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Chapter 135

“Screech!”

To kill the endlessly regenerating Vermillion Bird once and for all, the heroes had to completely pull out its heart. But the moment the heroes got close to succeeding, the Vermillion Bird activated Vermillion Sky, a barrier-type skill, as a final act of desperation and enveloped the entire subjugation team.

The activation time only took ten seconds. Yet merely the activation of the skill in those ten seconds had turned the B-rank heroes who were supporting from the backline into charred remains and made nearly all of the A-rank heroes suffer permanent memory loss and mental disorders. If the S-rank heroes hadn’t pulled out the bird’s heart and killed it, the losses wouldn’t have ended there; the consequences could have been unimaginable.

So from then on, a sense of vigilance and fear toward barriers rooted itself in every hero.

Whoosh!

And now that very same barrier, which had managed to change the perception of barriers as a whole, had begun to cage Borsippa. Seeing the sky dyed crimson, people became horrified. The effects of the skill had begun to manifest throughout the entire area.

Crackle! Boom!

“What, what’s this?”

“What the hell is happening...!”

Without any signs, countless facilities and pieces of equipment in Borsippa began malfunctioning and twisting before exploding all at once. Luckily there were professors and the heroes on site that managed to quickly assess the situation.

“It’s the mana! The mana in the atmosphere is being converted to fire mana!”

“Only bring out equipment compatible with fire mana and shut off everything else!”

Particle by particle, the pure mana in the atmosphere was being forcibly converted into fire mana.

To some, such a thing might seem insignificant at first glance, but they would quickly notice that it was in fact devastating. Simply put, it was as if electricity was being replaced by petroleum. They were both used as fuel, but their differing properties meant massive incompatibility problems.

Boom!!

With a small explosion here and there, the entire college was soon enveloped in flames that were spreading by the second thanks to the fire mana in the air fueling the flames. In an instant, the entire college became chaotic.

“Babel is being attacked...”

“This can’t be...”

Gasping at the smoke and flames rising throughout Borsippa, everyone stood frozen in shock—the Babel was under attack. Yet the perpetrators behind it all were not pleased with the situation.

The scales of the explosions are too small compared to what was planned.

Did they install attribute conversion devices in every important facility? That’s a whole new level of wasteful spending...

Had the Vermillion Sky been unfolded in a normal city, every single building would have burned to ashes and the city would have become pandemonium. Here in Babel, however, there were no signs that the chaos would escalate beyond simple fires.

After all, Babel was known for their technology. Within every facility capable of massive explosions, attribute conversion devices that responded to an influx of all types of mana had been placed throughout alongside the fire suppression systems installed everywhere. With all of them acting together, the chaos was easily suppressed.

Damn it.... What the hell is Dawn thinking?

Why’d they trigger the barrier so hastily...

According to the original plan, Dawn should have allowed the Vermillion Bird’s power to grow to its maximum before activating the barrier. However, the plan seemed to have been clumsily moved forward, leaving the other perpetrators confusedly gazing at the sky.

“Tsk...”

In fact, even Charles, who was the one who had activated the Vermillion Bird’s skill, was looking up at the crimson sky with dissatisfaction.

It took me a bit of effort, but... I deviated from the original plan a bit too much.

Compared to the original Vermillion Sky, the current one was far inferior. Moreover, activating the barrier meant control over the Vermillion Bird was being transferred to Offering, which was also going much faster than anticipated.

To think that madman, the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter, will be in control...

Even if the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter was skilled, he was far too driven by revenge and could create unexpected variables at any time. Regardless though, it was time for him to wrap things up quickly and retreat.

Making sure to continuously keep tabs on his body, Charles turned his attention to Luize.

“I’m glad that you’ve mastered Incantation Magic, as using it won’t be much of an issue even if you end up losing all of your limbs....”

Vroom!

Having decided to make his move, green mana flowed from the black cube, absorbing the surrounding mana and converting it into Charles’s own.

The sight made Luize frown, and she began to take stock of her own situation.

Hati works fine, but... using Incantation Magic will be quite the pain.

