Chapter 170 – Melting Point (Six)

Swoooosh──

The pouring rain.

A quiet disturbance spread through the hot breaths of the operatives.

Binjin was the very embodiment of terror even among the Amon Family operatives.

Even if he was an ally, his merciless, brutal slaughter of enemies in conflict zones was enough to instill deep-seated fear.

And that Binjin was said to be dead.

Killed by his own disciple’s hand.

“Ayla, is what you just said true? That you killed Binjin-nim?”

At Amon’s high-pressure voice, Ayla flinched.

Her mind went blank, and she unconsciously looked at Ray.

“…….”

“…….”

The moment their eyes met, she felt her heart calming.

‘That look in your eyes, you’re telling me again this time. That I’m not useless. That I can do it.’

‘This wound, it’s going to leave a scar. I’ll get scolded by Veronica when I go back. Should I try covering it with makeup or something?’

Gaining courage, Ayla turned to look at Amon again and took a deep breath.

I am Ayla.

Not useless, but useful Ayla.

And.

The moment she recalled Amon’s figure, who always threw a disgustingly sticky gaze whenever they met.

‘……!’

A shiver ran down her spine, and anger surged violently.

Ayla stepped on the accelerator.

“Yeah, I killed him. Got a problem with that, you horny bastard?”

The air instantly turned icy.

“Whoa.”

From beside her, she heard Ain swallow a gasp.

“You… what did you just say…!”

“Not taking those filthy eyes off me? I’ll pluck them out and turn them into ice candy right now.”

Another murmur came from the side.

“Our Noona must have had a lot pent up. She seems… a bit different somehow.”

As silence flowed, Amon’s face silently turned red and blue.

“A, ah…! Wha, what am I…! So, sorry… you short-ass bastard! Hup…!”

“…….”

It seemed Ayla still couldn’t quite control her thawed emotions.

“Hoo.”

Amon, having suppressed his anger for now, shifted his gaze to Ray and continued the conversation.

“Wizard-nim, may we first go inside to confirm? Whether Binjin is truly dead.”

Amon glanced at the tower interior visible behind Ray.

“That’s strange.”

“What is?”

“You heard Ayla’s words and immediately said you’d confirm Binjin’s death.”

“That is…”

“Normally, you’d ask why he was killed, what happened inside.”

“That…”

“You don’t seem curious at all. About what happened inside. As if you already know because you anticipated it.”

“…….”

“Am I wrong?”

Ray’s gaze and voice were as cold as could be, giving a feeling that pierced straight to the lungs.

After a long silence, the corner of Amon’s mouth twisted upward.

“This is why quick-witted brats are.”

“You must have known the fact that Binjin uses his disciples as sacrifices for Exploitation Magic.”

“Yeah, go on.”

“Considering the extent of collusion, it’s highly likely he was even in charge of procuring the orphans to be raised as disciples.”

Exploitation Magic.

Ain, whose pupils were filled with shock and horror, soon made a face as if he finally understood the situation.

Ray continued his speculation calmly.

“You must have stationed guards around the tower today as well, to ensure Binjin’s depraved tastes weren’t interfered with.”

“…….”

“You must have received a report that a battle occurred inside the tower. You were flustered, but deliberately arrived here after enough time had passed for the fight to be over.”

“…….”

“Then you could overpower the winner, whether it was the old man or Binjin, if they were near death, and seize the artifacts inside the tower.”

Amon, who had been listening to the long talk, clapped his hands and burst into loud laughter.

“Excellent. Truly excellent. It makes me wonder what kind of life you’ve lived at such a young age. Maxton, what were you doing at that age?”

The subordinate holding the umbrella responded to Amon’s words.

“I don’t remember well, but I think I was selling gum on the streets.”

“Right. That’s normal for that age. But that kid, I’ve felt it before, his potential is extraordinary. Not just his outstanding Magic skills, but his mind works incredibly fast.”

“Yes. It seems so.”

“Yeah, right. And if he’s that quick-witted.”

Amon, instantly turning serious, glared at Ray and growled.

“He must also know that if he doesn’t want to die, he should step aside from the door right now.”

“…….”

