Chapter 886: The Eye That Sees Fate (22)
Adamant Thunder’s Magic Tower, located in District 49.
In the hospital room where the fallen Dylan had been transported, the group gathered to check his medical diagnosis.
“Grade 1B full-body burns. Extreme exhaustion. Impact trauma to the thigh and lower jaw. Are these the only significant injuries for now?”
“His regeneration was already in progress while he was being transported, so it’s difficult to know his condition at the time.”
“We checked his blood alcohol level, but it’s not significant. The hormone levels released while resisting a mental-type spell are much stronger.”
“Seeing as he was the only one left at the scene, the outcome seems to have been quite one-sided.”
“One-sided….”
Felix’s expression hardened subtly as he looked at Dylan.
“Are you certain that wizard fought him alone?”
“He was knocked out just enough not to kill him and then abandoned. He must be used to fighting powerful regenerators like Dylan.”
“……”
At Jordan’s diagnosis, the other mercenaries fell silent, their expressions filled with disbelief.
Across both the mercenary office and the company, Dylan was a warrior highly regarded for his interpersonal combat abilities.
He was also an exceptional regenerator from an undead lineage, constantly regenerating his body.
He had a knack for pulling his weight in most battles and was, without exaggeration, specialized in survival. For him to have been struck down without even being able to flee was shocking.
Wasn’t this impossible unless the wizard named Evan’s abilities far surpassed Dylan’s?
“I heard he easily killed dozens of mercenaries, but I never thought it would be to this extent…”
“Could he have had an accomplice? He beat Dylan all by himself?”
The other superhumans standing around Dylan began to exchange opinions rapidly.
“If he had an accomplice, they would have been with him long before the warrant was issued. The possibility is low.”
[He’s being chased by a warrant issued throughout all of Vulcan. There’s no way he has a companion.]
“Then that means the wizard really did fight and win against Dylan all by himself…”
A wizard capable of engaging in direct close-quarters combat on the front lines, not just providing fire support from the rear.
Even among the many wizards born with all sorts of outstanding talents, this was a gift that could hardly be called common.
They knew better than anyone just how dangerous a wizard who had honed their combat skills to the extreme could be.
Velber muttered with a serious expression.
“In the worst-case scenario, he could be something like… a lesser version of Van. This is truly dangerous.”
“There’s no doubt he’s a war mage with extensive combat experience. There was a reason he was single-handedly guarding the Lighthouse Keeper.”
“At this level, he must have several unrecorded achievements. Shouldn’t we dig into his past?”
“Felix, Tatiana. What do you think?”
Ignoring the others who were deep in a heated discussion about Evan, Jenny posed a question directly.
“Could you two win against the old Van?”
“……”
“That’s a difficult question.”
Felix remained silent, while Tatiana, with a languid expression, lit a cigarette and replied.
“You don’t often meet a genius of that type even in Central. For my part, it’s a scenario I’ve barely ever considered.”
Could they win against the 7th-level Adamant Thunder, not the 8th-level Archmage Van had become?
No, what about a 6th-level Van who hadn’t even completed his Root Mindscape?
Ironically, not even Felix and Tatiana could be certain.
Van’s combat performance—the mental realm considered to be a mix of strategy, psychological warfare, prediction, and intuition—had already reached a level beyond compare.
The rank Adamant Thunder had obtained was merely proof that the results had come much later than his already perfected strength.
And if, by chance, the wizard named Evan Martinez possessed a talent similar to Van’s in his younger days—
“A fight would be possible under the premise that we deploy our Miniature Universes and Domains first before engaging,” Tatiana said.
“And at the same time, we’d need to keep his Domain in check. It’s possible to deploy a Formless Domain without an embedded mindscape at 6th-level, let alone 7th-level.”
“……”
“Or, conversely, we’d have to force him to continuously deploy his Domain to drag it into a war of attrition.”
Tatiana gestured with the hand holding her cigarette, tapping an ashtray.
Pointing to the rapidly burning filter, she said.
“In this case, we would have to decide the order of our allies’ mindscape usage beforehand. It’s a strategy that assumes the opponent has a Miniature Universe with good mana efficiency.”
“Oho…”
Weian expressed his admiration.
“Tatiana, you sound incredibly experienced when you talk like that. You finally have the feel of a veteran.”
“Wanna die, pipsqueak?”
Tatiana irritably smacked Weian on the head.
But even Jenny, who was no expert, could agree that Tatiana’s explanation contained details that were difficult to explain without firsthand experience.
It was likely a countermeasure she had learned from facing many powerful superhumans and sorcerers in Central.
“This is just a guess, but it’s probably best to avoid a war of attrition if possible.”
“Why?”
