A self-magnetic field, deployed by a clown who has reached a transcendent level as an illusionist, is a utopia for a liar who manipulates and mocks reality by tampering with his own hierarchy.
The roulette that appeared above his head at the same time as the field deployment must be a buoy that reveals the clown’s inner self as it is.
It is a shape that is unified with a bizarre Pierrot mask [a stock character in French pantomime, typically with a white face and loose white costume], and the tongue that sticks out is constantly spinning the roulette.
It is an irony that represents the existence of a clown, and it is contained within it without any room for doubt.
However, even knowing that, Lenox intently watched the shape of the roulette spinning violently.
‘It’s different from the well. Why is that?’
If it’s a great figure with a unique and individual nature and ability like the clown, Lenox doesn’t forget his words and actions easily.
It has been a long time since the operation at the well of the compendium, but the memory of that time still remains vivid.
The very center of the altar in the depths of the great forest where the well was located. The desperate moment when the Ascendant Compendium awakened and faced Gye Baek.
At that time, the clown had certainly used his own magnetic field to open the way to the well for Lenox.
The power of reality alteration that temporarily reverses the outcome by breaking and deceiving reality like glass and replacing it with illusion.
Lenox also remembered that ability, thinking it was one of the peaks that could be reached with illusion.
But the ability of the magnetic field that the clown deployed here was completely different from that time.
‘I didn’t hear the name of the field or its exact ability, but I certainly confirmed that it was an image imprint. But…’
Charrrr-rr-rr-rr-rrk!!
Even while Lenox was lost in thought, the Pierrot’s tongue flicked and spun the roulette, and the speed of rotation accelerated fiercely.
“Kill that crazy bastard!!”
“Once the field is deployed, sacrifice is inevitable. We have to cancel the spell now!!”
The knights of Cabahim, the sorcerers of the Order of Mages, and the Watcher twins also had no intention of standing idly by.
They threw sharp killing intent at the staggering clown, who was still making hand seals, and rushed out like arrows.
“Damn it…”
Lenox sighed, kicked the corpse of the 6th Prince, and raised one hand.
Whirr!!
A strand of magic power that stretched down from the air grabbed the clown’s waist and yanked his body backward.
“Hwaap!”
The clown let out a short scream as his waist was bent in half and shot up, and Lenox followed him with a blink.
Flying low through the slanted inner wall corridor of the fortress, he quickly created distance while dragging the clown.
Thud thud!!
Lenox changed the direction of the slashes and spells pouring in from afar with his manipulation technique and asked.
“How much time do you need until the field is activated?”
“Victor!”
The clown, dangling in the air, spread his arms with a moved expression.
“Finally, my heart has been understood. I have always believed-!!”
Thud!!
Lenox released the magic thread he was holding, and the clown’s head slammed straight into the floor.
Lenox, who had pushed the clown’s shoulder, which was wriggling among the marble fragments, to make eye contact, said.
“Stop with the annoying nonsense and tell me the conditions. Surely, you didn’t just spin the roulette so loudly and that’s it?”
It’s not that he doesn’t intend to abandon the clown and run away, but conversely, it would be a problem for Victor if the clown really died here.
Of course, this crazy illusionist wouldn’t do something stupid without any countermeasures, but considering his nature that he has seen so far, he can’t trust him.
‘Escaping alone is not difficult, but the pursuit will be relentless.’
Considering the aftermath of this incident, Jillian’s side will also try to pursue Lenox with all their might.
Moreover, since the Watchers are also lending a hand, their search ability is considerable.
‘Considering the remaining magic power and stamina, things will get annoying. It might be more efficient to borrow the clown’s ability here and cut off the possibility of pursuit.’
The clown’s nature itself is unreliable, but conversely, Lenox acknowledges his ability.
At this point, surrounded by the Order of Mages, the Watchers, and the knights of Cabahim, he was thinking of going along with him to some extent.
The clown also seemed to sense something similar from Lenox’s words, and he raised his head with a strange smile.
“Ehtoo ehtoo, actually, there’s no need for grand preparations. There is something to do, but it’s not that complicated.”
“Don’t make me ask twice. So what is it?”
“Hmm.”
The clown, who was sitting on the floor with his chin resting on his hand, looking at the spinning roulette, said.
“First, I need to be able to explain after the roulette result comes out, you know?”
“…”
While Lenox was speechless at that irresponsible answer, a huge pillar of light fell above their heads.
Kwaaaang!!
A summoned beast in the shape of a giant bird flew down from the sky and descended to the inner wall of the fortress.
Immediately after, it swelled up madly and exploded.
“Uwaaaah!!”
The clown, letting out a frivolous scream, rolled down the corridor, and Lenox’s figure, hanging on a magic thread and sliding on the floor, intersected.
Whirr!!
