NOVPUB"What happened? Why are you stopping the attack?"
Ruther asked Carl, seeing that the mirror had suddenly stopped rotating. Even the beam of light that had just been conjured disappeared.
Moreover, suddenly, the three figures that were visible from the outside vanished as if someone had covered them up.
"I don't know. I just... lost control."
Carl was also confused.
Earlier, he suddenly gained full control over the artifact from the mirror, inexplicably urging him to destroy everyone inside.
However, when he was about to do just that, suddenly, he lost control again.
If he didn't know better, he would have thought he was being played.
"Maybe he resolved that guy himself. Let's wait a little for now. Don't let your guard down."
Ruther advised with a serious voice as the sudden appearance of that figure in a black robe reminded him of someone.
"I know. I just want the Breath of the First Flame and nothing else. As long as the mirror helps me get it, I am happy."
Carl nodded in agreement and decided to distance himself from the mirror for now.
However, before he could do so, he suddenly heard a sound, as if something was breaking apart.
"Creak..."
"Did you hear it?"
Carl asked, confused, his gaze focused on the mirror.
"Creak... creak..."
At first, the sound was faint, but it quickly picked up as more and more creaking noises joined in. If one could be confused before, now both of them knew what was happening.
"It is breaking. Leave... fast!"
Ruther warned Carl, when suddenly the gigantic mirror in front shattered into pieces with extreme force.
It was as if someone had broken it apart from the inside into smithereens.
Carl was bewildered as he quickly ran to the side, away from the volcanic zone.
"How is this possible?"
He mumbled, looking at the mirror that had remained intact even when Arvhael used a rare-grade explosive, now in pieces with sharp shards everywhere.
This was a peak-grade artifact that was about to ascend into the Legendary Rank.
He couldn't imagine what kind of power one must have to shatter it into pieces like this.
However, it seemed his question wouldn't go unanswered, as suddenly he heard a soft male voice right next to his ear.
"Why is it not possible?"
"Carl... DODGE!"
"Swish!"
Everything happened so fast that even Ruther only managed to warn him a little when suddenly Carl saw a fiery sword hurling in his direction with menacing momentum.
The sword was long, covered in fire, and etched with unknown symbols that made it look majestic.
But Carl had no time to admire as he basically saw the sword trying to cleave him in half from head to toe with strong murderous intent.
And he couldn't do anything.
"Fuck!"
It was the second time he'd been like this—helpless, staring ahead, waiting for the inevitable.
And this time, even Ruther couldn't save him as the sword basically passed through any protection he had, cleaving him in half from head to toe.
"Thud!"
There was no pause in between, nor was there any resistance from those amulets, even the rare-ranked ones.
It just cut through his body like tofu.
Effortless!
"Gulp!"
Arvhael, who witnessed everything from such close proximity, couldn't help but gulp nervously.
'Did this guy just cut through a rare-rank protection artifact?'
He thought in trepidation, feeling that he had witnessed something he shouldn't have.
After all, that sword of his could cut through the rare-rank artifact like tofu.
That was something even a top-level legendary artifact could barely do.
But then he suddenly remembered that he seemed to be a lackey of this guy already.
So... it didn't matter if he witnessed such things at all.
'But... if he is this powerful, it doesn't seem bad to be his subordinate.'
Arvhael thought with a little excitement, not realizing that somehow, his thoughts were beginning to change.
"Tch... This cockroach is so hard to kill."
But unlike the excitement of Arvhael, Ian instead clicked his tongue, annoyed.
"Huh? What do you mean, sir?"
Arvhael was stunned by Ian's remark and asked, when suddenly he heard an old voice chanting a spell from somewhere.
"Spatial Lock!"
"Swish!"
Just as the spell completed, he and Ian suddenly felt as if they were being restrained.
No—it wasn't they who were bound, but the space around them itself had frozen in place.
Only then did Arvhael see the figure of Carl appear in front, along with a soul body floating beside him.
The body that had been cleaved in half now weirdly disappeared from the original place, as if all of this had just been an illusion.
However, Ian noticed that Carl wasn't alright—or more precisely, his golden finger, Ruther, didn't seem to be in good shape.
Ian could easily see Ruther's aged appearance and hear his voice, which sounded much older than before.
