**Chapter 207. Unwelcome Guest (3)**
—
Krymer looked genuinely surprised, as if the idea of rejection had never crossed his mind.
“You’re refusing? Why would you do that? If you join our Dawn Society, you could gain both wealth and fame.”
“……”
Ray didn’t bother answering.
He was too busy analyzing the opponent’s power.
His four mana circles were filled with a deep navy that was nearly black.
Ray had encountered ordinary navy-colored mana before, like when he fought Allager—Curiosa’s younger brother and an executive of Murcred.
Depending on its nature, associated emotions could split between superiority or inferiority.
The main components of this kind of mana were the elements of domination, restriction, binding, and manipulation.
In Allager’s case, he had an overwhelming sense of superiority and contempt toward others.
He used intangible pressure to crush or bind his opponents.
*But this guy’s navy mana is several times denser and darker than Allager’s. And the elemental composition is much more chaotic and tangled.*
If it grew just a little darker, it would shift into complete black—just like what Vicious had shown—and become pure malice toward the world.
When Ray stayed silent, Krymer’s gaze drifted toward the collapsed Grine.
“My instincts tell me that’s probably a fake. Did you kill the real Binjin?”
“……”
“I see. Well, he was meant to join our Dawn Society under certain conditions anyway, so it doesn’t matter. The superior always claim everything in this world. Isn’t that right, Simon? …Simon? Oh, he’s passed out. Pathetic. Losing consciousness from just one lost arm.”
Krymer clicked his tongue and let go of his unconscious companion’s scruff.
*Thud!*
At that moment, Ray spoke up.
“If you want to recruit me, shouldn’t you start by explaining what this Dawn Society of yours is about?”
“Hm? I figured you’d know after killing Binjin. But if you don’t, I’ll be happy to explain.”
“Go ahead.”
Ray responded like someone suddenly interested.
It was partly to buy time for the others to recover.
But also because he figured he could glean useful information through conversation.
“The Azure Dawn Society is an organization founded by our master. Its main goal is to resurrect the Great One into this world. Our members are spread across all sectors of society, working tirelessly to make that happen.”
Members spread across all sectors.
Was the bishop one of them too?
“Resurrect the Great One?”
“The ancient era.”
A gleam of ecstatic joy flashed in Krymer’s eyes.
“He was a great mage, said to have lived back in that time. When He awakens from His long slumber, the world will finally take on its ideal form.”
“And what kind of form is that?”
“In this current world, even the inferior enjoy a measure of rights, don’t they?”
Not really, actually.
“Inferior beings should live with only the bare minimum of survival rights, serving their whole lives in proper roles beneath the superior.”
“……”
“In such a world, the superior can devote themselves entirely to refining their excellence.”
“……”
“We call the coming of that world the New Era. It’s the ideal the Azure Dawn Society seeks. We also develop new forms of magic—superior ones, unlike any conventional spells, developed independently within our society.”
Krymer’s gleaming eyes landed on the lightning in Ray’s hand.
“That’s why I want to recruit you. I’ve spent decades researching magic, and I can’t even begin to understand how your spell was constructed. A spell composed of a single elemental unit? It’s not just astonishing—it’s beautiful. Join the Dawn Society. Interact with our learned members, and you’ll be able to elevate your magic to new heights. In the coming New Era, you could rise even among the superior.”
With a murky chuckle, Krymer concluded confidently.
“What do you say? Doesn’t it sound tempting?”
The answer came from behind.
“An interesting idea, but not exactly realistic.”
Grine had gotten up from the ground and was brushing off the dust.
Then another voice chimed in.
“This guy’s thinking like a kid who still believes in fairy tales.”
“…Disgusting.”
It was Ain and Ayla.
Especially Ayla—having suffered discrimination and contempt in the mansion—her aura rippled with genuine loathing.
*Zzzt.*
Curiosa peeked through a crack in space.
