**#170. Melting Point (6)**
—
*Whoooosh──*
Rain poured down in torrents.
Amidst the hot breaths of the gang members, a quiet disturbance spread.
Binjin was a symbol of terror even among the Amon Family’s own members.
Even though he was an ally, the brutal and merciless way he slaughtered enemies in conflict zones was enough to instill deep, bone-chilling fear.
And now, they said Binjin was dead.
Killed—by his own disciple.
“Ayla, what you just said… is it true? That you killed Binjin?”
Ayla flinched at Amon’s overbearing voice.
Her mind went blank, and she instinctively looked toward Ray.
“……”
“……”
The moment their eyes met, she felt a strange calm settle in her heart.
‘That look in his eyes… he’s telling me again. I’m not useless. I *can* do this.’
‘This injury… it’s going to scar. Veronica’s going to scold me when we get back. Should I try covering it up with makeup or something?’
Emboldened, Ayla turned back to Amon and took a deep breath.
*I am Ayla.*
Not useless—useful Ayla.
And then.
The moment she recalled the way Amon would always leer at her with disgustingly sticky eyes—
‘……!’
Goosebumps flared, and a wave of fury surged through her.
Ayla floored the gas.
“Yeah, I killed him. Got a problem with that, you horny mutt?”
The air turned icy cold in an instant.
“Hwoh.”
Ain’s breath hitched beside her.
“You… what did you just say…!”
“Can’t take your filthy eyes off me? I’ll rip them out and turn them into ice candy, I swear.”
Again, a mutter from beside her.
“Guess my sister had a lot bottled up. She… seems different.”
As silence fell, Amon’s face shifted through shades of red and blue without a sound.
“A-ah…! W-what did I just…! S-sorry… you stubby little bastard! Hrk…!”
“……”
It seemed Ayla hadn’t quite regained full control over her thawed emotions.
“Hoo.”
Suppressing his rage for the moment, Amon turned to Ray and continued the conversation.
“Sir Mage, may we go inside to confirm it? That Binjin is truly dead, I mean.”
He glanced repeatedly toward the interior of the tower behind Ray.
“That’s odd.”
“What is, exactly?”
“You heard Ayla say Binjin was dead, and your first reaction was to confirm it.”
“Well, that’s—”
“Normally, wouldn’t you ask why she killed him? What happened in there?”
“That’s…”
“You don’t seem curious at all. Like you already knew what went down inside.”
“……”
“Am I wrong?”
Ray’s voice and eyes turned frigid, piercing to the core.
After a long silence, Amon’s lips curled into a smirk.
“This is why sharp little brats are such a pain.”
“You knew Binjin was using his disciples as fuel for a parasitic magic ritual, didn’t you?”
“Hah. Keep going.”
“Considering how deep their ties went, you probably even handled procuring the orphans for him.”
Parasitic magic.
Ain’s eyes widened in shock, his expression slowly shifting as the pieces fell into place.
Ray continued, tone even.
“You stationed guards around the tower to make sure Binjin’s sick hobbies weren’t interrupted.”
“……”
“You probably got a report about the battle inside. And though it startled you, you waited until it was over before arriving.”
“……”
“That way, whether Binjin or someone else survived, you could swoop in and take the relics for yourself.”
After listening quietly, Amon suddenly clapped and burst into laughter.
“Excellent. Truly excellent. I’m dying to know what kind of life you’ve lived to think like that at your age. Maxton, what were you doing at that age?”
The subordinate holding his umbrella responded.
“Don’t remember exactly, sir. Probably selling gum on the street.”
“Exactly. That’s what normal kids are like at that age. But this one… I’ve thought it for a while now, he’s different. Not just his impressive magic, his mind works sharp as a blade.”
“Yes, sir. He’s remarkable.”
“Right, right. And since he’s so sharp—”
Amon suddenly dropped the grin and growled at Ray.
“Then he also knows he needs to get out of the way if he doesn’t want holes in his body.”
“……”
“Step aside, kid. Now. Unless you want your guts full of air. I’ve had my eye on the relics inside for a long, long time.”
Ain stepped forward in fury.
“You son of a—!”
“Wait—now’s not the time…!”
Ayla calmed him down, scanning the situation with anxious eyes.
‘…We’re at a disadvantage.’
They were vastly outnumbered, already fully surrounded.
Silhouettes of black vehicles and gang members loomed outside the mansion’s gate.
*Whoooosh──*
Rain obscured the view, further limiting their visibility.
They had three mages, so they could do some damage if they fought.
But—
‘There’s no guarantee we’d survive.’
In the end, the Amon Family would likely come out the victor.
Cunning and calculating, Amon had clearly worked all this out beforehand.
“……”
Ray stayed silent for a long moment.
Thinking the situation was unfolding just as he’d expected, Amon grinned.
“Fire.”
“Yes, sir.”
*Click!*
“I’m curious about something.”
“Huh? Go ahead, then.”
“Binjin’s gone now. Who’s going to protect you in turf wars with other gangs?”
“Oh, that?”
Amon chuckled and replied.
“No need to worry. The Amon Family’s always had closer ties with his top disciples than with Binjin himself. Controlling the remaining disciples in the mansion will be easy. Might have to use some special drugs to keep them in line, of course.”
He sneered.
The mansion’s disciples were like puppets, utterly devoid of will.
All that changed was who held the strings.
*That can’t happen.*
Ayla’s breath quickened.
She had only just broken free from the chains that bound her life.
The idea of being shackled again—it was unbearable.
She looked toward the one who held the final say.
Ray.
*Swish—thud.*
He calmly stepped aside.
“Ha! Brilliant. The kid really does think fast. Let’s go in. Gotta check Binjin’s body and collect the relics. Did you call the appraisers?”
