Chapter 441: Archangel’s Tear (3)

“F*ck, seriously…!!”

With the surprise attack failing, victory was already out of reach.

But Pillar gritted his teeth and closed the distance on Lennok.

Even if he couldn’t kill Lennok and ran away alone from here, he wouldn’t get far. In the worst case, he could be discovered by Je-byeok and captured alive.

He knew walking into a trap set by a specialized sorcerer was suicide, but he had no choice.

He gripped the blade he had hidden in his sleeve in a reverse grip and swung it, scattering it as if spraying.

The blade, which had bounced a few times in the air as if ricocheting, glowed with clear magical radiance and once again plunged into Lennok’s chest.

Kiiing!!

A fatal strike, applying Property Transformation of magic to its extreme.

The magic, having pierced through the back of the robe, rotated and burst through the penetration point as if exploding.

Regardless of his cruel and nasty nature, he was still a 6-level Commander Wizard.

Dismembering a person on the spot was not a difficult task for him.

Crash!

With a small noise from inside the vault, the robe exploded as if tearing apart.

But what spilled out from within was not human flesh and blood, but merely bundles of endlessly stretched magic threads.

“Aaaargh!! Get lost, you f*cking bastard!!”

Pillar, realizing only then that he had been completely fooled by Lennok from the beginning, let out a shrill scream and wildly swung his arms around, but—

“It’s quite ironic, isn’t it?”

A heavy impact, delivered with a calm voice, struck his temple and shook his entire brain.

Thud!

His body instantly went limp, and he gasped for breath.

“Cough!!”

“The ones with overly sharp perception abilities tend to rely on them instead of honing them.”

Lennok said, sitting astride Pillar, who was sprawled on the floor with his neck twisted.

“So much so that they’re fooled by a mere ball of string, simply by mimicking a magical signature and a voice.”

Lennok picked up the small blade that had fallen to the floor and poked Pillar’s head with its hilt.

“You haven’t learned anything, even after I stomped on Rick like this earlier. No, in fact, you didn’t think at all, did you? Typical of a young master who grew up relying on innate talent.”

“What do you know about me—”

“You knew the penthouse layout strangely well. As if you’d lived here for a long time.”

Lennok checked the remaining time on his wrist-watch, cutting Pillar off.

“Add to that the ambiguous way you refer to Je-byeok as ‘old man’… Don’t you think you left too many clues?”

Lennok smiled, watching Pillar fall silent.

“You must have been a relative discarded by Je-byeok. If you returned to this city for revenge, it’s not so strange.”

It was a conjecture that sounded more like a certainty than a guess.

But Pillar couldn’t ignore Lennok’s words and burst into anger.

“Bullsh*t!! All the property in this city was originally mine…!!”

He clamped his hand over his mouth, startled by his own outrageous slip of the tongue.

No matter how arrogant Pillar was, he wasn’t foolish enough to spill personal details to a complete stranger.

“You, you f*cking bastard…!!”

Pillar’s face twisted like a demon, and his veins bulged.

“What did you do to me?!”

“Nothing much. Just made you inhale some truth serum.”

“…What?”

Instead of answering, Lennok pointed to the vault ceiling.

A faint smoke lingered between the dark, hard-to-see ceiling.

He had thought it was a phenomenon caused by the aura of the elixir, but Lennok was saying it was the power of the drug he had spread.

“It’s a special product I brought from the lab, but it seems to take longer to work than I expected. Thanks to that, time’s tight.”

“This…!! When you pushed that artifact to me!!”

“You’re quite sharp.”

Lennok grinned, pulled the case containing the Archangel’s Tear from Pillar’s grasp, grabbed him by the hair, and asked,

“The route for a safe escape out of Kaiushyu. Tell me where it is.”

“Do you think I’d tell you…!!”

Thud!

Before he could finish his answer, Lennok slammed his head to the floor while still holding him.

After a few more blows until his head spun, Pillar finally, with a dazed expression, spilled the information.

