**#252. Gathering (3)**
—
*Fwoosh! Fwwoooosh!*
The massive indigo flame created through the combined efforts of the entire Dawn society roiled in midair above the center of the table.
Everyone in the room focused their attention on the boy.
As if telling him to quickly summon a flame of the same color—to add his heat to the fire that would one day consume the world.
*Fwoosh!*
The boy conjured a flame.
It was a vivid indigo—so much so that it rendered the flames created by previous new members entirely incomparable.
The small flame swayed gently as it flew toward the center of the table, and everyone was momentarily entranced by its brilliance.
An overwhelming elation surged within them.
Ah, under the indigo sun, our Dawn society shall bask in every glory attainable to a mage.
But then—
“……?”
“What the…?”
What happened next completely defied everyone’s expectations.
The boy’s flame halted right in front of the central flame instead of merging with it.
“Why did he stop the flame—?”
Just as someone began to voice their objection—
*FWWWWOOSH──!*
The flame instantly turned red and swelled to many times its original size, engulfing the indigo flame entirely.
Then—
*WHOOOOSH───!*
It exploded outward in all directions like a violent current.
Those who reacted too slowly were incinerated on the spot without even managing a final scream.
Most of them were 1st or 2nd Circle mages.
In a flash, half the room was gone.
The remaining members managed to defend themselves, but there was no time to feel relief.
*Fwoosh! Fwoosh!*
The red flames clinging to their barriers devoured mana from their magic circles at a terrifying speed.
“What is this destructive power…! Even for a fire-type spell—this is insane!”
“Grrk…! I don’t have enough mana to maintain the barrier…!”
Just then, someone cut through the stream of fire and charged at Ray like a bullet.
*Swiish!*
A blade shot out from the tip of a staff, aiming for his heart, but Ray twisted his body and narrowly evaded it.
“You’re a curious one.”
*Swish! Swish!*
The one relentlessly pressing the attack at close range was Jacob.
Like Ray, he was one of the only 4th Circle mages present in the hall and seemed fairly composed.
“What’s your game, kid? You must’ve passed the Overseer’s test, considering you got a tool to change your flame’s color. And yet—it’s baffling. That the Overseers would give their seal to someone so unqualified.”
“You’re wrong.”
Ray’s lips twisted.
“I took the seal by force.”
“What…?”
Jacob’s composure flickered for a moment—and Ray didn’t miss that tiny opening.
He shifted from defense to offense.
He swung his hand toward Jacob’s neck.
*Crack!*
Stones formed in midair and were sucked into his palm, sharpening into deadly daggers.
Eyes wide, Jacob unleashed a surge of mana and leapt backward.
*SWIISH──!*
The dagger, brimming with killing intent, tore through the air with a sharp whistle.
Jacob barely managed to put distance between them, his body drenched in cold sweat.
Feigning calm, he said:
“tsk tsk… That looked like your finishing move. Shame it didn’t work. You couldn’t even graze the edge of my robe—”
*Drip.*
Feeling something, he touched his neck—and saw his hand come away red with blood.
A considerable amount of blood.
A chill ran down his spine.
‘I nearly died? Me?’
Had he been even a fraction slower, the blade would’ve cut deeper, and he would’ve crossed the river of death.
In a more serious tone, Jacob asked:
“You said you *took* the seal?”
“Three Overseers, including Krymer.”
“My Communication-stone lit up. That was supposed to be the signal that the mission succeeded. Are you saying you were behind that?”
Ray nodded.
Jacob’s expression twisted.
Krymer—one of the most skilled members of the Azure Dawn society—was taken down?
“You may have some talent, but that’s an outrageous lie. And the way you’re casually answering my questions? That makes it even harder to believe.”
“You’ll be the one spilling every bit of information soon enough. I just thought it would be fair.”
“You little lunatic.”
Clicking his tongue hard, Jacob lunged at Ray again.
He didn’t care what that boy was or what his identity was.
A rat who bares its fangs in the sacred assembly hall was bound for one obvious end.
“You won’t die a clean death. I’ll skin you piece by piece until you’re begging for me to end it.”
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
A steel staff.
Two stone daggers.
The weapons of the two clashed wildly in the air.
With body-enhancing magic, Jacob’s offense was formidable.
*Swish!*
The blade that kept emerging from the tip of his staff added unpredictable variables to each strike.
*Boom!*
The weighty yet swift staff shattered a concrete pillar in a single blow.
*Clang!*
If the daggers hadn’t been reinforced with metallic transmutation, they would’ve already broken.
A thunderous sound rang out, dust rising into the air.
Ray continued to be pushed back.
Yet he felt no danger at all.
On the contrary—
‘This is it?’
He was a little surprised.
Jacob was a 4th Circle mage like Krymer, who had visited the mansion as an envoy. Their skill levels felt similar.
And yet blocking Jacob’s attacks was several times easier.
Was some unknown factor weakening his opponent?
‘No.’
That wasn’t it.
He had gotten stronger.
Since reaching the 4th Circle, the quality of mana in his circle had vastly improved.
His innate ability to sense and control mana had also advanced significantly.
In other words, there was no mage at the same circle who could match Ray anymore.
He glanced sideways.
The rest of the enemies had barely extinguished the red flames clinging to their barriers and were gasping for breath.
‘Eight 3rd Circle. Two 2nd Circle.’
