Multiversal Ascension-Chapter 90: An Unpleasant Surprise (3)

"FUC-" The fanatic didn't have time to finish cursing before the aura-infused arrow struck him in the side, gravely injuring him and sending him flying into the lead mage. The impact propelled both of them out of the protective barrier, the lead mage landing face-first on the ground and sliding across the dirt.

The two mages now lay exposed, vulnerable outside their barriers. It was the perfect opportunity for Lyra to cast a spell and finish them off. However, her lack of experience in combat against humans froze her in place, and she hesitated. Amelia didn't. She unleashed a flurry of arrows aimed at the downed mages.

Realizing the danger, the four warriors fighting Mikael intensified their efforts to break free and assist the mages. However, Mikael matched their ferocity, ensuring they remained locked in combat.

"Let us go, heretic! We need to aid true followers of Nexoria!" one of the warriors roared angrily. "By opposing us, you defy an entity beyond your comprehension!"

Mikael chuckled coldly, continuing the fight without a word. Inwardly, he remained wary. 'This Nexoria dimension might not just be the delusion of some fanatics. In a world like this, anything is possible...'

On the other side of the battlefield, the thunder mage clutched his side, blood pouring from a gaping wound. The fire mage, more composed, conjured another barrier to block Amelia's relentless arrows.

They retaliated with spells aimed at the two girls, but the situation had shifted. Lyra, learning from her earlier hesitation, finally understood she needed to be more aggressive. She began spamming water and earth spells without pause, her C rank prowess now evident. Despite her earlier freeze, her raw talent and determination began to shine through.

Earth Spears and Water Walls bombarded the mages, forcing them into a desperate defense. Coupled with Amelia's hate-fueled arrow barrage and the thunder mage's injury, the mages were rapidly losing ground.

The thunder mage's barrier finally shattered under the relentless assault. An Earth Spear tore through his chest, propelling him backward before pinning him to the ground. The mage let out a silent scream before collapsing lifelessly.

Lyra froze, her face a mask of horror. "I... I killed someone..." she murmured, her trembling hand covering her mouth. Moments later, she dropped to her knees and retched, her body shaking as the realization sank in.

The lead mage, both fearful and enraged by the thunder mage's death, seized the opportunity. He chanted quickly, sending a meter-long Fire Snake racing toward the dazed Lyra. The blazing serpent darted through the air, closing the distance in seconds.

Just before it could strike, Amelia grabbed Lyra and leapt aside, narrowly avoiding the explosion that followed. The ground where Lyra had been moments earlier erupted in flames and smoke.

Shaken from her stupor by the sudden movement and explosion, Lyra stared at Amelia, her mind still reeling. "Get yourself together! This isn't the time to freeze up—we're still fighting!" Amelia's voice was sharp, but her gaze carried genuine concern.

"I..." Lyra began, but Amelia didn't give her time to respond. Another fire spell tore through the air, forcing Amelia to drag Lyra away once more.

"You're right," Lyra said, her voice steadying as determination replaced her earlier fear. She pushed herself to her feet, her resolve firm. Together, the two girls launched an all-out assault on the remaining mage.

Mikael watched from the other side of the battlefield, letting out a quiet sigh of relief. When Lyra had faltered after her first kill and the lead mage tried to exploit it, he had been ready to intervene. But Amelia, despite her fury toward the Obsidian Covenant, had chosen to prioritize her sister over vengeance. Her actions allowed the two girls to regain their footing and face the mage together.

'Time to end this,' Mikael thought, intensifying his assault on the four warriors. They were instantly overwhelmed by his relentless attacks, unable to keep up with his sheer speed and strength.

In just a few minutes, all four warriors lay dead at his feet. On the other side, Amelia and Lyra worked together seamlessly, easily overpowering the lead mage. Despite his resistance, he was no match for their combined strength. The battle ended with one of Amelia's arrows piercing his skull.

Lyra paled at the sight, but she seemed to recover faster this time. Meanwhile, Amelia stared at the fallen mage, a satisfied smile tugging at her lips.

Mikael appeared beside them, his movements faster than sound yet eerily silent. The Wind-Explosive Style he had created enveloped him in a thin layer of wind mana, not only cutting through air resistance but also allowing him to move at supersonic speeds without generating the distinctive sonic boom.

Mikael gently took Lyra's hands, prompting her to look up. Her usually vibrant purple eyes were now glassy with unshed tears. "You did well," he said, his voice calm and steady, with a reassuring touch.

Lyra hesitated before responding, giving Amelia enough time to step away. Noticing Lyra's distress, Amelia moved to examine the bloody pentagram etched into the ground.

Lyra flinched at Mikael's words. "I... killed someone. That's not 'doing well,' Mikael," she said, her voice cracking.

Keeping her smaller hands in his, Mikael replied, "Honestly, I can't say I fully understand your internal conflict. When I killed for the first time, I didn't dwell on it. In my mind, it was simple—it was either me or them. But if you need support, someone to talk to, or even just a hug, I'm here."

"A... hug would be good," she murmured faintly.

Mikael gently guided her to sit on the ground before wrapping her in a hug. He held her close, allowing her to feel safe and comforted. Not long after, her lithe frame began to shake, and he felt the dampness of her tears soaking into the top of his uniform where her head rested.

