A colossal downpour of steel, gleaming with a cyan radiance, descends from the abyss.
Antares finds himself trapped amidst a dense barrage of impact points, where not even the slimmest passage exists.
Furthermore, magnetically charged wrecked cars reverberate from all directions, intensifying the potency of the electrical onslaught and scattering bluish-white bursts of light across the firmament.
Kwaahaaaaaaa!!!
At the heart of the scrapyard, a formidable maneuver that precisely targets the entire vicinity.
Despite altering the course of victory and defeat in a split second by employing four layered incantations, Lennok’s gaze turns frigid.
He extends his left hand, constricting the expansive electric field in the heavens, meticulously scrutinizing Antares’ responses.
‘This can’t be the end.’
Considering Antares’ skill level and his nonchalant demeanor, the likelihood of the situation shifting with his next move is rather high.
What Lennok seeks is not an extended confrontation where each gradually unveils their concealed strategies, but a singular variable capable of shattering the deadlock.
‘All preparations for defeat are in place.’
Adorning Lennok’s left wrist is a magical artifact inscribed with the enchanting formula. It boasts formidable capabilities and exceptional binding prowess, albeit with rather intricate activation conditions.
Precisely 30 seconds after activation, within a casting range of 10 meters, it must engage the opponent in a single manifestation. Failure to secure the binding necessitates a reset.
If Lennok can exploit the misconception that wizards are susceptible in close-quarters combat to ensnare Antares with this artifact, victory is assured.
Prolonging the battle was never his intention from the outset.
A tempest of electricity and steel rains down upon the junkyard, swiftly constricting the battleground.
Should Antares venture too near, Lennok stands ready to retaliate with the artifact. The moment Antares subjects himself to the electric field, Lennok will manipulate all the electrical energy in the vicinity to assail him.
In the scenario Lennok has orchestrated in a split-second, Antares takes action.
“Wizards call the realm of manipulating the properties of mana the 6th level, or the realm of military power.”
Amidst the cascading steel rain, he raises his hand.
“Manipulating Domain involves projecting your own spells onto space by changing its properties. But do you know how non-wizards have been training to ascend?”
He flexes his fingers as if grasping the very air.
“By drawing a microcosm within themselves and establishing new rules. That one standard becomes…”
As he gestures, as though wringing the very fabric of the sky, the landscape warps ominously.
[GuiLaDo(鬼羅度)]
[Axis bias(氣蓄偏嚮)]
Squeeeeek!!!
“It transforms into an anchor that descends into this world.”
The sky over the junkyard tilts askew.
“…”
As if shattered by the formidable strike, Lennok’s field undergoes a complete disarray.
Dozens of plummeting wrecked cars abruptly alter their course, crashing near the junkyard, while the resounding electric storms lose their direction, scorching and detonating the hapless terrain.
Despite the astonishing levels of defense and offense, Lennok accepts it.
What Antares has just demonstrated offers a glimpse into how warriors surpassing the 7th level ascend.
‘So instead of interfering with external laws, they focus on diving into their inner world.’
Lennok is already familiar with the path to advance as a wizard, aiming for the 7th level.
By projecting the imaginings of his inner world onto the external realm, he can redefine the world’s laws and manipulate the environment to his advantage.
Yet, Antares has formed a localized field within his own being, bending space by manipulating the laws that pertain exclusively to himself.
While its adaptability and utility may be somewhat diminished compared to Domain, it liberates his body from the confines of physical laws.
It is truly the path to becoming superhuman.
“Do you call that realm a microcosm? Quite interesting.”
Fzzzzzt……!!!
Lennok speaks, gathering all the electric fields that failed to reach Antares into his grasp.
This marks the first time he has encountered a warrior of such caliber since facing Croken.
To prepare for the inevitable day when he confronts that monstrous crocodile once more, it would be prudent to gather as much data as possible now.
Inevitably locked in battle with Antares, it only made sense to extract the utmost advantage from the present situation.
Domain and inner-world microcosms.
If both could reach a level where they could meddle with each other’s laws, whose will would prevail in the clash?
These were conceptual skirmishes in higher dimensions, realms never before explored.
Lennok’s sentiments regarding this uncharted domain leaned more toward intrigue and curiosity than fear.
“Show me more, Antares. There’s still a lot left, isn’t there?”
Though he knew he needed to maintain composure above all else, it was challenging to conceal the excitement simmering deep within.
As a wizard with nearly flawless talent,
Lennok’s rationality reveled in glimpsing a realm beyond, one into which he had poured his mental acumen and qualifications.
Is this what it feels like to confront true world-changers?
A state where individuals shed their personal identities to transcend as something greater than the sum of their parts.
The man standing before him undeniably demarcated that boundary.
In the span of a heartbeat, dozens of magical and physical confrontations unfurled in his mind, meticulously crafting a path to victory.
Depending on the cards the adversary would play, he readied a myriad of countermeasures and crucial maneuvers, poised for a piercing counterattack.
Antares had claimed he sought to verify Lennok’s qualifications, but that was incorrect.
The one yearning for affirmation in boundless potential and talent was none other than Lennok himself.
Woooooooo!!!
He was convinced it was within reach.
If he could sharpen his rationality to its pinnacle in this razor-sharp battle where he couldn’t discern an inch ahead, Lennok could undoubtedly advance further.
Both the innate imagery within his heart and the logic within his mind surged wildly, losing form and causing the realm to quiver violently.
