Chương 179: Chapter : 179

"The leaders of ZulFarah have officially opened a brand-new, massively funded military division," Karna explained, his smooth voice dropping into a grim whisper.

"They are no longer investing in swords, firearms, or elemental magic. They have begun pouring all of their national resources into the research and weaponization of forbidden Black Magic." Ken blinked his sleepy eyes. The lazy, goofy smile completely slid off his face. Black Magic was not a term thrown around lightly. It was entirely different from the normal, elemental magic used by the elite girls in the 13th Unit.

"Black Magic," Ken repeated quietly, running a hand through his messy hair.

"Are you absolutely sure about this, Karna? That kind of magic has been universally banned across the entire continent for hundreds of years. The international treaties are extremely clear about it."

"I am entirely certain, Boss," Karna confirmed, his silver eyes completely focused.

"I infiltrated their primary research facility myself. I saw the testing grounds with my own eyes. And what they are doing to their test subjects is nothing short of horrific." Ken let out a slow, quiet breath. The peaceful, comfortable atmosphere of the bedroom was completely gone. The news from the rival nation was about to drag the lazy boy into a situation far darker than any simple tournament match.

Ken sat on the edge of his lumpy mattress, staring at his intelligence gatherer. He didn't interrupt. He just waited for Karna to explain exactly what he had seen in the rival nation.

"As you know, Boss," Karna continued, keeping his professional, steady tone.

"Normal elemental magic—like fire, lightning, or water—is entirely physical. If an enemy shoots a fireball, it destroys buildings. It burns bodies. It causes physical damage that can be seen, measured, and eventually healed by medical magic." Karna clasped his hands behind his back, his posture perfectly straight.

"But Black Magic does not target the physical body at all," Karna explained, his voice growing darker.

"The rogue magicians in ZulFarah have developed a highly concentrated, invisible spell formula that directly targets the human brain. They are specializing in pure, unfiltered mind manipulation." Ken frowned, his dark eyes narrowing slightly.

"Mind manipulation. You mean they are trying to brainwash people into becoming spies?"

"It is far more brutal than simple brainwashing," Karna corrected him, shaking his head.

"They are not trying to control people to gather secrets. They are trying to completely break their minds. The Black Magic spells act like a highly infectious, invisible virus. Once the spell enters a victim's brain, it violently alters their perception of reality." Karna took a slow breath, clearly disturbed by what he had witnessed in the enemy laboratory. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

"The magic aggressively twists the victim's emotions," Karna detailed, painting a terrifying picture.

"It strips away all of their logic, their memories, and their self-control. The victim is driven into a permanent, horrifying state of violent intoxication and absolute madness. They forget who they are. They look at their own family members and see terrifying monsters. They are forced into a mindless frenzy, attacking absolutely everyone and everything around them until their bodies finally give out from pure exhaustion." Ken stared at the floorboards. The thought of that kind of magic made his stomach turn.

"It is a weapon of absolute chaos, Boss," Karna concluded grimly.

"Normal magic kills an enemy soldier. But this Black Magic is designed to be dropped into a peaceful, crowded city. If they release this spell inside a market or a residential district, the citizens will turn on each other. Mothers will attack their children. Neighbors will destroy their own homes. The ZulFarah commanders want to use this madness to tear the Belmontia Empire apart from the inside out, without ever having to send a single soldier across the border."

The tiny, dusty bedroom was completely, totally silent for a long moment. Ken slowly looked down at his desk. His eyes landed on the thick Microeconomics textbook resting near his lamp. He thought about his dream. He thought about buying a quiet piece of land, growing potatoes, and living a perfectly boring, incredibly peaceful life. He thought about the normal, everyday people living in the Iron Rose District. He thought about his mother, Khadija, cheerfully cooking caramel pudding in their small kitchen.

He thought about his sister, Jasmin, staying up late to study for her university exams. If ZulFarah managed to sneak this Black Magic across the border, all of that peace would be instantly destroyed. The quiet streets would be turned into a nightmare of violence and insanity. Innocent people would have their own minds stolen from them, completely robbed of their free will.

To Ken Eliot, taking away someone's peace and robbing them of their free will was the absolute worst, most unforgivable crime in the entire universe. It went against everything he believed in. Ken reached out and grabbed the cover of his economics textbook. Thud. He closed the massive book. The dull sound echoed sharply in the quiet room. The moment the book closed, the entire atmosphere inside the bedroom completely fractured.

The lazy, slouching farm boy who complained about waking up early vanished into thin air. He didn't stand up. He didn't yell. He didn't even put on his dramatic black cloak or his glowing purple mask. But the Sovereign emerged all the same. The temperature in the tiny room plummeted, turning incredibly crisp and biting. The air itself seemed to freeze, growing so dense and sharp that breathing suddenly felt like swallowing shards of glass.

An aura of absolute, terrifying, merciless authority flooded the space, pressing down on the floorboards and making the walls quietly creak under the unseen pressure. Karna, despite being an immensely powerful, ancient spirit, immediately felt the overwhelming shift. He instantly dropped to one knee, lowering his head in profound, absolute respect. He knew that his Master was no longer playing the role of a clown. Ken sat on the edge of the bed. His messy hair cast dark shadows over his eyes.

When he finally looked up at Karna, his gaze was completely devoid of any warmth, any humor, or any mercy. His eyes were cold, hollow, and utterly terrifying.

"They want to use madness as a weapon," Ken spoke. His voice was quiet, but it did not sound like a normal teenager. It was deep, echoing, and carried the undeniable weight of a supreme ruler passing an absolute judgment.

"They want to cross the border and pour poison into the minds of normal, innocent people," Ken continued, his tone dripping with profound disgust.

"People who are just trying to live their lives, go to work, and raise their families. They want to steal their sanity simply because they are too weak to win a fair war." Ken slowly rested his hands on his knees, leaning forward.