Ch.255Chapter 255 – Meeting the Parents (4)

“Ughhhh…”

When James Moriarty grabbed the back of his neck at my audacious statement, I considered it a golden opportunity.

Because facing someone of that caliber—someone who could easily subdue even the professor—head-on would be impossible.

With such a formidable opponent, even catching a momentary opening would be a blessing.

How could I not be delighted when he was staggering, clutching the back of his neck?

– Crackle…

‘Please work…’

Seizing this priceless opportunity, I activated Miss Microny’s scroll from my pocket and threw myself forward.

‘At least 1000 years? That would take me a year to create.’

‘What? You only have 20 minutes?’

‘Are you joking? You said we’re facing someone as powerful as Professor Moriarty!’

As I charged toward the staggering James Moriarty, I recalled my conversation with Miss Microny from just minutes ago.

‘With 20 minutes… I can only make a sealing scroll that lasts 30 years at most. No, maybe 25 years.’

‘Don’t look at me like that. Even a genius like me has limits!’

‘If I had at least a day, I could have made one lasting over 100 years…’

London might be the setting, but if one of the world’s top three geniuses said it was impossible to buy more time, then it was certain.

Of course, it was impressive that Miss Microny could create a scroll that would buy us 20 years with just 20 minutes of work.

But that only emphasized how powerful the person I was facing truly was.

According to him, he was already at half his normal strength.

“…Hup.”

Lost in these thoughts while extending the activated scroll forward, I suddenly gasped at the changed atmosphere in the office.

“…Insolent.”

James Moriarty had regained his senses somewhat and was now glaring at me with cold, threatening eyes.

“You insolent creature!!!”

When his frost-like roar erupted, every hair on my body stood on end.

“A mere mortal… an inferior species daring to…!”

‘…What’s he saying?’

Technically, I’m the creator here. Isn’t calling me an inferior species a bit much?

Should a bug—something I never even designed—be allowed to speak this way to me, who is like the heavens above?

“Kuk…”

Despite my indignation, my body was gradually becoming rigid.

It seemed similar to the “Dragon Fear” that the professor occasionally used.

Unlike the professor who directly released killing intent, this man was several times more intimidating with just a roar.

– Crack, crack…

While I hesitated as my body momentarily refused to obey, an ominous sound began above my head.

– Craaack…

“…Ah.”

Looking up, I saw something gray shaped like a sharp lightning bolt aimed at me.

– Whoosh…

As my body froze at this unexpected attack, black energy covered me from above.

“Haa, haa…”

Sharlotte, who had been behind me, was using all her strength to draw out her energy to block the attacks rushing toward me.

“How dare you…”

But James Moriarty, watching with cold blue eyes, raised his other hand.

– Thwack…!

At that moment, someone struck his side with a low posture.

“That won’t work.”

Inspector Lestrade, her eyes also glowing with a fierce light, was trying to subdue him with her police baton.

– Crunch…

However, even though he had caught her baton with his hand, James Moriarty was still effortlessly using his abilities.

“Did you think… I would fall to such trivial power?”

“…Kuk?”

“Who do you think created the Curse you possess?”

As he said, it was Inspector Lestrade who was being overpowered, not James Moriarty.

‘Quickly… I need to… make contact with his skin…’

I needed to press the activated scroll against his heart, but my body remained frozen, refusing to move.

“I-ik…”

Despite this, I gritted my teeth so hard that blood trickled from my lips as I finally managed to move my hand forward.

– Thump…!

“Keugh?”

But James Moriarty’s hand, having completely dispelled Sharlotte’s black energy, grabbed my neck first.

– Crunch…

“Kek? Kuk, kheuk…”

As his hand strangled my neck, the world began to blur.

How could an old gentleman be this strong?

Did he enhance his strength with magic?

“Keak… ugh… heguk…”

“It’s useless.”

As I struggled with all my might, feeling my muscles twist from the sudden lack of oxygen, James Moriarty’s cold voice pierced my ears.

“You dare… defile the blood of a Dragon?”

“Wait… ugh… urgh…”

“For thousands of years… that pure blood has never been tainted!!!”

This is getting way too hostile for a first meeting with the in-laws, isn’t it?

I wanted to retort, but I couldn’t even speak anymore.

“M-master…”

Through my dimming vision, I could see Moran’s pale reflection in the window.

She already had her gun aimed at James Moriarty’s head, but with me as a hostage, she couldn’t pull the trigger.

“The sin of defiling sacred blood. Atone with your death.”

“Damn… it…”

Is this really the end?

I had just reunited with everyone and the professor.

Is it really going to end like this?

“Help… me…”

Because I hated that possibility so much, I mustered all my strength to mutter those words, and at that very moment—

– Thwack…!

Suddenly, something flashed between me and Professor James Moriarty.

“…ARGH!!!”

And moments later, a scream echoed through the office.

“Y-you… vermin…”

James Moriarty, who had momentarily released me and stepped back, had a red line drawn across his closed eyes.

“…Ah.”

Following the cause with my gaze, I found myself staring blankly.

“That’s…”

What had struck the professor’s eyes and embedded itself in the office wall was none other than a familiar-looking trump card.

“…Lupin?”

– Whoosh…

As I muttered that name in disbelief, a chilling killing intent began to emanate from in front of me.

“This… is becoming annoying…”

James Moriarty, his eye wound already perfectly healed, was radiating killing intent in all directions with gray-glowing eyes.

“…!!!”

At his first genuine release of killing intent, everyone collapsed to the floor with weakened legs, overwhelmed.

“Die.”

Toward us, James Moriarty shot something gray that could only be described as containing death itself.

