Chapter 552: Monster of the Past (4)

Olivera’s hand, plunged into her own chest, mercilessly burrowed into the thickest muscle within the deepest part of her heart.

Simultaneously, with her other hand, she crushed a blood-filled serum vial pulled from her pocket.

Crunch!!

Using the contact with the deepest part of her heart as a trigger, she activated the artifact’s ability.

Immediately after, the black flame of Ultimate Conflagration erupted, engulfing Olivera’s body and soaring into the sky.

KWA-AAAAAH!!!

A storm of dark lightning flashed, momentarily obscuring the clear sky above the Particle Power Plant.

Where the black pillar, which had burned the heavens and then vanished, dissipated, Olivera astonishingly still stood.

A bizarre appearance, like cracks forming on her cold, doll-like face.

The cracks extending from her body didn’t stop there but spread into the very space around her.

“Using self-sacrifice as a condition for a spell is almost always the domain of curses.”

Lennok spoke, watching Olivera stand even after directly enduring the firepower of Ultimate Conflagration.

“It seems even you, who uses pure magic, aren’t unaffected by other spell systems.”

CRACK, CRACK-CRACK-CRACK……!!

At the same time, the cracks etched into the space where she stood deepened, rapidly splitting and shattering.

CLANG!!

With a strange noise like breaking glass, Olivera’s body completely shattered and scattered.

Beyond that, a new Olivera reappeared.

But unlike her use of mirages earlier, the front of her robe was stained with blood, and her body swayed as if about to collapse at any moment.

“An illusion of breaking mirrors… a spell that exchanges the cost between one’s reflection beyond the mirror and their reality? If so, bearing such a risk makes sense.”

[………]

Instead of answering, Olivera silently coughed a few times.

Her chest was dyed red, dripping blood, but Olivera was still alive.

At the critical moment when her Domain was shattered, leaving her body exposed to the firepower of Ultimate Conflagration.

Olivera had activated a spell, triggered by piercing and damaging her own heart.

At that point, she had evaded Lennok’s attack within the inverted world of mirrors created through her Domain.

An extreme mind-scene art that swapped the position of one’s mirror image and true body to absorb a momentary attack.

It must be a dangerous technique, dangerous enough that even Olivera herself had to use it under such perilous conditions.

Perhaps without a mark like directly damaging her own heart, she would be unable to distinguish between her mirror image and her true self.

It was a magic that could never be easily used without bearing such a paradox of self-identity.

Having damaged her heart as the price for evading Ultimate Conflagration’s firepower once, Olivera swayed as if she would collapse at any moment.

However, instead of unleashing another spell to kill her, Lennok quietly took another step back.

He already knew that another third party had intervened at the moment he failed to kill her.

CLANG!!

“That’s enough.”

A mechanical voice, heard in the fleeting moment the flash of Ultimate Conflagration faded.

Along with an illusion of spatial layers peeling away, the figure of an iron-winged being appeared, blocking Olivera’s path.

Drab gray eyes peeked from between the steel wings.

“She is not to die here and now.”

‘Dangerous.’

Lennok thought, wiping his dry lips.

The firepower of [Ultimate Conflagration] was more than enough to evaporate Olivera’s body on the spot.

In fact, Lennok had intended to kill the past Olivera here, regardless of his acquaintance with her in reality.

Knowing that this wasn’t true past time, killing Olivera here wouldn’t cause problems for her in reality.

If he held back even a little, this powerful individual wouldn’t hesitate to kill Lennok.

Lennok had waited for the moment Olivera unleashed her full power because he was confident he could force her mind-scape into a rampage at least once.

And that was only possible because of the ability of the Mystic Eye, created by her future self, something the past Olivera could never know.

Unless it was a loophole forcibly created by the advantage of information and ability from the gap between present and past, such an opportunity would never come again.

Lennok had essentially missed the chance to easily deal with the most troublesome opponent at this power plant.

“It’s rare to find such exceptional talent; I had hoped you would meet Kaiser, but it seems it was a futile expectation.”

Gileon muttered, turning his iron wings, his expression mechanical.

Although Olivera had escaped the crisis herself, her life would truly have been in danger if Gileon hadn’t blocked the remaining aftershocks.

One of his wings was almost completely melted and ruined from taking a portion of Lennok’s Ultimate Conflagration just now.

