Chapter 240 - Infinite Mage

Reina pressed herself against the wall, vigilant of the approaching figure. Through the shroud of darkness, she could see a person running towards her. Upon spotting Amy, Reina swiftly stepped in front to block her path. "Amy!" "Eek! You scared me! Sis?" "What are you doing here?" "First, we need to run!" Without time for explanations, Amy grabbed Reina’s arm, pulling her along as they ran. Reina activated her schema to match Amy's pace. Boom! Boom! The sound of heavy impacts resounded against the wall. Reina deactivated the Sound of Silence. The vibrations threatened to overwhelm her eardrums. "What is it? Is a monster chasing us?" Amy sighed. She wanted to share the absurd experience she'd gone through, but finding Shirone was a priority. "I'll explain later. Where's Shirone?" "This way. I heard noises from over there." The two entered a left fork, heading towards a waiting warehouse at the end of a narrow path. An overhead sign labeled it as a food storage area. Inside, the scene was chaotic, evidence of a struggle. Flour had been spilled everywhere, some of it dispersed into a smoke-like haze, making the air murky. Vegetables lay chopped, as if for stew, encrusted in flour. Amy was relieved it wasn't a meat storage. "Where's Shirone?" As Amy glanced around warily, Reina extended her arm to stop her. "It's dangerous. Don't move." Startled, Amy followed Reina's gaze. There were numerous webs spread through the floury mist. "This is…!" Reality set in, revealing webs strewn about like those of a warehouse sealed for a century, casting an eerie ambiance. "Why are there webs here? And of such a gigantic spider?" "Be cautious. Something's lurking." Reina navigated between the webs cautiously, with Amy in tow. That's when they heard a faint voice from beyond a piled heap of sacks. "…help." Reina and Amy immediately rushed towards the sound. Shirone was ensnared, hanging upside down in the giant webs. His clothes were tattered, his body marked with numerous superficial cuts. Tears welled in Amy's eyes. "Shirone!" "Run… It’s incredibly stron—" "Hold on! We'll get you out of there!" Amy dashed forward without hesitation. The sight of Shirone trapped in webs was not just unsettling but terrifying. She surveyed the webs, and finding no means to release him, attempted to tear them with her hands, wincing at the sharp pain. Her palm was sliced open, blood beginning to ooze. "What's with these webs?" Using every ounce of his strength, Shirone called out. "Amy! Run!" At that moment, Reina grabbed Amy by the waist and launched herself aside. The sharp wind that followed could only be perceived by Reina's keen hearing. Fallen to the ground, Amy looked back in confusion at Reina, who was staring intently into the encroaching darkness. "Hehe, not bad at all." Descending next to Shirone, who was suspended upside down, was Xenoger. Both Amy and Reina shuddered at the man's bizarre appearance. Though torchlight was scant, they could make out multiple eyes. "When beings move, they create vibrations. If you have the capability to detect those vibrations, it would indeed be impossible to kill you with just a simple cut." Amy stepped forward, shouting. "What did you do to Shirone? Release him now!" Xenoger, level with the upside-down Shirone, turned his head and grinned. "Oh, this? Just holding him in place, kekeke. You felt it, right? It's quite sharp. If he struggles, he'll be sliced apart, unable to move even an inch." "You—!" Just as Amy was about to vent her anger, Xenoger posed a question. "Now, a riddle. When did Shirone's injuries occur? Option 1: Before he got caught in the webs. Option 2: After he was caught in the webs." Amy couldn't fathom the importance of this in their dire situation. Reflecting on Xenoger's words, her face reddened in fury. If the answer was the latter, she'd make sure to twist Xenoger’s neck herself. "I will never forgive you." Amy's anger brought a sense of satisfaction to Xenoger. In truth, option 2 was his favorite game. By placing prey on the web and inflicting small injuries, it left them unable to move or even stay still. However, regrettably, the correct answer was option 1. Shirone's keen senses, aware of the assassin's presence, were truly remarkable even by Xenoger's standards. It took a grueling ten-minute chase to finally ensnare him. From the warehouse entrance, Zeon’s voice reverberated. "What’s taking so long?" Amy turned around, dismayed. Zeon, nonchalant with his appendages trailing like octopus tentacles, observed them arrogantly from behind. Amy and Reina immediately turned their