Chapter 96: The Cathedral in the Ruins (1)
Kwaaaang……!
A massive explosion erupted from the upper floor of the cathedral.
“Edwin-nim……!”
At the noise, the expressions of the two ga Corp agents in suits turned urgent.
Kali, who had been fighting them, spoke as her pupils glowed orange.
“Looks like you’ve got the leisure to worry about sowhere else?”
A sharply vibrating dagger lunged toward the carotid artery near the neck.
“Ghk……!”
In response, the agent hastily activated the reaction booster implant installed in his central nervous system.
Pajit……!
His reflexes accelerated, and his movents increased explosively.
Barely evading Kali’s attack like that, he sucked in a rough breath, and steam billowed from his overheated artificial body.
“You bastard……! Do you even know who you’re trying to harm right now……!”
“Hmph……. Corporate dogs really are all the sa.”
The kind that, once things went south, only knew how to threaten with their overworked mouths.
Kali snorted and spoke.
“I know very well. An executive of the Royal Spirit. Edwin Silver.”
“Edwin-nim is not just a re executive! So even now, if you would just…….”
“Mister, you sure talk a lot.”
Slash……!
One of the chattering agent’s arms flew off.
“……!”
“Tch.”
Despite the success of the attack, Kali’s expression did not look particularly pleased.
‘I aid for the neck. He’s faster than I expected.’
A lee guard equipped with a reaction booster implant.
And on top of that, a fairly high-grade prosthetic body.
‘I need to finish this quickly.’
Even more problematic was the spirit mage forming a magic formula in the rear.
She wanted to deal with that bastard in the back sohow, but the lee guard agent was completely blocking Kali’s path.
‘So this is ga Corp agents for you.’
After several exchanges passed like that.
The spirit mage drew a period in midair.
Along with it, the flow of the air changed, and sowhere, the wind began to stir.
‘Airflow-type mana……. A wind spirit, huh.’
At least Type 7.
At this level, it was still manageable for now.
‘Anyway, my role is just to buy ti.’
To allow Diesel on the upper floor to fully concentrate on the fight.
That was the role Kali had been assigned in this operation.
‘It does sting my pride a bit, though.’
In this line of work, skill mattered more than experience.
By all accounts, Diesel had now risen to the ranks of a ‘high-level’ Ghostcatcher, just like herself.
‘A mage with two attribute-awakened manas, after all.’
Black ice, Black Ice, and white lightning, White Thunder.
Both were fairly famous attribute awakenings.
Difficult to obtain, yet when it ca to sheer ‘power,’ they competed for the top ranks.
Kwaaaang……!
Another massive noise from afar shook the building once more.
‘Focus, focus.’
As if that were a signal, the spirit and the lee guard charged again.
In response, Kali once more dyed her pupils orange.
Kugugugung……!
The old cathedral’s stone wall collapsed.
Beyond the scattering dust, brilliant multicolored lights shimred.
“It’s been a while.”
From the corners of Edwin Silver’s eyes, various colors burst forth like threads.
It was the aftermath of the radiance-type mana he had just unleashed.
“There isn’t a normal human alive who can take my blade.”
“Is that so?”
Diesel replied with a sneer at his words.
“It’s not as big a deal as I thought.”
“…….”
“Was that your full strength just now?”
Edwin’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
But soon, as if nothing had happened, he regained his composure.
“You think such a cheap provocation will work.”
Fushushush…….
Radiance-type mana was imbued into the silver sword in his hand.
At the sa ti, a bright light surged upward.
Right now, Edwin was continuing the battle using only mana imbuent techniques.
But what Diesel wanted was a completely different kind of attack.
‘He’s not taking the bait.’
The reason Diesel kept throwing out taunting remarks.
It was to draw out as much magic from his opponent as possible.
‘Well, what I wanted in the first place was radiance-type imbuent anyway.’
Radiance-type imbuent intended to be injected into the Arc Blade.
After several exchanges just now, he had already achieved his initial objective.
‘As expected, he’s an incredible expert.’
There was a reason radiance-type mana was difficult to manifest.
Unlike other types of mana, it only produced proper effects when sufficiently condensed.
And Edwin Silver’s mana control offered countless things to observe and learn.
‘So that kind of operation thod is the key.’
Mana generated from the mana core implant ‘Spell Drive’ passed through the veins and returned into the drive.
In that process, the mana layered upon itself multiple tis, becoming tightly condensed.
‘Above all, his movents are as natural as flowing water.’
A technique that an ordinary mage could only use with full ntal concentration.
Yet Edwin was accomplishing all of this while swinging his sword.
That was not a level one could reach just by having a high-grade prosthetic body.
It was power that could only be obtained through blood-soaked practice and training.
‘I should try practicing in that direction too.’
Kwaaaang……!
A multicolored explosion erupted along the path of the sword.
As if soone had spilled a palette onto a pure white canvas, various colors spread in all directions.
‘The power itself is incredible.’
However, it was not enough to pose a threat to Diesel.
Because he possessed the pinnacle of lightning-type enhancent, the magic called ‘Leigong.’
Diesel enhanced his speed with the power of the blue lightning god and evaded the attack.
‘There’s no point in dragging this out like this.’
Since the provocation wasn’t working, it was impossible to draw out his full strength through defense alone.
In that case, it was ti to bring out an effective ans of attack.
Having finished his judgnt, Diesel gathered a new power in his hand.
‘Lightning Spike.’
A small arrowhead made of white lightning crackled with sparks atop his palm.
It was a high-grade magic that could be freely controlled according to the caster’s will.
“Hm…….”
Had he recognized the spell?
The corner of Edwin Silver’s eye lifted slightly.