“Step aside, kid. Unless you want your body riddled with holes right now. The things inside there are things I’ve coveted for a very long time.”

Hearing that, Ain excitedly tried to step forward.

“You son of a…!”

“Wait, not now…!”

Ayla, calming Ain down, analyzed the situation with anxious eyes.

‘…We’re at a disadvantage.’

The opponent’s numbers were too great, and they were already completely surrounded.

The silhouettes of pitch-black vehicles and operatives were visible even beyond the mansion gate.

Swoooosh──

Their vision was also limited for unleashing combat to their heart’s content.

Although with three Wizards, they could inflict massive damage if they fought.

‘But we can’t guarantee our lives.’

In the end, the likely final victor would be the Amon Family side.

The cunning and shrewd Amon must have moved after fully calculating the situation.

“…….”

Ray’s silence was somewhat prolonged.

Amon, perhaps feeling the situation was flowing as he predicted, pushed up the corner of his mouth.

“Bul.”

“Yes.”

Click!

“There’s something I’m curious about.”

“Hoo─ Huh? Yeah, what is it?”

“Binjin, who had your backs, is gone. How do you plan to resolve conflicts with other organizations from now on?”

“Ah, that.”

Amon chuckled and answered.

“No need to worry. Our Amon Family is actually on closer terms with his top disciples than with Binjin himself. Through them, controlling the remaining disciples in the mansion is a piece of cake. Well, of course, we’ll have to use some special medicine to ensure they don’t resist.”

Amon’s sneer continued.

The mansion’s disciples were doll-like beings with no trace of autonomy.

It’s just that the owner of those dolls would change.

‘That… can’t be.’

Ayla’s breathing grew ragged.

It was only minutes ago that she had broken free from the shackles that bound her life and found freedom.

But to have to wear shackles again.

That was a horrifying prospect she didn’t even want to imagine.

Ayla looked at the decision-maker with her pounding heart.

And Ray.

Swish─ Thud.

Stepped aside.

“Keh! Definitely sharp-minded. Quick situational judgment. Let’s go in. We need to confirm Binjin’s corpse and recover the artifacts. Are the appraisers called?”

“We have them on standby in the office so we can immediately appraise and put them on the Black Market.”

“Good, good, very good.”

While the operatives in the front row entered the tower interior, Ayla and Ain stepped aside following Ray.

‘Noona, is this right?’

‘Heiler… what on earth is he thinking?’

She was confused.

Anxious, uneasy.

Perhaps he thinks that since he’s not from the mansion, what happens next is none of his concern?

Just as conflict sprouted in the siblings’ hearts about whether they should step forward separately even now.

Thud.

Amon, who had stopped walking ahead, looked at Ayla and spoke.

“I can treat the dolls more kindly than Binjin ever could.”

‘Ah.’

Ayla felt something in her head snap with a thud.

At that moment, when she was unconsciously drawing up Mana fiercely.

“There’s one more question.”

Ray’s voice that reached her stopped her action.

“There’s one more question.”

“Huh? What is it? I’m in a pretty good mood now, so I’ll answer.”

“There was one rule in the Sector I lived in.”

“What rule?”

“The rule that the winner of a fight takes everything. I was wondering if that rule applies in Sector 37 as well.”

Amon chuckled and answered.

“Can’t you tell from me taking the spoils now? The strong take everything. Money, people, businesses, anything. It’s a law that applies the same in any Sector. It’s a law I really like too!”

“That’s a relief.”

Ray sent a glance to Ayla and Ain once.

“It’s a rule I like too.”

He spat out coldly.

Squeak!

It was instantaneous. Ray’s hand, enveloped in blue Mana, shot out towards Amon’s neck.

────!

“Ghk! Kehek! Kehuk!”

Amon, lifted into the air, struggled and punched at the hand gripping his neck.

But like hitting a rock, the grip showed no sign of weakening at all.

Rather, beyond that.

Creeeak─! Cree-creeak─!

Ice spreading from the grip began to cover his entire body except his face.

“Kehek! Ghk ghk! Crack!”

Amon’s face, seized by extreme terror, turned deathly pale.

Fear and terror were spreading among the operatives lined up outside the tower as well.

“M, my body is freezing!”

