Ch.141Chapter 141. Before Things Get Bigger (3)

“I’m certain.”

Looking at the marks scratched on the floor, I was convinced.

Fortunately, Elaine was definitely alive and doing her best to give me information.

“Yuria.”

“With a bit more information, I should be able to track her.”

Yuria answered me without opening her closed eyes.

As soon as I received the call from Cynthia, I went to find Yuria first.

Just as Cynthia had said, the situation had already been relayed to Yuria. When I arrived, she stood up immediately as if she had been waiting for me.

Then Yuria and I immediately moved to the Sinclair mansion.

Yuria skillfully took control of the chaotic Sinclair mansion and prevented anyone from entering.

And she began her investigation right away.

When I first heard that Elaine had been kidnapped by Satan, my heart sank, but I quickly regained my composure.

Elaine’s kidnapping.

This was something I had experienced before.

After the incident where Kilvis kidnapped Elaine, I definitely learned something.

My classmates who were still academy students—not high-ranking officers like Erika or Yuria—would be in danger if left as they were.

I needed to figure out some countermeasures.

And this was the result.

To be honest, I didn’t expect Satan to openly kidnap Elaine.

If I had anticipated that, I would have prepared stronger countermeasures.

Elaine, as well as Cynthia and Emily, all carried emergency tracking devices.

In a more discreet and easier way than having them implanted inside their bodies like me and the Black Shadow Corps leaders.

It goes without saying that Yuria’s cooperation was a tremendous help in this process.

Yuria also did her best despite her busy schedule for her niece Emily’s sake.

The method Yuria devised was to track mana itself.

Mana, the energy essential for using abilities in Arcaria.

When mana enters an individual’s body and manifests as “energy,” it takes on unique properties specific to that person’s body.

It becomes completely different from the mana floating in the air.

Based on this principle, Yuria invented a technology that could track mana.

When the caster wishes, they leave a tracking signal embedded not in their body but in their “mana,” allowing others to see the signal and locate the caster.

I didn’t understand the principle, but I was certain that it was working well right now.

The marks that seemed to have been scratched on the floor by Elaine’s sword had white mana rippling and growing larger.

It was Elaine’s mana.

The fact that Elaine’s mana was growing meant that Elaine, who had been taken somewhere, was filling the tracker with mana.

Once enough mana accumulated to read the location, tracking would be possible.

“You’re doing well, Elaine.”

Yuria murmured with a satisfied tone as she caressed Elaine’s mana.

In truth, this tracker was truly a last-resort measure.

Originally, protective magic and barriers should have been deployed before the tracker to prevent the kidnapping in the first place, but it seemed Elaine had judged such measures meaningless in front of Satan.

A clever choice.

I gripped my Black Shadow Sword tightly as I watched Yuria reading the information contained in Elaine’s mana.

I had been suspicious when Satan wasn’t seen on the battlefield, but I never expected him to kidnap Elaine.

At most, I thought he might have escaped from the North and was causing trouble elsewhere, so I had been collecting information nationwide through Addy.

I let my guard down because Elaine was in the imperial capital and had taken various precautions against kidnapping.

Satan’s intention in taking Elaine was very clear.

He was definitely trying to get to me through Elaine.

‘It also means he’s conscious of me.’

Though it’s unfortunate for Elaine, her kidnapping was paradoxically hopeful.

It meant Satan was desperate enough to kidnap someone to get to me, rather than challenging me directly on his own.

‘I’ll ambush that bastard before he can prepare.’

Satan hadn’t officially announced that he had kidnapped Elaine yet.

That meant he wasn’t ready to face me yet.

If I could pinpoint Satan’s location and ambush him in this state, the chances of success would be high.

“Hmm.”

It would have been better if I could go when I was more comfortable using spatial cutting.

‘But this is no time to be picky.’

Reality differs from the ideal.

I had hoped to buy time and become more familiar with spatial cutting before facing Satan again.

“Oh!”

“Did you get it?”

“Yes! I’ll check the coordinates right away!”

Yuria began writing something in the air with mana in an excited voice.

The location tracking was complete.

