Ch.12843. To the Sanctuary (3)

Mana accelerated rapidly from the Mana Heart.

Simultaneously, I was busy calculating the spell formula in my mind. Resonance compression. As a hybrid spell of two elements, the variables in the formula doubled.

No, with compression calculations included, the complexity of the computation increased exponentially.

But that calculation was already completed in real time, and I finished preparing to cast through the Wind Cutter.

Perhaps even the grand elders of the Magic Tower would be amazed at my calculation speed, but I felt no particular pride in it.

‘The Twelve Apostles.’

The elite of the Red Lake and the most heinous villains leading the resurrection of the Evil God. The gaze of Count Ghoul, a member of the Twelve Apostles, was directed toward our group.

No, to be precise, it was directed at me.

The vampire’s distinctive, ominous gaze that stiffens one’s limbs swept over me.

“Hmm. What an interesting spell. Two elemental attributes simultaneously? But you should know this. Using multi-elemental magic clumsily is worse than mastering just one.”

In an instant, Count Ghoul raised his staff.

The red mist gathering around it transformed into a snake and then extended toward Arin, who was climbing the altar.

‘Bastard. So he’s targeting Arin first, as expected.’

He showed complete disregard for me, who was aiming at him with the Wind Cutter.

But he had good reason for such confidence. He was one of the Twelve Apostles. Lee Seon-woo, whom Soso and I had faced, was also one of the Twelve Apostles, but Count Ghoul was far more dangerous.

Count Ghoul was a contractor of a Greater Demon. Lee Seon-woo must have also contracted with a demon, but a Greater Demon was on an entirely different level.

The magical energy around us was soaring extremely high, just like when Crosel appeared in Paju.

‘Is the Greater Demon already being summoned?’

However, I needed to deal with that mist snake first. I had no room to focus elsewhere.

But now I was with the guild member I trusted most. She would have already made her move.

‘I need to deal with that snake first!’

The snake was already flying toward Arin and Priest Marco.

KWAKWAKWAKWAKWABOOM-

I immediately detonated the blue flame.

Blue flame, the most sophisticated fire structure a flame sorcerer can create. That blue fire, extremely accelerated by wind-attribute mana, engulfed the Count’s body like a TNT explosion.

KYAAAAAAAK-

The snake heading toward Arin had its body severed on the spot.

Soon after, the snake filled with magical energy was reabsorbed by the Count.

“Hmm? Blue flame, you say. Could it be that you created it yourself?”

And the Count, who had been looking at me like an insect, finally showed an interested expression.

“Someone who looks so young creating such high-level blue flame? How curious. You don’t appear to be Ailetanian. To think that a young man from Earth could manifest such magic.”

But his attitude remained infinitely relaxed. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he said to me:

“Wait. A flame sorcerer. That disgusting holy fire that split my red mist earlier… Could that also have been your creation?”

“What if it was?”

“Oh. How interesting. You certainly don’t look like a priest of the Cross Society. How did you acquire their holy artifact?”

“I have no intention of telling you, so shut up.”

“Hmm. You look docile, but you’ve got quite a temper. Well, flame sorcerers are usually like that. More importantly, a holy artifact of the Cross Society… hehe.”

His gaze turned sticky.

“The realm of impurity can corrupt even Ayel’s power and rebirth it as my magical energy. I don’t know how you were chosen by the holy fire, but I will take that holy fire. If I accept that holy fire into my body… ah… my master Lord Murmur will be so pleased…!!”

Like a villain dominated by desire, his drug addict-like tone was extremely disgusting.

At the same time, the mist blooming around him began to emit an even more revolting magical energy.

‘He said Murmur. Then he must be the Greater Demon King of Wisdom. One of the 72 demons.’

My Mana Heart grew hotter. The holy fire of Parma was reacting so strongly that it made my Mana Heart pulsate.

Without a doubt, this meant the summoning of the Greater Demon was imminent. But that couldn’t happen.

‘I might be able to face one of the Twelve Apostles, but with our current strength, we can’t directly confront a Greater Demon.’

There was only one way. A Greater Demon, an extremely impure being of purgatory.

But even such a Greater Demon could be confronted by a saint in whom Ayel’s power is directly manifested.

‘Like Chae Min-a in the original work.’

So until Arin’s manifestation as a saint was complete, I had to hold off that Count.

“Hmm? Strange. The time for Lord Murmur’s manifestation on earth has already passed… hmm?”

The Count’s expression hardened. Where the magical energy concentrated on the island. Not far from where the Count stood, there was a hexagram drawn in blood.

“Some rat is interfering…”

And above that hexagram, an ice barrier was summoned. As I thought, Yuri had made her move.

***

“Haa… haa… haa…”

Nivis was emitting blue light incessantly.

Yuri desperately concealed her mana presence from Count Ghoul. While Minsu was drawing his attention.

She found the hexagram where the island’s magical energy was concentrated.

‘This should delay the Greater Demon’s summoning to some extent.’

Over the ominous hexagram that seemed drawn in blood, Yuri summoned an eternal barrier.

The realm of impurity. The amplified magical energy interfered with raising the dominance of freezing mana, but her dominance was not to be underestimated.

No, it was powerful enough to temporarily block even a Greater Demon’s manifestation. Except perhaps for the transcendental divine power of a priest manifesting Ayel’s power.

Binding the magical energy of a summoning circle with pure mana dominance was common-sensically impossible.