“The burn marks on Dylan’s body. These are remnants of the flame-heat magic taught at the Blaiver Magic Tower.”
Tatiana said, looking down at Dylan’s reddened skin.
“He might be a disciple of my master.”
“…A wizard from the Blaiver Magic Tower?”
“Yes, and the pattern of these burns is something I’ve never seen before…”
Tatiana’s expression turned slightly sour.
“He must be a user with an extremely atypical mana signature. His mana operates in a way different from conventional sorcerers.”
“……”
“Besides, in a war of attrition against a high-level sorcerer, there’s too much information to know beforehand. Mana consumption per second, mana efficiency when using large-scale spellcraft, the yield of the spell implemented immediately after chanting… without prior information, it would just become a meaningless, mutually destructive effort.”
The fact that he had increased his maximum mana by absorbing mana from the Outer Sea, and that his method of mana control had been twisted in the process.
Although she didn’t understand its essence, Tatiana had made a deduction that was incredibly close to the truth just by looking at Dylan’s wounds.
“If what you say is true, then we should avoid a one-on-one confrontation at all costs.”
Jenny, seeming to agree with Tatiana, nodded and took out her terminal.
Looking down at the fallen Dylan, Jenny tapped on her phone and said.
“He might know the Lighthouse Keeper is in the Magic Tower. In the worst-case scenario, he might target District 49.”
“The possibility is high.”
Felix nodded in agreement.
“He’s a wizard strong enough to survive a hit from Van’s magic and continue fighting. With that level of competence, he’s surely aware of the Magic Tower’s existence.”
“Alright. I’ll warn the personnel inside the tower and tell them not to wander outside for the time being.”
“Will it be alright not to evacuate the personnel from our partner businesses?”
“To where?”
“……”
[This Magic Tower is a domain Van himself declared in District 49.]
Manson added an explanation, looking back at the speechless Mila.
[If that guy Evan crawls into the tower on his own two feet, it won’t be our problem to intervene anymore.]
“Huh? Why’s that?”
At Weian’s bewildered question, Manson let out a grim laugh.
[Because it would mean he’s either a madman entering an Archmage’s domain with his bare body, or a monster who has reached a level similar to Van.]
“……”
[Either way, it becomes a problem we don’t need to worry about, wouldn’t it?]
“Just imagining it gives me the creeps…”
Manson’s explanation was so chilling that even Velber unconsciously rubbed his arms as he muttered.
But the sentiment shared by the others was not much different.
If the wizard named Evan was a monster who had reached such a level and was determined to retrieve the Lighthouse Keeper by any means necessary, this whole discussion would be meaningless.
Does a wizard with talent comparable to Van’s even exist? Such speculation was pointless.
Shattering all existing common sense and prejudice, wasn’t an Archmage right here beside them, in a corner of Vulcan’s underworld?
“His movements haven’t stopped once since the warrant was issued, right? It’s clear he’s a wizard specialized in solo operations.”
“He’s been moving for days without rest. Is he purely supplementing his lack of stamina with mana?”
“I’ve requested information from the Cartel about the battle in District 45. As long as Virgil doesn’t just reject it, we should be able to get the relevant data.”
The mercenaries, who had been discussing Evan, quickly changed the subject.
“How is Lapis Falcia doing?”
“She’s unbelievably calm. I know she’s young, but she has incredible self-control.”
Mila replied with a shrug.
“She was trying to ascertain where our lines were drawn. She understands her position as a hostage, but she hasn’t given up yet.”
“Isn’t she around the same age as Weian? How strange…”
“Wh-What.”
Weian flinched and protested under the strange gazes of his colleagues.
“I’m an adult too!! Why are you suddenly looking at me like I’m a little kid…!”
“Lapis Falcia. She seemed very interested in the items handled at the Magic Tower,” Jenny said, as if suddenly remembering.
“If the leader of a major power that has advanced into Central shows interest, don’t you think we could expand our item business further?”
“This morning, she spent a long time on the floor where the branches of our partner companies are located. She showed strong interest in Professor Vylun’s field of research.”
The mercenaries who had been monitoring Lapis began to add their opinions one by one in agreement.
“We haven’t been able to contact Professor Vylun lately, has something happened?”
“It’s not the first time. Aside from his third paper after forming the alliance with the Magic Tower, he hasn’t had any official activities.”
“More importantly, we should focus on discussing the conditions demanded by the main force of the Eyes of Blue-”
Fwoosh…!!
The noisy voices chattering beyond the hospital room slowly faded away.
The space before her was filled with a quiet darkness, and only the soft sound of the sleeping Guardian Spirit Beast’s breathing echoed.
However, Lapis’s eyes, as she sat collapsed in the underground cavern, were sunken deeper than ever before.
“Evan… Vylun….”
