How to Survive as a Mage Inside a Game-Chapter 80: Jurein Marhargel (2)

A heavy silence settled over the forest.

As every gaze turned toward him, Karl slowly descended to the ground.

The moment his feet touched the earth, all eyes watched, dazed.

Step.

Without even glancing at anyone around him, Karl walked straight toward the fallen Jurein.

None of the assassins stepped forward to stop him. The situation was so absurd and unexpected that they were frozen.

An unanticipated intervention by a stranger.

And that stranger clearly radiated a power beyond the ordinary.

Among the assassins, their leader—Garmeld—understood that fact better than anyone.

The moment the frozen sword in his hand was released, Garmeld stumbled backward, retreating from the approaching Karl.

“......”

Karl stood before Jurein.

Jurein struggled to lift his head. His face was twisted with pain, and blood was still gushing from his abdomen.

Hummm...

A wave of healing mana radiated from Karl, enveloping Jurein and rapidly closing the wound on his torso.

Jurein let out a breath and reached hesitantly toward his stomach, bewildered as the pain faded. He then looked back up at Karl.

He opened his mouth to speak—but quickly turned his head to the side.

“P-Please... her, too...”

Karl followed his gaze.

Not far off, the woman lay near death—his knight, Sephiel.

Karl drew her in with Force magic and cast another healing spell.

Her injuries were far too severe to be fully treated in one go.

It wasn’t a matter of Karl’s skill. Healing magic used by mages, unlike divine holy magic from priests, placed strain on the body past a certain threshold. In terms of healing, mana couldn’t surpass holy power’s lack of side effects.

Hummm...

Still, bringing her back from the brink of death was well within his means.

Once her condition stabilized, Karl laid the exhausted woman down beside Jurein and finally spoke.

“You are the Fifth Prince, Jurein Marhargel, correct?”

Jurein blinked.

“Y-Yes...”

A stammered reply.

Karl let out a quiet sigh—one of relief.

He had saved Jurein. That meant the Fragment of Dimension should still be safe too.

Now it was time to settle the rest of the situation.

Without even turning his head, Karl continued.

“How do you want me to deal with them?”

The assassins behind him, who had been edging forward, froze in place.

Jurein stared up at Karl blankly.

His tone wasn’t just calm—it was utterly devoid of emotion.

As if being surrounded by dozens of assassins posed no threat whatsoever.

In Jurein’s golden eyes, ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) emotions flickered visibly.

Confusion. Dismay. Curiosity.

Who was this man who appeared from nowhere?

Why had he intervened? Why did he save them?

He didn’t know any of that—but one thing was certain.

He had been granted a miraculous chance at survival.

And this stranger—this unknown young man—was, for now, no enemy.

Jurein Marhargel was not foolish enough to overlook such an opportunity. In fact, he was the opposite.

Thus, his silence was brief, and his answer came without the slightest hesitation.

“Kill them all.”

At the same time, Garmeld’s eyes twisted in fury.

He stared at Karl’s still, unflinching back. Sweat gathered on the hand gripping his sword.

Damn it all...

He had lived more than twenty years with a blade in hand, deep in the underworld.

In a world where blood never dried, he had survived that long not just because of his skills—but because his instincts were especially keen. Especially when it came to sensing strength.

Even when he summoned all his aura, his sword had been frozen mid-air—locked in place.

This young man was undoubtedly a mage. A terrifying one.

And this man hadn’t been mentioned in the Fourth Prince’s intelligence at all.

From the conversation earlier, it seemed he wasn’t even one of the Fifth Prince’s people.

But that didn’t matter.

What mattered was that this mage was now helping the Fifth Prince. And soon, his hostility would be aimed their way.

An unknown enemy. A battle with uncertain odds.

Normally, retreat would be the wisest option—but Garmeld couldn’t afford that.

If he failed to kill the Fifth Prince here and now, the Fourth Prince would never forgive him. He had to take the risk.

“......”

The assassins exchanged glances.

No matter how strong this mage was, the distance between them was close—far too close.

And the mage still hadn’t turned to face them.

Garmeld’s eyes gleamed with killing intent.

Snap!

He raised his hand in a signal—and the assassins moved all at once.

Up to that point, Karl still hadn’t turned around.

Garmeld’s judgment wasn’t foolish.

Whether they attacked or fled, the outcome wouldn’t change.

The moment Jurein made his choice—and Karl accepted it—their fate was sealed.

FLASH!!

A blinding blue light exploded at the heart of the forest.

A massive thunderbolt engulfed Garmeld and the assassins in an instant. When the light cleared, all that remained was ash.

That was it.

