Chapter 444: Archangel’s Tear (6)

“Soryu, get away from me!!”

Boom!

Ermont’s gem spell bombardment struck once more.

Since Soryu couldn’t gain the upper hand in a one-on-one confrontation, he had to recover his condition as quickly as possible and join the fight.

Even though he had exposed an opening with a powerful bombardment just before, Ermont didn’t hesitate to use the same move again.

He understood that any hesitation in using the spell most needed at this very moment would directly lead to defeat.

“Foolish…!!”

Je-byeok, too, unhesitatingly tore a sleeve from his dragon robe to block the attack with the fabric.

The violet dragon robe itself was a type of artifact, made from top-grade fabric that blocked magic.

Although it couldn’t completely block Ermont’s gem spell, which surpassed the Saint-tier, the brief respite it provided to withstand the spell was more than enough.

Ignoring Soryu’s wave of ice, he would finally blow the head off that slippery black wizard.

Capturing the royal family of Kavahim and handing them over to the royal house would fetch a considerable sum of money.

The time he had suffered in recovery might even be shortened if he managed to overcome this crisis well.

Just as Je-byeok, thinking that, unhesitatingly moved to throw the piece of dragon robe above his head.

Flash!

As if a lie, the piece of dragon robe that had slipped from between his fingers vanished.

“Wh-what….”

Instead, an unidentifiable plastic case appeared in his grasp, as if its position had been switched.

Before he could even identify the case, which was densely inscribed with complex magic circles, Ermont’s bombardment rained down from above.

The case melted in Je-byeok’s hand, directly enveloped by the intense heat, and at that moment, the spell assembled inside the case immediately triggered a secondary explosion.

BOOM!!!!

From the center of the brilliant gem spell’s radiance, a bluish sphere of light spun and burst forth.

“Kuueeeugh…!!”

The moment Je-byeok, with a pained expression, groaned and moved his body away from the explosion site.

Above Je-byeok’s head, dozens of long, stake-shaped bombs appeared as if following him, exploding once more.

Rumble-rumble-rumble!!!

“Huh, what…?”

Soryu frowned at the unusual power, and Ermont was slightly bewildered.

Ermont, regaining his senses, slapped his knee with a look of realization.

“It seems the body I’ve taken over has unleashed its potential without me knowing!! Otherwise-”

“That was his doing. Snap out of it.”

Soryu, cutting off the black wizard’s nonsense with a cold tone, turned his gaze.

The unique-attribute sorcerer watched them closely, his robe fluttering as he stood with his arms crossed.

It was difficult to discern his expression due to the mask, but the slight nod of his head clearly conveyed its meaning.

Just now, that wizard transcended space, simultaneously transferring dozens of bombs to attack Je-byeok.

Now, it was hard to believe he wasn’t a sorcerer who directly manipulated spatial magic.

Soryu, drawing his frost blade, rose to his feet and muttered.

“So, you’re finally going to move… I’m not thrilled, but it’s a significant force. Let’s finish this here.”

Soryu’s blade, vanishing as if seeping into the cold air, mercilessly slashed Je-byeok’s body.

Slash-slash-slash!!

Though he possessed a bloodline ability to transform his internal structure into ice, it was a perilous balance where even a slight delay could result in his flesh being torn apart.

But Soryu, even while aware of the risk, did not hesitate to rush at a superhuman of a higher Hierarchy than himself.

Je-byeok’s slow reactions due to his declining health, Ermont’s firepower support which felt even more dangerous than Soryu himself, and Lennok’s assistance.

He was convinced that now, they could hunt down an 8-level monster head-on.

Ermont, too, even while writhing on the ground in pain, relentlessly poured magic into Je-byeok, distracting him.

‘How strange.’

Lennok, too, using Compassion of the Archangel, continuously hurled the bombs and blades he possessed at Je-byeok, deep in thought.

‘The artifacts of the Archangel series were resonating with each other, amplifying their spatial transfer abilities.’