“I, it’s Magic! It’s Magic!”

Ice crawling up from their feet spread through their legs to their entire bodies.

Everything was chaos itself in the situation.

But the one most shocked by the scene unfolding before her eyes was not the enemy, but Ayla.

‘He bought time with conversation while scattering Ice Element all over the lawn…? When on earth…? I didn’t even feel it…?’

Goosebumps rose.

The boy’s constant words of encouragement.

Reaching the 3rd Circle inside the tower.

Thanks to that, she was a girl who could erase all the inferiority complexes that had remained like bruises in her heart and greatly recover her confidence.

But this.

‘It’s on a completely different level.’

A feeling of facing a wall beyond the wall.

However, she didn’t feel inferiority.

The emotions occupying the girl’s Vessel now were positive-colored competitiveness and exhilaration.

“Shoot! Shoot!”

“B, but! B, Boss, Father is!”

“Shoot first! We have to stop the Magic! Otherwise, we’re annihilated!”

Following the instructions of those who appeared to be Executives, the operatives began to counterattack.

The operatives who had entered the tower interior hurriedly ran to get outside.

The operatives outside the tower moved arms that weren’t yet frozen and pulled their triggers.

“……!”

The moment he sensed some Magic had settled on his body, Ain kicked off the ground and dashed out.

Immediately after.

Ayla created a circular ice barrier around Ray and herself.

Gunfire ringing through the sound of rain.

Flashing sparks in the blurred vision.

─────────!

Countless shell casings tumbled on the lawn.

But the massive ice barrier didn’t even get a scratch.

Ain, who had gone inside the tower, was rampaging among the enemies, picking up and gripping a piece of concrete.

Scrape─! Scrape─!

Each time the sharp piece drew a line, operatives fell, spraying blood.

“D, die!”

He saw a gun muzzle aimed at him for a moment but deliberately didn’t dodge.

Because he had a strong intuition that it would be okay even if he got hit.

Thud─!

Indeed, the bullet that hit his body bounced off weakly.

‘What kind of Magic did Hyung put on me?’

Ain was bewildered.

It felt as if his entire body had become hard like metal.

Does the Mage Tower teach not only how to strike an opponent’s head with a book but also such terrifying Magic?

Ah, the Mage Tower.

‘It’s a really scary place.’

Thus, the situations inside and outside the tower were being resolved in an instant.

All the enemies inside were groaning on the floor, bleeding profusely.

All the enemies outside had their entire bodies frozen, leaving only their blue, pale faces.

Creeeeng─!

The thick ice barrier crumbled down at Ayla’s will.

Looking around, Ayla spoke in a somewhat dazed voice.

“I didn’t know… we could win this easily.”

“You’re strong. As I said.”

At Ray’s words, Ayla thought quietly.

‘It seems like it’s not me who’s strong, but you.’

“But I am stronger.”

Ayla flinched.

‘Did you read my thoughts?’

She concentrated and thought.

‘Why has the interest and curiosity disappeared from the look in your eyes when you look at me?’

She stared intently, but the boy showed no particular reaction.

Then Ain walked out from inside the tower and spoke.

“Hyung? What kind of Magic did you put on me? My body became completely like a rock?”

“Not rock, metal.”

“Metal?”

“The Magic name is Metallization. And get ready. The fight isn’t over yet.”

Ray raised a finger.

Enemies pouring in past the mansion gate were visible.

“Right. I can still fight.”

“I also still have plenty of the Ring’s Mana left…?”

It was then that an abnormal phenomenon was observed.

The incoming enemies trembled as if electrocuted and then fell one by one.

…But not a single trace of electric current was visible in the air.

“Do you learn things like that at the Mage Tower too?”

“He, Heiler. What Magic is that?”

Ain and Ayla asked with dazed expressions, but Ray couldn’t answer.

Because it wasn’t Magic he had used.

“…….”

What was reflected in the boy’s eyes now was a giant snake flying around the gate.

[Oooong─!]

Its entire body was composed of brilliant, glowing yellow Mana.

[Bzzzt─!]

Dazzling currents raged like a storm inside it.

‘Lacria.’

The boy repeated the snake’s name.