Shing!

At that moment, something flew from the edge of the forest—a barrage of aura-coated daggers.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

They struck while Karl was casting—but it was pointless.

The daggers clattered uselessly against his barrier.

Karl turned his head.

He had known for some time now that others—rats hiding in the bushes—had been watching.

At a distance, three figures scrambled to flee through the trees.

Karl raised a hand toward them.

KRKKRRRAKKK!!

What followed was almost unbelievable.

A portion of the forest collapsed—crushed like paper.

There was no need to say what happened to the three caught in it.

“......”

Jurein, and the recovering Sephiel beside him, stared blankly at the scene.

One entire side of the forest had been utterly obliterated. The very space itself seemed warped—unreal.

...No way.

Could magic really do something like that?

They both assumed Karl had used some incredible secret spell—but in truth, it had only been Force magic.

Just basic Force magic, empowered by the vast reserves of a 6-Circle mage.

A massacre.

It had all happened in the blink of an eye.

Overwhelmed by the sheer might, Jurein forgot his pain and stared at Karl in awe.

And at last, he spoke again.

“Who... who are you?”

“That’s not important.”

Karl hadn’t come all this way, without rest, to give an introduction.

He had only one objective.

From his inventory, Karl took out a Fragment of Dimension.

“Do you have a stone that looks like this?”

“......”

Jurein’s eyes widened at the sight.

From his reaction alone, Karl could tell it was true—he had the fragment.

Jurein looked between the stone and Karl a few times, then finally nodded with composure.

“Yes, I have it.”

Then he cautiously continued.

“Is that what you want from me... this item?”

Good. The conversation was progressing quickly.

Karl nodded.

“That’s right. The stone you possess—hand it over to me.”

Jurein fell silent.

For some reason, he hesitated and stared at Karl. Then, as if making a decision, his eyes hardened.

“...I don’t carry it with me. It’s stored elsewhere.”

Karl narrowed his gaze.

Jurein bit his lip and went on.

“My lord, I’m sorry. But I am in dire need of help.”

“......”

“I won’t question who you are or how you knew to come here. If you’ll just grant me one request—I’ll gladly give you the stone...”

He suddenly flinched and stopped mid-sentence.

Karl’s eyes had gone cold.

“A request, huh.”

“......”

“Isn’t that a bit shameless? You fall in the water and get rescued, and now you want the rescuer to carry your luggage too?”

Shraaak!

Suddenly, the travel bag lying on the ground burst open, and something floated out—hovering in midair.

The third Fragment of Dimension.

It drifted smoothly into Karl’s outstretched hand.

Jurein didn’t even try to stop him. He just watched, dumbfounded.

[Fragment of Dimension discovered. (3/4)]

[Currently inactive.]

Karl had known from the start that the fragment was in Jurein’s bag.

Even a faint magical signature from an artifact was enough for him to notice.

He had simply hoped that Jurein would hand it over willingly.

But since he hadn’t, Karl had no choice.

He could guess what Jurein’s “request” was likely about. No doubt, it involved Marhargel’s royal family.

Other princes and princesses threatening the Fifth Prince’s life.

Getting involved in their succession battle wasn’t just annoying—it was a full-blown headache.

If he’s carrying the fragment around with him, it must be really important to him.

But regardless of its value to Jurein, Karl couldn’t afford to let it go.

“Considering I just saved your life, I think that’s more than fair payment for this item.”

With those words, Karl turned his back.

Startled, Jurein scrambled to his feet and cried out.

“My lord, please...!! I beg you, help me!”

“......”

“I know it’s shameless! But if I return to the capital now, this survival will have been meaningless. Please, I’m begging you...”

A desperate plea.

Sephiel bit her lip and then, weakly, knelt beside him.

“Please help His Highness... If it’s within our power, we’ll do anything you ask.”

Her tangled crimson hair soaked in blood, falling heavily as she bowed with her battered body.

It was such a pitiful sight that Karl’s expression twisted.

These two, seriously...

If they knew they were being shameless, they shouldn’t have acted this way.

Then, Karl suddenly realized something.

Even after acquiring the third Fragment of Dimension—no new message had appeared about the fourth.

Come to think of it, the same had happened with the first and second fragments.

Each time, it hadn’t been enough to simply collect the fragment—he had needed to gain some kind of clue from the person as well to proceed.

From Fluren, he had gained the memory of the archmage who created the fragments. From the Sky Sword Castle, he had received a cryptic message left behind by some unknown Earthling.

...Don’t tell me I need to get a clue from this guy too before I can move on?

Karl’s expression twisted even further as he stared at Jurein.