**

“This place will do.”

“Mmph-!”

Satan looked around, completely ignoring Elaine who was floating in the air with her mouth gagged.

Arte had just finished filming Elaine to send a video to the humans.

Since he had instructed her to send it immediately after filming, the message should have been delivered to the humans, especially to Ryuyeong.

If you want to save this woman, come alone to the designated place in two days.

I will open a portal to that location in two days.

Satan ran simulations in his mind as he looked at the wide-open plain.

That guy who could freely jump through space would love this place.

There were no obstructions around and it was very spacious.

It was the optimal combat environment for someone who used space.

Ironically, Satan had chosen a location that Ryuyeong would like in order to kill him for certain.

He wanted to make him reckless with confidence by putting him in a favorable environment.

Humans were most off guard when they were certain of victory.

Satan planned to pretend to be on the defensive against Ryuyeong and then turn the tables in one go.

By secretly laying magic in the open plain that he would never notice.

It was a method that had almost succeeded when fighting against Crescen before.

Make him think it’s an empty space, then reverse the situation at the critical moment.

When Ryuyeong let his guard down thinking it was over, Satan would simultaneously activate the magic formations hidden in the air, and Ryuyeong would have nowhere to escape in this open area.

This technique had put even the mighty Crescen in a crisis, so Satan was confident it would be even more critical against Ryuyeong.

“Mmph!”

“Shut up.”

Satan raised Elaine even higher into the air, annoyed by her constant muffled noises.

Elaine screamed in surprise at the sudden ascent, but soon her voice could no longer be heard.

Satan had raised her high enough that her voice wouldn’t reach him.

When Ryuyeong arrived here, Satan planned to kill Elaine right in front of him first.

Another weakness of humans was emotion.

He couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Ryuyeong raging with anger.

“Then let’s begin the work.”

Black energy began to flow from both of Satan’s hands.

Although he still had two days, to kill Ryuyeong for certain, he needed to hide at least hundreds of magic spells.

And they had to be powerful black magic spells capable of killing with a single blow.

Satan planned to stay here for the next two days, focusing on setting up magic formations.

He had already given instructions to Arte.

Exactly 40 hours later, lead the monsters to break through the front line created by the human allied forces.

Whether it succeeded or failed didn’t matter much, but it would serve as a sufficient distraction.

Meanwhile, Satan would deal with Ryuyeong here.

Afterward, he planned to naturally join up with Arte.

Black energy from Satan’s hands drew mysterious patterns one after another.

As each pattern was completed, it flashed briefly before disappearing as if absorbed into the air.

These were magic formations ready to be activated whenever Satan wished.

More and more black magic patterns were engraved in the empty air, then disappeared one by one.

It hurt his pride to go to such lengths against a mere youngster who used abilities similar to Crescen’s, but Satan wanted to be thorough.

The memory of his past defeat was too vivid.

After some time had passed…

‘She shouldn’t die before that guy arrives.’

Satan suddenly remembered Elaine, whom he had sent floating high in the air.

If she couldn’t withstand the air pressure and something happened to her before Ryuyeong arrived, he would lose a good spectacle.

Satan extended his hand to pull Elaine down from wherever she was high above.

“Hmm?”

The hostage, who should have fallen down to Satan in an instant with just one gesture, did not come down.

Satan, feeling something was wrong, made another strong gesture.

He wondered if he had sent her too high for his control to reach.

But the result was the same.

There was no presence felt in the air.

‘Where did she go…’

Just as Satan looked up at the sky—

A sharp sword strike flew directly toward Satan’s neck.

Though he reflexively dodged, the attack was so sudden that Satan couldn’t completely avoid it, and blood trickled slightly from his neck.

“Ah, what a shame.”

“How are you here already!”

Satan was startled to see who had swung the sword.

It was none other than Ryuyeong, clicking his tongue and holding a sword.

Behind Ryuyeong stood Elaine, somehow freed from her restraints, her eyes gleaming.

‘How did this—!’

Satan’s thoughts couldn’t continue any further.

Ryuyeong had already begun his full-scale attack, giving Satan no time to prepare.