<h4>Chapter 55: Quickening (2)</h4>


    The barrier clearly separated the interior from the exterior. Even with my <i>Comprehension </i>attribute, extracting useful information was difficult in such a situation. I walked through the barrier, tearing the small obstruction with my staff. Inside, the air was smoky and dark, as if the entire ce were bathed in the light of rednterns.


    “Everyone, calm down,” a voice echoed from somewhere.


    I followed it through the dormitory corridors until I reached the first-floor hall, where the dorm supervisor had gathered the children.


    “Professor!” someone shouted as soon as they saw me.


    They looked at me as if I were their savior, but I couldn’t afford to be friendly. The dense demonic energy inside the barrier was aggravating.


    “We''re saved! Professor, what should we—”


    “Shut it.”


    Themotion died down instantly. I observed the dorm supervisor, noticing her sharp sses, wrinkled clothes, dusty shoulders, and torn nails. I also noted every detail about the other students, from the fibers on their robes and the wrinkles on their faces to the reflections in their pupils.


    “Is everyone here?”


    “There are still people upstairs,” the dorm supervisor stated.


    I took the Wood Steel shurikens out of my briefcase. Ten of them floated up the stairs to the upper floors of the dormitory, while the remaining ten descended to the basement.


    With my eyes closed, I listened to the resonance of the steel. This was a bonus of my properties—a special skill I developed with my cherished item through my connection with fire, earth, and metal.


    The Wood Steel scoured each floor, rying the presence of any living beings to me and mercilessly tearing apart any non-human creatures. The radar picked up four survivors on the fifth, sixth, ninth, and tenth floors. I directed the Wood Steel to guide them to our location.


    “Wh-what is this? Hey, who are you?”


    “Do you think it wants us to follow it?”


    “B-but there are monsters outside...”


    Despite their hesitation, my voice reached them through the vibrations of the Wood Steel.


    “Follow.”


    Hearing my voice, they quickly descended the stairs, following the guidance of the Wood Steel.


    “... <i>Ahhhh</i>!”


    Once they reached the first floor, they copsed, gasping for breath. The dorm supervisor tried to soothe them.


    “Will we be able to get out of here now?” the dorm supervisor asked.


    “This barrier is expertly crafted. It is easy to enter but difficult to exit. The use of demonic energy makes it twice as troublesome as an ordinary barrier.”


    While I could disassemble it through calctions, locating the core with my <i>Sharp Eyesight </i>would allow for immediate destruction. However, this would take more time than the mages already poisoned by the demonic energy could endure.


    “Then...”


    “<i>Shh</i>,” Imanded, pressing a finger to my lips.


    Everyone froze in ce. In the ensuing silence, I surveyed the robed mages, closely examining their condition and attire. Arge-scale spell like this barrier could not be cast by one person alone; there had to be a caster who activated it. They showed no outward clues, their disguises perfect. Nevertheless, I activated my <i>Telekinesis </i>and used it to ruffle their hair.


    “<i>Hmph</i>,” I murmured with a smirk, a sneer rising unbidden. I approached one of them with deliberate steps.


    “People carry their history within their bodies. Even if they conceal their origins, the passage of time leaves deep traces.”


    I reached out and touched the dorm supervisor''s hair.


    “Your hair... carries traces of ash.”


    The response of the ash to my <i>Telekinesis </i>was unmistakable.


    “Have you been residing in a volcanic wastnd, Child of the Ashes?”


    Everyone stared at her in shock. She quietly adjusted her sses and then peeled off the face mask. I wasn’t outwardly surprised; the main antagonist of this quest was, indeed, a named character.


    “Nice deduction... but does it change anything? Are you aware?” she asked coldly, her eyes sharp. “The Children of the Ashes kill anyone who calls them by that name.”


    I listened quietly, suppressing the rage bubbling within me. Blue veins rose on my neck as my mouth filled with curses, a side effect of the demonic energy.


    “You deserve to die,” she muttered, as she activated her mana.


    <i>Hummmmm—</i>


    A surge of powerful mana rose from the ground. I focused on her spell and activated my Comprehension. Instantly, my vision expanded, making the world around me crystal clear. The mana flowing through my mind sped up my thoughts and enhanced my calctions.


    Time seemed to slow to a crawl. This heightened state made my whole body tingle. I understood her spell in an instant. With the core circuit visible through my <i>Sharp Eyesight</i>, I disrupted and dismantled it using my <i>Comprehension</i>.


    <i>Zzzzzzzt—! </i>


    The oue of her painstaking spell was merely a single spark.


    "You crazy bastard," she muttered, immediately attempting another spell. I dismantled it just by observing. This time, it was merely a snowball. "What is this...?"


    Although this process rapidly consumed my mana, I purified and absorbed the external demonic energy just as quickly.


    “How foolish.”


    I observed the magic forming in the Phenomenal Realm, analyzing it perfectly and dismantling it precisely. Any attempt to cast a spell was futile. The magic would never bepleted, not even a single thread of it, and I would ensure that.


