Chapter 1494: The Worst Manipulation Spellcaster (1)

The Eastern Front near the outer boundary of the Central Continent. The upper level of the Lighthouse of the Eyes of Blue.

A sorcerer covered in strange talismans and a spear-wielding youth walked through the deserted corridor.

“Dreyfus, I heard you went on an expedition to the Southern Front. It must have been tough.”

[There’s no need to thank me, Sun Myung. It was necessary to understand the movements of the Great Forest.]

“The selection is complete, and most of the personnel are moving to join the Paragon’s main force.”

Sun Myung answered Dreyfus’s question.

“This operation requires both the Paragon’s main force and the Eyes of Blue’s special detachment to move simultaneously. Lapis is leading the detachment and has temporarily left.”

[So, only a select few with exceptional abilities, designated for the special detachment, remain here.]

“More skilled individuals than expected have agreed to participate in this endeavor. It’s likely due to Lapis’s continuous efforts.”

The Eyes of Blue is a group known for its moderate tendencies and neutrality even on the Central Front.

While there are those who seek to exploit them, there are also many factions and groups that view them favorably.

It was because of this influence that they were able to gather skilled individuals from various factions with differing stances and tendencies, such as the Magic Tower, Blood King Castle, and several city-states.

Sensing a faint pride in Sun Myung’s voice, Dreyfus chuckled and asked,

[What about the other Watchers? Are they still in the meeting room?]

“Yes. Opinions are divided on the issue I mentioned earlier…”

Sun Myung answered cautiously, his expression hardening as he looked down the corridor.

“For us, it’s an entirely unexpected situation, so the decision keeps getting delayed. A decision will likely be made after Lapis returns—”

[I understand. But hearing what you said reminds me of the past.]

Gapseon spoke, recalling memories of days gone by.

[Quite some time ago, I saw that man when I saved Jeokbyeok’s life in Kaiushyu.]

“…”

[I did sense an unusual magical power, but at the time, my attention was on the prince of Kabahim, so I didn’t get a proper look. I never imagined I’d meet him again as such a formidable figure.]

“A formidable figure… That’s not entirely inaccurate.”

Sun Myung’s grip on the spear tightened faintly.

“I’ve never seen a sorcerer with such eerie and overwhelming magical power. I don’t know much about specialized sorcerers, but I could tell immediately what kind of person he was.”

[…]

“As rumored, he’s extremely arrogant and irritable. The problem is that such a manipulation spellcaster possesses monstrous strength. And—”

[The fact that he forcibly broke into the Lighthouse to participate in this operation.]

Slam!!

In the center of the vast meeting room, where all the chairs and tables had been cleared away,

A dozen or so superhumans, who had been resting in various corners of the meeting room, were waiting, their gaze fixed on a single person.

The high-ranking Watchers who had been attending to Lapis and the Transcendants who had been designated to join the operation from the start.

In the middle of the meeting room, a black-robed sorcerer sat crookedly, crushing bloodied mercenaries beneath him.

“Gah, ugh…”

“Gurgle…”

[…]

The unknown mercenaries, their bones shattered, could barely breathe as they groaned.

Perched atop them, a chilling presence emanated from the red glow of his eyes visible through the obsidian mask.

But the moment Dreyfus saw him, he recognized him instantly.

The manipulation spellcaster with an ominous presence who had stood beside Soryu when he saved Yanikusu Barbaria’s life in Kaiushyu.

Apart from the glass gauntlet on his left hand, his appearance hadn’t changed much, but the aura of the mask had reached a completely different level from before.

Victor, the Black Art.

A monster among specialized sorcerers, he was the only one who possessed both manipulation and spatial aptitude.

Even among the members of Pandemonium, he was frequently involved in uniquely large-scale terrorism and crimes.

At the top of the [Black Wanted List], which only included the worst criminals on the continent, was this heinous villain.

There were rumors that he came from a noble family or was a descendant of an Ascendant, but even setting aside such unverifiable rumors, his track record was truly astonishing.

The well operation against Pyeonram in the Great Forest. The terrorist operation that toppled the Memorial Tower in Yorta. The clash with the highest-ranking apostle in Torquepaz.

He was the regicide who killed the monarch of Kabahim, Aaron Vaiger, and even during the Gyeonryeo Subjugation War, he single-handedly stalled a rampaging Grand Mage.

Among the black-wanted criminals, his activities were relatively infrequent, but each of his exploits was so spectacular that they were beyond description.

[Manipulation Spellcaster. Long time no see. Do you remember me?]

“Talisman Sorcerer.”

Victor, glancing briefly, spoke in a modulated voice through his mask.

“You were with the Lighthouse. I see there are more familiar faces than I expected.”

[Familiar faces?]

Did he know other Watchers besides himself?

At that moment, a man raised his hand with a wry smile.

“It’s me. I met that guy in Kabahim. We’ve met before, so we’re acquainted.”

[Jillian. I see, in Kabahim…]

Jillian Kabahim, the royal family of Kabahim and Aaron Vaiger’s younger brother.

Had he met Jillian, who had the ability to gigantify, when Pandemonium raided Kabahim?