“I don’t think it’s such a bad ide─”
*Zzzt.*
The gap shut instantly.
Her face vanished.
Then it reopened. Her masked face looked at Ray, annoyed.
“What was that? Why’d you close it?”
“……”
Ray simply gave her a look.
*Read the room.*
Curiosa scoffed.
“Let me finish at least. I was going to say it’s not a bad idea *in theory,* but whether these Azure Dawn Society folks are truly superior is a whole other question. People who talk that slick are never actually sane.”
“You masked fool. If you want to live, shut your mouth.”
Krymer’s voice cut in.
His face, stripped of all amusement, now twisted in furious contempt.
“Who told you inferior things you had the right to speak? You dare butt into a conversation between superiors? Are you that eager to die?”
Radiating lethal intent, Krymer scanned the others before turning back to Ray with a suddenly gentle tone.
“The only opinion that matters to me is yours. I have no interest in what these insects think. So, tell me—will you join the Dawn Society? Whatever life you’ve led so far, I promise what we offer is a level you’ve never known.”
Silence fell.
Everyone turned to Ray.
They had complete trust in the boy—but even so, the faint possibility, the *what if,* made their hearts waver.
That kind of unease was inevitable for anyone with emotions.
Seconds passed.
“I like having friends.”
Ray stepped forward toward Krymer.
And the battle began.
The quiet lightning only roared and shone when swung.
*BOOM!*
Each flash altered their positions drastically.
*BOOM! BOOM!*
Ray extended the lightning like a spear, shortened it like a dagger, and struck with astonishing speed.
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
Krymer dodged every attack with equal speed.
His entire body surged with navy mana, powering up his strength and agility with enhancement magic.
*Even if the magic’s output is high, the body has to be able to withstand it.*
Ray could tell instinctively.
His opponent was a battle-hardened veteran, his body trained to the extreme.
*Vwoooom!*
Dark navy mana wrapped around Krymer’s hands like skin.
He began counterattacking as if he’d grasped Ray’s patterns.
His sharp hands struck at vital points—eyes, ears, throat.
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
Flashing vision.
Constantly shifting positions.
Yet no scene showed Ray taking a direct hit.
*Crack!*
From where Ayla touched the ground, an icy path extended.
Ain added his power to it.
Their goal: bind Krymer’s feet.
They couldn’t risk a projectile hitting Ray, so they opted for this method.
*Fwoosh!*
But a navy flame sprang up, halting the ice’s advance.
It surged back along the path, clashing against the siblings in a power struggle.
Grine faced a similar situation.
The thorny vines she summoned wilted against the navy smog, then sprouted again with her green mana.
Krymer burst into laughter.
“Kehaha! Isn’t it glorious? No matter how much the inferior struggle, they can never reach the feet of the superior! This is the power of the procedure offered by the Dawn Society!”
*BOOM!*
“But you truly impress me! You’re standing against me without yielding an inch! Not only did you develop an original spell, but you’re strong in real battle too! A truly desirable talent!”
*BOOM! BOOM!*
“It’s not too late! Think again! You were born with talent! You could become one of the most superior among the superior!”
*BOOM!*
The scene changed.
Hands reached out from the space behind Krymer’s head and clamped over his mouth.
Curiosa’s voice came from beyond the rift.
─This bastard talks way too much.
Seizing the opening, Ray moved like flowing water.
*BOOM!*
Lightning struck.
In a flash of white, countless changes unfolded.
When vision returned—
The first thing they saw was Krymer, gasping for breath from a distance.
“Guh…! Guuuh…!”
He clutched his shoulder.
It had been pierced by lightning and was now charred black, more than half of it gone.
Cold sweat drenched him.
Veins bulged on his face as he desperately focused navy mana into the wound to block the electricity’s spread.
But it wasn’t easy.
His concentration broke—the navy smog and flames vanished.
Grine and the twins immediately closed in from opposite directions.
“Inferior things…! Inferior things…! How dare you…! How dare you…!”
