Before mastering the Avatar Technique, Lenok struggled with manipulating his clones.
Transcendent intuition. Perfect mind. A mage’s reason.
Having talent and aptitude that defied imitation, Lenok could handle all systems and techniques, yet his existence could not be ‘imitated’.
If it was a low-grade clone that couldn’t use techniques, it had no value in the first place. Conversely, a high-grade clone that perfectly mirrored Lenok himself was impossible to create.
That was why the Avatar Technique obtained in the military city of Yorta produced an avatar based on the origin of a martial artist, not Lenok himself.
It was inevitable because Lenok’s own ego possessed an absoluteness that no being could invade.
Conversely, to manipulate the avatar, Lenok had to split his consciousness in two each time.
Even when close by, it required considerable consciousness consumption, but as the distance increased, the cost increased exponentially.
At a distance of kilometers, it practically consumed a huge amount of energy just to maintain the avatar.
For Lenok, who had been using various identities simultaneously, the Avatar Technique was a necessary ability above all else.
However, as a price, it was the ability that required the most enormous consumption of consciousness and reaction among all the techniques Lenok had learned.
Therefore, when using the avatar, he always had to carefully calculate the moment and cost.
After finishing the battle with Kyunroe and the Thousand Battles, he moved the avatar, which had been adjusting to the natural technique, again.
And until he used summoning magic to call the avatar and buy time to descend to the underground temple.
There had been a long period of contemplation, but there was no doubt that this moment was the right time Lenok wanted.
“That mask…”
An ominous presence landed in the center of the collapsing underground temple. A crimson glint flashed from behind the obsidian mask.
The man stood leisurely, as if suspended by an invisible spider web, stroking the gauntlet.
[The design isn’t to my taste. The size isn’t to my liking either.]
It was a low tone that made it impossible to guess the timbre, but it was clear that there was a faint sense of satisfaction in his voice.
[Impurities have mixed in as the owner changed. Just holding it makes me feel bad.]
A critical moment when the ownership of the forbidden weapon was changing hands.
A mysterious sorcerer who had nonchalantly invaded the battlefield and snatched the gauntlet.
But no one in Pandemonium didn’t know that man.
[I’ll need to adjust it to use it.]
“No, Victor!!!”
Ermong, who had been crawling on the ground, screamed.
“What on earth are you doing here?!
[Why, shouldn’t I be here?]
Sarak…!!
With just a light gesture towards the ground, Victor’s figure moved gracefully in the air as if sliding.
His body was placed on an invisible thread, and he moved without relying on gravity, as if riding a spider web.
With the glass-colored gauntlet in one hand, he moved, his shadow robe fluttering.
Crimson light flashed from under his mask as he looked down at the other members.
[You ask as if I’ve come to a place I shouldn’t be.]
“That’s not it…”
Ermong tried to answer as if dumbfounded, then rolled his eyes.
Ermong, who was watching the great mage looking at him with a blank face, subtly changed his words.
“Of course, we should help each other as members of the same organization. It’s not strange at all. I was just so happy that I misspoke.”
[……]
“Should I say that seeing you again brings tears to my eyes, or should I say that I want to make up for my foolish mistakes one by one? Anyway, isn’t it good to be good?”
Victor didn’t even pretend to listen to Ermong’s words, and just stared at the gauntlet.
Ermong, who had been rambling on and on, broke out in a cold sweat and screamed.
“I’m sorry! Please save me!!”
[I like that you’re honest.]
“……”
[But you’re wrong from beginning to end.]
Victor, who had been staring down at Ermong, sneered.
[I didn’t come here to save you guys.]
“…Huh?”
Ignoring Ermong’s question, Victor stepped onto the magic circle.
Kugugugung…!!
The stone pillars supporting the temple creaked and shook, and a low resonance echoed.
The great mage, who had tilted his head, and the manipulator wearing an obsidian mask stood facing each other across the ruined sanctuary.