She knew that Professor Evan Vylun had officially formed a research partnership with Adamant Thunder’s Magic Tower.
She also knew that Evan was helping her, even temporarily setting aside his true identity to do so.
But if that was the case, where exactly did the relationship between Evan Vylun and Adamant Thunder begin, and why did it stop here?
Caught between a conviction that transcended trust and an intuition that went beyond reason, she had put off confirming a result that defied logic.
In the end, there was a truth she couldn’t confirm without facing the answer herself.
“Evelyn. I’ve made my decision. Please make the preparations.”
Lapis’s eyes, as she slowly rose to her feet, flashed with intense conviction.
“Before Adamant Thunder returns, I will escape the Magic Tower and head for the Eightfold Fortress.”
“The situation is not good.”
Sebastian, a broker who managed a corner of Vulcan’s freelance underworld, sat in his lavish office, glued to the phone all day.
There wasn’t even time to fill the wine glass he always held.
The phone grew so hot that he had to support it with a faint telekinetic force.
But Sebastian was too preoccupied to care about such trivialities.
“Evan Martinez. There’s a high probability he’s no ordinary wizard. I recommend you refrain from any conflict with him if you can.”
- Sebastian. Didn’t I just say that’s difficult?
A haughty voice echoed from the phone.
- This is a warrant issued directly by the Central Council. If I make a name for myself here, it won’t be difficult to establish a direct line to the Council. Isn’t the opponent just one wizard?
“He is not at a level to be dismissed as just one wizard.”
- Do you have any idea how many wizards I met in my younger days who were cocky, trusting only in their own talent?
The man on the other end of the line chuckled.
- All talk and no substance. If their skills had reached even the tip of Adamant Thunder’s toes, I wouldn’t be here.
“That’s why I’m saying, that wizard named Evan…”
Even if the client was a man who had built his business from scratch in this industry, being a broker was certainly not an easy job.
Sebastian, his expression one of forced patience, sighed and said.
“I am telling you that he may possess a talent similar to Adamant Thunder’s.”
Only then did the client’s laughter abruptly stop on the other end of the phone.
-…What did you say?
He had to finish his explanation quickly while this boastful client was actually listening.
Sebastian quickly turned to his monitor and opened his mouth.
“The news coming through the information network is not good. All of our initial estimates regarding the martial prowess of the wizard named Evan are proving wrong.”
- B-But….
“An overwhelming victory in a one-on-one fight against a Grade 1 mercenary from the Antares Mercenary Office. Breaking through the encirclement of the official armed agency, the Wita Shrine. Escaping after a battle with the Cartel’s subordinate bosses. Not a single one of these is a record to be taken lightly.”
-…….
“As soon as he moved to the city’s outskirts, his methods became extremely brutal. He’s been slaughtering any mercenaries and private forces that approach him for the bounty near District 47. The news hasn’t spread yet, but soon, rumors will fly throughout the city through the mouths of other brokers.”
It was a forceful persuasion that he, who usually dealt with sensitive and high-ego VIP clients, would never normally choose.
“I’m telling you this late because I’ve only just come to a conclusion myself…”
Sebastian finally said, after a pause.
He had simply reached a logical conclusion as a broker, but he found it difficult to accept the current situation.
“The record and martial prowess that the man named Evan is showing now are estimated to be on par with that of Adamant Thunder from a few years ago.”
Evan Martinez. A flame-heat wizard from the Eyes of Blue.
The fact that this man, about whose origins and background no rumors existed, might have skills comparable to the Adamant Thunder of the past.
- Is that… even possible? That there could be another elemental wizard with such an absurd talent?
The man’s ability to pinpoint ‘elemental wizard’ in his question was proof that he was no ignoramus.
It was possible because, just as he had boasted moments ago, he had built up experience by meeting many wizards.
But talent that transcends experience and logic has a way of appearing without warning and sweeping everything away.
“That is my assessment. Dismiss the mercenaries and private forces you’ve hired, and move to avoid contact.”
-…….
“It would be wise to consider abandoning your business and fleeing. Your safety should be the top priority-”
- Actually… I already released information to lure Evan Martinez.
“……Excuse me?”
- I heard he was looking for firewood to burn in this city.
Through Sebastian’s frozen ears, the client’s trembling voice came through.
- Among my family’s heirlooms, passed down for generations, there is a branch that remains from a cursed flame. So I deliberately released that information, to lure him in-
Sebastian shot up from his seat and shouted.
“Where are you right now!”
- At the second worksite’s management department, in the monitor room….
Hearing the stammered reply, he sat down at his computer.
“I’m accessing your worksite’s surveillance system now. Please grant access immediately.”
- Ah, alright.
Beep!!