Damage on a different level from when he forcibly overexerted himself to save Parden McQueen’s life.

But Gileon, too, instinctively knew that he had to save Olivera at this moment, even if it meant enduring such damage.

That this powerful wizard had desperately tried to kill Olivera on the spot was nothing less than proof that Olivera Ron Maize was perceived as a threatening existence to her opponent.

“I understand you indirectly assisted Kaiser’s research. Do you still not intend to work with him?”

Gileon asked, naturally concealing his damaged wing behind his back, but Lennok only offered a cold sneer in response.

“If you intend to buy time, it’s too trivial a trick. Is that truly all you have to ask in this situation?”

“……”

“You don’t need to do that. Since I failed to kill her just now, whatever you do here will be in vain.”

Lennok gestured with his eyes towards Olivera, who stood behind Gileon.

“Wouldn’t your presence rather hinder her?”

It wasn’t wrong.

The reason Gileon hadn’t intervened while observing the exchange between the two wizards from high in the sky was precisely that.

If he carelessly joined the exchange between two wizards with power transcending Hierarchy, it could become a detrimental variable.

It was entirely possible that an exchange, which at first glance seemed to be overwhelmingly in Olivera’s favor, could be overturned by Gileon’s presence.

Gileon knew this, and that was why he had been waiting for the decisive moment to intervene.

[An expansion of causality that forcibly triggers a spell’s backlash using a mind-scape rampage. Truly a dangerously potent power.]

Olivera, who had been silent, weakly raised a hand to brush back her hair.

In her hand was the broken serum case she had just shattered.

Her voice was surprisingly normal, considering she had just damaged her own heart. Had she escaped the crisis by using the blood contained within it?

However, considering that it was an injury that couldn’t be resolved by merely transfusing a few drops of blood, there might be a secret within the serum itself.

While Lennok was lost in thought, her telepathic message continued.

[That is very closely intertwined with the limits of my ability that I have vaguely felt all this time.]

“……”

[Who are you?]

Olivera asked.

[If a wizard with the same Hierarchy and abilities as you existed, it would be impossible for them not to be known on this continent.]

Her piercing mystic eyes lowered quietly.

[An existence who doesn’t follow Kaiser’s plan yet wants to know its truth… do you know what that means to us?]

“No.”

Lennok replied.

“But I do know that this conversation is meaningless.”

[………]

“No matter what I say, would you believe it?”

Lennok continued, scoffing.

“Would you accept it if I said this moment isn’t reality, or that it’s some kind of miracle or disaster?”

[……I see.]

Olivera seemed to understand Lennok’s words, letting out a small sigh.

At the same time, magic far more powerful and transcendent than before erupted from her body, beginning to swirl in all directions.

[My apologies to Kaiser, but it seems I cannot keep my promise.]

Closing her eyes, which shone with mystic power, and even dimming their light, Olivera quietly unleashed a telepathic message.

[I will conclude today’s events by erasing you from existence here and now.]

FWOOSH!!!

As she spoke, a colorless wave erupted from beneath her feet once more.

That she could deploy her Domain again right after it had exploded and shattered by Lennok’s mystic eyes was an absurd display of potential.

But Lennok’s face hardened as he realized that the Domain she was unfolding now was covering everything in a completely different form than before.

‘It’s not an erosion type…!’

It wasn’t a mirror barrier that encroached upon a part of reality.

This time, Olivera was trying to completely overlay her mind-scape, throwing Lennok into a perfect Mind-Scape Domain.

If he entered her Domain as is, he would face spells incomparably more powerful than before.

But Lennok, knowing this, instead of holding Olivera in check, glanced aside.

At the moment Gileon, thinking it was a wizard’s trick, ignored the gesture and tried to raise his ability.

Something fell from the sky, striking Olivera from above her head.

CRASSSHHH!!!!

Dark black magic tangled within the broad face of a massive hammer.

The war hammer collided with the colorless wave in the air, emitting a thunderous roar that shook heaven and earth.

Immediately after Olivera instantly canceled her Domain deployment and retreated upon the arrival of that ominous magic.

The heavy mass that had descended released a powerful shockwave, pushing all the swirling magic outwards.

THUUUUD!!!

“Van!!”

A deep voice called out to Lennok from amidst the rising smoke.

The bird-headed giant slowly rose, standing tall before Lennok, glaring at the other two.

