**#048. Where Malice Gathers (5)**
—
*”Instead of money, youâll grant me one favor later. That way, we each owe a favor. Fair, donât you think?”*
*”âŠ.”*
A favor for a favor.
Upon reflection, nothing could be more straightforward or balanced than this arrangement.
Ray nodded.
*”Fine.”*
*”Donât worry, I wonât ask for anything unreasonable.”*
And that was how Veronica found herself at the abandoned factory, burning her brain cells over a bizarre magic circle.
Encountering her first magic circle of such insane complexity and scale was beyond overwhelming.
*”This section uses transformation elements… and over here⊠I feel like Iâll understand if I examine it a bit more.”*
The constant vibration of mana in the air was enough to make her head spin.
Without the diagram Ray had provided, she wouldnât have even recognized the magic circleâs layout.
*”Donât overdo it.”*
*”I can do this. Really. Trust me.”*
*”Alright. Iâll check on you later, then.”*
Analyzing a magic circle required a solid theoretical foundation.
Rayâs natural affinity for sensing mana, while impressive, wasnât particularly helpful this time.
After Ray left, Veronica took a moment to catch her breath and glanced around.
**Crackleâsizzleâ!**
Through the windows, she noticed a crowd of kids gathered, tiny sparks popping between them.
She suddenly recalled the excited chatter of Yulfin and Malta when theyâd come back from playing on the streets.
*”Hey, you know Ray? Heâs like, the boss of the north side!”*
*”Yeah! I saw these huge, scary guys bowing to him!”*
The two younger siblings had practically sparkled with admiration, unable to hide their excitement.
Why did boys their age seem so obsessed with strength and power, as if those words occupied every corner of their minds?
*”Itâs probably true. I havenât asked him directly, though.”*
When she first arrived at the abandoned factory, sheâd been shocked.
The place was teeming with intimidatingly large kids, just standing there.
*”Donât worry. I called them here for work. They mustâve gotten here early.”*
Following Rayâs lead, Veronica cautiously stepped inside.
As she inspected the magic circle with a mix of anxiety and curiosity, a few kids hesitantly approached her.
*”Ray told us to help if you needed anything.”*
In that moment, she realizedâthey were also treading carefully, wary of her.
*”Iâm fine! Iâll call if I need help!”*
The tension eased slightly.
Being Rayâs acquaintance seemed to afford her a certain level of respect.
*”Understood, maâam! Just let us know anytime!”*
*”Weâre standing by, maâam!”*
*”Maâam.”*
Veronica flinched.
The kids had picked up the term from overheard street chatter.
Seeing how casually she called Ray by his name, they mustâve assumed she was his girlfriendâor something equivalent.
Strictly speaking, “maâam” was a formal term of respect for someoneâs wife.
*”Wait, hold onâ”*
*”Yes, maâam? You were saying?”*
Veronicaâs face turned crimson.
Too timid to deny any connection to Ray, she just let it slide.
Still, the title wasnât⊠unpleasant.
*”Maâam⊠me?”*
Unconsciously, she straightened her back.
Raising a notebook like a fan to her lips, she adopted an elegant pose and gestured gracefully.
*”Ahem. Could you measure the distance from here to there?”*
*”Yes, maâam!”*
It had nothing to do with analyzing the magic circle.
*”Ahem. Check the temperature in this section, will you?”*
*”Right away, maâam!”*
Again, it had no relevance to the magic circle.
Nevertheless, Veronica wholeheartedly embraced her role as “maâam” and continued to do so diligently.
**Tap. Tap. Tap.**
Whenever someone passed by, she immediately infused her posture with elegance.
Maintaining that air of refinement, she resumed her thoughts.
*”The activation point is definitely here. If I can figure out how these elements combine, Iâll understand the entire structure.”*
Her head felt like it was overheating, but she refused to give up.
Persistence and determination were her greatest strengthsâshe knew this better than anyone.
How much time passed, she couldnât tell.
*”Got it!”*
Her triumphant shout echoed.
The anxiety and frustration that had filled her heart evaporated instantly, replaced by overwhelming relief and joy.
