Kami extended her hand, and the purple bracelet on her wrist emitted a soft spatial fluctuation, as if she were about to retrieve something from within.
Mossen mimicked her actions, the air around him shimmering with spatial distortions, making the space between them feel warped.
But then, in perfect synchrony, both of their hands froze mid-motion.
The shadow, which had been trying to outpace the wizard's hand, also faltered for a moment.
Buzz~
A high-pitched buzzing filled the air, and the wizard's hand, now growing larger by the second, stretched ominously towards the shadow that was desperately advancing. The terrifying pressure from the hand was palpable, pushing the very boundaries of the atmosphere.
The scarlet haze that had filled the sky dissipated in an instant, revealing a glittering galaxy of stars beneath the moonlight.
The shadow below, caught in the wake of this immense force, appeared suddenly panicked.
To the common people, they seemed like insects beneath a great, looming hand—insignificant, insignificant and powerless.
Top-tier gold mages were already considered the pinnacle of this world's power, few others even stood near them. Yet there were still legends, beings who hovered above even the highest mages, casting long shadows over the earth.
"Who? Who dares?"
Sharp explosions cracked through the air, and a twisted clown mask emerged from the inky blackness. The shadow rapidly expanded, turning into a gaping black hole that exuded an almost tangible chill.
The figure sprinted forward, determined to escape, unwilling to relent.
A month ago, no one had been able to detect the Night Roses. Their schemes had succeeded effortlessly, but now, an even more enigmatic organization had appeared, relentlessly hunting them down. The leaders of the Night Rose branch in Tobu City now felt a desperate helplessness they'd never known before.
There was no answer. Only the massive wizard's hand continued its descent, blocking out the stars as it approached the East City District. It was as though it would erase everything in its path.
The clown in the shadows glared, eyes burning with madness, as the massive hand fell.
But then, there was no catastrophic destruction. The giant hand swept through, and where it had passed, only a single shadow had been obliterated. Everything else—the ruins, the half-melted snow—remained untouched.
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the eerie silence, interrupting the Scarlet Priest's frenzied chanting.
Kami, Ernado, and Mossen turned in unison, eyes locking on the boy who had once been torn to pieces—yet now, he was walking slowly toward the frenzied priest.
Kami's frown deepened. She relaxed her hand and let the space fluctuations die down, her legs bending as she prepared to rush forward.
Ernado raised his staff, his chant growing louder as his magic coalesced around him.
Mossen hesitated for a moment, his gaze fixed on the boy, a strange look crossing his face as if he were seeing the famous alchemist for the first time.
"Great Scarlet Lord," the Scarlet Priest screamed in a manic voice, "your humblest servant cannot protect your sacrifice. Let me become one with it. Allow me to merge into this sacred offering and become the nourishment for your return!"
The priest's shrill prayers echoed through the night. Suddenly, a powerful vision exploded above the distant pit, a vision so grotesque it turned the stomach. The severed limbs scattered from the priest's twisted sacrifice appeared like the dismembered parts of some horrific, sadistic killer.
Kami's heart skipped a beat as the divine power coursing through her sword fluctuated violently. She tightened her grip, preparing for the final strike.
Buzz~
Suddenly, a worker bee appeared before Kami. Before she could react, the bee exploded in a burst of blinding white light, sending a wave of heat expanding outward.
Despite the lack of immediate danger, the explosion and the magic in the distance made Kami pause. In the same breath, Ernado's magic formed—an array of sharp cones, emitting intense cold. The cones fragmented, splitting apart as they flew straight for the Scarlet Priest and Bai Yi.
The sound of metal striking metal rang through the air as the force of the blast tore away the flames, revealing the figures within.
Bai Yi, surrounded by a shield that had been heavily cracked but not yet broken, met their gaze. His cold eyes stared at Will and his brother, and he said, "You want to kill me? Are you sure that I only have one spell scroll?"
Boom!
Suddenly, the Scarlet Priest, blood pouring from his mouth, staggered back in disbelief. His eyes darted to the pit, where the remains of his failed sacrifice still littered the air.
The magic circle above had begun to dissipate too quickly, its power unraveling before it could complete its purpose.
"Impossible," the priest muttered, his voice hoarse. "Where is the sacrifice? Where is it? What went wrong? Who stole the altar meant for God? Who—who did this?"
He screamed, clutching the cracked glass crystal with the red gem inside. Madness overtook him as his voice grew frantic.
"God! Someone has stolen your sacrifice! No, wait, I am your sacrifice, yes, yes! Sacrifices— you are all sacrifices! Follow me! Follow me to the Scarlet Lord!"
He thrust his arms out, gathering his magic in a last-ditch effort to kill the "ants" who had forced him into this corner. As long as he had blood, he could still recover. Blood was his lifeblood, his last chance.
Bai Yi remained silent. He was calm. But as the Scarlet Priest struggled, a dark aura coiled around him. The priest's body trembled violently, and suddenly, he collapsed, screaming in pain.
"Ahhh!" His voice echoed as his body spasmed violently. Charred flesh leaked dark green liquid that sizzled as it hit the ground, corroding it instantly.
Bai Yi knelt down and took the evil god's flesh in his hand with ease.
Kami and Ernado exchanged a dark look.
Kami raised a hand, signaling Ernado to remain quiet. Then, with cold composure, she turned to Bai Yi. "Give me what you hold in your hand, and you'll be Will's friend. Will has sacrificed much to get that. You shouldn't doubt his determination."
Bai Yi's eyes flickered with surprise. His previously cold demeanor softened slightly, a glimmer of curiosity lighting his face.
As the Scarlet Priest's wailing continued to fade behind him, Bai Yi spoke, "If I'm not mistaken, this is the power of the so-called Scarlet Lord, isn't it? And... it can be used?"
Kami's eyes burned with deadly intent, and her grip on her sword tightened, releasing an aura so powerful that it seemed even more terrifying than her battle with the Scarlet Priest.
Bai Yi didn't flinch. The Scarlet Priest's spasms ceased, his body quickly turning to a pool of blood, dissolved by countless alchemical poisons that Bai Yi had carefully mixed into the bombs.
Others might have been poisoned by this, but Bai Yi? He had engineered the poisons to perfect his own restoration. If he didn't die, no one would.
At that moment, Bai Yi's aura surged dramatically. His level increased, the experience points spiking by 100,000, pushing him one step closer to the middle of the silver tier.
The atmosphere shifted as the trio of warriors stood in stunned silence.