Chapter 378: Regret and Longing (3)
The tattered coat faintly fluttered in the hot wind, and faint heat rose continuously from his hair.
But the cold, settled magical energy flowing from beyond it was more than enough to fix others’ gazes upon the man.
Wiiiing!!
Golden magical energy burst from the back of the man’s neck, forming a giant circle that spun clockwise.
The golden circle, spinning head-to-tail, floated behind the man’s back, forming a massive halo.
At the utterly magnificent sight, everyone who had been enduring there flinched.
Lennok slowly turned his back and looked up at them.
“It seems the time inside the gate was definitely flowing differently from the outside.”
Lennok mumbled, looking down at Evelyn Marcia, who lay limp in his arms.
Just before Evelyn Marcia was hit by the superhumans’ attacks, Lennok immediately hugged her and activated Feigenbaum’s Eye.
He succeeded in deflecting most of the attacks pouring down on them by entering the imaginary dimension for 0.75 seconds.
“Van…”
Evelyn Marcia, who was clinging to his neck, faintly called his name with a haggard face.
Lennok silently looked down at her, unable to even properly open her eyes, and took Evelyn Marcia’s hand.
“Yes. I’m here.”
“You’re… alive…”
“…”
Had she finally relaxed the moment she confirmed Lennok’s presence?
Lennok silently supported Evelyn Marcia, who had collapsed against him, and carefully began to cast a barrier spell around her body.
A protective barrier, used for the first time after inheriting Jindun’s knowledge. Though still clumsy, its strength was undeniable.
While Lennok silently focused on protecting Evelyn Marcia, as the gate shattered, parts of the Hanghasa Labyrinth simultaneously began to collapse.
Kugugugugu!!!
“Uwaaaaaaak!!”
“Run, this place is finished!!”
“Jindun is dead…!! The Ascendant really died!!”
“The Hanghasa Labyrinth is disappearing!!!”
Those who finally realized that all of this was ending meaninglessly began to run out of the labyrinth to survive.
Even superhumans who had acquired power and techniques beyond human limits would have no way to survive if a labyrinth of this scale collapsed and buried them in debris.
Moreover, this Hanghasa Labyrinth was a type of Conceptual Realm, created by folding and bending space to its limit.
If such a labyrinth collapsed and disintegrated, sweeping one into the spatial breakdown, the outcome was obvious.
Even those who had stubbornly endured and sought opportunities amidst the clash of 8-level monsters completely abandoned their lingering attachments after confirming the scene beyond the gate.
Dududududu!!!
Dozens of superhumans ran backward across the collapsing bridge.
Amidst the violently shattering and falling rain of stone debris, only those skilled enough to save themselves in any situation remained.
Ballak O’Edon, the Grand Matron, the bandaged man, and Dein stood on different fragments, looking down at Lennok.
The aura exuded by the four superhumans against a single wizard was a powerful pressure, enough to pierce and crush one’s very spirit.
Lennok calmly looked up at them, fully sensing their powerful wills.
“Where is he?”
Dein was the first to speak.
“Where is Jawoon Audis!!”
Dein’s expression was so broken he couldn’t control his own emotions.
Lennok roughly guessed the situation, seeing that no knights remained by his side.
He must have fought Jawoon Audis, who fell at the second gate, and barely survived alone while all his other comrades died.
Had revenge and reclaiming the artifact become his only interest?
Lennok carefully etched the broken figure of Dein, devoid of the composure he had when they first met in the labyrinth, into his mind.
Lennok himself had considerable interest in how a physical ability user of such a high level would change when their Mind Imprint was significantly distorted.
Therefore, Lennok decided to tell him the truth.
“Maiya took him out of the labyrinth. They might have completely left the labyrinth by now.”
“…”
Dein gave no further answer.
Paaat!
He merely started running, a horrifying expression filled with murderous intent, overtaking the procession leaving the labyrinth.
Lennok watched Dein, then turned his gaze to the remaining three.
The Grand Matron, tapping her staff atop the head of a giant centipede, sneered.
“You used your head well. To make up a plausible excuse and get rid of one opponent. But such a trick won’t work on me.”
“…”
“I don’t know about the others, but I know what artifact you just used.”
The Grand Matron’s sharp gaze fixed on Lennok’s left hand.
“Feigenbaum’s Eye. One of the Spell Armaments Jindun personally wore. Obtaining it means you are the one who met the Ascendant, doesn’t it?”