“……”
In the center of the underground temple where gravity stone fragments vibrated, the two sorcerers silently stared at each other.
Only then did Ermong realize Victor’s purpose, and he quickly shut his mouth, while Soryu took a cold breath and hardened his face.
“This is the worst situation. Of all people…”
The master of the magic tower, who had the worst reputation in Vulcan, and the manipulator who had the most special position in Pandemonium.
These two people, who should have had no connection with each other, had shown a path that was not supposed to happen, but Soryu had an idea about this situation.
A few months ago, in the military city of Yorta, the memorial tower collapsed and an unprecedented situation occurred where curses and grudges were released.
Victor might have been at the scene where Kroken Acilius was being pointed out as the culprit.
If that information was true, it wouldn’t be strange for Victor, who had contributed to the collapse of Yorta, to be interested in Kyunroe, who had turned Makina upside down.
“Victor.”
Maiya, who had come to a similar conclusion as Soryu, opened her mouth immediately, gathering her tired body.
“It’s not safe here. Step back.”
[Don’t order me around, Maiya Lenslit.]
Victor coldly retorted and turned his head to glare at Maiya.
[What kind of advice are you going to give when you’re exhausted and staggering?]
“You know what kind of battle he had with the Thousand Battles.”
Even at Victor’s sharp words, Maiya did not lose her composure and replied.
“He’s a monster who doesn’t limit his output. If things go wrong, he might give up his goal and try to erase the temple.”
It wasn’t that she had expected Victor’s presence, but it was good that she hadn’t handed over the forbidden weapon to Kyunroe.
The problem was that now that the forbidden weapon was back in their hands, they didn’t know what that mage would do.
It seemed that she was tired from the continuous battles, her reaction was slow, and she had lost her mobility, but that didn’t mean that Kyunroe’s magic had weakened.
As things stood, it wouldn’t be strange if he unleashed high-powered magic that he hadn’t used until now and completely erased the temple.
However, even with Maiya’s explanation, Victor let out a cold sneer and turned his gaze away.
[I told you. That’s your problem, not mine.]
“……”
[So, stay put and wait.]
Victor, who had been holding the gauntlet in his hand, tossed it over his head and burst into a gloomy laugh.
[I’ll show you what I’ve become capable of, right here.]
“You’re crazy. Just for that reason, right here…!!!”
The moment Felix was shocked by Victor’s absurd words and raised his hammer.
Paang!
Victor, who had clasped his left and right hands together, began to form hand seals, unfolding his magic circle.
Paang!
Following the soft hand gestures as if caressing the air, black magic circles stretched out in all directions and spread out.
Seeing Victor making hand seals in the sky above the temple, Kyunroe also stretched out one hand forward and prepared to chant.
As he lightly tapped the air while making hand seals, waves of lightning spread in succession, emitting dazzling lightning.
Pajik, pajik…!!!
It was as if constellations of lightning were connected in the air, transforming into a complex magic circle.
The two sorcerers, facing each other in the sky and on the ground, raised their thoughts while chanting different spells.
Each time the two sorcerers’ hand seals crossed and rotated, the air around the temple was bisected diagonally and pulsed.
Kugugugu…!!!
“Ugh…!!”
The magic power and thoughts pressing down on the underground temple mixed and rotated violently.
The eerie premonition, as if time had stopped, that came just before a high-level technique was used.
Ermong, who had sensed that it was a clash of thoughts that the two sorcerers were projecting at each other with all their might at the same time as they met, covered his ears and lay flat on the ground.
Seven streaks of lightning of different colors, connected from Kyunroe’s fingertips, exploded and bloomed.
Unique magic of the electric system
Chain resonance of property change
[Seven Thunderbolts(七雷縱)]
Kwaaaa!!!
Seven streaks of lightning, each flashing in a different color, gathered and rotated towards each other, and instantly became a thunder that devoured half of the underground temple.