Aside from the fact that the ambient mana had been completely converted to fire mana, it was also tainted by the Vermillion Bird’s synesthetic mindscape. And while it wasn’t completely unusable, the power and speed of her Incantation Magic would be significantly reduced.

Having concluded that the battlefield conditions had turned unfavorable for her, Luize took her stance and glanced at the impaled Vermillion Bird high up in the sky.

Is he okay?

Thinking about how Se-Hoon had somehow managed to merge with the Vermillion Bird, Luize worried that he had also been affected by the large stake piercing through its body.

“Should you really be distracted during class?” nonchalantly said Charles, breaking her out of her thoughts. Then, having completed his preparations, he extended his hand that was enveloped in green mana forward.

“Lava Shell.”

Boom!!

A barrage of molten projectiles pelted toward her from a crimson magic array.

Though a mid-level spell, in the hands of Charles, a professor of the Department of Elements, its power became relentless. Like a volcanic eruption, anything in its path wouldn’t just be burned; they would be completely melted away, leaving behind nothing, not even their bones.

Staring down such a terrifying spell, Luize swiftly cast the incantation she had prepared.

“Gale Cape.”

Wrapping around her body like a cloak, a gust of wind whisked her into the air, allowing her to dodge the barrage of molten lava.

The fact that Luize had opted for evasion over direct confrontation brought a frown to Charles’s face.

“A sorcerer moving so frivolously. This is why I told you that you shouldn’t learn such lowly studies like martial magic...”

A true sorcerer would have foreseen the distant future and controlled the coming events accordingly. Deciding to teach Luize, who seemed like she hadn’t grasped even the basics, Charles slowly extended both hands.

“This will be a grueling lesson.”

Sizzle!

In an instant, part of the lava covering the ground solidified, releasing a large amount of steam. He then lifted up his foot and lightly stomped on it, infusing it with mana.

Vwoom!

Observing the magic array on top of the solidified lava absorbing the surrounding mana and emitting a bright light, Luize immediately launched her next incantation.

“Gust Lance.”

Crash!!

Cutting through the air, a wind lance accurately pierced Charles’s magic array before it could activate. However, Charles was undeterred. Without blinking an eye, he formed three more magic arrays around him.

Boom!

A relentless elemental bombardment ensued. Lightning struck from above, the blade of a guillotine made from flames fell, and wind blades silently targeted Luize’s limbs. She felt like her every move had been anticipated.

He doesn’t even pause to catch his breath?! How is he just firing spell after spell...!

One single moment of hesitation would result in her being swept away by Charles’s magic, her limbs lost before she could even react. Feeling Charles’s magic tightening its grip around her by the second, Luize gritted her teeth and focused on a desperate final move.

It’s not enough yet... not yet...

She had to end this battle with one decisive blow; there was no guarantee another opportunity would ever arise. Thus, she needed time to hone her attack, but at this rate, she would be caught up in the onslaught of magic before she could even start preparing anything.

There must be something...

Getting help from others was not an option. Continuing to flee and dodge Charles’s assault, she scanned the surrounding debris, a hodgepodge of the devices displayed at the Hextech Expo, for a chance. Unfortunately, most were non-functional due to the barrier’s effects, but as she continued to desperately search, something caught her eye.

“...!”

Her eyes glowed at the sight of a white golem lying on the ground.

“Don\'t overthink it. Only think about the incantation and the synesthetic mindscape used as your proxy.”

Se-Hoon’s advice, which almost seemed tailored for this moment, struck her mind sharply.

Wasting no time, she rapidly unleashed the incantation she had been saving for a crucial moment.

“Spell Break.”

Boom!

Just two words tore the incoming magic from all directions apart. The unexpected result dropped Charles’s mouth open.

What...?

It wasn’t just one or two spells; she had shattered every spell within range. However, even if his meticulously managed flow of mana was disrupted, Charles remained calm. He had anticipated such a situation to some extent as well, so he moved on to his next plan straight away.

Vwoom!

The numerous magic arrays etched onto his skeletal frame began to activate simultaneously. Using his skeleton as a medium, spells that would normally require much preparation could now be cast with a single gesture. It was a method that would shorten his already-dwindling lifespan, but Charles didn’t care.