“They’re on standby at the office. Ready to appraise and move the items straight to the black market.”
“Good, good. Very good.”
As the front-line gang members began entering the tower, Ayla and Ain followed Ray and stepped aside.
‘Sis, is this really okay?’
‘Hailer… what are you thinking?’
They were confused. Anxious. Uneasy.
Maybe Ray thought he didn’t need to get involved anymore since he wasn’t one of the mansion’s people?
As they wavered in indecision—
*Thud.*
Amon stopped walking and glanced at Ayla.
“I’ll treat the dolls better than Binjin ever did.”
*Ah.*
Something in Ayla’s mind snapped.
Just as she instinctively began drawing mana with burning intensity—
“I have one more question.”
Ray’s voice made her freeze.
“One more question.”
“Hm? What is it? I’m in a pretty good mood, so I’ll answer.”
“In the sector I lived in, we had one rule.”
“What kind of rule?”
“Whoever wins a fight takes everything. I’m wondering if that rule also applies here in Sector 37.”
Amon burst into laughter.
“Look at me claiming the spoils. Isn’t it obvious? The strong take everything. Money, people, businesses—you name it. That rule applies in every sector. And I love it.”
“That’s a relief.”
Ray gave Ayla and Ain a quick look.
“Because I love that rule too.”
He said coldly.
*Fwoooosh!*
Ray’s hand, wrapped in blue mana, shot toward Amon’s neck.
────!
“Guh! Gahk! Gghrk!”
Amon was lifted into the air, flailing and pounding his fists against the hand gripping his throat.
But it was like striking stone. The grip didn’t loosen.
In fact—
*Crackle—crackle—!*
Ice spread from Ray’s hand, quickly covering Amon’s body—except for his face.
“Gghrk! Hhk! Nngk!”
Amon’s face turned blue with pure terror.
That same fear spread like wildfire through the gang members outside.
“M-my body’s freezing up!”
“I-it’s magic! It’s magic!”
Ice crawled from the ground up their legs, then across their bodies.
Everything was in chaos.
But the most shocked by the scene was Ayla.
*He scattered ice-elemental energy across the whole lawn while stalling for time with conversation…? When did he…? I didn’t even sense it…*
She shivered.
The boy’s steady encouragement.
Reaching the 3rd Circle inside the tower.
Thanks to that, she’d erased the lingering sense of inferiority and regained her confidence.
But this—
*It’s on a whole different level.*
Like facing a wall beyond a wall.
And yet, she didn’t feel inferior.
Instead, her heart filled with a healthy sense of competition and exhilaration.
“Fire! Fire, dammit!”
“B-but! Boss—our Boss—!”
“Just shoot! We have to stop the spell or we’re all dead!”
Following orders from what seemed to be a lieutenant, the gang members retaliated.
Those who had entered the tower rushed back out.
Those still outside raised trembling hands and pulled the trigger.
“……!”
Sensing a spell activate on his body, Ain shot forward.
Ayla quickly erected a circular ice barrier around herself and Ray.
Gunshots rang through the sound of rain.
Sparks flashed in the blurred vision.
─────────!
Countless shell casings rolled over the wet lawn.
But the massive ice wall didn’t suffer a scratch.
Inside the tower, Ain had grabbed a chunk of concrete and was darting through the enemies.
*Slash—! Slash—!*
With each arc of the sharp shard, gang members fell, spraying blood.
“D-die!”
A gun was aimed at him, but he didn’t dodge.
Something told him he didn’t need to.
*Thwump—!*
The bullet bounced off his body like nothing.
*What kind of spell did big bro cast on me?*
Ain was dumbfounded.
It felt like his entire body had turned to metal.
So the Magic Tower didn’t just teach how to whack people with books—this was serious.
Ah, the Magic Tower…
*Really is a terrifying place.*
Just like that, the chaos inside and outside the tower was brought under control.
Inside, the enemies groaned on the ground, bleeding heavily.
Outside, their entire bodies were frozen solid, leaving behind only pale, lifeless faces.
*Craaaaack—!*
The thick ice wall crumbled at Ayla’s will.
She looked around and muttered in a dazed voice,
“I… didn’t think we’d win this easily.”
“You’re strong. Like I said.”
At Ray’s words, Ayla thought silently.
*I think the strong one… is you, not me.*
“But I *am* stronger.”
Ayla flinched.
*Did you read my mind?*
She focused her thoughts.
*Why has the interest in your eyes disappeared when you look at me?*
She stared hard, but the boy showed no reaction.
Just then, Ain walked out from the tower.
“Big bro? What kind of spell did you use on me? My body feels like a rock.”
“Not rock. Metal.”
“Metal?”
“It’s called Metallization. And get ready. The fight’s not over yet—”
Ray raised a finger.
He could see the enemies pouring in past the mansion’s front gate.
“That’s right. I can still fight.”
“I still have plenty of mana left in the circle too…?”
That was when the anomaly occurred.
The incoming enemies began convulsing as if they had been electrocuted, then collapsed one by one.
…Yet not a single spark of electricity was visible in the air.
“Do they teach that kind of thing at the Mage Tower?”
“Hey, Hailer. What kind of magic is that?”
Ain and Ayla asked in a dazed voice, but Ray couldn’t answer.
Because it wasn’t a spell he had cast.
“……”
What was reflected in the boy’s eyes now was a massive serpent flying around the front gate.
**[Wooooong─!]**
Its entire body was composed of radiant yellow mana.
**[Crackle─!]**
Blinding currents of electricity raged like a storm within it.
*‘Laqria.’*
The boy repeated the serpent’s name in his mind.
