Chapter 332
[Abduction 16. Father and the past ]
#A16
“I really don’t know anything! Help me!”
The stern-looking middle-aged man lowered his head. He, who was the leader of the Black Scorpion thieves an hour ago, became a beggar who lost everything in an instant. Behind him, hundreds of disfigured gang members were trembling in the same posture.
“Ooh, we’re all going to die…why is he here…”
“Boss…! Whoops!”
The sky was covered with thick clouds. A secluded place on the outskirts of Jedo Island. At first glance, the moonlight that leaked in was illuminating the ruined fortress.
All the horrors that seemed like an earthquake were the work of one person. Ronan, who grabbed the sword by turning it around, asked nervously.
“Isn’t it blowing straight? They say you guys are the biggest gang of bandits around here. You don’t have to spit anything out.”
“That’s it, but…! We also have a prize. The collection was done only in the designated area, and I was not even close to the island. Trust me!”
“I fell asleep like this. I’m proud of this baby. ”
right! Ronan hit the boss’s head with the back of his sword. Perhaps because of his shiny bald head, a clear sound resonated as if he was tapping on a wooden table.
“Kuhh…!”
The boss gritted it. It was shame beyond words, but all he could do was swallow his tears and tremble. The boss shuddered as he recalled what had happened a while ago.
‘Am I dreaming? To cut down the entire fortress.’
It took less than an hour for the black scorpion bandits, which boasted a 4-year tradition, to collapse. Ronan, who had invaded alone, asked if he knew anything about the recent disappearance, and then he started to slice up the fortress and people. thud! The boss appealed, banging his forehead on the floor.
“I swear to heaven, we don’t know. Help me!”
“Save me!”
The words were repeated by his subordinates in terrified voices. Now it was slowly reaching its limit. Prison or anywhere would be fine, so if I could just get away from this monster, I’d be satisfied with that.
“Shit, then who the hell is doing this?”
Ronan, who was looking at the thieves, spat out a curse. Judging by the look on his face and the way he spoke, it didn’t seem like he was lying. If this is the case, someone will go missing somewhere again.
‘It’s been almost a fucking month and there’s no progress.’
As always, he was catching and harassing those who were on the line of suspects in the disappearance case. Running around all day and all night, I was having difficulties with my responsibilities as a husband or father.
Still, these bastards were so large that I thought they would know anything, but it was just disappointing. It was in the midst of Ronan moaning while thinking about where to grind next. A familiar voice echoed overhead.
“Ro Ronan! It’s a big deal!”
“ok?”
Ronan raised his head. I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn’t even notice what was coming. Asher in pajamas was floating in the night sky.
His youthful face was no different from ten years ago, except for a little haggard. Her blazing red hair did not lose its light even in the dark. The eyes of the thieves who recognized him widened as if they would pop out.
“The Great Archmage…!”
I could see even the ridiculous outfits. Following Lorhorn, it was Mage Asher who reached the pinnacle of magic. A swordsman who cut down a star, then a great wizard. Leaving the despairing thieves behind, Ronan asked a question.
“What is it? When your face turns white.”
“Ooh my kids are gone! Lance and Secika…!”
“…what?”
Ronan’s face hardened. Asher wept and explained what had happened. Ranse and Secika’s sudden disappearance coincides with the previous disappearance cases. And unidentified bloodstains left at the scene. After hearing the whole story, Ronan opened his mouth.
“Is it the blood of Lansena Secika?”
“I-I don’t know. I just found it… Sheeta is flying in from the north.
”
Ronan murmured. The thieves, who had been watching the two of them suddenly, breathed in vain. My body didn’t move as if paralyzed. A murderous feeling he had never experienced before was spreading over Ronan’s shoulders.
“Can’t breathe…!”
“help me. please.”
It was so intense that I couldn’t even breathe properly. People who sob or urinate began to appear one after another.
The thieves, who were more desperate than usual, were pleading for mercy. Ronan’s arm went blurry for a moment, then returned to normal. Fain! A belated gong sounded.
It was before I even questioned what he had done. Chow ah-! The cloud-covered sky split left and right, and a cluster of stars spread overhead.
“Huh!”
The thieves were astonished. The cross section of the cloud cut by the black wind was as clean as it was smooth. Ronan’s hand, which was empty, was holding La Mancha before he knew it.
A sword that even slaughtered flying giants. Ronan, who turned it around, turned his gaze to the boss.
“hey.”
“Yes yes yes!”
“Don’t talk too long. Go ahead.”
Ronan growled lowly. Even encountering a tiger seemed better than this. The boss, who had been breathing heavily, shouted once again, banging his head on the floor.
“Mu, of course! I’ll embroider right away!”
“go away.”
Ronan, who made a cold declaration, left with Asher. Thoroughly crushed, the thieves did not raise their heads even after their forms were completely gone. The thieves, who stood up after a while, naturally moved to the nearby guard despite no one watching them.
****
“Ugh… Uh…”
Lance opened his eyes after groaning. My head was foggy as if I was drugged. He stumbled up and looked around.
“here is…?”
All around was covered in darkness. Judging from the fact that I couldn’t hear the sound of the wind blowing, it looked like the interior of some structure. What happened? Lance muttered while holding his forehead.
“What…what happened?”
Memories of last night were scattered. I think I heard someone’s voice before I passed out, but I couldn’t remember exactly.