At that moment, Amon, who had been silently observing Victor, spoke with a faint smile.

“Now that Dreyfus has arrived, we should proceed swiftly. As you all know, the discussion is about the whereabouts of the Black Art.”

“…”

“The manipulation spellcaster of Pandemonium has requested to join the operation. In the process, the selection had to be expedited due to the commotion.”

Amon clapped slowly to draw attention and spoke calmly.

“Time is of the essence, so we will conclude the discussion here. Lapis wishes to hear the opinions of others, so please speak freely without hesitation.”

“I’m in favor. Given what this man has done in Pandemonium, his abilities are certainly proven.”

A woman carrying a massive mechanical greatsword and wearing a loose-fitting jacket spoke in a cold voice.

The woman, standing casually with her hands in her jacket pockets, stared intently at the Black Art.

“This isn’t the time to be cautious. We should bring him along.”

“Phasia. It’s not that simple.”

Aratus, the harpooner of the 6th Wandering Fleet, spoke in a deep voice.

His face covered in thick scars, he adjusted the harpoon on his shoulder and looked at Lennok.

“This man is a black-wanted criminal who has committed unprecedented terrorism across the continent. It wouldn’t be strange if he betrayed us and revealed his true colors at any moment.”

“I was also a black-wanted criminal before I joined the Reconnaissance Agency.”

“You’re trustworthy because you’re an Alpha Ranger, but this is different. In the worst-case scenario, his participation itself might be driven by malicious intent.”

“That applies to me and you as well, doesn’t it? Since the Eyes of Blue are bringing in outsiders, we have no grounds to refuse the Black Art.”

“Pandemonium is a criminal organization that has long opposed and built a hostile relationship with the Eyes of Blue.”

Sun Myung, holding the spear, spoke with a troubled expression.

“In the past, the leader of the Demon Confluence even infiltrated the Eyes of Blue headquarters alone. This is not an issue to be taken lightly.”

“No need to go that far. Just look at the names mentioned alongside the Black Art: the Clown, Six King, Red Sect, Mastermind… Even disregarding Gyeonryeo, they’re all insane psychopaths.”

Marietta, a gunslinger from Endorose with voluminous curly hair, shrugged her shoulders.

Twirling a revolver from her waist with her slender fingers, she said,

“Even in lawless Endorose, it’s a rule to keep a distance from this type of person. Unlike the naive Ranger, I oppose this.”

“Gunslinger. Are you, a street gunman, challenging me now?”

“An elite-trained Ranger in a greenhouse wouldn’t know the ways of the world. Want to see who’s better at dogfights?”

Phasia and Marietta, exchanging words nonchalantly, simultaneously drew in magical power and turned.

Click!!

As Phasia loaded a bullet into her gunblade, Marietta holstered her revolver at her waist.

In the same moment, their hands moved too fast to be seen, extending explosively toward each other.

Boom!!!!

With each pull of Phasia’s trigger, flames burst from the blade, propelling the sword forward.

A unique combat style that dramatically increases the power and speed of the blade by firing the blade itself.

However, Marietta didn’t even flinch at the accelerating blade in front of her.

Instead, she drew her revolver from her waist at incredible speed and fired a near-supersonic burst.

Tatatatatang!!!

In the blink of an eye, blades and bullets collided in mid-air, scattering intense sparks, and the onlookers hastily retreated.

“Damn it…!!!”

“The impatience of humans is truly incomprehensible. Are you already planning to fight?”

“Might as well settle the hierarchy here. It’s not a bad idea.”

“Everyone, please calm down. Do you intend to fight in a place like this?”

Euphria tilted her head, and Odilro, introducing himself, chuckled as he drew in magical power.

Just as Claris was about to intervene, drawing in magical power and chanting a stream spell, a vivid black line flashed across everyone’s vision, tearing through space-time at incredible speed.

Whoosh!!!

In an instant, dozens of mana threads split and entwined in all directions, simultaneously targeting Phasia and Marietta.

Their explosive movements, reaching supersonic speeds, were instantly captured in mid-air as if snagged, bringing them to a halt.

“Gasp?!”

“Ugh…!!”

Phasia and Marietta, taken by surprise, twisted their bodies, but not a single finger moved.

As the other Transcendants instinctively flinched at the sight, a cold voice echoed from behind.

“For those who dare use the name of the Eyes of Blue, your judgment of people is terribly poor.”

Victor, extending his right hand and weaving mana threads, spoke with a mocking tone.

“Calling such reckless fools collaborators? Monkeys would be more well-behaved.”

“What did you say?”

“No, why won’t this thing—”

“But unlike you, I have patience, so I’ll let it slide this once.”

Lennok said this and leisurely flicked his fingers.

“If you pull a stunt like this at the gate, next time I’ll embed your bullets into your bodies.”

“…Wait.”

At that moment, Phasia and Marietta froze, looking at the hundreds of bullets suspended in mid-air.

The black mana threads entwined throughout the meeting room weren’t just restraining the two; they had also stopped all the bullets they had fired.

Lennok had not only trapped the two with mana threads but also halted all the bullets they had shot.