“Summoning magic.”
Kiiiiiing!!
Behind Victor, the space split open as if torn, and two withered arms popped out from the other side of the imaginary dimension.
[Khehehehehe!!!]
A hooded, hawk-nosed giant poked his face out of the crack and wrapped his eight arms around Victor as if embracing him.
In front of Victor’s eyes, eight arms crossed and each made hand seals with both hands.
Special trait summoning, the imaginary dimension tailor, performs a quadruple resonance chant of manipulation techniques with eight arms.
Unique magic of the manipulation system
Quadruple compression resonance of property change
[Puppet Great Declaration(傀儡代闡) : Gluttony(貪食)]
Pajik!!
The temporary subspace created by the overlapping chant of the manipulation technique was used as a cradle to receive the lightning.
The moment a navy blue crack, as if compressing the Milky Way, swallowed the seven streaks of lightning that split in the air.
A nasty roar, as if space was being torn apart, echoed, and starlight bloomed in the middle of the dark temple cavity.
Piyuuuung!!
The collision was so intense that it made not only Soryu, who had witnessed the confrontation between the two sorcerers, but also Maiya, who had warned them in advance, harden their expressions.
The shock, as if their souls were shaking, covered the underground cavity, and this time, it began to completely collapse the temple.
“Uwaaaat!!! Save me, black mage!!!”
“Ermong, get a grip!!”
Soryu gritted his teeth, grabbed Ermong by the collar, and slapped him on the cheek.
Peok!!
Ermong, who was bleeding from his nose and raised his head with a start, shouted with his eyes wide open.
“What is this again?! It doesn’t hurt even if you hit me like that!! No, is it because I don’t have a technique that it seems to hurt now?!!”
“Use your technique. Escape before the temple completely collapses!!”
“…Huh?”
Only then did Ermong realize that Victor had received the lightning in order to completely collapse the temple, and he opened his mouth blankly.
Maiya immediately bit her finger, drew blood, and made hand seals in the air.
The blood scattered from her finger rotated and soared, and at the same time, it took the shape of a door in the air and opened wide.
[Blood magic 8-fold deployment]
[One Child Arrives, Other Child Projection(一子到來 他子投影)]
[Ascension Gate(昇天門) Simplified Implementation(簡易具現)]
[Reverse River Step(逆川步)]
Jjeojeojeok!!!
A huge blood door unfolded on the ceiling of the collapsing temple cavity.
The members, who understood that it was an escape route created by Maiya using blood magic, moved immediately.
“Ermong!!”
“I understand!!”
[Ice Sculpting(氷結造形) : Stairs]
At the same time as Soryu scattered cold air and created stairs leading to the blood door, Ermong deployed a gem technique.
[Chanting Stone(唱玲石) : Technique Resonance Multiple Deployment]
[Ten-Faced Jade(十面玉) : Catalyst Conversion]
The ice stairs turned into solid gem stairs on the spot, instantly maximizing their hardness and strength.
Kukwagwa!!!
The ground on the opposite side of the temple rose diagonally, engulfing and soaring the members of Pandemonium, including Victor.
The shape of the gem stairs quickly approached the blood door that had unfolded on the ceiling.
However, Peisha and Felix, who were standing next to Kyunroe, did not just watch that scene.
“These arrogant bastards are trying to live on their own…!!”
Kwajik!!
Peisha, who had climbed onto the gem stairs next to them by swinging her spear, was running like crazy with a ghostly face.
Felix, who was holding a hammer, was smashing the supports and axes that supported the stairs.
“Damn it, they’re coming!!”
Ermong, who was looking down at the ground with a terrified expression, shouted.
“If we can’t avoid it, we’ll all die!!”
Beonjjeok!!
Immediately after, a blue lightning spear soared from the ground, cutting Ermong’s gem stairs diagonally.