"Heh... you old man, have so many methods."
He said sarcastically to Ruther, who was looking at him solemnly.
Even when he was stuck with the Spatial Lock spell, Ian wasn't concerned.
Rather, he was a little annoyed, as even after going full power, he didn't manage to kill this guy, Carl.
"You... you are Ian."
By now, Carl had finally come back from the shock of being killed.
That feeling of being cleaved in half—he never wanted to experience that ever again.
'Fortunately, Ruther already used that Forbidden technique on me as protection, otherwise—'
Carl thought, feeling quite lucky.
"Oh, you finally recognized me? Congratulations, but there is no prize."
Ian smiled, hearing Carl's voice, and replied with a carefree tone.
It was as if he wasn't the one who had almost killed this guy just now.
"Young man, what about we let this grudge go? You two don't have that much hatred anyway. So... why fight to the end?"
Ruther, who had aged considerably, finally spoke, asking for a truce.
He felt that this guy was too dangerous, and if he could, he didn't want to go against him.
Also, in his opinion, the grudge between Carl and Ian wasn't that strong.
It was more of a competition where, unfortunately, Carl miserably lost every time.
So, it would be better if he could resolve this here.
Unfortunately for him, the dream is beautiful, but the reality is harsh.
As for his so-called truce, Ian didn't even care.
From the moment he became a passerby villain in Carl's destiny, their paths were bound to cross like this.
Not to mention, he didn't like this guy anyway.
So, Ian just looked at Ruther like a fool and asked instead,
"What do you think?"
His voice was filled with condescension, also a little mockery, which made Carl's face as black as the bottom of a pot.
However, he could only clench his only remaining fist with impotent rage and endure it silently.
Honestly, he must be the most aggrieved protagonist ever. Good thing he didn't know his identity.
"Very well. Then... don't regret it in the future."
Ruther saw Ian's resolve and understood that there would be no reconciliation between him and Carl.
It would end with one being killed, no matter what.
Since he got his answer, he didn't linger and suddenly waved his hand, chanting another spell.
"Be careful, sir!"
Arvhael, who saw the soul body chanting another spell, warned as he also took out his lightning whip spell, intending to help.
Although he couldn't move, he could still help with his ranged spell.
"Void Blink!"
However, in response to his defensive stance, neither Ruther acknowledged him, nor did Ian bother to glance in his direction.
Instead, once the chanting was finished, Ruther and Carl suddenly disappeared from their spot.
Also, with the disappearance of their figures, the Spatial Lock on them vanished, freeing both Ian and Arvhael from their bindings.
'Instant Teleportation, a fourth ring spell.'
Ian thought, not finding it odd that both Carl and Ruther decided to run.
After all, although what he killed with his sword just now wasn't the true body of Carl, it was still his part blended with Ruther's.
He didn't know what kind of forbidden technique that was, but it seemed after the fight at the Deepsire, they had become alert.
"Umm... sir, do we... let them leave like this?"
Arvhael, who was ignored, asked Ian awkwardly.
He was ready to fight to the death for Ian, but suddenly the opponent ran away with their tails between their legs.
He felt so worthless.
"Otherwise? ...do you know any method to stop them?"
Ian asked, looking at the nobleman in front. Honestly, he was quite surprised how fast this guy was changing.
From being resistant at the beginning to accepting slowly, now he was even trying to defend him like this.
'Oath... does this only work for humans? Or, can it work on someone with higher power than me?'
Ian mused with interest when he heard Arvhael reply awkwardly.
"Well, from the fluctuations, it seemed they left this ruin directly. I don't think I can stop them."
He thought maybe Ian had methods. After all, he had a feeling that Ian could do everything as long as he wanted.
"I know, I know. Well, since you are so enthusiastic, let me give you a task..."
Ian suddenly smiled and pointed his fingers to the far end, where a few wizards were lingering around.
They were the ones who stayed behind or arrived later for the supposed treasures.
Although Ian thought that they shouldn't have seen his power clearly, he didn't want to leave a loophole.
So, he conveniently used the new lackey who was quite eager in front and ordered with a cold, murderous voice.
"Go and kill every one of them. Don't let a single one of them live. Otherwise, you can just go and die."
