Prohibitive Edict (22)
Before acquiring the incarnation technique, Lennok had struggled to handle split bodies.
Transcendent intuition. Perfect mind. The reason of a mage.
Even though he possessed talent and aptitude that allowed him to handle all systems and spells, talents that could not be imitated, Lennok himself could not be “replicated.”
A low-grade clone that could not use spells had no value to begin with, while a high-grade clone projecting Lennok himself was impossible to construct.
Thus, the incarnation technique he obtained in the spirit city Yorta was not based on Lennok himself, but on the origin of a martial artist.
It was inevitable because Lennok’s ego possessed an absoluteness that no being could invade.
Conversely, because of that, in order to handle the incarnation body, Lennok had to split his own consciousness in two and control it every time.
Even at close range, it required considerable mental consumption, but as the distance increased, the cost rose exponentially.
At distances measured in kilometers, simply maintaining the incarnation consumed enormous stamina.
For Lennok, who had used multiple identities simultaneously, the incarnation technique was an essential ability.
But in return, among all the techniques he had learned, it demanded the greatest consumption of consciousness and reaction.
That was why, whenever using an incarnation body, he had to carefully calculate the timing and cost.
After finishing the battle with Bolt and Treadburn, moving the incarnation body that had been undergoing adjustments to match natural spells, and even buying time to descend into the underground temple by summoning that incarnation—there had been long deliberation, but this moment was undoubtedly the opportunity Lennok had been waiting for.
“That mask is….”
A sinister presence descended at the center of the collapsing underground temple. Crimson-black eyes flickered beyond the obsidian mask.
The man stood leisurely, as if suspended on invisible threads, stroking the gauntlet.
[The design isn’t to my taste. The size isn’t to my liking either.]
The low voice gave no clue to its tone, yet faint satisfaction could be felt within it.
[Its owner changed, so impurities mixed in. It feels unpleasant just holding it.]
At this desperate moment where the ownership of the Forbidden Armament had changed hands repeatedly, an unidentified caster had intruded and seized the gauntlet without hesitation.
But there was no one in Pandemonium who did not know that man.
[I’ll need to adjust it if I’m going to use it.]
“No, Victor!!!”
Ermong, crawling on the ground, screamed.
“What on earth are you doing here?!”
[Why? Shouldn’t I be here?]
Sarak…!!
With a light gesture toward the ground, Victor’s figure glided elegantly through the air.
As if his body were hung on invisible threads, he moved without relying on gravity, like a spider on a web.
Holding the radiant glass-colored gauntlet in one hand, his shadow robe fluttered as he walked.
The crimson-black glow beneath his mask flickered as he looked down at the others.
[You’re asking as if I’ve come somewhere I shouldn’t.]
“Well, it’s not that….”
Ermong trailed off, rolling his eyes.
Noticing the gaze of the great mage staring this way, he quickly changed his tone.
“Of course, members of the same organization help each other, right? Nothing strange at all. I was just so glad to see you that I misspoke.”
[…….]
“Seeing you again brings tears to my eyes, should I say… or that I want to atone for my foolish mistakes one by one… anyway, isn’t it all good if it ends well?”
Victor didn’t even pretend to listen, simply examining the gauntlet.
Ermong, rambling nervously and sweating, suddenly shouted.
“I’m sorry! Please spare me!!”
[I like your honesty.]
“…….”
[But everything you said is wrong.]
Victor sneered as he looked down at him.
[I didn’t come here to save the likes of you.]
“…What?”
Ignoring Ermong’s question, Victor stepped forward onto strands of mana.
Kugugugung…!!
The stone pillars supporting the temple creaked, and a low resonance echoed.
The great mage tilted his head, and the manipulator wearing the obsidian mask faced him across the ruined sanctuary.
“…….”
At the center of the trembling underground temple filled with vibrating gravity stone fragments, the two casters silently stared at each other.
Only then did Ermong realize Victor’s purpose and shut his mouth, while Soryu exhaled cold breath and stiffened.
“This is the worst-case scenario. Of all times…”
The master of a mage tower infamous in Vulcan, and the manipulator holding the most unique position even within Pandemonium.
Though their paths should never have crossed, Soryu had a guess about this situation.
Months ago, in the spirit city Yorta, when the Spirit Tower collapsed and curses and vengeful spirits were released—
Victor might have been present at that scene, where Crocken Asillus was named the culprit.
If that were true, it wouldn’t be strange for Victor, who contributed to Yorta’s collapse, to take interest in Bolt, who overturned Machina.
“Victor.”
Maya, having reached a similar conclusion, steadied her exhausted body and spoke.
“Not here. Withdraw.”
[Don’t give me orders, Maya Renslit.]
Victor replied coldly, turning his head.
[In your exhausted state, what advice could you possibly give?]
“You know what kind of battle he fought against Treadburn.”
Despite the sharp words, Maya answered calmly.
“He’s a monster with no output limit. If things go wrong, he might abandon his goal and erase the temple entirely.”
