Chapter 445: Archangel’s Tear (7)

“…What?”

As Soryu spun around, the tense atmosphere that had just built up shattered with startling ease.

But stranger still was Soryu’s answer: he would casually kill Je-byeok, whom they had so painstakingly captured, and leave.

A flustered Ermont hurriedly followed Soryu, who had begun striding towards Je-byeok.

“Wait, wait, waaait!! No, Soryu. It’d be such a waste to kill Barbaria now that things have come to this, wouldn’t it? Let’s take him to The Doctor, just like we discussed!”

“No need. Interrogating Hylaea about the inside story is more important.”

Soryu completely ignored Ermont and drew a sharp ice blade from his sleeve.

Shing!!

“If a wizard met the Director and joined Pandemonium, Hylaea should have definitely told me. I need to go confirm whether Victor’s words are true or not.”

“No, what kind of rule is that…”

What part of the conversation with Lennok had changed Soryu’s mind?

Perhaps that part was deeply connected to this extraordinary man’s secret.

Regardless of the unanswered conjectures, Soryu moved without hesitation, as if he had truly made up his mind in an instant.

Before Ermont could continue his protest, Soryu reversed his grip on the blade and plunged it directly into Je-byeok’s nape.

Shhhwaaak!!

A chilling handiwork, without a hint of hesitation.

Je-byeok seemed to have regained consciousness by then, but he couldn’t resist, his entire body bound by an unknown artifact.

He merely narrowed his eyes, as if lamenting, as the blade approached his face.

The very moment they thought the ice blade would pierce the old man’s brow.

[I tried to gather the commotion from a thousand li away, and something ridiculous is happening.]

A raspy voice, as if completely worn out, echoed from beyond the horizon.

Suddenly, countless pieces of paper tore through the air, instantly blocking Je-byeok’s front and batting away the descending blade.

Cha-ra-ra-rak!!

“…”

Not only did they save Je-byeok’s life, but the paper pieces quickly clung to the blade and surged up Soryu’s forearm.

Soryu and Lennok’s eyes narrowed as they confirmed the countless mysterious characters tightly inscribed within them.

Talismans. Each one was an artifact compressing immense power.

Thud!!

Soryu released the blade, retreated, gained distance, and looked up.

[Time truly is fleeting. Is Barbaria, who once coveted others’ possessions, now about to lose even what he has?]

A faint, mocking tone in the voice. But unlike its timbre, the wave of talismans tearing through the air solidified even more firmly, embracing Je-byeok.

[The path ahead is long, but an old grudge catches my eye, and I cannot retreat.]

Clink, clink…

Faint chimes, like distant bells, could be heard.

Between them, a strange melody, seemingly meaningless yet eerily lingering in their ears, gradually drew closer.

The moment they noticed it, it was already near.

A bizarre figure, covered in talismans as if dressed in paper clothes, with talismans plastered all over his face like a strange mask, and a single eye drawn in crimson blood.

With every step, the talismans rubbed against each other, rustling.

The man of talismans, who had calmly infiltrated the space where the four stood, surveyed his surroundings in silence.

[I don’t like meddling, but I won’t leave with lingering regrets.]

“Damn it…”

Soryu bit his lip and quietly retreated.

Ermont, too, recognized that the opponent was no ordinary practitioner and cautiously amplified his magic.

Lennok let out a hollow laugh, realizing that the compressed aura emanating from the mass of talismans had reached a state transcending the seven Hierarchies.

An 8-level Peak of Extremes practitioner.

And it wasn’t a wizard, but a monster using an entirely different form of talisman magic who had appeared.

Was it merely a coincidence that such a formidable figure appeared at this critical moment, just as they were about to move to kill Je-byeok?

Cha-ra-ra-rak!!

Clink, clink…!!

Behind the man, a magnificent paper wall, made of thousands of talismans, rose up, and within it, tiny bells chimed incessantly.

Lennok narrowed his eyes, understanding what the talisman wall signified.

He’s deploying a defensive construct, then using talismans as a medium to maintain and move it… He’s practically a mobile fortress.

Having been taught similar knowledge through Jindun’s barrier magic, he understood it even more clearly.

Perhaps the defensive spell designed within that wave of talismans was akin to the man’s ultimate technique.

In essence, it was like setting up a fortress and carrying it around as if it were his own home.

