Chapter 96

At the end of the ruins (3)

"Fine."

"This is...!!"

Hina, who usually didn't show much expression, widened her eyes and felt her own limbs.

She could feel that her body's movements had become more than half as fast, and her physical reactions had sharply increased.

While Hina hesitated, unable to understand the sudden enhancement of her physical abilities, Renock pushed her shoulder.

"Go quickly and stop that brat. I have something to do."

"A, I understand!!"

Although she had never even considered a mage who could give such a powerful buff, the surge of power flowing through her body was undeniable.

And Hina O'Neil had the ability to utilize this speed better than anyone else.

She bent her waist and placed her hand on the sword hilt.

At the same moment, a bright blue electric magic power burst from her eyes, and a fountain of blood spurted from Jyun's side.

Crack!!

"....What the hell are you doing again!!!"

Ignoring Jyun's angry roar, Hina swung her sword again.

A smooth flash of light.

This time, Jyun couldn't ignore it and deflected the gem.

Watching his comrades who were fiercely restraining Jyun, Renock took a drag from a cigarette and turned his back.

"Hmm......"

Cray couldn't move, and Jyun was restrained.

With all the obstacles gone, the only thing left was to uproot the sapling that kept growing uncontrollably.

A massive magic circle engraved on the floor of the cave.

Renock walked to its edge, placed his hand on it, closed his eyes, and slowly drew up his magic power.

The magic power engraved in the magic circle resisted, rejecting the intrusion of an unfamiliar power source, but Renock's magic power easily overcame the resistance and quickly penetrated the ground.

Magnetic field.

Wasn't it said that only a few extremely talented sorcerers among those of level 6 and above could use it?

Although it was the first time he was directly facing it, he could guess the structure by observing it.

An environmental setup magic circle that creates the most suitable field for implementing high-level spells.

The spells manifested within the field rapidly increased, and their intensity reached a whole new level.

Cray could summon fragments of the 'Extinction' monster in such a field.

Then, Renock had no choice but to respond in the same way.

Crack!!

Reading the structure of the magic circle created to artificially construct a field, he began to unravel its principles from the ground up.

It wasn't about what was added, but what was missing.

What Cray lacked.

But Renock, with his powerful intuition and insight, pushed through his ignorance to uncover the fundamentals.

Roar!!!

The moment he understood the principle of the field, a strange sound of breaking air echoed, and the branches approaching from all sides were repelled.

The reverse field that spread around Renock began to rotate in a strange direction, distorting space and blocking all interference.

In a state of near-meditation, he read the direction of the intent engraved in the magic circle.

The important thing is the ability to manifest one's will in reality.

And the power to continuously hold that will within the space.

A pillar supporting the mind. A framework based on the fundamental imagery of the sorcerer, instantly building a fortress in all directions.

This was the principle of the domain, the mage's true stronghold.

'This is difficult...'

The only thought that came to mind when he understood the meaning of the domain.

This is essentially the same as constructing a grand building based on a single blueprint in one's mind.

If the blueprint in one's mind is not perfect, or if it is not clearly etched in the mind, it is useless.

I can understand why it is a spell that distinguishes talent even among high-level mages.

It's not just about the talent for magic.

It was a spell that couldn't even be attempted if the inner imagery wasn't complete.

'But it's not impossible.'

I think I understand why Cray couldn't handle the domain.

The chaotic environment around him, the uncertainty of the path he chose, and the lack of confidence prevented him from fully organizing his realm.

But Renock is different.

The small room in the factory where he spent sleepless nights.

The resolve he made on that first day, when he felt he might die at any moment, had never wavered.

The moment he realized it, it was already in Renock's hands.

Roar!!!

At that moment, the reverse field that had been surrounding him melted away.

The branches that had been circling him rushed in, trying to suck out his magic power, but—

Crack!!

An intangible wave erupted from Renock, suppressing everything around and instantly bursting the branches.

Once the wave spread, it didn't disappear but began to circle Renock continuously.

He slowly stood up and walked toward Cray.

With each step, the wave rotated, expanding its range and increasing its intensity.

It changed colors, from blue to red, green, and yellow, like ripples spreading across a lake, expanding the domain.

Everyone's attention was focused on the inexplicable phenomenon, but only one person understood what Renock was doing.