    Within this barrier thick with demonic energy, thebination of my <i>Comprehension </i>and <i>Sharp Eyesight</i> allowed me to see and interfere with nearly all magic without limit.


    “... Damn it!”


    Finally, she gave up trying to cast magic. A smirk crossed my lips.


    “This is why...” I said, approaching her slowly and deliberately. “You are called the Ashes.”


    Her eyes widened with a mix of fury and fear as I continued.


    “Wretches unworthy of society, despised by all. Lacking the structure of a human, devoid of the charm of a beast, mere filth like maggots.”


    She red at me as I raised my finger to her forehead, severing the magic spell being cast behind her.


    “Your only talent is writhing in the dirt, your base nature utterly irredeemable.”


    “... <i>Ha</i>. You talk big. If you’re so great, why don’t you break the barrier and save the kids before they die? Are you afraid you can’t?” she sneered, looking up at me.


    “Allow me to elucidate your error,” I replied, meeting her gaze with equal contempt. “Your profound stupidity lies in setting this barrier on a building, not the space around it.”


    Ten of the Wood Steel shurikens saved the survivors, while the remaining ten descended into the basement. These shurikens attached themselves to the core supports of the dormitory''s steel frame. They drilled into the underground rock andtched onto the pirs that supported the entire building.


    “This highlights your profoundck of intelligence.”


    The Wood Steel heated the core of the steel frame. The superheated steel itself became a potent explosive.


    She finally grasped my intent and asked, "... Are you out of your mind? You intend to destroy the building to break the barrier?"


    I sighed, feeling a w in my character boiling within. Leaning close to her ear, I whispered, “Arlos.”


    She flinched at the sound of the name.


    “Do not presume that I am unaware of your identity,” I dered, stepping back. Her eyes widened even further. “Know your enemy before you act.”


    At that moment, the Wood Steel in the basement had heated enough to scorch the pirs.


    Soon, mes erupted, triggering my <i>Fire Control</i>. A massive vibration shook the ground. The rapidly intensified fire mixed with the Wood Steel, causing an explosion. The copse happened in an instant. The building, having lost its core supports, crumbled into a cloud of dust. The barrier surrounding the building also disintegrated.


    <i>Boooooom—!</i>


    Amid the chaos of debris raining down like a storm, I calmly looked down at her from the heart of the copse.


    “It is time for you to revert to your true form.”


    At that moment, she looked even more surprised than when I had said her name. Soon, my Wood Steel pierced her neck, and the light in her eyes faded. She transformed into a mannequin. This was a form of specialized magic that emerged when maniption and harmony were perfected—puppetry. It was Arlos''s signature technique.


    “<i>Aaaaaaaaah!</i>”


    The mages screamed. I turned slightly to look behind me. The lights were shattered, and darkness enveloped everything, but there were no casualties. There couldn''t have been any.


    <i>Cough, cough—</i>


    They were only coughing from the dust. After all, they were under the protection of my <i>Telekinesis</i>.


    ***


    Epherene was held back outside the barrier. Julia and the professors had to practically restrain her as she insisted on entering.


    "<i>Oh, oh, oh!</i> It''s copsing!" someone shouted in rm.


    Epherene''s eyes widened as she watched the scene unfold. The entire third dormitory building copsed with a loud crash. The explosion was clean, causing the steel frame to fall straight down without any fragments flying off. A thick cloud of dust quickly followed. The detonation was over in the blink of an eye.


    "Step back! Step back!" shouted the knights as they arrived btedly, rushing through the dust cloud.


    Before they could advance further, they sensed movement and paused, swords drawn. Deculein emerged from the rubble unscathed and with the survivors.


    "Are you alright, sir?" a knight asked hurriedly as he approached.


    Deculein handed over the survivors, brushed the dust off his clothes, and said, "Continue with yourmendable efforts."


    "Yes, sir!"


    As he began to leave, he felt the eyes of the other professors watching him from a distance. Turning around, he approached them. There were still a few things left unsaid.


    "For professors of the Mage Tower, cowering in fear of an unknown barrier is truly disgraceful," he dered with scorn.


    The professors couldn''t bring themselves to meet his openly contemptuous gaze.


    "Pathetic. Reflect on your actions and examine yourselves," hemanded with utter disdain before turning and leaving them behind.


    "Prof— <i>Ow</i>!" someone called out as they approached him.


    At first, there were two people, but Sylvia had just thrown one of them aside.


    "Are you alright, Professor?" Sylvia asked, her voice steady and calm, providing a sense of stability.


    "... This is a dangerous ce. Leave," Deculein instructed, lightly patting her shoulder before walking past. The overuse of his mana had left him severely mentally exhausted.


    ***


    Past midnight, after everything had settled, someone on a nearby bench spoke.


    “Is he strong?”


    Arlos nodded and replied, "He is much stronger than expected."


    “Isn’t he just someone who’s been living in a bubble?”