– Boom…!

However, that gray sphere, which was beyond human comprehension, was somehow devoured by a shadow that appeared just before reaching us.

“No, no, no, no…”

“…?”

Wondering who had blocked that attack, I heard a voice echoing through the office—apparently my longtime stalker had finally found me.

“That bastard… only I can kill him…”

Yes, Gil the Reaper, who had long transcended death.

“…Many flies today.”

“Khik?”

But even with her tremendous power, she appeared to be just a slightly larger fly to James Moriarty.

“I didn’t know my daughter was so fond of these insects.”

“AAAAARGH!!!”

As he casually waved his hand to summon a blinding light, the shadow that was about to engulf everything began to flicker and diminish like burning paper.

“Listen.”

In that terrifying scene, James Moriarty, wearing a cold expression, looked down at me kneeling on the floor and whispered coldly.

“A mosquito cannot defeat a dragon by calling its fly friends.”

Yes, that might be true.

But you know what?

This person is underestimating my connections.

“…Poppy.”

And critically, he’s underestimating my judgment.

“Attack.”

“…Yes.”

Otherwise, he would have been wary of the fact that my shadow was covering half the room thanks to that brilliant light source.

– Growl…!

“…!!!”

Poppy, who had grown enormous thanks to the shadow covering half the room, leaped at James Moriarty with glowing blue eyes upon receiving my command.

“You are… from the underworld…!”

“Immortals… have always lacked respect for me…”

James Moriarty’s eyes widened as he hurriedly tried to withdraw the light he had created to block Gil the Reaper.

“I’ve always hated that.”

“…Urgh!”

But Poppy’s sharp fangs had already sunk into his arm.

“Hyaaaah!!!”

“Kuk.”

Freed from his pressure, Inspector Lestrade thrust her baton into his stomach with all her might, causing James Moriarty to cough blood and collapse for the first time.

– Bang…!

As he desperately raised his other hand, Moran’s maximum-power air bullet shattered it as it passed through.

– Whoosh…

Simultaneously, Sharlotte’s black energy began to bind James Moriarty.

“Ik…”

At the same time, somewhat freed from the pressure, I began to bring the activated scroll toward his heart.

“ENOUGH!!!!!!!!”

“…Heok.”

When James Moriarty’s thunderous voice erupted, I momentarily lost my breath and had to stop moving again.

“””……….!!!”””

And the same was true for everyone else, though to varying degrees.

“At first… I was going to show mercy and keep a few alive… to serve me…”

“Urgh…”

“But I see… that won’t work with you all…”

In this situation, Professor James Moriarty began to draw out power incomparable to what he had shown before.

“He was… holding back until now…?”

“Damn it…”

The fact that he still had power to spare and was barely affected began to slowly break everyone’s will.

“Lowly creatures. All of your lives will end here, without exception.”

“””………”””

“Yes, and especially you… for the sin of violating dragon blood…..”

After staring at them with emotionless eyes, he turned to me with a hateful expression and began to release his power.

“I’m the one who was violated by a dragon…”

“You shall die the most horrible death in the world.”

Just as he was about to extend his hand full of chilling killing intent toward my heart—

“Woing?”

“Eeng?”

Suddenly, two children with sparkling eyes climbed onto James Moriarty’s knees.

“…….”

After staring blankly at them for a moment, James Moriarty tried to extend his hand again.

“Habu!”

“Habuji!”

When the two children, who had been happily crawling on his knees, smiled and babbled those words, his eyes began to quietly waver.

– Clank…!

“……!?”

At that moment, gray chains suddenly wrapped around his body, which had almost broken free from everyone’s restraints.

“………”

The professor, now freed from his bonds, had raised his hand with a blank expression to magically bind James Moriarty.

“…How long have you been waiting for this opportunity?”

“…From the beginning.”

After quietly observing this scene, James Moriarty asked, and the professor calmly answered.

“Uaaaaaaah!!!”

I summoned every ounce of strength I had and forcefully thrust the scroll into his heart.

– Crackle…!

Then, a five-colored light began to fill the office.

“Ha, haha…”

And the next moment.

“WAHAHAHAHA!!!”

A hearty laugh erupted from James Moriarty’s mouth as he stared blankly.

“Yes… that’s my daughter!!!”

“……..”

“I was almost disappointed…!”

After laughing so heartily that tears nearly flowed, he looked at me with completely changed eyes and lowered his voice.

“…Such a precious daughter, how dare you.”

“No, seriously, I was the one drugged and taken advantage of.”

“Prepare yourself, Issac Adler.”

I tried to explain with a sliver of hope.

“This scroll’s effective time is only 20 to 30 years at most.”

“Listen to me.”

Whether his reason was consumed by anger or if this was his original personality, James Moriarty ignored my words and left only a warning.

“After that, if I awaken again…”

“Hey!!!”

I shouted at him with the most wronged expression I could muster.

“I’ll thoroughly slaughter you first.”

“I WAS THE ONE WHO GOT PINNED DOWN!!!!”

Then the light emitted from the scroll enveloped him.

“Prepare yourself… you who defiled my grandchildren’s blood… you… you…”

“…This is driving me crazy.”

“Filthy inferior species…”

With those words, James Moriarty was completely sucked into the scroll and disappeared.

“”……….””

And then came the silence.

“Hoeng?”

“Woong?”

The first sounds to break the miraculous temporary peace in the London office were the babbles of the children who had settled on the floor after James Moriarty disappeared, tilting their heads side to side as they looked at me.

“Aba.”

“Abu!”

“…Yes.”

I think I need to rest a bit.

“I’m your daddy…”