Ch.114My Prey. (1)

‘Space Separation’ is originally a grand magic used by Melina.

It’s a magic that forcibly turns a many-against-one battle into a one-on-one fight.

Since mages are typically stronger against multiple opponents rather than in single combat, it’s not used often…

But in this situation, it demonstrated maximum efficiency.

The light gathered in Olivia’s hand exploded.

CRACK!

The space shattered like glass, completely separating the three Returners. The Master of Dark, who had been rushing toward them, was blocked by something. As if there were an invisible wall.

“This is…”

The scenery hadn’t changed. Olivia was still standing with her back turned. But he couldn’t reach her.

SCREECH!

The dark weapon swung with full force was blocked by the spatial wall. It created small cracks, but nothing more.

Watching them struggle beyond the invisible wall, Olivia smiled.

Then she asked the one who remained in the same space with her:

“You said three would be enough?”

Surely, it would be.

The Rebel was certain. Given who their opponent was, he felt no shame in teaming up with two other top-tier powerhouses of the continent. After all, pride is the privilege of the living.

‘Last time, even two of us lost.’

But three should be enough.

That’s what he had believed until just moments ago.

The Rebel glared ahead with wary eyes.

“Did you plan this from the beginning?”

The Rebel facing Olivia raised his shield. The shield, imbued with adamantine mana, instantly expanded to envelop his body.

Olivia observed without making hasty movements. That wasn’t just a simple shield. Like a kaleidoscope reflecting light, it bounced back any incoming attacks.

So she feigned composure and answered his question.

“No. I clearly gave you all a chance to escape. Yet you followed me in.”

“If we had run, you would have pursued us.”

“Perhaps. But at least I wouldn’t have tried to kill you like the ‘me’ you speak of.”

Mana stirred. The Rebel’s defensive power was beyond imagination. He once said that a leader of revolution must be a pillar others can rely on.

That’s why he used a shield. Because it specialized in protection above all else.

If he decided to endure, even Olivia couldn’t easily break through.

His defensive power didn’t come from physical toughness, but from his will.

The Rebel kept his eyes fixed on Olivia as she approached slowly.

Vibrations echoed from beyond the separated space. The Devilhunter and the Master of Dark were unleashing attacks to break through.

The cracks in the wall were gradually growing larger.

But strangely, Olivia wasn’t attacking the Rebel.

As the standoff continued, his thoughts grew more complex.

Why had she chosen him as her opponent instead of the Devilhunter or the Master of Dark?

Logically, eliminating the archer or assassin first would be the rational choice.

The Rebel tightened his grip on the shield.

[The durability of the grand magic ‘Space Separation’ is rapidly decreasing.]

[Current destruction rate: 37.84%]

‘About 20 seconds left.’

The reason she chose the Rebel as her opponent was simple.

[The owner of Clue #6 is the ‘Rebel’.]

She never had any other choice from the beginning.

“Isn’t it funny?”

She asked with a smile.

“You claim you don’t remember anything, yet you rush to kill me like a madman.”

“The denial of a lunatic lacks credibility.”

“Ironically, you’re the ones who don’t remember.”

“…What?”

At that moment, Olivia released the mana churning in her heart.

RUMBLE…!

The air vibrated. The Rebel watched Olivia with a tense expression. He had lost in a two-on-one fight, so he had no chance in a one-on-one battle. His companions would rejoin in a few seconds, but he wasn’t confident he could hold out until then.

The space turned white.

Countless lightning bolts flew horizontally and exploded.

BOOM!

With sparks flying, the Rebel’s body was pushed back dozens of steps. The blood vessels throughout his body swelled as if about to burst.

The Rebel was shocked.

‘Is she not thinking this through…?!’

His mana had reflective properties. So when Olivia showed signs of using her full power, he actually saw it as an opportunity.

After all, she would have to withstand her own full power reflected back at her.

But the attacks continued relentlessly. The space was dyed in a blinding white light.

“Kuh!”

The first to groan was the Rebel himself. He was no longer just being pushed back—he was being buried into the ground.

CRASH!

“You’re holding up well.”

As Olivia said this, red blood was trickling from the corner of her mouth too. It was from the attacks the Rebel had reflected back.

It was painful. The masterless lightning energy crawled up her blood vessels, gnawing at her entire body. The sharp pain made her vision blur.

This couldn’t be blocked. The only way to stop it was to cease the attack.

That’s why she needed to end this quickly. Once the other Returners broke through the wall, the momentum would shift to their side.

Both of Olivia’s hands glowed white. If the previous attack was lightning energy, this one was cold energy.