Lenox, who was hanging upside down on the slanted inner wall of the fortress with two strands of magic thread around his waist, touched his mask.
Naiyab, a high-ranking sorcerer of the Order of Mages, who had manifested through the 6th Prince’s summoning ritual.
Even though he had killed the prince who was the caster, he was still standing here and shooting spells at Lenox.
Lenox’s eyes lit up as he realized that half a dozen sorcerers were struggling to pour magic power into Naiyab’s incorporeal being.
“It seems they want to achieve results here no matter what. It seems they are also in a hurry.”
“Naiyab of the Order? He’s a friend who’s quite well-known on the central front.”
The clown said, rubbing his shoulder while lying sprawled out.
“He has a very open-minded research perspective among sorcerers, so I know that his reputation is quite good in many ways. Well, I didn’t expect him to be in such a state.”
“I don’t know. The way he handles spells doesn’t seem that open-minded.”
The two, who quickly exchanged opinions, slowly distanced themselves from each other and raised their magic power.
“The attack method seems diverse, but in reality, it’s all about creating simple summoned beasts and making them self-destruct. As a manifestation of thought, it’s inferior, and as an application of magic power, it’s crude. Perhaps it’s the backlash from modifying himself to be closer to a summoned beast.”
“It’s always like that when the power supply is parasitic on others. But I don’t dislike such a shabby way of existence.”
The clown chuckled, clapped his hands together, and pointed above his head.
“It’s no fun talking to the old hag of the Order, so shall we start right away?”
“…!!”
No sooner had he finished speaking than the speed of the violently rotating roulette slowly slowed down, and its shape began to be revealed accurately.
While the Pierrot’s tongue was sticking out and licking the side of the roulette.
The roulette, which had not even shown its contents properly, slowly stopped and began to reveal its sections one by one.
The others also turned their gaze to the spinning roulette with a tense look.
“He’s an illusionist. Prepare for mental attacks!!”
“No, if you’re conscious of it, you might get hit instead. We have to kill him before it stops!!”
While Gio shouted at the other knights, Lenox’s eyes lit up as he looked at the surface of the roulette.
Because the contents of the roulette, which was wrapped around the Pierrot’s face, were more interesting than he thought.
There were dozens of sections in the roulette that drew a huge circle.
However, only nine of them were pointing to meaningful content.
Nine sections with numbers from 1 to 9. The smaller the number, the larger the area of the section, and the higher the number, the smaller the area.
All the other sections except for the numbered ones were plastered with a spooky skull mark.
“You, could it be…”
Only then did Lenox, who had grasped the characteristics of the roulette, turn his gaze to him with a bewildered look.
“Are you dividing the abilities of the field into hierarchies and using them separately?”
Nine sections. Nine hierarchies.
The clown’s ability to manipulate his own hierarchy at will.
The reason why the ability did not activate immediately after deploying the field, but instead spun the roulette so loudly.
Isn’t it because a different field is activated according to the hierarchy determined by the roulette?
“Kuhuhut, it’s not that convenient of an ability…!!”
The clown answered, dodging the self-destruction of a giant lion summoned beast that was flying in, with a sinister smile.
“I modified it as I pleased, and the field got a little too messed up.”
“…Messed up?”
“I was able to change the ability to my liking instead of leaving the activation conditions to luck, but there were various penalties attached, so it became quite a strange thing. Do you see that ninth section over there?”
A roulette section so faint that even Lenox could only perceive it by enhancing his magic power detection.
However, the radiance of the number [9] engraved on that section was shining brilliantly.
The clown, pointing to the narrow ninth section where it was not even certain if a speck of dust could land, said.
“If that comes up on the roulette, I’ll die.”
“…”
“That’s the most certain and definite way to kill me in all situations.”
The ninth level of magnetic field, which is not originally allowed for a clown.
What is the reason why the ninth number, which refers to an Ascendant, is placed on the clown’s roulette as if to show off?
The moment that comes up, the clown will not be able to refuse the activation, and he will explode as a price for violating the unpermitted hierarchy.
Perhaps the placement of that ninth section itself was not the clown’s intention.
From the sections filled with blanks on the roulette to the ridiculously narrow numbered sections.
The clown may have intended the ability of the roulette, but he could not properly set up the placement of that section.
“Maybe the 8th and 7th sections are the same. In the current state, even if I activate a high-level image, I’ll die.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
At Lenox’s question, the clown put his hands together and bowed his head quietly.
“I have to pray.”
“…”
“Pleeease~!!!”
Along with the clown’s earnest cry, the Pierrot’s tongue sharpened and pointed exactly to one of the stopped roulette sections.
Naiyab, who had been silently focusing on killing Lenox and the clown, and the sorcerers of the Order of Mages who were assisting him.
The knights and the Watcher twins who had narrowed the encirclement from all sides, and even Jillian, who had quickly finished his preparations and stood up, all turned their gaze to the sky at that moment.