She hadn’t anticipated Victor’s arrival, but it was enough that the Forbidden Armament hadn’t gone to Bolt.
The problem now was that no one knew what that mage might do.
Though he seemed exhausted, his magic had not weakened.
At this point, it wouldn’t be strange if he unleashed high-output spells and erased the temple completely.
But Victor merely sneered.
[I told you. That’s your problem, not mine.]
“…….”
[So stay quiet and wait in the back.]
He tossed the gauntlet upward and laughed darkly.
[I’ll show you what I can do.]
“Insane. For such a trivial reason, here…!!!”
Felix raised his hammer in shock—
Paang!
Victor clasped his hands and began forming seals with mana threads.
Paang!
Black threads spread in all directions, pulling space apart.
Seeing Victor forming seals midair, Bolt extended one hand and began chanting.
Lightning ripples spread, forming a dazzling pattern like a constellation.
Pajik, pajik…!!!
Two casters, sky and ground, raised their will and chanted different spells.
As their hand seals rotated, the air split diagonally and pulsed.
Kugugugu…!!
“Aaah…!!”
Magic and will collided violently.
The moment before high-level spells—a distortion like time freezing.
Realizing it was a clash of full-force will, Ermong covered his ears and dropped flat—
Seven-colored lightning bloomed from Bolt’s fingertips.
Lightning-type unique magic
Property transformation chain resonance
[Seven Thunder Descent]
Kwaaaaa!!!
Seven lightning streams merged and rotated, devouring half the temple.
“Summoning.”
Kiiiiing!!
Space split behind Victor, and two withered arms emerged.
[Khehehehe!!!]
A hooked-nosed giant wrapped around him with eight arms.
Each arm formed seals.
Special attribute summon: Tailor of the Imaginary Dimension.
Fourfold overlapping resonance casting.
Manipulation-type unique magic
Property transformation quadruple compression resonance
[Puppet Great Expansion: Gluttony]
Pajik!!
A pseudo-subspace formed, swallowing the lightning.
A navy-blue rift like compressed galaxy devoured the lightning—
Piyuuuuung!!
A starburst erupted in the temple.
Even Soryu and Maya froze.
The impact shook souls and began collapsing the temple.
“Waaah!! Dark mage, save me!!!”
“Ermong, get a grip!!”
Soryu slapped him.
Ppeok!!
Bleeding from his nose, Ermong shouted wildly.
“What is this?! That hurt!! Wait, it didn’t before?!”
“Use your spell. We escape before collapse!!”
“…Huh?”
Realizing Victor intended to collapse the temple, Ermong froze.
Maya bit her finger and formed seals.
Blood spun and formed a gate.
[Blood Magic Eightfold Deployment]
[Single Arrival, Other Projection]
[Ascension Gate – Partial Manifestation]
[Reverse Flow Step]
Jjeojeojeok!!!
A massive blood gate opened in the ceiling.
Members moved immediately.
“Ermong!!”
“Got it!!”
[Ice Formation: Stairs]
Soryu formed stairs, Ermong reinforced them with gemcraft.
The stairs turned into gem structures of extreme hardness.
Kwaaa!!!
The ground rose, pushing them toward the gate.
But Feysha and Felix attacked.
“You bastards trying to escape alone!!”
Kwachik!!
Feysha ran wildly, Felix smashed supports.
“Damn it, it’s coming!!”
Ermong screamed.
“If we don’t dodge, we die!!”
Flash!!
A massive lightning spear rose and sliced the stairs.
Kwaaaaang!!
Everything burned.
The stairs shattered—
“Victor, get on—”
Ermong shouted, but Victor ignored him and leapt down.
Amid falling fragments, their gazes met.
The great mage smiled and raised his hand.
Pajijijik!!
A blue magic circle exploded.
Soryu realized—
This was the spell that could erase the temple.
But then he saw—the gauntlet shining in Victor’s hand.
[It’s time.]
“…!!!”
Victor turned midair and inserted his hand into the gauntlet.
Click!!
It tightened along his arm.
Black threads surged—
The glass light exploded behind him like a halo.
Jjeeeoong!!
[……!!!]
The backlash was immense.
The soul within the gauntlet rejected him.
Yet what escaped him was not pain—but intoxicated whispers.
[So this is what it feels like.]
Piiiiiiing…!!!
As he fully grasped it—
An omnipotent sensation surged.
The power to grasp unseen concepts.
A special attribute technique manipulating the intangible.
Then—he clenched his fist.
Kaaang!!
Hundreds of threads shot into gravity stones.
Purple light was extracted and gathered.
It formed a sphere—time distorted.
Kwaaaaung!!!!
The sphere turned black—swallowing all light.
Like a condensed gravity core.
Maya trembled.
“No way… extracting the property of gravity stones…!!!”
The concept of gravity itself—extracted and condensed.
As she realized—the miniature black hole fell—and devoured the underground temple.