But her exhilaration quickly turned to embarrassment when she realized everyone was staring at her.
*”AhâŠ.”*
Heat rushed to her face. Sheâd shouted too loudly without realizing it.
*”S-sorry! Please, carry on with your work!”*
Flustered, Veronica tried to redirect their attention.
Ray approached her, breaking the awkward atmosphere.
*”Figured it out?”*
*”Y-yeah! You wanted to know when the magic circle would activate, right?”*
Back to being the bookstore girl rather than “maâam,” Veronica fanned her flushed face with her notebook as she spoke.
Taking Rayâs notebook and pen, she scribbled down a complex formula.
*”Exactly 49 hours and 12 minutes from nowâso, two days later at 2:30 PM.”*
It wasnât far off from Rayâs estimation.
The man they were tracking was expected to revisit the area at 2 PM.
*”Heâll arrive, check if Kedrick and the kids are gathered, then leave just before the magic circle activates.”*
Changing the activation time would disrupt the plan.
*”Can you alter the timing?”*
*”Hmm⊠Itâs theoretically possible, but Iâd need to test it to be sure.”*
Veronica hesitated, glancing at Ray nervously.
âMay I ask what youâre trying to do? Just by looking at this magic circle, it seems incredibly dangerousâŠâ
The girlâs vessel radiated with pure white mana.
The mana soon transformed into a small sun, emitting a serene and radiant light.
An overwhelming beauty.
Ray couldnât help but lose himself for a moment.
Why was that?
Why did Veronicaâs concerns only manifest in such a form toward him?
When she worried about the old man or her younger siblings, such phenomena never appeared.
He had already confirmed this several times.
âWhat are you planning to doâŠ?â
Ray murmured absentmindedly.
What he intended was clear.
To eliminate the man.
After much deliberation, he concluded it was impossible to negotiate or subdue the man with half-measures.
Elimination was the best choice.
Especially now, with such an opportune moment.
The opportunity lay in a magic circle designed to obliterate everything above it.
ââŠWhile interrogation is the best way to gather information.â
There wouldnât be a complete lack of information in the basement either.
Additionally, any missing information could be collected in the next sector.
âIâm not forcing you to answer. I just thought I might be able to helpâŠâ
The immediate concern was whether or not to share this with Veronica.
In truth, even if he confided in her, Veronica could offer little assistance beyond analyzing the magic circle.
In two days, only he and the man would be in this place, the optimal condition for the planâs success.
Anyone else present would only get in the way.
But a question lingered.
âYouâre worried Iâll get hurt, arenât you?â
If he revealed part of the truthâŠ
If he could make Veronica worry even moreâŠ
âYes, thatâs right. If itâs dangerous, you might get hurt.â
Would that small sun shine even more beautifully?
—
—
**At the entrance of the northern scrapyard, piled high with junk metal.**
A boy stood there with a crossbody bag.
Snow-white hair and skin.
A face with elegant lines.
The boyâs striking appearance made him stand out amidst the backdrop of broken and worn-out surroundings.
He looked like a figure drawn in a completely different art style.
Yet oddly, he didnât feel out of place.
It was because of the boyâs aura.
Cold eyes and an icy expression.
A raw, unpolished edge unique to street survivors overlaying his refined appearance.
ââŠâŠâ
The boy, gazing at the city with a dry look, lowered his head to check the watch on his wrist.
**[P.M. 13:57]**
It was almost time.
As the thought crossed his mind, he raised his head again, spotting a man in a coat approaching from afar.
Even from a distance, the manâs excitement and anticipation radiated like a vivid yellow flame in his vessel.
**Step. Step. Clack.**
The emotions grew closer until they halted right before him.
âHuh? Wait a minute⊠Youâre that guy from beforeâŠâ
âIâm here to escort you.â
âEscort? Ha!â
The man let out a chuckle as Ray bowed politely.
The emotions in his vessel flickered like small flames, rising and falling with the manâs chest.
The thought of someone coming to greet him seemed not entirely unpleasant.