“…”
When Lennok didn’t answer, the giant monstrous bird standing beside her let out a rough cry.
“If you received artifacts from Jindun, you must roughly remember the location of the storage within the labyrinth. Tell us everything you saw and heard here, without holding anything back.”
“The space inside the gate has already completely collapsed, changing beyond recovery.”
Lennok replied calmly.
“What’s the point of knowing its location now, when it’s already difficult to even touch it?”
“Even a small clue makes a big difference compared to having none.”
The Grand Matron retorted, lightly batting away falling boulders above her head.
“If we roughly grasp the flow of spatial collapse and reverse-calculate its sequence, we can estimate where Jindun’s storage might have fallen amidst the debris, can’t we? If we know the original coordinates of the storage relative to The Cradle’s center, the calculation itself isn’t that difficult.”
“…”
Reverse-calculating the flow of spatial collapse was not something one could casually speak of, yet the old woman spoke as if it were easily possible.
The three massive summoned beasts she seemed to have conjured.
Considering that all of them possessed magical power comparable to a 7-level Archmage, she was likely a master of summoning spells that transcended Hierarchy.
Lennok silently surveyed the faces of those surrounding and looking down at him, lost in thought.
‘An 8-level superhuman and a summoner. And an assassin nearing that level… A formidable spirit medium type, at that…’
Normally, he would at best be able to guarantee victory against only one of them.
The normal response would be to retreat the moment two or more monsters of this level joined forces.
But Lennok, knowing this well, instead of fleeing with Evelyn Marcia, took a step forward.
As if waiting for that step, an unsettling energy stirred within the bandages writhing beneath his feet.
Lennok glanced at it, then gazed blankly up at the constantly collapsing labyrinth before nodding.
“Alright.”
Wooong!!
Simultaneously, the golden halo rotating behind his back slowly ascended.
The scenery reflected within the golden circle faintly distorted, writhing as if trying to transform into a mirror reflecting a completely different world.
The moment the complexions of the three looking down at Lennok slightly changed at this bizarre phenomenon, Lennok spoke.
“If you can, try it.”
Creation-type Unique Magic: Applied Alchemy
Triple Forging [Samjung-yeonseong].
[First Fire Soul Crimson]
Hwa-reureureureuk!!!
Crimson-black raging flames burst forth from the golden ring rotating behind his back.
Magical energy, arranged according to his mighty will, instantly bent the laws of reality, transforming into a miracle.
The ring of flames that erupted from beneath Lennok’s feet swelled rapidly and rotated, scattering massive streaks of fire in all directions of the collapsing labyrinth.
[Crimson Connection]
[Erupting Flame Pillar Dominion]
Kugwagwagwa!!
A vast roar, like a colossal waterfall crashing down.
The radiance of flames, incessantly gushing forth as if a well containing thunder had been dug beneath the earth, surged up from the ground, transforming into pillars of fire that shot into the sky.
Deudedeudeudeuk!!!
Dozens of fiery pillars, lined up behind the wizard whose coat fluttered, arrayed themselves under the laws created by one man.
Ballak O’Edon, sensing the immense heat and the unfathomable depth of magical energy beyond, immediately raised his hand.
A look of utter dismay was already clearly etched on his face.
“He’s completely different from before. He’s actually gained more magical power inside The Cradle…!!”
Kwaaaang!!
There was no answer.
Because the massive flame, writhing like a snake and revolving around Lennok, surged up like a wave and struck Ballak O’Edon.
With that utterly simple burst of power alone, the collapsing labyrinth fragments were all pushed away, unleashing shockwaves.
At the sight of Ballak O’Edon instantly being slammed beneath the fragments of the Evil God Statue, the Grand Matron let out a furious roar.
“Such insolence from a mere boy!!”
[Kkiiiiieeeek!!]
As she formed a hand seal and drew forth magical energy, a giant summoning circle rose between the labyrinth fragments.
As if a light was flicked on and off, the summoning circle vanished, and simultaneously, a giant snake, jaws agape, appeared from beneath Lennok’s feet.
Green poisonous mist spread from its flickering tongue deep within its throat, writhing to poison its enemy.
Lennok frowned and waved his hand.
“Disgusting.”
Kiiiiiing!!!
The dozens of raging flames that had been continuously striking down from behind Lennok curved in a circle, gathering into his grasp.
The heat source, compressed to its limit and transformed into a pure white light, struck down like a laser towards the ground beneath his feet.