“I was too late. I apologize…!!”

Felix, who had fallen due to an unknown phenomenon just before meeting Parden McQueen, had finally joined the power plant battle.

“No, you were just in time.”

Lennok replied with a chuckle.

“If not now, you wouldn’t have been able to time it. You were a great help.”

“……”

The first to grasp the profound meaning of his words wasn’t Felix or Olivera, but Gileon.

It was precisely because Gileon had abandoned his aerial surveillance and descended to help Olivera that Felix had the opportunity to enter the power plant.

The problem was that Felix didn’t look to be in good condition either.

“Hmph, hmph……!!”

His entire body was covered in wounds from what must have been an intense battle to reach the power plant, with hardly any spot untouched by bruises.

His ragged breathing was excessive for merely having ambushed Olivera just now.

Felix, too, must have had reasons for being late, rather than simply getting lost.

In that case, was Purity also still not here for a similar reason?

‘Our reinforcements are too slow. Instead, we should be worried about their reinforcements.’

Lennok had not just been buying time relying on Davi’s hacking.

He had thought that if necessary, an opportunity to resolve the situation at once could arise with the arrival of Purity and Felix.

Just the arrival of Purity, an 8-level spear user, could disrupt the balance of the battlefield.

But if time continued to drag on like this, other superhumans from the past allied with Kaiser would return to the power plant.

At that point, Lennok’s chance to secure Kaiser’s person or uncover the project’s secret would vanish.

‘Even if Ilya is moving inside the power plant, it will be difficult for her to achieve significant results while facing Kaiser and Parden McQueen.’

Even Lennok found it difficult to grasp exactly how far Kaiser’s abilities manipulated time.

He didn’t doubt Ilya’s capabilities, but even she would struggle to achieve her objective against two formidable spellcasters.

Stopping the spacetime anchoring device completely via Davi’s hacking, and securing Kaiser’s person.

If he misjudged, he risked his life instead of achieving his objective here.

[Your appearance, I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before……]

While Lennok was lost in thought, Olivera tilted her head, looking at Felix’s face.

As if trying to recall an old memory, she gazed intently at the bird-headed giant, then finally spoke.

[Indeed, I remember now. You were one of the mercenaries who went on a pilgrimage after the Great War.]

“……”

Felix faintly twitched his shoulder at her words but did not reply.

Olivera paid no mind to his reaction and continued speaking.

[You certainly weren’t that capable back then… what reason do you have for returning to Vulcan, allied with that wizard?]

“Felix.”

“I know, Van.”

Felix nodded with a grave expression at Lennok’s words.

“I saw it too on the way here. Be careful what you say.”

‘……’

Felix, too, had realized that the people in this sealed zone were beings left behind in past spacetime.

Had he encountered someone among the enemies on his way to the power plant who made him realize that fact?

Lennok immediately changed his approach, opening his mouth to exchange necessary information.

“Kaiser has noticed. His ability is needed to resolve this situation.”

“Kaiser… what a nostalgic name.”

Felix murmured, startled, then chuckled.

“Yes, I thought it might be him. There weren’t many madmen capable of such things back then.”

[………]

Olivera silently watched Felix’s reaction, her mystic eyes gleaming.

Felix slowly re-gripped his heavy war hammer and asked,

“Location?”

“Last confirmed was the power plant’s underground engine room.”

“Meaning it might not be there now.”

“I’ll handle the directional adjustments, so don’t worry about the exact coordinates. Just focus on speed.”

CLICK, CLACK!!

As Lennok began to take out and prepare various firearms, including a shotgun, from his pocket, Gileon’s eyes narrowed.

Lennok, who had taken out five Mana Resonance Area Control Resonant Incendiary Bombs (MAPHI), stood them upright, and put them in a preheating state, quickly continued.

“Kaiser has the power to directly manipulate time, and he’s controlling that power through spells. You need to be careful when dealing with him.”

“Understood.”

Felix couldn’t fail to grasp Lennok’s intention in discussing only Kaiser, even with strong opponents like Gileon and Olivera before them.

The bird-headed giant, gripping his war hammer, began to take deep breaths with a serious demeanor, and Lennok immediately snapped his fingers.

“Let’s start right away. Get ready.”

SNAP!

Simultaneously with Lennok’s signal, the five MAPHI bombs neatly lined up beneath their feet exploded.

