Signpost (1)
“If a vacancy appears in the position of a great ability user responsible for maintaining the collective mental network, the Throne will become aware of it.”
The ability user who barged in immediately after retracting the domain of Thousand-Mile and burning away the Flame Lord’s life territory.
At the same time, ability users possessing powerful psychic waves began surrounding Lennok from all over the ruins.
“When Mikal Zellich and Oedon’s Sixth Seat were neutralized, the Throne of Aphelia awakened and became aware of your existence.”
“So now there’s a need to take you in, even if we have to use somewhat extreme methods.”
A unit belonging to the Ability Awakening Brigade.
And one that operated in small elite teams while carrying out independent missions.
Judging by the way they had appeared before Lennok now, they were probably created as tools to hunt and eliminate powerful superhumans.
“Thirteenth Seat of the Ability Awakening Brigade, Roevid Auler. Master of Gold and representative of the Extermination Squad. In the name of the squad, I shall—”
The silver-haired man, Roevid, tilted his head as Lennok glanced around his surroundings.
“You’ve been looking elsewhere for a while now. What exactly are you staring at?”
“......!!!”
KWAAANG!!
A thick steel beam spun like a drill, releasing circular shockwaves.
Lennok’s body slid across the ruined streets.
Roevid looked down at Lennok, who had slightly lowered his head, and grinned.
“As expected, your reaction speed has been incredible from the beginning. Not very mage-like, is it?”
“....”
“Even high-ranking spellcasters usually can’t maintain this level of vigilance when they’re this exhausted.”
KUGUGUGUNG!!
As he brushed back his disheveled silver hair, metal gathered from all directions and began spinning behind him.
Solid metal wrapped around Roevid’s body and transformed into a thin suit of light armor.
An ability user capable of manipulating metal and freely altering its shape.
Even among matter-manipulation types, metal control was considered one of the most versatile and highest-ranked abilities.
Lennok also knew through Olnic just how troublesome metal manipulation could be.
“No matter how strong someone’s mental power is, once the body reaches its limits, their thinking inevitably becomes narrow-minded…”
Roevid narrowed his eyes.
“But you seem strangely free from that concept.”
“You talk like someone who’s killed a lot of mages.”
Lennok rose to his feet, having instantly identified his opponent’s identity and affiliation.
“You planned to throw away all previous cooperation just to bring me before the Throne?”
“Cooperation? I think you’re misunderstanding something.”
Roevid stomped the ground and leaped down, causing a heavy boom to shake the earth.
The man slowly walked forward and waved a hand toward Lennok.
“The Ability Awakening Brigade only accepts fellow ability users. Blessed mages like you were never under consideration in the first place.”
“So even the deal to recover Mikal Zellich’s brain was always going to end like this.”
“I do feel a little sorry toward Bernard regarding that.”
Roevid smiled coldly.
“Unlike Bernard, we don’t trust non-ability users. Trusting people who’ve never shared the same pain is impossible, isn’t it? The pain of being treated like a ticking bomb from the moment you’re born and being rejected by everyone. That pain is the Brigade’s origin and its essence.”
The discrimination innate ability users held against ordinary people.
It wasn’t difficult to imagine.
When Lennok had visited the tavern to meet Bernard, the subtle attitude the other ability users had shown him.
The “circumstances” Angel had brushed aside and avoided explaining back then were probably related to the Brigade’s stance toward non-ability users.
“Even within the Brigade opinions differ, but the Throne of Aphelia leaves the treatment of non-ability users to the judgment of those on-site.”
CLANK!!
Roevid wrapped his arm in solid metal and raised it.
“Evan Martinez. I’ve heard your reputation many times, but this battle at the Gate was my first chance to personally confirm it... and that’s exactly why you’re too dangerous.”
The gaze Roevid directed at him gleamed with icy killing intent.
“A mage defeated by Bolt succeeded in killing a Conjoining Sorcerer in a one-on-one fight. Can you even imagine the impact that fact will have on this front?”
……
“At a time when Oedon’s Sixth Seat has already been driven back, if you become the leading figure at the Gate, we’ll lose control. That would be a serious threat to our comrades within the Brigade as well.”
So there were both pro–non-ability-user and anti–non-ability-user factions within the Brigade.
If that was the case, it wasn’t strange for a high-ranking executive around the level of the Brigade’s Thirteenth Seat to move only now.
No, the opposite.
The fact that they had intervened at this timing was proof of just how capable they were.
“So you were waiting from the beginning for the moment Balak Oedon lost and the battle entered a lull.”
