Chapter 280

Chapter 280 It was the day before the conference. Se-Hoon arrived in a forest hundreds of kilometers from Manhattan, his gaze fixed forward on Luize. “Tomorrow, we’ll kill Left Arm here.” “...Here?” Clearly confused, Luize glanced around their surroundings. All she could see was an endless forest of trees with no civilian houses nearby. It was a very suitable spot for a confrontation, but she couldn’t ignore one glaring issue. Isn’t this place way too far from Manhattan? Luring someone out to a forest so remote would definitely raise suspicion, no matter how discreetly it was done. Acknowledging her doubt, Se-Hoon quickly clarified, “We won’t bring him here directly. I’ll teleport him from Manhattan to this location in one shot.” “...Is that even possible?” “In fact, it is. Watch closely.” Showing her the Hero’s Ring, which he wore on his right hand, Se-Hoon activated Metamorphosing Dreams. Woong! The ring emitted a faint golden glow, and soon Luize began feeling a strange vibration from her left hand. “This...?” The Ascension Ring on her hand was resonating with the Hero’s Ring. Noticing her surprise, Se-Hoon dimmed the light and explained. “By making these two rings resonate, we can activate spatial teleportation from both ends. The rings would work like a teleportation beacon.” “That... could actually work,” Luize acknowledged. She wasn’t able to handle such a long range skill on her own, but with Se-Hoon’s support from the other end, it now seemed doable. The challenging part is teleporting him here; creating the link shouldn’t be too difficult. Convinced it was possible, she turned to Se-Hoon with a new question. “But... should we really kill him?” “Are you against killing him?” “No, it’s just... I think the timing might be risky.” Killing one of Dawn's leaders was usually something Luize would celebrate, but a conference would soon bring together the representatives from each subgroup of Watchers, as well as envoys from the Demon Force. Was it really safe to stage an attack on such a perilous day? Se-Hoon nodded, understanding her concern. “It is risky. But if we’re going to solve our remaining problems, this is our best shot.” “Remaining problems?” “About my position, specifically.” Se-Hoon kicked the ground lightly, sending dust into the air as he continued to explain. “While Dawn gives me a certain amount of respect, to outsiders, I’m just another one of their officers—or worse, a test subject.” Se-Hoon had only recently joined Dawn, and his official assignments were few and far between. To others, he was more of a figurehead than someone with actual authority because of that. “To make things worse, Left Arm has been showing signs of planning to kidnap me. Just imagine what others would think of me.” “Hmm... a pushover?” “Exactly. That’s why I need to set things straight this time.” For Se-Hoon to fully leverage his position in Dawn, he’d have to cement his authority. And the first step toward achieving that would be to set an example by eliminating Left Dawn after the conference. “Got it. So how exactly are we planning to kill him?” “I’ll set a trap here and then teleport him right into it. You can handle the rest after that.” “Right... wait, what will you be doing?” She eyed him warily, suspecting he was planning another one of his “experiments.” “I’ll join the fight, of course. But I might arrive a bit late. Who knows what Left Arm has in store that day?” If Left Arm had already requested help from others, Se-Hoon would inevitably have to handle them before he could support her, potentially delaying his arrival. He’s asking me to fight him alone...? Luize’s expression soured. If it were Se-Hoon, she had no doubt that he could manage Left Arm alone. But could she, by herself, handle one of Dawn’s leaders? However, before her doubts could fully surface, Se-Hoon cut in. “Don’t worry.” And with confidence, he added, “You’ll definitely win.” There was a strange certainty in his voice, as though he’d foreseen the future. Falling silent, Luize stared at him in quiet admiration before finally letting out a faint laugh. “If you say so.” *** Boom! A column of flames shot into the sky. Originally, the flames would have spread wildly, but they all concentrated at one point, following the structure of the incantation. A scorching heat swept across the area. It was a trap Luize and Se-Hoon spent an entire day preparing. Combined with mana suppression, a blast of that magnitude should have been enough to eliminate Left Arm. I guess there’s no need to hold back...! But without hesitation, Luize still unleashed her second incantation. “Prominence.” Woong- Absorbing the incantation, the flames glowed a crimson red. Then, mana from the surrounding area surged inward, intensifying the heat far beyond the first explosion. Fwoosh! Nearby trees ignited, and the ground began to dry and crack. It was a searing heat, one that she could feel even with her body protected by a magic array. Luize narrowed her gaze, peering into the inferno. A shadow moved within it, strolling out of the crimson flames. And when they exited the flames, Luize saw a figure, blackened like charcoal except for a single unburned, ghostly white left arm. It was a grotesque sight that made Luize scowl. “Persistent, aren’t you?” While she hadn’t expected a single blow to be enough, she was astonished that he was still alive in such a state. She stared in undisguised disgust, and moments later, a crack appeared near what could only be his mouth. “Wh... why...?” Glen asked, sounding natural despite his charred body and state. Still staring at him, Luize delivered the line she and Se-Hoon had prepared. “A fool who distorts His will has no place