Chapter 559: Introspection (1)

The heavy roar of a motorcycle engine echoed from beyond the bridge.

VRROOOOOM!!!

Lennok twisted the throttle with one hand, Davi correcting the controls with her auto-driving algorithm.

His sharp gaze tracked the power of the monsters spreading around the rapidly approaching Particle Power Plant.

‘We set the stage first. All that’s left is to react to their moves in real-time.’

Lennok’s instructions to Krod Azlan for this operation were simple.

To mercilessly bombard the massive Ghost Ship occupying the skies above the power plant until it was forced out into the open.

Purity, the 8-level spear master, was not merely a warrior who had reached the Peak of Extremes in close combat and spear arts.

With his physical abilities, sense of balance, and the combination of his mental image and will-thought—all at the Peak of Extremes—he could unleash destructive power akin to artillery bombardment just by throwing his spear.

Lennok had realized this early on, and Purity was unilaterally pounding the Ghost Ship with long-range spear throws, a feat only he could accomplish.

CRASH! BANG! BOOM!

Pierced by white pillars pouring from between the dark clouds, the ship continuously swayed and staggered.

If this had been an artillery barrage from a fortress or gun emplacements, Madrich Onnion would have responded with bombardments using the ship’s own abilities.

But unlike the Ghost Ship, which was fixed in the sky above the power plant, Purity could change his spear-throwing position at any moment to intercept.

As long as the ship maintained its presence, escaping this one-sided assault would be impossible.

This was possible because Onnion’s Domain, the Ghost Ship Wraith Legion, was specialized in dominating an area and scattering power on a large scale.

It would have displayed overwhelming power on a civil war front, but in an infiltration operation with a small, elite force like this, it was merely a large, lumbering target.

Ultimately, Onnion could only either directly lead the ship to confront Purity, or abandon the ship altogether.

‘If he releases the Domain and abandons the ship, that’s fine too. In fact, it would make things much easier for us.’

If the Ghost Ship vanished, Purity’s spear throws would simply fall directly onto the power plant facility where Kaiser and Olivera were located.

‘Even an 8-level Peak of Extremes Domain cannot withstand a one-sided assault indefinitely. In fact, it’s natural for it to be vulnerable in that regard.’

A Self-Sustaining Domain, which projects the caster’s fundamental mental image, and the power of a Domain that seeks out the ideal aspect of a spell formula, are fundamentally different concepts.

The Floating Domain, the Wraith Legion Ghost Ship, which Madrich Onnion discovered as the ideal aspect of Military Spirit Sorcery, was undoubtedly a powerful force.

However, the ideal aspect of that Domain itself was focused solely on projecting Military Spirit Sorcery in multiple directions across a vast area.

Unless it was something like Gapseon Dreyfus’s Immovable Domain, the 8-level Talisman Sorcerer, the durability of the Domain itself was bound to be weak.

‘He’ll move before the Domain completely collapses.’

If this were a one-on-one battle between Onnion and Purity, Onnion might have endured the Domain’s destruction and sought other methods.

This was because, for a high-level wizard, being drawn into an opponent’s scheme was inherently unpleasant and repulsive.

However, in a situation where multiple high-level superhumans clashed, it was difficult to change the entire dynamic based on one’s own judgment alone.

In a battle between superhumans where all sorts of diverse and powerful abilities ran rampant, no one could predict what outcome the sudden disappearance of a Domain might bring.

There was a flow to the battlefield, and sometimes one had to choose the lesser of two evils, even knowing it might result in a disadvantage.

And Lennok’s prediction ultimately proved correct.

[You worm-like bastards…]

A chilling declaration echoed from the Ghost Ship, and simultaneously, the ship slowly began to move forward.

[If you insist on twisting your bodies so pitifully, then very well. I shall personally join your crude dance.]

BLARE!!!!

The screams of ghosts intertwined, resonating into the magnificent sound of a horn.

The ship relentlessly sallied forth, breaking free from the power plant’s sky.

Its direction was toward the outer area where Purity had been incessantly firing his spears just moments before.

[But you will certainly pay the price.]

SHHHAAAK!!

From the holes of the ship, shattered by the spear throws and oozing mist, hundreds of unknown forms cascaded down to the ground like a waterfall.

[GRRRROOOAAAR…!!]

[It hurts, it hurts…!!]

[It’s cold… don’t rush me!!]

With bizarre wails and screams, a ghostly army rose, filling the inner and outer grounds of the power plant and marching forward.

The sheer volume of entities pouring out from beyond the Ghost Ship was overwhelming, even compared to the real Madrich Lennok had previously faced.

Onnion had not only summoned the ghostly army to confront Purity but also intended to completely block off the outer area of the power plant with their sheer numbers, preventing any external access.