“It’s ironic. His defeat against the Conjoining Sorcerer gave us a justification to intervene.”
WOOOOONG!!!
Lennok could feel the psychic waves emitted by the other ability users pressing down on the surrounding space.
It went beyond merely suppressing the activation of abilities.
They were constructing a field that made the operation of willpower itself difficult.
Was that why they had stalled for time while talking to him?
“What happened in this Gate City today violated all kinds of unwritten rules of the Central Front. But thanks to that, it also created an opportunity for us.”
“.....”
“Right after your battle with the Conjoining Sorcerer ended. Right now, after you’ve retracted your domain. If not now, when you’ve scraped your mana reserves completely dry, there’d be no way to capture a monster like you.”
CLANK!!
The moment Roevid clenched his fist, countless metal bullets rose into the air and aimed themselves at Lennok.
Psychic force leaned heavily upon the lone figure standing amidst the ruined street, as if ready to pour down upon him at any moment.
Looking at Lennok’s ragged appearance, Roevid smiled.
“This isn’t a request, but you’d be wise not to resist. Your limbs don’t need to remain intact for us to force you to kneel before the Throne.”
“I see.”
Lennok raised his eyes as he replied.
The Ability Awakening Brigade was one of the largest powers in the Central Front, counted among the greatest organizations by both scale and influence.
An organization of that size could never be judged by a single standard, nor divided cleanly into friend and foe.
That was why Lennok had tried to honor his promises to them despite their notorious reputation—
Staring silently at the darkening sky, Lennok muttered,
“There’s no reason for me to overlook all of you just because I promised Bernard something.”
[Explosive Flame Sphere]
BOOOOOM!!
A flame rising from the far side of the street instantly condensed at incredible speed and exploded the head of an ability user.
The corpse, cleanly incinerated above the neck, staggered before collapsing.
“......!!!”
An incantation cast at such absurd speed that no one could even react despite the field suppressing the operation of willpower.
While the others flinched at the unreal phenomenon, Lennok pulled out a spiritual elixir and spoke.
“I’ll question Bernard about this later. For now, let’s deal with what needs to be dealt with.”
“Treadburn...!!!”
“I’ll kill you.”
A declaration of murder devoid of any emotion.
The chilling message sent a spear of cold dread through the hearts of the surrounding ability users, causing them to retreat.
Watching them, Roevid clicked his tongue and stepped forward.
“...Right. If we’re hunting an Archmage, it’d be ridiculous not to put in at least this much effort.”
WHIIIIING!!!
The metal bullets floating at Roevid’s command began spinning.
“I’ll take the lead. Everyone move!!”
Hundreds of metal bullets launched toward Lennok.
Roevid accelerated even faster than they did.
Enhanced elemental abilities descended upon the field erected by the ability users.
Amidst the rain of bullets and the activation of countless powers, Lennok slowly drew up his mana.
The moment Lennok turned toward the incoming killing intent with a blazing curtain at his back—
“Tsk... insects.”
Along with a low click of the tongue, something pale slammed into Roevid’s body at tremendous speed.
KWAAAAANG!!!
A charge that exceeded the speed of sound.
A murderous mass like a dump truck crashing into a person.
Roevid reacted with astonishing speed and raised a steel plate in defense, but it was useless.
CRACK!!
The steel plate he had pulled from beneath his feet shattered apart.
A gaunt old man revealed himself.
“You...!!!”
“Silence.”
Before Roevid could say anything else, the old man opened his palm and placed it against Roevid’s side.
That alone crumpled Roevid’s armor and sent him flying across the street.
BOOOOOM!!!
Accompanied by a shockwave that seemed to crush the air itself, the old man sent Roevid hurtling away before stepping in front of Lennok.
Lennok identified the face of the old man dressed in pure white robes and muttered,
“...Barbaria.”
The high-ranking Watcher of Eyes of the Blue who had undergone surgery in the Conjoining Sorcerer’s operating room.
Jebyeok Yanicus Barbaria.
Had the tyrant of Kaishu whom Lennok released from the operating room still remained in this city?
“I wondered why you came to the Gate. So you’d joined hands with those Brigade fools.”
The old man glanced back at Lennok as though he found him pathetic.
“To associate with people so full of superiority that they don’t even consider anyone besides fellow ability users human. Your judgment seems not even worthy of following behind your strength.”
“....”
A bizarre rebuke that sounded like he was insulting Lennok while simultaneously praising his abilities to an absurd degree.
Did he also know that Lennok had defeated the Conjoining Sorcerer?
“I told you not to do anything unnecessary and just escape quietly.”