“A Lightning Spike made from White Thunder, huh.”
Diesel’s magic floated in midair.
Then, like a living creature with intent, it fixed its gaze on Edwin Silver.
“This can’t be taken lightly.”
Pajijik……!
True to its na, the Lightning Spike shot toward its target like a bolt of lightning.
At a speed that would have pierced a hole through the forehead of an ordinary person.
But Edwin Silver was not such an ordinary human.
At the split second when the magic closed in right before his eyes.
Edwin swung his sword.
With that slash, the Lightning Spike was split cleanly in two.
‘What the……. Did he just cut magic?’
Sothing that should have been impossible under normal circumstances.
From that, Diesel guessed what kind of other ability his opponent possessed.
‘No way…….’
Cutting magic with a sword was sothing he had never heard of anywhere.
Still, if there was one ability, it was possible.
‘A cutting surface.’
The ability of ‘Seed’ that sliced through everything it touched.
There were no exceptions, even for things generated through the surreal.
‘This is a discovery I never even considered.’
That soone with the power of Seed was an executive of a ga Corp.
‘What do I do…….’
As Diesel pondered his future course in this unexpected situation.
“This isn’t the end, is it?”
Edwin said as he flicked his sword.
“Co at properly.”
“…….”
No matter what, he had to focus on the fight for now.
From the start, this wasn’t an opponent easy enough to spare strength against.
This ti, Diesel ford several Lightning Spikes at once.
‘Three is the limit for now.’
Handling Lightning Spikes simultaneously was no easy task.
It was only possible thanks to the countless drills he had gone through inside Kang Da-hee’s matrix.
If he beca a bit more accustod, he might be able to use up to five arrows, but for now, that was pushing it.
‘I’ll go as unpredictably as possible.’
Diesel spread the three arrows widely into the air.
Then, like drones flying at random, they began to move in irregular patterns.
“…….”
The arrows surrounded Edwin Silver from all sides.
Pajijijik……!
Three pure white beams shot through the air at the sa ti.
Three arrows and one sword.
The points of origin and the targeted body parts were all different.
‘Now then, how will you respond.’
Yet not a trace of disturbance crossed Edwin Silver’s face.
“Impressive.”
He muttered briefly and ford a magic formula in midair.
A formula that only a handful of radiance-type mages could wield.
‘Finally.’
When he drew the period.
A completely different kind of magic was inscribed.
‘Oh…….’
Not simply imbuing radiance-type mana.
A special formula that reinforced the body through intricately woven magic.
‘This might actually be useful.’
Having grasped a new power, Edwin gently drew a single slash.
A unique afterimage glowing in multiple colors followed his movent exactly.
The foremost Lightning Spike was split apart by Edwin’s own sword strike.
Then, the remaining two spells were cleaved by Edwin’s afterimages.
All the incoming magic was bisected by those multiple blows.
‘Echo of Radiance.’
A radiance-type enhancent technique that left behind afterimages made of light.
The duplicates copied the user’s actions exactly as they moved.
‘Even though they’re afterimages, their power didn’t drop at all.’
To think it even perfectly replicated the power of Seed.
It was a truly broken magic that drastically boosted a lee mage’s combat ability.
Edwin shook off the residual power left on his sword.
Then he provoked his opponent in return.
“Don’t tell that was your full strength?”
The exact sa line Diesel had thrown earlier.
‘So he was pretending to be fine back then.’
Had it actually been bothering him that much?
At that thought, a small laugh slipped out of Diesel.
“…….”
Perhaps taking it as an insult, a slight crease ford between Edwin’s brows.
“You won’t be able to run anymore.”
He then began inscribing another magic formula.
A completely different kind from before.
‘……What is this now?’
An entirely new formula he had never seen anywhere.
Diesel watched his opponent with eyes filled with both curiosity and caution.
“Flustered?”
Perhaps reading his expression.
Edwin asked with a small smile.
“It’s magic I’ve never seen in my life.”
“That’s only natural. It’s a secret art passed down only within our family.”
“Oh…….”
Exactly the kind of magic Diesel had wanted.
Secret knowledge that could not be obtained anywhere else.
“Watch closely.”
“…….”
“It will be the last thing you ever see.”
The mont the words ended, enormous mirrors appeared from all directions.
Thud, thud, thud, thud……!
Soon, the entire vast cathedral was covered in glittering mirrors.
“A beautiful trap no one can escape.”
Edwin Silver said, his eyes gleaming.
“It’s a magic called the Mirror Chamber.”
Diesel looked around with genuine admiration.
‘Mirror Chamber…….’
Just as the na suggested, a room sealed off on all sides by mirrors.
“Not even an ant can slip out.”
Diesel lifted his head and surveyed his surroundings.
‘These aren’t just ordinary mirrors.’
Each mirror was inscribed with an effect that amplified reflected radiance-type magic.
‘How much mana would you need to cover a place like this with those?’
Just the amount of mana dispersed into the air monts ago far surpassed the level of an ordinary mage.
‘Money really is nice.’
The multiple mana implants he could sense from Edwin Silver.
Among them, the Spell Drive related to mana capacity was the most luxurious model handled by the ga Corporation Royal Spirit.
‘Was it around Level 6, they said.’
A powerhouse counted among the strongest across the six continents.
Colloquially called a ‘planet-class talent’.
That was the background that allowed an executive like him to roam such dangerous areas alone.
“Any last words?”
Edwin Silver asked.
Diesel looked at him and replied.
“Last words, huh.”
Gripping the unfamiliar weapon still in his hand.
The Arc Blade.
“Go on, show more.”
Pajijik……!
A wave of white lightning spread across Diesel’s face.
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