Jyun's expression, which had been sweeping through the freelancers in a state of no-self, suddenly changed.

"No, wait. You, what are you doing.....!!!!"

"Stop him!!"

Jyun, who had thrown a bloodied freelancer and rushed toward Renock, was blocked by Chan and Hina.

Boom!!

Chaeisha fired rockets randomly at the ceiling, dropping obstacles between the two.

"Die!!"

Even though no one understood the situation, everyone clearly recognized that this was a turning point in the operation.

"Get out of the way, you trash!!"

Crack!!

A dazzling light burst from the gem, illuminating the collapsing cave, but Hina, whose eyes glowed bright blue, deflected all the flashes.

Her thin blade flashed blue.

The penetrating strike, which pierced through the gap in perception, instantly slashed Jyun's thigh.

A moment. But it was enough to impair his mobility.

Jyun's face contorted in realization.

"Damn!! How can that guy use a 'domain'....!!"

"........."

He didn't give it a name.

What Renock had implemented was, after all, just a fake imitating an artificial domain.

But this was enough.

Just for a moment, if he could use a spell at the same level as Cray.

At the same moment Renock closed his eyes and focused his mind.

The sapling, which had been extending branches without any reaction, finally responded.

[.........!!!]

As if it had just realized that the obstacle it had ignored until now was actually a dagger in its back.

[Screech!!!]

It moved its creaking metallic body and stretched its hand toward Renock.

Thick, dark brown branches poured out like a waterfall, racing in the direction its fingers pointed.

But the moment Renock looked at them, they stopped as if by a mutual agreement.

At the same time, the shape of the tree that had filled the cave began to slowly collapse.

The massive presence that had filled the cave until a moment ago disappeared, and the branches that had greedily sucked up the surrounding magic power began to wither.

"How... how can this be happening... such an unbelievable conclusion..."

Renock turned his head at the familiar voice coming from the floor.

Cray's body, now a pile of broken scrap metal, lay trembling.

"So pointlessly...!!"

"It seems you still have some consciousness left."

"How could you do such a thing!!"

Cray screamed in anguish.

"This is unbelievable!! This wasn't part of my plan! Such talent... how could a monster like you, at this moment, just, just....!!"

Renock looked down at the old necromancer, who couldn't even finish his sentence in rage.

The moment he realized that all his carefully laid plans had come to nothing, his once unshakable expression crumbled.

"I succeeded in controlling the fragments of the apocalypse to bring down Balkan, how could this happen....."

If everything had gone according to plan, Cray would have started invading Balkan with the fragments of Extinction.

A monster that occupies space and drains magic power.

Even if Balkan didn't fall, it would certainly have suffered significant damage.

But Renock had nullified that attempt right here.

You wouldn't want to understand.

The unbelievable fact that all your efforts were undone by a single person's talent.

"I bet everything...!! I gave everything, and this...!!"

"There are things that even giving everything isn't enough for."

Renock replied indifferently.

"You knew that well, which is why you killed and stole from everyone, right?"

"No!!"

The old necromancer shouted at the top of his lungs.

As if he couldn't bear to deny it.

"There's something more important than my life. A goal that must never be buried in this rotten city!! I've lived only for that!!"

Boom!!

A wave of pitch-black magic power erupted from Cray's entire body, rushing toward Renock.

Rough, fierce, and incredibly dense.

Just by infusing it with will, it became a terrifying weapon capable of tearing apart an ordinary person's body.

But it was just the last desperate act of someone who had lost all hope.

The swan song of a mage ready to discard his life.

Renock, looking at the wave, quietly bit down on his cigarette.

"Yeah."

He nodded.

"Actually, I think your way isn't wrong."

How beautiful is the way of life that sacrifices everything for a goal.

But Renock's time was always something far from beauty or nobility, something closer to muck.

He doesn't have many great desires now.

He just wants to struggle to survive, as he had vowed the moment he opened his eyes.

That was the only promise he could make to himself.

With his resolve, the domain surrounding Renock became even more distinct, distorting space.

With a confidence he couldn't explain, he drew up his magic power.

He instinctively knew.

Inside the domain, he could reach a level of magic he had only known theoretically, a level he couldn't normally reach.

Crackle!!!

A black current boiled between his fingers.

He gathered the intense flow and transformed it into the rotation of a small star.

A unique electric magic.