Rather than a Domain, it was more like creating a distorted space-time zone, similar to Olivera’s laboratory, and transporting it.

Strictly speaking, it meant constantly maintaining a battle-ready state, and possessing both the capacity and mental strength to endure it.

Lennok quickly assessed the opponent’s power and nodded.

Time to bolt.

To gauge the chances of victory against a spellcaster of that caliber, Lennok would have to remove his mask and fight with full power.

With the Archangel’s Tear in his hand, he had no intention of fighting such a formidable opponent just to help Soryu.

The moment Lennok thought this and subtly tried to create distance, Soryu sighed and swiftly finished his incantation.

At that instant, a faint spatial crack appeared around his wrist, and something brilliant blue shot out and was caught.

A blue-glowing, skull-shaped staff, completely different from the cold, icy blade, radiating frigid air.

As Soryu grasped it with one hand and lightly swung it, the surrounding air began to distort strangely.

Crackling…!!

“…”

A completely different atmosphere from before. Lennok also realized that the staff was no ordinary artifact and shook his head.

He knew Soryu had been holding back during the hunt for Je-byeok, but he never imagined Soryu hadn’t used such an artifact during the battle.

Considering the aftermath of the power flowing from the skull staff, it must undoubtedly be a spell-armed weapon-grade artifact.

As Soryu plunged the staff unhesitatingly into the ground, the surge of talismans that had been trying to encircle the three of them faltered slightly.

Soryu seized the opportunity and spoke to the man.

“…Let’s stop. I have no intention of fighting you.”

[Is that all you have to say after reducing Je-byeok to this state?]

“Who would dare compare and equate you with Je-byeok on the same level?”

Despite the man’s chilling retort, Soryu didn’t lose his composure.

His attitude was as if he was confident that the man would never be able to kill them here.

“Not all beings who transcend Hierarchy are sages or madmen, are they?”

[…]

“Yanikus Barbaria is no different. Because he wasn’t truly wise, nor completely mad… wasn’t that why he couldn’t give up anything and lost everything?”

Soryu pointed at Je-byeok, who was trapped within the talisman barrier, with a chilling sneer.

“If you, Dreyfus, hadn’t appeared here, today would have been the day he was devoured by his own greed… What a shame.”

Soryu’s lips, as he looked at the man he called Dreyfus, had already stretched into a long, eerie smile.

A cruel nature, as if Soryu himself wasn’t even aware of it.

Perhaps the lingering regret of not being able to kill Je-byeok in this place mingled with his true feelings, revealing a glimpse of his inner self.

The mass of talismans, which had been silent with its hands behind its back, spoke.

[For such an eerie talent to emerge from the Kavahim lineage, it is truly dangerous. That nature should have been brought under control before it walked under the banner of Pandemonium.]

A response that seemed to already recognize Soryu as a descendant of the Kavahim royal family.

But Soryu’s next reply was so unexpected that even Lennok was slightly surprised.

“That’s what I should be saying. Who would have thought that the Hermit of the Box (Gapsun), who had wandered this vast Western Continent for decades, would bow his head to a young Lighthouse Keeper?”

‘…!!’

The moment Lennok’s expression hardened at the unexpected name, he felt as if the man of talismans had shifted his gaze.

Soryu, not noticing this, continued speaking.

“The Eyes of Blue’s main force in the Western Continent, they say… As wandering practitioners like you began to join as Watchers one by one, they now possess military might comparable to the main force in the Eastern Continent.”

[…]

“I heard a child with nothing but lineage is aiming for the central front. How long do you plan to indulge that childish ambition?”

Soryu’s remarks, seemingly respectful of the Hermit of the Box yet mercilessly disparaging of Lapis.

But what surprised Lennok was the fact that the 8-level talisman user did not deny bowing to Lapis.

Lennok knew there were Watchers he didn’t know about, but the fact that a monster of this caliber had truly joined the Eyes of Blue was hard to grasp.

This fringe of the Western Continent, thousands of kilometers from the Eastern Continent. An eccentric who had wandered for decades within it.

How did the Eyes of Blue manage to win over such a monster, whom even Soryu faintly respected, and bring him into their ranks?

However, the Hermit of the Box did not react much to Soryu’s mocking words.

Rather, as if his mind had cooled after hearing such sharp remarks, he merely shook his head in a calm tone.

[What meaning is there in clinging to an empty position? That child knows well that it’s not important.]

