Chapter 736: Low-Altitude Flight (4)

As he moved his fingers, the giant’s fingers slowly tapped the ground.

Thump!!

With just that light gesture, a heavy presence seemed to make the ground Lennok stood on reverberate.

As he rotated its wrist, the giant’s hand twisted at that spot, and when he flexed its arm muscles, it rose, using its own arm as a leg.

Boom!!

“Uh, ugh…!!”

Ignoring the seemingly terrified prisoners, Lennok fell into contemplation.

“Why is such a monstrous thing hidden in an underground prison like this?”

[It’s supposed to be a ruin of the Colossus Brigade. Could it be that someone dug up a grave?]

“No, that’s not what I mean. The mere fact that something like this is in a prison in the first place…”

Could it be a means prepared for some specific purpose?

Perhaps there might be clues around here to discern its purpose.

Thinking so, Lennok meticulously activated his mana perception once more, but for now, he couldn’t find anything unusual.

“…Lying low here would only waste time needlessly.”

Lennok, muttering irritably, moved his hand, and the giant’s arm followed, spreading its palm wide.

As he swung its arm once, the giant’s forearm rotated violently in place.

Craaash!!

It swept the knight’s corpse and the prisoners trapped in the iron cage, flinging them across the waterway.

“Uwaaaaah!!”

The screaming prisoners and the lifeless knight’s corpse rapidly disappeared, carried by the current.

Lennok, who had instantly cleared all other traces except for one of the giant’s arms, severed the mana thread connection and turned away.

The giant’s arm wouldn’t disappear in a short time if left here, so he needed to focus on his original objective first.

Just in case, Lennok infused some mana to place a simple marking, then walked towards the passage leading to the surface.

“The Sixth Prince said he was going to meet the Observer, didn’t he?”

If this was a meeting point for the two factions that had come to the Giant’s Fortress, Gillian was highly likely to be present.

Lennok exited the passage and immediately entered beyond the main hall of the fortress.

A main hall capable of accommodating hundreds, and wide corridors leading to all parts of the complex fortress.

Upon entering the fortress, the mana pressure intensified, and several skilled superhumans were visible.

They walked casually around the fortress in their personal gear, or conversed while focusing on their tasks.

But Lennok, knowing this, purposefully stepped outwards.

Swish!!

As he stepped into the lobby, Lennok’s form faintly blurred and vanished.

By casting invisibility magic over his Shadow Robe and suppressing sound and presence, no trace was left.

Lennok quietly passed through the bustling crowd and immediately headed for the uppermost floor of the old fortress.

Unlike other floors with dozens of doors in each corridor, the uppermost floor had only three doors.

In front of the three doors, armored knights stood one by one.

‘Checking only the audience chamber at the innermost part should be enough.’

The audience chamber where the fortress lord usually received guests for official business. If Gillian was there, he could act.

The problem was that the knights’ senses and mana pressure were stronger than expected, making it impossible to hide completely with just the Shadow Robe and invisibility magic.

And using other types of magic would give Agneta, who was watching, room to guess Victor’s true identity.

It seemed much easier to subdue all three armored knights simultaneously here.

While Lennok was deep in thought, Agneta also seemed to have guessed the reason.

[I’ll help you.]

Swwish!!

A thin mana thread extending from the air rapidly dug beneath the corridor floor. A faint presence that even Lennok would have missed if he hadn’t checked right in front of it.

The mana thread swiftly crossed the corridor and silently seeped under the audience chamber door.

[Here. Take it.]

Agneta, still hidden, extended the other end of the mana thread to Lennok.

The moment Lennok took it in his hand, he paused, seeing the sight that unfolded before his eyes.

Because the scenery inside the room where the mana thread had infiltrated began to be reflected, as if looking through an endoscope camera.

“This… isn’t vision sharing. Is it a distortion of senses through mana threads?”

The room’s scenery was visible, but upon closer inspection, it lacked color, and seemed to shimmer and move with noise.

It felt like an indirect way of gaining vision, not by utilizing wide-angle.

Agneta replied as if it were nothing.

[It detects vibrations picked up by the mana thread, then filters out only what comes from inside the room and visualizes it.]

“The vibrations picked up would be too messy and indiscriminate. You can filter all of that out with just one mana thread?”

[Wow, you really get it right away, don’t you?]

Agneta asked, marveling.

[I tried explaining it to other Manipulation Wizards, but they never understood. It seems you truly are special.]

“……”

[There’s no definite standard, but as you do it, you sort of get a feel for what information to filter out. I’ll tell you the knack, want to try it yourself?]

Agneta seemed more interested in teaching the manipulation spell than the actual operation.

Lennok also didn’t decline, and immediately began manipulating the mana thread according to Agneta’s instructions.

The important thing was filtering the vibrations perceived through the mana thread. Visualizing the filtered vibrations itself wasn’t difficult.

Lennok, who had been repeating the knack Agneta taught him while his eyes were closed, slowly closed his eyes.

“…There. This is the feeling.”

The scenery inside the room felt much clearer than before.