Lennok put away the pill he had been about to swallow and replied,
“It hasn’t even been half a day since your surgery ended. Are you trying to die?”
“Ha! A mere heart disease? At this point I hardly care anymore.”
Jebyeok snorted and pounded his chest.
“I entrusted surgery to that Sorcerer fellow. If I die here afterward, then that is simply my destiny. Stand up. I shall personally guide you beyond the Gate City.”
Leaving the ability users surrounding them on all sides, Jebyeok turned around.
“I, Yanicus Barbaria, do not forget debts, even those owed to a lowborn who should rightfully serve me.”
Flicking his splendid robes behind him, he glared at the ability users.
“I shall ensure that you have another chance to meet that Lighthouse Keeper.”
“I think you’re misunderstanding something.”
Lennok had no issue with Jebyeok joining the battle, but he had no intention of returning to Eyes of the Blue.
Just as Lennok opened his mouth to clear up the misunderstanding—
“What touching camaraderie.”
KWAANG!!
The leaning tavern exploded apart as Roevid stepped out from the rubble.
“Watching Watchers lick each other’s wounds is enough to make me sick.”
Covered in steel as though wearing gigantic bones, Roevid smiled coldly at Jebyeok and Lennok.
“Yanicus Barbaria. What exactly do you think will change just because someone like you joins the Lighthouse Keeper’s mission?”
“Shut up, insect.”
“...”
Roevid’s expression turned blank in disbelief at the sudden verbal abuse.
Jebyeok narrowed his eyes and looked down at him.
“What gives creatures dependent on a lunatic like Aphelia the right to lecture anyone?”
“Hey, old man.”
Roevid’s face chilled at Jebyeok’s casual disparagement of Aphelia.
“You should watch your mouth. Don’t you know the Throne might be watching this place?”
“Even if that cross-eyed thing is staring this way, it doesn’t bother me in the slightest.”
Jebyeok stepped forward and sneered.
“Why would I fear an epileptic who can’t even control her own limbs?”
“......I’ll kill you.”
Roevid’s face twisted grotesquely as he raised his psychic power.
The other ability users followed suit.
Leaving only the minimum personnel necessary to maintain the field, everyone else moved into formation.
As the ability users closed in from both front and back, surrounding the two men, Lennok spoke.
“Barbaria. Take care of that metal user. I’ll kill the others.”
“Seems your battle against the Sorcerer exhausted you. Have you lost the courage to face the stronger opponent?”
“For personal reasons, I need to kill as many Brigade members as possible.”
Mikal Zellich had said that transferring the Consciousness Weapon required the lives of Brigade members.
Since there was no telling how much would be consumed during the transfer process, preparing as much as possible beforehand was the wiser course.
His mana had recovered by roughly half, but his body was still far from fully restored.
With Jebyeok’s assistance, things would be much easier.
“Well, fine. There happened to be something I still wanted to test.”
Jebyeok snorted and pulled out a medicine bottle.
“If the elixir you gave me isn’t as effective as you promised, I’ll make you pay.”
“...You were still saving that?”
Just as Lennok replied in disbelief, Jebyeok uncorked the bottle and swallowed its contents.
The moment the approaching ability users rushed him with flames and psychic force gathered in their hands—
KWAAAAANG!!
Crimson mana erupted explosively and instantly blasted them backward.
“Ghk...!!”
“What is this pressure...!!”
The ability users had no chance to respond to the sudden release of mana.
Jebyeok, his eyes glowing red, vanished among them.
As he brushed past, the limbs of those he touched twisted and snapped.
CRACKLE!!
The tyrant who once ruled Kaishu.
Yanicus Barbaria was a Level 8 physical ability user.
Among them, he was a martial artist who had reached the pinnacle through barehanded combat techniques and joint-lock arts.
Every technique he performed using his body as a weapon was a killing art capable of tearing apart the human body.
CRACKKK!!
He merely touched people, yet horrifying sounds like ancient trees splitting apart echoed out.
Ability users all around began collapsing with desperate screams.
“AAAAARGH!!”
“M-my leg...!!”
“Scream louder, insects...!!”
A childishly pure smile had blossomed across Jebyeok’s face.
As though the act of crushing human bodies with his own hands brought him indescribable joy.
His innate nature itself was that of a villain who loved killing.
Just as Jebyeok crushed more than a dozen ability users in an instant and reached toward those who remained—
A massive metal pillar dropped before and behind him, and Roevid smashed a fist into his face.
KWAANG!!
Through the fluttering robes, Jebyeok’s and Roevid’s eyes met.
“I heard you were an old man on the verge of death, but you seem lively enough. Must be the medicine you just took.”