‘So after leaving the house…and entering the back alley…Ah.’
Suddenly, Lance’s complexion turned white as he recollected his memories step by step. The person who should be there was nowhere to be seen. Looking around urgently, he cried out in a loud voice.
“Sechika!”
A voice echoed in the darkness. But no answer came back. Lance raised his hand to his mouth and shouted again.
“Answer me if you are alive! Sechika!”
Again, no answer came back. It was in the midst of Lance’s breathing becoming quicker as he recalled the worst. Shuaak! Lance’s body, which had been looking around, suddenly rose into the air as if riding the wind.
“What?!”
Something invisible was gripping him. The pressure on my body was somehow familiar. Before long, a familiar voice came from behind Lance, who had stopped.
“Don’t be loud. you idiot. What are you going to do if you get caught?”
“you…!”
Lance’s eyes widened as he turned his head. Secika was watching him with her arms crossed. She, too, was floating in the air like himself.
“Sechka.”
The clothes were a bit dirty, but there didn’t seem to be any injuries. The tense tension was relieved. Lance, who was silent, hugged her tightly.
“La Lance?”
“You’re alive. Thank goodness.”
“It’s all natural. What do you think of this Sechika-sama… can you please let go of this for now?”
Sechika’s face flushed red. Lance, who belatedly realized what he had done, hurriedly untied the hug. “ Hmmmm
… I’m sorry about that.”
“Oh no. If it’s too nice to see you, that might be it.”
“Thank you for understanding. So…where are we?”
“I don’t know. I just woke up too. But maybe… it’s not a normal space.”
Sethika frowned. Born with a sensitive mana sensitivity, she knew from the moment she opened her eyes that this was a strange place. Lance tilted his head.
“Isn’t this a normal space?”
“Everything is twisted. I’ve seen something similar in my dad’s book before… It’s a subspace artificially created by a being with very powerful magical powers.”
“A space?”
“okay. A dimension that shouldn’t exist in the first place. Who the hell made this?”
Sechika murmured. Now that my eyes have adapted to the darkness, I can slowly see my surroundings. As I listened to it, a number of strange things caught my eye.
It was a space reminiscent of the cavity of a huge cave. His voice rang even when he spoke softly, and he could not see the walls or ceiling. Everywhere I could see, shadows darker than the darkness swayed like a haze.
I’ve definitely never seen anything like this. Taking a deep breath, Lance closed his eyes and concentrated. Having inherited keen senses from his mother, he could feel things others could not see or hear.
Lance, who opened his eyes soon, pointed to the middle of the darkness and said.
“I hear something over there.”
“really? I can’t hear anything.”
“no. Are you sure. The sound of water…or footsteps?”
“Hmm, I’ll be sure when I go. Aren’t you sick now?”
Lance raised a thumbs up at Secika’s question. Sechika laughed and chanted an incantation.
Sahah … The wind expressed at her fingertips gently wrapped the legs and feet of two people. It was Haste magic that increased movement speed.
A pure attribute unique to her, not inherited from Asher. Lance felt that his body had become noticeably lighter and exclaimed in admiration.
“Your skill level has increased.”
“Basic. Take the lead because you heard the voice.”
Lance did just that. Since Secika was able to cast telekinesis and wind magic at the same time, the two of them glided through the air toward their destination.
A darkness of unfathomable depth passed them by. It was on the way for about ten minutes. Having discovered something, Lance shouted with a full tone.
[Stop!]
“Ugh…!”
Secika, who was following, made an abrupt stop. Lance, who wiped his face once, extended his index finger and pointed at the floor.
[Look there.]
“……!”
Secika lowered her head and covered her mouth with both hands. Dozens, maybe hundreds, of people were lying in a row. There was an exceptionally large number of children, regardless of age or gender, and all of them were blindfolded. Barely controlling her emotions, she opened her mouth.
“These are the people who went missing at the time… that’s for sure.”
“…Is he dead?”
“I don’t think that is. Anyway, mana is being pulled out of my body…”
Sechika stammered and blurted out his words. She could see mana draining from people’s bodies in real time.
The flow of mana was all concentrated in one place. I was in the middle of slowly moving my eyes along the flow. At a certain point, a shrieking scream came out of Sechika’s mouth.
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
“What’s wrong… Heo Eok!”
Looking at the same place, Lance’s eyes widened as if they would pop out. Far away in the darkness, a white snake, bigger than most dragons, was sleeping with its coiled coils.
“…What is that?”
I couldn’t believe it even when I saw it with my own eyes. Scars from frostbite covered about half of his slippery body. It was the car Lance was about to say something more. Right behind me, someone’s voice rang out.
【You’d better not mess with it. If you don’t want to be eaten right now.]
“What…!”
【Because he was the leader of the Pandemonium after all.】
Lance reflexively turned around. Suddenly, a man appeared and looked down at the two with his hands behind his back.
He was a fairly handsome young man, but there were ugly marks reminiscent of a stuffed toy left on his face and all over his extremities exposed outside his sleeves.
“La, Lance…”
“Who are you?”
Standing in front of Sechika, Lance roared with his hand on the hilt. The sparkling air currents seen in the alley were floating around the young man. The young man’s mouth opened slowly.
【My name is Darman. I am the ember of the great Nebula Klage and the one who was killed by your father once.】