It was much more accurate for Lennok to handle it directly than to borrow Agneta’s ability.

The process of mastering the knack was difficult, but once he got the hang of it, Lennok’s reproduction rate was incomparably higher.

[Good, very good. The extracted data itself is much more precise than mine.]

Realizing this, Agneta too, as if overjoyed, fluttered wildly around Lennok, saying.

[Nobody understands this delicate modulation. It’s a spell formula that can do anything if you just set your mind to it, but people don’t recognize its value.]

“Nonsense. It’s not that they don’t recognize its value.”

Lennok scoffed.

“It’s just that they can’t even imagine what it feels like. The subtlety of manipulation spellcraft is completely detached from the senses or instincts of living beings.”

It’s not that other spellcasters or superhumans don’t know the potential or utility of manipulation spellcraft.

It’s a ‘Specialized System’ spellcraft that can indirectly manifest any physical law or desired form, if one only knows its principles and knack.

It’s a spellcraft so unique that it’s classified as an exception even after categorizing all other spellcrafts in the world, so its boundless potential goes without saying.

But that’s merely theoretical. In reality, even imitating it is in the realm of fantasy.

“Even with mana threads as a reference, it’s like this, so how could others understand that sense of modulation?”

A Specialized System spellcraft where one must constantly set what to manipulate, how, who, and where.

Even to achieve the same result, the process varies wildly depending on location, time, environment, and condition.

What a spellcaster using manipulation spellcraft truly needs is not learning or textbooks, but an innate sense to reconfigure processes and adjust outcomes in real-time.

They must be able to discard all previously learned knacks or habits in an instant and refine them anew.

That’s why spellcasters who use manipulation spellcraft are so rare and receive such special treatment.

“You should be more grateful for your origins. That talent and sense aren’t easily acquired.”

[Oh. That wasn’t what I meant…]

Agneta retorted as if dumbfounded.

[Shouldn’t that kind of talk be for you, who also handles spatial spellcraft, rather than me?]

“Quiet.”

Ignoring Agneta’s grumbling, Lennok listened closely to the end of the mana thread.

Inside the antique reception room, designed to host guests, three people sat, engaged in conversation.

A man leaning against the door with his arms crossed, and a woman seated in a chair.

And opposite them, leaning back, the Sixth Prince, wrapped entirely in cloth.

[It seems we should conclude our discussion among ourselves before Lord Gillian returns.]

To the prince’s calm words, the woman immediately replied.

[As I’ve told you many times, we have no intention of surrendering the Observer’s custody. We regret the Order Alliance’s demand.]

[As I’ve continuously stated, there is an error in that response.]

The prince calmly stated.

[All spellcasters affiliated with the Order Alliance must surrender their bodies to the Alliance upon death. There are no exceptions.]

At his words, the man leaning against the door spoke with an indignant air.

[That’s a bit ridiculous, old man. Lens isn’t dead, so why are you spouting nonsense about taking his body?]

Order Alliance. Lens.

Lennok understood the situation as soon as he heard these two keywords.

‘It seems the Order Alliance has come for Gillian. Are they planning to negotiate with the Eyes of Blue?’

Lens, the Curse Weaver. He was an Observer who had been with Lennok in the Hanghasa Labyrinth and a spellcaster who had left the Order Alliance to join the Eyes of Blue.

Even though Lens wasn’t dead yet, had the Order Alliance sent people to retrieve his body?

The prince replied.

[But it won’t be long, will it?]

[…….]

[This bastard, really…]

The man snarled with an irritated expression.

[Did your leader order this?]

[Of course not. You don’t seem to know much about the Alliance.]

The prince laughed, as if dumbfounded.

[From the start, Alliance matters… Never mind. There’s no need for further explanation.]

The prince said that and stood up.

[I will await a favorable response.]

The moment he was about to leave the room without hesitation, the woman sitting opposite him spoke.

[Rumors are circulating that the ceasefire agreement will soon be lifted.]

[…….]

[Seeing you move so hastily, it seems your circumstances aren’t very favorable.]

A remark overtly hinting at a war between the Cult and the Alliance.

The prince slowly turned and replied.

[If you don’t know, it would be wise to hold your tongue.]

[Are you saying it’s fine for you to come seeking the surrender of a living person’s body?]

[…….]

No answer came.

The woman, as if not expecting a reply, nodded to the man blocking the doorway.

[Fio, let him go. As long as Lens is alive, he should remain Lord Gillian’s guest.]

As the man called Fio silently stepped aside from the door, the prince flung the door open and walked out.

Only then could Lennok confirm the true face of the prince from the other end of the corridor.

Though his entire body was draped in red cloth, he was tall and had an imposing presence.

Unlike his displeased, frowning expression, the mana pressure emanating from his body was considerable.

As he had referred to himself as an envoy of the Order Alliance, he must also be a high-ranking spellcaster who had reached a considerable level.

As he walked down the corridor, shadowy bodyguards appeared like ghosts behind him, following close.

Forms with no visible faces and barely perceptible presences.

Those were probably the spellcasters of the Order Alliance.

