The swelling wave of air, laced with churning flames, surged toward Lucian to engulf him. The gray flagstones lining the magic tower's corridor were torn up like sheets of paper, shredding in every direction. The deafening roar of the explosion drowned out any voice.
But when the violent wave reached Lucian's position, it struck an invisible wall and was brought to a violent halt. Streams of white gas crackling with firelight reached the boundary around Lucian and stopped dead.
7th Circle Magic — "Mana Prison"!
Lavendy, traveling alongside Lucian, was a 9th Circle Grand Mage. On good terms with the members of the Supreme Council and one of the leaders of the High Tower, the 9th Circle "Astrologer," even if he himself was not particularly skilled in Astrology magic, he had corresponding early-warning spells inscribed on his magic items. So when the blond mage bowed his head in apparent deference, Lavendy already sensed something amiss and activated the Mana Prison directly, trapping the blond mage inside the instant the scorching light appeared.
The force of the explosion was astonishingly powerful, but it lacked the unique properties of spells like Disintegrate. After churning violently a few times, it gradually subsided, utterly helpless against the invisible Mana Prison. The receding rumble seemed to carry deep unwillingness and despair — even a suicidal attack that abandoned everything had produced no effect? Resolved so effortlessly? Could a mid-level mage simply never succeed at assassinating a high-level mage or Grand Mage?
At that moment, the gray-white wave of air that had not yet dissipated suddenly slowed. The entire area lost all color, leaving behind only the silence of pure black, white, and gray.
If one looked carefully, the wave of air was still moving faintly — just far slower than before.
9th Circle Magic — "Time Stop"!
Donald's hoarse, dark voice rang out: "Get out of there. All of you."
Unlike Lavendy, Donald himself was skilled in Astrology magic, having spent years exploring the Starry Sky, Star Tombs, and similar places. His intuition from the Main Star of Destiny was extremely sharp. Had "Time Stop" not been difficult and bizarre, with no way to analyze its principles — and even after being constructed within one's soul, taking one to two seconds longer to activate than normal magic — he wouldn't have needed Lavendy to cast "Mana Prison" at all.
Lucian was somewhat confused, not quite understanding what Donald meant. The explosion had clearly been blocked by the Mana Prison, so why go to the trouble of "stopping time"? But seeing Lavendy step back, Lucient hurriedly did the same. Balack, snapping out of his daze at that moment, hastily moved to shield Lucian.
They had barely retreated two steps when strange, inexplicable incantations suddenly poured from Morris's mouth. The words seemed to echo in the depths of everyone's heart, sending waves of dizziness through them.
By the time Morris finished his preparations, Donald cut short the Time Stop with two seconds still remaining. The wave of air began to churn once more, but a translucent human figure was wrenched from the flames and the blast by invisible forces.
9th Circle Necromantic Magic — "Soul Bind"!
Unlike the lower-level magic circle of a similar name, this spell could bind a soul that had not yet fully dissipated and imprison it within a gemstone. Unless one was exceptionally skilled in necromancy, spoken incantations were required to cast it.
A soul bearing the faintly recognizable features of the blond mage was dragged, screaming, into a flame-red ruby, tinting the gem with an eerie green glow.
Before a Grand Mage, forget assassination — even dying wasn't so easy!
"I'll investigate what happened." Morris held the "Soul Gem" and walked toward Lucian. "Are you quite all right?"
"I'm fine." Though Lucian often prided himself on his calm focus, keen perception, and swift reactions, before three Grand Mages, he still came across as somewhat sluggish.
At the same time, Gaston, Florenza, and the other senior members of the Elemental Will who hadn't yet left were heading over — partly out of concern for Lucian, and partly to find out what had actually happened. A senior member of the Elemental Will, assassinated right inside the Elemental Will's own headquarters?
This had to be investigated thoroughly!
"Don't come any closer!" Balack suddenly raised both hands in a blocking gesture.
Hmm? Including Lucian, Morris, Donald, and Lavendy all looked at him in puzzlement.
Balack's expression was grave, his words rapid: "Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen — just now, the blond mage's target was unmistakably Commissioner Evans! It appears that the discovery of the new particle caused his Cognitive World to shatter and solidify, making it impossible for him to ever advance his magic level again. In his desperation, he intended to drag Commissioner Evans down into destruction with him."
"Events of this kind — the Punishment Division has handled quite a few over the past several centuries. There is nothing particularly astonishing or shocking about it. The real question is: how was he able to time his attack with such precision, emerging from the Demiplane Warehouse just minutes after the meeting concluded?"
"The corridor the blond mage came from leads only to the Demiplane Warehouse — there are no other rooms to hide in. Moreover, this floor is under tight surveillance; loitering is not permitted. If he had left the Demiplane Warehouse early and lurked around the corner, he would have been detected long ago by the magic circles, patrol golems, and so on, and been 'cleansed.'"
"In conclusion, I believe at least one senior member of the Elemental Will was cooperating with him! To ensure Commissioner Evans's safety, I ask Your Excellencies, ladies, and gentlemen not to approach — lest the true mastermind find an opening to strike again! No one can guarantee that the mastermind will value their own life enough to refrain from taking everyone down together!"
Hearing Balack's words, the senior members of the Elemental Will looked at each other in shock. Judging from the timing, this deduction made a great deal of sense. But who could it be?
Subconsciously, they drifted apart into three loose circles, each wary of the others. Only Lavendy roared in fury: "This is a disgrace to the Elemental Will!"
"Your Excellencies — Lavendy, Donald, Morris — please begin your investigation of this incident as quickly as possible. Commissioner Evans should not remain here. I will escort him back to Alina." Balack offered his suggestion, appearing to place his trust in the three Grand Mages who had intervened — especially Lavendy, whose temper was foul but whose nature was impetuous and upright.