A blood-red rage blended with navy superiority.
The color grew murkier.
That was the first time—
That Ray looked at something and thought: *How hideous.*
Without giving any room to react, he threw another lightning strike—but Krymer moved slightly faster.
*BOOM!*
Just before the world turned white again—
Ray saw Krymer clutch Simon’s throat.
Mana drained from Simon’s body through Krymer’s greedy grip.
Even Lucia’s lingering navy mana from the ashes was being absorbed.
*Extraction magic.*
When vision returned—
“I feel better now.”
Krymer stood calmly, navy mana raging wildly around him.
The electricity in his shoulder was blocked by the mana.
Simon lay shriveled at his feet.
Ray made a swift decision.
“Grine, Ayla, Ain—get out of the tower. Evacuate the mansion’s kids too. Get as far away from here as you can.”
This was dangerous.
A 5th-circle—possibly even 6th-circle level opponent.
Sensing instinctively that they would be of no help, the three quickly fled the tower.
The boy immediately hurled a lightning bolt.
*Boom!*
The man’s position shifted instantly—to right beside him.
‘…He’s fast.’
Krymer, who had effortlessly evaded Ray’s attack, checked over his body and spoke in a satisfied tone.
“This is the advantage unique to mixed circles. Normally, mana extracted through parasitic magic is highly toxic—only good for enhancing the quality of magical tools. If absorbed into the body, one would suffer all kinds of side effects, starting with mana poisoning. But among those who possess mixed circles, mana absorption is fully possible. Do you know why?”
“……”
“It’s because the dynamic relationships between elements contained in the mana of a mixed circle are already broken down.”
“……”
“And consider yourself honored. This is a spell still in development within the Dawn Society—one that has never been revealed to the world.”
Hundreds of strands of indigo mana shot out from Krymer’s body, rising to the top floor of the tower and converging into a single point.
What formed was a massive sphere.
A distinctly tangible orb of ominous indigo light, visible to the naked eye—even to someone other than the boy.
The battle resumed once more.
*Boom!*
The man’s speed, now explosively faster, surpassed the boy’s by several levels.
*Boom! Boom!*
Flashes blurred his vision.
The flickering, precarious landscape was mostly filled with the boy being struck and sent flying through the air.
*Bam—! Bam—! Bam—!*
The stairs, the floor, the walls—
The boy was slammed into them all, kicking up clouds of dust.
The tower trembled and began to collapse.
*Bam—!*
‘I can’t keep up with his movements.’
Curiosa also tried to ceaselessly open spatial gaps to swallow the man whole, but keeping up with his speed was difficult.
*Bam—!*
‘And the force behind his attacks is no joke, either.’
If not for his metallic transformation, his body would’ve already been pulverized.
The man felt like a being made entirely of violence.
*Bam—!*
‘And he shows no signs of tiring.’
Then the boy realized something.
The indigo sphere floating above the top of the tower—it was supplying the man with energy, like a sun.
*Rumble—!*
In that moment, the tower completely collapsed.
The sky exposed outside was now dyed entirely in shades of indigo.
Even though it was clearly midday—
It was as though night had fallen.
*Thud—!*
The boy, punched in the abdomen, flew through the air and rolled across the ground.
It didn’t particularly hurt.
He simply calculated the damage accumulated in his body and searched for a way to reverse the situation.
Against an opponent moving this fast, he couldn’t even disable the circles using his ring.
Lightning was certainly incredibly fast and more destructive than any magic he’d used before.
But if it didn’t hit, it meant nothing.
‘…The lightning itself is fast. But the speed at which I swing or throw it doesn’t match his.’
In other words, his movements were being read.
‘I can’t land a hit. Not unless I move as fast as lightning itself.’
The boy paused to reflect on that thought.
…Not unless I move as fast as lightning itself?
In that moment—
*Crackle.*
The properties of the boy’s body began to change.