“In the shopping arcade across the street from the penthouse… there’s a hidden emergency elevator. If you take it down… it connects to a secret passage leading to the underground sewers…”

“Not bad.”

“When you come out of the passage, it’s the city outskirts… Once you’ve got the treasure, just remove my mask, kill me, and bury me…”

“…You didn’t need to tell me that much.”

Lennok gave a wry smile and stood up.

“If I kill you here, there’s a high chance I’ll incur Je-byeok’s wrath.”

Lennok whispered into the ear of the motionless Pillar.

“Even if you’re a discarded relative, if you’re found in this state, wouldn’t he waste time taking care of you?”

“You…!!”

Lennok shoved a handful of low-grade pills he had picked up from a nearby vault into Pillar’s mouth, leaving him trembling and unable to speak.

Lennok didn’t look back, exited the vault, and headed straight for the lobby balcony.

Landing lightly on the rooftop of the adjacent building using magic threads, Lennok then donned his disguise magic and began to walk.

‘I’ve fully charged the Translocation spell, but it’s not unlimited. I need to move carefully.’

To freely use the immensely mana-consuming spatial leap Translocation spell, Lennok chose to charge the spell into Jindun’s Papyrus Argenteus.

However, imprinting a Translocation spell onto the Papyrus Argenteus was, in fact, close to a trick utilizing a virtual dimension.

This was because it was nearly impossible for items of different spatial systems to naturally generate synergy.

What made it possible was the power of [Feigenbaum’s Eye], a spell-weapon acquired in the Hanghasa Labyrinth.

By overloading the artifact and directly interfering with the virtual dimension for a fleeting moment, he could forcibly embed the Translocation spell onto the reverse side of the Papyrus Argenteus.

However, using that ability rendered Feigenbaum’s Eye unusable for a while.

As long as the overloaded artifact’s ability had not returned, once the Translocation spells recorded on the Papyrus Argenteus were exhausted, Lennok would have no choice but to use his own mana directly.

For any unforeseen circumstances, he had to avoid using spatial leap abilities, which had terrible cost-effectiveness, with his own body’s mana as much as possible.

Thinking so, Lennok subtly surveyed his surroundings near the shopping arcade where the secret passage was located.

The other two members of the patrol team, a man and a woman, were nowhere to be seen, having apparently noticed something was amiss long ago.

More than five minutes had passed since Lennok and Pillar had moved secretly. It was enough time for them to realize the situation was going awry.

He had to leave before the patrol team’s discovery reached the assault team.

As Lennok thought this and moved his magic to find the hidden elevator inside the arcade—

A flash of light erupted in the middle of the intersection overlooking the penthouse.

Kwoooosh!

“Aaahhh!”

“Help meee!”

Vehicles driving through the intersection flipped and burst into flames, and screams erupted from all over.

People engulfed in flames thrashed about, begging for their lives.

A sharp, ruthless hand that seemed to care nothing for the surrounding casualties.

At the forefront of that shockwave appeared a white-haired old man, his hands clasped behind his back.

Clad in a dazzling purple robe, with a golden sash, and draped in a shimmering veil, he looked almost like an immortal who had descended from the heavens.

Despite appearing and instantly killing dozens, half-destroying the intersection, people humbly knelt.

“Oh, Je-byeok…!”

“Please, save my daughter!!”

“We beg you, if you would just bestow your grace upon us!!”

Je-byeok Yanikus Barbaria.

An 8-level Peak of Extremes and an unparalleled superhuman who held Kaiushyu, a small city on the Western Continent, in his grasp and ruled it.

The leader standing at the pinnacle of a city of a million people had appeared at this very spot.

Lennok quickly hid himself inside the shopping arcade building, concealing his presence.

“…”

The bustling city fell silent.

A stillness so profound that not even a breath could be heard. It was an atmosphere that revealed how Je-byeok had ruled this city.

Je-byeok, who had been looking down at the hundreds of bowing heads, unclasped his hands from behind his back.

Splat!

With a sickening squelch, blood spilled across the middle of the street. Two human heads, as if forcibly torn off.