âAll right then, lead the way. Is everyone assembled?â
âYes, sir. Theyâve settled in and are waiting at the hideout. Everyoneâs eager for your arrival.â
Ray delivered his rehearsed line, glancing upward briefly.
Among the many emotions in the manâs vessel, there was no sign of caution or hostility.
Just like before.
Even at such close range.
The man didnât seem particularly attentive or meticulous.
In Rayâs eyes, he was remarkably careless.
Even the plan to use Kedrick to gather the sacrifices on the magic circle had numerous gaps upon closer inspection.
For something as crucial as the magic circleâs activation, the manâs carelessness was a glaring flaw.
But that was to be expected.
After all, no one is perfect.
Everyone has flawsâwhether trivial or, as in this case, fatal.
This was a conclusion Ray had reached after years of observing people.
And it was why heâd begun questioning something after reading books about gods at the bookstore.
—
**âA god is an omnipotent being who created the world and crafted humans as extensions of themselves.â**
The book had been filled with hypotheses and theories about gods, many too difficult to fully grasp.
But a common theme ran through most of the stories he read.
Gods were omnipotent beings, creators of the world, who shaped humans in their own image.
The moment he read that passage, an old thought buried deep within him stirred.
**âHumans are inherently flawed beings.â**
If gods were truly omnipotent, why didnât they create humans as perfect beings like themselves?
In factory terms, it was as if gods were only capable of producing defective products.
Wouldnât that imply they werenât omnipotent after all?
The word he recalled from the dictionary surfaced in his mind as he returned the book to the shelf.
**âContradiction: A lack of consistency between actions or ideas.â**
Since Rayâs worldview was built on strict logic, a book rife with contradictions held no further value for him.
—
Interrupted from his thoughts by the manâs voice, Ray turned his attention back to reality.
âIs this the right way? This doesnât seem like the path I took last time.â
âItâs a shortcut.â
âOh, well. You guys would know these places better than me.â
Despite the significant distance they had traveled, the hideout showed no sign of appearing.
Of course, that was intentional.
Ray had deliberately taken a detour to buy some time.
The current time was 2:08 PM.
And the magic circle would activate at 2:27 PM.
*”The most I can do is move the activation time up slightly. The elemental combination is too intricate for me to manipulate further with my current skill level.”*
Ray had devised several plans to eliminate the man, and with Veronica’s assistance, one of those plans was now actionable.
The plan was simple:
Stall the man in the abandoned factory and escape just before the magic circle activated.
There was an undeniable power gap between the man and himself.
However, Ray was confident that he wouldnât fall or lose before the magic circle activated.
The focus of the battle would be on evasion, minimizing combat, and strategically reducing the time he needed to hold out in the abandoned factory.
*”This man still thinks the magic circle activates at 2:30.”*
In reality, the activation was three minutes earlier.
That small difference would lead to a significant outcome in the impending events.
*”Three minutes, huh. Got it.”*
*”…Are you sure you should trust me so easily? There’s always a chance my adjustment of the magic circle could be wrong.”*
Naturally, Veronica voiced her concerns.
The girl found it difficult to understand how Ray could so easily accept her words for such a critical plan.
On the other hand, Ray couldnât understand why Veronica lacked confidence in her own abilities.
*”Veronica, you’re smart.”*
*”…….”*
Rayâs assessment of Veronicaâs abilities wasnât made lightly.
He had already seen her magical knowledge rivaling that of seasoned mages in various situations, including during their lessons.
*”I believe in you.”*
The adjustments to the magic circle, as Veronica explained, were flawless.
In conclusion, the plan had already accounted for numerous variables, and Ray had calculated the probabilities.
While success wasnât guaranteed, he was determined to push the odds as close to 100% as possible.
—
—
“Hey, Vice leader. When are we going to get there? You said it was a shortcut, but this is slower than the route I took.”
The man was beginning to lose his patience.
Would he be satisfied with this delay?
Ray had already stalled over seven minutes compared to the original route, so the initial objective was achieved.
*”Apologies. I mustâve gotten a little confused with the paths. But Iâm sure this next turn is the correct direction.”*
Ray took the lead at the next fork in the road.