backs to him. With Shirone captured by an assassin and their escape blocked, every circumstance pointed to their defeat. Yet, Zeon paid them little mind. Though he hadn’t anticipated Reina’s pursuit, she was merely a mouse trapped in a jar. His interest, however, lay with the web-bound Shirone. Xenoger landed on the ground, bowing in deference. "Welcome, my prince. I was just about to finish things up." "Finish? You're past the deadline. What happened?" "My apologies." Xenoger offered no excuses. No matter how adept he was as an assassin, he could afford to allow a single delay when dealing with someone of such prowess, for in Spatur, pride came solely from skill. Annoyed, Zeon waved his hand dismissively. "Forget it. Just get it done. Cut off Shirone's head." Xenoger immediately bowed and climbed onto the web holding Shirone. As he prepared to finish the task, a thought about the missing member crossed his mind. "There's still one person not accounted for." He referred to Arius. However, Zeon didn't seem concerned. Flicker magic, a trademark of scale mages, was characterized by short-range teleportation brought about by extreme spacetime distortion. Even if confined to a prison, without the presence of a magic control device, a scale mage could instantly relocate elsewhere. To Arius, time and space were insignificant. He was likely biding his time, poised to appear at the most opportune spacetime coordinate. "He’s probably lying in wait. Now, sever Shirone's head from his body quickly." "Understood." Amy adopted a combat stance and shouted, "You're kidding, right? Who's going to let that happen?" Finally, Zeon turned his attention to the women, exuding a deadly aura. Tendrils rose behind him, ready to strike like a witch's claws. Even as consciousness waned, Shirone understood that the armor surrounding Zeon's body was the manifestation of Armand. In that moment, he realized they were all in mortal danger, and even as his flesh was torn, he struggled and cried out, "Run! Reina, take Amy and escape!" Amy refused to listen. What good was escaping if Shirone perished? Their only recourse was to confront Zeon right there. Reina seemed to have reached the same conclusion, widening her stride and glaring at Zeon. Ogent was a clan revering the sword. Although she was unarmed, the techniques Reina had honed since childhood were not to be underestimated. Amy and Reina split to attack Zeon from both sides. Surprisingly, this visibly weakened Armand's response. Even as a symbiotic entity, all decisions were made by Zeon. Lacking battle experience, he couldn't effectively counter a diversionary tactic, leaving Armand's tendrils unable to find precise targets. Amy quickly discerned the change in their opponent. "You’ve underestimated me! I'm going to pay you back!" Zeon gritted his teeth at the unexpected turn. While Armand's tendrils could block visible magic attacks, the invisible Reina was a concern. "Damn it! These girls!" Zeon retreated as much as possible, blocking the doorway. If he could subdue his opponents, at least he could cut off any escape route. But that was exactly what the two had aimed for. Reina circled the warehouse, leaping atop a sack pile. "Here!" A proper knight would not have fallen for Reina’s bait. Even a child could tell that a hand-to-hand fighter like Reina posed less of a threat than Amy, the sorceress. Yet Zeon, pressed for time, turned to look, creating an opening that Amy exploited with a Fire Strike. "It's over!" Just as Amy concluded, an unfamiliar force seized her, sending her flying. She struggled against the momentum to no avail. In mid-flight, she glanced back at Reina and understood the situation. Unraveling threads shot like cannonballs, transforming into webs that ensnared Reina. The webs pinned her to the wall, near the ceiling. Once Amy realized this, she too slammed into the wall with a jarring impact. Glancing down at the restraining webs, Amy attempted to tear them but found them tough and unyielding. Unlike the razor-sharp wires binding Shirone, these were sticky and mucus-like. Despite their fervent struggles, Reina and Amy were no match for Xenoger. Xenoger inflated his body like a balloon, spitting web orbs from his mouth. Web after web expanded mid-flight, smothering Reina and Amy completely. "Grrgh!" With each web attaching, the restraint grew stronger. After five layers, Amy became utterly immobile. The same fate befell Reina, pinned against the opposite wall. "Hehe, making such a fuss. Are you alright, my prince?" Only then did Zeon breathe a sigh of relief and descend. Seeing the three pests securely trapped and unable to even flail, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction. 