NOVEL NEXT Chapter 63
When I arrived at the gathering place, the two monsters were closing in on each other with the Troubleshooter group in the middle.
One was the mass of Silver Threads that the Argyrion Mages had been dealing with rather calmly just moments ago.
The other was…
the Lightning Giant. Its gigantic form, made up of dark clouds, roared as lightning writhed within. Each twist of its body echoed with thunder—a testament to its overwhelming Magic Power.
‘What is that?’
Judging by the position of the Troubleshooters who had just fled, it seemed like it was a being that had crawled up from the Deep Level. That confused me even more.
‘There was nothing like that when I came out?’
I hadn’t analyzed the Deep Level properly, but a being that looked this dangerously insane shouldn’t have existed!
If there was something that looked this dangerous, I would’ve taken a step back, regardless of any artifacts, and planned my strategy properly.
I was lost in thought. How did something like that suddenly appear?
There was only one suspicious entity: the bottom room of the Deep Level. Something sealed inside it.
‘But…’
The moment I recognized that, I closed my eyes to prevent my brain from overloading, but I could tell its seal was structurally stable in some way.
The Torres Tower wasn’t some inexperienced little Mage Tower. Unless they recklessly ripped the seal off without following the excavation procedure, there shouldn’t have been a situation where anything inside could go on a rampage!
“Stop the Silver Thread Worm immediately!”
A sharp voice cut through my troubled thoughts.
*
The Silver Thread Worm, which Argyrion and the Torres Tower desperately tried to suppress, had been flailing about, overflowing with power, until it was dragged into the gathering area. It swung its Silver Threads like they were glowing, targeting everything that could absorb Magic Power.
The Argyrion Mages tried to restrain the Silver Thread Worm with telekinesis, but they couldn’t catch each and every thread. In the chaos, the power units of the ships docked at Crete Island were destroyed. It was the result of the Silver Threads burrowing into the Magic Power stored in the engines.
Through that process, the Silver Thread Worm had been able to regenerate most of the lost threads. The Argyrion Mages had consumed over 60% of the increased Magic Power granted by the blessing of the Divine to restrain that massive mass of threads.
Even so, they believed the situation had turned in their favor. If they fought within the ruins, the Silver Thread Worm’s recovery would outpace their consumption. If the threads had breached the core of the ruins’ Mage Tower, it would have resulted in an unimaginable disaster.
However, by drawing it into an open space with no Magic Power sources to absorb, it became a fair fight.
The blessing of the Divine not only increased their Magic Power but also elevated their wisdom in handling magic. If they unleashed all the abilities they had, the Silver Thread Worm, unable to sustain continuous recovery, would soon be subdued.
What shattered that expectation was the Lightning Giant that had crawled up from the Deep Level.
From within the giant, I sensed overwhelming Magic Power. If the Silver Thread Worm absorbed the power that constituted the giant, it would be impossible for the Mages present to hold it back.
The Silver Thread Worm sensed the Magic Power emanating from the giant as well. Following the instinct etched into its being, it directed its threads towards the giant.
It was truly ironic that the Lightning Giant, Keranos, must have had the same thought. His immense hunger recognized the pure Mana within the Silver Thread Worm. If he could devour all that Mana, he could finally sate his long-standing hunger.
The two behemoths recognized each other as prey. It was a horrifying situation.
No matter who won, there would be no hope for the Mages of Crete Island.
Keranos extended his hands to the sky. Ash-like particles rose from his body, darkening the clouds. Then rumble.
The sky roared as a heavy downpour began. A flash of lightning burst from the dark clouds as bolts began to converge.
In contrast to the sophisticated and magical attack from Keranos, the Silver Thread Worm’s strategy was simple: move closer and absorb.
The Silver Thread Worm began to lash out with threads, devouring everything with Magic Power that approached it. The Mages instinctively felt that they must not let one of the beasts consume the other.
They desperately tried to maintain the balance of power. When Keranos scorched the Silver Thread Worm with his lightning spear, he blew off its right leg, and when the Silver Thread Worm ensnared Keranos’s arm, he severed that thread.
The battle between the two monsters would only conclude after they had exhausted one another as much as possible.
Amidst that desperate struggle, Karuto spotted a silhouette far away.
The Blasphemia agent who had brought the Silver Thread Worm. He stood atop a ridge.
‘That’s him. If I defeat that guy, I can regain control of the Silver Thread Worm!’