Compassion of the Archangel, which could originally only transfer the coordinates of a single inanimate object, began resonating with the Tear, increasing its output.

From the moment it began fully resonating with the Archangel’s Tear, it became possible to designate and transfer dozens of coordinates simultaneously.

It was unknown if this was merely a phenomenon of resonance between Archangel series artifacts, or an interaction of the energies contained within them.

‘But if he could arbitrarily amplify his spatial transfer ability even after consuming the elixir….’

It would become even easier to mimic a spatial sorcerer as Victor.

BOOM!!

He set aside his thoughts and continuously activated the Compassion of the Archangel, whose output showed no sign of decreasing.

All Lennok did was spatial-transfer dozens of large-object targeting disintegration bombs produced at Palmer’s workshop.

These explosives were designed to penetrate the defensive lines built by superhumans, let alone the superhumans themselves.

While a single bomb might not inflict significant damage on Je-byeok, detonating dozens simultaneously at an unexpected moment was certainly enough to land an effective hit.

Wham-wham-wham!!!

Amidst Soryu and Je-byeok’s fierce exchange, he precisely targeted the fleeting moment when Je-byeok was about to counterattack, detonating the bombs.

The moment Je-byeok roared, he shoved bombs into his maw, pushing the heat deep into his intestines.

“Ughhh…!!”

Even Ermont, who was providing firepower support with black magic from a distance, was horrified by such a vicious method.

Yet, despite the hellish heat permeating his body, Je-byeok endured all the attacks with his tottering frame and rose to his feet.

Thump-thump-thump!!!!

Even as their respective magic and stamina seemed to evaporate, the speed of their exchange only accelerated, transcending perception.

Blades and fists reaching subsonic speeds, along with heat and cold capable of incinerating spirit and flesh, alternately raged, burning the field white.

In the center of the downpour-like barrage of explosions, Je-byeok unleashed a magnificent roar.

[How long will you inferior insects defy my will!!!]

Miniature Universe: Full Power Release.

Ignoring Soryu’s constantly rushing clones, he gripped the air and made it burst.

Space itself warped and then restored, unleashing an explosion.

He even gripped the very concept of that explosion, compressed it further, and then unleashed it, sweeping away all physical force in the surrounding area.

[Wave Axis (波軸)]

BOOM!!

A hemispherical sphere rose centered on Je-byeok Yanikus Barbaria, repelling the blizzard and the gem’s radiance, excising space itself.

Soryu’s body was thrown back by the impact, colliding with Ermont’s body and shattering into ice fragments.

“Ugh…!!”

“Ow!! That hurts!”

Ignoring Ermont, who was screaming in pain, Soryu reassembled on the spot and glared at Je-byeok.

Je-byeok, whose complexion had turned pale, looked down at them, one hand still gripping the throat of the unconscious Pillar.

[I was wary of what power the royal family of Kavahim might wield, but if this is all, then there’s nothing more to see.]

As Je-byeok, muttering coldly, raised his hand, immense magic condensed between his fingers, transforming into a sphere of light.

A ultimate technique that gripped and compressed magic to its extreme. It had already reached a miraculous level, difficult to call mere martial arts.

Rumble-rumble-rumble!!

[After tearing your neck off with my bare hands, I will hang your corpse before the royal palace of Kavahim. It will be a fitting punishment for the scoundrels who invaded my city.]

“Whoa….”

Ermont’s small exclamation of admiration. Naturally, everyone ignored it.

[Despite being a grown royal, you wander instead of staying in the palace. That’s clear evidence of a twisted bloodline, isn’t it?]

Je-byeok’s lips twisted into a sneer, mocking Soryu.

[Such actions are typical of one who failed to inherit their rightful place. I shall deliver the divine retribution fitting for your evil deeds…!!]

Wooosh!!

The shining sphere in Je-byeok’s hand dropped from his grasp.

The sphere, instead of heading towards Soryu, Ermont, or Lennok, simply began slowly falling towards the ground.