5. All the Variables (5) Zeon mocked Amy as he turned towards her. "Hmph, serves you right. You should have known better than to mess with us." "You coward! Let us go!" "Don't worry. I will. But enjoy the show first." Half-turning, Zeon directed Xenoger. "Bring me Shirone's head." Xenoger climbed the web binding Shirone with a sinister grin. Adjusting his center of gravity through mimicry, he maneuvered effortlessly along the sharp wires, unscathed. "Amy! Amy!" Despite being in mortal peril, Shirone called out to Amy. Observing this, Zeon was even more pleased. While he longed to torment Amy in front of him, his desire to control Ataraxia was just as high. "Wait a minute, what about Arius?" With everything perfectly set, Arius should have arrived by now. A hint of unease crept in, but it seemed implausible for a time-and-space manipulating scale mage to be tardy. He imagined a dramatic last-minute appearance. "Tch, ever the dramatist. Always caught up in superficial theatrics." Still, considering Arius's professional pride, he trusted the job would be done regardless. Casting a final glance around, Zeon made a throat-cutting gesture. Xenoger, pressing against Shirone, flicked his tongue menacingly. Yet Shirone ignored him, shouting to Amy with every ounce of strength left. "Amy! Run!" "Hehehe, pitiful. But you're doomed." Xenoger spread his arms and legs wide, positioning himself to crush Shirone. With a dull thud from his side, two additional arms emerged from beneath his clothing. Witnessing this, Shirone's face turned pale. "Hehe, what’s wrong? Does it creep you out? But I can make up to six arms." Xenoger used his two new arms to draw a strong wire from his mouth. With deft skill, he looped it around Shirone's neck. "There will be no pain. My skills are the best in the business." As Shirone felt death looming, he closed his eyes. His 18 years of life seemed to be concluding here. However, he couldn't afford to die just yet. Mustering all his strength, he cried out. "Amy! Th—" "Snip!" Before Shirone could finish his words, Xenoger pulled the wire with a sinister laugh. The web dug into Shirone’s skin, creating a thin line around his neck like a noose. Simultaneously, there was a crackling sound behind Xenoger, as if electricity was coursing through the air. It was the distinctive noise of Flicker magic, renowned among scale mages. ‘I knew it.’ Zeon clicked his tongue at Arius’s swagger. Still, the timing was impeccable, so there was no point in being angry. "Eh?" Zeon's eyes flickered with confusion. It wasn’t Arius. Or was it? The figure was masked, concealing their identity. "What’s with that appearance?" The masked figure, without responding, rolled strategically to block Reina and Amy’s path. Their choice of position upon arrival made it evident they weren't an ally. ‘Not Arius? Then where is that guy? Shirone should already be dead….’ Zeon quickly turned toward Xenoger. Though Xenoger wore his usual eerie smile, there was an imperceptibly twisted expression one could never find on his real face. Shirone, too, had his eyes wide open, still focusing on Amy. Most importantly, the wire had frozen, lodged slightly into Shirone’s skin. At that moment, the crackling of Flicker magic resounded again. Arius appeared in the space, rolling across the ground and halting beside Zeon. His sweat-soaked state revealed the exhaustion of his ordeal. "Damn! Am I too late?" Zeon shouted, unable to contain his frustration. "What happened! Who is that person?" "I don’t know. But they’re definitely a time magic unlocker. I tried everything, but they kept disrupting my coordinates…." Amidst the distortion of space and time, they had attempted Flicker magic over 700 times. Although the masked figure struggled as well, Arius was ultimately the one delayed. ‘Damn. This is the worst match-up.’ For spatial specialists, time specialists were a natural counter. Conversely, the reverse was also true. They were like fire and water, both wary of the other. Yet, arriving before him indicated that the masked figure was exceptionally skilled, even among scale mages. ‘Who are they? With skills like that, I must’ve heard of them.’ This skill level explained the need for a mask. The mask concealing their entire face was obviously to hide their identity completely. At this level, they could easily replace sight with Spirit Zone anyway. Several possibilities ran through Arius's mind. However, none of them seemed likely to stand in his way under these circumstances.