“…”

[This place where we stand is not ours, and the future time we are heading towards is not yet of this world.]

As the Hermit of the Box, who muttered in a raspy voice, waved his hand, the endlessly shimmering talismans behind him began to float up into the sky one by one.

They formed a colossal sphere of talismans directly above the four people, blocking the sky and casting a vast shadow.

[They wander because they lack qualification. In a world full of fools who don’t even know they’re lost, few can become a Lighthouse.]

“Is that so…?”

Soryu listened, pondered for a moment, then shook his head.

“There’s no point in saying anything more.”

How could an 8-level practitioner like the Hermit of the Box not know that Pandemonium and the Eyes of Blue were on different paths?

From the moment he chose to become a Watcher, understanding this, it was clear their understandings would never align.

Soryu, who had been staring up at the Hermit of the Box, who no longer responded, spoke.

“I still remember when you caused a disturbance to save the royals who were to be executed during the succession ceremony.”

[…]

“If we ever meet again, I’ll make sure to forget everything then.”

Soryu said that and spun around.

“…No, are we just leaving like this? Shouldn’t we at least modestly claim some rights to the artifact that friend obtained?”

Ermont seemed displeased about leaving the Archangel’s Tear with Lennok, but Soryu sharply shook his head.

“This area below is the Clown’s jurisdiction. Coming this far was already ignoring the existing personnel assignments, so any more delay would be troublesome.”

“Hmm… It would be annoying to get into trouble with that crazy bastard, I suppose.”

Ignoring the black wizard, who was nodding his head, Soryu turned his gaze towards Lennok.

“Victor. I’ll remember your name.”

“…”

“As for the Director… I’ll hear about it after you successfully recover the Archangel’s Tear and return.”

“I’ll have a separate talk with Hylaea too.”

Lennok, standing with his arms crossed and a slight lean, retorted.

“Tell her to pair me with someone who can actually listen next time.”

Instead of replying, Soryu simply pulled up one corner of his mouth.

“Ermont.”

“Yes, sir.”

As Ermont, with a sycophantic interjection, raised his hand, the gem pillars of the Erosion Domain that had been deployed there wore away.

Crackle!!

A spatial rift tore open at that spot, creating a massive passageway.

“But you shouldn’t use this often, you know? I need to return his body to this friend later without trouble, but if his Mind Imprint wears away, even I’ll be in a difficult spot.”

Ermont grumbled even after creating the passage himself. Soryu paid him no mind and stepped through without hesitation.

As Soryu vanished from the spot, Ermont shrugged and was about to follow him through.

[An ancient noble, it seems.]

The Hermit of the Box, who had remained silent, opened his mouth.

[You seem to be a person from several centuries ago. What is your reason for remaining in this present world?]

“…”

Was he recognized as an ancient black wizard, even though he was moving in Jaun Audis’s body?

Ermont, who had stopped at the entrance of the passage, subtly turned his gaze and grinned.

“They say miracles don’t happen twice.”

[…]

“What awaits us ahead will almost certainly be a grand failure… But watching it firsthand from the sidelines doesn’t seem so bad either, I suppose.”

[Hmm…]

“Actually, I was just bluffing, I’m stuck on a leash by some crazy descendant. Hahaha!!”

Ermont, who burst into laughter, also vanished from sight.

The passage, created as if space had been torn, immediately closed and disappeared.

“…”

Lennok watched the spot where the two had vanished, lost in thought for a moment.

Kavahim’s royal family and Jaun Audis’s body.

Before Ermont took over his body, was it a coincidence that Jaun had stolen powerful artifacts from the Kavahim royal palace?

Considering that the Kavahim knights had pursued Jaun all the way to the Hanghasa Labyrinth, it seemed that Soryu and Ermont being together now was no coincidence.

Perhaps Jaun’s ability to steal those artifacts was due to Soryu’s help.

Should I have forced the issue and escalated things?

It seemed Soryu possessed several valuable artifacts stolen from the Kavahim royal palace. Perhaps there were some valuable items he could have extorted if he had allowed a confrontation.

Lennok smacked his lips, thinking of the blue-glowing skull staff Soryu had pulled out at the end, but unfortunately, he didn’t have much time to dwell on it.

[…]

This was because the Hermit of the Box, with his hands behind his back, was staring intently at Lennok, who was left alone.