Click.
The tongue stopped exactly in the middle of a [Blank].
Bbam-ba-ba-bam~!
A fanfare that pops out loudly from the back of the roulette. Fireworks and cheerful music resounded.
The Pierrot’s eyes rolled around and burst into a nasty laughter as if mocking them.
[Kikikikikiki~]
“Oh.”
The clown smiled awkwardly.
“Isn’t this the timing when a desired number should come out exquisitely?”
“…”
Lenox, inwardly reflecting on the fact that he had trusted this idiot even for a moment, was immediately preparing to escape alone when.
The clown urgently grabbed his mouth with both hands and stuck out his tongue.
“Now now now!! It was all a joke, and in fact, there is one more chance for probability fluctuation!!”
The red blood drop that existed under his long tongue. The moment Lenox realized that it was the serum taken from Jillian.
“Here I go!!”
The clown swallowed it into his mouth without hesitation.
The moment he swallowed the blood drop, the Pierrot’s tongue, which had seemed to have stopped, drooped slightly as if it had become a little heavier.
And it pointed exactly to the section with [4] on the roulette.
Click!!
Only then did Lenox realize that the clown had spun the roulette for this and shook his head.
“Probability fluctuation. The power to tamper with luck. Were you planning to play tricks from the beginning?”
The blood of a level 8 extreme-level physical ability user. Moreover, it is a serum that an illusionist has directly processed and used as a catalyst for a spell.
If it were any other blood, it would be enough to give some weight to the ability of the field if it were used as a catalyst for the blood of a superhuman like Jillian.
When he thought about it, the clown had previously offered Glenn’s heart to manipulate luck and forcibly confirm the level 8 hierarchy.
An ability that seems to rely heavily on luck, an image that is not fixed to a specific hierarchy.
All of the fluctuating power of illusion, depending on the conditions, should be seen as being artificially controlled through the clown’s own judgment.
“Victor, I’m not playing tricks. It’s about cheating on a farce that looks like a coincidence to get a good result.”
The clown smiled and stood up, tilting his head.
“That’s exactly what it means to be lucky.”
“…”
“The fourth one. Well, that’s not bad.”
[Kiyoooooooot!!]
The Pierrot’s face hanging on the roulette distorted grotesquely, and he let out a bizarre scream.
At that moment, an illusion as if the space around the roulette was cracking appeared, and it shattered.
And in an instant, the scenery of the fortress courtyard began to change.
Thud thud thud!!!
What appeared before them was a huge cylindrical room that rotated around Lenox and the clown.
There were dozens of holes in the walls, and a large black pillar was constantly rotating in the center.
The shape of a stuffy and dark space, as if they were inside a giant oak barrel.
“What, what is this…!!”
“The task doesn’t change. Move!!”
“If you kill the caster, the field will be released!!”
Even after failing to stop the field deployment, the knights did not panic and quickly made decisions and began to move.
While dodging the blades that were swirling from all sides, the clown shouted at Lenox, who was driving a magic thread into the ground.
“Victor!!”
He dodged the blade and spear that were slammed down from behind by twisting his body awkwardly.
He broke the jaw of a knight passing by by bending his waist sideways as if it would break, and stood up by lightly stepping on him as a support.
Udeudeudeuk!!
The clown, who had instantly ground the head of a helmeted knight on the floor, quickly picked up the corpse of the fallen 6th Prince.
He put the prince’s corpse, wrapped in a red cloth, headfirst into the hole in the wall.
The upper body of the prince’s corpse was stuck in the wall, and only his legs were sticking out, a bizarre sight.
“If you grab a corpse with magic power like this and put it into one of the holes in the wall, that’s it. Easy, right?”
“…”
It was a field with a grotesque sense and activation conditions that were truly worthy of a crazy illusionist.
Click!!
At the same time, the sound of a trigger being pulled was heard from the wall of the field, but nothing happened.
The clown shook his head as if he was disappointed.
“Oh, it was a success.”
“Success?”
Kwaaaang!!
With those words, a giant’s fist slammed down on the spot where the clown was standing.
Jillian, who had recovered from the backlash of forcibly canceling his inner universe, raised his magic power again and stepped forward.
“I admire your guts for not running away yet, Manipulator.”
Jillian, who had stepped down after trampling the spot where the clown was, glared at Lenox and said.
“But the decision to deploy a field and narrow the space to fight yourself was the worst.”
“…”
“You gave me a lecture earlier, didn’t you? I admit it. It was a very painful point.”
Kugugugu…!!
Jillian’s huge arm was wrapped in blue magic power and shone intensely.
“But can you maintain that arrogance even now that you don’t have the corpses of your comrades…!!”
Inner World Small Universe: Giant Soldier
[Strike the Heavens]
Kwaaaaaaaang!!!