Je-byeok, smoothing back his white hair, looked around and muttered.

“I heard there were seven insects who trespassed on my territory.”

Lennok inwardly sighed, realizing the heads belonged to the man and woman who had been on patrol.

The fact that Je-byeok knew the number of people involved in the operation meant that those two had spilled everything they knew to Je-byeok before dying.

They probably tried to escape after noticing something amiss, were caught by Je-byeok who realized the vault had been opened, and were killed.

“I’ve already caught and killed two, so five remain. I intend to catch all those insects and display them in front of City Hall Plaza before sunset today, so watch carefully.”

Je-byeok, who muttered coldly, turned his gaze towards the penthouse.

“How this Je-byeok guides Kaiushyu.”

Simply being strong wasn’t enough to rule and govern a city of millions.

This overwhelming tyranny, where dozens of citizens were killed out of spite yet no one dared to resist, was possible because the citizens trusted Je-byeok to protect them from external threats.

Under the pretext of protecting and defending the city, Je-byeok’s method of governance was a world where only the strong survive, and anything was permissible.

For him, it was practically an opportunity to solidify his dominion over Kaiushyu.

Boom!

At that moment, the center of the penthouse rooftop exploded, and three figures burst out.

Rick and Olga, heavily laden with cases of pills on their backs, and Tucker, carrying someone, running out.

If they couldn’t escape anyway, were they planning to confront him head-on?

“How amusing.”

Je-byeok scoffed, gripping his robe-clad hand and about to draw out his magic, when—

He stopped abruptly, seeing Pillar’s face, whom Tucker was carrying.

“If you don’t want to see this man die, you’d better retreat, Barbaria.”

“…”

Tucker, pressing a sharp dagger against the limp Pillar’s neck, said in a low voice.

“You don’t want to see your own kin die before your eyes, do you?”

“You bastard…”

Je-byeok narrowed his eyes at Tucker’s threat but then slowly lowered the hand he had raised.

Lennok, too, realized why Tucker was doing this and inwardly nodded.

So, they managed to breach the penthouse’s security, find Pillar in the vault, and then—

They must have pressured Pillar, who was still under the influence of the truth serum, to learn the details, and then taken him hostage to survive Je-byeok.

“We’ll let him go in front of the city’s outer circulation gate. Until then, promise not to harm us.”

“…You worm-like bastards. Do you really want to cling to life so desperately?”

Je-byeok frowned and lightly nodded, and the crowd parted like waves in that direction.

Tucker, Rick, and Olga, with hardened expressions, began to carry Pillar out towards the outskirts of Kaiushyu.

Lennok found the elevator leading to the secret passage in the meantime but hesitated, gave up on the passage, and followed them.

‘With Je-byeok appearing earlier than planned, using the passage Pillar told me about would be suicide.’

It would be more rational to observe the situation from nearby and find an opportune moment to act.

‘If I take the elixir now, I’ll definitely fall into a coma… I need to take it quietly somewhere isolated after the situation has settled and deal with its effects.’

Hadn’t he been bedridden for a whole day when he first took Stemonia, which was for vitality enhancement?

Losing consciousness by carelessly taking the Archangel’s Tear, an elixir from the Old World, here would be putting the cart before the horse.

Even if he couldn’t take it immediately, there were plenty of ways to try it once the elixir was in Lennok’s hands.

Hummm…!!

Lennok, intently gazing at the wooden box containing the Archangel’s Tear he had taken from Pillar, his eyes gleaming, quietly drew forth his magic.

In front of a wide, eight-lane road with no spectators whatsoever.

Facing a massive toll gate, Tucker slowly lowered Pillar to the ground.

“G-Grandfather…”

Pillar, still not free from the after-effects of the truth serum, called out to Je-byeok with a trembling voice.

Je-byeok, descending with graceful steps as if floating in the air, frowned with a look of disgust.

“You good-for-nothing… After running away because what I gave you wasn’t enough, did you come back here?”

“B-But isn’t all this property going to be mine anyway…!! It wouldn’t matter if you passed it on a little earlier!!”

