The others will probably bring the dungeon core.”

Her face lit up with a bright smile upon hearing the truth.

I wished the girls I’d adventured with would’ve smiled like that.

But the past can’t be changed, so I stopped dwelling on it.

There wasn’t enough time to look forward as it was.

“Thank you so much! But why are you alone…”

She stopped mid-sentence, covering her mouth.

Asking personal questions of an adventurer was highly rude.

I knew that but had no desire to call her out.

“My master is gravely ill. I need to take the money I left here and head to the capital.”

“Oh! I’ll prepare it right away!”

While the receptionist stepped away, I scanned the guild’s bulletin board.

To get to the capital quickly, I’d need a carriage, but this remote village had few.

However, merchants heading to the capital sometimes posted escort quests, so I looked for one.

Found it…!

A C-rank quest. Escorting a carriage to the capital.

When I was with an A-rank party, I wouldn’t have glanced at it, but now it felt like a godsend.

As I tore the quest paper from the board, the receptionist returned with a pouch.

“Sorry for the wait. Here’s all the savings you entrusted to us.”

“Thanks. And this.”

I took the pouch and handed her the quest paper.

She glanced at it and handed it back.

“It’s a C-rank party-level quest, but… Crow, you’re a B-rank adventurer, so you should be fine on your own.”

“Then, I hope to see you again.”

Though that would never happen.

Holding the quest paper and money, I bowed politely to her and left the adventurer’s guild.

I immediately headed toward the quest issuer’s location.

*

I had plenty of belongings at the inn I’d stayed at until yesterday, but I didn’t have time to pack.

Besides, taking them might keep reminding me of today.