Argyrion Mage, Karuto, moved resolutely to eliminate the Blasphemia agent.
Of course, Orthes had no knowledge of how to control the Silver Thread Worm.
*
“Oh, what’s going on?”
He replied with a sly smile. Karuto raised his hand and aimed his gun. A magic gun that charged bullets with the Mage’s Magic Power before firing.
‘He’s not reacting to this level of threat. That means he’s equipped with an automatic defense-type artifact…’
As a former Blasphemia agent, Karuto’s situational awareness was sharp. Even an automatic defense artifact would defend against attacks differently. More information was needed.
‘Is the artifact portable? Or is it a fixed-base defense type installed in a location?’
“What do you mean what’s going on? Can you not see the catastrophe before your eyes?”
“Catastrophe, you say?”
The Blasphemia agent smiled the same sinister smile as he looked down at the battlefield where Keranos and the Silver Thread Worm were engaged in a bloody fight. The Troubleshooters scattered and fleeing, while the Torres Tower and Argyrion remained, impeding the giants.
In that chilling laughter, Karuto realized two things.
‘He’s not moving, just turning his head. Fixed-base defense type. I can’t break through with the firepower of a magic gun. I need a stronger spell.’
The first was the type of artifact.
“Y-You want everyone to die, don’t you?”
The second was the Blasphemia agent’s disposition.
That agent wanted the traitor Argyrion, the traitor allied with the Torres Tower, and all the Troubleshooters and mercenaries under the Torres Tower to die.
Even if one could overlook the Torres Tower, wishing mercilessly for the death of the unaware Troubleshooters and mercenaries was a kind of madness that was hard to articulate.
It was a blind hatred carried by the enemies of the Ten Towers. Truly fanatical.
‘But the fact that an artifact of fixed-base defense has been set up means…’
It was clear that the recoil had affected the Mage who controlled the Silver Thread Worm when it was forcibly dragged out of the Deep Level. The choice to remain still while focusing on control, having sustained injuries that made moving while manipulating the threads difficult.
He must have been ready to willingly sacrifice his own life to eliminate the enemies of the Ten Towers.
“Are you not afraid for your life…?”
Karuto pretended to be overwhelmed by the agent’s insanity, stepping back. A natural gesture to buy time. Using that interval, a supplementary computing device activated magic.
As soon as the signal confirming that the spell had finished loading flashed in my mind, I launched my attack. I had to prevent him from casting magic.
If I took him down, my comrade Lugret could cast the control spell on the Silver Thread Worm again and turn the situation around!
*
‘Ah, so the Silver Thread Worm was what that mass of Silver Threads was called.’
An Argyrion Mage conjured dozens of flames in the air and fired them.
Had I been as preoccupied with controlling the Silver Thread Worm as he thought I was, I surely would have been unable to escape the explosion and would have died.
But I wasn’t a Mage.
From the moment Argyrion approached, my vigilance had been at its peak. As soon as the signs of magic were visible, I prepared to counterattack.
The attack and evasion occurred simultaneously, crossing paths. A look of disbelief. In that instant of confusion, my High-Frequency Blade split his body in two.
“You… you’re not a Mage…?”
The Argyrion Mage couldn’t finish his sentence and collapsed.
Though the immediate threat had been resolved…
‘What now?’
The Silver Thread Worm was rampaging beyond anyone’s control, and the Lightning Giant couldn’t be controlled either.
I looked down at the entrance to the Deep Level.
‘What were the Torres Tower folks thinking to open the room with that thing inside?’
There had to be something they trusted to have released the giant’s seal.
I dashed toward the Deep Level. Fortunately, the giant’s emergence had obliterated all the traps and mazes, creating a new direct path connecting the innermost room and the entrance.
‘Anything will do!’
*
The situation was desperate. After one of the Argyrion Mages had disappeared, saying to his comrades, “I’ll take out the mastermind, so immediately cast the control spell on the Silver Thread Worm as soon as its hold is released,” the Mages reached their limit.
They were utterly unable to stop the two giants from colliding head-on.
The storm clouds swirled around the Silver Thread Worm, and silver threads burrowed into the giant’s body. It was a grotesque intertwining of mutual consumption.
In the distance, a footstep echoed. Lugret, who had been waiting for Karuto, turned her head.
The figure approaching through the clouds was not the person she had been waiting for.