[OHHHH!!!]

[The Night Parade of a Thousand Ghosts has arrived here!!!]

Two massive skeletal giants rose from their positions, lining up as if to protect the Ghost Ship on either side.

As the two skeletal giants, emitting bluish spectral light from their eyes, glared around and began walking with the ship’s anchor chains slung over their shoulders, the ground beneath them crumbled from the impact.

RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE!!!!

A reaper from the underworld, who not only mastered Military Spirit Sorcery but also commanded thousands of ghosts at will.

This was the very essence of Military Spirit Sorcery, unleashed with full power by Madrich Onnion in his prime, who had judged countless sinners during the civil war.

But the moment Lennok saw this, he let go of the hand he had on the motorcycle.

THWACK!

Completely entrusting his body to Davi’s auto-driving algorithm, he swiftly formed hand seals with both hands atop the motorcycle.

Simultaneously, the enormous scroll unfurled from Lennok’s embrace—the Papyrus Argenteus—began to glow dazzlingly.

As the summoning circle pre-scribed within it glowed, the very ground began to shake wildly.

RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE!!!!

The ground shook violently, as if an earthquake had erupted. Something vast writhed within the earth, which had already collapsed once from the battle at the power plant.

Countless mounds of earth and stone gathered, forming the head of a gigantic serpent, which then bit into the Ghost Ship’s keel.

CRUNCH!

The moment the giant serpent’s head bit into the Ghost Ship’s underside and dragged it down into the earth, a surge of icy coldness erupted from the ship, engulfing the serpent’s entire body and freezing it solid.

Just as the two skeletal giants, burdened with chains and anchor ropes, were about to stomp and crush the serpent’s head,

Purity’s spear, as if waiting for that very moment, flew in and perfectly pierced the ship’s keel, slamming the vessel’s fore into the ground.

BOOM!!!!

The Ghost Ship, which had crashed diagonally over Lennok’s head, scraped across the ground and slid far into the distance.

[Woooooah!!!]

The skeletal giants, still tethered to the anchor chains, were dragged away by the ship’s crash, scorching the ground as they receded.

A tremor that shook his internal organs. A deafening roar that threatened to burst his eardrums.

The ship’s fragments, having crushed and burst the very ghostly army Madrich had summoned, came to a halt at the edge of the plain where Purity stood.

Sweating profusely, Lennok confirmed what he had done and shakily gripped the motorcycle’s throttle.

“This is all I can do…!!”

Exploiting the moment the Ghost Ship left the power plant’s airspace, he had brought the ship itself crashing down, forcing Madrich Onnion to confront Purity on the ground.

Of course, even without the ship, Madrich Onnion in his prime still possessed powerful military spirits and his own formidable martial prowess, but…

Simply by eliminating the overwhelming positional advantage of sky versus ground, Lennok had done his part.

Davi poked her head out from inside his coat, muttering regretfully.

[To have to retreat before the great feat of fulfilling a Cybernetic Spirit’s prophecy!]

“I don’t recall customizing you with such an ability when I made you.”

[Hmph, I still have a few more things to pick a fight with those idiots on the Deep Web.]

“Keep that up, and I’ll install a time-limit app for your internet usage.”

[Hmph…]

Davi, her ears drooping, continuously flicked her tongue in regret.

[If I could record that battle log and take it back, I could really set the Deep Web ablaze…]

“…”

Lennok, pressing the head of the suspiciously community-obsessed Cybernetic Spirit back into his coat, focused his mind.

The confrontation between Purity and Madrich, which had started with Davi’s whim and become a hot topic on the Deep Web.

It was regrettable that he couldn’t witness that spectacle firsthand, but Lennok still had work to do.

[Moving to the back entrance!]

[We’re here. We’ll breach first…!! Ilya, change course!!]

Felix and Ilya also recognized the changed situation and dynamic, switching roles and moving accordingly.

Lennok, too, bound his own body with mana threads, rested his rifle barrel on the throttle, and fully unleashed his mana.

RAT-A-TAT-TAT!

Bullets imbued with eight-layered shooting assistance magic tore past the sound barrier, consecutively shattering the heads of the military spirits.

At the same time, the bird-headed giant that burst from the power plant’s main gate bridge charged madly, hammer in hand.

“HAAAAAH!!!”

THUD!

As he swung the hammer, scattering mana, the ghostly army charging from all directions was crushed and exploded.

Felix began clearing a path from the front, while Ilya attempted to infiltrate from the back entrance.

With Lennok following, attempting long-range sniping.

‘Excluding Kaiser, there are four remaining forces. Their condition isn’t perfect either.’

Luring Madrich Onnion out to confront Purity was already half successful.

Among the remaining forces, Parden McQueen had already been directly sniped by Lennok, rendering him almost combat-incapable.