A huge lightning spear, tens of meters in size, rotated counterclockwise, crossing the cavity of the temple.
Kwaaaaang!!
Violent lightning flooded the air, instantly burning everything around it.
Jjeojeojeok!!
The stairs, unable to withstand the firepower of the lightning spear, were smashed and split, but the fragments absorbed the impact and temporarily blocked their vision.
“Victor. You get on quickly-”
Ermong hurriedly took out a gem and pulled up his magic power, but Victor ignored his words and flew through the gem fragments.
A black figure falling through the dazzling gem fragments that were glowing in all directions.
The moment the obsidian mask swaying through his robe and the great mage’s gaze crossed.
The great mage smiled and raised his hand.
Ppajijijik!!
A blue magic circle exploded and spread out, and a cluster of lightning soared.
That monster-like mage had increased the power of his electric magic by using a magic circle.
Soryu, who realized that it was a firepower magic that Kyunroe had not been able to use until now, and that it was enough to erase the entire temple, tried to shout something, but.
He stopped breathing when he realized that a glass-colored gauntlet was flashing at the fingertips of the falling Victor.
[It’s time.]
The events of the underground temple, which began with an unexpected encounter, ended in an unexpected way and result.
What was needed was just one justification to end this situation now.
And the means itself had already been possessed from the moment he put down the avatar.
Victor, who had turned his body in the air, pushed his left hand into the glass-colored gauntlet.
Cheolkeok!!
At the same time as a soft metallic sound, the gauntlet tightened over his forearm along his left arm.
The moment the black magic circle extending from his fingertips pulled the gauntlet and infused it with magic power.
A glass-colored glow exploded like a halo behind Victor’s head, and a shock that seemed to shake his soul struck his mind.
Jjeoeoeong!!
[…!!!]
He had expected it while watching Maiya use the forbidden weapon, but the recoil was beyond imagination.
Perhaps the soul residing in this forbidden weapon itself was strongly rejecting the act of trying to use it.
But even so, what was leaking out from behind the obsidian mask was not pain, but a whisper that was closer to intoxication.
[Is this what it feels like.]
Piiiiiiing…!!!
The moment he pushed his hand all the way to the end of the gauntlet and forcibly gained control of it.
A sense of omnipotence, as if he had grasped the world in one hand, vibrated through his mind.
The power to see and touch concepts that are invisible and intangible in this world as if they were real.
A special trait technique that is said to be the most difficult to handle because it deals with the laws of the formless and the non-conceptual.
Then, he had to show the true value of this ability to everyone else who was watching him in this place.
Kaaaang!!
As he clenched his fist with the glass-colored gauntlet, hundreds of black magic circles were embedded in all directions of the underground temple.
The place where the magic circles that fell like rain were heading was not the mage standing on the ground, but the fragments of gravity stones located in all directions.
Paabak!!
The moment the black magic circles were embedded in the gravity stone fragments, a purple glow was extracted from the gravity stones and soared along the magic circles.
The purple light extracted from all over the underground temple through hundreds of magic circles gathered at Victor’s fingertips through the glass-colored gauntlet.
The purple light rotated and turned into a round sphere, and the clock around the sphere began to distort and bend.
Kwawuung!!!!
The purple sphere rotating in the hand of the glass-colored gauntlet instantly turned black, and then absorbed all the surrounding light.
A strange phenomenon as if a very strong concentration of gravity was pulling and crushing everything around it.
While the others were bewildered by the unknown phenomenon, Maiya, who was the only one who understood the principle, said in a trembling voice.
“Could it be that he extracted the properties of the gravity stones…!!!”
The property that strongly creates gravity that exists in gravity stones.
The ability of the manipulation technique to forcibly ‘extract’ and concentrate that concept and property itself.
The moment Maiya realized that and shouted something and raised her gaze.
A miniature black hole that had fallen from Victor’s hand absorbed all the surrounding light and swallowed the underground temple.