A powerful blow that shook the entire field along with the ground being struck.
The impact was so great that the corpses of the sorcerers and knights scattered everywhere defied gravity and floated up.
Lenox, looking around in the upside-down clock, sighed and muttered, crossing his hands.
“…This is the last one.”
Manipulation-type Unique Magic
[Ten Thousand Thread Lines]
Whirrrrrrr!!!
Hundreds of strands of magic power shot from all directions grabbed and pulled the top, bottom, left, and right of the field.
The corpses hanging on the tension were pulled along with the contraction of the magic threads and slammed into the holes in the field walls.
An abnormal hand movement that perfectly handles all the processes while avoiding the combined attack of Jillian and Naiyab, and peeling off the knights’ blades and the Watcher’s spells.
Click, click, click!!
But even though the holes in the field wall were being filled at a rapid pace, there was no particular reaction.
Rather, the obstacles that were blocking the surroundings disappeared, and the bombardment aimed at Lenox and the clown was concentrated.
[Victor!!]
Naiyab, who had somehow memorized even that name, looked down at them from afar, wielding a menacing magic power.
[Manipulator. And a special type that can manipulate space!!]
A strange joy that did not match his neat impression was on Naiyab’s face.
[I never thought I would meet such a noble person in such a humble place…!!!!!]
“…”
[I will definitely take you to the Order. I will definitely do so today!!]
Lenox’s blink technique. Did he realize that it was a special type that directly manipulates space to transfer the body?
Naiyab’s insight in recognizing Lenox’s spell system during this urgent battle was amazing, but it was not a pleasant thing to have a troublesome guest follow him.
Kwaaaang!!
Lenox, who had dodged Jillian’s kick with a blink, turned his head to the clown with annoyance.
He had filled almost all the holes, but the field’s ability had not yet been activated.
Considering that the clown said it was a success, the activation conditions of the field itself seemed inconsistent.
“There’s no more time. Do you want to die here together?”
The self-destruction of a summoned beast falling from above. A slash condensed with magic power approaching from close range.
Even the Watcher twins, who were looking at each other from afar and making hand seals as if they had made up their minds.
He had trusted the safe and convenient escape that the clown had mentioned and went along with him, but it was time to make a decision.
“No, it’s not like that…”
The clown, whose left arm and leg were bent in a bizarre direction, as if he had also fought a fierce battle, tilted his head as if he was puzzled.
“It’s not that blanks don’t usually come up this often, but today is an unusually unlucky day.”
“…Blank? A blank has to come up?”
While Lenox was questioning that absurd nonsense, the clown smiled shyly.
“Ah, yes. Actually, this is a field where you break even if a blank comes up, you know.”
“…”
“Originally, this is a roulette that puts people in one by one and picks out the one who gets a blank.”
“What kind of field ability is it that you break even if a blank comes up-”
Lenox, who had said that far, stopped talking and turned his head.
The scenery of the field like an oak barrel. The shape of the holes in the walls all around.
The form of a roulette that puts in corpses filled with magic power one by one and picks a blank.
Although the form is somewhat different, isn’t the principle similar to the pirate roulette that picks a winner by inserting a knife into a barrel?
A roulette in which the person inside pops out when a blank is hit by inserting a knife into the barrel.
And if you apply that fact to this clown’s field now-
“Could it be that the meaning of a blank in this field is…”
“Forced ejection from the space of the activated field.”
The clown picked up one more corpse and smiled.
“What we should have aimed for was not the activation condition of the field, but in fact, the activation penalty~ Yap!!”
The moment the clown said that and threw one more corpse into the remaining hole.
Thud!!
A dull roar that was completely different from before echoed through the space of the field.
Unlike the cheerful sound of the trigger, it was a dull noise that was ominous.
The moment he sensed that the ‘blank’ that the clown had mentioned had come up, he felt the scenery of the field crumpling like a piece of paper.
Kugugugugu…!!
A strong sign as if an unknown intangible force was pushing the entire field outward.
Instead of resisting that force, Lenox rode the flow of the field and concentrated his mind at that moment.
“Kiyaho~!! Goodbye everyone!!”
Faaaaaaat!!!
The scenery of the field that the clown had deployed shattered completely, and the figures of the two shot up into the sky above the fortress at an incredible speed.
A strange speed as if they were being forcibly banished from this place.
They left the canyon where the collapsing giant’s fortress was located and the surrounding mountain range and quickly moved far beyond the horizon.
Kwaaaang!!
Jillian, who had slammed his fist down on the place where they had been standing a beat late, looked up at the sky with a dazed expression.
“…”
The other knights and Naiyab also just stared silently at the other side of the mountain range with their mouths wide open.
The fierce commotion and chaos that had been going on just a moment ago disappeared as if it were a lie, and the giant’s fortress fell into a cold silence.