All that remained was to meet Kaiser again, converse with him, and conclude this situation.

Thinking so, Lennok fearlessly slid the massive body of his motorcycle between the bridge piers.

SCREEEEECH!!!

With a raucous screech of friction, the leaning monster bike body slammed into the military spirits, sending them flying, and instantly reached the front of the power plant’s main building.

The moment Lennok, having smashed the main entrance with the thick front wheel of his bike, mounted the corridor leading to the control room and twisted the throttle—

SWOOOSH!!!

[I was waiting.]

Olivera’s Six Harmonies Transmission resonated, and the surroundings filled with dazzling brilliance.

CRASH! BOOM! BANG!

A truly magnificent tremor echoed from outside the building.

“They’ve arrived. Much faster than expected.”

Gileon casually lifted his gaze upwards.

“Onnion moved first. It seems a new helper has arrived on their side.”

Gileon, his face furrowed as if intently observing something with one eye closed, spoke.

“A physical ability user… an incredibly powerful monster. Extremely unstable, but its momentum is comparable to that of a wizard.”

“Hmm, comparable to him… brought a monster of that caliber in the meantime?”

Kaiser, who had his back turned and was tinkering with something, shook his head.

“Impossible. We’ve tracked the movements of all Peak of Extremes-level superhumans operating in the Eastern Continent. It’s more likely they were part of the operation from the start.”

“You think they couldn’t participate before due to some circumstances?”

Kaiser, instantly inferring Purity’s actions, agreed.

“If it’s not a wizard firing these bombardments, but a new enemy, then probably… but they’re likely quite a familiar face to us…”

Kaiser, who had been muttering something unintelligible, suddenly spun around.

In his hands was a single, intact armored wing, several meters long.

“It’s done. Most of the damaged parts have been repaired. At least, there shouldn’t be any major issues with the flight function.”

“Is that so.”

Gileon naturally took it, then casually moved behind Kaiser.

CLICK!

“…What are you doing?”

“Giving my foolish friend another means of survival.”

Gileon replied, his face expressionless, as he skillfully attached the armored wing to Kaiser’s waist.

“Even if normal flight is difficult, it should save you if you jump from a tall building.”

“Without this, you’ll struggle to even control your abilities, let alone fly. Don’t talk nonsense and take it.”

“I can achieve aerial maneuverability with just one wing. I can still use my Spatial Delamination ability. I can fight. That’s enough.”

“Gileon.”

“There’s something you can’t tell us, isn’t there?”

Gileon said.

“Then you don’t have to. There’s no need to explain.”

“…”

“What’s important is that you survive. As long as you’re alive, you can always move forward to the next step.”

Gileon smiled contentedly, confirming the faint flapping of the armored wing behind Kaiser’s back.

“It’s a good thing I was the only one who came with you. Our other comrades would handle things more skillfully than this.”

Gileon slowly retreated, shaking one wing, and his body slightly lifted, pushing him backward.

He then turned his back and vanished, pulling out several heavy shotguns from inside his wing.

CLICK!

Only Gileon’s calm footsteps echoed from beyond the tightly closed door.

It was a sound that suggested he had already understood Kaiser’s intentions and accepted his own fate here.

“…”

Kaiser ran his hand over the armored wing attached to his waist, silently gazing up at the Spacetime Anchoring Device he had repaired.

CRACKLE, CRACKLE…!!

The cracked eggshell had blossomed open like petals, forming a cradle.

Within it, an unknown energy gradually began to take shape.

With an unreadable, expressionless face, Kaiser simply stared at it for a long time.

The forms of military spirits filled the area near the power plant’s back entrance.

Amidst the military spirits roaming around with unknown weaponry, a single streak of light darted through.

WHOOSH!!

The flash of light split into four, piercing through a dozen military spirits’ heads before instantly reforming into one.

The military spirits, belatedly realizing the anomaly, charged with strange screams, but…

SWISH!

Ilya’s body, lightly stepping on the heads of the ghostly army, instantly traversed the inner courtyard and plunged deeper.

Her eyes spun at incredible speed, frantically sweeping the surroundings and calculating the optimal path.

The moment Ilya, following the terrain structures etched in her memory, swiftly found the corridor leading to the underground power room—

Something burst through the corridor wall and slammed directly into Ilya, sending her flying.

CRASH!

“…!!!!”

It was an unexpected ambush, but Ilya’s response was calm.

She inhaled sharply, gritted her teeth, and crossed her spear to block the armored wing.

The pain of broken ribs had long since been numbed by anesthetic. Ilya, who had tumbled through the collapsed corridor, sharply pushed herself upright.

“I know what you’re thinking, but it’s pointless.”

“The power room…!!”