Perhaps due to the effect of the truth serum, Pillar was making a spectacle of himself, forgetting the situation.

Je-byeok gave a cold smile at his remarks, which exposed his inner desires.

“What good is it if you can’t even protect what I give you? You can’t even take care of yourself, yet you want Kaiushyu?”

“Th-That’s… Grandfather, if you pass on the city, I can become that strong too!!”

Ignoring Pillar’s increasingly nonsensical words, Je-byeok turned his head.

“Insects.”

“…”

“The arrogance of demanding a deal from me, a grave sin that deserves your tongue ripped out and hung from a spire… but I’ll overlook it specially today.”

As Je-byeok spoke, his eyes held an unconcealed glint of greed.

“Your life and the Archangel’s Tear you stole. Offer me the hands that touched that treasure, and I will spare your lives.”

Je-byeok hadn’t accepted Tucker’s offer to move locations for no reason.

Pillar’s life was one thing, but he couldn’t openly speak about the Archangel’s Tear in front of countless citizens.

Tucker must have realized this and pretended to steal the Archangel’s Tear by taking unnecessary pills.

“…It was stolen by a masked man named Victor.”

But before Tucker could reply, Pillar quickly opened his mouth and answered.

“He intends to escape alone. We must pursue him right now…!”

“Mask?”

Lennok, who had been quietly observing the situation from his hiding spot, sighed.

‘Is it going to come to this after all?’

He hadn’t considered escaping alone, but with Je-byeok aware of the elixir’s existence, he couldn’t run far.

Je-byeok would try to track Lennok by any means necessary, and it would be impossible to escape Kaiushyu completely with just a few Translocation spells.

If he moved by combining his stealth magic to conceal his presence, he might evade immediate pursuit, but there was nothing but open fields around, no means of transport.

If he moved without using his bike, Lennok’s stamina might not hold up.

With his recovery from the battle with Madrich Onnion being slow, giving up his Victor identity and fighting Je-byeok wasn’t even an option.

What was the way to avoid battle with Je-byeok and safely take the elixir out of the city?

Lennok already had a rough idea of the answer.

“I hid the Archangel’s Tear on the way here, following you.”

Lennok, who had been observing from his hiding spot, slowly walked out from behind them and spoke.

Pillar, seeing Lennok’s face, frothed at the mouth.

“Y-You…! You lowly wretch…!! How dare you not appreciate my grace!!!”

Lennok completely ignored Pillar’s desperate outburst and spoke to Je-byeok.

“If you let us go safely, I’ll tell you its location.”

“How dare an insect… Can you speak like that after I’ve torn off your limbs and ripped out your throat?”

Lennok replied, looking at Je-byeok, who frowned with displeasure.

“You, who just spoke, didn’t even sense my presence just now, did you?”

“…”

“If I set my mind to it, I can play hide-and-seek with you all day. What if someone else takes the Archangel’s Tear during that time?”

Lennok smiled, watching Je-byeok’s expression twitch.

“If that elixir can truly extend a person’s lifespan, then you must be desperate for it too.”

“Victor…?”

Rick and Olga’s mouths gaped slightly, and even Tucker looked at Lennok with surprise at his eloquent speech.

Lennok paid no mind to their gazes and continued to speak, trying to win Je-byeok over.

If he dragged out the time any longer, Je-byeok’s subordinates, spread throughout Kaiushyu, would arrive.

From the moment they were outnumbered, they would be at a disadvantage.

Seeing Je-byeok visibly agitated, Lennok reiterated.

“How long did it take you to conquer this city and get here? How much time do you have left? The Archangel’s Tear might be the only answer for you.”

“…”

So desperate was Je-byeok for the Archangel’s Tear that he was forced to listen to a thief whose face, skill, and origin he knew nothing about.

It was even harder to give up because he had just learned that the item he so desperately desired had been stuck in a corner of his own vault.

After all, one has more lingering attachment to a treasure once held than to one never touched at all.

Even Peak of Extremes who have reached 8-level are no different in essence. Those who have transcended humanity merely possess a greed that transcends humanity.