To stop hundreds of supersonic bullets with mana threads and restrain two people at once… The level of mana thread manipulation required for such a feat was beyond imagination, even as they witnessed it.

“Hmm, he’s a monster beyond comprehension. May I add something?”

Lightner, the special officer of Paragon with bright yellow hair like a lightning strike, raised his hand.

“Separate from his personality, his skills are clean, and his abilities are perfect. Paragon approves of this man’s participation. A talented senior sorcerer is always in short supply.”

“Special Officer Lightner. But…”

“Moreover, I hear he faced Pyeonram in the Great Forest. Doesn’t that mean he knows a great deal about that Ascendant?”

His face naturally exuding vigor, he smiled and folded his arms.

“Considering the goal of this operation, he’s the perfect candidate. I think he’s even more suitable than the Thousand Blades mentioned earlier.”

“…”

“I know this guy well, having fought against and alongside him.”

Jillian, who had been silent, chimed in.

“This guy, his skills are certain. Among the manipulation spellcasters I’ve seen, he’s the worst, but undoubtedly the best.”

“…”

“He accomplishes everything with threads thinner than hair… It’s incredibly tricky, but also very useful. He’ll definitely be an asset if he’s on our side.”

“You fought against him and alongside him? Jillian, what exactly did you do in Kabahim?”

“I was fighting against Pandemonium, and then I ended up on the same side… It’s complicated, let’s not talk about it.”

Jillian mumbled, closing his mouth, but the tense atmosphere had subtly changed.

With Paragon’s approval and Jillian’s words carrying considerable weight after actually fighting alongside Victor, the situation had shifted.

[Whether the Black Art’s participation is a good or bad thing, I think it’s only natural to have differing opinions.]

Dreyfus, who had been silently observing the meeting, spoke up.

[But it seems everyone has been missing one important premise from the beginning.]

“Premise…?”

[Why did the Black Art come to the Lighthouse to participate in this operation?]

Victor, still sitting silently in his chair, looked at Gapseon.

[As Sun Myung said, the relationship between the Demon Confluence and the Lighthouse is not something to joke about. Even if the Black Art is indifferent to the organization’s affairs, he’s not so insensitive as to be unaware of this fact. Yet, he came here alone.]

“…”

[The fact that he came here alone means his actions are not the will of Pandemonium, but rather his personal intentions. I think once you understand this fact, there’s no need for further discussion.]

“Dreyfus. Sorry, but could you explain that in more detail? How is the Second Gate related to the Black Art’s intentions… Ah?”

Pio, grumbling, suddenly realized something and widened his eyes.

The other Watchers also seemed to realize the same thing, their expressions changing subtly.

[The Tyrant Duke, who occupies the Second Gate, is known as the greatest manipulation spellcaster in imperial history.]

Gapseon slowly nodded and continued speaking.

[And the man before us is also a Transcendent who is second to none in handling manipulation spells.]

“…So, you’re saying the Black Art didn’t target the Eyes of Blue, but came to meet the Tyrant Duke, a fellow manipulation spellcaster?”

[What do you think?]

Silence fell.

It was because the other Watchers also seemed to agree with Dreyfus’s words.

At that moment, the meeting room door opened, and Lapis entered with other Watchers.

Slam!!

“Lapis!”

“Lighthouse Keeper. You’re back.”

“I’ve finished escorting the selected superhumans to Paragon’s side. It seems things here are also wrapping up.”

“Well, it’s not exactly wrapped up yet, but…”

Lapis silently looked at the bloodied people lying on the meeting room floor.

The manipulation spellcaster sitting on top of them, looking this way, and Phasia and Marietta hanging bound by black mana threads.

Lapis, lost in thought with a blank expression, soon approached Lennok.

“I understand the situation. It seems there was a more aggressive display of force to resolve the situation.”

“No, those two just ran wild and were subdued in one blow.”

“Before making a decision, I have just one question.”

Lapis spoke.

“That is, does ‘Victor’ have any particular reason for joining this operation?”

“…”

At those words, Lennok raised his gaze and looked at Lapis.

Lapis’s expressionless face, staring silently at him.

But Lennok could faintly sense both curiosity and a hint of doubt within it.

Even without directly perceiving his identity as the Subjective Resistance, Lapis seemed to have a vague idea from the circumstances, yet couldn’t be certain, so she was seeking confirmation from Lennok.

Understanding this, Lennok answered calmly.

“The reasons those talisman sorcerers and others mentioned are enough.”

“…”

“I came to work in a way the Eyes of Blue dislike.”

Lennok smiled at Lapis, who remained silent.

“I thought this was the best way to do that. Is this answer sufficient?”

Silence fell.

Not only the Transcendants who heard Lennok’s answer but also the other Watchers wore strange expressions.

It was an oddly off-putting answer, but they could vaguely understand what he meant.

But Lapis, listening to those words, nodded slightly.

“I see. Let’s go together.”

“…Lapis?”

“There’s no need to hesitate once the selection is made.”

Lapis looked around at the Watchers with a calm expression and spoke.

“We’ll depart for the Second Gate immediately.”