“There are three things we need to do.”
Woosh!
With a swift motion, the holographic representation of the mansion splits apart, unveiling its intricate interior structure in great detail.
The interior appears as charming as a miniature dollhouse.
Disregarding the two mercenaries who are playfully teasing each other upon witnessing the meticulously crafted furnishings, Lennok speaks resolutely.
“First, cut off all external communications. I’ll handle this part myself, so you two don’t need to worry about it.”
“And then?”
“Second, verify the identity of Irina Pheffield and secure her as a top priority. You understand what this means, right?”
From the moment they step into the mansion, it is as though a countdown has commenced.
Essentially, Lennok is taking the initiative here, so as soon as the opposing side begins to react, variables will come into play.
It’s of utmost importance to swiftly neutralize the enemy’s leader before the situation becomes chaotic.
“Lastly, if there are any patrons like Vincent Mayblack within the expedition team, suppress them with minimal injury.”
Their objective is to conclude this without causing harm to anyone other than members of the expedition team.
Unlike the expedition team itself, which harbors animosity towards Lennok, the patrons supporting them are deeply entwined with Lennok, managing businesses or organizations.
Engaging with them could make it impossible to extricate themselves from this situation cleanly.
At this juncture, Lennok must exercise caution regarding further assignments.
“I’ll share the list of patrons Sebastian got for us. Memorize them and make sure not to inflict any serious injuries.”
As he conveys this, Lennok shares a photo file through his phone.
“If things wrap up quickly enough, the patrons will likely give up on the expedition team. We have no reason to take on unnecessary risks.”
“Understood.”
“Looking at them, they all seem weak. Once we get inside the mansion, it won’t take long to identify them.”
The two mercenaries swiftly commit the faces to memory and set aside their phones.
Though they may appear nonchalant, they are seasoned mercenaries who have thrived in this industry for years.
Their sharp intellect, extensive training, and magical abilities far surpass those of ordinary freelancers.
The Antares Mercenary Office stands as one of the most systematically organized combat groups in this turbulent industry, teeming with both novices and veterans.
Sensing that the operation is about to commence, the two begin inspecting their weaponry and loosening their muscles.
Clink, clink!
They verify their prearranged firearms, sharpen their protective gear and blades, and ensure everything is in working order.
With deft hands, they secure knives on their thighs, heavy armaments on their backs, and secondary weapons around their waists before slowly rising from their seats.
“Let’s aim to secure routes to both the rooftop, which has a retractable ceiling, and the underground garage connected to the parking lot. Our target is to simultaneously check the most inner secret room of the mansion.”
“What if Irina isn’t in the mansion?”
“We’ll capture and interrogate the highest-ranking officer and continue the chase. At the very least, we’ll incapacitate the expedition team’s forces by today.”
While expressing this, Lennok casually inspects his own weaponry.
There is a multitude of tasks to complete.
He harbors no intentions of prolonging this endeavor in hopes of a flawless resolution.
Lennok’s abilities, refined through countless experiences crossing boundaries, were now gradually pushing the boundaries of human limitations.
In such a scenario, he no longer needed to adhere to the norms of other mercenaries or freelancers in his approach to handling matters.
Mila, who grasped the essence of Lennok’s words, shook her head in amazement.
“I did think you were weird when we were eradicating the contaminants, but now it’s like your thinking is no different from a monster. You plan to finish something of this scale in a single day?”
“………..”
Well, ever since he mastered the concept of domain expansion during the skirmish with Craig and ascended, the world around him seemed to transform.
Perhaps it was because, upon understanding his dominion, he solidified his command over mana and was no longer solely bound by combat.
As his repertoire of skills expanded, and as he executed existing abilities flawlessly, he grew increasingly detached from the act of combat.
Fear and curiosity, excitement and dread toward adversaries faded away… Only reason remained as his driving force.
Could he emerge victorious or not? That was the sole consideration.
And the answer had already been determined for this occasion.
Disregarding the two individuals exchanging hushed comments, Lennok extended his hand toward the undergrowth and channeled his mana.
“Let’s start.”
Pop!
As he uttered those words, the gun-shaped charm hanging from his wrist abruptly expanded, morphing into a full-sized sniper rifle.
Releasing the shrinking enchantment, he now held the lethal sniper rifle known as Sightglass-992 in his grip.
With familiarity, Lennok deftly loaded the weapon and assumed a firing stance while kneeling on the ground.
“Okay.”
“I’ve been crouching for half a day; my body feels so stiff.”
The two chatty mercenaries promptly rose to their feet and advanced toward the villa.