Lennok, quietly observing them while leaning against the corridor wall, his eyes sinking deep.

‘Surprisingly, there aren’t many wizards. Rather, the other side…’

There were even a couple of spellcasters who wielded unknown powers, which Lennok had never felt before, in addition to spiritual power and divine power.

In fact, by proportion among the envoy group, the number of wizards seemed to be only about two.

They claim to gather all spells and spellcasters in the world; perhaps their scope isn’t limited to just mana?

The very act of openly displaying their power was proof that all of them were combat personnel capable of conducting operations on site.

Even if Warmages were mixed among the wizards, it was quite surprising that they had gathered battle-capable spellcasters who wielded rare energies.

While Lennok memorized their energy flows and patterns, the Order Alliance disappeared, and the Eyes of Blue subsequently walked out of the audience chamber.

“Damn it, where in the world is Gillian and what is he doing?”

“Fio, don’t get too angry. The Archduke was always like that.”

A woman walking with a staff, her eyes closed, and a male Observer walking beside her, grumbling.

The woman was an unfamiliar face, but the man was an Observer Lennok knew.

Observer Fio. He was a Transformation Wizard who participated with Lennok in the Guido Cult’s Far Eastern branch subjugation operation, and the twin brother of Geo, the Synchronization Wizard.

As a Level 7 Saint Wizard who had completed his own Hierarchy, his skill was undeniable. He must have accompanied her here to guard the woman.

“Marisa, we didn’t come looking for him, Gillian summoned us! Now he’s going to weigh us against the Order Alliance? Is that right?”

“We were the ones who proposed this as a candidate for the Sixth Lighthouse.”

The blind woman, called Claire, said calmly.

“The Archduke only accepted the title of Observer due to his connection with Lady Madreya, and until now, he hasn’t shown interest in this side. If he has expressed willingness to cooperate, it’s necessary to verify it at least once.”

Having said that, Claire slowly looked around.

Her gestures suggested she could perceive her surroundings even with her eyes closed.

“This fortress is nothing short of a curse to the Archduke, but for outsiders like us, it’s an unparalleled secret realm… If we can make this a Lighthouse, it will be a great help to Lord Lapis’s unique ability.”

“Well, I can understand why you’re so proactive…”

Fio muttered with a twisted attitude.

“The guys working in this fortress. Every single one of them is a lowlife. You know that, right?”

“……”

“I don’t know what Gillian is thinking by employing these guys, but there are more shady characters mixed in than you’d think. Probably from the war—”

Fio said that, then let out a deep sigh.

“Enough, what more can I say? It’s not too late to think about it after explaining the situation to the other Observers.”

“Fio, the Archduke is much older than you. Please be careful with your words in front of him…”

As soon as he saw the Observers disappearing while bickering, Lennok immediately stood up.

[Planning to follow them right away?]

Since he knew Gillian wasn’t in the audience chamber, there was no need to waste time further confirming it here.

It might be more realistic to follow either the Order Alliance or the Eyes of Blue to find clues.

But Lennok, ignoring Agneta’s words cleanly once more, fully drew up his mana on the spot.

In the fleeting moment when the Order Alliance and the Eyes of Blue successively left the audience chamber, and the knights’ senses were disrupted.

By mixing and scattering mana into the faintly spreading presence in the air, he could exploit the gap in their vigilance.

“If this is the audience chamber Gillian normally uses, there would be hidden facilities like a fortress map or emergency passages.”

Lennok said that, tilted his head, and took a step forward.

“If I clear out everything in there, won’t there be a reaction, whether they like it or not?”

Whooosh…!!

The mana flowing from Lennok’s body seized his form, twisting it as if plunging it backward into the air.

[Blink (點滅)]

Fwoosh!!

Lennok’s form, having transcended space, instantly moved beyond the audience chamber door.

Just as the door precariously closed, Lennok’s form entered the empty audience chamber.

Click.

Stopping his movement there, he quietly surveyed the surrounding reactions.

Lennok, who had been slowly observing the vast interior of the audience chamber without even breathing, slowly took a step forward when—

“Hm?”

His gaze met someone who had been rummaging through the audience chamber for a while.

“…….”

Having entered the audience chamber before Lennok, their gestures were freely breaking open cupboards and wardrobes as if searching for their own belongings.

Even their act of secretly eating the refreshments left on the table was remarkably natural.

But what caught Lennok’s eye wasn’t their frivolous actions or reactions.

It was because the sight of their face, covered in white makeup, remained vividly in Lennok’s memory.

[…….]

While Agneta, too, remained speechless, the other person scratched their cheek awkwardly.

Spitting out the refreshment that had been crammed into his cheeks, he cleared his throat with a “hem hem” and asked.

“Um, excuse me… why are you here?”

“That’s what I’d like to ask.”

Lennok adjusted his mask and retorted, dumbfounded.

“The Clown. What are you doing here?”

The madman who led the operation at the Well of the Codex, and a powerful Illusionist who tampered with Hierarchy.

Pandemonium’s Clown, Artren Kizard, stood before Lennok.