The firepower blasted straight down into the ground where the four stood, sinking the entire foundation.

KWA-AAAAAH!!

Destructive power that went beyond merely melting the ground like lava, completely evaporating and sinking it.

Before the others could be surprised by this sudden anomaly, Felix moved.

Wrapped in Lennok’s shield and various protective spells over his massive body, he plunged unhesitatingly into the still-hot ground below.

He didn’t even try to resist the explosion that erupted from beneath his feet.

He simply trusted Lennok to protect him from the blast and threw himself into the collapsing ground below.

As Felix disappeared into the fissures and cracks that spread in all directions, Gileon moved almost simultaneously.

CREAK!!

Gileon appeared in the sinkhole of the collapsed ground, blocking Felix’s path.

“So, you intend to collapse the bare ground and find a path underground.”

“……”

“What an absurd idea. How do you intend to pinpoint his location in this vast power plant complex?”

CLACK!!

The shape of his still-intact iron wing split into five finger-like sections, scattering heavy activation sounds.

At the same time, the phenomenon of Spatial Delamination faintly began to shatter before Felix’s eyes.

The moment Gileon tried to contain Felix’s body within the Spatial Delamination and crush him along with the cracks.

THUD!!

Something in a long glass tube fell before Gileon’s eyes.

Gileon instinctively looked up, seeing Lennok looking down at him and smiling.

“One more shot.”

“……!!”

KWA-AAAAAH!!!

[Sinkhole]

Simultaneously with the MAPHI explosion, Lennok unleashed a barrage of the common spell, Sinkhole, collapsing the ground to create craters.

In an instant, a section of the power plant grounds collapsed by dozens of meters, revealing the metallic cross-section of the ground below.

A bombardment too precise to be mere coincidence. The achievement of finding the power plant’s underground facilities without a single misstep.

The opponent’s actions were clearly premeditated, as if they knew Kaiser’s location from the start.

Gileon, finally grasping Lennok’s intent, gritted his teeth and picked himself up.

“I was fooled. No way, from the beginning…!!”

Lennok hadn’t intended for Felix to simply dig aimlessly until he found Kaiser.

He had known Kaiser’s location from the start and merely needed Felix’s assistance to secure him.

Lennok had placed a tracking spell on Kaiser while they were researching together in the engine room, allowing him to pinpoint Kaiser’s location from the beginning, a location even Ilya had missed.

“Here I come……!!”

The moment Felix gritted his teeth and drew forth his magic, a jet-black magic, different from his own Main Force, began to mix into his hammer.

The remnants of Dorye’s magic that had accumulated in his body while wielding the war hammer infused with it.

After recovering from the aftereffects on his sickbed, Felix was now temporarily able to draw upon and use the lingering Dorye’s magic in his body.

This was why he had deliberately sought out and carried a similar blunt weapon after his original hammer was taken by Croken Asylus.

CRUNCH……!!

With a sound of the hammer’s front surface buckling, unable to withstand the power of the magic, the steel barrier peeking from between the ground exploded.

The power plant’s underground corridor had suddenly collapsed, and at its end, Kaiser stood, a slightly surprised expression on his face.

Behind Kaiser, a cart holding dozens of unknown glass bottles faintly vibrated.

THUUUD!!

A massive bird-headed figure landed roughly in the corridor directly in front of Kaiser.

Felix’s thick eyebrows twitched, even more agitated than Kaiser’s.

“Unbelievable. In this vast Particle Power Plant complex, how could you… in one go…!!”

This situation, where he had merely dug underground trusting Lennok’s words, yet landed right in front of Kaiser.

It was a feat impossible without pinpointing Kaiser’s location and precisely collapsing the ground to adjust Felix’s trajectory.

A strategy executed on the spot, yet arranged with such exquisite precision, as if it had been thoroughly prepared for this moment from the very beginning.

“……I see.”

Kaiser, who immediately grasped the situation, chuckled, looking at Lennok through the collapsing ground.

“It couldn’t be a coincidence, could it? Did you put a tracker on me from the start?”

“The payment for assisting with the spacetime anchoring research, I hadn’t chosen it yet.”

Lennok also offered Kaiser a gentle smile.

“I’ve just decided what I’ll take.”

“Kaiser……!!”

Felix, spewing jet-black magic from his thick beak, charged straight at Kaiser.