Chapter 1085 – The Evil Path

000

Pajik!

A strong feeling passing through my head.

It was the feeling that the broken magical connection was reconnected by something.

Cleon, who had been quietly resting in the room where Laplace had been kicked out while waiting for the two people who had fainted – no, three people – to wake up, opened his eyes as he felt the connection between the imprints coming back.

“… Just now.”

It seems that it was not only Cleon who felt this, as Galatea, who had been lying with her head resting on Cleon’s lap, rustled up and made eye contact with Cleon.

Since the power of the imprint is exerted through Galatea, she must have also felt that the connection between Cleon and her colleagues has been restored.

Cleon nodded his head at Galatea and answered that she was right.

[What’s going on?]

Descartes seemed to be concerned about the behavior of those two people and asked a question.

However, Cleon just shook her head as if it was nothing.

To put it bluntly, there is no need to tell him much, who will eventually become my enemy.

Instead, Cleon closed her eyes again and let out her voice so that only Galatea could hear it.

[The return of the magic connection means that the expedition team has finally arrived at this mansion, right?]

[Huh. Probably.]

At Galatea’s answer, Cleon sighs in relief, and she tries to figure out the existence of everyone she can.

More than half of the women who participated in the expedition had their engravings engraved on them by Cleon, and it was confirmed that all of them were safe.

[Can I finally join you… I’ve only been away for a little over a day, but why do I feel like I’ve been away for so long…]

A reunion with them, as if we were seeing each other again in a month.

[Because what happened in the middle was pretty gruesome. To understand the situation, why don’t you talk directly?]

After Galatea answered in agreement, she gave him her advice.

[Ah. I think so…]

And Cleon once again focuses on the imprints and tries to convey their voices to them.

There is a bit of distance, but at this level—

[Everyone, can you hear me? Everyone, have you arrived at the Returner’s Mansion?]

The flow of doctors flowing through magic will encounter many physical and magical obstacles along the way, but will somehow reach its destination.

Then, after a while, I could feel something coming back along the same flow of magic power that had disappeared on the other side.

[─Leon…? -Lee, cut-ryeo. We are ─ Dead Sea.]

[─Forehead─ Here…─ Is scary─]

[Wait a minute, I can see Sa─, Schrö─!]

In turn, the voices of Kuon, Sasha, and Layla return, but you cannot hear what they are saying.

Rather than the distance being too far, is it perhaps due to the material of the walls surrounding this laboratory or the too many obstacles in between?

Cleon clicked his tongue inwardly and continued to send out his voice, but soon felt that there was no reply.

[Ah. Indeed. It looks like a colleague has arrived.]

And then.

When Descartes opens his mouth, as if he finally understands, Cleon will turn to him and his eyes will sharpen.

However, Descartes would respond to Cleon’s response by shrugging his shoulders.

[Of course you can tell. I didn’t sneak in like you did, I just proudly went up top – I mean. Because I entered an area that was disguised as a mansion. In the room I’m in right now, an alarm is going off, and I can see Darwin scrambling.]

“They will respond in some way, right?”

[Madame says she will, but… Well. If I react rashly, Fleur might get hurt… I think it’s fortunate that I got out of the Wyvern Canyon safely, but this is it. I feel like my heart is shrinking.]

‘Wyvern Canyon?’

I don’t know what he’s talking about, but Cleon stood up.

[Are you trying to go to them?]

“… I think it would be a good idea to join, but…”

As Cleon said that, he looked at Unix2 and Nemeia who were unconscious behind him.

No matter how he thought about it, leaving them here was a very good thing for Laplace.

At least, if you don’t wait here until they come to their senses.

[Then let me give you one piece of advice. It would be better not to go now.]

“… Why?”

When Cleon asks the reason for Descartes’ words.

Next moment.

Thud. Thud. The sound of footsteps can be heard from far away.

“─This is…?”

[This is an interception prepared by Madam. They are pulling out various biological weapons and sending them upwards. Oh, my. Even though it is a camouflage and living space, does that mean there will be no problem if the mansion above collapses?]

When Descartes spoke a little sadly, Cleon turned to Galatea and Caliban.

“Let’s go! Galatea, Caliburn. We’re blocking them here, so they can’t go up.”

At Cleon’s words, the two swords returned to their original sword form and entered his hands without any question.

[Strategically, it is a decision that can be seen as both right and bad. One more thing: When many troops move up, security becomes relatively relaxed downstairs. My recommendation is to get under her and hit her without Darwin noticing her in the meantime.]

“… There is no such option.”

[Why?]