    “For someone who lives in a bubble, he’s quite strong, especially his manner of speaking and those ring eyes,” Arlos answered, brushing her long hair aside. Though she tried to act nonchnt, bted anger flushed her face.


    “What should we be cautious of?”


    “He’s exceptionally clever. He dismantled every spell I tried and saw through my puppet disguise. Engaging him in hand-to-handbat would be unwise, as he also appears physically robust.”


    “We must be cautious, then. What about the mission?”


    “It was only partially sessful.”


    Their goal was to use the barrier of demonic energy to absorb life force. Mages made excellent materials for creating puppets, so the n was to liquefy their vitality and mana, then frame the demons for the deed.


    “This is all we have,” Arlos said, pointing to the liquid sloshing in a vial. It was a pitifully small amount.


    Someone with a deep voice replied, “... The path of faith is fraught with difficulty. Even the simple act of preserving our bodies encounters such interference.”


    Faith and the pursuit of truth—these were the mantras they clung to. Arlos barely suppressed augh. These pitiable fools were chasing a dead God. The revival of such a deity was nothing but a fantasy, yet these fanatics tirelessly devoted themselves to the cause.


    “Marik is our next target, Arlos.”


    “I am aware.”


    However, since they shared the same primary objective, there was no need to antagonize them unnecessarily.


    “<i>Hmm</i>,” Arlos mused.


    Deculein, the Head Professor, proved to be more challenging than anticipated. His skill far surpassed expectations. The way he interfered with and dismantled magic was nearly divine.


    “Can anyoneplete a spell in his presence?”


    His very existence seemed to be the antithese of a Mage. Even as a puppet, the experience had been troubling. The renowned figure of the Ashes furrowed her brow in deep thought.


    ***


    The next day, I settled into the chair in my study and closed my eyes. Behind my closed eyelids, the system notification materialized.


    [Main Quest Completed: Quickening]


    ◆ Memorize Status:


    Beginner Telekinesis


    ┏Beginner Fire Control


    ┣Basic Fluid Maniption


    ┗Metal Enhancement (33% Progress)


    It was a kind of visualization. Through my <i>Sharp Eyesight</i>, I observed the <i>Telekinesis </i>within my body. Various spells—<i>Metal Enhancement</i>, <i>Fire Control</i>, and <i>Fluid Maniption</i>—were connected to the Telekinesis circuit.


    I organized and refined the flow of these circuits. The pain was crushing, but bearable. After enduring the agony for about thirty minutes, I slowly opened my eyes. The main quest fromst night suddenly came to mind.


    "Should I regard Arlos as a viin...?"


    My primary objective now was to clear the main quest. Whether the reward was a return to Earth or something else, it didn''t matter. I had no family waiting for me there, and failure would mean the destruction of this entire world, myself included.


    There were no other options. To clear the quest more easily and reduce its difficulty, either the good-named characters needed to grow stronger or the evil-named characters needed to die. Until now, I had focused solely on the former, but I realized that thetter was also a practical method. This insight came from the memories I had gained from Deculein''s diary.


    <i>Knock, knock—</i>


    "Master, someone from the Ministry of Public Safety is here to see you," Roy announced, knocking on the study door.


    The mention of the Ministry of Public Safety made me suspect it was due tost night''s events. I rose from my seat and went downstairs. At the front entrance, I was met by an all-too-familiar face.


    "It’s been a while," said Deputy Director Lillia Primien. Her navy blue hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she greeted me with a curt nod.


    “What brings you here today?”


    “Have you heard that Mage Louina is missing?” Primien inquired.


    Her words that Louina was missing puzzled me. I shook my head and replied, "I have not heard of this."


    “Now that you know, I must ask you some questions. Currently a suspect—”


    “... Are you implying that I am under suspicion?”


    “No, this is merely a routine investigation due to the significance of the missing individual,” she replied.


    “Deputy Director, you should be aware of whom you are addressing,” I said with a hint of irritation. Being suspected was not a pleasant feeling.


    Lillia continued calmly, “As I mentioned, this is not about suspicion. It''s simply that Professor Deculein is likely thest person to have seen Mage Louina. She disappeared shortly after leaving the imperial pce.”


    "... Right after leaving the imperial pce?"


    I quietly recalled the events of that day.


    <i>While driving back, I nced out the window and observed darkness briefly enveloping the passingndscape. At first, I believed it to be a magical effect, but it appeared to be merely the shadow of a tree. When I checked the rearview mirror, Louina''s car, which had been following mine, was gone. </i>


    <i>Wait... Was it truly the shadow of a tree? Perhaps, in my state of mana exhaustion, I missed a critical phenomenon.</i>


    “Apparently not. Thank you for your cooperation,” Primien said with a nod as she put away her notebook.


    I watched her and her staff walk through the garden before returning to the study. However, a trace of mana now lingered on the desk that hadn’t been there before. I quickly deciphered the message.


    — <i>We are still following your orders.</i>


    At that moment, a disturbing hypothesis hit me like a bolt of lightning.