[Connected Fire]
Kwaaaaaang!!!
The deluge of light, shot in a cross-shaped trajectory, pierced directly through the snake’s throat.
Immediately after, as Lennok pulled back his outstretched hand, the fiery radiance that had pierced the snake’s body reversed direction, exploding from its maw.
[Stepping Flame]
[Eh, eh… ek?]
Kwaaaaaang!!!
The writhing body of the giant snake inflated like a balloon, then exploded sequentially from head to tail, turning into ashes.
Hwarureureureuk!!!
The sight of her fourth summoned beast being unsummoned, unable to withstand a single spell.
Considering that the summoned beasts she conjured possessed combat abilities comparable to a 7-level Archmage, it wasn’t difficult to understand how absurd the recent outcome was.
Naturally, the Grand Matron’s expression stiffened.
“You… how can such magical power…”
Even for a skilled wizard, it was impossible to unleash such extremely compressed firepower as if breathing.
It wasn’t merely an issue of raw magical energy; it was about the overheating magic circuits from continuous spell casting, rapidly depleting mental strength, and accumulating fatigue.
Crucially, it would be impossible unless one intended to endure the distortion of their very Mind Imprint.
But the wizard before her, after unleashing continuous grand spells that instantly killed her summoned beast, looked up at her with an indifferent face.
The moment Lennok took another step forward towards the flinching Grand Matron.
A violet wave emerging right beside him began to strongly press down on Lennok’s head.
Kuwooong!!
Ballak O’Edon, certain that Lennok was not an opponent to be trifled with, also began to act without hesitation.
“I bear you no great grudge, but The Vanguard requires tangible results.”
Ballak O’Edon murmured, raising a faintly trembling hand.
“I can’t control my power for long. I’d prefer you to speak honestly before your limbs are torn off.”
On Ballak O’Edon’s raised left hand, all four fingers except the thumb were twisted backward, spurting blood.
Lennok saw Ballak O’Edon’s state and instead turned his gaze towards him.
Kugugugu!!
Lennok, unconcerned by the constantly shifting and striking gravity waves pressing down from above, asked.
“A superhuman ability based on mental power. Did you judge that transforming it into a wave form was the easiest way to handle it?”
“What…?”
“A power that grows on its own, consuming its master even if undesired… I suppose such talents exist in this world.”
Among the tens of billions of living beings breathing in this vast world, it’s not strange for talents to exist that transcend Hierarchy and reach the peak without much effort or dedication.
Even if he was so twisted that he was on the verge of self-destruction because he couldn’t control himself, it was undeniably true that Ballak O’Edon’s talent was extraordinary.
But Lennok understood that fully mastering such a talent and making it one’s own was also a form of qualification.
“The wave form. Simple, intuitive, and highly efficient. But…”
He casually drew a circle, drawing magical energy towards the constantly vibrating waves above his head.
Ballak O’Edon’s violet wave. The ring of flames, conjured in reverse to precisely match its radius, perfectly interlocked with it.
Paaaang!!!
Immediately after, the gravitational field pressing down on the entire area disintegrated as if exploding, and vanished.
“It’s not difficult to reverse-calculate the wave and nullify it either.”
“Kugh…!!”
Tududududuk!!
Due to the backlash of his superhuman ability, whose gravitational field was reverse-calculated and dispelled, his left arm twisted and broke from the elbow.
Ballak O’Edon, whose flesh was torn revealing muscle and bone, faintly winced.
Lennok looked down at Ballak O’Edon, who was staggering from the pain of his completely ruined arm, and said.
“Especially if you merely borrowed the wave form because you couldn’t control your own power.”
“How could he still have this much power left…!!”
Even the Grand Matron, who had been watching the situation while quickly forming hand seals, let out a shocked roar.
Power that didn’t fall behind the Grand Matron and the bandaged man, who had been preserving their strength for this moment.
Even the mental strength and composure to reverse-calculate and dispel Ballak O’Edon’s superhuman ability patterns head-on.
Does that mean he hadn’t fully exerted himself and depleted his power during the labyrinth race to meet Jindun?
[It seems he received more than just one ring from the Ascendant.]
The bandaged man, who had discerned the situation faster than she, moved.
A flickering red gleam from between the bandages was directed at the halo, dyed crimson and rotating behind Lennok’s back.
[All remaining magical energy in this labyrinth is revolving around that man.]