“Our ultimate goal is not to defeat Darwin at any cost. It is to find the relics sleeping under the Four Dragon Mountains and return safely.”

To Cleon’s words, Descartes answered briefly, as if he understood, ‘Indeed.’

Haha! Then I won’t have to do anything to protect Fleur! Thank you, young man!]

“… If you’re so grateful, why don’t you attack Darwin? Now that the security is low, wouldn’t you have the best chance of winning in the same room as Darwin?”

When Cleon asked that question, Descartes stopped laughing and shook his head as if it was difficult.

[Demon swordsman. All four of us executives have specialized combat skills. Maxwell was a priest who used a considerable level of holy magic, and Laplace, as you can see, can fight by transferring his body to a chimera.]

“And you?”

[And Darwin, as you know… Is the developer of the leap of evolution. We all know how to use that drug effectively and its functions that we haven’t yet fully grasped.]

Neglecting Cleon’s question, Descartes continued his speech.

[Furthermore, among us, she had the closest relationship with the Exiled Church – no, Adam. Maybe there is something that even we can’t fully understand.]

“What do you mean?”

[Something is something. I’m saying it’s something because I don’t know. That’s also why I’m working with you to defeat Darwin. Unfortunately, Laplace disappeared…]

It takes a lot of power to hit Darwin.

Descartes was talking like that.

[What. Therefore. Don’t expect this old man to be able to do anything on his own.]

“Whoa…”

As he speaks his conclusion, Cleon lets out a short sigh.

Then, open the door and proceed into the hallway of the laboratory.

I was able to identify the sound of footsteps approaching from afar.

It was clear that they were all strangely deformed creatures.

What if the things floating in the room and tank a little while ago were based on animals?

Wherever you look, the people in front of you are human-based beings who forcibly fused various tools and machines using the leap of evolution…

They must be similar to the guys Cleon fought when he protected Yuni’s family at Mt. Chukryong.

Those guys were so crowded that they filled the hallway and were heading somewhere.

It’s probably an ‘elevator’ somewhere on this floor.

“Hey.”

Cleon speaks out to those guys who haven’t noticed us yet.

Then, the eyes of the guys who were walking disorderly all turned towards us.

Those guys whose eyes are all open and out of focus.

There are a variety of weapons and shapes, but they have one thing in common.

All of them had expressions of pain, as if they were feeling pain in their transformed bodies.

At that sight, Cleon unconsciously felt goosebumps running down his spine, but he did not look away from the men who had called him out.

[What…!? Demon swordsman!? At some point in the lab!!?]

And, an urgent voice coming from the ceiling.

Ah, it’s a woman’s voice I’ve heard before.

This must be Darwin’s.

“I’m sorry, I came in without the owner’s permission.”

Cleon might say that lightly, but thinking about Darwin running wild across from her made her feel a little good.

[That magic swordsman is the most dangerous! Children! Kill that guy first!]

Simple and simple command.

Rather, such an order would have been better for her subjects.

Next moment.

Seeing them pouring into the narrow hallway, Galatea let out a short scream.

[Wait a minute! There are too many! One, two…]

“There’s no need to count! Just cut down wherever you see!”

Cleon blocks Galatea’s actions and runs forward with her sword in both hands.

The thing in front is something bipedal with four huge pitchforks or what appear to be scythes sticking out of its shoulders.

There is no head, and instead, eight eyeballs are visible near the chest.

It’s so distorted that it’s hard to tell what will happen if it merges with something.

However, despite his ridiculous appearance, his combat power itself is outstanding.

In an instant, the guy ran within reach of Cleon’s nose and swung his four prongs, cutting Cleon off from both sides and trying to turn him into sliced ​​cheese.

[Okay, gotcha…!]

Darwin’s voice rang out.

She remembered that Cleon had a hard time fighting with her own children yesterday, so she probably thought that a stronger test subject would be able to easily subdue Cleon.

‘It’s fast, but…’

But at that moment, the light of magic sparkled in Cleon’s eyes.

In an instant, Cleon felt as if the strings of time were stretching, and saw the entire trajectory of the scythe he was swinging coming into view.

Kang! ─ Strike the scythe aimed at the left shoulder with Galatea.

Suddenly! ─ Caliburn cut off the part of the body of the guy where the scythe was connected, trying to reach the right waist.

Shoo! ─ At the same time, duck down and avoid the scythe that is trying to cut off your head from the left.

Sigh! ─ After piercing the guy’s body with both swords at the same time, he spread his arms to his sides and cut off the middle part of his body.

Because it happened so quickly, one of the scythes could not be swung properly, and the scythe fell to the ground.

