Holding onto the mirror, Lazarus didn’t waste a single second and dashed away. His goal the entire ti had been the mirror, and not defeating Sylas.
Given the limited amount of ti he had at his disposal, he felt that this was the best decision.
’Although I can probably beat him if I work with Anne, that will take too much ti. This is for the best.’
The key to everything was the eye.
He needed the eye.
But how was he going to get that? He didn’t have a single clue as to where to start.
Tightening his grip over the mirror, he poured more mana into it. But even then, he hardly got a reaction out of it.
This left him at a complete loss.
Even when he had gotten back up on the ship, he had been trying to think of ways to get the mirror to work, but regardless of how much he thought about the situation, he was left at a complete loss.
In the end, all he did was plan on how to get the mirror, not the steps after.
He was basically in the sa spot as when Sylas and Xa’hurl had just shown up.
’I’m sure I’m doing the sa thing that Noel did back in the fragnt. Am I missing sothing? Is there sothing that I’m supposed to do...?’
Yet again, Lazarus felt like giving Noel a good beating.
Why did he have to be so vague? Things would’ve been so much easier if he had just told him in advance how to locate the eye using the mirror.
But at the very least, he was sure that he had the ability to find it.
Noel wouldn’t send him over here if he didn’t think he would be able to find it.
In that case...
’The answer shouldn’t be too difficult to find. It should—!’
Lazarus’s thoughts suddenly shattered the mont he turned around and saw a silhouette moving in his direction. His pupils dilated the mont he realized it was Sylas.
How did he...!?
No, this wasn’t the ti for him to think about.
Lazarus was quick to react. Imagining a green orb in his mind, his body shot away from the spot.
Splash—!
A large geyser of water shot out from the spot that had previously been in, water splashing all over as the fragnts shattered once more. Without looking back, Lazarus activated [Lant of Lies] and tried to blend in with the darkness around while fiddling with the mirror in his hands.
’Think, think... How do I get the eye? There must be so sort of way for to do it!’
He flashed the mirror around, but found nothing.
He poured his mana, but found nothing.
He even tried using his own blood, but that also didn’t help.
Then what?
What could he do to make it work?
".....!"
Sensing sothing from behind him, Lazarus didn’t look back and increased his pace. Sylas was right behind him, closing the gap between the two of them. In the distance, Lazarus could also hear the sound of fighting.
Wait, fighting?
Lazarus gave one quick look and was surprised to see Anne fighting what appeared to be Sylas.
’...Oh.’
That was how he ca to understand that this was probably so sort of clone sent by Sylas.
But even then, considering how much stronger Sylas was, the clone alone could probably handle him if the opportunity presented itself.
That was why Lazarus had to be extrely careful as he aimlessly road the Maw while Sylas tried to catch up, throwing a few spells here and there while trying to close the distance between the two.
Thankfully, Sylas wasn’t at his strongest, with his mind split in two, making things easier for Lazarus.
Even then, this was no joke.
Lazarus could even feel several creatures stirring right below them, evidently shaken by everything that was happening on the surface.
’I need to find it quickly. Things will get rather troubleso if the creatures co up and start to interfere with—’
It was in the midst of his thoughts that Lazarus suddenly paused.
For a mont, his steps faltered, and his speed slowed down. Though it was only for a brief mont, it was enough for Sylas to catch up to him as his outstretched hand reached out for him, trying to grasp him.
"Got you!"
But...
He ended up catching the air as Lazarus’s figure faded into nothing.
An illusion...
When Sylas realized, he looked up to see that the gap between him and Lazarus had increased, and his expression twisted.
He shot forward with even more speed.
Although he was aware of this, Lazarus didn’t care at all as his mind churned with all sorts of thoughts. Without wasting a second, he reached out for his ring and pulled out the concentrated blood he had collected from all of the monsters with Pebble before.
Although he had used most of the egg, he had conserved a bit for later.
The blood looked extrely useful, so he kept it just in case. And now... He was planning on testing whether the blood might be able to help him detect the eye.