At that moment, a shout came from the front.
“You arrogant brat! Where do you think you’re looking?!”
A staff imbued with deep indigo mana swung toward him with terrifying force.
*Clang!*
Ray crossed his daggers to block it.
As he was pushed back, suspended briefly in the air—
Gloomy indigo spells surged toward him from the hands of the 3rd Circle mages.
Flame arrows, icy spears, bundles of electricity.
The casting speed was possible only thanks to their hybrid circles, something ordinary mages could never achieve.
The enemies grinned.
‘It’s over.’
‘Try blocking this, if you can.’
Intercepting multiple attacks from midair? Impossible.
Even the Assembly Leader of the Azure Dawn society would struggle to survive this.
But when they met the boy’s black eyes as he turned—
A strange sense of dread crept over them.
And that dread became reality.
*Crackle! Crackle!*
The spells vanished in midair, one by one, under Ray’s gaze.
Landing, Ray summoned flames and melted all the ice climbing up his daggers from Jacob.
A heavy silence followed.
There was no evidence—but everyone instinctively knew.
The spell cancellations were Ray’s doing.
“No… no way… He erased magic?!”
“It’s possible to interfere with spell casting, sure. But erasing a completed spell? I’ve never even *heard* of that!”
Panic spread instantly.
To erase magic—that was a fear beyond resistance for any mage.
Sensing the danger, Jacob quickly raised his arm.
*BOOM!*
A deafening roar.
“ARGHHH!”
A scream of agony followed.
On his knees, Jacob looked down to see his wrist severed—and Ray, his body crackling with yellow electricity.
“So this is the new spell the Azure Dawn developed? You were probably trying to float that indigo orb like Krymer did. Too bad. Don’t even think about using it.”
“Grrk…! Hrrrk…!”
Veins bulging on his forehead, Jacob summoned ice crystals covered in spikes.
But yellow flames sprouted in the same spot, melting every crystal the moment it formed.
“You…! You’re not a hybrid-circle mage…! You’re not disguising your circle’s color with some tool…!”
“I’d never stain my circle with something that disgusting.”
“This can’t be…! It’s impossible…! No one can cast spells faster than us with hybrid circles…!”
Casting at nearly instantaneous speeds.
That was purely thanks to imagination.
The moment he pictured something in his mind, the circle’s mana moved on its own to create the corresponding phenomenon.
No complex formulas or calculations were needed.
Jacob shouted hoarsely:
“I don’t know what your goal is, but let me warn you—you’d better get out of here now…! My comrades in the Azure Dawn received my signal and are on their way here…!”
Ray looked down at the shrieking Jacob with cold eyes.
Before entering the hall, he had already confirmed there were no other enemies nearby.
Even now, with his senses honed, he could detect no approaching circles.
Ray spoke softly.
“Liars deserve punishment.”
*
*
*
After destroying Jacob’s circle with the Element of Destruction, Ray turned his gaze.
“I’ve got some business with your circles.”
“Eek…!”
“R-Run!”
The Azure Dawn society mages tried to either flee or fight, but the outcome was already set.
*BOOM──!*
Each time a blinding flash followed a loud blast, one enemy after another collapsed to the floor, convulsing.
Holding the black orb—the Element of Destruction—Ray approached them.
“It’s okay. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“P-Please spare me! I-I’m not even fully initiated into the Azure Dawn— GRAAAAH!”
“It doesn’t hurt at all.”
“AAAH! AAAAAAARGH!”
Each of them foamed at the mouth and lost consciousness as their circles were destroyed.
Ray glanced around after finishing.
With the disgusting indigo circles gone, the heat clouding his mind slowly dissipated.
‘So this…’
Is what peace of mind feels like.
*Step— Step—*
Ray slowly approached the gasping Jacob, knelt down, and looked him in the eye.
“*Cough!* Who… are you…? What are you? What’s your purpose in coming after the Dawn society—”
*Stab!*
“AGHHHH!”
“I’m the one asking questions.”
Ray twisted the dagger that had pierced through Jacob’s shoulder with force and spoke.
“What is the purpose of the Dawn Society? What are you trying to achieve by putting forth a fake Saintess?”
“Guh…! So you’re a dog of the Order…! But it’s too late. Our Dawn Society’s plan is already in its final stage…! Kuhuhu! No matter how you worms struggle, you won’t be able to stop it!”
*Thud!*
“Answer me.”
“───!”
Ray relentlessly inflicted pain while healing Jacob’s wounds with healing magic.
But when it came to the Dawn Society’s plan, he never got an answer.
Jacob muttered with almost lifeless eyes.
“Kuhuhu… It’s useless. I won’t succumb to mere pain. You won’t get anything out of me. Go back and writhe in despair. The Order is already under our control. That’s right, it was easy to corrupt them since they’d been suppressing their desires. You made a reckless choice. Now that the Dawn Society knows the meeting was ruined, they’ll respond immediately…!”
“……”
Ray remained silent for a moment.
It was now certain—inflicting pain wouldn’t get him any information.
However—
“Reckless choice? That I wouldn’t be able to learn anything from you?”
That was wrong.
“Well, we’ll see about that.”
*Wuum!*
Ray’s pupils began to take on a flesh-colored glow.
The illusion magic that Obsess had used in the final forest was now being reproduced here.
Only this time, it was several times more powerful.
—