Though its power was unknown, if an 8-level monster could speak of it with such confidence, it was undoubtedly a technique harboring immense destructive force.

“Regrettably, I’m someone who has already killed several of my own siblings.”

While Lennok was considering pulling out his carapace shield and holding his ground if needed, Soryu, who had brushed himself off and stood up, spoke.

“It doesn’t seem like you’re the one who can punish me.”

At that moment, a chilling cold flashed behind Je-byeok.

Pillar’s body, which he had slung over his shoulder, moved convulsively and stabbed Je-byeok in the back.

Thud!

[…!!!!]

Chilling cold clung to the unconscious Pillar’s arm. A sharp dagger, blackened like ink, was clutched in his grasp.

A pitch-black aura, swirling like a dark cloud on the dagger’s blade, penetrated Je-byeok’s tough defensive magic and seeped into his body.

At that moment, Je-byeok’s face twisted hideously, and his body lost its vigor and plummeted.

Simultaneously, the sphere of light that had been slowly falling towards the ground vanished as if a lie.

Thud!

“U-ugh…!!”

Je-byeok’s form, unable to regain consciousness, hung limp and writhed.

For an 8-level Peak of Extremes practitioner, he was defeated almost absurdly easily, but Soryu, seemingly unfazed, stepped on Je-byeok’s head with a cold expression.

Crunch!

“You said you wouldn’t compromise on either your grandson or the artifact, but I think differently.”

“Won’t you let go immediately!!”

“That’s not refusing to compromise; that’s indecisiveness. It means you don’t know how to give anything up.”

Crunch!

As Soryu gripped the hilt of the dagger plunged into Je-byeok’s back and twisted it forcefully, Je-byeok’s expression twisted in agony.

“Your life, your grandson’s life, and the Archangel’s Tear. You had three options, but because you couldn’t give up any of them, you’re in this state.”

Soryu, muttering coldly, slowly infused magic into the dagger.

“I anticipated you couldn’t kill your own grandson, so I made preparations beforehand. I knew you would surely take this useless vermin with you when you forced your power.”

“Ugh…!!”

The coldness, infused through the dagger, relentlessly spread through Je-byeok’s bone marrow.

Je-byeok groaned as a chilling sensation, freezing him from his lower back to his head, spread through him.

“It’s one of the accursed royal treasures. Just as you said, it’s something I brought with me when I was exiled from the palace. It’s the very object that stabbed my own brother’s heart.”

“Th-this…!!!!”

“Now it’s your grandson’s turn.”

Crunch!

With a single gesture from Soryu, the unconscious Pillar’s neck twisted and snapped.

Je-byeok’s eyes widened, seeing his grandson’s neck twisted backward and broken, dying before his very eyes.

Even for a superhuman, the death of one’s own kin was bound to cause agitation.

Precisely targeting the moment Je-byeok’s strong mental fortitude wavered, he punched him in the jaw.

“Kugh…”

Only then did Je-byeok’s form lose strength, hanging limp and half-unconscious.

Soryu looked down at Je-byeok, slowly removed his hand from the dagger, and stood up.

“Things went much better than expected. No need to kill him after all.”

“What are you going to do with him?”

“Capture him alive like this and hand him over to The Doctor.”

Soryu ran a hand through his hair and sighed, looking slightly exhausted.

“Even if it’s the body of a dying old man, he’s an 8-level Peak of Extremes practitioner. He’ll be useful in some way.”

“So there was a reason that eccentric scientist particularly favored you.”

“The Doctor is the most enthusiastic person I know when it comes to knowledge.”

Soryu, muttering in a cold voice, pulled out a dark red rope from within his robe and began tying Je-byeok’s body.

“There are people in the organization who know more or are wiser than him, but none are more zealous. I like such people.”

………

Lennok, too, watched the scene from a distance, his gaze lowering.

Could that item also be one of the accursed royal treasures Soryu mentioned?

The fact that he carried not just one, but several such items, was a combat style in itself.

No, more dangerous than Soryu’s unusual abilities or various artifacts was his mindset itself.