The degree of that desire also strengthens to a degree that surpasses human bounds, or it inevitably transforms into something entirely different.

Lennok accurately exploited and pierced that fragile psychological loophole.

“That’s right. And perhaps, if that elixir really works… you wouldn’t need to entrust the city to your inept kin, would you?”

“…!!!”

“This friend knew that too, which is why he came back to Kaiushyu to steal the elixir. Isn’t that right?”

Lennok smiled, looking back at Pillar, who was wide-eyed and trembling.

“Perhaps your grandson didn’t care who took the elixir. As long as it wasn’t you, that is.”

“You wretch!!”

Je-byeok roared.

A magnificent killing intent, carried by his magic, vibrated, mixed with his tone.

But was that killing intent directed at Lennok, who was sneering in front of him, or at the trembling Pillar?

Sacrifice the elixir to save his grandson.

Let Lennok live to take the elixir.

Lennok’s persuasion clearly distinguished the priorities of these two choices, which in a sense were opposing yet overlapping.

It precisely poked and awakened Je-byeok’s suspicion, which he had tried to suppress, regarding why Pillar had returned to this city to steal the Archangel’s Tear.

The moment Je-byeok, with a furious expression, glared at both Pillar and Lennok simultaneously and raised his hand—

“There’s no need.”

A chilling voice, utterly devoid of warmth, echoed from behind him.

“Because I found the Archangel’s Tear.”

“…What?”

Je-byeok’s head snapped around, and his eyes fell upon his subordinates, who had arrived late at the end of the circulation road.

The young man standing at the very front smiled coldly and raised his hand.

It was the worn wooden box that Lennok had just been holding. It was unmistakably the Archangel’s Tear, previously hidden by disguise.

“It was hidden in a junction box under the bridge. A flawless job.”

“Ohh…!!”

Je-byeok, with trembling hands, reached out towards the approaching young man.

“Well done, truly commendable…!! I never knew I had such a brilliant subordinate!”

“It’s nothing, sir.”

An appearance as icy as his cold voice.

The man had an impression somewhat similar to Lennok, yet exuded a strikingly different aura.

But even as he discovered the wooden box Lennok had hidden and handed it to Je-byeok, Lennok stood there with his arms crossed, simply observing.

“You’re underestimating me too much.”

“What did you say?”

As the young man scoffed and asked back, Je-byeok, who had approached, seized the young man’s shoulder.

“Quickly, give me that item…! Now I can finally fulfill my duty without being swayed by that sorcerer’s trickery!!”

“I will do my best to assist you as well.”

“Yes. That’s right. But tell me.“

Unlike Je-byeok’s beaming expression, the grip on the young man’s shoulder began to tighten.

“Did I ever have a subordinate with this face?”

Kwooosh!

Immediately after, the spot where Je-byeok and the young man stood exploded as if hit by an artillery shell, and the road collapsed.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t even remember the faces of my subordinates? Let alone a manager-level subordinate who would personally bring an artifact?”

Je-byeok’s expression, which had been brightly smiling just moments ago, was now chillingly striking his robe as if it were a lie.

“I don’t know how you got your hands on the artifact, but meekly offer it to me and bare your neck.”

“…I admit it.”

From beyond the clearing smoke, an ice barrier appeared. Through it, the young man’s cold voice resonated.

“I thought you’d show a weakness while distracted by the artifact, but there’s a reason you rule over this city, isn’t there? I underestimated you too much.”

At those words, the barrier shattered into dozens of ice fragments, and the young man emerged from behind it.

“I’m not good at using disguise magic, you see. And I don’t really like changing faces like that.”

“N-No… Of all times, Soryu is here…!!”

Tucker, recognizing his face, muttered with an ashen complexion.

“If a high-ranking executive of Pandemonium moved, it means they intend to kill all of us and silence us…!!”

Swooosh!

Tucker’s words could not continue.

An ice fragment, split apart, had plunged into Tucker’s bowed shoulder with lightning speed and then exploded.