Turning her head towards the power room, leaving the cold voice behind, Ilya found herself speechless.

The massive Spacetime Anchoring Device and Kaiser, which had definitely been there, had vanished without a trace.

Gileon looked down at Ilya, silently flapping his remaining single wing.

WHIRRRRR…!!

The wing split into five sections, transforming into the shape of a massive palm, and within it, space began to peel away in layers.

Gileon, who had unleashed his Spatial Delamination ability with full power from the start, spoke.

“I won’t let you meet Kaiser. There’s no longer any reason for us to face each other.”

“I see. I found it unusually easy to get in, but you moved the entire anchoring device in the meantime, didn’t you…?”

Ilya then took a deep breath and rose from her spot, gripping her spear.

Gileon gazed at Ilya with an expressionless face, then asked.

“You know what we’re trying to obtain here, don’t you?”

Ilya didn’t react to his words, simply taking a silent stance.

But Gileon, as if not expecting an answer, continued.

“Though he hasn’t told me directly, I can feel it… You are different. A little different from the enemies I’ve faced until now.”

“…”

“Kaiser hasn’t explained it, but it doesn’t matter. If he thought so, there must be a reason.”

“Even if your ignorance leads to your death?”

“Yes.”

Gileon smiled brightly.

The only distinct color revealed on his nearly monochromatic face.

“That is precisely the ending I yearn for.”

“…”

Perhaps those living in dissociated space also felt an unknown sense of unease looking at them.

Indeed, they too didn’t know exactly what was happening here.

All the answers to the miracle unfolding in this sealed zone were held by just one person.

And now, Ilya’s task was to bring the wizard to that person.

RUMBLE…!!

A thunderous roar echoed overhead.

Felix, too, was engaged in what might be his final battle with the opponent he encountered while breaching the main entrance.

The clash of ghostly wails and spear strikes echoed from the power plant’s outer area.

In the distance, a rapidly rotating pillar of immensely compressed mana exploded forth.

To find the one and only answer amidst the chaos, Ilya slowly re-gripped her spear.

An utterly silent void.

Lennok walked silently for a long time through the vast, deserted space.

Looking around, only Lennok’s own reflection was visible.

An unknown space filled entirely with mirrors.

With every step, dozens of Lennok’s reflections appeared simultaneously in the mirrors, only to vanish as if nothing had happened.

SHHHAAAK!

Among the dozens of his reflections in the mirrors, one turned to Lennok and chuckled.

“…”

Lennok, with an expressionless face, observed the alien figure, then resumed walking and opened his mouth.

“I didn’t expect you to use your Domain in two distinct forms rather than fixing it to one.”

The deployment type, which completely overwrites reality, and the encroachment type, which summons itself into reality.

Beyond those, there are various ways a Self-Sustaining Domain can exist, but a caster’s mental image can inherently only exist in one form.

But Olivera was using her own Domain divided into both forms.

‘It’s not so much that she possessed both forms, but rather that she completely changed the shape of her mental image right after fighting me… She’s a monster.’

Even if it wasn’t like Lennok’s method of choosing the possibility of the mental image itself, the very ability to switch the form of a Domain was absurd.

There was no need to explain how unrealistic Olivera’s talent and skill truly were.

This was why one should never give a caster of her caliber a second chance.

Olivera Ron Maize was an opponent with whom the same result could never be guaranteed if they fought again.

The space Lennok was currently walking through was not a mirror barrier that encroached upon reality, but a boundless, endless labyrinth of mirrors.

The control room Kaiser had told him about. From the moment he stepped onto the path leading to the top floor of the power plant’s main building, Lennok had been wandering this labyrinth.

[When the Probing Mirror of Illumination crumbled, and the Peak of Extremes magic of Revolving Saintly Construction was dispelled, I thought to myself…]

Olivera’s quiet voice whispered from between the mirrors.

[You know me. Far better than I had imagined.]

“…”

[It feels as though I could touch that truth at any moment, yet I still fall short by a single step, arriving at the unreached.]

Among the hundreds of mirrors reflecting only Lennok’s image, Olivera’s illusion seemed to appear far, far away.

Sitting on a throne made of mirror fragments, she gazed down at the space with a languid air.

Her haughty figure bathed in all the light reflected within the labyrinth.

Was it a coincidence that all that light seemed to converge, as if sucked into the veil covering her face?

Self-Sustaining Domain: Deploy

Origin Hierarchy: Mental Image Manifestation

[Probing Mirror Heaven Palace]

CRACKLE…!!

Through the cracking mirror labyrinth, fragments shattered and fell, even distorting Lennok’s body in their reflection.

[Come closer, Wizard.]

She spoke, emitting a faint, rainbow-colored spectral glow from behind her veil.

[I will personally confirm through you if the path to the next stage lies there.]