Dozens of CCTV feeds simultaneously appeared on Sebastian’s monitor.
In the old workshop, a complex web of wire fences and temporary stairs, mercenaries and soldiers were densely arrayed.
They were either here for the bounty on Evan or were underworld experts hired by the client.
“I will guide you on an escape route in real-time.”
Sebastian reconfigured the CCTV feeds to create an internal map of the worksite.
“The route should be the fastest way out of the 40s districts-”
WHOOSH!!
At that moment, the camera feed showing the worksite’s main entrance began to flicker hazily.
A strange illusion, as if a heat haze rising from beyond the gate was distorting the lens.
“He’s here!!”
“Fire!!”
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!!!
The freelancers, holding rifles as secondary weapons, pulled their triggers as if intending to empty their entire magazines.
Hundreds of bullet holes were punched through the iron gate, which buckled and warped with fierce sparks.
Kreeeeak….
Despite the barrage of fire that continued until their ammunition ran out, there was no sign of movement from beyond the gate.
Only the intensity of the heat flowing through the bullet holes grew stronger.
Sizzzle…!
The heat seeping from beyond the gate intensified to the point that a small breeze was enough to melt the iron gate.
“……Huh?”
“Shouldn’t we have just run-”
A colossal fist of fire smashed through the iron gate as if to pierce it, completely obliterating the worksite entrance.
[Flame Seal]
[Celestial Collapse]
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
It was an alien sight, like a giant’s forearm set ablaze and roaring with fire.
All those swept up in the punch let out horrifying screams as their bodies were engulfed in flames, tumbling to the ground.
Sizzzle!!
“Guaaaaaargh!!”
“Ah, it hurts, agh…!!”
“Haaah, haak!!”
RUMBLE!!
The fist made of fire split in two, spreading out like a curtain of flames.
From beyond the curtain that had been drawn for one person, a young man with an expressionless face walked into the worksite.
He held a thick cigar, his fire-resistant coat fluttering slowly in a composed manner.
Hot steam rose from the pipes of the array equipped on his left arm, relentlessly venting body heat.
Hiss, hiss!!
“Target confirmed. We just have to catch that fire-bug bastard, right?”
“I was expecting a bit more from an arsonist, but he looks surprisingly normal.”
“Yeah, shouldn’t he have some huge burn scars on his face or something?”
Even after seeing their colleagues die right in front of them, the freelancers chuckled, casually throwing jokes.
“Achilles Inc.’s spellcraft interception system is ready.”
“I’ve called the police too. They’ll be here in a swarm soon enough.”
“It’d be nice if a few Special Task Forces showed up. Let them catch the fugitive they let slip.”
A man wearing a whitish mask tapped the dagger in his hand and asked.
“Hey, arsonist. You listening?”
“……”
“Say something. How does it feel to go around setting the city on fire?”
“How it feels?”
At that moment, focus returned to Lennok’s eyes, which had seemed to be looking somewhere far away.
Lennok glanced around as if only now noticing the mercenaries and freelancers blocking his path, and tilted his head.
“Why are you still here? Do you all wish to die?”
“What?”
“What nonsense is this bastard spouting…!!”
The mercenaries scowled in displeasure at Lennok’s abrupt question and began to draw up their mana. At that very moment.
The arm of flame that had smashed through the main gate began to writhe and slowly retract.
Swoosh!!
It was as if a hand had been plunged deep into the worksite’s foundation, grabbing something and slowly pulling it out.
Eventually, held within the grasp of the fiery hand, a branch glowing with a pale light was revealed.
CRUNCH…!!
Even as it was engulfed and burned by Lennok’s flames, it strangely maintained its shape.
“A cursed flame that burns by using negative emotions as its kindling…”
Fwoosh!!
At that moment, the flames burning over the branch in Lennok’s hand began to change color to a deep purple.
Lennok looked at the branch planted at his feet and the violet flames burning around it, then nodded.
“It is more than sufficient to be brought in as a new star for the Crimson Star System.”
The Crimson Star System was an amplification-type secret art that explosively augmented the power of his spellcraft through pre-established mana cores, so-called ‘stars’.
However, to maintain the Crimson Star System without the orbits of the stars overlapping, any new mana core built on the periphery had to use a more powerful and heterogeneous force as its gravitational pull.
In that respect, the cursed flame Lennok had just obtained was more than enough to be used in the construction of a new star.
Kreeeeee!!!
Behind the slowly turning Lennok, four spheres of flame, each wreathed in a ring of barrier magic, rotated and revealed themselves.
The glow of the flames that filled the worksite brightly illuminated the faces of the mercenaries, which had turned dark and grim.
“I’ll ask again.”
Lennok smiled and raised a finger.
“Why are you still here?”