But Yuri was accomplishing this feat with the help of Nivis.

The ice barrier formed like a cage was successfully suppressing the magical energy.

“Haa… haa…”

However, she had already consumed considerable mana in the previous battle. And raising mana dominance consumed a tremendous amount of mana.

If not for the S-class gear Nivis, Yuri would have already collapsed from exhaustion.

‘Nivis. Lend me more power.’

WOOOONG-

Nivis resonated, infusing more mana into the eternal barrier. An ordinary gear would have already been destroyed from mana overload.

But Nivis, the treasure of the Tarkovskaya family, was enduring.

‘But… it’s not enough. If only… if only I had evolved Nivis to its third form earlier.’

Yuri’s ice magic had hit a wall. It wasn’t for lack of effort, but she had been too fatigued physically and mentally from recent overwork.

Above all, the emotional pain from the situation with Minsu had been too great.

‘Still… I can do better from now on.’

Minsu had clearly stated it himself. That there was nothing between him and Soso. Then perhaps her thought that they had spent the night together was a misunderstanding.

‘Yes. It must have been my delusion and misunderstanding. Minsu… couldn’t have chosen… Soso over me.’

And Arin too. If Arin truly becomes a saint today, Saint Arin also wouldn’t be able to progress her relationship with Minsu.

Before coming to this sacred place, Minsu had clearly said:

‘If I become stronger, Minsu said he wouldn’t have interest in other people.’

Because Minsu wants revenge. Because he wants the annihilation of the Red Lake. Then she just needs to become stronger, to be helpful to Minsu.

‘Then Minsu will look at me again. He’ll embrace me, not Soso.’

KEEEEEEEK-

Nivis emitted a resonance like a scream. Even the eternal barrier was struggling to block the Greater Demon’s magical energy.

‘Yuri Tarkovskaya. Focus… focus more!’

KWAKWAKWAKWAKWABOOM-

An explosion sounded nearby. It must be the sound of Minsu’s flame spell exploding. Before creating the eternal barrier, Minsu and Count Ghoul were already confronting each other.

Unconsciously, she almost turned her head in that direction. She was worried about Minsu.

‘No. I must endure. If I fail to maintain the barrier here, I’ll only cause harm to Minsu.’

But she couldn’t help worrying. It had only been half a year since Minsu returned from a serious injury.

However, Minsu’s magic was reaching a level that amazed even Yuri, a fellow magician. And the firepower his blue flame created had destructive power beyond common sense.

‘Will he really be alright? I feel uneasy somehow…’

Minsu’s long hospitalization was due to his Mana Heart injury. The rapid increase in firepower might be putting a strain on Minsu’s Mana Heart.

‘When this mission is over, I must meet Professor Seong Chae-rin. Something’s strange. Somewhere…’

But she had no luxury to ponder such doubts. Yuri gripped Nivis tightly with her other hand.

‘It’ll be fine. Minsu will be. Absolutely. Otherwise… I couldn’t go on living.’

The eternal barrier caught her eye inadvertently.

Eternal barrier. A high-level spell created by the Magic Towers of Ailetan and the Slavic Kingdom.

Theoretically, an eternal barrier at its peak could seal anything. Even time itself.

‘If perhaps Minsu… if a moment comes when Minsu’s life is in danger, I too.’

But Yuri shook her head. That wouldn’t happen. Once they capture the Red Lake, her time with Minsu would flow anew, just like back in Eins.

Along with Nivis, Yuri’s eternal barrier vibrated violently.

***

KWAKWAKWAKWAKWABOOM-

Once again, blue flame exploded. Fire spells were effective against his red mist.

“Tch. Casting spells again…”

The Count’s pale face grew even paler.

I didn’t spare my spells. If I couldn’t stop Count Ghoul here, there would be no future.

‘If Arin dies before becoming a saint, stopping the Evil God would be impossible.’

Then the world would irreversibly become the Red Lake’s world. I prepared another blue flame with resonance compression in my Wind Cutter.

WOOOOOONG-

Simultaneously, a violent resonance sounded from my Mana Heart. It was different from the normal resonance when mana accelerates and amplifies a spell.

It was a clear rejection response.

I shouted inwardly.

– Hong-ok. I can still use more, so don’t block my spell.

But the acceleration of the blue flame, its RPM, was dropping. The blue flame couldn’t be maintained and scattered into the air.

– Hong-ok. Why are you interfering with me!

However, even without her answer, I knew the reason. Beyond the burning pain in my mana road, my entire body felt like it was being torn apart.

My source mana was leaking.

Count Ghoul, one of the Twelve Apostles and highly infamous in Ailetan, was not only attacking me directly with black magic using red mist but had also summoned numerous undead.

Priest Marco and three holy knights were by Arin’s side, but they couldn’t handle all those undead.

I had to check Count Ghoul while also attacking the undead with blue flame. Naturally, an unimaginable amount of mana was consumed.

I was barely holding on because Hong-ok’s third seal had been released, increasing my usable mana. But the backlash was so severe that I thought passing out might be better.

‘Still, I need to use one more spell.’

The Count had no physical form. With ordinary spells, I couldn’t deliver a critical hit to someone who quickly changes his body into red mist.

So I had no choice but to check him with the area damage caused by blue flame explosions.

As I forcibly gripped the Wind Cutter and tried to prepare another spell,

Hong-ok, of her own will, spoke directly to me.

– Please listen to me, my lord.