He didn't speak, simply caressing her back in soothing motions. As he glanced up, his gaze met Amelia's. He offered a wry smile but said nothing. No words were necessary; their understanding of each other was clear.

Amelia continued to examine the pentagram, patiently waiting for Lyra to recover.

A while passed before Lyra lifted her head from Mikael's chest. "Sorry for the mess..." she muttered, referring to the tears that had wet his shirt. Or at least, it had been wet—the uniform's auto-cleaning function had already dried and cleaned the fabric.

"...But I feel a little better now. It just feels surreal to have killed someone," she admitted softly.

"Do you want to look at the pentagram these Obsidian Covenant members were working on?" Mikael asked, pointing toward the bloody symbol that Amelia was studying.

"I know it won't make you forget about what happened, but it might help take your mind off it."

Lyra hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I'd like to," she decided.

The two stood up and approached Amelia. Once there, Mikael leaned closer and murmured in her ear, "Thanks for waiting. I know it's not easy for you, considering your history with the Obsidian Covenant."

Amelia replied in a low voice, "Don't worry about it."

But then her expression hardened. "What I don't understand is why you didn't kill those fanatics yourself. You're strong enough to do it easily, aren't you?"

This time, Mikael spoke clearly, ensuring Lyra could hear. "You're right—I didn't go all out in the fight. I used this opportunity to help you and Lyra gain experience in a life-and-death battle."

He paused before continuing. "Situations like today will happen again. It's better for you both to learn to handle them in a controlled setting, so when a true life-or-death fight happens, you'll be prepared."

Amelia nodded, understanding his reasoning, while Lyra stared at him silently, processing his words. After a moment, she nodded too, realizing the truth in what he said. Even though the weight of the experience still lingered, she understood its value.

"Let's take a look at this pentagram," Mikael said, changing the subject to steer Lyra's thoughts away from earlier events.

He crouched down and began examining the bloody symbol, with both girls watching closely.

As Lyra's mind cleared, she became aware of the state she was in—her tear-streaked face and her shaken reaction to her first kill. Feeling self-conscious, she silently cast a cleaning spell on herself before shifting her focus back to Mikael.

"This is some kind of array," Mikael said after a moment. "But its complexity is... unusual. It's not that it's extremely advanced; it's just unlike anything I've seen before. It's a 'living array' that uses the blood and life force of living beings as fuel for something..."

"The Willowbrook Town!" Amelia exclaimed in sudden realization, her expression horrified.

Mikael's expression remained calm. "I think so. This array seems to be a sacrificial one, fueled by the deaths of people in the surrounding area. But I don't know what it's powering."

He examined it further, piecing together its intricacies. "Alright, I've got it. Like I said, this array sacrifices the lives of nearby people—in this case, those in Willowbrook Town. But that's not all. It also acts as a 'bait,' drawing in large numbers of beasts from the surrounding forests to attack the town."

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"Do you think it's the same for all the towns experiencing beast waves?" Lyra asked.

"It's not certain, but there's a chance," Mikael replied. "But before we worry about that, I need to deactivate this array before it draws another wave of beasts to Willowbrook Town."

Without waiting, he got to work. In a few minutes, the bloody pentagram dimmed, and the traces of blood on the ground vanished.

Once he finished, Mikael stood and said, "We need to warn the teachers about this, but we should refer to them as an unknown group of robed individuals and keep the Obsidian Covenant to ourselves. Mentioning the Obsidian Covenant could lead to problems for us."

Both girls agreed, and the group—along with Shadow, who had been forgotten until now—moved swiftly through the forest, heading back toward the town.

Soon, the group emerged from the forest, their eyes falling upon a bloody battlefield littered with the bodies of magical beasts. Ignoring the grim sight, they moved swiftly toward the town wall.

Their progress was halted by a group of students guarding the ground before the wall. One of the warriors stepped forward and questioned, "What were you doing in the forest?"

Mikael stepped forward, his tone calm but firm. "We were investigating the beast wave under the teachers' authorization."

Satisfied with the answer, the warrior stepped aside, allowing the trio to pass. They moved past him, and with a quick leap, landed atop the wall. Heading straight for Draven, they initiated a conversation.

***

"What you're saying is that these beast waves were caused by an unknown group of individuals in black hooded robes using some sort of 'sacrificial array,' am I correct?" Draven inquired, his expression deeply worried.

"Yes," Mikael confirmed.

"That's extremely concerning. I'll need to alert the Academy about this potential threat." Draven seemed to be speaking more to himself, his gaze distant as he processed the information. After a brief pause, he refocused and asked, "Is this array still active and attracting beasts as we speak?"

"No. we destroyed it, but I can't guarantee that no beasts were drawn in before it was dismantled. To be safe, we should remain here for a few more hours to monitor the situation," Mikael advised.

Draven nodded. "We'll do as you suggest." He regarded the trio with a serious expression. "Your actions have been invaluable. Rest assured, you'll be well-rewarded for your contribution to this mission."

The trio then moved away from Draven, returning to their original positions on the wall.

As they walked off, they heard Draven's voice, amplified to echo throughout Willowbrook Town. "I know some of you are wondering why this beast wave escalated the way it did. Rest assured, investigations have been conducted, and the waves will stop within the next five hours. After that, we'll return to the Academy. Stay vigilant and hold your positions. We're almost through this."

Author Note:

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