The courage to fight an 8-level Peak of Extremes practitioner without fearing death, and combat skills so fluid that even Lennok couldn’t gauge them.

But more than any power, what made Soryu stand out just now was his sheer meticulous planning, even using Je-byeok’s own grandson as a means to attack him.

A monster of pure reason, transcending morality, who would stop at nothing to kill an opponent, shamelessly exploiting emotions and bonds.

A type of person who not only didn’t shy away from their own cruelty or inhumanity but rather enjoyed using them as weapons to exploit weaknesses.

In a way, it resembled the persona Lennok had cultivated while operating under the name Van, so he recognized it immediately.

He was a dangerous man, regardless of his power.

Are such unsettling individuals operating under the Director in Pandemonium?

While Lennok was deep in thought, Soryu and Ermont had approached him and were staring at him intently.

“So, did you enjoy watching us bust our asses like clowns?”

………

“Thanks for the firepower support from afar, but wow, you looked really comfortable. Are spatial sorcerers always so arrogant-”

“Victor.”

At Lennok’s words, uttered as he adjusted his mask, Ermont blinked.

“…Is that all? No ‘where are you from,’ or ‘what magic did you learn’? Not a single word to your seniors?”

“Seniors, my ass….”

Lennok scoffed lightly and walked past the two of them.

“Handle the Kaiushyu matter yourselves. Capturing Je-byeok alive was your decision. The aftermath is none of my concern.”

“Wait.”

At Soryu’s words, Lennok halted his steps.

Soryu intently watched Lennok’s back, covered by a thick hood, and spoke.

“If possible, I’d like you to contact Hylaea right here. I want to handle things properly.”

………

“If you came this far through her recommendation, you must have her contact information, right?”

“No, the man you killed, Tucker, was in charge.”

“What?”

“He was responsible for the overall command and team formation in this operation. I only joined at the end, so I don’t know the details.”

“…Then there’s no need to trust you here and hand over the artifact.”

Soryu’s chilling murmur. But Lennok didn’t panic.

“If you’re upset, why don’t you kill Je-byeok right here and follow me? Hylaea is at the cathedral in Vulcan’s District 21. We can go together and confirm, can’t we?”

………

“Do as you please if you don’t want to believe me. But if you lay a single finger on me, I’ll blow your head off, Pandemonium or not.”

At Lennok’s sharp retort, the atmosphere in the area instantly turned chilling.

Soryu, too, seemingly displeased with the answer, raised an eyebrow and stared at Lennok.

“Whoa, whoa… You’re quite the short-tempered friend. Calm down.”

Ermont, interjecting with a smile, grabbed Soryu’s shoulder and stepped back slightly.

It was amusing that he, the oldest one present, was mediating between these young superhumans.

But Lennok had no intention of stopping there.

He couldn’t afford to react carelessly to those who suspected him now.

It was natural for his identity to be doubted at this point, especially since he was operating with a mask.

Precisely because his movements somewhat overlapped with Adamant Thunder, his reaction had to be distinctly different from how Van had operated.

For Lennok to see what he wanted to see in Pandemonium, he had to firmly put down anyone who dared to voice such doubts.

He would make it clear that he was a powerful and special individual, skilled enough to enter this Pandemonium even while concealing his identity.

It was one of the things Lennok did best.

“It’s only a loss if we fight among ourselves here. In this messed-up organization, there’s no one to stop us, you know.”

“If you don’t like my suggestion, let’s settle it here.”

………

As Lennok’s remarks, seemingly designed to provoke Soryu, continued, Ermont’s shoulders slumped.

“The Director probably wouldn’t care if we fought and killed each other. What difference would it make if one ice-user died fighting Je-byeok?”

At that moment, Soryu spoke.

“You’ve met the Director. In that case, it’s a different story.”

“What?”

Gripping his blade, he turned his gaze towards the fallen Je-byeok.

“I accept your proposal. Let’s kill Je-byeok right now and all go to Vulcan.”