All for the sake of true magic...!

For his end goal, he was willing to sacrifice even his life.

But just as he was about to unleash his full power to subdue Luize, something unexpected happened.

“Shhhh...”

Breathing in deeply with all her might, Luize readied herself for her final, decisive move.

This was her full strength.

This would finish it.

“GOLEM OPERATION.”

Boom!

A single shockwave spread throughout the area.

Thinking it was a wide-range attack, Charles quickly halted his magic casting and retreated, only to realize Luize’s incantation had no immediate effect.

Furrowing his brow, he thought, What is this...?

He hesitated, unable to comprehend the spell Luize had just cast. At that moment, white objects shot toward the center of the expo.

Crash!!!

The heavy objects each landed with a thud and emitted a thick smoke. When the smoke cleared, Charles couldn’t help but stare in astonishment.

“Automatons...?”

Those were the most recently released golems by the Marionette Factory. However, they should have been rendered inactive by Vermillion Sky. Pondering the incomprehensible situation, a single possibility suddenly dawned on Charles.

“Could it be...?”

If his suspicion was correct, he couldn’t leave those golems unchecked. He began gathering his mana—albeit too late.

“Set-”

Luize had already started casting Incantation Magic.

Vroom!

One by one, the automatons surrounded him and began to cast identical magic arrays that appeared in front of their mouths. Resonating with each other, they projected a pressure that overwhelmed Charles. But despite there being dozens of automatons, he couldn’t shake the feeling that just a single person was watching him.

Charles shifted his gaze to Luize, the disbelief evident in his eyes.

She’s controlling this many golems... with just that one spell?

This was an abnormal power, impossible with ordinary magic.

Finally threatened, Charles tried to act, but his body wouldn’t respond. Luize’s anger and killing intent, channeled through the automatons, completely overwhelmed him. The intangible power of emotions had morphed into a tangible force that paralyzed his entire body.

What the...

She was just a mere student, and yet, a professor of Babel who was also the branch manager of Dawn stood completely frozen in front of her. It was absolutely absurd.

“Assimilation.”

Luize’s incantation, repeated by each automaton, filled the crumbling hall around them.

Obeying her command, the mana forcibly converted by Vermillion Sky reverted to its original form and assimilated with its new master.

Vwoom-

Devoid of mana, the elements showcasing their presence around Charles dissipated like bubbles, and the magic arrays on his skeleton lost their glow.

Ugh... Kugh...

His body was now rusted and unresponsive. As it was moved solely by mana, it had no means of resisting Luize’s absolute domination over the mana.

Feeling an unbearable sense of helplessness, Charles trembled as he looked at Luize approaching him.

Forceful assimilation of mana...

She hadn’t just imposed restrictions on the ambient mana—she made herself the sole user of it. Such an ability, which could be considered the bane of all sorcerers, shattered the future Charles had foreseen.

“Go rot in hell.”

With a gleam in her blue eyes, Luize channeled her anger and hatred as she uttered the final incantation Charles would ever hear.

“Revenge Bite.”

Crunch, crunch, crunch!!

Invisible fangs ruthlessly tore into Charles’s skeleton, grotesquely twisting and breaking the specially crafted form.

Feeling the pain, a bizarre sound that was neither a scream nor a metallic noise echoed throughout the hall. Normally, puppets were stripped of all their nerves so that their performance wouldn’t be inhibited by pain, but the skeleton that Charles was in was different. His puppet was hastily made, so when the desire for revenge imbued in Luize’s Incantation Magic penetrated deep into his soul, it delivered an excruciating pain.

The sensation felt like his entire body was being gnawed on starting from the fingertips; it was so intense it felt like it was being seared into his non-existent brain.

For the first time, Charles forgot about Him.

That damned Puppeteer...!

Until now, he had only been so willing to throw away even his life due to the absence of the anticipated pain. However, he was now unable to achieve his goal and felt unforeseen agony. His emotions were so intense that Charles somehow managed to move his skeleton and thrash wildly. A moment later, Luize’s magic ceased.