Dylan unsheathed his longsword, and Mila effortlessly loaded her shotgun with one hand as they moved forward.
“It’s been almost half a year since we worked together, hasn’t it?”
“Please give good support.”
“Don’t worry.”
Lennok replied, shifting his gaze through the scope.
“If it’s something a wizard should do, I’ll do anything.”
Fizzle!
[Aim correction]
[Precise shooting]
[Piercing enhancement]
[Trajectory compression]
[EMP shockwave]
Whiiiing!
The number of auxiliary spells that could be stacked varied with the length of the gun barrel.
This was about as close as it got to the fundamental abilities of the Magic Musketeer class he once practiced.
Before any sense of awe could set in, the muzzle erupted in flames, and a blinding flash struck the villa directly.
Wooom!
An imperceptible wave radiated outward from the impact site, instantaneously distorting the electromagnetic waves in this area and cutting off external communications.
Convinced that he had effectively severed any external assistance, Lennok cast a small fireball into the sky.
Fizzle..!!
A product of his meticulous magical research, it resembled a miniature planet, adorned with dozens of interwoven electric rings.
With a slight motion, the sphere streaked across the heavens, painting the dark clouds above a brilliant blue.
Ka-boom!
A resounding thunderclap resonated through the atmosphere as Lennok manipulated the ambient magical energy.
Guided by his firm intent, the electrical magic surged outward, igniting intense flames in sync with the overcast sky.
“Move.”
Lightning class unique magic undergoes changes in the properties of thunder and lightning.
[Roaring Thunder]
The sound of lightning in the darkened firmament drew nearer, and, directed by Lennok’s will, it bridged the celestial and terrestrial realms.
Numerous beams of light shot forth from the somber clouds, descending from the heavens towards the earth in reverse, akin to a cascade of raindrops.
Thud thud thud thud!
Roaring Thunder. A grand-scale ability utilized by Eden during the climactic confrontation with the Cigar Bang Gang to sweep aside the opposing forces.
However, Lennok had not only made this unique magic his own but had also expertly tailored it to his preferences.
Sacrificing a portion of its effective range and destructive potential, he extended the magic’s duration to blanket the area.
His experiences had imparted a profound understanding of the importance of securing space against spellcasters, and this knowledge was now deeply ingrained in him.
Following the EMP, the villa descended into chaos due to the thunderstorm unleashed from the heavens.
“Ah!!!”
“It’s shelling!”
“Everyone will die if we stay inside! Everyone, get out!”
Expedition team members who sensed the unusual situation immediately began fleeing the villa, but Lennok’s two frontliners sprang into action.
Whoosh!
Bang!
Mila emerged from the underbrush, squeezing the shotgun’s trigger and simultaneously releasing a tremendous shockwave that maimed three individuals.
In an instant, Dylan unsheathed his sword, and a vivid purple spray of blood erupted.
Lennok dispatched two adversaries. Mila accounted for five. Dylan eliminated four.
In the blink of an eye, the two vanguards were bathed in gore, yet their expressions remained stoic.
“Break down the main gate and proceed immediately. Don’t forget to target those who can provide long-range support first.”
“Don’t say something so obvious.”
Dylan replied as he gathered his mana.
Mila, wordlessly, fired again.
Boom!
Once more.
The same shotgun, but the shockwave exceeded the range of traditional buckshot.
Lennok had attempted to emulate Mila’s remarkable marksmanship, but thus far, his efforts had fallen short. It appeared that she possessed not magic, but some form of superhuman ability.
In a world populated by formidable superhumans, many still relied on conventional tools. The strength of these superpowers varied significantly, influenced by one’s emotional state and environmental conditions.
For emotional stability, many superhumans clung to familiar weapons, a common practice among them.
Lennok had tried to replicate this connection with just mana, but his success remained incomplete.
Deep in thought, the two of them charged into the villa.
Thanks to his heightened and finely tuned magic sensing, Lennok could clearly perceive the events unfolding within the mansion.
While Mila kept their foes distracted with her shockwave, Dylan swiftly ascended the staircase extending across the villa’s first floor.
Whoosh!
With his unique technique, he ran along the walls, slashing his longsword, and five armed men lost their heads.
Swoosh!
Dylan hurled his spear, impaling a burly assailant closing in on Mila from behind.
“Ugh!”
Yank!
“Stop them! Don’t let them go up to the second floor!”
“One is going to the basement!”
Mila, armed with her firearm, descended into the spacious basement, while Dylan, wielding his blade, sprinted down the lengthy second-floor corridor.
Despite the exploration team members’ efforts to halt them, the pair paid no heed and thwarted all attempts.