TSSSS!

The cold energy shot toward the ground caught the Rebel’s feet. He gritted his teeth as he looked down at his legs. Chilling cold was climbing up his body from below. He could break free by concentrating mana in his lower body, but that would disrupt his stance.

【You won’t be able to dodge if you stay still.】

Olivia muttered loud enough for him to hear. Somehow, despite the world being filled with thunderous noise, Olivia’s voice was clear.

【Fusion.】

Thousands, tens of thousands of lightning bolts transformed into a massive sphere following Olivia’s gesture.

Taking it a step further, she twisted it into a spiral shape.

ROAR!

She fired something brighter than the sun straight downward.

【Try to endure this too.】

An attack that transcended lightning, something that could no longer be called lightning.

The ultimate form of thunder.

The primordial lightning derived from the light of creation.

“AAAAH!”

The Rebel roared loudly as he desperately drew up all his mana. At the same time, he sensed death approaching.

That had transcended the realm of magic.

Reflect it. Somehow reflect it.

He abandoned the thought of survival. Instead, he resolved to somehow deflect even a fragment of that lightning.

The Rebel’s world was dyed in darkness.

A paradox.

It was so bright that nothing could be seen. Hence, darkness.

“…!”

His body was being scorched even before contact. The lightning advanced, exploding hundreds, thousands of times. Screams shattered before reaching his ears.

Sensation disappeared from his fingertips closest to the shield.

‘I’m dying.’

Crack.

The world collapsed. At least, that’s how the Rebel felt.

A massive hole had appeared in the shield that seemed impenetrable. He tried to make a surprised face, but even that was impossible.

His body felt heavy.

The ground suddenly came closer.

“…Kugh.”

Olivia swallowed a groan as she landed on the ground. There was a large hole in the Rebel’s abdomen.

At this rate, he would stop breathing soon.

Olivia rummaged through her spatial storage while taking intermittent breaths.

She also had a hole in her lower abdomen, no smaller than the Rebel’s.

It was because she had forcibly reduced the power at the last moment that the Rebel had been able to deflect it.

‘Heal, need to heal…’

Olivia hurriedly took out a potion and poured it into the Rebel’s mouth. His crumbled skin fell away, and slowly new flesh began to grow. When most of the hole was filled, a notification window appeared.

[You have subdued the Returner ‘Rebel’ without killing him.]

[You acquire Clue #6.]

‘Finally succeeded…’

SWOOSH.

A flash of light pierced through Olivia’s body. She staggered heavily.

Simultaneously, a voice was heard.

“…What the hell are you doing.”

Beyond the collapsed wall, the Devilhunter was aiming her bow.

Her face was filled with confusion.

“As if that would… make us…”

Olivia couldn’t hear the rest.

She collapsed as if broken. She had lost too much blood.

If she had known this would happen, she should have drunk the potion first.

No, if she had, the Rebel would have died.

THUD.

Footsteps approached.

Olivia was now in such a state that she couldn’t even lift her head.

‘…What incredible coincidence.’

From now on, perhaps she could obtain clues even if she was subdued instead.

It was amazing how everything aligned perfectly, like a prophecy.

‘If I can survive, that is.’

Before she knew it, the Devilhunter had come right up to Olivia.

CREAK.

The sound of a bowstring being drawn.

“I won’t kill you right away…”

The Devilhunter stopped mid-sentence.

RUMBLE!

The ground shook as if an earthquake had struck. Through the dust, red eyes gleamed. The Devilhunter whipped her head around. Her eyes widened.

A demon.

No, that was beyond a mere demon. Even the strongest demon she had ever hunted was insignificant compared to this being.

[I sensed the remnants of the Demon God and came.]

The Archdemon, Agares.

He walked slowly. There was no mistake. He was a seeker of demonic power.

The reason he had readily accepted the ridiculous position as the head of the Demon God Church was purely out of loyalty to the Demon God.

Agares slowly looked around. Each one was a top-tier powerhouse.

‘…The Golden Tower Master wasn’t the only one to worry about.’

Among them, the energy of the woman collapsed on the ground was particularly alarming.

‘Impressive.’

Despite being in tatters, her mana was immeasurable.

He understood why Yekaterina had been defeated so easily.

[Hmm.]

Agares reached out toward Olivia. Keeping such a mage alive would surely lead to trouble later.

Just as he was about to end Olivia’s life.

With a CRACK, an arrow pierced through Agares’s palm.

“…Don’t touch her.”

The Devilhunter said, emanating a terrifying aura.

“She’s my prey.”