Left in complete ruin, besides the ribcage which contained a now cracked black cube that was leaking green mana, the skeleton was now truly unable to do anything.

On the brink of death, Charles breathed heavily, “Wheeze... wheeze...”

Likewise, Luize also had to catch her breath, having expended a significant amount of energy casting successive incantations. Thanks to her training in the Department of Martial Magic though, she was able to steady her breath soon.

And once she had somewhat recovered, she slightly infused a bit of mana into Charles and asked, “Any last words?”

“Heh... heh heh...”

With his skeleton left in ruins, his laughter came out as a buzzing sound.

“Your magic... was befitting of the Voice... remarkable... truly remarkable...”

Even in the face of his impending death, Charles clung to Him, ignoring his fear. He was basically mumbling like a madman, one who was content he had found the cornerstone for resurrecting his master.

Luize looked down at him with cold eyes.

“I don’t know who the bastard you all are crazy about is, but listen well.”

Squish.

Placing her foot on the black cube, she leaned forward, staring straight at Charles.

Her face, blocking out the lights above, was still clear; her piercing blue eyes shone brightly.

Bearing her emotions in her gaze, she locked eyes with Charles and declared, “I am going to kill every single one of you.”

No, rather than a mere declaration, her tone conveyed a proclamation of what was to come.

It was at this moment that Charles recalled how he had said that true magicians could foresee the distant future. He began to wonder. What kind of future had Luize, with such potential within her, seen?

“Ah... ahh...”

As the ominous possibility of the future surfaced in his mind, he was filled with unprecedented worry and fear for the first—and only—time ever.

Crunch!

Luize stomped down hard on the black cube.

Unlike ordinary puppets, Charles couldn’t transfer his consciousness and thus died on the spot. His end filled Luize with a mix of relief and disappointment.

Did I kill him too easily?

It might have been better to make him suffer more, but she was able to quickly dismiss that regret. Spending time on such a person for the sake of venting was a complete waste.

Plus, there are still many more left.

Repeating her vow to kill everyone related to Dawn, the ones who ruined her life, she scanned her surroundings with renewed determination.

The exhibition hall seems to be free from the barrier because of my magic, but the situation hasn’t changed outside.

Glancing at the crimson sky through the broken ceiling, she deduced that the core maintaining the barrier was likely outside the exhibition hall.

It looks like I’ll have to destroy that cage...

She needed to head toward the source of the barrier, but leaving the exhibition hall unattended concerned her.

Unsure of what to do, she called out to the Vermillion Bird impaled high up in the air, “Hey! How long are you going to stay like that?!”

“What do you mean?”

“Whoa?!”

Startled by the voice behind her, she stepped back and saw Se-Hoon with a puzzled look on his face.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“Because you came out of nowhere! Wait, weren’t you and the Vermillion Bird...?”

Seeing her glance between him and the phoenix, Se-Hoon nodded.

“Until a moment ago, yes. But I dissolved the connection after seeing that it’s pointless now.”

In its current state, the Vermillion Bird was basically just a running engine that continuously consumed power, making controlling it meaningless.

Luize glanced once again at the Vermillion Bird.

“Then how about destroying that thing entirely?”

“That would be difficult. Its durability is still close to an S-rank. Also, it’s now receiving mana from elsewhere, so unless we cut off the mana supplies across all of Borsippa, that won’t be feasible.”

“Hmm...”

Various facilities in Borsippa had been rendered inoperative, but the essential facilities, such as the mana supply facility, were still functioning thanks to Babel’s protection devices. With the situation as it was, shutting everything down just to subjugate the Vermillion Bird would likely just cause even more chaos.

Feeling like they were caught between a rock and a hard place, Luize frowned.

“Then what do we do now?”

“We wait.”

“Wait?”

“I’ve already called someone to handle it.”

Completely at ease, Se-Hoon gazed at the light pillars surrounding the Vermillion Bird and saw one of them suddenly shatter.

Clang!

Surprised, Luize directed her gaze toward the broken pillar.

“That’s my boy.”

The mad dog had begun its hunt.