here.” Glen immediately froze, only his charred frame twitching slightly. Then, moments later, his entire body trembled as he let out a strange laugh that sounded forced. “Ha... ha... ha...!” With each laugh, more of his charred skin crumbled away. Yet Glen didn’t stop laughing, as if the burns meant nothing to him. Taken aback, Luize’s eyes widened. But at that moment, a massive boulder plummeted from the sky and crushed Glen’s body into fragments. “Enough of your theatrics.” Recovering, Luize looked at the crushed remains beneath the rock and began activating the incantations she prepared one by one. Whoom! A cyclone of wind wrapped around her, enhancing every movement along with amplifying her senses and physical strength. By her side, there was now a thick encyclopedia hovering in the air. With her preparations complete, Luize fixed her gaze on the rock. “How long do you plan on laying there?” Boom! As if prompted by her words, the boulder suddenly flew away. Taking a defensive stance, Luize observed the enemy once pinned beneath it. Crunch! Unlike his charred, shattered state earlier, Glen’s body had nearly fully regenerated, with two horns now protruding from his forehead—he had tapped into the Akasha. It was a sign that showed whenever a Region successfully accessed the Seeker’s full power. “I can see that cheap tricks won’t work on you.” Glen looked down at his own body and sighed. Accessing the Akasha sped up his healing but also strained his brain, something he preferred to avoid. Yet Luize hadn’t given him any openings, forcing him to make the choice. I still haven’t recovered from the initial attack, so... I should only have ten minutes in this state. If he fought in this state any longer than that, the brain damage would become irreversible. He was at a disadvantage in the enemy’s chosen battleground and because of the time limit, but Glen felt his heart racing with excitement. “Did you say that I look like a fool?” “More like a shameless idiot who doesn’t know any better,” Luize corrected. “Well, that’s not entirely wrong, seeing that I have misjudged you up till now.” Looking up at Luize, who was watching him impassively, Glen’s eyes glowed. “But if I take you down here, I might earn a chance to explain myself.” Having accepted that he’d misjudged her ability, Glen resolved to prove his worth. But his resolve just made Luize chuckled softly. “You really are clueless.” With that, the two of them lunged forward, mana coursing through them as their spells unleashed at each other in a fierce exchange. Boom! Lightning crackled, clashing in midair and scattering in all directions. And under the cover of the flashing light, Glen swiftly tapped into the Akasha. Akashic, True Law: Infinite Manifestation Glen’s four arms, now glowing crimson, grew to six, each one performing a different sequence of hand signs as he assumed the form of the mythic Asura. Woong- Mana from the nearly infinite archive of the Akasha flowed into him, allowing spells to pour out in relentless waves. Below, the earth cracked open, sending molten lava surging like a sea, while above, thunderbolts and ice spears rained down, reducing the area to scorched ruins. Slash! On top of those, wind currents formed razor-sharp blades that sliced through trees with ease, and spheres of concentrated gravity crushed everything in their pull. Each of these spells, which would take even the greatest wizards countless hours to prepare, cascaded out effortlessly, dozens at a time. “Hrgh...!” Yet instead of clumsily defending herself, Luize charged through the forest, dodging spell after spell. She kicked off trees and platforms she created midair and twisted her body in unpredictable patterns, skillfully evading every strike with the precise movements she’d mastered in the Department of Martial Magic. Boom! But of course, her opponent wasn’t mindlessly firing off magic. Luize often found herself almost entirely surrounded, but she created an opening each time with her incantations. “Distortion.” Wobble- The incoming ice spears’ trajectories shifted slightly, making them collide midair. Shatter! Gazing at the ensuing hundreds of ice shards scattered in all directions, Luize cast another spell. “Diamond Dust.” Boom! The dispersed crystals shot out like shrapnel, neutralizing the other attacks surrounding her, allowing her to slip smoothly out of the encirclement once more. Seeing her stay just out of reach, Glen squinted. Is she just stalling for time? Knowing full well her opponent was limited by time, Luize had no reason to engage recklessly. Confirming his guess upon seeing her glance back frequently to assess his state, Glen’s eyes narrowed. If it’s futile to keep chasing her... Stopping his pursuit, Glen reached toward his chest with all six hands, clutching his torso. Crack! Prying his own chest open, Glen reached inside and tore out his own heart. Ordinarily, such a wound would be fatal, but Glen remained unfazed, pulling out heart after heart. “What...?” Luize’s eyes widened. Glen was clutching six hearts in his hands, his mouth twisted into a grin. By utilizing his stored body data in Akasha, he’d replicated his own heart, creating the material he needed to cast his next spell. Splatter! Blood sprayed in all directions as he crushed all six hearts, meeting the conditions for forbidden magic. With dark red veins pulsing like tattoos across his skin, Glen immediately unleashed a new spell. Akashic, True Law: Infinite Construction Boom! His mana surged through the forest, causing towering structures to rise one by one in the distance. Together, they formed a dome-shaped barrier of dark crimson light, sealing all escape routes. Having completely trapped