“I feel invigorated whenever I’m killing fresh young pups.”
“Let’s see how long you keep spouting senile nonsense...!!”
TATATATATANG!!
Dozens upon dozens of metal pillars slammed down around them.
Inside the cage of metal formed around the pair, Jebyeok’s and Roevid’s fists collided.
KWAANG!!
The metal armor protecting Roevid exploded apart, exposing bruised flesh beneath.
Sharp metal bullets sprayed forth, shredding Jebyeok’s robes.
Their arms and shoulders collided, bounced apart, then instantly closed the distance once more.
CRACKLE!!
Each clash produced sickening sounds of joints, bones, ligaments, and muscles tearing apart.
“......!!!”
“Old man!! Is this all you’ve got?”
Jebyeok’s complexion had turned pale.
Roevid relentlessly pressed the attack.
While dropping waves of scorching flames onto other ability users, Lennok tilted his head as he watched.
Muscle and ligament damage could be endured.
But bone fractures should not have been sustainable for long.
Yet Roevid continued fighting even while Jebyeok’s joint techniques shattered his entire body.
“Don’t tell me... he replaced all of his bones with metal?”
KWAANG!!
Driving Jebyeok back, Roevid slammed him between the metal pillars.
His fists rained down upon the aging body over the white robes.
“You said heart disease, right? Your pulse seems weak. Want me to perform CPR?!!”
“Khup...!! Not even funny...!!”
BANG! BANG!!
Ignoring the damage accumulating in his own body, Jebyeok looked down at Roevid.
There was unmistakable mockery in his eyes as he watched Roevid focus obsessively on striking him.
“The limits of your pitiful imagination end there.”
“What?”
CRACK!!
At that moment, Roevid’s neck suddenly twisted counterclockwise and snapped.
“......!!”
“You believed replacing and repairing your bones with metal would be enough?”
Grabbing Roevid’s neck as he collapsed, Jebyeok bared a vicious smile.
“If I knead the muscles into contraction and twist the nerves, no skeleton can withstand it, no matter how strong.”
“....”
“You learned martial arts incorrectly. You should have kept your distance and answered with metal manipulation. And yet you dared challenge me in close combat?”
KWAANG!!
Jebyeok shattered a metal pillar with one strike and kicked Roevid away.
“I’ll tear your head off.”
“Lord Roevid...!!!”
The ability users who had been helplessly pushed back by Lennok shouted his name in panic.
But there was nothing they could do.
Just as Roevid clenched his teeth, unable to rise after the shock of having his neck twisted backward—
“Ah~ everyone freeze right there.”
FWOOSH!!
Along with a languid female voice, Jebyeok’s body stopped in place.
Gigantic bat wings spread across the sky, plunging the battlefield into darkness.
“Thank goodness. I’m not too late, am I?”
Among the ruins littered with ability-user corpses.
On the battlefield where metal pillars lay broken and bent.
A woman casually draped an arm over Jebyeok’s shoulder.
Heavy makeup utterly unsuited for a battlefield.
Blood smeared bright red around her eyes like mascara.
“I mean, I arrived at the Gate expecting Treadburn, but some weird old grandpa was fighting instead.”
The woman laughed brightly and tilted her head toward Jebyeok.
“You should at least explain what’s going on here, don’t you think?”
“Who are you?”
Jebyeok brushed away her arm and slowly turned his head.
Though injured, the fact remained that he had not sensed her approach at all.
Despite carrying bat wings dozens of meters wide on her back, she moved with abnormal stealth.
Though she appeared human, she felt distinctly inhuman.
Lennok tossed aside the corpse of the ability user he had just burned to death and turned with a hardened expression.
“You are...”
A face he had never seen before.
Yet the moment he saw the extravagantly made-up woman, the holy mark engraved on his right wrist throbbed.
The authority of the Priestess left behind by Priestess Seina Naidri.
The holy mark reacting could only mean—
“Ta-da I’m an Apostle”
FWOOSH!
The woman grabbed Jebyeok by the collar and hurled him away.
At the same time, she kicked Roevid in the stomach and sent him flying as well.
KWAAAAANG!!
The two superhumans shot more than dozens of meters in opposite directions and crashed into the ruins.
The woman smiled brightly.
“Seventh Apostle of the Gido Cult, Lariata Armush. Appearing under direct orders from headquarters!”
“........”
“And you...”
The Seventh Apostle slowly turned toward Lennok.
For an instant, her eyes filled with icy hatred.
“You’re the Apostle-killing bastard who murdered our adorable little sister, Amrita?”