’The sceptre did get broken by the Outer Being. Although diluted, the blood is still there, so the mirror might be able to help find sothing.’
Lazarus himself didn’t know if this was going to work or not.
It was just a wild theory from his side, but it was worth a shot, and as such, without wasting any ti, he poured the blood on top of the mirror.
’This better work...’
The mont he poured the blood into the mirror, Lazarus expected so large reaction. Maybe a blinding light like before, or... a vibration. Just anything that would tell him that his actions had worked.
But reality was cruel.
Pouring the blood onto the mirror and watching as it flowed into it, Lazarus was quickly left disappointed.
Nothing.
He didn’t get a single reaction.
This...
Lazarus felt his heart sink. However, before he could even have the chance to process the situation, he felt movent coming from behind him, and he thus knew that Sylas had caught up to him once more.
Pulling the mirror down, Lazarus could only move away once more.
But right as he moved, the reaction that he had been so desperate to feel finally ca, and the mirror in his hand started to vibrate.
".....!"
Lazarus was almost tempted to pull the mirror back up to see what the changes were, but he understood that this wasn’t the right ti for him to do so, as he looked behind him to see Sylas right on his toes.
Without much fear, Lazarus retrieved his sword and slashed in Sylas’s direction.
Clank—!
...Only for his attack to be effortlessly swatted away by Sylas, who faded from the spot and appeared right behind him.
He was fast, extrely so, and by the ti Lazarus realized what had happened, it was too late.
BANG!
He felt a powerful blast on his shoulder, sending him skidding away as he heard a loud crack.
Lazarus didn’t know for how long he skidded in the water, but it couldn’t have been for long, as a Sylas appeared once more, his hand outstretched as a magic circle appeared, growing bright in a matter of seconds as the runes set themselves into place.
’Oh, shit!’
Unable to dodge, Lazarus crossed his arms together as he imagined a purple orb and braced for the attack.
BANG!
The force of the impact sent him crashing down the surface of the water, sinking deep into the fragnted water of the Maw as his body sank down, and he saw bubbles quickly rise up from his mouth.
The water was cold, freezing almost... and his surroundings grew completely dark.
He could neither see nor hear a thing as he sank within the depths of the water. However, even though he couldn’t see or hear, he understood that Sylas was quickly going to follow up with sothing.
As such, he didn’t hesitate to use [Step of Suppression] as his body rapidly sank into the water.
Swooosh!
Lazarus shot down rapidly, his body moving down the fragnted water as he felt the cold seep deep into his body, and his chest slowly starting to cave in due to the pressure. Thankfully, this wasn’t the first ti he had gone down the depths of the ocean.
He had gone through worse, and he also learned how to breathe.
Flicking his hand, a coral appeared, casting a dim light over his surroundings as he quickly whipped out the mirror to see what the vibration from before was, but...
’Nothing....?’
Looking at the mirror, he didn’t see any changes.
It was the sa as before.
’No, don’t tell that it didn’t work...’ Lazarus clenched his teeth and waved the mirror around. He had felt the vibration vividly. There was no way he was wrong. He was sure that sothing had happened.
Looking up, he also felt sothing stir on top, and he knew that Sylas was probably coming for him.
’Quick, quick...!’
Lazarus scanned the mirror throughout, hoping to find sothing. He even debated adding more blood, and just as he was about to do that, he stopped, his eyes falling on the small red dot plastered in the middle of the mirror.
".....!"
Once again, the mirror vibrated, and Lazarus’s face changed.
This was...
A reaction!
Lazarus could hardly hold back his ecstasy as he pointed the mirror towards the distance.
He was certain of it.
Whatever he was looking for was right there!
He had to get there no matter the cost.
However, right as he was about to move, sothing happened.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
As if the entire world had started to collapse, the world around Lazarus shook, his body swaying left and right as he felt a pressure so suffocating that he almost felt his lungs get crushed on the spot.
Horrified, Lazarus looked up in the direction of the pressure, and it was then that he understood.
The Primordial One had made its move.
...And so had the woman from the Empire.
A fight between two apexes of the world had just begun.
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