Luize, Glen healed his chest wound and casually stretched his arms. “Inside here, I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to hold back like before. Are you still sure you want to continue?” Having taken away Luize’s only advantage, meaning she’d have no chance in a direct confrontation, Glen confidently offered her the chance to surrender. However, Luize just ignored his words, glancing at the Akasha hovering nearby instead, where a line of text was just barely visible along its edge. “95%” Only five percent to go. Believing that she should be able to hold out for the remaining time, she smiled beneath her black mask and met Glen’s gaze. “You scared?” “...Very well.” They both understood—their battle wouldn’t end until one of them was dead or subdued. They locked eyes, and the moment a single drop of Glen’s blood hit the ground, he fired a spell. Crash! A fierce battle of pure firepower began. Neither back, devoting all of their focus and mana to casting, illuminating the space between them in flashes of crimson and blue mana. How is she keeping up with my spell casting...? Glen couldn’t understand how Luize met all of his attacks head-on. The Akasha allowed him to bypass the preparation process of casting, and the barrier gave him control over the ambient mana. Yet Luize still somehow kept pace, nearly matching his speed and power. She shouldn’t be this powerful.... Is this also His doing? If she was that strong now, what would she be like if she were bestowed the Voice, which was sealed in the storage vault? Thinking of the possibilities, he felt overjoyed by Dawn’s future prospects, which renewed his confidence. He channeled even more mana into his spells. Woong! The crimson barrier glowed ominously as it drew all of the mana within it into Glen, strengthening his spells. In contrast, Luize was starting to feel the toll of prolonged battle. Crafting incantations, fine tuning the mana, analyzing his attacks—all of it pushed her mind to its limits. Drip- Blood began trickling from her nose, filling her mask with a metallic scent, and her vision blurred. Yet Luize remained steady, reciting incantations after incantations with unwavering resolve. “99%” If she could hold out for just ten more seconds—even five—victory would be hers. The image of Se-Hoon’s assured smile surfaced in her mind, pushing her to endure just a bit longer. But unfortunately— Click- Darkness suddenly filled her vision. Realizing she’d blacked out, panic set in. This can’t be...! She couldn’t tell how much time had passed, but even a momentary lapse would mean defeat. Losing here wouldn’t kill her, but she wasn’t ready to accept that outcome—not against Dawn, and not at the cost of breaking Se-Hoon’s faith in her. I have to... get up... Struggling to regain control, she desperately searched for a way to wake up when a grumbling voice sounded from behind her. “Tsk. You’re still as weak as ever.” Then, with a swift kick, her vision snapped back, returning to the battlefield. Before her, hundreds of spells had amassed in just that fraction of a second she’d lost. Desperation seized her, but just as she braced herself, her vision changed again. Woong- Everything came into sharp focus—the spells, ambient mana, and even the world around her—accompanied by an inexplicable sense of ownership. It was as if it was all hers to control. The intensity overwhelmed her, sending splitting pain through her head. Could she really wield such power? Doubt filled her mind, but she dismissed it. I don’t care...! She forced herself to endure the mind-splitting pain, remembering a piece of advice buried in her subconscious. Crack! Grinding her teeth so hard it hurt, she merged herself with everything around her. Then, a grinding sound filled the air, freezing the entire world. The barrier, the spells hurtling towards her, and even the ambient mana were all seized in place. “What...?” Staring in disbelief at everything slipping out of his control, Glen gaped in shock. It was a stark difference from Luize, who looked at the scene unfolding before her in serenity. “Huff... huff...” It was a level of control that should have been beyond her grasp at her level—as if it was a glimpse of her own power decades into the future. Mesmerized, Luize recovered a moment later and softly murmured, “Release.” Boom! The surrounding spells and barrier dissipated, and the ambient mana naturally converged on her. She now seemed like a completely different person, causing Glen to swallow dryly. No... I still have a chance. I just need the Akasha... Frantically searching for any remaining option, Glen watched in horror as the Akasha opened on its own. Its pages flipped rapidly, and from its depths, a line of text floated into the air, forming a message. “All physical data of Jimmy Glen has been deleted from the archive.” “What...?” Glen’s eyes widened in terror at the incomprehensible statement. Meanwhile, Luize began her next incantation, her voice steady. “Set-” Ching! Red magic arrays appeared over his entire body, exerting such intense pressure that Glen’s own mana and even his left arm became useless. No... this can’t be... Glen’s long-held belief that he would live on in the Akasha—even if he died—shattered, leaving him with a look of sheer terror for the first time. “N-no...” Such a death, from being abandoned by the one he had revered, was something he had never considered. He looked at Luize in despair. “Die.” But Luize just chanted the final incantation with a gaze as cold as ice. “Revenge Bite.” Invisible fangs tore through his entire body, ripping him apart in seconds. And without the ability to regenerate any longer, the existence of one of Dawn’s leaders was erased.