If she didn’t have Sasha’s visual acuity, she would have found it strange that right after the black and gold trails flashed before her eyes, Cleon, who had clearly been attacked, was unharmed and the scythe test subject was lying on the ground.

[─What?]

Darwin’s panicked voice rang out once again.

Was that embarrassment contagious among the test subjects? Each of the guys who were charging stopped and looked at Cleon in front of them-

I look at the magic swordsman in a cornered situation, who obviously should be on the hunted side, in despair.

“I guess I should say that only after it disappears for a while do I become more aware of its importance─”

[─Those eyes…]

What was shining above Cleon’s eyes was the ‘hunter’s imprint’.

It was clear that it was Sasha’s power cloned through the demon sword Galatea.

“It seems that body strengthening through magical power has not yet been achieved, but… Well, it doesn’t matter if I can borrow everyone’s power through imprinting.”

Cleon checks the movement of his body by lightly opening and closing the hand holding the sword.

[Sigh…! At best, it’s only one! No matter how strong you are, there are limits to your physical strength and magical power! Kill me now that I can’t escape!]

Even though Darwin sees his movements on a different level from Cleon’s supposed strength, he raises his voice as if he cannot miss this opportunity.

As soon as those words are finished, the stopped test subjects run straight towards Cleon-

[Then. In the meantime, I will take care of the intruders above.]

And, another voice coming from Darwin’s side.

Male – It was the voice of an older man, and Cleon remembered that he had been talking to that voice before.

‘Is it Descartes…’

His words on behalf of Darwin that he would deal with the expedition team from the mansion.

Cleon glanced back towards the room he had walked out of and swung his sword.

Then, one of the test subjects was cut and fell down on the spot, spattering abnormally colored blood.

I still couldn’t fully understand how much of Descartes’ words were sincere and how much were lies.

At least, it was clear to him what he had to do now.

It was to give eternal rest to these poor creatures that flocked in like waves.

001

Lila felt her head tingle for a moment as the scene before her eyes changed in an instant.

The sofa, the fireplace, and a plate with a strange pattern hanging on the wall.

A luxurious teacup that looks like it has knitting and coffee in it.

Old furniture, old walls…

After everything seemed to be upside down, she felt that her body was upside down, with her head planted on the floor.

Thud! With a sound, Laila fell to the ground.

As he fell forward and there was nothing to cushion him in the middle, a loud ‘Pap!’ Sound rang out.

“It hurts…! I only sent out magic power, but where is the magic circle that activates…!?”

When Lila raises her body with a nervous voice.

“No, most magic circles react to magic…”

Amelia sighed with a tired look on her face and reached out her hand to Lyla to help her up.

“Is everyone okay!?”

When Kuon checks the number of expedition members around him.

“Ah… Somehow.”

“We’re okay too!”

The Banguidae and the disciples of Attis raise their voices and answer Kuon.

Fortunately, there seemed to be no vacancies in non-combat personnel.

“This is…”

As Sasha looked around, she could see that something had moved in the room, just as Lila had seen.

“It looks like it was transferred directly to the returner’s coffin…”

After Lila brushes the dust off her skirt and clothes, she takes a quick look at the liquid inside the teacup.

… It contained an unknown liquid, whether it was coffee or not.

“You mean Cleon is also somewhere in this building?”

Amelia recalled what she had heard from her guardian and asked.

“It’s probably underground. This is the first floor… Unless we find a way to go down to the basement. The other party will probably notice that we entered through transfer, so everyone is careful—”

It was that moment when Lila once again tried to pay attention to her surroundings.

[─, Field─? Everyone, have you reached the choice of the meeting?]

Beyond the magical connection, a longing voice was heard.

Everyone who felt it tensed up as if they were startled—

Then, after a while, I could feel something coming back along the same flow of magic power that had disappeared on the other side.

[Cleon? I can’t hear your voice very well! We are safe.]

First, Kuon answered like that.

[I used transfer magic… The atmosphere here… Might be scary─]

Sasha responded like that to the eerie atmosphere around her.

At that time, Lila, who realized that her personnel was missing, raised her voice.

“Wait a minute, Sasha, I don’t see Schrödinger!”

Kuon and Sasha covered their ears to the voice that came out of their hearts and voices at the same time.

But thanks to this, the other party members will also look around and look for Schrödinger.

And, as expected, the first one to find her was Quartz.

“… Is that by any chance?”

Saying that, where she pointed-

In a corner of the ceiling, there was someone with their upper body buried in the ceiling, with their legs and tail sticking out.