Sure enough, beyond a pile of scrap metal, the roof of the abandoned factory came into view.
The man, about to voice another complaint, fell silent.
Step. Step.
Both Ray and the man stared straight at the factory.
The firmly shut metal door loomed larger as they approached, and with it, the manâs emotions began to rise.
“I figured you’d succeed in gathering allies. Youâve always had a clear hunger for power since our first encounter.”
The manâs lips curled into a smirk, unable to suppress his growing excitement.
*”Itâs all thanks to you, sir.”*
Ray responded mechanically, all the while gauging the manâs state of mind.
The success of the plan hinged on the man entering the factory.
If he hesitated or stopped at the door, things would become exceedingly difficult.
Though Ray had backup measures prepared, they carried far more risk than if the situation unfolded as planned.
—
âItâs quiet inside. Is everyone holding their breath waiting for me to come?â
Fortunately, the man detected no unusual signs.
At least, not until he reached the door and grabbed the handle.
*Creeeeeakâââ*
The sound of metal scraping echoed as the door began to open, revealing the scene within.
*”All right, everyone! Iâm hereââ”*
The manâs words froze mid-sentence.
Not a single soul greeted him.
The space was empty, filled only with shadows and the flickering red glow of runic crystals.
Almost simultaneously, two things occurred:
The man turned, raising his mana in preparation.
*Tap!*
The sound of Rayâs feet closing the gap.
Ray swung his knife, but the man blocked the attack with his forearm.
*Clang!*
The sharp clang of metal rang out as the two were pushed backâ
The man further into the factory, and Ray toward the entrance.
*”Whatâs the meaning of this?!”*
While the man froze momentarily to assess the situation, Ray acted without hesitation.
*Creeeeak!*
Using his enhanced strength, Ray began shutting the metal door as quickly as possible.
Light streaming into the factory rapidly diminished.
*”You bastard! Answer me right now!”*
The man screamed furiously, drawing his curved sword and charging forward.
Ray ignored him, focusing solely on sealing the door.
*CreeeeakâClang!*
Darkness enveloped the factory as the door slammed shut.
Ray felt something hit the ground behind him but didnât look back.
Crossing his arms defensively, he braced himself.
*Clang!*
The manâs blade rebounded off Rayâs arms, hardened like metal through magic.
*”Deflecting with bare armsâŠ?”*
Ray wasted no time. Spinning, he delivered a powerful kick to the manâs abdomen.
*Thud!*
The magically enhanced strike sent the man sprawling across the floor.
A perfect, clean hit.
The dense darkness posed no obstacle to Ray.
The mana coursing through his veins illuminated the manâs location like a glowing beaconâ
But only for living beings.
—
*Clatter.*
Ray quickly searched the floor and retrieved a chain he had prepared earlier.
He began wrapping it tightly around the door handles.
*Clatter. Clatter.*
The darkness prevented him from securing it perfectly, but it would at least slow the man down if he tried to escape.
*Whoosh!*
Light flared behind him.
The man rose, his cold voice echoing through the factory.
*”I donât know whatâs going on here.”*
Turning, Ray saw several fireballs hovering around the man, each the size of a human head.
As they flickered, shadows danced across the space.
*”Where are the kids?”*
The manâs face contorted like a wrathful demon, his fury practically tangible.
Yet, Ray noted the man showed no signs of serious injury from the kick.
*”Iâll give you ten seconds. Explain everything to my satisfaction, or⊔*
*Crack!*
*”Iâll tear you apart and toss the pieces into the river.”*
The man began counting down.
10, 9, 8 …. … .. .
—
Ray stood still, unmoving, even as time ticked away.
His eyes remained fixed on the man’s aura.
The blood-red mana roiled violently, pressing against the edges of the manâs magical vessel like a boiling liquid.
Blinded by rage, the man was oblivious to his surroundings.
As expected, the man hadnât noticed the magic circleâs tampering.
But this wasnât enough.
Ray needed to provoke him further, to make him forget the magic circle entirely.
Ray opened his lips, raising his knife and aiming it at the manâs face.
*”Walter. Under orders from the boss, Iâm here to eliminate you.”*
—
