Chapter 865: Darkness Seeks Light [Pt 1]
>SPLOOOOOSSSHHHHH!!!<
A loud echo of carnage pervaded the battlefield as the massive orb locked in the sky unleashed its many spiky tentacles upon the field.
In an instant, the Golems were pulverized, and destruction reigned supreme. The mission involved sparing living beings—of course, with the exception of the Generals—so no one technically died.
However, the injuries and destruction that spread around were a testament to Karlia's new creation.
"Ah, I see. So, it destroyed three thousand in a single go. It also injured its fair share of people..."
She could keep this up and try to whittle down the forces of the enemies. Yes, that would be the best way to spend her time.
'I don't think anyone requires my help or anything...'
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"I see. So this is your plan." Jane Ursula narrowed her eyes as she looked at Ciel with a hint of carefulness as well as admiration.
The two of them were currently in the sky, separated from most of the conflict that seemed to drown the landscape.
"Your team really came prepared. You're even overwhelming our forces. Your Golems and Automatons are superior to ours as well. It really is surprising. I'll need to know how you pulled it off."
Jane had always been a curious person. If she wanted to learn something, she always found a way to obtain that knowledge. Even if that meant having to pry it from corpses or screaming victims.
Ultimately, it was the end that justified the means.
"You give us too much credit, Jane. Our side isn't particularly strong. You're just too weak on your end." Ciel answered, her gaze containing absolute caution and seriousness.
One might think she was being condescending in her statement, but she really wasn't.
"Oh, please. No need to be so modest. When measuring strength, don't you consider the power of both sides and grant the title of the 'strong' to the more powerful one? Your group obviously has that advantage. Congratulations."
Jane was mostly right in her line of thinking, but she was missing one important variable.
'Jared Leonard... the man that came from another world.'
Compared to the power he had displayed to them, this world's Magic was nothing. How could the Outgroup boast of being strong when they knew someone like him existed?
'The strength we are able to display is all thanks to him. Our troops also belong to him. He established this plan as well...'
So, no. Ciel wasn't being modest at all. She was simply giving honor to whom it was due.
"It doesn't matter, though. Jared and I have already considered every possibility. It won't stop what's about to happe—"
"You're stalling for time, aren't you? Waiting until the generator stabilizes and the event horizon gets a constant reading and not a complexly endless state of flux." Ciel narrowed her eyes as she interrupted Jane.
"Haha. As expected of you, I suppose. You are indeed right, Lady Ciel. We are stalling. But what of it? You won't be able to do anything about it."
Ciel sighed and closed her eyes for a brief moment.
"Is that really what you think?"
"What are you talking about?" Jane, once again curious, asked.
"You don't need to know. Let's simply end this." A bright beam of light covered Ciel, transforming her into an angel-like being.
Wings formed behind her, and she became wrapped in a pure-white apparel. A crown made of olives rested on her long flowing hair, and her entire form screamed of beauty.
"Oh? How flashy! Is that the combination of Mage Mode and Original Magic? I haven't seen anyone except Jared use the both of them consecutively."
Ciel didn't respond, but simply opened her eyes slowly as she looked at Jane.
"I don't have anything that flashy, but..." A snap of her finger brought something immensely huge descending from the sky above.
It was a beam of light.
>BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!<
The energy burst bathed Ciel, and her immedidiate surrounding, with its power, creating a massive crater into the ground.
However, Ciel managed to proceed out of it with no injuries of any kind. The white barrier that surrounded her seemed to be the reason behind her safety.
>BEEP<
>BEEP<
>BEEP<
An alarm emanted from a device Jane wore on her wrist. It resembled a simple bracelet, with a red gem affixed on top.
"Wow. This thing is detecting excessive Mana just oozing out of you. How long do you think you can maintain that form?"
"As long as I want." Ciel replied nearly casually.
"What?"
"I said as long as I want."
Ciel didn't want to explain her position, but her statement was genuine. Thanks to the Arcana Spell: The Magician, she could create an indefinite loop that converted the surrounding energy around her to Mana, giving her an unlimited supply. With Spellcraft, she could also attract more Mana for her purposes, allowing her access to even more Mana than she would otherwise possess.
"That beam of light from beyond the sky... it's from a satellite, no? Incredible. So you managed to build one." Ciel smiled.
"Y-you... how did you know?"
Ciel still didn't want to explain how her senses had spread so far that even she was amazed by it. Besides, she was able to spot the light as it rained down on her. It came in a straight path, directly from the sky.
'I can't sense the Satellite itself, since its out of range, but I have already determined its position.'
It didn't matter much, though.
"Hehe. You're right. My Satelite can track your movements in real time and shoot you down at any given moment!"
"Really? Then why haven't you gotten rid of us yet? If your satelite is that powerful, you would have used it earlier."
Jane's strained smile was already beginning to fall as Ciel uncovered more of her grandiose statements and exposed them for what they really were.
Lies.
"I'd like to assume that was a one-shot beam that can't be used again. You were proabably saving it for something very urgent and important. Is that how badly you want to kill me?"
At this point, veins began appearing on Jane's face, and her pretty demeanor slowly morphed into something else.
Something repulsive.
"You think you know everything, huh?"
"Hm? No. I don't think that at al—"
"Shut up! I'll show you... you don't know a single damn thing!"
An immense energy gathered around Jane as she glared at Ciel. The atmosphere was thick with bloodlust, and her aura completely morphed to form a dark silhoutte.
Slowly, she became cloaked in darkness, and what appeared to be shadows rose from her dark cloak.
Darkened mist surrounded her, and a malevolent grin formed on her pale-looking face.
"This is..." Ciel whispered.
"That's right! Pseudo-Dark Magic. I invented my own form of it. It's not as effective as actual dark energy, but it mimics its effects."
Ciel narrowed her gaze and clenched her fist. It seemed things had gotten far more serious than she hoped.
"I'll make sure to consume you in this darkness, Ciel. If nothing else, you're going to die here!"
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[A/N]
Here's the link.