Clank!
Dylan’s sword, loosely gripped, grazed walls and ceiling as he raced along the second-floor hallway.
Defying gravity, he moved nimbly through the narrow space, eliminating the obstructing members of the expedition team. He kicked open doors, rapidly inspecting each room.
Meanwhile, Mila in underground triggered another shockwave, and the sound of a garage being dismantled reverberated.
Having confirmed that the two mercenaries executed their roles according to the prearranged plan, Lennok slowly stood up.
“Phew…”
He retrieved a cigarette, placed it between his lips, and channeled mana into both hands.
Crackle!!
As he released a surging wave of electricity into the ground, the coursing current, resembling a living entity, surged across the surface, incapacitating those who pursued Dylan and Mila.
Boom!!
“Arrrrgh!!”
“It’s electric magic!”
“He’s here! It’s him!!”
Clearly, the exploration team had received prior information about Lennok, as their expressions shifted upon witnessing the azure streaks of electricity.
Were they forsaking the pursuit of Dylan and Mila to focus on this new threat?
Ignoring them, Lennok advanced and unleashed his magic.
[Soundwave]
Boom!!
A colossal sonic shockwave erupted, shattering every window in the villa.
The opulent chandeliers hanging from the ceiling disintegrated, and shards of broken glass rained down.
“Ahhh!! My ears, my ears!!”
“Damn it, sound magic of all things…!!”
The team members divided into those who suffered bleeding ears and collapsed and those who resisted the pain and charged toward Lennok.
Raising one hand, Lennok confronted the dozen or so expedition team members brandishing their weapons.
[Wind Lattice]
The distinct wind magic, witnessed during his confrontation with Archiwood at the academy, manifested once more.
Whoosh!!
A potent vortex descended from the heavens, drawing in countless glass fragments and transmuting into a tempest of razor-sharp blades.
Slash!!
“Aaaargh!!”
Those unable to defend against the minuscule blades found their flesh torn to shreds in an instant.
‘I’ve nearly scanned all the life signs within the villa. What remains are…’
A sudden uproar erupted from the villa’s second floor.
“This damn pig…!!”
“Hahahaha!! Where are you running off to!”
A portly man wielding a hammer the size of a car was in hot pursuit of Dylan, forcibly driving him back to the first floor.
Although the second-floor corridor was anything but narrow, the marble flooring crumbled as though it were mere tofu being crushed beneath the relentless swings of the colossal hammer.
Screech!!
Closing in on Dylan with a ferocious momentum akin to a bulldozer, the rotund man swiftly approached Lennok’s location.
Rather than evading, Lennok erected multiple shields before him and unleashed an impact spell.
Collision.
Boom!!
A powerful shockwave surged through the now thoroughly shattered villa’s foyer, dispersing the surrounding dust and splattered blood.
Amidst the tumult, the man regained his footing, enduring another assault from Dylan before speaking. His voice, surprisingly composed and sharp, seemed incongruous coming from his robust frame.
“I had suspected you were more than just a brute with strength when I heard Brook was taken down, but I didn’t expect you to move this quickly.”
“………”
“Irina’s intuition was right. The one we least want to face is indeed the culprit, possessing both formidable power and difficult judgment.”
The hefty hammer-wielder muttered, “I must kill you here.”
Observing the man’s earnest expression, Lennok slowed the pace at which he gathered his mana. The unchanging demeanor on the rotund man’s face, despite the substantial number of expedition members Lennok had dispatched, indicated a deliberate reason for his composure.
Considering that Lennok had mostly cleared the interior of the villa with [Wind Lattice] and remained unharmed, and considering Irina had yet to make an appearance, perhaps…
“Were you waiting for us? Or were you preparing for some unforeseen possibility?”
“Hahaha! Too late!”
He proclaimed, swinging his hammer forcefully against the villa’s wall.
Crack, crack, crack!
Simultaneous with his words, the stout villa walls began to disintegrate like fragile glass.
Amidst the crumbling walls, a radiant aura, akin to a halo, ascended vertically.
There, wielding a lengthy greatsword, stood Irina Pheffield, leader of the Arasha Expedition.
“You’ve bitten the bait.”
She bridged the gap in an instant, falling into Lennok’s grasp, her cold gaze dispersing as she spoke.
“To think you would play hard to get and make a move in just a day. Thanks to you, our losses are considerable. Don’t you have any shame?”
“Is shame used in a different context from what I understand?”
Crack!
Lennok grinned as he parried Irina’s greatsword with his shield.
“I have absolutely nothing to hear from someone who nagged about trying to kill me. It’s time to settle this.”