Even without invoking magic, within the Domain where willpower metamorphosed into law,
currents of electricity and waves of heat began to swirl leisurely around Lennok.
“……”
However, Antares, observing Lennok closely, managed to pacify his own surging mana.
He slowly shook his head, gazing up at the luminous electrical wave converging into a focal point above their heads.
His aura blurred as if the fierce battle moments ago had been a mere illusion.
“Let’s stop here.”
Antares sighed, observing that neither had sustained a scratch.
“It’s impossible to touch each other at this level. It wouldn’t be strange if someone dies if we continue.”
“……”
Lennok offered no verbal reply but silently concurred.
The blows they had exchanged were fierce yet futile.
As Antares rightly pointed out, to further evaluate their capabilities, they would need to escalate their output.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the entire area were obliterated should Lennok and Antares collide at full force.
Especially if it summons an agent, let alone a formidable figure like Evelyn…
Neither desired that outcome.
“Hoo…”
Lennok too exhaled heavily and gradually suppressed his mana.
Intellectually, he understood the necessity, but emotionally, it was challenging to embrace.
The prospect of confirming a higher realm had stirred him excessively, but he needed to regain his composure.
Antares’ office remained a long-term collaborative objective.
Given that a series of confrontations had been the condition for cooperation from the outset, it was only right for Antares to withdraw when his fighting spirit waned.
It was indeed the prudent course of action, but…
“This is really not easy…”
Antares muttered, crossing his arms and tilting his head.
The once-dominating intensity that had pervaded the junkyard area had long dissipated.
“When I look at your magic manipulation or hand-to-hand combat, it’s clear you’ve got a knack for fighting. Your sense of distance is unusually good for someone who’s not a warrior… Looking at your handiwork, you must have killed at least several hundred people. You’re pretty much perfect in every way—”
Yet, his eyes held an emptiness as he gazed at Lennok.
“It’s talent that couldn’t have been developed overnight. Who exactly are you?”
“Rather, that’s the question I’d like to ask.”
Ignoring the icy stare directed at him, Lennok settled onto the hood of a nearby car.
Clearly, he harbored no intention of resuming the battle, and therefore, there was no need to remain standing for long.
After lighting a cigarette, his energy levels began to dwindle.
‘I need some more adjustments…’
He began crafting a cigarette designed to boost his stamina while minimizing side effects, but the results were disappointing.
It was still a prototype, so some shortcomings were to be expected, but this wouldn’t suffice.
In a little while, Yakson would complete the nerve-regulating drug using Malabest, but prior to that, he needed to discover a formula that suited him.
Crushing the cigarette he had smoked, Lennok extracted another and glanced up at Antares.
“Your actions are extremely quiet compared to your reputation. Even accounting for your reserved nature, it’s suspicious.”
“…”
“You, of all people, must know what’s going on in this continent. Isn’t it time you clarify where you stand?”
Whether they liked it or not, all the superhumans on the continent had no option but to respond to the unified challenge presented by the Pandemonium.
Monstrous entities from beyond were slowly encroaching upon their world due to the Great Seer’s demise, with its repercussions manifesting in various ways.
As Lapis had declared, the heavens were on the verge of opening.
Whether they were antagonistic to the Pandemonium like Grisha and Evelyn, or aligned with it like Croken and the Drug Lord, a choice had to be made.
And Antares, the man Lennok had been observing and hearing about, was unquestionably not the type to evade or ignore such matters.
In fact, if he had already been making decisions and taking action, it would be a different story.
The very reason Lennok had accepted Antares’ invitation was to glean precisely that answer.
A faint smile played upon Antares’ lips.
“It’s an interesting world. So many people want to hear my answer… The Great Seer was not wrong.”
“What did you say?”
“I’ve been busy with various things.”
Brushing aside Lennok’s inquiry, he went on.
“It was hard to look under my feet while resolving the issue with the autonomous region. I admit, there are areas that I’ve neglected. I feel sorry for my troops in various ways.”
The man, who had been uttering cryptic words, approached slowly and took a seat opposite Lennok.
“Are you talking about the ceasefire agreement concerning the autonomous region? What’s the point of an agreement that will be torn to shreds if a war breaks out?”
On this street, everyone believes that war is just a matter of time.
Now that the Great Seer has vanished, the delicate balance of power is bound to shift, and the council has no intentions of leaving the autonomous region undisturbed.
Perhaps the reason Lennok rushed to the autonomous region is his belief that the agreement might collapse, sparking a war at any moment.
However, Antares shook his head calmly.
“The war will not happen.”
“What?”
“At first glance, the current situation may seem like an irresistible, massive trend, but in reality, it’s all just a meticulously planned strategy to induce chaos… Vulcan’s power shouldn’t be wasted in a place like this.”
“……”
While Lennok remained silent, Antares continued speaking.
“The drug lord almost made it inevitable when he got his hands on the republic and monopolized the land at both poles of the continent. But the situation changed when he became comatose. This war can be stopped.”
“I can’t understand… So, you’re saying that you’re currently working to prevent the war with the autonomous region?”
“It’s not just me.”
Antares smiled.
“In the end, what the old men of the council really want is not war, but the tension of a wartime situation itself… As long as they can stabilize the internal chaos, they don’t really care who the external enemy is. All they need to do is carefully exploit that while slowly turning the edge of the knife.”
“Turning the edge of the knife… Toward whom?”
“Toward the rebels who are trying to rip open the sky.”
Gradually, the smile faded from his countenance.
“I know the truth of the world and reached my conclusions a long time ago.”
